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

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.

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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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