Slumberpod

by Slumberpod

Season 1

We're All Chat Addicts Now & French Godzilla | Slumberpod Ep. 21

what upppp sleepyheads! this ep we find out that we're only human! and lately that means having a slightly too-close relationship with ChatGPT. This week Shaunak, Neel, and Danish talk about "C" (the friend none of us asked for), argue over which superheroes are secretly losing their minds, and somehow end up fully improvising a French-accented Godzilla. Also: Sunny Delight nostalgia, a terrifying high school football memory, and a very serious civic plan for what happens if the Knicks lose.

S1 · E21

Jul 14, 2026

1:03:22

Hamilton, Hijras & a Reggaeton Musical About Partition w/ Zubi Ahmed | Slumberpod Ep. 20

what up sleepyheads! Zubi Ahmed came in on Eid, brought a cousin for emotional support, and immediately stunted on everyone. This week: the Muslim "lower your gaze" rule and how it holds up in 2025, Lin-Manuel Miranda's full career breakdown, In the Heights as a genuinely moving piece of South Asian New York representation, a pitch for a reggaeton musical about the Partition of India (Bad Bunny is available), the Hijra community in Pakistan, Chief Keif from the Dosa cinematic universe, Tucker Carlson covering a Muslim house party in Iowa, Zubie's book, her early days as the "assist" in her friend group, and Fiddler on the Roof performed entirely in Jamaican patois. 00:00 – Zubi arrives on Eid with an emotional support cousin 02:00 – She stunted on all of them. She knows it. 04:00 – "Lower your gaze" — the Ramadan rule and what it means IRL 07:00 – Gazing upon your wife is still allowed (clarification) 09:00 – Lin-Manuel Miranda's career: In the Heights → Hamilton → ??? 12:00 – Hamilton created MAGA (a theory) 14:00 – In the Heights and feeling represented for the first time 16:00 – Jackson Heights could've been the setting. It fits. 18:00 – Kishore Kumar and the break before the hook 22:00 – Chief Keish from Obloch (Chief Keef got lost in translation) 24:00 – Zubie's background: always the writer, always the assist 28:00 – Writing her first musical at 14 — and it was actually good 32:00 – The book, the publisher, and the three chapters due tomorrow 35:00 – The Hijra community in Pakistan and Fawad Khan's story 38:00 – Transgender women at Pakistani weddings since the Mughal era 40:00 – The Karachi tit story (you have to hear it) 44:00 – The Partition musical pitch: Bad Bunny does their bit 48:00 – Reggaeton + Partition = the show nobody asked for but everyone needs 51:00 – Tucker Carlson covers a Muslim house party in Iowa 55:00 – "They're bringing gifts for pilgrimage." — Tucker, probably 58:00 – Parents fighting and the kid who just said "you should get a divorce" 62:00 – The Mecca house parties (Brian had the spot, Brian had the mom) 66:00 – Fiddler on the Roof in Jamaica — they figured it out 70:00 – Critics: "We don't know if we should hate it or love it" 73:00 – Tucker Carlson weighs in again. He's confused and horny.

S1 · E20

Jun 18, 2026

1:17:05

Peptide Frenzy, Weed Anxiety, Balto and Mr. Freeze Was The Good Guy | Slumberpod Ep. 19

What's up sleepyheads! This one starts with a genuinely important question: why do they say "mush" to sled dogs? Nobody knows. Nobody has ever known. Moving on. Episode 19 is one of those where you sit down to talk about one thing and two hours later you've accidentally solved multiple problems and filed several dibs claims. The boys get into peptides (just steroids with a better PR team), the Dubai chocolate trend and what the next one is going to be, and a full get-rich-quick breakdown for anyone with a spot on the Lower East Side and a graphic designer on call. That conversation somehow births the Broke Willy Wonka — a man who went too hard on Dubai chocolate futures, has boxes stacked to the ceiling, kids sleeping on inventory, wife texting him that they need to talk, crying and shaving while singing Pure Imagination. His Oompa Loompas want healthcare. It's not going well. From there: weed strains named after emotions (you know they're made up, you buy them anyway), an honest conversation about panic attacks and weed anxiety, the part of comedy that can never be taught, and the Balto-runs-Dubai-chocolate bit that nobody asked for but everyone needed. Then they figure out what to do with Billionaire Row (affordable housing, obviously — single moms with six kids hanging clothes out of the skull and crossbones window), make a unanimous declaration that they are not cocaine people but would absolutely play one on a VICE YouTube video, spend way too long on Gargoyles and whether a reboot would have them dealing with the manosphere, and close out with the most heartfelt Mr. Freeze defense you've ever heard on a comedy podcast. Also: saxophone lungs, a dab story, and the weed store guy being visibly impressed, which is the last thing you ever want.

S1 · E19

May 20, 2026

1:04:52

Nateland, Open Mics & What We Would Show an Alien | Slumberpod Ep. 18

What up sleepyheadssss. Neel, Danish, and Shaunak are fired up — someone's been doing open mics as a poser and Danish is NOT okay with it. From there the boys spiral into Oprah's legacy (she's earned her evil), the Nashville crowd confusion (Shaunak's Ed Hardy guy: neck up Mitt Romney, neck down tattoo sleeves, definitely does coke), volunteer firemen and their inevitable misuse of the hose, and why the police look like they're preparing for an alien invasion — which leads directly into the actual alien conversation. If an alien came to Earth and gave you two minutes to show them something representative of humanity, what would you pick? Soulja Boy? Kanye's Monster? Kat Williams? A tuna salad recipe? The boys go deep. Then: Nate Bargatze is building a theme park, the Afroman trial is somehow the best news story of the year, Chicago drill music is secretly the saddest genre alive, and white college recruiters show up on an alien planet with clipboards and Oakley sunglasses. It ends with Pastor Rick trying to explain baseball to an extraterrestrial using the Holy Trinity. God created baseball. Three outs. Holy trinity. Think about it.

S1 · E18

Apr 21, 2026

53:49

Tickle Trauma, Cartoon Universe Theory & Why Three Stars Is Actually Negative | Slumberpod Ep. 17

what up sleepyheads! This week the boys open up about Shaunak's severe, life-altering ticklishness (and the high school incident that started it all), why being a baby is genuinely the best deal in life, what it means to be "green pilled," and his childhood theory that the cartoon universe — Toon Town, Gotham, Bikini Bottom — was a real place that characters just lived in between filming. They also do a full soda tier list, debate whether Neel's 3-star Google review is actually negative (it is), roast a namaste-ing European hostess at a fancy Indian restaurant, and Danish shares the most important joke of his career: what's a Pakistani's favorite car? It's a Honda Pilot.

S1 · E17

Mar 25, 2026

50:51

The MCU, Hostile Crowds & Why Comedy is a Long Game w/ Azhar Usman | Slumberpod Ep. 16

welcome back sleepyheadsss! on this ep, Neel, Danish, and Shaunak are joined by the legendary Azhar Usman — comedian, actor, writer, producer, and one of the true pioneers of Muslim comedy in America. Known as "America's Funniest Muslim" (CNN), Azhar has toured with Dave Chappelle for over a decade, co-created the iconic Allah Made Me Funny comedy tour, written for Ramy and Mo, and joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Najaf the Gyro King in Ms. Marvel. This one gets deep, gets funny, and gets real. The guys talk about Azhar's wild early days leading Friday prayer in high school, performing stand-up for rooms full of people who were NOT the target audience, what it actually means to be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (spoiler: it doesn't change your life the way you'd think), the difference between feeling lonely vs. feeling alone, why the path of an artist is a long game, and what it takes to win over a crowd that was not rooting for you. Oh — and they finally get scolded, on mic, for not Googling "SlumberPod" before naming their podcast. A Shark Tank product. It's been 16 episodes.

S1 · E16

Mar 4, 2026

1:37:55

Ice In NYC, Irrational, Disney Channel Ghosts, Sadaam Fears | Slumberpod Ep. 15

Welcome back sleepyheads! Alright so this episode starts with us beefing with winter — like actual ice PTSD, slipping paranoia, and electric CitiBikes moving way faster than anyone deserves. Then it just kind of… goes where it goes. Disney Channel sports movies, ghost rules (what ghosts are allowed to do, legally), haunted hotels, and whether Casper is actually the most emotionally healthy ghost of all time. At some point we realize most of our personalities are just childhood fears we never processed. Paranormal stories from India, being convinced Saddam Hussein was hiding in your basement, anthrax panic after 9/11, and the very specific trauma of popcorn reading in school. By the end, we’re talking about friendship, giving gifts, and remembering to be good to your people. Nothing polished. Just hanging out. Glad you’re back. 🌙

S1 · E15

Feb 9, 2026

26:13

Halal Cart Dreams, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Danish's Special | Slumberpod Ep. 14

it is coooold in NYC! Danish, Shaunak and Neel are snuggled up to talk about halal cart theories and the world. AND we on our Bollywood talk on this one! Danish talks us through Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. please enjoy, we love you

S1 · E14

Jan 22, 2026

1:06:19

Buffet Top-4, New Year Resolutions & Airport Paranoia | Slumberpod Ep. 13

happy new year snoozersss! It’s late, we’re tired, and somehow we end up talking about pizza, airport security, and why New Year’s resolutions feel fake the second you say them out loud

S1 · E13

Dec 31, 2025

42:37

Fast Food Toys, Airplane Etiquette, and Fortnite Presidents | SlumberPod Ep. 12

On this episode of SlumberPod, Neel Ghosh, Shaunak Godkhindi, and Danish Maqbool spiral through movies, nostalgia, travel, politics, internet culture, and late-night intrusive thoughts with the energy of guys who absolutely should not be recording past midnight. The episode opens with a deep dive into Letterboxd Top Fours, debating The Matrix, Spy Kids, Space Jam, The Talented Mr. Ripley, poker movies, and the concept of “one-day movies.” From there, the guys passionately revisit Robert Rodriguez’s Spy Kids era, practical effects, early-2000s gadgets, DVD drops at Target, and the lost art of McDonald’s toys—eventually concluding that when corporations start giving away socks, something is deeply wrong with America. The conversation drifts into Sean Baker’s early films, New York authenticity, delivery workers, and stories that unfold over a single day before turning toward travel: crying on airplanes, being brown in transit, post‑9/11 paranoia, deplaning etiquette, and the moral corruption caused by airport lounges. There’s love for Amtrak, train drinking, smoking stops in forgotten towns, and the simple joy of moving walkways. Later, the pod veers into politics-as-spectator-sport, mayoral excitement, Obama-era optimism, and imagining presidents as streamers—culminating in a fully unhinged Fortnite scenario featuring Obama, Bill Clinton, Ariana Grande, and Goku. The episode closes in a swirl of childhood nostalgia, Madden 04, Pokémon designs, bootleg graphic tees, and the feeling of being spiritually faded by the internet. It’s a loose, absurd, half‑philosophical episode about movies, masculinity, race, consumer decay, airports, trains, American decline, and why Spy Kids still kind of rules.

S1 · E12

Dec 16, 2025

51:52

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