The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

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   Number 1: Rewind: Sexual Fluidity

   This episode was originally published on March 3, 2017. "Whatever"— that's how the actress Maria Bello describes her sexual orientation. Her "love who you love" attitude toward sexuality, regardless of gender, is often referred to as fluidity. Maria joins the Sugars this week to discuss a couple of letters having to do with the confusion and complications that can accompany a shift in one's sexual preferences and partnerships. She wrote about the evolution of her own family structure in her 2013 Modern Love column for The New York Times, "Coming Out As a Modern Family," which she later turned into the book, "Whatever...Love is Love: Questioning the Labels We Give Ourselves."

   June 13, 2026·43min
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   Number 2: You Could Make This Beautiful: Henry Winkler & Saeed Jones

   In this first episode of "You Could Make This Beautiful," actor Henry Winkler tells hosts Maggie Smith and Faith Salie about the poetry he's found in everything from fly fishing, to the music of Lin-Manuel Miranda, to the acting performances of the late Robin Williams. Poet and teacher Saeed Jones declares that "Nobody loves us the way poetry loves us," he reads us one of his poems, and he talks about the chemical reaction that poems set off in our brains and bodies. And Maggie and Faith offer a "poetry prescription" to a fan of theirs in Ohio who's seeking steadiness in her life. Show Notes (in chronological order): "I'm Nobody! Who are you?" by Emily Dickinson "Good Bones" by Maggie Smith "Parent Effectiveness Training" by Dr. Thomas Gordon Henry Winkler's "Launce and the dog" monologue from William Shakespeare's "Two Gentlemen of Verona" "My Shot" from the musical Hamilton Henry Winkler's novels with Lin Oliver "Alive at the End of the World" by Saeed Jones "Snow for Wallace Stevens" by Terence Hayes "Black in Blues" by Imani Perry "Scorched Earth" by Tiana Clark "Tell Me" by Kim Addonizio "Blood Dazzler" by Patricia Smith Poetry Prescriptions Maggie's prescriptions: "Thanks" by W.S. Merwin and "Sorrow is Not My Name" by Ross Gay Faith's prescription: This excerpt of "The Moon is a Kite" by Andrea Gibson If you want a hand-picked, heart-plucked "poetry prescription" to help you with something you're going through, send a brief voice memo to [email protected]. All three episodes of You Could Make This Beautiful are out now and can be heard HERE. This show is an experiment, so if you love what you've heard and want more episodes, let us know! Leave us a glowing review in your podcast app, share the series with friends, and write to us: [email protected].

   August 07, 2026·46min
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   Number 3: Rewind: The Stepchild's Dilemma

   Whether you’re 5, 15, or 50 years old, it can be difficult to usher a stepparent in and out of the family unit. In today’s episode, the Sugars answer letters from stepchildren who have fraught relationships with their stepparents. This episode was originally released on April 28th, 2018.

   August 29, 2026·46min
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   Number 4: Repost: Haunted By Ghosting

   This episode was originally published on March 16th, 2017. The term "ghosting" isn't a new concept anymore—the idea that someone suddenly and inexplicably disappears from your life. In the past, a total halt to communication with a friend might leave you feeling concerned that something bad happened to him/her. But at a time when our devices have made us more accessible than ever, this can leave the person who's been ghosted feeling rejected or unworthy. The Sugars discuss ghosting with the essayist and cartoonist Tim Kreider. He's the author of We Learn Nothing, a collection of essays that includes a story about being ghosted by a childhood friend.

   July 11, 2026·38min
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   Number 5: You Could Make This Beautiful: Mike Birbiglia, J. Hope Stein, & Peter Kessler

   Our miniseries finale features comedian Mike Birbiglia and poet J. Hope Stein talking about the poetry in comedy and the comedy in poetry. The couple co-authored the book "The New One: Painfully True Stories from a Reluctant Dad" and occasionally bring their mix of jokes and poems to the stage. Also, a masterclass in metaphor from teacher and poet Peter Kessler, who argues that human beings need metaphor and imagery to fully understand each other. Show notes (in chronological order): "The New One: Painfully True Stories from a Reluctant Dad" by Mike Birbiglia with poems by J. Hope Stein "Good Bones" by Maggie Smith Mike Birbiglia's "The Good Life" Mike Birbiglia's "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend" "Don't Think Twice" "Sleepwalk with Me" "Wholly Holy" by J. Hope Stein Voyager 2 and Voyager 1 from "little astronaut" by J. Hope Stein "Keep a Poem in Your Pocket" by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers "The Grammar of Fantasy" by Gianna Rodari "Catrin" by Gillian Clarke "Prayer (I)" by George Herbert If you want a hand-picked, heart-plucked "poetry prescription" to help you with something you're going through, send a brief voice memo to [email protected]. All three episodes of You Could Make This Beautiful are out now and can be heard HERE. This show is an experiment, so if you love what you've heard and want more episodes, let us know! Leave us a glowing review in your podcast app, share the series with friends, and write to us: [email protected].

   August 07, 2026·46min
   Play