The Brain Candy Podcast

Susie wants to know why streaking was popular for like two minutes, and we would like to bring it back in 2023. Let's do this, people! Sarah explains why public toilets use horseshoe-shaped toilet seats instead of ovals, but we're still confused. This sounds like a man designed a weird toilet seat and everyone just went along with it. We learn about dreams around the world, and how the nightmares...

Susie is psyched out of her mind about the Strange Names documentary that features people with unusual, disturbing, or celebrity names. It's so good! We discuss some of the crazy names, why parents name their kids names that will get them bullied, and how a name can determine so much of your life. We also discuss why we mock certain names that certain cultures tend to use (like all the white lady...

Breaking news in the science world with an explanation for why we get sick in the winter, and it's not what we thought all along. We've been living a viral lie. Hear why your nose is indoorsy and it's making you sick. We learn the evolution of the b-hole, and we are very thankful that our bodies had the good sense to improve our entrance and exit scenario. Sarah is happy she found someone who lets...

Today we hear about a documentary exploring a different approach to therapy, and Susie wants to know why therapists insist on distancing themselves from their clients. Sarah shares why it actually benefits the client to work through their issues without being given the answers. We hear about a nurse who was killing his patients and we theorize why women tend to use the weapon of poison when they k...

Sarah salutes a good Samaritan Amazon worker and then she confesses to her secret love of Amazon (despite her previous boycott of the company). We learn about a man who was fired for not having enough fun at work. He sued the company for wrongful termination after they claimed he was a big party pooper. We discuss how we hate required fun and team-building exercises. Sarah tells us about a monaste...

Susie is singing the praises of the Pepsi, Where's My Jet documentary about a boy who got enough Pepsi points to earn a jet, but Pepsi claimed they were just joking about the jet. Hear what happened when he sued the company and why we're mad about it. We discuss Phil Spector's incredible career in music producing dozens of hits in the 60s and 70s and innovating the way songs are made, but how he e...

Susie wants to know when Sarah realized she was uncensored, but we're pretty sure Susie is just as weird about oversharing. We discuss a woman who didn't want to sit near a crying baby at a fancy restaurant, and we are totally on her side. Kids are not meant for fine dining. We learn about the trans woman who won a beauty pageant and why she is making some TERFs uncomfortable. We hear a cautionary...

Susie watched the Barney (as in the purple dinosaur) documentary and it was a shockingly sad story. We discuss the backlash towards the wholesome content and the effect it all had on its creator and her family. We discuss the science behind when you officially become an adult and the reasons why it's not simply biology, but rather a combination of life experiences and brain development. Hear why m...

Hear why Susie's "powder room" is very funny and Sarah's is NSFW. We discuss the implosion of Twitter and the weird devotion of Elon Musk's "musketeers." We need a new assessment of Nick Cannon because that man is not ok. Sarah offers some exciting news about young inventors and shares the amazing things young girls are developing in STEM. Sarah is very annoyed about a man who ate a rotisserie chi...

Today is finally our demonic episode featuring the number of the beast 666! We are so excited to discuss the evils of the Satanic Panic. We learn where the panic started, why Sarah's parents were into all the devilishness, and why Susie now can't listen to Pink Floyd as a result. We hear about Anton LaVey, who started the Church of Satan and the allegations lodged at innocent people about rituals...

We're fresh off our reunion in Chicago, so we discuss our trip, the fun we had with our Brainiacs, and the comedy show in which Susie performed. Sarah is getting us all nostalgic about our childhood by discussing the games kids play, their enduring appeal generation after generation, and what makes them so fun. We learn how the games kids play and things that interest them are consistent, catchy,...

Susie has a new enemy and we're all very excited about it. We are less excited about her husband's recent health scare, and Susie has some tips for you if you're in a similar situation. We discuss the Tree of Life documentary about the Jewish synagogue shooting, and why it was a tribute instead of a "true crime" trope. We hear about the man who invented the Trapper Keeper and why it became a cultu...

We begin with a warning to candy manufacturers--we're on to you and your smaller fun size candy bars and treats. Who do you think you're fooling? This isn't our first rodeo. We learn about a bird who flew so long that we are starting to think birds are superheroes. Sarah teaches us about humming, which aside from being annoying, it turns out can improve your health in a million ways. We discuss a...

Susie is mad at one of her favorite authors, so she rants about his boomer views. We discuss a documentary about competitive dog groomers, and Susie explains why she thinks they're similar to professional athletes. We hear some "old gossip" about Jayne Mansfield, and learn why her death saved lives. We debate a New York Times Op-Ed that said therapy isn't for everyone, and going doesn't mean you'r...

Happy Halloween, Brainiacs! Today we're getting spoooooky. We hear why the story of Pavlov, his dogs, and that damn bell are not at all accurate, and we've been living a lie. We hear why "gamer identity" makes them more prone to bigotry and radicalization. Plus, Sarah explains what it's like to be harassed online, how it makes you see people differently overall, and why it's way more common than w...

Susie is worked up today! First she insisted on delving into some "old gossip" about Frank Sinatra that blew Sarah's mind. Susie's also mad at Spotify and Sarah is offended. We discuss a documentary about a murder on a submarine that gave Susie literal nightmares. We hear what it's really like to go on Jeopardy! and it might not be as good as you'd think. We debate whether free, crowdsourced info...

Sarah has the giggles when she tries to fall asleep, so today we hear why you think things are funnier at bedtime. We discuss "old people smell," and learn why different age groups have different odors and whether it's hygiene, hormones, or just the smell of death. Sarah finds out why fish in certain rivers are hopped up on drugs and why it's affecting fish populations. We discuss the practice of...

Susie kicks off the show with a condemnation of Kanye West and his anti-semitism. We hear about a documentary that talks about the sexual allegations against Mario Batali and how the restaurant industry has a real problem. We debate whether the MeToo villains become violent out of entitlement or if there's more to the story. We discuss how gender informs physical ability, and we consider solutions...

Today we discuss how humans don't do well being alone, and how the Challenge and other reality shows can demonstrate what happens when we are alone with our thoughts. Sarah explains how lakes can explode and how one hilariously named man is trying to prevent the next lake explosion. We discuss animals in captivity and how scientists are coming up with creative ways to avoid hurting animals while s...

Today we hear what went wrong with Susie's lip fillers and why she is a glutton for punishment because she'll do it again. We discuss "performing beauty" and how these alleged feminists willingly modify their body. Susie talks about a Richard Simmons documentary that, while it wasn't well-made, was interesting in its explanation for Richard's "disappearance." This led us to a discussion about how...

We cover a ton today! First we follow-up on our conversation about nudist beaches and consider our feelings on nudist communities. We think people should probably keep their chonies on for several reasons. We learn the difference between comets, meteors, and asteroids, and are relieved that NASA is going to protect us from them (but Sarah is still mad at NASA for some littering). We hear about a s...

Today we find out why Susie and Sarah are both "agents of chaos," but for different reasons. Susie watched a documentary about 2Pac and Biggie, and now she's an expert on 90s hip hop, and Sarah is here for it. We learn about a recent death in the Navy Seals training camp, and why few people are passing the course each year. Plus, we hear why the performance-enhancing drugs people use to complete t...

What an episode! Sarah pulls out all the stops for this one. We find out what she's up to this SpOooOooOOky season and why it made us realize we are very very old. We learn some shocking news about sexual assault survivors that we had never thought about. Sarah explains a surgery men are getting to improve their looks and lives that can cost up to $70K. We hear why Susie is talking about boners an...

Susie and Sarah have a disagreement about whether dinner should just be dinner or if it's better with a murder mystery, a concert, or blindfolds. We discuss the Birthday Song and point out what a terrible tune it is, and we agree that the United States probably has the worst birthday song in the world. Susie watched the Sins of Our Mother documentary, and they discuss the way religious zealotry ca...

We discuss the negative review we got from a male listener, and share why he wasn't entirely wrong, but we're still mad. Sarah is literally falling apart after her slip-n-slide disaster, and she might have to avoid the powder this winter. We learn why narcissists are prone to conspiracy theories, and it's all sounding very familiar (because there's more than a few fellas on the Challenge who fit t...