Medical Media Mixer: The Perfect Cocktail

medicalmediamixer
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Weekly

Medical Media Mixer is a fun and educational podcast where two full-time medical professionals dive into the world of pop culture—TV, movies, music, and books—with a medical twist. Each episode breaks down the science (and nonsense) behind popular media, served up with a themed cocktail for good measure. Whether you’re a healthcare worker, a pop culture junkie, or just love a good drink with your deep dives, Medical Media Mixer is your prescription for smart laughs and spirited conversation.

  1. 10h ago

    Ep 76 Mountain Sunrise: Multiple Sclerosis, Stem Cells, and Selma Blair's Unfiltered Fight

    This week on Medical Media Mixer, we're pairing a sunrise in a glass with one of the most raw and courageous documentaries in recent memory. We're watching Introducing, Selma Blair (2021, Discovery+) — a film that follows actress Selma Blair through a years-long diagnostic odyssey, a harrowing stem cell transplant, and the daily reality of living with multiple sclerosis. Blair, best known for Legally Blonde and Cruel Intentions, went public with her MS diagnosis in 2018 after her symptoms were dismissed for years as stress and postpartum depression. This week, we break down what MS actually is, why it takes so long to diagnose — especially in women — and how a procedure that requires wiping out your entire immune system can be someone's best shot at a better life. We're sipping the Mountain Sunrise cocktail, a drink literally created to raise money for the National MS Society. Orange is the MS awareness ribbon color, and this drink earns its place on the table.   Sources & Further Reading   Jakimovski D, et al. Multiple Sclerosis. The Lancet. 2024. McGinley MP, et al. Diagnosis and Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis: A Review. JAMA. 2021. GBD 2016 MS Collaborators. Global Burden of Multiple Sclerosis 1990–2016. Lancet Neurology. 2019. Brownlee WJ, et al. Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis: Progress and Challenges. The Lancet. 2017. Faissner S, Gold R. Efficacy and Safety of MS Drugs Approved Since 2018. CNS Drugs. 2022. Piehl F. Current and Emerging Disease-Modulatory Therapies for MS. Journal of Internal Medicine. 2021. Sriwastava S, et al. Recent Advances in Progressive MS Treatment. Journal of Neuroimmunology. 2024. Chataway J, et al. Clinical Trials for Progressive MS. Lancet Neurology. 2024. Reich DS, et al. Multiple Sclerosis. New England Journal of Medicine. 2018. Introducing, Selma Blair — Documentary (2021). Available on Discovery+. Mountain Sunrise Cocktail Recipe — Created for MS Awareness. Phoenix Magazine, 2018. National Multiple Sclerosis Society Episodes every Monday  ⭐️ Subscribe, Rate and Review! 🍸 Recipes drop on socials  Discounts: 15% off Comfrt apparel Purple Carrot: 40% off your first box ClassPass: 2 weeks free 15% off non-alcoholic spirits at The Zero Proof 💳 Support us on Patreon | ☕️ Buy Me a Coffee  Contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

    48 min

  2. Jun 8

    Ep 75 The Seelbach: When the Story Is the Symptom — Malingering, Factitious Disorder, and the Art of the Con

    What does a mob boss in a bathrobe, a serial killer faking split personalities, and a bartender with a fabricated cocktail story all have in common? A great performance changes everything. In Episode 75, Tara and Nicole break down malingering and factitious disorder — two conditions where people fake, exaggerate, or manufacture illness — and why the distinction matters enormously in clinical and legal settings. Anchored by Primal Fear and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the episode explores real-world cases that read like fiction: Kenneth Bianchi's MPD charade exposed by forensic psychologist Dr. Martin Orne, and mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante, who wandered Greenwich Village in a bathrobe for 30 years to dodge prosecution. Even the cocktail, the Seelbach, came with a completely invented origin story. This one has layers. Sources: Malingering — BBC Future Malingering — Wikipedia Malingering — StatPearls/NCBI Malingering — Psychology Today Factitious Disorder — Mayo Clinic The Seelbach Cocktail's Fabricated Origin — Liquor.com Primal Fear — Wikipedia One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest — Wikipedia Hillside Strangler — Wikipedia Vincent Gigante — Wikipedia Seelbach Cocktail Recipe — Liquor.com Episodes every Monday  ⭐️ Subscribe, Rate and Review! 🍸 Recipes drop on socials  Discounts: 15% off Comfrt apparel Purple Carrot: 40% off your first box ClassPass: 2 weeks free 15% off non-alcoholic spirits at The Zero Proof 💳 Support us on Patreon | ☕️ Buy Me a Coffee  Contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

    49 min

  3. Jun 1

    Ep 74 The Nurse Aperitif: The Pitt and the Importance of S.A.N.E. Nurses

    ** TRIGGER WARNING FOR SA** Episode Summary: In this episode, we examine The Pitt Season 2, Episode 7 and its portrayal of a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE). We explore how the episode handled the forensic exam process with realism and care, then break down what SANE nurses do in real life — including training requirements, certification, evidence collection, and trauma-informed practice. Sources International Association of Forensic Nurses – About SANE https://www.forensicnurses.org/page/aboutSANE/ International Association of Forensic Nurses – Certification Requirements https://www.forensicnurses.org/page/Certification/ Nurse.org – Coverage of SANE Shortages & The Pitt S2E7 https://nurse.org/news/the-pitt-s2e7-sane-nurse-shortages/ LA Times – The Pitt Rape Kit Exam Episode 7 Analysis https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2026-02-19/the-pitt-rape-kit-exam-episode-7 Comic Book Club Live – Behind-the-Scenes on Season 2, Episode 7 https://comicbookclublive.com/2026/02/19/the-pitt-goes-the-distance-to-not-sensationalize-sexual-assault-in-season-2-episode-7/ Epicurious – Nurse Aperitif Cocktail Inspiration https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/nurse-aperitif-cocktail-vermouth-jim-meehan Episodes every Monday  ⭐️ Subscribe, Rate and Review! 🍸 Recipes drop on socials  Discounts: 15% off Comfrt apparel Purple Carrot: 40% off your first box ClassPass: 2 weeks free 15% off non-alcoholic spirits at The Zero Proof 💳 Support us on Patreon | ☕️ Buy Me a Coffee  Contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

    41 min

  4. May 25

    Ep 73 Obey, Conform, Consume: The Psychology of Obedience, Compliance, and Why We Follow Orders

    What makes an ordinary person follow an order they know is wrong? This week on Medical Media Mixer, Tara and Nicole explore one of psychology's most disturbing questions through two films that refuse to look away. Compliance (2012) recreates a real-life phone scam in which a caller posing as a law enforcement officer manipulated fast food employees into increasingly harmful acts — and got away with it for years across multiple states. The Experimenter (2015) takes us inside Stanley Milgram's landmark obedience studies, where everyday people administered what they believed were dangerous electric shocks simply because an authority figure told them to continue. Together, these films frame a deep dive into the psychology of compliance — authority bias, situational pressure, diffusion of responsibility, and the unsettling gap between who we think we are and what we actually do when someone in charge gives an order. Pull up a chair, pour yourself an Obey, Conform, Consume, and prepare to question everything. SOURCES Compliance (2012) — Wikipedia The Experimenter (2015) — Wikipedia The True Story Behind Compliance — People Compliance Case Coverage — IMDB News Compliance (Psychology) — Wikipedia Milgram Obedience Study — PubMed Obey Conform Consume Cocktail Recipe Episodes every Monday  ⭐️ Subscribe, Rate and Review! 🍸 Recipes drop on socials  Discounts: 15% off Comfrt apparel Purple Carrot: 40% off your first box ClassPass: 2 weeks free 15% off non-alcoholic spirits at The Zero Proof 💳 Support us on Patreon | ☕️ Buy Me a Coffee  Contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

    45 min

  5. May 23

    The Shot #5: Ebola

    Listen for the latest on the Bundibugyo virus, one of the rarest Ebola species, and the current outbreak. Complete Show Notes Source List: WHO PHEIC Declaration, May 17, 2026 CDC Current Situation Summary CDC Title 42 Order, May 18, 2026 U.S. State Dept: 50 Ebola Response Clinics American Doctor Tests Positive — TIME Air France Flight Diverted to Canada — NBC News Episodes every Monday  ⭐️ Subscribe, Rate and Review! 🍸 Recipes drop on socials  Discounts: 15% off Comfrt apparel Purple Carrot: 40% off your first box ClassPass: 2 weeks free 15% off non-alcoholic spirits at The Zero Proof 💳 Support us on Patreon | ☕️ Buy Me a Coffee  Contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

    4 min

  6. May 20

    The Shot #4: PCOS Gets a New Name — And It's About Time

    After decades of patient frustration, clinical confusion, and a name that never quite fit, polycystic ovary syndrome has officially been renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) — and the science behind that decision is long overdue. In this episode of The Shot, Tara breaks down the landmark May 2026 Lancet global consensus that drove the rename, why the old "polycystic" framing was scientifically inaccurate and clinically harmful, and what the new name actually tells us about what's happening in the body. She also covers what hasn't changed — including the current diagnostic criteria from the 2023 International Evidence-Based Guideline — and why this shift matters far beyond terminology. Whether you have this diagnosis, treat patients who do, or just want to understand why words in medicine matter, this one's for you. References Teede HJ et al. Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, the New Name for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Multistep Global Consensus Process. Lancet. 2026. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00717-8 Teede HJ et al. Recommendations From the 2023 International Evidence-Based Guideline. Hum Reprod. 2023;38(9):1655–1679. doi:10.1093/humrep/dead156 Teede HJ et al. 2023 IEBG Recommendations. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2023;108(10):2447–2469. doi:10.1210/clinem/dgad463 Peña AS, Witchel SF. Update on Diagnosis of PCOS During Adolescence. Fertil Steril. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2025.09.006 Episodes every Monday  ⭐️ Subscribe, Rate and Review! 🍸 Recipes drop on socials  Discounts: 15% off Comfrt apparel Purple Carrot: 40% off your first box ClassPass: 2 weeks free 15% off non-alcoholic spirits at The Zero Proof 💳 Support us on Patreon | ☕️ Buy Me a Coffee  Contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

    9 min

  7. May 18

    Ep 72 The Phosphor Fizz: Enola Holmes, Phossy Jaw and Workplace Safety

    In this episode, we explore the historical inspiration behind Enola Holmes 2, diving into the real-life dangers of white phosphorus in Victorian match factories and the devastating occupational disease known as phossy jaw. We compare it to the Radium Girls tragedy, examine the chemistry behind bone necrosis, and discuss how these industrial disasters shaped modern workplace safety and medication safety practices. Plus — we pair it with a Victorian-inspired cocktail, the White Phosphorus Fizz. 🔗 Clickable Sources Film: Enola Holmes 2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enola_Holmes_2 Historical: Phossy Jaw Overview https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phossy_jaw Radium Girls https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium_Girls Radium Jaw https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium_jaw Peer-Reviewed: Marx RE. Uncovering the Cause of Phossy Jaw (2008) Devlin H. Historical Review of Phossy Jaw (2023) Vance MA. Osteonecrosis of the Jaw & Bisphosphonates (2007) Khan AA et al. Diagnosis and Management of Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (2014) Episodes every Monday  ⭐️ Subscribe, Rate and Review! 🍸 Recipes drop on socials  Discounts: 15% off Comfrt apparel Purple Carrot: 40% off your first box ClassPass: 2 weeks free 15% off non-alcoholic spirits at The Zero Proof 💳 Support us on Patreon | ☕️ Buy Me a Coffee  Contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

    49 min

  8. May 17

    The Refill #5: Hantavirus, Norovirus and Cruise Ship Medicine

    SHOW NOTES The Refill — Ep 27: The Sea Breeze We're refilling your glass. Episode 27 was our deep dive into cruise ship medicine alongside ABC's Dr. Odyssey — what really happens when someone gets sick at sea. We're re-releasing it because two real outbreaks just happened in the same month, on two very different ships, with two very different pathogens. And the science on one of them changed significantly since we first recorded this. Same episode. A lot more urgency. Listen first, then come back for the sources. Sources: CDC Vessel Sanitation Program. Caribbean Princess Outbreak. May 2026. Velavan & Schmidt-Chanasit. Int J Infectious Diseases. 2026. Ferrés M, et al. Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2024;24(7):775–782. Paulsen GC, et al. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2024;229(1):30–38. Vial PA, et al. Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2023;23(9):e371–e382. Jeyachandran AV, et al. PLoS Pathogens. 2025;21(8):e1013401. Episodes every Monday  ⭐️ Subscribe, Rate and Review! 🍸 Recipes drop on socials  Discounts: 15% off Comfrt apparel Purple Carrot: 40% off your first box ClassPass: 2 weeks free 15% off non-alcoholic spirits at The Zero Proof 💳 Support us on Patreon | ☕️ Buy Me a Coffee  Contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

    38 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Medical Media Mixer is a fun and educational podcast where two full-time medical professionals dive into the world of pop culture—TV, movies, music, and books—with a medical twist. Each episode breaks down the science (and nonsense) behind popular media, served up with a themed cocktail for good measure. Whether you’re a healthcare worker, a pop culture junkie, or just love a good drink with your deep dives, Medical Media Mixer is your prescription for smart laughs and spirited conversation.

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