The Sham Podcast

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.

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Twitter: @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.pod
Twitter: @thesham_pod

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.pod
Twitter: @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.pod
Twitter: @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 also

This 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.pod
Twitter: @thesham_pod