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When was the last time you felt destabilized in a safe environment?  This week, Joey and Jess talk about dad jokes, child entertainment strategies, comedy, silliness support, two-legged stools, and butt pats. They don’t talk about Sô Yamamura.  references  Sure looks strange to me. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology: How fathers and mothers make their children laugh: Associations with the security of parent-child attachment relationships by Sabrina Schmiedel, Jean-François Bureau, Jessica Turgeon, Audrey-Ann Deneault, and Ariane J. Gauthier Benign violation theory NPR: Bowen Yang invited Tina Fey onto his podcast. He's still dwelling on what she said The Giggles Are Coming by Christopher Eliopoulos Tactile Communication, Cooperation, and Performance: An Ethological Study of the NBA by Michael W. Kraus, Cassy Huang, and Dacher Keltner Steve Nash – high fives, fist bumps, and pats on the backside 

When is it okay to hate the player, not the game?  This week, Jess and Aaron talk about The Traitors, Chevy Chase, Kobe Bryant, villainy, Timothée Chalamet, and Omarosa vs. New York. They don’t talk about the late, the great, The Diabolical Biz Markie.  references  Wagon Wheel Watusi The Traitors I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not Kobe Bryant Omarosa vs. New York The Original HBIMFC Mary Lou Retton Battlestar Galactica Board Game Flavor Flav 

How should we learn beyond school?  This week, Joey and Jess talk about framing work as learning, human observation, vocational training, osmotic learning, pen and paper, and the wheel. They don’t talk about Simple Machines Records.  references  You're only 16, Joey, you don't have a rep yet. Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath on How Screen Time Hurts Kids' Cognitive Development Osmosis Jones Deutsche Welle: Back to basics: Sweden aims to de-digitalize youth Taqi ad-Din Muhammad ibn Ma'ruf Did a turkish man invent a steam engine 200 years before the industrial revolution and only made it to spin doner kebab? 

What fictional characters should we be shipping today?  This week, Aaron and Jess talk about soap, fan fiction, Back to the Future, ensemble shows, reading the book vs. seeing the movie, and reimagined universes. They don’t talk about Such Great Heights.  references  Spirk The Traitors Who Framed Roger Rabbit Kate McKinnon Gets Weird While Eating Spicy Wings | Hot Ones The New York Times: Why an A.I. Video of Tom Cruise Battling Brad Pitt Spooked Hollywood Kenny G God of War: Sons of Sparta 

Who can I say "I love you" to?  This week, Jess and Joey talk about expressions of love, social and gender dynamics, rejection, promiscuous love giving, monoliths, and Bad Bunny. They don’t talk about the Pixies or Deee-Lite.  references  Eight Types of Love in Greek Philosophy Taj Mahal 

What's to come in 2026?  This week, Wild Prognostications returns! Jess, Aaron, and Joey make their predictions for the new year, discussing privacy as luxury [3:28], the romance resurgence [4:28], Avengers Doomsday flopping [13:29], paper as a smart signal [16:35], bird pets [18:31], medical research breakthroughs [24:51], and an existential AI employment crisis [27:42]. They don't put respect on Birdman's name.  references  California Privacy Protection Agency Remarkable Tablet 

What you doing and what you sharing?  This week, Aaron, Joey, and Jess talk about battle rap, knitting, crochet, LitRPG, world building, and not finishing. They don’t talk about Fraggle Rock.  references  Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman Another Dimension of Us by Mike Albo Pretty Pretty Boys from The Hazard and Somerset Mysteries by Gregory Ashe The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee Critical Nonsense Bookclub LitRPG R. A. Salvatore ACOTAR aka A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 

When is the right time to actually?  This week, Joey and Jess talk about corrections, status, intent, virtue, asymmetric information, and confidence intervals. They don’t talk about Thomas Brodie-Sangster.  references  Bear Grylls Patroclus 

How far would you be willing to go to experiment with your health?  This week, Joey and Jess talk about peptides, biohacking, Silicon Valley libertarian culture, Bryan Johnson, exercise, and salt. They don’t talk about The Gelflings.  references  Confirmations Department: Yes, Tears for Fears Vectorculture: Not For Human Consumption Peptide Mounjaro Wired: Bryan Johnson Is Going to Die Food & Wine: Morton vs. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt: What’s the Difference? Solid Wiggles 

Why do we keep using short-form video?  This week, Joey and Jess talk about dopamine culture, friction, flow state, floating, smoking, and green juice. They don’t talk about cannolis.  references  American Psychological Association: Feeds, Feelings, and Focus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Examining the Cognitive and Mental Health Correlates of Short-Form Video Use Designing Friction Bad UX World Cup The Perfect Date Picker Soy Boy Face / Soyjak Canelé 

How do you dress for success?  This week, Aaron and Joey talk about fashion plates, professionalism, drag, archetyping, navigating differences, and respect. They don’t talk about Rufio.  references  Fashion plate Professionalism as a Racial Construct Economic Policy Institute: The CROWN Act Paris is Burning Underground ball culture Everyday Feminism: You Call It Professionalism; I Call It Oppression in a Three-Piece Suit 

This week, Aaron, Jess and Joey revisit their 2025 prognogs from Episode 296. They talk about the micro social media surge, cynicism, platform madness, informed styling, blockbusters, weaponized compliance, non-apocalyptic runaway AI moments, and our AI overlords. They don’t talk about eggprogs.  references  If I ruled the world ... People: Bob Mackie Says 'People Were Horrified' by Cher's 'Naked' 1974 Met Gala Dress, Even Ripping Her Photo off Magazine Covers Tasting ultra-aged eggnog America's Test Kitchen: How to Make the Absolute Best Eggnog Louis Pasteur Memphis Group Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend Podcast: Conan Blames Jason Bateman For His Dad's Death Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Split Fiction AAA (video game industry) quod erat demonstrandum The New York Times: Gonzo Fans Have Made ‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ Into a Global Blockbuster Michiko Kakutani's 1995 The New York Times book review of Wicked: Let's Get This Straight: Glinda Was the Bad One? (paywall) Bloomberg: OpenAI's Nvidia, AMD Deals Boost $1 Trillion AI Boom With Circular Deals (paywall) The Food Lab: How to Roast the Best Potatoes of Your Life 

What does your Zero Farts Land future look like?  This week, Aaron, Joey, and Jess talk about f***s. And farts.  references  Empire: Jamie Lee Curtis Is Done Compromising – And She’s Not Slowing Down George Wallace (not George Wallace) Kenan Thompson on We Might Be Drunk with Normand and Morril Janelle James on Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson 

How do you strategy?  This week, Aaron and Joey talk about Elliott Kalan, the School of Let's Figure It Out, emotional distance from work, working in teams, meandering, and strategy that bleeds. They don’t talk about Jamesy P.  references  Pure Moods Joke Farming: How to Write Comedy and Other Nonsense by Elliott Kalan 99% Invisible Podcast Episode 646: Interview with Elliott Kalan Corrections Department: Les has never ever ever heard, touched, or even seen a copy of Pure Moods and now fears his colleagues do not understand him at all. 

Why do we expect the worst?  This week, Aaron and Jess talk about simple solutions, Karen moments, assuming malice, Thanos, Falkland's Law, and lemmings. They don’t talk about the famous former power forward for the Boston Celtics or the Hamburger Peddler's rhyming buddy.  references  Corrections Department: Camila Cabello "I'll Be Home for [Quizmois]" Glee's Kevin McHale Kevin McHale on the Loss of Naya Rivera Hanlon’s Razor Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein Cringe Blvd. Slow Horses Falkland's Law