Let’s kick things off with a short introduction to yourself and your podcast

As we say in the introduction to the pod, we’re a “real life couple and a real life couple of comedians”. Naomi’s a stand-up and actor (maybe you’ve seen her Netflix special?) and Andy’s a comedy writer and podcaster, and we’ve been together for almost 13 years. Couples Therapy started as a stand-up show, but since the start of the pandemic, morphed into a show where we talk to actors and comedians about their relationships, romantic and not, and then answer listeners’ questions about love, life and everything in-between. We’re helping to fill in the holes in the rickety American mental health system!

When did you get started in the wonderful world of podcasting?

Andy started podcasting back in 2010, when he debuted his still-running podcast Beginnings, where he talks to creative people he admires about their childhoods, and Couples Therapy is Naomi’s first foray into podcasting!

And why do you keep podcasting?

Two big things. One, it gives us an opportunity to meet people we’ve been fans of for years as well as catch up with friends and acquaintances – kibbitz with them, sometimes have deep conversations – conversations that we don’t usually get to have with all our busy schedules. Two, we’ve built a really great community of listeners – cool, empathetic, people who have made lasting, real-life friendships thanks to our podcast, and that’s truly heartwarming!

Why did podcasting appeal to you in the first place?

No middle managers! With most creative projects in the sizzlin’ world of showbiz, you need ten people to sign off on the wording of an out of office reply. Not having a cadre of people weighing in on creative decisions and just having an hour a week where we can have fun is a premium in this world.

What do you think it is about podcasts that attracts storytellers and creators? And why do you think listeners love them?

So much of what we’ve said: the freedom, the intimacy, the satisfaction of being able to connect with a large audience on your own terms. In a world where we’re all alienated from so much, we feel that our audience, just like us, are craving some kind of genuine connection, and podcasting is the only medium that offers it in a real way.

Can you tell us about what podcasting means to you?

Life can be an incredible slog. And we’re not just talking about the worst parts of it. The routine. The day-to-day. All of the chores and Google Calendar reminders can wear on you. It’s corny and cringe to say, but it really is nice to have a specific time every week where we know we’re going to play.

Naomi: “I’ve had many days when I’ve been in a funk and a scheduled Couples Therapy recording has lifted my spirits – talking to people about relationships and then getting their advice when we answer listener questions is always surprising, you never know where the conversation will go, and being able to have that jolt of excitement is what keeps me doing it week after week.”

What’s your relationship with your listeners?

We have a very close – yet reverently distant! – relationship with our fans. During the quarantine phase of the pandemic, we were doing a live Couples Therapy on Twitch every week to keep sane, and the community that grew around the show – and that continues to grow around it – was incredible. There are people that have become good friends because of Couples Therapy! How could that not warm your heart?

Naomi’s been honored to have Couples Therapy listeners come to her live stand-up shows, and a few even flew out to see her tape her Netflix special! “I’m so honored and grateful for listeners’ investment in our careers and accomplishments.”

How does podcasting fulfill you creatively?

It scratches part of the same itch improv or stand-up scratches, the need to say something real and truthful but also to find what’s funny about those real and truthful things, all for the approval of strangers!

What’s next for your podcast?

We’re coming for Dax Shepard’s crown! And Naomi wants to be the backup Iyanla Vanzant!