Say Yes! with Carla Hall Wondery

Every summer for the past seven decades, 50 high school seniors—one from every state—descend on Mobile, Alabama to take part in one of the country’s most lucrative scholarship competitions for teen girls. 




The Competition takes you behind the scenes of the Distinguished Young Women (DYW) program, and follows seven girls as they experience the highs and lows of competing for two weeks, away from home and under the most high-stress circumstances. Some girls enter for the money, some for prestige. All of them are used to being the best and the brightest. But only one will walk away with the top prize.




Host Shima Oliaee (Dolly Parton’s America, Pink Card) was Nevada’s contestant in 2001. More than 20 years later, she returns to Alabama as a judge. What can two weeks with 50 of the country’s most ambitious teens tell us about girlhood in America?




Listen to The Competition on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes early and ad-free right now on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial by visiting Wondery.fm/The_Competition now.

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Say Yes is going to be taking a break, but the show so far has been a journey! Carla recounts some of her favorite moments from past interviews, and gives a critical list of requirements for good biscuits.

This week’s ingredient: if you’re not full of biscuits already, get Carla’s cornbread from goldbelly.com.

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Planning for the future shouldn’t come as an afterthought, but it’s often one of the hardest things to talk about. Financial expert Suze Orman has spent her career giving advice to help people take control of their money and save for an emergency. She talks with Carla about how she first got into finance as a waitress with no background knowledge, and quickly became a top performing broker. And Suze tells Carla about the health emergency she recently suffered, and how it made her slow down in life. This week’s ingredient: talk with a family member or friend about your short-term money goals!

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It’s hard to let go of controlling so many things in our lives - when a beloved project ends, what our kids will grow up to be - but all the more rewarding when we accept the unexpected. Jesse Tyler Ferguson, best known for playing Mitchell on Modern Family, pivoted from acting to write a cookbook with his friend Julie Tanous, Food Between Friends. He talks with Carla about the end of Modern Family, his love for cooking, the state cookie of New Mexico, and being a new parent - an exercise in being ready for anything.

This week’s ingredient: cook a favorite recipe with a family member or friend that has special significance to you, and share those memories with them!

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Sometimes following your own rhythm is the best example you can show others. Iliza Shlesinger, comedian and actor, is known for her Netflix standup specials including Unveiled and Elder Millennial. She and her husband also started a series of cooking videos called Don’t Panic Pantry, to show people how to cook some favorite home cooking staples during the pandemic. Iliza and Carla talk about being morning people in the very late night industries of comedy and restaurants, and Iliza shares how she’s never felt shy or hesitant about being herself. In fact, sharing personal experiences on stage has shown her how many women are dealing with the same challenges. This week’s ingredient: let go of your texting expectations and forgive those unanswered messages!

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Being the newbie in the room can be embarrassing, but how else will you expand your horizons? Folake Olowofoyeku, star of Bob Hearts Abishola, talks with Carla about moving from Nigeria to the US, stepping into her first big TV role, and navigating her first press event. Plus they discuss the differences in racial identity and experience between Black Americans and Nigerian immigrants, and the deliciousness of West African food. This week’s ingredient: practice your posture!

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