Pete Wicks explores modern masculinity with Jameela Jamil in Man Made this week.
The latest episode of the Man Made with Pete Wicks podcast sees the TV personality joined by the writer and activist Jameela for a discussion about empathy, identity and why many young men are struggling to understand their place in today’s world.
The conversation focuses on changing expectations around masculinity, alongside the influence of online role models and the pressures boys face growing up in environments where emotional expression is often discouraged.
Jameela reflects on her long relationship with musician James Blake, describing him as an example of secure masculinity shaped by emotional openness rather than traditional stereotypes.
She says: “My boyfriend is a man who has got femininity within him and when I say that I mean sensitivity, he is a sensitive man. He is the manliest man I have ever met, and people presume because I am so strong, I am so outspoken, I must be with some weak cuck simp type.”
Jameela continues by explaining that strength comes from confidence rather than dominance, adding that true masculinity is not threatened by emotional awareness or equality within relationships.
The episode also explores the cultural figures young men choose to follow, with Jameela pointing to actors such as Mark Ruffalo and Pedro Pascal as examples of men comfortable showing vulnerability while maintaining confidence and authority.
“I always wish that young men would look up to the men that women are following,” she says. “Men who aren’t afraid to be emotional, men who aren’t afraid to be passionate.”
Discussion turns to the idea of macho identity, which Jameela describes as performative rather than authentic, suggesting fear often sits behind exaggerated displays of toughness.
Throughout the episode, Pete and Jameela examine how healthier conversations around emotion could reshape expectations placed on men, particularly younger listeners discovering these debates through podcast platforms rather than traditional media.
The episode forms part of Man Made’s ongoing aim to explore male identity through honest conversations, positioning podcasting as a space where complex social issues can be discussed in depth and without judgement.
