The GenX Experience

Blythe Alpern's podcast takes a different route than most Gen X shows. Instead of focusing primarily on pop culture nostalgia, The GenX Experience tackles what it actually means to be a Gen Xer right now, in midlife. Launched in March 2024, the show releases two episodes per month, each running about an hour, and covers topics like dating after divorce, ageism in the workplace, caring for aging parents while raising teenagers, and mental health challenges that Gen X grew up never discussing. That said, the 80s kid nostalgia still shows up. Episodes regularly circle back to how growing up in that era shaped the generation's approach to the issues they're facing today. Notable guests have included Jon "The DadBod Veteran" Wellington, a viral social media figure who talked about becoming an empty nester and launching a stand-up comedy career in midlife, and Lauren Bates, founder of the women's travel company Wild Terrains. Blythe has also devoted episodes to perimenopause, the PBS documentary The M Factor on menopause, and solo travel for women over 40. The show fills an important gap. Plenty of podcasts will tell you about the best 80s movies, but very few address the real-life stuff Gen Xers are dealing with right now. It's honest, practical, and occasionally vulnerable in a way that feels earned rather than performative.