Smart Girl Dumb Questions: Why Do People Chew with Their Mouths Open? (Ft. Mark Cuban & Dr. Charles Spence) Hosted by Nayeema Raza | Released April 11, 2025
Introduction: Setting the Stage for Curiosity
In this engaging episode of Smart Girl Dumb Questions, host Nayeema Raza dives into the sometimes pet peeve-inducing behavior of chewing with one’s mouth open. Framing the discussion within a broader cultural context, Nayeema emphasizes the importance of asking questions openly in a world saturated with information yet lacking in genuine curiosity.
“...overly confident hot takes. But what's scarce, I think, is asking questions and saying, I do not know.”
— Nayeema Raza [00:30]
Mark Cuban’s Curiosity: The Original Question
Nayeema begins by introducing her guest, billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban, who poses a seemingly simple yet intriguing question: “Why do people chew with their mouths open?” This question not only reveals a common social annoyance but also serves as a gateway to explore deeper psychological and cultural factors.
Mark Cuban: “Why do people chew with their mouths open knowing that 17% of the population is just annoyed as fuck.”
— Mark Cuban [00:00]
Diving Deeper: Misophonia and Social Etiquette
Mark Cuban elaborates on his annoyance, highlighting that a significant portion of the population finds open-mouth chewing bothersome. This sets the stage for Nayeema’s investigative journey to uncover the reasons behind this behavior.
“I have a data point. Data point is that 17% of people are annoyed by people eating with their mouths open.”
— Mark Cuban [02:15]
Expert Insight: Dr. Charles Spence on the Science of Chewing
To provide a comprehensive answer, Nayeema consults Dr. Charles Spence, a gastrophysicist from Oxford University. Dr. Spence explains the phenomenon of misophonia, a condition where certain sounds, like chewing, trigger intense emotional responses.
“Misophonia is a condition that affects some percentage of the population who tend to get very irritated by the sound of other people, especially eating.”
— Dr. Charles Spence [03:56]
He contrasts misophonia with ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response), where similar sounds can evoke pleasure instead of irritation. Dr. Spence delves into the sensory aspects of eating, explaining how chewing with an open mouth can enhance the tasting experience by releasing more volatiles that contribute to flavor perception.
“Our favorite flavors or tastes are actually volatiles that are coming out of the back of the nose. And let's get the most of that air, most of those volatiles out through the back of your nose. You need to have your mouth open.”
— Dr. Charles Spence [06:38]
Cultural Perspectives: Beyond Personal Preferences
Dr. Spence also highlights cultural differences in eating behaviors. In some Asian cultures, slurping and open-mouth chewing are signs of appreciation for the food, contrasting sharply with Western etiquette that often frowns upon such practices.
“In Asia, there are cultures where lip smacking and slurping are a sign of your approval of the food that you have eaten.”
— Dr. Charles Spence [05:05]
Balancing Enjoyment and Social Norms
The conversation navigates the delicate balance between maximizing the sensory enjoyment of food and adhering to social norms that may deem open-mouth chewing impolite. Dr. Spence suggests that individuals with misophonia might choose dining companions carefully or work on educating others to mitigate discomfort.
“One might be just careful who one dines with, and maybe sort of educating people to change their attitude in a way.”
— Dr. Charles Spence [07:27]
Nayeema’s Reflection: Embracing the Pleasures of Eating
Reflecting on the insights, Nayeema humorously contemplates whether embracing open-mouth chewing could be seen as a form of empowerment—prioritizing the enjoyment of food over societal judgments.
“That's kind of like being a maximal foodie. Having cracked the code on the whole open mouth chewing thing, I'm ready for my next dumb question...”
— Nayeema Raza [08:16]
Teasing the Next Episode: Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s Question
The episode concludes with a teaser for the next installment, where astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson poses his own "dumb question" to Nayeema, highlighting the show's ongoing commitment to exploring the curious and the unconventional.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson: “How did they get the crane to the top of the building? I didn't see them put it up there. It's 50 stories up.”
— Neil DeGrasse Tyson [09:01]
Closing Thoughts: Encouraging Open Inquiry
Nayeema wraps up by inviting listeners to submit their own "dumb questions" and reiterates the show's mission to explore and demystify the everyday curiosities that often go unasked.
“If you have Dumb Questions and want me to find the answer. You can email me at naimaraza101@gmail.com.”
— Nayeema Raza [09:06]
Key Takeaways
- Misophonia vs. ASMR: Understanding how different people can have opposite reactions to similar sounds during eating.
- Cultural Influences: Recognizing that eating behaviors like open-mouth chewing can be culturally significant and vary widely.
- Sensory Enhancement: Open-mouth chewing can enhance the tasting experience by releasing more flavor volatiles.
- Social Balance: Navigating the balance between sensory enjoyment and social etiquette can help mitigate discomfort for those with misophonia.
Notable Quotes
-
“Why do people chew with their mouths open knowing that 17% of the population is just annoyed as fuck.”
— Mark Cuban [00:00] -
“Misophonia is a condition that affects some percentage of the population who tend to get very irritated by the sound of other people, especially eating.”
— Dr. Charles Spence [03:56] -
“Our favorite flavors or tastes are actually volatiles that are coming out of the back of the nose. And let's get the most of that air, most of those volatiles out through the back of your nose. You need to have your mouth open.”
— Dr. Charles Spence [06:38] -
“That's kind of like being a maximal foodie. Having cracked the code on the whole open mouth chewing thing, I'm ready for my next dumb question...”
— Nayeema Raza [08:16]
Connect with Smart Girl Dumb Questions
- Subscribe: Find the podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.
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Big thanks to Holly Thiel for editing and animating this episode's video content.
End of Summary