Why didn’t Stephen invite James to his children’s bar and bat mitzvahs? Did it have something to do with how James acted at Stephen’s 50th birthday party? Today, James and Stephen contemplate what it’s like making new friends as middle-aged introverts compared to during adolescence, and discuss how it’s easier to broadcast your social signals as mature adults.

Judah is 12. He makes a mean beef wellington. Hear how he became a child chef, and how his mom had him when she was just a kid herself.

To join the conversation, go to: www.longestshortesttime.com!

This episode is sponsored by Kiwi Crate, The Great Courses Plus, Chatbooks, Thirdlove and Horizon Organics.

Improviser and actress Betsy Sodaro helps ease the transition into the Valley of Sept on this week’s Who Charted! The gang clears up the origins of the Dorito before launching into Spotify’s Top 5 Viral Songs, while Engineer Stard explains how he ended up in jury duty with Tim Heidecker. During the Movie Chart, Betsy talks about working on Funny or Die’s “Tween Fest” and Howard reconsiders whether life exists in space. Finally, they count down Kevin’s Hot Picks on Two Charted and tackle a listener question about the very first Who Charted recording.

This episode is brought to you by Squarespace, Vivid Seats (www.vividseats.com), and Warby Parker.

What is a Chronotope? And what does it have to do with time, space, love and sex? Come, walk with us through the streets of Paris, and everything will be explained.

This episode is sponsored by DKMS, Mack Weldon, Stamps.com, and Talkspace.

Hayes is late to the studio so Sean and Brett have some time to catch up. ALYSSA MILANO is the guest.

Come see us at the Now Hear This podcast festival: nowhearthisfest.com

This episode Five Four Group and Casper Mattresses.

Is it more important to set an actual price when you’re negotiating a deal, or to control the terms on which a price is to be set? When James was selling his first company, he ended up with millions less than he anticipated because the other party tipped the scales in their favor. Now, James uses this same technique in his own favor when he’s sitting at the negotiating table. Learn more about this technique and how Stephen crowdsourced the asking price of his house on today’s Question of the Day.

This episode is sponsored by Warby Parker.

Actress and comedian Courtney Pauroso joins Jensen and Matty to talk about her crazy  good character reel, her podcast “We Should Have A Podcast,” clowning, Stro the MC, Ellie Parker, Radiooooo.com, how we were late on Keanu, and many more things you should know about.

This episode is sponsored by Audible.com and Casper Mattresses.

Tinder aficionado Christian Humes returns to guide Deanna and Emily into the world of Pokemon GO. What are some Pokemon hot spots? How do lures work? Did Chris have something to do with Pokemon disappearing from the Holocaust Museum? If you’ve never played a Pokemon game before what’s the reason for starting now? Tune in to find out!

Comedian Ian Edwards joins Randy and Jason for this week’s episode of Sklarbro County. They discuss his recent writing projects and what subjects are too “American” for Irish audiences before getting into stories with Daniel Van Kirk. We hear about saucy Las Vegas breakfast thieves, a homeless man’s vast inheritance, and a naked couple riding a stolen lawnmower. Finally, Steven Seagal leaves a voicemail touting his value in international diplomacy.

This episode is sponsored by Legal Zoom and Draftkings.

The tavern is busy, and the Bandit King is here!

Credits

The tavern is busy, and the Bandit King is here!

Arnie: Arnie Niekamp

Chunt: Adal Rifai

Usidore: Matt Young

The Bandit King: John Thibodeaux

Craig: Ryan DiGiorgi

Producers: Arnie Niekamp, Evan Jacover, Ryan DiGiorgi

Editor: Garrett Schultz

Theme Music: Andy Poland

Magic Tavern Logo: Allard Laban

Audio Assistance: Jason Knox

Production Assistant: Garrett Schultz

Come see us at the Now Hear This podcast festival: nowhearthisfest.com

This episode is sponsored by Cards Against Humanity and Blue Apron.

We’ve never known more about our world and our universe, but at the same time it feels like there are more people who completely ignore science than ever before. They can come in all shapes and forms of crazy. There are anti-vaxxers, climate change truthers, and for some reason we’ve still got flat-earthers. Flat-earthers! C’mon people what year is it?! Didn’t Magellan put that one to rest, like, 500 years ago?

Surely this all comes down to religion, right?

Not exactly. A Gallup poll found that about 40% of Americans believe Earth was created by God less than 10,000 years ago. However, of that group, 23% don’t go to church. So almost a quarter of young-Earthers aren’t even religious. What’s going on? What are the sociological forces keeping these ideas so strongly rooted in so many people’s heads?

On this week’s podcast Jack O’Brien is joined by Cracked editors Soren Bowie and Alex Schmidt to cover the modern history of science deniers. We ask where they come from, why they are so prominent now, and if we have to think of science and myth as contradictory.

Also, make sure to come to our next live podcast taping on Saturday, September 10th at the UCB Sunset Theatre in Los Angeles, where Jack and the Cracked staff will flip-off movies like ‘Sully’ and ‘Deepwater Horizon’ and pitch some insane true stories that should be made into big Hollywood movies instead. Tickets are only $5 and are available here: https://goo.gl/VP9riY

Footnotes:

Live Science: 4 in 10 Americans Believe God Created Earth 10,000 Years Ago: http://goo.gl/Ck3ijG

New Yorker: The Denialists: http://goo.gl/M6aEmQ

New Yorker: The Mistrust of Science: http://goo.gl/pGuAio

New Yorker: I Don’t Want To Be Right: http://goo.gl/7NXaoP

New Yorker: Ben Carson’s Scientific Ignorance: http://goo.gl/a0ZsGc

Cracked: 5 Dark Sides of the Tech Industry No One Ever Talks About: http://goo.gl/uI0pYy

NYT: A Confession of Liberal Intolerance: http://goo.gl/3wlDbt

The Guardian: Exxon Knew of Climate Change in 1981: https://goo.gl/1Lx4SU

Cognitive Dissonance: https://goo.gl/KUvQ9

Scientific American: It’s Time for Scientists to Stop Explaining So Much: https://goo.gl/KUvQ9

Cracked: 6 Mind-Blowing Ways Zombies and Vampires Explain America: http://goo.gl/CQICP

New Scientist: The Maddeningly Magical Maths of John Dee: https://goo.gl/izlNgx

Come see us at the Now Hear This podcast festival: nowhearthisfest.com

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace.

You may know Jasmine Cephas Jones as Maria Reynolds or Peggy Schuyler. Jasmine describes what it was like to audition for Hamilton and go on to make her Broadway debut in the show. She tells us why she so admires her fellow Schuyler sisters and dishes on that time Barbra Streisand complimented her singing. Plus, she and Travon belt out “The Schuyler Sisters.” This week we want to hear your best Schuyler sister rap. Call us and go for it: 937-9MYSHOT.

This episode is sponsored by Pacific Shaving Company.

Paul F. Tompkins welcomes all citizens with different voices to this week’s episode of Spontaneanation! This week, Paul’s special guest is Nicole Parker of MADtv and the Broadway stage! They chat about what small business Nicole would like to own, having terrible adult handwriting, and the unusual private school Nicole attended as a child. Paul is then joined by Shulie Cowen, Mark McConville, and Tawny Newsome to improvise a story set in a Summer Theatre Camp in Michigan. And as always, Eban (only the best) Schletter scores it all on piano! 

The next live Spontaneanation happens October 1st at Largo at The Coronet! With improvisors Ryan Gaul, Colleen Smith & Drew Tarver, and special guest Horatio Sanz! Get your tickets for this show and Spontaneanation in Anaheim and Brooklyn at paulftompkins.com/live!

Come see us at the Now Hear This podcast festival: nowhearthisfest.com

This episode is sponsored by Seeso.

Scott and Scott are reunited as Adam Scott of U Talkin’ U2 To Me? fame returns to this week’s Comedy Bang! Bang! Adam Scott Aukerman chat about Adam’s graduation from mime school, Chris Kelly’s new film Other People, and for a new episode of Getting Real. Then, entertainer Jack Sparks arrives to show us why they call him the King of the 2nd Act. Plus, a politician who calls themselves This Is Your Boy Troy stops by to talk about the platform they will be running on.

Come see us at the Now Hear This podcast festival: nowhearthisfest.com

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace and Draftkings.

Devin and Amy follow the tracks this week to talk about the classic Rob Reiner-directed 1986 film “Stand By Me.” They address the use of the unreliable narrator before Amy explains what the films relates about “past, present, and future” people. They then compare the acting abilities of young Corey Feldman and River Phoenix, Devin explains what elements of the film he perceives as homoerotic undercurrents, and finally, they debate the merits of the yellow-toned cinematography. Should “Stand By Me” stand tall in the Canon? Cast your vote on the Earwolf forums!

Islamic Exceptionalism is the title of scholar Shadi Hamid’s book that tries to understand the rise of Islam as a political force around the world. He and David discuss what democracy looks like in the Arab world, and the difference between Islamic spirituality and Islamic identity.

This episode is sponsored by The Great Courses.

Jena Friedman (Seeso, The Daily Show) and Kaitlin Fontana (The Box, A&E’s Black and White) join Negin for Fake the Nation’s first-ever all-lady roundtable. They punch democracy right in the junk with a conversation about sexism in politics, burkinis, and everyone’s favorite polarizing issue: abortion. Paragon of women’s rights Donald Trump also features heavily. Another FTN first: the live show on September 16th. See Negin, Aasif Mandvi and Aparna Nancherla at The Greene Space in New York City. Get your tickets now: http://www.thegreenespace.org/events/thegreenespace/2016/sep/16/fake-nation-live/

Welcome to another episode of Love, Love, and More Love with your hosts Teresa Loveless (Marcy Jarreau) and Sophia Lovejones (Nicole Byer)! It’s the love and sex call-in show where you get to call in with all your questions about love and sex. On this week’s episode we hear from a few callers including a 16-year old and his mother, someone from London with a milk query, and a sex-worker with a dilemma. Plus, Traci Reardon stops by to help her horny Twitter followers with sex and love advice in another edition of “Help Me, Rhonda.”

Come see us at the Now Hear This podcast festival: nowhearthisfest.com

This episode is sponsored by Bench Made Modern and Squarespace.

Comedians and two-thirds of truTV’s “Those That Can’t” Adam Cayton-Holland and Andrew Orvedahl make their return to the Country! They talk with Randy and Jason about Mike Tyson’s ice cream theft at the U.S. Open as well as Kurt Angle’s headbutt prowess before questioning what kind of music Justin Turner listens to. We hear of a hockey goalie who robbed a convenience store and Robert Mugabe’s return to the dictator game, and finally, Racist Vin Scully makes his final appearance to talk natural talent with the boys.

This episode is sponsored by Warby Parker and Draftkings.

Danielle and Casey are back in the pear wall papered nook covering the NY reunion  and they are joined by the dreamy and delightful Bryan Safi. Bryan calls for Kelli’s dismissal from the franchise and surprises everyone with who his favorite housewife is (lookin’ at you Luanne). Jessica Chaffin gives us another high brow low brow Korbel fueled Jersey review. And everyone is treated to this gem from the reunion: QUIET RADZIVELL!

Come see us at the Now Hear This podcast festival: nowhearthisfest.com

This episode is sponsored by Ring.com, Third Love, and Casper Mattresses.

This week Erin and Bryan revel in the musical stylings of Beyoncé and Selena, one of whom just slayed at the VMAs. Also while Jean Valjean’s homeland of France has outlawed the burkini to “protect women,” hates crimes targeting the LGBTQ have spiked. BYOL, bring your own lube if you don’t want bigots messing with your genitals! Also Alia Shawkat (“Arrested Development,” the upcoming “Search Party” on TBS) is here to talk middle eastern conferences, her family business and getting recognized as Ilana Glazer.

Two questions in one day? Today, James and Stephen take on questions from two listeners who want to know if a more active and socially engaged electorate would create a better political system. Would the populace actually be better informed by watching cable news on a regular basis and reading their tabloid or broadsheet of choice, or would they just be further cementing the ideological divide that media outlets are polarized to? Our hosts also discuss the potential for compulsory mail-in and internet voting and see if maybe the Swiss are on to something that America’s missing.

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace.

If you’ve ever dreamed of starting your own podcast network, this episode is for you. Myke Hurley is a veteran podcaster and the co-founder of Relay.fm, a popular and highly regarded tech podcast network with 20 shows. He joins Lex Friedman in the Wolf Den to dig into the business of running a network. Myke tells how he built his first network out of necessity, and why he later merged it with a bigger network. But then Myke and his business partner decided to strike out on their own again with Relay. He explains why it’s important for them to have that ownership, and what it took for them to quit their day jobs and run the network full time. Myke also reflects on the changes in the industry over the last few years—especially with advertising—and shares his advice for podcasters who want to build their own networks.

Adam Pally, John Gemberling, and Gil Ozeri join Matt Besser for this week’s episode of improv4humans. They navigate a convenience store that deals in specific kinds of tape, pick the best cereal to put in their kids’ hair, and mount a less literal garage door ad campaign. Later, they explore the autotune dimension and then feel out a new house by its hardcore tunes.

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace and Casper Mattresses.

Alphabetizing with Jamie Kaler.

This episode is sponsored by Casper Mattresses, Harry’s, and Indochino.

Come see us at the Now Hear This podcast festival: nowhearthisfest.com

Comedian, TV host of Scream: After Dark and author of the novel Drag Teen, Jeffery Self joins Sarah and Susan to talk about homeschooling himself growing up, The First Wives Club, Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me,” Rosie O’Donnell winning a Daytime Emmy in 1997, and Dolly Parton’s “Little Sparrow.”

Come see us at the Now Hear This podcast festival: nowhearthisfest.com

This episode is sponsored by Glossier and Third Love.

This week, Kevin and Kamau pay it back to their listeners by dialing up diehard Denzelegates on the show. They ask their fans questions about how they found the podcast, the moment they became Denzel converts, and what the listeners think are the best 5 Denzel films of all time.

This episode is sponsored by Blue Apron and Harry’s.

Good Muslim, Bad Muslim podcast hosts Taz Ahmed and Zahra Noorbakhsh join Andrew from The Comedy Comedy Festival to talk about current topics including the France burkini ban, a Trump loving Indian teenager getting kicked out of a rally, and the NRA being silent after the shooting of a reportedly legal gun owner. As always, leave us a message about anything you think is racist at (323) 389-RACE.

GO TO THE HOWL.FM WEBSITE AND USE PROMO CODE SUPEREGO AT CHECK OUT TO GET 1-MONTH OF HOWL FOR FREE! 

COMMENTARY BY: Director Ridley Scott, Actor John Hurt, (Kane) and Designer H.R. Giger.

WITH: Dr. Mark McConville, Dr. Paul F. Tompkins, and Dr. Matt Gourley.

NOTE: This commentary was done with the original version of the theatrical release of Alien but can still play along nicely with the other special editions and various abominations.

What’s the greatest factor that lead to Donald Trump securing the Republican presidential nomination? If you’re Stephen Dubner, you’ll say that electoral politics is a form of entertainment and Donald Trump has put in lots of deliberate practice as an entertainer, while ‘traditional’ politicians only appear in the spotlight every two-to-six years. However, will Trump’s entertaining expertise and the billions of dollars of free airtime he’s receiving be enough to secure the White House?

This episode is sponsored by Wealthfront Veritone.