The Jordan Harbinger Show

Episode 1268: A Week After Hospice, Dad's Got a New Mrs. | Feedback Friday
Release Date: January 9, 2026
Host: Jordan Harbinger
Co-Host: Gabriel Mizrahi

Episode Overview

This Feedback Friday episode tackles three in-depth listener letters, each exploring complex family, relationship, and career dilemmas. Jordan and Gabriel offer their hallmark blend of practical advice, empathy, and humor, emphasizing self-awareness, setting boundaries, relationship-building, and navigating life’s unexpected turns. Throughout, the conversation is grounded, candid, and lightened by classic banter.

Key Topics & Structure

1. Listener 1: Dad Moves On Too Fast (00:58–22:27)
2. Listener 2: Boyfriend Lacks Reassurance (25:03–42:27)
3. Listener 3: Accommodation Failures at Work (43:17–57:46)
4. Listener Feedback: "600 Job Applications" Rant (63:22–68:54)

1. Dad Moves On Too Fast: Navigating Parental Betrayal & Rapid Change

(00:58–22:27)

Summary

A listener shares concern over her recently-widowed father who, only a week after his wife of 44 years went into hospice for early-onset Alzheimer’s, has remarried a woman from his past and plans a drastic lifestyle shift (buying a desert compound, right-wing ideology shift, etc).

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Dad abruptly “remarries” a family friend, Debbie, just one week after moving his wife—who still recognizes family—into hospice after years of devoted caregiving.
• New marriage is not legal but driven by new “religious” convictions (posed as necessary for Debbie to move in) which are a radical shift for the dad.
• Dad has visited his wife in care only once, rationalizing "she doesn't know we're there anyway," which the listener contests.
• The dad and Debbie plan to buy 100 acres in Nevada for a family “compound,” further isolating from family.
• The listener and her daughters feel alienated and disgusted by the rapid changes, Debbie’s role, and the disregard for their mother.

Important Quotes & Moments

• On watching a parent change overnight:
  “This is wild and it’s gross. It must be so unsettling to watch your own parent make such a huge 180.” – Jordan (07:30)

• On the emotional experience:
  “You’re watching a manic episode or a long con unfold in real time.” – Gabriel (09:46)

• On the morality of the situation:
  “You don’t get to ditch your wife when she has Alzheimer’s. How would you like it if she did that to you?” – Gabriel (18:46)

• Compassion for suffering but boundaries:
  “Even if you think it’s okay to start a new relationship, you are moving way too quickly with Debbie...” – Gabriel (17:13)

Key Advice (Outlining Action & Boundaries)

• A family intervention is essential:
  “One big formal conversation as a family is essential”—with specific, nonjudgmental questions emphasizing concern and care.

• Sample talking point:

  • “How are you making these decisions—and are you aware of how they’re impacting us? Why the rush?” (16:12)

• On boundaries:
  Suggests only seeing dad one-on-one, declining group gatherings with Debbie, staying true to values, and focusing on supporting the mother.

• Protecting assets and legal caution:

  • Strong advice to ensure dad doesn't put Debbie's name on property titles.

Memorable Analogy

• “This is Hallmark Channel Lifetime movie nonsense.” – Gabriel (09:40)
• “It’s like he was taking care of her at home, and then new girlfriend’s like, ‘I can’t have this woman in my house, put her in a home.’” – Jordan (19:06)

Timestamps

• Set-up & Story: (03:58–10:48)
• Discussion & Analysis: (10:48–17:08)
• Advice/Action Steps: (17:08–22:27)

2. Relationship Insecurity: Does My Boyfriend Even Like Me?

(25:03–42:27)

Summary

A woman who overcame depression and an eating disorder describes her new relationship, but feels uncertain about her boyfriend Frank’s feelings: while physically affectionate, he rarely verbalizes affection and shows more overt fondness for her dogs than for her.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Personal progress: Listener has transformed her life, improved mental/physical health, and started dating after years alone.
• Frank is attentive and supportive, yet rarely or never vocalizes attraction or affection, leaving her with self-doubt.
• She wonders if her self-esteem issues or his emotional reserve are the cause—and whether she should break up or try for another honest conversation.

Notable Quotes

• “It sounds to me like Frank is really great in a lot of ways... supportive, physically affectionate, your family loves him… On the other hand, he’s kind of a locked box.” – Jordan (29:56)
• “He verbalizes more affection to my dogs than he does to me. Why does he seem to have stronger feelings for them?” – Listener letter (34:39)
• “Maybe he’s not into her at all—or maybe he’s so into her that it’s almost hard for him to handle.” – Gabriel (34:14)
• “Any outcome that is honest is a win.” – Gabriel (40:14)

Key Advice

• Another honest conversation is needed:

  • Clearly share how you feel and how his communication style affects you—without accusing.
  • Example script: “When you’re not super forthcoming with your affection or emotions, that leaves me wondering...”

• Outcome-focused discussion:

  • “Define what a good outcome would even be. Any outcome that leads to more openness and honesty is a win.”

• Evaluating self-narratives:

  • Encourage the listener to challenge her story about being unlovable or “not attractive enough”—suggest exploring deeper roots in therapy.

• Behavior over words:

  • “You might have to start to look at his behavior rather than his words to get a good read…”

Memorable Moments

• “He sounds like 80% of men you’ll meet on Bumble or any app for that matter.” – Jordan (31:06)
• Pet as a proxy:
  “Maybe the dogs are the excuse... the safe territory for him to express love for her.” – Gabriel (34:59)

Timestamps

• Letter & Background: (25:03–29:52)
• Analysis & Empathy: (29:52–34:46)
• Advice & Scripts: (36:54–41:17)

3. Failure to Accommodate: A Chronically Ill Employee's Conference Catastrophe

(43:17–57:46)

Summary

A dedicated video journalist with severe endometriosis describes being failed by her company’s management when a planned work-hours accommodation was ignored at a major company event, triggering a health flare and corporate criticism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Listener has been high-achieving despite debilitating illness, securing promotions and delivering results.
• At a major company event, pre-approved six-hour workday limits are lost in communication; she’s expected to cover for absent managers/coworkers.
• The CEO criticizes her performance, then apologizes upon learning the medical restriction.
• Listener wonders about legal recourse and whether to quit and go independent.

Important Quotes

• “Your reduction in work hours should’ve been communicated to the whole group way before the event.” – Expert HR advice via Joanna Tate (48:52)
• “You participated in a situation where you might not have been able to jump in as needed... and it did fall through.” – Jordan (51:41)
• “Lawsuit is the nuclear option ... are you angry enough to sue? Were you damaged enough to sue?” – Jordan (55:28)

Expert Feedback (HR Professional Joanna Tate)

• US workplaces broadly mishandle disability and accommodation; people simply lack the skills and empathy.
• The company failed—but a more assertive, explicit communication and backup plan on the listener’s part could’ve avoided some fallout.

Legal/Practical Takeaways

• Document everything: Keep clear records of what happened.
• Before legal action: Try to clean up lines of communication and delegation.
• Don’t quit impulsively: Think carefully before switching to freelance given industry pressures and the value of a salaried job with benefits—especially with ongoing health issues.

Memorable Moments

• “If you guys are such big dogs ... maybe Steve shouldn’t be sleeping off his sinus infection at the Ramada.” – Jordan (52:12)
• “She’s also an overachiever, even when it comes to her illnesses!” – Gabriel (50:53)

Timestamps

• Story/Background: (43:17–47:57)
• Expert Take & Analysis: (48:09–53:26)
• Practical/Lawyerly Advice: (54:02–57:46)

4. Notable Listener Feedback: "600 Job Applications" Rant

(63:22–68:54)

A software engineer listener rebuts the narrative of “600 job apps and no success” as demoralizing and inefficient, arguing that online mass applications are “worth negative value,” and real progress comes only via networking and direct reputation/relationship-building.

Best Quotes

• “Mashing the LinkedIn quick apply button 600 times … counts as 0.25x of a job application. For the morale cost of yeeting your hopes into a void, you’re better off doing nothing.” – Listener (64:24)
• “If you’re going to use that number to feed a narrative... it could actually hurt more than help.” – Gabriel (65:36)
• “You’ll get much further having 8 or 10 solid relationships than sending 1,200 applications.” – Jordan (67:38)

Memorable Quotes Recap

• “We don’t recognize our own father anymore.” – Jordan, on family alienation (15:59)
• “He’s supportive, he’s kind, he’s physically affectionate ... but he’s kind of a locked box.” – Jordan, on Frank (29:57)
• “This kind of communicating is making it hard for me to fully enjoy our relationship.” – Gabriel, suggested script (38:26)
• “Try not to only look at this through the lens of ‘Whose fault is it? Do I sue? Do I leave?’” – Jordan, on workplace disputes (57:10)

Format/Tone

• Conversational, empathetic, direct, humorous—the hosts freely joke about each other while providing thoughtful, actionable wisdom.
• Advice is rooted in real-world experience, therapist and HR consultation, and legal thinking.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dad Moves On Too Fast: (03:58–22:27)
• Relationship Affection Question: (25:03–42:27)
• Disability Accommodation Failure: (43:17–57:46)
• Listener Feedback - Job Apps: (63:22–68:54)

Other Notable Moments

• Lighthearted riffing on consumer-packaged goods in the intro.
• Detailed breakdowns of communication strategies for tough conversations (esp. in families/relationships).
• Practical career commentary, with insight from both hosts and an HR professional.

In Summary

This episode provides deep, relatable advice on boundary-setting, the value of honest communication, family dynamics in crisis, resilience with chronic illness in the workplace, and the superiority of relationship-building over job-application brute force. Listeners are reminded to engage with clarity and compassion—and to not judge themselves solely by others’ emotional deficits or poor management.

For anyone facing family upheaval, relationship insecurity, or work-life battles, this episode offers both camaraderie and concrete steps forward.