Episodes
We keep planning our reunions, and they never pan out, and it might result in an impromptu Brain Candy meetup. We hear why women in leadership roles are criticized at a much higher frequency than their male counterparts and for more superficial reasons (big surprise). We discuss a new policy at a restaurant who won't let anyone under 30 inside. Hear why a paralympian was disqualified from the games for a tattoo, and we're furious. We get tattoo placement tips from our resident expert, Sarah....
Published 09/05/24
Sarah is showing what can happen when you put yourself out there and we're here for it. We debate whether a baseball player who is banned from the sport should still be eligible for the Hall of Fame (aka Pete Rose). Sarah begins on one side of the argument, but Susie persuades her to change her mind. We discuss the Karen Carpenter documentary that shows what led to her death by eating disorder, how her family dynamic played a role, and why disordered eating is a spectrum of severity. We talk...
Published 09/02/24
Susie's 30 for 30 journey continues with the documentary about Dude Perfect, the YouTube sensations (and megahit) who specialize in trick shots and other sports spectacles. We hear how they got started, how they were able to harness their virality, and what it's really like creating content as a full-time job as middle-aged men. We hear the latest science on patients with brain damage, and how researchers realized that a significant number of them have cognitive "awareness" despite being...
Published 08/29/24
Sarah is getting emotional about her water polo resurgence, and wants you all to do something to challenge yourself. We discuss how she didn't take advantage of her rich ex-husband, and how next time she should have a little more fun. We talk about the surgeon general, who has been giving advice about self-care, wellness, and other more abstract mental health techniques, and receiving criticism by people who think he should focus on non-mental health. And we debate whether that's the role of...
Published 08/26/24
Susie had a magical birthday thanks to a serendipitous meeting with one of her favorite people on the planet. Plus, she got her wish to own an accordion! We try to figure out why Sarah hates traditional music (allegedly). We discuss the viral sensation and Olympic unlikely athlete, Australia's b-girl who broke the Internet with her breaking. Is she an inspiration or a problem? Sarah reminisces about a woman who found a loophole to get onto an Olympics' ski team. Susie recounts the infamous...
Published 08/22/24
We learn about the strange coincidence Sarah experienced regarding an ex while she was at camp, and the hilarious way she handled it. We got an update on Sarah's water polo (for grownups) league she's in. And even though historically she's gotten a lot of crap for strapping on a swim cap, but no more, she's bound for world record attempts. We find out why public pools are closing, and what we lose when pools don't exist. We revisit the viral story of a woman who threw a burrito at the...
Published 08/19/24
We're discussing the boy band documentary, Dirty Pop, which details the exploitation of teen hearthrobs, and we discuss the reasons why girls have different fandom behaviors than boys. We talk about a 30 for 30 where a football player creates a persona to handle the press and get attention, but the line between identity and brand are blurred to big consequences. We find out what people dream, how much they dream each night, and why men and women dream about different things. We find out how...
Published 08/15/24
Sarah is hoping high heels don't come back in style because she has to work on her toe spread. We discuss. We hear how hundreds of nuns were able to show the secret to a healthy brain, and we learn why your vocabulary could predict your likelihood of cognitive issues. Sarah joined a queer water polo team for "seniors," and we are psyched that she's going to find her soul mate in the deep end. We discuss whether sports have become "whiny," and why people treat referees and umpires...
Published 08/12/24
Apparently there is a den of thousands of rattlesnakes in Colorado, so Sarah is freaking out, and we think rattlesnakes are publishing propaganda to help their reputation. Steve Jobs was a weirdo with a very strange method for relieving stress. Susie talks about an aggressive football program that was accused of being "thugs," and we debate whether it's bad sportsmanlike conduct or a great strategy to win. And we hear why Notre Dame made it seem like playing against them was good vs evil....
Published 08/08/24
Sarah is keeping up her New Year's resolution of stretching, but it turns out she needs some strength to go with it because her physical therapist says she's like a combination between the tin man and Gumby. Susie had a run in with a pigeon and she is not happy about it. Bald eagles have a great publicist because despite what they put in the movies, these guys sound like little sea gulls and ducks. National Parks are getting more dangerous due to climate change, so Sarah is giving advice for...
Published 08/05/24
Susie saw an interview with Charles Manson's son, and wanted Sarah to explain why he was so forgiving of his dad. Susie gave a pep talk about the USA and why you shouldn't be despondent about the state of our country, despite what you might feel, after watching a documentary about North Korea. We learn about an Asian phenomenon of malaise and isolation among young people and why the government is working to treat it through a happiness factory that helps parents relate to their kids. Susie...
Published 07/29/24
Sarah says she might want to be alone forever, but will this peaceful moment be forever? Sarah explains why communal tables are back in style, but Susie is not impressed. We hear why Sarah's worst date ever involved a case of mistaken identity and dirty fingernails. Plus, did you know Sarah's had ringworm. Now you do. We mourn our quirky king and queen Richard Simmons and Dr. Ruth, and explain why weirdos are the best. We discuss the gamification of, well, everything, why we always fall for...
Published 07/25/24
Susie describes two documentaries about the complexities, risks, and problems with sperm donation, and explains why some men are trying to father as many children as possible and how the mothers and babies are the ones who experience the consequences. We learn about a "protest" in Boston where people fought for the metro system to put googly eyes on buses, and the unexpected outcome they caused. Mattel is making their games color-blind accessible, so now everyone can experience the joy of...
Published 07/22/24
We got to have a meetup in real life, and it was magical, except for a disastrous restaurant dining experience where we felt like we were on a Challenge and were force fed disgusting food. We talk about how social media is influencing the photos we take, the memories we make, and the ways it affects our lives. Sarah is trying to overcome her fear of rodents, and a breed of giant rats that scientists have trained to save lives is helping her with her phobia. We hear why Nick Cannon has insured...
Published 07/18/24
Susie talks about the new docuseries, Six Schizophrenic Brothers, which is an accompaniment to the book we read in Candy Club, Pleasant Valley Road, about a family of twelve siblings in which six of them have that mental illness. We talk about how their disorder manifests, why it "scares" Susie, and what we can learn from them. We hear that a Mexican church is selling plots of land...in heaven, and why we think we might buy some. Susie describes the Celine Dion documentary, her Stiff Body...
Published 07/15/24
Sarah is going solo camping, so she's preparing to fight man and beast by herself. We discuss how reality tv never was what it seemed and there were always interventions from producers to make the show "more interesting." And we're talking to Emily Nussbaum about her book, Cue the Sun: The Invention of Reality TV, to learn more about it all! Sarah explains a lot about the remains of Lucy, but in case you were like Susie and assumed she meant the comedic actress, you'd be wrong. She's talking...
Published 07/11/24
Susie is still laughing about Sarah's technique for scaring off bears, but turns out, Sarah isn't wrong. We hear about the problem bear she's about to encounter at camp. We discuss how men are animals at sporting events, but also how "sports anthems" are created. We find out why Sweet Caroline, Livin on a Prayer, and Don't Stop Believing became ubiquitous at games despite having nothing to do with them. Denmark had to outlaw spicy ramen because they thought it was a public health risk, and we...
Published 07/08/24
Sarah is so happy to be home owner (except for all the things that break, go wrong, and cost money)! She's adulting hard today. We learn about astronauts who are stranded at the International Space Station and Sarah is probably panicking more than them or the person responsible (Elon Musk). And she explains how their situation reminds her of being on The Real World. Hear us out. We discuss "music frisson" and why some music gives us the chills, makes us cry, and affects us, and whether this...
Published 07/04/24
Susie's back in the New World, and has a mysterious illness caused by a mystery creature. Her medical anomalies never stop. Sarah is back from a pirate ship adventure where she fought the law and the law won. We discuss the controversial documentary, Tell Them You Love Me, about a scholar who was working with a non-verbal, developmentally disabled man with cerebral palsy who claims they are in love despite him not being able to communicate. We learn about a bear attack in someone's home! A...
Published 07/01/24
Sarah's breakup has gotten dirty, and Susie is livid. Thoughts and prayers to that man. We discuss the Jim Henson Idea Man documentary, the price of changing the world and what you lose if you're ambitious, and how his childhood may have had a hand in his demise. We debate a new Louisiana law that allows judges to require castration to convicted sex offenders. We hear about a woman who was fined $88,000 for accidentally collecting clams on a beach, and why we decided not too feel too badly...
Published 06/27/24
Sarah is in the "carpentry" era of her single lifestyle, and she's whipping up a coffee table. We learn how to spot overpriced furniture. Sarah is in mourning over the "pregnant" stingray who is mysteriously not pregnant and the aquarium that thought she was is tight-lipped. We realize we need to apologize to Madonna because it turns out you can adopt a foreign accent just by visiting another country. We hear why Tony Danza is championing teachers, he needs a new publicity, and we think we...
Published 06/24/24
Sarah wants to thank all the lesbians and allies for welcoming her back into the fold. She explains why she thinks she's following in her grandma's power lez footsteps. We hear about "green flags" women have when they're dating a guy, and we're disturbed at how low the bar is (bed sheets) and also disagree about men presenting as feminists. We discuss the TikTok dance cult where a pastor posing as an entertainment manager takes control of his church members's lives. We learn about a woman who...
Published 06/20/24
There's a new Banksy museum in New York that has not been approved by the artist, but if he were to sue them he might reveal his closely guarded anonymity, and we are delighted that someone might beat him at his own game. We discuss Kansas City Chiefs' football player Harrison Butker's commencement speech telling women to stifle ambitions, be submissive to husbands, and become mothers, and why the reaction of his coach and teammates (including Taylor Swift's man Travis Kelce) reveal how...
Published 06/17/24
You asked for personal stuff, so we're giving it to you. Hear how Sarah is dealing with the hysterectomy aftermath and accepting she won't bear children. We discuss the idea of a meritocracy and the lottery of life that can make you feel out of control. Sarah explains how futurists are planning to warn future generations about the dangers of nuclear waste. We hear how laser ray cats (???) might play a role in helping people spot dangerous energy (what?). We discuss a new trend of "friendship...
Published 06/13/24
We get an update on MouseGate 2024, and hear why Sarah left it "in God's hands." Susie says snakes on an island off of Los Angeles are getting aggressive and are proving Darwin wrong. A woman went to rehab for her cheese addiction, and we hear how much she was eating, debate whether it's a real addiction, and suspect we haven't heard the last of her. A woman lived inside of a grocery store sign for one year, and Sarah thinks it shows how bad the housing market is while Susie thinks she's just...
Published 06/10/24