Jimmy Donaldson — AKA "MrBeast" — has taken YouTube by storm, racking up more than 330 million subscribers with his cleverly edited videos of stunts ranging from performative philanthropy to Fear Factor-esque challenges. Ryan Broderick, creator of the Garbage Day newsletter and host of the podcast Panic World, tells Ben and Amory about the awkward past, the controversial present, and the uncertain future of MrBeast.

Show notes:
<ul>
 	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rise-and-maybe-fall-of-mr-beast-with-ben/id1740187810?i=1000679179331">Panic World</a>'s MrBeast episode with Ben and Amory</li>
 	<li><a href="https://www.garbageday.email/">Garbage Day</a>, the newsletter</li>
 	<li>"In the Belly of MrBeast" (<a href="https://time.com/collection/time100-leadership-series/6693255/mrbeast-interview/">Time</a>)</li>
 	<li>"Willing to Die for MrBeast (and $5 Million)" (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/02/style/mrbeast-beast-games-competition-show.html">The New York Times</a>)</li>
 	<li>"From baking to MrBeast: Meet the YouTuber taking on the platform’s biggest creator" (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/baking-mrbeast-meet-youtuber-taking-platforms-biggest-creator-rcna168610">NBC News</a>)</li>
</ul>
Credits: This episode was produced by Amory Sivertson and Grant Irving. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Ben Brock Johnson, Amory Sivertson, and Ryan Broderick.

<description>&lt;p&gt;Jimmy Donaldson — AKA "MrBeast" — has taken YouTube by storm, racking up more than 330 million subscribers with his cleverly edited videos of stunts ranging from performative philanthropy to &lt;em&gt;Fear Factor&lt;/em&gt;-esque challenges. Ryan Broderick, creator of the Garbage Day newsletter and host of the podcast &lt;em&gt;Panic World&lt;/em&gt;, tells Ben and Amory about the awkward past, the controversial present, and the uncertain future of MrBeast.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Show notes:&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 	&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rise-and-maybe-fall-of-mr-beast-with-ben/id1740187810?i=1000679179331"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Panic World&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;'s MrBeast episode with Ben and Amory&lt;/li&gt;
 	&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.garbageday.email/"&gt;Garbage Day&lt;/a&gt;, the newsletter&lt;/li&gt;
 	&lt;li&gt;"In the Belly of MrBeast" (&lt;a href="https://time.com/collection/time100-leadership-series/6693255/mrbeast-interview/"&gt;Time&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
 	&lt;li&gt;"Willing to Die for MrBeast (and $5 Million)" (&lt;a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/02/style/mrbeast-beast-games-competition-show.html"&gt;The New York Times&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
 	&lt;li&gt;"From baking to MrBeast: Meet the YouTuber taking on the platform’s biggest creator" (&lt;a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/baking-mrbeast-meet-youtuber-taking-platforms-biggest-creator-rcna168610"&gt;NBC News&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: 400;"&gt;Credits: This episode was produced by Amory Sivertson and Grant Irving. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Ben Brock Johnson, Amory Sivertson, and Ryan Broderick.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Jimmy Donaldson — AKA "MrBeast" — has taken YouTube by storm, racking up more than 330 million subscribers with his cleverly edited videos of stunts ranging from performative philanthropy to Fear Factor-esque challenges. Ryan Broderick, host of the podcast Panic World, tells Ben and Amory about the awkward past, the controversial present, and the uncertain future of MrBeast. 

Jimmy Donaldson — AKA "MrBeast" — has taken YouTube by storm, racking up more than 330 million subscribers with his cleverly edited videos of stunts ranging from performative philanthropy to Fear Factor-esque challenges. Ryan Broderick, creator of the Garbage Day newsletter and host of the podcast Panic World, tells Ben and Amory about the awkward past, the controversial present, and the uncertain future of MrBeast.

Show notes:
<ul>
 	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rise-and-maybe-fall-of-mr-beast-with-ben/id1740187810?i=1000679179331">Panic World</a>'s MrBeast episode with Ben and Amory</li>
 	<li><a href="https://www.garbageday.email/">Garbage Day</a>, the newsletter</li>
 	<li>"In the Belly of MrBeast" (<a href="https://time.com/collection/time100-leadership-series/6693255/mrbeast-interview/">Time</a>)</li>
 	<li>"Willing to Die for MrBeast (and $5 Million)" (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/02/style/mrbeast-beast-games-competition-show.html">The New York Times</a>)</li>
 	<li>"From baking to MrBeast: Meet the YouTuber taking on the platform’s biggest creator" (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/baking-mrbeast-meet-youtuber-taking-platforms-biggest-creator-rcna168610">NBC News</a>)</li>
</ul>
Credits: This episode was produced by Amory Sivertson and Grant Irving. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Ben Brock Johnson, Amory Sivertson, and Ryan Broderick.

You'll never believe what happens in our MrBeast explainer...

The shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson captured the internet's attention last week. Then, a suspect, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, was arrested, and social media really went wild. Why, in a week of historic headlines from around the world, did this story captivate so many, so thoroughly?

Show notes:

Suspect in CEO’s Killing Had Discussed His Health Struggles on Reddit (<a style="font-size: 20px; text-align: -webkit-match-parent;" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/nyregion/luigi-mangione-health-issues-reddit.html">The New York Times</a>)

r/GetNoted (<a style="font-size: 20px;" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/GetNoted/">Reddit</a>)

What Can We Learn From the C.E.O. Shooting Suspect’s Goodreads History? (<a style="font-size: 20px; text-align: -webkit-match-parent;" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/books/review/luigi-mangione-goodreads-history.html">The New York Times</a>)

Credits: This episode was produced by Grace Tatter. Sivertson. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson.

<description>&lt;p&gt;The shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson captured the internet's attention last week. Then, a suspect, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, was arrested, and social media &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; went wild. Why, in a week of historic headlines from around the world, did &lt;em&gt;this&lt;/em&gt; story captivate so many, so thoroughly?&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Show notes:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Suspect in CEO’s Killing Had Discussed His Health Struggles on Reddit (&lt;a style="font-size: 20px; text-align: -webkit-match-parent;" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/nyregion/luigi-mangione-health-issues-reddit.html"&gt;The New York Times&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;r/GetNoted (&lt;a style="font-size: 20px;" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/GetNoted/"&gt;Reddit&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;What Can We Learn From the C.E.O. Shooting Suspect’s Goodreads History? (&lt;a style="font-size: 20px; text-align: -webkit-match-parent;" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/books/review/luigi-mangione-goodreads-history.html"&gt;The New York Times&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: 400;"&gt;Credits: This episode was produced by Grace Tatter. Sivertson. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson captured the internet's attention last week. Then, a suspect, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, was arrested, and social media really went wild. Why, in a week of historic headlines from around the world, did this story captivate so many, so thoroughly?

The shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson captured the internet's attention last week. Then, a suspect, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, was arrested, and social media really went wild. Why, in a week of historic headlines from around the world, did this story captivate so many, so thoroughly?

Show notes:

Suspect in CEO’s Killing Had Discussed His Health Struggles on Reddit (<a style="font-size: 20px; text-align: -webkit-match-parent;" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/nyregion/luigi-mangione-health-issues-reddit.html">The New York Times</a>)

r/GetNoted (<a style="font-size: 20px;" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/GetNoted/">Reddit</a>)

What Can We Learn From the C.E.O. Shooting Suspect’s Goodreads History? (<a style="font-size: 20px; text-align: -webkit-match-parent;" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/books/review/luigi-mangione-goodreads-history.html">The New York Times</a>)

Credits: This episode was produced by Grace Tatter. Sivertson. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson.

The Internet Does Its Thing with Luigi Mangione

Anyone who has been a kid before knows that there are few joys in life like finding a really cool stick.

That is the basis of Official Stick Reviews, a viral account on Instagram that has amassed 2.5 million followers in just a year and a half.

But what is it about sticks that inspires this universal enthusiasm? In this episode, Amory and Ben join producer Frannie Monahan for a walk in the woods to look for answers, and some sticks of their own.

Show notes:

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/officialstickreviews/?hl=en">Official Stick Reviews</a> (@officialstickreviews)

<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/02/style/sticks-instagram-boone-hogg-logan-jugler.html">Sticks. And the People Who Love Them.</a> (NYT)

<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earliest-evidence-of-wooden-construction-uncovered/#:~:text=The%20surprising%20find%20suggests%20that,to%20work%20with%20tree%20trunks.">Earliest Evidence of Wooden Construction Uncovered</a> (Scientific American)

Credits: This episode was produced by Frannie Monahan. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Frannie Monahan, Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson.

<description>&lt;p&gt;Anyone who has been a kid before knows that there are few joys in life like finding a really cool stick.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;That is the basis of Official Stick Reviews, a viral account on Instagram that has amassed 2.5 million followers in just a year and a half.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;But what is it about sticks that inspires this universal enthusiasm? In this episode, Amory and Ben join producer Frannie Monahan for a walk in the woods to look for answers, and some sticks of their own.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Show notes:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/officialstickreviews/?hl=en"&gt;Official Stick Reviews&lt;/a&gt; (@officialstickreviews)&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/02/style/sticks-instagram-boone-hogg-logan-jugler.html"&gt;Sticks. And the People Who Love Them.&lt;/a&gt; (NYT)&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earliest-evidence-of-wooden-construction-uncovered/#:~:text=The%20surprising%20find%20suggests%20that,to%20work%20with%20tree%20trunks."&gt;Earliest Evidence of Wooden Construction Uncovered&lt;/a&gt; (Scientific American)&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: 400;"&gt;Credits: This episode was produced by Frannie Monahan. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Frannie Monahan, Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Anyone who has been a kid before knows that there are few joys in life like finding a really cool stick.

Anyone who has been a kid before knows that there are few joys in life like finding a really cool stick.

That is the basis of Official Stick Reviews, a viral account on Instagram that has amassed 2.5 million followers in just a year and a half.

But what is it about sticks that inspires this universal enthusiasm? In this episode, Amory and Ben join producer Frannie Monahan for a walk in the woods to look for answers, and some sticks of their own.

Show notes:

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/officialstickreviews/?hl=en">Official Stick Reviews</a> (@officialstickreviews)

<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/02/style/sticks-instagram-boone-hogg-logan-jugler.html">Sticks. And the People Who Love Them.</a> (NYT)

<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earliest-evidence-of-wooden-construction-uncovered/#:~:text=The%20surprising%20find%20suggests%20that,to%20work%20with%20tree%20trunks.">Earliest Evidence of Wooden Construction Uncovered</a> (Scientific American)

Credits: This episode was produced by Frannie Monahan. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Frannie Monahan, Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson.

Stick Nation

What if vegetables are poison? What if, instead, humans evolved to consume an animal-based diet of steak, liver, brain, testicles, eggs, butter, and milk?

Shirtless influencers on TikTok and Instagram have acquired millions of followers promoting the carnivore diet. They say studies linking meat consumption and heart disease are flawed — and plant foods are making people sick.

Likewise, meatfluencers say the livestock industry has no significant impact on the climate crisis despite abundant evidence suggesting otherwise.

No controlled studies have been published confirming the advertised benefits of the carnivore diet. Yet, its popularity online is undeniable.

In this rebroadcast, Endless Thread looks at how social media cooked up the anti-establishment wellness trend.

You can find our transcript, with links and additional resources, here: www.wbur.org/carnivore

Credits: This episode was produced by Dean Russell and Ben Brock Johnson. Mixing and sound design by Emily Jankowski. Ben Brock Johnson and Dean Russell are the co-hosts.

Image Credit: Peter Dazeley/Getty

<description>&lt;p&gt;What if vegetables are poison? What if, instead, humans evolved to consume an animal-based diet of steak, liver, brain, testicles, eggs, butter, and milk?&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Shirtless influencers on TikTok and Instagram have acquired millions of followers promoting the carnivore diet. They say studies linking meat consumption and heart disease are flawed — and plant foods are making people sick.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Likewise, meatfluencers say the livestock industry has no significant impact on the climate crisis despite abundant evidence suggesting otherwise.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;No controlled studies have been published confirming the advertised benefits of the carnivore diet. Yet, its popularity online is undeniable.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;In this rebroadcast, Endless Thread looks at how social media cooked up the anti-establishment wellness trend.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;You can find our transcript, with links and additional resources, here: www.wbur.org/carnivore&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Credits: This episode was produced by Dean Russell and Ben Brock Johnson. Mixing and sound design by Emily Jankowski. Ben Brock Johnson and Dean Russell are the co-hosts.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Image Credit: Peter Dazeley/Getty&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Meatfluencers on TikTok and Instagram have a message: Vegetables are bad for you. Could the carnivore diet be your cure?

What if vegetables are poison? What if, instead, humans evolved to consume an animal-based diet of steak, liver, brain, testicles, eggs, butter, and milk?

Shirtless influencers on TikTok and Instagram have acquired millions of followers promoting the carnivore diet. They say studies linking meat consumption and heart disease are flawed — and plant foods are making people sick.

Likewise, meatfluencers say the livestock industry has no significant impact on the climate crisis despite abundant evidence suggesting otherwise.

No controlled studies have been published confirming the advertised benefits of the carnivore diet. Yet, its popularity online is undeniable.

In this rebroadcast, Endless Thread looks at how social media cooked up the anti-establishment wellness trend.

You can find our transcript, with links and additional resources, here: www.wbur.org/carnivore

Credits: This episode was produced by Dean Russell and Ben Brock Johnson. Mixing and sound design by Emily Jankowski. Ben Brock Johnson and Dean Russell are the co-hosts.

Image Credit: Peter Dazeley/Getty

Episodes We Love: Where's the Beef?

For a moment last year, it seemed like there were two types of people: those desperate for a Stanley Cup Quencher, and those who did not understand the craze around these cups at all. Headlines abounded about the 40-ounce water vessel's popularity, and so did memes poking fun at the people — mostly women — who partook in the trend.

As we head into another holiday shopping season, journalist Virginia Sole Smith helps Endless Thread understand WaterTok, the social media trend that pushed the Stanley Cup into the big time, and what it might tell us about the next item to flood our feeds.

Show notes:

Yes, Mermaid Water is a Diet (<a href="https://virginiasolesmith.substack.com/p/yes-mermaid-water-is-a-diet">Burnt Toast</a>)

Why Does Anybody Need 37 Stanley Cups? (<a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/stanley-cups-collecting-trends-social-media-d00ea5f0">The Wall Street Journal</a>)

The latest TikTok weight loss trend is … hacking water? (<a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2023/4/20/23690939/watertok-water-of-the-day-tonya-spanglo-explained">Vox</a>)

Credits: This episode was produced by Grace Tatter. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Ben Brock Johnson, Grace Tatter and Amory Sivertson.

<description>&lt;p&gt;For a moment last year, it seemed like there were two types of people: those desperate for a Stanley Cup Quencher, and those who did not understand the craze around these cups at all. Headlines abounded about the 40-ounce water vessel's popularity, and so did memes poking fun at the people — mostly women — who partook in the trend.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;As we head into another holiday shopping season, journalist Virginia Sole Smith helps &lt;em&gt;Endless Thread &lt;/em&gt;understand WaterTok, the social media trend that pushed the Stanley Cup into the big time, and what it might tell us about the next item to flood our feeds.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Show notes:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Yes, Mermaid Water is a Diet (&lt;a href="https://virginiasolesmith.substack.com/p/yes-mermaid-water-is-a-diet"&gt;Burnt Toast&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Why Does Anybody Need 37 Stanley Cups? (&lt;a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/stanley-cups-collecting-trends-social-media-d00ea5f0"&gt;The Wall Street Journal&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The latest TikTok weight loss trend is … hacking water? (&lt;a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2023/4/20/23690939/watertok-water-of-the-day-tonya-spanglo-explained"&gt;Vox&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: 400;"&gt;Credits: This episode was produced by Grace Tatter. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Ben Brock Johnson, Grace Tatter and Amory Sivertson.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

As we head into another holiday shopping season, journalist Virginia Sole Smith helps Endless Thread understand WaterTok, the social media trend that pushed the Stanley Cup water bottle into the big time, and what it might tell us about the next item to flood our feeds.


For a moment last year, it seemed like there were two types of people: those desperate for a Stanley Cup Quencher, and those who did not understand the craze around these cups at all. Headlines abounded about the 40-ounce water vessel's popularity, and so did memes poking fun at the people — mostly women — who partook in the trend.

As we head into another holiday shopping season, journalist Virginia Sole Smith helps Endless Thread understand WaterTok, the social media trend that pushed the Stanley Cup into the big time, and what it might tell us about the next item to flood our feeds.

Show notes:

Yes, Mermaid Water is a Diet (<a href="https://virginiasolesmith.substack.com/p/yes-mermaid-water-is-a-diet">Burnt Toast</a>)

Why Does Anybody Need 37 Stanley Cups? (<a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/stanley-cups-collecting-trends-social-media-d00ea5f0">The Wall Street Journal</a>)

The latest TikTok weight loss trend is … hacking water? (<a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2023/4/20/23690939/watertok-water-of-the-day-tonya-spanglo-explained">Vox</a>)

Credits: This episode was produced by Grace Tatter. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Ben Brock Johnson, Grace Tatter and Amory Sivertson.

The Unquenchable Thirst

Hosts Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson dig into the internet's vast and curious ecosystem of online communities to find untold histories, unsolved mysteries, and other jaw-dropping stories online and IRL. 

Endless Thread

Details

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