Matt Ritter and Aaron Karo

Man of the Year - Champions of Friendship

Society EN ↓ 195 episodes

As seen in The New York Times, on NPR, and the TODAY Show, Man of the Year is the #1 friendship podcast in the country! Comedians and friendship experts Matt Ritter and Aaron Karo will help you make new friends, reconnect with old ones, and build lifelong social fitness. Each November they award a gigantic Man of the Year trophy to one of their childhood friends – a tradition that has kept their crew going strong since the '80s. But the country is facing a friendship recession – 15% of men report having zero close friends – and they’re on a mission to change that with tips, hacks, and decades...

Author

Matt Ritter and Aaron Karo

Category

Society

Podcast website

bleav.com

Latest episode

Jul 7, 2026

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Episodes

Five Tickets Left For Our Los Angeles Show! 29.02.2024

Guys there are only a few tickets left for our show at the Netflix is a Joke comedy festival on May 8th in Los Angeles! GET TICKETS NOW @ manoftheyearpodcast.com And check out our first magazine cover story! https://thepenngazette.com/the-magazine/current-issue/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertisi...

#68 - Accountability Partners 27.02.2024

Matt and Karo tackle an article about ritualized intimacy. It's not what it sounds like ;) Accountability partners are currently enjoying a rise in popularity because they offer something that is in dwindling supply – ritualised intimacy. According to psychologist Suzy Reading, "there’s a huge element here around social connection and shared experience. Having a buddy you check in with at reg...

#67 - Friendship Wisdom For The WAGS 20.02.2024

Matt is walking on eggshells as he reveals to Karo his deepest, darkest, most disgusting secret. The guys also offer advice to all the wives and girlfriends out there who have partners with no friends. Finally, Karo and Matt try a little role play, and it does not go well. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok M...

#66 - Happy Valentines, Galentines and Palentines Day 13.02.2024

Happy Valentines Day to all the lovers out there and Happy Galentines, Malentines or Palentines Day to those who celebrate, which is probably not that many of you, but it should be. Don't forget to cherish and celebrate your friends for this even newer corporate holiday that we are inventing! Matt and Karo discuss all physical intimacy in friendship: bro hugs, how many kisses is the right amount,...

#65 - Not Another Travis Kelce / Taylor Swift Episode 06.02.2024

It’s Super Bowl week and Karo and Matt are once again tackling (see what we did there) the role of sports in friendship. The guys also discuss murderous Eagles fans, murderous Red Sox fans, and whether it’s socially acceptable for Matt to leave a game in the first inning if it’s a blowout. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTu...

#64 - The Secret to Making Work Friends with Smiley Poswolsky 30.01.2024

Karo and Matt interview millennial workplace expert and man with best nickname ever Smiley Poswolsky. They discuss work besties, remote vs. hybrid, and office romances. Also, Producer Theo continues to insist he’s a millennial even though he has major Gen Z energy. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ritt...

Netflix Is A Joke - Tickets On Sale Now! 26.01.2024

Huge news! Matt and Karo are taking Man of the Year to the stage at Netflix Is A Joke - the largest comedy festival in the world - on May 8th in Los Angeles! Come see our all-new interactive comedy show - bring an old friend or make a new friend! GET TICKETS NOW @ manoftheyearpodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of p...

#63 - A Not So Simple Favor 23.01.2024

Matt and Karo discuss the fraught topic of favors: asking for them, doing them, and (sometimes) charging for them. We all need a favor at some point. In fact, every friend you ask to lend a hand is probably asking a buddy for help as well, resulting in what the guys call a human centipede of favors. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagr...

#62 - Matt and Karo Get Canceled (On) 16.01.2024

The guys discuss when to say no to plans with friends, when to say yes, and when to cancel. Karo also belatedly declines a Bat Mitzvah invitation and Matt details his Bar Mitzvah at an exclusive singles-only nightclub on Long Island called Zachary’s. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram...

#61 - Introverts vs. Extroverts with Kat Vellos 09.01.2024

Karo and Matt interview Kat Vellos, the go-to source for guidance about cultivating meaningful friendships and healthy workplace colleagueships. They chat common myths about introverts and how to “fall in friendship.” You’re going to want to hear this interview and find out more about Kat at weshouldgettogether.com ! Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of t...

#60 - Matt and Karo’s New Year’s Res-BRO-lutions (TM) 02.01.2024

The guys ring in 2024 by sharing their resolutions for the new year. As usual, Karo started his three months early and Matt practices his own brand of cock-eyed optimism known as “Mattifestations.” They also discuss the unwritten rules of friendship, texting from your laptop, and how Producer Theo has never heard of the Addams Family. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpo...

#59 - How to Make Friends as an Adult: The Three Pillars of Friendship with Shasta Nelson 26.12.2023

Matt and Karo may play friendship experts on TV but today they interview real life friendship expert Shasta Nelson, who drops all kinds of knowledge about vulnerability, modeling behavior, and why the clergy is the loneliest profession. Check out Shasta’s books and hire her at shastanelson.com ! Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram ,...

#58 - What Is Your Friendship Love Language? 19.12.2023

Matt and Karo seek words of affirmation as they discuss gift-giving and love languages. The guys also debate White Elephant parties, women buying diamonds for their friends, and the most romantic gift of all: a $3.99 banana holder from Amazon. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram , TikT...

#57 - Rolling Solo with Gabe Mollica 12.12.2023

Matt and Karo interview comedian Gabe Mollica, whose one-man show SOLO is taking the country by storm. Things go a bit off the rails though once the guys find out Gabe’s dad is a horse track lawyer, and they must find out who the highest paid jockey in the world is and whether jockeys get a W-2 or a 1099, and then discuss Karo’s ill-fated date with a horse veterinarian. Check out Gabe’s upcoming s...

#56 - American High with Jeremy Garelick & Will Phelps 05.12.2023

Did you peak in high school? Today on the pod Matt and Karo interview two people who definitely did not: Jeremy Garelick and Will Phelps of American High, the new kings of high school movies. The guys discuss translating Gen Z, working with Adam Sandler, and the real inside story of Jeremy’s rewrite of The Hangover. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of th...

#55 - Devon Werkheiser Declassified 28.11.2023

Matt and Karo interview Devon Werkheiser of Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide on Nickelodeon – and the only former child star who’s neither in prison nor a realtor. The guys discuss the child actor to realtor pipeline, getting recognized while on mushrooms, and how to stay in touch with your friends when you’re both so busy. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodca...

#54 - Trophy Life – The 20th Annual Man of the Year Dinner 21.11.2023

It’s the Tuesday before Thanksgiving – aka our Super Bowl! Matt, Karo, and the rest of their childhood crew gather at Peter Luger Steak House in Brooklyn for the 20th annual awarding of their coveted Man of the Year trophy. The guys discuss the origins of the night, the importance of friendship traditions, and oh yeah Karo got a FREAKIN’ TATTOO! Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at man...

#53 - The Pride of Plainview 14.11.2023

It’s the week before Thanksgiving and Matt and Karo are headed home to Long Island to talk bagels, New York accents, and setting the alarm off when you’re staying at your parents’ house. Let us know what it’s like when you visit your hometown – but keep it positive! Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Rit...

#52 - Getting FUBAR with Travis Van Winkle 07.11.2023

Matt and Karo interview actor, mentor, and – according to Karo – full on smoke show Travis Van Winkle. They discuss Travis’s new Netflix show FUBAR, the importance of Men’s Groups, and of course, becoming friends with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram , TikTok...

#51 - Slenderman of the Year 31.10.2023

Happy Halloween! Matt and Karo discuss why October 31st is one of the best days of the year to make friends. They also chat about murder houses, Karo’s Batgirl costume, and Matt’s run-in with the law dressed as a clown. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram , TikTok , and Twitter Aaron K...

#50 - The Man of the Year 50th Episode Friendtacular! 24.10.2023

Matt and Karo celebrate one year working in the most respected field in America: Podcasting. The guys look back at their first 50 episodes – the tips, the hacks, the ups, and the downs. Also we’re still trying to figure out what to call our fans! Buddies? Champs? Send in your ideas! Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , an...

#49 - How To Teach Your Kids About Friendship 17.10.2023

Matt and Karo always say it’s never too late to make a new friend, but is it ever too early? The guys discuss making friends as little kids, give some bullying advice to their buddy Oscar, and Matt literally steals candy from a baby. Get ready for some parallel play! Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ri...

#48 - Country Club Adjacent with Griff Pippin! 10.10.2023

Matt and Karo welcome their first-ever in-studio guest – Griff Pippin: comedian, scratch golfer, and one fourth of the golf comedy podcast Country Club Adjacent! Griff discusses making friends on the golf course, roasting Trump in the tee box, and why Stoicism is the cure for absolutely everything, like literally everything. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com...

#47 - Becoming BFFs with Bumble’s Beth Berger 03.10.2023

Matt and Karo interview Beth Berger, the head of the hottest friendship app in town – Bumble For Friends. Beth and the guys discuss how to choose the right photo, how to find potential buddies in your neighborhood, and how to go from stranger to acquaintance to friend. Also, Matt has never been on a dating app but Karo has plenty of horror stories for him. Watch this episode on YouTube and get MOT...

#46 - The Eternal Question: Can Men And Women Be Friends? 26.09.2023

Matt and Karo expand their pool of potential friends to the opposite sex, and navigate the tricky waters of making female friends. In other news, Matt goes full dad mode, Karo gets friend zoned, and Producer Theo gets cucked. Watch this episode on YouTube and get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram , TikTok , and Twitter Aaron Karo...

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