The Sham Podcast

We all know that on Wednesdays we wear pink but really, cliques were always such an absolute sham. This week Mayuri, Momina and Erin talk about high school, adult friend groups and also venture into the murky waters of online communication during a pandemic (spoiler alert: it's not as easy as it seems). This week on Underrated:Momina plugs the Long Island Railroad and the many day trips just waiting to be had. Mayuri plugs sweetened condensed milk. Try it with your coffee, tea, and as an extra special treat, on toast!Erin plugs online reading groups! Find other people reading the same books you are and gush with one another. Try looking around on Reddit or using the hashtags #readingclub and #bookclubs on Instagram. Follow the Sham:Instagram: @thesham.podTwitter: @thesham_pod

This week, Momina, Mayuri and Erin discuss the absolute sham behind measuring everyone by the exact same yardstick through standardized tests. Our hosts share their own personal stories of agony and commiserate over the many tests they've had to take all their lives. This week on Underrated:Erin plugs Dinnerly, an app that has helped her start cooking at home. Momina plugs Redhook Pier in Brooklyn, NY which has the best view of the city. Mayuri plugs Badass Brooklyn, an animal rescue organization based in New York, or any local animal shelter that may need some assistance. Follow the Sham:Instagram: @thesham.podTwitter: @thesham_pod

Zoom weddings, month-long weddings, weddings that put couples in debt! This week, Momina, Erin and Mayuri discuss how a lot of the extravagance around nuptials might not be necessarily and how it took a global pandemic to make us realize that. This week on Underrated: Momina plugs shopping for spices to add to your cooking repertoire and drops her top five spices for any cook, whether you entry-level or an expert. Erin plugs digital library checkouts in place of doomscrollings and recommends the New York Public Library as well as Open Library. Mayuri plugs spending time outdoors and talking walks, all while maintaining social distance. Follow the Sham:Instagram: @thesham.podTwitter: @thesham_pod

To kick off season 2, Erin, Momina and Mayuri tackle the usage of the phrase "thoughts and prayers". It's been used by politicians and government officials on many occasions, even more recently during the COVID-19 pandemic, but is that ever enough? Our hosts talk about their own thoughts on this and how the phrase is often misused. This week on Underrated: Mayuri plugs The Trevor Project, an organization focused on preventing suicide among LGBTQIA youth and Befrienders Worldwide, a global suicide prevention organization with suicide prevention hotlines. Erin plugs the Marshall Project, nonprofit news organization that seeks to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about the U.S. criminal justice system. Momina plugs Mona Relief, an organization working on humanitarian and development efforts in Yemen. Follow the Sham:Instagram: @thesham.podTwitter: @thesham_pod

We hear Momina's strong feelings about dating apps after she tried a few out purely for "research purposes". Not for personal reasons. Strictly for research purposes. Erin shares how she met her fiance and the two also talk dating cultures in the US and Pakistan, as well as arranged marriages. 

It's that time of the year again, when roses are overpriced, chocolates are shaped like hearts and every single storefront is decorated red and pink. That's right, it's good ol' V-day! And Erin and Momina have T H O U G H T S. They share memories from past Valentine's Days, how it's all just a wider conspiracy (looking at you, dentists!) and also how it's actually got a very different but interesting meaning in Pakistan. But ultimately, how it's all a sham...

Momina and Erin have their sights trained on the dozens of movie remakes in the theaters now. From live action lions to superhero flicks, they shit on it all. Also Momina reveals the story behind why Lindsay Lohan was the only American she knew growing up. And Mayuri, who produces the show, makes her on-air debut while simultaneously having a meltdown in the studio. This one's a doozy!

Subscription boxes makes it feel like it's Christmas day, every day (or rather every week/ month) but really, it's a sham! Our hosts Erin and Momina talk about why they think that is, the different kinds of subscription services they've discovered (furniture, anyone?) how it all may seem uniquely American. They also dive into other delivery services but have a different take on that entirely. 

Is influencer a real job? How did it become such a big deal? What even is an influencer, really? Momina and Erin talk about the influencer industry and how seeing perfectly crafted Instagram pictures has affected them. Our hosts get real this episode, admitting to their feeling self-conscious, disingenuous and lied to when faced with the pressures of social media.  

We've lived n New York City four months now and discovered that most of the things we're told to love are not so lovely. Times Square? Total sham. The subway system? Essential but also low-key a sham. The weather? Definitely a sham. But we also talk about some of our favorite lesser-known gems in the big apple and what it is that stops us from leaving (apart from our ongoing education). 

Yup, Mayuri, Erin and Momina are talking code switching again partly because the last time they discussed it, they realized the topic deserved more voices and more opinions. But also because they were blown away by what people told them, how often they do it and the heartbreaking reasons why. Spoiler alert - we just all want to fit in sometimes. Also, your eyes do not deceive you! This is the final episode of season 2 (sadface). But fret not for our hosts are all over social media should you need your dose of hot takes and dark stories. And if you'd like season 3, let it be known! Social handles are down below. Love and hugs, everyone. And remember, life's a sham so do whatever the f*ck you want to anyways!This week on Underrated:Momina begs landlords near and far to make sure all houses and apartments have a working doorbell! She's awaiting a very important package, you see. Contents of which cannot be discussed. Erin plugs in-person classes and reminisces about seeing people in person in the same room, all learning the same thing. Mayuri plugs the Mellow Beats playlist on Spotify which she uses to trick herself into thinking she's working out of a cool cafe and not from her apartment which she hasn't left in 6 days.  Follow the Sham:Instagram: @thesham.podTwitter: @thesham_pod

Many of us do it, we change the way we present ourselves, the way we speak, depending on who is around us in order to assimilate. But maybe we shouldn't have to? Mayuri, Momina and Erin discuss instances when they've had to code switch, the changing of their accents and how it's all a sham. But this topic is vast and incredibly nuanced so if you would like to join the hosts of The Sham to discuss race and society for an upcoming episode, please do get in touch on Twitter or on Instagram. This week on Underrated:Erin plugs NPR's Code Switch podcast which discussed the very many nuances around race. Momina plugs finding a (secret) spot in whatever city you're in as a means of escape. Mayuri plugs reading and her attempt to return to the age-old habit. Follow the Sham:Instagram: @thesham.podTwitter: @thesham_pod

All bodies are bikini bodies! This week, Erin, Momina and Mayuri talk about the sham behind the "skinny = beautiful" beauty ideal. They touch on the body positivity movement, how implicit bias against fat people affect their health and job prospects as well as their own struggles with body image. In the episode, Momina heavily references, and highly recommends, Roxanne Gay's memoir Hungry which delves into her struggles with her body and food. Mayuri also raves about "Everything You Know About Obesity is Wrong", an article written by Michael Hobbs which, as the title eludes, points out the many fallacies we've had about overweight people and the danger of such misconceptions. This week on Underrated:Mayuri plugs the podcast You're Wrong About, hosted by journalists Sarah Marshall and Michael Hobbs who each week discuss a topic from the past that has been misrepresented or misunderstood.Momina plugs oversized clothing and wearing them despite the fashion blogs' saying only skinny women are allowed. Erin plugs the United States Postal Service and writing people handwritten notes. She also recommends buying cool postcards and getting a penpal. Please consider supporting the USPS by purchasing stamps, calling your representative to ask them to support relief funds for the postal service (find your senators here and members of the House of Representatives here) or by texting USPS to 50409. Follow the Sham:Instagram: @thesham.podTwitter: @thesham_pod

Erin, Momina and Mayuri are sick of people saying that now, more than ever, we need to use all the time we spend at home (in quarantine!) to be productive! They talk about how the term productivity can be used to shroud worker exploitation, overwork culture and the lack of work-life balance. And alsoThis week on Underrated: Erin plugs Discord which she uses even outside of gaming and also as a means to stay productive. She also shares her love for Forest, an app that helps her focus by locking her phone for any amount of time to prevent distractions, at which point it grows tiny trees. Mayuri plugs Headspace, a meditation app that helps her find clarity and focus.Momina plugs the ol' pen and paper, encouraging listeners to consider journaling as a way to disconnect from the internet and social media. Follow the Sham:Instagram: @thesham.podTwitter: @thesham_pod

Hosts Momina Mindeel and Erin Mikail are back chatting about life's biggest shams, but this time with producer Mayuri Mei Lin joining in too! In this (not-so) mini episode, the trio talk about how their lives have changed during the pandemic from being stranded abroad to getting married over Zoom. Also, they unveil the latest segment on The Sham, Underrated, where they talk about things that most certainly are not shams. This week's Underrated:Erin's loving the equipment-free workouts on Fitness Blender, and also her IRL blender for healthful smoothies. Momina's plugging the feeling of trying something that scares you! She's discovered the beauty of coding, video editing and cooking after pushing herself to try new things. Mayuri's underrated is the humble tennis ball which she uses to massage the kinks in her shoulder by rolling them on the floor or against a wall. Follow the Sham: Instagram: @thesham.podTwitter: @thesham_pod

The Sham is a podcast about life's biggest let downs. Each week, Erin Fuss and Momina Mindeel sit down and talk about one thing that they were told to like, to experience but in reality, it was not all that's cracked up to be.