Weirdly Helpful (formerly The Best Advice Show)

Latest Episodes:

This is A Tangible Way to Fake It Till You Make It with Evangeline Garreau Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Evangeline Garreau is a queer ADHD gemini and a creative project coach who accompanies artists of all kinds on their creative journeys, helping them get unstuck and put in the work to bring their visions into reality. Check out her newslettter, Belly Spark. It's so good. You can work with her too!

What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at 844-935-2378

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The World Is a Laboratory of Story Ideas with Mallary Tenore Tarpley Aug 05, 2026

Show notes

Mallary Tenore Tarpley is the award-winning author of SLIPand an assistant professor of practice at the University of Texas at Austin’s Moody College of Communication and the McCombs School of Business, where she teaches journalism and writing. This episode was inspired by Mallary's recent piece, Embracing the lost art of people-watching published in Neiman Storyboard.

If you liked this episode you'll also like God is in the Details or Why Listening to Strangers on the Train is Fantastic Raw Material for your Storytelling with Craig Finn from The Hold Steady.

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What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at 844-935-2378

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A Weirdly Helpful Travel Guide Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

Annie Sim is the CEO (Chief Eating Officer) of The Table Less Traveled

Evan Stern is the host of Vanishing Postcards

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Help Zak continue making this show by becoming a Best Advice Show Patron @ https://www.patreon.com/weirdlyhelpful

Call Zak on the hotline @ 844-935-2378

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A Weirdly Helpful View From Behind the Supermarket Register Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

Ann Larson is the author of Cleanup on Aisle Five: Essential Work, Poverty Wages, and the View from Behind the Supermarket Register.

Her writing on education, debt, and low-wage work has appeared in The New Republic, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Fast Company, and The Nation, among other publications. She is coauthor of Can’t Pay Won’t Pay: The Case for Economic Disobedience and Debt Abolition and is a fellow with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.

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What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at 844-935-2378

⁠⁠THE WEIRDLY HELPFUL MERCH STORE!!!!⁠⁠

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Why Do We Say "Um" So Much? with Dr. ⁠Steven D. Cohen⁠ Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

Steven D. Cohenis an award-winning professor, author, and coach who empowers you and your team to communicate with influence, inspire your audience, and achieve your leadership potential.

Express yourself better with Toastmasters

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What do you find Weirdly Helpful and/or what shenanigan do you practice!? Call me and tell me all abou it @ 844-935-2378

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Give All Your Attention To Whatever Is Annoying You with Sharon Mashihi Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

Sharon Mashihi is the creator of the serialized audio mindtrip Appearances. Her new project is available on Audible and called 30 Days To Rediscover Your Creativity .

If you like today's episode you might like this one about creative appetizers and procrastination.

Sharon was last on the show talking about structured walking.

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What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at 844-935-2378

⁠⁠THE WEIRDLY HELPFUL MERCH STORE!!!!⁠⁠

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I Madly Love Anything That Breaks the Thread of Discursive Thought /// Surrealist Games with Laura Hawley Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

Zak's Weirdly Helpful guru, Laura Hawley, returns to play some surrealist games. She was last on the show talking about inventing play.

A Book of Surrealist Games

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Come to How to Cut the Cheese: A WH Live Show!

What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at 844-935-2378

⁠⁠THE WEIRDLY HELPFUL MERCH STORE!!!!⁠⁠

⁠⁠Become a WH Patron and listen to the show ad-free.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Savor Your Summer Trip Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

Featured on today's show was...

-Treat Yourself to Better Car Snacks with Ethan Frisch

-Viscerally Remember Your Past Vacations with Tad Davis

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Join me for HOW TO CUT THE CHEESE, a Weirdly Helpful Live Experiment on 7/29 in Berkley, Michigan

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Get Your Tickets for Weirdly Helpful Live on July 29th in Berkley, Michigan! Jun 19, 2026

Show notes

I want you to be the first to know about WEIRDLY HELPFUL live this summer on 7/29. It's a live show/dinner party and we're calling it...HOW TO CUT THE CHEESE. It's actually a dinner party ABOUT dinner parties and tickets are available HERE.

How to Cut the Cheese is part food show, part podcast performance, part public service you'll partake in while enjoying an incredible 4-course meal at The Rind, which the Detroit Free Press named #3 on their list of theTop 10 New Restaurants & Dining Experiences in 2024 "for its casual approach to upscale dining and its commitment to supporting Michigan's local food economy."

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Two Prospective Parents Wander in the Desert, Debating the Future Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

Today, in honor of Father's Day, a pod blast from the pod past...episode 1 of Pregnant Pause with Zak and Shira

Meantime, send me your shenanigans at 844-935-2378!

SHOP ⁠⁠THE WEIRDLY HELPFUL MERCH STORE!!!!⁠⁠

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