This week, Julia talks with 76-year-old legendary endurance swimmer Diana Nyad about obsession, the body, and attempting extraordinary feats later in life. Diana reflects on the evolution of her extreme swims, the chosen family that sustains her, and why loyalty and friendship are core to her survival. Plus, Julia and her 91-year-old mom Judy discuss their most surprising – but familiar – wrinkles.

Follow Wiser Than Me on Instagram and TikTok @wiserthanme and on Facebook at facebook.com/wiserthanmepodcast. Find us on Substack at wiserthanme.substack.com. 

Keep up with Diana @diananyad on Instagram.

Find out more about other shows on our network at @lemonadamedia on all social platforms.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today by hitting 'Subscribe' on Apple Podcasts or lemonadapremium.com for any other app.

For exclusive discount codes and more information about our sponsors, visit https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/. 

For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode of Wiser Than Me, Julia connects with 86-year-old death penalty activist Sister Helen Prejean. They discuss her joyful Southern childhood, early ambitions, and why she can’t put a little money down on her favorite card games – even though she really wants to. Sister Helen reflects on her political awakening, decades fighting the death penalty, and lessons about people and power. Plus, Julia asks her 91-year-old mom, Judy, about attending Catholic grade school and remembers her own childhood Catholic makeover. 

Follow Wiser Than Me on Instagram and TikTok @wiserthanme and on Facebook at facebook.com/wiserthanmepodcast. Find us on Substack at wiserthanme.substack.com. 

Keep up with Sister Helen @helenprejean on Instagram.

Find out more about other shows on our network at @lemonadamedia on all social platforms.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today by hitting 'Subscribe' on Apple Podcasts or lemonadapremium.com for any other app.

For exclusive discount codes and more information about our sponsors, visit https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/. 

For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christmas may be over, but we're still playing "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" on repeat, so let's take the opportunity to listen back to Julia's conversation with the Queen of Christmas herself, Darlene Love.

This week on Wiser Than Me, Julia is joined by 84-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer Darlene Love. From her early days singing gospel music in her father’s church to backing up icons like Elvis Presley to finally going solo at age 40, Darlene is a case study in never giving up on your dreams. She tells Julia about raising her sons while building her career, how to balance being strong and kind, and what motivates her to give her best performances. And Julia shares a story with her mom Judith about getting the wrong kind of laugh on the set of Hannah and Her Sisters.

Follow Wiser Than Me on Instagram and TikTok @wiserthanme and on Facebook at facebook.com/wiserthanmepodcast.

Keep up with Darlene Love @darlenelovesings on Instagram.

Find out more about other shows on our network at @lemonadamedia on all social platforms.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today by hitting 'Subscribe' on Apple Podcasts or lemonadapremium.com for any other app.

For exclusive discount codes and more information about our sponsors, visit https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/. 

For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wiser Than Me team is taking a little holiday break, but while we’re away, we’re excited to share a few conversations with friends. Today, we’re bringing you Julia’s recent appearance on Family Trips with the Meyers Brothers. Each week, brothers and comedians Seth and Josh Meyers chat with guests about their most memorable family vacations. In this episode, Julia joins the Meyers brothers alongside her own sons to relive some legendary family trips.

Subscribe to Family Trips wherever you get podcasts, and watch Seth and Josh on YouTube.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wiser Than Me team is taking a little holiday break, but while we’re away, we’re excited to share a few conversations with friends. Today, we’re bringing you an episode of the hit podcast Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend. Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend is a weekly opportunity for legendary late-night comedian Conan O’Brien to hang out with the people he enjoys most and perhaps find some real friendship along the way.

In this episode, Julia joins Conan to chat about the inspiration for Wiser Than Me, discovering her comedic talents in a grade school play, and the importance of constantly trying new things.
If you want to hear more from Conan, check out Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wiser Than Me team is taking a little holiday break, but while we’re away, we’re excited to share a few conversations with friends. Today, we’re bringing you Julia’s recent appearance on Good Hang with Amy Poehler.

On Good Hang, Amy sits down with brilliant guests like Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, and Ina Garten to talk about careers, mutual friends, and the things they’re genuinely excited about. It’s not about self-improvement or advice. Amy just wants to have a good time and invite you along for the hang.
To hear more episodes of Good Hang, head to Spotify or YouTube.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Wiser Than Me, Julia is joined by 78-year-old actress Glenn Close, who reflects on growing up in the Moral Re-Armament cult, her iconic work in Fatal Attraction and the new Knives Out, and the tenacity, talent, and forgiveness that have shaped her life. She also shares the impact of her grandmothers, how becoming one has changed her, and an incredible reveal from the set of The Natural. Meanwhile, Julia and her mother Judy dive into the fiery women in their own family tree.

Follow Wiser Than Me on Instagram and TikTok @wiserthanme and on Facebook at facebook.com/wiserthanmepodcast. Find us on Substack at wiserthanme.substack.com. 

Keep up with Glenn Close @glennclose on Instagram.

Find out more about other shows on our network at @lemonadamedia on all social platforms.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today by hitting 'Subscribe' on Apple Podcasts or lemonadapremium.com for any other app.

For exclusive discount codes and more information about our sponsors, visit https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/. 

For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Wiser Than Me, Julia sits down with visionary 76-year-old photographer Annie Leibovitz for a conversation about ambition, aging and the strange magic of being truly seen: both on camera, and in life. They dig into Annie’s relentless eye for detail and how motherhood rewired her creative instincts. Plus Julia speaks with her 91-year-old mom, Judy, about family photos and why smiling for the camera is harder than it looks.

Follow Wiser Than Me on Instagram and TikTok @wiserthanme and on Facebook at facebook.com/wiserthanmepodcast. Find us on Substack at wiserthanme.substack.com.

Keep up with Annie Leibovitz @annieleibovitz on Instagram.

Find out more about other shows on our network at @lemonadamedia on all social platforms.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today by hitting 'Subscribe' on Apple Podcasts or lemonadapremium.com for any other app.

For exclusive discount codes and more information about our sponsors, visit https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/. 

For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Because Thanksgiving is basically Ruth Reichl season (the holy trinity of food, family, and feelings) we’re serving up a rerun of Julia’s lovely conversation with her from Season 1.

On this episode of Wiser Than Me, Julia gets enlightened by 77-year-old food writer, magazine editor, and author Ruth Reichl. From her infamous New York Times review of Le Cirque to greenlighting a controversial David Foster Wallace article in Gourmet, Ruth is as gutsy as they come. Ruth talks to Julia about living with a mom who has bipolar disorder, processing grief through food, and why you should always do things that scare you. Plus, Julia asks her mom Judith for a recommendation on what to cook when Ruth accepts an invitation for dinner.

Follow Wiser Than Me on Instagram and TikTok @wiserthanme and on Facebook at facebook.com/wiserthanmepodcast.

Keep up with Ruth Reichl @ruth.reichl on Instagram. 

Find out more about other shows on our network at @lemonadamedia on all social platforms.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. 

For exclusive discount codes and more information about our sponsors, visit https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/. 

For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we ease into Thanksgiving week, we’re bringing back Julia’s beautiful conversation with Alice Waters from last year, a chance to revisit her ideas about food, care and community. 

On today’s episode of Wiser Than Me, Julia welcomes 81-year-old legendary chef, author, and farm-to-table pioneer Alice Waters. They discuss Alice’s incredible career at her groundbreaking restaurant Chez Panisse and together, they explore the philosophy of age, food, and beauty. Julia also asks Alice about the meaning she finds in moments of pause, and later talks with her 91-year-old mom, Judith, about the victory garden she grew up with during World War II.

Follow Wiser Than Me on Instagram and TikTok @wiserthanme and on Facebook at facebook.com/wiserthanmepodcast.

Keep up with Alice Waters @alicelouisewaters on Instagram. 

Find out more about other shows on our network at @lemonadamedia on all social platforms.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today by hitting 'Subscribe' on Apple Podcasts or lemonadapremium.com for any other app. 

For exclusive discount codes and more information about our sponsors, visit https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/.  

For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julia sits down with 70-year-old New Yorker cartooning legend Roz Chast, whose humor and unforgettable illustrations Julia has adored for decades. They dive into Roz’s anxieties, obsessions, and the worldview behind her award-winning memoir “Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?” Roz chats about raising kids through constant worry, caring for her aging parents, and how her work helps her make sense of the chaos. Plus, Julia’s mom Judy recalls how she handled the sex talk with Julia when she was growing up.

Follow Wiser Than Me on Instagram and TikTok @wiserthanme and on Facebook at facebook.com/wiserthanmepodcast. Find us on Substack at wiserthanme.substack.com.

Keep up with Roz Chast @rozchast on Instagram.

Find out more about other shows on our network at @lemonadamedia on all social platforms.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today by hitting 'Subscribe' on Apple Podcasts or lemonadapremium.com for any other app.

For exclusive discount codes and more information about our sponsors, visit https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/. 

For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.