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.

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.

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.

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.

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 what it means to be a woman, and how they feel things have changed over time.

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 actually works and why it's worth the extra effort it takes as adults.

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 believe.

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.

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? 

These are the discussions happening in your head that you're afraid to say out loud - so we're saying them for you.

A politician launches a meme coin and makes millions overnight while regular investors lose their shirts. Sound familiar? It should, because it's the same story that's been playing out for decades - just with different players and shinier packaging. Today we're taking a look at Trump's latest money grab and asking the question nobody in Washington wants to answer: Why do the rules seem different for the people making them?

When did ordering coffee become a political statement? When did choosing a grocery store require checking their donation records? Everything in America has become a battlefield - immigration, crime, even due process. Today we tackle the exhausting reality of living in a country where literally everything gets filtered through red and blue lenses, and ask the question nobody wants to answer: How do we fix this mess?

When a progressive candidate wins NYC's Democratic primary, Republicans immediately cry "socialism" while Democrats are optimistic about change. Nicole and Jolene examine whether expanding city services is actually radical or just what every other developed country already does.

According to a study performed by the Commonwealth Fund, Americans are sicker than ever while spending more on healthcare than any other country. 

Let that fact sink in for a moment. For a developed nation, we expect so much better for our country and we desperately want to see change.

So why are Americans spending so much on healthcare, and still getting sicker? it seems that the answer isn't in your medicine cabinet - it's in your pantry. We’re taking a look into the dirty alliance between Big Food, Big Pharma, and the politicians who enable them. From high fructose corn syrup in everything to SNAP benefits funding junk food addiction, we're exploring the system that's literally killing us for profit.

Two massive events dominated the weekend of June 14th: the Army's 250th anniversary parade and the No Kings March. One celebrated military might with millions in taxpayer dollars, the other protested government overreach with signs and chants. Both claimed to represent "real America." So which one actually does? We’re digging into the messy reality of modern patriotism and ask the uncomfortable question: Can you love your country while hating your government?

This episode shares some of the behind the scenes issues we’ve been dealing with on social media since launching our show. We're talking about the algorithm that rewards outrage, the trolls who live for destruction, and the mental health cost of putting yourself out there. Plus, the settings we changed to survive and the lessons we learned about navigating social media without losing your sanity.

Abortion. The word alone can end friendships, split families, and turn dinner parties into war zones. So what happens when a conservative Catholic woman and a liberal feminist sit down to discuss reproductive rights? Today's episode tackles the most divisive issue in America through the lens of a nearly four-decade friendship that's survived everything - including this.

Ever catch yourself making snap judgments about someone based on their political views? That MAGA hat automatically equals racist? That Biden sticker means socialist? We're all guilty of it, and it's destroying our ability to have real conversations. Today's episode exposes the shocking truth about how wrong we are about each other - and why our assumptions are keeping us trapped in our own echo chambers.

Everyone has those stories. The ones that shaped us, scarred us, or made us laugh until we cried (and maybe peed a little bit). Today's episode strips away the serious topics to reveal the raw, ridiculous, and sometimes embarrassing moments that made Nicole and Jolene who they are. From childhood dreams of stardom to saving lives - these are the stories you’ve never heard.

The White House has a new crisis on its hands, and it's not just medical. President Biden's aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis dropped like a bomb this week, leaving Americans with more questions than answers. Was this really breaking news to his medical team, or just to us? Today's episode digs into the suspicious timing, the convenient narrative shifts, and the uncomfortable question we’re all asking: How long have they been hiding this from the American people?

Some topics feel impossible to discuss in 2025. They're too loaded, too painful, too complex. Today's episode starts off by tackling one of the most challenging: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Through Nicole's personal journey as someone with Jewish heritage, we explore what happens when identity, politics, and humanity collide. No easy answers, just real conversation about issues that matter.