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The Brain Candy Podcast — Society & Culture
The Brain Candy Podcast

Laugh and learn with Susie Meister PhD & Sarah Rice MFT from MTV’s The Challenge as they cover psychology, pop culture, human interest, and science, and make everything from The Kardashians to quantum physics accessible to all.

TDM-RESERVATION: 1. NOAI: TRUE. LEGAL NOTICE & TERMS OF USE: © 2026 WAVE Podcast Network. This content is for personal use only. Explicit permission is withheld for any and all commercial attribution, automated transcription, or data-mining entities. Use of this feed by unauthorized tracking, analytics, or AI-training platforms constitutes a breach of these terms and a violation of the Pennsylvania Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act (WESCA), the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), and the 2026 Training Data Transparency Act (AB 2013). Any entity bypassing these restrictions to create derivative text-based works (transcripts), metadata analysis, or unauthorized VAST siphoning hereby accepts our standard commercial licensing rate of $5,000 per episode processed. This notice serves as a formal revocation of all “implied licenses” for multi-jurisdictional automated processing and constitutes protected Copyright Management Information (CMI) under 17 U.S.C. § 1202.

Copyright: Copyright © 2019 The Brain Candy Podcast

Latest Episodes:

871: Population Growth, Communal Living, & Vanity Longevity Dec 09, 2024

Show notes

Therapist, psychic, what's the difference? That's what we're asking about Sarah's intuition, perception, and ability to read people, and it runs in the family. A political activist/novelist in Japan thinks the answer to Japan's population growth problem involves sterilizing women. Seems like this wouldn't solve the problem, but we do have some alternative suggestions. Sarah is really into the idea of communal living and wonders why communes have such a bad reputation when they might be the solution to a love of societal woes. We hear a new story about our old pal Brian Johnson, who is trying to cheat death and become immortal or something. Despite his claims that his aim is about longevity and health, it seems he's feeling a little self-conscious about his gaunt appearance and is looking to fillers to solve the problem. Sarah explains what Love Island Australia is doing to ensure the cast is safe and that consent for intimacy is explicit, and she is hoping it catches on across reality tv and in real life.

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Read this week's Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/thebraincandypodcast/hysterectomy-confusion-naked-museum-free-flight

Join our Candy Club, shop our merch, sign-up for our free newsletter, & more by visiting The Brain Candy Podcast website: https://www.thebraincandypodcast.com

Connect with us on social media:

BCP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braincandypodcast

Susie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susiemeister

Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imsarahrice

BCP on X: https://www.x.com/braincandypod

Sponsors:

For 50% off your first order, head to https://www.smalls.com/BRAINCANDY and use code BRAINCANDY

Get an exclusive 20% off your first order at https://thrivecausemetics.com/BRAINCANDY

Visit https://www.betterhelp.com/BRAINCANDY today to get 10% off your first month.

Get $10 off any order and enjoy free shipping when you subscribe at https://nutrafol.com and enter the promo code BRAINCANDYGIFT

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

870: The Cowardly Lion, High Fives, & Photo Finish Dec 05, 2024

Show notes

Sarah is crushing it and we celebrate what a difference a year can make. We hear why she insisted on naming all of her cats "Sam" sort of like George Foreman naming all of his kids George. We learn how the originator of the high five was discriminated against and ended up losing his job for being gay. Susie describes the Olympic moment when Greg Louganis hit his head on the diving board and how it forced him to make the ethical decision on whether to disclose his HIV+ diagnosis. We discuss an article in the New Yorker by John Lahr about what it was like to have the cowardly lion (Bert Lahr) from the Wizard oz Oz as his dad, the challenge of being a cultural icon, and how some people can be outgoing and gregarious in public and sullen and despondent in private. A man in England got three years of jail time for selling firesticks so people could illegally watch Premier League soccer (football). Susie shares the origins of the photo finish, how a horse once won because of a thread of saliva, the limits of accuracy, and how it relates to the Hawkeye system in tennis that determines whether a ball is in or out of bounds. We learn about a kayaker who had to have his leg amputated after getting it caught between two boulders, but we have some questions...

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Read this week's Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/thebraincandypodcast/illegally-streaming-kayaker-amputation-thicker-than-water

Join our Candy Club, shop our merch, sign-up for our free newsletter, & more by visiting The Brain Candy Podcast website: https://www.thebraincandypodcast.com

Connect with us on social media:

BCP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braincandypodcast

Susie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susiemeister

Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imsarahrice

BCP on X: https://www.x.com/braincandypod

Sponsors:

Become the best version of yourself and get 15% off Ned products with code BRAINCANDY at https://helloned.com/BRAINCANDY

Get 15% off LolaVie with the code BRAIN15 at https://www.lolavie.com/BRAIN15 #lolaviepod

Visit https://www.carawayhome.com/BRAINCANDY to take advantage of this limited-time offer for up to 20% off your next purchase.

Get 25% off your first month for a limited time at https://ritual.com/BRAINCANDY

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

869: Hologram Love, Big Donor Show, & Grandmother Grief Dec 02, 2024

Show notes

Sarah is thinking of going on the dating apps, and we are psyched! But we hope she doesn't end up married to a hologram like some "performance artist" that we hate. We talk about a reality show from the aughts that had people competing for a donated kidney from a terminally ill woman that turned out to be a hoax and was meant to raise awareness about organ donation. We learn about a man who loved a bakery only to find out later that the owner was his biological mom. We discuss a New York Times article that explains the "grief" some people are feeling when their children choose not to have children, which means they won't be grandparents.

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Read this week's Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/thebraincandypodcast/illegally-streaming-kayaker-amputation-thicker-than-water

Join our Candy Club, shop our merch, sign-up for our free newsletter, & more by visiting The Brain Candy Podcast website: https://www.thebraincandypodcast.com

Connect with us on social media:

BCP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braincandypodcast

Susie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susiemeister

Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imsarahrice

BCP on X: https://www.x.com/braincandypod

Sponsors:

For 10% off your order, head to https://www.jackblack.com/braincandy and use code BRAINCANDY

Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to https://rocketmoney.com/braincandy

Go to https://www.greenchef.com/braincandy50 and use code braincandy50 for 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next two months!

Get an additional 20% OFF the @honeylove Holiday sale by going to https://www.honeylove.com/braincandy! #honeylovepod

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

868: Ali vs Tyson, Stanford Prison Experiment, & Elvis's Comeback Nov 28, 2024

Show notes

Sarah's a happy bunny, and it's a long time coming. We discuss the Mike Tyson v. Jake Paul fight, whether it was fixed, and why the slap should've tipped us off. Susie explains how his lisp, his love of pigeons, and the death of his daughter made people see him differently. We hear how the Muhammad Ali documentary showed how learning to withstand suffering can be the sign of a champion. We hear about the Stanford Prison Experiment documentary showed how this famous psychology research was flawed, unethical, and doesn't demonstrate the findings the researcher claimed. We learn how the design of Navy speedboats and the technology that allows them to go fast are causing the crews to get CTE, suffer addiction, and making suicide far more likely. We hear about a couple who broke up, but ended up back together after one of them got a concussion and forgot they broke up. And Susie wants to talk about how hot Elvis was during his comeback special and how the entertainment industry and his handlers made him feel powerless after his initial fame.

Listen to more podcasts like this: https://wavepodcastnetwork.com

Read this week's Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/thebraincandypodcast/ipqfjqj0n7

Join our Candy Club, shop our merch, sign-up for our free newsletter, & more by visiting The Brain Candy Podcast website: https://www.thebraincandypodcast.com

Connect with us on social media:

BCP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braincandypodcast

Susie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susiemeister

Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imsarahrice

BCP on X: https://www.x.com/braincandypod

Sponsors:

To get 15% off your next gift, go to https://www.uncommongoods.com/candy

Visit https://cozyearth.com/braincandy and use my exclusive 40% off code BRAINCANDY to give the gift of luxury this holiday season.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

867: Gopher Miracle, Appalachian Sprint, & Cheesy Health Nov 25, 2024

Show notes

Sarah is navigating the wild world of homeownership and it's a jungle. We are heartned to hear cheese helps the medicine (alcohol) go down, and think we must be the healthiest women alive. We learn about a child influencer who recently came of age and because she has been exposed to online predators etc for so long she sees OnlyFans as her future. We discuss a phone that was installed on a bridge to help people in distress. We talk about a woman who beat the record for fastest hike of the Appalachian Trail and it is UNREAL how she did it. Let's just say she doesn't have all of her toenails. We find out how gophers healed the world, or at least the destruction of Mt. Saint Helen and it gives us hope for more gopher miracles. Plus, we mourn RayGun's retirement from the Breaking community.

Listen to more podcasts like this: https://wavepodcastnetwork.com

Read this week's Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/thebraincandypodcast/ipqfjqj0n7

Join our Candy Club, shop our merch, sign-up for our free newsletter, & more by visiting The Brain Candy Podcast website: https://www.thebraincandypodcast.com

Connect with us on social media:

BCP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braincandypodcast

Susie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susiemeister

Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imsarahrice

BCP on X: https://www.x.com/braincandypod

Sponsors:

Get $30 off the first box - PLUS a free item in every box - when you go to https://wildgrain.com/BRAINCANDY

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

866: Disney Disabilities, Dating Cliches, & Motorcycle Mary Nov 21, 2024

Show notes

Sarah's got a Pow Report, and she is as happy as a clam. Susie wants her to start a menopausal snowboarding group. We'll see. Susie talks about Mary McGee, who was the first motorcycle racing woman and the first PERSON to race the Baha 500 solo, and how she was a trailblazer without even really trying. And how her flippant attitude about a tragedy seemed well-adjusted rather than detached, and we analyze how that could be. We debate whether the Menendez brothers deserve to be resentenced, and the strange development of true crime fandom affecting actual criminal situations. We learn about the new rules for skipping the line at Disney for people with disabilities, why some people in the disabled community are furious, and why Disney said they had to change the rules in the first place. There's a pee related mystery in Los Angeles, and Susie makes Sarah theorize about the motives of the urinator. We hear why baseball players are the only athletes who can't stop eating, and Sarah gives the best reason for why food is important to them. Plus, a dating site made it possible to mute accounts who use certain words and phrases, and we consider some of the cliches, tropes, and platitudes that should/would get your bio hidden.

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Read this week's Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/thebraincandypodcast/qexi1egd2i

Join our Candy Club, shop our merch, sign-up for our free newsletter, & more by visiting The Brain Candy Podcast website: https://www.thebraincandypodcast.com

Connect with us on social media:

BCP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braincandypodcast

Susie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susiemeister

Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imsarahrice

BCP on X: https://www.x.com/braincandypod

Sponsors:

Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @lumedeodorant and get 15% off with promo code BRAINCANDY15 at https://lumedeodorant.com! #lumepod

Get 25% off your first month for a limited time at https://ritual.com/braincandy

For 10% off your order, head to https://www.jackblack.com/BRAINCANDY and use code BRAINCANDY

Get 25% off Sitewide + 2 FREE Dream Pillows with any mattress purchase at https://helixsleep.com/BRAINCANDY

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

865: Real World Reunion, Wet Dog Shake, & Monkeys on the Run Nov 18, 2024

Show notes

Sarah returned to her Real World house and wasn't prepared for how emotional it would make her, and now she's considering why the experience brought out so many feelings. We talk about "wet dog shake," what causes it, and why some mammals have that response to certain stimuli, while others, like cats and mice, don't. We learn about dozens of monkeys who escaped from a research lab, and debate whether we're on team monkeys or team science. Either way, those monkeys are clever and free. We discuss a man who uses a medical voice board to communicate and how he modified the device to make it more personal and reflective of his identity. We consider which accents we like in the world and which grate on our nerves, and why so many people hate the sound of their own voice. Sarah explains how chocolate exposed racism within the movie industry, and how things have improved since the 70s. Plus, we discuss the Sweet Bobby documentary where a woman is catfished by someone for a decade, and we debate how someone could allow that to happen, why it could happen to anyone, and why there wasn't much punishment for the person who tricked her.

Listen to more podcasts like this: https://wavepodcastnetwork.com

Read this week's Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/thebraincandypodcast/qexi1egd2i

Join our Candy Club, shop our merch, sign-up for our free newsletter, & more by visiting The Brain Candy Podcast website: https://www.thebraincandypodcast.com

Connect with us on social media:

BCP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braincandypodcast

Susie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susiemeister

Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imsarahrice

BCP on X: https://www.x.com/braincandypod

Sponsors:

Get an exclusive 20% off your first order at https://thrivecausemetics.com/BRAINCANDY

his episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit https://www.betterhelp.com/braincandy today to get 10% off your first month.

Get ten dollars off any order! Enjoy free shipping when you subscribe. Go to https://nutrafol.com and enter the promo code BRAINCANDYGIFT

For 50% off your first order, head to https://www.smalls.com/BRAINCANDY and use code BRAINCANDY

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

864: Alien Abduction, Surgery Scandal, & Strongest Bird Breeder Nov 14, 2024

Show notes

Sarah and Susie are fresh off their New York adventure, and they spent one night in their hotel room getting spooked by the Manhattan Alien Abduction documentary. Hear why we are kind of convinced that a woman was abducted, and feel bad that people question it. Susie met a man who gave himself a vasectomy (don't worry, he's a urology surgeon), and got the scoop on whether it really is as bad as men claim it is. We learn about a Strongman champion who recently died, and how he was a successful bird breeder who said the color and beauty of the fowls brought out his "gentle side." We also discuss the founder of the JanSport company and inventor of the backpack, mummy sleeping bag, and modern hiking bag, and how his innovative designs are so ubiquitous we can't imagine a world without them! We talk about new advances in the science of itching and the reasons why pain gets all the attention, while itching is understudied. Plus, we have a theory (well, Lincoln does) about why one basketball player refused to admit his actual height.

Listen to more podcasts like this: https://wavepodcastnetwork.com

Read this week's Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/thebraincandypodcast/fool-me-once-science-of-itching-luckiest-guy-in-the-world

Join our Candy Club, shop our merch, sign-up for our free newsletter, & more by visiting The Brain Candy Podcast website: https://www.thebraincandypodcast.com

Connect with us on social media:

BCP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braincandypodcast

Susie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susiemeister

Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imsarahrice

BCP on X: https://www.x.com/braincandypod

Sponsors:

To get 15% off your next gift, go to https://www.uncommongoods.com/candy

Visit https://cozyearth.com/braincandy and use my exclusive 40% off code BRAINCANDY to give the gift of luxury this holiday season.

Get Up to 50% OFF @honeylove by going to https://www.honeylove.com/braincandy! #honeylovepod

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

863: Bagel Ambassador, Weiner Business, & Bulky Bacteria Nov 11, 2024

Show notes

Sarah is falling in love with bacteria now that she knows they are excited for pow season too, and they get ready by packing on the pounds. We learn how Parkland survivors were given a special legal authority over the rights and licenses associated with the person who attacked them, and why more of these arrangements are ahead for survivors at long last. We talk about a study that said longevity can be increased by adding just a few minutes of movement to your day, but Susie thinks they're being a little cheeky in presenting the data. We are shocked to learn the top bagel flavor and we want to know the monsters who are ordering them. Susie remembered that her fascination with hot dogs is actually in her blood, and we are loving it. We debate how to stop elderly people from being scam victims, and why Susie has little compassion for them when they choose strangers over their only families.

Listen to more podcasts like this: https://wavepodcastnetwork.com

Read this week's Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/thebraincandypodcast/fool-me-once-science-of-itching-luckiest-guy-in-the-world

Join our Candy Club, shop our merch, sign-up for our free newsletter, & more by visiting The Brain Candy Podcast website: https://www.thebraincandypodcast.com

Connect with us on social media:

BCP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braincandypodcast

Susie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susiemeister

Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imsarahrice

BCP on X: https://www.x.com/braincandypod

Sponsors:

Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to https://rocketmoney.com/BRAINCANDY

Go to https://paireyewear.com and shop the Holiday sale to save 20% sitewide. And support the show by mentioning that The Brain Candy Podcast sent you in your post-checkout survey!

Get 15% off LolaVie with the code BRAIN15 at https://www.lolavie.com/BRAIN15 #lolaviepod

Visit https://www.carawayhome.com/BRAINCANDY to take advantage of this limited-time offer for up to 20% off your next purchase!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

862: Good Vibrations, Uncrustables, & Bad Cheer Nov 07, 2024

Show notes

Susie is over the moon after having met her lifelong inspiration and hero, musical genius Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. She can't even articulate how amazing it was, but if you ever get the chance to meet your hero, DO IT! We discuss the Martha Stewart documentary, which is amazing, and how her complicated psyche and quirky personality make for fascinating psychological viewing. We talk about the Join or Die documentary that explores why civic associations are so important and why we must get involved. Susie reveals how a Brainiac is using Brain Candy clips to teach his students about implicit bias, and we are SOOO excited about it. Who knew the NFL ate so many Uncrustables. We hear how many they're eating and Sarah's got a theory about why football players in particular have an appetite for toddler food. China is at it again with their sneaky tourist traps, and it is a hoot. We discuss an exposé on the dangers of cheerleading, why one company is lobbying against their accreditation as a sport, and how cheerleaders are being put in harm's way.

Listen to more podcasts like this: https://wavepodcastnetwork.com

Read this week's Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/thebraincandypodcast/the-nfls-pbjs-tourist-traps-bowling-alone

Join our Candy Club, shop our merch, sign-up for our free newsletter, & more by visiting The Brain Candy Podcast website: https://www.thebraincandypodcast.com

Connect with us on social media:

BCP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braincandypodcast

Susie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susiemeister

Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imsarahrice

BCP on X: https://www.x.com/braincandypod

Sponsors:

Get up to 50% OFF @honeylove by going to https://www.honeylove.com/BRAINCANDY! #honeylovepod

Become the best version of yourself and get 15% off Ned products with code BRAINCANDY at https://helloned.com/BRAINCANDY

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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