World's Smartest
Podcast Hosts
Smart conversations with funny people about important topics. And if that doesn't make you puke, we are attractive, too.
Andrew Heaton
Andrew Heaton is a comedian, author, and political satirist. He’s the host of “The Political Orphanage” comedy and news podcast, and scifi deep dive podcast “Alienating the Audience.” He’s a frequent Reason TV contributor and hosted the popular webseries “Mostly Weekly.”
He’s performed standup comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, as a finalist in the China International Standup Competition, and throughout the United States and Europe. A former congressional staffer, he’s the best-selling author of “Laughter is Better Than Communism,” as well as two funny novels.
Dr. Andrea Jones-Rooy
Dr. Andrea Jones-Rooy is is the host of "Majoring in Everything", a podcast for and about people who are interested in multiple seemingly unrelated things, especially that span the arts and sciences. She holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan, a bunch of low self-esteem from years of doing standup comedy, and a lot of injuries from being an internationally touring circus performer specializing in trapeze and fire.
When she's not doing these things, she's the Director of Undergraduate Studies at the NYU Center for Data Science, where she is also the professor of their flagship course, Data Science for Everyone. She regularly speaks and consults with companies about social & data science (measurement FTW!), previously contributed to FiveThirtyEight as a quantitative researcher, and was an applied complexity researcher for the amazing Santa Fe Institute. This video sums the whole thing up pretty well.
Turner Sparks
Michael Ira Kaplan
​Turner Sparks is the co-hosts of "Lost In America", the #1 Podcast in Armenia, and a world-touring stand-up comedian. His debut stand-up comedy album “Turner Sparks Live From The Friars Club”, released by Larry The Cable Guy’s Git R Done Records and Comedy Dynamics, went to #2 on the iTunes Comedy Charts and was a Top 10 Hit in the Billboard Charts.
​
He is a Governor at New York City’s legendary Friars Club and performs regularly at comedy clubs in New York and throughout the world when the virus allows. His US television appearances include “Lucky Chow” (PBS/ National Geographic), “Kennedy” on Fox Business and CGTN (America). Outside of the US, Sparks has popped up on CCTV and CGTN (China) and China’s hit comedy show “Roast!” on Dragon TV, which is viewed by an estimated 400 million people.
Sir Michael Ira Kaplan is the co-host of "Lost in America", the #1 Podcast in Armenia. He has appeared on "Lucky Chow" on PBS as well as numerous podcasts including The Political Orphanage with Andrew Heaton. He has felt destined to join the World's Smartest Podcast Network ever since high school, when he scored the highest mark in the history of the Arby's employee exam.
​
When not podcasting, Kaplan's time is devoted to remote schooling his two children and trying to keep his dog Pancakes from peeing on his neighbors.
The New York Post recently profiled Kaplan for his crusade against illegal fireworks in Long Island City, NY. He is in the process of running for City Council on a platform to abolish pyrotechnics, drag racing, and paper-straws in his district.