Breaking Down with Ali Kolbert

In the final episode of Breaking Down, Ali is joined by iconic New York couple, Roberta Smith and Jerry Saltz. Smith, the newly retired co-chief art critic of The New York Times, and Saltz, the senior art critic for New York Magazine, chat with Ali about: what makes “good art,” pursuing your passions, finding your purpose later in life, the makings of successful partnership, the relationship between work and neurosis, and much more.

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Lilly and Ali chat: Lilly's come up as a YouTuber, the keys to a great relationship, social media detoxes, The Mindful Adventures of Unicorn Island, and more.

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Comedian Leslie Liao joins the show and talks about her impressive journey as a stand-up from working HR at Netflix to snagging a hot-to-get special on the platform. The two dig into writing material, breaking out in the scene, and the agony of dating straight men.

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Podcaster Mal Glowenke chronicles her journey of “escaping the hetero sexual trap.” Mal and Ali take listener questions like: is scissoring really a thing, smooth pick up lines, and best date ideas.

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YouTuber Mattie Westbrouck talks safety in relationships, anxious attachment, “queering” straight relationships, feeling OK, and being famous online. PLUS: special guest Luca makes his first appearance!

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Comedian Moshe Kasher gets into his FASCINATING story, which includes: sober drug dealer, 24-time Burning Man attendee, son of a man who converted to Hasidic Judaism, son of deaf parents… and somehow, more. It’s all in his new book, “Subculture Vulture.” Plus, Ali and Moshe go deep on randomness vs. meaning.

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Sexpert, author (“Opening Up: Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships,” “The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women”) pornographer, and educator Tristan Taormino gets very adult with Ali. They talk feminist porn, anal, whether you can be addicted sex, and what constitutes good sex. Tristan tells Ali some of her story, recorded in her new memoir, “A Part of the Heart Can’t Be Eaten.”

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Heather McMahan, who recently put out the Netflix special “Son I Never Had,” talks about lazy standup, almond moms, sororities, Joan Rivers, and lifting each other up. 

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James Sexton has a unique perspective on marriage and on divorce. The rock star divorce attorney wrote “If You’re In My Office, It’s Already Too Late: A Divorce Lawyer’s Guide to Staying Together.” But while his career — and his personal life — has given him plenty of insight into what makes marriages work and not work, it’s also shown him that it may be fundamentally illogical to get hitched in the first place. 

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Jade Iovine, host of the podcast “Live from Bed,” gets deep with Ali on the extremity of sisterhood, when's the right time to have kids, love at first sight, and adult friendships. Ali answers Jade’s sex questions. 

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