Forrest Galante ( @ForrestGalante ) is a wildlife biologist, conservationist, co-host of The Wild Times Podcast , and TV presenter for Extinct or Alive and Mysterious Creatures . He is also the author of Still Alive: A Wild Life of Rediscovery . What We Discuss with Forrest Galante: What happened when an Amazonian shaman insisted Forrest snort an unknown powder from a monkey bone to keep him safe on the journey ahead? How growing up as an almost feral, shoeless child on a farm in Zimbabwe prepar...
Feb 21, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 798
Every year around Halloween, millions of teenagers, drunk adults, and terrified believers gather around Ouija boards to contact "The Other Side." We've all been a part of it, and we know we weren't moving that little thing, but it was definitely moving. So what’s really going on here? Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and fact-checker, comedian, and podcast host David C. Smalley break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open ...
Feb 19, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 797
Your creepy brother-in-law has been using explicit pictures of you — which he obtained through a nanny cam he secretly installed in your bedroom eight years ago — to anonymously threaten you with blackmail. Your sister was in the process of divorcing him and turned his laptop over to the police as evidence, but you fear she may be getting back together with him and may no longer be willing to cooperate when you press charges. To top it off, it's been three months since the police were involved a...
Feb 17, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 796
Alastair Smith is the Bernhardt Denmark Chair of International Relations at New York University, professor of political science in the Wilf Family Department of Politics, and co-author (with Bruce Bueno de Mesquita) of The Dictator's Handbook: Why Bad Behavior is Almost Always Good Politics . [This is part two of a two-part episode. Find part one here !] What We Discuss with Alastair Smith: How do dictators come to power and remain in power even when their policies serve only themselves and not ...
Feb 16, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 795
Alastair Smith is the Bernhardt Denmark Chair of International Relations at New York University, professor of political science in the Wilf Family Department of Politics, and co-author (with Bruce Bueno de Mesquita) of The Dictator's Handbook: Why Bad Behavior is Almost Always Good Politics . [This is part one of a two-part episode. Please check back later in the week for part two!] What We Discuss with Alastair Smith: How do dictators come to power and remain in power even when their policies s...
Feb 14, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 794
Are you dead wrong to trust the funeral industry in having your best interests at heart when it's time to shuffle off your mortal coil? Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and fact-checker, comedian, and podcast host David C. Smalley break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss: The average cost of a funeral is over $11,000. Lack of regul...
Feb 12, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 793
A number of red flags have you rethinking the effectiveness of your shrink. Shouldn't they make you feel more capable of facing the world and understanding your place in it instead of less capable and more confused ? Is it time for you to shop for a newer, better therapist? We'll try to help you answer this and more here on Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger ( @JordanHarbinger ) and Gabriel Mizrahi ( @GabeMizrahi ) banter and take your comments and question...
Feb 10, 2023•57 min•Season 1Ep. 792
Mark Manson ( @IAmMarkManson ) is the New York Times bestselling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck , and the subject of a new feature film that goes by the same name. What We Discuss with Mark Manson: Mark and Jordan discuss how they evolved beyond their roots in the seedy pickup artist (PUA) scene to help people from all walks of life transcend insecurities and discover their true potential — or at least derive entertainment from some books and podcasts. Mark experiences the ups and...
Feb 09, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 791
Florence Williams ( @flowill ) is a journalist and the author of The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative , Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History , and Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey . What We Discuss with Florence Williams: How "real" is heartbreak? Real enough that our brains react to the emotional pain of heartbreak in the same way they react to physical pain. The chronic loneliness brought about by heartbreak can increase the risk of early d...
Feb 07, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 790
Is chocolate your guilty pleasure? Until you listen to this episode, we can almost guarantee you're not feeling guilty enough about it! But don't fret, because we'll also provide resources to help alleviate some of that guilt and allow you to become part of the problem's solution! Welcome to Skeptical Sunday , a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and fact-checker, comedian, and podcast host David C. Smalley break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open thi...
Feb 05, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 789
If the people back home choose to believe negative stereotypes about your true love from another land and the nature of your relationship, it's a damn shame — for them. On this Feedback Friday, we'll delve into why it's almost always okay to blow off the cockamamie opinions of people who should probably be minding their own business! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger ( @JordanHarbinger ) and Gabriel Mizrahi ( @GabeMizrahi ) banter and take your comments and questions for F...
Feb 03, 2023•56 min•Season 1Ep. 788
Mitch Lowe ( @mitch__lowe ) is a co-founding executive of Netflix, the former CEO of MoviePass, the former president of Redbox, and the author of Watch and Learn: How I Turned Hollywood Upside Down with Netflix, Redbox, and MoviePass ? Lessons in Disruption . [This is part two of a two-part episode. You can find part one here !] What We Discuss with Mitch Lowe: How Netflix tested, marketed, and made its DVD-by-mail service work at a time when the profit margins were low and its brick-and-mortar ...
Feb 02, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 787
Mitch Lowe ( @mitch__lowe ) is a co-founding executive of Netflix, the former CEO of MoviePass, the former president of Redbox, and the author of Watch and Learn: How I Turned Hollywood Upside Down with Netflix, Redbox, and MoviePass ? Lessons in Disruption . [This is part one of a two-part episode. Be on the lookout for part two later this week!] What We Discuss with Mitch Lowe: How Mitch's first entrepreneurial adventure involved peddling blacklight posters in Europe at the behest of a shady c...
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 786
Your adoptive mom is a narcissistic homophobe whose big concern when you disclosed that you'd been sexually abused by family members was how this would make other people think about her . You've since gone on to become an accomplished writer with friends in high places, but your family has always taken your mother's twisted side over yours and made you feel terrible about yourself. How can you now live with aplomb in spite of your monstrous mom? We'll try to find an answer to this and more here ...
Jan 27, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 785
Ramy Romany ( @ramyromany ) is an Emmy Award-winning DGA director and cinematographer, a world-renowned Egyptologist, and the co-author of Conspired: The Evil One Shall Not Live Again . Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/784 This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course ! Like this show? Please leave us...
Jan 26, 2023•2 hr 32 min•Season 1Ep. 784
Apolo Ohno ( @ApoloOhno ) is a retired American short-track speed skater, an eight-time Olympic medalist, the most decorated American Winter Olympian of all time, and the author of Hard Pivot: Embrace Change. Find Purpose. Show Up Fully. What We Discuss with Apolo Ohno: How Apolo's single dad helped him constructively channel his genetic proclivities toward athleticism and abundance of energy — and overcome his physical shortcomings — from an early age. What drove Apolo's tendency to self-sabota...
Jan 24, 2023•2 hr 36 min•Season 1Ep. 783
Now that your mother-in-law is in hospice, you're worried that your unstable brother-in-law — whose uncomfortable attachment to her makes Norman Bates look like John Boy Walton — is set to go literally ballistic against you and your husband (who has been handling her financial affairs) when she finally passes. Should you skip the funeral, or rent a couple of bulletproof vests and hope for the best? We'll try to find an answer to this and more here on Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't alrea...
Jan 20, 2023•55 min•Season 1Ep. 782
Peter Zeihan ( @peterzeihan ) is a geopolitical strategist, founder of the consulting firm Zeihan on Geopolitics , and author of The Absent Superpower , The Accidental Superpower , Disunited Nations , and The End of the World is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization . What We Discuss with Peter Zeihan: How advancements in technology and global trade have led to a world where virtually everything we could want or need is available on tap. What the role of the United States has...
Jan 19, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 781
Chris Fenton ( @TheDragonFeeder ) is an expert on China's influence over Hollywood and how the Chinese government pressures American movie studios into creating soft power propaganda. He is the author of Feeding the Dragon: Inside the Trillion-Dollar Dilemma Facing Hollywood, the NBA, and American Business . What We Discuss with Chris Fenton: How China exerts influence over the Hollywood movie industry. The strategies that are used to make movies and commercials relevant to the Chinese public — ...
Jan 17, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 780
How do the environmental costs of producing almonds outweigh their nutritional benefits? Allow us to count the ways... Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and fact-checker, comedian, and podcast host David C. Smalley break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/779 On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss: Almo...
Jan 15, 2023•22 min•Season 1Ep. 779
An old friend who wrote you off for remaining neutral when she left her husband is asking you to testify on her behalf to secure full custody of her children. However, you've always known her ex-husband to be a responsible father and are skeptical of her anecdotes that would disqualify him from co-parenting rights. Obviously, the time for neutrality has passed and it's time to pick a side. So where does loyalty lie when legality is on the line? We'll try to find an answer to this and more here o...
Jan 13, 2023•52 min•Season 1Ep. 778
Kevin Dutton ( @therealdrkev ) is a psychologist and author known for his research on the psychology of evil and the science of charisma. His latest book is The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success . [This is part two of a two-part episode. Make sure to catch up with part one here !] What We Discuss with Kevin Dutton: How having a con artist father who never lost his cool sparked Kevin’s interest in understanding the mindset of the psychopath. ...
Jan 12, 2023•57 min•Season 1Ep. 777
Kevin Dutton ( @therealdrkev ) is a psychologist and author known for his research on the psychology of evil and the science of charisma. His latest book is The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success . [This is part one of a two-part episode. Keep an eye out for part two later this week!] What We Discuss with Kevin Dutton: How having a con artist father who never lost his cool sparked Kevin's interest in understanding the mindset of the psychopat...
Jan 10, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 776
Participating in your bestie's wedding seemed like a great honor — until she transformed into a demanding Bridezilla. Now it's a stressful horrorshow that's straining what's left of your friendship. Should you stay or should you go? Welcome to Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger ( @JordanHarbinger ) and Gabriel Mizrahi ( @GabeMizrahi ) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your questio...
Jan 06, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 775
Jonah Berger ( @j1berger ) has spent over 15 years studying how social influence works and how it drives products and ideas to catch on. He’s a marketing professor and author, and his new book is Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior . [Note: This is a previously broadcast episode from the vault that we felt deserved a fresh pass through your earholes!] What We Discuss with Jonah Berger: We like to believe we’re so special that our choices are driven by personal preferences ...
Jan 05, 2023•44 min•Season 1Ep. 774
Dr. David Lieberman ( @dr_lieberman ) is the author of the book Mindreader: The New Science of Deciphering What People Really Think, What They Really Want, and Who They Really Are . He is a respected expert on human behavior and relationships, with a focus on improving communication and understanding between individuals. What We Discuss with Dr. David Lieberman: Common misconceptions about body language that can be safely discarded as nonsense. The difference between self-esteem and confidence ....
Jan 03, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Season 1Ep. 773
Energy Drinks. What is in these things? Why are some people hooked on them? Why are they wild, unnatural colors? What exactly do they do? Are they dangerous? Are they hype? Or are they both ? Sit back, pour yourself a nice tall glass of carbonated, bright-blue, sugar-packed whatever the hell this is, commence vibrating, and get the straight dope on energy drinks. Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and fact-checker, comedian, and podcast host ...
Jan 01, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 772
Sarah Edmondson ( @sarahjedmondson ) and Anthony "Nippy" Ames ( @nippyames ) are two former NXIVM cult members turned whistleblowers. Together, they host the podcast A Little Bit Culty , and are featured in HBO's series The Vow . Sarah's 12-year ordeal is chronicled in Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life . [This is part two of a two-part conversation. Find part one here !] What We Discuss with Sarah Edmondson and Nippy Ames: How NXIVM began as a community ...
Dec 29, 2022•59 min•Season 1Ep. 771
Sarah Edmondson ( @sarahjedmondson ) and Anthony "Nippy" Ames ( @nippyames ) are two former NXIVM cult members turned whistleblowers. Together, they host the podcast A Little Bit Culty , and are featured in HBO's series The Vow . Sarah's 12-year ordeal is chronicled in Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life . [This is part one of a two-part conversation. Stay tuned for part two later this week!] What We Discuss with Sarah Edmondson and Nippy Ames: How NXIVM b...
Dec 27, 2022•57 min•Season 1Ep. 770
Most resources seem to focus on how to separate from people with narcissistic behaviors and get them out of your life — but what are you supposed to do when you’re the loving parent of an adult narcissist and you just want them to have a normal family and a fulfilling, productive life? We'll try to find an answer to this and more here on Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger ( @JordanHarbinger ) and Gabriel Mizrahi ( @GabeMizrahi ) banter and take your comment...
Dec 23, 2022•55 min•Season 1Ep. 769