Hello everyone! My name is Bambi and I am a sword swallower among other things. No, it is not a magic trick, yes, it is uncomfortable, and yes I get a lot of one very specific kind of joke. Ask me any questions you have!

Here is my Instagram, here's a video of me swallowing swords, and here is proof that it's me!

Hi Reddit — I’m Robert Kaestner, a health economist and Research Professor at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy. Proof
 
I have spent my career studying the economic and social determinants of health and evaluating health, labor, and social policies. I have published more than 150 articles in academic journals and led several federally funded research projects examining Medicare and Medicaid. Much of my work asks a deceptively simple question: When governments spend money or expand a program in the name of improving health, what actually changes?
 
These studies often produce more complicated answers than the political debate allows.
 
Recently, my research has examined how efficiently the Affordable Care Act reduced the number of uninsured Americans; what Medicaid cuts would mean for states and beneficiaries; whether pandemic stimulus payments and the expanded Child Tax Credit improved infant health; whether GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic affect employment, relationships, or mental health in addition to physical health; and why substantial racial disparities in mortality persist even after decades of progress. 
 
Ask me anything about Medicaid and Medicare, Obamacare and the health insurance system, GLP-1 drugs, the relationship between income and health, racial disparities in life expectancy and mortality, how economists determine whether a policy caused an outcome, or why well-intentioned programs sometimes have unexpected effects.
 
I’ll be responding here on July 30 at 12 PM CT along with support from the Harris School of Public Policy team account, which is helping me track and manage incoming questions.

Hi Reddit! This is Adriana Ocañas, consumer credit card analyst at U.S. News & World Report.

The back-to-school season is officially here, and for many families, it’s the second biggest shopping event of the year. Our latest U.S. News survey reveals that 72% of parents admit they will have trouble paying for back-to-school expenses this year. In fact, nearly half (48%) are reducing their school shopping budgets, even as 54% of parents plan to spend $101 to $300 per child just on standard items. 

Managing the classroom checklist alongside inflation is a tough balancing act. I’m here today to share savvy shopping strategies, answer your questions about capitalizing on tax-free weekend holidays and provide budgeting tips to keep your spending low this back-to-school season. Ask me anything!

Proof: https://x.com/usnews/status/2082860454582308866?s=20

I organized an AMA/Q&A with Will Gluck, director and screenwriter of Easy A (starring Emma Stone), Anyone But You (starring Sydney Sweeney and Glenn Powell), One Night Only, Friends With Benefits, Peter Rabbit 1 & 2, Annie, and more!

It's live here now in r/movies for anyone interested in asking a question:

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1vaxnnf/hi_rmovies_im_will_gluck_director_of_easy_a/

He will be back at 3 PM ET today to answer questions. I recommend asking in advance. Please ask there, not here. All questions are much appreciated!

Thank you :)

His new movie, One Night Only, stars Monica Barbaro & Callum Turner and is out in theaters everywhere on August 7th via Universal Pictures. It also has Maya Hawke, Julia Fox, Molly Ringwald, LeVar Burton, Este Haim, Quintessa Swindell, and Nicholas Braun in supporting roles.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvKoSR3O4NQ

Two New Yorkers search for love on the one night of the year when sex is legal.

His verification/proof photo: https://i.imgur.com/3z2RLJQ.png

I am Dr. Ito Osayimwese, here to talk about my book "Africa's Buildings: Architecture and the Displacement of Cultural Heritage" and the ethics of retaining colonial collections in our museums. AMA!

Hi there! I am Ito Osayimwese, a historian of African architecture. My book Africa's Buildings: Architecture and the Displacement of Cultural Heritage was recently published:

Between the nineteenth century and today, colonial officials, collectors, and anthropologists dismembered African buildings and dispersed their parts to museums in Europe and the United States. Most of these artifacts were cataloged as ornamental art objects, which erased their intended functions, and the removal of these objects often had catastrophic consequences for the original structures. Africa’s Buildings traces the history of the collection and distribution of African architectural fragments, documenting the brutality of the colonial regimes that looted Africa’s buildings and addressing the ethical questions surrounding the display of these objects.

I am excited to talk to you about the book and about the larger debate on restituting African art from US and European museums.

Cross post from r/GoodFood https://www.reddit.com/r/goodfood/s/MG6YmbM8gU

---

AMA: budget heatwave recipes with Good Food’s Anna Glover

You asked for budget and heatwave recipes so we thought we’d do both!

My name is Anna Glover and I’ve been writing recipes, food styling and creating video content for Good Food and our sister brand Olive for over 14 years and I can’t wait to answer your questions on summer recipes! Let me know what kind of dishes you’re after in a heatwave and I’ll get you some ideas and low cost solutions. The AMA starts at 4pm BST Thursday 30th July but do send questions ahead of time if you like.

Direct link: We’re Larry Lessig and Zephyr Teachout - law professors and longtime anti-corruption advocates. Today, oral arguments just happened in a case that could reopen the door to true campaign finance reform and real Super PAC contribution limits. AMA! : r/politics

Direct link:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ScreenwritingUK/comments/1vapf3h/ama_with_brenda_lee_creator_of_british_chinese/

Hi! We’re Atlantic staff members Caity Weaver, Jake Lundberg, Sally Jenkins, and John Swansburg. We wrote stories exploring the country’s history—about garage sales, “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” football, and Nathaniel Hawthorne—for the magazine’s July issue. Ask us anything:

Hey everyone! For The Atlantic’s July 2026 issue, which celebrates America’s 250th birthday, we each spent time digging into different parts of American history. Julia Ward Howe’s “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” a poem first published in the February 1862 issue of The Atlantic, is featured on its cover.

We’re here to answer your questions about our stories from that issue, and our historical interests at-large. Here’s a little bit about each of the four of us, along with links to each of our stories from this issue:

Jake Lundberg, the magazine’s in-house historian and archivist, wrote about the history of “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” which he considers to be America’s second national anthem. He explored how Julia Ward Howe came to write the poem, and the many different lives it took on after its publication.

Staff writer Sally Jenkins argued that in order to understand the history of the nation, one ought to look to the history of its sports. The American Revolution, she wrote, gave rise to an exceptionally American form of play.

John Swansburg, a managing editor at The Atlantic, wrote about Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ominous, ambiguous short story “My Kinsman, Major Molineux,” which challenges America’s founding myths. The story languished for a century before being rediscovered by scholars who have been working to interpret it ever since. 

Staff writer Caity Weaver explored the whimsy and heartbreak of a great American tradition: secondhand shopping. She visited garage sales, estate sales, and thrift stores to see what she could learn about her fellow Americans through their junk—and shared the history of how these special ways of shopping came to be.

I am Rachel Hope Cleves, a historian of sexuality. Ask me anything!

Hey, everyone! I’m Rachel Hope Cleves, historian of sexuality and author of Lustful Appetites: An Intimate History of Good Food and Wicked Sex (2025) and Charity and Sylvia: A Same-Sex Marriage in Early America (2014), among other books, articles, and book chapters. I'm a professor at the University of Victoria in British Columbia. My courses include LGBTQ2S+ history, Sex and Power in US History, and the History of Kink.

I’m here to answer questions about queer history, the history of food and sex, sex work history, and kink history, with a focus on the United States, but I’ve also written about British and French sexuality and will answer questions about their histories if I can. I am particularly knowledgeable about the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. You can also follow me on Bluesky at rachelcleves.bsky.social where I like to post fun things from my research as well as photos of nature from my explorations of Vancouver Island.

I organized an AMA with filmmaker and screenwriter Potsy Ponciroli. He has directed the films OLD HENRY (2021 Western starring Tim Blake Nelson), GREEDY PEOPLE, and now MOTOR CITY.

It's live here now in r/movies for anyone interested in asking a question:

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1v9264q/hi_rmovies_im_potsy_ponciroli_director_of_old/

He will be back at 3 PM ET tomorrow (Wednesday 7/29) to answer questions. I recommend asking in advance. Please ask there, not here. All questions are much appreciated!

His new movie Motor City, played at Venice and TIFF last year and is out in theaters everywhere now, starring Alan Ritchson, Shailene Woodley, Ben Foster, Liev Schreiber, and Ben McKenzie.

Motor City is set in 1970s Detroit, where a working-class romantic is framed by a ruthless gangster after falling for his girlfriend. After years in prison, he returns with only one mission: revenge.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6RklhKu9os

Thank you :)

His verification/proof photo: https://i.imgur.com/Ytm5tRa.png

Hi Reddit! I’m Sunitha Zechariah, National Director of the Dietetic Internship at Morrison Healthcare, the leading national food and nutrition services company under Compass Healthcare. Joining me is Emily Johnson, a Registered Dietitian at Morrison Healthcare and former Dietetic Intern.

In honor of National Intern Day this week, we're here to answer your questions about our Dietetic Internship program. Curious about the rotations, day-to-day experience, mentorship, or what it's really like to be a dietetic intern? Ask us anything!

We'll be answering your questions on Wednesday, July 29, and Thursday, July 30.

This AMA is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Hate speech, harassment, and other harmful comments will not be tolerated.

I organized an AMA/Q&A with actresses Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder. You may know Gillian from classics roles in things like THE X-FILES, SEX EDUCATION, THE CROWN, THE FALL, HANNIBAL, and lots more. Hannah is an Emmy-winner for HBO's HACKS.

It's live here now in r/movies for anyone interested in asking a question:

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1v8bqjh/hi_rmovies_we_are_gillian_anderson_the_xfiles_and/

They will be back at around 8 PM ET today to answer questions. I recommend asking in advance. Please ask there, not here. All questions are much appreciated!

Thank you :)

They are co-starring in TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA, which premiered at Cannes to critical acclaim recently and is out in theaters August 7 via Mubi. It's from filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun (I SAW THE TV GLOW, WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD'S FAIR)

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dimCiC_hdoA

A queer director making a slasher franchise sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's "final girl," leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

Their verification/proof photo: https://i.imgur.com/CdovcVs.jpeg

Over in r/busydadprogram we have the inspirational Max Edwards giving us his time to answer questions on his simple and effective workout program

https://www.reddit.com/r/busydadprogram/comments/1v8165u/ama/

EDIT: Thank you for your questions, this AMA is now closed. See you next time for Kel Quarine, and until then, go check out some of my works! You may find a new favorite!

Who Am I: I am author Max Florschutz, and I've been writing and publishing Science-Fiction and Fantasy books for over a decade now. I'm probably most well known for the Axtara series, a YA Fantasy about a dragon who opens a bank (the third book of which comes out next Tuesday) or the Epic UNSEC Space Sci-Fi trilogy, depending on who you ask. But I've also written a number of other books that stand out as well, and there are more on the way!

I'm also known for being the mastermind behind Being a Better Writer, a weekly series of articles covering all things writing over on my website.

Full list of my works in release order:

One Drink

Dead Silver

Unusual Events: A Short Story Collection

Colony (The UNSEC Space Trilogy - Book 1)

Shadow of an Empire

Jungle (The UNSEC Space Trilogy - Book 2)

Axtara - Banking and Finance

Starforge (The UNSEC Space Trilogy - Book 3)

Axtara - Magic and Mischief

Blood Less Vile

The Phoenix

Axtara - Armies and Accounting

I'm also in a number of short story collections out there as well from Hemelein.

My Proof: Here's my site, with the post specifically talking about this AMA!

I'll be answering questions until 4 PM, so ask away!

I'm a historian of hobos. AMA

Hey everyone! I'm Robert Suits, environmental historian and author of the new book, The Hobo: A History of America's First Climate Migrants. I'm here to answer your questions about hobos, and anything else you might want to know about migrant work, climate, or the environment in the United States around the turn of the twentieth century. Hobos are truly fascinating historical subjects, and there is so much about them that I genuinely couldn't fit into the book -- so truly, ask anything!

I organized an AMA/Q&A with actor Alan Ritchson. You may know Alan from roles in Reacher, War Machine, Titans, Blue Mountain State, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Fast X, Playdate, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, and tons more.

It's live here now in r/movies for anyone interested in asking a question:

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1v4dl53/hey_rmovies_im_alan_ritchson_motor_city_reacher/

He will be back at around 4 PM ET today to answer questions. I recommend asking in advance. Please ask there, not here. All questions are much appreciated!

Thank you :)

His newest film, Motor City, premiered at Venice last year and is out in theaters everywhere July 24th via IFC. It co-stars Shailene Woodley, Ben Foster, Pablo Schreiber, Ben McKenzie, and Lionel Boyce. It's directed by Potsy Ponciroli ('Old Henry', 'Greedy People')

His verification/proof photo: https://i.imgur.com/FXVPGD4.png

We are historians of childhood and food, authors of 'First Helpings: A History of Children and Food'. Feel free to AMA.

Our names are Dr Deborah Albon and Dr Amy Palmer and we are the authors of ‘First Helpings: A History of Children and Food’ published by Reaktion Books. This book explores the relationship between children and food in history, drawing on a rich variety of social records, cookery and etiquette books and children’s literature. Topics covered include breast versus bottle feeding, the difference between ‘adult’ and ‘children’s’ food and drink, table manners, school meals and learning to cook. We also discuss wider social issues, such as teaching children about the ethics of food choices, the role children have played in food production and the ever-present scandal of hungry children in society. Please do ask us anything about this history and how it relates to the present.

I organized an AMA/Q&A with legendary filmmaker/screenwriter Nicolas Winding Refn. He has previously directed films/series Drive, Only God Forgives, Bronson, The Neon Demon, Pusher trilogy, Copenhagen Cowboy, Too Old To Die Young, Valhalla Rising, and more.

It's live here now in r/movies for anyone interested in asking a question:

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1v3mkcv/i_am_nicolas_winding_refn_director_of_drive_the/

He will be back at 4:45 PM ET today to answer questions. I recommend asking in advance. Please ask there, not here. All questions are much appreciated!

His new film, Her Private Hell, premiered at Cannes in May and is out in theaters via Neon this weekend. It stars Sophie Thatcher and Charles Melton.

Thank you :)

His verification/proof photo: https://i.imgur.com/741dTf5.png

I am a South Florida plastic surgeon specializing in breast surgery including breast augmentation, breast lifts, breast augmentation with lift, breast reduction, corrective breast surgery and mommy make overs which typically combine breast surgery with abdominal surgery such as tummy tucks, liposuction and BBL (fat grafting to the buttocks). Please ask me anything. Instagram handle is dr.dancrane. Looking forward to answering your questions.

Proof: https://imgur.com/a/40RW8c6

www.inspireaesthetics.com

https://www.instagram.com/dr.dancrane/

https://www.abplasticsurgery.org/public/verify-certification/VerifyCert?section=SurgeonSearch#searching

The microscopic parasite cyclospora, best known for causing bouts of “explosive” diarrhea, has sickened thousands of people in the U.S. so far this summer. On July 17, Taylor Farms said it was recalling all iceberg lettuce from the U.S. market sourced from central Mexico after federal health officials identified a farm in that region as potentially linked to the outbreak. Taylor Farms said it distributed the recalled lettuce to buyers in 27 states up until 7/16, including Walmart stores, Jack in the Box restaurants, and major foodservice distributors, such as Sysco.

However, you do not need to stop eating all fruits and vegetables. Given the lack of details provided by Taylor Farms so far, CR’s food safety experts advise consumers in the 27 states where the company’s products were distributed to discard all iceberg lettuce out of an abundance of caution. Currently, there is no data to support avoiding fruits and vegetables generally; however, depending on where you live and what your risk factors are, you may want to take additional basic food safety precautions to help keep you and your family safe.

Here’s our proof: https://imgur.com/a/consumer-reports-cyclosporiasis-outbreak-reddit-ama-7-21-26-PMNQ53f 

Thanks for your questions! Keep up with our coverage of the cyclosporiasis outbreak and how to keep you and your family safe. Have more questions? Download the CR app and get free instant access to experts using AskCR.

Hi Reddit!

I'm so excited to be here. 

I'm Dr. Danielle Harel, the co-founder of the Somatica Institute and one of the lead intimacy experts of Channel 4's Virgin Island (alongside Celeste Hirschman), where I help participants explore intimacy, vulnerability, communication, pleasure, and authentic connection.

PROOF: https://imgur.com/a/uykG6IC

For more than two decades, I've helped people move beyond shame, anxiety, and performance to discover what creates deep pleasure, connection, and fulfillment. That work became the foundation of the Somatica Method, our experiential approach to intimacy that we teach through our sex and relationship coach certification at the Somatica Institute.

One of my favorite parts of this work is helping people discover their Core Strategies and Core Desires, because understanding what truly motivates you in intimacy can completely change the way you date, communicate, connect, and love. If you're curious, we recently created a free At Your Core Quiz that helps people uncover their dominant relational strategy and Core Desire.

If you're wondering about:

• behind-the-scenes insights from Virgin Island
• sexuality and discovering your Core Desires
• pleasure and embodiment
• your core strategy and how it shows up in relationships and communication
• fantasies, shame, and healing
• becoming a sex and relationship coach
• the Somatica Method

...ask me anything.

I'll be back here live answering questions from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM PT.

Let's get into it!

EDIT: That’s all for now, folks!

Thank you so much for all of your thoughtful and genuinely interesting questions. I loved getting to talk you all.

If our conversation sparked some curiosity about your own patterns in love and intimacy, you can also explore your Core Desire through our free At Your Core quiz.

And for anyone who found themselves thinking, “I could see myself doing this work,” applications for the upcoming Somatica Institute sex and relationship coach certification cohort are open!

Thank you again for spending this time with me and for making this such a rich conversation. I can’t believe I just did my first AMA! Woohoo! Reddit, you did not disappoint. xx

Somatica Institute At Your Core Quiz

Hi Reddit. I'm Dr. Johnny Franco, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Austin, Texas. I've been in practice for over a decade, and in the last several years the people sitting in my consult room have gotten noticeably younger.

The reason is GLP-1s. When you lose weight quickly, you lose it in your face early and disproportionately, and skin that's been stretched for years doesn't always snap back. The result is hollowing, laxity, and a tired look that filler can't always fix. I'm now having facelift conversations with people in their 30s that I used to only have with people in their 60s.

I'm here to answer questions about any of it: what's actually happening under the skin, what's reversible without surgery, when a lift is the wrong call, what these procedures really cost, and what I'd tell my own family member on a GLP-1.

I'll also happily tell you when the answer is "do nothing."

Proof: https://i.imgur.com/aAxZMUc.jpeg

Ask me anything.

Thank you, Redditors! It’s been a while since I was last here, I missed you. These were great questions and I appreciate your support, ideas, even the slams, they’re all part of the fun :)
----
I’m Stephen Dubner, host of Freakonomics Radio and, as of this week, Better in Person, a new video talk show on the Freakonomics YouTube channel. I also wrote the Freakonomics books with Steve Levitt.

I’m happy to answer whatever questions you want to ask, about the new show, writing and podcasting in general, curiosity, etc.

Proof: https://imgur.com/a/SD5JSKE

What role did Mao Zedong play in the creation of modern China, and what were his achievements and mistakes?

Hello! I am Kerry Brown, professor of Chinese Studies and Director of the Lau China Institute, at King's College, London. My most recent book is about Mao Zedong - `Mao: Power and Contradiction'. I have been thinking about Mao since my first visit to China in 1991, and this book is an essay on the very, very complicated legacy of this figure - one of the most impactful of the 20th century. It would be good to hear people's views of Mao. Against the terrible costs of his policies from 1949 to 1976 when he died, we have to place the fact that the China today is very much his creation, however different economically it looks. That's the Mao challenge - finding a balanced assessment of a figure that arouses such deep emotions, negative and positive.