Fascinating Nouns: Recent Episodes
Daniel J. Glenn
Project Blue Book was supposed to be the U.S. Government’s official investigation into UFO’s. The science advisor was a man named J. Allen Hynek. He was the one responsible for the infamous “Swamp Gas” Explanation. Well Blue Book was really a disinformation campaign, and Hynek went from professional debunker to believer. He scientifically analyzed all the sightings, and reports and created the “Center For UFO Studies”. This turnaround was remarkable, and very notable. Today I have his son Paul Hynek on the show to discuss his perspective on his father’s work. We also discuss his brother who once almost blew up their house. It is no wonder he was the first suspect of the Unabomber. We also get into Paul’s recent work with DMT, which he believes can unlock the mind in such a way that the mysteries of the universe are revealed to you. We also discuss cryptocurrencies, inter-dimensional travel, and the one time his dad bilked Walt Disney out of a free day at the park for his family.
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on Mark Twain
Fascinating Nouns Ep. w/ Russel Targ
Fascinating Nouns Ep. w/ Tom Campbell
Fascinating Nouns Ep. w/ John Dover
Fascinating Nouns Ep. on The Gong Show
Paul on Social MediaX
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Let’s be serious: The Gong Show was a national phenomenon! Unfortunately like a lot of things in the 70’s, once a movie was made, the fad was over. This is true of The Gong Show Movie which was really a therapy session for creator and host Chuck Barris. So was his book “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” which became a movie as well. It is safe to say that Chuck used Hollywood as a way to get free psychological help. In this bonus episode, we discuss this as well as the movies that came out of the popularity of this game show.
If you didn’t grow up in the 70’s, you have no concept of just how popular “The Gong Show” was. This was a daytime show that destroyed the ratings, and was unlike anything on television. It was basically a reverse talent show where the draw was a parade of terrible acts. They had some ringers sprinkled in, but the wild stunts are what is remembered to this day. And it was hosted by Chuck Barris, the creator of the show. This isn’t that unusual today, but this was not an ego play. The ego came later. He was basically forced to host the show because he couldn’t find anyone who saw his same vision. He then became synonymous with the show. This show was purposefully trying to avoid launching careers, but despite this, several famous people were featured, including Paul Reubens, Oingo Boingo, Phil Hartman, Michael Winslow, and Joey D’Auria AKA Bozo The Clown. It also created it’s own celebrities, including Gene Gene the Dancing Machine, The Unknown Comic, and Count Banjola. Adam and discuss the rise and fall of this unique show, How Markie Post figures into the equation, and the importance of “Have You Got A Nickel”.
Adam on Social MediaFacebook
Instagram
Purchase “Gong This Book!”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Sir Ian Livingstone is a real knight, known as the “Knight of the Nerds”. Never has a moniker been more apt. Ian and his partner Steve Jackson were early fanatics of various complex strategy games. They turned this love into a paradigm changing company called “Games Workshop”. Thanks to an exclusive deal with Dungeons & Dragons creator Gary Gygax, Games Workshop quickly became an industry leader in role-playing games. They sold D&D, had their own miniatures company, published the industry leading gamer magazine “White Dwarf”, and even developed their own games, which included an early version of Towerblox, which was about 2 years ahead of Jenga. Then in the 80’s Ian and Steve started writing their “Fighting Fantasy” series of novels, which were “Choose Your Own Adventure” style game books with stats, dice, and a story that took several times to get through. These books were my bread and butter as a child. I loved them. Then Ian went on to work in video games and even had a hand in creating the iconic Lara Croft for the Tomb Raider series of games. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Ian to discuss all of this amazing stuff, plus I even got him to play a few tunes on his harmonica and discuss his 1976 Topps complete collection of baseball cards. We really go through it all!
Ian on Social MediaWebsite
Twitter
Instagram
Purchase “Dice Men”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
How many people reading this have attempted to learn a new language? I know that I have stopped and restarted Spanish lessons twice in the past 3 years. The grammar rules are what kills it. How about a completely unique language, that is almost indistinguishable from English, but uses the exact same rules and even some of the same words? You are in luck! I have the PERFECT new language for you: It’s called Boontling. It was developed in the 1880’s and is native to Booneville, California. The creation of this language was really the coming together of several events: Strong personalities in the community that made it special, the isolation of the area and the people within, the fact that everyone knew everyone, and the use of the language to entertain each other as a form of community amusement. Well this week, I sit down with one of the last remaining Boontling speakers in Wes Smoot. We discuss how people’s personalities made them nouns and verbs, how easy it is to make new words, and he even teaches me how to recite “Old Mother Hubbard”.
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
One of the lucky breaks Eastman & Laird received was that Nintendo and Konami were looking for a new kind of game and the turtles came around at the perfect time. Not only was the NES game successful, but the sequel changed the way arcade games operated for a five year period. Listen as we discuss the meteoric rise of both the turtles and video games.
1984 was a big year. Ghostbusters and Terminator were released, the events of George Orwell’s novel take place, and in a Massachusetts suburb, two comic artists accidentally created one of the biggest pop culture events in human history: the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. What started as a joke between friends has spawned numerous TV shows, movies, and video games. Only The Simpsons rivals it as far as longevity is concerned. But how did this happen? Well it turns out that the origin story of the TMNT is a strange, and serendipitous as the creation of the turtles themselves. I sit down with author and historian Andrew Farago to discuss all of the events that had to line-up to make this possible. Lightening in a bottle doesn’t even describe it, but maybe Aladdin’s Lamp does. We will discuss the dark and violent origins of the original comic, the perfect nature of the original theme song, and how a Muppet was used to pitch the cartoon to networks.
Andrew Farago on Social MediaWebsite
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Purchase “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
1984 was a big year. Ghostbusters and Terminator were released, the events of George Orwell’s novel take place, and in a Massachusetts suburb, two comic artists accidentally created one of the biggest pop culture events in human history: the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. What started as a joke between friends has spawned numerous TV shows, movies, and video games. Only The Simpsons rivals it as far as longevity is concerned. But how did this happen? Well it turns out that the origin story of the TMNT is a strange, and serendipitous as the creation of the turtles themselves. I sit down with author and historian Andrew Farago to discuss all of the events that had to line-up to make this possible. Lightening in a bottle doesn’t even describe it, but maybe Aladdin’s Lamp does. We will discuss the dark and violent origins of the original comic, the perfect nature of the original theme song, and how a Muppet was used to pitch the cartoon to networks.
Andrew Farago on Social MediaWebsite
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Purchase “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
You may not think so, but the formula created by The Bad News Bears is still in use today! A rag tag group of kids, lead by an incompetent and troubled adult somehow manage to overcome their differences and beat the better funded team at whatever sport they are competing in. It is a tale as old as time, and this movie started the trend.
Nothing says spring like the smell of freshly cut grass on a baseball diamond, and in my opinion, nothing says America quite like the baseball movie. Sure the sport gets credit as the national past time, but Hollywood is uniquely American. This week film critic Noah Gittell discusses the history of baseball movies, which starts with players being mythic, god like heroes. Unfortunately is ends with them being considered as variables to be inserted into mathematical equations thanks to the era of analytics. But there is so much good stuff in between! We talk about weird baseball rules, his love of “Little Big League”, and whether “The Naked Gun” qualifies as a movie about baseball.
Noah Gittell on Social MediaWebsite
Substack
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Purchase “Baseball: The Movie”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Nothing says spring like the smell of freshly cut grass on a baseball diamond, and in my opinion, nothing says America quite like the baseball movie. Sure the sport gets credit as the national past time, but Hollywood is uniquely American. This week film critic Noah Gittell discusses the history of baseball movies, which starts with players being mythic, god like heroes. Unfortunately is ends with them being considered as variables to be inserted into mathematical equations thanks to the era of analytics. But there is so much good stuff in between! We talk about weird baseball rules, his love of “Little Big League”, and whether “The Naked Gun” qualifies as a movie about baseball.
Noah Gittell on Social MediaWebsite
Substack
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Purchase “Baseball: The Movie”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Since the 50’s, no woman has captured the attention of little girls everywhere quite like Barbie. Sure she is only 11 inches tall and made of plastic, but influence is global. This week I talk with M. G. Lord, one of the foremost experts on his iconic fashion doll. When it comes to her history, she definitely has some interesting nuggets most people don’t know about. We start with the complete theft of the Bild Lilli doll, and go through the conviction of Ruth Handler, Mattel’s co-founder. We also discuss Harold Matson, who literally put the “Matt” in Mattel, but got cold feet and sold his shares of the company a few weeks after founding. Then of course we cover Barbie as a fertility god, why she has such odd proportions, and how Disney played a part in her meteoric rise.
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on Jack Parsons
FGGGbT Ep. on Barbie
M. G. Lord on Social MediaWebsite
Facebook
Instagram
Purchase “Forever Barbie”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Since the 50’s, no woman has captured the attention of little girls everywhere quite like Barbie. Sure she is only 11 inches tall and made of plastic, but influence is global. This week I talk with M. G. Lord, one of the foremost experts on his iconic fashion doll. When it comes to her history, she definitely has some interesting nuggets most people don’t know about. We start with the complete theft of the Bild Lilli doll, and go through the conviction of Ruth Handler, Mattel’s co-founder. We also discuss Harold Matson, who literally put the “Matt” in Mattel, but got cold feet and sold his shares of the company a few weeks after founding. Then of course we cover Barbie as a fertility god, why she has such odd proportions, and how Disney played a part in her meteoric rise.
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on Jack Parsons
FGGGbT Ep. on Barbie
M. G. Lord on Social MediaWebsite
Facebook
Instagram
Purchase “Forever Barbie”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
In America, one organization has seemingly been in control of every industry we have at some point and time in our history. That group is known collectively as The Mob. From prostitution, to running unions, to funding government officials, some form of organized crime has been in control since the Mayflower. We are going to talk about one such industry today, an industry that is arguably our largest export: The Film Industry. Yes, in the early days of the film industry, Bugsy Siegel was sent over by one of the big crime families in New York to get in on the gold mine that was Hollywood. The first move was to take over the labor unions, so they could have the studios eating out of their hand in fear of a strike. The next was to bribe Hollywood starlets to extort money from the rich and famous. We also talk about a couple of other non-mob related characters who definitely employed mob-like tactics, including JFK’s criminal father Joseph Kennedy, and the famous mob fixer Sidney Korshak. Jeffrey Sussman takes us on a ride through the time the Mob ran Tinseltown, and if you like true crime, this is the episode for you!
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on Howard Hughes in Hollywood
Fascinating Nouns Ep. on The Klondike Film Find
Jeffrey Sussman on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
Purchase “Tinseltown Gangsters”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
In America, one organization has seemingly been in control of every industry we have at some point and time in our history. That group is known collectively as The Mob. From prostitution, to running unions, to funding government officials, some form of organized crime has been in control since the Mayflower. We are going to talk about one such industry today, an industry that is arguably our largest export: The Film Industry. Yes, in the early days of the film industry, Bugsy Siegel was sent over by one of the big crime families in New York to get in on the gold mine that was Hollywood. The first move was to take over the labor unions, so they could have the studios eating out of their hand in fear of a strike. The next was to bribe Hollywood starlets to extort money from the rich and famous. We also talk about a couple of other non-mob related characters who definitely employed mob-like tactics, including JFK’s criminal father Joseph Kennedy, and the famous mob fixer Sidney Korshak. Jeffrey Sussman takes us on a ride through the time the Mob ran Tinseltown, and if you like true crime, this is the episode for you!
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on Howard Hughes in Hollywood
Fascinating Nouns Ep. on The Klondike Film Find
Jeffrey Sussman on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
Purchase “Tinseltown Gangsters”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
The U.S. government has a pretty straight-laced reputation, but did you know that in the 60’s and 70’s, the CIA and Army Intelligence funded research into psychic phenomena? They sure did, and it was approved because the belief was that the Soviets were also doing it. Then the Soviets started doing it because they heard we were doing it. It gets VERY circular, but the fact remains: The U.S. government had several psychic spies in their employ, and not only were they tasked with several missions, they gathered a ton of actionable intelligence. President Jimmy Carter even credited them with finding and recovering a downed plane in the African jungle. One of the men at the center of that research was Russell Targ. We discuss his time researching psychic phenomena, as well as how he used it to make money in the stock market.
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on President’s Sex Lives
Fascinating Nouns Ep. on Marc Hartzman
Fascinating Nouns Ep. on Betty & Barney Hill Abduction
Paul H. Smith on Social MediaWebsite
Purchase “Essential Guide to Remote Viewing”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
The U.S. government has a pretty straight-laced reputation, but did you know that in the 60’s and 70’s, the CIA and Army Intelligence funded research into psychic phenomena? They sure did, and it was approved because the belief was that the Soviets were also doing it. Then the Soviets started doing it because they heard we were doing it. It gets VERY circular, but the fact remains: The U.S. government had several psychic spies in their employ, and not only were they tasked with several missions, they gathered a ton of actionable intelligence. President Jimmy Carter even credited them with finding and recovering a downed plane in the African jungle. One of the men at the center of that research was Russell Targ. We discuss his time researching psychic phenomena, as well as how he used it to make money in the stock market.
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on President’s Sex Lives
Fascinating Nouns Ep. on Marc Hartzman
Fascinating Nouns Ep. on Betty & Barney Hill Abduction
Paul H. Smith on Social MediaWebsite
Purchase “Essential Guide to Remote Viewing”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Before we finish, Russell lets me ask one final question about how Psychic Phenomenon works.
The U.S. government has a pretty straight-laced reputation, but did you know that in the 60’s and 70’s, the CIA and Army Intelligence funded research into psychic phenomena? They sure did, and it was approved because the belief was that the Soviets were also doing it. Then the Soviets started doing it because they heard we were doing it. It gets VERY circular, but the fact remains: The U.S. government had several psychic spies in their employ, and not only were they tasked with several missions, they gathered a ton of actionable intelligence. President Jimmy Carter even credited them with finding and recovering a downed plane in the African jungle. One of the men at the center of that research was Russell Targ. We discuss his time researching psychic phenomena, as well as how he used it to make money in the stock market.
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on Henry Gee
Russell on Social MediaWebsite
Purchase “Third Eye Spies”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
The U.S. government has a pretty straight-laced reputation, but did you know that in the 60’s and 70’s, the CIA and Army Intelligence funded research into psychic phenomena? They sure did, and it was approved because the belief was that the Soviets were also doing it. Then the Soviets started doing it because they heard we were doing it. It gets VERY circular, but the fact remains: The U.S. government had several psychic spies in their employ, and not only were they tasked with several missions, they gathered a ton of actionable intelligence. President Jimmy Carter even credited them with finding and recovering a downed plane in the African jungle. One of the men at the center of that research was Russell Targ. We discuss his time researching psychic phenomena, as well as how he used it to make money in the stock market.
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on Henry Gee
Russell on Social MediaWebsite
Purchase “Third Eye Spies”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Lemuria. If you are familiar with this place, you probably know it as a lost continent (akin to Atlantis), that was inhabited by higher beings who not live in the hollow Earth under Mt. Shasta in California. You may also believe that extraterrestrials seeded this continent with crystals before it sank to the bottom of the ocean. Some believe that this “lost continent” will resurface in the future, where it will act like a modern Eden, a complete paradise for human enlightenment. This is a million miles from the origin of of Lemuria, which was as a scientific theory to explain why there are lemurs in Madagascar. In this episode, I talk to researcher and archivist Justin McHenry about this conceptual evolution of Lemuria, and how it morphed so quickly. We also talk about other theories on how lemurs ended up on an island outside of Africa, which include a pregnant lemur falling into a raft, and floating all the way to Madagascar.
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on Erich von Daniken
Fascinating Nouns Ep. on Russell Targ
Fascinating Noune Ep. on Poe
Justin on Social MediaWebsite
Instagram
Purchase “Lemuria: A True Story of a Fake Place”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Lemuria. If you are familiar with this place, you probably know it as a lost continent (akin to Atlantis), that was inhabited by higher beings who not live in the hollow Earth under Mt. Shasta in California. You may also believe that extraterrestrials seeded this continent with crystals before it sank to the bottom of the ocean. Some believe that this “lost continent” will resurface in the future, where it will act like a modern Eden, a complete paradise for human enlightenment. This is a million miles from the origin of of Lemuria, which was as a scientific theory to explain why there are lemurs in Madagascar. In this episode, I talk to researcher and archivist Justin McHenry about this conceptual evolution of Lemuria, and how it morphed so quickly. We also talk about other theories on how lemurs ended up on an island outside of Africa, which include a pregnant lemur falling into a raft, and floating all the way to Madagascar.
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on Erich von Daniken
Fascinating Nouns Ep. on Russell Targ
Fascinating Noune Ep. on Poe
Justin on Social MediaWebsite
Instagram
Purchase “Lemuria: A True Story of a Fake Place”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Science Fiction has had a prolific run on television. I bet some of your favorite shows have elements of Sci-Fi in them whether you know it or not. Westworld, The Mandalorian, and Stranger Things are just a few of the blockbuster shows driving you to your tv set. If you go way back, before Lost, before the X-files, before Star Trek, and even before The Twilight Zone, there was a little syndicated show in the 50’s called Science Fiction Theater. It was the first of its kind, and not only was the prototype for Sci-fi, but for all the anthology shows to follow, like American Horror Story and even Tales from the Crypt. This week I discuss this almost forgotten, but truly groundbreaking show.
Podcasts We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on The Klondike Film Find
Jay on Social MediaWebsite
Purchase “Science Fiction Theater”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Science Fiction has had a prolific run on television. I bet some of your favorite shows have elements of Sci-Fi in them whether you know it or not. Westworld, The Mandalorian, and Stranger Things are just a few of the blockbuster shows driving you to your tv set. If you go way back, before Lost, before the X-files, before Star Trek, and even before The Twilight Zone, there was a little syndicated show in the 50’s called Science Fiction Theater. It was the first of its kind, and not only was the prototype for Sci-fi, but for all the anthology shows to follow, like American Horror Story and even Tales from the Crypt. This week I discuss this almost forgotten, but truly groundbreaking show.
Podcasts We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on The Klondike Film Find
Jay on Social MediaWebsite
Purchase “Science Fiction Theater”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
An extraordinarily rare event is going to happen in 2024: Two periodical cicada broods will be emerging at the same time, covering both the South and the Midwest in large, droning insects for six weeks this summer. How rare are we talking here? How about once every 221 years level of rare? The last time these two broods came out at the same time, Thomas Jefferson was president. He even wrote about them in his garden notes! This week I sit down with cicada expert Dr. Gene Kritsky and we discuss what makes these guys so special. Is it that they spend 13 or 17 years underground sucking on tree roots? Is it that the females lay eggs with what amounts to a hollow steak knife? Or maybe it is that their survival strategy consists of emerging in such large numbers that predators get sick of eating them in a week and a half? I saw it is all three. Listen and learn how YOU can be a part of this historic event.
Articles We MentionedThe Mind Altering Parasite That Turns Cicadas Into Mindless Sex Bots
Cicadas Molting
Gene on Social MediaWebsite
Purchase “A Tale of Two Broods”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
An extraordinarily rare event is going to happen in 2024: Two periodical cicada broods will be emerging at the same time, covering both the South and the Midwest in large, droning insects for six weeks this summer. How rare are we talking here? How about once every 221 years level of rare? The last time these two broods came out at the same time, Thomas Jefferson was president. He even wrote about them in his garden notes! This week I sit down with cicada expert Dr. Gene Kritsky and we discuss what makes these guys so special. Is it that they spend 13 or 17 years underground sucking on tree roots? Is it that the females lay eggs with what amounts to a hollow steak knife? Or maybe it is that their survival strategy consists of emerging in such large numbers that predators get sick of eating them in a week and a half? I saw it is all three. Listen and learn how YOU can be a part of this historic event.
Articles We MentionedThe Mind Altering Parasite That Turns Cicadas Into Mindless Sex Bots
Cicadas Molting
Gene on Social MediaWebsite
Purchase “A Tale of Two Broods”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Edgar Allan Poe was the original Gloomy Gus right? Writing horror stories alone, in a dilapidated mansion, with only the company of a red-eyed raven to keep him sane. Most people probably believe his life was actually in black and white. Turns out this is NOT the case! He played flutes at parties, solved ciphers and puzzles for a magazine, was a ladies man, and even challenged a man to a duel. I love these quirky personality features and luckily Mark Dawidziak has chronicled him in his latest book “Mysteries of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe”. Mark and I will do our best to dispel the caricature of Poe as the patron saint of the goths and show his a more well-rounded personality.
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on Sherlock Holmes
Fascinating Nouns Ep. on H. H. Holmes
Articles We MentionedThe Poe Toaster
Rufus Griswold Obituary of Poe
Mark on Social MediaWebsite
Purchase “Mystery of Mysteries”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Edgar Allan Poe was the original Gloomy Gus right? Writing horror stories alone, in a dilapidated mansion, with only the company of a red-eyed raven to keep him sane. Most people probably believe his life was actually in black and white. Turns out this is NOT the case! He played flutes at parties, solved ciphers and puzzles for a magazine, was a ladies man, and even challenged a man to a duel. I love these quirky personality features and luckily Mark Dawidziak has chronicled him in his latest book “Mysteries of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe”. Mark and I will do our best to dispel the caricature of Poe as the patron saint of the goths and show his a more well-rounded personality.
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on Sherlock Holmes
Fascinating Nouns Ep. on H. H. Holmes
Articles We MentionedThe Poe Toaster
Rufus Griswold Obituary of Poe
Mark on Social MediaWebsite
Purchase “Mystery of Mysteries”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Contrary to popular movies, most art crime is NOT perpetrate by some private art collector in order to enhance their collection. Oh well there is one notable exception: Pablo Picasso! Check out this bonus episode and learn how Picasso got wrapped up in the Mona Lisa caper, and what he actually had stolen.
Just the mention of the name “Mona Lisa” sparks images of a cherub faced woman, half-smiling, hanging on a wall at the Louvre. This is true of almost EVERYONE on the planet, but that was not always the case. As a matter of fact, the Mona Lisa is kind of famous for being famous, and all that started with it being stolen from the Louvre in 1911. Noah Charney is a Art History expert with an exceptional knowledge of art crime, and the tale he weaves is really unbelievable. Almost as unbelievable as there being three Noah Charney’s in the world, all to the day exactly the same age. That is also really true and you will learn everything in this episode.
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on Art Theft w/ Anthony Amore
Articles We MentionedTimes The Mona Lisa was Stolen or Defaced
Soup Thrown at the Mona Lisa
Cake Smeared on the Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa Missing Documentary
Noah Charney Ted Talk
Noah on Social MediaWebsite
Association for Research on Crimes Against Art
Instagram
X (Twitter)
Purchase “The Thefts of the Mona Lisa”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Just the mention of the name “Mona Lisa” sparks images of a cherub faced woman, half-smiling, hanging on a wall at the Louvre. This is true of almost EVERYONE on the planet, but that was not always the case. As a matter of fact, the Mona Lisa is kind of famous for being famous, and […]
As humans continue to sprawl into every known corner of the world, reproducing at a unsustainable rate, more and more we are invading on turf currently occupied by wild animals. You may encounter these guys while walking to the garbage, or may even see them IN your garbage, depending on the time of day. I […]
I don’t know about you, but I enjoy the outdoors. Hiking can be a fun past time, but depending on where you go there is always a chance that you could run into a dangerous animal. So what do you do? Are you supposed to look intimidating or play dead? Do you run to climb […]
I don’t know about you, but I enjoy the outdoors. Hiking can be a fun past time, but depending on where you go there is always a chance that you could run into a dangerous animal. So what do you do? Are you supposed to look intimidating or play dead? Do you run to climb […]
No one knows how it all will end. Will we blow ourselves up in a fiery nuclear explosion? Will an asteroid smash into the Earth giving us the dinosaur treatment? Will some new virus wipe out humanity before we have a chance to counter its spread? While we can’t see the future, we can chronicle […]
No one knows how it all will end. Will we blow ourselves up in a fiery nuclear explosion? Will an asteroid smash into the Earth giving us the dinosaur treatment? Will some new virus wipe out humanity before we have a chance to counter its spread? While we can’t see the future, we can chronicle […]
As the center of the hippie movement, California has a long history of cults and communes. In this bones episode, we tell the story of how religious groups helped popularize the modern Vegetarian movement, as well as the sordid background of the beloved Kettle Chips.
When it comes to spiritual belief, the United States is very unique. Since religion is protected by the first amendment, the country has been fertile ground to many spiritual groups, cults, communes, and other religious groups. Some have taken an isolation approach, and if your group is remote, you will have to grow and make […]
When it comes to spiritual belief, the United States is very unique. Since religion is protected by the first amendment, the country has been fertile ground to many spiritual groups, cults, communes, and other religious groups. Some have taken an isolation approach, and if your group is remote, you will have to grow and make […]
When it comes to the UFO phenomenon, we have discussed a lot of it on this show, including The Battle of Los Angeles, Betty & Barney Hill, Roswell, the Jackie Gleason/Richard Nixon alien encounter, and John Dover’s experiences on the Navajo Nation. This is a lot, but can you believe there’s more?! This week I […]
When it comes to the UFO phenomenon, we have discussed a lot of it on this show, including The Battle of Los Angeles, Betty & Barney Hill, Roswell, the Jackie Gleason/Richard Nixon alien encounter, and John Dover’s experiences on the Navajo Nation. This is a lot, but can you believe there’s more?! This week I […]
After the Civil War, people came out west for many reasons: Gold, work on the railroads, religious freedom, saloon poker, or to rob banks just to name a few. Some of these people would end up in boom towns, which exploded in population very quickly then died off to nothing in a few years. If […]
After the Civil War, people came out west for many reasons: Gold, work on the railroads, religious freedom, saloon poker, or to rob banks just to name a few. Some of these people would end up in boom towns, which exploded in population very quickly then died off to nothing in a few years. If […]
In the name of research, Dr. Meals attended a bodybuilding contest to learn more about the inner workings. It takes a lot to get muscles to look that big. We even get into its history, first discussing the original weightlifter, who carried an ox calf every day until it was fully grown, to the originator […]
Dr. Roy Meals is an orthopedic surgeon who is an expert in the musculoskeletal system. As such, he has dubbed muscles “The World’s Perfect Motor”. Cardiac muscle is designed to contract 70 times a minute for 100 years. The more you stress skeletal muscle, the stronger it gets. Muscles can be powered by spinach, oatmeal, […]
Dr. Roy Meals is an orthopedic surgeon who is an expert in the musculoskeletal system. As such, he has dubbed muscles “The World’s Perfect Motor”. Cardiac muscle is designed to contract 70 times a minute for 100 years. The more you stress skeletal muscle, the stronger it gets. Muscles can be powered by spinach, oatmeal, […]
From Jack The Ripper to Hannibal Lector, we have been obsessed with murderers in our horror movies. I talk with Brad for a few more minutes about Psycho, Silence of the Lambs, and how serial killers are the true apex predators.
Besides haunted houses and trick or treating, what’s the third most popular way to celebrate Halloween? By watching horror movies! To celebrate Halloween this year, I discuss some of my favorite scary movies w/ Brad Weismann, author of “Horror Unmasked”. We talk about The Universal Monsters, Stephen King, zombies, and how the Atom Bomb changed […]
Besides haunted houses and trick or treating, what’s the third most popular way to celebrate Halloween? By watching horror movies! To celebrate Halloween this year, I discuss some of my favorite scary movies w/ Brad Weismann, author of “Horror Unmasked”. We talk about The Universal Monsters, Stephen King, zombies, and how the Atom Bomb changed […]
Kurt Kuersteiner is a mini master of horror: He runs one of the largest haunted houses in Florida called “The Terror of Tallahassee”, he is the founder of Monster Wax, a unique trading card company that specializes in horror themed card sets, and he wrote the book on famous horror hosts of old time radio. […]
Kurt Kuersteiner is a mini master of horror: He runs one of the largest haunted houses in Florida called “The Terror of Tallahassee”, he is the founder of Monster Wax, a unique trading card company that specializes in horror themed card sets, and he wrote the book on famous horror hosts of old time radio. […]
Ricin is a poison that occurs naturally in Castor seeds. Listen to two stories about this deadly substance, one that involved an umbrella in Russia, and the other which took place in a retirement community.
For some people, Halloween is about exploring the dark side, and nothing is darker than murder. You could argue that poisons are the most insidious manner of elimination, and while we have discussed famous poisonings in history, and even the dangers of every day chemicals, we have not gone into exactly how poisons effect the […]
For some people, Halloween is about exploring the dark side, and nothing is darker than murder. You could argue that poisons are the most insidious manner of elimination, and while we have discussed famous poisonings in history, and even the dangers of every day chemicals, we have not gone into exactly how poisons effect the […]
As we kickoff the Halloween season, I thought it would be fun to explore what many believe is the scariest movie of all time: ‘The Exorcist’. Allegedly based on a true story, This movie chronicles how one girl is slowly possessed by a rogue demon, and what it takes for two Catholic priests to exorcise […]
As we kickoff the Halloween season, I thought it would be fun to explore what many believe is the scariest movie of all time: ‘The Exorcist’. Allegedly based on a true story, This movie chronicles how one girl is slowly possessed by a rogue demon, and what it takes for two Catholic priests to exorcise […]
As summer comes to an end, it seems appropriate to chronicle one of the most iconic American foods ever: The hamburger. If you have ever gone on a road trip, this is the most ubiquitous meal at any rest stop. These days, you have several options from national fast food chains like McDonalds, Burger King, and Wendy’s, but it wasn’t always like that. Most people think the fast food revolution happened in the 50’s and 60’s, but it turns out, 1921 was the magical year. Yes 102 years ago. This week, we are going to talk about the second oldest fast food chain in the U.S., Kewpee Hamburg Hotels, which was founded in 1923. This is their centennial, and in celebration, we are going to discuss all the innovations this small, and obscure chain contributed to American food, including the Drive-Thru, Curbside service, the flat bun, and the Deluxe Hamburger. We will also discuss how Dave Thomas and Col. Harland Sanders met, and the influence Kewpee had on Wendy’s and In N Out Burger.
Episodes We MentionedFascinating Nouns Ep. on Aging Whiskey
Fascinating Nouns Ep. on Local Newspapers
Gary Flinn on Social MediaFacebook
Purchase “Kewpee Hamburgers”
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
As summer comes to an end, it seems appropriate to chronicle one of the most iconic American foods ever: The hamburger. If you have ever gone on a road trip, this is the most ubiquitous meal at any rest stop. These days, you have several options from national fast food chains like McDonalds, Burger King, […]
Loeb & Leopold were completely inseparable throughout their life, and to historians their names are forever linked. To Leopold, Loeb was his best friend, lover, and prison confidant, so what happened when Loeb was brutally murdered? Well Leopold carried on, albeit in an almost permanent state of depression…that is until he was paroled to Puerto […]
Almost 100 years ago, Loeb & Leopold shocked the world by murdering a fourteen year old kid by the name of Bobby Franks. Why was this called “The Trial of the Century”? Well Loeb and Leopold were brilliant students, and their families were extremely affluent. The goal was to pull off the perfect kidnapping/ransom scheme, […]
Almost 100 years ago, Loeb & Leopold shocked the world by murdering a fourteen year old kid by the name of Bobby Franks. Why was this called “The Trial of the Century”? Well Loeb and Leopold were brilliant students, and their families were extremely affluent. The goal was to pull off the perfect kidnapping/ransom scheme, […]
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of the most beloved fantasy stories of all time. The magic of Middle-Earth, the longevity of the elves, the power of Gandalf, and the insidious Sauron are all staples in in pop culture. But the term “magic” bothers some people, in particular Henry Gee, who believes that […]
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of the most beloved fantasy stories of all time. The magic of Middle-Earth, the longevity of the elves, the power of Gandalf, and the insidious Sauron are all staples in in pop culture. But the term “magic” bothers some people, in particular Henry Gee, who believes that […]
Over the last few months, we have seen quite a few reports and whistleblower testimony that the United States is in possession of downed alien craft. If we entertain this notion for a second, it requires us to reexamine ALL the UFO stories since at least Roswell and consider the possibility that could be factual. […]
Over the last few months, we have seen quite a few reports and whistleblower testimony that the United States is in possession of downed alien craft. If we entertain this notion for a second, it requires us to reexamine ALL the UFO stories since at least Roswell and consider the possibility that could be factual. […]
In 1978 on a random cold day in Dawson City (Isn’t it always cold there?), over 500 reels of silent film were uncovered at the site of a demolished skating rink. After a few moments of consideration, people quickly realized that this could potentially be a priceless cache of one-of-a-kind movies. Michael Gates was there […]
Bonus Klondike Characters in Hollywood The Boom years of Dawson City generated some of the most influential characters in Hollywood history. In this bonus episode, we discuss “Fatty” Arbuckle, Sid Grauman, Alex Pantages, Jack London, Robert Service, and many others!
In 1978 on a random cold day in Dawson City (Isn’t it always cold there?), over 500 reels of silent film were uncovered at the site of a demolished skating rink. After a few moments of consideration, people quickly realized that this could potentially be a priceless cache of one-of-a-kind movies. Michael Gates was there […]
Many of you know me as the Analytical Mastermind, and did you know that the great Sherlock Holmes referred to himself as the Analytical Reasoner in one of his many tales? And the similarities between him and I don’t end there: We both have redefined men’s fashion, both love a good magnifying glass, and we […]
Many of you know me as the Analytical Mastermind, and did you know that the great Sherlock Holmes referred to himself as the Analytical Reasoner in one of his many tales? And the similarities between him and I don’t end there: We both have redefined men’s fashion, both love a good magnifying glass, and we […]
If you live in a big city, you may have come across a mysterious comic booklet, one that may have appeared to spring up out of nowhere. Maybe you found it in an old phone booth, or possibly at the grocery store. You may have even found one sitting on top of your favorite gas […]
Bonus Meeting Jack Chick
I continue my conversation with Kurt, as we talk about the time he met the elusive entity known as Jack Chick. He goal was to uncover the identity of the mysterious third artist for Chick Publications, which he did end up doing. Plus we talk about the main artist, the extremely talented Fred Carter and how his and Jack’s relationship paralleled Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
If you live in a big city, you may have come across a mysterious comic booklet, one that may have appeared to spring up out of nowhere. Maybe you found it in an old phone booth, or possibly at the grocery store. You may have even found one sitting on top of your favorite gas pump. That’s how I found mine. They are usually in all black and white, and they tell the story of some lost soul who can’t stop sinning, but these books, through the power of comics, tell the reader how to find Jesus and save themselves from eternal damnation. I know this sounds very specific, but it is true: There is an invisible infrastructure of people who buy these little booklets and leave them all around the city for people to find. They all started with a guy named Jack Chick who made it his mission to save humanity from itself. While this is a noble cause, not everyone sees it that way. This week I talk to Kurt Kuersteiner, about the origin of Chick Tracts, how they became so involved with conspiracies, and why it seems like there just might be a higher power tipping the scales in Jack’s favor.
Kurt Kuersteiner on Social MediaGo Long TD
Twitter
Instagram
Buy The Book: The Blood & Guts
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
The popularity of (American) football in America can’t be overstated: Even by rough estimates, it’s a bazillion dollar industry, and when on television, it is the most watched event in the time slot. It is also almost solely a United States thing, which I totally understand. The rules can be a little difficult to follow, and unfortunately they seem to change from year to year. Also the positions are not as clear cut as in other popular sports. Everyone knows what a baseball pitcher does, or what a basketball center is good at, but do you have any idea what a football tight end does? Probably not, but the short answer is “everything”. Luckily this week I have author Tyler Dunne on the show to talk about his new book “The Blood and Guts“, which is all about the tight end position. We will break down why the position is important, and how it encapsulates the entire sport. We also will talk about how Tyler was almost named “Rocco”, where he spent his college football career, and how Gumby influenced his decision to root for the Packers.
Tyler Dunne on Social MediaGo Long TD
Twitter
Instagram
Buy The Book: The Blood & Guts
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
The popularity of (American) football in America can’t be overstated: Even by rough estimates, it’s a bazillion dollar industry, and when on television, it is the most watched event in the time slot. It is also almost solely a United States thing, which I totally understand. The rules can be a little difficult to follow, and unfortunately they seem to change from year to year. Also the positions are not as clear cut as in other popular sports. Everyone knows what a baseball pitcher does, or what a basketball center is good at, but do you have any idea what a football tight end does? Probably not, but the short answer is “everything”. Luckily this week I have author Tyler Dunne on the show to talk about his new book “The Blood and Guts“, which is all about the tight end position. We will break down why the position is important, and how it encapsulates the entire sport. We also will talk about how Tyler was almost named “Rocco”, where he spent his college football career, and how Gumby influenced his decision to root for the Packers.
Tyler Dunne on Social MediaGo Long TD
Twitter
Instagram
Buy The Book: The Blood & Guts
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Many of you may not remember a time before computers, but it is true, they haven’t always existed. As a matter of fact, life before computers was very different. They filled a human need to interact, and AOL was the first software to really connect the world via chat rooms. Here you could talk with people all over the world about any topic. And they were totally random. You had no idea what you were getting. This need to connect continued, and through the natural course of evolution, AOL became Friendster, then Myspace, and before you know it, there are a bunch of social media platforms all vying for our attention. The more we use these platforms, the more they learn about us. The more they learn about us, the more they change to capture our attention, which changes how we interact with them, and so on. This runaway feedback loop is how these platforms became Meganets, and this week, David Auerbach tells the story on how these Meganets have quietly taken over modern society.
David Auerbach on Social MediaDavid’s Website
Twitter
Substack
Buy The Book: Meganets
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Many of you may not remember a time before computers, but it is true, they haven’t always existed. As a matter of fact, life before computers was very different. They filled a human need to interact, and AOL was the first software to really connect the world via chat rooms. Here you could talk with people all over the world about any topic. And they were totally random. You had no idea what you were getting. This need to connect continued, and through the natural course of evolution, AOL became Friendster, then Myspace, and before you know it, there are a bunch of social media platforms all vying for our attention. The more we use these platforms, the more they learn about us. The more they learn about us, the more they change to capture our attention, which changes how we interact with them, and so on. This runaway feedback loop is how these platforms became Meganets, and this week, David Auerbach tells the story on how these Meganets have quietly taken over modern society.
David Auerbach on Social MediaDavid’s Website
Twitter
Substack
Buy The Book: Meganets
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Ever since the DuPont company inspired the adage “Better Living Through Chemistry”, the number of chemicals that have infiltrated our everyday life has grown exponentially. Some are derived from naturally occurring substances, some are completely synthetic. All are truly unknowns. I could run a list of chemicals that were touted as miracles at the time, and were later found to be completely toxic (Cigarettes, DDT, and Leaded Gasoline come to mind). So how do we know what is safe, and who can we trust to give us an honest answer? One man comes to mind: Toxicologist Dr. Gerald LeBlanc. Today we discuss his new book Everyday Chemicals, and hopefully we will arm you with the knowledge to determine for yourself whether that chemical is good, bad, or unhealthy.
Dr. Gerald LeBlanc on Social MediaGerald’s Website
Twitter
Buy The Book: Everyday Chemicals
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Ever since the DuPont company inspired the adage “Better Living Through Chemistry”, the number of chemicals that have infiltrated our everyday life has grown exponentially. Some are derived from naturally occurring substances, some are completely synthetic. All are truly unknowns. I could run a list of chemicals that were touted as miracles at the time, and were later found to be completely toxic (Cigarettes, DDT, and Leaded Gasoline come to mind). So how do we know what is safe, and who can we trust to give us an honest answer? One man comes to mind: Toxicologist Dr. Gerald LeBlanc. Today we discuss his new book Everyday Chemicals, and hopefully we will arm you with the knowledge to determine for yourself whether that chemical is good, bad, or unhealthy.
Dr. Gerald LeBlanc on Social MediaGerald’s Website
Twitter
Buy The Book: Everyday Chemicals
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
John Dover is back on the show, this time to talk about strange things in the sky and how they got there. Since our last discussion, John has appeared on several shows, including Unsolved Mysteries and The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch. On the latter, he was brought on as a petroglyph expert, interpreting strange symbols carved into the rocks. One such symbol was a spiral, and John believes that may denote a portal to another dimension, which would mean that phenomenon has been happening on the ranch for thousands of years. We also discuss UAPs/UFOs, including one that followed him on a long stretch of rural highway. Plus conversations about Tesla, the power of analogue technology, and the significance of hot dog water in your oil filter.
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
John Dover is back on the show, this time to talk about strange things in the sky and how they got there. Since our last discussion, John has appeared on several shows, including Unsolved Mysteries and The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch. On the latter, he was brought on as a petroglyph expert, interpreting strange symbols carved into the rocks. One such symbol was a spiral, and John believes that may denote a portal to another dimension, which would mean that phenomenon has been happening on the ranch for thousands of years. We also discuss UAPs/UFOs, including one that followed him on a long stretch of rural highway. Plus conversations about Tesla, the power of analogue technology, and the significance of hot dog water in your oil filter.
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
In this bonus episode, Adam sticks around to discuss the overlap between pro wrestling and game show fans, my new love of Survivor, and he explains the enigma that is The Monty Hall Problem.
Even if you have never watched a classic game show, my guess is that you have heard of Monty Hall. He is best known for his multi-decades work on “Let’s Make a Deal”, but was also a game show creator, actor, author, and record setting philanthropist. This week I induct Adam Nedeff into the “Two Timers” club as we discuss his latest book on Monty Hall. We get into the clever way Monty captured the essence of FOMO, his strange relationship with the audience, the fundamentals of game show psychology, why everyone dressed in Halloween costumes, and the time he turned down two free yachts. Oh and and we explain why Betty White has more game show Emmys than Monty.
Adam Nedeff on Social MediaFacebook
Buy The Book: Monty Hall – TV’s Big Dealer
Museum of Play – Game Show Archive
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Even if you have never watched a classic game show, my guess is that you have heard of Monty Hall. He is best known for his multi-decades work on “Let’s Make a Deal”, but was also a game show creator, actor, author, and record setting philanthropist. This week I induct Adam Nedeff into the “Two Timers” club as we discuss his latest book on Monty Hall. We get into the clever way Monty captured the essence of FOMO, his strange relationship with the audience, the fundamentals of game show psychology, why everyone dressed in Halloween costumes, and the time he turned down two free yachts. Oh and and we explain why Betty White has more game show Emmys than Monty.
Adam Nedeff on Social MediaFacebook
Buy The Book: Monty Hall – TV’s Big Dealer
Museum of Play – Game Show Archive
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
All good things must come to an end, although in this case it is really more like all good things must morph into something else. The O.S.S. does become the C.I.A., but not before we talk about the search for a truth serum, their work with marijuana, and how Stanley Lovell turns his attention to refuting Shakespearean authorship.
In the early ears of World War II, FDR was convinced that the United States needed to develop an intelligence agency of their own. He appointed William Donovan as the “Coordinator of Information”, which eventually developed into the “Office of Strategic Services”. This organization becomes responsible for all sorts of spy craft, and when Stanley Lovell comes on board, things really kick into gear. Over the course of the war, this group was responsible for a lot of pivotal innovations, including the invention of Napalm, a documents forging department, and a silent, flash-less pistol. They also have some monumental duds, including bat bombs, kitty bombs, and a plan to remove Hitler’s mustache. John Lisle documents them all in his new book “The Dirty Tricks Department”, and we get into some of the more fantastical elements in this episode.
John Lisle on Social MediaJohn’s Website
Twitter
Buy The Book: The Dirty Tricks Dept.
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
In the early ears of World War II, FDR was convinced that the United States needed to develop an intelligence agency of their own. He appointed William Donovan as the “Coordinator of Information”, which eventually developed into the “Office of Strategic Services”. This organization becomes responsible for all sorts of spy craft, and when Stanley Lovell comes on board, things really kick into gear. Over the course of the war, this group was responsible for a lot of pivotal innovations, including the invention of Napalm, a documents forging department, and a silent, flash-less pistol. They also have some monumental duds, including bat bombs, kitty bombs, and a plan to remove Hitler’s mustache. John Lisle documents them all in his new book “The Dirty Tricks Department”, and we get into some of the more fantastical elements in this episode.
John Lisle on Social MediaJohn’s Website
Twitter
Buy The Book: The Dirty Tricks Dept.
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Greg DeSanto is the current Executive Director of the International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center. Before that, he spent 10 years touring with the Ringling Bros. circus, and has accumulated a total of 38 years as a professional clown. His road to becoming a professional clown was as strange as you would think. In this episode, Greg tells me about his desires to be a stage performer, how he discovered Clown College, what it was like to live on a train for a decade, and how he found out that he was a world class pie thrower. He also shares some secrets of the trade, including how they fit so many people into that clown car.
Greg DeSanto on Social MediaInternational Clown Hall of Fame website
Instagram
Facebook
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Greg DeSanto is the current Executive Director of the International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center. Before that, he spent 10 years touring with the Ringling Bros. circus, and has accumulated a total of 38 years as a professional clown. His road to becoming a professional clown was as strange as you would think. In this episode, Greg tells me about his desires to be a stage performer, how he discovered Clown College, what it was like to live on a train for a decade, and how he found out that he was a world class pie thrower. He also shares some secrets of the trade, including how they fit so many people into that clown car.
Greg DeSanto on Social MediaInternational Clown Hall of Fame website
Instagram
Facebook
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
I am guessing some of you reading this had NO IDEA that local newspapers still exist. Others may have no idea what a newspaper even is. Admittedly this is a dying industry, and yet, local family owned newspapers are more important than ever before. Small towns are unique for their ability to connect entire communities. I don’t know everyone in Los Angeles, but I knew everyone in my hometown of Braidwood, Illinois. At the center of that community is The Braidwood Journal, which still keeps me up to date on what is happening in town. This connection and ability to create a community is more important than ever before. That is the message Dave Hoekstra is spreading in his new book “Beacons in the Darkness”. I talk with him about all things news including his habit of clipping headlines, the newspaper owner who bought all his subscribers iPads, why trust in news is so important, and finally he updates me on his RV, which apparently is now home to a family of squirrels.
Dave Hoekstra on Social MediaWebsite
Beacons in the Darkness
Twitter
Facebook
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
I am guessing some of you reading this had NO IDEA that local newspapers still exist. Others may have no idea what a newspaper even is. Admittedly this is a dying industry, and yet, local family owned newspapers are more important than ever before. Small towns are unique for their ability to connect entire communities. I don’t know everyone in Los Angeles, but I knew everyone in my hometown of Braidwood, Illinois. At the center of that community is The Braidwood Journal, which still keeps me up to date on what is happening in town. This connection and ability to create a community is more important than ever before. That is the message Dave Hoekstra is spreading in his new book “Beacons in the Darkness”. I talk with him about all things news including his habit of clipping headlines, the newspaper owner who bought all his subscribers iPads, why trust in news is so important, and finally he updates me on his RV, which apparently is now home to a family of squirrels.
Dave Hoekstra on Social MediaWebsite
Beacons in the Darkness
Twitter
Facebook
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
What do Ghostbusters, The Fly, The Blob, and Xenomorphs have in common? They are all covered in slime! In this bonus episode, Susanne and I discuss how slime is portrayed in movies and how this came to be. Here is a teaser: It has a lot to do with the human disgust response why we are revolted by all things glistening.
Biological slime, the goo that is produced purposefully by a creature, is both the most disgusting AND the most versatile substance known to man. For example, a snail produces a slime that is slippery so that it can gracefully glide across the sidewalk, but that same substance also acts as a glue that keeps the snail attached to the surface. A hagfish produces a slime so thick and fibrous that it looks like spun cotton, and it is so dense it can choke a shark. The craziest thing is: Slime is mostly water! 98% water in fact. You know this stuff is right up my alley, so I got in touch with the world’s foremost expert on Slime: Susanne Wedlich. We talk about every ooze imaginable, from lubricated fish that live in the buttholes of sea cucumbers, to the stuff that coats our teeth every night. By the end of this interview you may still think slime is gross, but you will also have a respect for its borderline magical properties as well.
Susanne Wedlich on Social MediaMain Website
Twitter
To Purchase: Sweet Invention
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Biological slime, the goo that is produced purposefully by a creature, is both the most disgusting AND the most versatile substance known to man. For example, a snail produces a slime that is slippery so that it can gracefully glide across the sidewalk, but that same substance also acts as a glue that keeps the snail attached to the surface. A hagfish produces a slime so thick and fibrous that it looks like spun cotton, and it is so dense it can choke a shark. The craziest thing is: Slime is mostly water! 98% water in fact. You know this stuff is right up my alley, so I got in touch with the world’s foremost expert on Slime: Susanne Wedlich. We talk about every ooze imaginable, from lubricated fish that live in the buttholes of sea cucumbers, to the stuff that coats our teeth every night. By the end of this interview you may still think slime is gross, but you will also have a respect for its borderline magical properties as well.
Susanne Wedlich on Social MediaMain Website
Twitter
To Purchase: Sweet Invention
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Thanksgiving has become the forgotten holiday, that thing that is sandwiched between Halloween and Christmas. Even though it is a little late, we are going to give Turkey Day it’s due by discussing it’s most defining characteristic (after turkey of course): PIES! Michael Krondl tells us the origins of three distinct favorites: Apple, Pecan, and of course Pumpkin! You will never look at puree the same way again.
Dessert is a funny thing: It is typically the last course of a meal, is usually a delicious sweet treat, usually made of sugar, and always completely devoid of nutrients. It is also a very modern invention, having been invented in the past few hundred years or so. Today food historian Michael Krondl is going to walk us through a brief timeline of dessert, and then tell us about treats that are specific to the holidays. You may have noticed how Christmas and Hanukkah have very specific and unique dishes that you only see at the end of the year. Why are Christmas foods full of spice? What is so important about the potato latke? Why do I love gelt so much? How come the French love making cakes that look like a tree stump? All is revealed in our latest holiday episode!
Michael Krondl on Social MediaMain Website
Instagram
To Purchase: Sweet Invention
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Dessert is a funny thing: It is typically the last course of a meal, is usually a delicious sweet treat, usually made of sugar, and always completely devoid of nutrients. It is also a very modern invention, having been invented in the past few hundred years or so. Today food historian Michael Krondl is going to walk us through a brief timeline of dessert, and then tell us about treats that are specific to the holidays. You may have noticed how Christmas and Hanukkah have very specific and unique dishes that you only see at the end of the year. Why are Christmas foods full of spice? What is so important about the potato latke? Why do I love gelt so much? How come the French love making cakes that look like a tree stump? All is revealed in our latest holiday episode!
Michael Krondl on Social MediaMain Website
Instagram
To Purchase: Sweet Invention
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
When I think of small talk, my mind immediately goes to thoughts of my grandma, who loves to discuss the weather. This line of questioning seems at best unnecessary, at worst it is a complete waste of time. This is not so! Debra Fine is the master of small talk, and she insists that proper small talk leads to everything. You have to start somewhere, and small talk is the way people get to know each other, without any real stakes. Getting to know someone is how you make friends, and making friends is how you can grow your network. Plus everyone could use some sharpening of their conversational skills. This week, not only will we tell you what you should focus on, we will also tell you what you SHOULDN’T do, including monopolizing a conversation. What do you do if you end up in this situation and can’t get out? Listen to find out!
Debra Fine on Social MediaMain Website
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
To Purchase: The Fine Art Of Small Talk
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
When I think of small talk, my mind immediately goes to thoughts of my grandma, who loves to discuss the weather. This line of questioning seems at best unnecessary, at worst it is a complete waste of time. This is not so! Debra Fine is the master of small talk, and she insists that proper small talk leads to everything. You have to start somewhere, and small talk is the way people get to know each other, without any real stakes. Getting to know someone is how you make friends, and making friends is how you can grow your network. Plus everyone could use some sharpening of their conversational skills. This week, not only will we tell you what you should focus on, we will also tell you what you SHOULDN’T do, including monopolizing a conversation. What do you do if you end up in this situation and can’t get out? Listen to find out!
Debra Fine on Social MediaMain Website
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
To Purchase: The Fine Art Of Small Talk
Fascinating Nouns on Social MediaFacebook
Twitter
YouTube
Like all uncool grown-ups, I believe that the music of my generation was the best. I happened to have lived my formative years in the 90’s, so it is all Gangsta Rap and Grunge Rock. I also only listen to popular music. I never had interest in any independent rock scene, it just wasn’t my […]
Like all uncool grown-ups, I believe that the music of my generation was the best. I happened to have lived my formative years in the 90’s, so it is all Gangsta Rap and Grunge Rock. I also only listen to popular music. I never had interest in any independent rock scene, it just wasn’t my […]
Fantasy has never been more popular. Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings, and even the Harry Potter series has made sword and sorcery commonplace. For the sci-fi fans out there, the Star Wars movies are filled with Jedi lightsaber battles, complete with the same parries, thrusts, and disarms found on the medieval battlefield. […]
Fantasy has never been more popular. Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings, and even the Harry Potter series has made sword and sorcery commonplace. For the sci-fi fans out there, the Star Wars movies are filled with Jedi lightsaber battles, complete with the same parries, thrusts, and disarms found on the medieval battlefield. […]
In the intro for the show, we talk about having the “Weird, Wild, and Wacky” on the program, and this week we literally have two of the three. This week, we celebrate Halloween but discussing The Weird West, which is a genre of storytelling that is basically The Wild West crosses with either supernatural and/or […]
In the intro for the show, we talk about having the “Weird, Wild, and Wacky” on the program, and this week we literally have two of the three. This week, we celebrate Halloween but discussing The Weird West, which is a genre of storytelling that is basically The Wild West crosses with either supernatural and/or […]
If you like paranormal television programs, then Carl Kolchak is a name you should know. Kolchak: The Night Stalker was a made-for-TV movie in the 70’s that introduced the world to a investigative reporter who would stumble across crimes with a supernatural cause. It was later turned into a series, and while only lasting one […]
If you like paranormal television programs, then Carl Kolchak is a name you should know. Kolchak: The Night Stalker was a made-for-TV movie in the 70’s that introduced the world to a investigative reporter who would stumble across crimes with a supernatural cause. It was later turned into a series, and while only lasting one […]
What do you get when you take rye and ferment it with yeast, concentrate that yeast urine into a liquid, take that liquid and stick it in a burned barrel for two years? If you said ‘whiskey’ you would be correct! Yes that golden brown drink of the wild west is basically old barrel juice, […]
What do you get when you take rye and ferment it with yeast, concentrate that yeast urine into a liquid, take that liquid and stick it in a burned barrel for two years? If you said ‘whiskey’ you would be correct! Yes that golden brown drink of the wild west is basically old barrel juice, […]
The 1950’s and 60’s were a strange time in American culture as it related to human behavior. Behind the scenes, you had the MK Ultra experiments trying to unlock the secrets to mind control. More publicly, you had Dr. Phillip Zimbardo and Stanley Milgram conducting social science experiments designed to show the extremes in human […]
The 1950’s and 60’s were a strange time in American culture as it related to human behavior. Behind the scenes, you had the MK Ultra experiments trying to unlock the secrets to mind control. More publicly, you had Dr. Phillip Zimbardo and Stanley Milgram conducting social science experiments designed to show the extremes in human […]
Jon’s journey to becoming a critical thinker was pretty unique. Just before turning twenty he impulsively stabbed a man, which earned him 27 years for Attempted Second Degree Murder. While in prison, he got deep into litigation as he tried to overturn his conviction. He researched his own appeals, filed suit against his lawyer for […]
Jon’s journey to becoming a critical thinker was pretty unique. Just before turning twenty he impulsively stabbed a man, which earned him 27 years for Attempted Second Degree Murder. While in prison, he got deep into litigation as he tried to overturn his conviction. He researched his own appeals, filed suit against his lawyer for […]
If you have a pulse, chances are you have eaten a snack food that was covered in a nuclear orange, cheese flavored powder. You have probably also eaten the BBQ drenched, pork ribs-shaped meat patty known as the McRib. These two items are actually the culmination of who bits of advanced technology: Dehydrated cheese and […]
How The Military Designed Our Food If you are an average American, you are extremely familiar with energy bars, frozen food, and soup in a can, but do you know where each of these technologies originated? If you said “The military because they helped design our food”, you would be correct! You are also great […]
How The Military Designed Our Food If you are an average American, you are extremely familiar with energy bars, frozen food, and soup in a can, but do you know where each of these technologies originated? If you said “The military because they helped design our food”, you would be correct! You are also great […]
What happened to Gary after the bike ride? Was it all champagne and congratulatory handshakes? For a while yeah, but his body had been doing one thing all day for 40 days and it took a toll. Listen as he recounts what happened in the weeks that followed his ride.
At 58, Gary Wietgrefe heard a story in a bar about a 70 year old who biked all the way from South Dakota to Alaska. Always seeking a challenge, he kept this in his mind and finally accomplished this feat when he was 65! We discuss his 2997 mile journey, including why he choose North […]
At 58, Gary Wietgrefe heard a story in a bar about a 70 year old who biked all the way from South Dakota to Alaska. Always seeking a challenge, he kept this in his mind and finally accomplished this feat when he was 65! We discuss his 2997 mile journey, including why he choose North […]
Given that Stephen King’s career spans 6 decades and hundreds of stories, chances are you have read one in your lifetime. You might even have a favorite. His horror stories usually have a supernatural element to them, but that does not make them exempt from scientific scrutiny. Author Meg Hafdahl is known as a fiction […]
Given that Stephen King’s career spans 6 decades and hundreds of stories, chances are you have read one in your lifetime. You might even have a favorite. His horror stories usually have a supernatural element to them, but that does not make them exempt from scientific scrutiny. Author Meg Hafdahl is known as a fiction […]
This episode is very timely, as I just visited Slab City for my birthday. Why is this important? Because Slab City is the last true free place in America! You can pull up an RV, and live life off grid along side several other like-minded individuals. In this episode, Dave Hoekstra discusses his book “The […]
We have discussed real life superheroes a lot lately, but in this bonus episode we discuss the original: The Fox. Dave Hoekstra was recruited by The Fox while he was in high school, and for a summer he fought the good fight against greedy corporations that were polluting the famous Fox River. Listen as Dave […]
This episode is very timely, as I just visited Slab City for my birthday. Why is this important? Because Slab City is the last true free place in America! You can pull up an RV, and live life off grid along side several other like-minded individuals. In this episode, Dave Hoekstra discusses his book “The […]
Are you in control of your actions? If you want to do something, you just do it right. Can you decide to do something you DON’T want to do, or is this technically impossible? Does Free Will actually exist, or is it just a delusion to make sure humans have a sense of purpose? Dr. […]
Delusions, are they healthy? Is it normal to actively believe in a reality that is not accurate? Does simply changing how you view the world alter your success? These are just some of the questions I discuss with Dr. Stuart Vyse, author of “The Uses of Delusion“. It turns out that delusions are a normal […]
When we are children, nothing is more important to us than our friends. We are either spending all of our time with them, or trying to figure out how to make more. As we get older, and spare time becomes more and more rare, we may find ourselves neglecting all but our most inner circle. […]
In this bonus episode we Tom and I attempt to fill in some of the gaps we left in our main podcast, including how Mack Brazel ended up on the radio in search of a $3000 reward, and how the entire town of Roswell watched as the Army drove a tarp-covered space craft right down […]
The Roswell Crash is either the biggest hoax of our time, or the most pivotal moment in human history. Unfortunately we may never know the whole picture: It is a puzzle with a million pieces that has been purposefully mixed with other puzzles to confuse anyone who tries to put it together. While we may […]
The United States is a unique country in many ways, not the least of which is the freedom to practice any religion you want. Because of this, several wholly original faiths have sprung up through the years. Some have gone on to become large and dangerous (Scientology), and others are a little smaller and more […]
Every comic fan know that a superhero is NOTHING without an arch nemesis, and Real Life Superheroes are no exception. If you thought RLSH was underground….keep digging. There you will find the Real Life Supervillains. Watch helplessly as they take over your city’s sarcastic output and focus it on your local hero, reducing him to […]
If you are the average person, you have probably been a fan of superheroes since the Marvel movies hit the scene, which was in 2008. If you happened to be into Batman, your fandom may go back to 1989. I am guessing that if your fandom is based on the movies alone, it is probably […]
Hank Garrett started out his life as a poor kid on the streets of Harlem. With death and poverty all around him, he was filled with anger and despair, doomed to a life behind bars. That was until he had a meeting with Sammy David Jr. at the Apollo Theater which changed his life forever. […]
Henry Gee sits with me for a few more minutes for a lively and upbeat conversation on how the human race will meet its fate. Will it be over population? Underpopulation? Climate change? Or will we finally succumb to extinction debt.
This week we tackle one of the hardest questions that man has ever tried to answer: How life started on Earth. Once that is answered, the rest of evolution falls right into place. Dr. Henry Gee is an evolutionary Biologist, and has chronicled the entire 4.6 billion year timeline of the Earth in his latest […]
When he isn’t hounding the studios to use his paper-saving app, Steve is using his connections to make movies of his own. The List is his first feature length movie, and we discuss the fifteen year journey he went on to get it produced.
Climate change is altering our entire world. Global industrialization is coughing up billows of carbon dioxide, and tremendous deforestation has stolen the worlds most beautiful carbon cleaners. A lot of those forests are being cut down to create paper for the endless scripts Hollywood produces on a daily basis. One man is fighting against this […]
I have always been intrigued by famous social experiments, like the Standford Prison Experiment, and Milgram’s Obedience Experiments, so imagine my pleasure when I came across Gina Perry’s ‘The Lost Boys’ which outlines the Robber’s Cave Experiment. My guess is you haven’t heard of this one before, and that is a shame. The point of […]
The English Language is one of the most difficult languages to learn, mostly because it has strange, and extraordinarily inconsistent spelling conventions. Why? That is the question author and language expert Arika Okrent answers in her book Highly Irregular. In short, English is a Germanic language spoken by barbarians, altered by the French, influenced by […]
We are living in the Golden Era of fleeting fame. A popular YouTuber/TikTok Star can hit the scene in January, have millions of followers/views by June, and then be a part of the ‘Where Are They Now?’ montage in December. Contrary to what most people think, fame is never given, earned, achieved, or even permanent. […]
During the holiday season, there is one thing that unites us all as a people no matter if you celebrate Christmas or not: Christmas Songs. In some years as early as October, Jingle Bells, Rudolph, Silent Night, Frosty the Snowman, along with others, bombard the airwaves and slowly bring us into the Holiday spirit. But […]
In 2016, the legend was that megastar Prince had a bank vault filled with thousands of unreleased recordings, and since he was the only one who knew the combination, it was possible that this vault would be sealed forever. Luckily safecracker extraordinaire Dave McOmie called to the scene. Listen as Dave recounts his toughest job […]
Anyone who has seen Oceans 11, The Italian Job, or Bad Santa knows that if you are going to steal millions of dollars in cash and/or art, you need a master safecracker on your crew to break-in to the vault where said valuables are being held. But how exactly does this work? Luckily we have […]
Did you know that 41% of the population believes in ghosts? That is two in five. Is there really something to this phenomenon, or is this something that is explainable with modern science? That is one of the questions that Marc Hartzman tries to answer in his new book “Chasing Ghosts“. We discuss quite a […]
This is our Halloween episode, and is there a more scary topic than serial killers; humans who prey on the vulnerabilities other humans? We are going to do you one better in this episode: Serial Killers at a time when no one knew what a serial killer was. Dr. Debbie Felton has just written a […]
In this bonus episode, we discuss how Alex Jones went from a cable access pundit to infamous peddler of dangerous conspiracy theories.
If you are like me, you have definitely heard a conspiracy theory or two. Maybe you believe that oil companies suppressed the electric car for decades, or that genetically modified foods cause cancer. It is also possible you have (or are) a crazy uncle that lets it rip on holidays, telling everyone about the CIA […]
For over 30 years, Chris Marinello has been recovering valuable pieces of stolen art. From priceless paintings and sculptures to one-of-a-kind cars and high end watches, he is the guy you call if you are targeted by an opportunistic cat burglar. He has also helped to return quite a few pieces of looted Nazi art, […]
As someone who is into conspiracy theories, there was no more fertile ground than the Cold War. This age of paranoia spawned so many secret missions and black budget projects that people were bound to hear enough random bits to start piecing together strange narratives. There was one project that was so secret, so horrendous, […]
Nederland is a town in Colorado that is home to the world’s first backyard cryonics facility, which is occupied by their most famous resident Bredo Morstøl, affectionately known as “The Frozen Dead Guy”. For the past 27 years, he has been preserved with dry ice, which has to be replaced every 28 days. Bredo’s grandson […]
In life, there are some commonly accepted feats that are universally considered impressive, including running a marathon, winning a Nobel prize, and going into outer space. In my opinion, these all pail in comparison to climbing the tallest mountain in the world: Mt. Everest. According to expert climber Jim Davidson, it took him 33 years […]
“May You Live In Interesting Times” is a saying that I have heard several times over the past 18 months. While a tad overused, I do believe that it is absolutely true right now. One of the most interesting things going on in this moment is the proliferation of “Cancel Culture”, which is where a […]
They are called many things: Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Yowie, The Wild Man, Skunk Apes, Yeti, Abominable Snowmen, among other things. These creatures appear in the folklore of most indigenous people, across the world, and is strangely one of the few narrative constants that almost every tribe shares. In our modern society however, there is almost no […]
Not only is Jamie DeWolf a multi-faceted performer, but his partner Iara Mandyn is as well. She is an underwater model, stunt performer, and mermaid. Listen as Jamie recounts their deep sea filming exploits, including a terrifying trip into an underwater abyss. Iara Mandyn on Social Media Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Fascinating Nouns on Social […]
Jamie DeWolf is a multi-talented performer, who has mastered both stage and screen. He is the ring master of the long running variety show ‘Tourettes Without Regrets’, which has been renamed ‘The Ruckus and Rumpus Revival’. It has been dubbed ‘The Fight Club of Underground Art’ because the show is raw, totally eclectic, and involves […]
During her time aboard the craft, Betty’s dress had been ripped in several place by her captors. When she got home, she put it in her closet, where it remained untouched for 3 years. When she later came across it, the dress was covered in a strange pink powder. In this bonus episode, we continue […]
In the wee hours of Sept. 19th – 20th, 1961 Betty and Barney Hill were abducted by a UFO and later returned to their car in a rural part of New Hampshire. This abduction has been the subject of many official investigations and scientific explorations. It widely considered the first scientifically analyzed UFO abduction in […]
In this bonus episode, Bob tells me the story of the kidnapping of Brooke Hart, which was not only dubbed the ‘Stupidest Crime in California History”, but is also credited as the last lynching in California. Bob Calhoun on Social Media YouTube Twitter Fascinating Nouns on Social Media Facebook Twitter YouTube
No one would argue that San Fransisco is a city like none other, so it should come as no surprise that its evolution is as unique as its culture. In his new book ‘The Murders That Made Us’, Bob Calhoun tells the story of San Fransisco through the lens of all the murder, mystery, and […]
The 90’s were Blockbuster’s heyday. Back then, flobby drives ruled, HDMI didn’t exist, and movie rentals were ninety-nine cents. There is one place on the planet where that is still the case: The Blockbuster in Bend, Oregon. Listen as Sandi Harding tells me about her room full of antique IBM computers, the analog video system […]
In 2011, Blockbuster went bankrupt. So how is there is a Blockbuster operating in Bend, Oregon in 2021? The answer to that is complicated, but I attempt to untangle it by talking to Sandi Harding, the current manager of the last Blockbuster on the Planet. We discuss the rise and fall of video rentals, the […]
The Right to Die is a controversial topic in many countries, and a company called EXIT is capitalizing on that uncertainty. Their CEO is creating a DIY death coffin that can be 3D printed in a matter of weeks. Requiring only nitrogen, it may provide an alternative for those looking to skirt the law. We […]
As technology marches forward, humans are achieving things that were thought to exist only in science fiction. In her new book ‘Sex Robots and Vegan Meat’, Jenny Kleeman looks at four such innovations, and explores how they are poised to fundamentally change the pillars of humanity. We discuss these advancements, which include robotic companions, artificial […]
My first introduction to Skid Row was the catchy little number in the musical “Little Shop of Horrors”. I had no idea that is was referring to the largest recognized homeless encampment in the country, and the only such community legally defined by a court of law. The Skid Row in the movie was in […]
Due to the popularity of both the look and gadgetry of the 1966 Batmobile, it became a signature staple of the Batman mythos. Prior to the TV series, the Batmobile was hardly mentioned in the comic books, and it definitely wasn’t a sports car. Bob and I discuss how this icon version was crafted from […]
The original Batman television show may not be treated with much respect today, but it was an absolute trailblazer in terms of getting superheroes respect in pop culture. The success of Marvel movies today owe a debt of gratitude to this much maligned series. Not only that, but this show introduced many things that we […]
Last week, I interviewed Bob Calhoun who called him self ‘Count Dante’ in the underground wrestling outfit Incredibly Strange Wrestling. This week I talk to documentary filmmaker Floyd Webb about John Keehan, the man who originated the Count Dante moniker. To most, Count Dante was a fixture of the comic book advertisements, offering ‘The World’s […]
Nothing is more weird than the world of professional wrestling. So what happens when you take wrestling and add a punk rock act, a man dressed up as Bigfoot, and throw a bunch of corn tortillas into the air? You have the San Fransisco based, indie federation Incredibly Strange Wrestling. Former wrestler/announcer Count Dante AKA […]
I have always believe that art theft was a crime reserved for sophisticated criminals of the silver screen. I had no idea that art theft is a very common crime until I spoke with Anthony Amore, who is a historian an author of art theft, as well as the director of security for the Isabella […]
In this bonus episode, Catherine and I finish our conversation about the worst fashion in trends in history, including wearing overalls without a shirt, PVC clothing, and 80’s shoulder pads. Fascinating Nouns on Social Media Facebook Twitter YouTube
We humans have been trying to tame the outdoors since we were first started living in caves. For thousands of years we only used plants for cooking or medicine, but all of that changed as soon as Europeans started colonizing the world. Among other things, the first explorers brought back exotic plants that no one […]
Rocket science and brain surgery have become almost cliche’ when describing someone as being tremendously smart, but what about someone who has done both? Ben Siepser has helped put rockets into space, and is now working on devices that can read your brain. If that wasn’t impressive enough, you can find him co-hosting the science/tech […]
Trader Joe’s may be one of the most forward thinking grocery chains that ever existed. They sell more per square inch than every store in existence with the exception of Apple and Tiffany’s. They reinvented the wine market in California, perfected cheese, and invented Almond Butter. Listen as Benjamin tells me about his personal interview […]
I am sure that everyone reading this has spent a significant amount of their life inside a grocery store. So much so, that I bet you already take it for granted. Take a second and consider the sheer abundance that exists within the four walls of your local supermarket. How do they get a seemingly […]
Archbishop Ron Feyl-Enright has been an exorcist for 40+ years. In that time, he has seen and heard some crazy stuff. Levitation, skin changing color, unearthly screams, diabolical voices are just a few of the phenomena he has encountered. Due to an increasing amount of requests for exorcisms in 1981, Archbishop Enright decided to form […]
If it turns out that robots do become both independently intelligent and ubiquitous, they may want the same rights as humans. This is not without precedent, as certain rivers and even corporations have legal standings as people. What would this mean for robot kind? Could they be held responsible for harm dealt to a human? […]
If science fiction has taught us anything, it’s that robots are coming for us. They will invade every part of our society, become self-aware, then enslave the human race. I call this The Robacalypse. How accurate is this bleak vision of the future? According to AI and Robotics expert David Gunkel, this is not very […]
In this day and age, a president’s sex life is an open book. The press loves exposing mistresses, love children, and wild sexual escapades. Believe it or not, this was not always the case. From about 1900 until the mid 1980’s, a president’s personal life was kept private. This is what allowed JFK, Lyndon Johnson, […]
Of all the pop culture influences in my life, Back to the Future has had the most profound impact on me. When I heard about Brad Gilmore’s book ‘Back from the Future’, I leapt at the opportunity to discuss my favorite movie of all time. We talked about the long road to get this movie […]
For all the despicable acts the Nazis perpetrated while in power, I have always been fascinated by how they are portrayed in pop culture. From the Indiana Jones movies where they are chasing powerful religious artifacts, to Marvel’s Captain America where they create super-humans and strange technology, the Nazi’s always seem to be obsessed with […]
I am guessing that when you her the term ‘Survival of the Fittest’ you immediately think of sharks, an alpha male gorilla, or a lion on the Savannah. But what about dogs? I bet you think they are too friendly to be considered ‘The Fittest’. You may be wrong. According to Dr. Brian Hare, friendliness […]
BONUS – The Epilogue Walter’s survival story wasn’t the end of the tale. Struggling with PTSD, Walter had a rough road ahead of him. Things got dark, but eventually he got back to scuba diving, and flying. Plus his plane is discovered 25 years after it went down! Fascinating Nouns on Social Media Facebook Twitter […]
Surviving the Shark Filled Sea As an adult, I realized I had an irrational fear of sharks. Given that I grew up in rural Illinois with the nearest shark about 3000 miles away, this fear didn’t make sense to me. I went through my childhood memories, and found the source of this fear: A Reader’s […]
The Not So Sinister Spider Most people have pretty strong opinions when it comes to spiders, most of them negative. One man wants to change that reputation. His name is Rod Crawford, and he is the curator of the second largest spider collection on the West Coast, which is housed at the Burke Museum in […]
The Joy of Retro Cooking Emily Brungo (AKA Yinzerella), is a vintage recipe collector, and the creator of the website “Dinner is Served 1972”. She started this website after inheriting her grandmother’s recipe cards, but it has ballooned into a place where you can read about all the food choices of yesteryear. We discussed this, […]
Chasing The Murder Hornet If you are alive in 2020, then it should come as no surprise that this was the year that the Asian Giant Hornet, AKA “The Murder Hornet”, arrived in North America. While only partially deadly to humans, these insects are downright genocidal when it comes to Italian honeybee. The hornet will […]
The Hidden Secrets of Disney Walt Disney World is a magical wonderland, filled with princesses, talking animals, and incredible innovations. Everything about it is perfect, or so we are lead to believe. Leonard Kinsey, author of The Dark Side of Disney, got sick of the fantasy and wanted to see how the magic was made. […]
The Craziness Caused By COVID-19 Between the time I we first recorded How Madness Shaped History and when the episode came out, something unpredictable happened: a killer pandemic swept across the world. What came after was a wave of craziness that affected basically everyone, from world leaders to your next door neighbor. I brought Chris […]
Madness of the Masses Christopher sticks around to discuss how societies go mad and therefore can elect madness to positions of power. We discuss the Salem Witch Trials, and how strong emotions cause people to make terrible decisions. Christopher J. Ferguson on Social Media Twitter Website Christopher’s Book How Madness Shaped History Fascinating Nouns on […]
How Madness Shaped History Christopher J. Ferguson is a noted psychologist, most famous for his books and media appearances discussing video games and violent behavior. His most recent book takes a look at leaders throughout ages and explores how their psychological disorders have altered the course of human history. We discuss how the 1930’s were […]
The Celebrities and Artifacts of Weeki Wachee Springs If mermaids weren’t fantastic enough, Rita sticks around to tell me about Elvis, Miss Universe, Carmela Soprano, and a Mastodon Rib! Weeki Wachee Springs on Social Media Facebook Twitter Instagram Links We Talked About Rita’s Environmental Documentary Fascinating Nouns on Social Media Facebook Twitter YouTube
The Weeki Wachee Mermaids I don’t know what it is, but the siren’s call to become a mermaid seems to reach every girl aged 5-8. A lucky few answer the call and become the mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs. The Weeki Wachee mermaids are a very talented bunch. They breathe underwater using only a small […]
Weaponized Flatulence Everyone knows farts are hilarious, but what about useful? Listen as Dr. Rabaiotti and I talk about subduing a bee hive by passing gas, how termites produce 19% of the planet’s methane, and how the octopus is absolutely fart free. Dr. Rabaiotti on Social Media Dr. Dani Rabaiotti’s Website Twitter Instagram Dr. Dani […]
Slimy Creatures of the Animal Kingdom When most people think of slime, a few words typically come to mind: gross, disgusting, and nauseating. What about versatile? Dr. Dani Rabaiotti, co-author of ‘Believe It Or Snot” has some pretty amazing examples of slime being used effectively, be it as a weapon, a defense mechanism, or even […]
Bonus Jesus Christ – Comedian Comedy in its written form can be a very subtle art form. Wordplay, sentence structure, and even punctuation are vitally important to get the message across. If someone’s comedy act was translated several times over two thousand years, chances are, the jokes won’t exactly pop off the page. That is […]
Sun Tzu’s The Art of War The Art of War is a centuries old manuscript that explains exactly how to succeed at any competitive situation. It has almost nothing to do with war itself, as a matter of fact, outright conflict is a failure of strategy. Listen as master translator Gary Gagliardi adapts these universal […]
Bonus Extravagant Colt Accessories Much like Hip-Hop stars and Instagram influencers of today, personalities of the Wild West liked to personalize their free, promotional guns with lots of gaudy accessories. From Tiffany Grips and ivory handles, to gold inlay and personal engravings, everyone with money could own a unique gun that expressed their personal flair. […]
The Colt Revolver One can not consider themselves a fan of the Wild West without taking a look at the Colt Revolver, specifically the Single Action Army model. This is the gun you see in shootouts and showdowns in every western ever made. It is the culmination of several years of innovations, the first being […]
The Fraggle Wrangler and the White House In this bonus episode, Guy and I talk about how he was almost detained indefinitely over a Fraggle wrangler, his time developing minor league baseball logos, his country music career, and how First Lady Nancy Reagan declared him a national treasure. A Guy Gilchrist Production Website Guy Gilchrist […]
Illustrating The Muppets The name Guy Gilchrist is synonymous with The Muppets. He was Jim Henson’s official cartoonist, and he helped develop The Muppet Babies, all starting at the age of 24! On top of that, he has professional drawn Tom & Jerry, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the Looney Tunes. We discuss all […]
The Many Molds of Mold-A-Rama Besides being an amateur historian, Paul is also a collector. He has hundreds of molds from historic cars, to busts of presidents. We discuss his collection, as well as the process of commissioning new molds for a demanding public. Mold-A-Rama, Inc. website Mold-A-Rama on Facebook Fascinating Nouns on Social Media […]
Mold-A-Rama Mold-A-Rama, instantaneous, on-demand, plastic souvenirs, have been a vending machine staple in Chicago for over 50 years. I remember being a kid at Brookfield Zoo and watching a black gorilla being made right in front of me. Warm to the touch, and smelling like melted crayons, these retro relics remind me of being in […]
Howard Hughes and RKO Studios Hughes long-lasting impact was most prominently felt after he purchased one of the 5 major productions studios RKO. It was here that Hughes toppled the studio system, and leveled the playing field for independent film producers. It was also during this time that Hughes championed the use of controversy to […]
Howard Hughes in Hollywood Howard Hughes was one of the most influential men of the 20th century. He was the first official billionaire in American history, and he was declared a national hero due to his record-setting aviation exploits. Towards the end of his life, he became infamous as an eccentric recluse, and at one […]
The Scientific Formula for Free Will Dr. Michael Dennin is known for his scientific work with foam, superheros, and aliens. What’s next you ask? How about answering one of mankind’s oldest questions: “Do We Have Free Will”? In this episode not only does he lay out a humanity altering model for Free Will, but we […]
The Art of Traveling Lightly Airline travel is a hassle. Everyone knows this. I have great news for you: It doesn’t have to be. What’s the secret? “The Go-Light Guru” Doug Dyment can go anywhere, for an indefinite amount of time, needing only one carry-on bag. How is this possible without using a magical bag […]
In this bonus episode, Lisa and I discuss The Day of the Dead, which is a Halloween-esue holiday celebrated in Mexico, as well as Central and Southern America. We discuss pan de muertos, sugar skulls, dancing skeletons, and The Temple of Doom!
The Haunted History of Halloween Halloween is clearly one of my favorite holidays. It is also one of the most complex holidays to trace the origins of! Luckily I have Lisa Morton, Halloween historian, to guide me along this dimly lit path. We string together all the random stuff that makes up Halloween, including ghosts, […]
In this bonus episode, Roger and I take a look at how the zombie has changes in pop culture, from the single captive, mesmerized by the voodoo priest, to the hordes of undead chasing people through the streets. We also take a look at How Frankenstein’s Monster factors into the zombie mythos, as well as […]
The Creepy History of the Common Corridor Why do dark corridors fill us with a sense of unease? Why was The Shining so successful at creating an escalating sense of dread as Danny Torence explored the haunted corridors of The Overlook? I have an eye-opening conversation with the the worlds foremost expert on corridors Roger […]
Just like every superhero has an origin story, so do all the super toys you remember as a kid. In this bonus episode, we discuss how Lizzy McGee’s ‘Landlord’ game became monopoly, the inspiration behind Viewmaster, how Silly Putty is used by NASA, and how NASA inspired the Super Soaker water gun.
Classic Toys Whether it’s your Big Wheel, Crayola crayons, a Barbie doll, or your G.I. Joes, nothing conjures up your childhood like seeing your favorite toy again. Toy historian Tim Walsh knows all about this. Not only has he documented their amazing history, but he has invented several toys of his own, including Tribond and […]
Creating a Neon Sign Bonus – Creating a Neon Sign The actual process of crafting a neon sign was a lost art for decades. The only record of their creation was chronicled in a trade magazine entitled “Signs of the Times”. To master his craft, Todd tracked down hundreds of these publications. In a nod […]
The Art of Neon Signs What is not to love about neon signs? These buzzing beauties have become synonymous with the open road. From their invention in the 30’s, to their downfall in the 50’s, to their modern resurgence, neon signs have directed us to the most delicious places to eat, the most comfortable place […]
The Billy Mitchell Situation Recently, the legendary arcade player Billy Mitchell had all of his scores removed from Twin Galaxies, including his perfect game of Pac-Man, because he cheated when submitting the infamous “King of Kong” score. I ask Walter his thoughts. Walter Day on Social Media Facebook Twitter Websites The Walter Day Collection Fascinating […]
The Father of Esports Walter Day is best known for his work as founder/head referee of Twin Galaxies, the official video game scorekeeper for Guinness. In the early days of arcades, Walter (an early world record holder himself) helped establish a system for tracking the top video game scores in the world. That competition for […]
Rare Video Game Artifacts What do The Power Glove, Sega Neptune, Atari Mindlink and Barbie Gameboy all have in common? Sean Kelly owns the original prototypes for all of those items! Listen as Sean walks me through his incredible collection of rare and one-of-a-kind video game artifacts which includes the first military training video game, […]
A Brief History of Video Games When it comes to video games, no one has amassed a more impressive collection of rare and historically significant items than Sean Kelly, co-founder of the National Video Game Museum in Frisco Texas. Not only is he a world class collector, but he is a walking encyclopedia of video […]
The Magnificence of Mustard While Barry may be a food law aficionado, his true passion will always be mustard. In 1986, after a devastating World Series, Barry was looking for a purpose, and he found it during a routine shopping trip. How did a wrong turn down the condiment aisle turn into The National Mustard […]
Weird Food Laws Barry Levenson, AKA Capt. Mustard, is a Wisconsin lawyer who became enthralled with U.S. food laws. So much so, that he tried a case in front of the Supreme Court with a jar of mustard in his pocket (he won 5-4). From the famous Stella Liebeck ‘Hot Coffee’ case, to the legal […]
Microphones on Mars The original Alien movie had the immortal tagline “In space, no one can hear you scream”. Thanks to Extraterrestrial Audio Engineer Jason Achilles, that may no longer be true. Hired by NASA in 2017, he was tasked with finding the perfect microphone to capture the landing sequence of the new Mars Rover. […]
Implanting False Memories Most of us believe what our memory says. If we remember being lost in a mall as a kid, then we probably were. The details may not be exactly how we remember them, but the broad strokes are there. Or at least that is what we believe. The truth is memories can […]
The Inaccuracies of Eyewitness Testimony Dr. Elizabeth Loftus is world renowned for her work in the field of eyewitness testimony. Before her work in the 70’s, eyewitness testimony was considered rock solid. Her experiments proved that not only does memory NOT work like a tape recorder, it is in fact routinely altered before, during, and […]
More Design Flaws of the Human Body In this bonus episode, Dr. Lents walks me through our backwards eye, a nerve that takes the three foot scenic route instead of going 3 centimeters, and why we need to eat a varied diet while our dogs can eat the same thing every day and live long, […]
Design Flaws of the Human Body Human beings are pretty confident by nature. As a species, we are pretty sure that we are at the top of the evolutionary scale. It turns out, this is not true at all. While we are without a doubt at the top of the food chain, there are several […]
Bonus Cheerleading’s Greatest Rivalry In this episode, Natalie and I discuss the rivalry between Lawerence “Herkie” Herkimer and his protege Jeff Webb. Herkie is credited as the father of cheerleading, while Jeff is consider the modernizer of the sport. Not only that, but we get into the origin and correct spelling of the Pom Pons […]
The Evolution of Cheerleading At first glance, cheerleading can be mistaken for a trivial, vapid, activity that not only creates “mean girls” at the top of the social hierarchy, but it perpetuates the stereotype of women holding secondary roles to men, literally cheering them on. The reality is, nothing could be further from the truth. […]
Bonus Alien Phenomena Derrel and I continue our conversation and get into some of the more fringe topics including cattle mutilations, Greek Conquerors, RFID chips, the 1880’s, abductions, and the idea of ancient aliens. For background on Cattle Mutilations, listen to my episode with Linda Moulton-Howe. For background on paleocontact/ancient aliens, listen to my episode […]
Alien Implants There are people in this world who have unidentifiable pieces of metal inside their bodies, metal that is literally not of this world. Their chemical composition is similar to meteorites, and they appear to be wrapped in a biological sheath. Most of the people with this phenomenon state that they have been visited […]
Bonus – The Strange Artifacts of Diablo Manor When Scott inherited his grandfather’s estate, with it came all sorts of strange and unusual artifacts. We discuss several of these one-of-a-kind items, including a shrunken head, an Egyptian mummy, pig with one head, two snouts, and three eyes, a rare Edison prototype and a killer doll […]
Carnival Diablo – The Last Great Sideshow At the turn of the century, the circus sideshow was one of the main attractions. Typically they featured superhuman feats such as sword swallowing and glass walking, as well as rare objects of wonder including shrunken heads, two-headed animals, wax figures. These collections fell out of fashion during […]
The Celebrities of Braidwood Illinois Besides mayors, presidents, and strange fossils, Braidwood has had its share of celebrities. Even though it has always been a small town, surprisingly it has spawned quite a few world class athletes. They had a world class soccer team that competed at the 1893 World’s Fair and took second […]
The Small Town Saga of Braidwood Illinois The United States was built on small towns. Every city you see now had a humble beginning as a small community. There are countless songs, movies, tv shows proclaiming the superiority of growing up in a small town. This is the story of Braidwood Illinois. I believe that […]
Stories From A Shanty Town For almost a year, Shaughnessy lived with a group of homeless squatters on a vacant lot in Canada. Their shanty town was called Tent City, and every day was an act of survival. He chronicles this endeavor in a book called Down To This. We discussed all sorts of things, […]
The Hangover Cure Since the dawn of time, and the discovery of alcohol, Man has been is search of a cure for the hangover. Finally that man has arrived, and his name is Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall. In his latest book ‘Hungover’, Shaughnessy analyzes the effects of alcohol on the human body, then chronicles his adventures trying […]
Stephen Wynne Interviews: Stephen Wynne is the CEO of DeLorean Motor Company, a business you probably thought went bankrupt in 1983. Technically it did, and Stephen, a life-long DMC-12 advocate, went from servicing DeLoreans in the early 80’s to owning the entire stock of more than 3.5 million new DeLorean parts today. It was an […]
Bonus Episode – The Decline of the DeLorean What goes up, must come down, and DeLorean Motor Cars was no exception. Listen as Barrie recounts his story in the waning days of the company, from firebombings, car crashes, to harsh winters, and a sagging economy. All of these factors, as well as a surprise cocaine […]
Barrie Wills Interviews: When most people think of The DeLorean, they immediately think of the time machine from Back to the Future. In reality that car (called the DMC-12), was the center of an amazing story albeit having nothing to do with time travel. It was the vision of John Z. DeLorean to build an […]
Tom Watkins Interviews If you are an animal person, there is nothing worse than your pet running away. When this happens, who would you call? Sherlock Holmes? Batman? Both are amazing detectives, yet nether one of them are real. You are in luck because The Planet’s Premiere Pet P.I. Tom Watkin’s is real, and he […]
In this bonus episode, Jeff and I discuss a superstition that almost lead to a riot in 1928 Massachusetts, a three state battle over the right to use the phrase “First In Flight” on their license plates, and a story of vanity plates gone wrong.
Jeff Minard Interviews: License plates are probably the one thing we stare at for hours a week, and never give them any thought. Occasionally you may see a funny vanity plate and chuckle to yourself, but other than that, they are pretty transparent. Well it turns out, the history of license plates is pretty incredible. […]
Dr. James Fallon Interviews: We are taught that psychopaths are dangerous individuals who should be avoided at all costs. This is probably good advice. Dr. James Fallon is a neuroscientist at UC Irvine who has been studying the brains of killers for over a decade…including his own. Dr. Fallon is a psychopath by definition, although […]
As we discussed, card counting is perfectly legal, but that doesn’t mean that casinos allow it. As a matter of fact, they actively prohibit it. When they start to figure out what you are up to, they will start to pay close attention to you. This is called “heat”, and you want to avoid it […]
Josh Axelrad Interviews: Casinos invest a lot of money in creating games you think you can win, but in reality the odds are such that you have absolutely no chance at beating them. That is, of course, unless you can count cards. As a matter of fact, if you aren’t counting cards, then you are […]
Emelyn Rude Interviews: Today, we give little thought to just how common it is to find chicken on our plates at meal time. In truth, the cultural popularity of this fantastic fowl is an amazing journey that starts all the way back in the Roman Empire. A true under-bird story, chicken had to overcome the […]
Michael Bream Interviews: I LOVE antique cars, but I also love the environment. I thought I would have to choose one or the other, but thanks to Michael Bream “The Dream” of EV West, I don’t have to. What does EV West do? They electrify antique cars. What does that mean? They pull out the […]
The Mother Road – Route 66 Everybody loves to travel, and the United States has one of the most comprehensive interstate systems on any country. You can get on a road anywhere on the continent and end up almost anywhere else. The whole concept of interstate travel can be credited to one singular stretch of […]
Erich von Daniken Interviews: Ever since the 1968 publication of the highly influential book ‘Chariots of the Gods?’, Erich von Daniken has championed the concept of paleocontact: the belief that ancient human cultures were visited, and therefore influenced by, extraterrestrial beings. This is an extraordinary concept, although I am not sure where I fall. Luckily […]
Dr. John Donaldson Interviews The Simpsons has always intrigued me for several reasons. First of all, it is way smarter than people thought a cartoon could be. Secondly, it was the first television show that had really perfected the Easter Egg: Hidden jokes, messages, and meaning. One such layer is complex philosophical thought, which makes […]
Dr. John Donaldson Interviews The Simpsons has always intrigued me for several reasons. First of all, it is way smarter than people thought a cartoon could be. Secondly, it was the first television show that had really perfected the Easter Egg: Hidden jokes, messages, and meaning. One such layer is complex philosophical thought, which makes […]
BONUS This interview wouldn’t be complete without a conversation with John’s partner Stan Milford. Stan has had some truly mind-boggling experiences, including a haunting where coins appeared out of thin air, a ghost throwing a butcher knife into a cantaloupe, and a UFO case involving the abduction of 8 puppies!
One of the problems with paranormal stories is a lack of evidence and credibility. That is where the Paranormal Rangers excel. Federal Rangers on the Navajo Nation, John Dover and Stan Milford are assigned the most inexplicable cases that come through the station, meticulously investigating each one with an objective scrutiny that is unheard of […]
Even though gambling is hardwired into our DNA, and it is a global phenomenon, few would question that Las Vegas is the Casino Capital of the world. As such, it has quite an interesting history, from the days of silver prospecting, to the modern days on online sports betting. Listen as Dr. Schwartz and I […]
Dr. David Schwartz Interviews From His Bio Dr. David G. Schwartz directs the Center for Gaming Research and teaches history at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, writes articles and books, and only occasionally pines for his days working as Mr. Peanut on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. His research interests include gambling and casinos, Las […]
Phil Sexton Interviews: The building of The Transcontinental Railroad really parallels the settlement of the west. It wasn’t long after its completion that the U.S. took its modern form of 48 contiguous states. The Telegraph, another Western innovation, was built right along side the railroad so that progress could be communicated back East. From the […]
ARE WE LIVING IN A VIRTUAL REALITY SIMULATION? For years Hollywood has experimented with the concept of living in an extremely realistic simulated world, and with Virtual Reality advancing in leaps and bounds, it may soon become difficult to distinguish between our reality, and a fabricated VR world. What if we are already living in […]
Tom Campbell Interviews I have been fascinated with Out Of Body Experiences for a long time. I even read the classic work on the subject: Robert Monroe’s ‘Journey’s Out Of The Body’. While researching Tom Campbell for an interview on his work proving we live in a virtual reality simulation, I stumbled across his past […]
What do Vanilla Ice, Chuck Lorre, Venus de Milo, Leatherhead, and Brian Henson have in common? They are all vital to the history of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Learn the connections in my bonus ep with the mysterious Farago.
Andrew Farago Interviews: As you well know, I am a big fan of anything comic related, so of course it was inevitable that I would cross paths with the curator of the Cartoon Art Museum: Andrew Farago. We didn’t just talk comic books, but two of my other favorites: cartoons and comic strips. Specifically we […]
Captain Charles Moore Interviews Ever since first hearing about the Great Pacific Patch, an island of garbage 3x the size of Texas sitting in the pacific Ocean, I was fascinated. How could something like be accumulated, and what was being done to fix the problem? The answer to the first question is extraordinarily complex, and […]
BONUS EPISODE – Spotting Psychic Scams Known as “The Street Smart Psychic”, Lisa knows how to spot a fake fortune teller. Listen as she gives some great tips on how to get a great psychic reading, while steering clear of the phonies. Also, learn how her first psychic reading involved the gift of a spaghetti […]
Lisa Barretta Interviews: I have always been intrigued by tattoos. While not having any myself, I do appreciate the outward artistic expression. I never really thought of them as more then large, persona, permanent pieces of art. That is, until I talked to Lisa Barretta. She puts forth a paradigm that every aspect of a […]
BONUS EPISODE – The Forlorn Hope Every concept has an origin story. Dubbed ‘The Forlorn Hope’, the first attempt at a rescue spawned two of the darkest and most infamous ones of the entire ordeal known as The Donner Party: Cannibalism and Murder. Listen as we discuss the treacherous events that lead this insidious course […]
Michael Wallis Interviews While the name “The Donner Party” sounds like a good time, it definitely was not. It is a macabre tale from the Wild West that Spoiler Alert famously ends in cannibalism. But that is only 5% of the story. Bestselling author Michael Wallis tells the twisted tale of this ill-fated and terribly […]
BONUS EPISODE – Modern Poisonings Using poison to gain power and quiet dissidents did not end with the Renaissance. While trying to avoid becoming victims ourselves, we discuss how Vladimir Putin has turned Russia into the modern day center of political poisonings.
Eleanor Herman Interviews Since the dawn of time, man has clamored for sex and power, hellbent on eliminating of all rivals in this pursuit. Since most cannot be killed outright, the murderous minded had to find more clandestine methods of eradication. The best poisons have to be administered secretly, remain undetected, and appear to be […]
Our Second Interview: The Robocalypse! It seems like machine intelligence is advancing at an exponential rate. The convergence of advanced artificial intelligence with highly skilled robots is inevitable, and imminent. How will this affect the human race? Where does virtual reality fit into this scenario? Linda and I discuss the ramifications of a robot-filled future, […]
BONUS EPISODE After discussing this world, it makes sense to explore all the creatures that inhabit it. We discuss plants that feed on sound, a deer like animal with seven legs, some poisonous, others nutritious, as well as the difference between biologically & culturally aquatic.
Eames Demetrios is an artist and filmmaker, who is best known as the creator of a parallel universe called Kcymaerxthaere. So what is this K word? It is the name of a fictional world that mirrors our own, with its own geography, flora, fauna, cultural identity, languages, and history. Looking to create an interactive story […]
Talk about serendipity: Right after talking with George Pendle about Jack Parsons, “Mystical” Mitch was in town, and chatted with me about the occult side of Parsons. We even did the interview at Manly P. Hall’s University for Philosophical Research! We discussed Aleister Crowley, L. Ron Hubbard, symbolic tattoos, and even the event in Mitch’s […]
BONUS EPISODE Much like Jack Parsons and myself, George Pendle is a man of many eclectic tastes. It turns out, he wrote an article on barbed wire! We discuss that, as well as his obsession with airport carpeting, and the alternative history of clown prohibition!
The Life of Marvel “Jack” Whiteside Parsons is an incredible one. He is the true Godfather of rocket science, for without his drive, imagination and reckless behavior, we might never have gotten to the moon. Well that’s not entirely true, since we did import a bunch of Nazi scientists during Project Paperclip who were vital […]
BONUS EPISODE Steve hangs out to talk about how these Barbed Wire Barons put aside their differences, and combine their influence & resources to bring a major university to DeKalb Illinois. If that wasn’t enough, we also talk about how Governor John Altgeld thought public building were so unpleasing to the eye that they were […]
In my days at Northern Illinois University, I learned that DeKalb, IL was ground zero for barbed wire. At the time, I had no idea how historically important this was, but especially after learning about the Wild West, I came to realize that barbed wire made living on the open range possible. No one knows […]
Texas State Historian Bill O’Neal sticks around to talk about the end of the west. We get into the Outlaw/Lawman Jim Plummer and how he worked both sides of the law with a group called The Innocents, as well as The Last Gunfight, and the Last Great Stagecoach Robbery.
I have always loved the Wild West. I don’t know if it is the struggle against lawlessness, vigilante justice, gold prospecting, ghost towns, showdowns at high noon, snake oil salesmen, railroad tycoons, or riding a horse everywhere you go. I am sure it is one of those, or the perfect combination of all. The true […]
Carousels are a time honored tradition, stretching back to at least to the 12th century. According to expert and historian Lourinda Bray, they may even date back as far as the invention of the wheel: Fire, Wheel, Carousel. I sat down at her amazing restoration compound “Running Horse Studio” and learned all about their incredible […]
In honor of the 5th anniversary of his passing, I reached into vault for the second interview I did with Paul about his wrestling career. We talked about his secret life as a practical jokester, getting whacked over the head with a cane by an old man in the crowd, and how Michael P. S. […]
Mike Headley is the Executive Director of the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority, and current head of the Sanford Lab in Lead, SD. It is my assertion that the story of the creation of the Homestake Mine through its transition into the Sanford Laboratory is an encapsulation of America’s progress from Post Civil War […]
BONUS episode: Kathleen sticks around and talks to me about her two favorite examples: A barnacle that takes over the mind and body of a crab, and Orb Spiders that are commanded to spin very particular webs for their new hosts.
Have you ever felt like your thoughts were not your own, that there was some unseen force guiding your actions from deep inside your brain? One possibility is that you are absolutely crazy and should seek professional help immediately. Another is that you may be under the influence of a mind controlling parasite! I chat […]
There are endless tales of mediocre artists who get noticed because they live in either LA or New York, but it takes an extraordinarily special one to become world renowned from a small town in rural South Dakota. That is exactly what Dick Termes, creator of the Termespheres, has done. His secret? Advancing beyond the […]
Just in time for the New Year, I sit down with Dr. Samuel West, the curator of The Museum of Failure. In my mind, there is no better way to prepare for your future success than by analyzing the mistakes of your past, or better yet, the pasts of others. Sammy Dubs and I discuss […]
There are few subjects more perfect for Christmastime than the candy cane. Especially in recent years, but dating back centuries, peppermint has become the official flavor of the holiday season, in the same way pumpkin rules Thanksgiving. Unbeknownst to me, hand-rolled candy canes have become a lost art, but Jerry Rowley of Logan’s Candies is […]
There are very few times in life where you get to be the first ever to do something, but that is exactly what happened to Astronomer Dr. Maria Drout. She was one the team that both “heard” and “saw” a Neutron Star Collision/Merger for the first time! Obviously this was exciting for her, but it […]
My 100th episode: The 100 year anniversary of the 100 inch Hooker telescope. How perfect is that? Dr. Cynthia Hunt was my guide down the truly historic path. Why is it such a big deal? This piece of machinery was paradigm shifting in the way it collected light, and how it was constructed. At the […]
BONUS EPISODE! Jeff walks me through his theory that H. H. Holmes was in fact the notorious Jack The Ripper.
In Part 2 of my H. H. Holmes discussion, I talk to one of his living relatives, Great Great Grandson Jeffery Mudgett. At the forefront of Holmes history, Jeff has both literally and figuratively uncovered some long-hidden evidence, culminating in the exhumation of the body buried in Holmes’ Grave. For years, Jeff has postulated a […]
Harold Schechter is an American true crime writer who specializes in serial killers. He attended the State University of New York in Buffalo where his PhD director was Leslie Fiedler. He is professor of American literature and popular culture at Queens College of the City University of New York. He chose the perfect title for […]
In our first episode, just in time for Halloween, Physicist Dr. Michael Dennin, Rocket Scientist Ben Siepser, Microbiologist Dr. Brittany Needham, and The Analytical Mastermind Daniel J. Glenn discuss how to create your very own reanimated corpse. Okay, so reanimating dead tissue is out of our grasp right now, but there are several alternatives for […]
Finally Michael Carbonaro has come to Fascinating Nouns! I love his show The Carbonaro Effect, but I have been following his career since he was the Magic Clerk on The Tonight’s show! After a four and a half year pursuit I sit down with Carbo, and we get WAY into the weeds. We talk about […]
I am from Chicago, the “Windy City”. It turns out that nickname was earned because native Chicagoians were inherently chatty, or “full of wind”, and not because it is windy weather wise. To make matters more confusing, the city does in fact have incredible gusts, especially in the winter. Why am I bringing this up? […]
BONUS EPISODE! We discuss some of my favorite movies including how The Ghostbusters is a film about the battle between zodiac signs, and how RS4 has NEVER listened to The Wizard of Oz w/Pink Floyd. I am not sure how that is even possible.
I have always been a fan of Easter eggs, hidden clues, and occult mysteries. Enter Robert Sullivan IV, AKA RS4. His books on Cinema Symbolism are amazing. He outlines common mystic narrative threads (Gnosticism, Alchemical, Hero’s Journey), as well as hidden meanings behind popular movies/tv shows. Listen as we discuss his fascination with the […]
John Lybrand is the latest in a long line of Rubel Castle Blacksmiths. He sat down with me to talk about about blacksmithing merit badges, a secret blacksmith society, and how to make a dagger out of old railroad spikes. Here is my interview with Scott Rubel, the legacy of Rubel Castle: Video:
In this modern age, there are a few places filled with wonder and magic. There are even fewer castles. In Glendora, California there is a place with both. Michael started his construction career at nine years old when he would build three story forts out of stuff he found from the local junkyard. All of […]
In a city like Los Angeles, it is hard to stand out, although everyone is desperately trying to. The easyish way to do that is to be the first to do something culturally relevant; first viral star, first one to discover blogging, or the first person to walk across the continent. Charles Lummis was all […]
BONUS EPISODE! Sara dares to discuss the very scary Femme Fatale of the firefly world: Photuris, AKA The Vampire Firefly.
For me, the nostalgic draw of fireflies (which I call lightening bugs) is overwhelming. I remember waiting until dusk to see these amazing creatures take flight, tangible and twinkling, as if the night sky had come down to earth. Their bioluminescence has always captivated me. Luckily Dr. Sara Lewis, the world’s foremost firefly expert, […]
BONUS EPISODE! Carla sticks around to talk about some specific pieces in her collection, including grave wax, items extracted from a human butt, and a teratoma the size of a human head!
Carla Valentine is trailblazer in the Death Industry. She is an author (Past Mortems), blogger, creator of the only Death Industry networking/dating website Dead Meet, former pathologist, and current Technical Curator of the most famous Pathology Museum in the world: St. Batholomew’s! There she is in charge of preserving and categorizing 5,000 specimens of human […]
BONUS EPISODE! Stanton sticks around to discuss a second concurrent crash, one that backs up his theory, and describes a scene involving possible extraterrestrial bodies.
In celebration of the 70th anniversary of what is commonly referred to as “The Roswell Crash”, I was incredibly honored to sit down with none other than Stanton Friedman, the godfather of Ufology. He was the first civilian to seriously investigate the crash. In this interview, we discuss his tenacious research skills, his falling bass […]
What images are conjured when one utters the word “hermit”? An unshaved guru who resides in the wilderness? A Luddite who fears and shuns society? A fancy way of saying homeless? We explore this concept in depth as Michael walks us through his latest book “A Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the […]
When it comes to jerky, most people are familiar with the traditional forms: Beef, turkey, and if you live further out in the country, then venison. If you are REALLY rural, then squirrel and racoon. But what do you do if you are a recovering carnivore, looking to take to the vegan life? Well, I […]
Like most things, I became slightly obsessed with LaVar Ball and his company Big Baller Brand despite every instinct in my body telling me otherwise. LaVar started the company to promote his basketball playing sons, the eldest of which (Lonzo) is a top NBA prospect this draft. He caught a lot of flack in the […]
In the world of paranormal investigations, AKA stories of High Strangeness, credibility can be hard to come by. With all the skeptics, hoaxers, and frauds, it is nearly impossible to provide enough proof and plausibility to convince people of what is happening. Enter Linda Moulton Howe. With over 40 years of impeccable journalism behind her, […]
Cold Atom Laboratory When it comes to Absolute Zero, Dr. Anita Sengupta is a total tease. Her new project, The Cold Atom Laboratory, cools atoms down to a fraction of a degree above Absolute Zero in order to create and verify a new state of matter first postulated by Einstein. Attaining Absolute Zero is […]
BONUS EPISODE! Jason and I discuss Victorian Era Eyeglass Innovations! We talk about the difference between a monocle and a quizzing glass, as well as President Teddy Roosevelt’s pince-nez.
Jason Merrill is a connoisseur of a bygone era. If you want to know proper formal attire from 1837 until 1920, Jason is your guy. We discuss all sorts of ways to improve your fashion. Do you know the difference between shirt studs and cuff links? Are you aware that the so-called fedora you are […]
The British are known for their incredible politeness and impeccable manners. This is fertile ground to produce a world renown etiquette expert. That expert is William Hanson. Besides writing the book on the subject, he also is a Guinness World record holder! The longest curtsy relay, if you must know. We get into the do’s […]
Ben Harrison is the author of the book Undying Love, which tells the story of Karl Tanzler, AKA Count Carl von Cosel. In brief: Karl Tanzler, a German immigrant, makes his way to Key West Florida by way of Havana Cuba. Once there, he sets himself up as an x-ray technician at the local hospital. […]
I have often pondered which is better: Dolls or Teddy Bears. Luckily one woman has designed the perfect museum to answer this question: The Susan Quinlan Doll & Teddy Bear Museum & Library has hundreds of examples of dolls & teddy bears, as well as the world’s largest research library on that same subject. *Spoiler […]
In celebration of the diamond anniversary of The Battle of Los Angeles, I sit down with one of the most respected men in the UFO field Dr. William J. Birnes, esq. He holds a PhD, a law degree, and is an author. You may have also seen him on History channel’s UFO Files, Ancient […]
The USS Iowa is one of the largest, most imposing forces in naval history. Originally commissioned to support land invasions (amphibious assaults) in WWII, this devastating behemoth was also a force to be reckoned with during the Korean War. It was decommissioned in the 50’s. but then recommissioned in the 80’s during the Regan administration […]
This episode is going to blow your mind. Famed occult researcher and Nazi expert Peter Levenda walks us through his book Ratline, the story of the secret “Underground Railroad” in Europe, set up by a Vatican priest, used to get high ranking Nazi’s and SS officers out of Germany and into various parts of the […]
Kenny Irwin Jr. is an artist who’s true style is hard to nail down in contemporary words. He may be the mastermind behind Griswold-esque Robo Lights, but like most famous artists, he exists in two worlds, both literally and figuratively. There is the world of imagination that Kenny inhabits in his dreaming state, and it […]
The original Roller Coaster pioneers! Jim Futrell and I discuss the two most influential coaster designers in history: John Miller and Harry Baker.
From his website: Jim Futrell became involved with the National Amusement Park Historical Association in 1980, and was named the organization’s Historian in 1984, a position he continues to hold. As Historian, Jim has authored numerous articles for the organization’s magazine, NAPHA News, and in 1992, started publishing NAPHA NewsFLASH!!!, the organization’s monthly newsletter. Jim […]
Divine Science You are used to hearing “Dr. Michael Dennin: Superhero Scientist”, but it turns out there is much more to Dr. Dennin than analyzing the physics behind faster than light spandex. This lifelong practicing Catholic has taken his questions about religion and God, and has looked at them with the eye of a scientist. […]
Have you ever lost a ring, or even a metal-based object of incredible sentimental value? Well Chris Turner and his international directory of ring finders can help you! But Chris does more than just find rings: He has found long buried cash troves, metal in food, and has even helped police find missing bodies! We […]
When it comes to the Ouija Board, I have always harbored a morbid curiosity. From the first time I played it at a sleepover, I started pondering: Is it a simple game designed for entertainment, or is it a true mystical device, capable of communication with the ‘Other Side’? Luckily Ouija historian Robert Murch was […]
Mitch Horowitz, author of Occult America, discusses the history of a few luck-inspired superstitions. Check out more at ORIGINS: The Series.
From his website MITCH HOROWITZ is a writer and publisher who explores “rejected stones,” from the occult to positive thinking to ESP. He is a PEN Award-winning historian and the author of Occult America (Bantam) and One Simple Idea: How Positive Thinking Reshaped Modern Life (Crown), now out in paperback from Skyhorse with new stuff. Mitch has written […]
I have always been intrigued by the events in Salem Village in 1692. What happened there over the course of the year set the bar for unnecessary persecutions, and religious fanaticism. The circumstances under which these events occurred are not nearly as cut and dry as one would think. In order to flesh out the […]
I have always been fascinating with the graceful beauty and devastating phenomenon knows as The Martial Arts. What better person to discuss this with than 2 time third degree black belt John Kreng! We discuss his intense street fight with Chuck Norris, why he couldn’t learn Kung Fu, and his 14 year career as a […]
James Fletcher, AKA “Fletch”, is the premiere American History teacher at Clairemont High School in San Diego. At an early age, he became enthralled with the Kennedy/Nixon election and has been a fan of the process ever since. Over the last 40 years with the help of his students, Fletch has amassed an impressive 40,000 […]
David Raymond is a mascot visionary. Having played the Philly Phanatic for 15 years, he looked into the future of sports, and saw that it was mascot filled. David has become the industry leader in creating mascots from scratch, fixing preexisting characters, and training the next generation of mascot actors. On top of that, David […]
The San Diego Chicken is the alter-ego of former KGB Radio intern Ted Giannoulas. Originally created for a radio promotion in the mid 70’s, Ted managed to take a 2 week ad and make it last 43 years. Not only that, but Ted is credited as being the first professional sports mascot. Being first does […]
You know of my love for zombies, and it turns out fungus are no exception. There are actually several types of fungi that are parasitic towards insects, but none more devious than the killer Cordyceps. This genus can manipulate the movements of the ant once infected! When the ant dies, the fungus reproduces by sprouting […]
I have been fascinated with fungus since I was a wee little tyke. I think it started with Egon Spangler cited collecting spores, molds, and fungus as his favorite hobby. My grandmother was notorious for cutting the mold off cheese and proclaiming “It’s fine!”. Well, it wasn’t fine. Actually it was safe to eat, but […]
Mark Barbour is the Founding Curator and Executive Director of the International Print Museum in Carson, CA. He is also an incredibly gifted historian, one who has dedicated his life to the preservation of the greatest gift to humanity: The Printing Press. This device allowed the proliferation of knowledge through the world, and single-handedly ushered […]
The printing press is considered the greatest invention in humanity’s history. This man is a master of it. That alone would be amazing, but it should also be noted that this invention is over 500 years old. It is this antiqued method that Kevin Bradley has chosen as his medium for artistic expression. He calls […]
People closest to me know I only drape myself in the finest of fabrics. Obviously velvet is on the top of that list. This is a fabric so seductive, so often touched, that it is incessantly mislabeled “felt”. Believe it or not, there is a better use for this silky textile besides feeling and wearing; […]
Who hasn’t, at some point, wanted to rule their own country? From the time we are kids, we are declaring our rooms off limits to both parents, and the opposite sex. We create vast pillow and blanket based infrastructure, culminating in the most grand fort ever built…with sofa cushions. There are of course those among […]
The ancient art of Bonsai goes back generations. Some describe the art as requiring the delicate hands of a sculptor, one who knows that his creation will outlive him by generations. Others describe the practice as Machiavellian, whereby harmful tactics of manipulation are employed in order to force the miniature tree, and therefore nature itself, […]
In this bonus episode, Caroline and I discuss the importance of tip protectors, pencil extenders, as well as the hazards of over-sharpening. Social Media Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
Caroline Weaver is to pencils what Hank Hill was to propane. Her appreciation of the a 400 year old technology is eclipsed only by her success in selling her niche wares. Her store CW Pencil Enterprise sells hundreds of pencils and pencil related accessories. We discussed the specifications of her life-sized pencil tattoo, the historical […]
Most everyone in the world has heard of Tetris, the Cold War era video game imported into the United States from the Soviet Union. American Jonas Neubauer is the most prolific Tetris champion of all time, having won the Tetris Championship 5 times in the last 6 years. We discuss his training regimen, his “Unfair […]
Taryn Harper Wright is a force for right when it comes to exposing and busting internet hoaxes. She mainly stays focused on Cancer Catfishing, a term I totally just made up right now. There is a group of people out there that pretend to have Cancer, and create an elaborate cyberworld in order to gain […]