Charli XCX on the Smartless podcast (Feb. 2, 2026 episode) discusses not wanting kids and feeling unsure of her readiness. Hosts Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes ask her why not and say she might find somebody that’ll change her perspective, to which Charli goes, “Well I’m married.”
by skermahger
31 Comments
Sometimes people with kids are very weird about other people not wanting kids.
100% how I feel about having kids!
I love how men can say just have kids! All they do is jizz one time.
Women sacrifice their bodies, their careers, and risk their lives. But whatever, “you’ll change your mind when the right man comes along.” Gross
I’m childfree by choice and I often say I would have kids if I could be a dad and not a mom.
This is so… 💀 these men have clearly not been through the sensitivity training regarding how to speak to women about motherhood 😭
If a woman says she doesn’t want kids, just leave it there. We don’t need to do the whole “well maybe that will change” or the “maybe you just need to meet the right person.” Just politely accept it and keep it pushing. Motherhood is not for everyone, and while our society expects all women to want to have a biological impulse to be mothers, that’s not true. Many don’t, just like many men don’t want to be fathers.
men love telling everyone to have kids bc they are not carrying them and 90% of the time they are not with them
First of all, did no one read any notes on Charli? I know maybe two songs of hers and I STILL KNEW SHE WAS MARRIED.
That said, it’s perfectly okay to not want kids even after you’ve found your dream relationship. Because she’s right, a lot of people romanticize having kids. The baby shower, the naming the kid, the perfect nursery. In my 20s, I got flung face first into raising my sibling’s kids and it totally changed my mind about having kids. It ain’t for the faint of heart. The cost, the grind, scraping the bottom of your patience when your frustration is at an all time high 😮💨
I love those kiddos like they were my own but I absolutely cannot imagine doing that again. So mad respect to Charli for recognizing her hesitation and not being lulled into the fantasy of it all.
One of the joys of listening to brat is discovering how personal some of the lyrics are. She talked about this in i think about it all the time. Also this is why I don’t really listen to Smartless. They barely do their research and act like their guests are lucky to be featured in their show and not the other way around.
“You’ll change your mind one day”
“Once you meet the right person your perspective will shift”
“How could you not want to experience the joys of parenthood?”
Anyone who is childfree by choice hears those phrases from people constantly. I love how she calls him out and is like “yeah I know exactly where you were going with that.”
I will never understand how this podcast is so popular
Damn, this Podcast is really less than smart (ba dum tah)!
In all seriousness, the lack of research is appalling. One of my favourite podcasts, Q from CBC (in Canada) is so much more intimate, in-depth, and kind.
I’m tired of men with podcasts
Growing up, I didn’t play with dolls (except for Barbie because she had cool clothes and jobs and stuff). I think I knew from a pretty young age that I had no maternal instinct and didn’t want kids. I’m 42 years old now and people are still genuinely shocked that I don’t have kids. And that I never wanted them. I’m not shocked that you have three kids, why are you so confused that I don’t have any?
My husband and I were just talking about this as he falls asleep to podcasts, and last night we were listening to this one.
They were so bad at interviewing her that I could not fall asleep. They clearly did zero research on her or her music and asked her the most boring questions. They really didn’t seem too interested at all.
Men 🙃
Can we just ban podcasts by men for like a year? I think we’ll recover some of our sanity. Especially men who refuse change with time. Idc how successful they are in their careers.
In addition to how weird people are about women who don’t want kids….shocking lack of preparation from the interviewers? How are you that amateurish when interviewing a giant pop star?
Why did she go on this podcast?
This was such a nothing burger convo why is everyone so offended? You would think he called her the devil for not wanting kids
God the men sounds sooo douchy. Ive heard of their podcast..I will not be listening.
Dumb men saying dumb shit, what’s new! “Just have a kid!” “You simply haven’t met the right person yet!”
So fucking easy for guys to just say that lolol.
Apple is literally about her battling generational trauma and how it has affected her outlook about having kids.
Of course it’s easy for these privileged men to say you’ll change your mind. Please you did nothing while your wife/partner gave up her health and career to push a kid out. It’s 2026. Do fucking better.
Too many men have platforms
Hahahaha I love her
classic bateman long winded question in the first 45 secs reminded me why don’t listen to this podcast anymore
Omggg leave us alone 🙄
Too many people who shouldn’t have had kids love to suggest others (who clearly have self awareness and insight) should.
Jason would be the one to have that opinion. Arnett was smart to stay quiet lol.
Ugh, men 🙄
I do enjoy a Smartless episode when they have one of their friends or costars on because it feels so natural.
But, Conan’s interview with Charli was leaps and bounds ahead of this. It was such a nice listen that you had people in the comments asking to know and learn more about Charli.
Man vs boys, I guess?
It’s so weird. I have a kid, not planned, but welcomed. The “he needs a sibling” crowd was endless! No he does not.
It’s also easier for men to think this way, I feel, because no watermelon is coming out of their manbits.
They literally have no clue who
She is or anything. No research besides maybe Sean’s general knowledge on her artistry. Jason bless his heart. 10 mins in and it’s painful but funny to see the struggle of commercial BIG PODCAST. LOL for everyone involved
Men just don’t understand women not wanting children. As if giving birth and raising children is the goal for all women.
I dont want kids either, and thank the lord i dont have any by accident.