Best I Never Thought It Would Happen Podcasts (2025)

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S5 Ep12: INTIWH - James Morrison 30:22

Play Pause

7d ago30:22

30:22

“That’s what I’ve always tried to lean into is playing live, writing the songs and playing them live, is mainly why I’m still doing it, you know? I never get tired of playing live. I never get tired of making stuff up and seeing where I can go with it” - James Morrison Chris is joined by singer-songwriter James Morrison to talk about the fine art o…

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Trump lost the battle. Will he win the "war?" 19:54

13h ago19:54

19:54

Why is Trump sending the National Guard to cities when crime is already falling? Earlier this month, President Trump posted this: “I love the smell of deportations in the morning. Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR.” He seemed poised to send the National Guard to the city in an attempt to curb crime, after having deploy…

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The Oscars and The Sundance Kid - Special Episode 47:47

1d ago47:47

47:47

With the passing of Hollywood legend Robert Redford on Sept. 16th, we were moved to do a special episode of THE OSCARS: WWTT? in order to honor his legacy and commemorate his relationship with The Oscars. Enjoy hearing about some great films and some fun movie history as we celebrate The Natural who made it look too easy. Robert Redford Films Refer…

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Money Doesn't Have to Control You 7:03

21m ago7:03

7:03

When you don't have a plan for your money, it can feel like money is in control of your life. That can be a terrifying feeling! YNAB can not only help you set a plan for your money, but reclaim control of your money, and control over your life. Watch The Jesse Mecham Show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jessemechamshow Got a question for Jesse…

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Will AI Save Humanity or End It? with Mustafa Suleyman 1:45:05

2d ago1:45:05

1:45:05

Trevor (who is also Microsoft’s “Chief Questions Officer”) and Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI and co-founder of Google’s DeepMind do a deep dive into whether the benefits of AI to the human race outweigh its unprecedented risks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pers…

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The key to thriving later in life: menopause 21:13

16h ago21:13

21:13

There comes a time in every woman's life that we don't talk about enough: menopause. And reframing it may be the key to unlocking a more fulfilling life for women of all ages. In this episode, Brittany teams up with WNYC's Radiolab to answer your questions about the ubiquitous and unknown. Brittany, Radiolab senior correspondent Molly Webster, and …

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What Now Is Back! 1:26

4d ago1:26

1:26

What Now is back! Join Trevor each week for conversations with today's most influential, smartest and sometimes funniest thinkers about our changing world. New episodes drop every Thursday starting September 18th. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertis…

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I Can't Even Explain The Type Of Fear That I Felt 39:36

5d ago39:36

39:36

A gun-wielding man carjacks and sexually assaults Lisa and her friend. Chris is with his dogs when a tornado sweeps through his house. Jeannette is 9-years-old when she is kidnapped and sexually assaulted for three days. Apartments.com - To find whatever you’re searching for and more visit apartments.com the place to find a place. Mint - To get the…

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AI can keep you alive forever. Should it? 19:26

5d ago19:26

19:26

The AI digital afterlife industry is here. But can legal and ethical frameworks keep us safe from it? Companies are already popping up to create artificial life-like renderings of your loved ones. So-called "deadbots" can mimic speech patterns and unique facialo gestures, and they can purportedly help people cope with grief. But they are also ripe …

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How do we talk about Charlie Kirk? 23:51

4m ago23:51

23:51

How did you respond to the assassination of Charlie Kirk? Many mourned or called for revenge. Others pointed to Kirk's extreme, bigoted statements as justification. But how do those reactions impact how the American public will metabolize another instance of gun violence? Brittany is joined by Abené Clayton, a gun violence reporter for The Guardian…

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Ever Thought About Money at 3AM? 5:55

15h ago5:55

5:55

Money shouldn't keep you up at night, and it doesn't have to! Giving every dollar a job and asking yourself five questions about what your money needs to do not only grows your bank account, it gives you peace of mind (and better sleep) Watch The Jesse Mecham Show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jessemechamshow Got a question for Jesse? Send h…

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Is he a good guy? Or is he manipulating you? 16:15

12m ago16:15

16:15

There's a new man in town: the "performative male." Is he trying to trick you into thinking he's open-minded, or does he really like reading books and drinking matcha? We're breaking down what's gender performance and what's gender manipulation. In this episode, Brittany is joined by Manny Fidel, host of No Such Thing, and James Factora, staff writ…

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2012 - Silence is Golden at the Oscars 1:16:01

12d ago1:16:01

1:16:01

Welcome to the 2012 Academy Awards, a year just outside our ‘test-of-time’ range for judging the merits of the winners, non-winners, and forgotten gems. This year featured a lot of very good movies but no true odds-on favorite, which is why the eventual winner is seen as kind of a let down. So who or what should have won? What should have been nomi…

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How AI slop is clogging your brain 18:55

7d ago18:55

18:55

Bizarre videos, uncanny photos, and Luigi Mangoine's likeness on Shein...? AI slop is taking over the web. It's putting money in people's pockets, and driving them offline, too. This is AI + U. Each Monday this month, Brittany is exploring how you are already seeing the impacts of AI. Artificial Intelligence has become a constant in ways we can and…

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I Can't Handle This Pain Anymore 41:45

12d ago41:45

41:45

A machete-wielding intruder terrorizes Jessica in her apartment where he sexually assaults her. Jeff and Mark are on a hunting trip when a savage attack by a grizzly bear leaves Mark partially scalped and miles from help. Kerri is blindfolded and abducted at knifepoint, forcing her to fight for her life. Apartments.com - To find whatever you’re sea…

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Is “Kidz Bop: It’s the Devil” the song of the summer? 20:36

15d ago20:36

20:36

KPop Demon Hunters, or as Brittany's mom keeps mistakenly calling it "Kidz Bop: It's the Devil," is dominating the music charts. And, thank god! These bombastic bangers are a welcome reprieve after a summer full of sad songs. We need to talk about those bangers, but we also need to talk about the void KPop Demon Hunters is filling. This summer was …

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How's That "No Buy Year" Going? 6:30

5d ago6:30

6:30

Did you make a resolution to have a "no buy year" this year? How's that going? While Jesse loves the idea of a no-buy year, mainly because he loves to experiment with money and behavior, he admits the concept of it is flawed. A "no buy year" typically means you refrain from making any non-essential purchases so that you can save more money. As Jess…

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The lessons I learned from 'Alligator Alcatraz' 19:26

6d ago19:26

19:26

The Florida detention center, "Alligator Alcatraz," may close, but what can you learn from its short but impactful run? First, the name echoes old Southern American racist tropes and adapts them for a modern audience. Second, its casually playful name is a blueprint for other detention centers popping up across the United States. But what does this…

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Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce need your attention 15:56

8d ago15:56

15:56

It's official: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce posted one of the most liked Instagram photos of all time. Also, they're officially engaged. Swift and Kelce are no strangers to the spotlight, but we still know very little about their relationship aside from what they are willing to share. And Molly McPherson, a public relations expert, says that's no …

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I Lost My Life That Night... Because I Will Never Be That Person Again 38:58

19d ago38:58

38:58

Abducted in the trunk of her own car, Michelle suffers unimaginable horror at the hands of her three captors. Trapped in the ruins of her tornado ravaged apartment building, Terri-Lynn and her boyfriend prepares to die. At eight-years-old, Jennifer is kidnapped by a man who sexually abuses her, cuts her throat and leaves her to die in a field. This…

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Did Trump bet wrong? Americans are flip-flopping. 17:26

11d ago17:26

17:26

Have Americans changed their minds? Polling on immigration suggests a seismic shift in public opinion. According to Gallup, 79% of Americans now say immigration is a good thing for the country, which is a record high. Plus, the share of Americans who want lower rates of immigration has dropped from 55% in 2024 to 30% this year. And it's not just th…

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Run Your Money Like a Football Team 6:17

12d ago6:17

6:17

Football season is nearly upon us, and Jesse is thinking about the pigskin again. And money, of course. When you look at the great sports movies, they usually revolve around a struggling team -- often a team of stragglers and dubious athletes -- and a great coach who motivates them, helps them find their desire to compete, and puts them in position…

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Between the Seasons: Stories from a South African Childhood 26:11

23d ago26:11

26:11

As we gear up for our new season launch on September 18, we’re taking a trip down memory lane with some of our favorite stories from Trevor’s childhood in South Africa. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.…

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"George Bush doesn't care about Black people" 20 years later 18:03

24d ago18:03

18:03

On September 2, 2005, on a telethon to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina, Kanye West went off script and said, "George Bush doesn't care about Black people." 20 years later, would those words have the same impact today? In this episode, Brittany, NPR music correspondent Rodney Carmichael, and Code Switch's Leah Donella revisit that momen…

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1935 - It Happened One Oscars 1:05:14

26d ago1:05:14

1:05:14

Welcome Oscars fans to the 7th Academy Awards (it definitely wasn’t called The Oscars yet) — as we dive into the 1935 Oscars for the films of 1934. Now some of you might be thinking, ‘How can awards for films this old possibly be interesting today?’ To which we say, get ready because things are going to get wild! For starters, there were 12 nominee…

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I Felt Like There My Life Goes, That Was My Shot 37:44

26d ago37:44

37:44

Amy meets a man at a party who attacks her after offering to take her for a ride. Tyler is 14 years old when he and a friend are attacked by a classmate after a school dance who sexually assaults him and sets him on fire. Jeff is on a snowmobile trip with ten friends when they are hit by three consecutive avalanches. Apartments.com - To find whatev…

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'Poverty porn' in the digital age 17:30

15d ago17:30

17:30

Social media is full of images of unhoused people that's either meant to make you angry or laugh. For Leah Goodridge, this content is a new form of 'poverty porn.' 'Poverty porn' used to refer to charity commercials showing malnourished children to evoke empathy from sympathetic viewers. But according to New York City attorney and tenant advocate L…

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Inside the White House meme factory 20:24

21d ago20:24

20:24

We need to talk about the memes your tax dollars paid for. What is the federal government trying to communicate with them? The social media accounts of the White House and the Department of Homeland Security have been chock-full of memes: memes that mock people being deported, memes that are aimed at recruiting new ICE agents, even a meme that seem…

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Why Is It So Freaking Hard to Save Money? (And How to Make It Easier) 6:38

19d ago6:38

6:38

Saving vs spending... there's no question which one is more fun, right? Obviously, spending! By comparison, saving feels like a chore, something you ought to do, the responsible thing to do, but is definitely less fun. After all, you get something when you spend -- an item, an experience, a service. With saving you get, well, just more money in a p…

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Cringe culture says stop. We say lean in. 21:20

1M ago21:20

21:20

Has online hate ever been this cruel? Brendan Abernathy is a singer-songwriter who went viral earlier this year for an earnest performance of his song "married in a year." The backlash was immediate, and one word popped up over and over again in the comments: "cringe." Brittany and Ramtin Arablouei, co-host of NPR's Throughline, get into the rise o…

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S5 Ep11: INTIWH - Kelsie Watts 27:14

21d ago27:14

27:14

"It's a universal language, it really is. Even if you're not speaking the language... you know, you can sing these songs and it'd just be like a wave of emotion and they can relate to it, even if they can't understand the words you're saying" - Kelsie Watts With Chris for this episode is Kelsie Watts who's currently performing in the huge award win…

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The newest influencers? Porn stars. 12:04

22d ago12:04

12:04

Sex sells. So does outrage. That's why these sex workers are making rage bait. In the past few months, UK and Australian-based OnlyFans creators like Bonnie Blue and Annie Knight made headlines for their extreme sex stunts, most notably for sleeping with over 100 men in one day. But in addition to these stunts, they also appear on controversial pod…

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I Had Blood Shooting Out Both Sides of Me 35:15

1M ago35:15

35:15

Harold, store manager, and his staff are held up and shot by two killers. John is 18-years-old when he has both his arms torn off in an accident on the family farm. At 17-years-olds Lisa is kidnapped and assaulted by a serial killer. Apartments.com - To find whatever you’re searching for and more visit apartments.com the place to find a place. Prog…

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What really counts as "cheating?" 17:12

25d ago17:12

17:12

Are you scared of being cheated on? You're not alone. There are apps and social media groups dedicated to outing a cheater. But is our paranoia about cheating actually hurting our relationships? And on top of that, definitions of "cheating" vary widely. How do you decide for yourself what really counts as cheating? And what's really fueling our fea…

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It's OK to Move Your Goalposts 7:57

26d ago7:57

7:57

You've probably heard the term "moving the goalposts," that is, a deceptive argument strategy in which you change the question, the criteria, or the standard by which you are evaluating something. The metaphor comes from sports, and it's a good metaphor for personal finance. Early in our adult lives we make a lot choices because money is scarce -- …

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The rise (and fall?) of Tyler Perry 21:34

27d ago21:34

21:34

Tyler Perry is many things, but is he someone we should aspire to be? Entertainment mogul Tyler Perry has built a media empire that has spanned theater, film, and television. And he’s recently been accused by an employee of sexual harassment. Brittany is joined by entertainment journalist and author Tre'vell Anderson and SUNY Purchase theater and p…

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S5 Ep10: INTIWH - Craig Armstrong 39:47

1M ago39:47

39:47

"A professor of mine said a very true thing to me. He said, you know the great thing about music Craig is that you’ll never really know anything about it" - Craig Armstrong This episode features a fascinating conversation with the multi-genre spanning musician and composer Craig Armstrong. Craig has collaborated with huge artists like U2, Madonna a…

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1968 - In the Heat of the Oscar 1:14:39

1M ago1:14:39

1:14:39

Hey Oscar fans, welcome to the 1968 Oscars for the films of 1967 — AKA the year that changed everything (movie wise)! What an amazing year for films both domestic & foreign and to our shock and delight the Oscars were there to recognize and appreciate some truly groundbreaking films…mostly. From movies that touched on race in new and exciting ways …

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I Am So Close To Getting Help, But I Am So Far 38:22

1M ago38:22

38:22

Julie and her two young children are abducted and taken into the Florida Everglades by a man who sexually assaults Julie. John is taking his dogs for a walk when he is mauled by a hungry black bear, forcing him to fight for his life in the driveway of his holiday cabin. Apartments.com - To find whatever you’re searching for and more visit apartment…

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Jubilee & the ethics of "platforming" 20:14

1M ago20:14

20:14

Jubilee has become one of the go-to open forums for debate in the digital age. Videos like: "Flat Earthers vs Scientists," "1 Conservative vs. 20 Feminists," and, "What Makes a Real Man?" are just some of the few topics they cover. It's what caused The Atlantic staff writer Spencer Kornhaber to write his article, "Jubilee is Like Gen-Z's 'Jerry Spr…

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Are the phones melting our brains? Or is it just me? 18:42

1M ago18:42

18:42

Finding it hard to concentrate? Are you glued to social media for longer than you’d like? Well, maybe it’s not you… maybe it’s the phones.Brittany is joined by Magdalene Taylor, writer, cultural critic and senior editor at Playboy, and Fio Geiran, producer at TED Radio Hour and a writer of their Body Electric newsletter, to discuss this phrase: “it…

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Change Your Plan, Today! 6:30

1M ago6:30

6:30

Personal finance is personal, as the saying goes, and the only constant in life is change, to employ another saying. On that note, Jesse issues a challenge in today's episode: change your plan! Add a category, put some money in it, delete a category, shuffle some dollars around... just make a change. This is a reminder to yourself that the beauty o…

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It's never too late to find a good relationship. Here's proof. 18:46

1M ago18:46

18:46

Have you ever stayed in a relationship, because you felt like it would be too hard to find another partner? This episode is for you. Let this be a lesson for us all. Divorce is on the decline except for one key demographic: people over 50. So, in a world where many of us say it's harder to find friends or new relationships later in life, why are pe…

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The best American food of 2025 24:31

1M ago24:31

24:31

Are you hungry? Brittany has some irresistable recommendations. In this episode, Brittany steps out to find the best American recipes: peanut butter egg rolls and the juiciest fried green tomatoes. Along the way she uncovers the stories of these dishes - ones that could have only come from the Midwest and the South. This is... Food for Thought. And…

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I've Got Bad News For You, You've Just Been Kidnapped 37:50

2M ago37:50

37:50

Martin is 13-years-old when he is abducted and raped by a serial pedophile who chains him up in a buried box on a hill. Jason, Dave and Joe are on a canyoneering trip when a flash flood launches them over a cliff and intro a fight for survival. This Episode is sponsored by BetterHelp Apartments.com - To find whatever you’re searching for and more v…

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Hasan Piker: a "himbo gateway drug" to the left? 27:10

2M ago27:10

27:10

Not to be dramatic, but would you die for Hasan Piker? For some of you, Hasan Piker needs no introduction. He is one of the leading voices in progressive political content online, boasting a massive 2.9 million followers on Twitch alone. He's polarizing, charismatic, and (kind of) a bro. And his fans love him. Just take this Instagram comment for e…

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Can You Afford to Make Mistakes? 6:47

1M ago6:47

6:47

Flying airplanes is serious business. Mistakes are costly, not just because of the cost of the aircraft; if you're flying people, their lives are on the line. Jesse knows this better than most, having two brothers who are pilots. One day he overheard them talking shop and narrowed in on a common occurence they had teaching student pilots to fly -- …

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Would you marry someone for their health insurance? 16:18

1M ago16:18

16:18

Many people feel that finding a lifelong partner can require a good bit of luck...but can the same be said for lifelong healthcare? Brittany is joined by Maris Kreizman, author of I Want to Burn This Place Down: Essays, to understand the precarious relationship between finding love and finding consistent health insurance. Learn more about sponsor m…

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1984 - "I Deserve This Oscar" 1:11:49

2M ago1:11:49

1:11:49

Welcome Oscar fans to the 1984 Oscars for the amazing films of 1983. What a time for movies! All the big stars, nearly all the big directors and lots of brilliant, compelling stories were on display this year...and Flashdance. With so many objectively great movies to choose from, it's hard for even the Academy to get it wrong. And yet, using the te…

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How do you find a good restaurant these days? 16:44

2M ago16:44

16:44

What are you looking for when you're picking a place to eat? And how do you find it? Michelin stars or TikTok? You've heard them referenced on The Bear and maybe even looked out for them when deciding your next meal: Michelin stars. The prestigious one to three star rating system awarded to the best of the best in dining. But Americans are expected…