Hysteria

Comedian Michaela Watkins joins Hysteria to discuss the impacts of the LA fires one week after they began and how the community has shown up to provide relief. Erin and Alyssa also recap the insanity of the Pete Hegseth confirmation hearings and Zuckerberg sucking up to Joe Rogan.

Erin and Alyssa break down the legal saga unfolding between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni over the misconduct that happened on the set of It Ends With Us and the smear campaign that followed. They also discuss a historic breakthrough in the fight against medical debt, Meta’s twisted new hate speech policies, and how Democrats should deal with conservative BS in 2025.

The Hysteria team is off this week, but we're excited to bring you an episode of Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams. In this episode, Stacey talks to Kate Nazemi, a local education activist and parent, and Jon Valant, director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, about the future of public education during a second Trump Administration. They break down Project 2025’s education policy prescriptions, the threats to the Department of Education, and what changes a President can and cannot make. Then, they discuss how to best get involved at the local level to make change in your community – from attending local school board meetings, to writing to your local representatives. If you liked this episode, subscribe to Assembly Required wherever you get your podcasts: crooked.com/assemblyrequired

Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco say goodbye and good riddance to 2024 with help from guest panelists Akilah Hughes and Kara Klenk. They reflect on the parts of the year that kept them sane, from the Paris Olympics to the Kendrick-Drake beef. Then, they talk about holiday traditions and read out listener submissions about odd and wholesome ways to celebrate.

Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco shared the latest on the TikTok ban heading to the Supreme Court and the House Ethics Committee's vote to release its report on Matt Gaetz. Then, they break down the history of the Equal Rights Amendment and Kirsten Gillibrand’s fight to make President Biden revive it. Finally, they are feeling petty af about Elon Musk’s mom’s involvement in DOGE and FedEx holiday deliveries.

After the media storm (and internet thirsting) surrounding the UHC CEO shooting suspect, Erin and Alyssa make sense of the cultural response online and what this says about the rage Americans feel toward the for-profit healthcare industry, and whether we’re entering a new era of class solidarity… or of fame-hungry copycats. Then they discuss the rise of the Manosphere and whether the men of America are okay (spoiler alert: they’re not).

It’s no secret that we are angry about Trump’s win, but who and what are we angry at? Editor at Large of the 19th News, Errin Haines, joins Erin and Alyssa to discuss how racism and misogyny led to Trump’s win. They also check in on how democratic governors are bracing for Trump’s impact, and the latest news on disgraced Secretary of Defense pick Pete Hegseth. Finally, they feel petty about the new Bridget Jones Diary, but The Later Daters on Netflix keeps them sane.

Erin and Alyssa are joined by producer Caroline Reston to answer your questions from the Thanksgiving mailbag. They dish on holiday recipes, strategies for navigating politics at the dinner table, and who they would cast in a hypothetical Hysteria movie.

While Trump is busy casting his cabinet and staff picks with former reality stars, Fox News hosts, sex pests, and even some of America’s Worst Women, Alyssa and Erin are here to keep you posted. They discuss the rights and wrongs of the women Trump picked and question who will even make it to the inauguration. Then they ponder the question on a lot of our minds right now: is it time to buy a gun? Finally, they discuss the ways to prepare mentally and physically for a second Trump presidency without descending into doomsday prepping madness.

This week, Erin and Alyssa assembled a super-panel with award-winning journalist Errin Haines, activist and author Julissa Arce, and comedian Megan Gailey. They chat about how things are settling post-election, from what it would really take for a woman to become president to the misguided logic of people who split their vote on abortion. Then, they sound off on a listener's question about whether to unfriend Trump supporters.