William Shatner Revisited | Really? no Really?

Can a creator with just 500 followers help a brand sell more than a celebrity with millions? Really? No, Really? hosts Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden ask Katie Deighton of the Wall Street Journal Leadership Institute’s CMO Today what’s changing in influencer marketing—and why brands are betting on ordinary people, viral videos and the people already in your feed. They get into the post-follower era of TikTok, the scramble for your attention, and whether influencers can stay authentic once the brand deals roll in. Katie explains why podcasts need video to break through, while Jason and Peter wonder how long an influencer’s moment lasts—and whether every last corner of life is about to become an ad. Plus: an absurdly expensive Dyson toothbrush, a missing hairdryer and a small device designed to keep you off your phone. Because apparently even the fortune cookie might be sponsored. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s it like to risk your life in a spacesuit—and then come home to drink tomorrow’s coffee? Astronaut Garrett Reisman joins Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden for a funny, fascinating conversation about the strange realities of life in space. Reisman tells the story of pushing past the person who said he’d never make a spacewalk, explains how astronauts handle isolation and emergencies, and recalls the space debris that can punch a hole through equipment. He also shares what it was like working with Elon Musk at SpaceX, including the email he sent urging Musk not to buy Twitter. Then things get especially unexpected: space toilets, recycled water, a frightening spacesuit leak, alien life, and the big question of whether humans can build a future among the stars. Come for the astronaut stories; stay for the answer to what happens to the poop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to build a billion-dollar snack brand and still believe kindness can change the world? On Really? No, Really?, Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden sit down with Daniel Lubetzky, the KIND Snacks founder and Shark Tank investor, for a conversation that jumps from business blunders to big ideas—and a few beard-related distractions. Lubetzky shares how a decade of mistakes led to KIND, why he named the brand in honor of his father, and how his father’s experience during the Holocaust shaped his lifelong commitment to building bridges. He opens up about living with ADHD, balancing too many projects, and the mission behind the Builders Movement, which aims to lower political polarization and help people solve problems together. There’s serious talk about entrepreneurship, media, and misinformation, plus a wonderfully unexpected debate: Can humor bring people together—or does it just depend on who’s laughing? As Lubetzky puts it, “Humor travels better than hate.” This episode first aired Nov. 5, 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nuclear power is back in the headlines, fueled by climate goals and the growing demand for electricity. But are we ready for a nuclear renaissance—or still carrying the fears of Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima? Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden ask nuclear engineer Dr. Leslie Dewan how reactors work, what happens to spent fuel, and whether small reactors and reopened plants can help meet the moment. They get into AI data centers, grid vulnerabilities, safety oversight, and the human decisions that can make or break even good engineering. Along the way, there’s a story from Fukushima—and Jason’s plan to send nuclear waste into space. Could nuclear energy power the future, or are we underestimating what can go wrong? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to get a dog to Westminster—and what happens when the judge starts checking under the hood? Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden welcome Kimberly Calvacca, a third-generation dog show competitor, handler, and breeder, for a funny, behind-the-scenes look at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Kim explains how dogs qualify, why handlers can spend a hundred days a year at shows, and what it takes to get eight dogs ready to compete. The conversation gets into breed standards, judging, grooming, show business—and whether the whole thing is a bit of a racket. Then Jason and Peter get advice for their own dogs, with pug Tango stealing the spotlight. There’s a lot of work behind those ribbons, but Kim says the bond between handler and dog is what makes them shine: “We’re like a dance team out there.” Listen to the Show on all Podcast Apps "Really? no, Really?" https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-really-no-really-107027693/ Follow us: http://reallynoreally.com https://www.instagram.com/reallynoreallypodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/reallynoreallypodcast/ https://twitter.com/reallynoreally_ Jason's Socials: https://www.instagram.com/jalexander1959/?hl=en https://twitter.com/IJasonAlexander #jasonalexander #reallynoreally #dogshow #podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just because something is going viral doesn't mean it's important but it can be divisive because not everyone is sharing and receiving the same information. But this is how social media platforms can cause us to get in our own bubbles causing serious dangerous divisiveness. Luckily, our guest on this episode of the Really? no Really? Podcast, Ruby Thelon, has been studying digital trends and has some thoughts on how to battle this enterprise of bots pushing the political propaganda and cultural maneuvers. Little background on Ruby: He is a designer, cyber ethnographer and teacher who's been studying the phenomena of of online trending for a while now. He'll explain to Jason and Peter how social media and isolation have to lead to a form of digital speciation creating it's own digital language. So how do we pop these algorithmic bubbles? Rudy will explain how his Tim To Touch solution works. Follow Ruby: https://www.instagram.com/being_on_line Pre-order his new book: In Defense of Being Online https://draw-down.com/collections/new/products/rubythelot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Auctions are unique psychologically because instead of me putting your product up at a price that you determine, it's determined by the public as a way for the seller to get richer. Whether it's art, livestock or collectible toys, you'll notice that the auctioneer has a certain fast talking rhythm to the job and it's still a trade you can go to college for. Cole Morrison of the Western College of Auctioneering joins Jason and Peter on this episode of Really? no Really? to give us a closer look into the world of auctioneering.Cole is also the Montana Rookie Auctioneer of the year in 2020 and also the 2023 Montana State Auctioneer champion. He'll explain more about the psychological element behind his profession along with the different level of performances required to meet the expectations for different industries. It's all about facilitating the conversation.Cole also explains how learning how to nail the fast talk rhythm of the auction has helped people overcome stutters, stammers and speech impediments. #jasonalexander #auction #auction_techniques #podcast #reallynoreallyListen to the Show on all Podcast Apps "Really? no, Really?" https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-really-no-really-107027693/Follow us:http://reallynoreally.comhttps://www.instagram.com/reallynoreallypodcast/https://www.facebook.com/reallynoreallypodcast/https://twitter.com/reallynoreally_Jason's Socials: https://www.instagram.com/jalexander1959/?hl=enhttps://twitter.com/IJasonAlexander Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New episode next week! In the meantime, in honor of Star Trek: The Original Series turning 60 this year, we’re revisiting Jason and Peter’s 2023 conversation with Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner. If you’re new to the Really? No, Really? podcast—or simply want to hear it again—this is the perfect time to catch up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you had told us to worry about the decline of people having sex fifteen years ago, we would've thought you were crazy. But the latest sociology reports have confirmed these dramatic declines in sexual activity. Sociology Professor, Brad Wilcox, joins Jason and Peter to break down the data and explain how we found ourselves in a sex recession on this episode of the Really? no Really? Podcast. Brad explains there's a number of factors that can explain what's contributing to the decline in adult relationship and human intimacy. The digital revolution, antidepressants and other medications, MeToo, isolation from the pandemic and the economics making it difficult for younger people to move out of their parents house and to afford their own homes, Brad breaks all of this down to prove how it's the perfect storm of causes for a sex recession. The United Nations is now forecasting we're going see a global population decline this century. We'll also cover how what type of impact this has on the world population. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you build a store nobody can steal from? Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden ask criminologist Dr. Reed Hayes—and his answer challenges the premise that brought him to Really? No, Really. The founder of the Loss Prevention Research Council reveals what he learns from interviewing active shoplifters, why everyday toiletries end up behind locked glass, and how stores use psychology to make thieves think twice. From self-checkout mistakes to organized retail crime, Hayes explains the security decisions shaping your shopping experience. Jason questions the privacy cost of constant surveillance, while Hayes recalls catching a jewelry thief whose disappearing act looked like magic. The conversation also confronts the human stakes of retail theft—and why chasing stolen merchandise can come at a devastating price. Plus, what helps protect your home? Hayes weighs cameras, dogs, and warning signs—including why advertising that you own a gun could attract thieves. Listen to discover what makes a thief think twice—and what might send the wrong message. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices