Were You Raised By Wolves?
Editors’ Notes: “I want to give everybody the tools to solve their own etiquette problems,” says Nick Leighton, cohost and producer of Were You Raised by Wolves?, a weekly podcast in which he and cohost Leah Bonnema look into the many sticky social situations we all face. “With each of the questions that we get, from the bonkers to the ordinary, I always try to take a step back and ask, ‘What are the bigger principles here?’ I'm always looking for topics that help us make a larger point.” In each episode, Leighton, a two-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, and Bonnema, a comic/writer, share practical advice on how to navigate a wide range of situations, from the serious to the whimsical—whether they tackle interrupting excessive talkers, establishing healthy boundaries with coworkers, or the proper way to eat Cheetos.
When they developed the show in 2019, Leighton and Bonnema had one goal in mind: to have empathy for other people. Their informal conversations tackle a mix of personal topics, viewer questions, and the occasional historical fact with warmth and positivity and humor. Leighton views this approach as an antidote to a lot of the negativity he sees in the online world, while Bonnema thinks the show’s premise is a natural fit for her situational style of comedy. “A lot of my comedy is about events where I’m like, ‘What just happened here?’ or where I embarrass myself,” she says. “And, ironically, all of these fall under the guise of etiquette, where you either feel aggrieved or you feel like you committed some sort of social crime. I just loved the topic.”
Leighton and Bonnema credit the show’s ongoing success to their work ethic. They haven’t missed a single week since they launched the show, which recently hit a new milestone: 100 episodes. But what they value the most, above all else, is how they've built a community of listeners from all backgrounds. “We have conservative grandmothers in Tallahassee to nonbinary chefs in Seattle and everybody in between,” he says. “Because who among us has not experienced an etiquette crime? This is universal.”
---
Etiquette, manners, and beyond! Join Emmy® Award-winning journalist Nick Leighton and acclaimed comedian Leah Bonnema ("Late Show with Stephen Colbert"), the perfect odd couple, as they try to make the world a nicer, more polite place and offer up practical advice to help you smoothly glide through any situation. Please listen and follow! (We'd send you a hand-written thank you note if we could.)
À propos
Editors’ Notes: “I want to give everybody the tools to solve their own etiquette problems,” says Nick Leighton, cohost and producer of Were You Raised by Wolves?, a weekly podcast in which he and cohost Leah Bonnema look into the many sticky social situations we all face. “With each of the questions that we get, from the bonkers to the ordinary, I always try to take a step back and ask, ‘What are the bigger principles here?’ I'm always looking for topics that help us make a larger point.” In each episode, Leighton, a two-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, and Bonnema, a comic/writer, share practical advice on how to navigate a wide range of situations, from the serious to the whimsical—whether they tackle interrupting excessive talkers, establishing healthy boundaries with coworkers, or the proper way to eat Cheetos.
When they developed the show in 2019, Leighton and Bonnema had one goal in mind: to have empathy for other people. Their informal conversations tackle a mix of personal topics, viewer questions, and the occasional historical fact with warmth and positivity and humor. Leighton views this approach as an antidote to a lot of the negativity he sees in the online world, while Bonnema thinks the show’s premise is a natural fit for her situational style of comedy. “A lot of my comedy is about events where I’m like, ‘What just happened here?’ or where I embarrass myself,” she says. “And, ironically, all of these fall under the guise of etiquette, where you either feel aggrieved or you feel like you committed some sort of social crime. I just loved the topic.”
Leighton and Bonnema credit the show’s ongoing success to their work ethic. They haven’t missed a single week since they launched the show, which recently hit a new milestone: 100 episodes. But what they value the most, above all else, is how they've built a community of listeners from all backgrounds. “We have conservative grandmothers in Tallahassee to nonbinary chefs in Seattle and everybody in between,” he says. “Because who among us has not experienced an etiquette crime? This is universal.”
---
Etiquette, manners, and beyond! Join Emmy® Award-winning journalist Nick Leighton and acclaimed comedian Leah Bonnema ("Late Show with Stephen Colbert"), the perfect odd couple, as they try to make the world a nicer, more polite place and offer up practical advice to help you smoothly glide through any situation. Please listen and follow! (We'd send you a hand-written thank you note if we could.)

Setting Dessert Cutlery Correctly, Attending New Year’s Eve Parties, Deflecting Donation Requests, and More
Dec 15, 2025·—
—

Curbing Phones at Dinner, Inviting Near-Strangers to Baby Showers, "Participating" in Hot Air Balloon Trips, and More
Dec 8, 2025·—
—

Pluralizing Names on Cards, Tipping Mariachi Bands, Wrapping Other People's Gifts, and More
Dec 1, 2025·—
—

Offering Unsolicited Botox, Photographing Hospital Patients, Using Pre-Divorce Stationery, and More
Nov 24, 2025·—
—

Adding "Carriages" to Invitations, Making Animal Sounds at Dinner, Alleging Underbaked Brownies, and More
Nov 17, 2025·—
—

Selling Soap to Wedding Guests, Eating Wine Corks, Tipping Hospital Valets, and More
Nov 10, 2025·—
—

Spotting Americans Abroad, Declining to Go Horseback Riding, Singing on Airplanes, and More
Nov 3, 2025·—
—

Decoding "Mountain Formal," Pacifying Picky Houseguests, Sharing Sushi Platters, and More
Oct 27, 2025·—
—

Second Helpings: Enjoying a Fika in Sweden, Staying at Bed & Breakfasts, Telling Guests What Not To Bring, and More
Oct 20, 2025·—
—

Second Helpings: Picking the Correct Utensil for Mac and Cheese, Spelling Like an Australian, Lingering Past Closing Time, and More
Oct 13, 2025·—
—

Wiping Fingers With a Yubifuki, Dining at Michelin-Starred Restaurants, Calling Strangers “Pal,” and More
Oct 6, 2025·—
—

Hosting Surprise Houseguests, Correcting Misspelled Signs, Sending Late Sympathy Cards, and More
Sep 29, 2025·—
—

Discovering Bone Dishes, Enduring Waiting Rooms, Texting Wedding Thank-Yous, and More
Sep 22, 2025·—
—

Dodging In-Law Requests, Melting Candy Bars in Diapers, Hiding Coffee Truths, and More
Sep 15, 2025·—
—

Using Napkins in Italy, Changing Passwords on Friends, Handing Strangers Your Phone, and More
Sep 8, 2025·—
—

Anniversary Bonus: Holding Teacups Properly, Escaping Boring People, Clapping for Plane Landings, and More
Sep 1, 2025·—
—

Overreacting to Messy Houseguests, Skipping a Friend’s Wedding, Wiping Down Sticky Trucks, and More
Aug 25, 2025·—
—

Meeting Amy Vanderbilt, Acknowledging Mysterious Gifts, Retrieving Lost Phones, and More
Aug 18, 2025·—
—

Rescuing Lost Chips, Taking Over Parties, Correcting People's Pronunciation, and More
Aug 11, 2025·—
—

Saving Seats in Singapore, Avoiding Unnecessary Meetings, Bringing Your Own Sodas, and More
Aug 4, 2025·—
—

Pouring Water Like Wine, Breaking Up Before Weddings, Tossing Hair on Floors, and More
Jul 28, 2025·—
—

Inviting Thirteen Guests, Attending Pool Parties, Hogging Laundry Machines, and More
Jul 21, 2025·—
—

Second Helpings: Demanding Birthday Cake, Putting Time Limits on Meals, Getting Nosy at the Pharmacy, and More
Jul 14, 2025·—
—

Second Helpings: Showing Up Empty-Handed, Riding French Elevators, Having Nice Weekends, and More
Jul 7, 2025·—
—

Abandoning Dinner Guests, Running Into Former Students, Singing Happy Birthday, and More
Jun 30, 2025·—
—


