Betches co-founder Sami Sage joins Alyssa Mastromonaco to dig into Trump’s Joint Address to Congress. They discuss his speech’s glaring hypocrisy, the exploitation of his guests’ trauma, and the democratic response. They also chat about the Resistance Rangers standing up for national parks, the wrath J.D. Vance faced on his ski trip to Vermont, and their love for Kate Hudson in her new show Running Point. Then, Alyssa interviews Elisa Lane , a farmer from Maryland impacted by Trump’s erratic fun...
Mar 06, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Transcript available on Metacast The House passed a GOP budget framework, Elon Musk attended the first White House Cabinet meeting, and Alyssa Mastromonaco and guest host Akilah Hughes have a LOT of opinions. They also discuss the trickle-down effect of Trump’s executive orders on a state level, the Republican obsession with transgender athletes in the NCAA, and the modern resistance at town halls across the country. Luckily, Jane Fonda’s SAG Awards speech and a heartwarming story about The Metropolitan Museum of Art are keepin...
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast Betches co-founder Sami Sage joins Alyssa Mastromonaco to discuss the MAGA madness from RFK Jr.’s anti-SSRI crusade to the DOGE-fueled staffing purges. Then they have a sani-petty extravaganza with Suzanne Lambert, aka liberal Regina George, and senior producer Caroline Reston. They feel petty about the Elon Musk Ashley St. Clair baby drama and White Lotus theme music, but Jack Shlossberg’s social media return is keeping them sane! For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For...
Feb 20, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Alyssa Mastromonaco is joined by Errin Haines from The 19th to discuss Trump’s (obvious) failed promise to protect women, Nancy Mace’s insanity on the house floor, DOGE’s attacks on the Department of Education, and the gutting of The Kennedy Center’s board. They also are feeling petty af about Bridget Jones's Diary, but at least Martha Stewart’s revival is keeping them sane. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@cr...
Feb 13, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Errin Haines from the 19th News joins Hysteria to analyze the latest news from Washington, including Trump’s DEI panic, the status of Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr.’s senate confirmations, and Elon Musk’s sticky fingerprints. They also give a reproductive healthcare update discussing anti-abortion advocates' attempt to use environmental policy to their advantage, New York’s shield laws being put to the test, and the eerie foreshadowing for the future of HIPAA laws. They also balance out the horrors b...
Feb 06, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Trump has been in office for less than two weeks, and he has already frozen (and unfrozen) essential federal funds, packed his executive orders with anti-abortion B.S., tried to push government employees out of their jobs with “buyouts,” and Erin and Alyssa are here to talk about it. They also talk about RFK Jr.’s hot mess Senate confirmation hearings, the future of NIH gender-related research, and a potential alternative to mifepristone. Then author and activist Julissa Arce joins to discuss Tr...
Jan 30, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joins Hysteria to talk about the future of the Equal Rights Amendment under Trump, her goals for her role as chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and honor the memory of Cecile Richards. Erin and Alyssa also review Trump’s executive orders from his first days in office and question if any of them will actually improve the economy (spoiler alert: they won’t). Tracking Trump's executive orders: What he's signed so far ( Axios 1/21 ) What Trump supporter...
Jan 23, 2025•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast Comedian Michaela Watkins joins Hysteria to discuss the impacts of the LA fires one week after they began and how the community has shown up to provide relief. Erin and Alyssa also recap the insanity of the Pete Hegseth confirmation hearings and Zuckerberg sucking up to Joe Rogan. 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. Support California wildfire relief efforts with a...
Jan 16, 2025•1 hr 29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Erin and Alyssa break down the legal saga unfolding between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni over the misconduct that happened on the set of It Ends With Us and the smear campaign that followed. They also discuss a historic breakthrough in the fight against medical debt, Meta’s twisted new hate speech policies, and how Democrats should deal with conservative BS in 2025. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked....
Jan 09, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Hysteria team is off this week, but we're excited to bring you an episode of Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams. In this episode, Stacey talks to Kate Nazemi, a local education activist and parent, and Jon Valant, director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, about the future of public education during a second Trump Administration. They break down Project 2025’s education policy prescriptions, the threats to the Department of Education, and what changes a ...
Jan 02, 2025•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco say goodbye and good riddance to 2024 with help from guest panelists Akilah Hughes and Kara Klenk. They reflect on the parts of the year that kept them sane, from the Paris Olympics to the Kendrick-Drake beef. Then, they talk about holiday traditions and read out listener submissions about odd and wholesome ways to celebrate. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and in...
Dec 26, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Supreme Court to hear challenge to banning TikTok in U.S. ( Washington Post 12/18 ) In reversal, key House panel votes to release Matt Gaetz ethics report ( CNN 12/18 ) The House has its committee chairs. Here’s what the selection means ( Punch Bowl News 12/13 ) Gillibrand Presses Biden to Amend the Constitution to Enshrine Sex E...
Dec 19, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast After the media storm (and internet thirsting) surrounding the UHC CEO shooting suspect, Erin and Alyssa make sense of the cultural response online and what this says about the rage Americans feel toward the for-profit healthcare industry, and whether we’re entering a new era of class solidarity… or of fame-hungry copycats. Then they discuss the rise of the Manosphere and whether the men of America are okay (spoiler alert: they’re not). For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here ...
Dec 12, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s no secret that we are angry about Trump’s win, but who and what are we angry at? Editor at Large of the 19th News, Errin Haines, joins Erin and Alyssa to discuss how racism and misogyny led to Trump’s win. They also check in on how democratic governors are bracing for Trump’s impact, and the latest news on disgraced Secretary of Defense pick Pete Hegseth. Finally, they feel petty about the new Bridget Jones Diary, but The Later Daters on Netflix keeps them sane. For a closed-captioned versi...
Dec 05, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Erin and Alyssa are joined by producer Caroline Reston to answer your questions from the Thanksgiving mailbag. They dish on holiday recipes, strategies for navigating politics at the dinner table, and who they would cast in a hypothetical Hysteria movie. To have your questions answered in a future Hysteria Mailbag, join us on Discord: https://crooked.com/friends For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and...
Nov 27, 2024•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast While Trump is busy casting his cabinet and staff picks with former reality stars, Fox News hosts, sex pests, and even some of America’s Worst Women, Alyssa and Erin are here to keep you posted. They discuss the rights and wrongs of the women Trump picked and question who will even make it to the inauguration. Then they ponder the question on a lot of our minds right now: is it time to buy a gun? Finally, they discuss the ways to prepare mentally and physically for a second Trump presidency with...
Nov 21, 2024•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Erin and Alyssa assembled a super-panel with award-winning journalist Errin Haines, activist and author Julissa Arce, and comedian Megan Gailey. They chat about how things are settling post-election, from what it would really take for a woman to become president to the misguided logic of people who split their vote on abortion. Then, they sound off on a listener's question about whether to unfriend Trump supporters. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a tr...
Nov 14, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast After a night of very little sleep and a heartbreaking Harris loss, Erin and Alyssa come together to talk it through. They give down-ballot updates for Congress, state-level races, education, and abortion measures. Then they get into their feelings and try to navigate where this leaves us and a path forward. 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....
Nov 07, 2024•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast Stacey Abrams joins Hysteria to talk about Georgia voters, the final days of the Harris Campaign, and what she’ll be watching for on election day. Then Erin and Alyssa dish on Harris’ final remarks, Trump on Joe Rogan, and where the hell Usha Vance has been during the campaign. Stick around to the end to hear a clip of Alyssa’s interview with Speaker Pelosi. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and inc...
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Transcript available on Metacast MSNBC’s Joy Reid joins Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco for the pre-election final stretch. They break down Ron DeSantis’ latest voter intimidation schemes, new data illustrating the consequences of Dobb’s decisions, and Trump’s never-ending mission to antagonize the Exonerated Central Park 5. The ladies are feeling petty about WNBA referees and JD Vance’s marriage, but luckily, Barack Obama on the campaign trail is keeping them sane. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here ....
Oct 24, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast Are the 2024 election results written in the stars? Not quite, but Chani Nicholas joins to share what we have in store for the rest of the year from an astrological perspective. Then, a round of applause for Kamala Harris, who is nailing her media strategy and leaving no stone unturned. Meanwhile, Trump is barely functioning and abandoning his base in the desert. Finally, in Sanity Corner, Alyssa is loving Fresh Air, and Erin is feeling petty about climate change’s impact on seasonal fashion. Fo...
Oct 17, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast OG feminist blogger Jessica Valenti joins Erin Ryan to cover the latest abortion across the country, from Ron DeSantis’ fascist abuse of government resources to fight Florida’s 4th Amendment to the dueling abortion ballot measures in Nebraska. Then, an interview with trailblazing abortion provider Dr. Warren Hern about his legacy and the future of reproductive care. Finally, a conversation with Senator Laphonza Butler about her historic term representing California in the Senate and her friendsh...
Oct 10, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Transcript available on Metacast The vice presidential candidates faced off on Tuesday night, and Erin and Alyssa have thoughts about Vance’s abortion nonsense and Walz’s better-than-anticipated performance. Then Erin takes us on the final segment of our Get In Losers We Are Going Voting tour to meet some incredible ladies running down the ballot. And this week, we are feeling petty that the rats of NYC got free birth control before we did. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this ep...
Oct 03, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Erin and Alyssa go “back to school” to discuss voucher fuckery and other education issues on the ballot at a state level. Then, activist and host of Crooked’s This Land podcast, Rebecca Nagle joins to share about her new book, By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land. Finally, Sani-Petty (Chappell Roan’s refusal to endorse a candidate and not letting Mark Robinson’s staffer get away with this). For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a ...
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Trump and Vance campaign language reflects Andrew Tate’s misogynistic word vomit; Republican Senators blocked The Right to IVF Act; and more in news. Then, Sani-Petty (Diddy is absolutely disgusting, and dancer Michaela Mabinty DePrince is terribly missed). Finally, we talk to some incredible candidates that need our votes this fall: Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet of Michigan, Rep. Andrea Salinas of Oregon, and Rep. Diamond Staton Williams of North Carolina. For a closed-captioned version of this e...
Sep 19, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Transcript available on Metacast Vice President Kamala Harris debated senile angry man Donald Trump, and Akilah Hughes joins to dish all about it. Then, Akilah tells us all about her new podcast, Rebel Spirit — required listening if you went to a school with a racist mascot. Finally, Sani-Petty (the WNBA needs kids clothes!). Show Notes Akilah Hughes: Instagram , Twitter , Rebel Spirit podcast Trump repeats the false claim that Democrats support abortion 'after birth' in debate ( NPR 9/10 ) Harris presses a more forceful case a...
Sep 12, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast Josie Duffy Rice of What A Day joins while Alyssa takes vacation! The Harris-Walz numbers make us cautiously optimistic, JD Vance is scared of childless teachers (...?), and Nancy Pelosi is a political chess master. Then, Megan Gailey and Kara Klenk join to discuss “sharenting,” and the ethics of parents posting their kids on social media. Finally, Sani-Petty (Trump needs glasses, and the U.S. Open and the Paralympics can cure our post-Olympics depression). For a closed-captioned version of this...
Aug 29, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast In news: Trump’s counterprogramming to the Democratic National Convention is a bust, and abortion’s rebrand to “reproductive freedom” is genius. Then, Michigan Sen. Mallory McMorrow and Julissa Arce join to discuss the party that is the DNC, from Chicago and the couch. Finally, Sani-Petty (JK Rowling has finally shut up, and white women can’t read the room sometimes). For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.c...
Aug 22, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast Erin Ryan is BACK from maternity leave! She and Alyssa Mastromonaco talk about American Dad Tim Walz, creep JD Vance (and his drag history), and how Trump’s relevance is getting drowned out by Democrats’ joy. Then, Lt. Gov. of Minnesota Peggy Flanagan joins to discuss midwestern vibes, her longtime political relationship with the new Democratic VP pick, and how she just might become the first indigenous woman to be an American state governor. Finally, Sani-Petty: Julia Child and Love Island USA ...
Aug 15, 2024•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast Samantha Bee is back to co-host with Alyssa one last time! They discuss Tim Walz joining the Harris 2024 campaign, Usha Vance’s response to her husband JD’s “childless cat lady” comment, and more in news. Then, in Sani-Petty, Sam and Alyssa ponder RFK Jr.’s dead bear in Central Park (the brain worm is real). Finally, Alyssa interviews epic down-the-ballot candidates — Anna Thomas (of PA), Sarah Henry (of FL), Eva Burch (of AZ), and Dallas Harris (of NV) — about the stakes of their local races. N...
Aug 08, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
