Chris Fenton (@TheDragonFeeder) is an expert on China's influence over Hollywood and how the Chinese government pressures American movie studios into creating soft power propaganda. He is the author of Feeding the Dragon: Inside the Trillion-Dollar Dilemma Facing Hollywood, the NBA, and American Business. What We Discuss with Chris Fenton: How China exerts influence over the Hollywood movie industry. The strategies that are used to make movies and commercials relevant to the Chinese public — and ensure they're pushing the Chinese government's political agenda. How international film edits differ from Chinese film edits. What the Chinese government does to punish Hollywood studios that won't play ball. Why leverage doesn't have to be a one-way street, and how Hollywood can push back against Chinese politics. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/780 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Did you hear our conversation with Desmond Shum, the former CCP insider and former husband of disappeared Chinese billionaire “Whitney” Duan Weihong? Catch up with episode 684: Desmond Shum | Wealth, Power, Corruption, and Vengeance in China here! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

How do the environmental costs of producing almonds outweigh their nutritional benefits? Allow us to count the ways... Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and fact-checker, comedian, and podcast host David C. Smalley break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/779 On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss: Almonds are one of the most misunderstood "health foods" of the modern era. As of 2021, US consumption of almonds amounted to about 1.56 million metric tons worldwide, and Americans now consume more than 10 times as many almonds as in 1965. Unfortunately, while they've become a staple of healthy diets, they are not environmentally friendly. Almond milk is not a true dairy alternative and is mostly made of water, sugar, salt, emulsifiers, vitamins, and ascorbic acid — and only two percent almonds. Almond farming requires bees to wake up early from hibernation to attend the crop season, and most of the bees rented by farmers die due to pesticides and diseases — up to 50 million per year. It takes from one to three gallons of water to produce just one almond. That means, at the low end of the scale, one serving of almonds = 23 gallons of water, and one pound of almonds = 1900 gallons. 100 percent of the almonds you buy in the US, and 80 percent of almonds in the world, are produced in California — where there is already an issue with water shortages. How we can be more mindful of our almond consumption and support alternative products that are more environmentally friendly. Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know! Connect with David at his website, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and make sure to check out The David C. Smalley Podcast here or wherever you enjoy listening to fine podcasts! If you like to get out of your house and catch live comedy, keep an eye on David's tour dates here and text David directly at (424) 306-0798 for tickets when he comes to your town! Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking...

An old friend who wrote you off for remaining neutral when she left her husband is asking you to testify on her behalf to secure full custody of her children. However, you've always known her ex-husband to be a responsible father and are skeptical of her anecdotes that would disqualify him from co-parenting rights. Obviously, the time for neutrality has passed and it's time to pick a side. So where does loyalty lie when legality is on the line? We'll try to find an answer to this and more here on Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/778 On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: First, we have a follow-up of sorts from episode 753: A Clandestine Crossdresser’s Conundrum. The balance of a custody battle between your ex-bestie and her ex-husband may be tipped by your testimony. Where does your loyalty lie when legality is on the line? Is it immoral to get into a serious relationship without disclosing your incurable, debilitating illness up front? Metaphorically speaking, what if you gave up your job rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic to become an engineer on the Lusitania? Newfound feelings of rage leave you wondering what a healthy relationship with anger looks like for most people — and what might be the best way to channel this feeling toward something positive? Packages delivered to your address only started going missing when your unstable, gun-toting neighbor moved in, but your landlord refuses to actually do anything about it unless you can provide some kind of proof. What are your options? Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com! Connect with Jordan on Twitter at @JordanHarbinger and Instagram at @jordanharbinger. Connect with Gabriel on Twitter at @GabeMizrahi. Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!

Kevin Dutton (@therealdrkev) is a psychologist and author known for his research on the psychology of evil and the science of charisma. His latest book is The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success. [This is part two of a two-part episode. Make sure to catch up with part one here!] What We Discuss with Kevin Dutton: How having a con artist father who never lost his cool sparked Kevin’s interest in understanding the mindset of the psychopath. What Kevin means when he says that psychopaths understand the “words but not the music” of emotion. Contrary to popular belief, psychopaths aren’t necessarily violent. They could be a surgeon or a killer, a firefighter or an arsonist. (Or even a professor or an ax murderer.) Why psychopaths are often excellent at persuasion and identifying weakness in others. What percentage of the population exhibits psychopathy, and how psychopaths can actually be useful for society. And much more… Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/777 This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Kevin Dutton (@therealdrkev) is a psychologist and author known for his research on the psychology of evil and the science of charisma. His latest book is The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success. [This is part one of a two-part episode. Keep an eye out for part two later this week!] What We Discuss with Kevin Dutton: How having a con artist father who never lost his cool sparked Kevin's interest in understanding the mindset of the psychopath. What Kevin means when he says that psychopaths understand the "words but not the music" of emotion. Contrary to popular belief, psychopaths aren't necessarily violent. They could be a surgeon or a killer, a firefighter or an arsonist. (Or even a professor or an ax murderer.) Why psychopaths are often excellent at persuasion and identifying weakness in others. What percentage of the population exhibits psychopathy, and how psychopaths can actually be useful for society. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/776 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Participating in your bestie's wedding seemed like a great honor — until she transformed into a demanding Bridezilla. Now it's a stressful horrorshow that's straining what's left of your friendship. Should you stay or should you go? Welcome to Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/775 On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: Your bestie has transformed into a demanding Bridezilla. Should you still participate in her wedding or get out while you can? After 30 years in an evangelical church that warped your feelings about sexuality, your only relationship fell apart after a few short months. How can you be upfront about your history with potential partners without scaring them off? You've been so diligent about saving money and investing wisely over the past decade that you could live without a job for five years. So how can you reconcile your desire for a more independent life with your — probably unfounded — fear of financial instability? Should you ghost, roast, or toast your new aggro-defensive coworker who won't take the criticism necessary to improve — especially when it comes from a woman? How can you get your significant other to understand that his consumer choices matter — and that you don't want to support companies that, in turn, give money to the corrupt and genocidal Chinese government? Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com! Connect with Jordan on Twitter at @JordanHarbinger and Instagram at @jordanharbinger. Connect with Gabriel on Twitter at @GabeMizrahi. Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Miss our interview with Read & Riot: A Pussy Riot Guide to Activism author Nadya Tolokonnikova? Catch up with 

Jonah Berger (@j1berger) has spent over 15 years studying how social influence works and how it drives products and ideas to catch on. He’s a marketing professor and author, and his new book is Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior. [Note: This is a previously broadcast episode from the vault that we felt deserved a fresh pass through your earholes!] What We Discuss with Jonah Berger: We like to believe we’re so special that our choices are driven by personal preferences and opinions; the fact of the matter: other people have an influence over almost everything we do. Rather than seeing influence as negative and manipulative, we should understand how to use it as a toolkit for making better decisions. Sometimes we allow our social groups or cultural upbringing to influence us toward underachievement. Learn the one trick that allows negotiators to be five times more successful. How do we protect ourselves from undesired influence? And much more… Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/774 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Dr. David Lieberman (@dr_lieberman) is the author of the book Mindreader: The New Science of Deciphering What People Really Think, What They Really Want, and Who They Really Are. He is a respected expert on human behavior and relationships, with a focus on improving communication and understanding between individuals. What We Discuss with Dr. David Lieberman: Common misconceptions about body language that can be safely discarded as nonsense. The difference between self-esteem and confidence. Why guilty people usually want the conversation to end as soon as possible, while innocent people often want a further exchange of information. What spatial immediacy is, and its impact on how people interact and the nature of their communication. Why the less emotionally and mentally healthy someone is, the less comfortable they are with people who hold opposing viewpoints. And much more… Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/773 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Energy Drinks. What is in these things? Why are some people hooked on them? Why are they wild, unnatural colors? What exactly do they do? Are they dangerous? Are they hype? Or are they both? Sit back, pour yourself a nice tall glass of carbonated, bright-blue, sugar-packed whatever the hell this is, commence vibrating, and get the straight dope on energy drinks. Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and fact-checker, comedian, and podcast host David C. Smalley break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/772 On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss: Energy drinks have been linked to irregular heartbeats, cardiomyopathy (a disease that makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood), increased blood pressure, and other heart conditions. A lot of people in the fitness world like energy drinks, especially diet ones, because they get an energy boost for working out without a huge caloric intake — but their bodies tend to be healthy enough to deal with any adverse effects. When it comes to caffeine, experts recommend no more than 400 mg per day for adults, or 100 mg for kids. A standard cup of coffee provides anywhere between 95 mg to 200 mg, while one can of an energy drink varies by brand from 111 mg to 280 mg. The FDA warns that 4,200 mg of caffeine can be lethal to an average adult if ingested all at once — although other conditions can exacerbate its effect at much lower doses. An autopsy reported "caffeine toxicity" as a contributor to a 14-year-old's death after she drank just two cans of 24 oz Monster energy drinks — or about 488 mg of caffeine. Most energy drinks contain B12 and lots of other vitamins that can be good for fighting off depression (especially in vegans with a low B12 intake), but supplements can provide the same benefits without added caffeine and sugar. Connect with Jordan on Twitter, on Instagram, and on YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know! Connect with David at his website, on Twitter, on Instagram, on TikTok, and on YouTube, and make sure to check out The David C. Smalley Podcast here or wherever you enjoy listening to fine podcasts! If you like to get out of your house and catch live comedy, keep an...

Sarah Edmondson (@sarahjedmondson) and Anthony "Nippy" Ames (@nippyames) are two former NXIVM cult members turned whistleblowers. Together, they host the podcast A Little Bit Culty, and are featured in HBO's series The Vow. Sarah's 12-year ordeal is chronicled in Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life. [This is part two of a two-part conversation. Find part one here!] What We Discuss with Sarah Edmondson and Nippy Ames: How NXIVM began as a community of like-minded individuals who were committed to personal growth and self-improvement and devolved into a cult under the leadership of its narcissistic founder, Keith Raniere. How Hollywood celebrities came to be courted and ultimately controlled by Raniere and the NXIVM cult. The endless abuses suffered by NXIVM's victims — from mind games to being branded as property and trafficked as a way to fund Raniere's lavish lifestyle. Where Sarah and Nippy existed within NXIVM's hierarchy, the parts they played, and what broke the spell that held them enthralled in the cult's sinister machinations. How Sarah and Nippy are coping with the aftermath of their traumatic experiences, and what they're doing to raise awareness of how cults like NXIVM ruin people's lives. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/771 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!