MEET IN THE MIDDLE

Ep. 109 Do You Talk To Yourself? Science Says You're a Genius

Get ready for another laugh-out-loud ride with Danny, James, Jake, and Rachel! We are back in the studio for Episode 109, and things are getting wonderfully weird and incredibly embarrassing. First up in "Have You Heard?", Jake introduces us to a truly bizarre medical phenomenon from Hong Kong. A woman strained so hard on the toilet that she triggered Transient Global Amnesia, completely wiping the last 10 years of her memory for eight hours. We break down the dangers of the "Valsalva maneuver" and why your bathroom breaks should come with a hazard warning. In "Confessionals," James brings the heat with two utterly mortifying stories.• A listener tries to borrow their boyfriend's expensive charcoal face mask, only to discover after scrubbing it into their pores that it was actually the cremated ashes of his childhood hamster, Barnaby.• A woman fresh out of the bath panics and spends ten minutes aggressively beating what she thinks is a giant spider on her towel, before realizing it was just her own untrimmed pubic hair poking through a hole. We dive into the biological gutter for "Rachel's Furry Box" to ask: have you ever secretly enjoyed smelling your own fart?. The crew debates the safety of personal scents, the deadly lingering of a "shower fart," and James reveals his sinister trick of asking friends if they "smell popcorn" just as he lets one rip. In "Boys Catch Yourselves On," Rachel tackles the bizarre phenomenon of men forgetting important dates like birthdays and anniversaries. The boys defend their terrible memories by citing spontaneous "panic gifts," while Rachel points out the audacity of men who can remember random football stats from years ago but forget to book an anniversary dinner. Danny dives into the psychological depths for "What the FAQ?" to ask: is it normal to talk to yourself?. He explains how 96% of adults have an internal monologue, why speaking out loud is actually a sign of high intelligence and emotional regulation, and how "distanced self-talk" can help reduce anxiety. Finally, we update our Spotify playlist, "The Middlers Soundtrack," with some fresh tracks. This week we add "Human Nature" by Michael Jackson, "Pictures of You" by Drugdealer feat. Kate Bollinger, "Love Me Not" by Ravyn Lenae, and "The Mickey Dam" by Damien Dempsey. FOLLOW AND HIT THE BELL NOTIFICATION TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! 📧 Want to contact us?Mail: team@meetinthemiddlepod.comInstagram: @podcast.meetinthemiddle 🎵 Intro and Outro: Living Kills - The Noise

Ep. 108 Japan’s Breeding Visa & The Plague Rat

The crew is back for another round of absolute mayhem! We kick things off in "Have You Heard?" where Jake investigates a wild rumor about "breeding visas" in Japan. While that might be fake news, the real story is just as bizarre: the Japanese government is literally subsidizing Tinder Gold and matchmaking apps to fight the loneliness epidemic. Danny is ready to sign up for government-funded Grinder, while James and Rachel feel a bit "pimped out" by the idea of state-sponsored flirting. In "Confessionals," we hear two of the most skin-crawling stories in podcast history. First, a woman tries to rescue a "hairless kitten" in an alleyway, only to have the vet lock the door and call animal control because she’s been cuddling a mange-ridden city rat all night. Then, a guy tries to be the hero at a steakhouse by performing the Heimlich maneuver on an elderly woman, only to realize she wasn't choking—he just physically launched her 3,000-pound dentures across the restaurant and into an industrial bin. "Rachel's Furry Box" gets a makeover this week! Danny has officially handed over the reigns (and the ginger hair), and we now have "Rachel's Furry Purse." It's portable, it's blonde, and it’s asking the big questions: Would you want to be famous? Jake wants the protection, Danny wants the red carpet, and James thinks Jake would end up as a Swedish recluse living in a castle with a bunch of cats. For "Boys Catch Yourself On," Rachel is calling out the "Hard Man" aesthetic. Why do men pose in photos like they’ve just been denied bail or are selling oregano behind a shop? From the shadow boxing in club toilets to the mysterious "gang signs," she wants to know why guys can't just smile for once. Finally, in "What the FAQ?", Danny is breaking down the anatomy of the fist. Why do our fingers look like a "mismatched boy band" that somehow transforms into a "perfect wall of violence" when you clench them? It’s the science of the scrap, and things get weirdly technical. FOLLOW AND HIT THE BELL NOTIFICATION TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! 📧 Want to contact us?Mail: team@meetinthemiddlepod.comInstagram: @podcast.meetinthemiddle 🎵 Intro and Outro: Living Kills - The Noise #MeetInTheMiddle #Podcast #IrishHumour #BritishHumour #ComedyPodcast #JapanDating #TinderGold #RatStory #HeimlichManeuver #Fame #DatingApps #Banter

Ep. 107 Are Left-Handers Better in Bed? & Bizarre Pig Calling

Get ready for another laugh-out-loud ride with Danny, James, and Jake! We are back in the studio for Episode 107 (missing our girl Rachel this week), and things are getting dangerously spicy and incredibly embarrassing. First up in "Have You Heard?", Jake introduces us to the European Seagull Screeching Championship. It's a bizarre competitive sport in a Belgian pub where grown adults throw their heads back and aggressively mimic seagulls. We break down the unhinged performances, the nine-year-old UK prodigy known as "Seagull Boy," and somehow also uncover a pig-calling contest in Estonia. In "Confessionals," James brings the heat with two utterly mortifying stories. * A drunk best man tries to be edgy during his speech with a joke about a lads' holiday in Magaluf, only to accidentally reveal the groom's past infidelity to the bride—prompting her to walk out and him to be escorted off the premises. * A mother lets her autistic son walk to the shops alone to build independence, only to discover he has kidnapped a little person and locked them in the family garage like a stray cat. In "Rachel's Furry Box," Danny steps in to pull out a delightfully grim question: have you ever eaten anything off the floor? The boys debate the five-second rule, dropping a kebab on a night out, and James shares a horrific story about a friend sucking spilled wine directly off the concrete pavement. Danny dives into the biological gutter for "What the FAQ?" to ask: why are some people left-handed?. He explains "brain lateralization" and crossed wiring, breaks down the "fighting hypothesis" that makes lefties elite boxers, and reveals a wild study claiming left-handers are significantly more satisfied in the bedroom than right-handers. Finally, we update our Spotify playlist, "The Middlers Soundtrack," with some fresh tracks. This week we add "Things Are Looking Up" by Billy Lockett, "The River" by Daisy Jones & The Six, and "The Spins" by Mac Miller. FOLLOW AND HIT THE BELL NOTIFICATION TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! 📧 Want to contact us?Mail: team@meetinthemiddlepod.comInstagram: @podcast.meetinthemiddle 🎵 Intro and Outro: Living Kills - The Noise

Ep. 106 I Exposed Myself to the Brides Granny!

The gang is back and things are getting measurement-heavy! We kick things off in "Have You Heard?" where Jake reveals a London nightclub that’s strictly enforcing a 6ft height requirement for men. Is it a "Land of the Giants" dream or just blatant "Short King" discrimination? James has some very specific ideas about what the requirements for women should be, and let's just say, it involves a tape measure of a different kind. In "Confessionals," we dive into the most mortifying listener stories yet. From a "Rock the Boat" wedding disaster that left one guest completely exposed to his cousin's 80-year-old grandmother, to a beauty appointment that ended in a "deafening, trumpet-like" explosion of gas. It’s safe to say these listeners won’t be showing their faces (or other parts) in public for a while. "Rachel's Furry Box" poses a somber yet delicious question: What would be your death row meal? Between 5-course gourmet steaks, Wexford sauce (which James is convinced doesn't exist), and James's plan to stay alive forever by ordering an all-you-can-eat buffet, the debate gets heated. Danny, meanwhile, thinks murderers should stick to bread and water. For "Boys Catch Yourselves On," Rachel tries to call out the "five-minute" lie men tell before leaving the house. Is it a buffer? Is it a vibe? Or is it just a comforting fiction? The table turns pretty quickly when the boys point out that a woman's 20 minutes is actually a full hour of lip-gloss-induced trauma. Finally, in "What the FAQ?", Danny digs into the science and superstitions behind the itch. Why does your skin demand you scratch it until you look like you’ve fought a feral cat? Whether it's "pruritus" or just a cheap jumper, we're getting to the bottom of that tingling sensation.

Ep. 105 A Hot Yoga Fart Disaster & The Country That Banned Crocs

Get ready for another laugh-out-loud ride with Danny, James, Jake, and Rachel! We are back in the studio for Episode 105, and things are getting dangerously spicy and incredibly embarrassing. First up in "Have You Heard?", Jake introduces us to the Republic of Slowjamastan. It's a self-declared micro-nation in the Southern California desert founded by a radio DJ who crowned himself Sultan. We break down their bizarre national laws, which include a strict ban on Crocs, mumble rap, speakerphone in public, and eating string cheese the wrong way. In "Confessionals," James brings the heat with two utterly mortifying stories. * A guy tries to act macho on a first date by ordering "Thai spicy" noodles, only to rub his eyes with weapon-grade chili oil hands, trip over a table, and end up with the manager pouring full-fat milk directly into his open eyes. * A hot yoga session in a sweltering, dead-silent room turns into a biological hazard when a listener unleashes a fart that sounded like a "heavy wooden chair being dragged across a wet floor," leaving the girl next to him dry-heaving. In "Boys Catch Yourselves On," Rachel tackles the bizarre phenomenon of men packing entire PlayStation consoles for their holidays. The boys defend bringing their gaming setups for a chill night in, while Rachel declares that traveling 2,000 miles to sit indoors and shout at a virtual referee is a massive red flag. Danny dives into the biological gutter for "What the FAQ?" to ask: why do we cry?. He explains the "globus sensation" (that nervous lump in your throat), breaks down the three types of tears, and reveals that emotional crying is basically your body taking a "stress p*ss out of your face". Finally, we update our Spotify playlist, "The Middlers Soundtrack," with some fresh tracks. This week we add "Step by Step" by Whitney Houston, "Feel the Real" by Fcukers, "Colour" by MNEK feat. Hailee Steinfeld, and "Where You At" by Dublin artist Abbie Coulibaly. Grab a drink, have a laugh, and join the madness! FOLLOW AND HIT THE BELL NOTIFICATION TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! 📧 Want to contact us?Mail: team@meetinthemiddlepod.comInstagram: @podcast.meetinthemiddle 🎵 Intro and Outro: Living Kills - The Noise