Podcasts by Inappropriate Questions
Have you ever been curious to know the answer to a question that might be intrusive or too personal for other people? On their biweekly podcast Inappropriate Questions, now in its third season, cohosts Elena Hudgins Lyle and Harvinder Wadhwa make a space for curiosity where guests can unpack the tricky questions they get asked and learn stories about them—whether they ask if polyamorous people cope with jealousy in relationships, if Indigenous people are full Native, or brave the dreaded “have you lost weight” assumption.
Created by Hudgins Lyle alongside producers Sabrina Bertsch and Cindy Long, the podcast was built out of a school project while they were studying Media Production in Toronto, Ontario. Bertsch, who’s mixed-race, had been asked a lot of questions about her background and ethnicity after studying abroad for a semester. Long and Lyle, both LGBT, would also get frequently asked about their identity and sexuality. Even if these frustrations served as a jumping-off point for them, they quickly realized that they could also learn about a variety of topics from others too—especially from their parents and older generations. So they auditioned a “dad-like” figure to be a counterpart as co-host. Wadhwa, a project manager with an engineering degree, was the unanimous choice. “Harv was the very first interview we did,” Lyle says. “After the interview, he was like, ‘All right, how many more of these do you have to go?’ You know I
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“How old are you?" from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
Is it rude to ask someone their age? Harv isn’t comfortable telling people how old he is anymore and he’s not alone. He and Elena speak to author and activist Ashton Applewhite to debunk some myths...
Listen“Have you tried _____?” from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
Have you tried yoga? Or changing your diet? Well-meaning people propose lots of ways for people with chronic illnesses to treat their conditions. But managing a chronic illness can be more complica...
Listen“How did you get pregnant?” from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
There are lots of ways to start a family as an LGBTQ+ person, and not all of them are well understood. Harv and Elena speak to queer mom Farrah Khan about why she didn’t want to explain her pregnan...
Listen“How are you?” from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
It’s hard to know the right thing to say to someone who’s grieving. Even the simplest questions aren’t always helpful. Elena and Harv speak to comedian Michael Cruz Kayne, who lost his child, about...
Listen“Have you lost weight?” from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
Asking someone if they’ve lost weight is often seen as a compliment, but maybe it shouldn’t be. Elena and Harv talk with performer Ivory and writer Bob Kerr to unpack some thoughts about weight. Di...
ListenWe’re back with Season 2! from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
Elena and Harv are coming back with a whole new list of inappropriate questions. Our millennial and dad duo sit down with more guests to find kinder ways to navigate difficult conversations.
ListenBonus: Asked and Answered: from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
Elena and Harv sit down with Rymn, Harv’s daughter, to answer your questions! Learn about their favourite podcasts, potential questions for Season 2, and what millennial slang Harv thinks he unders...
Listen"Why don't you have kids?" from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
People are curious about the choice to be childfree. Harv and Elena discuss it with Meghan Daum, editor of Selfish, Shallow, and Self-Absorbed: Sixteen Writers on the Decision Not to Have Kids. Soc...
Listen"Why do/don't you wear a headscarf?" from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
Some Muslim women cover their heads, and some don’t—either way, they get asked questions. Elena and Harv speak to writer and entrepreneur Mariam Nouser about her experiences both wearing and not we...
ListenBonus: "How did we get here?" from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
You’ve met the hosts, you’ve met the guests, but what about the producers? Harv interviews the Inappropriate Questions team about their not-so-inappropriate origins. Hear how the project started, h...
Listen"Why don't you drink?" from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
Harv doesn’t drink alcohol, and he doesn’t have a problem with people asking him why. He and Elena speak to numerous guests to find out whether or not they think “Why don’t you drink?” is an inappr...
Listen"Can you have sex?" from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
People are curious about sex. They can be really curious about people with physical disabilities’ sex lives. Disability After Dark host Andrew Gurza joins Elena and Harv to talk sex and disability....
Listen"What are you?" from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
Asking a mixed-race person about their background can get problematic. Elena and Harv welcome Rema Tavares, who founded Mixed in Canada. Also featuring educator Charlotte Henay.
Listen"Have you had the surgery?" from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
Transgender folks can get asked invasive questions about their bodies. Harv and Elena speak to student activist Robert Molloy. Also featuring trans youth mentor Danielle Araya from The 519.
ListenEpisode 0: Trailer from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
People are curious and that's great. But there are some questions you just shouldn't ask—or at least not like that. Introducing Inappropriate Questions, hosted by Elena Hudgins Lyle and Harvinder W...
ListenEpisode 0: Trailer from 2019-01-21T00:10
People are curious and that's great. But there are some questions you just shouldn't ask—or at least not like that. Introducing Inappropriate Questions, hosted by Elena Hudgins Lyle and Harvinder W...
ListenEpisode 0: Trailer from 2019-01-21T00:10
People are curious and that's great. But there are some questions you just shouldn't ask—or at least not like that. Introducing Inappropriate Questions, hosted by Elena Hudgins Lyle and Harvinder W...
Listen