Welcome to RHAP’s coverage of ALL the Traitors iterations from around the world, including New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. The Traitors US is a high-stakes reality competition set in a secluded castle, where contestants must work together to complete challenges and earn a prize pot—while rooting out the secret traitors hidden among them.

Today, Pooya is joined by Rob Cesternino to do a deep dive into his time on Traitors Season 4. From near-misses to surprise alliances, this in-depth conversation details the rollercoaster of Rob’s brief but memorable stint in the Scottish castle, highlighting pivotal decisions, cast dynamics, and strategies that shaped the opening episodes.

Pooya leads Rob in a candid step-by-step look at his experience preparing for the Traitors US, diving into his binge of international seasons and the lessons he carried into the game. Rob discusses choosing to play as a faithful rather than a traitor, giving a firsthand look at why he anticipated early banishments and how he worked to build social connections across the housewives, CBS reality “gamers,” and other celebrities in the castle. The conversation probes through major group dynamics — from alliance-building efforts to murder shortlist anxieties — and the unique ways contestants tried to read each other’s intentions.

Pooya and Rob discuss:

• Rob’s methodical study of various international Traitors seasons to understand personalities and gameplay formats.
• The housewives-versus-gamers meta, as Rob details his effort to broker a cross-group alliance and avoid mutual destruction.
• Behind-the-scenes impressions of notable castmates, including Monét X Change, Lisa Rinna, Candiace Dillard Bassett, and Porsha Williams, with Rob decoding social strengths and the role of “queen bees.”
• Rob’s breakdown of challenge strategies, murder shortlist logic, and efforts to manipulate targets — including his plan to weaponize Michael Rapaport’s unpredictability.
• The strategy of dodging a murder in plain sight, including Rob’s warning to Tiffany and his theorizing about conga lines, drinks, and body language.

Rob’s journey throws light on the delicate balance of reasoning, intuition, and luck required to survive the opening rounds of Traitors US. With cross-show alliances, silent suspicions, and defenses played on both sides, who will escape the next murder and who’s risking their game with hidden agendas?

Intros:
0:00 Intros
6:16 Survivor vs. The Traitors Dilemma
10:04 Choosing Faithful Over Traitor
18:47 First Impressions in the Starting Car
25:01 Castle Arrival: Reality Sets In
31:39 The Secret Traitor Selection Stress
37:55 Faithful Strategy Prioritized
45:45 Identifying Turret Traitor Archetypes
51:06 Building Key Castle Alliances
58:42 Dorinda’s Calm Murder Shortlist
1:15:13 Boat Mission: Shield Tactics
1:18:25 Marked for Murder: Immediate Threat
1:28:16 Fateful Advice: Leave Nothing Unsaid
1:39:33 Breakfast After Surviving Murder
1:43:33 Yam Yam: Threat Level Revealed
2:15:01 First Banishment: Porsha Blindsided
2:32:17 Sensing Murder in Plain Sight
2:35:32 Escaping the Conga Line Danger
2:49:33 Rob’s Exit: Edit vs. Reality
3:09:45 Reflecting on the Traitors Journey

Never miss all our Traitors US recaps plus recaps from other versions around the world!
LISTEN: Subscribe to The Traitors Around the World podcast feed
WATCH: Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube
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Rob Cesternino (@robcesternino) and Akiva Wienerkur (@keev26) need a podcast and every week, Rob and Akiva spin a wheel of listener-submitted podcast ideas, and whatever the wheel lands on is what they podcast about next. This week, Rob and Akiva continue to reveal discuss listener-submitted dates from hell.

For the link to the spreadsheet that Rob and Akiva use to compile ideas, check it all out here: Rob and Akiva Need a Spreadsheet (compiled by the great Will from America).

To submit an idea for a future episode of “Rob and Akiva Need a Podcast” to be discussed on the mailbag, submit it on this form: Rob and Akiva’s Mailbag Form.

Past Episodes of Rob & Akiva Need a Podcast

Welcome to RHAP’s coverage of ALL the Traitors iterations from around the world, including New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. The Traitors US is a high-stakes reality competition set in a secluded castle, where contestants must work together to complete challenges and earn a prize pot—while rooting out the secret traitors hidden among them.

Today, Pooya is joined by Mike Bloom to discuss the first three episodes of Traitors US Season 4.

Never miss all our Traitors US recaps plus recaps from other versions around the world!
LISTEN: Subscribe to The Traitors Around the World podcast feed
WATCH: Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube
SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!

Welcome to RHAP’s coverage of ALL the Traitors iterations from around the world, including New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. The Traitors US is a high-stakes reality competition set in a secluded castle, where contestants must work together to complete challenges and earn a prize pot—while rooting out the secret traitors hidden among them.

Today, Pooya is joined by Nicole Cesternino to break down Rob Cesternino prior to the premiere of Traitors US Season 4.

Never miss all our Traitors US recaps plus recaps from other versions around the world!
LISTEN: Subscribe to The Traitors Around the World podcast feed
WATCH: Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube
SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!

Welcome to RHAP’s coverage of MrBeast’s “Beast Games.” Known for his over-the-top challenges and jaw-dropping production value, MrBeast has leveled up with this competitive extravaganza that brings massive stakes, outrageous games, and a cast of unforgettable contestants.

Join Rob Cesternino, Stephen Fishbach, and Taran Armstrong as they dig into Beast Games Season 2, covering episodes 1 through 3. The panel, packed with reality TV expertise, unpacks the strong versus smart team theme, the rapid-fire challenge structure, and the shifting strategies that play out in the Mr. Beast universe. With familiar faces from Survivor and other reality shows entering the fray, the discussion quickly turns to the high-stakes decisions, alliances, and the unique pacing of this “expect the unexpected” competition.

Across the first three episodes, Rob, Stephen, and Taran analyze how contestants react to the ever-changing landscape of Beast Games. They compare the unpredictable style of Mr. Beast’s challenges with the more formulaic formats of Survivor and Big Brother, highlighting how players navigate split-second choices and offers to walk away with life-changing amounts of money. The panel debates whether experience or raw strength wins out when teams are split, digging into specifics like the tower-building challenge and the early exits of some reality TV legends.

Key moments and insights include:

• Deliberations on whether to take the money or stick with the team, including personal “walk-away numbers” from each host
• The metagame of boosting your reality TV profile—with comparisons to playing for invites on future shows
• The showmance between two contestants and how budding relationships unfold in high-pressure, fast-moving environments
• Survivor alums Jesse Lopez’s quick exit and Sue Smay’s continued presence, plus speculation about the potential Survivor crossover in Fiji
• Analysis of challenge design, from physical obstacle courses to alliance-driven bluffing games, and how game structures shape decision-making

With Beast Games venturing to Survivor’s home turf and more tough choices ahead, challenges to team loyalty and individual ambition take center stage. Can strong or smart players gain the upper hand as the cast shrinks and the stakes get even higher?

To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com

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LISTEN: Subscribe to the podcast feed!
WATCH: Watch and subscribe to the podcast onYouTube
SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!

Welcome to RHAP’s coverage of ALL the Traitors iterations from around the world, including New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. The Traitors US is a high-stakes reality competition set in a secluded castle, where contestants must work together to complete challenges and earn a prize pot—while rooting out the secret traitors hidden among them.

Today, Pooya is joined by Jenny Autumn to break down Natalie Anderson prior to the premiere of Traitors US Season 4.

Never miss all our Traitors US recaps plus recaps from other versions around the world!
LISTEN: Subscribe to The Traitors Around the World podcast feed
WATCH: Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube
SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!

Rob Cesternino, Tyson Apostol, and Danny Bryson are back with another entertaining episode of News AF, where they dive into the week’s most peculiar and amusing stories.

Today, Rob, Tyson and Danny talk through the week’s most newsworthy stories.

To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com

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Welcome to RHAP’s coverage of ALL the Traitors iterations from around the world, including New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. The Traitors US is a high-stakes reality competition set in a secluded castle, where contestants must work together to complete challenges and earn a prize pot—while rooting out the secret traitors hidden among them.

Today, Pooya is joined by Annabel to break down Caroline Stanbury prior to the premiere of Traitors US Season 4.

Never miss all our Traitors US recaps plus recaps from other versions around the world!
LISTEN: Subscribe to The Traitors Around the World podcast feed
WATCH: Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube
SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!