Answer Me This!

In this episode, the hosts tackle whether to hide risqué home decor when kids are visiting and dive into the quirky topic of cemetery ownership. They humorously explore the culinary world of slugs, including potential recipes and a slug festival in California. Conversations also cover the unconventional decorations in homes and children's reactions to them. Plus, they highlight the rise of artist-decorated animals in cities, all while reflecting on the nostalgia of physical music collections versus today's streaming experience.

Today’s questioneers want to know, among other things, what private investigators actually do, what happened to Deely Boppers (Deely Bobbers?), how to greet your spouse when you’re attending the same business meeting, how to steer someone to not want to work for you, and how to persuade someone to GTFO of the massage chair at the airport that they’re not getting massaged in. For more information about this episode, visit answermethispodcast.com/episode408. Got question for us to answer? Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. Next episode will be in your podfeed 28 August 2025. Become a patron at patreon.com/answermethis to help with the continuing existence of AMT, and to get an ad-free version of the episode, plus bonus material culled from the show, and our live video question-answering session Petty Problems, the next edition of which is happening 23 August 2025. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, the all in one platform for creating and running your online empire. Go to squarespace.com/answer, have a play around during the two-week free trial, and when you're ready to launch, get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code ANSWER. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover why coffee shops can offer either great coffee or comfy chairs, but not both! Dive into the quirky mating habits of lobsters and the stark contrast between sitcom myths and reality. Unpack the tricky world of MLMs and how to fend off persistent coworkers while keeping good relationships. Explore the cultural significance of anvils in cartoons and navigate the challenges of dating public figures, where maintaining anonymity becomes an art. All this infused with humor and nostalgia!

Discover the quirky Danish wedding tradition of slicing the bride’s veil and groom's socks, revealing the cultural significance behind this playful ritual. Explore the humorous debate around whether it's acceptable to snag butter at cafes. Dive into the linguistic journey of popes learning Italian and the amusing absurdities of dropping phones at festivals. From pretzel history to tackling petty problems, this lively conversation is packed with insights and laughter, blending cultural quirks with everyday dilemmas.

What would you do with lottery winnings? One listener wrestles with that very dilemma while keeping it under wraps. The podcast dives into the quirky origins of trophy kissing in sports and the surprising meaning of pretzel shapes. Biscoff biscuits transition into a delightful spread, igniting nostalgic food discussions. Plus, there's a humorous take on unwanted gifts like toe socks and repurposing sentimental items. Tune in for a blend of laughter, curiosity, and food-inspired anecdotes!

Discover tips for witnessing the magical Northern Lights, with Yellowknife, Canada, as the top pick for your trip. Unearth the quirky world of sand heists and the controversial ethics of body donation, spiced up with humorous anecdotes. Delve into the fascinating biology of werewolves, including the mysteries of female werewolf menstruation. Enjoy a lively debate about the calendar dates of Jesus, all woven together with personal stories and playful banter!

Dive into amusing wedding etiquette dilemmas as the chaos of unexpected bridesmaid promotions unfolds. Discover the quirky world of roller derby names and the challenges faced by understudies in theatre. Enjoy a delicious discussion on the intricacies of popcorn culture at the movies, coupled with insights on vertigo misconceptions. Laugh along as the speakers explore what happens to unclaimed possessions after death, unraveling the delightful absurdities of life and legacy.

In a lively return, the hosts dive into the whimsical world of roller derby names and the unique quirks of museum gift shops. They navigate the challenges faced by flight attendants and share amusing stories about the nuances of airplane shopping. The conversation takes a fun turn with discussions on Branston pickle and the cultural significance of baked beans. Listeners are treated to tales of secrecy in job hunting and a humorous look at literary dedications, making for an engaging mix of insights and laughter.

Happy birthday to AMT, turning 18 years old today! Which means our baby is now an adult, and we are celebrating by....🎉 BRINGING THE PODCAST BACK! 🎉We're going to try it out with new monthly episodes on the last Thursday of the month, for the next three months. So the show will return with AMT402 on 30 January 2025, 403 on 27 February, 404 on 27 March... And after that? Well, if we're enjoying it, and you're enjoying it, we hope to continue. We need your help, though, in the following three ways: Send us your questions. This podcast depends on them! Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com - ideally including the formula "Helen and/or Olly, answer me this", and let us know a name (pseudonyms are fine) and pronouns to use for you. As always, your questions can be about all sorts of things: pop culture, history, moral dilemmas, romance, workplace feuds, etiquette, myths, whatever is causing your brow to furrow. Also, if you want to fill us in on how you are and what's been happening in your life in our absence, please do. a) Tell people the show is back. Social media? Great! Old media? Fantastic. Writing it across your face and running around the supermarket? Could work. We'd love for listeners old and new to hear that AMT is returning. b) Resubscribe in your podcast app: follow the links at https://pod.link/208516732. And set to auto-download new episodes while you're there. (Nowadays a lot of the podcast-listening apps will stop updating you with new episodes if you haven't recently listened to one. Don't let 'em!) Fund the show at patreon.com/answermethis. Your contributions will help keep it going. And we have some sweet extra perks for you coming up just as soon as the show is up and running again. That's all our demands! For now. We're excited to answer your questions again, and to witter in your ears while you commute or work out or do the gardening or nurse the baby or fall asleep. Happy New Year!x H & O Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back AMT for one special new episode! So much has changed since we retired nearly two years ago, but what remains is our desire to answer your questions. Today, questioneers wonder about what to say about working in a world-famous place, romantic bacon competitions, unromantic but important kebab competitions, Danielle Steel's sleeping habits, and looking at their own semen through a microscope. Find out more about this episode at answermethispodcast.com/episode401. We don't know whether/when we will pop up in your feed again, so stay subscribed! And follow us on facebook.com/answermethis and twitter.com/helenandolly. Hear our other work: Olly Mann has a daily podcast, Today in History with the Retrospectors, and his monthly magazine show The Modern Mann, both of which you can find along with his other work at ollymann.com. Helen Zaltzman makes the The Allusionist, an entertainment podcast about language, which you can find at the podplaces and at theallusionist.org. Martin Austwick's music is available at palebirdmusic.com, his Tom Waits podcast Song By Song at songbysongpodcast.com, and his experimental fiction podcast Neutrino Watch at neutrinowatch.org. This episode is sponsored by: • Wondrium, the streaming library of tutorials, lectures, documentaries, how-to videos, travel, craft and much more! AMT listeners get a month of free access to the whole library at wondrium.com/answer. • Squarespace. Want to build a website? Go to squarespace.com/answer, and get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code 'ANSWER'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices