I was at TED2026! There were a few talks about drones & AI that made me nervous but there were a ton of talks about science & solutions that were uplifting! Thanks a bunch to the @TEDFellow team for trusting me with your MC needs 📸 by @ryanlashphotography & the TED photog team

Would you pay good money to go to a retreat where they read one book out loud? Because it's happening! I have 4 unfinished books on my nightstand, so maybe this is what I need? We discuss the phenomenon on #FakeTheNation with @JeremyPinsley and @maryhoulie.bsky.social.

A new study finds that the most popular degrees - social work, teaching - have the least return on investment. We vent on this issue on #FakeTheNation with the wonderful @JeremyPinsley & @maryhoulie.bsky.social - subscribe to the show now more than ever!

Pete Hegseth is morally questionable in so so many ways, but also, why does he have so much wet hair??? And what do you imagine he says when the cameras are off? I feel like our ideas were solid on this week's #FakeTheNation with @JeremyPinsley and @maryhoulie.bsky.social. Tune in wherever you pod.

The Muslims are Coming!...with Equally Threatening Friends! to The Lost Church in San Francisco on April 29 at 7:30pm. Laugh! Commiserate! Join @funnyhelenhong @mrnatogreen @dauoodn & @neginfarsad for a night of comedy that will definitely heal America, no big deal. Tix in Bio!

@maryhoulie.bsky.social's back on Fake The Nation with @neginfarsad.bsky.social this week. They get into the politics of war, the politics of space, the politics of special elections and more! Check it out now!! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

The Muslims are Coming!...with Equally Threatening Friends! to The Lost Church in San Francisco on April 29 at 7:30pm. Laugh! Commiserate! Join @funnyhelenhong @mrnatogreen @dauoodn & @neginfarsad for a night of comedy that will definitely heal America, no big deal. Tickets now at the link in bio.

Meta & YouTube just lost a couple of court battles - is it like the takedown of Big Tobacco? The claims against McDonalds for making people unhealthy? Where is our digital Ozempic to help us all!? We dive into this & more with @calebmeringue.bsky.social & Jody Avirgan on #FakeTheNation!

I guest hosted @waitwaitnpr & thankfully, I got a space week! Artemis II launched & a bunch of other things happened, but let’s focus on the good stuff! It was a banger of a show w/ Peter Grosz, Joyelle Nicole Johnson & Rachel Coster making an all-time excellent panel. Tune in at @npr.org near you!

A new study shows that difficult people literally AGE YOU. Yes yes, this is unsurprising but now there's data! Helen Hong and @importantmeagan.bsky.social break down the risks of hanging out with the difficult motherf%$*ers who walk among us on this week's #FakeTheNation. Tune in!

We talk big picture politics on this episode of #FakeTheNation with @importantmeagan.bsky.social and Helen Hong. Tune in for our advice to democrats AND some totally unsurprising new findings about dealing with difficult people.

Would you get rid of your GPS for the sake of "Frictionmaxxing"? Yes, it's another stupidly named trend, but this one might actually help recover our short attention spans! We get into this & so much else on #FakeTheNation w/ @katiecompa.com & @thenation.com writer @ddguttenplan.bsky.social

Congress doesn't want to have a job anymore - that's the only real explanation for this war. They're quiet quitting, & the rest of us are stuck yelling into the void. #FakeTheNation this week w/ @Milly_Tamarez, @TheStacksPod, & me, your favorite Iranian-American podcast host.

The Oscars are Sunday and we can't get enough of the Timothy Chalamet/Jessie Buckley discourse because together they have pissed off a universe of cat-, opera- and ballet-lovers. We get into it with @Milly_Tamarez and @thestackspod on #FakeTheNation this week.

We get into the Timothee Chalamet opera/ballet controversy because... well, why not? In a #FakeTheNation episode where we have to talk about war, it was fun for me, @Milly_Tamarez, and @thestackspod to take a little Chlamydia/ballet/cat-lovers/JessieBuckley detour. Tune in!

Is there a Smut Renaissance?? We obviously start by talking about Heated Rivalry. Are you pro the general increase of smut in pop culture?? Listen to @peppermint247.bsky.social and @rachelsklar.bsky.social as they. break it all down... to the dropping candle wax.

We talk about war and about the confusing set of emotions Iranians around the world might be experiencing on this week's #FakeTheNation with the wonderful @peppermint247.bsky.social and @RacheSklar - Spoiler alert: we're also beyond frustrated about US leadership, who would have thunk?

Iran confusions abound. www.instagram.com/reel/DVeJKZ5...

Iran. These are just some preliminary thoughts but I’ll get into it on my podcast and maybe by then I’ll have a clearer sense of everything. In the meantime, please be nice because above all, we’re sad and worried about our families and fellow humans. www.instagram.com/reel/DVUu0xB...

We go deep on supermarkets because @chenjerai.bsky.social and Menelek Lumumba have thoughts! And it turns out, grocery stores make up for 90% of our opinion making capacity as human beings.. Listen to this episode #FakeTheNation for all your grocery takes!

We reminisce about Marco Rubio’s thirsty 2013 State of the Union response. We also talk about the resurgence of iPods & authoritarianism on this episode of #FakeTheNation with Chenjerai Kumanyikan & Menelek Lumumba. We go hard on supermarket rankings, so you should tune in for it.

Star Stone and Jena Friedman join #FakeTheNation to talk about the latest and most suspicious of wellness trends. @jenafriedman.bsky.social

This is equal parts boring and horrifying… and a few other equal parts beige foundation, tangerine highlights, and clapping. #SOTU

I have a weird fantasy that Trump turns this entire #SOTU into a makeup tutorial on how to cover a bruise on your hand. Would be more substantive.

AI Pets are all the rage in China, but… are they just cuter and fluffier surveillance tools? We discuss this on #FaketheNation with @jenafriedman.bsky.social and @StarStoneSpeaks

You mean to tell me the new frequency of snow in NYC has NOTHING to do with Mayor Mamdani?? Come on! #nyc #snowstorm #blizzard #mamdani #muslim

Shout out to the Russian MAGA moms and their unpredictable breaking points. This week on #FakeTheNation, Jenny Zigrino does the best ever impressions of her mom and, alongside Professor @nerdfromthefuture.bsky.social, the best ever insights on the news. Get it wherever you pod.

Are you into the prediction markets? Are they… ehem, a “good” thing? Or, ya know, not at all? We weigh in on this and more on this week’s #FakeTheNation with @nerdfromthefuture.bsky.social and Jenny Zigrino.

Every week celebrated journalist Bill Kurtis joins Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me to bring us his sillier side. I got to guest host the show this week and wanted to ask Bill to bring his journalistic expertise to weigh in on these times. #waitwaitdonttellme #npr #hope

Been a fan of Negin and JR forever so this was a dream!!!

Since the special election in Texas, Speaker Johnson’s GOP margin in the House is shrinking like nips in an ice bath. Is it wrong to enjoy this? Just a little?? All of this and more on #FakeTheNation with JR Havlan and @chandlerjdean.bsky.social wherever your ears take in their pods.

College-aged kids are using AI for vibe checks & to rehearse conversations. Is it robbing them of the right to be awkward & learn by failing?? We discuss this & more on #FaketheNation. This week, we do it with the wonderful JR Havlan and @chandlerjdean.bsky.social

I’m getting stopped on the street because of how hot my dog is. I finally know what it's like to be Brad Pitt. Come on, ladies. Keep it together.

The closure of the Kennedy Center has hit hard for me & performers everywhere - performing there was such a privilege and now… UGH. It is shuttered under the guise of "construction." We dig into this on this week’s #FakeTheNation with chatterboxes @chandlerjdean.bsky.social & JR Havlan

Foreign Language films are making huge inroads into the Oscars. Do you watch them? Or do you pretend to watch them to impress your smart friends? We talk about this new Oscar trend on #FakeTheNation w/ Jordan Carlos & Justin Krebs. Listen wherever your earballs get their pods.

I’ve never experienced this long of a freeze in NYC. My main takeaway: deep freeze snow is dog pee’s greatest archivist. The city is but a frozen museum to our canines' greatest work. #NYC #dogs #snow

But who’s in control when a president naps??? We discuss on this week’s #FakeTheNation with comedian Jordan Carlos and political strategist Justin Krebs.

Who are stay-at-home sons? And WHY are stay-at-home sons? We discuss on #FakeTheNation with @jordancarlosofficial and Justin Krebs. PLUS we talk politics while managing to keep our heads from exploding.

Last call to get all up in Congressional phone lines! Let’s make sure we put a stop to DHS funding by letting your Senators know you’re not into the horrific tragedies of the last few weeks. AND while you’re at it why don’t you throw in a word about supporting Iran. Give Senate a ring (202) 224-3121

We discuss the future of podcasting with the man who literally created the Podcast Pantheon, Sean Malin! Check out the entire episode of #FakeTheNation where, alongside @sydneymorgancane, we dip into the latest news, including the trending acronym “AWFUL.”

Apparently, a larger house does not necessarily make a happier home. Do you see the benefits of less square footage for your happiness? This week’s #FakeTheNation w/ Sean Malin & @sydneymorgankane.bsky.social. Listen wherever your current and future ears listen to pods.

Listening to White House officials talk out loud & say the most crazy things made us realize: they need improv classes. They need an improv coach to tell them when to pull back - when the crazy is just too crazy. On #FakeTheNation with @sydneymorgankane.bsky.social & Sean Malin

A new (and very expensive) matchmaking service uses AI to take the romance out of dating. You into it? We talk about this bit of fluff plus more in the world of current events on this week’s #FakeTheNation with @johnfugelsang.bsky.social and @MBanikarim - listen wherever you pod!

It's official, the kids are eating sushi at birthday parties. Is this the fall of the once great Pizza Institution? Or are kids just going through an Omakase phase? We discuss this and more on #FakeTheNation w/ @johnfugelsang.bsky.social & @Mbanikarim. Available wherever you pod.

I’m obviously very distracted by Iran right now, so I brought two of the great thinkers to sort out all the feelings on #FakeTheNation. @johnfugelsang.bsky.social was in an Iranian sandwich between me & @MBanikarim, but don’t worry, we also talk about sushi & matchmaking. Enjoy where you pod

We talk a lot about Minneapolis and Iran this week but as is the way on #FakeTheNation, we also see the hope and optimism in all of it. Tune in for the wise words of @johnfugelsang.bsky.social and @Mbanikarim.

Just realized this: “The House set a grim record in 2025, casting the fewest votes of the 21st century during the first session of a two-year Congress.” - thanks to reporting in @nytimes.com

Iran

Did you love having a meal plan in college and do you want an adult version? @johnhodgman is looking for angel investors! We discuss his and @eflakeagogo’s many business ventures on this week’s #FakeTheNation. Tune in wherever you pod

Move over, Hollywood, the Metropolitan Detention Center has the real A-Listers. Catch @johnhodgman and @eflakeagogo breaking down the most chaotic neighborhood watch in Brooklyn and our who-asked-for-this Maduro drama. Tune into #FakeTheNation wherever you pod