To Catch A Predator launched in 2004 and was immediately a massive hit, but despite its long-lasting cultural impact — highlighted by last week’s release of Primetime — it only ran for one season and twenty episodes. The show ended after an assistant District Attorney in Texas died by suicide. Is it ethically worse? Is this justice? Why does it feel so gross?

Today we’re joined by Free Country USA to look at the legacy of the show and the trend of content creators trying to bust predators on their own. 

Follow Free Country USA @freecountryusa on YouTube, Instagram, and everywhere else you listen and watch pods.

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonuses & exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership for just five bucks a month at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

To Catch A Predator launched in 2004 and was immediately a massive hit, but despite its long-lasting cultural impact — highlighted by last week’s release of Primetime — it only ran for one season and twenty episodes. The show ended after an assistant District Attorney in Texas died by suicide. Is it ethically worse? Is this justice? Why does it feel so gross? Today we’re joined by Free Country USA to look at the legacy of the show and the trend of content creators trying to bust predators on their own. Follow Free Country USA @freecountryusa on YouTube, Instagram, and everywhere else you listen and watch pods. Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonuses & exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership for just five bucks a month at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To Catch A Predator launched in 2004 and was immediately a massive hit, but despite its long-lasting cultural impact — highlighted by last week’s release of Primetime — it only ran for one season and twenty episodes. The show ended after an assistant District Attorney in Texas died by suicide. Is it ethically worse? Is this justice? Why does it feel so gross?

Today we’re joined by Free Country USA to look at the legacy of the show and the trend of content creators trying to bust predators on their own. 

Follow Free Country USA @freecountryusa on YouTube, Instagram, and everywhere else you listen and watch pods.

Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonuses &amp; exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership for just five bucks a month at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Why "To Catch A Predator" videos feel so gross

Sit down and take a seat with Ryan & Grant. They discuss the recent release of Primetime as a follow-up to this week’s episode.
Want to hear the rest of this conversation? Or ad-free episodes, bonuses & exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership for 6.66 bucks a month at<a href="https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld"> https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.</a> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Sit down and take a seat with Ryan & Grant. They discuss the recent release of Primetime as a follow-up to this week’s episode. Want to hear the rest of this conversation? Or ad-free episodes, bonuses & exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership for 6.66 bucks a month at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sit down and take a seat with Ryan &amp; Grant. They discuss the recent release of Primetime as a follow-up to this week’s episode.
Want to hear the rest of this conversation? Or ad-free episodes, bonuses &amp; exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership for 6.66 bucks a month at<a href="https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld" rel="noopener noreferrer"> https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.</a> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

BONUS PREVIEW: "Primetime" gets it

Why are food videos so popular online? And why are the most viral ones also the grossest?
Today we’re looking back at the history of food videos, from Food Wishes to the hands-only top-down video style pioneered by Tasty to making cereal in a toilet bowl pioneered by TikTok.
Petey USA, a creator and musician who’s had a lot of really weird bad stuff to eat while on tour, joins us to about food video culture online — and why we don’t care if it’s good, bad, or absolutely horrifying — we’re gonna gobble that slop right up.
Our guest is musician Petey USA, whose work you can find at https://www.peteyswebsite.com/, anywhere you listen to music, or check out his TikTok @peteyusa. You can also catch him live Nov 27 + 28 @ The Empty Bottle in Chicago and December 18 at The Independent in San Francisco. He released oooo, a new 8-song project, back in August.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonuses & exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership for just $6.66 a month at<a href="https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld"> https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.</a>
Sponsors
If you’re struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help. Book a free 15-minute call to get started at <a href="https://nocd.com/panic">⁠nocd.com/PANIC⁠</a> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Why are food videos so popular online? And why are the most viral ones also the grossest? Today we’re looking back at the history of food videos, from Food Wishes to the hands-only top-down video style pioneered by Tasty to making cereal in a toilet bowl pioneered by TikTok. Petey USA, a creator and musician who’s had a lot of really weird bad stuff to eat while on tour, joins us to about food video culture online — and why we don’t care if it’s good, bad, or absolutely horrifying — we’re gonna gobble that slop right up. Our guest is musician Petey USA, whose work you can find at https://www.peteyswebsite.com/, anywhere you listen to music, or check out his TikTok @peteyusa. You can also catch him live Nov 27 + 28 @ The Empty Bottle in Chicago and December 18 at The Independent in San Francisco. He released oooo, a new 8-song project, back in August. Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonuses & exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership for just $6.66 a month at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld. Sponsors If you’re struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help. Book a free 15-minute call to get started at ⁠nocd.com/PANIC⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are food videos so popular online? And why are the most viral ones also the grossest?
Today we’re looking back at the history of food videos, from Food Wishes to the hands-only top-down video style pioneered by Tasty to making cereal in a toilet bowl pioneered by TikTok.
Petey USA, a creator and musician who’s had a lot of really weird bad stuff to eat while on tour, joins us to about food video culture online — and why we don’t care if it’s good, bad, or absolutely horrifying — we’re gonna gobble that slop right up.
Our guest is musician Petey USA, whose work you can find at https://www.peteyswebsite.com/, anywhere you listen to music, or check out his TikTok @peteyusa. You can also catch him live Nov 27 + 28 @ The Empty Bottle in Chicago and December 18 at The Independent in San Francisco. He released oooo, a new 8-song project, back in August.
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonuses &amp; exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership for just $6.66 a month at<a href="https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld" rel="noopener noreferrer"> https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.</a>
Sponsors
If you’re struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help. Book a free 15-minute call to get started at <a href="https://nocd.com/panic" rel="noopener noreferrer">⁠nocd.com/PANIC⁠</a> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Why are we addicted to disgusting food videos

Why does culture feel so much less... human than it used to? Wyatt Cenac joins Ryan to discuss the “crisis of taste” — or how, in the past 10-15 years, tech companies have flipped media on its head.
People used to spend more time making things and shaping culture, and then tech responded to that culture. Now tech is using AI to try to manufacture culture so you don’t need to develop your own taste because our tech overlords will tell you what taste to have. 
Ryan & Wyatt reflect on why nostalgia is more popular than ever right now, and how we can even get comfort from simply watching commercials from the ‘80s and ‘90s, because  craft, human talent and ambition drove cultural tastes — rather than today where everything is a brand just trying to get a direct sale or to scrape your data and then sell that to be used in some algorithm.
Our guest Wyatt Cenac is a comedian and actor. You can find his work and subscribe to his mailing list on a good old-fashioned website: <a href="https://www.wyattcenac.com/.">https://www.wyattcenac.com/.</a>
 
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonuses & exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership for just five bucks a month at<a href="https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld"> https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.</a>
For Apple Podcast users, you can also find all of our bonus content — plus other great COURIER shows — with a<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/courier/id6748656047"> subscription to COURIER+</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Why does culture feel so much less... human than it used to? Wyatt Cenac joins Ryan to discuss the “crisis of taste” — or how, in the past 10-15 years, tech companies have flipped media on its head. People used to spend more time making things and shaping culture, and then tech responded to that culture. Now tech is using AI to try to manufacture culture so you don’t need to develop your own taste because our tech overlords will tell you what taste to have. Ryan & Wyatt reflect on why nostalgia is more popular than ever right now, and how we can even get comfort from simply watching commercials from the ‘80s and ‘90s, because craft, human talent and ambition drove cultural tastes — rather than today where everything is a brand just trying to get a direct sale or to scrape your data and then sell that to be used in some algorithm. Our guest Wyatt Cenac is a comedian and actor. You can find his work and subscribe to his mailing list on a good old-fashioned website: https://www.wyattcenac.com/. Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonuses & exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership for just five bucks a month at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld. For Apple Podcast users, you can also find all of our bonus content — plus other great COURIER shows — with a subscription to COURIER+. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why does culture feel so much less... human than it used to? Wyatt Cenac joins Ryan to discuss the “crisis of taste” — or how, in the past 10-15 years, tech companies have flipped media on its head.
People used to spend more time making things and shaping culture, and then tech responded to that culture. Now tech is using AI to try to manufacture culture so you don’t need to develop your own taste because our tech overlords will tell you what taste to have. 
Ryan &amp; Wyatt reflect on why nostalgia is more popular than ever right now, and how we can even get comfort from simply watching commercials from the ‘80s and ‘90s, because&nbsp; craft, human talent and ambition drove cultural tastes — rather than today where everything is a brand just trying to get a direct sale or to scrape your data and then sell that to be used in some algorithm.
Our guest Wyatt Cenac is a comedian and actor. You can find his work and subscribe to his mailing list on a good old-fashioned website: <a href="https://www.wyattcenac.com/." rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.wyattcenac.com/.</a>
 
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonuses &amp; exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership for just five bucks a month at<a href="https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld" rel="noopener noreferrer"> https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.</a>
For Apple Podcast users, you can also find all of our bonus content — plus other great COURIER shows — with a<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/courier/id6748656047" rel="noopener noreferrer"> subscription to COURIER+</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Bad things happen when we let robots decide what’s good

Who created the strongman hellscape that we’re currently living in?
Today, we’re talking about the original looksmaxxer, Zyzz. He got his start online in 2006 with a popular World of Warcraft streaming account, whose earnings he used to join a gym, because he’d “always been obsessed with bodybuilding.”
By 2010, he had amassed a huge following among outrageously jacked guys online. He finally figured out how to make money off this — by hawking supplements and other products — but then he passed away in 2011. However, by then he had laid the blueprint that the chads of the future would all follow. What happens next, is the world we live in now.
Noah K of Crimes New Roman joins us to talk about the chads of the past, like Bloat Lord, Derb, and FPS Russia, and how these leading musclemen resulted in the big boys of the present, like Androgenic, Clavicular, and Zeta — and how they’ve managed to create a hell world of body dysmorphia for the nation’s young men.
Our guest Noah K can be found on YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@CrimesNewRoman">@CrimesNewRoman</a> and you can also see their shitposts (their words) at <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/crimesnewroman.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/crimesnewroman.bsky.social</a>.
Note: This episode was recorded prior to Clavicular’s rape allegations.
 
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonuses & exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership at<a href="https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld"> https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.</a> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Who created the strongman hellscape that we’re currently living in? Today, we’re talking about the original looksmaxxer, Zyzz. He got his start online in 2006 with a popular World of Warcraft streaming account, whose earnings he used to join a gym, because he’d “always been obsessed with bodybuilding.” By 2010, he had amassed a huge following among outrageously jacked guys online. He finally figured out how to make money off this — by hawking supplements and other products — but then he passed away in 2011. However, by then he had laid the blueprint that the chads of the future would all follow. What happens next, is the world we live in now. Noah K of Crimes New Roman joins us to talk about the chads of the past, like Bloat Lord, Derb, and FPS Russia, and how these leading musclemen resulted in the big boys of the present, like Androgenic, Clavicular, and Zeta — and how they’ve managed to create a hell world of body dysmorphia for the nation’s young men. Our guest Noah K can be found on YouTube @CrimesNewRoman and you can also see their shitposts (their words) at https://bsky.app/profile/crimesnewroman.bsky.social. Note: This episode was recorded prior to Clavicular’s rape allegations. Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonuses & exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership at https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who created the strongman hellscape that we’re currently living in?
Today, we’re talking about the original looksmaxxer, Zyzz. He got his start online in 2006 with a popular World of Warcraft streaming account, whose earnings he used to join a gym, because he’d “always been obsessed with bodybuilding.”
By 2010, he had amassed a huge following among outrageously jacked guys online. He finally figured out how to make money off this — by hawking supplements and other products — but then he passed away in 2011. However, by then he had laid the blueprint that the chads of the future would all follow. What happens next, is the world we live in now.
Noah K of Crimes New Roman joins us to talk about the chads of the past, like Bloat Lord, Derb, and FPS Russia, and how these leading musclemen resulted in the big boys of the present, like Androgenic, Clavicular, and Zeta — and how they’ve managed to create a hell world of body dysmorphia for the nation’s young men.
Our guest Noah K can be found on YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@CrimesNewRoman" rel="noopener noreferrer">@CrimesNewRoman</a> and you can also see their shitposts (their words) at <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/crimesnewroman.bsky.social" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://bsky.app/profile/crimesnewroman.bsky.social</a>.
Note: This episode was recorded prior to Clavicular’s rape allegations.
 
Want even more Panic World content? Like ad-free episodes, bonuses &amp; exclusives, and access to our members-only Discord? Sign up for a membership at<a href="https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld" rel="noopener noreferrer"> https://www.patreon.com/PanicWorld.</a> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

The original looksmaxxer who created our hell world

This is an audio version of the Garbage Day newsletter. Listen to the end for some powerful content.

This is an audio version of the Garbage Day newsletter. Listen to the end for some powerful content.

Let's talk about Drake

This is an audio version of the Garbage Day newsletter. Listen to the end for a good thread about Piers Morgan

This is an audio version of the Garbage Day newsletter. Listen to the end for a good thread about Piers Morgan

Just keep paying us, bro

This is the audio version of the Garbage Day newsletter. Listen to the end for a good post.

This is the audio version of the Garbage Day newsletter. Listen to the end for a good post.

New dinner party simulation app dropped

This is the audio version of the Garbage Day newsletter. Listen to the end for a rat named Kronk learning to drive a tiny car.

This is the audio version of the Garbage Day newsletter. Listen to the end for a rat named Kronk learning to drive a tiny car.

The AI flight attendants of Facebook

This is the audio version of the Garbage Day newsletter. Listen to the end for a beautiful ballad about gylcine production.

This is the audio version of the Garbage Day newsletter. Listen to the end for a beautiful ballad about gylcine production.

Musk's masterful Brazilian gambit

This is the audio version of the Garbage Day newsletter. Listen to the end for an incredible haul.

This is the audio version of the Garbage Day newsletter. Listen to the end for an incredible haul.

The news is a meme

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

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