U Up?

Can I Be In Love Without Being In Lust?

·1 hr 14 min·5 clips
Jared Freid walks into the Betches office wearing a branded cowboy hat and faces immediate hostility, sparking a debate about why women seem to have 'had it' with men.
The episode opens with Jared Freid discussing the hostile reaction to his new cowboy hat at the Betches office, leading to a conversation about why women seem to have 'had it' with men. Jared shares a date story where the woman expressed that men in New York aren't 'impressive,' prompting a debate about the perceived shortage of eligible, high-achieving men. The hosts then read listener emails, starting with one about a boyfriend who is uncomfortable with the listener's close male friend from AA, exploring themes of jealousy, insecurity, and whether men and women can be platonic friends. Next, they tackle a 'Petty or Prudent' email where a listener asks if she should keep her ex's half of the security deposit after discovering he cheated, debating the ethics of financial revenge. Another email involves a 36-year-old woman who is attracted to her kind, stable boyfriend but frustrated by their 'mechanical' and infrequent sex life, leading to advice on communication and compromise. The episode includes a 'Red Flag or Deal Breaker' segment with scenarios like a date who cancels a tip to save $12 and a friend who secretly DMs a guy the listener liked. Throughout, Jordana and Jared blend humor with practical advice, recurring themes of modern dating standards, communication issues, and balancing emotional needs with practical relationship considerations.

As heard by us

A sharp, uneasy look at the point where close friendship starts sounding like unfinished romance.

Jordana Abraham and Jared Freed take up a familiar but uncomfortable question: can attraction and friendship stay separate when two people are emotionally close, spending time together, and talking often?

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want to know whether emotional closeness can stay friendship when attraction is somewhere in the room.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
Listen to the show on