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PODCAST

The Brain Candy Podcast

Susie Meister PhD & Sarah Rice AMFT

Laugh and learn with Susie Meister PhD & Sarah Rice MFT from MTV"s The Challenge as they cover psychology, pop culture, human interest, and science, and make everything from The Kardashians to quantum physics accessible to all.

society & culture

All Episodes

01:04:44

853: Stolen Gold, Science Bodies, & The Contestant

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/10/07

Fall is in the air, so our resident witch is getting her caldron out and preparing for snowboarding season. Sarah is willing to sacrifice a literal finger if that means not missing another powder season. (She's unwell.) Susie tells us about a 30 for 30 called Stolen Gold about an intellectually disabled paralympic basketball team that won the gold by having almost the entire team fake the disability. We learn how it affected the lives of the people who won fair and square. We discuss the

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01:00:51

852: Bionic Bodies, Office Ladies, & Musk Against...

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/10/03

Sarah is living out her Bob's Burgers fantasies. Susie's still trying to do a pull-up, but we found research that shows she might never meet her goal! We debate whether kids should have their phones in school, and our opinions will probably surprise you. We learn why people who use prosthetics are frustrated with the way companies make their products and how it affects their autonomy. Sarah describes a trend on TikTok where people are exoticizing and romanticizing office jobs, and she says she

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01:06:39

851: Penny Tyranny, Pineapple Swingers, & Rainbow Bridge

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/09/30

Sarah is trying to take care of her poor hurt finger, and is hoping it leads to something amazing, but that amazing thing will not be sex with a man if she has anything to say about it. Susie explains why pennies should be eradicated, why we keep making money that no one wants or needs, why the "penny lobby" is trying to keep the dream alive, and what it will take to end our collective nightmare. We hear why people in Spain are trolling grocery stores looking to hook-up, the stores have to hide

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01:01:55

850: Doritos Dust, Brain Freeze, & Tablescaping

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/09/26

We got an update on the serial pooper, and we were way off OR WERE WE??? We learn how an ingredient in Doritos can change the skin of mice and we debate the order of Doritos flavors over time. Sarah reveals some fun facts about the brain, the reasons some people are shy (and Susie ought to be more compassionate about shyness!), and what causes brain freeze/frozen throat. Sarah watched a documentary about tablescaping competitions and explains the types of people who might get into such an odd hobby

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00:59:33

849: Catching Hell, Apollo 13, & Oral Fixations

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/09/23

Sarah's getting some new wheels, and let's just say she's probably going to make a lot of lesbian friends thanks to her vehicle. Susie is still trying to successfully do one pull-up, and has a message for anyone working towards a goal. Plus, she reports back about her experience with her colonoscopy alternative and the hilarious instructions she got about collecting her...specimen. We discuss a documentary about a man who caught a foul ball at a Cubs game and it almost ruined his life. We talk about

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00:48:49

848: Behind the Mask, Feather Collector, & What's in...

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/09/19

Sarah is nursing her finger back to health, but believes the injury will bring something good into her life (optimistic as ever). She talks about the Behind the Mask docuseries, which examines the people who are team mascots. Sarah is reading the Feather Thief for Candy Club, and is thinking about people who collect animal parts and how these natural items become valuable and sought after. We find out how the cost of your wedding can predict the likelihood of divorce. Turns out Susie's theory about

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01:09:43

847: Dr. Feelgood, False Positive, & Blue Balls

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/09/16

Sarah is on a hilarity roll, and we're here for it, but she's going to need some humor to get through her water polo (for seniors) injury. Hopefully her new hot doctor will make her feel better. We discuss the ending of Chimp Crazy, and the wild ways people cope with trauma, loss of identity, and a search for meaning. We talk about the latest serial pooper running loose, and the reasons Sarah thinks he is justified (!) in his targeted defecation despite the fact that Sarah does not know his motives

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01:05:45

846: Type B Friends, Space Cowboy, & Busy Beavers

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/09/12

Susie's son got in trouble at school, but we fully support his shenanigans and think we've taught him well. Sarah shared a story about teachers who heard a rustling noise coming from a backpack and when they opened it up they discovered a turtle. But some of the kids's parents were mad the teachers didn't get "consent" to search the bags, so they invaded the kindergarteners' privacy. We hear how crows are picking up litter, ferrets have become electricians, and Sarah thinks Susie is a busy beaver

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01:03:47

845: Baywatch Bodies, Chimp Crazy, & Digital Exams

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/09/09

We've done it everyone. We finally got Susie's silent laugh to the next level with what feels like ten minutes of hysterical laughter. We're not proud that it's about rectal exams, but it is what it is. We hear why the Baywatch docuseries is a must-watch, Sarah might have to squash her beef with Hobie, and the cast is similar to reality cast members. We learn about the Chimp Crazy documentary, the type of people who own chimps as pets, and how the ethics of documentaries were tested on this wild

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01:02:16

844: Wacky Tobaccky, Tattoo Tips, & Women Leaders

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/09/05

We keep planning our reunions, and they never pan out, and it might result in an impromptu Brain Candy meetup. We hear why women in leadership roles are criticized at a much higher frequency than their male counterparts and for more superficial reasons (big surprise). We discuss a new policy at a restaurant who won't let anyone under 30 inside. Hear why a paralympian was disqualified from the games for a tattoo, and we're furious. We get tattoo placement tips from our resident expert, Sarah. And we

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01:06:35

843: Baseball Betting, Starving for Perfection, &...

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/09/02

Sarah is showing what can happen when you put yourself out there and we're here for it. We debate whether a baseball player who is banned from the sport should still be eligible for the Hall of Fame (aka Pete Rose). Sarah begins on one side of the argument, but Susie persuades her to change her mind. We discuss the Karen Carpenter documentary that shows what led to her death by eating disorder, how her family dynamic played a role, and why disordered eating is a spectrum of severity. We talk about

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00:55:15

842: Dude Perfect, Tennis Brains, & Water Mussels

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/08/29

Susie's 30 for 30 journey continues with the documentary about Dude Perfect, the YouTube sensations (and megahit) who specialize in trick shots and other sports spectacles. We hear how they got started, how they were able to harness their virality, and what it's really like creating content as a full-time job as middle-aged men. We hear the latest science on patients with brain damage, and how researchers realized that a significant number of them have cognitive "awareness" despite being considered

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01:05:33

841: Money Marriage, Surgeon General, & Blind Touch

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/08/26

Sarah is getting emotional about her water polo resurgence, and wants you all to do something to challenge yourself. We discuss how she didn't take advantage of her rich ex-husband, and how next time she should have a little more fun. We talk about the surgeon general, who has been giving advice about self-care, wellness, and other more abstract mental health techniques, and receiving criticism by people who think he should focus on non-mental health. And we debate whether that's the role of a

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00:50:57

840: Magical People, Hysterical Women, & Breaking Bad

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/08/22

Susie had a magical birthday thanks to a serendipitous meeting with one of her favorite people on the planet. Plus, she got her wish to own an accordion! We try to figure out why Sarah hates traditional music (allegedly). We discuss the viral sensation and Olympic unlikely athlete, Australia's b-girl who broke the Internet with her breaking. Is she an inspiration or a problem? Sarah reminisces about a woman who found a loophole to get onto an Olympics' ski team. Susie recounts the infamous piece of

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01:05:55

839: Public Pools, Burrito Justice, & Sarah's Hot Take

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/08/19

We learn about the strange coincidence Sarah experienced regarding an ex while she was at camp, and the hilarious way she handled it. We got an update on Sarah's water polo (for grownups) league she's in. And even though historically she's gotten a lot of crap for strapping on a swim cap, but no more, she's bound for world record attempts. We find out why public pools are closing, and what we lose when pools don't exist. We revisit the viral story of a woman who threw a burrito at the Chipotle

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01:03:39

838: Boy Bands, Sleep Science, & Dementia Deep Dive

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/08/15

We're discussing the boy band documentary, Dirty Pop, which details the exploitation of teen hearthrobs, and we discuss the reasons why girls have different fandom behaviors than boys. We talk about a 30 for 30 where a football player creates a persona to handle the press and get attention, but the line between identity and brand are blurred to big consequences. We find out what people dream, how much they dream each night, and why men and women dream about different things. We find out how one

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01:03:31

837: Nun Brains, Acidic Lake, & Holiday Cards

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/08/12

Sarah is hoping high heels don't come back in style because she has to work on her toe spread. We discuss. We hear how hundreds of nuns were able to show the secret to a healthy brain, and we learn why your vocabulary could predict your likelihood of cognitive issues. Sarah joined a queer water polo team for "seniors," and we are psyched that she's going to find her soul mate in the deep end. We discuss whether sports have become "whiny," and why people treat referees and umpires disrespectfully

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00:59:51

836: Rattlesnakes, Miracle on Ice, & Pizza Box Mystery

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/08/08

Apparently there is a den of thousands of rattlesnakes in Colorado, so Sarah is freaking out, and we think rattlesnakes are publishing propaganda to help their reputation. Steve Jobs was a weirdo with a very strange method for relieving stress. Susie talks about an aggressive football program that was accused of being "thugs," and we debate whether it's bad sportsmanlike conduct or a great strategy to win. And we hear why Notre Dame made it seem like playing against them was good vs evil. Susie

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01:02:14

835: Hot Stuff, Camp Romance, & Missy Elliott in Space

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/08/05

Sarah is keeping up her New Year's resolution of stretching, but it turns out she needs some strength to go with it because her physical therapist says she's like a combination between the tin man and Gumby. Susie had a run in with a pigeon and she is not happy about it. Bald eagles have a great publicist because despite what they put in the movies, these guys sound like little sea gulls and ducks. National Parks are getting more dangerous due to climate change, so Sarah is giving advice for how to

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01:06:27

834: Happiness Factory, Dancing Fools, & Charles...

The Brain Candy Podcast ·

2024/07/29

Susie saw an interview with Charles Manson's son, and wanted Sarah to explain why he was so forgiving of his dad. Susie gave a pep talk about the USA and why you shouldn't be despondent about the state of our country, despite what you might feel, after watching a documentary about North Korea. We learn about an Asian phenomenon of malaise and isolation among young people and why the government is working to treat it through a happiness factory that helps parents relate to their kids. Susie recounts

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955 results

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