We've Got To Talk

2026 didn’t ease in gently — it kicked the door in. In this episode, Nicole (liberal) and Jolene (conservative) unpack three headlines that are already shaping the year: the Trump administration’s high-stakes move in Venezuela, the immigration firestorm at home (including ICE shootings and the Minnesota fraud scandal), and the uprising in Iran unfolding through a media blackout. We talk about Vene...

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING ⚠️ This episode contains discussion of suicide and grief related to suicide loss. We share personal stories about losing loved ones to suicide, which may be difficult or triggering for some listeners. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out for help: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (available 24/7 in the U.S.) Crisis...

We can’t believe it’s been a year! In this special episode, Nicole (liberal) and Jolene (conservative) reflect on what it’s really like to launch a podcast across the political divide—sharing honest behind-the-scenes moments, favourite interviews, and the biggest surprises of our journey so far. From tackling tough topics like gun policy and abortion to finding unexpected common ground, we’ve lear...

The holiday season is here, and we're talking about what Christmas and Hanukkah mean to us, how we navigate the pressure and expectations, and why the spirit of the season matters more than perfect decorations or expensive gifts. Jolene celebrates a traditional Christmas with stockings, a beautifully decorated tree, and all the festive cheer. I (Nicole) grew up celebrating both Christmas and Hanuk...

After spending months dissecting politics, gun control, and the collapse of American democracy, we desperately needed a break. So today we're talking about the stuff that occupies more of our mental space than we’d care to admit: our pet peeves from everyday life and the tiny moments of joy that remind us life isn’t all bad. Because honestly, sometimes the person who won't get out of the left lane...

What if the advice to avoid talking about politics is actually making everything worse? In our first-ever guest interview, we sit down with Monica Guzman - author of "I Never Thought of It That Way," and advisor at Braver Angels to talk about how to have fearlessly curious conversations in dangerously divided times. Monica doesn't sugarcoat it: America is fraying. Social media has made it easy to...

There's a massive group of Americans we don’t talk enough about; people who work full-time, pay their taxes, and still can't afford basic necessities. They earn too much to qualify for government assistance but too little to actually survive. They're called ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. And they represent 38 million households  (29% of America). Combined with those below...

Thanksgiving is supposed to be about gratitude, family, and great food - but with tensions running high in America, the holidays might feel more charged than usual. In this episode, we share how to actually enjoy Thanksgiving without avoiding meaningful conversation or ending up in a screaming match. Growing up, our Thanksgivings looked different but felt the same: togetherness, gratitude, and way...

We're about to talk about religion, which means a good portion of you just got a little uncomfortable. But here's something wild that might make this conversation easier: science shows that prayer and meditation do essentially the same thing to your brain. Whether you're a Christian praying in a church or an atheist meditating in your living room, your brain is having a remarkably similar experien...

Menopause is a natural life transition that half the population will experience, yet somehow it remains medicine's best-kept secret.  I (Nicole) spent months getting shuffled between specialists, each one treating individual symptoms without connecting the obvious dots. Itchy skin? See a dermatologist. Mood changes? Try therapy. Bone loss? Take calcium supplements. Each doctor had a different...

California Governor Gavin Newsom is everywhere right now - doing podcasts, engaging with conservative voices, and very obviously positioning himself for a 2028 presidential run. He's got the hair, the charisma, and the baggage that comes with governing California. Today we're talking about whether Newsom could actually win a national election, and whether the kid I (Nicole) knew from afar in high...

President Trump is building a new ballroom at the White House, and predictably, everyone has lost their minds. Some people see it as a practical addition for official events. Others see it as an extravagant monument to Trump's ego being permanently installed in the people's house. Today, we're talking about why a ballroom has become yet another flashpoint in American politics, and whether maybe we...

President Trump did something remarkable in the Middle East. I (Nicole) can barely believe I'm typing this, but credit where it's due - he got hostages home and negotiated a ceasefire in a conflict that's been bleeding for decades. Whether you love Trump or hate him, what happened this week deserves acknowledgment. And that's exactly what we're talking about today. We're not declaring Trump a hero...

We recorded this episode seven days into the government shutdown, and honestly, we were both furious. Not the performative outrage you see on cable news, though. Actual, bone-deep frustration at watching our government play chicken with people's livelihoods while collecting their own paychecks without interruption. TSA workers are showing up to keep us safe without knowing when they'll get paid. F...

When was the last time you had a real conversation about what government is actually supposed to do? Not a screaming match about specific policies, but a genuine discussion about the fundamental role of government in America? I (Nicole) and Jolene have been friends for almost 40 years despite living on opposite sides of the political spectrum, and recently we realized we'd never actually tackled t...

Jimmy Kimmel got pulled off ABC after making comments about Charlie Kirk's assassination, and honestly, it's left us both feeling unsettled about where America is heading. Whether you thought his jokes were inappropriate or not, the speed at which he disappeared from television should concern everyone.  Today we're talking about what this means for free speech, why comedy matters in a democra...

Gun control debates usually end with people screaming past each other about the Second Amendment and dead children. But what happens when you actually sit down and try to understand why people feel so strongly on both sides? Today we're tackling America's most polarizing issue, and honestly, neither of us walked away feeling like we had all the answers. Maybe that's the point. The conversation abo...

When Charlie Kirk was assassinated in Utah, the immediate response from both political parties revealed something deeply broken about American discourse. Instead of mourning a human life, social media exploded with celebrations, blame, and calls for revenge. We’re processing this tragedy as friends from opposite sides of the political spectrum, sharing their heartbreak over how quickly Americans t...

Everyone's noticed it, but nobody wants to say it out loud: Americans have gotten meaner. Or at least, that’s what David Brooks believes. Today we're discussing an article that David wrote for The Atlantic, “How America Got Mean”. His explanation for our national cruelty crisis left Nicole feeling defeated, and Jolene a little more optimistic. Regardless of whether the article was perhaps a little...

When Trump and Putin meet in Alaska, followed by Zelensky and European leaders rushing to D.C. to meet Trump 3 days later, you know something big is happening. But what exactly? The headlines give us locations and handshakes, but the real story is what we're not being told. Today we're diving into the kitchen-table conversations everyone's having but nobody wants to say out loud: What's really goi...

What does it mean to be a woman in 2025?  We talked to women across generations - from 20-somethings navigating career ambitions to 80-year-olds who've watched the Republican party evolve around them. The answers surprised us. Despite decades of progress, some battles feel eerily familiar. We were given the task of interviewing some of the women in our social circles, to get their take on wha...

Making friends as an adult is hard. While teenagers effortlessly form bonds over shared cafeteria tables, adults need to be more intentional about creating and maintaining connections. Recently, I (Nicole) and my husband Josh traveled to visit Jolene and her husband Jeff in the Ozarks for our very first in-person podcast recording. This was a rare treat that got us thinking about how friendship ac...

Climate change discussions usually end in shouting matches about melting glaciers and coal jobs. But what happens when a liberal and a conservative actually sit down to talk through the science, the solutions, and the politics without trying to win? Today we're tackling the topic that's supposedly dividing America, and discovering we might have more common ground than cable news wants you to belie...

What happens when a liberal starts watching Fox News and a conservative dives into The New York Times? We decided to find out. For 10 days, we deliberately consumed each other's preferred media sources to see if we'd been living in completely different realities.  I (Nicole) typically get my news from The New York Times, The Daily podcast, and Ezra Klein. Jolene gravitates toward Fox News, Am...

Some conversations are too important to avoid just because they're uncomfortable. Toda, Jolene brought questions to the table that she's been wrestling with and wanted my (Nicole's) take on as a liberal Democrat:  Can you love America without being racist?  Should we forgive student loans or is that unfair to people who already paid?  And what's really in those Epstein files? ...