Anything can happen in a fictional world. Stories take us to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, or the fantasy-est realms ever conceived, or the grittiest most realistic representations of everyday life. But if all that is true, why do writers and creators lean on the same tropes over and over again? And why are the weakest tropes in a piece of fiction often strange takes on women’s bodies, minds, and lives?

On this episode of The Cracked Podcast, Alex Schmidt sits down with comedy writer Hallie Cantor and comedian/actor/writer Tiff Stevenson for a look at fascinatingly dumb pop culture tropes about women. From movies to TV shows to video games, they’ll reveal common entertainment myths from “water breaks like a flood” to “women are the hardest thing to draw” to “your number of boobs indicates your morality.” They’ll also run through real-life casting calls with bizarre expectations about who exists in the world, look at how pop cultural sexism and real global sexism feed into each other, and mull how Listeners Like You can push all this in a better direction.

Footnotes: https://www.cracked.com/podcast/11-stupid-pop-culture-tropes-you-always-see-about-women/

A visit to a quaint candy shop owned by McTruffle Fondue reveals some strange secrets.

Credits:

Arnie: Arnie Niekamp
Chunt: Adal Rifai
Usidore: Matt Young
McTruffle Fondue: Paul Scheer
Lincoln: Evan Jacover
Tricia: Kate James

Producers: Arnie Niekamp, Matt Young, and Adal Rifai
Post-Production Coordination: Garrett Schultz
Earwolf Producer: Kimmie Lucas
Editor: Sage G.C.
Special Assistance: Ryan DiGiorgi
Magic Tavern Logo: Allard Laban
Theme Music: Andy Poland

This episode is brought to you by Parcast Network’s original series Mythology.

Comic Fortune Feimster sits down with Cameron to discuss starting in improv at The Groundlings, learning how to date in her late twenties, and life with her fiancée.

This episode is sponsored by Pact (www.wearpact.com code: QUEERY) and TodayTix (www.todaytix.com/queery code: QUEERY)

Actor Paul Rudd feels excited about Conan O’Brien’s friend.

Paul and Conan sit down to talk about Paul’s long-running “Mac and Me” gag on Conan, the urge to go out of bounds, showbiz muscle memory, and learning how to bartend. Later, Conan and his team respond to a listener voicemail about being scared.

Got a question for Conan? Call our voicemail: (323) 451-2821.

A road trip across the country, a chance meeting in a waffle house, and the mystery of who cut off their finger while in captivity. 

Guests: Negin Farsad, Sarah Squirm, Maya Sharma and Harry Nelson

Paul, June, and Jason are LIVE in Washington D.C. to discuss the 1993 Madonna and Willem Dafoe erotic thriller Body of Evidence. They talk about the sassiest judge of all time, the houseboat, the parking garage sex scene, and much more.

Jude and Sue reunite and declare their love for each other. Despite Michael’s prediction, Jude survives the trip and struggles back to Christminster. Later, Michael’s wife Martha joins him to talk about regrets.

Writer, comedian, and podcaster H. Alan Scott (You’re Making It Worse podcast) joins Matt and Dave to talk about obsessing over Gayle King, forced merriment, drag persona Sadie Pines, and why Mormon baptisms are the hottest. Plus, converting to Judaism, looking to traumatic touchstones for perspective, getting robbed in Berlin, and H. Alan’s new film Latter Day Jew.

This episode is sponsored by Phlur (www.phlur.com/HOMO).

Four housewife shows in one week require a very special guest so thankfully we have genius writer Lauren Ashley Smith ( head writer for A Black Lady Sketch Show ) to break it all down with us. From the glory of Atlanta bringing us babies and Barbies to lack of food at Leanne’s nuptials to the jersey ladies giving us all the best lewks from 2007 to David Beador’s wild photos in the wild, we bring you it allllllll. Also, Casey goes down a rabbit hole of housewife Instagram followers to some shocking results .

This episode is brought to you by Happy Cards (www.giftcards.com/happy), Ed Sheeran’s Number Six Collaborations Project, Third Love (www.thirdlove.com/housewives), Ettitude Bamboo Sheets, Voodoo Toys (www.voodoo.toys code: BITCHY33).

Negin is joined by Lane Moore and Christian Finnegan to discuss college athletes getting paid, the 2020 race, and an impeachment update.

Hosts Scott Aukerman, Lauren Lapkus and Paul F. Tompkins abandon their regular show formats to spend some quality time together. Inspired by their fun conversations on tour, these three friends sit down to discuss each other, the world and everything in between. Season 2 of Threedom comes to Earwolf on November 21st. 

This week Joel and Mitra offer advice on when to drop a major bombshell on someone you’re dating, getting checked for lyme disease, how to stand by a cynical friend, and more.

Ask us some q’s! Our number is 323-334-0371 + our email is: urgentcarepodcast@gmail.com. CONTACT US, IF YOU DARE!

This episode is brought to you by Away (www.awaytravel.com/urgent) and Betterhelp (www.betterhelp.com/urgent).

Paul & Amy run through 1994’s satirical American history tour Forrest Gump! They learn the nutty plot of the sequel book Gump & Co, listen to a bit of the Lt. Dan Band, and ask how John Candy would have played the Forrest role. Plus: We take your calls and hear why this film has resonated with so many movie fans.

What do you think The Best Years Of Our Lives is about? Call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 with your answer! Follow us on Twitter @Unspooled, get more info at unspooledpod.com  and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Photo credit: Kim Troxall

Horatio Sanz and Jon Gabrus join Matt Besser to celebrate 420 episodes of improv4humans! They perform scenes about a wedding speech heckler, a Pepto-Bismol spokesman, shopping for horror supplies, a stoner zookeeper’s best joke, and more.

Check out Matt Besser’s new comedy album Pot Humor here.

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace (www.squarespace.com/IMPROV code: IMPROV)

This week, Erin discusses a recent Oxfam report giving the Welsh government a poor grade when it comes to the advancement of women’s rights. Then, Bryan talks about the proposal by the Trump administration to do away with an Obama-era rule prohibiting LGBTQ discrimination by adoption and foster care agencies. Plus, actor Tom Lenk joins to chat about Instagram garbage collecting, TubaChristmas, bits with Bradley Whitford, and his podcast Trashcast.

And make sure to check out Deeper Shade of Shade on Stitcher Premium, where Bryan and Erin interview their favorite friends of the show. For a free month of listening, go to stitcherpremium.com/shade and use promo code ‘SHADE’.

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace (www.squarespace.com/SHADE code: SHADE), Away (www.awaytravel.com/shade2019 code: SHADE2019), and Calm (www.calm.com/shade).

Jet-setting with Joel Stein.

This episode is brought to you by LightStream (www.lightstream.com/pardo) and ZipRecruiter (www.ziprecruiter.com/pardo).

Writer and comedian Lucas Brown Eyes joins Andrew and Tawny once again to discuss caller questions about cosplaying as “shadow” characters, dreamcatchers, and more. As always, leave us a message about anything you think is racist at (323) 389-RACE.

Adam Scott Aukerman are back to discuss the 25th Anniversary Edition of R.E.M.’s most frighteningly titled album “Monster” with R.E.M. members Mike Mills and Michael Stipe. Plus, the Scotts talk about Martin Scorsese’s thoughts on Marvel movies in another edition of I Love Films.

This episode is brought to you by Intersect Festival (www.intersectfest.com code: REM).

The Teachers discuss the theme to this year’s winter formal dance and Bill’s vast game show history. Later, art teacher Mr. Lennon (Jon Gabrus) stops by to share how his wild military background inspires his artwork.

Happy Birthday, Surprise! This week’s episode is chock full of goodies. We have the birthday party, the Jim and Dwight alliance, and the introduction to the notorious PPC (Party Planning Committee). Angela has a realization about Dwight’s bobblehead collection, and both ladies catch a few continuity errors. Finally, Jenna and Angela call up Phil Shea, Prop Master of The Office, to answer the big questions about that box!  

SPECIAL GUESTS: Superego Musical Specialist James Bladon and Andy Daly from Review.

CASE STUDIES: Pamela Mills Photo Studio, Brown Bomber Squadron, The St. Judas Memorial Hospital Surgical Staff, and The Russian Red Beluga Harpoon Class Submarine Crew.

Nicole and Sasheer go in depth on their Emmy night, talking gowns, the food, and seeing Nicole’s face so big on the screen. Then, they interview Drag Queens Katya & Trixie Mattel on their friendship! We learn about their time on Drag Race, how they were deported from Australia together, the logic behind IT. With Trixie they choose their celeb alter ego’s (Howie Mandel, Issa Rae, and Lizzo), and with Katya they discuss how painful the writing process is. Brought back together, they laugh over their different styles, being called “derpy,” interrupting to apologize for interrupting, and the masochism of waist-training.

Email or call Nicole & Sasheer with your friendship questions at:

nicoleandsasheer@gmail.com

(424) 645-7003‬

This episode is sponsored by Lightbox Jewelry (www.lightboxjewelry.com/bestfriends code: BESTFRIENDS), MeUndies (www.meundies.com/bestfriends), and High & Mighty.

CONTENT WARNING This conversation contains details about gun violence which may be triggering to survivors.

Josh Stepakoff is a survivor of gun violence who, at the age of 6, was shot in an anti-Semitic attack at the North Valley Jewish Community Center in a Los Angeles suburb. Josh tells Jonathan how he has moved forward and turned trauma into a life of gun violence prevention and gun control advocacy.

Follow Josh Stepakoff online:

Instagram: @jstepakoff

Twitter: @joshstepakoff

www.JoshStepakoff.com

For more music from Quiñ head to TheQuinCat.com.

Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Also Twitter and Facebook.

Catch Jonathan on Queer Eye streaming now on Netflix.

This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp (www.betterhelp.com/jvn code: JVN), Everlane (www.everlane.com/jvn), MeUndies (www.meundies.com/jvn), and Casper Mattresses (www.casper.com/CURIOUS code: CURIOUS).

Author and extremism researcher J.M. Berger joins Adam this week to discuss the surprising similarities between white supremacist and Islamist extremists, the ways extremist groups frame their hatred to seem more appealing and what social media services need to do to stop its spread.

This episode is sponsored by KiwiCo (www.kiwico.com/FACTUALLY).

Geth loves pro wrestling. This caller does too, and so much that he’s trying to make it in that world.

This episode is brought to you by Brooklinen (www.brooklinen.com code: STORIES), Third Love (www.thirdlove.com/beautiful), and Talkspace (www.talkspace.com code: BEAUTIFUL).

It’s the app episode of Get Rich Nick! Can you really make money just by spending even more time on your phone? The Nicks check out apps Shopkick, Healthy Wag, Job Spotter, Achievement, Podcoin and SoFi and weigh their worth. Money hungry? Well, pull up a seat, we got some apps for the whole table!

Shopkick: https://getsk.co/sale263946

Healthy Wage: https://hwage.co/1238545/

SoFi: https://www.sofi.com/share/money/2542897/

This episode is brought to you by Skillshare (www.skillshare.com/nick).

Matt Jones (El Camino, Breaking Bad, Bob Hearts Abishola) joins Zach and Jess for an all new musical packed with a neighborhood full of houses touched by makeover shows, HGTV producers, and more! With songs like “Good Morning Makeover Street”, “Never Fall In Love Again”, and “A Slob Decorates Your Living Room Starring Mark”, it’s the best home makeover musical you’ll ever hear!

Author and Jeopardy legend Ken Jennings joins Andy Richter to talk about growing up in Seoul, how his Mormon upbringing has shaped his life, and the behind-the-scenes story of his famed Jeopardy run. Plus, Ken discusses how he’s made a career out of his game show success and the importance of creating one’s own niche.

This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp (www.betterhelp.com/threequestions code: THREEQUESTIONS), Dashlane, and HelloFresh (www.hellofresh.com/THREEQUESTIONS9 code: THREEQUESTIONS9).

How we living, Con-gregation? Welcome back to Scam Goddess, the #1 pod dedicated to all things fraud! This week Laci chops it up with actor, comedian, & podcaster Jacquis Neal (Culture Kings, UCB). Together they discuss the curious case of the family who adopted a 9 year old Ukrianian orphan who might have secretly been a 22 year old adult.

Research Assistant: Sharilyn Vera

Sources:

https://www.thecut.com/2019/10/kristina-barnett-adopted-child-real-life-orphan.html [thecut.com]

https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/a29205646/kristine-barnett-natalia-grace-adoption/ [elle.com]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMDBTcYo-ho

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7479061/Mom-claims-Ukrainian-daughter-9-adopted-really-22-year-old-dwarfism.html [dailymail.co.uk]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7512143/Adoptive-parents-Ukrainian-girl-dwarfism-appear-court.html [dailymail.co.uk]

https://nypost.com/2019/09/23/couple-claims-their-abandoned-child-is-actually-a-scam-artist-with-dwarfism/ [nypost.com]

https://www.wishtv.com/news/crime-watch-8/parents-accused-of-abandoning-adopted-child-in-apartment-mom-says-its-a-scam/ [wishtv.com]

https://www.insider.com/ukrainian-orphan-natalia-barnett-new-family-report-2019-9 [insider.com]

https://www.oxygen.com/crime-time/michael-kristine-barnett-plead-not-guilty-in-ukranian-dwarf-adoption-case [oxygen.com]

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/clarissajanlim/natalia-grace-ukranian-adoption-orphan [buzzfeednews.com]

This episode is brought to you by Dashlane (www.dashlane.com/scam code: SCAM).

This week the SAP crew interview secretary Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) about his presidential campaign, the First Chance Plan, managing stress while being on the campaign trail, his thoughts on brunch, and what his drag name would be. Then, Raiza’s niece and Spanish Aqui Presents live show social media correspondent Amanda Lopez (@amandalopez) stops by to share a political perspective of younger voters. Plus, the SAP crew does improv based off Amanda’s interview!

Follow The SAP Crew on instagram! 

@spanishaquipresents 

@raizalicea 

@ofcourseitscarlos

@ozzymo

@thetonyrodrig