The Reality Check

Latest Episodes:

TRC #532: Super Bowl Myths + Canada's Food Guide + Are Noise Meters Fake? Feb 02, 2019

Show notes

Cristina kicks off the show by separating the facts from the fumbles around Super Bowl myths. Darren digs into Canada's latest Food Guide and asks whether its current revamp is line with the best evidence and data available. Finally, Adam ponders whether noise meters at sports events are all fake.

TRC #531: Lincoln Memorial Incident + Puffery + Bohemian Rhapsody & Brian May Jan 25, 2019

Show notes

It's a brand new TRC! First, Darren looks at the backlash over a recent confrontation between protesters and school kids at the Lincoln Memorial. Cristina examines 'puffery' and its implications in the world of advertising. Pat rounds out the show by fact checking the movie 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and goes straight to the man himself, Brian May, to corroborate a longtime story that he uses a sixpence as a guitar pick.

TRC #530: Favourite Segments 2018 + Name That: Year In Review + Predictions Jan 21, 2019

Show notes

The TRC crew is back to usher in the New Year with a fun-filled show! First, we look back at our favourite segments from 2018. Next, Pat challenges the panel with a year in review game of 'Name That'. Lastly, Adam revisits the gang's 'predictions' from last year and we set aside logic yet again to guess at what might happen in 2019.

TRC #529: The Neuroscience Of Addiction with Dr. Kim Hellemans Jan 05, 2019

Show notes

Happy 2019, Checkers! The crew will be back with regular shows soon. In the meantime, we bring you a fascinating interview with Dr. Kim Hellemans about the neuroscience of addiction. Kim is an award-winning neuroscientist and the chair of the department of neuroscience at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. She is also a co-host of Minding The Brain podcast. Enjoy!

TRC #528: The Science Of Reindeer Dec 22, 2018

Show notes

Happy holidays, Checkers. The RC crew is off but Adam couldn't stay away from the mic. He belongs in the air! We bring you a holiday segment all about reindeer. Is the Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer TV special problematic? Just how shiny would that nose have to be to guide a sleigh? Are Santa's reindeer female?

TRC #527: Baby It's Cold Outside Dec 08, 2018

Show notes

The RC crew is off for the festive season but controversy around the 1940's song 'Baby It's Cold Outside' is swirling. We revisit a segment from Darren breaking down the song's lyrical content with Dr. Stuart Robbins as a guest panelist. We also bring you parodies Pat and Cristina did on previous Xmas shows including a second song making the news due to an inappropriate lyric. Enjoy!

TRC #526: Effective Donating + Dr. Stuart Robbins Vmail + How Does Citizenship Work If You're Born In The Air Or At Sea? Dec 02, 2018

Show notes

What's up, Checkers? This week's show was recorded on "Giving Tuesday" so Darren brings us an update on effective giving and how to make informed decisions about the charities you support. Dr. Stuart Robbins 'phones-in' with a follow-up on flat earther arguments and the late heavy bombardment. Adam rounds out the show with a follow-up to his recent segment on U.S. citizenship, after a listener asks, what happens if you're born in the air or at sea?

TRC #525: Turkey Cooking Temps + Skepticism & The Tourism Industry With András Pinter + Name That: Europe Edition Nov 24, 2018

Show notes

This week, Cristina revisits a topic covered on last week's show by guest Dr. Stuart Farrimond after a couple of food inspectors, who also happen to be Checkers, write in about food safety guidelines. András Pinter, host of the European Skeptics Podcast, joins the panel for an interesting discussion about the tourism industry and how a tour guide can strike the right balance between skepticism and entertainment. Finally, Producer Pat challenges our European knowledge with everyone's favourite mostly guessing game, Name That.

TRC #524: Science Behind The Perfect Roast Turkey Ft. Dr. Stuart Farrimond + Cigar-shaped 'Oumuamuau' An Alien Spacecraft? Nov 17, 2018

Show notes

Another fun and fact-filled episode comin' at you! Our favourite resident food scientist and author Dr. Stuart Farrimond is back with a new book about the science of Spice. He schools us on how to make the perfect roast turkey just in time for your festive holiday dinners. Next, Adam looks into all the brouhaha over a cigar-shaped interstellar object that zoomed through our solar system and that some suggest may be an alien spacecraft.

TRC #523: Anti-Vax Article Update + Beauty Product Claims + Brief History Of Early Life + Trump's Offspring US Citizens? Nov 11, 2018

Show notes

Hey Checkers! First, a heartfelt thank you on this Remembrance Day to those who serve or have served to protect our freedoms. Adam kicks off this week's show with an update on the anti-vax article that was published then quickly removed by the Toronto Sun newspaper. Cristina's girlfriends inspire an update on beauty product claims where she explains industry laws and teaches us which claims to be leery of. Next, Darren continues his "Brief History…" series with a look at early life on Earth. Finally, Adam asks, "Would Donald Trump's many children, born to immigrant mothers, be US citizens if it weren't for birthright citizenship?"

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