Weirdly Helpful (formerly The Best Advice Show)
by Zak Rosen
Weirdly Helpful (formerly The Best Advice Show) is a short, weekly infusion of delightful, unexpected and strange ways to make life slightly and sometimes profoundly better. In each episode a different contributor offers an odd experiment, a silly ritual, a curious practice that you’ll find weirdly helpful. Stuff like howling when you're despondent, eating oranges in the shower and metaphorically flushing your adversary down the toilet!
Episodes
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The Joy of Inefficiency with Priyanka Mattoo
Priyanka Mattoo is the author of How To Be Less Useful and the memoir Bird Milk & Mosquito Bones . What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at 844-935-2378 THE WEIRDLY HELPFUL MERCH STORE!!!! Become a WH Patron and listen to the show ad-free.
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Weirdly Helpful Walking Strategies for the Withdrawn and Wistful Wanderer
A meandering stroll through some of Zak's favorite walking episode featuring Natalie from Toronto, Rob Walker, Phoebe McIndoe, Mordechai Gildenstern, Dave Leins and Bianca Giaever. READ: Wanderlust by Rebecca Solnit What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at 844-935-2378 THE WEIRDLY HELPFUL...
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Wedlocked with Hillary Frank
Weirdly Helpful is so excited to share an excerpt of Hillary Frank's suspenseful and bingeable new original audiobook, Wedlocked. GET IT HERE! --- Hillary Frank is the creator of The Longest Shortest Time, a popular parenting and reproductive health podcast, where she has covered topics ranging...
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The Power of No with Anna Holmes
Anna Holmes is an award-winning writer and editor whose work has appeared numerous publications, including the New York Times, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker. Her new book is The Power of No. Check out this episode from the WH archives, Saying No with Aaron Handelsman --- What do you…
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Pink Monkey at the Honky-Tonk with Laura Hawley
Laura Hawley is a Weirdly Helpful correspondent, artist and therapist, living and giving balls away in Philadelphia. What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at 844-935-2378 THE WEIRDLY HELPFUL MERCH STORE!!!! Become a WH Patron and listen to the show ad-free.
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Try It 10 Times: A Playful Way to Unburden Yourself with Whitney Henry-Lester
In this episode, Whitney Henry-Lester shares weirdly helpful approaches to overcoming personal baggage through playful experiments like Tensies which you should follow here. --- What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at 844-935-2378 THE WEIRDLY HELPFUL MERCH STORE!!!! Become a WH Patron...
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The Ground Space is Part of Your World Space with Katie Stone
Katie Stone is the host and producer of The Children's Hour radio show and podcast. They launched a new series of “Shorts”, featuring teensy engaging episode highlights from their award-winning programs paired with ready-to-use learning guides to make teaching easy and fun. There are 2-minute...
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When You Know You're Alone You Make Different Decisions with Margret Glaspy
Margaret Glaspy is a New York-based singer/songwriter. Her newest album, I Am Both, is essential. She might be coming to a town near you. --- Become a WH Patron and listen to the show ad-free. What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at 844-935-2378 THE WEIRDLY HELPFUL MERCH STORE!!!!
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I'm pretty sure there's a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking. A feed drop with That Aged Well!
I love Zoolander so much. If you do too, you're gonna love today's episode which comes from the podcast That Aged Well. Come join hosts Erika and Paul as they re-experience this wild ride of a movie, filled with male models, assassins, and, of course, orange mocha frappuccinos! More about the…
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We Should Strategically Half-Ass Way More Things (or May The Bogan Be With You) with Steve Kamb
Steve Kamb is the founder of Nerd Fitness and the author of HOW TO TRY AGAIN. The book he referances is... Start Ugly: The Unexpected Path to Everyday Creativity by David duChemin -- This episode's archival cousin: Aiming at Meh with Brian Selfon -- What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at...
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You Can't Make Anyone Love You + Yet Another Shenanigan!
Listener Clio called the Weirdly Helpline with her shenanigan and you should too @ 844-935-2378. Piper at the Gates of Dawn! | The Wind in the Willows | Full Episode -- Jan Worth-Nelson and Ted Nelson are writers and editors from Flint, MI. More about Sheldon Kopp's, An Eschatological Laundry…
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The Art of Shenanigans with Rebecca Garza-Bortman and a Legion of Weird Helpers
Rebecca Garza-Bortman is a designer, musician, writer, & mother living in Berkeley. This episode features WH listeners Julia, Lauren, Erica, Meredith, another Lauren, Katie and Mike. I never want to stop hearing your shenanigans. Call the Weird Helpline @ 844-935-2378 Become a WH Patron and...
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This is A Tangible Way to Fake It Till You Make It with Evangeline Garreau
Evangeline Garreau is a queer ADHD gemini and a creative project coach who accompanies artists of all kinds on their creative journeys, helping them get unstuck and put in the work to bring their visions into reality. Check out her newslettter, Belly Spark. It's so good. You can work with her…
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The World Is a Laboratory of Story Ideas with Mallary Tenore Tarpley
Mallary Tenore Tarpley is the award-winning author of SLIP and an assistant professor of practice at the University of Texas at Austin’s Moody College of Communication and the McCombs School of Business, where she teaches journalism and writing. This episode was inspired by Mallary's recent…
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A Weirdly Helpful Travel Guide
Annie Sim is the CEO (Chief Eating Officer) of The Table Less Traveled Evan Stern is the host of Vanishing Postcards --- Help Zak continue making this show by becoming a Best Advice Show Patron @ https://www.patreon.com/weirdlyhelpful Call Zak on the hotline @ 844-935-2378
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A Weirdly Helpful View From Behind the Supermarket Register
Ann Larson is the author of Cleanup on Aisle Five: Essential Work, Poverty Wages, and the View from Behind the Supermarket Register. Her writing on education, debt, and low-wage work has appeared in The New Republic, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Fast Company, and The Nation, among other...
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Why Do We Say "Um" So Much? with Dr. Steven D. Cohen
Steven D. Cohen is an award-winning professor, author, and coach who empowers you and your team to communicate with influence, inspire your audience, and achieve your leadership potential. Express yourself better with Toastmasters --- What do you find Weirdly Helpful and/or what shenanigan do you...
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Give All Your Attention To Whatever Is Annoying You with Sharon Mashihi
Sharon Mashihi is the creator of the serialized audio mindtrip Appearances. Her new project is available on Audible and called 30 Days To Rediscover Your Creativity . If you like today's episode you might like this one about creative appetizers and procrastination. Sharon was last on the show...
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I Madly Love Anything That Breaks the Thread of Discursive Thought /// Surrealist Games with Laura Hawley
Zak's Weirdly Helpful guru, Laura Hawley, returns to play some surrealist games. She was last on the show talking about inventing play. A Book of Surrealist Games --- Come to How to Cut the Cheese: A WH Live Show! What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at 844-935-2378 THE WEIRDLY HELPFUL…
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How to Savor Your Summer Trip
Featured on today's show was... -Treat Yourself to Better Car Snacks with Ethan Frisch -Viscerally Remember Your Past Vacations with Tad Davis --- Join me for HOW TO CUT THE CHEESE, a Weirdly Helpful Live Experiment on 7/29 in Berkley, Michigan
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Get Your Tickets for Weirdly Helpful Live on July 29th in Berkley, Michigan!
I want you to be the first to know about WEIRDLY HELPFUL live this summer on 7/29. It's a live show/dinner party and we're calling it...HOW TO CUT THE CHEESE. It's actually a dinner party ABOUT dinner parties and tickets are available HERE. How to Cut the Cheese is part food show, part podcast...
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Two Prospective Parents Wander in the Desert, Debating the Future
Today, in honor of Father's Day, a pod blast from the pod past...episode 1 of Pregnant Pause with Zak and Shira Meantime, send me your shenanigans at 844-935-2378! SHOP THE WEIRDLY HELPFUL MERCH STORE!!!! Become a WH Patron and listen to the show ad-free.
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Try This Delightful Dinner Party Maneuver with Dan Heath
Dan Heath hosts What It’s Like to Be… In every episode, he interviews someone from a different profession: a mystery novelist, a couples therapist, a rancher, and more. He's also the #1 New York Times bestselling author (or co-author) of six beloved business books, including Switch, Made to...
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Why Asking Weirder Questions is an Exercise in Accessing Dignity with Megan Saxelby
Megan Saxelby is an early adolescent parent coach and founder of Wild Feelings. Jesse Thorn hosts Bullseye and The Turnaround. --- What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at 844-935-2378 THE WEIRDLY HELPFUL MERCH STORE!!!! Become a WH Patron and listen to the show ad-free.
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How To Make Friends and Find Your People
Rabbi Alana Alpert advocates for bubbe adoption and spiritual engagement in Detroit. ADOPT A GRANDPARENT! Elizabeth Newcamp writes at Dutch Dutch Goose and Best Moms Friends Forever. -- Support the show and listen to Weirdly Helpful without ads by becoming a Patron today! -- Thanks to Rula for...
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Visit the Most Primal, Teenage Part of Yourself with Maggie Lyons
Maggie Lyons is a creative producer living in LA. Read her essay The Comfort Playlist of Teenage Faves™️. Listen to her nostalgia playlist here. Aaron's advice originally aired back in 2022. -- Support the show and listen to Weirdly Helpful without ads by becoming a Patron today! -- Thanks to…
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Bless the Phone with Ross Simonini
Ross Simonini is an interdisciplinary artist and writer. Read his essays Bless The Phone here and Through the Fire here. Check out his essential interviews with so many modern masters at The Believer! Noa on using our phone less. Dapne on using our phone less. Rabbi Yoni on the bathroom blessing....
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Introducing: No Such Thing
I'm excited to share a preview of a new podcast I think you’d enjoy: No Such Thing. It's a show where three best friends and journalists settle their dumb arguments — and yours — by actually doing the research. Hosts Manny Fidel, Noah Friedman, and Devan Joseph start each episode with an argument...
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Navigating Domestic Administration with Clarity and Kindness
Shari and Eric are married with children in NYC. They were last on the show talking about touching feet during marital discord. More on SPOA - Lucy Anderton on graphing household labor and other weirdly helpful gems. - What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at 844-935-2378 THE WEIRDLY HELPFUL...
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Farting for Relief and Walking for Peace in Our Fragmented World
On today's episode, a family's post-dinner ritual and later Zak tells the improbable tale of Peace Pilgrim. Lucy, Gino and Avery fart walk in Miami, FL. Lucy co-hosts Slate's parenting show with Zak and Elizabeth Newcamp. It's called Care and Feeding. She also hosts the Mamacita Rica and…
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How Understanding Your Brain Chemistry Can Change Your Life
Mike Pesca is the creator and host of The Gist, the longest-running daily news podcast in history, moderator of Not Even Mad, a political debate podcast, and host of Funny You Should Mention, a co-production with the Comedy Cellar, where he conducts in-depth interviews with stand up comedians. On...
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How to Make it Work as a Young Artist
Cara Ryan is an academic living in Florida. --- Laura Weber Davis originally gave her cover letter advice back in 2023. --- Listen to WH ad-free by becoming a Weird Helper right now @ Patreon.com/weirdlyhelpful
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Inventing Play & Three Ideas to Curb Self-Mutilation with Laura Hawley
Laura Hawley is an artist and therapist from Philadelphia. She's a frequent contributor to the show having first called about howling, then giving away 62 balls! Bob Newhart's Stop It Sketch from MAD TV. -- Call me (Zak) on the Weirdly Helpline @ 844-935-2378 to share what you find weirdly…
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Play the Tape All the Way Through with Eric Zimmer + The Battle of Night Guy Vs Morning Guy with Jerry Seinfeld
Eric Zimmer is an author, teacher, speaker, and the creator of The One You Feed podcast—an award-winning show with over 50 million downloads across 800+ conversations exploring meaningful living. His new book is How a Little Becomes a Lot: The Art of Small Changes for a More Meaningful Life. ---...
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The Transcendental Power of Wiggling with Toogie Barcelo
On today's episode, Toogie Barcelo shares her unique approach to movement, creativity, and emotional well-being through the power of wiggling! Toogie is a dancer, choreographer, movement director, certified breath & meditation coach, educator, and emerging director for film and...
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99 Ways to Die (and how to avoid them) with Dr. Ashley Alker
Discover practical tips and surprising truths that can help you and your loved ones stay safe and informed with Dr. Ashely Alker, author of 99 Ways to Die: And How to Avoid Them and an emergency medicine physician on a mission to improve public health. --- Pooping with Dr. Kira Newman…
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Why I'm Not Using the Word "Crazy" Anymore (and Why You Should Just Say What You Actually Mean) with Dessa Cosma
Dessa Cosma is executive director of Detroit Disability Power. Today she schools Zak on the importance of pride-forward language, especially around disability and shares practical tips on self-correction, evolving language, and fostering respect for disability identity. --- SUPPORT WEIRDLY…
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This is How to Aura Farm Without Being Overly Cringe
Natalie and Jacob are sibling youths from Texas. --- SUPPORT WEIRDLY HELPFUL and listen to the show without ads by becoming a Patron today @ https://www.patreon.com/weirdlyhelpful
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Become a Receiving Station for Overwhelming Transmissions with Dr. Ramzi Fawaz
Ramzi Fawaz is an award-winning queer cultural critic, educator, podcaster, and public speaker. He is a Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and host of the podcast Nerd from the Future which introduces you to the best ideas and insights from the nation's leading…
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Stop Feeling Guilty About Your Guilty Pleasures with Fabiola Lara
Fabiola Lara is a Chilean-born, Florida-raised artist! She lives in flux of feeling simultaneously too American to be Chilean and too Chilean to be American, and is constantly navigating her identity as a white Latinx and recent US-citizen. This episode originally aired in 2022. SUPPORT WEIRDLY...
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This Insight WILL CHANGE YOUR RELATIONSHIP FOREVER! (For real for real).
Dedeker Winston is a co-host of Mulitamory, relationship coach, writer, and advocate for polyamory and non-traditional relationships. She is the author ofThe Smart Girl's Guide to Polyamory: Everything You Need to Know about Open Relationships, Non-Monogamy, and Alternative Love, published by...
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Young Butt Cut Zak Confronts His Childhood Creative Monster with Lauren LoGrasso
Lauren LoGrasso is a multi-passionate creative with experience as a keynote speaker, creative coach and musician. She's the creator and host of Unleash Your Inner Creative. --- Become a Weirdly Helpful Patron and access the show ad-free
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Is Whistling Protected By First Amendment Rights? + An Incantation for Restoring Democracy
Audio from pt. 1 of today's episode comes from this YouTube live event presented by No Kings called Eyes on ICE: Document and Record. You can watch the whole thing here. --- No Kings Welcome to the Adopt a Day Labor Corner Campaign We The People Activist Toolkit --- M. Cristina Marras is an audio...
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How Much Capacity Do You Have Today? with Bridget Thoreson
Bridget Thoreson is an award-winning journalist, executive, and creator of the Career River framework. Check out her Weirdly Helpful episode about floating down the career river. --- Listen to WH ad-free by becoming a Patron today!
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Step Into the Slipstream of History and Get Jacked with Dr. Conor Heffernan
Conor Heffernan is Lecturer in the Sociology of Sport at Ulster University, UK, and Chair of the British Society of Sports History. His new book is When Fitness Went Global: The Rise of Physical Culture in the 19th Century. Conor has published over fifty peer-reviewed articles and runs a history…
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"Hey Buddy!" Let's Talk About Why You Feel Doomed with Andy J. Pizza
Andy J. Pizza is a New York Times Bestselling author-illustrator of many books for children and adults such as "Invisible Things" and "A Pizza with Everything On It". Pizza is also the creator of the popular podcast Creative Pep Talk. He lives in Columbus, Ohio with his wife and three kids. He…
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Resolutions Smesolutions! Ta Ta 2025.
Happiest and healthiest of New Years to you and yours! Thank you for listening. Love, z SUPPORT WEIRDLY HELPFUL BY BECOMING A PATRON RIGHT NOW. Todays episode features morsels from the following Weirdly Helpers... Compare Yourself to Yourself with Billie Lundt You Don't Need to Feel Good to Get...
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How to Take Control of your News Diet with Rekha Murthy (PLUS: How much does Zak earn from Weirdly Helpful?)
Rekha Murthy is a podcast strategist with more than 25 years of experience in podcasting, public radio, and other digital media. SOURCES MENTIONED: -On Tyranny by Tim Snyder -You Need a Manifesto: How to Craft Your Convictions and Put Them to Work by Charlotte Burgress-Auburn -The.Ink by Anand...
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Friendship Conflict, Grief Practices, Family Cookbooks, Guilt-Free Gift Giving and more with Zak on Michigan Public!
Zak went on Michigan Public's daily show Stateside to share some weirdly helpful end of year rituals and practices. He shares that segment today. Stateside covers what you need (and want) to know about Michigan. You hear stories from people across the state—from policymakers in Lansing, to...
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A Fun Alternative for Surviving Our Disastrous Times with Austin Kleon
Austin Kleon is a writer who draws. He’s the bestselling author of Steal Like An Artist and other books - Austin's essay on Meeker's work, The Comedy of Survival. Ann Friedman (@AnnFreidman) is the co-author Big Friendship and creator of the excellent The Ann Freidman Weekly newsletter. Sign up...
About this show
Weirdly Helpful (formerly The Best Advice Show) is a short, weekly infusion of delightful, unexpected and strange ways to make life slightly and sometimes profoundly better. In each episode a different contributor offers an odd experiment, a silly ritual, a curious practice that you’ll find weirdly helpful. Stuff like howling when you're despondent, eating oranges in the shower and metaphorically flushing your adversary down the toilet!
Hosted by
Zak Rosen