Episodes

  • BONUS: What's New With RFK Jr.?

    BONUS: What's New With RFK Jr.?

    · Maintenance Phase

    Because we live in hell, here is last month's bonus episode about RFK Jr.'s presidential campaign with a new intro about what he could do at HHS.

    See you next year!

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  • Richard Simmons Isn't Missing

    Richard Simmons Isn't Missing

    · Maintenance Phase

    The internet gets weird investigating the "disappearance" of America's gay best friend.

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    Richard Simmons ShowRichard Simmons, the Original Queer EyeThe Grand Duke of Diet and the Clown Prince of Fitness The Sultan of Svelte The Deregulation Of Commercial TelevisionSimmons Says Slapping Mesa Man Was Meant as Playful Richard Simmons’ Life Was a ‘Never-Ending Work in Progress’ Richard Simmons ordered to pay $130,000 after transgender lawsuit Richard Simmons' family asks Pauly Shore to please stopPauly Shore's Richard Simmons biopic might actually be deadRichard Simmons' Death Was an 'Accident'Richard Simmons' Housekeeper of 35 Years Breaks Her SilenceHow eating disorders can damage the heart

    Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!

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  • Growing Up Richard Simmons

    Growing Up Richard Simmons

    · Maintenance Phase

    Before building his fitness empire, America’s most bedazzled fitness guru was a guy named Milton from New Orleans.

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    Still Hungry...After All These Years by Richard Simmons "Hair-Do" Anatomy Asylum CommercialRichard Simmons: New Orleans's hometown heroA Speedy History of America’s Addiction to Amphetamine

    Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!

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  • The Myers-Briggs Personality Test

    The Myers-Briggs Personality Test

    · Maintenance Phase

    How a mother, a daughter and a crackpot Swiss psychologist gave us the world's most popular Buzzfeed quiz.

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    Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreWatch Aubrey's documentaryBuy Aubrey's bookListen to Mike's other podcast

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    The Personality Brokers by Merve EmreMyers Briggs Type PreferencesWhat Personality Tests Really DeliverThe $2 Billion Question of Who You Are at Work Cautionary Comments Regarding the MBTIThe Barnum Effect in Personality AssessmentThe Mysterious Popularity Of The Meaningless Myers-BriggsWhy the Myers-Briggs personality test is totally meaningless Can you truly know yourself in a quiz?What You Don't Know about This Personality Test Can Hurt YouMBTI, If You Want Me Back, You Need to Change TooPersonality Tests Aren't All the Same The Utility of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

    Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!

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  • BONUS: Breaking Down The Latest Anti-Trans Victory Lap

    BONUS: Breaking Down The Latest Anti-Trans Victory Lap

    · Maintenance Phase

    We went a little easy on the Cass Report in our last main feed episode, so we're back to [Mortal Kombat voice] FINISH HIM!!!

    This was supposed to be a Patreon bonus episode but we'd rather you support the lovely trans people who helped us with the research and fact-checking of this episode!

    Julia Serano: https://www.patreon.com/juliaserano
    Parker Molloy: https://www.readtpa.com/
    Katelyn Burns: https://www.patreon.com/katelynburns
    Evan Urquhart: https://www.assignedmedia.org/support
    Erin Reed: https://www.erininthemorning.com/

    Or organizations that work with trans youth in the UK:
    Gendered Intelligence: https://genderedintelligence.co.uk/
    Mermaids: https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/
    Stonewall: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/

    Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!

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  • "Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria" Part 2: Panic! At The Endocrinologist.

    · Maintenance Phase

    Thanks to Jules Gill-Peterson (jgillpeterson.com) and Julia Serano (patreon.com/juliaserano) for help researching this episode and Evan Urquhart, Parker Molloy and Katelyn Burns for fact-checking!

    Support us:

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    Origins of "Social Contagion" and "Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria"The "Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria" Controversy at AACAP's Annual MeetingMethodological Critique Of The Cass ReviewMethodological Critique of Littman (2018) Parent reports of adolescents and young adults perceived to show signs of a rapid onset of gender dysphoriaA critical commentary on ‘rapid-onset gender dysphoria’.Foundations Of The Contemporary Anti-LGBTQ+ Pseudoscience NetworkRapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria: Parent Reports on 1,655 Possible CasesOpinion: England's Anti-Trans Cass Review Is Politics Disguised As ScienceTavistock v BellActually Nothing: The Non-Starter Non-Story of the WPATH FilesAs anti-trans legislation proliferates in 2024, community fears erasure from public viewStates Passed a Record Number of Transgender Laws. Here’s What They Say.

    Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!

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  • "Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria" Part 1: The Cooties Theory of Transgender Identity

    · Maintenance Phase

    Thanks to Jules Gill-Peterson (jgillpeterson.com) and Julia Serano (patreon.com/juliaserano) for help researching this episode and Evan Urquhart and Parker Molloy for fact-checking!

    Support us:

    Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreWatch Aubrey's documentaryBuy Aubrey's bookListen to Mike's other podcast

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    Origins of "Social Contagion" and "Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria"What does the scholarly research say about the effect of gender transition on transgender well-being?Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming CareFresh trans myths of 2017: “rapid onset gender dysphoria”Rapid Onset of Gender Dysphoria in Adolescents and Young Adults: a Descriptive StudyThe Detransitioners: They Were Transgender, Until They Weren'tHow the idea of a “transgender contagion” went viral—and caused untold harmMental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care'Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria' Is Biased Junk ScienceA careful step into a field of landminesDetransition, Desistance, and Disinformation: A Guide for Understanding Transgender Children Debates Recognizing and responding to misleading trans health research

    Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!

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  • Jamie Oliver

    Jamie Oliver

    · Maintenance Phase

    In the 2000s, Jamie Oliver made a big splash with his work reforming kids’ meals in the UK and US. Was his work wicked slammin’, or just proper rustic?

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    BBC Profile - Jamie OliverJamie Oliver Puts America's Diet on a DietAll The Times Jamie Oliver Made Everyone AngryUnpacking School Lunch: Understanding the Hidden Politics of School FoodA brief history of school meals in the UKTurkey Twizzlers: A Complete HistoryMarcus Rashford Is Fighting the Government on Free School Meals. He’s Also Fighting Jamie Oliver’s LegacyHas Jamie Bitten off More Than He Can Chew?Jamie Oliver, you haven’t tasted real povertyJamie Oliver’s campaign against childhood obesity has classist undertonesJamie’s jerk rice is a recipe for disaster

    Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!

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  • COVID Conspiracies

    COVID Conspiracies

    · Maintenance Phase

    What was missing from America's pandemic response? According to the internet, a sunshine vitamin, a malaria treatment and a whole lot of horse paste.

    Thanks to Health Nerd (Substack) for helping us fact-check this episode! And thanks to Abby Mahler (Twitter, Tiktok) for help with the research on hydroxychloroquine!

    Support us:

    Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey's bookListen to Mike's other podcast

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    How Musk Sold MAGA on HCQ Prominent Anti-Vaxxer’s Snake Oil Store Has a Propaganda OutletNine COVID-19 Myths That Just Won’t Go Away Disinformation and coronavirus COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Discussion on Twitter Pain in the Nation Are patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus at increased risk for COVID-19 infection? Conspiracy theories as barriers to controlling the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. Vaccines vs. vitamins: COVID misinformation roils the worlds of wellness and nutrition A Decisive Verdict on Vitamin D Supplementation Why were Twitter Users Obsessed with Vitamin D during the first year of the pandemic? Vitamin D, the Sunshine Supplement, Has Shadowy Money Behind It The Truth about Vitamin D and COVID-19 The Strange and Twisted Tale of Hydroxychloroquine Is Ivermectin for Covid-19 Based on Fraudulent Research?

    Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!

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  • Ozempic

    Ozempic

    · Maintenance Phase

    Ozempic is being hailed as “the end of the Obesity Epidemic.” This week, Mike and Aubrey dig through the sensational claims. But will they make it past the caveats?

    Links:

    How a Canadian scientist and a venomous lizard helped pave the way for Ozempic The Discovery and Development of Liraglutide and Semaglutide Ozempic and Wegovy maker courts prominent Black leaders to get Medicare's favor Insurers clamping down on doctors who prescribe Ozempic for weight lossOzempic prescriptions can be easy to get online. Its popularity for weight loss is hurting those who need it most Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in patients with type 2 diabetes: real-world evidence from a Mediterranean areaSemaglutide in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and ObesityReal-world weight change, adherence, and discontinuation among patients with type 2 diabetes initiating glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in the UKSafety of SemaglutideSemaglutide for the treatment of overweight and obesity: A reviewOnce-Weekly Semaglutide in Adolescents with ObesitySemaglutide 2.4 mg for the Treatment of Obesity: Key Elements of the STEP Trials 1 to 5Association of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Use With Risk of Gallbladder and Biliary DiseasesReal-World Adherence and Discontinuation of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in the United StatesMedications and conditions associated with weight loss in patients prescribed semaglutide based on real-world data

    Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!

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  • "Soy Boys"

    · Maintenance Phase

    How a plant-based pejorative went from an alt-right burn to a core concern of mainstream Republicans.

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    Joe Explains the Term "Soy Boy" to Donnell RawlingsAlex Jones Gay Bomb RantSoyboys and Sensitivity: Mocking Meat Avoidance from Punch to TwitterHow the alt-right uses milk to promote white supremacyMen's Health 2009 pieceNeither soy nor isoflavone intake affects male reproductive hormonesA Brief History of Conservatives Using Tofu-Eating as an InsultThe Soy Conspiracy Alex Jones’ Protegé, Paul Joseph Watson, Is About to Steal His Crackpot CrownWhy Men Think Plant-Based Meat Will Turn Them Into WomenStangle: Impossible burgers are made of what?Plant-based meat and the knock-down, drag-out fight for the American dietWhy Republicans Can’t Stop Talking About MasculinityReal American men and the liberal war on meat“The Great Replacement:” An Explainer

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  • RFK Jr. and The Mainstreaming Of The Anti-Vaxx Movement

    RFK Jr. and The Mainstreaming Of The Anti-Vaxx Movement

    · Maintenance Phase

    Join us for a 75 minute answer to a 5 word question: Is there mercury in vaccines?

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    Paul Offit’s “Autism's False Prophets”Peter Hotez’s “The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science”Seth Mnookin’s “The Panic Virus”Jonathan M. Berman’s “Anti-vaxxers: How to Challenge a Misinformed Movement” Steve Silberman’s “Neurotribes”Transcript of the Simpsonwood meetingA Kennedy’s Crusade Against Covid Vaccines Anguishes Family and FriendsImmunizations and Autism: A Review of the LiteratureCDC Studies on Thimerosal in VaccinesRFK Jr’s 2005 article on mercury and vaccinesRFK Jr.’s Inside JobVast Majority of Americans Say Benefits of Childhood Vaccines Outweigh RisksCorrecting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.When Vaccine Injury Claims Go to CourtVaccine Compensation Hearing Decision

    Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!

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  • RFK Jr. and The Rise of the Anti-Vaxx Movement

    RFK Jr. and The Rise of the Anti-Vaxx Movement

    · Maintenance Phase

    A political candidate has some questions and we have some extremely obvious answers.

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    Eric Garcia’s “We’re Not Broken”Mike and Sarah’s episode on autism and the anti-vaxx movementSeth Mnookin’s “The Panic Virus”Jonathan M. Berman’s “Anti-vaxxers: How to Challenge a Misinformed Movement” Brian Deer’s “The Doctor Who Fooled the World”Paul Offit’s “Autism's False Prophets”Steve Silberman’s “Neurotribes”Peter Hotez’s “The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science”Behind The Bastards episode on smallpox anti-vaxxers RFK Jr.’s Inside Job
    The Conspiracy CandidateDavid Pitts's "Jack and Lem”RFK Jr.’s autobiographyImmunizations and Autism: A Review of the LiteratureWakefield’s article linking MMR vaccine and autism was fraudulentCorrecting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine ‘facts’

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  • Pilates

    Pilates

    · Maintenance Phase

    Somehow an episode about an old-timey fitness influencer ended up being one of our most wholesome ever. We're as surprised as you are.

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    Pilates and the “powerhouse"Sick Architecture - Ibiayi Briggs - Body Culture and Contrology World War One: Internment centre 'will unlock' family talesThe Acrobatic Immigrant Who Invented Pilates in a Prisoner of War CampThe exercise phenomenon born in a prisoner-of-war campHistory of PilatesAn Introduction to Clinical PilatesThe Fight for the Soul of Pilates Did you know Pilates was born in prison and inspired by cats? Inside The Shocking (Black) History Of Pilates

    Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!

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  • Brittany Dawn

    Brittany Dawn

    · Maintenance Phase

    How a fitness influencer went from small-time scammer to one of the Internet’s leading villains.

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    THIS IS DISTURBINGgoodbye for now… How Dallas-area influencer Brittany Dawn found herself at the mercy of social media's double-edged swordConversations with the Inspiring Brittany DawnInfluencer Asks Customers to Sign NDA Before RefundBrittany Dawn's archived apology videoInfluencer Called 'Scammer' for Not Providing Coaching‘You can’t cancel me’: embattled TikTok star reinvents herself as a warrior for JesusHere’s what to know about the lawsuit against Texas influencer Brittany DawnFollowers Of Christian Influencer Brittany Dawn Said They Are Angry That She Pivoted To Religion To Avoid ScrutinyFitness gurus and 'muscular Christianity': how Victorian Britain anticipated today's keep fit crazeThe Fitness-Driven Church | Christianity TodayChristian influencer Brittany Dawn defends her foster parent journey amid criticism of her past, monetized baby postsPolice Brutality Against Black Kansas City Man Caught on VideoBrittany Dawn Fitness LLC

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  • BONUS: The Conservative Diet Books of Yore

    BONUS: The Conservative Diet Books of Yore

    · Maintenance Phase

    We're taking a much-needed break this week so to tide you over here is one of our bonus episodes!

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    Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!


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  • Oprah v. Beef Part 2: Apocalypse Cow

    Oprah v. Beef Part 2: Apocalypse Cow

    · Maintenance Phase

    The closing argument of our two-part Oprahsode starts in a Texas courtroom, wanders through some British slaughterhouses and ends with an emu.

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    "How the Cows Turned Mad" by Maxime Schwartz“Deadly Feasts” by Richard Rhodes "Mad Cow USA"UK Parliamentary inquiryHow The West Was Won OverTexas Cattle Feeders v. Oprah Winfrey: The First Major Test of the “Veggie Libel Law”Having a Cow: Reactions To "Veggie Libel" Laws and the Oprah TrialsThe Unconstitutionality Of Iowa's Proposed Agricultural Food Products Act And Similar Veggie Libel LawsAppealOriginal LawsuitFood Safety Vs. Promotion Of Industry: Can The USDA Protect Americans From Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy?Apocalypse CowHarvard Risk Assessment of Bovine Spongiform EncephalopathyMad Cow congressional hearingGAO reportThe Harvard Risk Assessment

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  • Oprah v. Beef Part 1: The Rise of

    Oprah v. Beef Part 1: The Rise of "Veggie Libel"

    · Maintenance Phase

    On April 16, 1996, Oprah Winfrey did a show about mad cow disease. Six weeks later, a couple of Texas cattlemen had a cow (sorry).

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    Original LawsuitAppealHow Oprah Got Sued for Dissing a BurgerTwo Degrees of Speech Protection Texas Cattle Feeders v. Oprah Winfrey: The First Major Test of the “Veggie Libel Law”Having a Cow: Reactions To "Veggie Libel" Laws and the Oprah TrialsHoward Lyman talkThe Unconstitutionality Of Iowa's Proposed Agricultural Food Products Act And Similar Veggie Libel LawsHow the Cows Turned MadFood Safety Vs. Promotion Of Industry: Can The USDA Protect Americans From Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy?Apocalypse CowGAO reportA is for Apple, Alar, and ... Alarmist?Alar Five Years LaterAuvil v. CBS 60 MinutesAlar and Apples: Newspaper Coverage of a Major Risk Issue.

    Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!

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  • The 10,000 Steps Myth

    The 10,000 Steps Myth

    · Maintenance Phase

    This week we're digging into the weird history of an omnipresent fitness goal. Episode comes free with a happy meal.

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    10,000 Steps: A Brief HistoryDo We Really Need to Take 10,000 Steps a Day for Our Health?A Japanese first-mover in the fitness wearables raceCounting Every Step You TakeWhen does wearing a fitness tracker do more harm than good?McDonald's Enlists Trainer To Help Sell Its New MealGet happy with McDonald's Go Active Happy Meal for adultsMcDonald's StepometerMcDonald's pushing salads and pedometersThe fight for healthier McDonald's Happy MealsStep-It Canadian TV ad McDonald's serves up Happy Meals for grow-upsMcDonald's removes fitness tracker from Happy MealsA Very Serious Review of McDonald’s Flesh-Burning Fitness TrackerMcDonald’s quietly ended controversial program that was making parents and teachers uncomfortableWatch your step: why the 10,000 daily goal is built on bad scienceWhen does wearing a fitness tracker do more harm than good?Why Counting Your Steps Could Make You UnhappierHow many steps are enough?

    Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!

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  • The Trouble with Sugar

    The Trouble with Sugar

    · Maintenance Phase

    This week we're tackling three big ideas about sugar: It causes hyperactivity in kids, it's as addictive as cocaine and it raises blood sugar in universal, predictably spiky ways.

    Thanks to David Johnston for helping us with sources for this week’s episode!

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    Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture by Virginia Sole SmithSugar Rush: Science, Politics and the Demonisation of Fatness by Karen ThrosbyIs sugar really as addictive as cocaine? Scientists row over effect on body and brainSugar Is Not the EnemyDr. Benjamin F. Feingold, Controversial PediatricianIs There Such a Thing as a ‘Sugar High’?Effects of Diets High in Sucrose or Aspartame on The Behavior and Cognitive Performance of ChildrenSugar and the Hyperactive ChildSome popular diets are based on this carb-rating scale. Here’s why it could be misleading.Glycemic Index: History and Clinical ApplicationGlycemic Index and Glycemic Load Low glycaemic index or low glycaemic load diets for overweight and obesityWhat is the glycaemic indexDon't Play a Numbers Game, Experts Say, Just Eat Your VegetablesSugar addiction: the state of the science

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