Reading the Comments Podcast

About Reading the Comments Podcast

Welcome to Reading the Comments 👀, a feminist podcast that digs into the comments sections of buzzy articles, essays, and social posts to figure out what the hell is going on— so you don’t have to. readingthecomments.substack.com (https://readingthecomments.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Amanda Montei & Veronica Wong

Category

news · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 Oct 2024

Latest episode

28 Mar 2025

Latest episodes

8 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Mar 2025

   Bonus Episode: "I could've gone down the toxic masculinity rabbit hole"

   This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthecomments.substack.com (https://readingthecomments.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7) For all our faithful subscribers, we’re dropping into your inbox with a brand-new bonus episode on the Netflix series Adolescence, which has been getting lots of buzz. It’s currently the #1 show on Netflix with 42 million views last week! In this episode, we discuss the Reddit threads that have emerged in response to the show, most of which are positive,…

2. 

   19 Dec 2024

   "What grown up wants to live with someone who's mentally a child just because they're hot?"

   Comedians and critics Sarah Jones and Rachel Handler dissect Netflix's 'Hot Frosty' to explore how the film taps into societal expectations of women's desires and relationships, revealing a nuanced portrayal of female agency.

3. 

   6 Dec 2024

   "Holding space" for the Wicked press tour

   Wicked co-stars get real about their whirlwind press tour, revealing the highs and lows of living in the spotlight.

4. 

   22 Nov 2024

   What even is “identity politics”?

   Tressie McMillan Cottom & Lydia Polgreen dissect the concept of “identity politics,” exploring its origins, criticisms, and implications for progressive values in American politics.

5. 

   29 Oct 2024

   “Galsplaining”

   This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthecomments.substack.com (https://readingthecomments.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7) In this week’s episode, we’re unpacking the comments section of a popular article on male loneliness that was—gasp!—written by a woman. Spooky! 👻 Read the article, titled “Is the Cure to Male Loneliness Out on the Pickleball Court?”, (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/19/opinion/male-loneliness.html)and peruse the comments if you dare. Or, just listen to us break it all down for you—no prior reading required. As you can imagine, men had thoughts about this piece. Not all positive! But we still found a way to turn this cranky comments section into a fun, thoughtful, and timely conversation on play dates, “women’s issues”, community, gender relations, and of course… pickleball. We recorded this episode a few weeks ago, and lo and behold, male loneliness is back in the discourse again, just in time for the election. Next week is sure to be a wild one for democracy and discourse, but we’ll see you on the other side of Nov. 5 for better or for worse. We’re pretty sure we’ll all need the community and conversation no matter what happens. Subscribe to Reading the Comments 👀 now to listen to the full episode. (https://readingthecomments.substack.com/subscribe) Show notes: * The Surgeon General’s advisory on loneliness and isolation in the US (https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/05/03/new-surgeon-general-advisory-raises-alarm-about-devastating-impact-epidemic-loneliness-isolation-united-states.html) * Loneliness is, however, a global epidemic (https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2024/10/24/asia/south-korea-loneliness-deaths-intl-hnk) * Male loneliness (https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/young-men-voters-concerned-economy-jobs-election-2024-harris-trump-rcna177393) and masculinity (https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/on-the-ballot-american-manhood-c7e3dabb?msockid=20f412df202d6f43372607d6218a6ef7) have remained center stage as we try to elect the first woman president *sigh* * Clara (https://substack.com/profile/77647620-clara) says enough is enough (https://colormeloverly.substack.com/p/omg-enough-about-male-loneliness) and “white men are inching closer to losing their run of the place, and panic is thus ensuing” * We were thrilled to see this (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/10/25/opinion/what-trump-says.html) and very disappointed to see this (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/10/25/washington-post-endorsement/) * We shared a bunch of voting resources in the show notes of our last episode (https://readingthecomments.substack.com/i/150427118/voting-resources) * Don’t forget to listen to our previous episodes on parental burnout (https://readingthecomments.substack.com/p/all-of-us-should-have-access-to-the) and marital sex (https://readingthecomments.substack.com/p/just-divorce-her) For those who have not yet upgraded their subscriptions: you’ll see a free preview of the episode until you upgrade your subscription below. It’s just $15 for the whole season or $5/month. You’ll get access to all six episodes, plus every bonus episode, threads, a subscriber chat, and the ability to suggest topics for future shows. If you’re already a paid subscriber to Mad Woman (https://open.substack.com/pub/amandamontei), you can become a paid subscriber to Reading the Comments 👀 at a discount. Info here. (https://amandamontei.substack.com/p/reading-the-comments-podcast-subscriber) And here’s info (https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/4519588148244-How-do-I-listen-to-episodes-on-my-podcast-app) on how to get every episode on your favorite podcast app once you’ve subscribed.

6. 

   22 Oct 2024

   "Just divorce her"

   This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthecomments.substack.com (https://readingthecomments.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7) We often start episodes off with a big sigh, but this one really is a doozy. On this week’s episode of Reading the Comments 👀 (https://open.substack.com/pub/readingthecomments) we look at the comments section of a viral TikTok. In the video, a dating expert dares to suggest that when married women feel emotionally disconnected from their husbands, they lose interest in sex. As you can imagine, the video attracted a lot of casual misogyny from men. Meanwhile, women popped into the comments to nod their heads in the yes direction and to share how they are being harmed by domestic inequality. But as we dug deeper into the comments, we also found some pretty revealing conversations about marital sex and divorce— and discussed yet another reason why it’s so important to vote. Show notes and further reading: “Don’t Be So Attached to Attachment Theory” | Danielle Carr, (https://www.gawkerarchives.com/culture/dont-be-so-attached-to-attachment-theory)Gawker (https://www.gawkerarchives.com/culture/dont-be-so-attached-to-attachment-theory) “Women Are Happier without Children or a Spouse” | (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/may/25/women-happier-without-children-or-a-spouse-happiness-expert)The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/may/25/women-happier-without-children-or-a-spouse-happiness-expert) IFS brief on how marriage “confers enormous benefits for men’s wallets, their sex lives, and their physical and mental health.” (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://ifstudies.org/ifs-admin/resources/men-and-marriage-research-brief.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj3mYPIkaCJAxVQADQIHcxzCqsQFnoECAsQAw&usg=AOvVaw3taIEvf255D8obEENZdrUL) (links to a download of the report) “Conservative US lawmakers are pushing for an end to no-fault divorce” | (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/25/republicans-no-fault-divorce)The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/25/republicans-no-fault-divorce) “The Right Aims to Turn Back the Clock on American Divorce Law” | Alison Lefkovitz in (https://time.com/7000900/project-2025-divorce-law/)Time Magazine (https://time.com/7000900/project-2025-divorce-law/) “Conservatives in red states turn their attention to ending no-fault divorce laws” | Ayesha Rascoe, (https://www.npr.org/2024/07/07/nx-s1-5026948/conservatives-in-red-states-turn-their-attention-to-ending-no-fault-divorce-laws)NPR (https://www.npr.org/2024/07/07/nx-s1-5026948/conservatives-in-red-states-turn-their-attention-to-ending-no-fault-divorce-laws) “Louisiana Republican Party considers backing elimination of no-fault divorce” | Julie O'Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator), WWNO - New Orleans Public Radio (https://www.wwno.org/news/2023-01-12/louisiana-republican-party-considers-backing-elimination-of-no-fault-divorce) “New Oklahoma senator files bill that would end no-fault divorces in the state” | Barbara Hoberock, (https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2024/01/26/no-fault-divorce-law-oklahoma-senator-wants-to-end/72354142007/)Oklahoma Voice (https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2024/01/26/no-fault-divorce-law-oklahoma-senator-wants-to-end/72354142007/) Nebraska GOP Party Platform (https://ne.gop/family/) Voting Resources: vote.gov (https://vote.gov/) vote.org (https://www.vote.org/) Ballotpedia 2024 Voter Kit | Ballotpedia (https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Voter_Toolkit) Know Your Voting Rights | ACLU (https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/voting-rights) 2024 Abortion State Ballot Measures | The Center for Reproductive Rights (https://reproductiverights.org/abortion-on-ballot-2024/) New York State Equal Rights Amendment | Planned Parenthood Action Fund (https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/empire-state-acts/ny-era)

7. 

   8 Oct 2024

   "All of us should have access to the supports we need"

   This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthecomments.substack.com (https://readingthecomments.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7) A couple of weeks ago, the US Surgeon General revealed something surprising: “Parents Are at Their Wits’ End. We Can Do Better.” (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/28/opinion/surgeon-general-stress-parents.html) JK. We already knew that! But it was meaningful, we guess, to have this reality affirmed by a major public health official and as a legitimate public health crisis. This week, however, Amanda & Veronica dig into the comments section underneath the Surgeon General’s op-ed for The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/28/opinion/surgeon-general-stress-parents.html). Obviously we agree that we can and should do better for all parents, of every gender. But some of the commenters on the op-ed were skeptical. In the episode, we discuss how both the essay and the over 1200 comments lurking underneath it reveal the anxieties that come up when we discuss the need for social supports that would make parenting in this country easier. While some commenters did acknowledge the need for a more comprehensive social safety net, a pretty clear generational divide presented itself in the comments section. Some people felt that parents just needed to simplify their lives, be kinder to themselves, or… get over it? We also discuss why it matters when warnings like these fail to acknowledge things like feminism and gender inequality, why therapy won’t put food on the table, what the culture of self-help says about our failure of political imagination, and what tensions arise in the workplace between people who are childfree and parents. * To listen to this week’s full episode, upgrade your subscription at the show page (https://readingthecomments.substack.com/subscribe) for just $15 for the whole season (or $5/month). You’ll get access to all six full episodes, plus every bonus episode we create, threads, a subscriber chat, and the ability to suggest topics for future shows. If you are already a paid subscriber to Mad Woman (https://open.substack.com/pub/amandamontei), you can become a paid subscriber to Reading the Comments 👀 (null) at a discount. Info here. (https://amandamontei.substack.com/p/reading-the-comments-podcast-subscriber) And here’s info (https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/4519588148244-How-do-I-listen-to-episodes-on-my-podcast-app) on how to get the episodes on your favorite podcast app, once you’ve subscribed. * Show notes: -The US Dept of Health & Human Services parental mental health and well-being advisory page (https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/parents/index.html)

8. 

   3 Oct 2024

   Introducing: Reading the Comments 👀

   Reading the Comments is a podcast that digs into the comment sections of buzzy articles, essays, and posts to figure what the hell is going on. Hosted by Amanda Montei & Veronica Wong. We're like your group chat— but we try to wrangle our rage, eyerolls, and irritation in an attempt to salvage some thoughtful conversations from a forum that can at times feel like the antithesis of… thoughtful. This season: What stories are we telling about motherhood, feminism, gender, family, and community today? Is it possible to read a little closer 👀 in order to hear each other a bit better 👂🏼? We’re not sure, but we hope so? Some of the subjects we’ll cover this season include: * women’s “choices” * male loneliness * parental burnout * marriage and desire * more! Every other week, we will also open up threads to paid subscribers on our Substack show page so you can help us further explore what’s missing from the conversations in the comments. You can find the Reading the Comments Podcast wherever you get your podcasts — and you can also listen to the episodes on our Substack page. Paid subscribers get access to full episodes and to our devoted community of close-readers/eye-rollers and: * You’ll be directly supporting 1) the many hours of work we put into this podcast AND 2) the many hours of work we have yet to do on bonus episodes. * Speaking of bonus episodes, you’ll get access to a subscribers-only Google form you can use to share any juicy comments sections you want to see us pull apart on those bonus episodes, or right here on the show page. * You’ll also get access to those biweekly discussion threads for each episode, where you can help us unpack comments, topics, and issues featured on the pod. * Access to our subscribers-only chat in the Substack app, where we will drop timely comments sections for you to discuss on the fly, as well as send info about the future episodes we're planning, so you can help guide the conversation. Sound fun? Ready to support our work? * If you just want to subscribe to the Reading the Comments Podcast, it’s just $5 a month or $15 for the whole season. Subscribe on Substack and then listen wherever you get your podcasts. We can’t wait to wade into the comments with you— strap in! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingthecomments.substack.com/subscribe (https://readingthecomments.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)

Who has been a guest on Reading the Comments Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Rebecca Onion
• Tracy Clark-Flory
• Alicia Parlapiano

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 11 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

10

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact Reading the Comments Podcast

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.