Ray Kurzweil, the globally renowned scientist, and former Google engineer made many predictions in the 90’s, (the widespread use of laptops, wearable tech, digitized media, computer phones, facial recognition, remote learning and more…) so when he recently restated his prediction that humans will be able to achieve immortality by 2030… we of course responded with, “Really, no Really!” Could immortality truly be achieved in 7 years? This being way above our paygrades, we turned to Richard Faraghe...
Jul 18, 2023•38 min•Ep. 24
Mafia bosses recently apologized and offered reparations to the parents of a man whom they mistakenly killed and then dissolved in acid. Really, no really! How do you mistakenly dissolve the wrong guy…can’t you just double check their identity on Google or Facebook? And is it now proper etiquette for mobsters to admit and then apologize for their mistakes? Is this part of a new “woke” Mafia in 2023? We began to wonder if popular conceptions of how the mob operates were even accurate. And what’s ...
Jul 11, 2023•59 min•Ep. 23
We’ve all seen steam rising from manhole covers in big cities like New York - but have you ever stopped and wondered why? Jason and Peter were curious and discovered that manhole covers literally explode all over NYC every year. Really, no Really! Determined to discover the cause of these explosions and uncover the secrets that lurk below many of the world’s cities, they spoke with one of the planet’s foremost underground enthusiasts. Adventurer and history devotee Don Wildman is the host of the...
Jul 04, 2023•57 min•Ep. 22
Peter discovered that the most popular course in Yale’s over 300-year history was the “Class on Happiness”. Really, no Really! In the modern era, happiness has become an industry, with motivational speakers and self-help gurus promising to teach techniques that unlock the gates to everlasting joy. Yet for many, happiness remains elusive because it’s influenced by numerous factors and is a deeply personal and subjective journey. Since Jason and Peter (both experts when it comes to anxiety) are bo...
Jun 27, 2023•41 min•Ep. 21
How did tipping get so confusing? The Cut, a New York magazine, recently published new guidelines for tipping and suggested a 20% gratuity, regardless of the level of service you received. Really, no Really! The expansion of point-of-sale technology that prompts customers to tip at coffee shops and convenience stores has dramatically changed the way we perceive and engage with tipping. Should you now tip for a pack of gum or bottled water in situations where human interaction is minimal or non-e...
Jun 20, 2023•40 min•Ep. 20
A Mickey Mantle baseball card recently sold for $12.6 million dollars and the collectibles market is valued at $458 billion dollars… Really, no Really! Jason and Peter marveled why people collect comics, vinyl, sports memorabilia, video games, toys, cars, and autographs. Is it merely an investment or does it speak to something more fundamental about what captivates us? To help explore the psychology of collecting, they invited legendary collector Ken Goldin, who stars in the Netflix series King ...
Jun 13, 2023•46 min•Ep. 19
When Peter and Jason discovered that there was a museum dedicated to failure, their response was of course… Really, no really? They both began to ruminate about their own failures and the relationship between failure and innovation, so they turned to Swedish psychologist and innovation researcher, Dr. Samuel West for more insight. Dr. West is the curator of the Museum of Failure , a collection of over 150 failed products and services from around the world. This rare collection includes flops des...
Jun 06, 2023•43 min•Ep. 18
What will you be like when you’re older? As Jason and Peter bemoan their current state of crankiness - aches, and pains, increased lack of patience and errant hair growth, they also express their trepidation of becoming even more miserable as they age. But it doesn’t have to be that way… there can potentially be a state of real joy. Really, no really! Joining us in-studio is an American Treasure, the personification of joy throughout life and into advanced age. Dick Van Dyke and his wife Arlene ...
May 30, 2023•53 min•Ep. 17
Everyone is bothered by certain sounds – chewing noises, dogs barking, babies crying, leaf blowers, but 20% of the population could have a very different, more visceral reaction - anger and panic! These intense reactions are attributed to a real condition called misophonia and it’s only the tip of the iceberg in terms of how noise is increasingly driving us insane. Really, no really! In a previous episode (S1/E15) Jason discovered that Peter has misophonia, defined by WebMD as a disorder in whic...
May 23, 2023•42 min•Ep. 16
Was your screen-time up last week? How’d that make you feel? In a world where we underestimate our screen time by 100% and studies indicate that social media corrodes self-esteem - would we be happier with less tech in our lives? There’s a place that’s effectively a Petri dish for this question; a so-called Quiet Zone that stands against the tides of technology… and Jason and Peter were driven to find out all about it! Really, no really! In the Quiet Zone, anything that creates radio noise, like...
May 16, 2023•39 min•Ep. 15
The man considered “The Godfather of A.I.” Geoffrey Hinton abruptly resigned from Google saying… a worst-case A.I. scenario could be on the horizon. With Big Tech companies going all-in on potentially apocalyptic technology while seemingly ignoring the “pause letter” concerned tech leaders created - we were left saying… Really, no,really? Feeling that an informed discussion of A.I. and the potential destruction of humanity felt above their “pay grade”, Jason and Peter turned to Silicon Valley vi...
May 09, 2023•53 min•Ep. 14
Really, no Really’s most controversial episode yet! Microdosing! Millions of people, including your mee-maw and pee-paw, your 2nd cousin Leonard and your best friend’s dry cleaner are all ingesting small amounts of psychedelic mushrooms, LSD, and other hallucinogenic substances without any involvement by a physician. Proponents claim it reduces anxiety and depression, enhances mood and boosts creativity and productivity. Really, no really? Jason and Peter were determined to find out if these ane...
May 02, 2023•31 min•Ep. 13
What drives people to take risks? We’ve all encountered them - the kids who licked light sockets, roller skated while holding cars, jumped off roofs - and they did it just to see what would happen. As adults they do cave diving, heli-skiing, they scale cliffs, do big wave surfing, or fly in a wingsuit. But why? Is it for the adrenalin hit, are they acting out some unresolved childhood anguish, or is it due to a genetic disposition or possibly even mental illness? Really, no really! Jason and Pet...
Apr 25, 2023•43 min•Ep. 12
A well-respected German ballet director, perturbed about a negative review, smeared dog feces in his critic’s face. Really, no really! This story got Jason and Peter wondering about the nature of criticism - how we give it, how we take it, and how it affects us! So, they enlisted Howie Mandel, who has critiqued all manner of performances over his 14+ years as a judge on Americas Got Talent… to discuss, interpret and analyze. Howie had some interesting opinions and insights such as: Why you shoul...
Apr 18, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 11
As the world emerged from the Pandemic, industrialists realized there weren’t enough microchips to go around. When the flow of chips stopped, so did factories. Supply-chains were crippled. The economy faltered and consumers were left scratching their heads wondering… how was it possible that no one was prepared for the great microchip shortage. Really, no really! Was COVID-19 to blame, or offshoring by US manufacturers, or maybe it was due to the suspicious fires that destroyed chip factories? A...
Apr 11, 2023•35 min•Ep. 10
Your very own Iron Man suit controlled with just your mind. Thought directed videogames played directly from your consciousness. Want a higher I.Q … no problem, just get an implant! Elon Musk wants approval for human trials for his Neuralink company’s implantable brain–computer interfaces. Could brains linked directly to computers be an imminent reality or are we dealing with science fantasy? Jason and Peter had to find out…so they spoke with a world-class neurologist and brain surgeon Dr. Danie...
Apr 04, 2023•36 min•Ep. 9
You are asked to co-write the next Avatar, but that movie needs to make over 2 billion dollars to break even – do you say yes? Really? No really? The last Avatar was 12 years ago… and movies, the movie business and movie-audiences have changed drastically since then. Would Avatar: The Way Water float like Rose… or sink like Jack? Rick Jaffa who along with his wife, Amanda Silver has penned The Planet of the Apes films, Jurassic World, Mulan – to name just a few - discusses James Cameron’s brilli...
Mar 28, 2023•40 min•Ep. 8
Wait…how many blunts a day can a rapper smoke? Hearing that the number could be as high as seventy-five blunts a day, Jason and Peter- in search of the answer- went directly to the source. Snoop Dogg’s former personal blunt roller, Ranagade PerRana reveals just how much pot is smoked and why some feel the need to employ a blunt roller. Jason’s slew of allergies prevents him from partaking in the California marijuana renaissance so consequently, he had to learn pot terminology, and he and Peter a...
Mar 21, 2023•37 min•Ep. 7
There is speculation that in the near future, space junk pollution will become so extreme that we will no longer be able to safely launch rockets into orbit, land-locking mankind on Earth forever. Really? No Really! If space junk the size of a raindrop traveling at 17,000 miles an hour can cut through a half-inch solid aluminum plate like butter, what would it do to a space walking astronaut? Jason and Peter learn the horrific answer from their guest, former NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman who ha...
Mar 14, 2023•53 min•Ep. 6
William Shatner has gone where no man has gone before… and at 92, he’s just getting started. Really? No, really! Jason and Peter had to find out how Bill remains curious, energized, motivated, and relevant. WARNING : The interview did not go as planned! While they may have retaken control near the end…Mr. Shatner was definitely in the captain’s seat. Here are just some of the stories you’ll hear (and for the first time get Bill’s definitive take). Why Shatner takes on the haters and trolls on so...
Mar 07, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 5
If you’ve seen the Tom Cruise deepfake or any of the thousands of others online, it becomes obvious that an image or recording can be easily manipulated. Jason and Peter had to find out just how much of what we are seeing is faked, so they reached out to Dr. Hany Farid , who has been called “The father of digital forensics” for some answers. But deepfakes are just the beginning. Companies like Meta are creating virtual worlds and estimates are that by 2026, 25% of us will be spending at least an...
Feb 28, 2023•45 min•Ep. 4
Peter was told that Competitive Eating, a carnival favorite over a hundred years old, is done by professional eaters…who don’t chew! Is this possible? Could that be right? To sort out this gluttonous conundrum, Jason and Peter tracked down two world champions, Miki Sudo and Eric “Badlands” Booker who discuss their technique and speed eating secrets. But the carnival fun doesn’t stop there because in the early 80’s, outrageous and death-defying carnival acts found a home on reality tv. Woody Fras...
Feb 21, 2023•30 min•Ep. 3
Dogs are talking on social media! They hit buttons triggering prerecorded words that can inform their pet parents of their needs, their desires, their concerns, and even their opinions. But are they really communicating? Could this just be some elaborate Internet hoax, or have we as human beings vastly underestimated the animal kingdom’s gift of gab? Think of the implications! Would you really want to know that your terrier thinks you’re an underachiever or that your shih tsu doesn’t trust your ...
Feb 14, 2023•39 min•Ep. 2
Jerry Seinfeld famously joked about bathroom stall doors in public bathrooms that don’t go to the floor. It’s a hilarious comedy bit but Jason and Peter take bathroom privacy very seriously, so they had to find the definitive answer. This led them to award winning, public restroom expert, Chad Kaufman who revealed the real reason stall doors aren’t longer AND the shocking truth about bathroom hand blowers. As their investigation deepened, they realized that inadequately sized bathroom doors are ...
Feb 07, 2023•35 min•Ep. 1
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Jan 31, 2023•3 min
