In this Parenting Is a Joke snack episode, Ophira Eisenberg talks with bestselling author Domenica Ruta about the messy, improvised reality of writing and parenting while raising kids. Domenica describes how her creative process has nothing to do with 4 a.m. routines—rejecting Glennon Doyle’s approach with a “bitch, please” and instead likening her schedule to a Jackson Pollock painting made of poop. She recalls pounding out an “ugly” first draft while pregnant, then facing the absurd parent math of paying more for childcare than she earned from freelancing. The two trade stories about breast pumps that seemed to chant insults—never encouragement—and even hatch the idea of a pump that offers affirmations instead of taunts. Domenica also reflects on the painful friend attrition after her baby shower, the pushback she got from publishers who didn’t want a book about motherhood, and her insistence on telling her novel All the Mothers through many voices—including even babies’ points of view. The conversation ends with her pride in shaping a book that reflects the real chaos and shifting center of family life, even if, as Ophira jokes, the next draft should just add a sniper. 📍September Shows are in Fairfield, CT, Bloomington & Plainfield IN, Iowa City, IA, and NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Domenica Ruta: https://www.instagram.com/domenicaruta/ See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bestselling author Domenica Ruta joins Ophira Eisenberg on this episode to talk about her new book All The Mothers, and about the family dynamics that shaped her memoir With or Without You, including her relationship with her strong-willed, drug-dealing mother and her complicated bond with her father. She explains how turning those memories into a book forced her to confront the contradictions of love, resentment, and survival, and why she believes humor is sometimes the only way to tell the truth about painful experiences. Domenica and Ophira also discuss generational differences in parenting styles, from guilt and rage bubbling up in small daily battles to the impossibility of living up to “perfect parent” ideals. The conversation closes with Domenica recalling how readers insisted her father character must have been directly lifted from her own life—proof of just how thin the line between lived experience and literature can be. 📍September Shows are in Fairfield, CT, Bloomington & Plainfield IN, Iowa City, IA, and NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Domenica Ruta: https://www.instagram.com/domenicaruta/ Buy her new novel All The Mothers: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all-the-mothers-domenica-ruta/1146138139 See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this snack-sized follow-up, Ophira Eisenberg leads rapid-fire parenting confessions with Gaytriarchs podcast hosts David FM Vaughn and Gavin Lodge. David admits the last thing he said “no” to was sending an iPad to camp—earning him a daily pout and a stompy “I don’t even like this house anyway.” Gavin, meanwhile, cops to banning extra TikTok time, while also offering his trademark “just you wait” warnings to David’s younger-dad optimism. The trio skewer “gentle parenting” as equal parts guilt trip and impossibility, swap stories of murderous rage over mis-put-on shoes, and debate whether edibles really improve playtime. Both dads confess what they’d do anything to avoid—David votes small talk with other parents, Gavin volunteers trampoline duty—and end with a top-three list of the worst parts of back-to-school, from endless colds to forgotten assignments to being forced into yet another Parent Square group. As Gavin sums up, it’s hard to focus on gentle parenting when your kid slaps you with baloney. 📍September Shows are in Fairfield, CT, Bloomington & Plainfield IN, Iowa City, IA, and NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow The Gaytriarchs: https://www.instagram.com/gaytriarchspodcast/ See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this kickoff to Season 4, Ophira Eisenberg is joined by Broadway veterans turned podcasters David FM Vaughn and Gavin Lodge, hosts of The Gaytriarchs. The dads share how their show began almost as a “you’re a gay dad, I’m a gay dad, let’s talk” experiment, and how it’s evolved into 113 episodes, complete with recurring jokes like referring to their audience as “our listener.” They talk about the strange intimacy of podcasting, meeting each other’s kids for the first time only after years of recording together, and the moments that nearly made them quit—until a fan’s oddly specific comment kept them going. The conversation spans their careers pivoting from Broadway to TV writing and arts advocacy, the realities of raising kids via surrogacy, and the endless cycle of coming out in playgrounds, school forms, and even Dairy Queen drive-throughs. There are tangents about LaGuardia airport feeling like a spa, the economics of summer camp, and the universal awkwardness of “the talk.” The episode ends, fittingly, with Gavin recalling his daughter casually outing him to a car full of teens before they all nodded in recognition and said, “Oh, my mom used a surrogate too.” 📍September Shows are in Fairfield, CT, Bloomington & Plainfield IN, Iowa City, IA, and NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow The Gaytriarchs: https://www.instagram.com/gaytriarchspodcast/ See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this rerun episode of Parenting is a Joke, Ophira Eisenberg sits down with economist, bestselling author, and parenting data sage Emily Oster for a conversation filled with surprising truths, hard-earned wisdom, and the kind of advice that actually helps. Emily shares how she applied her data-driven brain to everything from optimal sleep schedules to discipline strategies, allowance systems, and even pet ownership (her kids gave a PowerPoint presentation that ultimately landed them with pet snails). They talk bedtime math, caffeinated tea mishaps, and whether butthole is really a bad word. Emily explains why parents should embrace "pleasure data"—what works for you, not just the kids—and makes the case that locking your child inside is no safer than letting them walk to the bagel store. She also shares insights from her newest book The Unexpected, covering the reality that nearly half of pregnancies involve complications, and how isolating that experience can be. Plus, you'll hear about the time her son accused her of loving marathon training more than him, and what it means to raise kids with freedom in a culture obsessed with control. If you've ever frozen a snail egg or wondered whether Trader Joe’s ginger chews count as medical advice, this one’s for you. 📍August Shows are Ohio, Atlanta, and NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Emily Oster: https://www.instagram.com/profemilyoster/ See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this special rerun of Parenting is a Joke, Ophira Eisenberg welcomes the multitalented Tony Award-winning star Laura Benanti for a conversation that’s both unforgettable and fiercely real. Laura opens up about the high-wire act of being a working performer and a parent, sharing stories from her early Broadway debut at 18 to the surprising joys of suburban life in New Jersey. She talks about negotiating equity in her marriage, resisting outdated gender expectations, and the invisible labor of motherhood—even when you're the family breadwinner. Laura also shares her experience with postpartum depression and multiple miscarriages, including a deeply personal account of suffering a miscarriage while performing on a cruise ship, with her six-year-old daughter singing beside her. She reflects on the lack of public dialogue around pregnancy loss and why she felt compelled to speak out. The episode touches on ghost stories, crystal wands, and her daughter’s Halloween exposure therapy via a 12-foot skeleton. Plus, hear how Laura turned texts with a friend into the hilarious and empowering book M Is for Mama (and also Merlot)—written for moms who are tired of the prairie-dress fantasy. The phrase “medical disappointment” might just become your new go-to for life’s curveballs. 📍August Shows are Ohio, Atlanta, and NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Laura Benanti: https://www.instagram.com/laurabenanti/ See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this snack-sized episode, Ophira Eisenberg reconnects with Erin Keating, host of Hotter Than Ever, for a raw, funny, and wildly relatable look at how a hospital stay during the pandemic catalyzed a total life reinvention. After being hospitalized with COVID pneumonia, Erin had what she describes as a Canyon Ranch-level spa break—complete with flowers from work, no interruptions, and the radical realization that she was deeply unhappy. Within a year, she turned 50, ended her long marriage, got laid off, and found herself with a clean slate—and a hot French guy in Italy. Erin shares how she eased into dating after a decade without sex, discovering an unexpectedly wide fanbase of 20-year-olds, truckers, and professors. She talks about reentering parenting as her central identity, navigating co-parenting with her ex, and discovering that her kids actually did better with less conflict in the house—even her son admitted it felt “better” post-divorce. Erin opens up about friends-with-benefits, falling in love with someone who didn’t want to be a stepdad, and why dating dads now feels like the sweet spot. She wraps by describing how her 14-year-old daughter once came out… as straight, following an earlier bisexual declaration. Erin’s evolution, like her dating profile, has range—and the spa metaphor still holds: sometimes you check in with pneumonia and check out with your whole life reset. 📍August Shows are Ohio, Atlanta, and NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Erin Keating: https://www.instagram.com/erindkeating/ See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Ophira Eisenberg sits down with her longtime friend Erin Keating—former television executive, mom of teenage twins, and host of the podcast Hotter Than Ever—for a conversation that spans from IVF dolphin omens to teen fashion battles. Erin shares how a gamified approach to online dating led to meeting her now ex-husband (he was date #5 out of a planned 10), and how her determination during fertility treatments turned her into what she calls a “warrior” with a 4-a-week Upper East Side IUI commute. The IVF worked, and during a Cape May trip, she and her then-husband spotted twin dolphins—just days before finding out they were expecting twins (actual human ones, not more dolphins). Erin recounts birthing her 14-pound combined children—one lounging transverse, the other breech—and how their differing in-utero layouts led to years of bunk-bed metaphors and a dead-on prediction of their teenage eating habits. She reflects on co-parenting after divorce, her son’s hyperfocus (he once used her credit card to buy digital Valorant weapons), and why she’s proudly never read a parenting book. Erin’s philosophy? Lead with love, skip the playlists, and make your teen send the follow-up email after their camp counselor interview. And yes, she confirms: Brooklyn in 2011 really was the twin capital of the world. 📍August Shows are Ohio, Atlanta, and NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Erin Keating: https://www.instagram.com/erindkeating/ See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Parenting is a Joke, Ophira Eisenberg talks with powerhouse vocalist and soon-to-be mom Rachael Price—lead singer of Lake Street Dive—about performing while pregnant, planning a tour around a due date, and preparing to raise a baby on the road. Rachael shares what it was like touring with the band into her third trimester, including maternity Spanx, food poisoning that almost led to a canceled show, and the unexpected wave of emotion before her final pre-baby concert. She opens up about the confusing abyss of Instagram parenting “advice,” why her cloth diaper ambitions may be short-lived, and how her birth plan has already been demoted to a set of “hopes.” They discuss sustainable touring, parenting in small spaces, and the surreal moment of announcing a pregnancy during a band meeting like a corporate HR update. Rachael also reflects on growing up with a musician dad and traveling with choirs as an 11-year-old—training that’s come full circle as she now plans to hit the road with her daughter and a rotating support team that might include a nanny, her mom, or a very sleepy band mate. 📍 July Shows are in NYC, Nantucket, MA, Aruba, Calgary, Alberta, Canmore, Alberta, Saratoga Springs, NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Racheal Price: https://www.instagram.com/rachaelpricepants/ See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this snack-sized episode, Ophira Eisenberg reconnects with comedian, author, and How to Be a Better Human podcast host Chris Duffy for a rapid-fire chat covering the unexpected overlaps between parenting and comedy. Chris reflects on his years as a fifth-grade teacher, including a moment when a student earnestly asked—in front of the class—if having “huge balls” was a medical concern. The two swap stories about bedtime existentialism, the silent pressure of sleep training success, and the social minefields of modern parenting advice (including unsolicited high-fives from strangers about home births). Chris shares why he’s terrified his kid might become a hypebeast influencer, and admits he’s never called an Uber with his child for fear it might tank his 5-star rider rating. This mini-episode wraps with Chris’s pitch for a premium Uber Labor tier—and his confession that he still hasn’t recovered from laughing at a fourth grader’s joke about rejection checkboxes. 📍 July Shows are in NYC, Nantucket, MA, Aruba, Calgary, Alberta, Canmore, Alberta, Saratoga Springs, NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Chris Duffy: https://www.instagram.com/chrisiduffy/ Find Chris Duffy’s podcast How to Be a Better Human wherever you get your podcasts  See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Parenting is a Joke, host Ophira Eisenberg sits down with comedian, writer, and podcast host Chris Duffy to unpack the joys and absurdities of raising a toddler while maintaining a creative career. Chris shares how his “fun mom energy” has defined him since high school, his past life as a babysitter and fifth-grade teacher, and the surreal experience of writing jokes for Dan Rather during his first TV writing job. He reflects on the lack of nuanced parenting books for dads and explains why most advice boils down to: “Are you willing to let the baby cry?” Ophira and Chris swap stories about parenting-induced identity crises, obsessive marker-capping, and the complicated trade-offs between artistic ambition and hands-on parenting. Chris also reveals the emotional reason he starts his popular Brightspots newsletter with a disclaimer, and explains how his podcast How to Be a Better Human tries to offer comfort, not homework. The episode ends with Chris’ hard-won realization: he’s basically just a large baby with a beard. 📍 July Shows are in NYC, Nantucket, MA, Aruba, Calgary, Alberta, Canmore, Alberta, Saratoga Springs, NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Chris Duffy: https://www.instagram.com/chrisiduffy/ Find Chris Duffy’s podcast How to Be a Better Human wherever you get your podcasts  See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this snack-sized episode of Parenting is a Joke, Ophira Eisenberg is joined once again by author and podcast host Jo Piazza for a conversation that hits on the real logistics of being a working parent with no time for “manifesting” or gentle parenting platitudes. Jo explains how her background as a tabloid journalist trained her to write anywhere—including from the toilet while hiding from her kids—and how that skill helped her crank out her latest novel, Everyone Is Lying to You, in just three months. They talk about what it actually takes to get creative work done while raising kids (hint: discipline, childcare, and no scrolling), and how Jo structures her mornings around laser-focused word counts. She shares what it was like traveling through Sicily with a 5-month-old while researching a real-life family murder, and why her new dream is a European river cruise where no one has to pack and repack. The two also compare cultural attitudes toward parenting, with Jo recalling how an Italian stranger followed her into a bathroom just to offer her a pillow and a glass of wine. And when it comes to American parenting, Jo offers the most honest take of all: she doesn’t gentle parent—because her kids aren’t gentle. 📍 July Shows are in NYC, Nantucket, MA, Aruba, Calgary, Alberta, Canmore, Alberta, Saratoga Springs, NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Jo Piazza: https://www.instagram.com/jopiazzaauthor/ Buy Jo’s New Book Everyone is Lying to You: https://www.amazon.com/Everyone-Lying-You-Thriller-Piazza/dp/B0DJCSHC1G See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Parenting is a Joke, Ophira Eisenberg talks with bestselling author and Under the Influence podcast host Jo Piazza about parenting three young kids while juggling a prolific writing career. Jo shares the moment she realized she was pregnant (it involved an Elton John concert and tequila), why she can’t stand chickens, and how her latest thriller Everyone Is Lying to You takes aim at the surreal and insidious world of mom influencers. She opens up about trying to become an influencer herself—complete with a hired photographer, reluctant kids, and affiliate links for water shoes from the school giveaway bin—only to discover that she hated every minute of it. Jo and Ophira get into what postpartum really looks like and how mom influencers perpetuate impossible standards while profiting off our insecurities. They talk about breaking up with Cocomelon, teaching their kids media literacy, and raising children in a house where canceling plans is considered an act of love. Jo also reflects on the burnout of the girlboss era, the fantasy of the tradwife lifestyle, and why the influencer economy is both a trap and a lifeline for modern moms. Her happiest child eats like a roaming dog, and honestly, that might be the parenting win of the year. 📍 July Shows are in NYC, Nantucket, MA, Aruba, Calgary, Alberta, Canmore, Alberta, Saratoga Springs, NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Jo Piazza: https://www.instagram.com/jopiazzaauthor/ Buy Jo’s New Book Everyone is Lying to You: https://www.amazon.com/Everyone-Lying-You-Thriller-Piazza/dp/B0DJCSHC1G See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this snack-size episode of Parenting is a Joke, Ophira Eisenberg checks back in with comedian and new mom Vicky Kuperman for a hilarious and refreshingly real follow-up conversation about those chaotic first weeks of parenting. Vicky shares how hiring a night doula gave her an elusive eight-hour stretch of sleep and why postnatal support might be the difference between loving your baby and loving having a baby. They swap notes on useless pediatrician advice, cry-trigger guesswork, and the loneliness of baby groups when no one gets your sense of humor. Vicky opens up about the mental fog of newborn care, the underestimated emotional load of having a dog and a baby, and how she and her husband navigate parenting roles—complete with night shifts, miscommunications, and moments of "I'm drowning!" clarity. Also discussed: musical enrichment guilt, measles-era isolation, baby smile myths, and why swaddling should really be a service for grown women. Vicky also shares that asking for help gave her just enough breathing room to start jotting down jokes again—proof that even a little support can make space for yourself to reappear. 📍 July Shows are in NYC, Aruba, Calgary, AB, Bucks Country, PA, Nantucket, MA! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Vicky Kuperman : https://www.instagram.com/vickykuperman/ See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this summer edition of Parenting is a Joke, Ophira Eisenberg catches up with stand-up comic, filmmaker, and war-zone performer Jennifer Rawlings. Jennifer reflects on her years raising five kids while performing for U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Sarajevo—often leaving behind toddlers and pull-ups for flak vests and flatbed stages. She shares how her youngest son, now a film professional, co-directed her new special I Only Smoke in War Zones, which captures her real-life experiences performing comedy amid explosions, basketball-court gigs with no mics, and chow-hall sets surrounded by barbed wire. Ophira and Jennifer get real about the guilt moms carry, the emotional labor of parenting adult children, and the horror of seeing your grown kid’s partner move into your basement. Jennifer recalls being handed a Kevlar vest mid-set as mortars went off and jokes that her kids were so feral when she returned from 30 days in Iraq, she wasn’t even sure she’d been missed. They also talk about how her work in war zones exposed her to young mothers and children missing limbs, fueling a deeper drive to tell women’s stories both on stage and in film. And yes—her son did call her in Afghanistan just to complain his brother ate all the Cheez-Its. 📍 July Shows are in NYC, Nantucket, MA, Aruba, Calgary, Alberta, Canmore, Alberta, Saratoga Springs, NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Jennifer Rawlings: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferrawlings/ See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this in-studio Parenting is a Joke fav episode, Ophira Eisenberg sits down with comedian, Daily Show correspondent, and guest host Desi Lydic to talk parenting, performing, and prompter disasters. Desi recounts the surreal moment her Daily Show hosting debut began with a backwards teleprompter—and how the audience's reaction helped her recover instantly. They talk about raising thoughtful boys in today's world, from navigating gender norms and emotional literacy to Desi’s personal favorite parenting guru (spoiler: it's Dr. Becky). Desi opens up about auditioning for The Daily Show while four months pregnant and the support she received from the show’s female leadership. She shares what it's like juggling her son's passion for NBA jerseys, Pokemon trades gone shady at after-school care, and managing the “mental load” of parenting—even with a very involved husband. Plus: how her Southern Republican parents record every Daily Show appearance, and why her son yelling “Big Daddy!” at school was a much bigger problem than any F-bomb. Also: yes, she’d rather her son be a boxer than an NRA exec—as long as she gets to Vaseline his face before the fight. 📍 July Shows are in NYC, Nantucket, MA, Aruba, Calgary, Alberta, Canmore, Alberta, Saratoga Springs, NY! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Desi Lydic: https://www.instagram.com/desilydic/ See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this snack-sized episode of Parenting is a Joke, Ophira Eisenberg is joined again by Tracey Tee—comedian turned founder of Moms on Mushrooms (M.O.M.)—to talk about how microdosing psilocybin became the unexpected tool that helped her feel more present, emotionally resilient, and aligned as a parent. Tracey explains how her past work creating The Pump and Dump Show laid the groundwork for building a mushroom-centered community for moms looking for healing, connection, and alternatives to antidepressants. They discuss the myths around microdosing, the stigma of moms on psychedelics, and why Tracey compares it to a cup of coffee rather than a drug-induced haze. She breaks down how most moms in her community aren’t looking to get high—they’re looking to feel something again after years of numbing out on SSRIs, exhaustion, and societal expectations. Tracey also explains why mushrooms, unlike wine or wellness trends, actually ask moms to show up for their own healing with intention. The episode ends with Tracey reflecting on the exact moment she knew the mushrooms were working: when she stopped parenting for appearances and started listening to what her daughter actually needed. 📍 July Shows are in NYC, Aruba, Calgary, AB, Bucks Country, PA, Nantucket, MA! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Tracey Tee / Moms on Mushrooms : https://www.instagram.com/momsonmushroomsofficial/ See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian Tracey Tee, co-creator of the hit touring show The Pump and Dump, returns with a whole new mission: helping moms heal with mushrooms. In this episode of Parenting is a Joke, she opens up to Ophira Eisenberg about how her decade-long comedy career and business collapsed overnight during the pandemic, leaving her physically and emotionally unmoored. She shares the long and grueling road she traveled through infertility, stage 4 endometriosis, surgical menopause at 41, and the grief of saying goodbye to her uterus before she ever really got to celebrate becoming a mother. It was only after a traumatic car accident with her daughter that Tracey began to recognize how much plant medicine—specifically microdosing psilocybin—had changed the way she processed stress, anxiety, and fear. The two talk about how the cultural stigma around psychedelics is shifting, especially for mothers who are desperate for support but drowning in shame and exhaustion. Tracey walks us through the wild, unexpected origin of her now-thriving community M.O.M. (Moms on Mushrooms), how a shaman helped her daughter heal faster than traditional therapy, and why she believes we’re just beginning to scratch the surface of what mushrooms can do for mothers' mental health. Plus, Tracey reveals the exact moment she knew the mushrooms were working: when she found herself sincerely apologizing to a tree. 📍 July Shows are in NYC, Aruba, Calgary, AB, Bucks Country, PA, Nantucket, MA! Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Tracey Tee / Moms on Mushrooms : https://www.instagram.com/momsonmushroomsofficial/ See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this special snack episode of Parenting is a Joke, Ophira Eisenberg reconnects with comedian Liz Glazer to celebrate the release of Liz’s new stand-up special Do You Know Who I’m Not?—a follow-up to her acclaimed debut tackling the heartbreak of stillbirth. Liz shares what it’s like raising a two-year-old, obsessively documenting milestones like her daughter renaming bottles “babush,” and navigating the guilt and chaos of being a working comic mom. They unpack the newborn stage's anxiety—highlighting the absurd pressure of tummy time—and how Liz handles the grind of travel, not for adventure but to maximize earnings. The conversation touches on Liz’s recent Tonight Show debut, the surreal behind-the-scenes moments (like spotting a donut yeti), and how she structured her set to reflect the awe of arriving at that moment in her career. Liz also reveals her love of public transportation, her obsession with capturing everything on camera, and the mental load of keeping every photo and video safe. The episode wraps with Liz sharing the thrill of having a brand-new joke hit right after taping The Tonight Show, calling it the comic’s equivalent of discovering buried treasure. Liz compares the high of finding a working new bit after filming The Tonight Show to discovering the perfect pill—a boost so real, it rivals the euphoria of a new baby. 📍 June Shows are in NYC, Boulder, CO, Sag Harbor, Long Island, Nantucket, MA!Details at https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com Follow Liz Glazer: https://www.instagram.com/lizglazer Watch Liz’s new special: https://www.youtube.com/user/lizglazer See Ophira LIVE: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/events/ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss O thing: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/sign-up Follow PIAJ:  https://www.instagram.com/parentingisajoke/ https://parentingisajoke.substack.com/   Follow Ophira: https://www.instagram.com/ophirae/ https://www.facebook.com/OphiraEisenberg/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ophiranyc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Parenting is a Joke, comedian and brand-new mom Vicky Kuperman joins Ophira Eisenberg just five weeks after giving birth—and no, she didn’t know she wanted kids until recently either. Vicky opens up about pivoting from a life focused solely on comedy to embracing IVF, sharing how her fourth and final covered cycle resulted in her daughter. She reveals she once had a miscarriage during a screening of the Barbie movie (yes, she jokes about it), and reflects on the double standards women face in comedy when tackling darker material. The two comedians swap birth stories—Ophira’s dramatic labor room moment vs. Vicky’s swift C-section where the team was chatting about Sex and the City as her daughter arrived. They also dissect the politics of pregnancy shame, how little anyone warns you about post-op edema, and why a Chanel gift bag might be the Upper East Side’s version of a baby bonus. You get to hear what’s inside that legendary Chanel postpartum bag! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices