Panic World
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© Garbage Day
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A weekly podcast from Ryan Broderick of Garbage Day about the moral panics, witch hunts, and viral freakouts that bubble up out of the weirdest corners of the internet.
34 Episodes
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On March 13, 2025, Netflix released Adolescence, and ever since, parents have been learning that Andrew Tate is bad. What are we to do? Ryan talks to Grant about how the problems we have on the internet now are not dramatically new, it’s just that everyone has the internet in their pocket all the time — and, to borrow a 2010s phrase, the solution to that might surprise you.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.SponsorsWant to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Today we’re talking about a panic that’s been simmering for a while but has, in the past couple of years, become a full-blown panic. And that’s the technological Cold War that the US is waging with China. (Okay, and now also the tariff war, but that’s with pretty much everyone.) Are the Chinese really so radically different from us, or — at least when we’re browsing the net — are we the same? Tianyu Fang joins us to compare Chinese and American internet culture, and who suffers from more online brain rot.Our guest Tianyu Fang is a Technology and Democracy Fellow at New America, an editor at Reboot, and formerly co-founded Chaoyang Trap. You can follow him on Twitter @tianyuf, and all of his latest endeavors at https://www.tianyufang.net/. Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.SponsorsWant to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Today, we’re doing something a little different. Grant asks Ryan to step back from being host, and instead to step in as a social worker for people who fall for conspiracy theories. The person in question is Grant’s friend’s dad, who read a recent “report” saying that the Holocaust “actually wasn’t as bad as they say,” and it’s tearing his family apart. We’ll get into what causes people — especially our Boomer family members — to fall for these theories, and whether we can help them.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for just five bucks at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.SponsorsWant to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Are we in the post-Me Too era? In this episode, we’re reconciling with not only how society at large has adapted to its rise and fall, but also how Hollywood and social media have adapted as well. Spitfire News’s Kat Tenbarge joins us to discuss that — and just who it is that killed #MeToo.Our guest Kat Tenbarge is an independent journalist, and publisher, editor, and creator of Spitfire News. Subscribe to Spitfire News at https://spitfirenews.com/, and follow her on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok @kattenbarge.Listen to Ryan & Kat’s extended conversation by subscribing to Panic World’s Patreon. For just five bucks a month, you get longer episodes like this one, plus ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord! https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.SponsorsWant to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
1Every four years America suffers through a national election, with its own distinct collection of far-right freaks. Yet against the trend, in 2024 many of the youngest voters started finding them appealing. So who or what turned Gen Z fascist? Felix Biederman of Chapo Trap House joins us to discuss the main players in the right-wing (mano)sphere, and whether this ecosystem of new guys will keep our nation’s youth in their thrall.Our guest Felix Biederman co-hosts Chapo Trap House (https://www.chapotraphouse.com), found wherever you get your podcasts.You can purchase the Seeking A Fren for the End of the World series for $5 at: https://www.patreon.com/cw/chapotraphouse/collections Or it, along with all their premium episodes and other acclaimed miniseries like Hell of Presidents and Movie Mindset, are available to all subscribers for just $5 a month at https://www.patreon.com/cw/chapotraphouse And you can listen to Ryan & Felix’s extended conversation by subscribing to Panic World’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.SponsorsAudio Maverick, a new nine-part documentary about one of the most visionary figures in radio, Himan Brown. Out now wherever you listen to podcasts.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Right now, you might be thinking someone, somewhere, is on the internet doing something for money that’s really awful. That’s probably true, and has been in the past. Although, plenty of times it’s not — take Bonsai Kittens — but what about Red Rooms, where you can supposedly pay for assassinations or watch live torture? Today journalist Carl Miller joins us to talk about the dark web. What’s actually on there, how people use it, and how much should we be panicking about it?Our guest Carl Miller is the author of The Death of the Gods: The New Global Power Grab, a journalist, and host of the podcast Kill List (https://wondery.com/shows/kill-list/). Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.SponsorsAudio Maverick, a new nine-part documentary about one of the most visionary figures in radio, Himan Brown. Out now wherever you listen to podcasts.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On the bad side, we have copyright infringement, exploitation, and misinformation; on the good side, we have its uses for brainstorming, editing work, and combating loneliness. On both sides, everyone is freaking out about AI — but are we freaking out about it for the right reasons? Casey Newton joins us to make the pitch that whatever you think, AI is not “crypto 2.0.” Everyone, in every generation, needs to take it seriously.Our guest Casey Newton is a tech journalist who founded and writes for the Platformer newsletter (https://www.platformer.news/) and co-hosts the Hard Fork podcast (https://www.nytimes.com/column/hard-fork/).Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.SponsorsAudio Maverick, a new nine-part documentary about one of the most visionary figures in radio, Himan Brown. Out now wherever you listen to podcasts.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Perhaps you’ve seen someone pop off online about a delivery order going wrong, or it being too expensive. Maybe you’ve been one of those people. Some call them “Treatlerites” — “treat” + “Hitler,” of course — and it’s when general panic ensues after someone acts selfishly dictatorial about their delivery app output, and foolishly decides to rant about it online. Allegra Rosenberg joins us to discuss how much we should be reacting to this.Our guest Allegra Rosenberg is a writer, producer, and Garbage Day contributor. You can find her work at https://www.allegrarosenberg.com/.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.SponsorsAudio Maverick, a new nine-part documentary about one of the most visionary figures in radio, Himan Brown. Out now wherever you listen to podcasts.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Ryan and Grant discuss what we've seen one month into the second Trump Administration, and what it means.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
When it comes to modern relationships, most reporting has three main points: Gen Z is sexless and puritan, Millennials are scared about their inevitable doom, and Boomers are boozers who are going down swinging — literally. In this age of social media and apps, we couldn’t help but wonder: has technology made dating worse? Magdalene Taylor joins us to talk about what led to the “loneliness and isolation epidemic” and what we can do about it, or if we’re screwed (and not in a good way).Our guest Magdalene Taylor is a writer on sex, subcultures, and the internet. You can follow her on social media at @magdajtaylor and her writing on Substack: https://substack.com/@magdalene. Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.SponsorsAudio Maverick, a new nine-part documentary about one of the most visionary figures in radio, Himan Brown. Out now wherever you listen to podcasts.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
As of this recording, 17 states don’t have access to PornHub. You might assume that’s because of very normal people like Speaker of the House Mike Johnson needing to monitor his son’s masturbation habits, but was it conservatives’ fault? Or… was it well-meaning liberals? Junlper joins us to discuss who is behind this new and extreme porn ban, and its implications beyond those states and across the country.Our guest Junlper works for The Onion and cohosts the podcast Western Kabuki. You can follow her at https://bsky.app/profile/junlper.beer on Bluesky or https://www.youtube.com/@junikcl on YouTube.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Links"Nick Kristof and the Holy War on PornHub" by Melissa Gira Grant: https://newrepublic.com/article/160488/nick-kristof-holy-war-pornhubCredits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Americans love not believing anything the government tells us, and it seems likely we’ll just keep coming up with stories to explain what is probably really boring in real life. The latest of these is the mysterious drones that descended upon New Jersey and then vanished without a trace. Dylan Thuras joins us to shed light on Americans’ love of conspiracy theories, which naturally begins with Area 51.Our guest Dylan Thuras is the co-founder of Atlas Obscura. Follow his work at https://www.atlasobscura.com/users/dylan, and you can hear more of his stories on the Atlas Obscura Podcast wherever you listen to ‘em.Catch the extended conversation and plenty of other great bonus content, plus ad-free episodes, by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Momo and the Blue Whale Challenge are two trends that targeted young social media users, supposedly challenging them to an escalating series of dares. Were these viral “challenges” actually causing kids to kill themselves, or was it all a hoax? Alex Goldman joins us to trace the origins of these “suicide games,” as well as the fallout that resulted from them.Our guest Alex Goldman is the host of a great new podcast called Hyperfixed. Find that anywhere you listen to podcasts, and you can find him @agoldmund on Twitter/X, or just Google the guy!Catch the extended conversation and plenty of other great bonus content, plus ad-free episodes, by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld. Use code "PANIC" at checkout to get your first month for just $0.50!Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
America is in a “will they or won’t they” situation with TikTok, but it’s not cute. As of last week, the app was finally set to get banned, but over the weekend Trump stayed its execution. Because we don’t really know if/when the app will get deleted, instead, let’s look back at how we got to this dark and dumb moment in the first place. Rachel Gilmore joins us to talk about where it all began: like so many other things, with Gen Z and Osama bin Laden.Our guest Rachel Gilmore is a journalist. You can read/watch her reporting and commentary on her newsletter Bubble Pop (https://rachelgilmore.substack.com), and follow her everywhere else at https://linktr.ee/rachel_gilmore.Catch the extended conversation and plenty of other great bonus content, plus ad-free episodes, by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Producer Grant joins Ryan to talk about how Mark Zuckerberg went from looking and acting like “Every Guy Walking Down the Street in Boston in the Mid-2000s” to his current era, “I Work in the Financial District and I’m Dating A Girl from Bushwick,” and said man’s recent announcement that Meta would no longer be employing fact checkers, instead relying on community notes to flag offensive content.Catch the full episode and plenty of other great bonus content, plus ad-free episodes, by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On January 7, 2021, did you think the storming of the capitol would be politically successful? Charlie Warzel joins us on the eve of Donald Trump retaking the White House to weigh that question as he and Ryan trace the origins of the insurrection and its ultimate impact on US politics.Our guest Charlie Warzel is a writer for The Atlantic and for his Substack, Galaxy Brain (https://warzel.substack.com/). You can follow him there or @cwarzel on X and Instagram, or @cwarzel.bsky.social.Catch the extended conversation and plenty of other great bonus content, plus ad-free episodes, by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Ryan and Grant talk about the fallout from Luigi Mangione's alleged assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and whether or not it will have ripple effects in this political climate.Want to hear the full episode? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorldSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
It’s the end of the year episode, so we’re talking about some of the best — and worst — things on the internet for 2024. Joining us are friends of the pod Katie Notopoulos and Luke Bailey, plus our producer Grant Irving and the big on-air debut of our researcher, Adam Bumas. Happy holidays, panickers! Make sure to touch grass this holiday season.Follow our guests! (And researcher!)Luke Bailey @lukebailey.bsky.socialKatie Notopoulos @katienotopoulos / @katienotopoulos.bsky.socialAdam Bumas bumas.bsky.socialWant even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Despite society’s progress on gender norms, there is a historic divide on the "boy-girl internet," which recently has started to reemerge — the charge being led by Gen Z influencers. This week, writers Rebecca Jennings and Luke Winkie join us to answer the question: Are the kids all right?Our guests are Rebecca Jennings, a senior correspondent at Vox who also runs the Rebeccacore newsletter, and Luke Winkie, a staff writer for Slate who also runs the On Posting newsletter. You can follow their engaging posts (and engagement) at @rebexxxxa and @luke_winkie.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
He’s conquered YouTube, but can he conquer traditional media? And also burgers and snack bars, for some reason. Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson of Endless Thread join the show to help us figure out how we should feel about Mr. Beast, and how much is simply too much to know about the influencers we love (and love to hate).Our guests Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson are the hosts of Endless Thread — the professional version of this podcast — where they dig into untold histories, unsolved mysteries, and other wild stories from online.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Ryan and our producer Grant talk about the recent brush with politics sweeping across an unexpected community—or is it?—PerfumeTok.Full episode can be found at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Part of the reason Republicans ran away with the 2024 election is because they used misinformation to make millions of people think that the government was trying to forcibly transition their kids. So, this week we’re investigating some of the origins of that scaremongering by looking at the conspiracy theory that Tumblr turned an entire generation trans. How did this theory spread? And what did Tumblr actually do to our brains? Vera Drew joins us to speak to her experience navigating the internet as a trans person, and the impact online communities like Tumblr had and continue to have on young queer folks.Our guest Vera Drew is the director and star of The People’s Joker. You can look for screenings or purchase the film (plus merch!) at https://www.thepeoplesjoker.com/.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Ryan and our producer Grant dig into the election and have some comments about whether or not we can simply create the "liberal Joe Rogan."Full episode can be found at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorldSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
From shooting themselves up with boys’ blood to starting their own countries, “techno-optimism” has taken a decidedly dark turn. It turns out Silicon Valley is going through a midlife crisis — and while us peasants might address that with a motorcycle or a long vacation, the dudes in the PayPal Mafia are facing their mortality by inflicting pain on the rest of us. Taylor Lorenz joins the pod to dissect what’s caused so many billionaires to lose their minds, and the implications for humanity.Our guest Taylor Lorenz is a journalist. She hosts the podcast Power User, and writes about tech and online culture for her Substack, User Mag https://www.usermag.co/. You can follow her everywhere else @taylorlorenz.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
With Donald Trump being brought back into the White House, we might only be seeing the beginning of another decade of QAnon. How did we get here?Our story today starts in 2016, when Wikileaks released tens of thousands of private emails from John Podesta. By the 2020 election, thanks to “Q” and the QAnon movement, conspiracy theories were front and center. While many originated from right-leaning people and platforms, by the 2024 election both sides now have their own conspiracies to make themselves feel better, or demonize the other team—and there’s so many they’ve become ambient noise. Travis View joins us to talk about the proliferation of conspiracy theories and how they've impacted the way we think and approach politics.Our guest Travis View is the host of QAA (QAnon Anonymous). Check out the podcast wherever you listen, and follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @travis_view or Bluesky @travisview.bsky.social.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Tide Pods were the king of the forbidden candies. The items that looked delicious despite being disgusting, or poisonous, if you actually bit into one. For a few months in 2018, it seemed like the biggest threat to American teenagers was the temptation to participate in the "Tide Pod Challenge," i.e., bite into the Gushers-like laundry pod on camera before calling poison control. Local news was all over the story, police were making videos warning teens of the dangers, an NFL star made a PSA. But, was this actually a real problem? Were teens across the country really this gullible? Was anyone actually being hurt or dying because they ate a Tide Pod?Our guest PJ Vogt is the host of Search Engine. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts, and you can follow him otherwise @PJVogt.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Blair Witch Project stands alone in the kind of panic it caused. No film before or since has quite hit the same fevered pitch, where many people actually thought it was real. What made it so magical? How did it come to be, and why did it freak us out like it did?David Sims joins us to talk urban legends, predecessors to The Blair Witch Project, and the found footage films that have since tried to recreate its culture-gripping moment since.Our guest David Sims is a culture writer at The Atlantic, and also hosts the podcast Blank Check. Follow his work @davidlsims and find @blankcheckpod wherever you listen to podcasts.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Caroline Calloway became internet famous for living a fantasy, at least that's how it appeared on Instagram. Then, she became infamous when the public turned on her. We talk with Caroline about the long history of the women and teenage girls this has happened to before, and what it's like for this generation's version of E Girls, the Simp Queen.Our guest Caroline Calloway is an author. You can buy her new book Elizabeth Wurtzel and Caroline Calloway's Guide to Life online at https://carolinecalloway.com/ or at your local bookseller, and you can and should follow her @carolinecalloway.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Why does it feel like this election isn’t really happening? Why does Chappell Roan feel like the biggest story?Our theory? We live in a Pop Crave world. The tabloid X account is pretty much the modern day AP. Ryan is joined by Akilah Hughes to figure out how this happened and the ramifications for all of us, and especially for the Midwest Princess.Our guest Akilah Hughes is a writer, comedian, and reporter. You can find her work at https://itsakilahobviously.com, and follow her @akilahobviously on YouTube and X, or on Instagram @akilahh.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Remember earlier this year, when people thought Kate Middleton was dead and or replaced by AI? What was up with that? We’re joined by Ellie Hall, a journalist with a focus on the British Royal Family, to trace the whole story behind #WhereIsKate—including a look at the interesting way that the Royal Family handles its press, the origins of all the conspiracy theories surrounding Kate, and who is/why did we ever need to care about the Marchioness of Cholmondeley?Our guest Ellie Hall is a reporter and Royal Family expert. You can find her (and her sweet golden retriever) everywhere @ellievhall. Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Since the advent of smartphones, a simmering and increasingly boiling panic has been about whether too much “screentime” is ruining the nation’s youth. Michael Hobbes joins us to help trace past moral panics surrounding kids, from such terrifying inventions as the jukebox, to television (okay maybe kinda bad), and texting, up to where we are now: the “Great Rewiring.” That’s the theory as younger generations are exposed to technology at earlier and earlier ages, it fundamentally changes how they approach the world, and other people. But is it really rotting their brains?Our guest Michael Hobbes is a journalist and podcast host. You can find his work on his Substack “Confirm My Choices,” or his podcasts “If Books Could Kill” and “Maintenance Phase.”Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
With the second and maybe probably last 2024 presidential debate now in our rearview, we’re taking a look back at Americans’ relationship with misinformation. Ryan is joined by reporter Kat Abughazaleh to talk about the surprising origin of “fake news” and how it has only gotten more deranged since 2016. All of that brings us to where we are now, where a presidential candidate claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are stealing and then eating cats, dogs, geese, and ducks. How did we get here? How did Trump get there? And are conservatives or liberals doing “better” at being online in this election cycle?Our guest Kat Abughazaleh is a contributor for Zateo News. You can follow her everywhere at https://linktr.ee/katmabu, and her cat’s Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/katmabu. Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Welcome to Panic World. For our premiere, we're going back a few years to explore the panic that grew around "Sleepytime Chicken" aka NyQuil Chicken. Along with friend of the pod Katie Notopoulos, Ryan will explore the origins of the recipe on 4chan back in 2017 and chart its start as a joke to ultimately causing everyone from CNN to the FDA to issue warnings against it. But were the nation's youth really cooking — and eating — this cough syrup-soaked fowl? And what does the spread of the trend from 4chan to the mainstream tell us about our relationship with the internet and social media these days?You can follow Katie Notopoulos's work at Business Insider, or @katienotopoulos. And give us a follow wherever you listen to podcasts to help Panic World go viral.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude http://multitude.productions.Credits- Host: Ryan Broderick- Producer: Grant Irving- Researcher: Adam Bumas- Business Manager: Josh FjelstadSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Remember NyQuil Chicken? Or when Kate Middleton mysteriously “disappeared”? How about when teens were eating Tide Pods? These sorts of internet phenomena lead to news segments, investigations, and lots of hysteria. But how do they start and what actually comes of them? Panic World is a new podcast from journalist and creator of the Garbage Day newsletter, Ryan Broderick. Each week, he’ll be joined by a guest to tackle a different online witch hunt or moral panic, old and new. They’ll delve into the weirdest and most confusing corners of the internet to find out just how these trends bubbled up and broke out into the mainstream — so you don’t have to.
Join us here, or wherever you listen to podcasts, for Panic World’s first episode next Wednesday, September 11.
You can also join us at Patreon.com/PanicWorld for ad-free episodes, exclusive bonus content, and access to the Garbage Day Discord community.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee 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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was interested until you mentioned Bellingcat is a friend of the show. are you affiliated with intelligence agencies as well?
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