Really? no, Really? with Jason Alexander & Peter Tilden

Afleveringen

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  Exposing the "Pink It & Shrink It" Strategy in The Fashion Industry | Really? no Really? 12.08.2026 55min

  Here's something may not have known: men's feet are more square and more rectangular and women's feet are more triangular. You'd think companies that design sneakers for women would understand that but instead, what they do is use the anatomy of a male's foot to design a woman's sneaker and then "shrink it and pink it". Creative designer and author of the book, Man-Made, Karen Korellis Reuther, previously served as Vice President of Creative Direction and Innovation at Reebok and Global Creative Director at NIKE, where she led major product, merchandising, and brand strategies. She joins Jason and Peter on this episode of the Really? no Really? Podcast to explain how fashion, clothing and other major industries haven't been accurately designing their products for female consumers through "shrink it and pink it" strategy. She joins us to explain how companies can rectify the lack of gender diversity in the design process to not just make their product serve an actual female consumer base without having to charge them more. It's not just the sneakers industry that's being impacted by the pink tax and the lack of gender diversity when it comes to design. Women firefighters have higher injury rates than their male counterparts because their helmets and uniforms are still designed for men Female surgeons have had to stand on stools because the operating tables didn't go low enough. Even the female dummies created for crash tests and CPR training are just male shrunken versions of male dummies. So how can we solve this problem? Korellis Reuther says the next big movement is to get companies attention to get them to fit their products properly for women to be safe in their professions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Exposing the "Pink It & Shrink It" Strategy in The Fashion Industry | Really? no Really? 12.08.2026 55min

  Here's something may not have known: men's feet are more square and more rectangular and women's feet are more triangular. You'd think companies that design sneakers for women would understand that but instead, what they do is use the anatomy of a male's foot to design a woman's sneaker and then "shrink it and pink it". Creative designer and author of the book, Man-Made, Karen Korellis Reuther, previously served as Vice President of Creative Direction and Innovation at Reebok and Global Creative Director at NIKE, where she led major product, merchandising, and brand strategies. She joins Jason and Peter on this episode of the Really? no Really? Podcast to explain how fashion, clothing and other major industries haven't been accurately designing their products for female consumers through "shrink it and pink it" strategy. She joins us to explain how companies can rectify the lack of gender diversity in the design process to not just make their product serve an actual female consumer base without having to charge them more. It's not just the sneakers industry that's being impacted by the pink tax and the lack of gender diversity when it comes to design. Women firefighters have higher injury rates than their male counterparts because their helmets and uniforms are still designed for men Female surgeons have had to stand on stools because the operating tables didn't go low enough. Even the female dummies created for crash tests and CPR training are just male shrunken versions of male dummies. So how can we solve this problem? Korellis Reuther says the next big movement is to get companies attention to get them to fit their products properly for women to be safe in their professions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Penn Jillette | Really? no Really? 05.08.2026 1u 5min

  Why do smart people believe things that aren't true? Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden sit down with legendary magician, skeptic, and author Penn Jillette for a fascinating conversation about why we're so easily manipulated—and why it's happening more than ever. Penn explains how tribalism often beats truth, why persuasion is more powerful than knowledge, how social media algorithms exploit our need to belong, and why curiosity is disappearing. They explore conspiracy theories, misinformation, Wikipedia, loneliness, AI, clickbait, and the surprising role boredom plays in independent thinking. Along the way, the conversation takes hilarious detours into Joe Rogan, clown college, Siegfried & Roy, magic, wife-swapping jokes, and why Penn believes the greatest illusion isn't on stage—it's the stories we tell ourselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Ace Alexander, Taxidermist to The Stars | Really? no Really? 22.07.2026 53min

  Norwegian soccer superstar Erling Haaland went viral when he walked off a plane carrying a stuffed taxidermied raccoon holding a whiskey bottle that he bought for $750 from Wild Bill's Western Store. His team went in and bought some other stuff sold out of all of their inventory and apparently taxidermy has gone through the roof. They have since defined this as the Haaland Effect. Ace Alexander, a master taxidermist and co-owner of Bischoff's Taxidermy & Animal FX, in North Hollywood, joins Jason and Peter on this episode of Really? no Really? The store has been around since 1922 and they were considered the taxidermist to the stars. Ace dives in on the lost of taxidermy and clears up a few misconceptions. We'll also reveal which celebrities like to collect stuffed animals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Jeff Dunham | Really? no, Really? 15.07.2026 59min

  Ventriloquist and comedian Jeff Dunham joins us on this episode of the Really? no Really? Podcast. Jeff joins Jason and Peter to discuss his journey from going from getting his first puppet as a Christmas gift to being a smash hit in the comedy clubs to selling out massive arena tours. Jeff also has a lot of great stories about his first time performing on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson to roasting GE CEO Jack Welch. Jeff will also tell us the origins behind his most famous characters and reveal which of his puppets is internationally loved all over the world. He'll also take some time to show us how to finally use our puppets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  The Robotic Puppy: The New Emotional Support Object? | Really? no Really? Podcast 08.07.2026 45min

  I'm looking at a robotic dog that's freaking me out because it's kind of acting like a real dog in the way it looks at you, the way it responds. And I wasn't sure how I would feel about an animatronic dog design. I think specifically for people who have issues, neurological issues like Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and what this dog can do for those people. And is it for those people, or is it for the family who feels guilty that they have to care, take that person, and that is an intense job in this country: Caretaking. I know too many people who are dealing with parents and family members who have all times, and it is it's horrible for the person, but for the caregiver, it's just an endless 24 hour cycle. Will you get no break? So is this dog really helpful for that? I know that the CEO, Tom Stevens, created the dog for his mom, who had Alzheimer's and dementia because they had to take away her dog. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Pete Holmes Survived The Worst Day Of His Life & Turned It Into A Show | Really? no Really? Podcast 24.06.2026 1u 8min

  We originally wanted to title this episode "How the worst day of life became the best day of life", but we realized it was better to let Pete Holmes explain everything that happened to him leading up to his stand-up career and the creation of his HBO show, Crashing, that he made with Judd Apatow. On this episode of Really? no Really? Jason and Peter do a deep with Pete on how an incident liking catching your wife in an affair with another man can not only serve as comedic and artistic inspiration, they also delve into how you respond or handle such a situation. That's where factors like therapy and spirituality come into play and emphasizes the need for comedy in our lives. We'll also discuss comedy justice, Simpsons jokes that didn't get cut, those College Humor Batman sketches and why we all need a Larry David in our lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Comedian Rick Glassman, What A Joy! | Really? no Really? Podcast 19.06.2026 1u 4min

  When comedian Rick Glassman was first diagnosed with autism, he loved talking about it in his act because it was a new discovery for him. But then he became more self-conscious about it because of people's preconceived ideas of what being on the spectrum is. On this episode of Really? no Really?, Rick explains to Jason and Peter how he found himself in these positions where he was teaching, explaining and selling something that didn't leave him feeling comfortable and didn't want to talk about it for a long time. Now, Rick is back on the other end where he's comfortable talking about it. However, Rick also explains this is a journey into his form of comedy involves an autism diagnosis and isn't exclusive to it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Steven Cyr On Wooing High Rollers At The Casinos | Really? no Really? Podcast 10.06.2026 1u 12min

  Steven Cyr, long time Las Vegas casino host, Vegas Insider, and a man who spent decades standing at the intersection of money, addiction, psychology, ego, luxury, and absolute human madness. That's a six way intersection, by the way. On this episode of the Really? no, Really? Podcast, you're about to hear the secrets of Vegas revealed, including whether casinos use coolers. The cooler. That's the thing I got to know to stop a player from winning big. We've seen that in movies. A guy quitting and the table is running too hot. They bring in a guy, a dealer to to take over the blackjack table. The cooler. Steve's going to tell us this guy can't manipulate the deck. Steve's job wasn't just booking suites and handing out show tickets. A casino host becomes part time therapist, a concierge crisis manager, and part adult babysitter for billionaires. I think pretty sure he's dealt with whales, celebrities, compulsive gamblers, mob adjacent characters, and people so rich that they treat losing $100,000 like normal people treat a banana. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  The $165 Billion Annoyance Economy Is Here To Break You | Really? no Really? 03.06.2026 1u 4min

  Chad Maisel and Neale Mahoney, authors of the report, Taking On The Annoyance Economy, explain why every app, website, airline, pharmacy, streaming service, grocery store and parking meter now feels like it's determined to break you on this episode of the Really? no Really? Podcast. We used to think companies wanted loyal customers. Now it feels like companies want hostages. Everything is designed to wear you down. The unsubscribe button is hidden like it's a nuclear launch code. Chad and Neale sit down with Jason and Peter to delve more into this $165 billion economy that's made of hidden fees and junk fees and what steps consumers are doing to fight back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Is The Economic Gamble Behind Hosting the Olympics Worth It? | Really? no Really? Podcast 27.05.2026 34min

  Jason had an emergency this week and could make this episode but Peter held down the fort. With the Olympics heading to Los Angeles in 2028, the issue on how cities bid to hold the Olympics is one that drives Peter crazy. On this episode of Really? no Really? Podcast, Peter speaking economist, Andrew Zimbalist, author of the book, Circus Maximus: The Economic Gamble Behind Hosting the Olympics and the World Cup, breaks down how the bidding process works and the aftermath these cities have to deal with. You see all these executives flying around the world and behind closed doors, always bidding for the Olympics. And then you look up the fact that the Olympics arrive in a city, zoning laws disappear, environmental reviews are rushed, homeless are moved, areas are renamed, cities that had the Olympics are paying off debt after 20 years. They bid these things out and you're told, "Oh, it's going to be $7 billion to do this." And it turns out to be $170 millionThey're always underestimated. The real question though is is it all BS or is it intentional? As time passed in, the Olympics got bigger and bigger, and you had to build more and more stadiums and do more and more infrastructural work and so on and so forth. And it became impossibly expensive. We're still doing that same system. And the system back in 1896, which was a time when we didn't have international telecommunications, we didn't have international jet service. You basically had to move the games around every four years to get as much of the world participating in in the Olympics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Gary Gulman Can Turn Small Anxieties Into Epic Philosophical Events | Really? no Really? Podcast 20.05.2026 1u 17min

  Gary Gulman is one of the sharpest and the most respected stand up comedians working today. Known for his brilliantly detailed observational comedy, Gary has built a career turning the smallest human anxieties into epic philosophical events. Whether he's talking about state abbreviations, Trader Joe's childhood misunderstandings or the emotional collapse triggered by a routine email, he somehow makes overthinking feel heroic. Gary's acclaimed HBO special, The Great Depression earned widespread praise for Very Good, Very Good for its honest and darkly funny exploration of depression and mental health, showing a level of vulnerability that's rare and stand up very rare. He's also appeared on nearly every major late night show, released multiple acclaimed specials, and is widely regarded by comedians as one of the best joke writers alive. He can take a completely normal thought buying cereal, sending a text standing in line and reveal that modern civilization may actually be hanging by a thread. On this episode of Really? no Really?, Jason and Peter dive in with how Gary has been able to not only handle his depression but also how to utilize it as a creative force for his brand of comedy. We'll also touch upon various topics and experiences that have helped shape Gary's trauma and art. From being bullied at Jewish Summer Camp to having Judd Apatow produce his special and offer him words of advice on his career. We have a lot to cover on this episode of Really? no Really?. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  "Weird Al" Yankovic's Parody Hit Songs Will Outlive the Originals | Really? no Really? Podcast 13.05.2026 1u

  You know you've made it in the music industry when "Weird Al" Yankovic requests to parody your song. "Weird Al" has spent more than four decades turning hit songs into time capsules that often outlive the originals. In a career that includes Grammy Awards, Platinum records, best-selling tours and the number one album decades. On this episode of the Really? no Really? Podcast, Jason and Peter sit down with Al and discuss his journey being a shy kid on the accordion to being the king of parody music. "Weird Al" has an extensive library of parodies that not only spans genres and decades, it's also a reflection on music history and culture ranging from Madonna to Michael Jackson to Nirvana to Coolio just to name a few. But not everyone has been on board for the "Weird Al" bump. Jimmy Page is a fan of Al's but wasn't crazy about a Led Zepplin polka. Al, Jason and Peter delve more into this. We'll also discuss how Al's career has taken some pretty wild and amazing turns from selling out venues like Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden to writing his own parody biopic and casting Daniel Radcliffe playing himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  The Wild World of Pet Wellness | Really? no, Really? 06.05.2026 53min

  Eighty-seven million households in the United States own pets. Over $147 billion in spending for the pet food industry and related services, such as grooming. But we bet of the 87 million pet owning households, nobody feels confident that they're feeding their pet the right food. On this episode of Really? no Really? Jason and Peter speak with Bonnie Wertheim, Cultural Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal and author of the article, "My Accidental Journey into the Wide Wild World of Pet Wellness." Bonnie will answer our big questions such as whether we are feeding our pets the right food? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Here's Why The Liquor Industry is Losing Billions in Revenue | Really? no, Really? 29.04.2026 52min

  Alcohol consumption globally has hit it's lowest rate since the 1930s. This has resulted in $830 billion of liquor stocks being wiped off. Multiple US distilleries have filed for bankruptcy. There's supposedly a lake of 220 million gallons of alcohol somewhere that can't be sold. Wineries all over the world are backed up resulting in wine revenue down over $1 billion last year. So who's to blame for this? Millennials and boomers? On this episode of Really? no Really?, Jason and Peter sit down with with celebrated author, Doug Melville, who recently was a former board executive of luxury group in Switzerland. He'll break down down the complexity behind the the liquor industry's decline. It's easy to blame younger generations like Gen Z for the current situation because the liquor industry relies on younger drinkers. It's true the younger generation is more focused on living healthier lifestyles and are preferring liquor that has fewer calories and less likely to give them a hangover. However, Doug addresses that current state of drinking isn't just a generational issues. It's also a political issue with Republicans have a double digit drop in alcohol consumption whereas Democrats have had a two percent decrease in alcohol consumption over the past few years. Doug also explains how it's a class issue as well. You may have seen Doug interviewed by Charlamagne Tha God on The Daily Show regarding his best-selling book, Invisible Generals, The Quest To Honor America’s First Black Generals. We'll also delve more into that discussions. He's partnering his book with his favorite types of bourbon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Power Slap Fighting | Really? no, Really? 22.04.2026 41min

  You have to appreciate the guys who are getting hit for the love of the game, not for the money. And you know what's funny about it? It's just taking one. On this episode of the Really? no Really? Podcast, Jason and Peter learn more about the psychological and biological rational behind UFC Founder, Dana White's latest phenomenon, Power Slap. Writer and Essayist, Ander Monson, wrote about how Power Slap originated in Oklahoma City from two guys who worked at a Dollar Store and started Power Slap as a form of camaraderie and create a sense of community in a time of heightened isolation. We'll delve into how there's a deeper resonance than what the title is. What attracted Ander to this story was this kind of weird brotherhood that's not necessarily trying to hurt the other guy like you were just trying to win. Afterwards you still are in the same world. You're still in the same town, you're still in the same text chain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Director Barry Sonnenfeld | Really? no, Really? 15.04.2026 1u 8min

  Director Barry Sonnenfeld joins Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden on this episode of the Really? no Really? Podcast with more true stories from his career as both a Hollywood director and cinematographer. Peter discovered a TED Talk that Barry did called How to Get People to Do What You Want, that was fascinating, funny and very informative. Barry also has a new book out called, Best Possible Place, Worst Possible Time: True Stories from a Career in Hollywood, that's filled with fascinating stories spanning his whole career in Hollywood. From starting off as a cinematographer for the Coen Brothers to directing blockbuster movies like Men In Black, The Addams Family and Get Shorty. Barry will share some pretty entertaining stories. Some of our favorite stories include a scene from Get Shorty that needed to be cut for budget purposes but was also the head of MGM's favorite scene. Plus, you'll want to hear about his story working with Tommy Lee Jones and Rip Torn on Men In Black. They truly hated he each other. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Stay-At-Home Sons | Really? no, Really? 07.04.2026 28min

  There are both economic and cultural issues why young people would opt into living with their parents. But with today's housing affordability crisis, the number of young people living with their parents has gone up 33%. This has contributed to the rise of the trend known as stay-at-home sons, made popular by influencer, Luke Parkhurst, but there's also a cultural aspect behind the stay-at-home sons movement. On this episode of Really? no Really?, Jason and Peter sit down with journalist, Shane O'Neill, who reported on the Stay-At-Home Sons trend for the Washington Post. Shane will provide us with his insight into how this trend started and how influencers like the Stay-At-Home Sons Club have been creating & monetizing content about living with their parents. Jason, Peter and Shane also highlight that with the demise of print media, it could lead to more people having to move back in with their parents. We'll let Shane elaborate more on that and how during COVID we saw a peak of young people moving back in with their parents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Would You Trust ChatGPT With Your Money? | Really? no, Really? 31.03.2026 43min

  Thomas Smith is a Johns Hopkins trained artificial intelligence expert who was was hailed as a veteran veteran programmer by The New York Times for his work with human in the loop AI, and served as an OpenAI beta tester and a co-founder for 12 years of AI driven photography agency. He also gave ChatGPT money to invest $500. Jason and Peter sit down with Thomas to find or more about using ChatGPT and AI to handle to your money. We'll find out more if it's better to turn to a money manager than an AI chatbot. Is it also possible for AI chatbots to be messing with you when it comes to your investments? Is AI capable of shutting itself down before it goes off the rails? Thomas helps address our questions and many concerns. Also, we'll find out what happened to that $500 investment Thomas made with ChatGPT and see where he is now with his investments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Sadhguru Offers Clarity, Not Confidence | Really? no, Really? 24.03.2026 1u 28min

  Sadhguru is a spiritual leader who has billions of views, has at least 14 or 15 million followers on YouTube. Do people come to him for a fix to change or just for comfort? On this episode, Jason and Peter speak with Sadhguru about a prescription to change a world that seems challenged to take two minutes to turn inward. Can we be optimistic about humanity? Jason discovered Sadhguru during the pandemic and his views on how the whole human mechanism is a great miracle is of seeing how to work. They also debate how there is a whole science and technology to create a well-being. But it's a subjective science. It needs to be approached in a different way. They'll also debate and delve into the fixation on validation, confidence without clarity, presenting certainty, joyfulness and what's happening in your mind being manufactured, imagination also being psychological reality, and so much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices