Episode 425 of Friends Talking Nerdy brings a mix of personal stories, pop culture news, and some nerdy life lessons, as Professor Aubrey and Tim the Nerd dive into a surprisingly wide range of topics.

The episode opens on a more serious and personal note as Professor Aubrey shares her recent experience discovering she has osteoarthritis. She walks listeners through how she first realized something was wrong, the symptoms she noticed, and the red flags others might want to watch out for if they’re dealing with similar aches and pains. Their discussion ties into an article from Psychology Today—“Arthritis: The Secret Pain of Gen X Women Today” by Dr. Deborah Carr—framing the conversation not just around Aubrey’s health, but also around the larger, often under-discussed challenges many Gen X women are facing with arthritis.

From there, Tim the Nerd reacts to the passing of actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner. His candid response captures the shock and sadness of losing a performer who was such a fixture of pop culture.

Shifting gears, Tim the Nerd then dives into the surprising news that CBS is pulling the plug on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and opting not to renew Colbert’s contract. He offers his perspective on what this decision means for late-night TV as a whole, and how the changing media landscape might reshape the format entirely.

Professor Aubrey lightens things up by recounting Tim’s latest run-ins with one of the show’s feline mascots, Annie. The banter captures the joy and occasional chaos that comes with living alongside strong-willed cats.

Finally, Tim takes a closer look at the Rachel Zegler controversy from earlier in the year, comparing it to the Gina Carano situation at Disney that the podcast covered previously. He explains why he agrees with parts of what Zegler said, but not the way she expressed her opinions, stressing the importance of speaking up on issues while also being thoughtful about how those opinions are delivered.

As always, we wish to thank Christopher Lazarek for his wonderful theme song. Head to his ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for information on how to purchase his EP, Here's To You, which is available on all digital platforms.

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