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PODCAST · society

Who Run the World

by Reyzin Media

Award-winning podcast where two Arab women and best friends come together to talk about what's on their mind and the mind of their peers today. Join co-hosts Marilyn Zakhour and Rhea Chedid as they unpack their multifaceted identities through conversations between themselves and with other (wo)men from across the region and the world. Gold winner of the "Acast Moment of Comedy" at the 2021 International Women's Podcast Awards.

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Aug 19, 2026 · Source feed

Episodes

  1. The Manager Mailbag (w/ Marilyn and Rhea)

    3 months into her new gig as a team manager, Rhea sits down with Marilyn to reflect on what she’s learned about herself and her managerial style throughout her leadership journey. Our best friends then take your most burning questions about becoming a new manager. Not sure how to be assertive?...

  2. Planning Your Burnouts (w/ Marilyn and Rhea)

    Things get real and personal for our dynamic duo this week as Marilyn shares with Rhea her recent feelings of burnout and exhaustion. Together, our best friends share what a burnout has looked like for them, how they’ve dealt with it, and what they need from each other and from their community as...

  3. Managing an Existential Crisis (w/ Elise Kossaifi)

    You have a great job doing something you’re passionate about. It pays great. You live in a bustling city with an active social life. You’re also overworked, burnt out, and something about your life just doesn’t feel right. What do you do next? In this episode, Marilyn and Rhea invite friend of…

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  4. Sleep Training Your Child (w/ Lamis Benjelloun)

    People of all ages – including Marilyn, Rhea, and Marilyn’s daughter Gabi – know what it’s like to wake up cranky and moody from a bad night’s sleep. For parents and caregivers, that issue is compounded by having children who are challenging sleepers. While some might choose to let their children...

  5. Ramadan Game Night! (w/ Ahmed Ashour)

    Ramadan Kareem, WRTW fam! To celebrate the holy month, Marilyn and Rhea invite WRTW’s producer and resident Muslim Ahmed Ashour to reflect on what Ramadan means, share memories, and exchange favorite traditions. Then, Marilyn and Rhea compete for the title of “The Queen of Ramadan” by solving...

  6. Bringing Up Bookworms (w/ Deema Al Alami)

    Ever tried picking out a book for a child to read? Marilyn and Rhea can confirm: it’s not easy, nor is it easy to get the child to actually read the book and enjoy it. In this episode, Marilyn and Rhea sit down with the founder of Oh The Books Deema Al Alami to understand how we can get children…

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  7. How Friendships Change Post-Motherhood (w/ Marilyn and Rhea)

    Ramadan Kareem, WRTW family! To kick off a month of reflection and introspection, Marilyn and Rhea have a very real and honest conversation about how they’ve seen their friendship change after Marilyn became a mother. What are their pet peeves when it comes to friends treating each other...

  8. We Watched AlRawabi School for Girls S2 and Barbie (w/ Marilyn and Rhea)

    Lots happening this week in WRTW Land (which is about 25.6km away from Barbie Land). March is Women’s History Month. March 8th is International Women’s Day. Marilyn and Rhea both finally watched Barbie (yes, THAT Barbie, which is up for some Oscars later this week). They also just finished…

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  9. Rhea Freezes Her Eggs! (w/ Marilyn and Rhea)

    In an October 2023 episode with OB/GYN and fertility specialist Dr. Gaël Abou Ghannam, Marilyn and Dr. Gaël encouraged Rhea to freeze her eggs. Well, listeners…drum roll, please…she did it! Not only did she do it – she’s also ready to tell you all about it. In this episode, Marilyn sits down with...

  10. Motherhood in the Entertainment Industry (w/ Rabab Hashim)

    Choosing to pursue a career as an actor and media personality is hard. Choosing to pursue such a career as someone of South Asian or SWANA descent is hard. Becoming a mother is…you guessed it, also hard. Doing all three? That’s just awe-inspiring. In this episode, Marilyn and Rhea sit down with...

  11. Turning 5 on Valentine’s Day (w/ Marilyn and Rhea)

    On Valentine’s Day 2019, a little show by the name Who Run the World was released into the world. 5 years later, that little show is thriving! Who would’ve thought? Marilyn and Rhea certainly did. In this 5th anniversary special, Marilyn and Rhea look back at the show and its (humble) beginnings,...

  12. Understanding the ICJ Ruling (w/ Human Rights Watch’s Omar Shakir)

    In the wake of the International Court of Justice's ruling on January 26th, 2024 stating that Israel must do all it can to prevent genocide, Marilyn and Rhea sit down with the Israel and Palestine Director at Human Rights Watch Omar Shakir to understand the dimensions of South Africa’s landmark...

  13. What's Your Word of the Year? (w/ Marilyn and Rhea)

    WRTW is back! As the show approaches its fifth birthday (stay tuned), Marilyn and Rhea sit down to reflect on the year that was and the year to come. How did they do when it came to their 2023 words of the year? What words did they select for 2024? And how can you, our dear listener, choose your...

  14. Christmas at Hogwarts (w/ Ahmed Ashour)

    What are the holidays if not the most magical time of the year? After a few months that lacked magic (to say the least), Rhea and Marilyn take the Hogwarts Express from Platform 9-3/4 towards Hogwarts (duh) for a bit of Christmas (and other non-secular holiday) cheer. Along for the scenic trip is...

  15. Financial Planning for Dummies (Single or Otherwise) (w/ Sharon Calderini)

    Marilyn and her husband Hadi recently decided to buy a new car, a decision that turned out to be an 8-month ordeal. Making big financial decisions as a couple can be quite daunting, but that doesn’t mean that spending your money individually is a walk in the park. In this episode, Rhea and…

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  16. Making It Count for Palestine

    As the Israeli occupation’s brutal operation in Palestine enters its third month, Rhea and Marilyn take a moment to take stock of how they and the people around them have processed recent events. In what ways have we felt helpless, hopeful, and activated? Rhea and Marilyn then go on to highlight...

  17. Palestinian History Crash Course (w/ Tamara Reem)

    What do we know about the history of Zionism, colonialism, and occupation in Palestine? More importantly, what do we not know? To mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Marilyn and Rhea invite Palestinian-American professor, lawyer, and writer Tamara Reem to provide...

  18. How Does the Media Cover Palestine? (w/ Sara Obeidat)

    In this episode, we look at the means through which most of us learn about what’s happening on the ground in Palestine: the media. With the help of award-winning Jordanian journalist and producer Sara Obeidat, Rhea and Marilyn question how the media (specifically western legacy media) has...

  19. Learning to Live with Grief (w/ Siira’s Sandra Salame)

    In 2023, Rhea and Marilyn experienced loss in more ways than one. They both lost their dear friend Dounya, and Marilyn lost her beloved father-in-law Noor. On top of all that, recent events in Palestine have been weighing heavy on their minds and hearts. How can they process all of this personal...

  20. Let’s Talk About (In)Fertility (w/ Dr. Gaël Abou Ghannam)

    In October 2020 (deep pandemic era WRTW), we released an episode titled “Let’s Talk About Our Periods” with Dr. Gaël Abou Ghannam that broached all sorts of taboo topics for Arab women, like taking the birth control pill and experiencing period pain. 3 years later, we’re back for round 2.…

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  21. BONUS: What’s Your Strategy? (2023 Cosmic Conference Special)

    WRTW is back next week with its regular biweekly episode, but in the meantime, Marilyn and Rhea wanted to give you a little something extra to tide you over - Who Run the Time style. The 2023 Cosmic Conference is upon us, organized by Marilyn’s very own company Cosmic Centaurs. To mark the...

  22. We Know What We Did Last Summer

    Fall has officially arrived, yet it is still hot and sweaty in Dubai where our two best friends Rhea and Marilyn reside. And that? Is an excuse for them to tell you all about their summer adventures. In this episode of Who Run the Time, Rhea and Marilyn recap their summers, from the highest of...

  23. Naked and Unafraid: The Perks of Living Alone

    Rhea's Ode to Freedom and Marilyn's Yearning for Solitude. Get ready for a funny episode as Rhea talks all about the glorious perks of living alone, while Marilyn pines for a taste of the chaos. As a self proclaimed introvert, Rhea reveals her love for the peaceful solitude and the freedom to do...

  24. Learning How to Ask For Help

    In this episode, join us as we unravel the intricate web of asking for help. Rhea and Marilyn dive deep into the diverse forms of help people can provide, shedding light on their personal journeys of battling their own internal stigmas surrounding seeking help. We also share recent anecdotes of…

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  25. The Pregnancy Shape-Shift: A Journey into the Land of Mom Bod

    In a candid conversation, Marilyn spills the beans about the remarkable changes her body has gone through since becoming a mother. From falling tampons to bigger feet and deflated boobs, Marilyn fearlessly unveils the journey her body has embarked on over the past year and a half. Join us for an...

  26. The Pregnancy Shape-Shift: A Journey into the Land of Mom Bod

    In a candid conversation, Marilyn spills the beans about the remarkable changes her body has gone through since becoming a mother. From falling tampons to bigger feet and deflated boobs, Marilyn fearlessly unveils the journey her body has embarked on over the past year and a half. Join us for an...

  27. From Kitchen Counters to Office Cubicles - A Chat with Hadi Kabalan on AI's Impact

    Join us in this episode as we talk to Hadi Kabalan, the First Husband of Who Run the World, about the ever-growing influence of AI in our daily lives. From organizing our travel plans to crafting the perfect emails, AI has become our ultimate brainstorm buddy. Together, we explore the exciting...

  28. We Were on a Break! A Conversation on Friendship Breakups

    On this episode, we are sad to announce… Just kidding! We're thrilled to be back with a story from Maria and Fidan. They take us on a journey through a friendship breakup, sharing their experience of grieving the loss of their friendship, rediscovering themselves, and ultimately finding their way...

  29. Online Dating & How to Be Flirty and Mysterious | Who Run the Time

    Back by popular demand, this episode is all about Rhea’s dating life and how to survive the online world of dating. Whether it be Bumble, Hinge, Tinder, The League or any dating app, online dating can really be a slog. Do you talk to one person or to a whole bunch of people at the same time? To…

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  30. New Year, New Intentions

    Happy 2023 everyone! In our first episode of the year, Rhea and Marilyn share with each other what their word of the year is. We breakdown our thoughts about new year resolutions and intention setting. As always, we are two kinds of people with two different approaches to goal setting and…

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  31. How to Navigate Family During the Holidays | Who Run the Time

    In the last part of our Who Run the Holidays series, we talk all about how to manage family dynamics during the holiday season - or as we like to call it: the official guide to your family offsite. Whether you are the one visiting family or if family is coming to see you, we breakdown how to…

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  32. The Art of Gift Giving | Who Run the Time

    This episode is part of a three part series we are releasing for the holidays! In this episode we talk all about the art of gift giving. With the holidays coming up, we wanted to share with you a framework on how to find the best gift for the people you love. We also share examples of some of the...

  33. How We Used to Run the Time | Who Run the Time

    This episode is part of a three part series we are releasing all for the holidays! Part 1 is all about the activities that we are nostalgic (and not so nostalgic for) to maybe help inspire you with activities to do this holiday season What are some of the things you used to do and no longer do?...

  34. Ghosting Mommies

    Ever since Marilyn became a mom, she’s noticed an infuriating pattern: her friends started leaving her out of things. She decided to bring up her frustrations on the microphone which led to a conversation about how single and married friends with kids could bridge the gap and not lose their...

  35. 100th Episode: A Celebration of Female Friendships

    In honor of our 100th episode, we decided to celebrate what got us here in the first place: our friendship. We discuss the different facets of female friends with the help of women of all ages from around the world. Our female friendships have been incredibly important to us in our lives. Not…

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  36. Struggling with the Skin You Are In

    In this episode, Rhea opens up about her struggles with body image. Rhea shares how the negative feelings she’s had about her body made her feel like she is living a half life. Later on in the episode, Marilyn and Rhea talk about how friends can support friends with negative body image, and what...

  37. Marilyn's Birth Story

    We are back in Dubai and kicking things off with Marilyn telling us all about her birth story: how contractions felt, how she got through the pain, the role of her support system, including her husband Hadi, her doula Valerie, her mom and her brother. Marilyn also updates on the cliffhanger from...

  38. It’s Labor to Labor

    Marilyn is inching closer to her due date, and that means she has a few key decisions to make around her labor. Epidural or no epidural? Constant monitoring of the baby’s heartbeat or sporadic monitoring? Where to give birth and which care provider to have? Vaginal or cesarean? Do you want to...

  39. Moving Forward to Dubai

    We start this episode off with a very special announcement: Rhea has moved back (or forward - depends how you look at it) to Dubai! She has started a brand new job at Spotify, and on this episode she breaks down her decision making process that got her there. We also talk about growth (it’s no...

  40. Final Stretch of Pregnancy: Body, Tribe and Data

    This episode is all about the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy as Marilyn shares everything she has experienced in the last 6 months. She tells Rhea about all the ways her body has changed, and how her little girl has been sucking the energy out of her (we love you Gaby!). She also talks about...

  41. Let’s Talk about Single Shaming

    Something that many Arab women have faced in their lifetime is single shaming. In this episode we dive deep into single shaming: how it shows up, how to respond to single shaming and Marilyn even hits us with some stats (since the pandemic single shaming has been on the rise). We even try to...

  42. The Bridgerton Binge Season 2 | Who Run the Time

    We spent all last week immersed in the latest gossip taking over the ton. In other words, we binge watched season 2 of Bridgerton, and we have a lot of things to say about it. We rank our favorite subplots, play a good old game of kill, fuck or marry, while comparing and contrasting the actors’...

  43. We Watched Wheel of Time | Who Run the Time

    Marilyn has been going through a little witch obsession, and she got Rhea to watch her latest TV binge that has witches at the center of it all: Wheel of Time. On this episode, we discuss what we liked and disliked about this Amazon Prime Video original: from the acting to the plot to the fun…

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  44. Feelings and Thoughts on Pregnancy

    A few episodes ago we announced that Marilyn was expecting! This week, she openly discusses the different range of emotions as she navigates through this new chapter of her life. Marilyn candidly shares about the feelings of power pregnancy has given her, but also how she is navigating becoming a...

  45. Revealing our Quirks and Other Oddities | Who Run the Time

    After months of being apart, Rhea spent one month staying at Marilyn’s in Dubai. In this case, absence did not make the heart grow fonder, but it did make the brain notice weird quirks in your best friend. So in this edition of Who Run the Time, Rhea and Marilyn point out each other’s quirks and...

  46. We Watched Emily in Paris | Who Run the Time

    Over the break, We both binged watched Netflix’s Emily in Paris, and we have a lot of things to say about. In this episode we discuss plot twists of season 2, what we think of Emily’s fashion and take a look at how the show adequately describes the French Labor Law. We also break down the two…

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  47. Debunking Pregnancy Old Wives Tales with Tala Odeh

    On this episode we welcome for the second time on the podcast Tala Odeh, who just like Marilyn, is expecting a little girl later this year. We talk about the different (and ridiculous) old wives tales about pregnancy. After doing some research on the internet, we found that the majority of old...

  48. Damn… It’s Been Three Years!

    Who Run the World turns three years old this week! In honor of our podcast’s birthday, we answer questions from you, our audience, about the podcast, about our friendship, our creative partnership and so much more. In this episode you’ll get a sneak peek into the behind scenes of Who Run the…

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  49. We Watched Netflix’s Perfect Strangers | Who Run the Time

    Last month Netflix’s Arabic movie Perfect Strangers quickly became the number 1 streamed movie across the Middle East. So just like everyone else, we recently watched the Arabic adaptation. The movie is set in Lebanon, and the plot revolves around a group of friends who decide to read every…

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  50. We Got the Rona

    After two years of successfully avoiding the CoronaVirus, it got Rhea on December 31st 2021. While visiting Marilyn in Dubai, Rhea tested positive for COVID19. Rhea spent eleven days stuck in Marilyn’s spare bedroom, where all her deepest insecurities were flared up. The quarantine period came…

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Award-winning podcast where two Arab women and best friends come together to talk about what's on their mind and the mind of their peers today. Join co-hosts Marilyn Zakhour and Rhea Chedid as they unpack their multifaceted identities through conversations between themselves and with other (wo)men from across the region and the world. Gold winner of the "Acast Moment of Comedy" at the 2021 International Women's Podcast Awards.

HOSTED BY

Reyzin Media

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Who Run the World have?

Who Run the World currently has 132 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Who Run the World about?

Award-winning podcast where two Arab women and best friends come together to talk about what's on their mind and the mind of their peers today. Join co-hosts Marilyn Zakhour and Rhea Chedid as they unpack their multifaceted identities through conversations between themselves and with other (wo)men...

How often does Who Run the World release new episodes?

Who Run the World publishes regularly with 132 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

Where can I listen to Who Run the World?

You can listen to Who Run the World on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Who Run the World?

Who Run the World is created and hosted by Reyzin Media.
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