521. I’m Your Biggest Fan!

Dartmouth president Sian Beilock, a psychologist by training, made her name studying why people choke. Now she’s applying those insights to one of the most scrutinized jobs in America. No pressure! SOURCES: Sian Beilock, president of Dartmouth College. RESOURCES: "Growing share o ... Show More

It’s a hard time to run a university: public trust is low, political pressure is high, and finances are fragile. But Daniel Diermeier, who trained as a political scientist, has Vanderbilt humming. How? He says the key is choosing magnets over wedges. SOURCES: Daniel Diermeier, ch ... Show More

Insurance forms that make no sense. Subscriptions that can’t be cancelled. A never-ending blizzard of automated notifications. In this update of a 2025 episode, Stephen Dubner discovers where all this sludge comes from — and how much it’s costing us. SOURCES: Benjamin Handel, pro ... Show More

The girlies talk stan culture and come for all your faves. From the Directioners of the mid-2010s to Nicki Minaj's digital paramilitary, fandom has pushed the bounds of internet friendship, devotion, and doxxing. Digressions include a brief review of Jennette McCurdy's memoir, wh ... Show More

When you think of fangirls, what comes to mind: large swaths of fandom (usually for a boyband) whose feelings culminate in tears and joyful screams? Perhaps you grimace or roll your eyes at the thought. In this fun, lively talk, playwright Yve Blake asks us to reevaluate our reac ... Show More

Sierra Schultzzie, Riayn Christina, and Paloma Malfavon discuss how it’s cool to care about the things you love (whether it be concerts or sports)! As they declare their undying love for David Archuleta, we delve deeper into the differences & similarities between the arts & sport ... Show More

It's not a bird, or a plane, it's toxic fandom! It's not super, man. Bad jokes aside, SMNTY investigates what exactly is going on in DC fandom, and particularly, the Snyderverse.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

<p>As a culture, we are uncomfortably comfortable with mocking fangirls. Why is that? Spoiler alert, it's sexism. Anney and Samantha trace the history of fangirls and our dismissal of them, and discuss why fangirls run the world.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a ... Show More

Are artists responsible when their fan armies can be weaponized? Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Lindsay Zoladz. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/ ... Show More

<p>Many Americans feel an obligation to keep up with political news. But maybe we should be focusing our energies elsewhere. In this episode from 2020, political scientist <a href="https://as.tufts.edu/politicalscience/people/faculty/hersh">Eitan Hersh</a> says there's been a ris ... Show More

Really love a TV show; a boyband; a sci fi movie; or a celebrity? We're often too embarrassed to admit adoring some things for fear that we'll be seen as frivolous or childish - but we may be missing out on the happiness benefits that geeking out can bring.    Dr Laurie Santos ex ... Show More

Is pop culture harmless fun or a total waste of brain cells? In this episode, we dive into the psychology of why some people love the “brain rot” of celebrity gossip, reality TV, and trending drama, while others crave intellectual stimulation and deeper conversations. From guilty ... Show More

Being a sports fan means putting a part of your happiness in the hands of strangers. When they lose, you die a little. But when they win, it's incredible. This week, stories about the triumph and tragedy of being a fan.If you want to leave the StoryCorps Podcast a voicemail, call ... Show More