This Is Uncomfortable podcast

This Is Uncomfortable

This is a show about life and how money messes with it. Each week, Marketplace’s Reema Khrais digs in with stories about the unanticipated ways money affects relationships, shapes identities and often defines what it means to be an adult. How much money do you lend a friend? Who can afford to vote? Can you get your life back after being wrongfully convicted?

This is a show about life and how money messes with it. Each week, Marketplace’s Reema Khrais digs in with stories about the unanticipated ways money affects relationships, shapes identities and often defines what it means to be an adult. How much money do you lend a friend? Who can afford to vote? Can you get your life back after being wrongfully convicted?

 

#170

The Emotionally Awkward Cost of Money, from “Alive with Steve Burns”

Reema and the team are working on some updates to the podcast that will arrive in your fee... more

02 Dec 2025

56 MINS

56:05

02 Dec 2025


#169

The things we leave behind (updated rerun)

This week, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes, plus a new update and your surpr... more

04 Aug 2025

35 MINS

35:26

04 Aug 2025


#168

Who wants to be a crypto millionaire?

What would you do with a million dollars…in crypto? Reema Khrais talks with Marketplace re... more

11 Jul 2025

26 MINS

26:12

11 Jul 2025


#167

"You'll never be ready to buy a home"

When newlyweds Chantal and Travis Lisback started searching for their dream home in Seattl... more

22 May 2025

37 MINS

37:19

22 May 2025


#166

Work Drama: Your questions, our advice

Ever wrestled with a work problem and didn’t know where to turn? We’ve got you. In our new... more

15 May 2025

26 MINS

26:52

15 May 2025


#165

New Nun Syndrome

After decades of trying to make it as an actor and comedian in Hollywood, Claudette Powell... more

08 May 2025

39 MINS

39:53

08 May 2025


#164

Will you be my nanny?

Hanna Sanborn was a single mom with newborn twins, struggling to find affordable childcare... more

01 May 2025

37 MINS

37:11

01 May 2025


#163

"This Is Uncomfortable" is back May 1

“This Is Uncomfortable” returns with four brand-new episodes about life and how money mess... more

24 Apr 2025

02 MINS

02:17

24 Apr 2025


#162

“Unlocking the Gates” on housing and economic opportunity

“This Is Uncomfortable” will be back in your feeds with brand new episodes in May, and in ... more

06 Mar 2025

24 MINS

24:06

06 Mar 2025


#161

How it all began: celebrating 10 seasons!

Hard to believe, but we’re celebrating 10 seasons, and five years, of  “This Is Uncomforta... more

24 Oct 2024

33 MINS

33:13

24 Oct 2024


#160

Check your Venmo, please

Last spring, Jay Benedith and Ben Williams matched on a dating app and quickly hit it off.... more

17 Oct 2024

30 MINS

30:22

17 Oct 2024


#159

The gifts of mortality and movement, from “Notes From America”

This week, we’re sharing an episode of another podcast we think you’ll love. “ [Notes From... more

10 Oct 2024

51 MINS

51:00

10 Oct 2024


#158

When death is your career

What does it mean to make a living from death? From a young age, Joél Simone Maldonado was... more

03 Oct 2024

33 MINS

33:11

03 Oct 2024


#157

Windfalls and vet bills

In the early 90s, Mike Perry found himself in a tough spot. He was living a carefree life ... more

26 Sep 2024

44 MINS

44:17

26 Sep 2024


#156

The things we leave behind

While sorting through her father’s belongings after his death, Amanda Petteruti came acros... more

19 Sep 2024

31 MINS

31:01

19 Sep 2024


#155

Hired, fired, can’t retire (updated rerun)

This week, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes and reconnecting with old friends... more

12 Sep 2024

48 MINS

48:41

12 Sep 2024


#154

Wait, I think I’m being underpaid

Nikki Massie never had a reason to question her salary. After more than a decade with the ... more

05 Sep 2024

25 MINS

25:40

05 Sep 2024


#153

What have you learned from the show?

As we reflect on 10 seasons of “This Is Uncomfortable,” Reema shares a snippet of a conver... more

03 Sep 2024

03 MINS

03:37

03 Sep 2024


#152

“Why did you buy more bones?”

Sisters Brittany Walsh and Nicole O’Neil have always been close. But when Nicole started e... more

29 Aug 2024

38 MINS

38:34

29 Aug 2024


#151

Hanif Abdurraqib on what it means to “make it”

For our season premiere, we’re sharing a conversation with one of our favorite writers, Ha... more

22 Aug 2024

35 MINS

35:40

22 Aug 2024


#150

“This Is Uncomfortable” is back Aug. 22

“This Is Uncomfortable” returns for its 10th season (you read that right: 10th!) with bran... more

15 Aug 2024

02 MINS

02:37

15 Aug 2024


#149

An update from Hana

When we last heard from Hana Albaioumy, she was grappling with an agonizing decision. She ... more

28 Jun 2024

24 MINS

24:42

28 Jun 2024


#148

Meet Jasmine! And her new pod, “Sacred Scandal: Nation of Saints”

Do you listen carefully to our credits every week? Then you might’ve heard of our “silent ... more

21 Jun 2024

39 MINS

39:59

21 Jun 2024


#147

Join our Uncomfortable book club!

Hey y’all! We’re working on a new season coming at you this August, but over the summer we... more

07 Jun 2024

02 MINS

02:00

07 Jun 2024


#146

The promise of a miracle cure

Doris Tyler has energy well beyond her 80 years. Even after retiring from her career as a ... more

18 Apr 2024

40 MINS

40:20

18 Apr 2024


#145

The high price of cheap clothes

Lorena has been a garment worker in Los Angeles for over twenty years, going to work each ... more

11 Apr 2024

33 MINS

33:54

11 Apr 2024


#144

No more panic shopping

What’s behind our desire to reinvent ourselves through fashion? Is it even possible to sho... more

04 Apr 2024

33 MINS

33:00

04 Apr 2024


#143

The bias we don’t talk about

Lindsey Niehay dreamed of being a doctor since she was a teenager. But when she graduated ... more

28 Mar 2024

43 MINS

43:17

28 Mar 2024


#142

“How do I stop overspending?”

A while back, we asked you to share your money struggles, and we heard from many of you! I... more

21 Mar 2024

29 MINS

29:23

21 Mar 2024


#141

So, who’s gonna pay for this?

Nicole and Rachel were deeply in love when they had their first serious fight about money.... more

14 Mar 2024

31 MINS

31:11

14 Mar 2024