Assume I’m an Idiot podcast artwork

PODCAST · education

Assume I’m an Idiot

The podcast that asks: Do we really understand how anything works at all?No question is too dumb, no topic is off limits. Assume I’m an Idiot takes complex ideas, hot takes, and basic things you should know, and boils them down so even a 7-year-old can understand. Can a guy with the IQ of a Wood Tick find a way to help folks understand the way the world functions? You be the judge.

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Jun 10, 2026 · Source feed

  1. 13

    OUR PRE-VACAY EPISODE: AIAI BEST OF… SO TO SPEAK.

    We hit the magic number… 20 episodes!! Even though we have no idea why that’s important. But, it’s time for us to take a week off. So enjoy our new LOVE/HATE-MAIL song WRITTEN BY ALL OF YOU! And a smattering of awesome stuff from the amazing guests we’ve had on so far. We’ll be back with more great episodes after we catch some Zzzzzzz….

  2. 12

    CAREER COACHES VS. CAREER COUNSELORS… WHAT THE? Part 2 With Julie Gordon Willis. MA., LPC

    Ageism, the ATS system, and a lot of other icky stuff you may encounter in the job market. The second half of a fantastic discussion with someone who really knows what’s happening out there. Expand your brains with more invaluable info courtesy of the amazing Julie Gordon Willis!

  3. 11

    CAREER COACHES VS. CAREER COUNSELORS… WHAT THE? With Julie Gordon Willis. MA., LPC

    What’s a Career Coach? How is it different than a Career Counselor? And what about Resumé Doctors? And how do you know if ANY of them are qualified to help you? JR chews down to the meat of what these people do, what they don’t do, and how to make the right choice if you need one… explained with the help of a highly-qualified brainiac, the fun and brilliant Julie Gordon Willis!

  4. 10

    YOU ASKED FOR IT, YOU GOT IT… MEET STAN. With Stanley Granola

    Well friends, all of you who have been asking for Stan to be on mic, it’s your lucky day. Our main guest had to cancel so JR has invited our intrepid engineer to talk about who he is, where he came from, and… let’s just say other things. Another example of “careful what you wish for.”

  5. 9

    IS IT REALLY THAT HARD TO BE AN ACTOR? Part 2 With Bob Clendenin, Cheryl Texiera, and Reese Rios

    It started out as a simple “How to” conversation… and turned into something way deeper and more honest. JR welcomes back his 3 immensely talented pros for another episode to dig deeper into the business of acting. Whether you’re an aspiring actor or just someone who wants a peek inside the biz, this one’s for you!

  6. 8

    IS IT REALLY THAT HARD TO BE AN ACTOR? Part 1 With Bob Clendenin, Cheryl Texiera, and Reese Rios

    Some people think you just memorize some lines and stand where you’re supposed to. But there’s got to be more to it than that…right? Join JR and his insanely talented guest as they get into the art, business, and psychology of being a working actor. So great, so honest, and so deep, it’s gonna take 2 episodes to get through it all! 

  7. 7

    DO WE STILL NEED ADVANCED MATH IN SCHOOLS? With Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi

    Advanced math makes a lot of sense for people going into the sciences. But what about people who aren’t? JR tries to upset the education apple cart by drilling into the way we’re currently taught in school. Joined by a friend of the show… crazy-smart, world-renown astrophysicist and all around cool cat, the amazing Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi.

  8. 6

    WTF IS THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND SHOULD IT TAKE A HIKE? With Justice Melissa Hart

    The Electoral College has been around since basically the birth of our country, and has been at times successful and at times a total train wreck. JR digs into what the E.C. is, how it works, and investigates whether or not it’s time to kiss it bye-bye… all with the help of former Colorado Supreme Court Justice, and super smarty pants, Melissa Hart. ‘Cause we’re fancy now.

  9. 5

    WHAT PART OF A.I. SHOULD I *REALLY* BE SCARED OF? With Dr. Hany Farid

    AI can be fun. It can be scary. And, it turns out, it can be incredibly dangerous. JR dives in to AI’s effect on the creative industry, the media industry, and society as a whole. And discovers just how far deep fakes and generative content can go… explained with the help of his special guest: super-smart brainiac, Chief Science Officer, and renowned digital content authenticator Dr. Hany Farid!

  10. 4

    A LIFE AND DEATH MATTER: ARE YOU READY FOR BOTH? Pt.2 With Tom West

    Attention planners, procrastinators, and crashers! We talked about our golden years, now let’s talk about our final hours. An insightful look at the psychology, prep, and emotional roller coaster that is death planing. Part 2 of a special double episode with JR featuring the dulcet tones and sage wisdom of his special guest, Tom West.

  11. 3

    A LIFE AND DEATH MATTER: ARE YOU READY FOR BOTH? Pt.1 With Tom West

    Life is hard. It turns out death is, too. Join our resident idiot as he discovers all the legal, technical, and emotional stuff involved with aging, retirement, and our surprisingly complicated post-mortem… So much, in fact, it’s gonna take 2 episodes to cover it. All with the guidance of JR’s special guest: industry expert Tom West!

  12. 2

    HOW CELLULAR WORKS… AND WHY SOMETIMES IT DOESN’T.

    All of us rely on it daily, but none of know how it works. JR digs into where cellular service came from, how it works, why it doesn’t, and where it’s going… and discovers that our “state-of-the-art technology” is over 125 years old.

  13. 1

    WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT WHATEVER THE GDP IS?

    It seems like politicians and the media like to throw around important sounding initials, thinking we know what it all means. JR explains what the GDP is, how it’s different than the GNP, and why we should all C-A-R-E ASAP.

  14. 0

    HOW THE HECK DOES SOCIAL MEDIA MAKE MONEY?

    We all use it… for free. So how are Social Media companies so valuable? You might say “advertising”… but JR digs into discover what makes their advertising different. And, maybe a little creepy. Are we using it, or is it using us?

  15. -1

    WHAT IF WE CURED CANCER?

    Everyone wishes for a cure for cancer, but what would happen if we actually found one? JR dives into the economic, scientific, and social impacts if cancer was finally eradicated… it may not be all wine and roses.

  16. -2

    HOW BIG IS THE UNIVERSE…REALLY? With Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi

    Ever wondered about the true scale of our universe? Well hold on to Uranus as JR finally gets the answer from his special guest: the esteemed astrophysicist Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi!

  17. -3

    What are credit scores, and why do they suck so hard?

    Credit scores can be confusing… and also infuriating. JR mashes it all down to the basics and talks about why they exist and why the whole thing can be a lose-lose nightmare.

  18. -4

    ELECTRIC CARS: ARE THEY MAKING A DIFFERENCE?

    We’ve all been told that switching to electric has a massive impact on the environment. But how much of that is true and how much is wishful thinking? JR gives you the straight dope on what going electric really means to ol’ Mother Earth.

  19. -5

    HOW THE STOCK MARKET CONTROLS YOUR WHOLE STINKIN’ LIFE

    How is it that something we can’t see, touch, or really use determines our entire financial life? JR digs through the bear and bull to get to the who, what, when, where, and why of the stock market.

  20. -6

    Going to Mars: Should we be doing this?

    Strap in as JR dives deep into the reason we want to travel to our nearest cosmic neighbor, the task of getting there, and the reasons humans have no business even trying.

Type above to search every episode's transcript for a word or phrase. Matches are scoped to this podcast.

Searching…

We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.

No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.

Showing of matches

No topics indexed yet for this podcast.

Loading reviews...

ABOUT THIS SHOW

The podcast that asks: Do we really understand how anything works at all?No question is too dumb, no topic is off limits. Assume I’m an Idiot takes complex ideas, hot takes, and basic things you should know, and boils them down so even a 7-year-old can understand. Can a guy with the IQ of a Wood Tick find a way to help folks understand the way the world functions? You be the judge.

HOSTED BY

Ruff & Tumble

CATEGORIES

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Assume I’m an Idiot have?

Assume I’m an Idiot currently has 20 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Assume I’m an Idiot about?

The podcast that asks: Do we really understand how anything works at all?No question is too dumb, no topic is off limits. Assume I’m an Idiot takes complex ideas, hot takes, and basic things you should know, and boils them down so even a 7-year-old can understand. Can a guy with the IQ of a Wood...

How often does Assume I’m an Idiot release new episodes?

Assume I’m an Idiot has 20 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Assume I’m an Idiot?

You can listen to Assume I’m an Idiot on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Assume I’m an Idiot?

Assume I’m an Idiot is created and hosted by Ruff & Tumble.
URL copied to clipboard!