Judge John Hodgman

It's time for a new Members Only Mailbag episode! Judge John Hodgman and Producer Jennifer Marmor have so much to yap about! Here's a little bit of their chat. For the whole thing, check your bonus feed! Or, if you're not yet a member, it's so easy to join Maximum Fun! Just go to maximumfun.org/joinjjho. It takes just a minute to become a $5/month member! Once you do, you'll be able to listen to this month's episode as well as the rest of our Members Only content! Thank you for supporting Maximum Fun and helping us keep making the show! ---Judge John Hodgman is member-supported! Become a member to unlock special bonus episodes and more. Memberships start at just $5 a month. Just tap here!

It's time to clear the docket! And we have a BRAND NEW GAVEL to help! Thanks to Nick Offerman, Offerman Woodshop, and project Manager Maddy Morrison for our beautiful new gavel. This Court has never been more ready to dispense justice! What do you do with your mother-in-law’s bag of mangoes? Is it okay to talk trash while playing video games, as long as it’s to internet strangers? Plus, disputes about gavels and woodworking!We’re still looking for all your turn-of-the-season disputes! Are you excited for football, and your housemates aren’t? Do you love going apple picking, but your family thinks it’s boring? And what about school? We’re here to solve your problems, be they small or… smaller. Submit yours at maximumfun.org/jjho.Become a member at just $5 a month for exclusive bonus content, or join us at $10 a month for access to an AD-FREE Feed! Thank you so much for continuing to make our show possible. Join us directly here: maximumfun.org/joinjjhoThere’s a chill in the air, which means more opportunities to wear your Judge John Hodgman branded sweatpants! Get your hats, mugs, clothing, and more, at: maxfunstore.com ---Judge John Hodgman is member-supported! Become a member to unlock special bonus episodes and more. Memberships start at just $5 a month. Just tap here!

A surprise fish tank sparks a marital courtroom battle over whether ghost shrimp are pets or merely algae-eating equipment. The dispute revives earlier household tensions, from indoor trumpet practice to bagworm science projects and a pepperoni-loving wild roadrunner. With dreams of salamanders, frogs, and a larger aquarium on the line, the ruling hinges on consent, shared space, and the true meaning of “pet.”

Dustin brings the case against his wife, Erin. Before they got married, Dustin agreed to watch Gilmore Girls with Erin - if SHE would read the first book in the Wheel of Time Series. Ten years later, Dustin has watched Gilmore Girls in its entirety several times. But Erin still has not read ONE Wheel of Time! Does Erin “owe” Dustin? Or is watching a cozy cute show that they both enjoy not comparable to Erin slogging through a fantasy series that has failed to hold her interest? With Guest Bailiff Monte Belmonte!Thank you to u/MDDad333 for naming this week’s case! To suggest a title for a future episode, keep an eye on the Maximum Fun subreddit at reddit.com/r/maximumfun! ---Judge John Hodgman is member-supported! Become a member to unlock special bonus episodes and more. Memberships start at just $5 a month. Just tap here!

A baseball outing turns contentious when Sean smuggles homemade hot dogs into Dodger Stadium, bends seating rules, and chases premium beer. Casey’s anxiety collides with Sean’s crusade against class-based stadium access, prompting a lively debate about privilege, protest, arbitrary rules, and the complicated history of Chavez Ravine. The ruling comes with conditions, naturally.

Hot dog, hot dog, hot DIGGIDY DOG! We have the Hot Dog Expert of all Hot Dog Experts in chambers with us to clear an ALL-HOT DOG DOCKET! Or, a hot DOG-cket! That's right, we got JAMIE LOFTUS (RAW DOG: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs, Sixteenth Minute, Aack Cast)! Jamie helps us advise on questions like: is ketchup ever okay on a hot dog? What about mayonnaise? Why do condiments on hot dogs provoke such strong reactions - heck, why are hot dogs themselves so polarizing? She also dives in to the history of competitive hot dog eating, the giant confetti-filled hot dog in Times Square, and tells us what actually goes down in the Wienermobile’s infamous “Meat Seat.” Open up and take a big bite of meaty justice on this episode of Judge John Hodgman! Watch Judge John Hodgman put together Sweden's favorite hot dog, Tunnbrödsrulle, in the WERU kitchen on TikTok! Follow Jamie on Instagram: @jamiechristsuperstar Buy Raw Dog here: https://read.macmillan.com/lp/raw-dog-by-jamie-loftus Pre-order Jamie’s new book The Tower here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250480422/thetower ---Judge John Hodgman is member-supported! Become a member to unlock special bonus episodes and more. Memberships start at just $5 a month. Just tap here!

A garden dispute about whether tomatoes should ripen on the vine or be picked early and finished in a paper bag with a banana. They describe wildlife thieves, trail cameras, and losses to bears and raccoons. A blind taste test, greenhouse and netting fixes, and a ruling that favors scientific testing and separate tomato plots.

Back-to-school disputes get a comedic courtroom makeover. Topics include parental pressure to push kids into debate or special programs, creative classroom supply systems, whether PTA meetups belong at breweries or parks, and the etiquette of befriending school staff. There are nostalgic riffs on school culture, secret societies, and a mysterious “Herd.”

A couple debates whether late-night laptop gaming belongs in bed. One partner says turn-based, silent gameplay soothes anxiety and aids sleep. The other worries about sleep hygiene, lost mornings, and future habits. The discussion explores past treatments, emotional fallout when one sleeps on the couch, and finding compromise for shared routines.

A couple spar over a bulky, pod-like massage chair that one treats as prized therapy and the other sees as an eyesore. They argue resale value, moving headaches, noise, claustrophobic design and sentimental attachment. The court weighs compromise, storage, usage frequency and the fate of a heavy, beloved piece of furniture.