From Ann Landers to Man-Landers

When I was a kid – back in a little town in Nebraska – one of my mom’s favorite things to read every morning was an advice column in the Omaha World Herald . They were written by Ann Landers

Ann Landers was a pen name for a woman named Eppie Lederer – and she wrote that column for something like 56 years. Back in that pre-internet world, Ann Landers was kind of like the Google alternative for advice and information. In my house, what Ann said ruled.

My brothers and I used to tease my mother something silly about reading this column which covered a variety of topics – relationships, money, sex, the church, nutrition, kids – and probably a lot of things that – at the time, I didn’t even understand. But the truth was I think all my brothers and I would occasionally sneak a peek at those Ann Landers columns. A little out of curiosity. And  a little out of a desire to figure out if there was some thing out there we needed to know.

Secretly, I think we all wished we had our own guy Ann Landers. Someone you could turn to when going to Dad just wasn’t the most comfortable option for information or advice.

I recently had a chance to do a radio interview with a guy who’s become the “Man Landers” of our generation. Jon Finkel.

Don’t recognize his name? Well, you’ve probably read some of his work. If you’ve picked up a magazine in the last 5 years – you’ve probably read some of Jon’s work. He was the Body GURU for GQ Magazine, The Fitness ologist for Muscle & Fitness – and he’s also written for the New York Times, Men’s Health Magazine and Comedy Central.com.

He’s built a career out of giving guys advice – and recently published a new book : The Three Dollar Scholar – Awesome Advice for Acing Life’s Major Decisions & Mindless Debates.

I like this guy. And I think you will too. He’s got good, funny stuff to say. But as the new dad to a little girl, I’m thinking he might be turning to me sometime for advice as well in the near future!