The Worst of the Best Podcast

Jaksot

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  Simple Things That Play Tricks on Your Brain 08.09.2026 47min

  Ryan and his brother Jason take on ten everyday ways the brain glitches on The Worst of the Best Podcast.They cover the food variety effect that makes holiday buffets dangerous, why breaking eye contact isn’t always a lie, crossing your arms to ease pain, mixing up left and right, beauty bias, kids who think birthday parties make them older, motion sickness as a “you’ve been poisoned” alarm, the 2015 dress color debate, handing over personal data for an Instagram cookie, and the God Helmet placebo experiment.Rate the show on iTunes or Spotify. Email is in the show notes.00:00 – Intro  03:20 – #10 Food variety effect  08:10 – #9 Breaking eye contact  11:45 – #8 Crossing arms eases pain  14:59 – #7 Left and right confusion  28:50 – Motion sickness as poison signal  30:20 – The dress / color disagreement  35:27 – Trading privacy for cookies  38:28 – God helmet experiment  45:16 – Recap and worst picks46:38 – Wrap-up
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  Secret Societies You’ve Never Heard Of (Or Wish You Hadn’t) 31.08.2026 47min

  Ryan and his brother Jason dive into ten real secret and clandestine societies that have operated (or still operate) in the shadows on The Worst of the Best Podcast.They cover the infamous Skull and Bones at Yale, the brutal Leopard Society of West Africa, the occult-focused Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the ultra-exclusive Bilderberg Group, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the satanic Order of Nine Angels, the Hellfire Club, the Thule Society, and more.The pair discuss what is actually known versus pure conspiracy, the strange initiation rituals, and the darker ideologies behind some of these groups. A fascinating (and occasionally unsettling) look at the organizations that prefer to stay hidden.00:00 – Intro and “we will not unlife ourselves” disclaimer  03:10 – #10 Skull and Bones  09:50 – #9 Leopard Society  13:50 – #8 Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn  28:30 – Bilderberg Group  34:00 – Independent Order of Odd Fellows  37:30 – Order of Nine Angels  39:30 – Hellfire Club  42:30 – Thule Society  43:30 – Final picks46:30 – Wrap-up
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  Hidden Truths of the Food Industry 30.08.2026 51min

  Ryan and his brother Jason dig into some of the darker, lesser-known truths of the modern food industry on The Worst of the Best Podcast.They cover why American chicken is banned in the EU (chlorine washes, arsenic, antibiotics), the pressure-cooker reality of Michelin stars, the surprising problems with lab-grown meat, the widespread use of child slave labor in West African cocoa production, fake or mislabeled Kobe beef, shady organic claims, the fact that most bottled water is just tap water, the health issues with popular oat milks like Oatly, supermarket layout tricks designed to make you spend more, and the disturbing ingredients and practices in commercial pet food.A sobering but important episode that might make you look twice at your next grocery run.00:00 – Intro and Jason’s Guns N’ Roses concert update  01:40 – Episode concept: hidden truths of the food industry  03:20 – #10 US chicken banned in Europe  08:00 – #9 Michelin stars: blessing or curse  12:40 – #8 Lab-grown meat realities  18:10 – #7 Child slave labor in chocolate  22:00+ – Kobe beef, organic labels, bottled water  34:20 – Oatly / oat milk problems  39:00 – Supermarket design tricks  42:30 – Pet food horrors  47:00 – Final picks: child labor chocolate + Oatly  50:00 – Wrap-up
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  Samhain Secrets: The Dark Roots of Halloween 29.08.2026 49min

  Ryan reunites Bob and Zip (No Redeeming Qualities) for a special Halloween episode diving into the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain — the real roots of modern Halloween.They explore ten eerie and often brutal traditions: the ritual sacrifice of monarchs whose bodies were preserved in peat bogs, the belief that the dead returned, fortune-telling rituals, fairy abductions, the mysterious Cave of Cats, heavy drinking, fire ceremonies involving the Black Sow (and occasional human sacrifice), dressing up as the dead using animal skins and skulls, cross-dressing “hags,” and even accounts of child sacrifice.Along the way the trio shares personal Halloween memories, debates which customs still echo today, and crowns their “worst of the best.” Dark history, dark humor, and classic Worst of the Best energy — perfect for the spooky season.00:00 – Intro and welcome back Bob & Zip  03:40 – Halloween feelings and personal traditions  09:20 – What is Samhain?  13:40 – #10 Ritual killing of monarchs / peat bog bodies  17:10 – #9 Rise of the Dead / spirits returning  20:00+ – Fortune-telling, fairies, Cave of Cats, heavy drinking  30:50 – Fire rituals and the Black Sow  33:50 – Dressing as the dead  38:00 – Cross-dressing and gender role reversal  42:40 – Child sacrifice accounts  45:20 – Final picks from Bob, Ryan, and Zip  48:00 – Plugs and wrap-up
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  Unique Ice Cream Flavors From Around the World 28.08.2026 37min

  Ryan and his brother Jason take a lighter, more delicious turn on The Worst of the Best Podcast with ten unique ice cream flavors from around the world that you won’t find at your average Dairy Queen.Listeners from various countries shared the local specialties: durian ice cream from Singapore, olive oil and balsamic vinegar gelato from Italy, lavender from France, black sesame and wasabi from Japan, red bean from China, spaghetti ice cream from Germany, corn ice cream from Mexico, and Guinness ice cream from Ireland.Ryan and Jason discuss each one, share personal reactions, and debate which flavor they’d be most likely to politely decline.  Both admit they’d still try almost everything once.A fun, global, and surprisingly appetizing episode.00:00 – Intro and Thanksgiving / ice cream love  03:30 – Episode concept: unique global flavors  04:00 – #10 Durian (Singapore)  06:20 – #9 Olive oil (Italy)  10:20 – #8 Lavender (France)  13:20 – #7 Black sesame (Japan)  16:50 – #6 Balsamic vinegar (Italy)  20:20 – #5 Red bean (China)  22:40 – #4 Wasabi (Japan)  27:20 – #3 Spaghetti ice cream (Germany)  30:00 – #2 Corn (Mexico)  32:20 – #1 Guinness (Ireland)  34:50 – Final picks: Jason (corn) vs Ryan (red bean)  36:40 – Wrap-up
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  Lightning Does Strike Twice – Debunking Everyday Myths 27.08.2026 53min

  Ryan and his brother Jason return for a fun, fact-checking episode of The Worst of the Best Podcast, tearing down ten common beliefs that most people still think are true.They cover why Antarctica is actually the world’s largest desert, how De Beers manufactured the idea that diamonds are rare, the biblical forbidden fruit that was never called an apple, why cold weather doesn’t cause colds, the myth that lightning never strikes the same place twice, the Great Wall of China (not visible from space), what’s really inside a camel’s hump, the Japanese origins of the fortune cookie, the completely made-up horned Viking helmets, and the fact that Cleopatra was Greek Macedonian, not Egyptian.Along the way they admit which ones they personally fell for and crown their “worst offenders” Light, educational, and full of “wait… really?” moments.00:00 – Intro and Jason’s Grand Canyon rim-to-rim update  04:30 – Episode concept: false beliefs we all grew up with  06:40 – #10 Deserts aren’t always hot (Antarctica)  10:20 – #9 Diamonds aren’t as rare as you think  15:20 – #8 The forbidden fruit wasn’t an apple  18:30 – #7 Cold weather doesn’t cause colds  22:00+ – Lightning, Great Wall of China, camel humps  37:00 – Fortune cookies, Viking helmets, Cleopatra  46:00 – Final picks  52:00 – Wrap-up
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  Selfie Slip-Ups: 10 Times Selfies Got People Caught 26.08.2026 54min

  Ryan welcomes returning guest Tony for a darkly funny episode of The Worst of the Best Podcast focused on people who incriminated themselves with selfies.They break down ten real cases where a single photo (or series of photos) helped police close the case: tourists carving their names into the Colosseum, a murder committed with a belt that appeared in a Facebook selfie, a church burglar who left his phone behind, a thief who took selfies on the stolen phone that auto-uploaded to the cloud, a multi-murder case, a dismemberment that got Instagram hashtags, a stolen dress posted online, a fugitive who sent police better selfies because he hated his mugshot, a SIM-card mix-up that sent the burglar’s face to the victims, and a jailbreak that was thoroughly documented on a contraband phone.Ryan and Tony debate which one is the most ridiculous, the most disturbing, and ultimately the “worst of the best.” Expect true-crime details, dark humor, and the classic reminder that sometimes the dumbest thing a criminal can do is take a picture.00:00 – Intro and welcome back Tony  02:20 – Episode concept: selfies that got people caught  04:00 – #10 Colosseum name-carving selfies  07:20 – #9 Cheyenne Rose Antoine (belt murder selfie)  12:00 – #8 Adam Howe (church burglary + phone left behind)  15:30 – #7 Tommy Beverly (selfies on stolen phones)  20:00+ – Travis Berkley, Sicily Aguilar, dress thief, Chip Pugh  39:00 – Ashley Keast (WhatsApp SIM-card fail)  42:00 – #1 Jailbreak selfies and video documentation  48:00 – Final picks: Ryan vs Tony  52:30 – Wrap-up and plugs
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  Morning Routines of the Successful… and the One We Refuse! 25.08.2026 53min

  Ryan welcomes Zip (No Redeeming Qualities) for a light, funny breakdown of the morning routines of highly successful people.They go through ten popular rituals — prepping the night before, waking up naturally, beating the sun, meditating and practicing gratitude, staying off the phone, reading, walking the pets, skipping coffee for water, eating a proper breakfast… and the infamous “embrace the cold.”Along the way they share their own messy real-life mornings (kids, pets, military schedules, intermittent fasting) and debate which habits actually help versus which ones feel like performative hustle culture.At the end both hosts independently land on the same clear “worst of the best”.Classic Worst of the Best energy — practical talk, personal stories, and zero interest in suffering before sunrise.00:00 – Intro and welcome Zip  03:00 – Their actual morning routines  05:40 – #10 Prep the night before  09:00 – #9 Naturally waking up (Bezos style)  12:30 – #8 Beat the sun / early rising  17:20 – #7 Meditate, reflect, be grateful  20:00+ – Stay off the phone, read, walk the pets  38:40 – #2 Skip the coffee / water first  46:20 – #1 Healthy breakfast  49:00 – Final reveal: both pick “embrace the cold”  51:00 – Zip’s podcast update and wrap-up
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  Inventors Who Never Got Rich From Their Genius 24.08.2026 53min

  Ryan and his brother Jason return for a light but fascinating episode of The Worst of the Best Podcast, ranking inventors who created world-changing things… and never got rich from them.They cover the Amen Break (Gregory Coleman), the karaoke machine (Daisuke Inoue), Jonas Salk’s decision not to patent the polio vaccine, Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster selling Superman for a song, the friction match, Walter Hunt’s sewing machine, Pearl Bixby Wait’s Jell-O, Harvey Ball’s smiley face, and John Pemberton’s Coca-Cola recipe.Along the way they share personal stories, debate the biggest financial misses, and land on the same clear winner for “worst of the best”Classic Worst of the Best energy — fun history, real talk, and one big cloud in front of every silver lining.00:00 – Intro and Jason’s new place update  01:40 – Episode concept: inventors who didn’t get rich  03:50 – #10 Gregory Coleman & the Amen Break  08:10 – #9 Daisuke Inoue & the karaoke machine  13:20 – #8 Jonas Salk & the polio vaccine  16:00 – #7 Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster & Superman  20:00+ – Matches, sewing machine (Walter Hunt), Jell-O, smiley face  44:00 – #1 John Pemberton & Coca-Cola  50:20 – Final picks: Coca-Cola as the biggest loss  52:50 – Wrap-up
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  Kayfabe, Attitude, and the WWE Wrestlers Who Defined the ’90s 23.08.2026 1t 34min

  Ryan welcomes Tony (One Big Toilet) out of podcast retirement for a deep dive into the biggest wrestlers of the 1990s.They talk kayfabe, work vs. shoot, why wrestling is live stunt work, and how the Attitude Era changed everything. The pair run through a stacked list that includes Macho Man Randy Savage, Ric Flair, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, The Rock, Stone Cold, and more, with plenty of history, backstage stories, and personal memories along the way.Honorable mentions go to Goldust and Chris Jericho. Then comes the classic Worst of the Best reveal: Ryan’s least favorite is (too mystical?), while Tony delivers a blistering case against his pick as the ultimate “worst of the best.”Tony’s knowledge and passion for the subject make this one of the most entertaining wrestling conversations on the show. A future “Top 10 Wrestling Crimes” episode is already being teased.00:00 – Welcome Tony back and catching up  04:00 – Why Tony left One Big Toilet and why wrestling  10:00 – Kayfabe, work vs shoot, and why wrestling is real athleticism  13:00 – Macho Man Randy Savage  16:30 – Ric Flair and the list continues  1:18:00 – Bret Hart, the Montreal Screwjob, and the birth of Mr. McMahon  1:24:30 – Honorable mentions: Goldust and Chris Jericho  1:25:40 – Ryan’s worst pick1:28:00 – Tony’s worst pick1:33:00 – Closing thoughts and future episode tease
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  Saturday Morning Cartoons (1980s) 27.07.2026 54min

  Relive the golden age of Saturday morning cartoons with the absolute best of the 1980s. We count down the top 10 iconic shows every 80s kid remembers — from Looney Tunes and Alvin and the Chipmunks to He-Man, Thundercats, Transformers, and G.I. Joe — sharing childhood memories, theme songs, toys, and why these shows still hit different.At the end we each pick the one cartoon from the list we’d sacrifice if we had to. 
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  Completely Pointless but Controversial Arguments 25.07.2026 50min

  These are the completely pointless arguments that somehow still start fights — toilet paper over or under, pineapple on pizza, ketchup in the fridge or pantry, how to pronounce GIF, and more. We go through 10 of the dumbest debates people actually get heated about and give our takes without spoiling each other’s opinions beforehand.From cat vs dog and toothpaste squeezing technique to whether a hot dog is a sandwich, we rank which ones are actually worth arguing about (spoiler: most aren’t). Live chat weighed in the whole time.
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  The Dark and Gruesome Origins of Fairy Tales 23.07.2026 39min

  Classic fairy tales were never the wholesome stories Disney sold us. In this episode we dig into the original dark and gruesome versions of 10 of the most famous ones — kids drowning, wolves eating girls, queens dancing to death in red-hot iron shoes, and far worse.We cover the real Pied Piper, Little Red Riding Hood, The Little Mermaid, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rumpelstiltskin, Goldilocks, Hansel & Gretel, Rapunzel, and Cinderella. Some of these origins are legitimately disturbing.
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  Items and Activities That Are Forbidden in North Korea 21.07.2026 34min

  North Korea bans everyday things most of us never think twice about — the global internet, smiling on certain days, foreign TV, driving, leaving the country, skinny jeans, international calls, choosing your own job, haircut styles, and even criticizing the government. In this episode we break down all 10 and debate which restriction would hit the hardest.We go through the list one by one, react to how extreme some of these rules really are, and talk about the human cost. Live chat even jumped in with extra details while we recorded.
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  'Friends' - 10 Things That Haven't Aged Well from the Sitcom 10.06.2026 1t 2min

  In this episode of The Worst of the Best Podcast, Ryan is joined by co-host Katie to dive deep into how the iconic '90s sitcom Friends has aged—nearly 20 years after its finale. We break down 10 key elements that feel dated today, from running gags about Ross's ex-wife Carol and her partner Susan, fat Monica flashbacks and body image jokes, Ross's "nice guy" red flags and consent issues, Chandler's drag queen dad, Phoebe's traumatic backstory turned comedy fodder, power dynamics in relationships, mocking femininity, possessive male behavior, and the show's lack of diversity in New York City.We discuss evolving cultural lenses on consent, body positivity, representation, and more—while still celebrating what made Friends a formative, hilarious show for so many. Fair warning: we use today's perspectives on 1994–2004 TV tropes. Is it still binge-worthy? You decide!Listen to the full conversation and join the debate in the comments. What aged the worst for you?0:00 - Intro & Welcome with Katie2:35 - Katie's Friends Sweater Story & Fandom Origins5:59 - Ryan's Journey to Becoming a Fan11:08 - Preface: Viewing Through 2020s Goggles14:41 - The 10 Things That Aged Poorly (Overview)15:05 - #10: Susan & Carol as Punchlines (Lesbian Representation)18:13 - #9: Jokes About Physical Appearance (Fat Monica, Rachel's Nose)24:49 - #8: Ross as the "Nice Guy" (Jealousy, Tantrums, PhD Flexing)28:15 - Consent Issues & the Sister Kiss Scene30:38 - #7: Chandler's Drag Queen Dad (Helena Handbasket)35:22 - #6: Phoebe's Traumatic Backstory as Comedy38:58 - #5: Problematic Power Dynamics in Relationships40:54 - #4: Mocking Femininity & Gender Roles46:09 - #3: Men Trying to Control Women (Ross, Joey & Sisters)48:22 - #2: Lack of Diversity in NYC Setting57:05 - Ranking the Worst Offenders & Closing Thoughts1:01:15 - Outro & Recommendations
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  UFO and Alien Encounters 31.05.2026 1t 2min

  Ryan and Jason dive into 10 wild alien encounter stories — from reptilian face-pulling, star people, miscarriages replaced by alien babies, cloud beings, Tic Tac UFOs seen by military pilots, and more.They mix skepticism, humor, and analysis while picking the "least believable" story at the end. Trigger warning: some stories involve sensitive themes.0:00 – Intro & Ryan’s Crib Memory9:04 – Patina Rodriguez Aguilar (Spaceship as Child)16:05 – Michelle Marie (Alaska Pacific University)21:57 – Dale Snipes (Reptilian Face Pull)29:32 – Geraldine Rosco (Miscarriages & Alien Babies)36:40 – Sharon Gilbert (Other Derek Reptilian)43:56 – Lily Nova (Cloud Aliens & Star People)50:55 – Lt. Commander Alex Dietrich (Tic Tac UFO)57:30 – Worst Story Picks & Wrap-Up
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  Sibling Rivalry That Ended in Tragedy (True Crime) 29.05.2026 48min

  Ryan and Jason cover 10 real stories of sibling rivalries that ended in tragedy — from fights over WiFi passwords and dirty dishes to pizza ovens, borrowed t-shirts, religious differences, and more.They mix dark humor with the shocking details while reminding listeners these are real tragedies. Trigger warning: violence and family loss discussed.0:00 – Intro4:54 –  WiFi Password Choking12:45 – Dirty Dishes Stabbing16:04 –  Pizza Oven Samurai Sword23:08 –  Religious Differences29:40 –  Car Seat Fight35:39 –  Family Honor Knife Attack39:58 –  Online Boyfriend Love Triangle44:27 –  Borrowed T-Shirt Shooting50:55 –  Inheritance Ax Handle55:36 –  Body Wash Shooting57:30 – Worst Picks & Wrap-Up
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  Ways That Technology Has Destroyed Privacy 27.05.2026 56min

  Ryan and Jason break down 10 ways modern technology has destroyed our privacy — from biometric scanners and GPS tracking to voice interception, ISP monitoring, remote desktop apps, cookies, audio recordings, and social media.They discuss how convenience comes at a huge cost, share real-world examples, and debate which invasion feels the worst. Classic brotherly banter with plenty of “what if” moments.0:00 – Intro & Discord Plug4:03 – Biometric Scanners10:16 – Voice Interception16:07 – Computer Surveillance22:59 – Internet Never Forgets26:06 – Online Cookies30:39 – Video Conferencing & Zoom Risks34:01 – GPS Tracking36:58 – ISP Privileges39:06 – Remote Desktop Apps42:09 – Audio Recordings44:05 – Social Media Tracking49:23 – Worst Picks & Wrap-Up
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  Obscure Conspiracy Theories About the World We Live In 25.05.2026 54min

  Ryan and Jason dive into 10 obscure (and wild) conspiracy theories — from the Earth being flat with no real trees, Australia not existing, the Denver Airport being Illuminati HQ, Princess Diana’s secret daughter, the world ending in 2012, and more.They debate plausibility, share laughs, and pick their “least believable” theory at the end.0:00 – Intro5:05 – Simulation Theory10:17 – Ronald Reagan 66614:05 – No Real Trees / Flat Earth23:00 – Tsunami Created by Nukes26:53 – Australia Doesn’t Exist29:58 – No Roman Empire33:38 – Last Thursday Theory37:26 – Princess Diana’s Daughter40:39 – Denver Airport Illuminati46:47 – World Ended in 2012
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  U2 - Achtung Baby | Their Best Album? 23.05.2026 1t 21min

  Ryan and Jason break down U2’s iconic 1991 album Achtung Baby — a complete sonic reinvention from The Joshua Tree era with tracks like “Zoo Station,” “One,” “Even Better Than the Real Thing,” “Mysterious Ways,” and “Love is Blindness.”They discuss the album’s production, Edge’s guitar work, Bono’s emotional vocals, personal nostalgia, and why this remains one of their all-time favorites.0:00 – Intro & album context5:00 – Zoo Station & sonic shift10:00 – Even Better Than the Real Thing15:00 – One (deep discussion)25:00 – Mysterious Ways35:00 – Ultraviolet & Acrobat45:00 – Love is Blindness (album closer)50:00 – Worst song pick & final thoughts