Best Bill Giles Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 217: Screen Acting / New Brunswick “Mystery” Illness 59:39

Play Pause

5d ago59:39

59:39

Ali recently taught a class on “acting for the screen” at Queen’s University, so in our first half Asif asks him about this (1:24). They discuss how he was approached to teach this class as well as his IMDB resume. Asif asks about how Ali structured the class, ‘scene study’, filming auditions and the main take-home “tips” for screen acting. Then, t…

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Episode 216: In-Flight Entertainment / In-Flight Medical Emergencies 57:17

12d ago57:17

57:17

Because Ali and Asif have been travelling a lot in the past few months, the guys chat about their favourite in-flight entertainment (5:17). They start off by talking about their typical “rituals” when flying. Then the guys discuss their go-to “comfort watches” when flying. They review movies and shows they have watched recently when flying. Finally…

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Episode 215: Family medicine, private clinics…and Saturday morning cartoons? (w/ Dr. Danyaal Raza) 49:49

13d ago49:49

49:49

Today, Ali and Asif are joined by family physician and the inaugural Primary Care and Health Policy Scholar at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Dr. Danyaal Raza. The guys start off by asking Dr. Raza about how healthcare is structured. Then, they ask him about a recent article he wrote in the ‘Toronto Star’ regarding the privatization of family m…

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Episode 214: ‘You’re My Hero’ / Hypoxic Birth Injury 47:18

26d ago47:18

47:18

Today, Asif asks Ali about Ali co-starring in the CBC Gem TV show ‘You’re My Hero’ (2:21). Ali talks about how he was offered the role and co-starring with professional wrestler Chris Jericho. They talk about creator Sean Towgood, “disabled” vs “differently abled” and the (lack) of representation of people with disabilities on television. Asif then…

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Episode 213: Interview with Addiction Medicine Expert Dr. Jason Giles 53:13

1M ago53:13

53:13

Today, on a special episode, Asif and Ali interview addiction expert Dr. Jason Giles. For over two decades, Dr. Giles has helped more than 10,000 patients overcome substance use disorders. Dr. Giles combines clinical expertise with personal experience, having navigated his own journey to recovery 25 years ago. Dr. Giles is the founder and Medical D…

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Episode 212: Billy Joel / Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus 45:53

1M ago45:53

45:53

Today, Asif and Ali discuss the career of the legendary singer Billy Joel (1:08). They start off by discussing his accolades, how Joel is compared to his contemporaries and his early years. They then discuss some of his seminal songs that Ali and Asif experienced growing up, including ‘Vienna’, ‘Piano Man’, ‘My Life’, ‘Uptown Girl’, and ‘We Didn’t …

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Episode 211: Bill Burr, ‘Drop Dead Years’ and Sudden Cardiac Death 1:09:16

2M ago1:09:16

1:09:16

Today, Ali and Asif, after a digression about Paris restaurants and Reddit trolls, discuss the career of Bill Burr (7:33). They discuss his early life, starting out in comedy, his Philly rant and his podcast. They \then discuss his television cartoon ‘F is for Family’ and his acting roles, his film ‘Old Dads’ including his recent broadway turn in ‘…

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Episode 210: ‘The Studio’ / Perception of Doctors 1:01:23

2M ago1:01:23

1:01:23

After a brief digression about popcorn throwing at ‘The Minecraft Movie’ and Ali’s connection to producer Evan Goldberg, Ali and Asif discuss the Apple TV hit series ‘The Studio’ (10:49). The guys start off by discussing the creation of the show by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and how it was influenced by ‘The Larry Sanders Show’. They discuss the …

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Episode 209: A Quiz on French Culture and French Medicine 47:34

2M ago47:34

47:34

This week, Asif is in France on his sabbatical. To commemorate this, the guys give each other a quiz on France. Ali starts off by quizzing Asif about French culture and cuisine (4:55). They discuss croissants, Bouillabaisse, Versailles, and French greetings. Then Asif quizzes Ali about medicine in France (22:57) including the advent of teaching in …

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Episode 208: A Discussion on Suicide (w Dr. Daphne Korczak) 33:02

2M ago33:02

33:02

If you are in crisis or concerned about someone text 9-8-8 in the USA or Canada or visit suicide prevention.ca This week is children’s mental health week, and so today Asif and Ali welcome physician and researcher Dr. Daphne Korczak to discuss the important topic of suicide in children and youth. They discuss the changing language around suicide, h…

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Episode 207: Val Kilmer / Throat Cancer 40:58

3M ago40:58

40:58

Today, Asif and Ali discuss the career of the late actor Val Kilmer (1:05). The guys start off by discussing the 2023 documentary about Kilmer entitled ‘Val’. They discuss Val’s early life and the tragic death of his younger brother from epilepsy. They discuss Kilmer’s early successes and how he was the youngest person admitted to Julliard in the d…

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Episode 207: Snacks and Ultraprocessed Foods 49:43

3M ago49:43

49:43

Today, Asif and Ali discuss ultraprocessed foods (no medical topic today). To start off, Asif quizzes Ali about his favorite snack foods (1:29). Then Ali gives Asif a quiz on ultraprocessed foods from the New York Times. They then discuss the obesity epidemic and the the theory that ultraprocessed foods may have contributed to this (25;17). They th…

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Episode 206: ‘Adolescence’ / Teenagers and Screens 53:02

3M ago53:02

53:02

Today, Asif and Ali discuss the phenomenal Netflix series ‘Adolescence’ (1:28). They discuss the creation of the film and how star and co-creator Stephen Graham came up with the concept for the show to address misogyny and knife violence in the UK. The guys discuss incel culture, the book ‘The Game’ and Andrew Tate and how adolescence tackles these…

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Episode 205: Period Pain (w/ Kate Downey) 39:10

3M ago39:10

39:10

Today Asif and Ali interview podcaster Kate Downey about period pain and her new podcast “Cramped”. The guys chat with Kate about why she wanted to start a podcast about period pain (dysmenorrhea) and her personal journey with what she calls ‘death cramps”. Kate then elaborates on why period pain is often treated differently than other types of pai…

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Episode 204: ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’ and Belle Gibson / Measles 47:22

3M ago47:22

47:22

Today, after a brief discussion of shows Ali and Asif have been watching lately – including ‘One Day’ and ‘Adolescence’ (as well as shows they bailed on… ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘The White Lotus’) – they discuss ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’ and Belle Gibson (7:43). They go over Belle Gibson’s rise from Instagram “Wellness Warrior” to being exposed as faking ha…

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Episode 203: ‘Deli Boys’ / Dangers of Ayurvedic Medicine 48:11

4M ago48:11

48:11

Today Asif and Ali discuss the new critically acclaimed Disney Plus /Hulu series “Deli Boys” (1:15). They discuss creator Abdullah Saeed’ background and how he came to develop the series. They discuss what they love about the show including the superb cast including Saagar Shaikh. Asif Ali, and Poorna Jagannathan. Then, based on some recent news ar…

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Episode 202: Gene Hackman / Hantavirus from Rodent Droppings 45:36

4M ago45:36

45:36

Today, Ali and Asif discuss the career of the late Gene Hackman (2:04). They discuss his early life, getting into acting and his friendship with Dustin Hoffman and Robert Duvall. They also discuss Hackman’s other interests including architecture and writing. Asif and Ali then discuss their favourite Gene Hackman roles including in the movies ‘Super…

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Episode 201: Composer John Williams / Pacemakers 52:09

4M ago52:09

52:09

Today, after Asif admits that he saw “Home Alone” for the first time in December 2024, the guys discuss the prolific career of the composer John Williams and the recent documentary on his life “Music by John Williams” (5:33). They discuss his early life and his unusual connection to Newfoundland. They discuss his origins as a jazz pianist, his earl…

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Episode 200: Interview with Misinformation Expert Tim Caulfield 53:02

4M ago53:02

53:02

Today, to celebrate 200 episodes, Ali and Asif interview misinformation expert Timothy Caulfield about his new book, ‘The Certainty Illusion: What You Don’t Know and Why It Matters ’. They start off by discussing Tim’s background and how he became involved in the battle against misinformation and how he deals with internet trolls. Ali then asks Tim…

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Episode 199: 97th Oscars Preview 45:37

5M ago45:37

45:37

After a brief discussion about plane crashes and measles outbreaks, Asif and Ali preview the upcoming 97th annual Academy Awards. taking place on March 2, 2025 (no medical topic this episode). After discussing the amazing score for ‘Conclave’, the guys go over their Oscar picks in the following categories: Original and Adapted Screenplay, Best Dire…

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Episode 198: ‘The Substance’ / Botox 43:31

5M ago43:31

43:31

Today Asif and Ali discuss the Oscar nominated movie “The Substance” (1:44) (mild spoilers follow). They discuss the overall genre of body horror and the classic Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg and how the end of the substance is similar to the end of ‘The Fly’. They then chat about how ‘The Substance’ was developed by acclaimed director Corali…

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Episode 197: Christopher Reeve, Super / Man and Spinal Cord Injuries 48:11

5M ago48:11

48:11

After a truly inane discussion about ‘back slashes’ vs ‘forward slashes’, the guys discuss the career of the late Christopher Reeve and the recent documentary on his life ‘Superman / Man’ (2:41). They discuss Reeve’s early career, his studies at Julliard and his iconic role as Superman. They then discuss his tragic horseback riding accident and how…

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Episode 196: Anthony Jeselnik / Psychopathy and Antisocial Personality Disorder 56:46

5M ago56:46

56:46

Today, Ali and Asif discuss the career of comedian Anthony Jeselnik and his special ‘Bones and All’ (1:54). They discuss his early life, when they first saw him (Ali actually met him person!) and an insightful interview with Jeselnik in ‘Cracked Magazine’. They discuss Jeselnik’s success as well as his admiration for Norm MacDonald. The guys then d…

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Episode 195; David Lynch / Emphysema 53:48

6M ago53:48

53:48

Groundbreaking director David Lynch passed away recently, so today Asif and Ali review his career (4:17). They review his classic movies and television shows including Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, Dune, Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks, Wild at Heart, Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive, and Twin Peaks: the Return. They discuss his legacy as well as the tribute…

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Episode 194: ‘Severance’ / Memory 1:05:50

6M ago1:05:50

1:05:50

Today, in anticipation of its second season, Asif and Ali discuss the hit Apple TV+ show ‘Severance’ (1:49). They discuss the development of the show, creator Dan Erickson and producer/director Ben Stiller. After several tangents the guys go over the cast, including Adam Scott, the plot and the production design of the show. They give their overall…

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Episode 193: Nikki Glaser, New Year’s Eve and Norovirus 53:26

6M ago53:26

53:26

Today Asif and Ali catchup on news from the first few weeks of January. They start off by discussing Nikki Glaser and her Golden Globes performance (2:38). They discuss a recent New York Times article about her process and how she practiced her set in front of comedy club crowds over 90 times. They also discuss Conan O’Brien’s thoughts on Nikki Gla…

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Episode 192: Jamie Foxx / Brain Hemorrhages 49:04

6M ago49:04

49:04

Happy New Year!! Today the guys discuss the career of actor and comedian Jamie Foxx (1:10). The guys discuss his early life and start in stand up comedy. They then discuss his breakout in ‘In Living Color’ and subsequent movie roles including in ‘Any Given Sunday’, ‘Collateral’, ‘Ali’ and ‘Ray’ and his TV show ‘The Jamie Foxx Show’. They then discu…

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Episode 191: Favourite Entertainment from 2024 1:01:39

7M ago1:01:39

1:01:39

NB: We will be off on Dec 27 and Jan 3 and will return with new episodes on Jan 10, 2025. Today, Ali and Asif review their favourite entertainment from 2024. They discuss the best movies, TV shows, movies and books from the year. Listen to hear what they thought about ‘The Fall Guy’, ‘Ricky Stanicky’, ‘La Cochina’, ‘Past Lives’, ‘Inside Out 2’, ‘De…

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Episode 190: Norm MacDonald / Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Transplants 50:08

7M ago50:08

50:08

Today, Ali and Asif discuss the career of the late great Norm MacDonald. They start off by talking about his early life, his start in comedy and his breakthrough on ‘Saturday Night Live’. They discuss his other projects and then Asif asks Ali about Norm’s comedy style and Ali’s thoughts on MacDonald’s last Netflix comedy special ‘Nothing Special’. …

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Episode 189: ‘Saturday Night’/ Fluoride 41:13

7M ago41:13

41:13

Today, Ali and Asif continue their discussion about the 50th season of Saturday Night Live by discussing the recent movie “Saturday Night” (3:21). They discuss the fast paced format of the movie, which takes place in real time in the 90 minutes before the SNL premiere on Oct 11, 1975. They also chat about the spectacular cast and what is and what i…

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Episode 188: Top 1994 Movies 41:02

8M ago41:02

41:02

Some say that 1994 was the best year for movies EVER. As a result, today, Asif and Ali discuss their favorite movies from that year (no medical topic today). Listen to hear what made their list, what didn’t and what overlap, if they had. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast…

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Episode 187: 50 years of SNL / West Nile Virus 49:04

8M ago49:04

49:04

This year marks the 50th season of Saturday night live, so today the guys go over their favourite SNL moments from the past half decade (2:37). The guys review their top hosts, top monologues, Top Weekend update anchors, top weekend update correspondents and top 5 SNL skits EVER. Then the guys discuss how West Nile Virus has been in the news as of …

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Episode 186: Hasan Minhaj’s “Off With His Head” / Deep Brain Stimulation 54:55

8M ago54:55

54:55

Today, the guys discuss Hasan Minhaj’s new comedy special “Off With His Head” (despite Asif’s hesitation) (2:18). The guys start off by recapping Hasan’s background and the controversy that swirled around him in 2023, associated with a New Yorker article which resulted in Minhaj losing the hosting role of “The Daily Show”. Then they give their thou…

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Episode 185: Interview with Sterling Scott (Canada’s Got Talent, Netflix is a Joke) 44:49

8M ago44:49

44:49

Today, Ali and Asif interview the sensational comedian Sterling Scott. Sterling made history as the first ever BIPOC comedian to win the prestigious San Francisco International Comedy Competition, one of only two Canadian comedians selected for the Netflix is a Joke Comedy Festival earlier this year, and was the first comedian to ever be given the …

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Episode 184: Tony Hinchcliffe / Do Cell Phones Cause Cancer? 1:04:12

9M ago1:04:12

1:04:12

NB: This episode was recorded BEFORE Tony Hinchcliffe appeared at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally Stay tuned to the end of the episode for Ali’s and Asif’s takes on Tony Hinchcliffe’s jokes from the rally. Today, the discuss Tony Hinchcliffe and his podcast ‘Kill Tony’ (5:43). They discuss Tony Hinchcliffe’s background, his start in come…

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Episode 183: 30 years of Pulp Fiction / Rabies 48:11

9M ago48:11

48:11

Today, the guys discuss the 30th anniversary of ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1:23). The guys chat about when they first saw it and their thoughts about their recent rewatch. They discuss the writing in the movie, its development and its stellar cast. They then chat about the classic soundtrack and the legacy of the film. Then, after the recent death of a child …

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Episode 182 Top Albums of 1994 / Hospital Parking 59:41

9M ago59:41

59:41

Today, Ali and Asif debate their top albums of 1994 (1:30) and spoiler… there is not a lot of overlap! Then Ali, based on his personal experiences, asks Asif about hospital parking (38:38). Asif talks about the situation in Canada and how parking contributes a large amount to the financial bottom line of hospitals. He then contrasts it to the situa…

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Episode 181: 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon / Raynaud’s phenomenon 42:23

9M ago42:23

42:23

Today the guys discuss the career of actor Kevin Bacon (2:41). They discuss when they were first exposed to him and his early career. Then then discuss his breakout role in ‘Footloose’ and how afterwards he pivoted to become more of a character actor. After discussing his hit movies, then they chat about the party game ‘6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon’. T…

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Episode 180: ‘No Dress Rehearsal’, Top 5 Tragically Hip Songs and Glioblastoma 1:05:34

10M ago1:05:34

1:05:34

Today, the guys discuss the new documentary on the quintessential Canadian band, The Tragically Hip (3:45). They discuss how the docuseries was directed by the brother of Gord Downine (the late front man for the Tragically Hip), Mike Downie. They talk about the numerous talking heads in the doc, the story behind some songs and the lack of success o…

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Episode 179: James Earl Jones / Stuttering 41:07

10M ago41:07

41:07

Today, after a brief quiz, Asif and Ali discuss the career of the late James Earl Jones. Ali goes over Jones’ accolades and the fact that he is one of the few people who have one an EGOT(Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony). They discuss his early life and how some major life events may have contributed to him developing a stutter. They discuss his early Bro…

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Episode 178: ‘Chimp Crazy’ / Monkey Bites 46:12

10M ago46:12

46:12

Today the guys discuss the extremely popular HBO docuseries “Chimp Crazy (1:39). The guys discuss the background of the series and director Eric Good (Tiger King) developed the series. They then discuss how the series main subject, Tonia Haddix, got involved with keeping primates as pets in addition to discussing the involvement of actor Alan Cummi…

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Episode 177: Top 5 ‘Friends’ Episodes / Ketamine 56:12

10M ago56:12

56:12

Today, the guys discuss their top 5 episodes of the classic sitcom ‘Friends’. But they switch things up by doing the medical topic first by discussing Ketamine and its role in Matthew Perry’s death (3:53). Ali starts out by asking Asif about how exactly ketamine was involved in Matthew Perry’s drowning death. Asif then goes over the history of keta…

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Episode 176: Summer 2024 Entertainment / ‘The Yips’ 55:59

10M ago55:59

55:59

Today, the guys discuss entertainment they consumed in the summer of 2024 (2:31). Asif goes first by discussing his disappointment with season 3 of ‘The Bear’, and similarities to ‘House of the Dragon’, ‘The Boys’ and ‘Ted Lasso’ Season 3. He then discusses ‘Time Bandits’, ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ and ‘Love Lies Bleeding’. Asif concludes by discuss…

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Episode 175: Steve Martin / Tinnitus (Part 2) 48:22

11M ago48:22

48:22

Today on the second of a two-part episode, the guys continue their discussion of Steve Martin (1:43). They start off the episode by going through Steve Martin’s filmography, including the Jerk, All of Me, Three Amigos, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Father of the Bride, Roxanne, L.A. Story, Bowfinger, The Pink Panther, amongst others. They then di…

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Episode 174: Steve Martin / Tinnitus (Part 1) 46:35

11M ago46:35

46:35

Today on a two-part episode, the guys discuss the career of legendary comedian Steve Martin. The guys start off the episode by discussing the recent documentary Steve! By Morgan Neville, which was actually released on Apple TV + as two different documentaries (Ali also gives a quick personal anecdote about Morgan Neville). At 7:50 Ali talks about S…

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Episode 173: Hernia’s redux 58:10

11M ago58:10

58:10

Today on a special episode, Ali discusses his recent hernia surgery (5:06). He talks about how our hernia episode from last year prompted him to go for this procedure as well as what tests were done beforehand. He then talks about his consultation with the surgeon and his decision whether or not to do laparoscopic surgery. Asif asks Ali about what …

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Episode 172: Bob Newhart / Polycythemia 43:16

11M ago43:16

43:16

Today Ali and Asif (who is battling a cold) discuss the career of the late Bob Newhart (1:47). They discuss his early life and how he got started in comedy. They then discuss his phenomenal success with his debut album “The Button Down Mind of Bob Newhart”. They discuss his comedy style and why it has been so hard for others to duplicate it. They a…

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STP206 - Starliner and Misinformation - What's Going on? 48:59

11M ago48:59

48:59

One of the big stories of this year has been the first crewed mission of the Boeing Starliner space craft which has now been at the ISS for 2 months, when it was only scheduled to be there for 8 days. We dig a little deeper and also have a conversation about misinformation. Eric Berger Article: https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/08/yes-nasa-really-…

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Episode 171: Ali’s Top Comedy Specials / Brain Waves 55:21

12M ago55:21

55:21

A few episodes ago, we discussed the AV club’s top 40 albums of all time. Today Ali gives us a list of his favorite comedy specials that did NOT make the list (1:12). Ali discusses the following albums (not in order): John Mulaney - BABY J (2023) Norm MacDonald – NOTHING SPECIAL (2022) Patrice O’Neal - ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM (2011) Chris Rock – BRING…

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STP205 - Life As A Space Shuttle Payload Engineer - with Michael E. Haddad 52:44

12M ago52:44

52:44

This week we talk to Mike Haddad, who retired in 2011 from NASA at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) with 32 years of Flight and Ground systems engineering and operational experience. We find out more about life behind the scenes of the space shuttle and all about the efforts involved to restore some of the hardware that was used back then. Michael Haddad…