Maximum Fun

Bonus: Bullseye’s ‘Put You On’ with Derek Guy

Jesus Ambrosio — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 07:00:01 +0000

Did you know that folks that support Bullseye directly get access to a bonus podcast? Put You On is the show where Jesse and a guest answer recommendation questions from our audience members on just about anything: books, movies, cooking! We've had people like Linda Holmes, Alonso Duralde and more. This month we were joined by Derek Guy – the famous Menswear Guy from social media. We're presenting a bit from that episode in the feed. You can listen to this full episode and see what we've been working on by clicking here.

The Flop House 488: Lee Cronin’s The Mummy

Dan McCoy — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 10:00:58 +0000

Shocktober threatens to break the bounds of the fall, with this unexpected incursion into August. This aggression will not stand! Watch yourself, Shocktober! Anyway, on this episode we discuss The Mummy. The one with Brendan Fraser? No. The one with Tom Cruise? No. The one with Boris Karloff? No, silly, LEE CRONIN'S THE MUMMY. He wrote his name on it with Sharpie before putting it in the fridge! Tickets for FLOP TV SEASON FOUR are now live! Go pick up a pass for individual episodes or the whole dang season! And if you live in the Louisville area and want to see us live NOT through your computer screen, come to our show at Whirling Tiger in September! Stay updated on all things Flop House, plus a little extra, with our NEWSLETTER, “Flop Secrets! Paste https://feeds.simplecast.com/EOAFriME into iTunes (or your favorite podcatching software) to have new episodes of The Flop House delivered to you directly, as they’re released. Wikipedia page for Lee Cronin's The Mummy Recommended in this episode: Dan: Stalker (1979), A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969) Stu: Kill (2023) Elliott: The Secret Agent (2025)

Ep. 496: SummerSlam 2026 Review – The End of an Era

Julian Burrell — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 07:01:25 +0000

This podcast is supported by MaxFun Members! Go to maximumfun.org/jointights for more information about how you can become one too. For as little as $5 a month, you’ll earn great gifts and help this show continue. For the first time ever, SummerSlam took place across two nights. Minnesota was host to the biggest version of the event that had some brilliant hits and some middling shows. Oba Femi was declared the future of the business after he pinned Brock Lesnar. But did this match really benefit from the Cell outside of the branding? And Chad Gable has finally finished his redemption story for the Intercontinental title… so of course we’re looking forward to who may take that belt off him. SummerSlam also marked the return of Kevin Owens as he became the number one contender for the WWE Championship. And that was before the floodgates opened and Becky Lynch, Stephanie Vaquer, and Big Cass all returned. We’ll even talk about if WWE is fumbling the bag with Joe Hendry. The Main Event: Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins for the (probably) last time It was a long time coming, but we finally got a satisfactory conclusion to the saga of Roman vs. Seth. It was for the highest stakes yet and by every indication it really truly paid off. The Three Count: Danielle put over Willow winning the AEW women's title. Lindsey put over Finn declining the call! Hal put over wife guy Matt Cardona. Keep up with this show all week long on instagram, tiktok and bluesky. This show was produced by Julian Burrell for Maximumfun.org

Ep. 198: Jay Chandrasekhar & Kira Kosarin

Julian Burrell — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 17:02:07 +0000

It’s some super trivia – on Go Fact Yourself! Jay Chandrasekhar is an actor and director, known for his work in the Super Troopers movies. How does he get in character 25 years after the original film? He says it all comes down to facial hair. Super Troopers 3 is now in theaters. Kira Kosarin has been part of Nickelodeon’s “The Thundermans” since she was 14 years old. Now the series is back with a reboot, which means she’s playing the grown-up version of the character she played years ago. Areas of Expertise: Jay: Golf movies, the perfect golf putt, and the history of the Chicago Cubs Kira: Body building terminology, pop music girlies of the 2010s, and the 2006 gymnastics movie Stick It. What’s the Difference: Gerry Springer What’s the difference between gerrymandering and redistricting? What’s the difference between a spring roll and an egg roll? With Guest Experts: Trevor Cahill: Retired MLB player who won a championship with the Chicago Cubs in 2016. Jessica Bendinger: Writer and director whose career includes the movie Stick It. Vanessa Lengies: Actor who played the role of Joanne in Stick It. Hosts: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Credits: Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. Co-Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell. Additional editing by Valerie Moffat. Seeing our next live-audience shows by YOU! It’s always a good time to go to maximumfun.org/joingofact to support this show and get monthly bonus episodes.

Shmanners: Summer Camp

McElroy Family — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:00:57 +0000

Hello internet! This week's episode is all about the history behind and etiquette of attending SUMMER CAMP! Enjoy and be sure to share with a friend! Native Women Lead: https://www.nativewomenlead.org/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinshmanners

Gimme Those Ridges – Ice Planet Barbarians with Lola Blanc!

Reading Glasses — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 14:30:54 +0000

Brea and Mallory are joined by Lola Blanc to venture into space and talk about Ice Planet Barbarians! Email us at readingsmutpodcast69@gmail.com! Sign up to support the show! Then email us your membership proof for Discord Access! Lola Blanc Ice Planet Barbarians Fifty Shades of Grey Reading Smut Merch Newsletter Instagram

Week 7 – I Hear You’re The Guy (24 in 24)

Valerie Moffat — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 14:00:50 +0000

Mike has road rage, Sierra's nephew models healthy friendship, and we lament the dearth of flavored creme brulee in the world.

This week's scoring:

Enter and survive a challenge: Alex (x1), Lee Anne (x2), Viet (x2), Avishar (x2), Christina (x2), Joe (x2) +2 Make it through a shift: Alex (x2), Lee Anne (x1), Christina (x1), Viet (x1) +1 “Tired”, “exhausted”, or “sleep”: Alex, Lee Anne, Christina, Viet, Avishar +1 Crying: Alex, Viet +0.5

Check out our merch at maxfunstore.com, support us at maximumfun.org/joinchef, follow us on Instagram @tvcheffantasyleague, and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts!

Episode #466: ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ with Ken Plume

Marissa Flaxbart — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 07:00:52 +0000

Ken Plume -- author, filmmaker, and longtime host of A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume -- joins us to talk about the movie that everyone seems to be talking about. Is it a great Spider-Man movie, or the greatest Spider-Man movie? Then, we answer a Hotline call (yes, we still take those!) about forbidden films of our youths. What’s Good? Alonso - Friends with pools Drea - Texting other people in a group Zoom Ken - Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee Kevin - Summer tabs! Urgent tabs! ITIDIC

Staff Picks Drea - Late Fame Alonso - Nights of Cabiria Ken - 1941 Kevin - Practical Magic

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmaxfilm Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Squirrels! Squirrels! Squirrels!

Alexis B Preston — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 05:54:44 +0000

They're cute! They have quality tails! And they come in a myriad of colors and sizes! That's right, this week is all about squirrels! We learn about them, we learn about why humans love them, and we even learn a bit of Nrose Mythology about them! It's squirrel week! Tune in!

Ep 474 – Halflings Love Mushrooms – Themed Snacks/Drinks for the RG Challenge! + Matthew Medney!

Reading Glasses — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 14:30:12 +0000

Brea and Mallory tick off another box on the 2026 Reading Glasses Challenge: have a themed snack or drink with the book you’re reading! Plus, they give advice on what to do with gifted books, and talk to publisher and web series creator, Matthew Medney from Gungnir Books. Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com! Reading Glasses Merch Recommendations Store The Reading Glasses Book! Sponsor - ZocDoc www.zocdoc.com/GLASSES Links - Reading Glasses Facebook Group Reading Glasses Goodreads Group Wish List Newsletter Libro.fm To join our Discord channel, email us proof of your Reading-Glasses-supporting Maximum Fun membership! Join us here! Dark Horse Union Gungnir Books Badd Grammmar Books Mentioned - I Found Puppets Living in My Apartment Walls by Ben Farthing Strange Buildings by uketsu, translated by Jim Rion Teddy Bears Never Die by Yeeon Cho, translated by Sung Ryu How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jesse Silva Iron Gold by Pierce Brown

The Adventure Zone Royale: Episode 30

McElroy Family — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 11:00:34 +0000

The final battle is at hand. The remaining aspirants give their all for glory and their own survival. Royale Theme: “Wizard Disco” by Louie Zong: https://louiezong.bandcamp.com/album/wizard-disco Original Music by Griffin McElroy Additional Music in this Episode: "Fireball" by Jar of Flies: https://jaroffliesofficial.bandcamp.com/; "The Fae" by Mark Lingard: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/mark-lingard/; Welcome Home" and "Something's Not Right" by Kirk Osamayo: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/kirk-osamayo/; "Aisles" by Jahzzar: http://www.betterwithmusic.com/; "VIII" by ROZKOL: https://rozkol.bandcamp.com/; "Haunts" by Triple5 Here: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/triple5-here/'; "The Redemption in Her Amrs” by Schemawound: http://schemawound.com/; and Taffy Machine" by Kate Kody: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/kate-kody/. Native Women Lead: https://www.nativewomenlead.org/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/jointaz

Episode 130: Ranking 80s & 90s Eurovision Winners, Pt. 2

Jeremy Bent — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 10:08:04 +0000

We're back with our second episode of taking a look back at the winners of the 80s & 90s, and we hope you like Ireland because they're out in force in the 90s. Three back to back wins, another Johnny Logan appearance, Moods both Pure & Celtics - it's Ireland's decade for sure. But again, there's a lot of great music to enjoy throughout the decade, so take a listen and be sure to vote for your favorites! Jeremy can hear the 90s coming in Niamh's voice, Dimitry demands justice for Charlotte, and Oscar finally gets to flex his Shrek-pertise. Watch the performances by the 80s & 90s winners on YouTube. Vote for your favorites of the 80s & 90s via our Google Doc. And as always, this week's companion playlist.

Eurovangelists is an American Eurovision podcast, made in the US for Eurovision fans worldwide. The Eurovangelists are Jeremy Bent, Oscar Montoya and Dimitry Pompée. The theme was arranged and recorded by Cody McCorry and Faye Fadem, and the logo was designed by Tom Deja. Production support for this show was provided by the Maximum Fun network. The show is edited by Jeremy Bent with audio mixing help was courtesy of Shane O’Connell. Find Eurovangelists on social media as @eurovangelists on Instagram and @eurovangelists.com on Bluesky, or send us an email at eurovangelists@gmail.com. Head to https://maxfunstore.com/collections/eurovangelists for Eurovangelists merch. Also follow the Eurovangelists account on Spotify and check out our playlists of Eurovision hits, competitors in upcoming national finals, and companion playlists to every single episode, including this one!

Competitive Girlhood, with Ellory Smith

MaxFun Intern — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 10:00:40 +0000

This week, comedian Ellory Smith joins us to talk bachelorette parties, Comic-Con friends, Nashville adventures, and a whole lot more *Check out Ellory on Instagram *Check out Ellory's tour dates *Preorder The Amazing Venom *Check out more Amazing Spiderman content from Jordan. *Order Jordan’s new Web of Venom comic. *Check out Jordan’s comic Predator: Bloodshed. * Order Jordan’s new Predator comic: Black, White & Blood! * Order Jordan’s new Venom comic! * Donate to Al Otro Lado. * Purchase signed copies of *Youth Group* and *Bubble* from Mission: Comics And Art! ~ NEW JJGo MERCH ~ Get Bronto Dino-Merch! Get our ‘Ack Tuah’ shirt in the Max Fun store. Grab an ‘Ack Tuah’ mug! The Maximum Fun Bookshop! Follow the podcast on Instagram and send us your dank memes! Check out Jesse’s thrifted clothing store, Put This On. Produced by Christian Dueñas

Why Are There So Many Remakes Right Now? [Mailbag]

Jason Schreier — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:00:35 +0000

Jason, Kirk, and Maddy open up the mailbag to answer some more listener questions. Why do we love replaying games? Why don't indie games cost more? And why are there so many remakes?? One More Thing: Kirk: The Message from Deep Space Maddy: Spider-Man: Brand New Day Jason: Spider-Man: Brand New Day LINKS: ScrapMan’s playthrough of Cairn

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/jointripleclick 🚀 SUPPORT TRIPLE CLICK: Join Maximum Fun | Buy TC Merch 💬 JOIN THE TRIPLE CLICK DISCORD 🎮 Triple Click Ethics Policy 📱 SOCIALS | @tripleclickpod Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Twitch

Samy Burch on ‘Ghost World’

Marissa Flaxbart — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:00:12 +0000

Samy Burch's new film, LATE FAME, stars Willem Dafoe and Greta Lee and opens this coming weekend; her big debut, MAY DECEMBER, earned her an Oscar nomination. This singular screenwriter has maybe always been a sicko at heart: she's relating to the one and only Thora Birch in GHOST WORLD, an artsy outsider teen who's trying to make sense of a the world she's constantly scrutinizing -- and being scrutinized by. Then

The Princess Diaries

Laura Swisher — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:00:07 +0000

This week, Sequoia and Jewel take another look at the 2001 hit The Princess Diaries, adapted from Meg Cabot’s book of the same name. In the process, they reminisce about their own high school experiences, and compare those to “movie trope” ones. Plus, how come girls with glasses are always catchin’ strays? And why is it that Mia’s frizzy hair gets straightened when she gets a makeover? Buy Mocha Grande Merch Follow Sequoia Instagram @SequoiaBHolmes TikTok @SequoiaBHolmes Follow Jewel Instagram @jewelwickershow Follow BPLP Pod Instagram @bplppod TikTok @bplppod

MaxFunDrive 2026 gift shipping update!

C.N. Josephs — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 02:28:34 +0000

It’s happening! Our fulfillment centers have started shipping out your keychain orders and MaxFunDrive gifts. Here’s a bit of general info: If you bought keychains during the charity sale, those will ship separately from any MaxFunDrive gifts you’re receiving. If you get one package that doesn’t contain everything you’re expecting, don’t panic! The rest of your stuff is on its way.

Source

Ep 200: Sara Hennessey Spooky Rain

Manolo Moreno — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:09:28 +0000

We play “Sweet Technique” submitted by Natalie Lowe from Michigan; “Duolingo But For Food / Doctor But For Apps” submitted by Luke Phelan from Monterey, California; and “Tin Foil Boat” submitted by Lewis Powell from Buffalo, New York. . Supported by: Head to https://wwww.zocdoc.com/GAMESHOW to get started and check that appointment off your to-do list! MaxFun members! http://www.maximumfun.org/joingameshow $5+ members can get Bonus Content! $10+ members can go ad-free! Hosted by Manolo Moreno ( moslo.xyz ) Insta / bluesky / substack : @drgameshow Opening theme: “Dr. Hangout” by Manolo Moreno Exit music: “Dr. Gameshow” by Big Huge ( bighuge.bandcamp.com); performed by Conrad Tao ( conradtao.com | insta: @conradtao )

Wonderful! 426: Forget Fall, I’m a Kyle Man

McElroy Family — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 16:00:15 +0000

Griffin and Rachel investigate the strange notes they've accumulated over the years, some of which are Wonderful things: fruit trackers, hipster toons, feminist slogans, parental woes, new times. And some of which are complete mysteries to everyone. Music: “Money Won’t Pay” by bo en and Augustus – https://open.spotify.com/album/7n6zRzTrGPIHt0kRvmWoya Native Women Lead: https://www.nativewomenlead.org/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinwonderful

Episode 785: Sheets and Desist

Jennifer Marmor — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 15:00:55 +0000

Dan says his fiancée, Elissa, sleeps poorly and that her bedtime laptop use is to blame! But she says playing video games on her laptop HELPS her sleep! They quiet her anxious thoughts and help her wind down. Dan wants to keep all screens out of the bed. He says, “If you bring the laptop into bed, I’M SLEEPING DOWNSTAIRS!” Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Thanks to reddit user u/spinynorman82 for naming this week’s case! To suggest a title for a future episode, keep an eye on the Maximum Fun subreddit at reddit.com/r/maximumfun! SUBSCRIBE TO THIS PODCAST in APPLE PODCASTS or the RSS FEED

The Jackie and Laurie Show #553: Compere

Kyle Clark — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 10:30:32 +0000

This week’s episode features ALL the blood! Everybody’s mouths are bleeding and that’s not ideal when you publicly speak for a living. Laurie (@anylaurie16 recounts to Jackie (@jackiekashian) more of the highs and lows of comedy in England. She’s finding her rhythm and giving the audience the opportunity to suss her out. We also get an update on the Nigerian elevator man… Subscribe to the podcast, and give it a 5-star rating and review to help the show move up the charts. Video for the episodes is on The Jackie and Laurie YouTube channel! Comic of the Week: Josephine Lacey @JosephineLaceyComic! Become a MaxFun Member for benefits and other great pods: https://href.li/?https://maximumfun.org/donate Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JackieandLaurie Watch the episodes and subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@Jackie_Kashian See Laurie on tour: https://lauriekilmartin.com/tour-dates See Jackie on tour: https://jackiekashian.com/tour-dates Watch Laurie’s special “Cis Woke Grief Slut” on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3zWwgPA Watch Laurie’s special “Cis Woke Grief Slut” on Amazon Prime: https://amzn.to/3NpHlMo Watch Jackie’s special “Looking Back” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZfwWvgMT70 Follow Laurie on social media: @anylaurie16 Follow Jackie on social media: @jackiekashian Recorded and Produced by Kyle Clark : @kyleclarkisrad

Free With Ads 127: Congo

Matt Lieb — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 10:00:09 +0000

It's Animal Attack August again and this year we are starting off with a 90's Michael Crichton classic! No, not Jurassic Park, his other one. We are talking Congo, a movie about a gorilla who must fight other gorillas in order to save her boyfriend. Tune in next week when our movie will be... Deep Blue Sea. ----- Subscribe to Emily's new YouTube Channel The Anti-Craft, coming soon! On August 20th, come to Minneapolis, MN and see Matt Lieb and his wife Francesca Fiorentini at the Parkway Theater for The Bitchuation Room Live! Go to bit.ly/goofriends to get signed copies of The Amazing Venom coming to comic book shelves everywhere Sept 30th. If you want a signed copy of the paperback version of Predator: Bloodshed go to bit.ly/bigdangfight Or just call your local library and make sure they start carrying Predator: Bloodshed.

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinfreewithads

Lauren Weedman, From Hacks, Loves Rocks, May Be Sisyphus

Gabe Mara — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 07:00:29 +0000

As the slightly unhinged, or maybe more than slightly, mayor of Las Vegas, Jo Pezzimenti on HBO’s Hacks, Lauren Weedman leaves a hilarious and unforgettable impression, so much so that she’s a nominee for Best Supporting Actress at the upcoming Emmy Awards. Audiences might also know her as Melissa’s sister, Kristin Marie Schemmenti on Abbott Elementary. Frankly, we don’t know what’s up with those character names rhyming but it’s a little unsettling. Lauren has also been seen in the series Looking, Hung, and the New Girl. Also, and this has nothing to do with television, she sometimes picks up lots of heavy rocks in her home state of Indiana and carries them all way back home to Santa Monica where she paints them and gives them of gifts to friends. She’s no geologist, rocks are just rocks, and she collects and distributes them. She’s going to tell you all about this. Lauren also happens to be a long-ago friend of our host John Moe from back in the 1990’s Seattle theater scene when many important bands were making it big and Lauren and John weren’t in any of those bands. You know what does have bands? That’s right. Rocks. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John’s acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun

Silverlake with Mary Houlihan

Harry Nelson — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 07:00:03 +0000

Allan and Mary Houlihan (The Mary Houlihan Show) take a misty morning wander around Silverlake. Along the way, they explore a few hidden staircases, check out some iconic residential architecture, and talk about comedians getting political.

Best Butter

Hal Lublin — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 04:00:18 +0000

What is the best butter? WE GOT THIS.

Episode 29: Michigan- “Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice”

Julian Burrell — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:46:01 +0000

If you seek a pleasant podcast, look before you! Lakes, islands and peninsulas abound in Janet Varney and John Hodgman’s trip through Michigan. That motto sure is a dandy, in latin or in english. Is it great enough to earn high marks on our grading system? We take a look. And then there’s all the islands within islands AND our wonderful Yoopers who we’re sure to give lots of time and care to. Plus, we’re joined by the delightful Marc Evan Jackson who tells us all about how Michigan has affected his life and career. You can read about one big example, “The Coney.” To hear more conversations from Janet and John, become a MaxFun Member at maximumfun.org/joinmotto! It costs as little as $5 a month. And for that you get access to our bonus episodes and the satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped make this show possible. Produced by Julian Burrell. Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher. For all things E Pluribus Motto, visit maximumfun.org/mottos-info Want to tell Janet & John something about an upcoming state? Or send a voice memo, photo, or cherished memory? There are lots of options: Email - Emailpluribusmotto@maximumfun.org Voice Message - speakpipe.com/epluribusmotto. Social Media: Instagram and TikTok. And if you want to purchase Bulletin Board as a small business in any state this season, you can do so here.

MBMBaM 825: I Ain’t ’Fredo No Toast

McElroy Family — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 14:00:31 +0000

Backpacks are out this year, but we know what’s in! Strap a belt around your books, tote your coffee in a dainty forty-eight ounce bucket, and move yourself around the office in a gamer chair shaped like Shaq. If all else fails, just have an otter carry your stuff around for you. Suggested talking points: Polish Papa's Apples Today, Symbiotic Chair Relationship, High Risk Low Reward, A Race Against Thermodynamics, Watch it Goosh if it Gooshes Native Women Lead: https://www.nativewomenlead.org/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmbmbam

What happened to the Tween Sitcom?

Brenda Snell — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 13:30:17 +0000

The tween sitcom is something that came and went in the blink of an eye. But how did this genre get started, and what happened to it?

Meshell Ndegeocello

Richard Robey — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:01:01 +0000

[caption id="attachment_162439" align="alignnone" width="410"] (Photo: Pascal Schmidt / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images)[/caption] Meshell Ndegeocello lives in a house full of instruments from guitars to keyboards, to even an accordion. But the instrument Meshell holds closest to her? That's the bass. Meshell started out in the 80’s, playing bass in go-go bands around DC. She’s now a very successful solo artist. She is a generational talent with a big voice and a bigger personality. But also, a bass player who's glad to sing lead but truthfully, would be just as happy laying back in the cut, holding down the band's bottom end. Earlier this year Meshell produced a tribute album dedicated to the late blues guitarist BB King. Lucille Talks Back 50th Anniversary Edition is a reinterpretation of King's classic 1975 record produced and arranged by Meshell. She joined us to chat about the record and what it meant for her to reimagine songs created by the great BB King. Meshell also talked about her early days playing with go-go band Rare Essence, how her singing voice has evolved over the years and much more.

Stop Podcasting Yourself 959 – Aunt Sheila

Dave Shumka — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:33:51 +0000

Abby’s Aunt Sheila Campbell returns to talk meeting a duck, fridge gaskets, and a witch store. Download episode 959 here. (right-click)

Email us at “spy [at] maximumfun [dot] org” Leave a voicemail at (844)779-7631 (or UGH-SPY-POD1) or send a voice memo to spy [at] maximumfun [dot] org Mailing address: Suite 144 – 6647 Fraser St., Vancouver, BC V5X 0K3

No Homer (Holly Burn / Derek Sheen)

MaxFun Intern — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 18:48:58 +0000

This week, our friends Holly Burn and Derek Sheen join us for epic poems, weird jingles, and shady headlines. Derek Sheen would like to plug Unrelatable and recommends Dead But Dreaming of Electric Sheep and Joe Dombrowski Holly Burn would like to plug Dream House and recommends Barry Castagnola And finally Dave is on Bluesky! Find us on Instagram! Call us on the International Waters hotline 323-435-3017 Written by Riley Silverman and John-Luke Roberts, recorded at MaxFun HQ in Downtown LA, and produced by Christian Dueñas and Laura Swisher. Join the MaxFun fam: maximumfun.org/join

Depression, Loneliness, and Memory Problems Are Worse In Middle Age, But Only in America

Raghu Manavalan — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:20:28 +0000

For most of the world, the advent of middle age does not make depression, loneliness, and memory issues more of a problem than earlier in life. In some countries, things actually get better. The only nation on earth where it all gets worse is right here in the USA. Arizona State University psychologist Frank Infurna has been researching this topic extensively and explains the uniquely American societal forces that are contributing to us being generally more miserable. It’s a lot of things beyond an individuals’ control: unstable job market, expensive health insurance tied to those unstable jobs, out of control housing and childcare costs, as well as current middle-agers being part of a sandwich generation. They often have to manage and fund expensive and complex eldercare for their parents while also helping their children make their way in a challenging world. Frank offers thoughts on what we can and cannot do about all this. We also talk with musician Mike Doughty. Last time he was on, he was fresh out of in-patient psychiatric care and hitting the road with his once highly estranged band Soul Coughing. We find out how he’s doing now, how he made amends with his audience, and why an unplugged satellite dish matters so much. [caption id="attachment_162434" align="alignnone" width="225"] A satellite dish.[/caption] Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun. Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com! Hey, remember, you’re part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at depreshmode@maximumfun.org. Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group. Help is available right away. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741. International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindepresh

Secretly Incredibly Fascinating: Pressed Pennies

Alex Schmidt — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:05:03 +0000

Alex Schmidt, Katie Goldin, and special guest Jamie Loftus explore why pressed pennies are secretly incredibly fascinating. ***SIF members get a special digital art poster, to celebrate 300 episodes! Find it in your BoCo: https://maximumfun.org/howtoboco/

LINKS FOR JAMIE LOFTUS:

LINKS FOR KATIE GOLDIN:

RESOURCES USED TO INFORM THE EPISODE'S LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

RESEARCH SOURCES:

FH Mini 155 – Summer-y Judgments

Dan McCoy — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 10:00:15 +0000

Elliott guides us through an overview of movies with "summer" in the title, and asks us to evaluate them based on our own summertime experiences. Tickets for FLOP TV SEASON FOUR are now live! Go pick up a pass for individual episodes or the whole dang season! And if you live in the Louisville area and want to see us live NOT through your computer screen, come to our show at Whirling Tiger in September! Subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, “Flop Secrets! It’s the best way to keep up on all things Flop House!

Ep. 495: SummerSlam 2026 – Everything You Should Care About

Julian Burrell — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 07:01:09 +0000

This podcast is supported by MaxFun Members! Go to maximumfun.org/jointights for more information about how you can become one too. For as little as $5 a month, you’ll earn great gifts and help this show continue. We received a wonderful gift from Netflix this week: Tickets to watch Monday Night RAW in a suite at the Intuit Dome! Lindsey Kelk tells us what it was like to see wrestling in the arena, including all of the snacks that they were kind enough to provide. The Main Event: With such a big SummerSlam, there's a good bet you or someone you know is checking in to WWE after an extended break. So consider this your guide to why you should care about the matches at the biggest party of the Summer. The Three Count: Danielle put over Daybreak. Lindsey put over Raquel Rodriguez as the Intercontinental Champion! Hal put over Oba Femi on his way to the top. Keep up with this show all week long on instagram, tiktok and bluesky. This show was produced by Julian Burrell for Maximumfun.org

345: Conservation Stories w/ Sharon Guynup!

Ellen Weatherford — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 20:22:52 +0000

Join Ellen & special guest, journalist and writer Sharon Guynup, for stories from the world of conservation. Our guest’s career has taken her all over the world, from the forests of India to the highways of rural America, where she has experienced both ends of the spectrum of human relationships to nature. She’s been part of busting wildlife trafficking rings and abuse and she’s seen communities join forces to protect and preserve their native species. Her stories include a population of lions brought back from near extinction, a crime campus, a tiger attack, e-mails from Joe Exotic, gas station pizza, influencing entire new laws, a Hollywood celebrity cougar, and so much more. Links:

Pre-order Sharon and Steve's book Big Cats, available October 6!
Read more from Mongabay at mongabay.org!
For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!
Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!
Follow Ellen on Instagram or BlueSky!

BONUS! How to Make a Smutty TBR List!

Reading Glasses — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:30:03 +0000

Brea and Mallory talk about their smutty TBR lists and how to make your own. Email us at readingsmutpodcast69@gmail.com! Sign up to support the show! Then email us your membership proof for Discord Access! Reading Smut Merch Newsletter Instagram Next month’s book is Ice Planet Barbarians!

Still Buffering: Obsession (2026)

McElroy Family — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:19:45 +0000

This week we're talking about the Flodge. Don't know what that is? Probably for the best. Also Obsession, the incel horror movie that asks the impossible question; what if a girl actually liked you? (She doesn't, and you should be ok with that.) Music: "Baby You Change Your Mind" by Nouvellas

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinbuffering

Week 6 – Early Bird Gets the Pasteis De Nata (24 in 24)

Valerie Moffat — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:00:35 +0000

Ify literally walks onto the show from Japan, and we debate whether it's better to be a Hollywood catering chef or a restaurant chef. This week's scoring: Enter and survive a challenge: Viet (x2), Avishar (x1), Alex (x2), Christina (x2), Lee Anne (x3), Joe (x3) +2 Make it through a shift: Lee Anne (x2), Joe (x2), Viet, Avishar, Christina +1 “Tired”, “exhausted”, or “sleep”: Lee Anne, Christina, Viet +1 Winning Golden Knife: Viet +0.5 Check out our merch at maxfunstore.com, support us at maximumfun.org/joinchef, follow us on Instagram @tvcheffantasyleague, and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts!

John Early and Kate Berlant

Jesus Ambrosio — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 10:00:20 +0000

[caption id="attachment_162380" align="alignnone" width="300"] (Photo: Maximum Fun / Kevin Ferguson)[/caption] John Early and Kate Berlant are comedians and frequent collaborators. As actors, Kate’s appeared in movies like Sorry to Bother You and Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. John has appeared on Search Party, 30 Rock and The After Party. Their particular brand of comedy is surreal and a little unhinged. On stage, they veer between intense platonic love in one moment, and in others: seething contempt, thinly masked with backhanded compliments and probing questions. When they do sketches, it’s equally unhinged, but usually surreal and a little unnerving. Their latest project is called Maddie's Secret. Unlike most of their other work the movie is a very sincere, relatively straightforward movie about eating disorders. The film was written and directed by John. He stars as the movie's title character: Maddie Ralph. Kate Berlant plays Deena, Maddie's best friend. John and Kate joined us on the program a few years ago. They talked with Jesse about their comedy special Would It Kill You to Laugh?, how they balance their creative partnership with their independent work and why Kate should have eaten a tuna melt before sitting down for her NPR interview. A version of this interview originally aired in June of 2022.

Episode #465: ‘The Dink’ with Jaron Myers

Marissa Flaxbart — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 07:00:18 +0000

Hey, you! Be a buddy and take our listener survey! It'll help us keep the show great and maybe even...make it better?! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! - Producer Marissa and the MaxFilm Gang *** Is it possible for a sports comedy to fit the formula, but still break the mold? Josh Greenbaum, director of BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, takes a whack at it with THE DINK, starring Jake Johnson and Mary Steenburgen. It's streaming now on AppleTV. And we have comedian (and yes, pickleball enthusiast) Jaron Myers with us to discuss! Then we get some pitches together for thoroughly modern movies that wouldn't have made sense a few years (or decades) ago. What's Good? Alonso - Severin Films’ Disco Italiana box set Drea - Bob the Drag Queen recapping Love Island on YouTube Jaron - Big Brother 24-Hour Feed recap podcasts Kevin - SDCC ‘26 (check out Minister FarraComic-Con) ITIDIC Sony, Alamo Drafthouse, to Reopen Cinerama Dome/Arclight at Long Last Comic-Con 2026 – Hits and Misses Paramount/WB Merger Paused Until June 2027, Or Court Ruling Staff Picks Drea: Mustache Alonso: Family Plot Jaron: Heavyweights Kevin: Paper Lion PS: Get PHYSICAL MEDIA merch at MaxFunStore.com!

Ep 473 – New Genre Alert: Healing Fiction!

Reading Glasses — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 14:30:46 +0000

Brea and Mallory have a new genre alert for healing fiction! Plus, they give advice on reading too much of the same genre, and recommend asexual romance novels. Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com! Reading Glasses Merch Recommendations Store The Reading Glasses Book! Links - Reading Glasses Facebook Group Reading Glasses Goodreads Group Wish List Newsletter Libro.fm To join our Discord channel, email us proof of your Reading-Glasses-supporting Maximum Fun membership! Join us here! Books Mentioned - Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon Lovers XXX by Allie Rowbottom Before the Coffee Gets Cold Kamagowa Food Detectives The Traveling Cat Chronicles Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann

Episode 129: Ranking 80s & 90s Eurovision Winners, Pt. 1

Jeremy Bent — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 10:46:48 +0000

It's time to continue the work from 2024 and keep ranking the winners of Eurovision! This time, we're turning our attention to the top tunes from the end of the 20th century, starting with the 1980s. From Johnny Logan to... well, Johnny Logan, there's a whole decade of great songs to check out this week, but ours aren't the only opinions that matter! Listen along with us, vote via the form below for your favorites, and help us determine the champion of champions! Jeremy wonders if this song is a gift, Dimitry makes an uncool appeal for peace, and Oscar loves a shy boy. Watch the performances by the 80s & 90s winners on YouTube. Vote for your favorites of the 80s & 90s. And as always, this week's companion playlist. Watch Johnny Logan's McDonald's ads

Hot Coals, Big Chin, Can’t Lose, with Jackie Johnson

MaxFun Intern — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 10:00:24 +0000

This week, comedian Jackie Johnson joins us to talk motivational speakers, shock jocks, secret basketball societies, and a whole lot more. Baba booey! *Check out Jackie on Instagram *Support Jackie's Patreon *Preorder The Amazing Venom *Check out more Amazing Spiderman content from Jordan. *Order Jordan’s new Web of Venom comic. *Check out Jordan’s comic Predator: Bloodshed. * Order Jordan’s new Predator comic: Black, White & Blood! * Order Jordan’s new Venom comic! * Donate to Al Otro Lado. * Purchase signed copies of *Youth Group* and *Bubble* from Mission: Comics And Art! ~ NEW JJGo MERCH ~ Get Bronto Dino-Merch! Get our ‘Ack Tuah’ shirt in the Max Fun store. Grab an ‘Ack Tuah’ mug! The Maximum Fun Bookshop! Follow the podcast on Instagram and send us your dank memes! Check out Jesse’s thrifted clothing store, Put This On. Produced by Christian Dueñas

Sheep and Sheep Detectives

Alexis B Preston — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 08:33:59 +0000

This week Simba is living it up as an apartment dog straight out of a Disney movie and Alexis is gathering animals like Snow White. Alexis and Ella discovered they both watched Sheep Detectives and they both were SHOCKED by how much they loved it so they're taking the opportunity to dig into the film and learn about our new woolly friends!

110: Horsepower & Makeup

Tom Lum — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 07:08:35 +0000

What even is horsepower? Is it a silly unit of measurement, or actually an underrated marvel?? And how old is makeup? Why do we do it? And what historic looks can you steal for your next night out? What are the flaws in scientific publishing, who's responsible, and how can we fix it? ALSO SEE US LIVE IN LONDON!!! LETSLEARNEVERYTHING.COM/LIVE Images we talk about: Papyrus Image Fish Palette Patch Portrait Painting of Two Ladies Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:15) Horsepower (00:48:26) Makeup (01:39:07) Outro Support us with a Max Fun Membership! Join our Discord! We also learn about: I’m taking horse pills to get their powers, we can answer questions without getting klaxonned, abbreviated for french reasons, the meter is 1 ten millionth the distance from the north to south pole, I’m going to be talking about power “oh god”, power is the movement of a mass over time, you’ll notice nowhere in that definition did I mention horses, James perfects the steam engine, you can’t just say “hey this engine will get us to the industrial revoltuion” you have to sell it in horses, come up with your own unit of power dweeb, a horse can produce 15 horsepower, you’re about to have a lot more nickels, there was a metric and imperial horsepower, all the international names for hosepower, watt SI unit is on first base? the father son and the holy ghost of electronics (the amp, volt, and watt), we didn’t have a unified unit for power before horsepower, Thomas Edison measured lightbulb efficacy by horsepower, IT WASN’T AN IRONIC CHOICE IT WAS CAUSE AND EFFECT, this isn’t a podcast it’s a slumber party, Caroline and Ella’s metallic blue eyeliner/facepaint, webster’s definition is somehow too broad and too narrow, prehistoric pigemtns may have been body paint, Ella’s surprisingly informative ancient egyptian ASMR video, from kohl to green malachite, caroline hiding the sexy bits of the papyrus from us, this makes my tummy hurt, fish palettes, ancient greek prostitues were required to wear lipstick, modern man or ro-man, a woman buys lotions and perfumes with cheating in mind, Elizabeth I’s lead and vinegar makeup, painting on fake veins, plucking hairs to match the queen’s forhead, the optical illusion dot, Caroline’s favorite fad: beauty patches, it’s so wild how excluded darker complexions are in the market when this topic started in ancient egypt, perhaps makeup imitates the moment of an orgasm, im inventing new sexism: men are blurry, we finally just asked women why they wear makeup, wearing makeup because we have to vs we want to, for other or ourselves, the ro-manosphere. Sources: History of the SI Units History of Imperial Units The Fan-Tastic paper: The Origin of the Horsepower Unit James' Encyclopedia Britannica Biography Horserpower From a Horse Paper Siemen's Address for the Watt Unit Edison Papers Measuring Lightbulbs in Horsepower NOAA Lightning Stats --- Merriam Webster Makeup Definition Blog: Bodypainting Why Do We Do That? Makeup Archeology Journal: Prehistoric Body Painting- 2000 Independant: 300000 year old body art Smithsonian: Evidence of Fur and Leather Clothing, Among World’s Oldest, Found in Moroccan Cave 2017 Paper: Painted in red: In search of alternative explanations for EuropeanPalaeolithic cave art Britannica: Makeup Blog: History of Makeup Wiki: Beauty and Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt NHM Utah: Makeup in Ancient Egypt Blog: Ancient Egyptian make-up Book: Ovid on Cosmetics University of Kent: The Painful Art of Being a Roman Woman Wiki: Cosmetics in Ancient Rome The Guardian: Medieval Christian Misogyny Shapes How We Judge Women Today, Says Scholar Royal Museums Greenwich: Elizabeth I: Fashion and Beauty DMDA: You Must Get a Patch Auction Listing: Portrait of two ladies. Patch marks to their faces Wiki: Allegorical Painting of Two Ladies Smithsonian: Make-up Preston Park: The History of Victorian Makeup YouGov: One in Six Women Wear Makeup at the Gym YouGov: How Often - and why - American Women wear makeup YouGov: One in Twenty British Men Now Wear Makeup 2022 Paper: The contrasting effects of body image and self-esteem in the makeup usage Blog: Why Do We Chase The Post-O Glow? 2015 Paper: Facial coloration tracks changes in women's estradiol 2015 Paper: Cosmetics Alter Biologically-Based Factors of Beauty: Evidence from Facial Contrast ABC News: Makeup Makes Women Seem More Competent, Study Says 2024 Paper: The Influence of Makeup on Individual Self-Identity: An Exploratory Study 2016 Paper: Does make-up make you feel smarter? The “lipstick effect” extended to academic achievement

Episode 205: Kathryn Borel Jr Interview

Ben Blacker — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 07:00:43 +0000

Episode 205: Kathryn Borel Jr Interview

This month's aftershow features a conversation with writer Kathryn Borel Jr., whose ambitious adaptation of On the Road was featured in last week's episode. Kathryn has written for Rush, American Dad!, Anne with an E, and Kung Fu, and is currently working on Damon Lindelof's upcoming limited series The Chain.

Kathryn talks about her remarkably unconventional childhood, her winding path to television writing which included an acclaimed career in Canadian radio and the experiences that led her to write Corked, her memoir about a drunken, father-daughter road trip through France's wine country.

The conversation also dives into the unique challenge of adapting Jack Kerouac's On the Road into a half-hour television series with two female leads. Kathryn explains how she reimagined the novel, what drew her to the project, and where the series was headed if it had made it beyond the pilot.

It's a funny, thoughtful, and fascinating conversation with a writer who isn't afraid to take on impossible adaptations and make them feel entirely her own.

Is Nolan’s Odyssey The Elden Ring of Movies? [Mailbag]

Jason Schreier — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 07:00:02 +0000

It's an episode full of questions this week as Kirk, Maddy, and Jason reach into the mailbag for some hot, hot queries. Is FromSoftware basically Christopher Nolan? Why do companies shut down game studios instead of spinning them out? And when is life like a video game? One More Thing: Kirk: Still Life (Louise Penny) Maddy: Hell Clock Jason: Alan Opts Out (Courtney Maum) LINKS:

Samantha Sloyan on ‘Twin Peaks’ [Replay]

Marissa Flaxbart — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 07:00:00 +0000

This interview originally aired in June of 2025; this version has been re-edited with new content from Jordan. Samantha Sloyan is a familar face from countless television shows (Grey’s Anatomy, Rizzoli & Isles, The Pitt), but that face will be particularly familiar to anyone who keeps up with the “Flanaverse” — movies and shows from Mike Flanagan, like Midnight Mass, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Haunting of Hill House, and now the forthcoming Carrie miniseries, in which Samantha plays Mrs. White, Carrie's mom. At the time of this interview, Sloyan’s latest project is a departure for Flanagan, and perhaps for her as well — The Life of Chuck. Together, she and huge fan Jordan discuss the ways that she feels seen by FBI Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachan) in David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, and the many ways that Lynch’s storytelling style appeals to her craft as an actor. Then, Jordan has a new one quick thing... The Life of Chuck on Kanopy Teaser for Carrie miniseries

Help support this show and *unlock that bonus content!* Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinfeelingseen Feeling Seen is hosted by Jordan Crucchiola and is a production of Maximum Fun. You can watch video editions of our new episodes on our YouTube Channel! Need more Feeling Seen? Keep up with the show on Instagram and Bluesky.

MBMBaM 823: Seasonably Effective

McElroy Family — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:00:40 +0000

Our Sound Boy will get right on it to turn up the summer hits you love! Everyone wants to hear about dishwasher repair cosplayers, financial scams from the proto-Riddler, audio descriptions of popcorn gifs, and the fan favorite, How Big Is Your Toilet, How Little is Your Lamp? Suggested talking points: What I Like Best About Your Undercarriage, Griffin's Secret Texas Money, Snacking on the Main Character, Cherry is the Crab Legs of Fruit, Sauce Apology Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmbmbam

Episode 784: Force Masseur

Jennifer Marmor — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 15:00:44 +0000

Natalie brings the case against her boyfriend, Mike. Mike has been living the Sharper Image dream for the last 12 years: his own in-home massage chair! It’s not just a source of relaxation for him. Mike says it’s a fun piece that makes visiting their home a unique experience! But Natalie doesn’t want their home to offer guests a unique experience. She wants their guests to have a comfortable seat that doesn’t need to be turned on to enjoy. It’s time to let the chair go. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Thanks to reddit user u/acone419 for naming this week’s case! To suggest a title for a future episode, keep an eye on the Maximum Fun subreddit at reddit.com/r/maximumfun! SUBSCRIBE TO THIS PODCAST in APPLE PODCASTS or the RSS FEED

The Jackie and Laurie Show #552: Elevator Man

Kyle Clark — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 10:30:11 +0000

This week we go intercontinental as Jackie chats from California Laurie during her run of shows in London. Foggy London town has been both cruel and kind to Ms Laurie. She’s learned the gamet of show vibes can go from loose alt comedy shows to something that could be described as “200% More British”. But she also gave a hot Nigerian man her whatsapp! Meanwhile, Jackie relates her own travel woes and is legitimately startled when Laurie offers sympathy. Subscribe to the podcast, and give it a 5-star rating and review to help the show move up the charts. Video for the episodes is on The Jackie and Laurie YouTube channel! Comic of the Week: Olga Koch @Kolga300 Become a MaxFun Member for benefits and other great pods: https://href.li/?https://maximumfun.org/donate Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JackieandLaurie Watch the episodes and subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/ See Laurie on tour: https://lauriekilmartin.com/tour-dates See Jackie on tour: https://jackiekashian.com/tour-dates Watch Laurie’s special “Cis Woke Grief Slut” on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3zWwgPA Watch Laurie’s special “Cis Woke Grief Slut” on Amazon Prime: https://amzn.to/3NpHlMo Watch Jackie’s special “Looking Back” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZfwWvgMT70 Follow Laurie on social media: @anylaurie16 Follow Jackie on social media: @jackiekashian Recorded and Produced by Kyle Clark : @kyleclarkisrad

Free With Ads 126: Mouse Hunt

Matt Lieb — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 10:00:59 +0000

For our final July-brary film, we all went on Hoopla and watched "Mouse Hunt" the 1997 kids film starring Nathan Lane about a mouse who teaches coexistence through a series of slapstick Looney Toons gags. Next week we begin ANIMALS ATTACK AUGUST with... Congo. ----- Subscribe to Emily's new YouTube Channel The Anti-Craft. On August 20th, come to Minneapolis, MN and see Matt Lieb and his wife Francesca Fiorentini at the Parkway Theater for The Bitchuation Room Live! If you want a signed copy of the paperback version of Predator: Bloodshed go to bit.ly/bigdangfight Or just call your local library and make sure they start carrying Predator: Bloodshed.

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinfreewithads

Exploring the Washington Wizards, the NBA’s Most Ambien Team, with Jamel Johnson

Gabe Mara — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 07:00:03 +0000

Jamel Johnson is a DC native and has been following the Wizards his whole life. He’s seen the rise and fall of Gilbert Arenas, the arrival and departure of John Wall, and everything from Gheorge Muresan to Muggsy Bogues, all without an NBA title in Jamel’s lifetime. Mid-Range is both the title of his new comedy album and the name of type of jump shot he hopes the team can nail as it heads into a new season with number one overall pick, AJ Dybantsa. Look, sports can be exciting and excitement doesn’t lend itself well to falling asleep. But again, we’re talking about the Washington Wizards, so you should be fine. Will you go on to have dreams of Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld? Well, look, we can’t be responsible for that. Listen to Jamel Johnson's latest stand-up album, Mid-Range, on YouTube or the streaming service of your choice. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John’s acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun

Best Ship-Naming Convention

Hal Lublin — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 04:00:54 +0000

What's the Best Ship-Naming Convention? WE GOT THIS.

Sawbones: What’s More Edible, Paper or Cotton?

McElroy Family — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:00:45 +0000

It’s one of our favorite kinds of episodes, making use of Dr. Sydnee’s expertise and Justin’s street smarts: medical questions! Why do we fart? How long is the digestive tract? Why are all minor mouth injuries so awful? Does REM “detoxify” the brain? And am I experiencing nightmares, night terrors, or ghosts? (Sawbones does not claim any expertise on the matter of ghosts.) PLUS, an update on Cyclospora. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Episode 136 – Vet On A Battleship

Benjamin Partridge — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:29:26 +0000

Mike Wozniak and Linnea Sage join in this month as we hear about the new TV show from bovine arse vet Bob Trescothick, Vet On A Battleship. Stock media provided by Setuniman/Pond5.com and Soundrangers/Pond5.com Tickets for our live show at the London Podcast Festival on 12th September 2026: IN HALL: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/podcast/beef-and-dairy-network-podcast-5/ STREAMING: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/podcast/beef-and-dairy-network-podcast-online/

Ona Grauer on Double Trouble (Archer S2E13) — Katya, Canadian Spies & Russian Lemon Parties

Amber Nash — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 11:00:59 +0000

Amber, Christian, and Casey are joined by Ona Grauer (Katya Kazanova) to revisit Double Trouble — Season 2, Episode 13 of Archer. Ona shares how she got her start in acting, her journey from Halifax to Vancouver, and that voicing Katya was the very first voice acting role of her career. They discuss Russian accents, comedic timing, and that Katya was the only woman Archer would ever actually marry. Also in this episode: Trailer Park Boys, bangs, “as dumb as you are stupid,” cumulative hangovers, Russian lemon parties, passing pool balls, “Exit Van Left,” RUSH, our Fluff the Listener segment, and the important question of whether Canada has spies. 📺 FX’s Archer is now streaming on Hulu. 📧 Send us fan content or questions: rephrasingpod@gmail.com 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @rephrasingpod

Rapper Jeezy

Richard Robey — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 07:00:46 +0000

[caption id="attachment_162233" align="alignnone" width="363"] (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)[/caption] CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank discussions about violence, crime and drug use that some listeners might find sensitive or triggering. In the early 2000s, when he was still in his 20s, he was Young Jeezy. He was brash and audacious. On his major label debut, he called himself your favorite rapper's favorite rapper. Alongside other southern rappers like T.I. and Gucci Mane, Jeezy helped bring trap music into the mainstream. Today, Jeezy is 48. He dropped "young" from his name over a decade ago. He’s still putting out records that are true to his trap music roots. These days, he has his very own Las Vegas residency running throughout July and August at Planet Hollywood. When Jeezy last joined us on the show back in 2023, he'd just released a book: Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe. He chatted with us about the memoir, and got into the first time he found his love of music. He also reflected on some of the toughest parts of his childhood and time hustling on the street. This interview originally aired in September of 2023

Stop Podcasting Yourself 958 – Caitlin Howden

Dave Shumka — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 04:36:32 +0000

Comedian Caitlin Howden returns to talk elevator people, Amelie, and axe throwing. Download episode 958 here. (right-click)

MBMBaM 824: Chaddy, Not Daddy

McElroy Family — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:00:04 +0000

The brothers are BACK, baby! All of them, even the ones you forgot about! They've been de-aged and are making out with mystical artifacts in order to bring you the best advice about grumpy owls, small-b bbq, and Big Brother Time-Travel Lore. Suggested talking points: Straight to Kevin, I Am Root, I Don’t Question That BB-tonium Exists, Swollen with Vienna Sausages, Staging with Heart Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmbmbam

Codependency and Covid on a Tiny Boat in the Middle of the Ocean, with Angela Harger-Thompson

Raghu Manavalan — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:22:17 +0000

Angela Harger-Thompson had moved to Hollywood to make it big in showbiz but soon fell victim to a devastating assault. There to comfort her was her intermittent boyfriend. She really liked him and thought his offer of a four-week, 4000 mile sailing voyage on the Pacific Ocean, accompanies by a small crew of strangers and a dog seemed like a good idea. The claustrophobic pressure of that situation, combined with the dangers of ocean travel, was compounded by the rapid emergence of the covid pandemic. That meant closed borders, dwindling provisions, and a fear of what would come next. Angela tells us of the codependency in play in this situation, how they finally reached semi-friendly shores, how the romance crumbled hard, and the fallout that ensued. It’s all detailed in her new book, Worst Tits Ever, a title that sprang from an angry missive from what had become her very much EX-boyfriend. Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun. Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com! Hey, remember, you’re part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at depreshmode@maximumfun.org. Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group. Help is available right away. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741. International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Secretly Incredibly Fascinating: Nail Polish

Alex Schmidt — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 08:05:33 +0000

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why nail polish is secretly incredibly fascinating. ***SIF members get a special digital art poster, to celebrate 300 episodes! Find it in your BoCo: https://maximumfun.org/howtoboco/

LINKS FOR KATIE GOLDIN:

RESOURCES USED TO INFORM THE EPISODE'S LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

RESEARCH SOURCES:

Flop House 487:Master of Disguise LIVE

Dan McCoy — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 10:00:58 +0000

Way back in the winter we stopped by SF Sketchfestto discuss the film that gave us the mental image of Dana Carvey in a turtle suit, solemnly remembering the victims of 9/11 -- THE MASTER OF DISGUISE. Join us as we discuss the astounding/sometimes racist adventures of Pistachio Disguisey! And thank you to the wonderful folks at Cobb's Comedy Club for hosting us yet again! Paste https://feeds.simplecast.com/EOAFriME into iTunes (or your favorite podcatching software) to have new episodes of The Flop House delivered to you directly, as they’re released. Wikipedia page for Master of Disguise

Ep. 494.5: BoCo Preview – The 15th anniversary of CM Punk’s Pipe Bomb

Julian Burrell — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 07:01:56 +0000

To hear the full conversation, go to maximumfun.org/jointights to become a MaxFun Member. For as little as $5 a month, you’ll earn great gifts and help this show continue. In 2011, CM Punk took a seat in Las Vegas and delivered the promo of his career. It elevated him to main event status and kicked off a new era for WWE. Danielle Radford and producer Julian take a long look at this famous promo and what its effects are to this day. Keep up with this show all week long on instagram, tiktok and bluesky. This show was produced by Julian Burrell for Maximumfun.org

TRANSCRIPT Shmanners: Slang

McElroy Family — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:20:15 +0000

Shmanners: Slang

McElroy Family — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 16:00:15 +0000

Hello internet! This week's episode is all about the history behind popular modern SLANG terms! Enjoy and be sure to share with a friend! Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinshmanners

Week 5 – It’s Called A Bagel Guillotine (24 in 24)

Valerie Moffat — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:00:43 +0000

Mike & Sierra extol the virtues of a late dinner, dunk on Playa Vista, and ponder the validity of "breaking the seal." This week's scoring: Enter and survive a challenge: Viet, Avishar, Alex, Christina, Zac, Lee Anne, Dawn, Joe (all x2) +2 Make it through a shift Viet, Avishar, Alex, Christina (will award more next episode) +1 “Tired”, “exhausted”, or “sleep”: Lee Anne, Viet +1 Check out our merch at maxfunstore.com, support us at maximumfun.org/joinchef, follow us on Instagram @tvcheffantasyleague, and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts!

David Wain on ‘Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass’

Jesus Ambrosio — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:00:10 +0000

[caption id="attachment_162177" align="alignnone" width="300"] (Photo: Maximum Fun / Daniel Speer)[/caption] David Wain is a comedy legend. Alongside Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, Ken Marino and many other heavy hitters, Wain co-founded The State, massively influential comedy troupe. David and The State have a lot of great movies in their filmography: They Came Together, Role Models, A Futile and Stupid Gesture, and of course: Wet Hot American Summer. Every few years, David Wain gets together with Ken Marino. They lock themselves up 10 hours a day for about a week – literally. Each time they do this, Marino & Wain come out with a movie. A fully written first draft of a screenplay. Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is the latest screenplay from one of these exercises, and now it's a movie in theaters now! Wain talks about the film on the latest episode. He gets into how long it actually took the movie to get made after the screenplay was written and how he got Jon Hamm to agree to be in the film. Plus, he gets into rocking out with Marino in their cover band: Middle Aged Dad Jam Band. For more info on Middle Aged Dad Jam Band click here. For info about Wet Hot American Summer 25th anniversary screenings click here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW_BA_54S1g

Episode #464: ‘The Odyssey’ with Dimitry Pompée

Marissa Flaxbart — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:00:02 +0000

Everybody's talking about Christopher Nolan's latest film...and so are we! We've got Eurovangelists co-host Dimitry Pompée with us to discuss the first movie ever shot in 70mm IMAX film, adapted from one of history's oldest and most famous works of literature...it's THE ODYSSEY! Then we'll talk about some of the books we read in high-school that have been (or should be) adapted for the big screen. What's Good? Alonso: vegetables that don't give you explosive diarrhea Drea: Blue Diamond Dill Pickle Nut-Thins Dimitry: The Ottoman Empire (Rise of Empires: Ottoman on Netflix) Kevin: the Other Mommy trailer ITIDIC Hollywood Deems the Box Office “Back” – Big Time A Rotoscoped TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE is in production The Odyssey/We Bought a Zoo meme A Letterboxd List: High-School Reads Staff Picks Alonso: The Good House Drea: The Return Dimitry: Polite Society Kevin: The Long Walk and other great movies to fall asleep to, if you're Kevin Listen to Eurovangelists!

344: Kid Questions with Isaac!

Ellen Weatherford — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 18:16:10 +0000

Ellen & special guest Isaac answer questions from young listeners! We discuss bug guts, milking squids, the blobfish's secret Final Form, getting upped, ancient sharks with table saws for faces, and so much more. Links:

For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!
Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!
Follow Ellen on Instagram or BlueSky!

Ep 472 – Not Just For Dogs – Summer Reading Essentials

Reading Glasses — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:30:10 +0000

Brea and Mallory name their summer reading essentials! Plus, they give tips on getting through required reading and recommend weird space books. Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com! Reading Glasses Merch Recommendations Store The Reading Glasses Book! Links - Reading Glasses Facebook Group Reading Glasses Goodreads Group Wish List Newsletter Libro.fm To join our Discord channel, email us proof of your Reading-Glasses-supporting Maximum Fun membership! Join us here! Books Mentioned - Teddy Bears Never Die by Cho Yeeun, translated by Sung Ryu Turn Off the Light by Jacquie Walters Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove The Sixth Nik by Daniel Kraus The Girl with a Thousand Faces by Sunyi Dean

The Adventure Zone Royale: Episode 29

McElroy Family — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 11:00:12 +0000

The Trial of Enchantment, Part 1 With the truth finally out in the open, the aspirants are less willing than ever to participate in the battle royale. But whatever has come to light, the contest still goes on, with more trials to overcome and only one winner. Royale Theme: “Wizard Disco” by Louie Zong: https://louiezong.bandcamp.com/album/wizard-disco Original Music by Griffin McElroy Additional Music in this Episode: "Fireball", "Night Sky", and "Simple Song" by Jar of Flies: https://jaroffliesofficial.bandcamp.com/; and Taffy Machine" by Kate Kody: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/kate-kody/. Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/jointaz

Episode 128: Eurovision 1991 Recap

Jeremy Bent — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:13:17 +0000

We'll be covering the famously terrible 2008 Eurovision Song Contest in a livestream later this year, but we thought we ought to cover the second place winner (and Oscar's favorite!), 1991's ESC at Cinecittà in Rome. And since we couldn't keep this many mediocre ballads to ourselves, joining us for this highly dysfunctional edition of Eurovision is the hilarious writer & comedian Corin Wells. (Dropout, The Amber Ruffin Show). Jeremy can't believe they let this sax solo slide, Dimitry needs more people to cover Amina, Corin's playing her first Eurovision on Expert difficulty, and Oscar traces the origins of all of 91's choreo to an unlikely source. Follow Corin on Instagram. Watch ESC 1991 on YouTube. Watch the BBC version of ESC 1991, complete with Wogan's commentary (lower quality audio, but worth it). Watch the winners of the 80s & 90s on YouTube. Vote for your favorite winners of the 80s & 90s.

Son Tracker, with Hayden Johnson

MaxFun Intern — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:00:54 +0000

This week, comedian Hayden Johnson joins us to talk about bus friends, career day flops, light blaspheming, and so much more *Check out Hayden on Instagram *Go see Hayden on tour *Preorder The Amazing Venom *Check out more Amazing Spiderman content from Jordan. *Order Jordan’s new Web of Venom comic. *Check out Jordan’s comic Predator: Bloodshed. * Order Jordan’s new Predator comic: Black, White & Blood! * Order Jordan’s new Venom comic! * Donate to Al Otro Lado. * Purchase signed copies of *Youth Group* and *Bubble* from Mission: Comics And Art! ~ NEW JJGo MERCH ~ Get Bronto Dino-Merch! Get our ‘Ack Tuah’ shirt in the Max Fun store. Grab an ‘Ack Tuah’ mug! The Maximum Fun Bookshop! Follow the podcast on Instagram and send us your dank memes! Check out Jesse’s thrifted clothing store, Put This On. Produced by Christian Dueñas

Triple Play: Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

Jason Schreier — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 07:00:55 +0000

Jason, Maddy, and Kirk pull out their spyglasses and zoom in on Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, the remake of the 2013 classic for modern platforms. They talk about the sea battles, the game's gruff hero, and what works (and doesn't work) about this new reimagining. One More Thing: Kirk: Denshattack! Maddy: Little House on the Prairie (2026) Jason: The Mermaid Mask LINKS: Kirk’s 2013 review of AC IV: https://kotaku.com/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag-the-kotaku-review-1453735783 Stephen’s newsletter on Resynced’s take on the modern day stuff: https://www.gamefile.news/p/assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced-review Background article about the Little House reboot: https://redpopnews.com/netflixs-little-house-on-the-prairie-proves-the-story-was-always-big-enough-for-the-truth-and-authenticity/ Tee Lopes - “There’s A Trick To It,” Andrew One - “Coastline Funk,” Sean Bialo - “Passing Ariake Breeze” - from the Denshattack OST

Episode 204: On The Road by Kathryn Borel Jr

Ben Blacker — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 07:00:51 +0000

Episode 204: On The Road by Kathryn Borel Jr

This month's dead pilot is On the Road, Kathryn Borel Jr.'s daring reimagining of Jack Kerouac's iconic novel. Instead of trying to recreate a literary classic beat for beat, Kathryn takes its spirit and builds something entirely her own. It's exactly the kind of ambitious swing we love celebrating on Dead Pilots Society.

Kathryn's credits include Rush, American Dad!, Anne with an E, and Kung Fu, and she's currently working on Damon Lindelof's upcoming limited series The Chain. She's also the author of the memoir Corked.

The cast features Kelly Marie Tran (The Last Jedi, Raya and the Last Dragon), Zosia Mamet (Girls, Laid), Rebecca Pidgeon (Euphoria, State and Main), and Brian McElhaney of BriTANicK (Pizza Movie).

Video of the live table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for as little as $5 a month at maximumfun.org/join.

And don’t forget to check out Andrew’s documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story at https://www.reddkrossfilm.com/

Beyoncé’s Renaissance

Laura Swisher — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 07:00:41 +0000

This week, Sequoia and Ryann talk Beyoncé’s 2022 album Renaissance. And even though Sequoia will go to the mat to defend Beyoncé’s supremacy as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, living artists today, she puts her beef with the artist on front street. Listen to the episode to see how Ryann and Sequoia rank their favorite songs on the album. Spoiler alert: Their rankings differ. Buy Mocha Grande Merch Follow Sequoia Instagram @SequoiaBHolmes TikTok @SequoiaBHolmes Follow Ryann Instagram @gudguyryry Follow BPLP Pod Instagram @bplppod TikTok @bplppod

Alice Maio Mackay on ‘The Twilight Saga’

Marissa Flaxbart — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 07:00:02 +0000

With a glance at her lengthy filmography, you'd never know that Australian filmmaker Alice Maio Mackay is barely in her twenties. THE SERPENT'S SKIN (now available on digital and Blu-Ray) is her sixth feature. And while her work is generally categorized as horror or fantasy, the undercurrent of romance there is a tell for the romantic saga that made her feel seen: TWILIGHT (the books, the movies, the whole series). So which Bella is she? And how has she made so many movies already? Jordan asks all this and more... Then, Jordan has one quick thing about Alice's next movie, plus an indie from SERPENT'S SKIN actor Avalon Fast. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinfeelingseen Feeling Seen is hosted by Jordan Crucchiola and is a production of Maximum Fun. You can watch video editions of our new episodes on our YouTube Channel! Need more Feeling Seen? Keep up with the show on Instagram and Bluesky.

TRANSCRIPT Wonderful! 425: Faucet Donkey Cat

McElroy Family — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:22:23 +0000

Wonderful! 425: Faucet Donkey Cat

McElroy Family — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:00:06 +0000

Griffin and Rachel share the many little moments of wonder in the world. Griffin's favorite emotional inversion! Rachel's favorite textural side-quest! Griffin's favorite football storylines! Rachel's favorite fresh cold! Griffin's favorite bitter rind! Rachel's favorite captured moments! Griffin's favorite floppy not crispy beach treats! Rachel's favorite big ol' puffy shoes! Griffin's favorite bad bug trap! Music: “Money Won’t Pay” by bo en and Augustus – https://open.spotify.com/album/7n6zRzTrGPIHt0kRvmWoya Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinwonderful

Episode 783: Exculpa-trophy Evidence

Jennifer Marmor — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:00:48 +0000

If you win "Best Feature" at a film festival, but the festival doesn't give you a trophy, can you make your own trophy? Or is that too cringe? Spouses and filmmakers Kaye and Mariel disagree! Their film THE REBRAND (trailer here) won several film festival awards! But most of the festival organizations did not provide trophies, or any physical representation of the win for that matter. Kaye wants to design and 3-D print her own trophies to commemorate the occasion, and to serve as a reminder that "they like her They really like her!" But, while Mariel is proud of the work they have done and the awards they received, she's also trying to rely less on external validation. Who's right? Who's wrong? Thanks to reddit user u/dihydrogenmonoxidesoup for naming this week’s case! To suggest a title for a future episode, keep an eye on the Maximum Fun subreddit at reddit.com/r/maximumfun! If you want to check out the Obscure Cultural Reference, tap here! Thanks to Christian Duguay for letting us close the show with "Frisbee Golf (The Legend Of Tom Clutch)" by Cephalopods Are People! Make sure to check out the Valley Heat podcast if you haven't already. Start at episode 1 and enjoy the ride that is this hilarious show! SUBSCRIBE TO THIS PODCAST in APPLE PODCASTS or the RSS FEED

Ex and the Pity

Seth Lind — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:57:43 +0000

And just like that, The legumes are back for another adventure. Wait oh cruck, we forgot about Larry and Samesies! They were down at the river, making asses of themselves in front of ripped fordsman Dan Siego. Here their saga continues. And the cavers delve further yet into the dark heart of Telluria.

The Jackie and Laurie Show #551: Always Boostin’

Kyle Clark — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:30:49 +0000

This week on the show, Laurie (@anylaurie16) gets a fresh wave of hate from Facebook. At first they thought she was just a woman, but after finding out she’s also a comedian, they came with renewed vigor! Meanwhile, if you invite Jackie out to eat, understand, she would like to go to a place and sit down. Like a Christian. Plus, they explore the unique position a comedy show MC has in handling bad joke rebuttals. Subscribe to the podcast, and give it a 5-star rating and review to help the show move up the charts. Video for the episodes is on The Jackie and Laurie YouTube channel! Comic of the Week: Kylie Vincent @kylievincenthasrisen Become a MaxFun Member for benefits and other great pods: https://href.li/?https://maximumfun.org/donate Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JackieandLaurie Watch the episodes and subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/ See Laurie on tour: https://lauriekilmartin.com/tour-dates See Jackie on tour: https://jackiekashian.com/tour-dates Watch Laurie’s special “Cis Woke Grief Slut” on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3zWwgPA Watch Laurie’s special “Cis Woke Grief Slut” on Amazon Prime: https://amzn.to/3NpHlMo Watch Jackie’s special “Looking Back” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZfwWvgMT70 Follow Laurie on social media: @anylaurie16 Follow Jackie on social media: @jackiekashian Recorded and Produced by Kyle Clark : @kyleclarkisrad

Free With Ads 125: Zodiac

Matt Lieb — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:00:48 +0000

For July-brary this week, we opened up our Kanopy App and checked out Zodiac, the David Fincher serial killer drama about how getting super into true crime will make your family leave you. Tune in next week when our movie will be... Mouse Hunt ----- FlemGems ETSY Store! Jordan is going to be at San Diego Comic Con July 24th and 25th. Jordan will be at Cape and Cowl Con, Sunday August 30th at Faction Brewing in Oakland. Jordan's new comic mini-series The Amazing Venom is coming in September. Pre-order signed copies bit.ly/goofriends.

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinfreewithads

Ep 199: Whitley Watson Keeping Medicine Dry and Fish Wet

Manolo Moreno — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 07:43:02 +0000

We play “Dr. Dream Job” submitted by Micheal Miller from Phoenix, Arizona; “Dr. Leaping Lizards” submitted by David Mariotte from San Diego, California; and“Stand-Up Cook-Out” submitted by Carl Knudson from Elkhart, Indiana. MaxFun members! http://www.maximumfun.org/joingameshow $5+ members can get Bonus Content! $10+ members can go ad-free! Hosted by Manolo Moreno ( moslo.xyz ) Insta / bluesky / substack : @drgameshow Opening theme: “Dr. Hangout” by Manolo Moreno Exit music: “Dr. Gameshow” by Big Huge ( bighuge.bandcamp.com); performed by Conrad Tao ( conradtao.com | insta: @conradtao )

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joingameshow

Jesse Thorn Has More Thoughts On Menswear Formality Levels Than You Do, Probably

Gabe Mara — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 07:00:28 +0000

Maximum Fun, the network upon which you hear our program, was founded by one Jesse Thorn, who continues to host an improbable number of podcasts on the network. Three, in fact: Bullseye (an interview program with cultural figures, also on NPR), Jordan, Jesse, Go! (where he horses around with Jordan Morris), and Judge John Hodgman (where he is the bailiff to the titular judge. But Jesse’s interests expand yet further, all the way to men’s apparel, how it has evolved, and what you should, in fact, wear. Maybe a grey or blue suit is a better all-purpose option than black. Maybe a vintage t-shirt is okay once in a while. We even examine and judge by-gone fashions, including the dog-eared collar, which you can see in this episode’s tile and which will haunt our collective dreams forever. Maybe you’ll be asleep before you hear about that collar. We hope so. Visit the Put This On Store at www.PutThisOnStore.com. Visit their Instagram @put.this.on. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John’s acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun

Studio City with Dave Holmes

Harry Nelson — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 07:00:14 +0000

Allan and Dave Holmes (International Waters, MTV) study a studio-centric city as they walk along one of L.A.’s oldest thoroughfares. Along the way, they visit a bridge over the L.A. River, reminisce about CBS Radford studios, and check out the site of L.A.’s first feature film.

Horror Clean Slate with Joseph Scrimshaw

Hal Lublin — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 04:00:50 +0000

Joseph Scrimshaw, the filmmaker behind Dead Media, joins us for a series of small, horror-based topics!

Episode 28: Ohio – “With God, All Things Are Possible”

Julian Burrell — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 20:01:38 +0000

Oi! Hi, Oh! Janet Varney and John Hodgman are off to the Buckeye State. There’s a lot to say about that motto. Compared to all of the others that have been covered so far, this one is a relatively new one– it was just made official in the 50s. You’ll learn the story about the boy behind its establishment. Plus a TON of listener emails that we’re always so thrilled to read. To hear more conversations from Janet and John, become a MaxFun Member at maximumfun.org/joinmotto! It costs as little as $5 a month. And for that you get access to our bonus episodes and the satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped make this show possible. Produced by Julian Burrell. Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher. For all things E Pluribus Motto, visit maximumfun.org/mottos-info Want to tell Janet & John something about an upcoming state? Or send a voice memo, photo, or cherished memory? There are lots of options: Email - Emailpluribusmotto@maximumfun.org Voice Message - speakpipe.com/epluribusmotto. Social Media: Instagram and TikTok. And if you want to purchase Bulletin Board as a small business in any state this season, you can do so here.

TRANSCRIPT Still Buffering: Bury Your Gays (2024)

McElroy Family — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 18:29:21 +0000

Sawbones: Cyclospora

McElroy Family — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:00:08 +0000

The food has been going wild lately, and none more in the headlines this second than cyclospora parasite which is causing an outbreak of . . . intense gastrointestinal distress. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the history of parasitic illnesses and what to know about the outbreak right now. For example, maybe just never eat lettuce ever again. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Still Buffering: Bury Your Gays (2024)

McElroy Family — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:33:18 +0000

We're back and we have done our bloody gay homework! Join us as we discuss Chuck Tingles 2024 offering to the queer for fear library, Bury Your Gays. How can we actually defeat corporate ai slop hellscape? Is it the power of love? We'll try that first and then move onto sledge hammers. Music: "Baby You Change Your Mind" by Nouvellas

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinbuffering

Rerun – Action Park: Looping Waterslides, Drunk Teens, and No Rules

Brenda Snell — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:30:48 +0000

Michigan was experiencing some of the worst air quality in the world this week, so here is a rerun of a classic SHONM episode for your enjoyment! In 1976, disgraced wallstreet investor Eugene Mullvihill opened the infamous Action Park in Vernon New Jersey. It would turn out to be a lawless place full of drunken poorly trained teens, a deadly wave pool, and the world's first, and last, looping waterslide.

Flula Borg on White Nights (Archer S2E12) — Paragliding, Whipped Cream Bikinis & Silk Socks

Amber Nash — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:00:51 +0000

Amber, Christian, and Casey are joined by Flula Borg to revisit White Nights — Season 2, Episode 12 of Archer. The gang dives into Flula's paragliding experience, love languages, and the seemingly unenthusiastic world of German audiences. From whipped cream bikinis to big knobbly vibrating eggplants, no topic is too strange as they compare stories about gas station toilets, concussions, and the oppressively sunny skies of California. Also in this episode: our Sex With Me segment, milking sturgeon, skydiving, silk socks, and enough wonderfully bizarre tangents to make Archer proud. 📺 FX's Archer is now streaming on Hulu. 📧 Send us fan content or questions: rephrasingpod@gmail.com 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @rephrasingpod

Judy Chicago

Richard Robey — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 07:01:05 +0000

[caption id="attachment_162050" align="alignnone" width="506"] (Photo: Courtesy of the artist)[/caption] Judy Chicago knew she wanted to be an artist since she was young. We're talking 4, 5 years old. And unlike many kids who dream big like that, Judy Chicago is an artist. One of the greats! Her 1979 piece "The Dinner Party" is considered a cornerstone work in feminist art - you can catch it on permanent display at the Brooklyn Museum in New York City. Chicago, who just celebrated her 87th birthday, is more than just the artist who made the Dinner Party, though. She works in mediums as diverse as paintings, live performances, and even fireworks.

Chicago currently has an exhibition in conjunction with the Venice Biennale. It's called The Materiality of Judy Chicago, and it's up at Galleria Alberta Pane now through November 22. She joins us to chat about the career-spanning exhibition, the art skills she gained from taking classes in auto body school, and much more!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGvvb4cZOrY

Episode 957 – Niki Mohrdar

Dave Shumka — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 04:31:05 +0000

Comedian Niki Mohrdar returns to talk cold plunges, production company logos, and Face/Off. Download episode 957 here. (right-click)

TRANSCRIPT MBMBaM 823: Seasonably Effective

McElroy Family — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 17:10:08 +0000

S6E1: Waterspark Psychotherapy

Ed Morrish — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 14:00:58 +0000

We all love the reality dating TV show Waterspark, where people compete to find love in a waterpark. But have you ever wondered about the psychology behind it? In Sound Heap this week, Sound Heap CEO & Fun Captain John-Luke Roberts plays you clips from The Benemy Cloof Podcast, where Benemy speaks to Dr Joyce Deloice, the show’s resident psychotherapist and co-creator. JLR(CEO/FC) also plays…

Source

Maybe It IS Time to Panic Over AI Chatbots and Mental Health with Maggie Harrison Dupré

Raghu Manavalan — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:20:04 +0000

This week, we take a look at a couple of acronyms that are soaring in popularity and ask what their widespread adoption means for mental health. Maggie Harrison Dupré of Futurism has been following the AI space closely and has an update on lawsuits related to chatbots’ culpability in numerous cases of attempted and completed suicides. She also explains some recent research about why prolonged engagement with the sycophantic computer programs can lead to spiraling out of reality. Then we’re joined by Dr. Thomas Rutledge for a look at drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound. While the drugs are so new that research is slim, some psychological issues can emerge, especially related to self image and identity. He asks if food cravings and thinking about food have occupied a lot of space in your mind for years, what happens when that goes away? It’s a complicated world we live in, Depresh Mode is here to help you make more sense of it. Articles by Maggie Harrison Dupré: Lawsuit: Bipolar Man Attempted Suicide After ChatGPT Poured Gasoline on His Religious Delusions New Paper Proposes What Really Causes AI Psychosis These Logs of ChatGPT Allegedly Driving a Suicidal Woman to Her Death Are Deeply Disturbing Article by Thomas Rutledge: Your Brain on GLP-1s: What We're Learning About the Mental Side Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun. Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com! Hey, remember, you’re part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at depreshmode@maximumfun.org. Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group. Help is available right away. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741. International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindepresh

Secretly Incredibly Fascinating: Sparta

Alex Schmidt — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 08:05:54 +0000

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why Sparta is secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources, handy links, and this week's bonus episode.

LINKS FOR KATIE GOLDIN:

RESOURCES USED TO INFORM THE EPISODE'S LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

RESEARCH SOURCES:

FH Mini 154 – Dan Explains Jem

Dan McCoy — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 10:00:06 +0000

Proving that Stuart's not the only one who can do a lore deep dive, Dan takes us on a tour of one of his more oddball obsessions, the 1985 cartoon series Jem, and it's one of our longest minis ever. Truly, truly, truly outrageous! Subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, “Flop Secrets! It’s the best way to keep up on all things Flop House!

Ep. 494: Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns – A Decade in the Making

Julian Burrell — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 07:01:12 +0000

Go to maximumfun.org/jointights to become a MaxFun Member. For as little as $5 a month, you’ll earn great gifts and help this show continue. Maxxine Dupri has leveled up as a heel, aligning herself with The Vision and fully removing herself from Otis and Tozowa. But is she ready to lead her own faction? Plus, with WWE set to finally give Chad Gable a major win for the Intercontinental Title. But there are a number of members of the panel who have their eyes set on someone else who’s ready to be Chad’s foil. The Main Event: Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns came into the WWE together and even though they frequently cross paths, the actual matches between them have been few and far between. But at SummerSlam, they'll finally face each other for the World Heavyweight Championship. The Three Count: Danielle put over Dark Side of the Ring Season 7. Lindsey put over Becky Lynch on the “Happy Mum” podcast. Hal put over Braun controlling the sandwich narrative. Keep up with this show all week long on instagram, tiktok and bluesky. This show was produced by Julian Burrell for Maximumfun.org

TRANSCRIPT Shmanners: Civilian Conservation Corps

McElroy Family — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 18:17:35 +0000

Ep. 197: William Stanford Davis & Laura Dave

Julian Burrell — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:01:56 +0000

Trivia is like sunshine on a cloudy day – on Go Fact Yourself! William Stanford Davis is an actor who plays Mr. Johnson, the enigmatic janitor on “Abbott Elementary.” He’ll tell us how the role is a culmination of a lifetime of acting and how he got the part by … dancing? Laura Dave is the author of the book The Last Thing He Told Me. When it became a New York Times bestseller, she literally did not believe it. Now she’s adapted the book (and its sequel) into a series on Apple TV. She’ll tell us how casting Jennifer Garner in the lead role wasn’t nearly as difficult as you might think. Areas of Expertise: Laura: Bruce Springsteen songs, Philadelphia Eagles football, and the movie Sleepless in Seattle. Stan: 1960s to 1980s R&B music, the movie Do the Right Thing, and St. Louis Cardinals baseball from the Lou Brock/Bob Gibson era. What’s the Difference: The Metric System What’s the difference between a measure and a metric? What’s the difference between the justice system and the judicial system? With Guest Experts: Jon Dorenbos: Magician, motivational speaker, and record-breaking member of the Philadelphia Eagles. Otis Williams: Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and founding member of The Temptations. Hosts: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Credits: Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. Co-Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell. Additional editing by Valerie Moffat. Seeing our next live-audience shows by YOU! It’s always a good time to go to maximumfun.org/joingofact to support this show and get monthly bonus episodes.

Shmanners: Civilian Conservation Corps

McElroy Family — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 16:00:36 +0000

Hello internet! This week's episode is all about the history of the Great Depression and the founding of the CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS! Enjoy and be sure to share with a friend! Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinshmanners

Welcome to the Gay Freak Store – FanFiction with This Week in Fandom History!

Reading Glasses — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:30:02 +0000

Brea and Mallory talk to Emily and V of the This Week in Fandom History podcast to discuss the tricky ethics of publishing fanfiction. Email us at readingsmutpodcast69@gmail.com! Sign up to support the show! Then email us your membership proof for Discord Access! Reading Smut Merch Newsletter Instagram Next month’s book is Ice Planet Barbarians! This Week in Fandom History

Week 4 – Secret Crossword Rules (24 in 24)

Valerie Moffat — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:00:41 +0000

This week: Adaptability! And not, as Viet says, Resourcefulness. We learn that we're not allowed in Jesse Thorn's closet, and Ify shares his adorable bookmark. This week's scoring: Enter and survive a challenge: Alex (x2), Dawn (x2), Brian, Joe, Christina, Zac, Lee Anne, Viet, Avishar +2 Make it through a shift: Alex, Dawn, Joe, Christina, Zac, Lee Anne, Viet, Avishar +1 “Tired”, “exhausted”, or “sleep”: Lee Anne, Viet +1 Winning Golden Knife: Brian, Viet +0.5 Check out our merch at maxfunstore.com, support us at maximumfun.org/joinchef, follow us on Instagram @tvcheffantasyleague, and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts!

Guy Branum – Live at The Lyric Hyperion

Jesus Ambrosio — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:00:41 +0000

[caption id="attachment_161908" align="alignnone" width="300"] (Photo: Daniel Speer / Maximum Fun)[/caption] Earlier this year, as a thank you to the many people who supported this show during the MaxFunDrive, the Bullseye team did something pretty silly and fun: we promised to crash an open mic. We showed up at the Lyric Hyperion Theater in Silverlake, Los Angeles. Jesse talked with Guy Branum about his incredible solo show: "Be Fruitful" and so much more. Thanks to Brynna Campbell and everyone at The Lyric Hyperion for hosting Bullseye. Brynna's weekly open mic The Lyric Sessions is every Wednesday evening at the theater. If you'd like to support our show, it's easy: click here.

Episode #463: ‘Phantom of the Paradise’ [Listener Pick 2026!]

Marissa Flaxbart — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:00:16 +0000

As a MaxFunDrive milestone goal, we set the challenge that if we got enough new/upgrading/joining supporters of Maximum Film!, one of those folks would get to pick a movie for us to do an episode on. Well, thanks to supporters like Molly, we hit that goal, and this episode is the result: PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (one of Molly's faves) is a 1974 rock musical fantasmagoria from early in writer/director Brian DePalma's career. It's box-office flop-turned cult classic. And it is heavily reliant on the dubious cultural power of songwriter and actor Paul Williams. As if this episode needed to be MORE special, we also mark the mid-year by naming some of our favorite films of the year so far. What's Good? Alonso - oh, let's call it "current events" Drea - fixing her own portable AC unit Marissa - Paramount+ (sorry) has a 90s sitcom "live" channel Kevin - reading Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow ITIDIC GLAAD Study Shows Drop in LGBTQ Characters in FIlm A Look Back at the Pop Culture of 1974… Staff Picks Drea - Horsegirls Alonso - Ishtar Marissa - Tommy Kevin - River [Ribâ, nagarenaide yo] Kevin at Comic-Con: Malcolm & Friends Panel: Thursday, 12:30pm, Room 6A The Pitching Hour: Friday, 12pm, Room 32AB

343: Synanthropes w/ Dan Werb!

Ellen Weatherford — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 20:01:10 +0000

Join Ellen & special guest, writer and scientist Dan Werb, for a look at the animal neighbors that have made themselves at home in our own backyards: synanthropes. The word means a wild, undomesticated animal that lives closely alongside humans, whether that means scurrying through subway tunnels or curling up in an old refrigerator at the bottom of the sea or quietly roosting right over your head, all of which we discuss in this episode. We also talk about a university campus turf war between dogs and baboons, the genetically enhanced Super Soldiers of New York City, villainous plants, the ancient prehistoric roots of our spiritual relationship with ravens, and other fascinating stories featured in Dan’s book, Our Wild Familiars, which has just released this week. Links:

Pick up Our Wild Familiars where books are sold!
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Follow Ellen on Instagram or BlueSky!

Ep 471 – Most Anticipated Books for July/August 2026!

Reading Glasses — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 14:30:34 +0000

Brea and Mallory talk about their most anticipated books for July and August 2026! Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com!

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Recommendations Store

The Reading Glasses Book!

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To join our Discord channel, email us proof of your Reading-Glasses-supporting Maximum Fun membership! Join us here!

Books Mentioned - Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke Trash! by Simon Pare-Poupart, translated by Pablo Strauss

July

With Friends Like You by Amy Chozick Thriller, motherhood, obsession, friendship The Forest Becomes Her by Julie Carrick Dalton Literary, magical realism, three generations of women, nature, rage, family drama Make Nice by Ryan Effgen Literary, family drama, summer hotel, Lake Michigan, comedy of manners Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw Fantasy, Gothic, women rediscovers mythical island she found as a child and man she knew who has not aged Love You More by Emily Giffin Romance, woman gets engaged then gets a call from her first love Destination Funeral by Paige Harbison Sci fi, estranged friends brought together for a funeral get trapped in a time loop Meet Me in Paris by Kristen Harmel Short stories, seven intertwined love stories in Paris, Love Actually meets The Notebook City of Widows by Nadia Hashimi Historical fiction, women of Afghanistan in the years after the Taliban took power Crash into Me by Robinne Lee Literary, romance, woman struggling to make her complicated life work runs into sexy man from her past

The Good Parts by Evann Normandin Literary, sci fi romance, second chance, memory-erasing treatment Man Overboard! by Kathleen Rooney Literary, humor, man falls overboard on a cruise and must tread water and revisit his life until he’s rescued The Great Wherever by Shannon Sanders Literary, family saga in the American South The Simp: A Novel Without a Hero by Roshan Sethi Literary, absurdist, out of work actor takes a very weird job Some People by Parini Shroff Literary, family drama, about to be divorced man forced to caretake for his injured future ex mother in law Astronaut! by Oana Aristide Historical fiction, dark humor, life under authoritarian rule in Romania 1989 A Real Animal by Emeline Atwood Literary fiction, a woman coming of age and reckoning with being human The Obsessed by Lizzie Buehler Literary, woman maps the plot of her favorite novel onto her life and freaks out when it doesn’t go to plan Famous Men by Julie Buntin Literary fiction, woman coming of age, looking for father and finding herself The Devoted by Catherine Cho Literary, daughter of crimelord getting drawn into underground after she escaped, forbidden love When Mikan Road Was Ours by D.K. Furutani Literary, four generation family drama, California, WWII, Japanese-American family Seven by Joanna Kavenna Speculative fiction, young philosopher on hunt to find ancient game Beginning Middle End by Valeria Luiselli Literary fiction, mother daughter road trip through Italy Country People by Daniel Mason Historical fiction, Vermont, humor, European family coming to America and getting wrapped up in a local legend

The Winds of Maracaibo by Maria Elena Moran, translated by Madeline Jones Literary, family drama, politics, woman determined to rescue kidnapped daughter Song for Another Home by Bora Lee Reed Historical fiction, South Korea, Homegoing meets Pachinko Yellow Pine by Claire Vaye Watkins Literary fiction, woman making a life off the grid in the California desert when a man from her past returns Matcha on Monday by Michiko Aoyama, translated by E. Madison Shimoda Healing fiction, cozy, Japan, cafe only open on Mondays offers healing to patrons The Seoul Letter Shop by Baek Seungyeon, translated by Clare Richards Healing fiction, woman working in letter store discovers the healing power of letters The Memory Bookshop by Song Yu-jeong, translated by Shanna Tan Healing fiction, South Korea, magical bookshop An Infinite Love Story by Chanel Cleeton Historical fiction, 1960s space race, astronaut gets lost in space and his wife relives their love story as she tries to figure out what happened to him Runner by Ashton Lattimore Historical fiction, Prohibition-era Martha’s Vineyard, woman from Black seafaring family becomes a rum-runner to investigate her father’s death

The Secret Society of Librarians by Kate Thompson Historical fiction, what more do you need besides the title? The Novel Detective by Teresa Dovalpage Thriller, mystery writer protagonist, Cuba, metafiction, woman returning to hometown to uncover truth of suspicious deaths at her high school How to Kill a Crime Writer by Sarah Lotz Mystery, cozy, Britain, bestselling crime writer is murdered and daughter must investigate Last Night Was Killer by Mary Pauline Lowry Mystery, humor, struggling single mom who wakes up with a body in the trunk of her car The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Historical mystery, noir, conman gets more than he bargained for

Shrink Solves Murder by Philippa Perry Mystery, cozy, Britain, small town therapist solves murder The Masala Chai Mystery Club by M.J. Soni Mystery, cozy, retired librarian must solve murder of much hated neighbor Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead Mystery, third book in Harlem Trilogy Sisterhood Above All by Kathleen Barber and Amayah Shaienne Thriller, competing sorority houses in the American South, murder Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox Thriller, Texas beauty pageant turns deadly

Helpless by Jessica Knoll Psychological thriller, Hollywood, producer gets kidnapped by ex and starts to see her past differently Three Reasons for Revenge by Dervla McTiernan Thriller, detective investigates case where 3 identical packages arrive at 3 unconnected people’s houses, each designed to ruin the life of the recipient The Parisian Heist by Jo Piazza Thriller, dual timeline art world heist

The Man by Laura Sims Thriller, 1960s housewife/amateur photographer fears for her life when she notices a silhouette of a man in the background of her photos The Death Row Club by V.A. Vazquez Thriller, someone turns up dead at the annual getaway for adult children of serial killers Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Windstead Thriller, actress gets accused of murder and must solve crimes, which connect to the years-earlier murder of her sister

Wisdom Corner by David Heska Wanbli Weiden Thriller, Virgin Wounded Horse book 2 The Lord of the Wood by E.M. Anderson Queer horror fantasy, deadly magic forest, gay romance The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance by Chiara Bullen Queer cozy romantasy, scholar sent to research mysterious inn uncovers centuries-old secret The Eye of Leviathan by M.A. Carrick Fantasy, historical, alternate Spanish Golden Age, fae, adventure Fishbone Cinderella by Elizabeth Lim Fantasy, historical, Hong Kong 1940s, magic Not with A Bang by Temi Oh Sci fi, thriller, family unraveling as a mysterious object hurtles towards Earth The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood by H.G. Parry Fantasy, historical Wales, 1940s, reborn Arthurian legends

Moss’d in Space by Rebecca Thorne Queer cozy sci fi, sapphic romance, refurbishing old spaceship The Dragon Has Some Complaints by John Wiswell Fantasy, funny, dragon with three heads and three personalities pretends to be tame to live in a dragonrider academy Ravenous by Kresley Cole Romantasy, warring immortal beings with immortal hungers A Tangled Magic by Andrea Eames Romantasy, woman with amnesia and magical hair searches for her lost memories

The Farewitch of Foxe Holler by Ellen Pauley Goff Romantasy, cozy, Steel Magnolias meets Practical Magic, kitchen witch whose recipes have the power to heal Dominion by Jean Kwok Romantasy, Fourth Wing meets Chinese mythology Maggie and Arthur’s Magic Moment by Leslie Rene Romantasy, dangerous spell gone wrong forces incantations professor in forced proximity with an alchemist Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst Romantasy, sailor rescues a composer refugee with her ship, sea serpent companion

Among the Thorns by Jennifer K. Lambert Romantasy, sapphic sorceresses, animal companions, love triangle, morally grey characters, dark cottagecore Wild Goose Chase by Sarah Adler Contemporary romance, funny, forced proximity, antique dealers must deal with illegal stuffed goose and their attraction to each other

In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto Contemporary romance, academic rivals-to-lovers, storm-chasing meteorologists in hurricane season in Florida If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle Contemporary romance, humor, romance reader gets trapped in murderous meetcute Just a Highland Fling by Naina Kumar Contemporary romance, Scotland road trip, forced proximity The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren Contemporary romance, accidental erases the memory of a troubled marriage, second chance Vera Stein Is Fine by Julie Murphy Contemporary romance, plus size protagonist, woman who has given up on love gets a job at her grandma’s Hollywood retirement home and runs into the man she never expected to see again Fossil Feud by Maggie North Contemporary romance, “STEMinist”, two paleontologists Yes, Chef by Grace Reilly Contemporary romance, The Bear meets romance The Final Score by Lana Ferguson Contemporary romance, hockey Chosen Family by Madeleine Gray Literary, queer friend group, Sydney, funny, friendship-turned-feud-turned-love-affair across 18 years Misery’s Wife by Joan Tierney Sci fi, cli-fi, queen reimagining of Portuguese folktalk, trans protagonist A Fate Worse than Drowning by Sarah L. Hawthorn Fantasy, horror, queer, sapphic, lighthouse keeper makes a devil with the deal The Hexing Miss Helena by Darcy McGuire Queer romantasy, magic, enemies to lovers, witches, scandal

Perverts by Mac Crane Literary, queer, short stories about desire Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden Horror, New England, vampires Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle Horror, queer, thriller, Drive meets Beetlejuice Our Knives Will Save Us: Dispatches from a White Mountain Apache Chef by Nephi Craig Memoir Unsayable: A Life in Writing by Michael Cunningham Memoir Fierce Country: The Untold Story of Three Women Who Ignited America’s Love for the Wild by Heather Hansman Biography I’m A Lot: Surviving Myself and All the People I’ve Been by Alison Leiby Memoir Dad, Love, Me by Matthew Quick Memoir

Liberation Summer: The Moment that Changed the Women’s Movement and the Future of American Politics by Micki McElya Women’s history Aging Out: An Exploration of Caregiving, Corporations, and How Americans Grow Old by Lucy Schiller Sociology

How to Kill a Language: Power, Resistance, and the Race to Save Our Words by Sophia Smith Galer Anthropology Ghost Girl: Surviving the Black Swan Murder by Eva Benefield Memoir, true crime Catch the Devil: A True Story of Murder, Deception, and Injustice on the Gulf Coast by Pamela Colloff True crime Sisters of the Midnight Sun: A Murder in Arctic Alaska by Rebecca Wright Stevens True Crime

August The Marriage Rebound by Meka James Romance, sapphic, sports, basketball, WNBA Gender Rituals: Creating a Sacred Space for Your Body, Your Gender, and Your Becoming by Eli Lawliet, PhD Nonfiction

She Haunts Me Still by De Elizabeth Horror, fantasy, queer, theater, ghosts, dark academia, New England, vampire panic First Summer by Ekin Oklap Literary, summer, coming of age, sapphic Ship Happens by Mason Deaver Contemporary romance, second chance, trans protagonist, forced proximity on a cruise ship Homeward for a Spill by Jamie Pacton and Rebecca Podos Queer cozy romantasy, sapphic, music, adventure, spicy, motley crew, monsters Unprecedented Times by Malavika Kannan Literary fiction, queer, coming of age, New Adult, “Rishi used to want to save the world, now she just wants to have gay sex” The Divine Gardener’s Handbook: Or What to Do If Your Girlfriend Accidentally Turns Off the Sun by Eli Snow Queer dystopian fantasy, sapphic, gardening, gods

In What World by Bridget Morrissey Romance, sapphic, sci fi, time travel, rivals to lovers Unsafe: The Carceral Roots of the Anti-Trans Backlash by Sarah Lamble Nonfiction Be Still My Unbeating Heart by Josh Winning Mystery, paranormal, gay vampires, seaside Italian village, magical talking cat Appetite by P. Paramita Literary, New Adult, queer, coming of age of a young chef, pro wrestling

Fruit Fly by Josh Silver Mystery, queer, funny, struggling writer who steals a young gay man’s story Sunsplitter by S.A. Maclean Queer fantasy, second in duology The Unknown by Riley Sager Thriller, paranormal, dual timelines, Vermont, filmmaking, creepy island Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher Romantasy, queer, sequel A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett Fantasy, Shadow of the Leviathan #3 How to Find Love in the Cereal Aisle by Alissa DeRogatis Romance, contemporary, funny, writer starts planning her own meet cutes Death Row by Freida McFadden Novella, thriller, woman on death row for killing her husband sees her husband visiting the jail one day Pink Ink by Avina St. Graves Dark romance, Gothikana meets Dexter, student/professor, sexy serial killer Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty Sequel to Big Little Lies The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen Thriller, paranormal, decades old mystery, historical, ESP program, dual timelines The Secrets We Hide by Karin Slaughter Thriller, North Falls #2 Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier Thriller, serial killer recants long-ago confession The Lion and the Deathless Dark by Carissa Broadbent Romantasy, Crowns of Nyaxia #5 Adversary to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer Fantasy, Assistant to the Villain #4 Dreamland by Olivie Blake Fantasy, mystery, Gothic, girl gets a job working for a strange Hollywood family during a summer while women are being murdered in LA The Wild Beneath by Kelly Anderson Sci fi, romance, Wild Dark Shore meets Time Traveler’s Wife Stay Buried by Jennifer McMahon Folk horror, queer, Vermont, historical, dual timelines, small town, mysterious illness The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian Thriller, historical, young golf prodigy accidentally kills a man at a country club with her stray ball and the investigation reveals dark secrets Freyja by Marget Ann Thors Thriller, crime, Iceland, unsolved girl’s disappearance gets reopened twenty years later, Icelandic folklore (Mostly) Human Resources by Grace Viall Paranormal romance, romantasy, cryptids, rivals to lovers between wardens working for a company that manages monsters The Dog Park Murders by Angela Barker Mystery, dog groomer finds a human body in the dog park and teams up with surly cafe owner to solve the case The Iron Hex by Victoria S. Walsh Romantasy, secret witch, forbidden magic, quest for a missing princess The Dark in Her Veins by M.K. Lobb Romantasy, noir, YA, queer, sin is a disease and the rich hire the poor to carry out their basest instincts

The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson Romantasy, vampires, spicy, magic, enemies to lovers, vigilante justice against abusive men, arranged marriage Mia by Leslie Bazzett Thriller, psychological suspense, expat in Mexico encounters a glamorous older woman and their lives spiral out of control You’ll Love It Here by Natalie Sue Literary, friendship, humor, down on her luck woman takes a job at the super for a quirky apartment building

Plant Lady by Minyoung Kang, translated by Shanna Tan Horror, South Korea, plant shop owner who helps women bury the bodies of their terrible husbands Steelborn by Taylor J. LaRue Fantasy, fae, magic is outlawed, thief protagonist with a secret, sexy fairy man, woman with blades, enemies to lovers But I Hate Him by Page Powars YA queer romance, academic rivals, competitive summer camp Eyes of Kings by Chloe Gong Fantasy, Flesh and False Gods #3 Devil by Sierra Simone Erotica, Priest #4

Sunrise by Tea Obreht Historical fantasy, woman survives plane crash in wilderness and finds strange Old West town, triple timelines The Sleeping Sisters by Jennifer Givhan Horror, family curse, Chicana-Indigenous reimagining of the legend of the headless woman Meet Me in the Garden by Nina LaCour Historical fiction, queer, New Orleans, family saga, motherhood, sisterhood My Sister is Going to Kill Me by Nina Simon Thriller, family-centric whodunnit, sisters working together to find a killer as they raft down the Grand Canyon Devour Me by Emily Rath Paranormal romance, spicy, New England island, why choose, queer, witch, wraith The Secret Dinner by Raphael Montes, translated by Zoe Perry Mystery, funny, four friends make a plan to get money and it spirals out of control

Kitten by Stacy Yu Literary, coming of age, young woman who can’t get it together becomes obsessed with her rich boyfriend’s cat and everything changes Colt by Jessica Perterson Romance, cowboys, hot single dad, ranch, small town Only One for the Orc by Isabelle Romantasy, cozy, monster romance, bookshop owner protagonist Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty Sci fi, three strangers lives change when they’re drawn to a mysterious time travel agency They Say a Girl Died Here by Sarah Pinborough Thriller, small town secrets, strange cyclical murders Immortal Rose by Alexandra Bracken Romantasy, fae, magic perfume, slow burn, solving a murder The Infinite State by Richard Swan Sci fi, dystopia, three people entangled in a plot to escape a fascist state, space I Haunt It That Way by Isabelle Popp Romance, paranormal, haunted cabin, forced proximity For the Love of the Quest by Alexandra Ammon Parthun Sapphic historical romance, Arthurian legends, hunt for Excalibur The Minimalist by Kailee Pedersen Horror, queer, psychological drama, classic composer’s descent into madness Hello Baby by Kim Eui-kyung, translated by Sora Kim-Russell Literary, motherhood, six women undergoing IVF The Calamities by Chuck Wendig Horror, fantasy, occult magic, family drama, heir to a powerful family reckons with the demonic secret of their power Murder Bites by Mimi Montgomery Cozy mystery, city transplant to a dog obsessed small town becomes a suspect when the local dog walker is murdered Bridget and Gabe are Not Okay by Lex Croucher YA queer romantasy, Camelot Disasters #2 The Halls of the Dead by S.M. Hallow Horromance, Gothic, queer, necromancy, London Reliquary by Hannah Whitten Horror, fantasy, Gothic, mystery, woman whose fiance mysteriously dies gets invited to live at his family’s strange seaside house Bonfire and Bliss Bookstore by Brittanee Nicole Romance, autumnal, friends to lovers, small town, fake dating Take What You Can by Naima Coster Literary, female friendship, class, independence, new motherhood Bedeviled by Laura Thalassa Paranormal romance, Bewitched #3 I Punched an Alien and Now We’re in Couples Therapy by Kimberly Lemming Romanti-scifi, Cosmic Chaos #2 The Whitechapel Full Moon Society by Elizabeth DeLozier Historical fantasy, Victorian London during Jack the Ripper, woman takes job at mysterious society trying to find her missing brother The Responsible Party by Claire Carusillo Historical mystery, woman obsessed with saving strange family’s legacy and solving a cold case Etna by Paul Yoon Literary, magical realism, war dog on a journey home Siren Says by Jennifer Herrera Fantasy, witches, dangerous plant magic, Celtic spirits The Wound is Where the Light Enters: A Memoir of Resilience by Chris Young Nonfiction The Salt King by Natasha Pulley Queer romanti-scifi, strange happenings in a mining town, bizarre cures Ghost in the Night by Tiffany D. Jackson Middle grade horror, Savannah, ghosts, mystery, murder The Blue Moon Cafe & 24 Hour Occult Emporium by Lexie Sharabianlou Queer cozy romantasy, sapphic, magic witness protection program, small town Demons and Diplomacy by Megan Frampton Historical romantasy, 1850s London, pact between woman and the son of the Devil Find My Way Down to You by Julian Winters YA romantasy, You’ve Reached Sam meets Hadestown, underworld The Seekers of Deer Creek by Thao Thai Literary, two estranged sisters on a quest to find a painting that holds the secret of their family These Walls Remember by Del Sandeen Horror, historical, Southern Gothic, two estranged sisters, haunted house, Savannah If We Survive the Night by Jo Salazar Horror, apocalyptic, zombies, YA, queer, group of girls Back for Blood: Never Whistle at Night Part II: An Indigenous Horror Anthology Short stories The House That Eats the Dead by Max Doty Horror, haunted house, family moves into dream home that has an insatiable hunger Time to Burn by Ellery Lloyd Sci fi mystery, time travel tourism gone wrong International Relations by Zac Hammett Romance, contemporary, gay, fake dating, marriage of convenience, international diplomacy Levels of Love by Anabelle Stehl Romance, competitive video games, New Adult, rivals to lovers The Matchmaker’s Cottage by Kat Sloane Romance, cozy, autumnal, small town, bed and breakfast, upstate New York The Devil Knows Her Name by C.N. Vair Horror, Appalachia, deal with the devil, ancient magic, wildlife sanctuary World’s Okayest Oracle (Reluctantly) Seeks Demon by Olivia Dade Paranormal romance, spicy, oracle teams up with demon from her past to avert catastrophe Natural Selection by Clare Edge Queer YA thriller, three girls bond when a bear starts picking off known abusers in their small mountain town A Witch in Notting Hill by Alexandra Paige Cozy paranormal romance, witch and occult bookstore owner, London Some Kind of Haunted by Hazel Beck Horroromance, Halloween, city girl going to a small town because of an inheritance, curse, family secrets A Tender Age by Chang-rae Lee Literary, coming of age, family, community, masculinity Hocus Pocus by Brinda Charry Historical fantasy, young magician traveling the world while hiding a secret, Indian stage magic, 1800s Want Me, Take Me, Haunt Me, Make Me by Isabel Crowley Horromance, medium staving off demonic possession and trying to hide it A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig Historical horror, retelling, Gothic, forest with monsters, town curse The Castle & the Cloister by Laura E. Weymouth Fantasy, Priory of the Orange Tree meets Black Sun, political fantasy The Everest Mystery: Sandy Irvine, George Mallory, and the Truth Still Buried on Everest by Julie Summers and Jochen Hemmleb History Nobody Broke Your Heart: An Intimate Biography of Elliott Smith by Jamie Fisher Biography The Time Tax: How the Government Wastes Our Time-and How to Fix It by Annie Lowrey Nonfiction Mothers of Invention: A History of Creativity from the Greek Muses by Moiya McTier Nonfiction Mahalia Jackson, Moving on Up a Little Higher: The Story of an American Civil Rights Pioneer by Timothy B Tyson and Mary D Williams Biography The Story of Your Life: How Social Media Shapes the Way We Experience Everything by Kathryn Jezer-Morton Nonfiction Exhumed: Unearthing the History of the American Vampire by Aaron Mahnke History Triage by Claudia Rankine Literary fiction, friendship Don’t Be Evil: Bad Bosses, Fake Promises, and My Escape from Big Tech by Claire Stapleton Memoir The People’s Historian: The Outsized Life of Howard Zinn by Dave Zirin Biography

Episode 127: Another Eurovangelists Summer Playlist

Jeremy Bent — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:09:45 +0000

Temperatures are soaring across the US & Europe, so we've got the perfect poolside playlist to keep you cool and bring some fun with the sun. Joining us in this endeavor is Eurovision fan and actress Jessica Lowe, who stars alongside our own Oscar Montoya in Minx on Netflix, and has some informed opinions about our picks. Jeremy says fire bad, Dimitry despairs the memory of 2009, Jess would like to know why these men are stamping the ground, and Oscar needs accordion in his reggae. Follow Jess on Instagram. Watch this week's picks on Youtube.

Check out last year's summer playlist on Youtube.

And as always, this week's companion playlist.

Double Hammy, with Kimmy Gatewood

MaxFun Intern — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:00:11 +0000

This week, we’re joined by director and actor Kimmy Gatewood to talk about lesser-known Disney movies, clothes for birds, hidden sauce, and so much more. *Follow Kimmy Gatewood on Instagram *Check out Descendants: Wicked Wonderland *Preorder The Amazing Venom *Check out more Amazing Spiderman content from Jordan. *Order Jordan’s new Web of Venom comic. *Check out Jordan’s comic Predator: Bloodshed. * Order Jordan’s new Predator comic: Black, White & Blood! * Order Jordan’s new Venom comic! * Donate to Al Otro Lado. * Purchase signed copies of *Youth Group* and *Bubble* from Mission: Comics And Art! ~ NEW JJGo MERCH ~ Get Bronto Dino-Merch! Get our ‘Ack Tuah’ shirt in the Max Fun store. Grab an ‘Ack Tuah’ mug! The Maximum Fun Bookshop! Follow the podcast on Instagram and send us your dank memes! Check out Jesse’s thrifted clothing store, Put This On. Produced by Christian Dueñas

109: Scientific Publishing

Tom Lum — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:00:54 +0000

What are the flaws in scientific publishing, who's responsible, and how can we fix it? ALSO SEE US LIVE IN LONDON!!! LETSLEARNEVERYTHING.COM/LIVE Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:47) Scientific Publishing Part I (00:35:57) Scientific Publishing Part II (01:13:07) Outro Support us with a Max Fun Membership! Join our Discord! We also learn about: We almost do the same grim joke, the live show will have 50% more hosts than this, before publications there were societies and books and letters, in 1665 a Henry Oldenburg of the royal society starts “Philosophical Transactions”, the longest continuous journal (ignoring the time Olderburg was put in a tower for criticizing the king), the discovery of Jupiter’s red spot and also a deformed calf, Newton’s Optics was published in Philosophical Transactions first, Science has bad SEO, the doubling time of papers is 14 years since the 1950s, Ella’s peer review process, errors can be missed and biases affected, not paying reviewers is a bug that’s labelled as a feature, government funded research can still be privately owned, we’ve all agreed “processing fee” just means bullshit, there’s some things I don’t want to be “fun”, Elsevier has a 38% profit margin while Alphabet’s is 32%, editorial resignations in protest, I’m excited to add Robert Maxwell to my Arya Stark list of people, Maxwell died on his yes-that-Ghislaine-Maxwell Yacht, the scheme to buyout scientists for their papers, cover upfront costs - own copyright - flood with new journals - reap the subscription costs, “jesus wept”, retractions are growing by about 20% each year, I’m buying Ella a dictionary so she can learn what “fun” means, fool me 239 time shame on me, paper mills, predatory journals are pay to win, the Chinese restaurant metaphor keeps staying accurate, no it’s not nature our journal is nurture, is this finally rock bottom? the public review curate model, the pros and cons of preprints, diamond open access, the nelson memo, “I think the Ghislaine Mawell death yacht is fun”. Sources: Royal Society: History of Scientific Journals Royal Society: Philosophical Transactions The Early Years Royal Society: Philosophical Transactions Issue 1 University College London: A History of Scientific Journals Philosophical Transactions A: Newton Shows the Light Royal Society Notes and Records: 350 Years of Scientific Periodicals Broad Research Communication Lab: Peer Review - a Historical Perspective Nature Humanities and Social Sciences Communications: Growth Rates of Modern Science JSTOR: The History of Peer Review is More Interesting Than You Think British Journal of Biomedical Science: The Peer Review Process: Past, Present, and Future Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine: Peer Review: A Flawed Process at the Heart of Science and Journals The Conversation: Academic Publishing is a Multibillion Dollar Industry New Scientists: Time to Break Academic Publishing’s Stranglehold on Research The Lancet: Should Peer Reviewers Be Paid? Guardian: Is the Staggeringly Profitable Business of Scientific Publishing Bad for Science? (Robert Maxwell Longread) Research Professional News: Elsevier Profit Guardian: George Monbiot on Academic Publishers Retraction Watch: Statistics and Computing Resignation Guardian: The Murky Life of Robert Maxwell Journal of the Academy of Public Health: The Rise and Fall of Scientific Journals and a Way Forward EBSCO Research: Publish or Perish Paradox University of Technology Sydney: The ‘Publish or Perish’ Mentality is Undermining Science Retraction Watch: COVID Retractions Retraction Watch: Most Cited Retraction Watch: Retractions by Nobel Prize Winners Retraction Watch: Most Retractions British Medical Journal: Boldt the Great Pretender Nato Strategic Communication Centre: Disinformation and Scholarly Communications The Conversation: Paper Mills Toxicologic Pathology: Predatory Journals: What They Are and How to Avoid Them The Lancet: Lessons From the Influx of Preprints During the Early COVID-19 Pandemic The Conversation: Diamond Open Access San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA)

The Pink Fairy Armadillo

Alexis B Preston — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:01:58 +0000

That's right, you read the title correctly and that is in fact the name of a REAL animal! The Pink Fairy Armadillo is a tiny, bright pink armdadillo that Ella and Alexis learn all about this week! Plus, Ella struggles with flying ants and we have a wonderful Ready Pet BUG from Chelsea and Twigbert!

Jeff Hiller on ‘Steel Magnolias’ & ‘The Object of My Affection’

Marissa Flaxbart — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:00:59 +0000

Jeff Hiller is someone you've seen. If you haven't seen him in his Emmy-winning turn on SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE, you might have seen him on the (newly Emmy nominated) WIDOW'S BAY or PLURIBUS (which has, since this interview took place, earned him his second Emmy acting nom). Or maybe you've seen his memoir, ACTRESS OF A CERTAIN AGE, on the bookstore shelves. If you don't know Jeff, now you will: in this episode, he tells Jordan about his connections to the timeless star-studded Southern dramedy STEEL MAGNOLIAS. But first he shares the significance of a character who brought the romcom "gay best friend" front and center at last: it's George from THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION, one of Paul Rudd's earliest roles. Then Jordan has one quick thing about a new can't-miss dad movie, William Kaufman's MAN OF WAR. The cast of STEEL MAGNOLIAS on DONAHUE in 1989

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinfeelingseen Feeling Seen is hosted by Jordan Crucchiola and is a production of Maximum Fun. You can watch video editions of our new episodes on our YouTube Channel! Need more Feeling Seen? Keep up with the show on Instagram and Bluesky.

Xbox Layoffs and the PlayStation Disc Disaster

Jason Schreier — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:00:28 +0000

Maddy, Jason, and Kirk took a break and everything fell apart! This week, they're talking about two of the biggest news stories to hit the video-game industry this year: Xbox's restructuring and PlayStation ditching discs. One More Thing: Kirk: Rhythm Heaven Groove Maddy: Love & Deepspace Jason: The Incident at Galley House LINKS: Maddy on female attraction: https://www.mothership.blog/email/b724125b-8ddc-4410-af68-4cc82a1b86c9/

The Pigness Of It All (Matt Kirshen / Ellory Smith)

MaxFun Intern — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 21:41:45 +0000

This week, our friends Ellory Smith and Matt Kirshen join us for confirmed time traveling, Odyssey needle drops, and grammatical pet peeves. Ellory Smith would like to plug her upcoming dates and recommends avoiding cyclosporiasis Matt Kirshen would like to plug Probably Science and recommends Deadloch and Rosehaven And finally Dave is on Bluesky! Find us on Instagram! Call us on the International Waters hotline 323-435-3017 Written by Riley Silverman and John-Luke Roberts, recorded at MaxFun HQ in Downtown LA, and produced by Christian Dueñas and Laura Swisher. Join the MaxFun fam: maximumfun.org/join

Episode 782: Road Rules

Jennifer Marmor — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 15:30:17 +0000

VROOM VROOM! Buckle your seatbelts and pile in our station wagon, because this week’s episode is all about ROAD TRIPS! From passenger etiquette to divvying up the driving duties, we’re covering any and all disputes related to car travel. Should you divide up driving duties by hour or by mile? Which is the better way to road trip: getting to your destination faster or stopping and enjoying the sights - and potential ice cream - along the way? And when you’re a passenger, should you point out the sights along the road, or shut up and let the driver concentrate? Plus, the weirdest game of the classic road trip game, 20 questions! Getting ready for your own road trip? We have a playlist for that! Tap here for hours of JJHo classics, sure to keep everyone entertained! We need YOUR disputes to make this show! So please send us your hottest takes, unresolved arguments, and everything in between for our judgment! Submit them at maximumfun.org/jjho! SUBSCRIBE TO THIS PODCAST in APPLE PODCASTS or the RSS FEED

The Jackie and Laurie Show #550: The Mighty LA

Kyle Clark — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:30:41 +0000

This week on the show, Laurie (@anylaurie16) has been nominated for 2 emmys! She has never won an Emmy before because if she did, we’d have heard about it on the show. Jackie has a desperate race to find parking for a show and decides some parking spots are illegal for a reason. Plus, did you know “produce” is just a fancy word for "vegetable"? Subscribe to the podcast, and give it a 5-star rating and review to help the show move up the charts. Video for the episodes is on The Jackie and Laurie YouTube channel! Comic of the Week: Bri Rodebaugh @brirodebaugh Become a MaxFun Member for benefits and other great pods: https://href.li/?https://maximumfun.org/donate Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JackieandLaurie Watch the episodes and subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@Jackie_Kashian See Laurie on tour: https://lauriekilmartin.com/tour-dates See Jackie on tour: https://jackiekashian.com/tour-dates Watch Laurie’s special “Cis Woke Grief Slut” on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3zWwgPA Watch Laurie’s special “Cis Woke Grief Slut” on Amazon Prime: https://amzn.to/3NpHlMo Watch Jackie’s special “Looking Back” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZfwWvgMT70 Follow Laurie on social media: @anylaurie16 Follow Jackie on social media: @jackiekashian Recorded and Produced by Kyle Clark : @kyleclarkisrad

FWA 124: The Third Man, with Maggie Tokuda-Hall

Matt Lieb — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:00:12 +0000

This week we invited author and all around awesome person Maggie Tokuda-Hall to bask in the glory of July-brary with the film noir classic The Third Man (1949) starring Orson Welles as Man Who Doesn't Show Up In Movie Til Halfway Through. Tune in next when July-brary continues with... Zodiac. ----- FlemGems ETSY Store! Get Maggie Tokuda-Hall's new book Bathtime For Snow Monkeys Also get another one of Maggie's new books What Do People Do At The Science Museum? Get involved with Authors Against Book Bans! Jordan is going to be at San Diego Comic Con July 24th and 25th. On July 19th Jordan will be signing books at Comic Quest in Lake Forrest California between 12-5pm. Jordan and Maggie will be at Cape and Cowl Con, Sunday August 30th at Faction Brewing in Oakland.

L.A. Central Library with Traci Thomas

Harry Nelson — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:00:47 +0000

Allan and Traci Thomas (The Stacks Podcast, NPR) take a literary walk around the L.A. Central Library, celebrating its centennial anniversary this month! Along the way, Traci and Allan wander through the nearby Biltmore Hotel, take in the library’s art and architecture, and talk about the World Cup and Traci’s love of sports. LINKS: The Stacks Podcast https://www.thestackspodcast.com/ SUPPORT WALKIN’ ABOUT: https://maximumfun.org/joinwalk For pics from our walk, follow @WalkinAboutPod on Instagram!

Know Your Extraterrestrials with Elliott Kalan

Gabe Mara — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:00:47 +0000

The universe is full of all sorts of alien creatures, we just know it. Problem is, they’re far away and, like us, possibly too stupid to invent really cool spaceships in order to visit. That’s why the book Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials was written and illustrated, earning a devoted following that includes Elliott Kalan. The book is a massive compendium of all sorts of aliens culled from sci-fi. Elliott is a former head writer on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Mystery Science 3000 and one of the hosts of Max Fun’s podcast The Flop House. Join Elliott as he enumerates many of his favorite aliens and offers analysis from his toddler son as to which aliens are mean, which ones are nice, and which aliens are so nice that he went to their birthday parties held in treehouses. You may fall asleep even before learning that some aliens are just green smears. Order your copy of Elliott Kalan's book, Joke Farming: How to Write Comedy and Other Nonsense, wherever books are sold. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John’s acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun

Best Chip Shape

Hal Lublin — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 04:00:53 +0000

What's the Best Chip Shape? WE GOT THIS.

CLAMP – How one of the Greatest Manga Creators got their Start

Brenda Snell — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:30:54 +0000

CLAMP is an absolutely legendary group of all female Manga creators known for classics such as Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits and xxxHolic. But how did this group of women come together? And what the hell does "CLAMP" even mean?

Jeff Fastner on Jeu Monégasque (Archer S2E11) — Storyboards, Benoit & Monaco

Amber Nash — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 11:00:43 +0000

Amber, Christian, and Casey are joined by Jeff Fastner (Producer, Storyboard Artist, and Animator) to revisit Jeu Monégasque — Season 2, Episode 11 of Archer. Jeff talks about his unlikely path into animation, from acting in Tony n' Tina's Wedding to landing an animation internship and eventually helping build Archer from the ground up. He explains why animation is "acting with a pencil," what it's like being a storyboard artist and producer, and how the team learned as they went while creating one of television's most distinctive animated series. They also discuss designing Monaco, visually creating the Grand Prix, and Jeff serving as the face model for Benoit. Also in this episode: Bell Biv DeVoe and the East Coast Family, Malory's sex tapes, bearer bonds, rectangular casino chips, Glengoolie Black, Jeff and Neal Holman's legendary work partnership, Jeff's love of architecture and location design, Cintiq gloves, Bento Box Studios, Frankensteining characters, fashion plates, the incredible chase sequence at the end of the episode, a round of Real Spy Gadget or Fake AI Slop Image, and everyone's favorite automotive necessity: blinker fluid. 📺 FX's Archer is now streaming on Hulu. 📧 Send us fan content or questions: rephrasingpod@gmail.com 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @rephrasingpod

Taskmaster’s Alex Horne and Greg Davies

Richard Robey — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 07:00:08 +0000

[caption id="attachment_161790" align="alignnone" width="411"] Greg Davies (left) and Alex Horne (right) of Taskmaster (Taskmaster)[/caption] Taskmaster is a British show that airs on Channel 4 in the UK and streams on YouTube here in the United States. It’s a competition show where comedians compete against each other through a series of weird, sometimes very funny tasks. Random tasks like writing an original song, camouflaging yourself, and doing some exciting thing with a water cooler If you've heard of Taskmaster, odds are you're a part of the show's gigantic, passionate, and growing fanbase. Taskmaster was created by Alex Horne, who co-hosts the show alongside Greg Davies. Alex creates the tasks, and Greg is the Taskmaster who decides who did the task best. Alex and Greg join us to talk about all things Taskmaster and how they come up with different tasks for contestants on the show. They also tell us about some of their favorite past tasks on the show and share why most of the contestants are comedians. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpKOXFcSjYg

Stop Podcasting Yourself 956 – Randee Neumeyer

Dave Shumka — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 03:16:44 +0000

Comedian Randee Neumeyer returns to talk first daughter movies, birthday parties, and millenium dance music. Download episode 956 here. (right-click)

TRANSCRIPT MBMBaM 822: Cheddars Never Win

McElroy Family — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 16:51:43 +0000

MBMBaM 822: Cheddars Never Win

McElroy Family — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 16:00:05 +0000

We've got so much on the agenda today from our last Brainstorm Jam Sesh. Griffin’s gotta figure out a way to get insurance for his new faith-and-pain-forward comedy show, Trav needs a title for his new cheese mystery procedural, and Justin is desperate for a not-dusty chicken sandwich. So here's our new show: Welcome to Dickhead! Suggested talking points: The Wizard Johnny Knoxville, Holy Ghost in the Machine, AI-Generated Devil Music for Satan, We Got So Many Planks, Sunk Bacon Fallacy Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmbmbam

Jo Dee Messina on Hard Times, Jesus, and Her First Album in 12 Years

Raghu Manavalan — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 09:20:03 +0000

Jo Dee Messina has a long career in the music industry: number one hits, platinum and gold records, many awards. She’s a country music icon. Jo Dee just released Bridges, her first new album in 12 years and those were 12 years filled with some tough times. Her marriage ended, leaving her as a single mom of two boys, both her parents died, and Jo Dee battled cancer, completed treatment, and is cancer free. She’s reluctant to talk about those events but is very happy to talk about her relationship with her Christian faith, which she says has been a constant source of comfort and guidance ever since she turned to it amid her struggles. Is leaning on religion for guidance really all that different from the secular approach of identifying your own wise mind? And if, as Jo Dee believes, everything that will happen is written and planned by a higher power, why do tragedies and pain exist? Jo Dee’s been thinking about that and has some very recent insights. All this, plus Jo Dee Messina belting out a couple of songs. Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun. Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com! Hey, remember, you’re part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at depreshmode@maximumfun.org. Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group. Help is available right away. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741. International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindepresh

Secretly Incredibly Fascinating: Honey

Alex Schmidt — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:05:02 +0000

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why honey is secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources, handy links, and this week's bonus episode.

LINKS FOR KATIE GOLDIN:

RESOURCES USED TO INFORM THE EPISODE'S LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

RESEARCH SOURCES:

Still Buffering: Below Deck (2013)

McElroy Family — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 18:26:15 +0000

Woops, sometimes you get so busy celebrating your 250 year old bad friend's birthday you forget to read your gay horror novel. That's ok. Sometimes. You can always talk about Below Deck. At least the once. Music: "Baby You Change Your Mind" by http://nouvellas.bandcamp.com/">Nouvellas

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinbuffering

TRANSCRIPT Still Buffering: Below Deck (2013)

McElroy Family — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 18:24:54 +0000

486:The Flop House – The Bride! with Kenice Mobley

Dan McCoy — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 10:00:57 +0000

Oftentimes on The Flop House we wind up watching Hollywood movies that are just kind of dull or mediocre or unimaginative. The Bride!... is not one of those. For all its flaws, it's at least a bona fide personal vision that also happens to be a fiasco. And you know what? That's kind of heartwarming. We're joined by Kenice Mobley to dissect (ha) the many parts that make up The Bride! And if you like Kenice, check out The Hot Guy Draft in August! Stay updated on all things Flop House, plus a little extra, with our NEWSLETTER, “Flop Secrets! Wikipedia page for The Bride! Recommended in this episode: Dan: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) Stu: Exit 8 (2025) Elliott: The Straight Story (1999) Kenice: Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

Ep. 493: So long Celtic Warrior– Sheamus departs WWE

Julian Burrell — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 07:01:04 +0000

Go to maximumfun.org/jointights to become a MaxFun Member. For as little as $5 a month, you’ll earn great gifts and help this show continue. Last week we speculated that Sami Zayn’s WWE title reign was not long for this world– that it may end as soon as Friday Night Smackdown. It turns out that prediction was off by a few days; it actually ended on Monday Night RAW! CM Punk returned to a raucous reaction in Chicago to win the WWE championship. What does this mean for SummerSlam? And where does Sami go from here? The Main Event: Sheamus departs WWE Sheamus has been a WWE mainstay for nearly two decades now. He's a multiple time world champion, tag champion, King of the Ring, Money in the Bank Winner, Royal Rumble winner and one IC Title short of being a grand slam champion. And now he's decided to leave WWE for the first time in his career. The Three Count: Danielle put over comedians barely understanding wrestling. Lindsey put over CM Punk's fridge 2.0. Hal put over Sami's natural reaction. Keep up with this show all week long on instagram, tiktok and bluesky. This show was produced by Julian Burrell for Maximumfun.org

TRANSCRIPT Shmanners: Kit’s Railway Adventure

McElroy Family — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 18:12:20 +0000

Shmanners: Kit’s Railway Adventure

McElroy Family — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 16:00:25 +0000

Hello internet! On this week's episode we're going on another American Girl Doll reading adventure, this time to Glacier Park with KIT'S RAILWAY ADVENTURE! Enjoy and be sure to share with a friend! Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinshmanners

Week 3 – The Tiger Kids Are Alright (24 in 24)

Valerie Moffat — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:00:23 +0000

It's the Resourcefulness shift! We seek a sponsorship from Sur La Table, and Ify invents a new euphemism for "me time."

This week's scoring:

Enter and survive a challenge: Lee Anne (x2), Viet (x2), Zac (x2), Avishar (x2), Dawn (x2), Joe (x2), Christina (x2), Brian (x2), Alex (x1) +2 Make it through a shift: same chefs as above +1 “Tired”, “exhausted”, or “sleep”: Michele, Viet, Dawn, Zac, Joe, Molly +1 Crying: Robyn, Molly +0.5

Check out our merch at maxfunstore.com, support us at maximumfun.org/joinchef, follow us on Instagram @tvcheffantasyleague, and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts!

Episode #462: ‘The Invite’ with Amber Healey

Marissa Flaxbart — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 07:00:49 +0000

Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Amber Sealey joins us to discuss the new marriage dramedy from Olivia Wilde, which premiered at Sundance and is now opening across the country. Costarring Wilde, Seth Rogen, Edward Norton, and Penelope Cruz, it provokes laughs, anger, rug envy, and that perennial question: are the straights okay? Then we discuss our favorite films that are set in a single location! What’s Good Alonso - Christian Marclay’s The Clock returns to LACMA; Spain in World Cup quarterfinals Drea - Emily Wilson’s translation of THE ODYSSEY Amber - potpourri basket of hippie gum; Skylight Books opening an Eagle Rock location Kevin - young love drama before Shrek at Cinespia ITIDIC Alamo Drafthouse to Begin Screening Unsold Festival Darlings Universal Opts to Skip “Influencer Screenings” for THE ODYSSEY Staff Picks Alonso - Splitsville Drea - Widow’s Bay (because An Unmarried Woman and The Heartbreak Kid aren’t streaming) Amber - Such Brave Girls Kevin - The Invitation

Jinkx Monsoon

Jesus Ambrosio — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 07:00:26 +0000

[caption id="attachment_161737" align="alignnone" width="300"] (Photo: Evan Zimmerman / MurphyMade)[/caption] Jinkx Monsoon is a legend in the world of drag. For fans of RuPaul's Drag Race she is often referred to as "Queen of All Queens" – she's the only performer to win that competition show twice. More recently she's been performing on stage in shows like Little Shop of Horrors and Chicago. When we talked with Jinkx last year, she'd just started performing in Cole Escola’s Tony award-winning play Oh, Mary on Broadway. Now that the show has taken to the road, Monsoon is set to make her debut on London's West End this August at the Trafalgar Theatre in London. The play tells the fictionalized story of Mary Todd Lincoln in the days running up to the death of her husband, Abraham Lincoln. This Mary Todd Lincoln is not the one you'd read about in a history book. She's a frustrated cabaret performer. A very intense alcoholic. Nobody better than Jinkx Monsoon to play a part as unhinged and endearing as that of Mary Todd Lincoln. We discuss Jinkx's latest gigs on the stage and how she found herself through drag performances. She also talks about being a drag performer today which sometimes is a very fraught, difficult thing. A version of this interview originally aired in September of 2025.

The Tiniest Animals

Alexis B Preston — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 20:42:15 +0000

Last week we talked about some BIG fantasy creatures, but this week we thought we should balanace it out and talk about some TINY real animals! We've got tiny dragons, tiny bats, and even tiny marsupials We also have a fantastic Ready Pet Go from Emily about Milo, Bucky, and Missy Elliott! Photo referenced of Long-tailed Planigale!

342: Mongoose

Ellen Weatherford — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 17:07:07 +0000

Ellen and Christian return from their travels to review the good, the bad, and the ugly of the mongooses. We discuss the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum, historical plurals, neurotoxin Darth Vader, checking in with Pliny the Elder, the most "mean girls" scientific study ever, mysteriously weird pupils, the global issue of mongoose-induced ecological destruction, and so much more. Works Cited:

"Mongoose" - Etymonline
“How the mongoose can fight the snake: The binding site of the mongoose acetylcholine receptor” - Dora Barchan et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, August 1992
“Why the honey badger don't care: Convergent evolution of venom-targeted nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in mammals that survive venomous snake bites” - Danielle Drabeck et al., Toxicon, March 2015
Book 8, chapter 36 of Natural History - Pliny the Elder, 77 CE
“Experimental evidence for delayed postconflict management behaviour in wild dwarf mongooses” - Amy Morris-Drake et al, eLife, September 2021
Hawaii Invasive Species Council - Mongoose (Urva auropunctata)
“Negative Impact of an Invasive Small Indian Mongoose Herpestes javanicus on Native Wildlife Species and Evaluation of a Control Project in Amami-Ohshima and Okinawa Islands, Japan” - Fumio Yamada & Ken Sugimura, Global Environmental Research, December 2004
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996, Schedule 2 - New Zealand government

NEW VIDEO – Alemeda

Laura Swisher — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 16:03:41 +0000

This week, we're dropping the VIDEO of Sequoia's interview with recording artist Alemeda, so be sure to watch the video on Spotify or YouTube. Sequoia interviews rising alt-pop singer Alemeda, who wrapped up a six-city tour earlier this year. The Ethiopian-born singer and Sequoia bond over Paramore songs and cats. Alemeda also weighs in on the cat backlash directed at Doechii, with whom she recorded Beat a B!tch Up. Buy Mocha Grande Merch Follow Sequoia Instagram @SequoiaBHolmes TikTok @SequoiaBHolmes Follow Alemeda Instagram @Alemeda https://www.alemedamusic.com/ Follow BPLP Pod Instagram @bplppod TikTok @bplppod

TRANSCRIPT The Adventure Zone Royale: Episode 28

McElroy Family — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:12:13 +0000

Ep 470 – Hotel/Motel Books & Library Thieves

Reading Glasses — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 14:30:20 +0000

Brea and Mallory tick off another box on the 2026 Reading Glasses Challenge: read a book set in a hotel or motel! Plus, they test out the viral purse bookmark, and debate whether or not you should steal a signed book from the library. Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com! Reading Glasses Merch Recommendations Store The Reading Glasses Book! Sponsor - ZocDoc www.zocdoc.com/GLASSES Bookmark Purse Links - Reading Glasses Facebook Group Reading Glasses Goodreads Group Wish List Newsletter Libro.fm To join our Discord channel, email us proof of your Reading-Glasses-supporting Maximum Fun membership! Join us here! Books Mentioned - Strange Bedfellows by Amanda Motlock The Girl with a Thousand Faces by Sunyi Dean Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel by Elizabeth Everett The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

The Adventure Zone Royale: Episode 28

McElroy Family — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:00:58 +0000

The remaining aspirants' attempt to take the contest into their own hands does not go unnoticed... or unpunished. As the island begins to reject them, the elite eight must scramble to find out what's really going on and escape with their lives. Royale Theme: “Wizard Disco” by Louie Zong: https://louiezong.bandcamp.com/album/wizard-disco Original Music by Griffin McElroy Additional Music in this Episode: "Blato" by Shay Brahem x Fachhochschule Dortmund: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/shay-braheem/; “A Month of Dust” by Schemawound http://schemawound.com/; "tribute to eddy" by Jean Toba: https://jeantoba.blogspot.com/; “Oneiri” by Kai Engel http://www.kai-engel.com/; "Skin Writhes Anxious" and "VIII" by ROZKOL: https://rozkol.bandcamp.com/; "Sound the Alarms" by Kirk Osamayo: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/kirk-osamayo/; "Grande Vista" by Jason Shaw: https://audionautix.com/; and "Foresight" by Serat: https://blear-moon.com. Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/jointaz

Episode 126: Bulgaria’s Eurovision History – Bust, Boom, & Bangaranga

Jeremy Bent — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:44:32 +0000

We're still riding the high of Dara's win from this year's contest, but how close had Bulgaria come to the glass microphone before? Pretty close... and very far, depending on the year. We're looking at all of Bulgaria's Eurovision entries since joining in 2005, and there seems to be a pattern of high highs and low lows for the country. Jeremy sees through the Illusion, Dimitry's all in on a Poli lifestyle, and Oscar needs there to be a little less screaming. Get a local's guide to Sofia for 2027 courtesy of our friend Manuela. Watch the performances from this week's episode on YouTube. And as always, this week's companion playlist.

Dojo Take Me Away, with Hal Lublin

MaxFun Intern — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:00:51 +0000

This week, we’re joined by actor and MaxFun friend Hal Lublin to talk about McGruff the Crime Dog, travel rewards programs, jovial japes, and so much more. *Follow Hal Lublin on Instagram *Check out Tights and Fights *Check out We Got This *Preorder The Amazing Venom *Check out more Amazing Spiderman content from Jordan. *Order Jordan’s new Web of Venom comic. *Check out Jordan’s comic Predator: Bloodshed. * Order Jordan’s new Predator comic: Black, White & Blood! * Order Jordan’s new Venom comic! * Donate to Al Otro Lado. * Purchase signed copies of *Youth Group* and *Bubble* from Mission: Comics And Art! ~ NEW JJGo MERCH ~ Get Bronto Dino-Merch! Get our ‘Ack Tuah’ shirt in the Max Fun store. Grab an ‘Ack Tuah’ mug! The Maximum Fun Bookshop! Follow the podcast on Instagram and send us your dank memes! Check out Jesse’s thrifted clothing store, Put This On. Produced by Christian Dueñas

Scott Adkins on ‘Action Man’, ‘Enter the Dragon’ & Pivotal Action Movies

Marissa Flaxbart — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 07:00:53 +0000

Action star Scott Adkins has amassed a huge body of work from major franchises like John Wick and The Expendables to beloved action-world staples like the One Shot films, the Undisputed series, and the Accident Man movies. So who better than action movie expert Jordan to ask him about the films (and one very special comic book) that shaped his career? They talk Enter the Dragon, No Retreat, No Surrender, Scott's new film Reckless, and (of course) Accident Man. Plus, Scott gets into the ups and downs of his long-awaited move into directing, with the forthcoming film Brawler (staring Lewis Tan). Then, Jordan has one quick thing about the 10th anniversary of her beloved NEON DEMON!

Beanscast: The Sopranos, Season One

Kirk Hamilton — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 04:00:23 +0000

Grab the gabagol, secure the McMansion, and embrace the technique of positive visualization: Jason, Maddy, and Kirk are rewatching The Sopranos, one of the most acclaimed and influential TV shows of all time. Maddy’s never seen it before, and Kirk has seen it multiple times but hasn’t watched it in years. Jason, meanwhile, can quote every episode by heart. Armed with those different perspectives, they returned to the first season to see how it all fits together. LINKS, ETC. It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO by Felix Gillette Only the paywalled version of this episode gets a clip of "Defile You," because Spotify.

Wonderful! 424: Fun Cream Works Better

McElroy Family — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 16:00:26 +0000

Griffin's favorite dermis defense ointment! Rachel's favorite Everyone Can Enjoy Poetry poet! Music: “Money Won’t Pay” by bo en and Augustus – https://open.spotify.com/album/7n6zRzTrGPIHt0kRvmWoya Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinwonderful

TRANSCRIPT Wonderful! 424: Fun Cream Works Better

McElroy Family — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:22:08 +0000

Episode 781: Counter Argument

Jennifer Marmor — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:15:17 +0000

Andie is tired of James leaving breakable items in peril! He plates, microwave dishes full of hot food, and even his ipad hanging on the edge of their countertops and tables. James says it’s easier to pick up items when they are not flush with the surface. But it stresses Andie out! She’s worried one errant hip bump will send all the hot food flying. James argues that saving a plate from crashing to the floor is the ULTIMATE thrill. Who's right? Thanks to reddit user u/banjo_solo for naming this week’s case! To suggest a title for a future episode, keep an eye on the Maximum Fun subreddit at reddit.com/r/maximumfun! SUBSCRIBE TO THIS PODCAST in APPLE PODCASTS or the RSS FEED

A Legumiful Mine

Seth Lind — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:00:30 +0000

The Legumies’ cave adventure continues with headbutting, skeleton flirting and enough injuries to go around. Also, another rude, off-putting old man to antagonize our heroes! Watch out for weird bug creatures and stuff.

The Jackie and Laurie Show #549: Ghost Issues

Kyle Clark — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:30:47 +0000

Welcome back to your favorite podcast for travel stories! This week Laurie (@anylaurie16) recounts her Odyssey back from New York. She’d complain, but Jet Blue gave Laurie her current closer and that’s a priceless gift. Jackie’s next show has an insane line up. We’d also like to pitch that the 4th of July should always be on a Thursday… Subscribe to the podcast, and give it a 5-star rating and review to help the show move up the charts. Video for the episodes is on The Jackie and Laurie YouTube channel! Comic of the Week: Megan Goetz @meggoetzmoney Become a MaxFun Member for benefits and other great pods: https://href.li/?https://maximumfun.org/donate Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JackieandLaurie Watch the episodes and subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@Jackie_Kashian See Laurie on tour: https://lauriekilmartin.com/tour-dates See Jackie on tour: https://jackiekashian.com/tour-dates Watch Laurie’s special “Cis Woke Grief Slut” on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3zWwgPA Watch Laurie’s special “Cis Woke Grief Slut” on Amazon Prime: https://amzn.to/3NpHlMo Watch Jackie’s special “Looking Back” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZfwWvgMT70 Follow Laurie on social media: @anylaurie16 Follow Jackie on social media: @jackiekashian Recorded and Produced by Kyle Clark : @kyleclarkisrad

Free With Ads 123: Cruel Intentions

Matt Lieb — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:00:49 +0000

This week we watched one of the most disturbing teen movies of the 90s, the Sarah Michelle Gellar vs Ryan Phillippe near-incest classic Cruel Intentions about terrible people being horrible! We watched this on Kanopy using our library card! Tune in next week when July-brary continues with our movie... The Third Man (1949) ----- SATURDAY JULY 11th!!! Come see Matt Lieb do stand up at the Ice House in Pasadena at 8pm. Tickets are here. Jordan will be at San Diego Comic Con Friday and Saturday July 24th and 25th. Pre-order signed copies of Jordan's new comic book series "The Amazing Venom" here at bit.ly/goofriends Or order signed coplies of Jordan's Predator: Bloodshed series at bit.ly/bigdangfight Emily got some more FlemGems for you at her ETSY Store.

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinfreewithads

Ep. 198: Mary Houlihan in French

Manolo Moreno — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 07:01:43 +0000

We play “Ham or Hamlet?” submitted by Jake Matz from Dallas, Texas and Twyla Rhode from Chicago, Illinois; “Drive Thru Song Request” submitted by Phil Martin from Appomattox, Virginia; “Stand-Up Cook-Out” submitted by Carl Knudson from Elkhart, Indiana. Supported by: Head to https://www.zocdoc.com/GAMESHOW to get started and check that appointment off your to-do list! MaxFun members! http://www.maximumfun.org/joingameshow $5+ members can get Bonus Content! $10+ members can go ad-free! Hosted by Manolo Moreno ( moslo.xyz ) Insta / bluesky / substack : @drgameshow Opening theme: “Dr. Hangout” by Manolo Moreno Exit music: “Dr. Gameshow” by Big Huge ( bighuge.bandcamp.com); performed by Conrad Tao ( conradtao.com | insta: @conradtao )

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Ryan Miller of the Band Guster Enjoys the Ordered Verticality of Lists

Gabe Mara — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 07:00:22 +0000

You are reading something that was written in paragraph format, with complete sentences, grammar, nouns, and verbs. That’s not how Ryan Miller of the beloved band Guster likes it. Ryan enjoys lists. Likes reading them, creating them, and relying on the whole idea of ordered verticality. He tells us about the extensive playlist of songs he always keeps handy for his kids, how this list has been around for many years, how it has seen some editing with certain artists losing favor and being dropped, and how there is no Guster on that list. Ryan also fills us in on which bands and artists are really nice people so you can listen to them with confidence. Ryan doesn’t tell us which bands and artists are real jerks (he says there are very few of them) because that might cause you to lose sleep. Take an ordered approach to dozing off with our Ryan Miller episode. Listen to Ryan Miller's "Best of the Best - Nines and Dimes" on Spotify. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John’s acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun

L.A. State Historic Park with Matt Braunger

Harry Nelson — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 07:00:07 +0000

Allan and comedian Matt Braunger (Agent Carter, Tank Top Talks) explore a beloved community greenspace that stands as a testament to local activism. Along the way, they discover the “Mother Ditch”, discuss walking while touring, and designing public parks in a thoughtful way.

Comic Book Clean Slate with Sean Ryan

Hal Lublin — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 04:00:01 +0000

Mark and Hal welcome writer Sean Ryan to settle a series of quick Comic Book topics! Buy Sean's book Xanar & Mr. Tuxedo here.

Episode 27: Washington – “Alki” (by and by)

Julian Burrell — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:56:49 +0000

Janet Varney and John Hodgman cap off the West coast of U.S. states with Washington! Get this– it’s the first motto that the show has featured… that is not official. So how shall it be examined? With a lot of music, cryptids, landmarks, listener mail and… apples. What else would possibly be more appropriate? To hear more conversations from Janet and John, become a MaxFun Member at maximumfun.org/joinmotto! It costs as little as $5 a month. And for that you get access to our bonus episodes and the satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped make this show possible. Produced by Julian Burrell. Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher. For all things E Pluribus Motto, visit maximumfun.org/mottos-info Want to tell Janet & John something about an upcoming state? Or send a voice memo, photo, or cherished memory? There are lots of options: Email - Emailpluribusmotto@maximumfun.org Voice Message - speakpipe.com/epluribusmotto. Social Media: Instagram and TikTok. And if you want to purchase Bulletin Board as a small business in any state this season, you can do so here.

Sawbones: Medicine Brand Names

McElroy Family — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 16:00:54 +0000

This week, Justin walks Sydnee through the complexities of pharmaceutical naming. Join them as they review the history of the functional regulatory procedures, as well as the way branding and marketing has resulted in increasingly-wild names like "Prozac" and "Skyrizi." Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

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TRANSCRIPT Sawbones: Medicine Brand Names

McElroy Family — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:17:09 +0000

Product Placement and E.T.

Brenda Snell — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:30:30 +0000

In the modern day, we're so used to being advertised to, that an ad in our favorite films doesn't even phase us anymore. However, the history of product placement and film might be more intertwined than you think, and while it wasn't the first, the film, E.T. definitely played important part in shaping advertising in movies as we know it today.

Neal Holman on El Secuestro (Archer S2E10) — Ocelots, Mirror Shots & The Price of Pam

Amber Nash — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 11:00:30 +0000

Amber, Christian, and Casey are joined by Neal Holman to revisit El Secuestro — Season 2, Episode 10 of Archer. They dive into one of the most beloved episodes of the series—and a favorite of Judy Greer’s—exploring the evolving relationship between Pam and Cheryl, Amber finally feeling completely at home as Pam, and how Neal balanced wearing multiple hats while helping shape Archer. They also discuss Brett’s seemingly endless supply of blood, that Pam is a moped, the show’s graphic ads, and Neal’s signature mirror shots. Also in this episode: kidnapping, painterly backgrounds, ocelot love, Archer’s soft spot for animals, 2 Truths and a Line, dry cleaner relationships, naked audio, the price of Pam, eyelines in animation, and the difference between rigged and fully drawn animation. 📺 FX’s Archer is now streaming on Hulu. 📧 Send us fan content or questions: rephrasingpod@gmail.com 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @rephrasingpod

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Remembering Barney Frank

Richard Robey — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 07:00:58 +0000

[caption id="attachment_161562" align="alignnone" width="398"] (Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival)[/caption] Barney Frank died earlier this year at the age of 86. He served in Congress for 32 years, representing Massachusetts' 4th district. Between 2007 and 2011, he chaired the House Financial Services Committee. Of the hundreds of pieces of policy Barney Frank drafted, proposed, and voted on, his signature might be the Dodd-Frank Act, which regulated financial institutions in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Barney Frank was a policy wonk. He was a great public speaker - witty, passionate. Barney Frank was also a trailblazer. He was the first member of Congress to come out as gay voluntarily. In 2015, we took Bullseye on the road. We did a live show in Boston, and Barney Frank was kind enough to join us on stage. He'd just retired from a few years prior and had written a book: Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage. Barney Frank discussed his early political career and why he felt his public service was incompatible with his private life. He also touched on what he liked most about being a congressman and why he believes that people who love campaigning are either liars — or psychopaths. This interview originally aired in December, 2015

Stop Podcasting Yourself 955 – Aaron Campbell

Dave Shumka — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 04:07:42 +0000

Comedian Aaron Campbell joins us to talk couples, cheap hot dogs, and beekeeping. Download episode 955 here. (right-click)

MBMBaM 821: Time Lost is Cool Lost

McElroy Family — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:00:08 +0000

Scrounge up your ferris wheel money, grab your waffled cones, and wear a coat I guess because it’s America’s 250th birthday and we’re going all out by catching up with William Henry Harrison, exposing secret jugglers, and dodging the paparazzo. If someone tells you they saw Griffin at that OTHER fair, no they didn’t. He would never. Talking Points: Sorry Teachers This is Ferris Wheel Money, Crosstalk is the Worst When it’s Lying, It’s All Fear Baby, That’s a Load-Bearing Pergola Derek, You Have the Stink of Retail, Bottle Up Your Dark Energies, The Griffalanche Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

TRANSCRIPT MBMBaM 821: Time Lost is Cool Lost

McElroy Family — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:10:06 +0000

Best of Depresh Mode: Hanif Abdurraqib on Cultivating a Support System, Depression, Anxiety, and Basketball

Raghu Manavalan — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 09:20:47 +0000

Hanif Abdurraqib is a MacArthur Fellow, accomplished poet, and critically lauded author of numerous books, including There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension, which is now out in paperback. He’s also a person who deals with major depressive disorder and numerous anxiety disorders. In a revealing, positive, and practical interview, Hanif talks about the numerous ways he cares for his mental health issues by both taking care of himself and building a strong community of other people around him to lean on. Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun. Check out our I’m Glad You’re Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com! Hey, remember, you’re part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at depreshmode@maximumfun.org. Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group. Help is available right away. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741. International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Secretly Incredibly Fascinating: Bees

Alex Schmidt — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 08:05:06 +0000

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why bees are secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources, handy links, and this week's bonus episode.

LINKS FOR KATIE GOLDIN:

RESOURCES USED TO INFORM THE EPISODE'S LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

RESEARCH SOURCES:

Still Buffering: They/Them (2022)

McElroy Family — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 20:48:52 +0000

Oops, too much Pride and not enough Podcasting, but we're back with a final Queer/Fear movie for Pride month. They/Them is a conversion camp horror movie, but does the camp need more camp? And what song would a group of gen Z gay teens actually perform a sing along to? Probably not Pink. Music: "Baby You Change Your Mind" by Nouvellas

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FH Mini 153 – Tops and Flops

Dan McCoy — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 10:00:20 +0000

Stuart takes us on a tour of several significant movie directors, asking Dan and Elliott to guess which of their works are top rated on IMDb and which ones take the bottom slot, and discussing whether the rankings are justified. Subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, “Flop Secrets! It’s the best way to keep up on all things Flop House!

Ep. 492: Sami Zayn wins the WWE Championship

Julian Burrell — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 07:01:34 +0000

Go to maximumfun.org/jointights to become a MaxFun Member. For as little as $5 a month, you’ll earn great gifts and help this show continue. At the Night of Champions PPV, Sami Zayn finally earned the top prize in the company: he is the WWE Champion. But now that he’s finally reached this culmination, how long will he hold the belt? And how will Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens play into his reign? The Main Event: Sami’s career so far It’s been a long journey to Sami’s first world champion. We take a look back at how he got here, from his early days across the international wrestling scene to NXT to injuring himself before his match with John Cena started. The Three Count: Danielle put over Sami cruisin' with the title. Lindsey put over Gunther vs. Nick Aldis. Hal put over a gaming moment of zen. Keep up with this show all week long on instagram, tiktok and bluesky. This show was produced by Julian Burrell for Maximumfun.org

TRANSCRIPT Shmanners: State Fair

McElroy Family — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 17:18:12 +0000

Ep. 196: Hrishikesh Hirway & Meaghan Rath

Julian Burrell — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 17:01:31 +0000

The trivia is ready to explode on Go Fact Yourself! Hrishikesh Hirway is a songwriter. He’s also known for the podcast Song Exploder. He started the show as a way to explore his peers’ creative process and get over his writer’s block. He’ll tell us how years of conversations on the podcast led him to releasing his new album “In the Last Hour of Light.” Meaghan Rath is an actor who can be seen on the AMC show “The Audacity” as the Chief Ethics Officer. She’ll tell us about how her husband has helped her develop her performance… and why she’s gotten married to him three times. Areas of Expertise: Hrishikesh: The 1985-86 Boston Celtics, the best ice cream in Los Angeles, and 1985 caper movies adapted from Elmore Leonard novels. Meaghan: The movie The Little Mermaid, the TV show “Survivor,” and training a Labradoodle. What’s the Difference: Deep Fake What’s the difference between a gorge and a canyon? What’s the difference between a forgery and a counterfeit? With Guest Experts: LisaGay Hamilton: Peabody award-winning actor and director who’s starred in several productions across Broadway, TV and film – including the Elmore Leonard caper movie Jackie Brown. Zeke Smith: Writer, comedian, and activist who's a two-time contestant on “Survivor.” Hosts: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Credits: It’s always a good time to go to maximumfun.org/joingofact to support this show and get monthly bonus episodes. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. Co-Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell. Additional editing by Valerie Moffat. Seeing our next live-audience shows by YOU!

Shmanners: State Fair

McElroy Family — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 16:00:04 +0000

Hello internet! This week's episode is all about the history and etiquette surrounding STATE FAIRS! Enjoy and be sure to share with a friend! Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/

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Pound for Pound – Court of the Vampire Queen!

Reading Glasses — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:30:08 +0000

Brea and Mallory discuss Court of the Vampire Queen, and how much is too much spice in a book. Email us at readingsmutpodcast69@gmail.com! Sign up to support the show! Then email us your membership proof for Discord Access! Reading Smut Merch Newsletter Instagram Court of the Vampire Queen Next month’s book pick: Ice Planet Barbarians

Week 2 – Valerie Gets Abducted (24 in 24)

Valerie Moffat — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:00:56 +0000

We've all seen a quick mole on a cooking competition show! Also, what did YOU think of Disclosure Day? This week's scoring: Enter and survive a challenge: Viet (x2), Michele (x3), Robyn (x2), Christina (x3), Joe (x3), Brian (x2), Dawn (x3), Trimell, Zac (x2), Molly (x3), Lee Anne (x2), Alex (x2), Avishar (x3), Lex +2 Make it through a shift: Joe, Avishar, Alex, Molly, Lee Anne, Dawn, Michele, Zac, Robyn, Viet, Brian, Christina +1 Winning Golden Knife: Lee Anne, Dawn +0.5 Check out our merch at maxfunstore.com, support us at maximumfun.org/joinchef, follow us on Instagram @tvcheffantasyleague, and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts!

“The Death of Robin Hood” director Michael Sarnoski

Jesus Ambrosio — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 07:00:55 +0000

[caption id="attachment_161476" align="alignnone" width="300"] (Photo: Daniel Speer / Maximum Fun)[/caption] The Death of Robin Hood is the latest film from writer and director Michael Sarnoski. In the film, the folk hero Robin Hood grapples with his legacy. He is played brilliantly by Hugh Jackman. The decades of running, fighting, being beaten and slashed, have taken their toll. Robin, injured badly, ends up in a priory - a small community run by a nun. He thinks about the many lives he's taken, the countless others he's ruined, the wake of violence and blood feuds and he reaches a pretty reasonable conclusion: Robin Hood was not a good guy. The film alternates between brutal violence and meditative, almost serene thoughtfulness. It should come as no surprise – Sarnoski is also responsible for the movies Pig and a Quiet Place: Day One. Sarnoski joined us in the studio to talk about the themes in his latest film and what it was like to shoot on 35 mm on location in Ireland. He also gets into what he learned working with movie stars like Nicolas Cage and Hugh Jackman.

Episode #461: ‘Supergirl’ with Amy Nicholson

Marissa Flaxbart — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 07:00:34 +0000

It’s neither a bird, nor a plane, nor Superman. It’s Supergirl, the newest film from James Gunn’s DC that has some folks talking, but probably not as many as Warner Bros. would like. We’ve got LA Times film critic, Unspooled co-host, and friend of the show Amy Nicholson along to talk about the stellar highs and dank cave lows, plus we name some of our favorite superhero movie acting performances. What’s Good Alonso - binging THE BOYS Drea - watching an accidentally funny moment on repeat in the film Jefferson in Paris for the Supporting Actresses podcast Amy - watching The World Cup (and YouTube videos of dog agility competitions) Kevin - digging through original Backrooms videos, and other short films (Alone Time, The Hole) ITIDIC 'Michael’ Becomes the Highest-Grossing Biopic Ever Netflix Announces Weird Willy Wonka Project Staff Picks Drea - True Grit Alonso - Minions & Monsters Amy - Buffet Infinity Kevin - Aline

Ep 469 – Best Books of the Year Halftime Show – Oops All Unhappy Women

Reading Glasses — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:30:16 +0000

Brea and Mallory name their favorite books of 2026…so far. Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com! Reading Glasses Merch Recommendations Store The Reading Glasses Book! Links - Reading Glasses Facebook Group Reading Glasses Goodreads Group Wish List Newsletter Libro.fm To join our Discord channel, email us proof of your Reading-Glasses-supporting Maximum Fun membership! Join us here! Books Mentioned - How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva A Midnight Pastry Shop by Hwawoldang by Lee Onhwa The Keeper by Tana French Molka by Monika Kim Our Sister’s Keeper by Jasmine Holmes Westward Women by Alice Martin Accumulation by Aimee Pokwatka The Conspiracists: Women, Extremism, and the Lure of Belonging by Noelle Cook Spoiled Milk by Avery Curran The Devil Inside by Clay McLeod Chapman A Hymn to Life by Gisele Pelicot, translated by Ruth Diver and Natasha Lehrer Dead Weight by Hildur Knottsdottir, translated by Mary Robinette Kowal It Wasn’t Meant to be Perfect by Gaelynn Lea

Episode 125: The Apple (1980)

Jeremy Bent — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:01:33 +0000

Thank you to all our wonderful backers this year who've brought this BoCo episode from last year to the main feed! Now everyone can experience the magic(?) of the weirdest Eurovision-adjacent disco Creation myth committed to celluloid, The Apple, aka Star Rock, aka BIM Rock. We're joined by certified Apple-ologist Alonso Duralde of Maximum Film as we watch the 1994 Eurovision... excuse me, the WORLDVISION Song Contest. Jeremy is putting on his BIM mark, Dimitry's making sure they're allowed to do this, Alonso invents the Deus Ex Mercedes, and Oscar's still looking for that comic book robe. Watch The Apple free on Tubi.

Bulgaria’s Funniest Home Videos, with Steve Agee

MaxFun Intern — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:00:07 +0000

This week, we're joined by comedian and actor Steve Agee to talk about airplane etiquette, the treasure of the lost and found, windjamming, and so much more *Follow Al Madrigal on Instagram *Preorder The Amazing Venom *Check out more Amazing Spiderman content from Jordan. *Order Jordan’s new Web of Venom comic. *Check out Jordan’s comic Predator: Bloodshed. * Order Jordan’s new Predator comic: Black, White & Blood! * Order Jordan’s new Venom comic! * Donate to Al Otro Lado. * Purchase signed copies of *Youth Group* and *Bubble* from Mission: Comics And Art! ~ NEW JJGo MERCH ~ Get Bronto Dino-Merch! Get our ‘Ack Tuah’ shirt in the Max Fun store. Grab an ‘Ack Tuah’ mug! The Maximum Fun Bookshop! Follow the podcast on Instagram and send us your dank memes! Check out Jesse’s thrifted clothing store, Put This On. Produced by Christian Dueñas

108: Quicksand and Other Childhood Worries & The Undying Game of Pinball

Tom Lum — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 07:52:26 +0000

We all thought quicksand would be a bigger deal than it is, but what is the science behind them and all the other worries I had as a kid? And how does pinball reflect the changing cultures of our time, and could now be the best era of pinball? ALSO SEE US LIVE IN LONDON!!! LETSLEARNEVERYTHING.COM/LIVE Things we Talk About: Bagatelle Redgrave's Pinball Humpty Dumpty Beat Time Lambeth & Sarceni's Amazing Pinball Talk at Magfest David Barber's Magfest Pinball Panel Technology Connection's Great Pinball Breakdown PinballMap.com Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:06:22) Quicksand and Other Childhood Worries (01:05:22) The Undying Game of Pinball (01:55:32) Outro Support us with a Max Fun Membership! Join our Discord! We also learn about: Ella’s spoon collection is much more important than our live show, the never ending story, quicksand was in 3% of in the 1960s, the problem with gen z is they’re not afraid of quicksand, quicksand is reverse oobleck (sheer-thinning), the settled sand at the bottom requires the force of lifting a car, quicksand is unfortunate physics circumstances burying you, 11th century quicksand art in the Bayeux Tapestry (also Haley’s comet), we’re less dense than quicksand so you’d float at your waist, you could listen to this podcast twice while hanging out in quicksand, Ella cried so much she couldn’t cross the piranha plank, piranha fear is President Roosevelt’s fault, you know you’re making fun of a ten year old child right now, my main takeaway was what a cogent president he was, piranhas reloading their teeth, piranhas have 10x the relative bite force to size of a crocodile, piranhas aren’t carnivores - they’re opportunistic omnivores and a skittish prey species, the cow just walking out of the piranhas, it’s like two truths and a lie but all three are true, ARE WE DOING SPIDERS GEORG, spiders have acute mechanoceptors, tarantulas aren’t just hairy for fun, debunking the Lisa Birgit Holst debunking, a 50 spiders salute for georg, Beans Britain is a statistical outlier and should not be counted, spiders georg as a stats teaching tool, spiders georg was NOT an outlier, the moment Tom and pinball fell in love, we’ve been throwing balls at pins since ancient Egypt, indoor parlor games were for the aristocracy, fixing the pins to the table with bagatelle, the depression sparked the start of pinball’s craze, evolving their legs back, truly pinball is what caused the depression, pinball was the avocado toast of the time, pinballs were literally turned into billy clubs and bullets, pinball was banned for 34 years in new york city, the historic humpty dumpty machine first gave us flippers in 1947, pinball was cooler than porn, the bootles, it’s games sex and games AGAIN - but this time it’s bad, Suzanne Ciani’s digital design for Xenon, guess the pinball cabinet from the sound, the sopranos’ profanity filter, NBA fastbreak isn’t a basketball themed pinball - you are playing basketball, Dave demonstrating a Tap Pass, pinball is the most open it’s ever been, finding cabinets is a somehow even nerdier version of birdwatching, oh nooo don’t send me pictures of pinball cabinets. Sources: 2021 Fibromyalgia Acupuncture Review Wildland Trekking: Is Quicksand Real? EBSCO: Non Newtonian Fluid Wiki: Shear Thinning Slate: The Rise and Fall of Quicksand Getty: Bayeux Tapestry Quicksand Scene BBC Future: Can Quicksand Suck You to Your Death? Nature Comms: Liquefaction of Quicksand Under Stress Europhysics News: Quicksand! National Geographic: Quicksand Greater Cleveland Aquarium: How a President Propagated a Myth Zootaxa: Molecular Systematics of Serrasalmidae Nature Scientific Reports: Extreme Jaw Forces of Living and Extinct Piranhas University of Washington News: Piranha Fish Swap Old Teeth Evolution and Development: Heterodonty and Dental Replacement in Piranhas BBC: Piranha 'less deadly than feared' Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment: Attacks on Humans by the Piranha Serrasalmus rhombeus in Suriname The Harvard Gazette: Piranha Lab BBC: Do People Really Swallow Spiders in their Sleep Snopes: Do People Swallow Eight Spiders Per Year? Scientific American: Fact or Fiction? People Swallow 8 Spiders a Year While They Sleep | Springer Nature: The Vibrational Sense of Spiders Wiki: Fried Spider r/HelloInternet Reddit: Lisa Birgit Holst Doesn't Exist Snopes: Lisa Birgit Holst Tumblr: Spiders Georg Wiki: Spiders Georg Journal of Interdisciplinary Science Topics: View of How Many Spiders Would Spiders Georg Have To Eat? Medium: The Spiders Georg Problem --- Lambeth & Sarceni's Amazing Pinball Talk at Magfest David Barber's Magfest Pinball Panel Clive Thompson for Smithsonian Mag on Pinball National Museum of American History on Pinball and Bagatelle Montague Redgrave's Pinball Patent Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science on Pinball and Gambling Technology Connection's Great Pinball Breakdown Suzanne Ciani's Audio Design for Xenon

The Dragons of House of the Dragon

Alexis B Preston — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 07:01:32 +0000

Okay, it must be done. House of the Dragon season three has begun and as this is the closest thing to sports we like, we're taking this opportunity to do a re-cap of all of the dragons in the show! Note - we are discussing everything before season 3 episode 1! No spoilers for the new season, don't worry! Put your dragon saddles on and tune in!

Matt Rogers on ‘Bring It On’ [Replay]

Marissa Flaxbart — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 07:00:40 +0000

This episode originally aired in December of 2023. It's a holiday weekend in the US so we figured...why not have Christmas in July and bring this one back from the vault? Since then, Matt Rogers has gone on to become even more of a star, co-hosting the now televised Culture Awards on Bravo (with his Las Culturistas partner Bowen Yang), and set to be one of the stars of Mr. & Mrs. Smith Season 2. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="421"] photo by Jen Rosenstein[/caption] Comedy writer, singer, co-host of the Las Culturistas podcast, and now Prince of Christmas, Matt Rogers is filling a musical comedy niche previously occupied by...well, no one at all. Is it possible that he got here by following his inner Torrance Shipman, aka Kirsten Dunst's character from the 2000 film Bring It On? Matt shares why the movie was important to him growing up, how he relates to it as a former high school star athlete, and how he found his way to his current Christmas throne. Then, Jordan has one quick thing about some holiday horror hits. Listen to Matt's album, Have You Heard of Christmas? Matt sings with Meghann Fahey at Vulture Fest 2022 Feeling Seen Merch! *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Matt Rogers

How People Afford Video Games

Jason Schreier — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 07:00:32 +0000

Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about how the affordability crisis is impacting gaming, reading some listener emails to talk about how people pay for games these days. Plus: we've got Steam Machines and have some thoughts. Those two topics are very related! One More Thing: Kirk: Steam Machine Maddy: Balance: A Perimenopause Journey Jason: Steam Machine LINKS: Strong Songs Live! July 11, Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland. Livestream Tickets HERE Chris Person’s review of the Steam Machine for Aftermath Kirk’s Rhythm Heaven stream: Friday, July 3, 7PM Eastern on the Triple Click YouTube

Three Heavens and Six Hells (Edy Modica / Ben Paddon

MaxFun Intern — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:32:09 +0000

This week, our friends Ben Paddon and Edy Modica join Dave for some World Cup tourism, Doctor Who spinoffs, and a poem to send off Keir Starmer Edy Modica would like to plug I'm Just Like You (And It Sucks) and recommends Honey Pluton Ben Paddon would like to plug Jump Leads and recommends Friz Frizzle And finally Dave is on Bluesky! Dave would like to plug Balkan Treat Box Find us on Instagram! Call us on the International Waters hotline 323-435-3017 Written by Riley Silverman and John-Luke Roberts, recorded at MaxFun HQ in Downtown LA, and produced by Christian Dueñas and Laura Swisher. Join the MaxFun fam: maximumfun.org/join

Crime and Bunishment and Mailbags

Jennifer Marmor — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 14:44:12 +0000

It’s summertime, so we’re opening the member mailbag! We’ve pulled the greatest hits from our Members Only Mailbag, to give you a taste of the unfiltered JUSTICE that our members get every month. This episode, we talk about: picking up critters in the wild, state birds, cutting a sandwich, and goth parts of Los Angeles. Plus, a classic dispute of night owl versus early bird... and hanging drywall? Judge John Hodgman, Bailiff Jesse Thorn, and Producer Jennifer Marmor (aka the J Squad) weigh in on all these issues and more! Love the mailbag, and want to weigh in each month? Become a member at just $5 a month for exclusive bonus content, or join us at $10 a month for access to an AD-FREE Feed! Thank you so much for continuing to make our show possible. Join us directly here: maximumfun.org/joinjjho Remember, we need YOUR disputes to make this show! So please send us your pettiest partner fights, your most unhinged sibling drama, and all the friendship mess that your fingers can type. Submit them at: https://maximumfun.org/jjho/ SUBSCRIBE TO THIS PODCAST in APPLE PODCASTS or the RSS FEED

The Jackie and Laurie Show #548: Double Diamond

Kyle Clark — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:30:03 +0000

This week on the show the ladies dissect the way upspeak affects joke telling. Laurie (@anylaurie16) tells Jackie (@jackiekashian) that Subway has never done her wrong. They also remind comics that sometimes it is perfectly acceptable to do an impression of yourself… Subscribe to the podcast, and give it a 5-star rating and review to help the show move up the charts. Video for the episodes is on The Jackie and Laurie YouTube channel! Comic of the Week: Jessica Sele (@jessicasele) Become a MaxFun Member for benefits and other great pods: https://href.li/?https://maximumfun.org/donate Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JackieandLaurie Watch the episodes and subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@Jackie_Kashian See Laurie on tour: https://lauriekilmartin.com/tour-dates See Jackie on tour: https://jackiekashian.com/tour-dates Watch ’Lauries special “Cis Woke Grief ”Slut on YouTube:https://bit.ly/3zWwgPA Watch Laurie's special “Cis Woke Grief ”Slut on Amazon Prime: https://amzn.to/3NpHlMo Watch ’Jackies special “Looking Back” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZfwWvgMT70 Follow Laurie on social media: @anylaurie16 Follow Jackie on social media: @jackiekashian Recorded and Produced by Kyle Clark : @kyleclarkisrad

Free With Ads 122: True Grit (2010)

Matt Lieb — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:00:10 +0000

It's the first week of July-brary, where Free With Ads ditches the Tubis and Vudus and Plexs in favor of library apps like Hoopla and Kanopy where all you need is a library card! This week we chose the 2010 Coen Brothers film True Grit based on the 1968 novel by Charles Portis. Tune in next week when our movie will be... Cruel Intentions. ----- Pre-order signed copies of Jordan's new comic book series "The Amazing Venom" here at bit.ly/goofriends SATURDAY JULY 11th!!! Come see Matt Lieb do stand up at the Ice House in Pasadena at 8pm. Tickets are here. Emily got some more FlemGems for you at her ETSY Store.

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinfreewithads

NPR’s Glen Weldon Talks The Silmarillion and That Ought To Put You To Sleep

Gabe Mara — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 07:00:03 +0000

You have to be a slight J.R.R. Tolkien nerd to watch the Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings film series. They’re long, there’s three of them, and it helps to know your hobbits from your elves. You have to be even more of a fan to read the dense, lengthy Tolkien books. But then there’s Glen Weldon, co-host of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour, who has read everything Tolkien many times over including The Silmarillion. That’s the book Tolkien died while writing with extensive arcana of the world of Middle Earth. Here’s the part in the description where I would give you examples but it’s so deep, so thickly layered, such extreme Tolkienness that I kind of zoned out just listening to Glen take this deepest of dives. “The book is structured as a history, with sections on the creation of the world, the gods (Valar), the history of the Elves and Men, and the downfall of Númenor, all centered around the conflict with the first Dark Lord, Morgoth, and the rebellion of the Elf Fëanor,” says Wikipedia, and who am I to disagree? The detail, combined with Glen’s avuncular NPR voice ought to conk you out before you can say, “Celebrimbor.” Listen to Glen Weldon on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour wherever fine pods are cast. Get your copy of Glen's books, Superman: The Unauthorized Biography and The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture, where books are sold. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John’s acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun If you like one or more shows on MaxFun, and you value independent artists being able to do their thing, you’re the perfect person to become a MaxFun monthly member. Go to www.maximumfun.org/joinsleeping for our one-stop portal to becoming a member and supporter of Sleeping with Celebrities.

McFlurry vs Blizzard vs Frosty

Hal Lublin — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 04:00:14 +0000

McFlurry, Blizzard, or Frosty? WE GOT THIS.

TRANSCRIPT Sawbones Classic: Sunburns

McElroy Family — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 23:24:06 +0000

Sawbones Classic: Sunburns

McElroy Family — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 16:00:12 +0000

As folks in the northern hemisphere get back into the swing of summer we here at Sawbones thought it'd be a good time to reshare a classic episode about sunburns to help you get your D in the safest way possible. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Lambda Legal: https://lambdalegal.org/

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Student Rebellion, the New Left and Ashita no Joe

Brenda Snell — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:30:28 +0000

What if I told you that there was a manga in Japan that not only revolutionized the genre of sports manga, but inspired a plane Hijacking? Today, Host Austin talks about the famous boxing manga, Ashita no Joe and how this series, though still relatively unknown in the west, has influenced so much of our favorite anime and manga.

Pierre Cerrato on Placebo Effect (Archer S2E9) — Zima, Hidden Editing & Pam’s Reference Photos

Amber Nash — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 11:00:19 +0000

Amber, Christian, and Casey are joined by Pierre Cerrato to revisit Placebo Effect — Season 2, Episode 9 of Archer. Pierre shares what it was like serving as Floyd County’s resident Spanish speaker during recording sessions, the surprising number of languages spoken throughout the series, and how his career evolved from illustration to editing. He also reveals what it was like being one of Pam’s live-action reference models and discusses the hidden art of editing, audio design, radio edits, and how Archer’s sound evolved over the years. Also in this episode: Zima, the punchline of alcoholic beverages; the comedic timing and instincts that make a great editor; Pierre’s career connection to H. Jon Benjamin; Joan Van Ark; off-mic moments in the recording booth; Amber’s legendary burps; “like clams to the slaughter”; and this week’s cocktail segment. 📺 FX’s Archer is now streaming on Hulu. 📧 Send us fan content or questions: rephrasingpod@gmail.com 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @rephrasingpod