Judge John Hodgman

We have been having a rollicking, good time in the Members Only Mailbag! As an early Halloween treat, we want to share some of our favorite letters on the main feed. Nostalgia for local tv commercials, Hearst Castle, the origins of a catch phrase, and much more! PLUS a never-before-heard chat with past guest Jamie Loftus about vegan hot dogs! And if you want to hear more of these gems, we have ove...

Is it ok to add your own items to someone else’s garage sale? Should you try to convince the one Android user in your group chat full of iPhones to make the switch? Does Gen Z need to listen to more jazz? All this and this week as we clear the docket! We’re always looking for disputes - especially from outside the non-nuclear family! Got (friendly) beef with a co-worker? Have an unresolved dispute...

When Steve takes the dogs on a walk, he loves to give them treats on the road. But Abbey says the dogs are getting too chonky. She wants Steve to give frozen peas a chance instead. Steve says: mushy, half frozen peas are NO TREAT. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Thank you to u/Tony486 for naming this week’s case! To suggest a title for a future episode, keep an eye on the Maximum Fun subreddit at reddit...

It's time for a new Members Only Mailbag episode! Judge John Hodgman and Producer Jennifer Marmor have so much to yap about! Here's a little bit of their chat. For the whole thing, check your bonus feed! Or, if you're not yet a member, it's so easy to join Maximum Fun! Just go to maximumfun.org/joinjjho. It takes just a minute to become a $5/month member! Once you do, you'll be able to listen to t...

It's time to clear the docket! And we have a BRAND NEW GAVEL to help! Thanks to Nick Offerman, Offerman Woodshop , and project Manager Maddy Morrison for our beautiful new gavel. This Court has never been more ready to dispense justice! What do you do with your mother-in-law’s bag of mangoes? Is it okay to talk trash while playing video games, as long as it’s to internet strangers? Plus, disputes...

Leora brings the case against her husband, Sam. Sam once brought home a SURPRISE fish tank. Sam and the kids love it, but not Leora! To add insult to injury, Sam brought home two surprise shrimp - ostensibly to clean the tank. Leora wants Sam to talk to her before adding more pets to the home, but Sam says that shrimp aren’t pets - they’re part of the tank’s filtration system! Who’s right? Who’s w...

Dustin brings the case against his wife, Erin. Before they got married, Dustin agreed to watch Gilmore Girls with Erin - if SHE would read the first book in the Wheel of Time Series. Ten years later, Dustin has watched Gilmore Girls in its entirety several times. But Erin still has not read ONE Wheel of Time! Does Erin “owe” Dustin? Or is watching a cozy cute show that they both enjoy not comparab...

Fresh off our Hot Dog-cket episode last week with Jamie Loftus, we can’t stop thinking about HOT DOGS! What better time is there than to bring back one of our favorite episodes of all time: AMICUS BRIEF! Casey files suit against his friend, Sean. They go to baseball games together a lot. Casey says that Sean’s antics at the games cause great stress. One of the more appalling antics, says Casey, is...

Hot dog, hot dog, hot DIGGIDY DOG! We have the Hot Dog Expert of all Hot Dog Experts in chambers with us to clear an ALL-HOT DOG DOCKET! Or, a hot DOG-cket! That's right, we got JAMIE LOFTUS (RAW DOG: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs, Sixteenth Minute, Aack Cast)! Jamie helps us advise on questions like: is ketchup ever okay on a hot dog? What about mayonnaise? Why do condiments on hot dogs provoke...

What is the best way to ripen a tomato? Jay says that a tomato is best eaten straight off the vine, hot from the sun, with a little salt. His wife, Gina, says that while that sounds lovely, if they let their tomatoes ripen on the vine, the local wildlife will get to them first! She likes to pick them as they start to ripen and finish the process inside a paper bag with a banana. Jay wants her to s...

Summer is almost over, which means we’re going BACK to school - Judge John Hodgman style. We’re clearing the docket of all your pressing (and not so pressing) back-to-school-related disputes: from extracurriculars to PTA conflicts, and most importantly, how to keep class supplies IN the classroom. Follow along as Judge John and Bailiff Jesse Thorn rule on cases like: should you force your daughter...

Dan says his fiancée, Elissa, sleeps poorly and that her bedtime laptop use is to blame! But she says playing video games on her laptop HELPS her sleep! They quiet her anxious thoughts and help her wind down. Dan wants to keep all screens out of the bed. He says, “If you bring the laptop into bed, I’M SLEEPING DOWNSTAIRS!” Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Thanks to reddit user u/spinynorman82 for naming...

Natalie brings the case against her boyfriend, Mike. Mike has been living the Sharper Image dream for the last 12 years: his own in-home massage chair! It’s not just a source of relaxation for him. Mike says it’s a fun piece that makes visiting their home a unique experience! But Natalie doesn’t want their home to offer guests a unique experience. She wants their guests to have a comfortable seat...

If you win "Best Feature" at a film festival, but the festival doesn't give you a trophy, can you make your own trophy? Or is that too cringe? Spouses and filmmakers Kaye and Mariel disagree! Their film THE REBRAND (trailer here ) won several film festival awards! But most of the festival organizations did not provide trophies, or any physical representation of the win for that matter. Kaye wants...

VROOM VROOM! Buckle your seatbelts and pile in our station wagon, because this week’s episode is all about ROAD TRIPS! From passenger etiquette to divvying up the driving duties, we’re covering any and all disputes related to car travel. Should you divide up driving duties by hour or by mile? Which is the better way to road trip: getting to your destination faster or stopping and enjoying the sigh...

Andie is tired of James leaving breakable items in peril! He plates, microwave dishes full of hot food, and even his ipad hanging on the edge of their countertops and tables. James says it’s easier to pick up items when they are not flush with the surface. But it stresses Andie out! She’s worried one errant hip bump will send all the hot food flying. James argues that saving a plate from crashing...

It’s summertime, so we’re opening the member mailbag! We’ve pulled the greatest hits from our Members Only Mailbag, to give you a taste of the unfiltered JUSTICE that our members get every month. In this episode, we talk about: picking up critters in the wild, state birds, cutting a sandwich, and goth parts of Los Angeles. Plus, a classic dispute of night owl versus early bird... and hanging drywa...

It’s the Members Only May Mailbag! This month: the science of moving with a moving truck, cross-country tandem bike rides, and much more! Plus, producer Jennifer gets a new catchphrase! Here's a bit from this month's episode. If you want to listen to the rest, head to your bonus content feed! Not a member yet? You can become a member TODAY at  maximumfun.org/join . Just $5 a month gets you immedia...

Marc is Jewish, and Marianne is Catholic. Together with their extended family (and friends!) they celebrate a LOT of holidays. The dispute? When a holiday falls in the middle of the week, as many Jewish holidays do, Marc would prefer to celebrate them on a Saturday night instead, so more of their loved ones can join. But Marianne says no! It's not kosher! Who's right? Thanks to reddit user u/lexfr...

We are excited to share this very special bonus episode featuring our trip to Tijuana and the border wall with the non-profit group Al Otro Lado . If you'd rather watch the full video version of this episode, tap here . Al Otro Lado is a bi-national organization that provides free legal and humanitarian aid to immigrants, deportees, and separated families. Thanks to the leadership of Jesse Thorn a...

Erich brings the case against his wife, Allison. When they first started dating, they had a tradition called the "safety kiss." If they were driving anywhere, they would check their seatbelts, secure the dogs, and then kiss each other for safety. They are now expecting their first child. Erich wants to reinstitute the Safety Kiss tradition. But Allison is opposed! She doesn’t want to teach her chi...

Is Butter Pecan ice cream for old people? Or is it a flavor for all ages? It's time to clear the docket of all your coldest Ice Cream Queries. Is it okay to lie to a restaurant and tell them it’s your birthday to get free dessert? What should you do when your spouse and kids eat all your vegan ice cream - even though you buy them dairy ice cream too? What’s the best way to eat an ice cream sandwic...

Dying to see Judge John Hodgman live? We have the episode for you! We’re flashing it back to our live show, ROAD COURT in Los Angeles. Join Judge John Hodgman and Bailiff Jesse Thorn for the most unhinged, off-the-cuff, wild live show - that also dispenses pure, unadulterated JUSTICE. We are excited to release this never-before-seen episode from our bonus feed to all of our listeners. NIGHT COURT...

It's the Members Only May Mailbag! This month, our favorite nostalgic commercials, the correct way to organize bookshelves with a partner, go-to summer jams and so much more in the mailbag!  Not a member yet? You can become a member TODAY at  maximumfun.org/join . Just $5 a month gets you immediate access to the full episode and our entire library of bonus content. And thank you to all of our memb...

Trish flushes soup down the toilet! But her friend, Marlow, wants to stop Trish from ever flushing food ever again. Trish says this is a perfectly reasonable way to dispose of soup! Who’s right? Who’s wrong? NIGHT COURT is coming to the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, MA on June 11th! Have a dispute that you can’t settle? No dispute is too small for the honorable Judge John Hodgman and Baili...