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

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Best friends Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden are joined by experts, newsmakers and celebrities in an attempt to find answers to the things that make us go…"Really? no, Really?” We invite you to join us, subscribe and even suggest topics, as we search for the answers to life’s most baffling, intriguing, confusing and annoying questions. New episodes drop weekly.

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Yesterday · 58 min
Can You Build a Store Nobody Can Rob? | Really? no Really?
Can you build a store nobody can steal from? Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden ask criminologist Dr. Reed Hayes—and his answer challenges the premise that brought him to Really? No, Really. The founder of the Loss Prevention Research Council reveals what he learns from interviewing active shoplifters, why everyday toiletries end up behind locked glass, and how stores use psychology to make thieves think twice. From self-checkout mistakes to organized retail crime, Hayes explains the security decisions shaping your shopping experience. Jason questions the privacy cost of constant surveillance, while Hayes recalls catching a jewelry thief whose disappearing act looked like magic. The conversation also confronts the human stakes of retail theft—and why chasing stolen merchandise can come at a devastating price. Plus, what helps protect your home? Hayes weighs cameras, dogs, and warning signs—including why advertising that you own a gun could attract thieves. Listen to discover what makes a thief think twice—and what might send the wrong message. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 27 · 37 min
Love Island: The Show That has Everyone Talking | Really? no Really?
Last year, Love Island USA got 2.3 billion hours of watch time, creating these huge communities of viewers who watch it together in bars and movie theaters. Especially amongst Gen Z viewers. So how did this show originate from Britain and went to have 8 insanely successful seasons in the United States? Jason and Peter bring in an actual pop culture expert, Doctor and Professor Steven Granelli, to explain what makes Love Island USA different from any other reality TV series on this episode of the Really? no Really? Podcast. For those of you unfamiliar with the show, the premise is to basically take a bunch of hot single people, put them on an island with the goal of them coupling up with somebody else. If you are coupled up with somebody else on this island, you're safe. You get to stay. But if you are single, you are vulnerable. It's sexual musical chairs but it's a manipulated game that airs nightly. The big debate we'll cover is do shows like Love Island USA cause damage to the entertainment industry by dumbing down the audience? Are their serious repercussions to appealing to the lowest common denominator? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 19 · 43 min
Hany Farid on the Dangerous and Deceptive Deep Fakes | Really? no Really?
Since Jason keeps getting George Costanza deepfake memes, we invited back technologist Hany Farid on this episode of the Really? no Really? Podcast. Hany explains that while the deepfake memes are AI generated, social media platforms play a major role in how these deepfakes spread creating the perfect storm for spreading misinformation. Plus, the tchnology has advanced so much that's it's getting harder to determine what's real and what's fake. Hany also explains how the courts and our justice system aren't equipped to deal with the real life consequences under the current state of deepfake technology where it can alter voice and images in police body cam footage. The problem is everything has a digital footprint and countries like North Korea are fueling their economies by stealing our data to create deepfake job interviews through Zoom. Another aspect that Hany touches upon is how AI learns off of Hollywood movies to create deepfake war footage. The problem though is it's not an accurate depiction of how bombs or missiles go off in battle so it's generating deepfake footage based off of fake depictions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 12 · 55 min
Exposing the "Pink It & Shrink It" Strategy in The Fashion Industry | Really? no Really?
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
August 12 · 55 min
Exposing the "Pink It & Shrink It" Strategy in The Fashion Industry | Really? no Really?
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
August 5 · 1 hr 5 min
Penn Jillette | Really? no Really?
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
July 22 · 53 min
Ace Alexander, Taxidermist to The Stars | Really? no Really?
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
July 15 · 59 min
Jeff Dunham | Really? no, Really?
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
July 8 · 45 min
The Robotic Puppy: The New Emotional Support Object? | Really? no Really? Podcast
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
June 24 · 1 hr 8 min
Pete Holmes Survived The Worst Day Of His Life & Turned It Into A Show | Really? no Really? Podcast
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
June 19 · 1 hr 4 min
Comedian Rick Glassman, What A Joy! | Really? no Really? Podcast
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
June 10 · 1 hr 12 min
Steven Cyr On Wooing High Rollers At The Casinos | Really? no Really? Podcast
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
June 3 · 1 hr 4 min
The $165 Billion Annoyance Economy Is Here To Break You | Really? no Really?
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
May 27 · 34 min
Is The Economic Gamble Behind Hosting the Olympics Worth It? | Really? no Really? Podcast
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
May 20 · 1 hr 17 min
Gary Gulman Can Turn Small Anxieties Into Epic Philosophical Events | Really? no Really? Podcast
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
May 13 · 1 hr
"Weird Al" Yankovic's Parody Hit Songs Will Outlive the Originals | Really? no Really? Podcast
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
May 6 · 53 min
The Wild World of Pet Wellness | Really? no, Really?
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
April 29 · 52 min
Here's Why The Liquor Industry is Losing Billions in Revenue | Really? no, Really?
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
April 22 · 41 min
Power Slap Fighting | Really? no, Really?
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
April 15 · 1 hr 8 min
Director Barry Sonnenfeld | Really? no, Really?
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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