The 16 Best Podcasts from Women 50 and Over

Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Considering Good Hang with Amy Poehler really does feel like hanging out with the 53-year-old comedian, it’s no surprise it’s climbed to the top of the podcast charts despite only launching in March. During each episode, Poheler interviews celebrities and tells them about her growing miniature fake food collection. A felt sandwich, complete with tomato, onion and avocado slices, made an appearance on her most recent August 12 episode.

One part of the podcast that stands out from other interview shows? Poehler speaks with a friend or collaborator of her guest to get advice on what to ask and “talk well behind that week’s guest’s back.” Particularly delightful are the episodes that feature Poehler’s IRL friends, like her Parks and Recreation husband Adam Scott and SNL co-star Seth Meyers. 

IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson

When Michelle Obama talks, we listen. Since leaving the White House and releasing her smash hit memoir Becoming, the 61-year-old former first lady has continued to shares more of herself with the world, to our delight. 

IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson sees Obama and her older brother tackle listeners’ personal dating, relationship, financial and parenting dilemmas with a heavy dose of wit, wisdom and humor. Expert and celebrity guests join them, but the best thing about this show is the siblings’ warm dynamic and rapport with each other.

Fresh Air

Broadcasting legend Terry Gross, 74, has hosted one of the longest-running interview programs in America since 1975. Alongside co-host Tonya Mosley, Gross has led Fresh Air, which initially launched as a local radio program and began releasing it as a podcast in 2005, to numerous awards, including two prestigious Peabody Awards and a spot in the Radio Hall of Fame.

Much of Gross’s legend stems from her prowess as an incisive yet deeply empathetic interviewer; comedian and podcaster Marc Maron once called her “the most effective and beautiful interviewer of people on the planet.” The daily news program sees Gross and Moseley extract thoughtful, interesting stories and responses from some of the world’s most prominent movers and shakers. With more than 22,000 segments under Fresh Air‘s belt, it’s well-worth it to dig through the program’s episode archive!

Table Manners with Jessie & Lennie Ware

Sitting down to a good meal with friends always feels like a warm hug, just like Table Manners with Jessie & Lennie Ware. Singer Jessie and her 70-year-old mother Lennie host major figures in entertainment and politics like Cher, Kate Winslet and former prime minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern for some chow and chat. Each episode takes place over the course of a meal, often prepared by skilled cook Lennie, which opens the door to intimate conversations and personal stories. 

Design Matters with Debbie Millman

Since it first aired in 2005, Design Matters with Debbie Millman has provided a home for creatives and innovators in numerous fields to talk shop and process. Host Millman, a 62-year-old author, educator and designer, is particularly great at getting accomplished guests like musician Jon Batiste, playwright Suzan-Lori Parks and Wicked and Hamilton costume designer Paul Tazewell to peel back the curtain and talk not just about how they do what they do, but also why.

This podcast is a must for anyone trying to get an endeavor—creative or otherwise—off the ground.

Woman’s Hour

This beloved radio magazine from BBC has aired since 1946. Woman’s Hour, hosted by journalists Anita Rani and Nuala McGovern, spotlights stories that place women at the center. Each episode is a useful digest of news and culture, all featuring the topnotch reporting that BBC journalists are known for.

One recent great episode included interviews with Materialists director Celine Song and the England women’s national team goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, alongside deeply reported stories about an honor killing that shook Pakistan when footage went viral and the challenges women face working in construction.

On with Kara Swisher

Sixty-two-year-old tech reporter and commentator Kara Swisher has been a long-time podcast success story (see her multimillion-dollar podcast deal with Vox Media) and her solo show, On with Kara Swisher, sees her dive in deeper. Standout episodes include an interview with Jon Chu, the Silicon Valley-raised director of Wicked who is incorporating cutting-edge technology into his filmmaking process, and Richard Reeves, author of an illuminating book about the struggles young men face and how their discontent affects the rest of us.  

Next Question with Katie Couric

Katie Couric has proved that she’s a great judge of what’s worth paying attention to through her storied journalism career. The 68-year-old’s podcast, Next Question with Katie Couric, operates on an intriguing and useful premise at a time when it feels like every minor and major happening begs for our attention. This show sees Couric invite experts for deep yet digestible dives into topics worthy of our limited attention spans, like how best to maintain health and wellness and what’s happening with American democracy—without wasting our time on the rest.

Radio Cherry Bombe

If you like cooking or dining out, Radio Cherry Bombe is a must-listen.

No episode is ever the same on this podcast during which Kerry Diamond, founder and editor of indie food magazine Cherry Bombe, interviews the interesting women who drive the world of food. The guest list is filled with restaurateurs, bakers, cookbook authors, chefs, sommeliers, and entrepreneurs who share personal stories and practical advice that even novice cooks may find useful.

The Mel Robbins Podcast

The Mel Robbins Podcast often skirts near the top of the charts, largely because of the invaluable advice doled out by its 56-year-old host and author. Robbins motivates listeners to design the lives of their dreams through research-backed advice from experts and personal stories. Robbins feels like both an engaging guide and motivating coach who makes all the tips feel manageable.

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

It’s no surprise that funny peoople make engaging podcast hosts, so it makes sense that one of the best comedians working hosts a podcast worth listening to. Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus finds the Veep and Seinfeld star, 64, in her element: talking to other smart, interesting women like Julie Andrews, Dolores Huerta and Jane Goodall. There’s a lot of humor and heart in each episode. One especially delightful guest is Louis-Dreyfus’s 90-year-old mother, Judith, who often dispenses quips and advice.

Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel

Psychotherapist Esther Perel is one of the reigning relationship experts, and this podcast gives listeners a look into a real-life therapy session.

Each episode of Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel consists of a condensed, anonymized therapy session featuring a real life couple; listeners get to hear Perel deliver advice to solve problems in real relationships. The results are insightful and a way to apply some of Perel’s counsel to your own relationships.

Be My Guest with Ina Garten

What can’t Ina Garten, 77, do? The iconic TV chef branched into the world of podcasting in 2022 with Be My Guest with Ina Garten, a podcast that also runs as a companion TV series on Food Network. This is a fun mix if you like free-flowing celeb interviews and cooking. Each episode involves Garten welcoming a famous friend to her barn in East Hampton, the epicenter of the Barefoot Contessa culinary empire, with a delicious opening snack. Then, they chat while cooking one of Garten’s, or the guest’s, recipes.

Besides the feeling of hanging out with Garten herself, one fun thing about this show is its eclectic guest list: past barn visitors include actresses Laura Linney (Oven Roasted Southern Shrimp Boil) and Emily Blunt (English Cream Scones); ballerina Misty Copeland (Herbed Ricotta Bruschettas and Copeland’s Citrus Salmon recipe); astronaut Nicole Mann (Seared Scallops with Potato Celery Root Puree); and even the New Yorker editor David Remnick (Garten made him Overnight Belgian Waffles before cooking Parmesan Chicken for a double date with his wife and her husband, Jeffrey). The new season follows this same pattern and includes guests like actress Christine Baranski, writer and actress Tina Fey and violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman.

Standout episodes are the ones where Garten clearly has a tight rapport with the guest: her chat with Blunt is fun, plus ones with fellow foodies like actor and cookbook author Stanley Tucci and longtime friend and fellow Food Network star Bobby Flay.

Happier with Gretchen Rubin

The sole focus of this podcast, hosted by The Happiness Project author Gretchen Rubin, 59, is finding personal enjoyment and fulfillment. Each episode of Happier with Gretchen Rubin sees Rubin exploring tips and tricks to increase happiness, which often come about in unexpected ways. Whether it’s mining happiness by fending off the impulse to disengage from the world or learning why embracing regret can actually point toward later happiness, Rubin is a skilled host with lots of helpful tips and advice to share.

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

In the wrong hands a podcast about the rules of grammar and style could easily make eyes glaze over, but Mignon Fogarty has instead accomplished what may seem impossible: Since 2006, she’s hosted a weekly podcast that makes its listeners excited to learn about how best to wield words. 

Fogarty splits time on deep dives into the origins and correct usages of words (did you know the Brothers Grimm were accomplished linguists?). Whether you’re a real word nerd or a novice just looking for some tips to sound smarter, Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing is your place for useful info that can make you a better communicator. 

Office Ladies

The Office is one of the most popular sitcoms of all time, so it makes perfect sense that there are several podcasts dedicated to analyzing it. Despite a crowded field, the best of the bunch is Office Ladies, hosted by stars Angela Kinsey, 54, and Jenna Fischer, 51.

The two friends and former co-stars share plenty of behind-the-scenes secrets and stories as they dig back through each episode. Super fans will love the interviews with other cast members like John Krasinski, Ed Helms and, of course, Michael Scott himself, Steve Carrell.