Political commentator and comedy writer Erin Ryan and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Alyssa Mastromonaco are joined by a bicoastal squad of funny, opinionated women to talk through everything from reproductive rights to romcoms. They break down the political news of the week, plus the topics, trends, and cultural stories that affect women’s lives.
Last refreshed: ⓘ
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Erin and Alyssa dig into the latest news from the Twin Cities— the senseless tragedy of Alex Pretti’s death, and the inspiring resolve of the Minnesotans who continue to stand up for each other. With Greg Bovino’s “demotion,” are things about to take a turn for the better, or is this cynical political window-dressing from Team Trump? Then, Melania Trump’s movie premiere at the White House’s janky new makeshift room, and Paris Hilton’s fight on Capitol Hill to ban AI-generated deep fake porn. And...
In our 32nd episode of This F*cking Guy, Erin and Alyssa dive deep into the past of the bigoted big mouth, Rush Limbaugh. From having a face for radio, to his obsession with “feminazis” to spouting disinformation about smoking and covid to his very last days, this may be one of our most deplorable guys yet. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Sources: https://www.e...
Journalist and activist Kat Abughazaleh joins Hysteria to talk about her firsthand experience standing up to ICE and how to show up for immigrants in your community. Erin and Alyssa also get into updates from Minnesota and the death of Renee Good, the status of the Epstein files, and how Trump used his first year of presidency to line his own pockets. Then they have a discussion about the TV shows that are keeping them sane, especially the increasingly-popular genre “competency porn.” They wrap ...
Erin and Alyssa break down how misogyny, ICE, and Renee Good’s death are all inherently intertwined and why the Trump administration is targeting the Twin Cities. Then, Moms First founder Reshma Saujani joins for some good news: Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s historic plan for universal childcare in New York. They also discuss dark money in the political influencer economy, Bob Weir’s legacy, and Atsuko Okatsuka’s new comedy special. For a closed-captioned version of this episo...
Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco dive into the latest Epstein files drop, what happens now that the Obamacare subsidies have expired, Bari Weiss’ new town hall series, and Trump’s crusade against federal childcare funding. Plus they recap the new Netflix show Members Only: Palm Springs and wrap up with Sani-Petty. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Show notes: ht...
In this new series from Lovett or Leave It, Rachel Lindsay joins Jon Lovett to talk about what it’s like to go from being a lawyer, to Bachelor contestant, to the first Black woman to be the Bachelorette. Can you actually find love on these shows? Can you ever trust that it’s real? And what role to do fireball shots play in the process? Plus Rachel reflects on the moment she realized producers were preparing her to lead the franchise, even as they seemed to be worried about racial stereotypes in...
Hosts Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastramonico revisit various controversial public figures, dubbed "f***ing guys," updating listeners on their latest misdeeds in 2025. Discussions range from Elon Musk's Doge project and Cybertruck flops, Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse failure and AI glasses, to Peter Thiel's Antichrist lectures and JD Vance's political and personal scandals. The episode also scrutinizes figures like Stephen Miller, Mike Johnson, Kristi Noem, Pete Hegseth, Kash Patel, Ken Paxton, Jeff Bezos, and Ghislaine Maxwell, before the hosts select their ultimate "F***ing Guy of 2025."
Erin and Alyssa dish on the Vanity Fair profile on Trump’s inner circle, America’s embarrassing response to yet another wave of gun violence, and Erika Kirk’s media blitz. Then they break down all the ways Project 2025 has rolled back the rights of women and lgbtq people this year. They wrap up Solicited Advice, I Feel Petty, and a live reaction to the new Melania Trump documentary trailer. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please emai...
Erin and Alyssa break down Marjorie Taylor Greene’s bullsh*t on 60 Minutes, Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center Honors, and Melania’s embarrassing attempt at a children’s storytime. Then comedian Kara Klenk joins for a petty discussion about Angel Trees and performative charity. They also dish some Solicited Advice on celebrating the holidays on a budget, dating in your 20s, and the very best vacuum. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode...
In our 30th episode of This F*cking Guy, Erin and Alyssa dive deep into the past of the unqualified a** kisser, Kash Patel. From lying about being the lead prosecutor on the Benghazi case, to being a top contender for biggest Trump simp, to his totally normal, not suspicious, relationship with his twenty-something girlfriend, to his unbearable performative masculinity as FBI Director, this may be one of our corniest try-hard guys yet! View a complete list of sources here For a closed-captioned v...
The Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Garten, joins Hysteria to give some holiday and hosting advice, including potluck wisdom, host gift etiquette, and the best topics for dinner party discussion. Erin and Alyssa also get into some petty news stories, including Trump’s mystery MRI, Karoline Leavitt’s nasty Thanksgiving feast, and the University of Oklahoma student who flunked a paper after including questionable bible citations. They finished up with a discussion of Wicked: For Good, blind items, ...
Erin and Alyssa are joined by their producer, Caroline Reston, for a Hysteria Thanksgiving special. They answer juicy questions from the conversation tin, dish out solicited advice on holiday woes, and do an extra petty edition of Sanity Corner. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.
Erin and Alyssa dive into the past of moronic conspiracy theorist, Alex Jones. From the conspiracy theory bible that inspired Infowars, to spreading 9/11 false flag propaganda that grew his following, to having vein-popping tantrums that would terrify most cardiologists, to owing the Sandy Hook families 1.4 billion dollars, this may be our most hysterical man-baby-guy yet! For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@croo...
Erin and Alyssa give a big update on Epstein news, from Congress’s measure to compel the DOJ to release the files, Megyn Kelly’s disgusting (and confusing) pedophilia apologia, and Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Makeover-Apology Tour. Then CNN’s Abby Phillip joins to discuss her new book A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power, and the state of the media landscape one year post-election. They wrap up with some Solicited Advice on dealing with conspiracy theorist boyfrie...
Progressives are way behind in building a media architecture that supports our movement. The good news is that we have an opportunity to experiment, innovate, and deliver products that cut through the noise and actually make a difference. Erin Ryan hosts Meredith Lynch, creator of The Moment, Tara McGowan, founder and publisher of COURIER Newsroom, Stephanie Valencia, co-founder of Equis and Latino Media Network, and Jessica Valenti, author of the hugely popular Abortion, Every Day newsletter. F...
Live from Crooked Con, WA Rep. Pramila Jayapal joins Hysteria to share her wisdom on resistance and offer insight into how Democrats can become a “proposition party,” not just the opposition party. Then comedian Suzanne Lambert takes the stage to share some solicited advice on dating in D.C., dealing with conservative men, and workplace fashion. They wrap up with a petty discussion about Republican wigs and Nancy Mace’s latest meltdown. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here ...
The 2024 election closed the book on the old way of thinking about political geography. Famously blue areas moved right. So did famously red ones. We need a new strategy that works as well in supposedly safe states like New Jersey as it does in tossups like North Carolina and Wisconsin. Alyssa Mastromonaco hosts Rep. Sarah McBride (D–DE), Rep. Janelle Bynum (D–OR), Anderson Clayton, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, and Ben Wikler, former chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party to ta...
In our 28th episode of This F*cking Guy, Erin and Alyssa dive deep into the past of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. From stealing orphaned children’s dog, to becoming Trump’s lapdog, to her shady involvement with the Epstein files, to role-playing as Trump’s personal lawyer, this may be our most theatrical sycophant yet! View a complete list of sources here For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and inc...
Democrats won big in off-year elections across the country on Tuesday, and Erin and Alyssa give the rundown on all the victories that are giving us hope. They also round up the latest MAGA bullsh*t from Trump’s social security changes to Nancy Mace’s airport freakout. Then they provide some Solicited Advice on dealing with workplace bitterness and how to conquer your pushup goals. They wrap up in the sanity corner with a discussion of the Bruce Springsteen biopic and Jennifer Aniston’s new man. ...
New York Governor Kathy Hochul joins to discuss the end of SNAP Benefits, ICE raids, and how NYC’s progressive swing affects the rest of the purple state. Astrologer Chani Nicholas also stops by to share insights on the stars, Scorpio season, and what to expect in the sky in 2026 (watch out for August!). Then Erin and Alyssa react to Cheryl Hines’ deeply strange appearance on charisma black hole Katie Miller’s podcast, spoiler alert: they reveal the details of RFK Jr.’s disgusting diet. For a cl...
Erin and Alyssa dive into the past of the father of white Christian Nationalism, Jerry Falwell. From founding Liberty University, to taking advantage of pregnant teens, to spreading his bigoted and homophobic beliefs like wildfire, this is may be our most shameless guy yet. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Sources: https://wondery.com/shows/liberty-lost/ https:/...
Being an American right now is a wild ride. Every day brings a new controversy, with breathless media narratives and the same loud voices rushing in to score political points. Then another Truth Social post drops and the circus moves on. But all that noise is drowning out the actual story. On Crooked Media’s new podcast Runaway Country , veteran journalist Alex Wagner talks to the voices at the center of the headlines: from the fringes of the resistance, to the marrow of MAGA, to the many people...
Erin Ryan and guest host Reshma Saujani ( Moms First ) poke holes in Trump’s flimsy IVF plan, discuss RFK Jr.’s creepy obsession with teenage boys’ sperm counts, and the realities of women leaving the workforce. They also get into the insanity of Trump’s ballroom construction and dissect the differences between the moms with boys and Boy Moms. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name o...
Erin and Alyssa react to the strangest of Trump’s second “routine yearly checkup” of 2025, the sweeping federal layoffs impacting the CDC, and Katie Porter’s PR nightmare. Then they check in on Marjorie Taylor Greene’s new anti-republican schtick and what will become of Alex Jones now that the Supreme Court has rejected his appeal. The show concludes with a salute to the late Diane Keaton and a peek into what the f*ck is going on with Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau. For a closed-captioned version...
This week, Erin and Alyssa dive into the past of United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. From his sexist ideologies to his drunken antics, cheating scandals to Fox News career, embarrassing failures to incompetent leadership, this is definitely our most inebriated and moronic f*cking guy of all time. Sources: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trumps-pick-for-defense-sec-spent-his-college-years-crusading-against-glorification-of-diversity-and-the-homosexual-lifestyle https://www.espn.com/m...
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Mayci Neeley dishes on her new book, becoming a feminist, and what #MomTok is really like off-screen. Erin and Alyssa also cover Trump’s Ghislaine Maxwell amnesia, Bari Weiss’ CBS News takeover, and the future of the Democratic Party. Finally, in the Sanity Corner, they sound off about the new Taylor Swift album and warn against Instagram Reels Greek yogurt chicken salad recipes. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript o...
Erin and Alyssa break down the current government shutdown, dissecting Republican misinformation and its severe implications for healthcare and the federal workforce. They critique Ezra Klein's controversial positions on Charlie Kirk and pro-life Democrats, arguing against compromising on fundamental rights. The hosts also examine fresh polling data on issues like abortion access, Gen Z conservatism, and economic concerns, highlighting discrepancies between public opinion and political action. The episode also covers the latest Epstein file leaks, a scandalous military presentation, and other "creeps" in the news, concluding with the "Sanity Corner" and "Petty" segments.
Erin and Alyssa dive into the past of Epstein’s right hand woman: Ghislaine Maxwell. From her father Robert Maxwell’s shady business endeavors and questionable death, to schmoozing her way to the upper echelons of Manhattan’s elite social scene, to trafficking minors for the most famously despicable sex pest of all time, this may be our most depraved, power-hungry pervert yet. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@...
Candace Owens and her conspiracy theories are propelling her to the top of the podcast charts, and Erin and Alyssa are here to remind you of her ultra-conservative, racist, and wildly problematic past. They also dive into Trump’s dangerous “Autism Announcement,” how Kentucky’s 50/50 custody law is harming women and children, and the Department of Education’s plans for the Semiquincentennial. Then a discussion of MAGA Cosmo-wannabe Evie Magazine’s pop culture to conservative BS pipeline. For a cl...
One week after the death of Charlie Kirk, Erin and Alyssa discuss how the media, elected officials, and FBI Director Kash Patel have (mis)handled the ongoing investigation. They also catch up on the latest Epstein files news, Proposition 50 in California, and New Mexico’s unprecedented new childcare initiative. Then they discuss the thorny taboos and ethics surrounding commercial surrogacy. The episode wraps up in the sanity corner with a chat about The Summer I Turned Pretty finale and some gos...
