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Panic World

A weekly podcast, hosted by Ryan Broderick, about how the internet warps our minds, our culture, and eventually reality.

COURIER

Today we’re talking about the D4vd murder case, one of the darkest 
stories in pop culture at the moment. D4vd — or David Burke — got his 
start as one of the original Fortnite streamers, who then built a big Discord community around himself, including an alter-ego, "IT4MI," and ultimately his work as a musician blending styles like bedroom pop and indie rock. But in April 2026 he was charged with allegedly murdering one of his fans, 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Jennifer Swann joins us again, to discuss the allegations and everything leading up to them.Our guest Jennifer Swann is a journalist and producer. She has a newsletter, Self Storage, which you can find at https://jennswann.substack.com/ and produces the investigative true crime podcast My Friend Daisy, which you can find anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free and extended episodes, 
bonuses, and access to our exclusive Discord? Sign up for a membership 
at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.And if you listen on Apple Podcasts, you can now also find us on COURIER+!

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This celebrity murder case feels like fan fiction

What would the internet look like if major tech companies like Meta and Google were no longer usable?

With Google more deeply integrating AI into Search and changing how it’s worked for the first time in 25 years, many fear “Google Zero,” where websites simply don’t receive any traffic from search anymore. But Google isn’t the only one.

With so many companies going all-in on AI, replacing employees with AI and reorienting their products to cater toward AI use, Ryan presents his “Internet Zero” theory — what happens when companies that are pillars of the internet as we know it shift their core products wholly around AI? With the major players all taking part in this massive, speculative bubble, it’s bound to burst — just like we saw in the early-00s dot-com crash.



This episode is a preview from our Patreon. Listen to the full version at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld — for just five bucks a month, you get exclusive content like this, extended and bonus episodes, Discord community access, and more.

For Apple Podcast users, you can also find this and all of our bonus content — plus other great COURIER shows — with a subscription to COURIER+.
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BONUS PREVIEW: This is the dot-com crash all over again [Part 2]

Why is everything online just clips now?



We’ve reached a point with digital video that’s made it impossible even for a normal, non-sicko to ignore: we’re awash in slop (whether AI-created or not).

Ryan works through his thinking with Grant about how everything on the internet became video: how the people who were first to figure that out made enough money that they’re now able to take on legacy media and big Hollywood players, but it doesn’t really seem like anyone knows what to do with that power, other than pump out garbage. And if short-form video as a format is fundamentally broken, if the internet is just TV now, and everyone hates it — who is this content actually for? Who is winning in the age of clipping, or are we all losing?



This episode is an unlocked bonus from our Patreon. We’ll be sharing part two later today at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld — for just five bucks a month, you get exclusive content like this, extended and bonus episodes, Discord community access, and more. Join us so you don’t miss it!

For Apple Podcast users, you can also find all of our bonus content — plus other great COURIER shows — with a subscription to COURIER+.
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BONUS: How the internet destroyed TV (and itself) [Part 1]

We’re taking a breather to let Grant out of his cage and get some fresh 
air, but we didn’t want to leave you without something to panic about. 
So this week we’ve got an episode from friend of the show and previous 
guest, Alex Goldman, the host of Hyperfixed.

It’s about Markus. When his good friend died suddenly, he went online to get more information. What he found was several AI-written obituaries on dodgy looking websites with a litany of factual inaccuracies. Who is making 
these, and why? And is there anything that can be done to stop them?

We think you’ll dig it. If you do, you can find all of Hyperfixed’s episodes at https://www.hyperfixedpod.com/ or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Panic World will be back with something special for you on Friday. In the meantime, take it away, Hyperfixed!
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Fauxbituaries (Hyperfixed)

Today we’re talking about billionaire Peter Thiel and his many fascinating, varied interests. You might know him for secretly funding Hulk Hogan’s lawsuit that destroyed Gawker, but did you know that he is also pretty interested in New York’s comedy scene, its hipsters, and something about a biohacked Olympics? What is going on here? Claire Parker joins us to delve into the concept of “Thiel Bucks,” or the money he allegedly gives to willingly reactionary influencers and media figures.Our guest is comedian Claire Parker. You can find her on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube at @clairethescare, and check out her podcast Good Noticings wherever you listen and watch them. Her debut comedy special “Clare Parker’s 32” is also out now on YouTube.

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord? Sign up for a membership for just $5 a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.

And if you listen on Apple Podcasts, you can now also find us on COURIER+!
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New York hipsters and the antichrist

If you forgot to add this important event to your calendars, Spike Jonze’s 2013 sci-fi film, Her, was actually set in 2025. Ryan and Grant watched the Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson vehicle now that we’re just past that date to see what it got right and wrong. They discuss where Jonze thought we would be versus where we are with generative AI, societal isolation, relationships — and whether the movie is really "one of the best science fiction movies of all-time."

We're off this week, so this is a Patreon unlock! If you're interested in more ad-free and extended episodes, access to our Discord, bonus videos and conversations like this one, subscribe for just $5 a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld. If you're an Apple Podcasts user, you can also sign up through COURIER+ in the app. It's a good way to support the show!

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Revisiting "Her" in the age of AI relationships

Why are cats so popular on the internet? It started with cat memes like I Can Haz Cheezburger and Keyboard Cat, then we became enamored with cat celebrities like Lil Bub, Grumpy Cat, and Princess Monstertruck. And now, we’re witnessing the next evolution in cat internet content: “cute cat AI.” 

Our guest and host of American Hysteria, Chelsey Weber-Smith, calls it a “Kitty Horror Picture Show.” Chelsey joins Ryan and Grant to tell us about the explosion of really weird AI-generated cat videos depicting cat families that’s all over TikTok and YouTube right now — much like Elsagate once did in 2014.   Then, Ryan takes us back even further, to cover an older cat-based moral panic: Bonsai Kittens. Together, we look at how though technology has changed, we’ve pretty much always wanted to show each other freaky stuff on the internet — whether real or fake.   

Our guest Chelsey Weber-Smith hosts American Hysteria, a show that explores the fantastical thinking and irrational fears of Americans. Check it out here or wherever you listen to podcasts.  Want even more Panic World content? 

SponsorsMint Mobile: Shop plans at https://mintmobile.com/courier for three months of coverage at $45.

Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
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Why AI cat videos are becoming the internet’s newest weird obsession

Where did the "tradwife" trend come from — you know, aside from the 1950s — and why has it become increasingly popular online? Today, we’re talking about not just how men aren’t doing that well, but maybe women aren’t either. This question, of course, is because the (usually) alt-right tradwives supporters have a new girlboss, and it’s Erika Kirk.Journalist Liz Plank joins us to break down the resurgence of these regressive ideas about where women belong and how they should conduct themselves, the trend’s origins (again, aside from in the ‘50s), and why the #tradlife is appealing to people now.

Our guest Liz Plank is a journalist, podcaster, and author. She hosts the Boy Problems podcast wherever your listen (or watch on YouTube), the Airplane Mode newsletter, and you can follow her work more broadly at https://www.elizabethplank.com/ or @feministabulous everywhere.
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How trad wives took over the internet — from 4chan to TikTok

Remember Chewbacca Mom, Damn Daniel, BeanDad, or most recently, Chappell Roan? These are just some examples of people who have become the “main character” on the internet — for better, or mostly (maybe always) worse. Today we’re talking about the old adage that “each day on [Twitter] there is one main character. The goal is to never be it.”How has the internet warped our perception of celebrity (or “cewebrity”)? What does it mean to be swatted or doxxed now, versus a decade ago? Taylor Lorenz, someone who has been the main character on the internet several times, joins us to discuss.Our guest Taylor Lorenz is a journalist. She hosts the podcast Power User, and writes about tech and online culture for her Substack, User Mag at https://www.usermag.co/. You can also follow her YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/taylorlorenz and everywhere else @taylorlorenz.Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.SponsorsMint Mobile: Shop plans at https://mintmobile.com/courier for three months of coverage at $45.Surfshark: Go to https://surfshark.com/panic or use code PANIC at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN.
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You're one post away from becoming the internet's main character

Are we watching the collapse of short-form video and on the cusp of yet another pivot to (a different kind of) video? Today we’re talking about the rise of livestreaming and what makes it different than the Vines and YouTube Shorts that you know. From Clavicular’s overdose to “nuisance streamers” like Vitaly (better known as “VitalyzdTv”) and banned-from-pretty-much-every-streaming platform Johnny Somali, why do people like to watch this stuff? And how do we adapt to this new era of video content that is maybe also helping cause the downfall of society?Ryan & Grant discuss, as well as how Panic World and Garbage Day will be experimenting with video ourselves.

Sponsors

This episode is sponsored by Surfshark. If you want to make your online life feel just a little less exposed, go to ⁠https://surfshark.com/panic⁠ and use code PANIC at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN.
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PREVIEW BONUS: Clavicular's crash out and the death of clipping

Today we’re talking about Aella the e-girl and “rationalist," who is probably also pretty smelly — at least if her birthday gangbang breakdown is to be believed. She's known for issuing controversial polls about sex and relationships, and then scrapping with people online about the results. June Sternbach & Josh Boerman from the Ill Conceived podcast join us to trace Aella's history and her impact on the broader culture, for better or for worse.

Our guests June Sternbach & Josh Boerman host the podcast Ill Conceived. You can follow it here or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
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When sex is "optimized"

Today we're joined again by journalist Kat Tenbarge to talk about one of the grossest guys on the internet. He’s also one of the most popular Twitch streamers there is. His name is Zack Hoyt, better known as Asmongold. His first video was in 2008, featuring him trying to catch a rat in his parents’ house. He then became obsessed with World of Warcraft and started streaming his gameplay. The rest is history.He has a “rat clock.” Roaches frequently join his streams of popular video games. Then, of course, he got radicalized by the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial and started getting political. How did we let this happen? And is he part of the manosphere or kind of his own thing? Ryan, Kat, and Grant try to determine what exactly is appealing about this kind of guy.

Our guest Kat Tenbarge runs Spitfire News. Subscribe to Spitfire News at ⁠https://spitfirenews.com/⁠, and follow her on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok @kattenbarge. She also makes videos for our friends at COURIER, which you can find at ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@COURIERHQ⁠.

Patreon

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord? Sign up for a membership at:⁠ https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld⁠.

Sponsors

This episode is sponsored by Surfshark. If you want to make your online life feel just a little less exposed, go to ⁠https://surfshark.com/panic⁠ and use code PANIC at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN.
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Why the internet's grossest influencer is more powerful than you think

The law Section 230 is maybe the invisible force that governs everything in our lives. With a California court ruling against Meta, what are we to do? How responsible should social media companies be for the content posted on them? Brian Reed joins us to discuss Section 230 and its implications, both past and present.

Our guest Brian Reed is the host of Question Everything. Check it out anywhere you listen to podcasts.
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The internet sucks, and Congress might make it worse

In 2012, a strange message appeared on 4chan: “We are looking for highly intelligent individuals….” What followed became one of the internet’s most mysterious puzzles: Cicada 3301.

Players uncovered hidden codes, real-world locations, encrypted files, and even phone numbers across the globe. Some believed it was a secret society. Others thought it was a CIA recruitment tool. Maybe the Illuminati. Or at least, very organized teens. So what was Cicada 3301 really? And could something like this even exist on today’s internet? Baths joins us to try to get to the bottom of it.

Our guest Baths is a musician. You can find his work and tour dates here, or on streaming services like Apple and Spotify. 

Sponsors

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Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.

And if you want to see this conversation on video, ⁠Panic World is now posting episodes to YouTube!
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Cicada 3301: The internet puzzle that might’ve been a psyop

Why did boomers “go crazy” — and was the internet actually to blame?

Ryan is joined by Sam Seder to trace the long history of boomer radicalization, from the Fairness Doctrine and Rush Limbaugh to Fox News, 9/11, Alex Jones, and the algorithmic media ecosystem that followed. Together they argue that the internet didn’t create boomer brain rot so much as supercharge a worldview that had already been built by decades of grievance-driven mass media.

Our guest Sam Seder hosts The Majority Report, whose past episodes can be found here, on YouTube, and all major podcast platforms (or check it out live Monday to Friday from 12-2:30pm).



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Boomer brain rot started long before Facebook

Ryan & Grant convene their movie club to discuss The Secret Agent, one of — or maybe the — best film(s) of 2025, and what it says about where we're at as a society.

Want to hear the rest of this conversation? And get even more extra content, like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
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BONUS: The Oscars snubbed "The Secret Agent"

Today we’re talking about the moral panic around “transvestigation,” an online “game” where people try to identify who is or isn’t trans. Particularly popular in right-wing corners of the internet, transvestigating is a subculture of people — with no background in biology at all — who analyze photos, facial features, and body proportions to “prove” their claims, that basically every celebrity is secretly trans.

Kitty Kimz and Jeff from Free Country USA join us once again to trace the surprising early origins of this conspiratorial thinking about trans identities and how it’s continued to permeate culture on the internet and beyond.

Our guests Kitty Kimz & Jeff host Free Country USA, a podcast you can find on YouTube @freecountrypod, Instagram @freecountrypodusa, and everywhere else you listen or watch pods.

Sponsors

Get 50% off and free breakfast for a year from Factor by going to https://www.factormeals.com/panic50off and use panic50off at checkout!



Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
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The people who think every celebrity is secretly trans

Did Jeffrey Epstein destroy the internet? Ryan posits his theory, after not going totally insane (we think) reading through hundreds of Epstein files: Epstein was the Forrest Gump of the 21st century and there’s pretty much no major event this century that he didn’t have some sort of weird interaction with. Marcus Parks of Last Podcast on the Left joins us to indulge these conspiracies — and throw in a few more.

Our guest Marcus Parks is the co-host of Last Podcast on the Left. Check them out wherever you listen to podcasts, and watch the video versions on Spotify and Netflix. You can also follow Marcus on Instagram @marcusparks and his music history podcast, No Dogs in Space, here.

This episode is sponsored by Mint Mobile. Get your first three months for $45 by shopping plans at https://www.mintmobile.com/courier

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
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How Epstein weaponized the internet

What’s cool and what’s cringe, and which generation gets to decide? Today we’re talking about Gen Z, formerly known as “iGen,” and its relationship with millennials (and vice versa). Expert on all things internet, Hank Green, joins us this week to talk about the tried-and-true tradition of generations ragging on each other. Get ready for a lot of talk about gooning, looksmaxxing, mogging, and 6-7 (we still can’t totally get to the bottom of that last one).

Our guest Hank Green can be found pretty much everywhere on the internet. In particular, check out his YouTube channels @vlogbrothers and @hankschannel. You can find all of his other science and educational work at Complexly (featuring SciShow and Crash Course) at https://complexly.org/.
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Who killed cool?

When did liking women, as a straight man, become gay? Today, we posit that the “logical” endpoint of being in the manosphere is that eventually being so hateful toward women dictates that liking them, having sex with them, or getting married to them, is actually gay. Podcaster, activist, and pornstar Siri Dahl joins us to discuss… that.Our guest Siri Dahl’s work can be found at https://siridahl.com/. Her podcast First Thirst can be found wherever you listen to podcasts, and you can also follow her on Bluesky @siridahl.com (SFW), X @thesiridahl (NSFW), and Instagram @thesiridahlagain (SFW).
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How being straight became gay

From research to vibe coding to therapy to girlfriends and boyfriends, how are we using AI these days? Let’s do a check-in on one of those topics that inevitably fires everyone up: AI. One person who’s fired up about it is Dexter Thomas of Kill Switch, who joins us to get into the interesting relationships people are forming with AI — for better and (mostly) worse.Our guest is Dexter Thomas, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and host of Kill Switch. You can find Kill Switch wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube here. Everywhere else, you can follow the show @killswitchpod and follow Dexter @dexdigi.SponsorsGet unlimited premium wireless from Mint Mobile for just $15 a month at https://www.mintmobile.com/courierGet 50% off and free breakfast for a year from Factor by going to https://www.factormeals.com/panic50off and use panic50off at checkout!Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus content, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
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Are we all going to end up in AI relationships?

Ryan recounts everything he's learned from the Epstein files so far, and with Grant, begins connecting all the red threads. Turns out, there's basically no major event this century that Epstein didn't have some involvement in — from the Great Recession to Donald Trump's 2016 win.

Want to hear the rest of the conversation, plus ad-free episodes, bonus content, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
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BONUS: How Epstein broke the internet — and our lives

One of the first “internet things” that reached beyond a bunch of inevitably really cool people who hung out in chatrooms, was YouTube. Today, we’re going back in time to look back at a potential progenitor of our current era: lonelygirl15. Willa Paskin joins us from Decoder Ring to reminisce about the earliest vloggers and how they have continued to influence us across all other platforms, ever since the first video on YouTube hit a million views in 2005.

Our guest Willa Paskin is a writer and the host of Decoder Ring. You can listen to that podcast here or anywhere you find them.

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.

And if you want to see this conversation on video, ⁠Panic World is now posting episodes to YouTube!
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lonelygirl15 and when lies could be fun

Ryan and Grant discuss the latest in Minneapolis after ICE shot and killed Alex Pretti – the second Minnesota resident to be killed be ICE in a matter of weeks. 

This bonus is on the house! But if you want to support the show, sign up for a membership at:  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld and you'll get access to more ad-free and bonus and extended episodes as well as access to the Garbage Day Discord.

And grab a Panic World tee at: https://store.couriernewsroom.com/products/panic-world-tee

Subscribe to Panic World wherever you get your podcasts including here or on YouTube.

Panic World is a production of  COURIER.
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BONUS: Abolish ICE

Where are the Epstein files? Representative Ro Khanna joins us to urge listeners why we need to keep asking that question.
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Meet the guy trying to release the Epstein files

We recorded this episode prior to the killing of Renee Good, but the resulting federal crackdown on the protests in Minneapolis has made this conversation even more relevant. That is, there's a need for an anti-fascism movement, especially under Trump 2.0, but where did the theory come from that it is an organized operation? Today, we’re joined by Ken Klippenstein to explore the myth of the “Antifa super soldier” and how worried we should be about the memorandum Trump released in September 2025, “Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence” (which you can also view here).

Our guest Ken Klippenstein is a journalist reporting on US national security and politics. Check out his writing on his Substack (https://www.kenklippenstein.com/) and follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @kenklippenstein.

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.

And if you want to see this conversation on video, ⁠Panic World is now posting episodes to YouTube!
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The myth of the Antifa super soldier

After an ICE agent killed Renee Good, Ryan & Grant flew to Minneapolis to cover the resulting protests. This special episode documents their experience with protestors, law enforcement, ICE agents, right-wing YouTubers, and of course... some extreme cold.Show NotesGet 50% off Unlimited premium wireless starting at $15/month at — https://mintmobile.com/courierGet 50% off your first Factor box PLUS free breakfast for 1 year at — https://factormeals.com/panic50off
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We were at ICE’s invasion in Minneapolis

There’s been a moral panic around video games basically since they first debuted. From too much sex to causing laziness and violence, just about the only thing society and the media have taken seriously about video games since their advent is that they are somehow seriously harmful. Chris Plante joins us today to talk about what causes people (aka parents) to freak out about video games’ influence, and how they actually impact us, both in good and bad ways.

Our guest Chris Plante is the co-founder of Polygon and current host of the Post Games podcast — all about how and why we love video games — which you can subscribe to here or wherever you listen to pods.

Want to hear Ryan and Chris’s extended conversation? Plus ad-free audio & video episodes, more bonuses and extended episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for our Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.

Show notes:

The secret plan to outlaw porn in the US

Your conspiracy families

And if you want to see this conversation on video, ⁠Panic World is now posting episodes to YouTube!
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Why we always blame video games

You may have heard Ryan and Grant mention the term “Kitchencels” a few times throughout this year. Or maybe several times. Or every other episode (second only to gooning). But what is r/Kitchencels, and why are we so obsessed with it?

In this special end-of-year bonus episode, Ryan and Grant break down what exactly makes r/Kitchencels so special. Together, they analyze what the subreddit’s existence means for internet culture as a whole, and how it could maybe, just possibly, lead to a cure for the male loneliness epidemic.  

KEEP LISTENING ! Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld and you'll get the rest of this episode, access to ad-free and bonus and extended episodes as well as access to the Garbage Day Discord.

Panic World now has SHIRTS! Ryan, and especially Grant, would love it if you would buy yourself one and maybe two more for friends and family: https://store.couriernewsroom.com/products/panic-world-tee

Subscribe to Panic World wherever you get your podcasts including here or on YouTube.

Panic World is a production of  COURIER.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Intro

02:30 What is r/Kitchencels?

05:30 BREAKING: Ryan doesn’t hate Grant

07:25 Using X: We gotta, gang

11:03 Kitchencels is a last bastion of internet insanity

19:45 SPOILERS FOR BUGONIA

22:25 Comparing today’s internet to yesterday’s

27:00 The endless churning of online culture
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BONUS: Kitchencels solves the male loneliness crisis

2025 wasn’t exactly a “good” year, but how “bad” was it? Well, that depends on what you think is good or bad. We’ve reconvened the connoisseurs of the worst things on the internet together again to look back at the year and make a call. Katie Notopoulos joins Garbage Media’s Cates Holderness, Josh Fjelstad, and Ryan to inflict some really great stuff on an unsuspecting and out of control Grant. Has working on Panic World broken his brain enough that he’ll be unfazed by the internet’s “best” content of the year? Or is he just one of us sickos now?

Our guest Katie Notopoulos is a writer for Business Insider. Follow her everywhere online if you dare, @katienotopoulos.

You can check out the “listicle” version of the worst things on the internet here on the Garbage Day newsletter or watch the video version of the podcast here on YouTube.

Panic World now has SHIRTS! Ryan, and especially Grant, would love it if you would buy yourself one and maybe two more for friends and family: https://store.couriernewsroom.com/products/panic-world-tee



Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
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The worst things on the internet this year

Today, we’re examining the idea that the Republican Party and its co-option of extremist online culture like 4chan and Kiwi Farms — and all of their posters and lurkers alike — has turned into one of their key political weapons. June Sternbach and Josh Boerman of Ill Conceived join us to look back at one of the earliest and darkest examples of this, through the story of Chris Chan and the invention of “lolcows” (don’t worry, if you don’t know any of these names, we’ll catch you up… unfortunately).

Our guests are June Sternbach and Josh Boerman, who together host the new podcast covering natalism, Ill Conceived. Check it out at https://illconceivedpodcast.com/ or wherever you listen.

Follow June at https://bsky.app/profile/junlper.beer or follow her other podcast Kill the Computer: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/338-kill-the-computer-102075853/ 

Follow Josh at https://bsky.app/profile/bosh.worstpossible.world and his other podcast The Worst of All Possible Worlds: https://www.worstpossible.world/ 

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Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.

And if you want to see this conversation on video, ⁠Panic World is now posting episodes to YouTube!
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The age of the lolcow

Even now our beloved host Ryan doesn’t know what he thinks about Russian interference in the 2016 election. So, he is joined by Garrett Graff, a journalist and author who continually re-examines the question: What is the truth behind the “Russia, Russia, Russia” scandal? How real and deep was their involvement in US politics in the past decade, and how important ultimately was it — or the idea of it?



Our guest is Garrett Graff, host of the Long Shadow podcast, previously a national security journalist while all of these Russian interference allegations began, and the ⁠author of several books⁠. Check out Long Shadow ⁠here⁠ or wherever you get your podcasts, and follow Garrett’s other work at ⁠Doomsday Scenario⁠.

This episode is sponsored by Uncommon Goods. To get 15% off your next gift, go to ⁠https://www.uncommongoods.com/panicworld⁠ !

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at:⁠ https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld⁠.

And if you want to see this conversation on video, ⁠⁠Panic World is now posting episodes to YouTube!
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Did Russiagate matter?

We’re joined by No Such Thing for a crossover episode to (try to) get to the bottom of some of the most infamous conspiracies we (aka millennials) heard in middle school. We’re talking about the false rumors that Ciara was intersex, Marilyn Manson removed his own rib, and the whole panic around “jenkem” — and explore how these wild rumors even spread without the aid of social media.

You can find No Such Thing at https://www.nosuchthing.show/ or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

This episode is sponsored by Uncommon Goods. To get 15% off your next gift, go to https://www.uncommongoods.com/panicworld !

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.

And if you want to see this conversation on video, ⁠Panic World is now posting episodes to YouTube!
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Our favorite middle school conspiracies

Today we’re talking about the relationship between “influencers” and politics. The two have perhaps never been more entwined, but what is the difference? Is there one? Who were the original influencers in politics over the years? Both influencer and political candidate, Kat Abughazaleh, joins us again to talk about how her experience tangling with right-wing commenters online prepared her for running for office, and what it’s like trying to transfer internet popularity into political support.

If you want to support our guest Kat Abughazaleh’s run for Congress, learn more about her campaign at https://www.katforillinois.com/ or join her Discord at https://discord.com/invite/katforillinois.



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Is the future of politics "influencers"?

From Aziz Ansari to Adam22, especially since the proliferation of the internet and social media, there’s no shortage of people who have gotten canceled. But what is the state of cancel culture today? We’re joined by leading experts in the cancellation field, Cancel Me, Daddy hosts Katelyn Burns and Christine Grimaldi, to look back at some of the biggest moments in cancel culture, its presence in society now, and ask if we can use cancellations to actually create change.

Our guests are Katelyn Burns and Christine Grimaldi, hosts of Cancel Me, Daddy. For more conversations like this, check them out here or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
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Is cancel culture canceled?

Politics has always been an ugly game, but with Trump’s return to the White House and the proliferation of AI, we’re a far cry from the days when wearing a beige suit caused controversy. Today, we’re talking about how Trump is using the federal government’s massive communications apparatus into a rage bait factory — from immigrants to trans people and the “Radical Left Democrats,” blaming anyone except billionaires, corporations, and bureaucratic sluggishness for all of the United States’s problems today. Congressman Maxwell Frost joins us to talk about our troll-in-chief and how to fight back against his flirtation with fascism.

You can follow Maxwell Frost on X and Instagram @RepMaxwellFrost or on TikTok @MaxwellFrostFL.

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How to deal with rage bait

From Goop to MAHA, health/wellness movements might just look like a grift, but each features a real critique of the healthcare industry or medical science at their core. Today we’re talking about wellness and how it connects to the spread of fascism across the globe. Bridget Todd and Heather Holdridge join us to talk about how these wellness trends take advantage of misinformation and exploit our fears, and ultimately can lead people down much darker, conspiratorial paths online.

Our guests are Bridget Todd, host of There Are No Girls on the Internet — listen to it here or wherever you get your podcasts — and Heather Holdridge, Managing Director of Real Voices Media. Check out their work at https://realvoicesmedia.com/.

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
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When the internet convinces you you're sick

Why is the right-wing media machine so massive and able to dominate digital media, while liberals and progressives struggle to keep up? Jon Favreau joins us to discuss the critical players and outlets in the early 2000s that led us to where US politics is today, along with looking back at what he’s learned from launching Pod Save America back in 2016. 

Our guest Jon Favreau is the host of Pod Save America, Offline, The Wilderness, and others as co-founder of Crooked Media. You can find him on all those shows and pretty much everywhere else online!

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.

And if you want to see this conversation on video, ⁠Panic World is now posting episodes to YouTube!
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Why Democrats keep losing the internet

Witches, curses, magic, and the internet overlap much more than you’d think — and not just because of the Etsy witch that cursed Charlie Kirk. The very online Peter Berkman and Luke Silas of the band Anamanaguchi join us to talk about the history of internet witches and witchcraft, and the spooky connections between the supernatural and digital worlds.

Our guests are members of Anamanaguchi, who you can catch on tour until October 17. Check out their latest album Anyway here and find their tour dates here! 

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our Discord? TODAY is the last day to get your first month for just $0.50 by signing up for our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld. Enter “PANICYEAR” at checkout.

Panic World is also up for two listener’s choice Signal Awards — please vote for us in the ⁠Conversation Starter and ⁠Weird⁠ categories by October 9!
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The wild world wide web of witches

(SPOILER ALERT!) Grant hosts Ryan on his podcast to share their thoughts on One Battle After Another and what it says about the current state of the US, dads, Gen X, and compare its political commentary to Eddington and Weapons.

Check out the whole conversation on our Patreon — as well as ad-free episodes, bonuses, and other exclusives — and get the first month for just $0.50 with code PANICYEAR at ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld⁠⁠.
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BONUS: One or two hot takes on One Battle After Another

Like many things, there used to be a bipartisan consensus that in a disaster, you help as many people get through it as quickly and safely as possible. In the past 20+ years, though, we’ve seen a shift in how the right responds to climate catastrophes — including building out a robust selection of conspiracy theories from chemtrails to Flat Earth. Will Menaker from Chapo Trap House joins us to discuss right-wing conspiracy theories about the weather, the climate, and whether we’re living on a discworld.

Our guest is Will Menaker, host of Chapo Trap House. Their Movie Mindset series returns in October for spooky season, and you can also buy their new Year Zero comic book here: https://badegg.co/products/year-zero-1. 

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our Discord? There’s still a week left to get your first month for just $0.50 by signing up for our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld. Enter “PANICYEAR” at checkout for 90% the first month.

And if you want to see this conversation on video, ⁠Panic World is now posting episodes to YouTube!

You can vote for us to win a Signal Award in the Conversation Starter category or Weird. 
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The big dumb weather conspiracy

Two of 2025’s biggest movie releases so far, Eddington (basically Panic World: The Movie) and Weapons, are not the same genre but they both offer interesting looks into the state of our society today. Grant joins Ryan to talk about the thematic links between them and examine the question: how do you cover moral panics, mass hysteria, and the internet without just commenting on everything else that’s already been said?

Check out the whole conversation on our Patreon — as well as ad-free episodes, bonuses, and other exclusives — and get the first month for just $0.50 with code PANICYEAR at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld⁠.

This episode is sponsored by Incogni. Use code panicworld at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan: https://incogni.com/panicworld. Try it now with Incogni’s 30-day money-back guarantee.
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BONUS: How Eddington and Weapons hold a mirror up to our Panic World

If you’ve spent any amount of time online in November, unfortunately you’ve heard of “No Fap,” a movement started over a decade ago by a subsection of very aggressive men who’ve created a pseudo-religion around the concept that all problems can be solved if you simply stop masturbating. Jeff & Kitty of the Free Country USA podcast join us to talk about the thousands-year-old history of anti-masturbation efforts and why it’s found such prominence for a certain kind of guy on the internet.

Our guests Jeff & Kitty Kimz host Free Country USA, a podcast you can find on YouTube @freecountrypod, Instagram @freecountrypodusa, and everywhere else you listen or watch pods.

This episode is sponsored by Incogni. Use code panicworld at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan: https://incogni.com/panicworld. Try it now with Incogni’s 30-day money-back guarantee.

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our Discord? For our one-year anniversary, you can a month of them for just $0.50 by using the code PANICYEAR at checkout: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.

And if you want to see this conversation on video, ⁠Panic World is now posting episodes to YouTube!
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The no fap movement and why the boys aren't all right

Ryan & Grant talk about the fallout from Charlie Kirk's killing, including what we know about the suspect in custody and what this means for current political climate in the US.
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Charlie Kirk was killed by a meme

The band The Velvet Sundown broke through the music charts with millions of streams in months after coming from nowhere — and being an entirely AI band. Is it an existential threat to the health of the music industry and the internet when you can’t even tell if the “song of the summer” was sung by an actual human, or a robot? Music critic Anthony Fantano joins us to discuss.

Anthony Fantano runs The Needle Drop, where he reviews albums and comments on the music industry. You can check him out there or follow him on Instagram @afantano.



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You might be listening to AI music

On Wednesday, June 27th there was a shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school, killing two kids and injuring a dozen more people. The shooter took her own life, and left behind two YouTube videos and a manifesto that were dogwhistles for both The Order of Nine Angles (O9A) and 764, the latter of which we've previously covered on the show. Ryan & Grant talk about both of these networks and how the mainstream news and the internet have responded.

Want to hear the rest of the conversation? For the month of September, we're offering 90% off the Panic World Patreon.

Use code PANICYEAR at checkout to pay just fifty cents to get ad-free and extended episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our Discord. Sign up at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
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BONUS: The new age of terror

They’re full of slime, weird crime, and seemingly a lot of fetish stuff. Today, we’re talking about the sloppiest of slop online these days, mobile game ads. An expert on the form, Chelsey Weber-Smith, joins us to talk about the history of the genre, from the earliest games like Evony to today’s prolific Lily’s Game, as well as what psychological tactics are being deployed in these banner ads, what makes anyone play these games, and is anyone?Our guest Chelsey Weber-Smith hosts American Hysteria, a show that explores the fantastical thinking of irrational fears of Americans — so very much aligned with our work here on Panic World. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts, and follow the rest of Chelsey’s work here.

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.

And Panic World is now posting episodes to YouTube
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Mobile game ads: The worst online slop

This is a rerun from February this year, when 17 states in the US had banned PornHub. The tally now stands at 21, and both Mike Johnson and the Supreme Court don't seem fussed to stop there.

Have a listen, especially if you haven't already, before we come back with new episodes next Wednesday, September 3.

---

As of this recording, 17 states don’t have access to PornHub. You might assume that’s because of very normal people like Speaker of the House Mike Johnson needing to monitor his son’s masturbation habits, but was it conservatives’ fault? Or… was it well-meaning liberals? Junlper joins us to discuss who is behind this new and extreme porn ban, and its implications beyond those states and across the country.

Our guest Junlper works for The Onion and cohosts the podcast Western Kabuki. You can follow her at ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/junlper.beer⁠ on Bluesky or ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@junikcl⁠ on YouTube.

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at:⁠ https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld⁠.

Links

"Nick Kristof and the Holy War on PornHub" by Melissa Gira Grant: ⁠https://newrepublic.com/article/160488/nick-kristof-holy-war-pornhub⁠
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BONUS: The secret plan to outlaw porn in the US (is working)

Hi, everyone!

We're out this week, but we wanted to share an episode of How Is This Better?  featuring our very own, Ryan Broderick. 

The episode covers the evolution of everyone's favorite: Mark Zuckerberg. 

We'll be back next week with an all new Panic World, but for now – make sure you follow/subscribe to How Is This Better? wherever you get your podcasts!Subscribe to How Is This Better? on:


  YouTube



  Apple Podcasts



  Spotify


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Does Mark Zuckerberg Care Anymore? (How Is This Better?)

We made it nearly a year without having to cover Epstein, but with Trump and his allies consistently committing own-goals and bringing him up, the day has come. Today we’re talking about the Epstein files and what appears to be Trump’s most consequential weakness so far. Josie Duffy Rice joins us to talk about how and why Epstein became so central to the MAGA movement, and whether this could be the thing that finally cracks Trump’s base.

Our guest Josie Duffy Rice is a journalist, writer, and law school graduate whose work you can follow on her website or @jduffyrice on Bluesky and Instagram. 

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
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Is the ghost of Epstein breaking MAGA?

If a fandom exists long enough in isolation, does it inevitably become toxic or at least, very strange? This is the main question we’ll be exploring today, through a story that begins in 1989. That’s the year that Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers premiered. More importantly, it’s when the world was introduced to a sweet little mouse girl, Gadget Hackwrench. Gadget became quite popular on a certain part of the internet, and PJ Vogt joins us once again to learn about the Cult of Gadget, and the weird wild world of “Rangerphiles.”

Our guest PJ Vogt is the host of Search Engine. He has previously come on Panic World to talk about whether teens were really gorging themselves on Tide Pods, and you can listen to that episode here. Check out Search Engine here or wherever you get your podcasts!

Notes

Interested in seeing how Ryan & PJ react to Gadget "art"? Or perhaps what Grant's producer cage looks like? Panic World is now posting video episodes to YouTube!

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Investigating a cult inspired by a cartoon mouse (w/ PJ Vogt)

Ryan and Grant discuss that American Eagle ad and why everyone is arguing about Sydney Sweeney's "good jeans."

Want to hear the rest of their conversation, and enjoy other cool stuff like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
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BONUS: Sydney Sweeney and rage bait

Eating disorder content has been a problem on the internet since as early as 2001, but it accelerated with the advent of social media. Today we’re examining why it’s become more prevalent than perhaps at any other time. EJ Dickson, a writer who investigated the #SkinnyTok community for The Cut, joins us to talk about the introduction of eating disorder content in the mainstream internet, its causes and characters.

Our guest EJ Dickson is a senior writer at The Cut. You can check out her investigative piece on Liv Schmidt and #SkinnyTok here, and follow her work everywhere @ejdickson.

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
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Why eating disorder content is all over the internet

Often, like in the case of the Momo Challenge, when parents freak out about a thing online, it’s probably not really a thing. But, today we are talking about one panic that is real — “764,” the comm-network that is gamifying committing crimes and abuse. Joining us is Marcus Parks of The Last Podcast on the Left, to dive into this conspiracy that’s more than a theory.
Our guest Marcus Parks is a host of The Last Podcast on the Left, which is currently doing a miniseries on the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Check it out on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts!
We have a related bonus episode of our Patreon this week, where our producer Grant Irving sat down with expert on extremist ideologies and groups, Dr. Marc-André Argentino. Learn more about the history of cults and networks like 764 by joining our Patreon for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.

      
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The cult using Minecraft to recruit

What is the creepiest thing you’ve ever seen on the internet? For many people, it was Slenderman. This particularly lithe fellow started off as kind of a fun, spooky thing, and then of course got out of hand and caused a panic both on- and offline. We’re joined by Kaelyn Moore of Heart Starts Pounding to talk about his role taking creepypasta mainstream, and how Slenderman is still lurking in our cultural consciousness over 16 years since making his first appearance on Something Awful.
Our guest Kaelyn Moore hosts Hearts Starts Pounding, a show about folklore and other creepy stuff, which you can find anywhere you listen to podcasts or @heartstartspounding on all the socials.
Want to hear (and see!) our extended conversation? And enjoy other nice things like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.

      
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Why Slenderman became a moral panic

In April this year the UK Supreme Court ruled that the legal definition of a “woman” excludes trans women. Then — apparently celebrating her years-long TERFdom — JK Rowling tweeted an image of herself on a yacht, smoking a cigar, and captioned it with “I love it when a plan comes together.” The question we’re looking at today is: was it Rowling who changed or was it the world that changed? Matt Bernstein joins us to trace Rowling’s radicalization journey, and discuss how we’ve ended up with a bunch of British women who want to brand themselves as liberal, but are socially regressive in basically every way.
Our guest Matt Bernstein can be found online @mattxiv. He hosts A Bit Fruity, out anywhere you listen to podcasts. You can also check out Ryan’s recent appearance on the show, in this episode about alpha males and loneliness (naturally).
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.

      
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What happened to JK Rowling?

When did fandom become so zealous? Today we’re looking back at the release of the “Snyder Cut” and the people who still think that Zack Snyder should make all of the DC movies. Open Mike Eagle joins us to talk about where the world of fandom in entertainment is and why we’re so desperate to root ourselves in pop culture that it can become like a religion.
Our guest is rapper, comedian, podcaster, and streamer Open Mike Eagle. You can find him pretty much everywhere, or check out his collective works at http://mikeeagle.net/.
Want the extended conversation — and a lot of other good stuff, like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.

      
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The plot to ruin the new Superman movie

We've got a (good) announcement about the future of the show. We'll be back with your regularly scheduled panic next week. Enjoy the Fourth!

      
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Some big news in Panic World

First they came for our mobile apps, then they came for our videogames, and now, it seems pretty much every aspect of our lives is being re-oriented around gambling. Who are the players — inside and outside of tech — that have spent the past decade building out “Casino World”? Edward Ongweso, Jr. joins us to talk about why we should be panicking about a world where everything is gamified, and what’s in it for the people trying to run the floor.
Our guest Edward Ongweso, Jr. writes the Tech Bubble newsletter, and you can check out the piece we referenced, “Trapped in the Maw of A Stillborn God,” here. He also hosts This Machine Kills, which you can find wherever you listen to podcasts.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here:     	http://multitude.productions/ads.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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We are living in a casino

Some urban legends are just for fun, like the “Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus,” while others are not. Today we’re investigating the claim that while busting drug dealers, police can accidentally “absorb”  fentanyl through their skin, causing them to suffer a whole bevy of health problems — starting with fainting. Years later, it’s still impacting legislation across the country and mostly wasting a bunch of money. Mangesh Hattikudur and Mary Phillips-Sandy from Part-Time Genius join us to explain how fentanyl actually works, and debunk this one.
Check out Part-Time Genius wherever you get your podcasts, and follow them on Instagram @parttimegenius.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here:     	http://multitude.productions/ads.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Why were cops fainting from fentanyl?

When Grant talked to his friend whose dad had become a Holocaust denier, we got a huge response from folks who had family members with other… interesting ideas. Today, we’re answering some of your questions. Like: what do you do when you have your own kids and had counted on your (now conspiracy-pilled) parents to help care for them? What about when you question your own reality due to those close to you losing touch with theirs? And how much of all this is untreated medical disorders versus mental disorder caused by media? Ryan & Grant discuss.
Listeners, thank you for telling us your stories — we hope this helps you feel a bit less alone, because clearly, we’re all going through it. If you have specific questions or want to share concerns about something your friends or family members are talking about, we’d still love to hear from you. Email us at panicworldpod@gmail.com.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions/ads.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Your conspiracy families

This week we’re asking an important question: Who is really inspiring the “vibe” of Trump 2.0? No, it's not Elon Musk. We’re talking about President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador. Joining us is Ricardo Avelar, to explain how this club promoter, hustle bro, and LinkedIn influencer grew up to become a dictator whose playbook President Trump is now stealing from.
Aside from being a massive blink-182 fan, our guest Ricardo Avelar is a journalist and political analyst. You can find him and his work on X/Twitter @docavelar.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions/ads.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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The man behind Trump's Salvadoran gulags

America’s not doing so hot right now. Kanye West, on the other hand, hasn’t been well for quite some time. Akilah Hughes joins us again to discuss the idea that Kanye has always been a mirror for the American zeitgeist. What is about him, and about us, that makes that theory true? And, are we — both Kanye and the United States — totally doomed, or can we get better?
Our guest Akilah Hughes is a writer, comedian, and reporter. You can find her work at https://itsakilahobviously.com, and follow her @akilahobviously on YouTube and X, or on Instagram @akilahh. Stay tuned for her new podcast coming out this month, How Is This Better? from COURIER.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: http://multitude.productions/ads.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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What happened to Kanye?

Ryan wrote about using ChatGPT for therapy, and a lot of responses to that announcement involved calling him an idiot. This week, he sits down with Grant to talk about what he learned over experimenting with AI therapy for a few months, and a broader chat about the birth of the AI world — and how it’s pretty much involved in everything already (in good and bad, and mostly bad, ways). Dr. ChatGPT will see you now. 
Want to hear the rest of the conversation, plus ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for our Patreon for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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BONUS: AI therapy slop

Last time we had Charlie Warzel on, it was to determine whether the insurrection had been a political success. Now, 100+ days into Trump 2.0, he joins us again to answer some simple questions: Should we be worrying about the survival of American democracy now? And also, with the fallout from tariffs revealing the first cracks in Trump’s base, is this whole thing good for anyone? Plus, are we ready for Dave Portnoy 2028?
Our guest Charlie Warzel is a writer for The Atlantic and for his Substack, Galaxy Brain (https://warzel.substack.com/). You can follow him there or @cwarzel on X and Instagram, or @cwarzel.bsky.social.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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How long will Trump's base support him?

In the past decade, true crime has gone from a niche and somewhat disparaged genre to one of entertainment’s most prolific. What is it about true crime that’s made it become such a huge part of popular culture? Through the lens of the mysterious disappearance (and reappearance) of Hannah Kobayashi, journalist Jennifer Swann joins us to talk about how missing persons’ cases take on lives on their own online.
Our guest Jennifer Swann is a journalist and producer. She has a newsletter, Self Storage, https://jennswann.substack.com/ and produces the investigative true crime podcast My Friend Daisy, which you can find anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Listen to the extended conversation on Panic World's Patreon — and enjoy ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord — for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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The effects of true crime brain rot

Today, we’re telling a story of human ingenuity. Except, in a dumb way. It’s one of the craziest things that has happened in a long time — which is really saying something — when some bro on 4chan ended up in a Taliban prison. Arturo Castro joins us to talk about a British guy named Miles Rutledge.
Our guest Arturo Castro is an actor and currently hosts Greatest Escapes, a podcast where Arturo is joined by friends to learn the stories behind other "great escapes" like today's episode. Check out Greatest Escapes here or wherever you listen to them!
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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That time a 4chan user got thrown in a Taliban prison

On March 13, 2025, Netflix released Adolescence, and ever since, parents have been learning that Andrew Tate is bad. What are we to do? Ryan talks to Grant about how the problems we have on the internet now are not dramatically new, it’s just that everyone has the internet in their pocket all the time — and, to borrow a 2010s phrase, the solution to that might surprise you.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Netflix's "Adolescence" and the masculinity crisis

Today we’re talking about a panic that’s been simmering for a while but has, in the past couple of years, become a full-blown panic. And that’s the technological Cold War that the US is waging with China. (Okay, and now also the tariff war, but that’s with pretty much everyone.) Are the Chinese really so radically different from us, or — at least when we’re browsing the net — are we the same? Tianyu Fang joins us to compare Chinese and American internet culture, and who suffers from more online brain rot.
Our guest Tianyu Fang is a Technology and Democracy Fellow at New America, an editor at Reboot, and formerly co-founded Chaoyang Trap. You can follow him on Twitter @tianyuf, and all of his latest endeavors at https://www.tianyufang.net/. 
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for just five bucks a month at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Has China already won the internet?

Today, we’re doing something a little different. Grant asks Ryan to step back from being host, and instead to step in as a social worker for people who fall for conspiracy theories. The person in question is Grant’s friend’s dad, who read a recent “report” saying that the Holocaust “actually wasn’t as bad as they say,” and it’s tearing his family apart. We’ll get into what causes people — especially our Boomer family members — to fall for these theories, and whether we can help them.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for just five bucks at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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My friend's dad is a Holocaust denier now

Are we in the post-MeToo era? In this episode, we’re reconciling with not only how society at large has adapted to its rise and fall, but also how Hollywood and social media have adapted as well. Spitfire News’s Kat Tenbarge joins us to discuss that — and just who it is that killed #MeToo.
Our guest Kat Tenbarge is an independent journalist, and publisher, editor, and creator of Spitfire News. Subscribe to Spitfire News at https://spitfirenews.com/, and follow her on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok @kattenbarge.
Listen to Ryan & Kat’s extended conversation by subscribing to Panic World’s Patreon. For just five bucks a month, you get longer episodes like this one, plus ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord! https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Here's who killed the #MeToo movement (with Kat Tenbarge)

Every four years America suffers through a national election, with its own distinct collection of far-right freaks. Yet against the trend, in 2024 many of the youngest voters started finding them appealing. So who or what turned Gen Z fascist? Felix Biederman of Chapo Trap House joins us to discuss the main players in the right-wing (mano)sphere, and whether this ecosystem of new guys will keep our nation’s youth in their thrall.
Our guest Felix Biederman co-hosts Chapo Trap House (https://www.chapotraphouse.com), found wherever you get your podcasts.
You can purchase the Seeking A Fren for the End of the World series for $5 at: https://www.patreon.com/cw/chapotraphouse/collections 
Or it, along with all their premium episodes and other acclaimed miniseries like Hell of Presidents and Movie Mindset, are available to all subscribers for just $5 a month at https://www.patreon.com/cw/chapotraphouse 
And you can listen to Ryan & Felix’s extended conversation by subscribing to Panic World’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
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Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Who turned Gen Z fascist? (With Felix Biederman)

Right now, you might be thinking someone, somewhere, is on the internet doing something for money that’s really awful. That’s probably true, and has been in the past. Although, plenty of times it’s not — take Bonsai Kittens — but what about Red Rooms, where you can supposedly pay for assassinations or watch live torture? Today journalist Carl Miller joins us to talk about the dark web. What’s actually on there, how people use it, and how much should we be panicking about it?
Our guest Carl Miller is the author of The Death of the Gods: The New Global Power Grab, a journalist, and host of the podcast Kill List (https://wondery.com/shows/kill-list/). 
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Audio Maverick, a new nine-part documentary about one of the most visionary figures in radio, Himan Brown. Out now wherever you listen to podcasts.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Who orders hitmen online? (With Carl Miller)

On the bad side, we have copyright infringement, exploitation, and misinformation; on the good side, we have its uses for brainstorming, editing work, and combating loneliness. On both sides, everyone is freaking out about AI — but are we freaking out about it for the right reasons? Casey Newton joins us to make the pitch that whatever you think, AI is not “crypto 2.0.” Everyone, in every generation, needs to take it seriously.
Our guest Casey Newton is a tech journalist who founded and writes for the Platformer newsletter (https://www.platformer.news/) and co-hosts the Hard Fork podcast (https://www.nytimes.com/column/hard-fork/).
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Audio Maverick, a new nine-part documentary about one of the most visionary figures in radio, Himan Brown. Out now wherever you listen to podcasts.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Engineer: Rebecca Seidel
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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You’re panicking wrong about AI (with Casey Newton)

Perhaps you’ve seen someone pop off online about a delivery order going wrong, or it being too expensive. Maybe you’ve been one of those people. Some call them “Treatlerites” — “treat” + “Hitler,” of course — and it’s when general panic ensues after someone acts selfishly dictatorial about their delivery app output, and foolishly decides to rant about it online. Allegra Rosenberg joins us to discuss how much we should be reacting to this.
Our guest Allegra Rosenberg is a writer, producer, and Garbage Day contributor. You can find her work at https://www.allegrarosenberg.com/.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Audio Maverick, a new nine-part documentary about one of the most visionary figures in radio, Himan Brown. Out now wherever you listen to podcasts.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Here's why everyone's fighting about delivery apps (with Allegra Rosenberg)

Ryan and Grant discuss what we've seen one month into the second Trump Administration, and what it means.

      
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BONUS: One month of DOGE shit

When it comes to modern relationships, most reporting has three main points: Gen Z is sexless and puritan, Millennials are scared about their inevitable doom, and Boomers are boozers who are going down swinging — literally. In this age of social media and apps, we couldn’t help but wonder: has technology made dating worse? Magdalene Taylor joins us to talk about what led to the “loneliness and isolation epidemic” and what we can do about it, or if we’re screwed (and not in a good way).
Our guest Magdalene Taylor is a writer on sex, subcultures, and the internet. You can follow her on social media at @magdajtaylor and her writing on Substack: https://substack.com/@magdalene. 
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Sponsors
Audio Maverick, a new nine-part documentary about one of the most visionary figures in radio, Himan Brown. Out now wherever you listen to podcasts.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Is dating worse than ever? (With Magdalene Taylor)

As of this recording, 17 states don’t have access to PornHub. You might assume that’s because of very normal people like Speaker of the House Mike Johnson needing to monitor his son’s masturbation habits, but was it conservatives’ fault? Or… was it well-meaning liberals? Junlper joins us to discuss who is behind this new and extreme porn ban, and its implications beyond those states and across the country.
Our guest Junlper works for The Onion and cohosts the podcast Western Kabuki. You can follow her at https://bsky.app/profile/junlper.beer on Bluesky or https://www.youtube.com/@junikcl on YouTube.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Links
"Nick Kristof and the Holy War on PornHub" by Melissa Gira Grant: https://newrepublic.com/article/160488/nick-kristof-holy-war-pornhub
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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The secret plan to outlaw porn in the US (with Junlper)

Americans love not believing anything the government tells us, and it seems likely we’ll just keep coming up with stories to explain what is probably really boring in real life. The latest of these is the mysterious drones that descended upon New Jersey and then vanished without a trace. Dylan Thuras joins us to shed light on Americans’ love of conspiracy theories, which naturally begins with Area 51.
Our guest Dylan Thuras is the co-founder of Atlas Obscura. Follow his work at https://www.atlasobscura.com/users/dylan, and you can hear more of his stories on the Atlas Obscura Podcast wherever you listen to ‘em.
Catch the extended conversation and plenty of other great bonus content, plus ad-free episodes, by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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What Area 51 can teach us about the drones in NJ (with Dylan Thuras)

Momo and the Blue Whale Challenge are two trends that targeted young social media users, supposedly challenging them to an escalating series of dares. Were these viral “challenges” actually causing kids to kill themselves, or was it all a hoax? Alex Goldman joins us to trace the origins of these “suicide games,” as well as the fallout that resulted from them.
Our guest Alex Goldman is the host of a great new podcast called Hyperfixed. Find that anywhere you listen to podcasts, and you can find him @agoldmund on Twitter/X, or just Google the guy!
Catch the extended conversation and plenty of other great bonus content, plus ad-free episodes, by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld. Use code "PANIC" at checkout to get your first month for just $0.50!
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Are online "suicide games" real? (With Alex Goldman)

America is in a “will they or won’t they” situation with TikTok, but it’s not cute. As of last week, the app was finally set to get banned, but over the weekend Trump stayed its execution. Because we don’t really know if/when the app will get deleted, instead, let’s look back at how we got to this dark and dumb moment in the first place. Rachel Gilmore joins us to talk about where it all began: like so many other things, with Gen Z and Osama bin Laden.
Our guest Rachel Gilmore is a journalist. You can read/watch her reporting and commentary on her newsletter Bubble Pop (https://rachelgilmore.substack.com), and follow her everywhere else at https://linktr.ee/rachel_gilmore.
Catch the extended conversation and plenty of other great bonus content, plus ad-free episodes, by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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How bin Laden killed TikTok (with Rachel Gilmore)

Producer Grant joins Ryan to talk about how Mark Zuckerberg went from looking and acting like “Every Guy Walking Down the Street in Boston in the Mid-2000s” to his current era, “I Work in the Financial District and I’m Dating A Girl from Bushwick,” and said man’s recent announcement that Meta would no longer be employing fact checkers, instead relying on community notes to flag offensive content.
Catch the full episode and plenty of other great bonus content, plus ad-free episodes, by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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BONUS: Meta doesn't care anymore

On January 7, 2021, did you think the storming of the capitol would be politically successful? Charlie Warzel joins us on the eve of Donald Trump retaking the White House to weigh that question as he and Ryan trace the origins of the insurrection and its ultimate impact on US politics.
Our guest Charlie Warzel is a writer for The Atlantic and for his Substack, Galaxy Brain (https://warzel.substack.com/). You can follow him there or @cwarzel on X and Instagram, or @cwarzel.bsky.social.
Catch the extended conversation and plenty of other great bonus content, plus ad-free episodes, by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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How Facebook caused January 6th (with Charlie Warzel)

Ryan and Grant talk about the fallout from Luigi Mangione's alleged assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and whether or not it will have ripple effects in this political climate.
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BONUS: Does the left really need a Kyle Rittenhouse?

It’s the end of the year episode, so we’re talking about some of the best — and worst — things on the internet for 2024. Joining us are friends of the pod Katie Notopoulos and Luke Bailey, plus our producer Grant Irving and the big on-air debut of our researcher, Adam Bumas. Happy holidays, panickers! Make sure to touch grass this holiday season.
Follow our guests! (And researcher!)
Luke Bailey @lukebailey.bsky.social
Katie Notopoulos @katienotopoulos / @katienotopoulos.bsky.social
Adam Bumas bumas.bsky.social
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad
 
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The Top 10 Panics of 2024 (with Katie Notopoulos, Luke Bailey, & Adam Bumas)

Despite society’s progress on gender norms, there is a historic divide on the "boy-girl internet," which recently has started to reemerge — the charge being led by Gen Z influencers. This week, writers Rebecca Jennings and Luke Winkie join us to answer the question: Are the kids all right?
Our guests are Rebecca Jennings, a senior correspondent at Vox who also runs the Rebeccacore newsletter, and Luke Winkie, a staff writer for Slate who also runs the On Posting newsletter. You can follow their engaging posts (and engagement) at @rebexxxxa and @luke_winkie.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Did gender influencers doom Gen Z? (With Rebecca Jennings & Luke Winkie)

He’s conquered YouTube, but can he conquer traditional media? And also burgers and snack bars, for some reason. Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson of Endless Thread join the show to help us figure out how we should feel about Mr. Beast, and how much is simply too much to know about the influencers we love (and love to hate).
Our guests Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson are the hosts of Endless Thread — the professional version of this podcast — where they dig into untold histories, unsolved mysteries, and other wild stories from online.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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The rise and (maybe) fall of Mr. Beast (with Ben Brock Johnson & Amory Sivertson)

Ryan and our producer Grant talk about the recent brush with politics sweeping across an unexpected community—or is it?—PerfumeTok.
Full episode can be found at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld
 
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BONUS: The right-wing pivot of Perfume TikTok

Part of the reason Republicans ran away with the 2024 election is because they used misinformation to make millions of people think that the government was trying to forcibly transition their kids. So, this week we’re investigating some of the origins of that scaremongering by looking at the conspiracy theory that Tumblr turned an entire generation trans. How did this theory spread? And what did Tumblr actually do to our brains? Vera Drew joins us to speak to her experience navigating the internet as a trans person, and the impact online communities like Tumblr had and continue to have on young queer folks.
Our guest Vera Drew is the director and star of The People’s Joker. You can look for screenings or purchase the film (plus merch!) at https://www.thepeoplesjoker.com/.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude, hit them up here: ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Did Tumblr turn kids trans? (With Vera Drew)

Ryan and our producer Grant dig into the election and have some comments about whether or not we can simply create the "liberal Joe Rogan."
Full episode can be found at: https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld

      
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BONUS: The Joe Rogan we need isn't so easy to create

From shooting themselves up with boys’ blood to starting their own countries, “techno-optimism” has taken a decidedly dark turn. It turns out Silicon Valley is going through a midlife crisis — and while us peasants might address that with a motorcycle or a long vacation, the dudes in the PayPal Mafia are facing their mortality by inflicting pain on the rest of us. Taylor Lorenz joins the pod to dissect what’s caused so many billionaires to lose their minds, and the implications for humanity.
Our guest Taylor Lorenz is a journalist. She hosts the podcast Power User, and writes about tech and online culture for her Substack, User Mag https://www.usermag.co/. You can follow her everywhere else @taylorlorenz.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Silicon Valley’s midlife crisis (with Taylor Lorenz)

With Donald Trump being brought back into the White House, we might only be seeing the beginning of another decade of QAnon. How did we get here?
Our story today starts in 2016, when Wikileaks released tens of thousands of private emails from John Podesta. By the 2020 election, thanks to “Q” and the QAnon movement, conspiracy theories were front and center. While many originated from right-leaning people and platforms, by the 2024 election both sides now have their own conspiracies to make themselves feel better, or demonize the other team—and there’s so many they’ve become ambient noise. Travis View joins us to talk about the proliferation of conspiracy theories and how they've impacted the way we think and approach politics.
Our guest Travis View is the host of QAA (QAnon Anonymous). Check out the podcast wherever you listen, and follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @travis_view or Bluesky @travisview.bsky.social.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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How QAnon changed American politics forever (with Travis View)

Tide Pods were the king of the forbidden candies. The items that looked delicious despite being disgusting, or poisonous, if you actually bit into one. For a few months in 2018, it seemed like the biggest threat to American teenagers was the temptation to participate in the "Tide Pod Challenge," i.e., bite into the Gushers-like laundry pod on camera before calling poison control. Local news was all over the story, police were making videos warning teens of the dangers, an NFL star made a PSA. But, was this actually a real problem? Were teens across the country really this gullible? Was anyone actually being hurt or dying because they ate a Tide Pod?
Our guest PJ Vogt is the host of Search Engine. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts, and you can follow him otherwise @PJVogt.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Was the Tide Pod Challenge ever real? (With PJ Vogt)

The Blair Witch Project stands alone in the kind of panic it caused. No film before or since has quite hit the same fevered pitch, where many people actually thought it was real. What made it so magical? How did it come to be, and why did it freak us out like it did?
David Sims joins us to talk urban legends, predecessors to The Blair Witch Project, and the found footage films that have since tried to recreate its culture-gripping moment since.
Our guest David Sims is a culture writer at The Atlantic, and also hosts the podcast Blank Check. Follow his work @davidlsims and find @blankcheckpod wherever you listen to podcasts.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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The Blair Witch: The first viral hoax (with David Sims)

Caroline Calloway became internet famous for living a fantasy, at least that's how it appeared on Instagram. Then, she became infamous when the public turned on her. We talk with Caroline about the long history of the women and teenage girls this has happened to before, and what it's like for this generation's version of E Girls, the Simp Queen.
Our guest Caroline Calloway is an author. You can buy her new book Elizabeth Wurtzel and Caroline Calloway's Guide to Life online at https://carolinecalloway.com/ or at your local bookseller, and you can and should follow her @carolinecalloway.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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The women the internet loves to hate (with Caroline Calloway)

Why does it feel like this election isn’t really happening? Why does Chappell Roan feel like the biggest story?
Our theory? We live in a Pop Crave world. The tabloid X account is pretty much the modern day AP. Ryan is joined by Akilah Hughes to figure out how this happened and the ramifications for all of us, and especially for the Midwest Princess.
Our guest Akilah Hughes is a writer, comedian, and reporter. You can find her work at https://itsakilahobviously.com, and follow her @akilahobviously on YouTube and X, or on Instagram @akilahh.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Chappell Roan and the Pop Crave election (with Akilah Hughes)

Remember earlier this year, when people thought Kate Middleton was dead and or replaced by AI? What was up with that? We’re joined by Ellie Hall, a journalist with a focus on the British Royal Family, to trace the whole story behind #WhereIsKate—including a look at the interesting way that the Royal Family handles its press, the origins of all the conspiracy theories surrounding Kate, and who is/why did we ever need to care about the Marchioness of Cholmondeley?
Our guest Ellie Hall is a reporter and Royal Family expert. You can find her (and her sweet golden retriever) everywhere @ellievhall. 
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Whatever happened to Kate Middleton? (With Ellie Hall)

Since the advent of smartphones, a simmering and increasingly boiling panic has been about whether too much “screentime” is ruining the nation’s youth. Michael Hobbes joins us to help trace past moral panics surrounding kids, from such terrifying inventions as the jukebox, to television (okay maybe kinda bad), and texting, up to where we are now: the “Great Rewiring.” That’s the theory as younger generations are exposed to technology at earlier and earlier ages, it fundamentally changes how they approach the world, and other people. But is it really rotting their brains?
Our guest Michael Hobbes is a journalist and podcast host. You can find his work on his Substack “Confirm My Choices,” or his podcasts “If Books Could Kill” and “Maintenance Phase.”
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
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Are kids' brains being rotted by screens? (With Michael Hobbes)

With the second and maybe probably last 2024 presidential debate now in our rearview, we’re taking a look back at Americans’ relationship with misinformation. Ryan is joined by reporter Kat Abughazaleh to talk about the surprising origin of “fake news” and how it has only gotten more deranged since 2016. All of that brings us to where we are now, where a presidential candidate claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are stealing and then eating cats, dogs, geese, and ducks. How did we get here? How did Trump get there? And are conservatives or liberals doing “better” at being online in this election cycle?
Our guest Kat Abughazaleh is a contributor for Zateo News. You can follow her everywhere at https://linktr.ee/katmabu, and her cat’s Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/katmabu. 
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to the Garbage Day Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.
Want to sponsor Panic World? Ad sales & marketing support by Multitude ⁠http://multitude.productions⁠.
Credits
- Host: Ryan Broderick
- Producer: Grant Irving
- Researcher: Adam Bumas
- Business Manager: Josh Fjelstad

      
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices