The Twist Podcast with Mark and Rick

In this week's show Mark extolls the virtues of Yasso's frozen Greek yogurt—creamy, low-cal, and still delicious. Then we confess to a food show addiction, and why people can't stop watching contestants cook, bake, careen around in food trucks and compete on screen. Plus: the Twist takes a look at the end of Mitch McConnell's long, dubious career.

This week your co-hosts dig into the significance of America's semiquincentennial and what it means to celebrate a milestone birthday in a country that feels as divided as it does hopeful. Then it's on to Washington, DC, where the beloved cherry trees are threatened by another pointless golf course. And finally we regret the rise of profanity in public life and wonder when politicians and TV pundi...

Join cultural court jesters Mark and Rick for another proud Pride show. We nail the news and herald the headlines, offer up our weekly Hit List with our best-ofs and our bugs-us, and debut a movie review from our very own Prance Thunderbottom.

I recently interviewed Rick Gualtieri, the bestselling New Jersey author behind the Tome of Bill series. Rick has built one of indie horror-comedy's most beloved franchises around Bill Ryder, a dateless gamer who gets turned into a vampire and becomes the undead world's most reluctant savior—more than a dozen novels deep and still going strong. We talked about his origin story, his writing process...

Kiana Schraufnagel is a  leader, volunteer, and advocate whose accomplishments span academics, service, athletics, and personal empowerment. She currently serves as Miss Wisconsin Volunteer 2026, while pursuing her psychology degree at Texas Tech University and performing as a Texas Tech Twirler. Her commitment to service has earned her the prestigious President's Volunteer Service Award, reflecti...

Welcome to The Twist and our annual Pride Spectacular. Mark and Rick pull out all the stops for this one. We've got news, we've got joy, we've got Prance Thunderbottom joining the show with his 'Worst in Show' feature.  And later, Rick interviews author David Hylan to talk about his new book Small Town Rage — which, based on the title alone, we feel deeply in our souls. David joins us to talk abou...

This week on The Twist, Mark and Rick cut their losses and ditch their tickets to the Great American State Fair — and they have thoughts. Then it's all good news as they share their enthusiasm for Eden Sher and Brock Ciarlelli's Middling podcast, the irresistible rewatch show for fans of The Middle. Plus Rick sits down with Courtney Cordova of Madison's Henry Vilas Zoo for a conversation about the...

On further reflection, this week Mark and Rick do cannonballs into Trump's giant kiddie pool, sing the praises of Penzeys super-progressive spice empire, and sound off on what bugs us this week.

Welcome to The Twist, episode 327. Mark and Rick take on the news from a crazy week, finger wag the Supreme Court, dish on the Met Gala, and reveal some unknown facts about Tennessee Williams.

Welcome to The Twist, episode 326. We have a packed show for you today. The luggage cart wars are real — we're talking about the unspoken battlefield of airports and hotels where perfectly reasonable people turn into territorial strangers over a metal cart on wheels. Rick Rose has officially joined Substack, and we'll get into what drove that decision and what he's planning to do with it. We also...

Episode 325 of The Twist is packed. Mark and Rick dig into the week's biggest news stories in their Weekly News Roundup — the headlines, the highlights, and the takes you won't get anywhere else. Then things get a little lighter with Road Trip Fun Facts, just in time for the open road season. And Rick sits down with Enjoyiana Nururdin, journalist and lifestyle content creator, for a conversation a...

This week Mark and Rick reveal fun facts about cloning, the benefits of gardening, and cringey virtue signaling. After that we soak up some wisdom from Jo, following Rick's interview with actor and activist Alexandra Paul.

Meet the android versions of Mark and Rick — same voices, same sensibilities, significantly less coffee dependency — and they're here every week with The Twist Podcast: Android News Edition , your weekly roundup of everything worth knowing and a few things worth arguing about. Will we go weekly? If the interest is there and we can hire more robots. Each week we're covering four beats: science, pol...

If you've been listening to The Twist Podcast for any length of time, you know that Mark and Rick have opinions about things. Culture, politics, food, entertainment, the general state of the world as it lurches forward into whatever this era is going to be called when historians get around to naming it. So we did what any reasonable pair of podcasters would do: we cloned ourselves. Yes, really. Me...

Mark and Rick are back with a packed episode. First we pull back the curtain on something new coming to The Twist, our Android News Edition, a dedicated midweek (for now) show where Mark and Rick's android selves plug into entertainment, food trends, politics, and culture. Then, step inside one of Pennsylvania's most extraordinary and eccentric landmarks: Fonthill Castle. Built by archaeologist an...

Welcome to The Twist Podcast, Episode 322. Spring has officially arrived, and Mark and Rick are celebrating the season with a jam-packed episode. We kick things off with some springtime conversation — what's blooming, what's buzzing, and what's got us looking forward to warmer days ahead. Then it's time for the Twist Hit List, our own humble 'must' list, covering TV, films, books, food, and cultur...

Welcome to The Twist Podcast, Episode 321. Join co-hosts Mark and Rick as we adjust to the time change, check out Mark's trip to Philadelphia, hear Rick's interview with Guns to Gardens, and find out what listeners spend on their pets. Then we hear from friends and fans about where the climates they prefer to live in, from dry desert air to breezy coastal towns and everything in between. And final...

Welcome to The Twist Podcast, Episode 320. Join co-hosts Mark and Rick as we drill into the bizarre history of teeth, with tooth worms and  contagious cavities. Then we hear from friends and fans about  where the climates they prefer to live in, from dry desert air to breezy coastal towns and everything in between. And finally, we dive into terrible texting habits and experiences, from relentless...

This week on The Twist Podcast with Mark and Rick, we dance to Bad Bunny's tune, share listener suggestions for travel packing, and catch up with Mark after a whirlwind vacation. Find us on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and every angel's top ten playlist.

This week on The Twist Podcast, we're serving up fun facts about Greenland that might surprise you (hint: it's way more interesting than just ice). We also recommend Eat Clean, a food delivery service that makes healthy meals easy and satisfying—no sad salads involved. Plus, we dive into our always-relatable "What Bugs Us" list, covering those everyday irritations that prove we're definitely not a...

In Episode 317 of The Twist Podcast, co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose freshen the air with a good news roundup, a conversation about AI shaming, and our weekly recommendations for TV, books and culturee. We dig into why good news matters more than ever, how technology is shaping the way we judge ourselves and others, and what's worth your time right now if you're looking for something smart, en...

I had the pleasure of interviewing audiobook narrator and friend Daniela Acitelli, whose narration of three of my books is a highlight of the audiobook experience for me. We talked about her craft, her journey, and her life as an American ex-pat in London. Daniela is an accomplished voice actor and narrator whose work is defined by clarity, emotional intelligence, and an instinctive feel for story...

Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose for our take on murder in Minneapolis, where ICE is as cold as a Minnesota cemetery in a snuff film. We follow it with some January fun facts, Twist Podcast survey results, and an interview with show fan and Kentucky resident Steve Wylie.

The Twist Podcast blasts into 2026 with our usual mix of pop culture, media commentary, and personal reflection. Hosted by Mark McNease and Rick Rose , this entertainment and commentary podcast ignites the new year with sharp observations, familiar humor, and the kind of cultural conversation that keeps The Twist Podcast humming. In this episode, Mark shares his admiration for singer Kristy Lee, a...

A Twist Podcast Bonus Interview features host Rick Rose in conversation with Sonia Thomas as she reflects on retirement, her career with DHS and ICE, and her newest chapter as founder of SimplyHygge. Sonia shares insights on public service, life after government work, finding balance in retirement, and building a lifestyle brand rooted in comfort, mindfulness, and purpose. An honest, thoughtful di...