There Are No Girls on the Internet - Elon boycotts Netflix; Ted Cruz Hates Privacy; Kash Patel Calls ADL Terrorists; Extremism is Bad for Marriage; RIP AOL – NEWS ROUNDUP!

Episode Date: October 4, 2025

Transgender for everybody! Everything is computer! We’re in a silly, tangent filled mood for this one! Every week Bridget recaps the tech news stories you might have missed, so you don't have to. This week she's joined by TANGOTI producer Joey Patt. Elon Musk calls for a Netflix Boycott, but we're not linking to him and you can't make us. Misinformation/disinformation leads to US couples’ divorces, breakups: https://news.illinois.edu/misinformation-disinformation-leads-to-us-couples-divorces-breakups/ AOL’s dial up internet takes its last bow, marking the end of an era https://apnews.com/article/aol-dial-up-internet-shuts-down-08162912737f2fb221f10ba87ce5fc41 Ted Cruz blocks privacy protections: https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/30/ted-cruz-blocks-bill-that-would-extend-privacy-protections-to-all-americans/?utm_campaign=social&utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=organicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The story I told myself can then shape my behavior and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of, of connection. This mental health awareness month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown if you've been searching for a soft place to land

while doing the work to become whole. This podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. There are No Girls on the Internet as a production of IHeart Radio and Unbossed Creative.

I'm Bridget Todd, and this is There Are No Girls on internet. Welcome to their no girls on the internet where we explore the intersection of technology, social media, and identity. And this is another installment of our weekly news roundup where we dig into all the stories from the internet that you might have missed so you don't have to. And I am so excited to be joined once again by their Neural Girls on the internet super producer, Joey, Pat, Joey, thank you for being here on Yom Kippur no less. Yes. Thank you, Bridget. Thanks for having me. Um, yes, the Yom Kippur special starring Joey Pat, let's go. I did not partake in the Yom Kippur traditions this year, nor do I any year, because I didn't want to.

So, uh, which is usually great clear reason because I didn't feel like it. Like, okay, it's like, okay, like quick change on Judaism really quick. Something with Yom Kippur that some people, I guess people don't know is like if you're like, If you're somebody who shouldn't fast, like, you're somebody who has, like, a health condition or you're elderly or younger, you're not supposed to. Like, it's, it's, like, genuinely. And I think Ramadan has, like, a similar rule. Like, I think that is pretty common to most religions. But, like, so on the one hand, I'm like, I've, you know, had some issues with, I'm remembering to eat in the past.

So I technically should not be fasting. So I'm like, I have the medical excuse. However, on the other hand, it is like, I am more of a cultural Jew. And honestly, if I'm going to give up one holiday tradition, this is kind of the easiest one to like go of. But yeah, respected solidarity to all of my Jewish friends and family out there that are fasting. Proud of you guys. It is now past sunset so you can eat again. Congrats.

You are braver than I am. Okay. Well, in that vein, I have a story that I've put on here just frankly because I want your take on it. do you remember when we were talking about how the anti-defamation league or the ADL, which is the self-described anti-Semitism watchdog and, quote, the leading anti-hate organization in the world? Do you remember back when we talked about how Elon Musk did a full-on Nazi salute at the inauguration? And the ADL was like, y'all, it's a joke. Calm down. Do you remember this? Yes, I do.

And yes, that is basically what happened. Like, that's not even paraphrasing. No. Like, guys, calm down. Like, what? Okay, well, today the FBI director, Cash Patel, announced that the FBI is cutting ties with the ADL and ending the FBI's longstanding partnership

where the ADL would work with law enforcement to train them and share information about anti-Semitism, extremism, and all of that. Patel called the ADL a, quote, extreme group functioning like a terrorist organization. Patel also signaled out the relationship that the ADL has with former FBI director James Comey saying, oh, James Comey wrote love letters to the ADL and embedded FBI agents with them,

a group that ran disgraceful ops spying on Americans. That era is over. This FBI won't partner with political fronts masquerading as watchdogs. And this is clearly because the FBI has gone woke and they understand that the ADL oftentimes uses very vague definitions of what anti-Semitism is to, you know, curb people that are protesting the state of Israel and some of their act right now. That's obviously why, right? It's because they care.

The FBI cares so much about like Palestinian human rights, obviously. I mean, I wish I could say it was that. I wish I could say that the ADL has, the FBI is calling out the ADL for this. Basically, what's going on is that the ADL published what they called a glossary of hate and extremism on its site. And it included things like Christian identity, which is an ideology rooted in the idea that God only meant for white folks to live in the Garden of Eden and that Jewish folks are actually descended from the biblical serpent. The ADL also listed Charlie Kirk's organization, Turning Points

USA, in its glossary, saying that Turning Points USA, quote, has a history of bigoted statements about the black community, the LGBTQ community, and specifically transgender people. Elon Musk did not like this. He branded the ADL a hate group and accused them of encouraging murder, saying, using such false and defamatory labels about people and organizations it encourages murder. So the ADL was like, we're sorry, and then just deleted this glossary of hate and extremism from their site. And they put out a statement saying, at the same time, an increasing number of entries in the glossary were outdated. We also saw the number of entries being intentionally misrepresented and misused. So something that I kind of can't stop thinking about is who is

the ADL four at this point. I know exactly who they're for. Who are they for? The same people that like Liz Cheney endorsing Kamala Harris was for. It's for like this, I think, I'm not going to say imaginary because they do exist. I just think they are much smaller of a group and like they have way much less power than I think certain politicians kind of ascribe them to have, but it's for this like small group of primarily white upper middle class liberals, some of whom may be Jewish, a lot of whom probably aren't,

but probably think they're more or less progressive, but still are holding a lot of, I would say, racist beliefs toward certain groups or communities. I think these are like the types of people that are like, well, I think deportations are good. I just don't like what ICE is doing right now, people that were willing to turn a blind eye when the Biden administration was doing things, you know, that were hurting immigrant communities

and queer people and trans people and any other marginalized group, but now we're up in arms about it. I think, like, that is who this is for. This is one of those stories where I, there was a story, like, last week that I think you said was like, you were like, this is setting off all of my, like, this was made perfectly in a lab. It's like pissing off. Like this is this kind of thing because on the one hand, I am one of the ADL's biggest haters. I will be upfront about that.

They are a terribly run organization. The idea? Great idea. Great concept. The way it's run. Horrible. The way that they define what anti-Semitism is. Not accurate and deeply harmful.

Like this is a group that labels like prominent Jewish activists and activist organizations as anti-Semitic. Right. But also. cash Patel not really somebody I want to be putting my faith and trust in to you know

protect us from white Christian evangelical xenophobic whatever yeah again it's like I think like they did list they did on one hand like list groups like turning point and like this idea of like

white Christian nationalism like it highly a lot of these things, it also was an organization that went after a lot of like Black Lives Matter protesters, a lot of people that were sort of aligned with, um, Palestinian human rights, not even like the liberation of a Palestinian state, like just straight up like acknowledging that these are people that have rights. So yeah, it's like, I'm not really going to, this is how, I think for me, this is my Jimmy Kimmel. Like I'm, I'm kind of like, I don't want to be defending this group, But in this one situation, I guess I kind of have to be. I don't know.

Maybe that was not the apt comparison. No, I know what you mean where you don't, it's like you find yourself defending organizations and people that you're like, I never thought I'd see myself defending. But I do, I want to ask you because I feel like this is an example of what happens when you kind of try to play ball and play nice with like a fascist organization or a fascist regime. I really think, like, the statement that ADL put out, I found so sad. So after Cash Patel called them essentially a terrorist organization and Elon Musk said they were essentially like helping people murder by making their claims online, their statement just said, ADL has deep respect for the FBI and law enforcement officers at all levels across the country who work tirelessly every single day to protect all Americans, regardless of their ancestry, religion, ethnicity, faith, political affiliation.

or any other point of difference. Their statement didn't even push back against these pretty big claims. Like, they called all terrorists. They said you were murderers. And it's just like, oh, well, we respect the FBI. I think that that's that toothless statement, it's like, this is what happens,

like, this is what happens when you play ball with fascists. No, for real. I mean, going back to like them getting called out or doing their job, which is having this encyclopedia of hate groups. and symbols and stuff like that ideology, which again, I didn't always agree with stuff they designated as hate groups.

That being said, the fact that they were like, oh, we received a little bit of criticism from this, about this, from the Christian right, we're just going to take it down and be like, oh, we're so sorry, we love you, Elon Musk. I mean, like, before, like, Elon Musk kind of made his, you know, little hand gesture on TV and sort of like full Nazi.

turn all of a sudden. There was a point where Jonathan Greenblatt, who is the CEO of the ADL, was like on Mike praising Elon Musk and being like, yes, he's such an ally to the Jewish community. We love him. He's great. Are we sure? Are we sure about that? Like, I don't know. It is kind of like watching the ADL function for the past. Like, like, since, you know, I think since I've become politically conscious, but also especially within the past year has been like, yeah, It is like watching a train wreck, but like watching a train wreck where there's like, like somebody waving with a sign that says, I have a bomb and they were like able to stop or change course. And instead of doing that, they were like, well, why would he have a bomb?

Yeah. He looks so nice. That's a good way to describe it. Do you think that there's a contingent that you were speaking about that you think they're sort of four, right? Like nice, polite, liberal white folks. Do you think that this move? with the FBI essentially calling them an organization that functions like a terrorist organization, do you think that that will shrink the base of people who like the ADL or look to the ADL or respect

to the ADL? Like is, like, are they, is it over for them? I don't know. I do. I think that like that specific, again, and this is generalizing about a large group of people. I think that is like, because the ADL, because the ADL has the reputation it does, I think this is like a group that probably would look at this and just be like, oh, see, this is just further. Like, they don't, it's a group that doesn't like the Trump administration either and doesn't like what the Trump administration is doing. Maybe not necessarily for like the same reasons that I don't like them and I don't like what they're doing, but they still don't like it.

So, I mean, I'm thinking of, again, like some of the people in my life, particularly, like, older relatives that are, you know, consider themselves to be progressives, are Democrats, but I maybe don't necessarily see eye to eye to them with a lot of things. I think like there are the kind of people they would be just like, oh my God, I can't believe this is happening. This is insane. Um, similar to a lot of the things that have been happening lately. Like I think there's just kind of been this response of like, wow, I can't believe they're doing this. That's terrible. But that's illegal. I don't know. And it's like, okay, well, it's happening. So I don't know. I don't think this is going to change the view of the ADL to those specific people. I think the people on the left that don't like the. ADL. This probably what you were saying, I think this is just going to

confirm like, yeah, this is what happens when you fold two fascists and you give them a crumb. They're taking the whole cookie. They're, you know, I don't know. Come in for the whole damn cake. Whole damn cake. Whole buffet. Let's take a quick break.

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guide, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman, help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and headwriter, Streeter Seidel, help an acapella band with their between songs banter.

There's that worst singer in the group? The worst? Yeah. Me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because your parents made a huge donation. The group. The yard herds, right?

That's the name. The Harvard yard, but they're open. Do you have a name suggestion? We're open. since you guys are middle-aged. One erection. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Humor me.

I need some jokes to make me seem funny. Run a business and not thinking about podcasting, think again. More Americans listen to podcasts than ad-supported streaming music from Spotify and Pandora. And as the number one podcaster, I-Hearts twice as... large as the next two combined. So whatever your customers listen to, they'll hear your message. Plus, only IHeart can extend your message to audiences across broadcast radio. Think podcasting can help your business.

Think IHeart. Streaming, radio, and podcasting. Call 844-844-I-Hart to get started. That's 844-844-I-Hart. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Tolodano, and our podcast Point Game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed.

And finding ways to win. matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series

because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Rich, We dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash will get that thing. That man, hell get the flying.

He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Oh, yeah. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can have opinions. You can have like a strong stance. and then there's your body having its own program.

I'm Dr. Maya Shunker, a cognitive scientist and hosts of the podcast, a slight change of plans, a show about who we are and who we become when life makes other plans. We share stories and scientific insights to help us all better navigate these periods of turbulence and transformation. There is one finding that is consistent, and that is that our resilience rests on our relationship. I wish that I hadn't resisted for so long the need to change. We have to be willing to live with a kind of uncertainty that none of us likes. Listen to a slight change of plans on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And we're back.

Speaking of giving an inch and they take a mile, I didn't really want to talk about this, but it looks like it's getting traction. So I'll talk about it. And we haven't done this on the show in a while, but do you want to know what Elon Musk is up to? Oh, God. What's Elon doing now? Yay! That was it, yes.

Well, Elon Musk is trying to drive a boycott of Netflix. And that is because a children's show had a trans character. And he says, did you see this? It is so, even by the standards of silliness that we are used to, it is so fucking silly. So because this show had a trans character, it's a kid show, he's saying that it's transgender propaganda.

Because according to transphobes like him, just any kind of media that acknowledges the existence of trans people is transgender propaganda. The whole thing is so silly. So here's what's going on. Basically, after Charlie Kirk was killed, side note, the way that people have been using Charlie Kirk's death as a way to sort of remake the fabric of our cultural society is the quickness that they've tried

to be like, and I have this grievance and that grievance that should be taken care of has been very interesting. But Charlie Kirk was killed. British Prime Minister Kier Starmor made a post about it on social media. Hamish Steele, who is an animator and the creator of a Netflix show called Dead End Paranormal Park, commented on the British Prime Minister's post asking, Why, as the prime minister, are you commenting on the death of a, quote, random Nazi? Libs of TikTok, our old foe, of course, saw this and retweets it and says,

you will never guess who the creator of this show is, a he-slash-z-a LGBTQ blue-sky fan who mocked Charlie Kirk's murder and called him a Nazi. Also, part of me is, like, it's funny that she snucked blue-sky fan in there. I was going to say, I'm proud of her for getting the he-bay specifically. I checked the pronouns on Steele's bio Those are correct pronouns They're like

A they then One of those blue hair they them But no she went He they LGBTQ Blue Sky fan Get it right Got the Q

What are the other thing Like It's just so funny to me The things that she That she is like You know what I'm saying He likes blue sky You know

So they're A millennial? Like, I don't know. Right. No offense, but I'm none taken. I'm a proud millennial. So then Lips of TikTok posts another tweet saying, OMG, dead end paranormal park. A show on Netflix is pushing pro transgender on all caps children. This show is advertised for seven year olds. It's being promoted on Netflix kids now. Parents, all caps, beware. and then includes a very short scene from the show where in a character comes out as trans. So because we know he's a massive transphobe, this was a bat signal to Elon Musk.

And he was like, trans people exist in where? I must pounce. So he tweeted that this was, quote, not okay and rallied his followers to boycott Netflix. But here's the thing. This show that they're all up in arms about has actually been off the air for years. It was canceled back in 2022.

So it's been off the air for quite a while. A classic, classic Netflix show, you know. Yeah. How many shows? That's like there's so many shows. This is, okay, I'll be real with this story. I saw on, I think like them posted an article about it. And I just like saw it on my Instagram feed.

And I was like, I had a second because it just said a Netflix show that was canceled in 2020. And I was like, this could be so many shows. Like I was like, I was like, I need to open the comments to try and figure out what it is. Sorry, bad journalists to me. I should have. I definitely clicked on the article and read the actual article to see, and definitely didn't just see this when I was doom scrolling on Instagram. Whatever.

Let's pretend that's what happened. But I was like, like a million shows went through my head where I was like, I wonder if it's this or this. My first thought was I was like, oh my God, it's sensate. Because that was the first show I could think of that head of train's character. That show was canceled years ago. I don't even, I never watched that show. It was not for children.

It definitely was not a show for children either. But yeah, no, I did think it was kind of funny that I was like, my first thought was I was like, yeah, which canceled Netflix show? There are a bazillion of those. And I will say to me, that's a reason to boycott Netflix. I got hooked on this fantastic show on Netflix with Jeff Goldblum chaos. They, they canceled it in one season. And so I was like, I was like very invested. I was burning through the episodes. Then they announced it it's canceled. And it's like, what's the point? Why even finish? If I'm not even going to get a. ending why even finish. Now there's a

legitimate reason to boycott Netflix, not this nonsense. So you're here to now. You heard it now. That's how I felt about there was that lesbian vampire show that they canceled. Like I was like about to watch it. I just finished coming out and then they canceled it and I was like well now I don't really want to watch it. Yeah. You're hearing it now. We're calling for a boycott of

Netflix until I bring back all of their shows. They only had one season. No. Bring a staff Goldblum. Come on. Genuinely, this is such a tangent, but I get so irritated because Netflix, and then also just the streaming landscape is so different, but they will cancel shows so quickly. And think about it. How many shows do we love that didn't really find their footing until season three, season four? Exactly. Seinfeld, when it first came out, the first few seasons were man, they were not well reviewed. What if somebody pulled the plug then, right? Sometimes shows need a little bit of breathing room for folks to get to know them and, yeah, stop canceling shows so quickly. Exactly. No, 100% agree. What's a conspiracy? What is going on? They don't want us to have good TV anyway. But I agree. I think, again, not to go on too much of a tangent, but I'm like, when I was in high school, my favorite show was Parks and Rec, the first two seasons are terrible, like famously. But yeah, no, it is like, streaming has been bad for, again, there's a bazillion, amazing valid reasons to boycott Netflix. I do find it kind of funny that Netflix is one of these companies. again, this kind of is similar of the ADL story. Like I feel like

Elon Musk, proud, loud transphobe calling for a boycott of this platform that also has treated its trans creators and employees' therapy. Like, we did an episode on this show though I remember editing that was about

how they laid off all of these queer employees that they had. I don't know. It is kind of like, hey, you can't win with these people, but also like on our side, I'm kind of like, and sorry, now you want me to defend you? No. I think you said it.

You can't win with these people. And the fact that this show has been off the air for years, what do you want? It's not as if queer and trans and marginalized creators are running Hollywood, running studios. We're not. I mean, from your lips to God's ears, maybe. But it's just like, what else do you want? What else do you want? Like how would Netflix, they can't go back in time and recantle it?

It's just grievance after grievance after grievance. And I got to say, I really feel bad for Steele because on Blue Sky, Steele was like, the show is, so Lips of TikTok was like, this show is being promoted on Netflix to kids. And Steele was like, that's not true. It's all lies in slander. Netflix is not promoting the show at the moment. And then I also feel very bad because they followed up with,

I will just say today is much worse. and I am going to basically be down low for the foreseeable future, my apologies. And so, again, this person did not do anything wrong, just happened to, I guess, have the wrong opinion about Charlie Kirk, and now they are able to slander work that they did years ago in a partnership that they had years ago with Netflix.

And I guess I really do think what they're advocating for. It's not even really about this show. It's about we demand the entire culture be remade in the way that we want it to be. We want the only movies and shows that people can watch to be the ones that we like. We want the final say, we want all the cultural power and capital.

That's really what this is about. And the way they're trying to use Charlie Kirk's death to remake culture in their idealized image is just really sad and gross to me. I mean, I think they tried it. They had a very narrow window with the Ginny Kimmel thing and it seems to not have taken. And I think now they're just like, okay,

let's just throw a bunch of shit at the line. wall and see what sticks. Yeah. Yeah, it really is insane. Because yeah, exactly like you said, it's like, hey, none of this has to do with Charlie Kirk's death in the slightest. Like, maybe we should like just take a page from their book at this point. If you listener have a show that got canceled that you're really sad about, I think you should like tweet at Netflix and be like, do you know that this was actually Charlie Kirk's favorite show? Um, we need to be honoring Charlie Kirk. We need to be honoring his legacy. Did chaos back on the air.

He was literally a father. Call up Jeff Goldblum. This is such a tangent. I'm sorry, everybody. I'm in a tangent mood. I've had two drinks. I'm rewatching the show community. And the characters, so it's such a, it's a very good rewatch.

Honestly, this is like, I could go on all day. But something about the show, it has such an optimistic, kind of like even even though it's very meta and it gets dark and all of that. But it ultimately is grounded in a kind of optimism that just feels very good to kind of remember and have nostalgia for. But there's a scene where the characters Troy and Abed revealed that if one of them ever dies by suicide, they have a way to frame it to make it seem like it was related to getting the show Firefly back on the air.

Yes, I remember that. But I got also a huge community band. I've watched it so good. It's so good. It is a great, like, feel good. show to go back to. Yeah, yeah. Troy and Abed, they knew what was up.

They knew what was up. We actually, people don't know this, but community was actually Charlie Kirk's favorite show. And the fact that they still haven't made the community movie. Yes, six seasons in a movie. It's a travesty. It's a travesty. It's a six seasons in a movie.

Yeah, we should just start saying that Charlie Kirk really loved things that we liked. And then he was a huge Troy and Abed show. Yeah. He was like, I hope in the movie, we find out that they actually got married. We found his secret fanfic. They still live with Annie. I'm now revealing how many times I've seen this fucking show. But yeah, yeah.

Bridget, we'll do a community rewatch podcast that'll be our next project we do together. I'm so ready. I'm so ready. Let's take a quick break. Another podcast from some SNL, late night comedy guide, not quite on. humor me with Robert Smygel and friends, me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk, to David Letterman, help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an Acapella band with their

between songs banter. There's that worst singer in the group? The worst? Yeah. Me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because your parents made a huge donation. To the group.

To the group. The yard birds, right? That's the name. The Harvard yard, but they're open. Do you have a name suggestion? We're open. Since you guys are middle-aged, one erection. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Huber me. I need some jokes to make me seem funny. Run a business and not thinking about podcasting, think again. More Americans listen to podcasts than ad-supported streaming music. from Spotify and Pandora. And as the number one podcaster, IHearts twice as large as the next two combined.

So whatever your customers listen to, they'll hear your message. Plus, only IHeart can extend your message to audiences across broadcast radio. Think podcasting can help your business. Think IHeart. Streaming, radio, and podcasting. Let us show you at iHeartadvertising.com.

That's iHeartadvertising.com. What's up, fam? This Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast's point game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron Head. into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed.

And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup,

he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night bases on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying.

He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball, like, after you go through a training camp with that, IZAD, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can have opinions. You can have like a strong stance. And then there's your body having its own program. I'm Dr. Maya Shunker, a cognitive scientist and host of the podcast, a slight change of plans, a show about who we are and who we become when life makes other plans. We share stories and scientific insights to help us all better navigate these periods of turbulence and transformation. There is one finding that is consistent, and that is that, that our resilience rests on our relationships.

I wish that I hadn't resisted for so long the need to change. We have to be willing to live with a kind of uncertainty that none of us likes. Listen to a slight change of plans on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And we're back. Well, should we talk about Ted Cruz? Let's go. Let's talk about Ted Cruz. We'll talk about Ted Cruz.

Okay, so after the horrible assassination of the Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark, and even her dog, we talked about how the attacker was able to get her home address and the home addresses of other Democratic lawmakers that he targeted through data brokers. So data brokers, it is an issue that I've talked about on this show. Data brokers endanger everybody, but especially anybody who is from a marginalized background. If you're a woman, if you're a trans person, if you're a queer person who's in the public. public eye or running for public office or holding elected office, you are going to be more likely to be disproportionately targeted by the fact that all of our personal information, including our addresses, are just available to the highest bidder online. So after that horrible attack,

MSNBC published the items that the attacker had on him during the murders, and it included photos of a notepad they found in his car that had a long list of people's search sites where anybody can basically find the home addresses of anybody in the United States. He had notebooks in his car that included Hortman's name and address. So these data broker sites and people search sites, they are such a, just a plague on our society. Anybody can buy the personal information of anybody. And if you've ever paid a parking ticket or voted or gotten the utilities turned on your home, your information is likely for sale.

and your local and state government might even be the entities putting that information up for sale. Federal lawmakers like Senator Ted Cruz do you have enhanced protections, but because Melissa Hortman was a state lawmaker, she was just as exposed as you or me. Those of us who are not federal lawmakers really have no meaningful data protection or privacy legislation in this country to protect us. Senator Ron Wyden was trying to change that. TechCrunch reports that he asked the Senate for you, unanimous consent from senators to pass his legislation, the Protecting Americans from Doxing

and Political Violence Act. So this bill, if passed, would have taken bipartisan past provisions designed to protect government officials and lawmakers and their families from having their personal information sold or traded by data brokers and extended those protections to all of us, to every American and living person in the United States. Whedon said, members of Congress should not receive special treatment. Our constituents deserve protection. from violence, stalking, and other criminal threats. Protecting everyone is the most effective way to protect U.S. military and intelligence personnel, including undercover officers, he said. So I've been saying the same thing on this show for years. We need meaningful data privacy protections for everyone.

Full stop, end of sentence. But do you know who doesn't feel that way? You know, who doesn't feel that every American deserves data privacy protections? I've got to guess. I've got to guess. It's Senator Ted Cruz. Oh, man. I love that specifically the quote was protection from violence stalking and other criminal threats because it's so funny to picture Ted Cruz. I mean, he probably would hear that and just be like, no, they don't. Yeah.

I deserve that. But not that. You all don't deserve that. Oh, you deserve the right to enact violence. Yes, you do deserve that. Yes. No, no, not. Not about that.

That's too far. That's essentially what he is saying. like, that's hardly even an exaggeration because Ted Cruz decided that even though he gets this enhanced protection, the rest of us, oh, we don't deserve it at all. And he blocked an effort to pass legislation that would have extended these data privacy protections that federal lawmakers like him enjoy to all of us. His reasoning behind this is truly wild to me. And it's wild to the point where I'm like, well, what's really going on? Because what you're saying doesn't even make sense. So the reason that he cited for why he doesn't think the rest of us deserve the

same protections that him and his family get is because if all of our data wasn't just up for grabs, it might potentially interfere with law enforcement in some way, question mark, I don't know. So completely living up to his reputation as like a lonely pariah who everyone hates, Cruz was the sole objecting senator to this bill, claiming without evidence the bill could disrupt law enforcement, quote, such as knowing where sexual predators are living. But think about that for a second because we already have a sex offender registry list that gives the addresses of where convicted sex offenders live. And TechCrunch spoke to Daniel Schumann, the executive director at the nonprofit, the American Governance Institute, who pointed that out saying that that was completely wrong and that, yeah, federal law already requires a publicly available registry of sex offenders. He said, that registry lists offenders' names and addresses online.

so parents and communities know where they live, adding that Wyden's bill leaves that system fully intact, explicitly permits law enforcement to share information with at-risk individuals and exempts the press so news outlets can continue reporting freely on offenders. Nothing in the bill would prevent parents from being notified or limit public access to this critical information, Schumann said. So, yeah, Ted Cruz's explanation for why all of us don't deserve the same protections that he and his family get,

doesn't really make sense or hold water. And I think it's really just a money thing. You know, this is just my opinion, but y'all might remember that Cruz also introduced legislation that would have allowed the White House to unilaterally exempt AI companies from nearly all federal regulation. And he was also behind that 10-year moratorium on any state-level AI legislation. So I think he's just in the pocket of big tech. And I think for all of his posturing about protecting freedom, he consistently demonstrates just a clear and flagrant lack of regard for our citizens of privacy. And I genuinely, this is like a genuine question, I wonder if he thinks that this level of privacy protections that he enjoys is not good in some way or that we all shouldn't have it, would he give up those protections for himself and his family if he thinks that apparently nobody should have these?

Like, is he special in some way? I genuinely do not understand what he is doing here other than just being completely in the pocket of big tech. Yes, he is special. He's Ted Cruz. Of course he shouldn't give up those rights that only exist for him and his besties. He's Ted Cruz. That's different. Yeah, no, but like I think you're totally right. Like at this point, it's like they're not even like pretending like this isn't the case.

It's like, you're just, yeah, you're supporting nonsense ideas. You're shutting down these things that are pretty universally, like, supported because you're like, but, but the people that pay me don't want that. So I'm going to make it. Yeah. And it is the thing where it's like, yeah, no, obviously, like, yeah, like there is a, like, registry of, like, sex offenders. Like, there's all these things that exist through the police already, through the government. but that doesn't matter because you can just throw out

you can just say like oh but I'm worried about sex offenders as they've been doing for every issues lately that means nothing anymore because they say that again this is like this is the same argument they use for why trans people shouldn't be allowed

to do literally anything is they're like ah but what about sex offenders like at this point it's like I feel like we could have legislation on Like, if we went back in time and we were just now in 2025 introducing legislation about seatbelts, like there would be some way that the Republicans would be like, but what about the sex offenders? Yeah, it would be like, but what if there was a bad guy who used a seatbelt and he got into the crash and he was protected?

But what if a transgender and Tifa tried seatbelt and I don't, like it's just nonsense anymore. They just throw out worries and people eat it up or they just know that they're not going to face consequences. It's so true. Like I guess I'm just in a silly, goofy mood because it's been a week. I'm just going all over the place, y'all. Stay with me. I mean, I saw the interview that Donald Trump getting on a plane. And I forget what he's asked about something.

And he just says, well, you know, the Democrats just, they just want transgender for everybody. And I just wish somebody would ask a follow up. Like, what does that mean? What do you, what do you, what does that mean? I wish, okay, that makes so much tons because I feel like I keep seeing like tweets and like memes and stuff that are using the like, everything is computer, transgender for everybody. And I'm like, I thought the transgender and I will say everything is computer.

That is a banger quote. That's a banger. I do say that a lot. Everything is computer. And you know what? Transgender for everybody. That is the platform that I'm running on. I would put that on a shirt.

I also say everything is. computer. You ever listen to a Sophie song? You ever listen to a Sophie song? Everything is computer and transgender for everybody. Let's go. Brad Summer, part three. Because truly, it's so funny because truly he'll say things where you, it's so wrong, it kind of loops around to being right. Do you know what I'm I think of? I know. Yes, some like really funny lines. Oh my God. Do you know the guy who does like Trump as a gay man? Palmer was all man. And I say that in all due respect to women and I love women. But this guy, this guy, this is a guy that was all man. It starts as a joke, but it's like Trump really was born to be a gay man. Like, truly. He would have been so good on drag race. And that is the biggest

tragedy of this whole situation is like, this is why I'm like kind of like in my heart. I, there is something like I do like George Santos like I do sort of I'm like you know what like you're all right like I don't know I like this is probably the best case scenario oh my gosh wait where he's behind bars no I'm living is entire living is true like I got it got it got it yeah uh-huh have you ever seen the video where a reporter is like sir sir what do you think about drag race this season and he stops in his tracks that is the happiest I've ever seen that man that is the happiest I've ever seen And that, again, another, like, I look at George Santos. I'm like, this is what Trump was supposed to be.

Like, if he just had kept in where, like, I was like the clip of him on Z-Way. Like, he's so, like, the Z-way interview was so funny. All the canyos. I, like, this should have been what Trump was. And it should have stopped there. This should have been what Ted Cruz. Ted Cruz doesn't have the charisma, actually. I take that back.

I take that back. Ted Cruz, there was no hope. Trump. This is what it's been. There's an image of Santos when he was being, I think, a rain or sentence where it's just a black and white image of him wearing sunglasses and it's just cameras all around him. And I'm like, girl, that's an album cover. That's a album cover. That is like, I think that is, like, that is, like, that is, like, the most, like, group chat used image that I've had, like, on, like, like, whenever somebody's, like, got my haircut, like, uh, it's on the image. Like, I don't know. It is, that is, like, how I feel, but I leave.

the house. I'm like, I don't know that, yeah. If these people weren't spreading so much misery and fascism and torment, they would be, yeah, in another universe, we're watching them all scheme on housewives or drag race or something. If they weren't responsible for so much pain and misery, we could sort of be like low-key rooting for them in another, in another capacity or arena, you know? Trump would have killed it on housewives. Like, yeah, yeah. We did an episode with Ashley Ray of the podcast TV I say all about how Trump, if you are a scholar of reality TV,

you sort of get Trump because he definitely came from the reality TV world and he knows how to be a reality TV show villain and watching a lot of reality TV helps us understand how he moves right now. Exactly. Exactly. And I know this is something we disagree on. I'm a reality TV hater, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Holy. But, well, I still like you.

No, no, no, no. I know. I listen, I have many friends that are very into reality TV. It's just nothing. I don't, I don't get it. I like drag race. I watched, I did watch the secret wives, the secret lives of more of the lives. That was fun.

But like, I feel like I watched the first season and I got a little bit. I don't know. It's not for me. And to me, I'm like, and that demonstrates everything that's wrong with American culture and how we tell where we are today. Oh, it absolutely does. But also it is like how you understand what the fuck is happening today. Because this is unfortunately the reality we are living in. It is the reality we are living in.

Well, speaking of occupying different realities, I found this fascinating study from Emily Van Dunn, a professor of communications at the University of Illinois or Banda Champaign, who did this in, oh, you're from out there, right? I am, I did not go to you, I, but I am from Illinois. My dad's a U of I alumni Half of my high school went to UIUC So shout out, shout out

Shout out Shout out to UIUC My dad loves to bring up that they invented the internet I don't know how accurate that is But he loves to say that UIUC invented the internet Yes Well thank you UIUC

I probably wouldn't have this podcast If not for their invention Actually sorry, my bad It was the first internet browser that was created at UIUC, but I guess the internet as a whole, it was a bit more complicated.

But yeah, I still, still, same applies. We would not have this show without UIUC. So thank you. Emily Van Dunn from UIUC did this fascinating research that says that misinformation

is not just ruining our democracy, ruining our information ecosystem. It's also ending marriages. So she did these in-depth interviews with 28 people who had recently ended a relationship with a partner whose political ideology did not match their own. So there are people who, when they got into relationships, it's like, oh, well, I'm a Democrat. My partner is much more left-leaning. Or I'm a moderate Republican. My partner is much more conservative.

So like people who already from the beginning did not share the same political ideology. A lot of the couples involved in these interviews said that their media choices were directly responsible for the political differences that, ultimately caused the relationships to end. Their stories offer fresh insight that the corrosive effects of the tendinaciousness being fueled by disinformation, misinformation, misinformation, and partisan online communities in the public sphere can be just as divisive in private.

Van Dunn said, quote, it is important to note that these relationships were not dreamed for failure because the differing political beliefs, they failed, at least in part, because those differing beliefs were associated with different realities that disrupted a shared identity

and shared reality with their partner, which I find so fascinating. And so something I have definitely felt when dealing with people who have been deeply, deeply taken in by just incorrect information and that there's something you can do to convince them otherwise, they create their own little world around them that is just very difficult to penetrate. And so how could you then share a world with somebody that you're intending to be a romantic relationship with as a romantic partner, if they are already in their own little isolated world that you cannot penetrate. So it completely kind of makes sense to me. This really bore out in a lot of the conversations. Van Dunn said that the study participants' experiences went beyond differing interpretations of political

facts because false information created an alternative fictional reality that isolated their partners from each other ideologically and relationally, straining their bonds until the relationships failed. She said that her findings published in the Journal of New Media and Society drawn the theory of shared reality, shedding light on the potential implications for intimate relationships when online misand-discinformation and radicalization disrupt individuals' expectations that their partners will recognize and validate their respective understandings of the world. So that really, I think, is the key that we kind of expect our romantic partners to live in a shared reality with us. And it seems to become an issue from her research.

when a partner is confronted with whether or not they want to validate what they understand to be truth and reality versus validating with their partner. And yeah, it just is really interesting to think that people's online rabbit holes can and have torn relationships apart. Yeah, I really do not find that surprising. I've dated people before with different political beliefs than me. I think most people have. but even in that there's like maybe this isn't the best term to use but there's like a margin of error almost of like what you're willing to like tolerate that like somebody you don't agree on you know like it could be like okay we we don't agree on like these things but there's only like

so much that you can put up with until it's like you're just like too far apart and maybe this is just a sign of how polarized we are right now that that that like gap between what people, yeah, like the realities kind of are like we're living in completely different realities. So there's more things that we disagree about. I mean, this also makes me think of like back a year ago now. I mean, that's crazy that this was a year ago. But a year ago and there were these campaign ads that were like encouraging women to vote for Kamala Harris, even if like their partners were voting for Trump. Yeah. It was mainly, yeah, it was mainly aimed at women.

And I mean, I think the fact that this was something, this was a reality that like the Harris campaign understood to an extent and was like trying to campaign on shows how polarized like in terms of gender we are especially. I mean, this also like makes you think if there was this article I ran a while ago about how like Gen Z women were dating older men a lot more. And like it wasn't because of like. I read that. The usual reasons, you know, people would be in age gap relationships, but it was literally because a lot of Gen Z men have become, and like, this is generalizing, obviously, but like a lot of them have gone so far right and have gotten, like, red-pilled or whatever, like, gone to the whole, like, Andrew Hight spiral.

And so it's like, there's literally no good options of people at our age. So sure, yeah, we'll look to the older generation that maybe has, like, a little bit more progressive beliefs. I thought that was really interesting. I mean, I don't, this isn't really like something I have to deal with in my dating life, but like, like, honestly, I talk to like my straight girlfriends and I'm like, the dating seems really bleak. Like, I totally get that. Like, there clearly is a gender gap right now. And I mean, mainly among heterosexual people, but not always. And yeah, I can't imagine what it's like right now, like being a straight woman trying to date. Yeah, many years ago, I

casually dated someone and this was someone who I thought I was like, I have met the person I'm going to marry. This person is like, our first date, I'm like, I'm planning my wedding. And we, I had to break it off when I found out that he deeply believed a

very specific and incorrect conspiracy theory. And it was something that I was like, I don't think I'm going to be able to like drop this. Basically, this guy was gorgeous. Probably the most attractive person I've ever seen in my life, in real life. You need to know that.

Just put it out there. Whatever you're imagining. Gorgeous. So he'd been living in New York City, but it just moved to D.C. because he was a restaurateur. He was opening a new restaurant in D.C. that he was going to be the owner and head chef of. He was French.

He had a great accent. He was hilarious. You know, the cliche in movies of a girl who goes on one or two good dates and then is going home and essentially planning her wedding. That was me. It's Christmas time. He's from France. And I say, oh, what are you doing for Christmas?

You know, da-da-da. And he says, oh, I'm going home to France. And I was like, oh, that's so nice. At the time I had not been to France. And I said, oh, what's France like in Christmas? And he said, oh, well, it used to be lovely when I was a kid. And there used to be Christmas markets. But unfortunately, now Christmas markets are illegal in France because,

because of the Muslims. And because of Muslims, they have outlawed and banned Christmas markets in France. And I said, well, that's not true. I see pictures of Christmas markets in France all the time. Also, France, historically a very pro-Islam culture. Never had any issues with minority religions ever. As a Jewish person, I can say. This is what I'm saying. What he was saying was so ridiculous that I was like, oh, no, he's not smart. Like that was truly, it like shattered something. But then, you know, I guess I just feel like what someone reveals themselves to be, one, not a critical thinker. And then, too, believing an Islamophobic, easily debunkable conspiracy theory, it's like, I, like, I didn't want to stick around to find out more about that worldview and where it let, where it ended. And, you know, I remember talking over with a friend and he was like, unfortunately, that's actually like,

quite a common attitude in France unfortunately. Yeah. So I had to break it off with someone that I genuinely thought was going to be my soulmate. Yeah. Based mostly on looks and clicking ability, really. Now that I'm like really being honest. And those are valid things to look for a soulmate, I think, personally. Thank you. No, that's so real.

I was going to say, honestly, dating a European, you get to learn about a whole new brand of racism that you've never Bridget one day we'll trade stories about our mutual. I am not going to go on to get along this podcast, but there were, you know, I will say at least I was the first Jewish person that what about exes had ever met

and that was something that resulted in some interesting comments every once in a while. But yeah, yeah, yeah. It's fun. Europe is really fun, really cool place. They're doing hate in like, real novel ways. It's like you weren't new...

They found, like, ways to be racist to other white people that you would have never imagined. You know, oh, boy. It's so true. More after a quick break. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guide. Not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends.

Me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman, help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and headwriters, Streeter Seidel, help an acapella band with their between songs banter. There's the worst singer in the group? The worst? Yeah. Me.

Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because your parents made a huge donation. The group. The yard birds, right? That's the name. The Harvard yard, but they're open to change. Do you have a name suggestion? We're open.

Since you guys are middle. age, one erection. Listen to humor me with Robert Smygel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Humor me, I need some jokes to make me seem funny. Run a business and not thinking about podcasting, think again. More Americans listen to podcasts than ads supported streaming music from Spotify and Pandora. And as the number one podcaster, IHearts twice as large as the next two combined. bind. So whatever your customers listen to, they'll hear your message. Plus, only IHeart can

extend your message to audiences across broadcast radio. Think podcasting can help your business. Think IHart. Streaming, radio, and podcasting. Call 844-844-I-Hart to get started. That's 844-8-4-8-4-I-Hart. What's up, Sam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard

guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stopped by, like Quentin We dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash will get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball. Like, you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah.

You figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can have opinions. You can have like a strong stance. And then there's your,

body having its own program. I'm Dr. Maya Shunker, a cognitive scientist and hosts of the podcast, a slight change of plans, a show about who we are and who we become when life makes other plans. We share stories and scientific insights to help us all better navigate these periods of turbulence and transformation. There is one finding that is consistent, and that is that our resilience rests on our relationships. I wish that I hadn't, resisted for so long the need to change. We have to be willing to live with a kind of uncertainty that none of us likes. Listen to a slight change of plans on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Let's get right back into it. Okay, so lastly, Joey, I know we are of

different age eras, but if you will allow me a little bit of nostalgia, if you are listening to this and you are my age or older, this sound you probably associate with the internet, specifically booting up America online back in the day. Even hearing a little taste of it, I feel like I get chills because it reminds me of being up in the computer room getting online. Is it, did you, did you have this? Does this mean anything to you? I did. Um, for the record. I do remember AOL. Okay, good. I was born in 99. So I, I, I, I, I had a little bit of the early internet era. I did my first, you know, introduction to computers was my family's desktop.

I didn't have an iPhone until I was 15. So I did get in trouble in elementary school for using our family printer to print out a bunch of, like, pictures from like Star Wars movies that I wanted to put on my wall. And my parents were like, you used up like all of our ink, what the hell. And I was like, one thing in color would be like, well, that's the whole can of us. Yeah. I was like, I need this giant picture of Potomé from Star Wars. And then somehow it took me until I was like 15 to realize that I was gay. But it's fun. Whatever. And that's another story. But yes, I do remember, although I do definitely, I will say, like, it was a shorter period of my life that I think for a lot of our listeners than you. And I say that with no disrespect. I love the millennials. I love the millennials. Y'all did so much for us.

Thank you. None taken. We don't get down with any of the like millennial gen Z. Right. We're not about the divide. Exactly. We're all love on this podcast. I was 14 years old reading Buttis feed being like so true.

I also can't afford a house. We're the same. That's the thing. It's like, why are we pitted against? None of us can afford shit. Why are we pitting each other against each other? We're all broke. Yeah.

We're all. We're all trading around the same $20. Literally. Literally. Why should we be at odds with each other? We shouldn't be. The world is on fire. We love Lady Gaga.

What else is there? I don't know. What else is they talking about? Everything is computer. What else is they talking about? Everything is computer. Everybody's transgender. Let's go.

Everything is computer transgender for everybody. But AOL, yes. Yes. Okay. I talked about this on the podcast, and I just got to give it up to AOL. That noise, when I was growing up, it was possibility. It was like the portal to the new world. You know, Joey, but for people who were younger, it was like how you got online, like getting online meant that it tied up your family's phone line.

I have very clear. I can hear my mom, God rest her soul. I can hear the pitch, the specific pitch of her voice being like, get off the damn phone. or get up all. This was before this was before everything was computer. Yeah, but everything was not yet computer.

And it could either be on the computer or your mom could be making phone calls for her literal life or death job as a medical doctor. It was one of the others. Exactly. Exactly. I was like, why is my dad mad at me? Because he needs to use the printer for his like work die.

And I'm like, but again, I need to pick this picture of. Yeah. And Anakin from Star Wars. I'm finding out that the truth is out there at an X-Files chat room. I don't care that you have actual adult work to do. And then I'm tying up the phone lines preventing you from doing it. But so, yeah, it just really was something special. And believe it or not, I was shocked to hear this.

A handful of households in the United States were still using that exact same technology dial-up as recently as last week. Census data from 2023 showed that about 163,000 households. holes were still relying on dial-up for their internet. That's just over a 10 of a percent of all internet subscribers nationwide. However, this week, America Online AOL confirmed it was officially pulling the plug on its dial-up service for good. So like, if you did not live through it, I cannot express to you how much AOL was synonymous with the internet back in the day. And it was very much was what the internet was for an entire generation.

It has shaped what the internet has become for all of us ever since. If you've seen that movie, you've got mail. It's called that because when you would get on America Online, the little guy would say, you've got mail. That was literally what AOL told you when you would sign in. That little voice became iconic. AOL CDs were absolutely everywhere. They were like fall out of magazines.

They would come in the mail randomly. When you would go to Blockbuster, when they would give you your change, they would give you an AOL CD. You would order a pizza and it would be like glued to the top of the box. Wait, sorry, what's Blockbuster? Okay, Joey. I know, I know, even if you didn't live through some of this, I know that you're like a nostalgia. I was like to say I watched Stranger Things, of course I know, but they actually in Stranger Things, they worked at Family Video and there was, there was a family video like a couple blocks for me growing up that actually one of my best.

friends from high school worked out for a little bit because it was, it was still open into the 20s for us. But yes, I am family video is the one closest to me, but I miss that. That was a, we were a family video family. And there was also a Hollywood video sometimes. Yeah. I think I want to say we had an issue, like, we didn't rewind the videos or something. We had some sort of problem with them.

But yeah, those were the days. Those are the days. I, Netflix just isn't the same as, um, there's, like, like, you're, you don't have like the smell. You can't buy like shitty junior mints or like, like a movie theater candy when you're checking out. It's just not the same, you know. I honestly, so I, we're both movie people. I honestly associate why that is for me with going to video stores because you would just

get the title and then a printed up like paragraph synopsis. And you would have to decide whether or not you wanted to watch a movie based on that. And I took a chance on a lot of movies I probably would never have seen at a very young age because I was like, oh, this paragraph makes it seem interesting. So yeah, I just, I wanted to sort of pour one out for AOL. I don't think I'd be making this podcast, if not for spending hours and hours and hours in the computer room using AOL. I read that at one point, half of all of the CDs manufactured worldwide were AOL.

all sign up discs, like that is massive. And, you know, for me, and I think for probably a lot of us, it was not just technology. It was, it was a lifeline. AOL chat rooms were genuinely how I figured out so much about myself. I saw reflections of myself. I saw worlds that I had never seen before. Lifestyles I had never seen before. It's how I figured out I was queer, like living in a small southern town. That glowing screen was like possibility to me. And I say this to say that we were alluding to this earlier, but it is so important that the generation behind us gets to have those same experiences. I'm not going to say those.

I'm not going to say that those experiences were all good because I was certainly in some online spaces. I certainly had no business in. Asking ASL in some rooms that I probably should not have been in. However, it truly was a lifeline that a life that I have now, which is fucking awesome. And would not exist without the Internet. And it is so important that all youth, trans youth, queer youth, disuse, straight youth, that they all have places like this where they can figure out who they are. And if we allow for the powers that be to regulate the internet in such a way that it erases queerness and transness, I don't think that we're going to be creating an internet landscape that allows for people to just figure out who they are. And we should.

And it was a beautiful thing for me. I don't want to sound too sentimental. But with AOL sunsetting, its dial-up connection, it just was a moment where I really remembered that magic. I want to make sure that that magic is available for those that are coming up now and behind us. Totally. Yeah.

Totally agree. I think like, and I mean, again, I'm coming up with somebody who I was as a tail on the earth of AOL kind of being a big thing. So that wasn't really like the internet. when I was experiencing the internet. But at the same time, like, I totally resonate what you were saying. I think, like, I was kind of at the tail end

of the, like, the internet being, like, the Wild West and just kind of being, like, yeah, I look back and there's a lot of things where I'm like, cool, I probably should not have been exposed to that at a young age. I probably should have, whatever. There was, I was a Tumblr kid. I was, you know, online being like, no, don't kill yourself to people that were probably, like,

10 years older than me. Yeah. That wasn't great. That being said, a lot of shit about my life now, like, it gave me space to, like, find out who I was, and it gave me space to, like, explore and, like, see that there was, like, another world out there. And I think that is really important. And I think, like, like, you Bridget, that is kind of why I, like, I think the internet was, like, a huge part of my life growing up. I think it, like, it continues to be a huge part of my life. I think that is something that on the one hand, I agree, like, yeah, I want it to be safer and healthier for the next generation. But I want them to have access to that. I want them to have access to being able to, like, explore new ideas, new possibilities.

And unfortunately, it's kind of like there's no real solution or, like, easy option to be like, and we need to do that. Because it's like, no, we shouldn't also be, like, the state of the internet right now is so depressing. and so it makes me so sad for the next generation to be like, this is what it's going to be. So, yeah, no, I agree. It is sad to see that. And also, it's like one of those things where it's like the way, like looking at how fast technology moves,

not to be too nostalgic about this. Like, obviously, yes, there were still problems. And it's kind of like, it feels like it's like the end of the internet feeling hopeful. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's exactly. You really articulated that well.

And, yeah, I really, you know, we've talked to Anil Dash, an OG internet entrepreneur who was like, oh, let's not get caught up in false nostalgia. But, so I don't want to do that. But it does feel like we're at the end of that era where the internet felt like promise and not just a slog that was being hijacked and weaponized and sold and codified. And I just, we can't let them take the internet. I think that we deserve an internet landscape and a tech landscape that feels like connection and community and that feels like hope. You know, community the show and also community, small-sea community that feels like hope. And I guess I always just feel heartened by the fact that there are more people that want that and are willing, there are more smart nerds who want to do the work of recapturing that and rebuilding that,

then there are people who just want to sell it back to us and commodify it. Like, I was going to talk about this on the News Roundup, but you live in New York. There was a whole thing where an AI companion service had taken out. Oh, my God. And the subway. I walk by these all the time. It is so weird. It is so weird.

It's the friend ones. They're all called like friend, too. It is so like, I will say to like on just like my most people I follow obviously are in people I know. York and like I've seen so many people sharing photos of like the graffitied over signs too and that that does again like that gives me hope the fact that people are pushing back I think like I think again just like with the AI stuff something that on the one hand yes I am somebody who going back to the story like I grew up in the internet I think the internet is great and it's helpful I think specifically seeing like the pushback with AI has given me hope I think specifically like I've had a lot of moments with the um Especially stuff with people, like, having, like, AI, like, boyfriends and girlfriends, or, yeah, like, the AI friend thing where I was like, am I, like, do I have to try and look at this in a different perspective or, like, no, me? And I'm like, no, no, this is weird. I have moral concerns with this. Here's why. It affects how we as, like, a community interact with each other. And I think seeing the backlash that is getting, like, that gives me hope. I think, yeah. Somebody went to all of those different AI friend. advertisements. Like that company must have spent lots of money to trick out the MTA system with those billboards. And somebody is graffitiing them writing things like, stop exploiting our loneliness. And I think, you know, I think there's a wisdom there. And I think it really does show that people

want humanity, people want connection, people want community, people want to be in community with each other and these tech, this handful of white tech oligarchs trying to, to exploit that and sell it back to us. And in the form of AI, people are saying no. The backlash to that AI actor that recently popped up, people don't, people, I don't know how much louder people need to be saying no until the powers that be get it. But people are saying no very loudly. You don't stand Tilly Norwood.

What do you mean? Also, way to know her name off the top of your head. I will be so real. the only reason I do know her name is because I've seen so many, like, actors that I follow, like, making parodies being like, I, okay, first of all, I love Meg Stulcher. So fucking funny. She's hilarious.

She made, like, a really funny run recently where she was, like, pretending to be, like, another AI thing. And she was, like, actually, like, it was like, um, this is why Slater or was a fucking bitch. She's terrible. I don't know. She always fucking killed it. There was one.

The actress who plays, I'm blaking on her name, but she's the actors who plays Nessa and Wicked and the Wicked movie. Oh, yeah, yeah. And she made one where she was like, guys, like, I need to be honest. and she was like she like pushed me out of my wheelchair like she's just like horrible like I just I do think it's really funny seeing all these actors now like being like you know what sure if you're going to hit us with this ridiculousness then I heard Tilly Norwood saying the unword actually yeah like you should hear her views on palestine she was actually uh she was actually you know

the like army hammer cannibalism scandal yeah was like also involved with that. Like she was like sitting right next to him like truly I don't know. This is what I'm saying. AI couldn't do this. AI couldn't come up with that level of like intertextual response. You know, we we got to protect humanity. And I think I think that's really I think there are genuinely there are more people who are interested in that than there are people who are interested in making a quick buck off of it. You know, the Sora thing watching all these tech pros convince themselves that videos that SORA came up with were visionary. And it's like if this is the kind of content you want, you are in the minority.

I am sorry, people want good, people want good stories, people want humanity, people want connection, people want real human experience. And if you're someone who is satisfied with slop, that says more about you than it does about our society, I feel. For real. I think the friend thing specifically and like that and the like, like, people that have AI partners

that it always does bring me back to the social network where like they're at like the whole kind of point of that movie at the end is it's like it's this one like asshole loser who was unable to connect with people and he made it the rest of our fucking problem

um like that's always what it looks to where I'm like it's people like fucking Mark Zuckerberg which we've talked on the show before I fucking love Jesse Eisenberg love him. Love him. him. He's amazing. He plays that role. So fucking good.

Oh, he did a big one with that. Yeah. Like, I, like, he does such a good job. Just, like, like, embodying the type of person that is like, and this is the future. And we're going to, like, put it on the rest of y'all. And it's like, it's up to us to say,

fuck no. That is a you problem. Sorry, I don't need an AI friend to, if I want to do something stupid, I text one of my roommates and I'm like, hey, should I do this? And they're like, you go bestie. We'll live your life. And I'm like, sure.

And then the next day I text them and I'm like, now I'm sad that I did that thing. And they're like, well, we're going to get a glass of wine and cry about it. And you know what? AI can never do that. AI will never replace you, Joey. Thank you. Yes. Before we end, I just want to say we are planning on doing a mailbag episode where we answer

whatever questions, whatever burning questions you all might have, maybe you want to know something about the team. Maybe you want to know something about me or producer Mike or producer Joey or producer Jari or producer Jonathan. You don't hear from them too much, but they are also out there. Maybe you have a question about one of our takes on a tech or culture issue. I don't care, whatever it is. I just hate mailbag episodes where they're just reading random email.

So I'm asking if folks have questions or comments or really anything they want read on the pod. Send us an email. Hit us up. We will read it on the show. There was meant to be a deadline, but I've forgotten when it was. I want to say it was October 9th. Oh, that soon. October 9th is your deadline. Yeah. Let's say the night that's a soft deadline, but get them to us when you can. I hope people, I, Joey, I feel like people don't, you are like a very interesting person and I feel like people don't know half the shit you get up to. So if you have questions for Joey, Joey is a very fascinating person. Thank you. That's very kind of you, Bridget. I try. I feel like as I'm on the producer side of a lot of eye heart things, so I feel like I just kind of like pop up every once in a while.

And I'm like, hello, it's me. And then, yay. So, but yeah, if people have questions, I love attention. Let's go. Well, Joey, where people can hear you on this podcast. People can hear you on Stuff Mom Never Told You. Where else are you around? Yes. I will be, I have a couple upcoming stuff Mom Never Told You episodes, TBD. If you want to hear stuff that I do more on the behind the scenes side, I am a producer for our outspoken network at IHeartMedia,

which is our slider shows that highlights LGBTQ. plus identities and stories and all that, you can hear. First of all, if you're listening, you should vote for. Signal Award. Nominee. When is the, when is the, I'm technically, I was technically a judge for the Signal Awards. So I don't think I'm technically. Is this a conflict of interest? No.

I'm not saying anything. Yeah, yeah. Joey, where can people vote for afterlives as, a Signal Award nominee. If they wanted to do that, which they should. They should. The Signal Awards, their voting is open now. It's open until October 9th.

So if you're listening to this, when it comes out, you have that a week. There are actually two shows that I work on that have been nominated. One is After Lives, which is a documentary show about Marsh v. Johnson. That was nominated for Best Limited Series in the LGBTQ Plus category. And then also there's a show called BFS, Black Fat, Fem, that is also part of the, outspoken network that I work on. That was nominated for Best Show, so different category,

best show for LGBT Q plus, all the things. And then also diversity, equity, inclusivity. I always want to say inequality. I'm like, that doesn't make any fucking sense. So, please go to the

Signal Awards website. It is open audience choice right now. So, yeah, I would appreciate if you all give us a vote there. I mean a lot. Also just kind of signals to eye heart and to, you know, the podcast gods that you want to see more content that highlights queer voices and queer voices of color, which is just like so, so important right now because of all of the aforementioned things that we were talking about.

But yeah, please vote for those. Please check those shows out. But yeah, you can also, if you want to listen to the, to Outlaws, which is hosted by the iconic T.S. Madison. Such an icon. Another show that I work on. Please check out. I appreciate it.

Hardest working producer in Hollywood over here. Oh, yeah. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. And all in Brooklyn. The busiest. Somebody did. This is a minor call. I don't think this person listens to this show. I was on a date recently and somebody did tell me.

I said that I was a podcast producer. and they were like, like, honestly, the first thing I thought it was Che Diaz. And I was like, oh, hey, it's Cadee. I was like, I haven't watched just like that. Like, I know who Cady is like, I've watched X in the City. And I was like, wait a minute, Che Diaz is the fucking podcast producer. Are you kidding me? And they were like, yeah.

And I don't know, that was that hurt. That hurt a lot. But, you know, no hate to Sarah Ramirez. Like, love what you're doing. But, but yeah, I don't know. It's rough out here as a queer non-binary podcast producer looking in Brooklyn, I guess. I don't know.

Yeah, Shay Diaz making y'all look bad. Well, Joey, thank you so much for being here. And thanks to all of you for listening. I will see you on the internet. Got a story about an interesting thing in tech or just want to say hi? You can reach us at hello at tangoati.com. You can also find transcripts for today's episode at tangoity.com.

There are no girls on the internet was created by me, Bridget Todd. It's a production of IHeartRadio and Unbossed Creative. Jonathan Strickland is our executive producer. Tari Harrison is our producer and sound engineer. Michael Amato is our contributing producer. Edited by Joey Pat. I'm your host, Bridget Todd. If you want to help us grow, rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.

For more podcasts from IHeartRadio, check out the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite, unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an acapella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes.

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. I'm conkey, his best friend, and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports.

And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The story I've told myself can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast Deeply Well with Debbie Brown.

If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to Deeply Well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get. It's your podcast. I'm Joey Dardano, and on my new podcast, Hope From a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice.

Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to me. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from a Hypocrite Wednesdays on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.