I’m wondering who else has watched this movie and what you thought of it. It’s available on Prime

SmartLess isn't a book show, but across the first six months of the year Jason, Sean, Will and their guests dropped a decent handful, with a noticeable lean toward historical fiction set in Berlin.

The ones they were most into:

• Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada, called one of the best books of all time, with Emma jumping in to say the second half is mesmerizing.
• March Violets by Philip Kerr, the first Bernie Gunther book, a non-Nazi private eye working from 1928 Berlin through the postwar years. Someone read the whole series and called it tremendous historical fiction.
• Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer, which one of them optioned and produced. Called it a great read, sad and fascinating.

The rest, roughly grouped:

• More crime and spy fiction: Prussian Blue (more Philip Kerr), Slow Horses and Down Cemetery Road by Mick Herron
• Nonfiction and memoir: Moneyball by Michael Lewis, Life Will Be the Death of Me by Chelsea Handler, Trauma and Recovery and Truth and Repair by Judith Herman
• Classics and childhood: Frankenstein, Sense and Sensibility, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, Harry Potter

Save the Cat by Blake Snyder also turned up, which tracks for this crowd.

Full list is here: https://podshelf.io/podcasts/smartless. Free, no signup.

Jason during his Massage School Bus era and then in the later photos, what was likely his Driving with a Candle on the Dashboard era

First time posting one of these here. Tracked what Jason, Sean, Will and their guests brought up in June, and it was a good reading month.

Top picks:

• Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada. Called one of the best books, an incredible second half.
• March Violets by Philip Kerr, the start of the Bernie Gunther series (a non-Nazi PI working from 1930s Berlin). Prussian Blue from the same series came up too.

The rest:

• Mick Herron's Slow Horses and Down Cemetery Road.
• Judith Herman's Trauma and Recovery and Truth and Repair.
• Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.

https://podshelf.io/podcasts/smartless/2026/06 keeps the running list, free.

Anyone read the Bernie Gunther books? Worth starting at March Violets?

I think it was Jason who quoted someone as saying that “the meaning of life is to amuse and be amused”. That has stuck with me and I’m wanting to write a song around it. Does anyone remember who was quoted as saying that? Or what episode it was on?

You don't have to agree. You can disagree without attacking me personally. Well, some of you probably can.

I barely even knew who Sean was before this podcast, I just don't like them making him sound like he's so stupid, when his questions aren't really worse than theirs.

I’m trying to find the episode where the guys are talking about being out in LA and seeing someone going to the bathroom on the street…or maybe it was diarrhea. The line I remember specifically was Jason saying “he didn’t even bend his knees…”

I have been laughing my ass off at just the MEMORY of that line and I’d love to listen to that section again but I haven’t been able to find it.

Does anyone remember which episode this was?

I just relistened to his episode and he tells a great story about Andy Kaufman on Taxi. Such a talent and what a loss

He’s such a beautiful human! They’d have a ball with him. Come on! Dax had him on arm chair expert. Step your game up guys 🤣

Full disclosure - I love me some trash TV. I'll watch most things reality. Bravo is my happy place.

That being said... this show is dark. The men, by and large, are awful. I'm only 3 episodes deep, and I'm confident that at least three of them will face DV charges in the future.

I'm a little disappointed that Jason was involved in this project. It certainly detracts from Jon Stewart's "you don't miss" from a couple of weeks ago.

Thoughts?

Anyone else having an issue with the payment not processing?
Everything is correct on my end.

I have tried with different cards and accounts and still the same error...

It seems like they've had a run of guys lately, plus they've gotten flak for past interviews with women. So, which women stars would you like to see on next?

My picks:

1. Wanda Sykes - crazy that she hasn't been a guest yet but she has a new Netflix special so timing is ideal

2. Jean Smart - a legend; just wrapped Hacks and would love to hear more from her

3. Hannah Einbinder - also fantastic on Hacks; smart and funny - could give the guys a run for their money

Stop f'ing saying "Ek cetera"

Please

I would like to challenge Will to get through one episode with a male guest without saying “dude.” Or at least fewer than 5 times.