Man of the Year - Champions of Friendship

#183 - Buddymoon’s Over

05 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Karo and Matt break down the rise of the “buddymoon” – the trend of friends tagging along on (or replacing) the traditional honeymoon – and wh...

#182 - Brutal Honesty

28 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo debate where the line is. You want friends who will tell it like it is but at some point does it cross from support to unhealthy friendi...

#181 - Roommates!

21 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There’s no friendship more intimate than a roommate. You see everything: habits, quirks, and the stuff no one else can ever know. Karo and Matt brea...

#180 - TCS - Text Call See

14 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo came up with a great rubric because lets face it if we don't have any structure our friendships fall by the wayside. We find TCS - text ...

#179 - Drinking Buddies

07 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Alcohol can act as a powerful social lubricant, lowering inhibitions and making it easier for friendships to form. But it can also mask real issues an...

#178 - Cuffing Season 2026

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo get back to a topic they discussed slash invented a few years back. We all know about "cuffing season" for relationships, but ...

#177 - Our March Madness Bro-cket

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Steady Eddy vs. Rich but out of touch. Stick to the plan guy vs. Up for anything guy. Hype man vs. Guy who disappears for months at a time. Connector ...

#176- Grieving Friends

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes things are hard and people need their friends to show up. When someone passes or a friend is going through something hard, that's what separ...

#175 - Friendship and Stoicism, aka “Broicism” (sorry)

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone’s talking about Stoicism these days. But is it a guide for taking control of your life, or a bunch of BS? Karo and Matt discuss applying St...

#174 - Admin Friends

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There's a growing trend of people gathering with their friends to take care of the mundane tasks: taxes, cancelling subscriptions, clearing inboxes. M...

#173 - The Friend Group Fallacy

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Karo and Matt discuss the “friend group fallacy” – the belief that a tight knit crew is preferable to and more common than strong one-on-one bon...

#172 - Do Your Friends Need to Change With You?

17 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo discuss what happens when you evolve. Does your crew need to evolve along with you? If you outgrow them, does the friendship need to end...

#171 - Yes Men

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When your buddies reach out for plans, are you an immediate Yes (Matt) or a knee-jerk No (Karo)? This week the guys discuss best practices for when to...

#170 - The Superbowl of Friendship - 2026 Edition

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It's Superbowl weekend and Matt and Karo share the best tips for making the most of it from a Friendship perspective. Check out our new Audible Origin...

#169 - One-on-One Friends vs. Big Group Friends

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Some friends are elite in a group chat, unstoppable at a party, and absolutely lethal at a 12-person dinner. But put them in a one-on-one situation an...

#168 - Is Sh*t Talking Healthy For Friendships?

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo discuss what the line is between being playful and an a-hole, and how relating in a friendship, especially between men, often comes with...

#167 - How to Make Friends as an Introvert

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Karo and Matt are famously extroverts – but today they’re taking all of their friendmaking tips and hacks and discussing how they can be used by i...

#166 - Flakes

06 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo kick off the new year by discussing those friends that somehow still drive us crazy. We know they're likely to show up two hours late or...

#165 - Karo and Matt’s 2026 New Year’s Res-BRO-lutions

30 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Another year of friendship is in the books and guys look back on how well they did on their 2025 resolutions (mixed bag) as well as make their New Yea...

#164 - Is Double Dating Online the Future of Friendship?

23 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo interview Jordann Lubliner, the founder of Doubles Social, the hit friendship app for couples to meet, to find out what the hype is all ...

#163 - Unlikely Friendships

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Karo and Matt discuss friendships between people who seem like total opposites - from different worlds, backgrounds, or stages of life. We break down ...

#162 - Useless Friends

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have we become so transactional that we've forgotten the value of Useless friends? We kid. Everyone has some "use." But this week is about p...

#161 - Friendship FOMO

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When your friends hang out without you, the sting of FOMO hits hard. Karo and Matt dig into why it feels so personal and what it really says about you...

#160 - 22nd Annual Man of the Year Dinner

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo go home to celebrate their 22nd year of the greatest friendship ritual in the world. The Man of the Year dear. Peter Lugers steakhouse, ...

#159 - Finding Fringe Friends

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Instead of trying to turn complete strangers into friends, we recommend starting with “fringe friends” – acquaintances you already kinda know. K...

#158 - Making Friends When You're Older

11 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We all have it easy when there are friends everywhere: in school, in the dorms, in your first apartment, at your office. But what happens as you get o...

#157 - Friendship Myths, Part II

04 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the second installment of their Friendship Myths series, Karo and Matt tackle whether friends should always take your side no matter what, if it’...

#156 - Friendship Leadership

28 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo discuss how in every friend group there's usually someone who takes the lead, so what does that leadership entail and what does it mean ...

#155 - CHRISSY TEIGEN AND JOHN LEGEND ON “THE BUDDY SYSTEM”

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Huge day!! Our new Audible Original “The Buddy System: A Modern’s Man Guide to Mastering Friendship” is out now – exclusively at audible.com/t...

#154 - The PALS test: Passion, Appreciation, Loyalty, Support

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Karo and Matt introduce the PALS test: a simple framework for evaluating whether a friendship truly serves you. The guys break down the four pillars—...

#153 - The Sultan of Spontaneity vs. The Monarch of Monotony

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo have vastly different styles in life, Karo plans everything and needs 6 weeks notice, Matt lives in the moment. We examine the pros and ...

#152 - Rolling Three Deep

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Karo and Matt break down the three-man crew - why rolling three deep can feel like the sweet spot, and when it can backfire compared to pairs or bigge...

#151 - Territorial Friends

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo discuss a taboo topic: Territorial friends. Ever have a scenario where you're getting boxed out or frozen out from a friend's friend or ...

#150 - Happy Friendiversary!

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Karo and Matt celebrate their 150th episode AND their friendiversary! The guys discuss how to determine and why to celebrate the exact day you and you...

#149 - Poker Nights

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo discuss Matt's first poker night in 20 years and the benefits of a game night and how needed it really was for all the dads at the table...

#148 - How’s Your Mental Health?

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When was the last time you asked your buddy how he’s REALLY doing? This episode dives into friendship, vulnerability, and why men’s mental health ...

#147 - Friendship Dry Spells

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo discuss a very frequent issue that no one ever talks about, sometimes you're just in a friendship dry spell. Like dating, these things h...

#146 - Pals Play Pickleball

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Karo and Matt dive into the world of “social sports” – the games designed as much for connection as competition. From pickleball to padel to ten...

#145 - Are you really the Average of the Five People Around You?

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo discuss the old axiom that you are the five people you spend the most time with. Is it true? And if it is, what does that say about you?...

#144 - Friendship First Responders

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt’s wife goes into labor in the middle of the night and Matt calls Karo for help – but Karo doesn’t pick up! Today on the pod we discuss who ...

#143 - Physical Intimacy

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's a touchy subject! But are we missing out on the benefits of physical contact with our friends. Matt and Karo discussed the pros and cons of how o...

#142 - Friendship Amnesia

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We all have friends who we love hanging out with – and then completely forget about. Buddies who, for whatever reason, are not on our day-to-day rad...

#141 - Long Distance Friendships

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We come up with a great list of ways to keep up the long distance friendships. Letting your friends know they are valued and missed, but also figuring...

#140 - Clique Bait

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Friend groups can be a source of deep connection - or quiet chaos. This week, Karo and Matt dive into the subtle dynamics of cliques: how they form, w...

#139 - Bring Your Friend To Work Day

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There was always a bring your child to work day, but what if we let our friends into our work world a bit. Maybe we'd feel a bit closer. Ask your frie...

#138 - Rhaina Cohen, author of “The Other Significant Others”

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist and author Rhaina Cohen joins us to talk about the evolution of friendship and her new book “The Other Significant Others.” Watch this ...

#137 - Be The Reason, Not the Excuse

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If it often seems like everyone is always looking for an excuse not to get together, it's because they often are. But you don't have to be that person...

#136 - Adult Best Friends with Delaney Buffett and Katie Corwin

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the pod we welcome Delaney Buffett and Katie Corwin, writers and stars of the new movie ADULT BEST FRIENDS – now streaming on HBO Max! Watc...

#135 - The Friendship Eras Tour

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo explore how the definition of friendship has evolved across generations - and centuries. Would your current crew survive in 1925’s smo...

#134 - 24-Hour Friends

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Karo and Matt dive into the magic of “24-hour friends” – those buddies you make over a short period of time at weddings, on vacation, or on a wo...

#133 - Friendship Myths

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo break down common friendship myths. As we all know there are things we believe to be true about friendship, but were did we get these be...

#132 - The Friendship Social Contract

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo dive into the Friendship Social Contract - the unspoken rules that hold friendships together. From keeping secrets to showing up on time...

#131 - The Loneliness Economy

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

An entire ecosystem is being built around confronting the loneliness epidemic. Matt and Karo discuss all the new ways help is there for you and all th...

#130 - #NoRegrets

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We all have regrets in life – but we don’t often talk about friendship regret – that falling out you never reconciled, that misunderstanding you...

#129 - Rebound Friendships

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Karo and Matt dive into the world of rebound friendships—the new buddies you make following a friend break-up. We talk about how to move ...

#128 - The Invisible Men

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Karo and Matt tackle the quiet, heavy feeling of invisibility that can creep into male friendships. We explore why so many men feel unseen—even amon...

#127 - Social Fitness Test Revisited

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's been a year since we last did our score count. Have you improved in any category? Is there a balance to your friendships? Are you being more vuln...

#126 - Moving for Friends

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo give a scorching hot take. It's perfectly normal to move for a love interest, but it's really not at all discussed whether you should mo...

#125 - Our Final Episode (April Fools’!)

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Don’t worry, you’re not getting rid of us that easily! Today Karo and Matt introduce “limited series” – friendship activities that have a fi...

#124 - Q1 Friendship Check In

25 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Since we are about to hit the end of our first fiscal friendship quarter, we thought it made sense to track our progress. How has your social fitness ...

#123 - Fake It Til You Make It

18 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

They say dress for the job you want. Well we want you to do that, but for friendship. If you have an acquaintance that you want to be a good friend, s...

#122 - Keeping Score

11 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo discuss the pros and cons of keeping track of friendship. Why it can be healthy to have some sense of the balance but unhealthy if it be...

#121 - The Vibes of March

04 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

March is all about competition, luck, and celebration—so what better time to talk about friendship? In this episode, Karo and Matt explore how frien...

#120 - Man's Best Friend - Part II

25 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo give a proper ode to dogs, man's best friend. And Matt says goodbye to his faithful companion of twelve years. Olive the Tiny Frenchie. ...

#119 - How To Supercharge Your Hangs: Write An Agenda

18 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Too many guys show up to hang-outs with no plan, leading to dead air, surface-level convos, and wasted time. In this episode, Karo and Matt break down...

#118 - Sahil Bloom - The Five Types of Wealth

11 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo have a very special guest on the podcast this week. Sahil Bloom has created a groundbreaking blueprint to build your life around five ty...

#117 - Love and Friendship with Special Guest Matchmaker Maria!

04 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Karo gets ganged up on this in special Valentine’s Day episode with our good friend Matchmaker Maria. How do you meet The One? It’s the same way y...

#116 - Friendship Therapy

28 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Couples go to therapy to work out their issues, and now there's a growing trend of friends doing the same thing. Would you ever consider friend therap...

#115 - Good Friends Have Hard Conversations

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode delves into the theory that good friends have hard conversations, emphasizing that addressing conflict is essential to building strong an...

#114 - How To Make A Friend: Part II

14 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is the second half of our two part series that breaks down all of our tips into a very clear straightforward step by step process on how to make ...

#113 - How To Make A Friend: Part I

07 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a new year so we thought we’d get back to basics and answer the foundational question that launched this podcast – how exactly do you make ...

#112 - New Year's Res-BRO-lutions 2025

31 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Most people make resolutions in various areas of their lives, vow to join the gym, which usually lasts all of 3 weeks, vow to save x number of dollars...

#111 - Bro Bro Bro! Merry Christmas!

24 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The guys celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah with some holiday friendship tips, including the “one hour’s salary” rule for buying gifts for your bu...

#110 - Posting Up

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

People often think they need to make a concrete plan that involves a location and an activity, but we found a hack that seems to work. Friends benefit...

#109 - What’s Your Friendship Style?

10 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Fireflies, Butterflies, and Wallflowers, oh my! Karo and Matt discuss the different friendship styles, as outlined in a fantastic quiz by New York Tim...

#108 - When Friend Groups Collide

03 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we tackle the challenges of navigating friend group dynamics when different social circles collide. Should you keep them separate to ...

#107 - The 21st Annual Man of the Year Dinner!

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tonight is Karo and Matt’s Super Bowl – their annual dinner at Peter Luger in Brooklyn with their childhood friends at which the iconic Man of the...

#106 - Assuming the Best in Friendship

19 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have a viewpoint on the pod that you are better served to assume the best of intentions for your friends even when they mess up. It's the better wa...

#105 - Getting Medieval On Your Friendship Rituals

12 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This podcast was inspired by the world’s greatest friendship ritual – Karo and Matt’s annual Man of the Year dinner with their childhood friends...

#104 - The Politics of Friendship - Election Day

05 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We recorded this before the election so we have no idea who won, but we wanted to discuss the thorniest of friendship issues in the hope that not too ...

#103 - Exorcise Your Friendship Demons

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Halloween wolfmen of the year! It’s spooky szn so today Karo and Matt discuss facing your friendship fears, meeting the Ghost of Friendship Pa...

Man of the Year is coming to NEW YORK CITY on November 22nd!

25 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Karo and Matt are coming to New York City on November 22nd for their next live show! Man of the Year Podcast presents Friendsgiving Live! Stand-up, ce...

#102 - Friendship Bucket List

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you're gonna be lifelong friends with someone, shouldn't you do epic sh*t? We think so! We discuss what should go on your friendship bucket list!  ...

#101 - Pebbling (What Penguins Can Teach us about Friendship)

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Apparently, Penguins are ahead of the curve on friendship! They do this act called pebbling where they literally bring little pebbles one by one back ...

#100 - UNITED STATES SURGEON GENERAL DR. VIVEK MURTHY!

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s our 100th episode and Karo and Matt welcome a very special guest – the freakin’ Surgeon General of the United States! Dr. Murthy and the gu...

#99 - Parasocial Activity

01 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Chappell Roan is speaking out against toxic fan behavior, so Karo and Matt are discussing parasocial friendships – one-sided relationships between a...

#98 - One-Sided Friendships

24 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Let's face it, we've all been in this situation. When you have a friend that just won't respond to your text, won't ever make plans, basically would n...

#97 - Modern Friendship With Author Anna Goldfarb

17 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Karo and Matt welcome special guest Anna Goldfarb! Called “the New York Times’ friendship correspondent,” Anna's reporting has appeared in The N...

#96 - How Much Does It Cost to Make Friend?

10 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Let’s be honest—whether you’re joining a fraternity or a country club, you're essentially paying to make friends. But aren’t we all doing that...

#95 - How To Beat The Fall Friendship Blues

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Karo and Matt discuss how to handle what they’ve coined “The SAD Sixty” – the roughly 60 days from Labor Day to Halloween when social plans ar...

#94 - Lonely at Work

27 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we dive into the challenges of building genuine connections at work, especially in today's world of remote and hybrid setups, where c...

#93 - Friendship Literacy For New College Grads

20 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We learn (or should learn) financial literacy in school, but no one teaches you friendship literacy. Karo and Matt offer some advice for the Class of ...

#92 - Process vs. Goals

13 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo discuss Matt's favorite guru James Clear and how some of his principles can be applied to friendship. It's not just about the end result...

#91 - Bouquet or “Bro-quet” with 1-800-Flowers founder Jim McCann

06 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Karo and Matt are joined by their friend and mentor Jim McCann, the CEO and founder of 1-800-Flowers. They discuss whether platonic men can give each ...

#90 - The Dude Pyramid (aka Social Nutrition for Healthy Friendships)

30 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We all learned about the foot pyramid and how to have a balanced diet. Though it turns out most of it was wrong. So maybe it's time to make sure your ...

#89 - Alone, Together

23 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone feels lonely sometimes. The surgeon general has declared loneliness a national epidemic, with some studies equating its harmful effects to sm...

#88 - How Often Should You See Your Friends? - aka The TCS Method

16 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo came up with a great rubric so you know how often you need to text, call and see your friends. Follow the TCS method and take the guessw...

#87 - 2 Legit 2 Quit (Your Friendships)

09 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One day in the late aughts, an up-and-coming corporate lawyer in New York City named Matthew Ritter just stopped going to work one day. And thus, quie...

#86 - July 4th and American Friendship

02 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Karo discuss how America is number 1 at a lot of things, and hell, we wanna be the top dogs of friendship too, so we need to get cracking aft...

#85 - Hot Friendship Summer

25 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What can we learn from our summer camp experiences that will help us be better friends? Karo and Matt discuss why summer is the most social season, ho...