Dumb Nerds: Comedians Talking About Smart Topics They're Too Dumb For

Comedian Jason Kaye unleashes his nerdiness for “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. Sit back and listen to why he thinks this “Space M*A*S*H” show is the best with a fun cast of characters, deep philosophical exploration on ethics, emotions, sci-fi and more. Jason also shares some of his personal favorite episodes and the "science" behind getting beamed up by Scotty. Host Cassi Jerkins and Jason also talk about the best ways to take in a museum, how people are not having kids in the US, a one night stand with Robert De Niro, middle names and more. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cults! They’re a real, crazy, crazy thing and guest Anna Hossnieh (Ethnically Ambiguous Podcast) and host Cassi Jerkins get into some of the biggest cults in the history of the US. They talk about the Rajneeshies, the Branch Davidians, the latest sex cult NXIVM and more. They wonder where exactly does an organization cross the cult line... Like is Scientology a cult? What about Mormonism? Or actor Andrew Kegan’s religious group, “Full Circle”? They even argue that moving to LA is pretty cult-y. LA peeps, you know you’ve caught yourself on a cleanse chanting “I love juice!” That's pretty cult-y. Anna and Cassi also dive into their love of true crime, how working for reality TV is a nightmare and provide hot tips on how to avoid getting into a cult. (Just get a therapist who wears regular clothes.) Enjoy! PS Gyspy Rose Blancharde and her Munchausen by proxy mother was the case we were blanking on names.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Everything you ever wanted to know about the dimension as vast and as timeless as infinity, the middle ground between light and shadow, science and superstition… you get what we're getting at, it’s everything you wanted to know about “The Twilight Zone” with guest, Jeremy Schmidt (Reality Bits Podcast)! Host Cassi Jerkins and Jeremy get into Jeremy’s love for the show and how badass Rod Sterling is. Before this ep, Cassi only knew Rod Sterling as the host of “The Twilight Zone”. She didn’t know he's the creator and wrote over 80 episodes of the show! That’s incredible. They discuss “The Twilight Zone” movies, the upcoming reboot by Jordan Peele and some of their favorite TTZ episodes. They also talk about spirituality, relationships, Buddhism, 3rd Rock from the Sun and more. Enjoy!    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Megan McIver & Terence Deutsch are a creative power couple. Megan’s passion for children’s entertainment, bubble-ology, composing music and podcasting about “Sex and the City” (Cosmos and the City podcast) meshes well with Terence’s love of all things audio. Host Cassi Jerkins’ interest really peaks when the conversation turns to audio for specifically recording and mixing music tracks. She mines Terence and Megan’s brains for hot tips on how to record music to make it sound the very best. This is an experimental episode that takes a turn for the dumb and nerdiest. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We’ve all been down a YouTube rabbit hole but have you done it with YouTube food videos? Super great and fun guest Nikhil Deshpande (Reality Bites Podcast) highly recommends it! He goes into detail of all the different types of food videos that are out there on YouTube - cooking tutorials, competitive eating, hipsters and grizzly men BBQing, chefs highly skilled at chopping and more. He gives some great recommendations of channels to check out from Gordon Ramsay to Matt Stonie. Host Cassi Jerkins and Nikhil also get off track talking about wrestling, party etiquette, people who make their beds vs those who don’t and Dexter. Cassi also tries to get Nikhil to adopt a cat. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ever wondered what it’s like to be a puppeteer? Guest Rob Gentile (Soul Pancake) and host Cassi Jerkins are two puppeteers who reveal all the weird tips and tricks on how to puppeteer and build your own puppets, along with weird stories of working on kids shows sets, making puppets out of garbage and infusing dark comedy into the world of puppets. Rob and Cassi also share the uncomfortable reality of puppeteering for film from crouching in weird places, cutting holes out of chairs and laying on skateboards. It’s a weird puppet world, enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It’s an amazing episode of pranks and surprises with the great and wonderful Cory P Willis! (Talkin’ Babies podcast, UCB) Cory surprises host Cassi Jerkins with his topic of packing and moving. Cory gives hot tips on how to make moving efficient and not the dreaded nightmare we all think it to be. They also take some twists and turns talking about Cory’s love of cars and one day having a dream garage, Cassi’s love of pranks and cats, along with bonding over their love of living in Los Angeles, growing up with siblings and being on the improv team, Hot Hot Goss, together! This is a silly episode guaranteed to warm your heart. (Sorry, we didn’t help you move, Jeremy.)   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Get everything you’ve ever wanted to know about podcasting with Dumb Nerds host Cassi Jerkins as she sits down with some podcasting movers and shakers! This a special crossover ep with “The 2nd Team Podcast” hosted by the great podcasting king Cody Ziglar. Cassi and Cody talk with Andrew Ti (Yo, Is This Racist? podcast) and July Diaz (Trends with Benefits, Earwolf Episodes Coordinator) about their experience with podcasting over the past 5 plus years. Everyone offers great advice on what it’s like to host and/or produce a podcast, tips on how to start one (or why you shouldn’t), how to make your show sound good and how to make it a super fun, interesting and engaging show! If you love podcasts, this is a super nerdy ep for you!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What goes into making the cartoons we grew up watching and continue to enjoy into adulthood? Guest Michael Rosenbaum (Socratica Kids) is super nerdy about animation and has been a good friend of Dumb Nerds host Cassi Jerkins for over 8 years. They bonded over performing improv and puppetry together. They now work together on the YouTube channel, Socratica Kids, that makes science videos for kids using puppets and animation. Michael has been drawing since he was a kid and now does animation. He goes into great detail about how he was drawn to cartoons as a kid and continued to be while other kids we're getting into the "Backstreet Boys", to learning software like Toon Boom to become an animator. He also knows a lot about Disney, their animation department and how many animation companies like Pixar have exploded over the years to make great films we adore like “Toy Story” and more. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Aliens. What do you think? Are they out there? The Fermi Paradox raises a very puzzling belief that there should be and yet we have no evidence. The Fermi Paradox was named after physicist Enrico Fermi and he theorizes that based on all the billions of stars in the galaxy, trillions in the universe, there must exist planets similar to Earth that contain life and yet we have no proof there is. All we have heard out there is silence. So does this silence mean we’re all alone? Or have Earthlings and other alien species not evolved enough to possess the ability to properly communicate with each other? Guest Josiah Jenkins (The 8 Dollar Game Show podcast) and Cassi Jerkins discuss the many different theories that explore the Fermi Paradox. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hal Rudnick (Screen Junkies, UCB) has been plugged into sneaker culture since grade school and today he has over 45 pairs and an entire wall into his room just to store his sneakers. Pretty cool, right?! Cassi is not a shoe person and reveals she's wearing a pair of boring flip flops during the recording. Cassi is fascinated by how much sneakers is a staple for athletes and hip hop artists, she also had no idea that there are sneaker conventions! This is a really fun and educational ep; Hal brings his A game and a pair of super fly kicks!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are you a psychology nerd? Comedian/Psychology major Weikei Yu is on to talk about a psychological disorder that is very near and dear to him, obsessive compulsive disorder. Weikei talks about what it’s like to have obsessive compulsive disorder and Cassi opens up to show that we all got issues. We’re all going to be ok! So come enjoy this ep!    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Like he shot her in the face, she lost her eye and he went to prison for only 2 years? Yep, that’s a thing that happened and comedian Will Hines (Screw it, We’re Going to Talk about Spiderman Podcast) comes on to talk about Griffith J Griffith! Griffith was a the very rich philanthropist who got his money from mining in the late 1800s and was considered a rockstar for his time. He seemed like he had it all together, then he tried to kill his wife, Mary Agnes Christina Mesmer . This dark topic gets Will and Cassi to talk about whether it’s ok that Griffith Park is still named after him along with whether it’s ok to enjoy things that were created or backed by bad people. It’s an interesting discussion with lots of twists and turns. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ben Cassil and Thayer Frachette from the “Convince Me” podcast stop by Dumb Nerds to talk about their love for Nintendo 64! It’s a video game console that was a turning point in gaming history and a big part of all of their lives growing up. Ben, Thayer and Cassi reminisce on when they first got to play a Nintendo 64, their favorite N64 games (Mario Kart) along with chatting on AIM and watching Saturday Night Live with Will Ferrell, Tim Meadows and Chris Kattan. They also wonder if their old favorite comedy movies still hold up. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Are you single and curious about online dating? Are you happily married and missed the online dating craze? Or maybe you’re somewhere in between. Well guess what? This episode is for you! The hilariously wonderful Rian Kountz (Whatsacreative Director of Audience Development) comes on Dumb Nerds to talk about how he met his wife through online dating! What? Can you believe it? He provides some real great tips on how to make online dating fun and practical while finding your one and only. Cassi squirms in her emotionally unavailable singleness making this episode more of a fun time. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Writer and comedian Meg Joh comes on to talk about adoption! Meg and her two sisters are adopted. She shares her firsthand experience to show how great adoption has been for her and her family. She thinks how everyone should consider it! She goes into detail about some of the different types of adoption and points out discrimination towards adoption that is still present throughout the world. We should try and change that. Cassi also discovers she wants to adopt a nerdy 12 year old who loves cats. This is a very thoughtful and fun episode. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Amelia Earhart was a freakin’ badass woman. How much do you know about her? Does your knowledge go beyond her disappearance? Guests Manny Hagopian and Heather Woodward know how wonderful she is and celebrate how much she did for flight milestones, women’s rights and more. Manny even wrote a musical about her and Heather is playing Amelia! So sit down and enjoy Manny and Heather share how great Amelia is. For instance, Amelia help start “The Ninety-Nines”, an international organization made up of women pilots who promote the advancement of aviation through education, scholarships and more. It was started in 1929 and is still active today. So cool! This is a great episode that’s going to make you want to come out to the Rockwell in Los Angeles and check out Manny and Heather’s musical “Earhart: More Than A F*ing Mystery”! Enjoy!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Dumb Nerds Podcast is taking another trip down memory lane with writer Minhdzuy Khorami by getting nerdy about the video game character and icon, Sonic the Hedgehog! Minhdzuy talks about the history of Sonic, the many different Sonic video games, the TV show and the still running Sonic comic strip. So much Sonic! Cassi talks about how she was too poor to get on the Sega train and did a newspaper route. Minhdzuy and Cassi get off track by bonding over their shared interest in bad theme park designs. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The JFK Assassination. One of the biggest moments in American history. Where were you? Probably not born! Guest Luke Wienecke and host Cassi Jerkins were also not born yet but they are both fascinated with the tragic events that took place on November 22, 1963 when President John F Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. Join Luke and Cassi as they rehash the events and discuss various conspiracy theories around this infamous event. It’s an episode that will make you want you to stay up until 3:30 in the morning going down the JFK Assassination rabbit hole.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Were you a 90s kid? Or ever wonder what it was like to be a 90s kid? Spoiler: It was pretty great! One of the best part was the TV channel Nickeloden. You had great shows like “Rugrats”, “Hey Arnold”, “Rocco’s Modern Life”, Nick at Night and of course we can’t forget Nickeloden game shows! There were so many game shows just for kids! GUTS, Legends of the Hidden Temple, Double Dare, Figure it Out and so much more! Comedian Charlie Mihelich (Dumb Nerds Terminator ep) returns to get nostalgic with Cassi about what their favorite game shows were, which game show they dreamed of competing on as well as getting off track to talk about their new favorite toy, The Movie Pass. It’s changing their life, allowing them to be caught up on all the latest theatre hits and it’s also making them hyper aware of movie theatre etiquette. This is fun episode to sit back and reminisce on entertainment and 90s life. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

D&D is not just for nerds! Well It mostly is but more and more “pretty” people are getting on board. So why not start the new year off by nerd-ing about Dungeons & Dragons?! Super fun and nerdy guest Lars Hansen (2-Count Kick Out Podcast) comes on the show to talk about his 25 year D&D journey thus far beginning with his dad handing him a D&D book he found in a bargain bin to Lars becoming a Dungeon Master for Cassi and their friends in a 3 year campaign and today he is a certified DM at The Guild House in Bellflower, Ca. This is a great episode for nerds who love D&D and for people who want to know what this once taboo role playing game is all about!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It’s almost 2018! Happy New Year! So… Are you excited? Hopeful? Want to make it your best year yet?! Guests Libby Doyne & Inessa Frantowski suggest making a vision board. Libby and Inessa get into how making a vision board can help you achieve your goals and make your year great! They even provide some science behind how they work. (While also acknowledging it’s pretty “hippy-dippy”.) This is a fun episode that will make you want to cut up some magazines or at the very least write down what it is you want in the new year because why the heck not?! Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Super talented and funny guest Shay Dominguez moved to LA from St. Louis to do improv and has no regrets doing so because she’s living her best life! Are you living yours? Shay and Dumb Nerds host, Cassi Jerkins, give tips on how to be your happiest self, pursue your dreams, achieve goals and demystify the stigma behind self-help, motivational speakers and positive affirmations. They also spend a lot of time talking about the thing they both love the most - improvisational comedy. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are you a fan of reality TV? Did you watch “Flavor of Love”? Guests Jesse Esparza and Julian Gonzalez (Extra Extra Podcast) are huge fans and they think it changed the course of television history! The gang gets into this 2006 hit VH1 show along with reminiscing on what they were doing back in ’06. This ep has a lot of personality so buckle up and enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“You’re tearing me apart, Lisa!!” How many times have you and your friends screamed that in terrible delight? We have Tommy Wisseau to thank for such a treasure. Comedian Zach Olsen (UCB, Bay Watch Watch podcast) comes on to talk about his love for “The Room”, a 2003 independent drama written, directed, produced by and starring Tommy Wisseau. Cassi and Zach also take a field trip to the movies before the recording to see “The Disaster Artist”. Spoiler alert: They loved it! (And will not spoil the film for you.) Instead Zach and Cassi get into what makes “The Room” so perfectly bad, how it got made and why Tommy Wisseau is so fascinating and strangely mysterious. It’s an episode guaranteed to make you want to watch “The Room” and quote Tommy’s lines and laugh all day. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Remember that time in history when people claimed women were witches and if they denied it, they were hung/burned at the stake? We do! Guest Kelly McInerney (IMDWeed Podcast) and Cassi talk about the history of the Salem Witch Trials and how it was just crazy! The things young girls do when they don’t have a high status in society or access to a smart phone. Cassi also provides most of her knowledge from Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible”. (She played Mary Warren!) Kelly and Cassi also talk about traveling to Salem today, teenage voodoo, Doug the Psychic, scary movies and the joy of having a Movie Pass. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Astrology! What’s your sign, listener? Guest Hannah Faust (LA City Municipal Dance Squad, UCB Hot Hot Goss) explains astrology and goes deeper than what media has painted astrology to be. Hannah shows how you can use astrology to serve yourself, and also how to be one of those people who can accurately guess people’s signs. She also gives hot tips on great apps and books to learn more about astrology. Cassi manages to give Hannah an astrological epiphany on mid-life crisis and Hannah makes Cassi wonder if she’s a new baby soul. After some great astrology talk, Hannah whips out her tarot cards and pendulum and gives Cassi a tarot card reading. Surprisingly the cards read true to what’s going on in Cassi’s life and they give warm, gentle advice on pushing forward to becoming even more of a badass Queen of Swords. Cassi opens up a little bit but not too much, but let's give her a break, she’s working on it! Enjoy this fun and more-personal-than-usual episode. Shout out to Maddie.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tacos! Who doesn’t love tacos? Who also doesn’t love getting off topic and talking about music, whether people on death row get to drink alcohol with their last meal and finding that special someone to eat tacos with? Wonderful guest and friend Marcella Riley (“White People Do Black Things” podcast) comes on to talk about her love of LA tacos and gives hot tips on where to get some good eats! Cassi and Marcella have been friends for a few years now and this is a classic fly on the wall conversation of what these two talk about off the mic. That’s right, John Mayer gets brought up, there’s an undertone of darkness and they’d be dancing while podcasting if they could. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Did you know there’s a large bird with razor sharp claws that can kills humans? Oh yeah. It can cut up a human with ease. So whatever you do, don’t piss off a cassowary! Jen Curcio (Cara & Jen’s Sleepover Party) comes on to tell Dumb Nerds listeners about cassowaries, a bird native to Australia and the New Guinea islands. Even though they are capable of murder, these 6 foot tall majestic creatures are pretty gentle. Jen is fascinated by cassowaries and plans to one day go visit them. Before she gets to actually meet one, she has other ways to honor them like naming her car after one. You’re in good hands this week so sit back, relax and learn about this fascinating bird that is a descendent from dinosaurs!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Happy Halloween! This is a favorite holiday for many people and did you know it’s been around for over 2,000 years?! It began as an ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The night before All Saint’s Day was believed when spirits could walk among us and All Hallow’s Eve was a tradition to honor those who have past so they wouldn’t get upset and take your soul! The wonderful Lucé Tomlin-Brenner is back and schools Cassi on the history of Halloween! Lucé also blows Cassi’s mind with stories of how people in Ohio celebrate Halloween verses the suburbs of San Diego. Real pumpkins patches, apple picking, apple cider slushes, poetry reading and more! What?! There’s so much to talk about and this could easily have been a 6 hour show but we give you this hits and will leave you appreciating this spooky holiday. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Get ready for an ep all about the Most Happiest Place on Earth- Disneyland! Guest Eileen O’Connell (Skeeterial Podcast) comes on to talk all about her Disneyland experiences. Eileen dishes out some secrets to make the most of your Disneyland experience. Cassi chimes in to talk about what it why like to have Disneyland an hour and a half away from home and then literally living down the street from her in college where most of her friends worked at the park. Eileen and Cassi dive a bit into the history of Disneyland and how’s the park has changed and expanded over the years, along with the different Disney parks around the world. It’s an episode guaranteed to make you feel nostalgic and remember that Disney’s got theme parks on lock! (And everything else.)   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What are your thoughts on Veganism? Could you completely give up the consumption of all animal products as best you can? This includes meat, dairy, eggs, honey, products tested on animals, etc. Vegan actor and improviser Bozant Katzakian comes on to talk about why he chose to go vegan 5 years ago, what it’s like to work on a Farm Sanctuary that protects its animals from being used for profit and tips for people wanting to make the lifestyle choice to go vegan and become an animal rights activist. Cassi and Bo also get into the history of veganism which dates back to the ancient times of Japan and India. They discuss when “Vegetarian Clubs” showed up in England during the 1800s and how artists like George Bernard Shaw influenced people to stop eating animals. Currently we are in the Vegan Boom of the 2010s. Just 15 years ago going to a restaurant as a vegan was nearly impossible, now there are vegan grocery stores and “butchers” in Europe. It’s only a matter of time before they make there way to the rest of the year. Will future people look back at us in disbelief over how we used to consume animals?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What is consciousness? We’re all experiencing this subjective phenomena but what the hell is it? Here’s the thing, no one knows! Scientists and philosophers have been trying to figure it out for hundreds of years and we’re not much closer to figuring it out. Super fun guest and host of “Science Time” Alex Berg comes on the show to discuss different theories of consciousness with Cassi. Alex and Cassi are by no means experts on this mysterious topic but are super nerds about it. They discuss their personal experiences with trying to understand consciousness, they attempt to recall great scientists and the experiments the scientists have conducted to getting closer to comprehending this phenomenon, as well as show examples to unpack our own internal biases. Cassi and Alex also get off topic and talk about one of their favorite animals, octopuses! This is a great episode if you want to stretch your brain into the great unknown and walk away with a lot of reading and video recommendations on consciousness! Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It’s October! That means Halloween season is finally upon us and what better way to get spooky then with our returning guest, Clark Canez (Ep 5 Greek Mythology) to talk about Victorian Spiritualism! Clark and Cassi have a blast talking about how the invention of seances by New York sisters led to such a seance craze that the sisters visited Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd in the White House to conduct a seance for them! We discuss how the loss of Queen Victoria’s husband put the Queen into a lifelong mourning that greatly changed the ritual of mourning, funerals and death superstitions. During this time photography was invented and it didn’t take long for this death obsessed culture to use photography to try and capture ghosts. (And some people made a very good living creating fake ghost photos!) This is a super fun, eery episode that will get you into the Halloween spirit. You may also find yourself wishing you lived in the Victorian Age!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Did you our knowledge of nutrition is relatively new? Like Vitamin C wasn’t discovered until the 1930s! Guest Kenny Prawat (Crowning Jewels, io Sketch team “Jeff!”) and host Cassi Jerkins bond over their parents lack of nutritional knowledge and feeding them junk food as kids. For instance, remember when McDonalds had that $0.39 cheeseburger on Wednesday nights deal in the 90s? Yeah, that was dinner for these poor kids all the time. As Kenny and Cassi grew older they both developed an interest in cooking and from there they slowly learned which foods are healthy for you and why. (Hint: unprocessed food directly from the ground is the best). Kenny and Cassi also get into how food companies constantly use buzzwords to sell food. Buzzwords like “Fat Free”, “Organic” and “Gluten Free”. Kenny provides lots of tips on how to eat healthy and for cheap. He also has gives a PSA to the “youths” to stop ordering avocado toast at restaurants. Cassi can’t stop talking about her calorie tracker app. Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Host Cassi Jerkins takes the week off from the usual format to destress and give you fun facts that will make you feel good about life! For instance, did you know cows have best friends? Wearing perfume or cologne increases your happiness? That scientists believe the center of the galaxy smells like raspberries? There’s a lot of neat fun facts coming your way, plus some tips on actions you can take to live a happier, more positive life! We love you!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“Digimon”, short for “Digital Monsters” was an amazing Japanese media franchise that was very popular in the 90s and has been making a comeback with the film series “Digimon Tri”. The franchise consisted of virtual pet toys, anime, manga, video games, films and a trading card care. Sound similar to “Pokemon”? It came out a couple years before “Pokemon” and the “Digimon” craze swept Cassi’s elementary school and guest Will Choi’s (Asian AF, Drunk Monk & Korean Drama Podcasts) elementary and middle school as well. Will loved “Digimon” so much that he spent his middle school life writing “Digimon” fan fiction with two of his best friends. Cassi spent her 4th and 5th grade battling other kids on the playground with her “Digimon” virtual fighting pet! Will and Cassi bond over their love for “Digimon” and discover they had a very similar childhood with age differences in siblings, writing fan fiction and having “Saturday Night Live” and "All That" inspire them to get into comedy. This a nostalgic conversation you won’t want to miss and perhaps you’ll discover/reawaken your love for Digital Monsters.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pregnancy. Making, having, raising babies. Lots of animals do it! For decades, centuries, even longer than that! You get it. So what’s there to learn? Uh, so much! Artist and animator Kelly Matten joins Cassi to talk about her recent experience with being pregnant and having her daughter, Daisy. Kelly goes from making the decision with her husband, (shoutout to Dungeon Master and all around badass Lars!), to trying to conceive, getting pregnant but having to keep it a secret for 10 weeks, to dealing with being pregnant, to delivery to having to pause the recording with Cassi to put Daisy down for a nap. Kelly and Cassi get into what it’s like to be pregnant, why it’s such a sensitive and highly debated issue for mothers and potential-mothers-to-be, all the way to dealing with postpartum depression. Cassi, mother of cats, attempts to understand pregnancy by talking about octopuses. You’re guaranteed to learn something and get a fresh perspective on what Kelly says is the weirdest thing she’s ever done, and she’s been to Burning Man six times!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How many of us are lucky to have a bar we frequent where everybody knows our name? How about for 11 seasons? Hilarious comedian and writer Matt Manser joins host Cassi Jerkins to talk about the hit TV show “Cheers”! Matt watched the show as a kid learning many adult issues from it. Matt and Cassi get into the different characters that created such a dynamic ensemble which lead to the popular spin off show, “Fraiser”. Cassi learns that Frasier was originally written for one of her favorite actors of all time, John Lithgow, but Lithgow turned it down giving Kelsey Grammer the most prominent role of his acting career. (Honorable mention to Sideshow Bob). Cassi reflects upon John Lithgow’s career and her love for him a bit too long and Matt has to reel her back in. Matt tells Cassi about some of his favorite Cheers episodes which involve Cliff Clavin trying to write a joke for Johnny Carson and another where he almost wins “Jeopardy”. So pour yourself a beer and enjoy this week’s Dumb Nerds ep all about “Cheers”! This episode is dedicated to the late Jay Thomas, Carla's hockey playing boyfriend who got written off the show because Jay talked ill of Rhea Perlman on a radio show. RIP  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How much do you know about Bob Dylan past “Blowin’ in the Wind” and his distinctive raspy voice? Guest Jonathan Harris (UCB) knows a whole lot! Like seriously a lot. Jonathan pretty much rattles off Bob Dylan’s entire music career in order from album to album, dates and the inspiration behind it and all. It’s pretty incredible. Jonathan and Cassi get into how Bob Dylan became a huge music folk star at 22, only two years after moving to New York in the early 1960s to pursue a career in music. From there Bob Dylan goes from poetic folk singer-songwriter to electric with “The Band” to Christian rock star in the 1980s to still cranking out albums and touring today! That’s right, at 76, Bob Dylan is still making music and is touring on what he calls “The Never Ending Tour”. Pretty incredible, right? Jonathan and Cassi also talk about their own personal relationship with Dylan’s music, including their favorite albums/songs, going to some of his concerts on the “Never Ending Tour”, watching Martin Scorsese’s documentary, “No Direction Home” and the 2007 film “I’m Not There” where a ton of people play different versions of Bob Dylan including Cate Blanchett and the late Heath Ledger. Give it a listen!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The fanciest and longest episode yet! Guests Muriel Montgomery and Nick Casalini (Hella in Your Thirties Podcast) are a wonderful, married couple/talented comedians who moved to Los Angeles from Chicago three years ago. They all bond over their various day jobs of waiting tables while doing comedy at night. While Cassi worked tacky, chain restaurants like Denny’s and The Cheesecake Factory, Muriel and Nick worked at much cooler and classier places that included wine and cheese pairings! Nick and Muriel teach Cassi how to properly open a bottle of wine at a table and how to tell a good bottle of wine from a disgusting bottle of wine that might have spider legs and squirrel parts in it. Yikes! Muriel and Nick then spoil Cassi by presenting delicious cheeses with different wines of various qualities to try and see which cheese pairs best with what type of wine. It’s a delicious, drunk, fun blast of an evening. Please drink and eat cheese along with us!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Oprah Winfrey has inspired and changed the lives of millions of people including today’s guest, Naomi Villa (Let’s Fall in Love Podcast, UCB). Naomi is a huge fan of Oprah; she grew up watching “The Oprah Winfrey Show” with her family. Host Cassi Jerkins and Naomi discuss how Oprah brought controversial, taboo topics to Naomi’s family along with the rest of America which lead to positive, healthy discussions of acceptance and empathy. Naomi and Cassi also get into Oprah complex life of coming from a hard childhood of poverty and sexual abuse to being raised by her supportive grandma, discovering her talent for radio that lead to her TV show which lead to a magazine, a television network, a website, a podcast, book deals, a cruise to Alaska and so much more! Naomi and Cassi also discuss Oprah’s romantic relationships including Oprah briefly dating Roger Ebert and her friendship with Gayle King. Oprah is one of the most famous, successful people of our lifetime. Come find out why, you might walk away an Oprah fan! Enjoy!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How many badass things do you know about Cleopatra? Do you know how many languages she knew? How much she loved books? How she improved the economy and well-being of the Egyptian people? How she seduced Julius Caesar, Emperor of Rome? Then later seduced Mark Antony, the new Emperor of Rome who overthrew Caesar? Do you know how Mark Antony and Cleopatra had a Secret Wine Club and would frequently get drunk and go out into the streets to prank Egyptians? Plus so much more crazy fun, nerdy facts about Cleopatra?! Guest Katelyn Hempstead (Lizard People) and Cassi Jerkins get into the amazing life of Pharaoh Cleopatra VII Philopator and how she was a badass, nerdy woman way ahead of her time! Katelyn tells Cleopatra’s life story while Cassi interjects with dark facts about what happens to a person if they get bit by an asp, a deadly snake. It’s always a fun time here on Dumb Nerds! Enjoy!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Stanley Kubrick. What is this famous filmmaker’s deal? Known for making groundbreaking films like “2001 Space Odyssey”, “The Shining”, “Dr. Strangelove”, "Full Metal Jacket", "Lolita" and more, perfecting the steady cam and mastering shots like the reverse tracking shot. Meanwhile some speculate he also filmed a fake Moon Landing for the U.S. Government to beat the Soviet Union in the Space Race. Guest Adam Moshcatel (You’re Gonna Love This Podcast) and host, Cassi Jerkins, nerd out over their favorite Kubrick films, his unsettling behavior on set, his average childhood and discuss their own theories on whether he filmed the moon landing or not. Sit back, relax and enjoy an episode dedicated to Stanley Kubrick.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

DOGS! This episode is all about dogs! Actress, comedian Jillian Dunn joins us to talk about her experience growing up with parents who participate in dog shows, specifically with Rhodesian Ridgebacks and Dalmatians. She also talks about her sweet rescue, Gali, and gives tips on how to train your pet and read the body of language of dogs (and their owners). Cassi realizes her cat, Meemo, is the dominate one in her house. They also get into how scientists are studying the DNA of dog fossils in hopes of trying to figure out when and where dogs became domesticated. Results are all over the place and proving to be harder to pinpoint that anticipated. These are magnificent, wonderful creatures we are so lucky to have in the world. Enjoy! Woof woof  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Who were the original rockstars? Classical music composers. That’s right, Franz Liszt was the Elvis Presley of his time and created the rockstar entrance we all see today. He was also known to bob his head as he played making all the ladies go wild. Like Beatle mania wild. Women would literally throw themselves at him and try and rip his clothes off. Women would write him so many letter requesting a lock of his hair that Liszt got a dog with his hair color to clip the dog’s hair and send the locks to his adoring fans. Guest Rosie Leisure (Starburns editor, improviser) studied piano performance in college and talks with host, Cassi Jerkins, about the history and musical progression of classical music, along with dishing out some hot gossip about their rockstar, definitely STD-ridden lives. Learn about Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Frêderic Chopin and more!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

USA’s Independence Day to Americans means getting drunk at a BBQ and watching fireworks, right!? But why BBQ? Why fireworks? Why Independence Day? Host Cassi Jerkins does some dumb research and discovers some pretty fun, interesting things! For instance, why Americans celebrate their Declaration of Independence on July 4th doesn't make much sense. The representatives of the 13 colonies voted on the declaration July 2nd and most of them didn’t sign it until August 2nd. The Liberty Bell was first rung after a public reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8th, 1776, and the White House didn’t throw their first Independence Day party until 1801, and made the 4th of July an official holiday in 1870. While the US was figuring it’s hot self out, BBQs and fireworks have been linked with Independence Day since the beginning! John Adams loved fireworks and pitched to the other representatives that there be fireworks every year and everyone said, “Yeah, let’s do it.” BBQs were used to get people to come out to political rallies, eat smoked meats and get excited about separating from Great Britain, fighting in the American Revolution and all that jazz. This is a surprisingly interesting holiday to try to enjoy when most people are upset with the current United States federal government. Enjoy and Happy 4th of July!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Romantic Comedies? Do you love them or hate them? Guest Dominique Johnson loves them! From the predictable formula to the fights that reveal to characters their one-and-only true soulmate, rom coms to Dom are the best! Host Cassi Jerkins is cynical. She unveils how unrealistic these characters are and how they are problematic to our expectations of love. (Not to mention this whole conversation is very heteronormative.) Dom and Cassi get into romantic comedies like “When Harry Met Sally”, “Love Actually”, “Annie Hall”, “La La Land” and Dom’s favorite, “Serendipity”. Dom also shares his own real life meet cute with a girl reading a book in a bar and how when he sees an opportunity to turn a moment in real life into a scene from a romantic comedy, he takes it! (He’s done the boom box outside a girl’s house move before.) Meanwhile, Cassi discards the notion of soulmates and ponders if it’s even possible for people to have healthy romantic relationships. Enjoy!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bigfoot! We all know the legend but what about the facts? It’s 2017 and people still believe in Bigfoot. There’s even an active scientific research organization dedicated to exploring the bigfoot/sasquatch mystery. They’re known as the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization. Today’s guest, Sara Iyer (The Purrrcast) comes on to share evidence behind why Bigfoot could exist. This includes Bigfoot sightings throughout the world including specific recent encounters, reasoning behind why it’s so hard to get good footage of Bigfoot (apparently they’re very cautious), all the way down to the belief that Bigfoot have a big old sweet tooth for Kit Kat Bars and cereal. It’s a great episode that will remind you fondly of the movie “Harry and the Hendersons”. Enjoy!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Do you have an intuitive gift? Clairvoyance, clairsentience, clairaudience and/or claircognizance? These psychic abilities are also known as clear seeing, feeling, hearing and knowing. You ever have a dream only to see it realized in real life? Feel connected to your family and know when something is wrong with one of them? How about massaging corpses to learn about muscles to become a super masseuse? Improviser Cory Webster comes on to talk with host, Cassi Jerkins, about intuitive gifts. They even go through steps on how to harness your gifts! Steps like meditation, eating well, reading tarot cards, practicing psychometry, playing with Zener cards and talking to your pet. It’s another fun, dumb, nerdy ep. Enjoy!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Shaun of the Dead. Scott Pilgrim vs the World. Hot Fuzz. These are some of the great, super fun films directed by Edgar Wright. Guest Cody Ziglar (UCB Podcast Producer, Host of “2nd Team” & “Blerds with Friends”) was inspired by Wright’s films and watched “Shaun of the Dead” over and over. Later in film school, he broke down a scene shot-for-shot as an assignment. Super nerdy! Zig and host Cassi Jerkins get into movies that inspired them to come out to LA to pursue their dreams. They get nerdy about famous shots from filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock, Quentin Tarantino and movies like “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. Zig throws out some deep cuts that inspired Edgar Wright in his filmmaking. They also talk about the difference between great acting and mediocre. The actors who make you believe and feel something vs the actors that make you giggle because it’s so bad. This is a great episode that we hope inspires and invigorates you to go out there and keep pursuing your dreams! And we give tips to help you pursue your goals in a relaxed, gracious state. Enjoy!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.