#189 - Andrew McCarthy on Male Friendship, Reconnecting, and the Power of Showing Up

About this episode

Andrew McCarthy discusses the importance of male friendship and the journey of reconnecting with old friends.

When Andrew McCarthy’s son asked him, “Do you even have friends?”, it sparked a 10,000-mile journey to reconnect with the people who shaped his life. In this episode, we talk about why male friendship so often fades, what men get right about connection, and why showing up—literally—can change everything. It’s a thoughtful conversation about loneliness, old friends, and what friendship really requires as we get older. Special thank you, as always, to my assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs!

People in this episode

Host: Nina Badzin

Guest: Andrew McCarthy

Topics covered

• male friendship
• reconnection
• loneliness
• showing up
• aging friendships

Keywords

• male friendship
• reconnection
• loneliness
• showing up
• friendship

More episodes of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

• #198 - Making Friends Through Work: Collaboration Over Competition (Kim Oster-Holstein and Mara Smith) · June 7, 2026 · 27 min
• #197 - Anxious Attachment in Friendships: Why You Keep Wondering Where You Stand (Rebecca Stambridge) · May 31, 2026 · 40 min
• #196 - Second Homes and Friendship: Hosting, FOMO, and Unspoken Expectations (Stephanie Hansen) · May 24, 2026 · 36 min
• Bonus: Are Your Friendships Surviving the Digital Age? Likes, Memes & What Really Matters (Nina on The Visibility Standard with Jazzmyn Proctor) · May 18, 2026 · 42 min
• #195 - Money Landmines with Friends: Group Trips, Weddings, and Splitting Checks (Heather Boneparth) · May 10, 2026 · 38 min
• #194 - Low-Key, Creative Ways to Spend Time with Friends (Ashlee Gadd and Katie Blackburn) · May 3, 2026 · 29 min