AI Summary
5 min readThis episode of The Fifth Hour is a mailbag segment hosted by Ben Maller, with guest co-host Robbie the Mariners Fan. Over the course of an hour, they field listener questions on a mix of media scams, community inside jokes, pet eating habits, fake news, and the state of a few fast-food chains and beaches. The throughline is the casual, insider culture of the Ben Maller Show’s listener community—the "Maller Militia"—and how its members interact with the host, each other, and the wider world of sports talk and internet lore.
The Scam of Fake Podcast Bookings and the Problem of Bogus News
A listener from Dallas asks whether Ben has ever been scammed by someone impersonating a podcast host to book him as a guest. Ben says he hasn’t, largely because he no longer books guests due to time constraints. He notes that scammers are now using AI to impersonate well-known podcasters, targeting celebrities, authors, and entertainers. The goal is not an interview but access to social media accounts or direct theft. Ben mentions a Broadway personality who received a fake invitation to appear on Nikki Glaser’s podcast. He adds that he has not personally been targeted, though he jokes that mentioning it on air will likely invite trouble.
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What you'll learn
- 1 The Fifth Hour: Robbie The Mariners Fan Mailbag!
- 2 Timestamped Outline
- 3 (00:00) **Show Opening & Advertisements** - Pre-roll ads for Citizens Bank, ChatGPT Work, Optimum Fiber, and United Healthcare play before the main segment begins.
- 4 (03:09) **Welcome & Introducing Robbie the Mariners Fan** - Ben Maller welcomes listeners to the Sunday show and spins the wheel to bring back regular guest Robbie for the mailbag segment.
- 5 (06:24) **Listener Question: Podcast Booking Scams** - Seth from Dallas asks whether Ben has ever been scammed by fake podcast booking attempts targeting celebrities.
- 6 (09:19) **Listener Question: Too Many Mikes and Dogs?** - Ferg Dog from Fullerton asks whether there are too many listeners named Mike and too many "dog" handles contributing to the show.
- 7 (11:14) **Listener Question: Do Pets Eat Better Than Owners?** - Reggie from Detroit returns with a story about 45% of dog owners claiming their pets eat higher quality meals than they do.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller sets sail into the murky waters of the Sunday Mailbag, with Robbie the Mariners Fan riding shotgun as the fellas swashbuckle their way through another hodgepodge of listener questions. On the menu: a Mike & Dogs invasion of the Ben Maller Show, the great Starbucks relocation mystery, Fake News, and the comedy stylings of Lucky Tony. Also, doggy diets, Piggly Wiggly problems, automobiles with enough miles to qualify for Social Security, and living that sweet lake life. The boys visit the top human zoo on the planet, activate the Marlins Man hotline, investigate why squids are apparently taking over the highways, and debate whether kids should actually get paid to attend school. Holy cannoli! Whatever happened to a gold star and a carton of chocolate milk? It's a grab bag of malarkey, mayhem, Maller Math, and listener-generated nonsense. No hocus-pocus, just focus!
All questions sent in by new listeners & P1's of the #MallerMilitia! Download, subscribe, and remember that sharing is caring (unless it's an STD.) Follow Ben on Twitter @BenMaller and listen to the original terrestrial radio edition of "Ben Maller Show," Monday-Friday on Fox Sports Radio, 2a-6a ET, 11p-3a PT!...Follow, rate & review "The Fifth Hour!"
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