Blind Plea - Introducing: Don’t Listen To Us with Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody
Episode Date: October 15, 2025We’re so excited to share a new show from Lemonada Media, Don’t Listen To Us, an advice show for advice-skeptics and wisdom-lovers, hosted by Mandy Patinkin, Kathryn Grody, and their son G...ideon. Legendary actor Mandy (The Princess Bride, Homeland, Criminal Minds) is the consummate entertainer who shoots from the hip, stage actress Kathryn is the thoughtful connector who sees all the nuance, and Gideon is the brave soul keeping them on track (or at least trying). Together, Mandy and Kathryn have 40+ years of marriage, 140+ years of life experience, and a series of viral social media posts where Gideon interviews them and watches both chaos and wisdom ensue. They don’t always agree on what advice to give—in fact, they rarely do. But they draw from their highs and lows as artists, parents, lovers, and humans, to give their unique take on real dilemmas submitted by you -- the listeners. Hang out with this family and you’ll walk away with insights you didn’t expect, stories you’ll want to repeat, and comfort knowing that you’re not alone in figuring out how to survive this fakakta world. You’re about to hear a clip from the first episode from Don’t Listen To us. After you listen, head to: https://lemonada.lnk.to/DontListenToUsfd to hear the full episode and follow the show wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcript
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Lemonada.
Hi, listeners.
Mandy Patinkin here.
I want to tell you about our new advice show.
It's called Don't Listen to Us.
It's with my wife, Catherine Grody, our son, Gideon, Grody Patinkin, and Little Old Me,
who keeps us from going off the rails.
That's Gideon, who keeps us from going off the rails.
I, little old me, does not keep us from going off the rails.
I am off the rails, and no one helps me. People bring us their real life, real problems. And we try. We try. We try to help. We don't always agree on what the advice is to give, but we give advice, whether it's wrong or right, helpful or not helpful. Well, we almost never give good advice. But that's okay, too. It doesn't stop us. Between us, we have about 140 years of life experience. That's 40 plus years of marriage. I'll say it. It's 47 years together, 45 marriage.
And then whatever that was, that's too extra just to, you know, try to get her to see me again for dinner.
And then plenty of laughs, stories, unique takes, lots of unique takes.
So if nothing else, you'll be comforted knowing that you're not alone in this crazy fakakta world.
You're about to hear a clip from the first episode.
And if you want more of Don't Listen to Us, wherever you get your podcasts or watch us on YouTube, you can find the link in what's called the show notes.
If you don't know where the show notes are, don't ask someone like me, because I don't even have a clue how to find them, how to click on them, find a 13-year-old and ask them to help you out.
As promised, here's a taste of our show with Lori, very nice person, a listener, who sent us a question about her locked heart.
And those of you who aren't familiar, I played a heart surgeon on TV show a long time ago, so she couldn't have come to a better person.
I want to answer your question first.
I remember I was mine in my own business and, oh, I was about, what was I, 19 or 20?
And we just moved a lot of our friends in New York out of you all, moved everybody around.
And then I ended up being in a play with a young lady that was, you know, interested in playing with me on more than just the stage.
And I fell head over heels with this person.
Then we did the play and we had a relationship in the play together.
and then in the middle of the play she dumped me and I was devastated I had to finish the
play the director came up and go why are you crying all the time what's going on and I went oh my god
anyway I made it through it and then one day about nine months later I'm at a bar on
Columbus Avenue with my buddy Leo and and he said to me Leo bermister god rest of soul
wonderful actor look him up you've seen him in a million movies but I said I don't get it man I just
don't get it and she act like she loved me and then all of a sudden she doesn't i just don't get it when he goes
but she did love you but she loved you her way she loved you it was her way not your way and it set me
free my wife's looking at me like no i'm not making sense well what else is new but but i but it did set
me free and i i just wanted to preserve the ability to feel and be in
love again, as opposed to be armored and lock my heart in a steel chest where I couldn't get
that spoon and break out of the prison of loneliness. And Leo saved my life that day over that
hamburger. And then I met Catherine down the road. And why can't that happen to you? Loi, how are you
feeling today? I think, well, I feel fine. Again, I want to reiterate, I'm fine. But this, what spurred my
question was a recent meet-cute situation that I had where I actually did enjoy the company of a
gentleman that I talked to at an event about a month ago, and it seemed like a connection.
But we parted ways with only each other's first names and occupations. And I came home thinking,
what is this feeling? I haven't had this feeling in a long time. But there was this intangible
barrier, like you were just saying, Mandy, it just kept me from going further with it. And,
and asking if he'd like to continue the conversation over coffee.
And that barrier is my heart, right?
It's like locked and I just can't figure out a way to open it.
Well, Lori, it's a couple of things.
First of all, you're pretty resilient.
You know, there's a line I love.
Would you rather have an unused heart or a broken one?
And you've been brave enough twice.
And you still have a lot of love for you.
for your kid.
And if you can feel despair, you can also feel joy because you can still feel something
so you're not numb.
You know, don't even think of yourself as armored.
You know, practice imagining that heart of yours.
It's been well used and well hurt, but that it's still beating, do you know?
Yeah.
Lori, listen to me.
We've been doing this for about 15, 20 minutes.
We're making the pilot.
Are you aware of that of our podcast?
this is the very first time we're doing it so we're all trying to figure out what's this like do we like it
i'm really concerned that you know lorry calls and she's like worried about having a relationship
i wanted to have fun well why don't you well but me andy are you having fun i yes and that is why
so here's the thing i thought who better to ask than you and katherine because you have been together
as long as you have you have navigated a relationship and i look to people like yourselves
for wisdom and guidance. That's why. I mean, my life is good. Don't get me wrong. I have a good
life. I have a good career. But could it be better with love? Of course it could. So who do I look to
as an authority on that subject? Somebody who has traversed these things like you, like you too.
Can you define love, Lori? Can you define love to me? Can you define love to me, Lori? That's pretty
philosophical. Forget it. Don't even try. It's undefinable. Lori, it's undefinable.
You know, I don't have a fucking clue what it is.
I'd tell you what Catherine always said about the two of us.
Because we've been through some horseshit, you know.
It's never me.
I've been perfect.
But on occasion, she's had problems.
But we make each other laugh.
That's what we do.
And we can get pretty ugly.
But we get so ugly that we start almost laughing at it at some point.
And that's how we've survived.
And what I wish for you is to never call another podcast trying to fix your
relationship join the human race we're all fucked up we all have messed up relationship just have a
great time have a great day go get a double scoop of your favorite ice cream and uh and you know
and and um get a dog don't try to be with a person for fucks sake get a dog there you go Lori
Mandy yeah there you go he distills it into some ice cream and a dog got it which could
work but you know I love my dog I mean I love my wife too but I love my dog more yeah
There's no question that he loves his dog more,
Lauren.
I would say, it sounds to me like you have your mojo, you know.
You have, you have friends that you have a good time with,
you like your job, you have a loving kid.
You live in a great city, you know.
And it's like maybe not focus so much on what isn't there
and just really give yourself a lot of joy in the day
and, you know, be open to see what happens.
instead of actively looking for it every minute around the corner.
Just love yourself and probably somebody will love you soon.
Call a friend or call therapist or call back to our very successful podcast.
And we'll give you some more advice.
But I'm calling my therapist 24-7.
I got a bill that could pay for a small country.
Don't hesitate to ask for help because it's hard being alive.
And if you think you're the only one who's having a hard time,
well, you're not everybody.
We're all having a hard time.
This thing being alive, it's a mother.
You know, and just join the club, get a dog and eat some chocolate.