Proxy with Yowei Shaw

Decoding Feelings in Dementia Care [TEASER]

Brian Can't Stop Fact-checking His Mother-In-Law

This episode of "Proxy" addresses the emotional challenges of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's. Brian Reed, a journalist and podcast host, shares his struggles with fact-checking and correcting his mother-in-law, who lives with his family and suffers from dementia. Psychologist Claudia Drossel, an expert in acce...

Is It Time To Break Up the Band?

The podcast explores the emotional and practical challenges faced by the band The Superweaks, focusing on the creative and personal tensions between its members, Evan and Chris, after the death of Evan's brother, Corey. The central issue is their stalled album, with Evan struggling to complete his vocal tracks, leading...

Aparna and the Self-Loathing Introvert

The podcast explores the challenges and self-acceptance journey of introverts in extrovert-centric environments, particularly in performance-based careers. Host Yowei Shaw interviews comedian Aparna Nancherla, discussing Aparna's experiences as an introverted comedian and the societal pressures to conform to extroverte...

Mic Chooses the Wrong Life

The podcast explores the theme of career regret through the case of Mic Nguyen, a comedian and advertising professional haunted by his decision to drop pre-med in college. Despite enjoying his creative pursuits, Mic grapples with the "what if" of becoming a doctor, a path expected by his Vietnamese refugee family. Soci...

Bisexual Wife Guy

This episode of "Proxy" explores the emotional challenges faced by George, a man navigating divorce after his wife came out as queer. The conversation centers on George's feelings of being a "minor character" in his ex-wife's new narrative and his struggle to find closure. Hanna Rosin, acting as a proxy for George's ex...

The Utility of Self-Delusion (and Big Show Update)

The podcast episode centers on the host's feelings about launching an independent podcast, "Proxy," and the necessity of "delusional" optimism for success. After announcing that "Proxy" is now part of Radiotopia from PRX, the host, Yowei Shaw, reveals concerns about achieving sustainability, needing 300,000 listeners p...

Presenting: Alternate Realities (from NPR's Embedded)

Presenting: "Stings for Our Enemies. Honey for Our Friends." (from Our Ancestors Were Messy)

Black history, when viewed through the lens of gossip and drama, reveals the complex class tensions defining the 1880s D.C. Black elite. The "Talented Tenth" strategy, intended to secure social standing through respectability, often enforced rigid hierarchies that marginalized those deemed "fusty" or working-class. The...

Presenting: I felt too seen. Um, dragged. (from Basket Case), Plus an Upade

Presenting: An Evil Man (from Little Devils), Plus a Year-End Recap

The podcast Proxy features an episode that explores snap judgments and personal "little devils" through an interview with Jasmin Bauomy, host of the Little Devils podcast. Bauomy's podcast interrogates quick, superficial judgments people make about others by speaking with those individuals and uncovering the stories be...

The Group That Gets It

The episode explores the world of support groups through the experiences of Jason Yu, a counseling student and host of the Fidget podcast. It addresses why many people, despite knowing the benefits, avoid seeking support from others facing similar challenges. Yu recounts his journey of struggling with body-focused repe...

Is there anything we can actually do about polarization?

The podcast explores the concept of political sectarianism, a turbocharged form of polarization driven by negative feelings toward the opposing political side. It features Jay Van Bavel, a social psychologist at NYU, who explains how this phenomenon differs from traditional ideological disagreements, emphasizing the dr...

So many tears but what do they say?

The podcast explores the phenomenon of crying, examining its purpose, communication, and appropriate responses. It identifies three types of tears: basal, irritant, and emotional, noting that emotional tears contain higher protein levels, causing them to fall slower and communicate distress. Heather Christle, a poet an...

Presenting: The Art of Vulnerability and Connection with Mae Martin (from ReThinking)

Did we make our goal???

The podcast discusses the results of their Patreon campaign, acknowledging they didn't reach their goal to hire Kim for more hours, while expressing gratitude to the 330 current members and inviting sponsorships. They are seeking individuals to share their experiences related to starting families outside traditional re...

The Mechanics and Magic of Ritual

The podcast explores the connection between rituals and proxy conversations, questioning how rituals can address emotional needs. Mike Norton, a behavior scientist, defines rituals as distinct from habits, emphasizing their role in imbuing meaning and addressing emotions, especially during significant life events like ...

Psychodrama: The 2nd Oldest Psychotherapy You've Never Heard Of, But Have Definitely Tried

The podcast explores proxy conversations and their potential therapeutic effects by examining the principles of psychodrama. Dr. Scott Giacomucci, an expert in psychodrama, explains how it uses role-playing and spontaneity to address unresolved emotions and create new responses to recurring situations, drawing parallel...

Connor Ratliff's Dead Eyes

The podcast explores the concept of "proxy conversations," focusing on how talking to someone indirectly involved in a dilemma can provide closure. Yowei Shaw interviews Connor Ratliff, creator of the "Dead Eyes" podcast, which investigates why Tom Hanks fired him from a role early in his career. Ratliff shares how pro...

The Incredible Healing Powers of Vicarious Restorative Justice

The podcast explores the concept of proxy conversations, particularly within the context of restorative justice. It investigates how these conversations, where individuals engage with proxies who share similar experiences rather than direct offenders, can facilitate healing and accountability. Criminal justice professo...