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Smart Girl Dumb Questions

Nayeema Raza

It's a curiosity party, and you're invited. Every Tuesday on SGDQ, Nayeema Raza asks simple Qs about big ideas trying to make sense of life. Some of our faves? Neil deGrasse Tyson on how we'd know if we're in a simulation, Esther Perel on why love gets harder with age, Diplo on why every guy I date is a DJ, and two 11 year olds on what it's like to grow up right now.

Send us your dumb (and smart) Qs: nayeema.raza101@gmail.com

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Yesterday · 1 hr 1 min
Where Does Confidence Come From?
Nayeema sits down with Serena Kerrigan, who left a salaried job and a self-described “Nepo Baby Lite" lifestyle to become an influencer (slash "icon"). Six years later, she’s built an empire: an IG live show that led to a TV deal with Peacock, card games, merch and a new book, "Let's F*cking Date". The secret to her success? Confidence. Nayeema and Serena discuss how a mirror can make you an icon, why egg-freezing can change your mindset, and what modern feminism looks like in a world where we want men to pay … but also let us be. Also on the agenda: dating younger (hi cougars), age gaps, wealth gaps and some romantic advice for people who love to be clean. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR GROUP CHAT, YOUR MOM, YOUR EX, and anyone who has ever wondered whether they’re dating the wrong person. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 8 · 56 min
Why Am I Working More and Getting Less Done?
Nayeema sits down with Cal Newport, an expert on deep work, pseudo-productivity and how technology is shaping work. He’s prolifically productive himself (he’s written multiple bestselling books, is a tenured Georgetown professor, and hosts a hit podcast called Deep Questions … all of which is made possible by his work process and his abstention from social media). In this episode of the SGDQ “What Even Is Work?!” series, Nayeema asks: Why are we working more and getting less done? Why does everyone feel so busy ALL THE TIME? And, should that meeting be an email, or that email be a meeting? Also: should my employer be finding some cognitive fitness … for my brain? Cal explains why modern knowledge work has created what he calls the “hyperactive hive mind” — a constant stream of Slack messages, emails, meetings, and notifications that keeps us reacting instead of thinking. And it’s not just annoying: our brains are actually TERRIBLE at constantly switching between different tasks and contexts. So how do we stay productive and cognitively fit?? Stay tuned for more of the SGDQ “What Even Is Work?!” series presented by @Zoom. Learn more about how Zoom can help you catch a break (and a chill first day back) zoommate.com. Nayeema thinks of it as vacation-maxxing for adults who want to holiday good and do other stuff good too! Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And, obvi: if you liked this episode, send it to your friends, your group chat, your mom... and your COWORKER. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 1 · 51 min
Why Don't Adults Get Summer Vacation?
Is Gen Z Unemployable? And/or are the rest of us addicted to work? NYU Stern Prof and bestselling author Suzy Welch joins Nayeema in this first episode of the SGDQ “What Even is Work?!” series to figure out what we value and how we spend our days. Suzy breaks down the 16 values that organize our lives. You can take the test here. (get the *free* assessment or use SGDQ50 for 50% off). They analyze Nayeema’s results, which rank love and voice higher than, um, work. They also talk about trends from hustle culture, work as identity, “bringing your whole self” to work, job hugging, and resume botoxing?? Yeah, Nayeema didn’t know what those were either. This episode and the "What Even is Work?!" series are presented by @Zoom. Learn more about how Zoom can help you catch a break (and a chill first day back) at zoommate.com. Nayeema thinks of it as vacation-maxxing for adults who want to holiday good and do other stuff good too. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MY-DUMB-Q Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And, obvi: if you liked this episode, send it to your friends, your group chat, your mom... and the co-worker you're crushing on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 25 · 1 hr
Can We Get Better at Flirting … with Rejection?
Whether you’re single, married or something in between: this episode is for you. Nayeema sits down with love coach and rejection survivor Francesca Hogi to talk about flirting as a way of life and rejection as a path to growth. Plus, Franny grades Nayeema’s Flirting Skills (and Diplo’s). Is anyone getting an A?! We get into the 8 types of flirting, how A.I. can or can’t help you in your relationships, and other nuggets from Franny’s book. Plus: can you actually LEARN how to flirt? Is it just improv on steroids? What is HR-approved flirting? And are some people just TOO good at dating to ever be vulnerable? Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And, obvi: if you liked this episode, send it to your friends, your group chat, your mom... and your CRUSH. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 11 · 1 hr 2 min
Are Prediction Markets Destroying Society? I Asked the Kalshi CEO
Nayeema gets direct with Tarek Mansour, the 30-year-old CEO and Co-Founder of Kalshi. The prediction market hit $30 billion in trade volume this June as users put money on everything from the World Cup to Strait of Hormuz opening dates and the reality show Love Island. So is this gambling with a better brand, a peril to young people, ripe for insider trading, or a path to more accurate information? What does the company NOT allow? And, um, what's the best advice he ever got from Donald Trump, Jr. who serves as an advisor to Kalshi and its top competitor: Polymarket? NOTE: We'll be off next week for some smart girl dumb vacation. See you on 8/25 for a brand new episode. What do you want answers to?!?! Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And, obvi: if you liked this episode, send it to your group chat, your mom... or that one friend who's always convinced they can predict the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 4 · 1 hr 5 min
Has There Ever Been a Worse Time for Journalism?
David McCraw has gone to battle with Harvey Weinstein, Sarah Palin, Justin Baldoni and Presidents from Bush and Obama to Biden and Trump. Today, Nayeema asks the lead newsroom lawyer for the New York Times what he’s learned fighting powerful people … what’s normal (or not) when it comes to tension between the government and a free press … and why the recent appearance of federal agents with subpoenas at the homes of New York Times journalists should shock the conscience of every American. Nayeema gets David to give grades to each President (um, does anyone get an A on press freedom?). They talk about The New York Times’ unique role in protecting the first amendment (is David basically Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard?). Plus: the Nerdy Legal 101 you didn’t know you needed. **ps: even if you hate the news these days, this episode is worth listening to. It will make you smarter. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM and YOUR LAWYER. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 28 · 51 min
He Drives 200 MPH. What Scares Him? with NASCAR Star Carson Hocevar
Nayeema’s learning all about NASCAR today with rising star Carson Hocevar, who’s constantly compared to the legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. So: what’s the difference between NASCAR and F1? What’s Hocevar’s risk-reward analysis on aggression? Does he have a safe word with the dude who’s in his ear? And when you go 200 mph most days, what’s it like to be stuck in traffic with the rest of us? Most of all: what is “Hurricane Hocevar” afraid of? Plus: we dive into Carson’s (one-sided?) feud with Zane Smith and break some news about his relationship with one of the leading TikTokers of our time. Send us your "dumb questions" on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you're following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR DAD, and anyone who thinks NASCAR is "just left turns." Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM and YOUR UBER DRIVER. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 21 · 1 hr 2 min
Birth Rates Are Low. Can A “Fertility President” Fix That?
And does it even need to be fixed? In this episode Nayeema tries to understand whether demographic collapse is a crisis or a con job. She sits down with Malcolm and Simone Collins, a New Right pronatalist couple with ties to the Heritage Foundation and Elon Musk and policy drafts being submitted for White House consideration. They have 5 kids, 30 embryos on ice and aspirations to keep going til Simone’s uterus “falls out”. On the agenda: why aren’t people having kids (is it a modern marriage crisis, does picking embryos based on IQ make you a eugenicist, and in a movement that intersects with racist overtones are the Collins interested in drawing a line in the sand or in co-opting controversy in their aspirations of fame? Also: how does one afford five to twelve kids anyway? Whether you think they're visionaries or completely off the rails, this is one conversation you won't forget. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM and YOUR PREGNANT FRIEND. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 14 · 55 min
Is Everything a Cult?
Nayeema and cult expert Amanda Montell unpack why cults are everywhere now, why we’re obsessed with them and what all of that has to do with modern loneliness and capitalism. Montell — the bestselling author of Cultish and host of the podcast Sounds Like A Cult breaks down the innocuous language that will suck you in and how to help someone you love get OUT. Oh, and naturally they try to build a cult around Smart Girl Dumb Questions. We’re not above that. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM and YOUR CULT LEADER. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 7 · 1 hr 3 min
What Does Love Hurt? with Dr. Justin Garcia
Nayeema sits down with evolutionary biologist Dr. Justin Garcia, Director of the world-famous Kinsey Institute, to unpack the science of love, sex and attraction. Why are there more single peoplethan ever? Are we still having sex? Why do breakups … feel like withdrawal? And what do pandas, penguins and pigs have to teach us about modern relationships? Also on the agenda: is kissing is “normal,” short kings and what makes someone a great long-term partner. For more from Justin check out his awesome book, The Intimate Animal. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM AND THE EX YOU KEEP GOING BACK TO. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 30 · 58 min
When Do We Move to Mars? (or the Moon)
Nayeema sits down with space architect Ariel Ekblaw to ask: will my kids commute to the Moon? Why are we privatizing everything in outer space? And did SpaceX just turn space travel into … FedEx? Ariel is a Yale and MIT-trained founder and CEO of Aurelia Institute focused on space technologies including autonomously self-assembling space stations and future space habitats. And if all of this sounds trippy … we agree. Check out the episode! Also on the agenda: space hotels, moon vacations, AI data centers in orbit, whether Elon Musk might secretly be an alien and why astronauts cry when they see Earth from space. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM and your ideal planet to call home.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 23 · 1 hr 9 min
Can the NBA Fix the USA? with Cavs Owner Dan Gilbert
It’s NBA Draft Day and Nayeema’s sitting down with Cleveland Cavaliers owner, Rocket Companies founder and Detroit mega-booster Dan Gilbert to ask: How do you make up with LeBron James? Can a billion bucks buy happiness? Is the NBA socialist? And what can it teach the USA about fairness? Dan opens up about the infamous LeBron letter, what it’s really like sitting at a table with 30 billionaire NBA owners, why he’s invested so much in Detroit’s comeback and the personal tragedies that have taught him gratitude. Also on the agenda: whether Taylor is actually a Knicks fan, a record pizza delivery and Nayeema’s Q: is being a billionaire anything like we see on HBO’s Succession. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM and your favorite NBA owner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 16 · 1 hr 12 min
Who’s Scarier: Gangsters, Billionaires or Investigative Journalists?
Nobody understands GRIFT quite like New Yorker Journalist Patrick Radden Keefe. Nayeema sits down with the legendary New Yorker staff writer and bestselling author of Empire of Pain, Say Nothing, Rogues, and his latest book London Falling to ask: why are we so obsessed with people behaving badly? Is grift just … ambition? And when does “fake it till you make it” become “fake it until everything collapses”? Also on the agenda: Sacklers, El Chapo’s midlife crisis, Anna Delvey in the audience, Larry Gagosian parties, Mark Burnett making Trump, whether rich people are scarier than gangsters, and the tragic story at the center of London Falling — a teenage boy in London who invented an oligarch father and conned the adults who wanted access to him. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM and your favorite accountant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 9 · 49 min
Rent vs Buy? Homes, IVF, MBAs and Other $$$ Choices
Rent or buy? Student debt or skip the degree? Nayeema asks @MoneyRehab host Nicole Lapin the money questions we all have. They discuss if home ownership is still part of the American Dream, what money mistakes NOT to make, and why it feels SO vulnerable to talk about your personal finances. Turns out “shame is not a good money management system.” Also on the agenda: IVF, MBAs and what is worth going into debt for? How much is Nayeema’s Harvard and Stanford educated brain worth? Plus: lab grown diamonds, the avalanche method of debt recovery, stocks as gifts and why Nicole’s baby might be richer than all of us. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM and your favorite accountant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 2 · 1 hr 2 min
Is the American Dream Still a Thing? with Harvard Economist Raj Chetty
Nayeema speaks to Professor Raj Chetty, who has the IRS (and Facebook) data proving that your zip code and close friends list may dictate your riches. They talk about the American dream, whether it's in reach, why the data and vibes conflict and why the Harvard University professor behind Opportunity Insights believes progress is STILL possible. This is the second episode of our SGDQ Smart Money series, presented by Chime. Also on the agenda: why GDP can be up while the vibes are down, what’s the right income bracket to have a kid, and where you should (and shouldn’t) move if you want your kids to have a better shot than the “Lost Einsteins.” Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM and your favorite married couple.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 19 · 1 hr 20 min
Is Who You Marry the Most Important Financial Decision? with Divorce Attorney Jim Sexton
Which money mistakes destroy a relationship? And which good money habits make a marriage work? No one sees into people’s finances like a divorce lawyer does. So Nayeema brings BACK killer NYC divorce attorney James Sexton, Esq. to ask: is marriage really the most important financial decision you’ll ever make? Does leverage kill love? And with an affordability crisis, does being middle class keep you (unhappily) married? All of this in Episode 1 of the SGDQ Smart Money Series brought to you by Chime! **NOTE: if you’re in NYC on Tuesday 5/26, we’re taping SGDQ live at the cellar. Get your tickets here** We won't have an episode out on May 26th due to the Memorial Day holiday, so please binge back on 50 episodes of SGDQ Thanks to our partners at Chime. Stay tuned for more episodes on whether the American Dream is still in reach, if it's better to rent or buy and more dumb-but-smart money Qs for people who seek progress. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM and your favorite married couple.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 12 · 1 hr 20 min
Aliens Encounters and UFO Files?! with Neil deGrasse Tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson and Nayeema are BACK with an all new episode taped live at New York’s Comedy Cellar. They discuss if aliens exist, how we’d know and what we should do when we see them? What’s the alien go back? And how do we balance skepticism with possibility in science and in life. Has any testimony, fact or experience ever challenged Neil’s alien skepticism?Nayeema also asks Neil to respond to President Trump’s UFO files, President Obama’s comments about Area 51 and a question from former guest Suborno Bari - the child genius you’ve heard on SGDQ. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM and your favorite alien. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 5 · 1 hr 12 min
Is There A War on Men?
Nayeema sits down with Richard Reeves, THE expert on men and boys to ask: is there a men’s crisis? Has talking about it made men’s lives better …or worse? What’s a dude problem vs an everyone problem? Are we just gendering the impacts of modern capitalism? And what’s next: DEI for dudes? Also on the agenda: looksmaxxing, incels, tradwives (data vs vibes), the retreat of video games, the potential of the draft and an age-old fight for men’s allegiance. Plus: what do the Epstein files reveal about male bonding and power? (Richard would like you to know: THIS IS A MINEFIELD). Subscribe to Richard’s SUBSTACK and find his work at the American Institute for Men & Boys where he serves as Director. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM and your favorite boy.#men #boys #dating #incels #tradwife #mentalhealth #SmartGirlDumbQuestions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
April 28 · 1 hr 18 min
Iran ... Um, How Does This End?
Robert Malley was a Lead Negotiator of the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal, so what does he think will happen next? And what does three decades at the forefront of Middle East peace (or war, in this case), teach him from Camp David (2000) to Israel and Gaza today? Nayeema and Rob walk through Donald Trump’s “Art of the Deal” to figure out whether one may be had here. They also discuss: are negotiators more like marriage therapists, hostage negotiators or plumbers? Are President Trump’s tweets (slash Truth Socials) an attempt at Mad Man strategy or just a genuine chaos-making machine? How do Iranians think and deal-make? And will we see peace in Israel and Palestine in our lifetime? Be sure to check out Rob’s book Tomorrow is Yesterday: Life, Death and the Pursuit of Peafe in Israel/Palestine. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM and your favorite person to negotiate with.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
April 21 · 55 min
How Do You Win a Grammy?
The electroacoustic duo ARKAI just won a Grammy. Nayeema wants to know: How hard is that? Can you manifest one? Or is it more like a political campaign? Does the Harvard of Music (aka Juilliard) prepare musicians for a TikTok world? And the crucial question of 2026: Will AI replace musicians? Jonathan Miron (violin) and Philip Sheegog (cello) also spill on the beef between cellists and violinists, how many people it takes to call yourself a band and if bands are dying out in the era of the solo TikTok artist. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Get Arkai's music on Spotify - especially their sophomore album: Brightside. And make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR MOM and your drycleaner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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