upworthy

kat hong

Health

Science confirms ‘Move in Silence’ trend might be the smartest way to achieve your goals

“I promise you things always work out better when you keep them to yourself.”

TikTok: @wemiopakunle, @_alliechen, @mandanazarfhami,

Science confirms ‘Move in Silence’ trend might be the smartest way to achieve your goals.

TikTok's latest viral wisdom is backed by hard data—and it's making people rethink their communication habits. We live in a world of chronic oversharing. We post everything, from the routes we run (including screenshots as proof of all that hard work), to the pale-green iced matcha latte sitting at our desks or a present from a boyfriend (who will be tagged prominently, not secretly off screen). Who knows when, but our brains became wired for sharing: to record, to curate, and to post every second of our lives, then consume that of others to a disturbing degree. So, here's a radical idea: when it comes to goals and plans, try keeping them to yourself. It could be the key to making them a reality.

That's the message behind TikTok's massively popular "Move in Silence" trend, where creators like @noemoneyyy have cracked the contradictory code to success: Instead of broadcasting every big idea or project that runs through your head, if you actually want it to come to fruition, keep your plans to yourself until they're executed. And it's not just a trend; surprisingly, science also supports this muted approach.


@noemoneyyy Work in private and let the results speak! #privatelife #privatelifehappylife #workinprivate #creatorsearchinsights ♬ sonido original - Luis Jonathan

"As a former oversharer who used to tell every single friend, every single family member, or a partner everything I was doing, I promise you things always work out better when you keep them to yourself," explains creator @noemoneyyy in a video that's garnered millions of views.

On a different video by @mandanazarfhami, she says, “I don’t care what you’ve got going on in your life: that dream job, that city that you want to move to, that dream person, that dream life, that dream anything. Literally keep it to yourself until it’s done.”

Commentors were quick to agree, with one person writing: “From a young age, I never told anyone my next steps. I also taught my husband and son to keep our private matters to themselves and just do things 💯Not many people like it, but who cares🌝🙌🏼🫶🏼”

Another chimed in, “This concept has changed my life for the better.” Others replied, “100 agree 💕” and “100%🙌🏼people can’t ruin what is silent, show results.”


@mandanazarghami monitoring spirits are a real thing - move in silence and watch how much your life changes #fypシ ♬ Jacob and the Stone - Emile Mosseri


What's going on here

In a study done by New York University, researchers found that people who kept their goals private worked on tasks for an average of 45 minutes, compared to the 33 minutes of work completed by those who announced their plans in advance. The twist? The people who shared their goals expressed feeling closer to finishing, despite doing approximately 25% less work.

NYU psychologist Peter Gollwitzer, who led the research, concluded that "once you've told other people your intentions, it gives you a 'premature sense of completeness.'" He also found that the brain is made up of "identity symbols," which create one's self-image. Interestingly, both action and talking about action create symbols in your brain, so simply speaking about a future plan or something you want to do satisfies that part of your brain. When we make our goals public, especially ones that matter to us and deal with our identity, our ability to achieve said goal is significantly reduced. As the old adage goes, "actions speak louder than words."

Stranger still, in his paper "Does Social Reality Widen the Intention-Behavior Gap," Gollwitzer notes that in order for this phenomenon to happen, one must truly care about their goals. "Ironically, this effect was only found for participants who are very committed to their goal!" PsychologyToday notes. "The lesson learned is that the more passionate you are about your goals, the more secretive you should be about them."

Quiet, silence, peace, shhh, no speaking, secret The more passionate you are about your goals, the more secretive you should be. Photo credit: Canva

Another reason to keep quiet: If you're a beginner trying something new, sharing your plans could potentially open you up to criticism and negative feedback, which could deter you from even starting. At the University of Chicago, professor Ayelet Fishbach conducted studies to determine how positive and negative feedback affects the pursuit of one's goal. According to Atlassian, she and her team found:

  • When positive feedback signals commitment to a goal, it increases motivation.
  • When positive feedback signals progress, it actually decreases motivation.
"One example the researchers give is a math student who gets a good grade on a test. If she perceives it to mean she likes math, she will study harder. If, however, she sees the high score as a sign she is making progress in the class, she may ease up and study less." - Atlassian


@_alliechen I used to be such an open book but now im a lot more reserved on my goals and plans so ppl dont judge #moveinsilence #relateablecontent #girlies #viral #success ♬ suara asli - astrooo🪐

We've all been there: excitedly telling everyone about your grand plans to backpack through Europe, the year you'll finally learn Spanish, or joining the group lesson at the tennis courts you always pass by… only to mysteriously lose all motivation a week later. Turns out, those lovely dopamine bursts that accompany every enthusiastic "That sounds great!" or "You should totally do it!" response might be precisely what's holding you back.

The good news? You don't need to become closed-off and secretive, a hermit on the top of a mountain who's afraid to share any part of themselves with the world. Research suggests that sharing your goals with one or two selected friends who can be trusted to provide meaningful support is still a good idea. Just hold off on the Instagram Live announcement until you've actually accomplished something substantial.

So, the next time you sit down to write your goals, whether they be a new year's resolution, the day's to-do list, or a five-year plan, think twice about sharing it with others. Give it time and you might have something better to share soon: the results.

From Your Site Articles
motivation
Parenting

Teaching financial responsibility: the smart case for giving your child a credit card

“Helping your child build their credit score is an invaluable gift."

Photo credit: Canva

Nearly everything is purchased online these days.

With their colorful designs, customizable parental controls, and growing popularity among peers, it’s no surprise that kid-focused debit and credit cards have become increasingly appealing to families with young ones. Gen Z and Gen Alpha live in a vastly different financial landscape from their parents, and now, digital payments have largely eclipsed cash transactions. From concert tickets to food delivery to school supplies, nearly everything is purchased online. So, how can parents prepare their children for this new digital frontier and financial world that they themselves have not even experienced?

Ask the average parent about giving a credit card to a child, and they'll dream up a nightmare scenario: spoiled kids making endless purchases, unchecked impulse buying, mounting debt, and the development of poor financial habits. However, for the first generation growing up in an almost entirely cashless society, it makes sense for them to understand the value of money and how it’s used sooner rather than later.

Money, tree, financial responsibility, independence, financial literacyThe goal is financial independence. Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash


According to a 2019 CreditCards.com poll, six million American parents have at least one minor child with a credit card. Winnie Sun, co-founder and managing director of Sun Group Wealth Partners and member of the CNBC Financial Advisor Council, gave her three children credit cards before they entered kindergarten. While this might seem extreme, she believes these early financial practices helped her children develop healthy money habits. In her Op-Ed for CNBC, Sun notes that her own parents added her to their Visa Gold card when she was 13 years old.

"My mom specifically told me that it was for emergencies, or if I had permission beforehand to use it," Sun recalls. "She thought it was a way to help her daughter in case she needed money, but what she didn't know then was that it also helped me learn how to handle credit early in life.”

Credit card, finance, debit card, swipe, financial literacyEarly financial education is crucial. Giphy

Financial experts are increasingly convinced that young adolescents should be included in conversations about money, recognizing that early financial education is essential for navigating today's digital economy. But when’s the right time? Andrew Latham, a certified financial planner with SuperMoney, explains that parents should assess readiness based on specific criteria.

“Parents should consider their child’s ability to handle financial responsibilities, understanding of money management and the overall need for a card. If a child can budget their allowance and has consistent needs to make purchases independently, they may be ready for a card,” he explains.

And which option is better for kids: debit or credit? Well, there are distinct advantages and potential drawbacks associated with both, which parents should consider carefully.

Credit cards

The primary benefit of getting your child a credit card is building a credit history. Credit history length makes up about 15% of your FICO score and up to 20% of your VantageScore. A longer credit history shows that someone has managed their accounts responsibly over time, demonstrating reliable financial behavior. As a result, lenders and credit card companies are more likely to approve applications and offer better terms to those with an established, positive credit history. By adding your child as an authorized user on a credit card with consistent, on-time payments, you can help them build strong credit from an early age.

Child, strong, financial literacy, credit score, money You can help your child build strong credit. Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

“Helping your child build their credit score is an invaluable gift,” writes Jae Bratton for NerdWallet. “A good credit score may help them secure a job, get lower interest rates on loans and, when the time comes, a top-notch credit card of their own.”

However, there are risks. Children under 18 cannot legally have their own credit card; they can only be authorized users on a parent’s account. As the name suggests, authorized users are allowed to use the card, but aren’t responsible for paying the bill. Therefore, parents will ultimately be responsible for all charges made on the card. If your child makes an expensive purchase, it could potentially affect your own credit utilization ratio and even damage their credit score. Jessica Pelletier, Executive Director of FitMoney, a nonprofit that provides free financial literacy curricula for K-12 schools, advises parents to remind their children that “there are firm limits…in place for authorized users.”

Debit cards

On the other hand, debit cards offer a more flexible yet tangible way for children to understand how to manage spending money. For Matt Gromada, the head of youth, family and starter banking at JPMorgan Chase & Co., he believes that early debit card access is a crucial component to lifelong financial literacy.

“Having a debit card opens the door for important conversations and real-world scenarios about the basics of finance—from spending and saving to explaining interest and how it accrues. It also gives your child a sense of pride, independence, and freedom, providing an opportunity for real-life experiences and learning,” he says.

Breaking free, financial literacy, debt, money, money management Break free of financial debt. Giphy

With debit cards, kids are limited to the amount of money available in the account, so they can't overspend beyond what is in the account. There are even modern debit cards specifically designed for kids, such as Greenlight, which offers a range of features that make parents and children feel secure and in control. There is no minimum age requirement for users, and parents can restrict spending at certain stores, set up safety SOS alerts, receive real-time notifications, and turn the card on or off remotely. This is also an easy way to transfer allowances to your child.

According to BECU, a financial cooperative, “a debit card can help your child learn financial responsibility basics such as keeping a card in a safe, dependable location, staying within spending limits, using a card for purchases, checking on balances, and monitoring for fraud.”

Of course, the main drawback of debit cards is that they don’t help establish or build a credit history. So, what’s right for you and your family? Start a dialogue today and discuss the best option for your children.

From Your Site Articles
finances
Pop Culture

Unbelievable new story reveals how Disney classic The Emperor’s New Groove almost didn't happen

It's being called “the most torturous production in history.”

Flickr

What really happened behind the scenes.

It was the 1990s and the Disney Animation department seemed unstoppable. Over the past decade, Walt Disney Studios Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg and his army of directors, writers, and animators worked tirelessly to produce a shiny new animated movie for Disney every year, sometimes two or three times yearly. And by all accounts, it was working. These “little hits” they were pumping out for the big boss? Box-office miracles, all of them. Disney had cornered and perfected this market so well that audiences started to forget there were other animation studios out there. The time was known as the Disney Renaissance, and could you blame them? Between 1989 and 1999, Disney Animation truly had the Midas touch, and every movie they produced was imbued with once-in-a-generation movie magic.

Walt Disney Pictures, logo, magic, disney, films, disney renaissance Disney made magic happen in the 90s. Giphy

It began with The Little Mermaid in 1989 and was followed quickly The Rescuers Down Under in 1990 and Beauty and the Beast in 1991. Aladdin (1992) followed, then The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), The Lion King (1994), A Goofy Movie (1995), Pocahontas (also 1995), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Hercules (1997), Mulan (1998), and to cap off this incredible dynasty, Tarzan in 1999. Sprinkled between these hits were more hits from Disney's other studio, Pixar (Toy Story in 1995, Toy Story 2 in 1999, A Bug's Life in 1998). Though not technically part of the Renaissance, these hits only added to Disney's bank of classics.

The success seemed to make the team confident they could start doing stranger, quirkier films that strayed from the current cookie-cutter Disney model. But that hubris would lead to an epic battle within the studio. Though Katzenberg was dismissed in 1994, his mark had been made and the Renaissance was still moving ahead one until one of the most fraught productions in Disney’s history. Filled with creative clashes, drastic rewrites, personnel changes, and a rushed timeline, this project had the odds stacked heavily against it. That movie was Kingdom of the Sun.

Or, that’s what it would have been called if everything went according to plan. On December 10, 2000, at the El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles, Disney premiered The Emperor’s New Groove, a zany, highly funny comedy about a selfish young emperor who is accidentally transformed into a llama by his treacherous advisor. To return to his human form, he must rely on a peasant from the village, Pacha, whom he’s already wronged before the initial plot is underway. On paper, this had the potential to be a masterpiece. The cast was beyond stacked. David Spade playing the most David Spade-est characters of all time, a tart, conceited 17-year-old brat emperor named Kuzco; Eartha Kitt (!!) played Yzma, the emperor’s diabolical elderly advisor who secretly wishes to usurp him; and John Goodman played Pacha, the noble and kind village-dweller who must bring Kuzco back and return him to his human self. At the time, audiences were confused by the lack of grandeur, coming off the heels of Tarzan. (Although The Emperor’s New Groove received generally positive critical reviews, by Disney standards, it had underperformed, grossing $169.5 million on a $100 million budget.)


- YouTubewww.youtube.com

But back to Kingdom of the Sun. In 1994, fresh off the gigantic success of The Lion King, Disney Studios' President at the time, Thomas Schumacher, handpicked the movie’s original director, Roger Allers, to lead their next film, which would explore an ancient culture such as the Incas, Aztecs, or Mayans. Allers, alongside co-writer Matthew Jacobs, dreamt up an epic tale set in Peru, where a greedy emperor (voiced by Spade), bored by life at the palace, would trade places with a similarly looking peasant (to be voiced by Owen Wilson), resembling Mark Twain’s novel, The Prince and the Pauper. There were a few other Disney tidbits thrown in, like an evil god of death (Kitt) who sought to destroy the sun, and two love interests: the emperor’s betrothed fiancée Nina, and a llama-herder named Mata (voiced by Laura Prepon). It was perfectly lovely and entirely safe, ideal for its studio. James Berardinelli and Roger Ebert’s book, The Reel Views 2, describedKingdom of the Sun as a “romantic comedy musical in the ‘traditional’ Disney style.” The team even traveled to Machu Picchu in 1996 to immerse themselves in Incan culture and study artifacts and architecture.

This did not go over well with the studio. First, they had already done a version of The Prince and the Pauper, a Mickey Mouse short from 1990 that the studio paired with various at-home releases. The idea felt tired. They needed more, especially considering the “underperformances” of Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Disney execs were worried that Kingdom of the Sun would fall into the same trap: too self-serious and too ambitious (they had flown to Machu Picchu, c’mon!). So, they called Mark Dindal to come in and punch up the material, naming him co-director. This is where things start to go a bit haywire.

Suddenly, the original director, now co-director, Roger Allers, calls up the singer Sting to compose songs for the movie. He agrees, under one condition: his wife, Trudie Styler, can come along and document the process (more on this later). They settled on the terms, and Sting and his collaborator began to work on eight original songs, each of which is “inextricably linked with the original plot and characters.” Only two songs made the final cut when The Emperor’s New Groove premiered, with three added to the soundtrack CD as bonuses. By the summer of 1998, Disney’s studio executives began to crash out.

Disney, Emperor's New Groove, David Spade, film, disney animationTurns out, the film was in shambles.Giphy

The film was in shambles, nowhere near where it should be for a 2000 release—and it had to be released then, due to various crucial promotional deals Disney had set up with Coca-Cola and McDonalds. Allers had gone wild, overstuffing the film with too many plot elements, eager not to repeat the tired Disney “formula”: a hero, a villain, and a love song. In a panic, the Disney executives devised a plan that would later be known infamously as a “Bake Off.” The crew was split in two.

“They gave Mark Dindal a small crew, and me a small crew, to come up with two different versions of the story. Which is just kind of awful to compete against each other,” recalls Allers to Vulture. On one side was Allers, who proposed a complex yet emotionally moving film that had the potential to rival The Lion King. Dindal was on the other side, but his pitch didn’t involve story elements or characters being cut. He suggested an entirely different movie. According to storyboard artist Chris Williams, “Even more than probably pitching a story or new characters, we were pitching a tone. We were suggesting a radically different tone than what Kingdom of the Sun had been. A lot of what was funny about it was just how preposterous it was. And I’d never heard Tom and Peter laugh before. They were almost literally on the floor laughing.”


The Emperors New Groove, angel, devil, scene, movie, DisneyIt wasn't really a pitch, like the movie ended up being, it was funny.Giphy

Roger Allers saw what was happening—this was the movie—and left the project. It was September 1998, and Disney had already wasted $30 million of its $100 million budget. Oh, and only 25% of the film was animated. They had about a year to pull off the heist of the century.

When they emerged from the “Bake Off,” Dindal and producer Randy Fullmer halted production for six months. They returned with The Emperor’s New Groove,a buddy comedy set loosely in Peru. It had become an entirely new film: most of the cast, except Spade and Kitt, had been fired. It was leaner: fewer characters, simpler backgrounds. They squeaked by the deadline and somehow managed to release a movie that year.

And that would have been the end of it. Kind of weird and tonally different Disney film breaks even. Nothing more to see. That is, if not for Sting’s wife, documentarian Trudie Styler, who had been capturing all of the drama from the sidelines. Remember Sting’s ultimatum at the beginning? Styler kept her promise, creating a documentary called The Sweatbox, named for the screening room at Disney Studios in Burbank that had no air conditioning and caused the animators to sweat while their work was being inspected. What began as a behind-the-scenes vanity project for her husband transformed into an unprecedented glimpse behind the curtain at the corporate dysfunction at Disney.

Sketch, Disney, Emperors New Groove, Disney, behind the scenesSketches from Kingdom of the SunDeviantArt

But while The Emperor’s New Groove has found a niche cult following since its release, The Sweatbox can’t be found… anywhere. The 86-minute documentary, which Disney approved, was initially scheduled for release in 2001 and even enjoyed a few screenings, including a worldwide premiere at the Toronto Film Festival and an unpublicized one-week run at the Loews Beverly Center Cineplex in Los Angeles. Reporting on The Sweatbox, Wade Sampson wrote:

“The two executives did come across as nerdy bullies who really didn’t seem to know what was going on when it came to animation and were unnecessarily hurtful and full of politically correct speech. They looked like the kids in high school that jocks gave a “wedgie” to on a daily basis. How much of that impression was due to editing and how much was a remarkable, truthful glimpse is up to the viewer to decide.”

Now and then, a brave vigilante dares to post a clip of The Sweatbox online, but Disney always removes it. But it’s funny how things end up: after the first screening of The Emperor’s New Groove, someone from Disney leadership said, “We’ll never make that kind of movie again.” Yet, since then, Disney has released a direct-to-video sequel named Kronk’s New Groove, an animated TV series, and various games based on that “cursed movie.”

Seems like the Emperor didn't throw off Disney's groove after all.

From Your Site Articles
disney
Celebrity

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is listening to older women, and you should too

Her podcast, Wiser Than Me, is an absolute delight.

In 2015, Comedy Central premiered “one of the greatest sketches in television history,” according to Variety. The ingenious, gutsy satire starts with Tina Fey, Patricia Arquette, and Amy Schumer picnicking together in the middle of an idyllic field. It’s a momentous day: they’ve gathered to celebrate their great friend and colleague, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. You see, it’s her last f*ckable day. A whip-smart satire about Hollywood's double standard and aging, it stars an A-list ensemble of the industry's wittiest actors who absolutely skewer and outright disprove the belief that youth should be the ultimate prize. Basically, The Substance, just a decade earlier.

Now, Louis-Dreyfus is on a mission to uplift and celebrate the voices of the many iconic women who have come before her. On her podcast, Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus (launched in 2023 by Lemonada Media), she champions the women whose shoulders she has stood on; they are the pioneers who have inspired millions and forever altered the fabric of society through the use of their gifts, talent, and hard work. Most need no introduction, with guests including Jane Fonda, Patti Smith, Isabel Allende, Ina Garten, Billie Jean King, and Gloria Steinem, among others. Guided endearingly by their host, Louis-Dreyfus, these women answer every question and avoid nothing, all while remaining kind, observant, and matter-of-fact. They are, as JLD says, "wiser than her." And it doesn't take a genius to realize that we could all benefit from hearing what these incredible women have to say.


Inspiration strikes

Beyond participating in the Comedy Central sketch, which rejects the way society tends to treat older women (at one point, Schumer asks, “Who tells the men when it’s their last f*ckable day?” To which Arquette replies, “Honey, men don’t have that day”), Louis-Dreyfus also started to notice a disturbing pattern: that brilliant, iconic women almost always receded from the public's eye, when they aged, sometimes fading into oblivion altogether. However, as she neared her 60th birthday, the true “aha!” moment came when she watched Jane Fonda in Five Acts. “It’s a superb documentary and completely riveting,” she gushed on the podcast, Funny Cuz It’s True with Elyse Myers, then aded:

“ [Fonda's had a very expansive life. She’s been at the helm of many big shifts and changes, and movements in our culture… And I’m thinking myself, ‘I didn’t really understand the scope of what she had done in her life.’ And then I thought, ‘Wait a minute, we’re not hearing from we’re not hearing enough from older women who have experienced a shit ton of life. And I really want to hear from them. I would love to hear a podcast talking to older women. And maybe I should do it.’"


Everyone loves it

The rest was history. The first episode premiered in April 2023, with Jane Fonda as the inaugural guest. Charismatic as ever, the beloved actress and activist recounted the time she was heckled by Katharine Hepburn, told an extremely amusing story involving a fake thumb, and revealed her secret funeral fantasies. The show continued to gain momentum, with guests including 80-year-old award-winning author Isabel Allende, rock-and-roll star Darlene Love, and the ultimate multi-hyphenate food virtuoso, Ina Garten. Practically overnight, Wiser Than Me was everywhere, dominating the charts and joining the upper echelons of the podcast world.


The premise is simple: Julia Louis-Dreyfus speaks candidly with some of the most celebrated and renowned women in the world. The only requirement? Age. All guests must be older than Louis-Dreyfus (64), and then they get down to it. With her signature charm and sparkling wit on full display, Louis-Dreyfus digs deep, asking the uncomfortable questions no one else seems to want to talk about. The first being, “Do you feel comfortable sharing your real age?” To which every single guest has happily obliged. Since 2023, she has released two additional seasons of Wiser Than Me, which feature interviews with other notable women such as Sally Field, Billie Jean King, Jane Goodall, Rita Moreno, Carol Burnett, and Nancy Pelosi, among others.

Louis-Dreyfus is a born host. She arrives at interviews armed with numbers, fact sheets, exact dates, and so much research, even a PhD candidate would quiver in their boots. Oh, and she's funny. Of course. Saturday Night Live, playing Selina Meyer on Veep, The Old Adventures of New Christine: her improv comedy chops shine through and often come in handy. Conversations are allowed the space to breathe, weave, and completely change course as guests meditate on what it's like to grow older. What are the joys? Its challenges? Do they have any advice for someone younger? The result is an intoxicating blend of humor and vulnerability, a one-of-a-kind show that’s both incredibly entertaining and deeply informative for all ages, races, and genders. During her episode, cultural critic Fran Lebowitz unapologetically declares her love for sabotaging enemies. In another, Carol Burnett brings Louis-Dreyfus to tears when she compliments her, calling her “one of the greatest comedic actresses of our time.”

The show’s not without its small stumbles and the occasional stumble, though. If you’re expecting a shiny, polished This American Life episode (one where Ira Glass is clearly feeling himself), you will come up empty-handed. In the Patti Smith episode, the Zoom connection goes haywire, and the video feed freezes multiple times, even interrupting Louis-Dreyfus’ introduction to her guests. However, none of this is edited out in post-production; instead, it is proudly included in the episode, glitches and all.

And that's kind of the point. It’s refreshing to witness Julia Louis-Dreyfuss in this role: herself. She’s not Elaine from Seinfeld, or Madam Vice President from the HBO comedy Veep. And she's definitely not the tiny, plucky Princess Atta from A Bug’s Life. Here, she’s just Julia, a preternaturally curious person with a gift for making people feel at ease. So what if she has won 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, nine Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in recognition of her immense impact on comedy and culture? Her guests are pretty damn impressive too, and she wants to learn from them.


And the award goes to…

From the jump, Wiser Than Me ruled Apple Podcasts, attracting a massive audience and spending nearly a month as the platform’s No. 1 show in the United States. And the awards kept coming: In 2023, Wiser Than Me was named Apple Podcasts’ Best Podcast of the Year. Then, in 2024, it received the Webby’s Podcast of the Year award and the Ambie Award for Best Interview Podcast. In Apple Podcast’s congratulatory award announcement, they wrote:

“The show’s popularity and accolades are a testament to its refreshingly authentic approach to amplifying the voices of older, wiser women—a demographic not often centered in mainstream culture—and encouraging intergenerational listening.”


Julia Louis Dreyfus Win GIF by SAG Awards Giphy

Becoming a first-time podcast host at 62 years old couldn’t have been easy; Louis-Dreyfus is accustomed to being on-camera and making people laugh with her once-in-a-generation physical comedy prowess. But even in radio form, her playful energy and generous vulnerability are undeniable, and before long, magic is created between her and her guests. It's a much-needed fresh breath of air in the celebrity interview podcast department, where the only prerequisite to thinking your voice matters is access to a microphone. But here, no topic is off-limits or taboo: death, sex, politics, divorce, and the physical realities of aging are spoken about with an ease and frankness rarely seen, especially in Hollywood.


The antidote to, well, everything

Many are wringing their hands, concerned about the growing influence of the "manosphere," a collection of hugely influential male YouTube and TikTok stars who, according to Bloomberg, are allegedly mobilizing America’s men to join the political right. So, in a way, Wiser Than Me could not have arrived at a better time. Louis-Dreyfus has created a space for female septuagenarians, octogenarians, and even nonagenarians to engage in candid, deeply wise, and delightful conversations—and in doing so, has provided a much-needed oasis away from a culture that often dismisses elder women and their experiences.

“We’re certainly not in the habit of listening to old women who have had life experience,” Louis-Dreyfus told The New York Times. “I mean, I would posit that our culture is much more inclined to listen to the wisdom of old men, specifically old white men.” Wiser Than Me takes that narrative and smashes it with a sledgehammer.


mad hate GIFGiphy

And inspired fans of all ages are tuning in. On Reddit, one user wrote, “I just finished Wiser Than Me and realized that podcasts make my daily walks more enjoyable than music." Another added:

“Not exactly what you asked for, but I loved all episodes of Wiser than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus... Even if you don't think you'd like to hear the thoughts of a specific person, give it a listen, and you'll find interesting aspects of their lives and their thoughts on aging. It is just great.”

Superfan also @mary896 gushed:

"If you aren't listening to this pod, you're totally missing out! Julia delightfully and deeply interviews some of the smartest and most accomplished older women imaginable and it's life affirming, educational and introspective. I've loved every single ep and have learned SO much. It's entertaining and so deeply moving. I am planning on a relisten!”

Louis-Dreyfus understands exactly why Wiser Than Me has resonated with so many listeners. “All of these women have demonstrated how to live a life,” she told Apple News. “There’s something about being older where perhaps you feel not as protective in terms of sharing. And so I’ve taken advantage of the intimacy that offers; that availability to be real and to be open is a great gift.”


At the end of every episode, Louis-Drefus asks her guests for advice they wish they’d known at her age. For restaurant critic and author Ruth Reichl, it was essential to find rituals, like gardening or cooking, that grounded her during difficult times. Fashion icon Diane von Furstenberg suggested rephrasing the classic question, “How old are you?” to something a bit more celebratory, like “How long have you been alive?” Genius. All it takes is one episode to realize the sublime brilliance this show has to offer, and that at any age, all of us have much to learn from the women on this podcast, as well as the others who have walked this earth long before us. All three seasons are available now. You’d be wise to listen.

From Your Site Articles
julia louis-dreyfus
Trending Stories