Really? no, Really? with Jason Alexander & Peter Tilden

You know you've made it in the music industry when "Weird Al" Yankovic requests to parody your song. "Weird Al" has spent more than four decades turning hit songs into time capsules that often outlive the originals. In a career that includes Grammy Awards, Platinum records, best-selling tours and the number one album decades. On this episode of the Really? no Really? Podcast, Jason and Peter sit down with Al and discuss his journey being a shy kid on the accordion to being the king of parody music. "Weird Al" has an extensive library of parodies that not only spans genres and decades, it's also a reflection on music history and culture ranging from Madonna to Michael Jackson to Nirvana to Coolio just to name a few. But not everyone has been on board for the "Weird Al" bump. Jimmy Page is a fan of Al's but wasn't crazy about a Led Zepplin polka. Al, Jason and Peter delve more into this. We'll also discuss how Al's career has taken some pretty wild and amazing turns from selling out venues like Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden to writing his own parody biopic and casting Daniel Radcliffe playing himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eighty-seven million households in the United States own pets. Over $147 billion in spending for the pet food industry and related services, such as grooming. But we bet of the 87 million pet owning households, nobody feels confident that they're feeding their pet the right food. On this episode of Really? no Really? Jason and Peter speak with Bonnie Wertheim, Cultural Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal and author of the article, "My Accidental Journey into the Wide Wild World of Pet Wellness." Bonnie will answer our big questions such as whether we are feeding our pets the right food? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alcohol consumption globally has hit it's lowest rate since the 1930s. This has resulted in $830 billion of liquor stocks being wiped off. Multiple US distilleries have filed for bankruptcy. There's supposedly a lake of 220 million gallons of alcohol somewhere that can't be sold. Wineries all over the world are backed up resulting in wine revenue down over $1 billion last year. So who's to blame for this? Millennials and boomers? On this episode of Really? no Really?, Jason and Peter sit down with with celebrated author, Doug Melville, who recently was a former board executive of luxury group in Switzerland. He'll break down down the complexity behind the the liquor industry's decline. It's easy to blame younger generations like Gen Z for the current situation because the liquor industry relies on younger drinkers. It's true the younger generation is more focused on living healthier lifestyles and are preferring liquor that has fewer calories and less likely to give them a hangover. However, Doug addresses that current state of drinking isn't just a generational issues. It's also a political issue with Republicans have a double digit drop in alcohol consumption whereas Democrats have had a two percent decrease in alcohol consumption over the past few years. Doug also explains how it's a class issue as well. You may have seen Doug interviewed by Charlamagne Tha God on The Daily Show regarding his best-selling book, Invisible Generals, The Quest To Honor America’s First Black Generals. We'll also delve more into that discussions. He's partnering his book with his favorite types of bourbon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You have to appreciate the guys who are getting hit for the love of the game, not for the money. And you know what's funny about it? It's just taking one. On this episode of the Really? no Really? Podcast, Jason and Peter learn more about the psychological and biological rational behind UFC Founder, Dana White's latest phenomenon, Power Slap. Writer and Essayist, Ander Monson, wrote about how Power Slap originated in Oklahoma City from two guys who worked at a Dollar Store and started Power Slap as a form of camaraderie and create a sense of community in a time of heightened isolation. We'll delve into how there's a deeper resonance than what the title is. What attracted Ander to this story was this kind of weird brotherhood that's not necessarily trying to hurt the other guy like you were just trying to win. Afterwards you still are in the same world. You're still in the same town, you're still in the same text chain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

YDirector Barry Sonnenfeld joins Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden on this episode of the Really? no Really? Podcast with more true stories from his career as both a Hollywood director and cinematographer. Peter discovered a TED Talk that Barry did called How to Get People to Do What You Want, that was fascinating, funny and very informative. Barry also has a new book out called, Best Possible Place, Worst Possible Time: True Stories from a Career in Hollywood, that's filled with fascinating stories spanning his whole career in Hollywood. From starting off as a cinematographer for the Coen Brothers to directing blockbuster movies like Men In Black, The Addams Family and Get Shorty. Barry will share some pretty entertaining stories. Some of our favorite stories include a scene from Get Shorty that needed to be cut for budget purposes but was also the head of MGM's favorite scene. Plus, you'll want to hear about his story working with Tommy Lee Jones and Rip Torn on Men In Black. They truly hated he each other. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are both economic and cultural issues why young people would opt into living with their parents. But with today's housing affordability crisis, the number of young people living with their parents has gone up 33%. This has contributed to the rise of the trend known as stay-at-home sons, made popular by influencer, Luke Parkhurst, but there's also a cultural aspect behind the stay-at-home sons movement. On this episode of Really? no Really?, Jason and Peter sit down with journalist, Shane O'Neill, who reported on the Stay-At-Home Sons trend for the Washington Post. Shane will provide us with his insight into how this trend started and how influencers like the Stay-At-Home Sons Club have been creating & monetizing content about living with their parents. Jason, Peter and Shane also highlight that with the demise of print media, it could lead to more people having to move back in with their parents. We'll let Shane elaborate more on that and how during COVID we saw a peak of young people moving back in with their parents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thomas Smith is a Johns Hopkins trained artificial intelligence expert who was was hailed as a veteran veteran programmer by The New York Times for his work with human in the loop AI, and served as an OpenAI beta tester and a co-founder for 12 years of AI driven photography agency. He also gave ChatGPT money to invest $500. Jason and Peter sit down with Thomas to find or more about using ChatGPT and AI to handle to your money. We'll find out more if it's better to turn to a money manager than an AI chatbot. Is it also possible for AI chatbots to be messing with you when it comes to your investments? Is AI capable of shutting itself down before it goes off the rails? Thomas helps address our questions and many concerns. Also, we'll find out what happened to that $500 investment Thomas made with ChatGPT and see where he is now with his investments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sadhguru is a spiritual leader who has billions of views, has at least 14 or 15 million followers on YouTube. Do people come to him for a fix to change or just for comfort? On this episode, Jason and Peter speak with Sadhguru about a prescription to change a world that seems challenged to take two minutes to turn inward. Can we be optimistic about humanity? Jason discovered Sadhguru during the pandemic and his views on how the whole human mechanism is a great miracle is of seeing how to work. They also debate how there is a whole science and technology to create a well-being. But it's a subjective science. It needs to be approached in a different way. They'll also debate and delve into the fixation on validation, confidence without clarity, presenting certainty, joyfulness and what's happening in your mind being manufactured, imagination also being psychological reality, and so much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You ever notice in podcast interviews, everyone's all comfortable? There's soft chairs, bottled water. The lighting that says you are important. Everybody's relaxed. Everybody's polished, and everything's lying just a tad or even more than a tad about who they are. Then there's Kevin Nealon. Kevin Nealon has done more episodes of Hiking show than Jason and Peter have of Really? no, Really?. But it's always a great time when Kevin stops to tell us stories about hiking with folks like Matthew Modine, Weird Al Yankovich and Rob Lowe. Kevin will also fill us in on his stories about working on Saturday Night Live and remind us what happened with him being replaced by Norm Macdonald on Weekend Update. He also has a great story about running into Sir Paul McCartney at the SNL 50th Anniversary party with Conan O'Brien. While he's here, Kevin will also explain how he went from stand up to writing sketches to becoming an actor. Not just on SNL but also after the show when he would go on to star on Showtime's Weeds. Kevin will also talk about his relationship with the legendary Gary Shandling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Late Night talk shows are a unique art form that started with Jack Paar, Steve Allen, Johnny Carson and then continues today in whatever form it's in. But what made Carson special was because you got to see actors who weren't out there with the internet and take a look into their personal lives. In this episode, Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden sit down with Mark Malkoff, comedian and author of the book, Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan's Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend, and host of The Carson Podcast. Max will entertain us with several interesting stories about Carson and his time as the king of Late Night. Since Max is a also a self described "huge comedy nerd", Jason and Peter will get to share their stories about Carson and answer Max's questions about Jason's own late night appearances. This includes Jason's first time on Carson, being on both Letterman and Leno's shows, his experience with Craig Ferguson and his filling in for Jon Lovitz last minute on Conan O'Brien's test show. Something else you should know about Max; outside of being an author on comedy, Max has become well known for pulling off some incredible public stunts. These range from asking random New Yorkers to carry him to visiting 171 Starbucks to living in an Ikea to bringing a goat into an Apple Store. Of course we'll have a lot of questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With prediction market apps and sites like Polymarket, Kalshi and WagerWeb, you can literally bet on anything: Labubus, criminal case verdicts, Stephen Hawkings black hole theories, natural disasters. You can even bet on when a celebrity is going to die. But prediction markets aren't just about making money from gambling, there's a darker truth here. On this episode, Jason and Peter talk to Jonathan D. Cohen, author of the book, Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet On Sports Gambling, to discuss America's sports betting public health crisis. On this episode, Jason and Peter also dive in with Jonathan about the coverage of insider trading becoming a problem in prediction markets. Something to note, we did film this episode before the story broke about MrBeast's editor being banned from Kalshi for insider trading. We do bring up the story about former Toronto Rappers player, Jontay Porter, who was fined and banned from the NBA, for making proposition bets based on his game performance. We'll also cover the role of AI when it comes to sports betting along with the endorphin release rush you get when you make a bet. We'll also cover mob sports betting, legitimate poker games and Jonathan's record as a competitive board game player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Credit Card Churners are people who repeatedly open and close credit card accounts to primarily earn sign-up bonuses like cash back, points, or travel miles. Is this type of hack strategy illegal? On this episode, Jason and Peter ask financial expert and senior advisor at Magnetar, Roger Hochschild, to explain how this process works. We'll also have Roger clear up a few myths and answer some questions that you might also have when it comes to finance and credit cards. For example, does it actually hurt your credit score every time you check it? Is it actually a good thing or bad thing to pay off your credit card every month? Why do lenders look more at your Fico Score instead of your credit score? Roger also takes a moment to explain the process of closing our your loved ones credit cards after they have passed away. He'll also offer his advice on finding a good company for long term investments instead of trading. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some AI data centers known as "hyperscalers" need to consume as much water as the whole city of Philadelphia. On this this episode, Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden ask Eric Olson, the assistant professor of finance and the director of the Center of Energy Studies at the University of Tulsa, to not only reveal how much much water it takes for ChatGPT to answer one question but to also address why building an AI data center in some place like Phoenix, Arizona isn't a good option. They also address the concerns of rising energy costs from these AI data centers being passed on to the consumer and if recycled water, or greywater, could be a potential solution. Would it make sense to move the data centers to areas with colder climates like Alaska or Antartica to handle the evaporative cooling? Eric also clarifies what we've all heard about job creation during the developmental phase. The conversation also delves into why businesses like Netflix spend so much money on servers to keep up with the attention society and the demand society. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes Seinfeld feel more alive in 2026 than half the shows made today? In this episode, Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden sit down with Jennifer Keishin Armstrong (author of Seinfeldia) to unpack why the show’s jokes, catchphrases, and “no one learns anything” mandate still shape comedy—and culture. They dig into the streaming afterlife, the wild ratings era (including the infamous 78 million finale), and how characters like George Costanza and Kramer became modern archetypes. Jennifer shares behind-the-scenes reporting from writers and guest stars, including how icons like the Soup Nazi became permanent fandom fixtures, plus the unusual way ideas were pitched—sometimes literally in hallways. The conversation also gets real about the show’s controversies (Puerto Rican Day Parade, representation, jokes “of their time”) and why Seinfeld may have paved the road for TV’s anti-hero era. If you’ve ever quoted “no soup for you” or wondered why the show still hits without smartphones, this one’s for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hollywood’s latest “anxiety hack” isn’t a new miracle drug — it’s an old medication with a new spotlight. Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden dig into the celebrity buzz around beta blockers with Dr. Nasser Ghaemi, an academic psychiatrist and professor of psychiatry at Tufts University. They break down what beta blockers (like propranolol) actually do, why actors and musicians use them for performance anxiety, and the big catch: they can reduce symptoms without addressing the root cause. Dr. Ghaemi explains when “situational” use can make sense — and when it can backfire with side effects like low blood pressure, cognitive dulling, or added risk for people with asthma or diabetes. Along the way, Jason and Peter riff on Hollywood nerves, guest-star pressure on Seinfeld, and a wild story about “anxiety drugs in rivers” making salmon bolder — because of course it does. The episode lands on a bigger debate: quick-fix culture, rising anxiety in young people, and why AI therapy can’t replace a human clinician (yet). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waymo’s self-driving cars look futuristic — but what’s really happening behind the scenes may surprise you. On Really? No, Really., Missy Cummings — former U.S. Navy fighter pilot, MIT-trained engineer, and one of the world’s leading AI and robotics safety experts — explains why true self-driving cars don’t actually exist yet, how human “remote operators” may be quietly stepping in, and the hidden technical flaws that keep autonomous vehicles from being as safe as advertised. The conversation dives into phantom braking, transparency problems, Tesla’s camera-only approach, and why the hype around autonomy is racing far ahead of reality. If you’ve ever trusted a robot car, ridden in a Waymo, or wondered where this technology is really headed, this episode will make you rethink everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do art heists actually work — and why do so many stolen masterpieces disappear forever? On Really? No, Really?, Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden talk with art-theft investigator Anthony Amore about the real mechanics of modern art crime. Amore cuts through the Hollywood myths, explaining why museums are more vulnerable than people think, how routine and insider knowledge get exploited, and why stolen art is often hidden for decades instead of sold. The conversation ranges from legendary unsolved heists and forgery scandals to the underground realities of fencing stolen art — plus some unexpected laughs, including Jason’s own “missing” Tony Award moment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tom Petty died in 2017, but his music continues to live on thanks to hits like "Refugee", "Here Comes My Girl", and "Runnin' Down a Dream." But recently Jason and Peter were stunned to learn that Petty didn’t write those songs alone. Really, no Really! Mike Campbell was an original member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and co-wrote many of the band's legendary hits and was considered by Petty to be the Heartbreakers’ co-captain. Campbell himself, continues to have an impressive career, now fronting the band The Dirty Knobs and playing and writing music with legendary rockers like Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, George Harrison and more. But that got the guys wondering, what it’s like being the “unrecognized talent” regularly standing just behind and co-writing with iconic names? While much of Mike’s career was alongside Petty, he notably gave Don Henley the music for his 1984 hit "The Boys of Summer" and he worked closely with Stevie Nicks, Aretha Franklin and too many others to name. Campbell just released his first book: Heartbreaker: A Memoir *** ON THIS EPISODE: Where Heartbreaker guitar lines came from. What gives guitarists their “sound”? Mike stores his guitars in a dry-cleaning rack? They say Bob Dylan is “enigmatic” – What does that mean? Tiny clubs vs. stadiums – Which is better to play? On-stage and having to pee. What do you do? How has the music business changed during Mike’s career? Jason has an insane pneumatic couch. ??? Googleheim: Dylan Fans… We gotchu! *** FOLLOW MIKE: Website (tour dates & tickets) - www.thedirtyknobs.com Book - Heartbreaker: A Memoir Instagram: @mikecampbellofficial YouTube - @mikecampbellofficial X - @MikeCampbellHQ Facebook – MikeCampbellOfficial *** FOLLOW ROBERT TILDEN: Spotify: Boyo *** FOLLOW REALLY NO REALLY: www.reallynoreally.com Instagram YouTube TikTok Facebook Threads X See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who isn’t a Paul Reiser mega fan? The dramas like Stranger Things! The comedies like “Mad About You”! How about the action/adventures with The Boys! And who could forget him in Aliens! ALIENS! And now after a 32-year hiatus he’s back on the road doing stand-up comedy again. Really, no Really! Comedian, actor, television writer, producer, author and musician Paul Reiser is one of Hollywood’s most prolific creatives. Voted by Comedy Central as one of the Top 100 Comedians of All Time, Reiser – who came up alongside folks like, George Carlin, Robert Klein, and Jerry Seinfeld. His most recent standup special – his first in 30 years – Life, Death, and Rice Pudding, was released late last year. *** IN THIS EPISODE: Comedian or actor? Which is it? Why can’t robots recognize crosswalks and bicycles? Why the 30+ year break with stand-up? How do comedians decide what to wear on stage? Jason’s feet are smaller than you can possibly imagine. Can couples switch which side of the bed? How a comedian bagged a role in Jim Cameron’s Aliens. When Paul realized Mad About You was a hit. Jason pushed Helen Hunt into accepting Mad About You! How Paul cowrote a book with Doobie Brother’s frontman, Michael McDonald. Columbo’s Peter Faulk was… difficult. How’d “The Problem with People” get written? Is Paul Broadway bound? *** FOLLOW PAUL: Comedy Special: Paul Reiser: Life, Death, & Rice Pudding Stand-Up: Comedy & Magic Club/Hermosa Beach/April 17 Website: paulreiser.com X: @PaulReiser *** FOLLOW REALLY NO REALLY: www.reallynoreally.com Instagram YouTube TikTok Facebook Threads X See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She’s written several classic Seinfeld episodes including “Lip Reader” and “Rye Bread.” She’s also written more Oscar telecasts than any other woman… but neither of those facts are this week’s “Really”. No… she’s on to promote her new book with a really long title. Really, no Really! Emmy-nominated six times for her writing on such classic television shows as Seinfeld, The Larry Sanders Show, Saturday Night Live, and The Oscars, Carol Leifer won her first Emmy Award in 2024 for Outstanding Comedy Series as a co-executive producer of the HBO Max show Hacks. She’s also written for other shows such as Modern Family, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Ellen Show, and many more. *** ON THIS EPISODE: Jason reveals his post-Seinfeld epiphany Never before revealed alternate ending to Marine biologist! The unique way writers pitched episodes to Jerry and Larry. Writing jokes for the Oscars is hard. On becoming a writer, not only a standup comedian. When Jason hosted SNL and why he won’t be asked back. Inside the Curb Your Enthusiasm writer’s room. Carol’s mission to help regular folks make better speeches. Jason shares his "favorite” 2 Seinfeld episodes. Is Jason tired of being asked about Seinfeld? Carol shares a never-before-heard story of she and Jason on the Seinfeld set. Do not zoom in on the menu board at the back of the Diner! The quizzical comments Frank Sinatra made about Carol. *** FOLLOW CAROL: SEE: April 2nd, 2025 - BOOK SIGNING - BOOK SOUP WITH CO-AUTHOR RICK MITCHELL Book: “How to Write a Funny Speech: for a Wedding, Bar Mitzvah, Graduation & Every Other Event You Didn't Want to Go to in the First Place” Website: carolleifer.com Instagram: @carolleifer X: @carolleifer Facebook: @CarolLeifer *** FOLLOW REALLY NO REALLY: www.reallynoreally.com Instagram YouTube TikTok Facebook Threads X See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices