
NO SUCH THING
byKaleidoscope
ComedyCommentaryNewsSocietyCulture
Join Manny, Noah, and Devan — three best friends and journalists — as they settle dumb arguments by actually doing the research. Each week, they start with a debate or discussion. Why don’t men ask follow up questions? Should schools ban phones? Is dating an AI chatbot cheating? Then, they go out into the world, talk to experts, conduct experiments, and find the answer. NO SUCH THING is an explainer podcast about pop culture, the internet, and whatever weird thing your group chat can’t agree on. If you’ve ever had a take so strong you had to fact-check it, this show i...
Episodes(40 episodes)

E49 - Are outdoor cats happier than indoor cats?
This week, Kate Lindsay—ICYMI host, Embedded author, and proud cat lover—sits in for Manny, and we go deep on everything you’ve ever wanted to know about cats. Our expert this week is Dr. Mikel Delgado, a cat behaviorist, scientist, and author of Play With Your Cat! Listen to:• Are suburban dogs happier than city dogs? • Why can’t adults order from the kids’ menu? For pics of Kate’s very cute cats, check out our newsletter — and follow us on Instagram for video clips and behind-the-scenes moments. Have a question...
Published: Feb 4, 2026Duration: 1:00:36

E48 - Can humans be cloned?
Why are there so many celebrity clone conspiracy theories? Is there really a Melania Trump body double? Have scientists actually tried to clone humans? And, how does cloning actually work? We hear from an alleged clone himself, and talk to a biosciences expert to find out how feasible these theories actually are. This week features Chelsey Weber-Smith, whose show American Hysteria covers all sorts of strange hoaxes, moral panics, and odd misunderstandings. Also featuring Hank T. Greely, director of Stanford University’s Center for Law and the Biosciences. For links to research and more...
Published: Jan 28, 2026Duration: 51:00

Presenting Mind Games | The Guru’s Guru
We’ll be back next week. In the meantime, check out the first episode of a show we’re super excited about. Listen to Mind Games Check out our newsletter. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at (860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Published: Jan 21, 2026Duration: 44:01

E47 - Should politicians be funny? (with Mike Birbiglia)
On today's episode, Manny, Noah, and Devan chat about the use of humor in politics. Using Gavin Newsom's recent mocking of Donald Trump as a jumping off point, the boys assess how effective humor can be as a political strategy. They hear from humor historian Mark Rolfe, of the University of New South Wales in Australia, and then Manny talks to Mike Birbiglia, host of the Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out podcast, to get thoughts from an actual comedian. Be sure to check our website for more about each episode, and if you have a question you'd...
Published: Jan 7, 2026Duration: 46:38

E46 - NST Picks: The best of 2025 (and our best arguments)
2025 is coming to a close, which means it’s time for our second annual end-of-year wrap-up. Here are our favorite music, movies, TV shows, and NST moments of the year. Head to nosuchthing.show where you’ll find links to everything we reference in this episode, along with an NST-curated playlist in Devan–Noah–Manny order. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at (860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Published: Dec 31, 2025Duration: 53:11

Do horses actually hate running? (Remastered)
Today, we're throwing a NST classic back in your feed. This time remastered. What if this ONE thing we’ve always been told about horses isn’t true at all? What if it’s a lie we’ve told ourselves so that we can enjoy our horseback riding vacations and Kentucky Derbies without guilt? To answer this question we speak with Ren Hurst, a former professional horse trainer and author of “The Wisdom of Wilderness.” And we venture to New Jersey to spend some time with horses at the Bergen County Horse Rescue. The end cred...
Published: Dec 24, 2025Duration: 38:30

E45 - Does religion make you happier?
This week, the boys grapple with the big questions: Is there a God? What happens after you die? Does bowling make you happier than Catholic Mass? We speak to a researcher who’s studied health outcomes of faith-based practices to find out if religious people are happier than others, and what it means for worldwide wellbeing when religiosity is on the decline overall. Our guests this week are Dr. Harold G. Koenig, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University, and Rabbi Jason Klein of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah. For more, check out our news...
Published: Dec 17, 2025Duration: 38:25

E44 - NST Hotline: B-list wedding invites, hallway storage, and more
On today's episode of NO SUCH THING, it's the NST Hotline. Listeners have called in to the show asking for advice, and the boys hand out some sage wisdom. Is it bad to send B-list wedding invites? Should you side with your family or your spouse in a conflict? Is it okay to store things in the hallway outside of your apartment? That, and more, followed by the NST Holiday Gift Guide for 2025. For more, check out our newsletter. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a...
Published: Dec 10, 2025Duration: 55:38

E43 - Why do Tesla door handles suck? (Devan Design Week)
Welcome to Devan Design Week, a one-episode celebration of the stuff Devan cannot stand the design of. From Tesla’s confusing door handles, to microwaves with too many buttons, and sad modern couches. Our guests this week are: WIRED’s Aarian Marshall, Kill Switch host and part-time microwave engineer Dexter Thomas, and design expert and Snake newsletter writer Sami Reiss.We reached out to Tesla about the claims that its electronic door handles are dangerous, but we haven't heard back. Head over to nosuchthing.show to see some of the visuals from this epis...
Published: Dec 3, 2025Duration: 50:28

E42 - Why can’t men find anything?
Why do men have so much trouble finding everyday items in their own homes? It’s a common sitcom trope, but is there actually something to it. This week, for the sake of the women in our lives, we dig into the research to find out if “male refrigerator blindness” is real, explore if it dates all the way back to our hunter-gatherer roots, and find out what we can do about it. Our guest this week is Dr. Albert Postma, leader of the Memory & Space Lab at Utrecht University. For more, check out our newslett...
Published: Nov 26, 2025Duration: 36:00

E41 - Could you get away with murder?
Nearly half of homicide cases go unsolved in the US, and in today's episode, the boys try and get to the bottom of why that is. Joining NO SUCH THING this week are criminologist Dr. Brian Forst and homicide detective Chris McDonough. After learning about the importance of "community policing," Manny makes Noah and Devan concoct plans to whack each other, and presents said plans to the detective to see if they might get away with it. For more, check out our newsletter and follow us on Instagram. Have a question you want us to a...
Published: Nov 19, 2025Duration: 51:43

E40 - Are you doing your laundry wrong?
By popular demand, we answered all of your laundry questions: Do you really need to separate lights from darks? How much detergent should you use? Are front-loading machines better than top-loading? What do dry cleaners actually do? And much, much more. Our guest this week is Patric Richardson, author of Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore. For more, check out our newsletter and follow us on Instagram. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at (860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/li...
Published: Nov 12, 2025Duration: 41:56

E39 - How did celebrity rumors spread before social media?
For this week’s episode, we collaborated with Ryan Broderick and Grant Irving from Panic World to go deep on three middle school rumors. We’ll investigate the false rumor that Ciara announced she was intersex, the “jenkem” panic of the 90s, and the rumor that Marilyn Manson had a rib removed so that he could…you know. Listen to Panic World and subscribe to Garbage Day. Head over to nosuchthing.show to see some of the visuals from this episode and follow us on Instagram. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannyn...
Published: Nov 5, 2025Duration: 49:22

E38 - How often do you actually need to shower?
For this episode, we make our way back into the bathroom as we go deep on showering. How often should you actually shower? What’s the proper way to do it? Do you actually need to wash your legs every time? How long should your shower last? Should you be using a loofah — or are they actually bad for you? Our guests this week are Katherine Ashenberg, author of The Dirty on Clean: An Unsanitized History and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Lisa Akintilo. For more, check out our newsletter and follow us on Instagram. Have...
Published: Oct 29, 2025Duration: 45:46

E37 - What happens to a property after a murder?
On today's episode, we're putting on our true crime hats to get to the bottom of what happens to properties after high-profile murders occur inside of them. We talk to journalist Catherine Fenollosa, who shared with us her interview with Randall Bell, A.K.A. the “Master of Disaster.” For decades, it’s been Randall’s job to manage and help sell the property where these kind of tragedies happen. From Nicole Brown Simpson’s condo, to the “Heaven’s Gate” mansion, to the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Randall has seen it all, and shared some incredible insights into this kind of wor...
Published: Oct 22, 2025Duration: 38:44

E36 - Is Taylor Swift bigger than Michael Jackson?
So everyone knows Taylor Swift is one of the most popular musicians of all time, but how does she stack up to giants of the past like Michael Jackson and The Beatles? No matter how many reports of new chart records, we can’t shake the feeling that someone like MJ just had a larger cultural impact worldwide. This week, we crunch the numbers to see the true size of the Swiftdom we live in. Our guest this week is Chris Dalla Riva, author of Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us about the Biggest Hit Songs and Our...
Published: Oct 15, 2025Duration: 43:06

Origin Stories: Yousef Srouji on Three Promises
Hey, folks. This week, NO SUCH THING is hosting Origin Stories, a new podcast from Campside Media. Each week, veteran journalist Matthew Shaer talks to a different writer or director about the creation of a work close to their own hearts, and this episode is the perfect example. Palestinian filmmaker Yousef Srouji is the creator of the critically-acclaimed documentary "Three Promises," which uses his mother’s old home video footage to tell an intimate story of life during the Second Intifada. Srouji talks to Matthew about coming to documentary film as a newbie and learning the tools of the tr...
Published: Oct 8, 2025Duration: 32:47

E35 - What happened to Kanye West?
This week, we’re asking: what do you do when your favorite artist becomes a self-proclaimed N*zi? And we dive into the new documentary In Whose Name?, which claims to show Kanye in a new light. Don't forget to cast your votes for the Signal Awards. We've been nominated for: Best Buddy Podcast and Activism, Public Service, & Social Impact for our episode about Online Pedophile Hunters. Follow us on Instagram and sign up for our newsletter at nosuchthing.show. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com...
Published: Oct 1, 2025Duration: 53:56

E34 - Why are modern statues so bad?
Why does it seem so common that modern sculptures of iconic figures look so bad? Soccer star Ronaldo, NBA legend Dwyane Wade, and even the great Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. have been frankly disgraced by sub-par and strange renditions. Is creating a great statue a lost art, or are we being unfair? This week, we talk to a real sculptor to find out. Our guest this week is John Belardo. To follow along with the sculptures in the episode, check out our newsletter or Instagram. Some exciting news, we’ve been nominated for...
Published: Sep 24, 2025Duration: 39:58

E33 - Do you need therapy?
What is therapy exactly, and what is it supposed to do? How do you know if you need therapy? If you’re in therapy, how do you know if it’s working? NO SUCH THING talks to Lilly Kaplan, therapist and author of the Reality Test newsletter, who gracefully demystifies the practice of therapy for us and answers a barrage of questions. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at (860) 325-0286 For more, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram.See omnyst...
Published: Sep 17, 2025Duration: 45:50