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PODCAST

Smart Girl Dumb Questions

It"s a curiosity party, and you"re invited. Every Tuesday on SGDQ, Nayeema Raza asks simple Qs about big ideas trying to make sense of life. Some of our faves? Neil deGrasse Tyson on how we"d know if we"re in a simulation, Esther Perel on why love gets harder with age, Diplo on why every guy I date is a DJ, and two 11 year olds on what it"s like to grow up right now. Send us your dumb (and smart) Qs: nayeema.raza101@gmail.com

society & culture comedy interviews

All Episodes

56:44

Wait … How Does AI Work? with “Godfather of AI”...

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/12/02

We all pretend to understand AI but Dr. Geoffrey Hinton actually does. He’s been dubbed the “Godfather of AI” for half-century of work on machine learning and neural networks. So what does this Nobel Prize-winning Al Pacino make of our AI age? Is this an industrial revolution, or the start of something more alien? How does AI … even work? Is it more neuroplastic than a baby's brain? How far away is super intelligence? Can’t we just unplug the thing off like Jack Bauer in 24, or will it

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36:24

Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing? (Nayeema on...

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/11/25

What's with the boyfriend backlash? Should you have swiped right on Zohran? And are AI boyfriends our future? Today, we have a friendly feed drop to give you a taste of a convo Nayeema had on the fab pod of our former guest Maria Avgitidis. It's called Ask A Matchmaker and you can get the full convo and more episodes on Spotify or YouTube and check out her book, "Ask a Matchmaker", for the kinda tough love Nayeema loves!Send us your hot takes — or, better yet, your “dumb questions" - email

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72:06

Collective Genius? with Gen Z Mozart Jacob Collier

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/11/18

What is Rhythm? Melody? Harmony? Do we all have these elements ingrained in us? Will AI make better music than humans can? What is a Weenus? And would Kendrick or Drake be a better collab? Five-time Grammy-winning musician Jacob Collier joins Nayeema to unpack the science and soul of sound.From Collier's early viral videos to performances with legends like Herbie Hancock to Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Jacob reveals what he’s learned about emotion, math, and meaning along the way – and how he turns

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44:50

How Much Does Love Cost??! with Matchmaker Maria...

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/11/11

If someone pays for love, is it easier to find? Does it twist the power dynamic? Do professional matchmakers take a Hippocratic Oath? And how long do they think you should wait before….?Fourth-generation matchmaker, Maria Avgitidis joins Nayeema to unpack the economics of love, from the 12 Date Rule to the $150,000 price tag of high-end matchmaking, and explore how dating has evolved from community introductions to algorithms and apps. Maria reveals why texting “doesn’t count,” why your mom is a

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40:45

Why Do People Run? with Olympian Alexi Pappas

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/11/04

Olympian and author Alexi Pappas joins us this week to tackle one of Nayeema’s (and Neil deGrasse Tyson’s) pressing questions: Why are all these people running? What are they running from? Or where are they running toward? And do they just pee in their pants while running?Together the two friends unpack the science of athletic “peaking,” the power of the marathon, practical tips for your running form, and why run clubs are the new dating apps. From the origins of the marathon to post-Olympic

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50:42

Who Are You When No One’s Watching? with Doormen...

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/10/28

New York’s 27,000 doormen see everything. These social anthropologists know more secrets than your therapist does. So what stories do they have? Can they tell if someone's having an affair? Or about to break up? What does how we tip say about us? And do they think the city is getting safer or more dangerous?Nayeema talks to Daryl and Joe, two veterans in the front-of-building business who are masters at the "ocular patdown,” moodreading and secret-keeping to figure out what people are like when

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64:18

What Happened to Science? with Bill Nye, the Science Guy

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/10/21

Bill Nye the Science Guy taught an entire generation to love science and the scientific method so … what went wrong? Is the debate around science just healthy skepticism or is it a clear and present danger? What’s the next major scientific discovery AI can unleash? And can space science undivide America?Nayeema talks to Bill Nye, the engineer, comedian, “Science Guy” and CEO of the Planetary Society. On the agenda: other life in the cosmos, aircraft engineering and whether any one person’s actions

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52:35

Is NASA Worth 25 Billion Bucks? with Casey Dreier

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/10/14

Hit “follow” on this show so you don't miss Bill Nye the Science Guy next week. Today, Nayeema ask Bill’s colleague Casey Dreier: do we really need to go to space? Is it worth billions of dollars? How does it make my life better? What's more important: space science or dudes on the moon? And can’t Elon Musk just do all the space science things for us? Casey Dreier is the Chief of Space Policy at the Planetary Society — the independent nonprofit founded by Carl Sagan and now led by Bill Nye. From

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67:03

Why Is Every Dude a DJ? Ft. Diplo

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/10/07

Do actually successful Grammy-winning DJs sleep? What do music producers do? Should they date the musicians they produce? And is Diplo ever getting back together with Skrillex for Jack U? Nayeema turns her curiosity (and flirt) onto Diplo, aka Thomas Wesley Pentz, the Grammy-winning musician and DJ whose hits range from house to country and Bollywood to Brazilian favelas, and who has collaborated with everyone from Madonna to M.I.A. and Rihanna. They discuss why he’s becoming obsessed with

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65:31

Why Is Love Harder Now? Ft. Esther Perel

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/09/30

Why are we falling in love less? Is it feminism’s fault? Or the reality of getting older? Would Esther Perel rather date in 1955, 1985 or 2025? And does the future belong to tradwives or digitally arranged marriages, powered by AI? Nayeema sits down with renowned psychotherapist, author and a big supporter in launching @smartgirldumbquestions – Esther Perel – to break down the evolution of modern romance, our obsession with self-love, and why crushes are hard to come by after your

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0:59

Season 2 - Coming in Hot!

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/09/29

The curiosity party is back, with new episodes every Tuesday. Nayeema returned from summer break (why don't adults get those?) with a spicy line up Qs we all have and guests who can help answer them. Follow ⁠Smart Girl Dumb Questions⁠, review the show and SHARE this show with your bestie, your mom and that group chat you've muted. And check out our Last Dumb Question street series on ⁠IG⁠ or ⁠TikTok⁠. Your LDQs are also welcome, just email nayeemaraza101@gmail.com. Stay curious. Stay hot.

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63:17

Are We Really Having Less Sex? with Dr. Justin Garcia

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/09/05

What happens to our bodies and brains when we fall in love? And when we break up? Is orgasm linked to fertility? Who came up with the idea of marriage? And did capitalism just kill our sex drive? Nayeema’s taking a break from summer break to ask the dumbest questions she has to the nerdiest evolutionary biologist she could find: Dr. Justin Garcia, Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute and author of an epic forthcoming book The Intimate Animal. They talk kissing, shaky bridges and scientific

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73:41

Should You Be My Mayor? with Eric Adams

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/08/01

Would NYC Mayor Eric Adams rather be trapped in an elevator with Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, or Curtis Sliwa? What’s his relationship with President Trump and/or Turkish Airlines? Why should New Yorkers trust him with another 4 years? What would he do with it? And how much has he delivered when it comes to policing crime, relieving medical debt, and building affordable housing? Nayeema wants to get behind headlines and memes to understand who’s running for Mayor. She’s inviting the candidates

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74:47

Why Can’t We Have More Parties? with Lee Drutman

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/07/18

How did we get these two political parties? And, when most Americans don’t like either of them is the answer … to have more? Will Elon’s Musk recently announced “America Party” work? Or do we need an “Animal Lovers Party” instead? Nayeema asks the dumbest questions she can think of to the nerdiest expert she could find: Lee Drutman. He’s a fellow at New America and author of the book Breaking The Two Party Doom Loop. They discuss the beef between Jefferson and Washington (um, I mean, Jefferson and

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76:35

If Everyone’s Got Anxiety, Does Anyone Have Anxiety?...

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/07/11

Is anxiety the internet’s fault, your mom’s fault, or your food’s fault? Why does there seem to be a greater mental health crisis in the USA than other countries? Is therapy the answer … or is functional medicine? And is all other medicine … dysfunctional? Also where did MAHA come from?Nayeema asks the most direct (and dumb) health questions she could think of to the most pragmatic, open-minded, and research-based doctor she could find: Dr. Ellen Vora, board-certified psychiatrist and author of

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74:41

Is the Iran War Over … or Just On Pause? with Vali Nasr

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/06/27

What do Iranians think? Are they more or less into the Ayatollah (and nukes) after the last two weeks? Did the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites … take out the nuclear targets? How would we know? Also: why do all Iran’s proxies start with “H”? Nayeema asks the dumbest questions she can think of to the foremost Iran expert she could identify: Dr. Vali Nasr, a professor and former dean at John Hopkins SAIS, former senior advisor to the US State Department, and the author of several books on

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59:28

How Do Kids Change Your Life? with Alison Roman & Max...

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/06/20

Will having kids make my life or ruin it? How can two independent, career-minded people navigate marriage? What is a contraction? And is childbirth hellish … or like an MDMA high? Nayeema asks the dumbest questions she can think of to her most grown-uppest friends, New York Times bestselling cookbook author Alison Roman and Emmy-nominated director Max Cantor to understand if you’re ever going to feel ready for kids, and how you go from a thirst-trap or a DM slide to love, marriage and a baby

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49:31

Why Go On Reality TV? with Rebecca Minkoff

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/06/06

Is anything real about reality tv? And does going on it boost your business? Also: when it comes to fashion, why are buttons on one side for dudes and another for chicks? Are clothes sexist? And what do tariffs do to the price of a T-shirt? Nayeema asks reality TV, fashion and Scientology questions to the freshly transparent designer and RHONY personality Rebecca Minkoff. Check out Rebecca’s podcast, Superwomen and her book Fearless. Follow @smartgirldumbquestions on IG, TikTok & YouTube. You

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55:52

Is It Safe to Fly Right Now? with Kate Kelly

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/05/30

With recent crashes, close calls and control center outages: is it getting more dangerous to fly, or are we just paying more attention? Also: do pilots have walkie-talkies? What’s on their cockpit screens? Do these 30-90 second blackouts at Newark Airport matter? And how few air traffic controllers are … too few? Nayeema asks the dumbest questions she could think of to the best-sourced reporter she could find: New York Times investigative journalist Kate Kelly. On the agenda: How does seeing how

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53:02

Wait… What’s the Deal With This Economy? with Paul...

Smart Girl Dumb Questions ·

2025/05/16

Are we in a trade war with China? Will BTC replace USD? What’s the latest on tariffs? And are millennials the most screwed generation? Also: can I blame the economy for my difficult dating life?Nayeema asks the dumbest Qs she could think of to the most famous economist she could find: Nobel Laureate and former New York Times columnist Paul Krugman. For more of Paul’s wisdom after the episode, head to his Substack, where he breaks down economic news daily. And for more Smart Girl Dumb Questions

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