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This Is Uncomfortable

Marketplace
Money
Financial Therapy
Community
Prenups
Gaza
Financial Anxiety
Personal Finance
Mental Health
Money Management
Divorce
American Dream
Happiness
Friendship
Grief
Fast Fashion
Financial Communication
Workplace Dynamics
Parenthood
Office Relationships
Pets

This is Uncomfortable is the award-winning show about life and how money messes with it. Each week, Marketplace’s Reema Khrais explores how money shapes our decisions, relationships, and sense of self through conversations that are intimate, surprising, and deeply human. From the economic headlines that hit our wallets to the choices that keep us up at night, the show digs into the money questions... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes204Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessNews

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Artwork for This Is Uncomfortable

Latest Episodes

How were you raised to think about money, and how do you know when the values you inherited no longer fit? What do we owe other people, and when is generosity a duty? Reema talks with Abigail Disney, the grandniece of Walt Disney, about family, legac... more

How many subscriptions are you paying for right now? Whether we’re watching TV, listening to music, or even just storing photos, it feels like we are required to rent so many parts of daily life these days. Reema talks to tech reporter Lance Ulanoff ... more

Is a frustrating dynamic in your workplace keeping you up at night? In our recurring advice column, “Work Drama”, we try to find answers to your sticky work questions. This week Reema is joined by Marketplace correspondent Kristin Schwab and host/cor... more

This week we’re sharing an episode of the Marketplace climate solutions podcast “How We Survive.”

The new season is all about the controversial ways humans are tinkering with nature in an effort to save the planet, from shooting sulfur dioxide into... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Make Me Smart
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Death, Sex & Money
Death, Sex & MoneySlate Podcasts
How We Survive
How We SurviveMarketplace

Recent Guests

Lance Ulanoff
Tech journalist and editor at large at TechRadar
TechRadar
Episode: Subscribe and save... or not?
Elizabeth Kolbert
Climate journalist and author of Under a White Sky
Columbia/Author
Episode: Bonus: Should we mess with nature? From "How We Survive"
Ben Lamb
CEO of Colossal, founder of de-extinction efforts
Colossal
Episode: Bonus: Should we mess with nature? From "How We Survive"
Laura Griggs
Set out to build a life off the grid with her husband and seven children
Former homesteader, featured guest
Episode: Confessions of a former homesteader
Elena Botea
Former Capital One employee, author of Delinquent Inside America's Debt Machine
Credit card industry reform advocate
Episode: Confessions of a former homesteader
Nicole Chung
Award-winning author of A Living Remedy, discusses caregiving costs and family decisions
Author
Episode: Nicole Chung and the toll of caregiving
Beth Pinkster
Financial planner and author of My Mother's Money, A Guide to Financial Caregiving
Financial Planning/Author
Episode: Nicole Chung and the toll of caregiving
David Steely
Former millionaire who donated substantial wealth and works with Resource Generation
Surge / Resource Generation
Episode: Sam doesn't know how to be rich, from “Proxy with Yowei Shaw”
Angela Giampolo
LGBTQ legal advocate
Attorney
Episode: Should I adopt my friends?

Host

Reema Khrais
Host of This Is Uncomfortable with Marketplace, guiding conversations about money, relationships, and personal values

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 5k ratings
  • Journalism?

    This show was once a bright light, mixing up human elements and financial literacy. Now there is only anecdotal commentary and people making a lot of assumptions that aren’t fact checked on the show. Where is the data? Where is the global perspective to American societal struggles? Where are stories of people finding real solutions out of their financial hardship? The privilege of the host and her guests on this show is over the top. Very upper middle class problems. Some people might relate to ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    100 :-)
    United Statesa month ago
  • Informative, intelligent, and always evolving

    I‘m a long-time listener of TIU and I cannot say enough good things about it. Reema is a triple threat when it comes to podcasting: she’s a masterful storyteller, an empathetic listener, and a skilled researcher armed with the right amount of data points to educate (without overwhelming) her listeners. I‘m happy to see that more episodes are being released this year. Thank you, and please keep up the excellent work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    An American in Germany
    Germany2 months ago
  • No more experts please

    I used to love listening to this podcast because the stories were all told from the perspective of ordinary individuals who had unique experiences. Now each episode just features an “expert” who has studied this topic, which makes the show boring and just like any other boring podcast. Please bring back the ordinary individuals and stop interviewing the “experts.”

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Occasional iPhone user 123
    United States3 months ago
  • Beyond the Balance Sheet: Relatable Stories on Life’s Most Taboo Topic

    Marketplace has a true gem in This Is Uncomfortable. The show consistently delivers a superb selection of topics that go far beyond simple budgeting, diving into the messy ways money tangles with our relationships, identities, and secrets.

    What sets this podcast apart is the perfect balance of storytelling and authority. By bringing in top-tier experts, the show provides actionable wisdom without ever feeling clinical or dry. A standout example for me was the episode on prenuptial agreements. It... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dark Horse Lover
    United States4 months ago
  • The new show is not for me

    What I loved about this show was how human it was. It spent a long time talking to one person and going deep with empathy and open mindedness.

    Now it’s becoming just another show with experts talking about a subject .

    I particularly got an “ick” when one of those experts talked about “one of my patients just this last week said” — anonymous to us, sure. But my god, that patient knows he’s talking about him. This man leveraged his patient for an interesting sound bite and this show gave him a ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    CuriousOmen
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners value the authentic, human approach to money topics.
Some listeners miss the long-form storytelling style of earlier seasons.
Guest diversity and practical takeaways are highlighted by many reviews.
Episodes balance expert insight with personal narratives effectively.
The host's empathy and storytelling are frequently praised.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#167
United States/Business
Apple Podcasts
#143
Canada/Business
Apple Podcasts
#42
Philippines/Business
Apple Podcasts
#177
Switzerland/Business
Apple Podcasts
#232
South Korea/Business
Apple Podcasts
#236
Norway/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Bonus: Should we mess with nature? From "How We Survive"
Q: What do you think Darwin would think?
The host asks about Darwin's likely reaction to de-extinction and the idea that we can redesign nature; the guest suggests Darwin would be skeptical of believing we could perfectly restore past ecosystems and emphasizes humility and recognition of complexity.
The secret lives of romance scammers
Q: Why do you think loneliness figures so prominently in these stories?
Loneliness both drives and sustains the interactions—victims seek connection and scammers seek validation—creating a dynamics where financial harm and emotional need feed each other, complicating judgments about right and wrong.
The secret lives of romance scammers
Q: What did you find in Lagos about the culture around scams?
There are many young unemployed men, often not part of a formal criminal organization, who operate individually; the scams are shaped by poverty and social pressures more than a centralized syndicate.
The secret lives of romance scammers
Q: Can you tell me about your mom's story and what happened to her?
Her experience involved meeting an American-appearing partner on Tinder, being drawn into a long online relationship, being asked for money, and eventually discovering the person was not who they claimed to be, which spurred the broader investigation into how these scams operate.
Help! My work crush just became my boss!
Q: What should be done if a team member keeps dozing off during important meetings?
Start by confirming the issue is real and not a one-off, then adjust meeting design to be more interactive and engaging; consider scheduling at times when people are more awake, and set clear expectations for behavior and accountability, while exploring underlying causes like possible sleep issues or workload distribution.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About This Is Uncomfortable

What is This Is Uncomfortable about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers money as a lens on everyday life, exploring how finances shape decisions, relationships, and personal identity through intimate storytelling and expert perspectives. Episodes cover topics from budgeting and debt to wealth culture, immigration, parenting, and hobbies, often blending personal anecdotes with research and actionable takeaways. A standout is its willingness to tackle taboo or emotionally charged finance questions with empathy, guest expertise, and real-world guidance, making complex money topics feel accessible and human. The format frequently features deep-dive conversations, practical strategies, and a curiosity about how money intersects with values, happiness, and social dynamics.

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Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for This Is Uncomfortable. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to This Is Uncomfortable and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does This Is Uncomfortable get?

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What are the audience demographics for This Is Uncomfortable?

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How many subscribers and views does This Is Uncomfortable have?

To see how many followers or subscribers This Is Uncomfortable has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to This Is Uncomfortable?

These podcasts share a similar audience with This Is Uncomfortable:

1. Make Me Smart
2. Marketplace
3. Death, Sex & Money
4. How We Survive
5. Marketplace Morning Report

How many episodes of This Is Uncomfortable are there?

This Is Uncomfortable launched 7 years ago and published 204 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact This Is Uncomfortable?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for This Is Uncomfortable?

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What guests have appeared on This Is Uncomfortable?

Recent guests on This Is Uncomfortable include:

1. Lance Ulanoff
2. Elizabeth Kolbert
3. Ben Lamb
4. Laura Griggs
5. Elena Botea
6. Nicole Chung
7. Beth Pinkster
8. David Steely

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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