Mike tells Sarah what makes older Americans more vulnerable to misinformation — and who is delivering it to them. Digressions include "Supernatural," the Rachel and a fake university in Pennsylvania. We recorded this episode before the election

The Stanford Prison Experiment

1 Dec 21st, 2020 1h 10m

Mike tells Sarah the complicated story of an over-simplified study. Digressions include Tonya Harding, "The Meg" and Kitty Genovese. The Milgram obedience studies and the "broken windows" theory of policing receive bonus debunkings. Thanks to T

Princess Diana Part 1: The Courtship

1 1 Sep 28th, 2020 1h 31m

We start our new series with the story of a girl, a prince and the society that convinced them they liked each other. Digressions include camels, Beyoncé and the idiosyncrasies of British place names. We're sorry to say that this episode has de

Anita Hill

1 May 26th, 2018 1h 12m

Mike tells Sarah about the complicated legacy of Anita Hill and the not-particularly-complicated facts of her case. Digressions include “Tootsie," Garrison Keillor and the Donner party. Mike, for reasons unknown, seems to believe that one flies

Princess Diana Part 3: The Affairs

1 1 Oct 12th, 2020 1h 19m

This week, Diana swaps out her husband for a Horse Dude and Mike and Sarah act out other people's PG-13 dirty talk. Digressions include shoulder pads, Billy Joel and "Seinfeld" (twice!). There's a moment 55 minutes in that is going to make you

Princess Diana Part 2: The Wedding

1 Oct 5th, 2020 1h 24m

This week, Diana gets married, joins her new family and meets the press. Digressions include Judy Garland, Edward Cullen and the AITA subreddit. Unfortunately, this episode includes detailed descriptions of suicide attempts and eating disorders

Monica Lewinsky

1 Jun 2nd, 2018 1h 14m

Sarah and Mike talk about what America forgot — and never learned — about history’s most famous intern. Digressions include generational resentments, 1990s fashion and off-brand colleges. Also, Mike’s microphone breaks about 25 minutes in, so h

Where Have All the Preppies Gone? with Avery Trufelman

1 1 Nov 28th, 2022 1h 1m

Put on your Docksiders for a stroll through history with Avery Trufelman, who shows us how Ivy style became “preppy,” and how preppy fashion escaped the campus and took over the world. We’re talking about clothing, class, race, and the American

The Dyatlov Pass Incident with Blair Braverman

Jun 6th, 2022 1h 17m

This week, Sarah tries to solve the mystery of the Dyatlov Pass Incident, in which nine experienced ski hikers fled their shelter and ran into the frigid night for reasons unknown. Digressions include yetis, snowmobiles, and Rachel Monroe. Sara

Cancel Culture

2 2 Jun 7th, 2021 1h 21m

Mike and Sarah have big feelings about an enduring debate. Digressions include “Carrie,” party planning etiquette and Whole Foods cafeterias. Sarah’s sound quality changes midway through because she moves from a McDonald’s parking lot to a Hard

"Political Correctness"

1 1 Apr 19th, 2021 1h 22m

Mike tells Sarah how liberal magazines turned a "kids these days" moral panic into a national crisis. Digressions include Law & Order, Dave Foley and swimming pool etiquette. This episode contains detailed descriptions of sexual assault, mass s

Princess Diana Part 4: The Divorce

2 1 Nov 2nd, 2020 1h 27m

This week, Diana leaves the royal family with her reputation intact and her title slightly edited. Digressions include "Love Actually," "Pride and Prejudice" and Marie Antoinette. Both co-hosts reveal their staunch affirmative stance on wine mo

D.C. Snipers Part 1

Jan 6th, 2020 1h 50m

“If you’re black, you can’t get work as a serial killer even if you’re manifestly qualified.” Mike tells Sarah how a military veteran became an abuser, a murderer and, eventually, a footnote in his own crime spree. Digressions include Jim Jones

Sound of Freedom with Michael Hobbes AND Human Trafficking re-release

1 Sep 5th, 2023 2h 44m

Like so many other mostly imaginary topics, human trafficking is in the news again. Michael Hobbes—ever heard of him??—came by so Sarah could tell him about Sound of Freedom, a surprise hit summer movie that promises it can end child slavery, b

Flight 571: Survival in the Andes with Blair Braverman

1 Oct 31st, 2022 1h 21m

Our survival correspondent Blair Braverman is here to tell us the story of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, which crashed in the Andes on October 13, 1972. Of the 45 people on board, 16 ultimately lived. Their survival made them heroes, until th

Tom Cruise on Oprah’s couch with Willa Paskin

1 Jan 24th, 2022 54m 36s

Willa Paskin (of Slate's Decoder Ring) brings Sarah back to 2005, when Tom Cruise jumping on a couch became the talk of the town. We will return to Amityville (part 3 of 3) next time! Here's where to find Willa:Decoder RingSupport us:Bonus Epi

The Chicks vs. The Iraq War

2 May 3rd, 2021 1h 30m

Mike tells Sarah about an impending conflict, a dissident singer and America's first internet-enabled cancellation. Digressions include "Freedom Fries" and 1990s record company shenanigans. The co-hosts harmonize for the first time; Mike strugg

Bonus: Dr. Oz

Mar 15th, 2021 1h 1m

Mike reached new levels of rantiness on his other show and we wanted to make sure all our beloved debunkmates knew. PLUS: A special announcement! Subscribe to Maintenance Phase hereSubscribe to Sarah's other show, Why Are Dads, hereSupport us:S

The Anti-Vaccine Movement

1 1 Feb 1st, 2021 45m 54s

Special guest Eric Michael Garcia tells Mike and Sarah about the deep roots of a pernicious modern myth. Digressions include Mary Tyler Moore, British place names and supermodel dating habits. Mike finally gets to talk about Swedish statistical

Princess Diana Part 5: The Crash

1 1 Nov 9th, 2020 1h 30m

“You can be a hot mess express and still leave the world better than you found it.” In the final episode of our series, we talk about Diana’s untimely death and the everlasting conspiracy theories surrounding it. Digressions include RPGs, Madon

Re-Release: The Stonewall Uprising

Jun 4th, 2020 1h 19m

In honor of Pride Month and revolutions past, present, and future, we're re-releasing our episode on the Stonewall Uprising. Let the sunshine in. Support us:Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PaypalBuy cute merchWhere else to find us: Sarah's other

Marie Antoinette

Apr 13th, 2020 1h 13m

“What’s sad about her has nothing to do with the content of her character.” Special guest Dana Schwartz tells Mike and Sarah how an Austrian princess became a French scapegoat. Digressions include Rubik’s Cubes, Taylor Swift and Tom Stoppard. T

‘Yoko Ono Broke Up The Beatles’

Sep 10th, 2019 1h 19m

Mike tells Sarah how the myth of meddling wives serves to exonerate terrible husbands. Digressions include "50 Shades of Grey," Marie Antoinette and the end of the 1960s. This episode, we’re sorry to say, contains descriptions of domestic abuse

The Stonewall Uprising

1 Jun 27th, 2019 1h 19m

“Humans aren’t good at remembering what got us where we are.” Mike tells Sarah how a turning point in the gay rights movement became an immediate controversy, a lasting inspiration and a never-ending debate. Digressions include “Newsies” (of co

Kitty Genovese and “Bystander Apathy”

Jun 20th, 2019 1h 6m

“Once you tell a story incorrectly once, you can’t control where it goes.” Sarah tells Mike how The New York Times turned a suburban murder into an urban legend. Digressions include Billy Joel, the World’s Fair and “Ferngully.” This episode mar