Is it possible the rumors of the death of print magazines (and masculinity) have been greatly exaggerated?

We sit this week with GQ's Global Editorial Director Will Welch to discuss the magazine’s 2025 Special Issue on American Masculinity (3:00), its revealing survey of nearly two thousand men across the US (6:00), the absence of “low-stakes mischief” in today’s surveillance age (9:00), the widespread obsession with Gen Z (12:00), and the “125 rules for the modern gentleman” featured in the issue (17:30).

In Act II, we turn to Welch’s own story: his Atlanta upbringing (21:00), the music of OutKast and D’Angelo that shaped him (24:00), and his early years as an editor at The Fader (28:00). He also shares the call that brought him to GQ (33:00), his road to recovery (42:00), and how spiritual leader Ram Dass reshaped his life (48:00).

In Act III, Welch reflects on the “when the going was good” era of GQ (55:00), the magazine’s unparalleled access to its subjects (1:00:00), and how magazines (and men) can fit into the everchanging cultural landscape (1:05:00).

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Gabriela Hearst is one of the rare figures in fashion with an unwavering commitment to sustainability.

At the top, we discuss her luminous Spring Summer 2026 collection at Paris Fashion Week (4:00), her childhood herding cattle on a 17,000-acre ranch in Uruguay (6:00), and the gaucho traditions that shaped her philosophy around art-making (10:00). Then, Gabriela reflects on the manifestation practice that’s guided her since adolescence (15:00), how love and heartbreak fueled her creatively (18:00), and what she took from a detour into acting (20:00).

On the back-half, she speaks candidly about motherhood (22:00), founding her first label, Candela (24:00), and breaking free from the vicious cycle of fast fashion (30:00). To close, we walk through the past decade of Gabriela Hearst (38:00), the long-term vision for the namesake brand (45:00), and the affirmation that keeps her grounded (54:00).

This episode was recorded at Spotify Studios. Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at talkeasypod@gmail.com.

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Rose Byrne has taken many forms on-screen. In Mary Bronstein’s new film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, she delivers a career-defining performance as a Long Island therapist and mother slowly unraveling under the weight of her child’s mysterious illness.

We begin by discussing the maternal madness at the heart of this new film from A24 (6:30), the long, collaborative road to shaping the character (10:00), and what it was like to have Conan O’Brien as a scene-partner (13:30). Then, Byrne reflects on her debut performance in Dallas Doll (19:45), the plays and poems that inspired her as a teenager (22:30), and a formative role in the cult classic Two Hands, opposite the late Heath Ledger (26:00).

In the back half, we unpack the sexism she faced in Hollywood in the aughts (32:40), her unexpected comedic breakthrough in Bridesmaids and Neighbors (37:15), and the fruitful collaborations with Seth Rogen that followed (39:50). To close, Byrne pays tribute to two of her enduring artistic influences—filmmaker David Lynch (45:00) and playwright Arthur Miller (47:00).

Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at talkeasypod@gmail.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.