S31·E82 July 7, 2026 - Ann M. Martin

Ronny Chieng covers America’s 250th birthday festivities, from Trump listing American inventions to a skydiver crashing in to “God Bless the U.S.A.”. He also dives into Trump’s FIFA World Cup meddling, where the president challenged a red card against America, accidentally defended birthright citizenship, and got mocked by Belgian players doing his infamous “YMCA” dance. Grace Kuhlenschmidt plugs into the biggest tech headlines: a flamethrower-equipped robotic dog, a self-scooting robo toilet, a delivery app that delivers only dopamine, and AI “actor” Tilly Norwood landing a feature role. Author Ann M. Martin joins Baby-sitters Club superfan Ronny to celebrate the series’ 40th anniversary and her new Fan Edition: Baby-Sitter Summer. Ronny recalls his sister reading him the books, asks long-awaited questions, and talks with Martin about getting kids to read and the Baby-sitters Club musical in development with music by Mark Sonnenblick.