Outside the Manosphere: a Nontoxic Bromance

Carlos asked me (Skip) to do the show notes, but I don't know how. Show me how to do it, Carlos. Or like, give me detailed instructions. Anyway, did you know you can weaponize incompetence? Maybe you already do. We wouldn't know anything about that. Note: this is not a tutorial. Items Referenced: The 36 Questions That Lead to Love: https://36questionsinlove.com/ Weaponized incompetence is back, an...

In this episode, Skip is confounded by fjords during his trip to Norway, and Carlos contemplates changing out of his pajama's as his time off work comes to an end. Skip describes the epic Las Vegas event that introduced him to horror movies and Carlos regales listeners with an account of his bicycle trip from San Francisco to Texas. The boys also touch on how technology has reshaped personal conne...

In this episode of societal observations and current events, Carlos manifests bear spray as Skip tries on Sydney Sweeney’s jeans. They also delve into the impact of algorithms on extremist communication; it turns out there’s a little incel in all of us. Carlos spills some positive tea; Skip gives last week the bird, and with AI, everyone is a Muppet. Join us! #jeffreyepstein #trump Items Reference...

In a show of startling confessions, Skip reveals his secret identity and Carlos tells the origin story of his pets. The boys discuss the burden of “mankeeping” that women are increasingly pushing back against in their relationships, and they touch on the addictive design of social media. Plus, live nude Scandinavian grandmothers! Items Referenced: The 36 Questions That Lead to Love: https://36ques...

In this episode, Skip and Carlos dive into a variety of topics with their usual candid and humorous style. They kick off with a light-hearted discussion about their recent travels and the joys of returning home, touching on the cultural differences they noticed, especially around food and consumerism. The conversation shifts to more serious topics, including societal issues like racism and privile...

In this episode, Skip and Carlos explore the concept of trail magic and synchronicity, sharing personal stories of unexpected encounters and serendipitous moments during their travels. They discuss the philosophical implications of these experiences, touching on happiness and fate while tangling it up in Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave." The conversation also delves into the joys of creative pro...

In this episode of Outside the Manosphere, Skip and Carlos chat about hitchhiking, evil cowboys, spirituality, and the moral implications of choosing invisibility as a superpower based on gender. The boys also discuss the stunning views in California, and they answer the tough question, which is more important: continence or eloquent speech? Items Referenced: The  36 Questions That Lead to Love: h...

In this thought-provoking episode, Skip and Carlos take you on a journey through their personal stories and cultural insights. They share travel stories from hitchhiking across the U.S. to exploring Prague, while also diving into deeper discussions on identity and privilege. A significant chunk of their discussion is dedicated to Peggy McIntosh's seminal article on white privilege, "Unpacking the...

A man, whom women wanted to be and men wanted to be with, or something like that; adored, complicated, flawed, amazing, Skip and Carlos fall in love . . . with Pee-wee Herman? In this bonus episode, the unofficial mascot of the podcast, Paul Reubens, is examined in his final movie as well as the recent documentary on his life, all, of course, in relation to the manosphere. Join us! Items Reference...

In this episode, the boys talk at length about Skip’s formative walk across America and how their respective past adventures were so similar. They also discuss a few current events while connecting game theory to global politics and gaslighting. Items Referenced : Repeated Prisoner's Dilemma: https://www.phys.lsu.edu/~spathak/Talks/RepGames.pdf   John Forbes Nash Jr.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki...

Skip and Carlos peer into the void, ruminate about how the podcast is affecting their lives, spotlight a good man, and talk politics and billionaires. Plus, Carlos endures the trauma of The Little Prince. Items Referenced: Employment for computer programmers: https://fortune.com/2025/03/17/computer-programming-jobs-lowest-1980-ai/  ChatGPT model refuses to shut down: https://www.independent.co.uk/...

Carlos' Joy Principle takes over in Episode 8 as the boys talk about what men need to feel complete and the roadblocks they put in their own way. Can you cuddle with your son if he is 5? What about 14 or 35? Where are men looking for connection? Items Referenced: Men drinking from straws: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=714019184458211&rdid=KemCT2CPb3R4FkmQ Church of Manliness: https://www.b...

Skip and Carlos discuss the impact of generational differences on work attitudes, the value of various jobs, and the cultural perspectives surrounding work-life balance. The conversation also delves into the challenges of gender roles in parenting and the importance of education and personal growth. Additionally, they touch on their media consumption habits and how it shapes their views on current...

In this episode, the boys consider some of the implications of how artificial intelligence and 3D printing will affect people's (specifically men) sense of relevance as they lose their jobs to progressive technology; they also consider universal basic income, and how the 1972 Burt Reynolds film Deliverance ties into this sense of ineptitude looming on the horizon. Cancel culture and the false war...

The first rule of fight club is . . . feminizing it. Skip and Carlos discuss how billionaires like President Trump and Elon Musk are simply too emotional to hold power. They touch on how Americans are comparing the two men's public disagreement to a "girl fight," while Skip delights in the World Wrestling Entertainment-ness of it all. Items Referenced: https://www.facebook.com/people/Outside-the-M...

Are trigger warnings still relevant? Have trigger warnings become triggers for some people? Also, can Skip and Carlos sing? They clearly think so. What 80's musician did Carlos have (and still has) a crush on and what does it have to do with Pee Wee Herman? Find out in Episode 5 Items Referenced: https://36questionsinlove.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxLhytQ67fs&embeds_referring_euri=h...

After some podcast homework, Skip and Carlos go well beyond the manosphere to talk about telepathy and its scientific evidence/lack of evidence, strange action at a distance, the Double-Slit Experiment, and cordial disagreement between two men with their arms folded tightly across their chests. Items referenced: https://thetelepathytapes.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/telepathy-is-it-f...

In this episode, Skip and Carlos discuss the intersection of cynicism and misogyny, Mr. Rogers' "helpers," the origins of gaslighting, and if things do always work out. Plus, difference rears its completely amicable and mature head as Woo and Science collide. Items referenced: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=92iotrec96g https://www.magzter.com/en/stories/fashion/Cosmopolitan-US/...

In this episode, Skip and Carlos continue falling in love with 36 questions from The New York Times. They also examine ridiculous communiqué from the manosphere, undercover alt-right dating, Skip's past as a long-haired weird kid, and Carlos' decision to become a vagabond. Items mentioned: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogopogo https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=92iotrec96g https://...

Skip and Carlos define the Manosphere and apply a "whoever smelt it dealt it" sort of approach to homophobia. They reminisce on their "meet cute" in the Czech Republic, where they became friends as expatriates and reflect about life and culture there. They also talk Cryptozoology and close encounters of the rabbit kind. Items referenced: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2025/04/...

In the first episode of Outside the Manosphere, Skip and Carlos introduce themselves and discuss why anyone would care to listen to two middle-aged men growing their friendship as they discuss the toxic manosphere that we are all navigating through. This conversation includes a nod to the manliness of testicle tanning and how not wiping one's butt is an actual thing in the manosphere. They also st...