Fascinating Nouns

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 book entitled “ Monsters and Monarchs: Serial Killers in Myth and History “, which analyzes s...

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 plot to assassinate JFK using the muscle of the mafia, because he was going to expos...

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, which is more than commendable.  Listen as we discuss his time in art school, how Ja...

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, and so morally bankrupt that the complete details are still not known to...

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 Trygve is managing this sensitive operation all the wa...

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 of training and experience to be mentally, emotionally, an...

“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 group of people either “harass” or “hold accountable”...

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 credence given to the topic, and very few academics...

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 Media Facebook Twitter YouTube

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 participants from the audie...

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 the story and discuss the results of all the scientific testing on this important artifact. Ka...

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 human history.  Betty’s Niece, Kathleen Marden, has been inves...

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 infamous events that have transpired throughout the Bay Area.  In our conversation, he starts with his...

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 that is only compatible with first generation Blu-...

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 documentary chronicling their unlikely fate, and how taking up knitting to relieve anxiety...

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 discuss this killer contraption on this bonus episode.

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 wombs, lab-grown meat, and...

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 New York, but the official one is in Los Angeles.  Homelessness expert and Skid Row hist...

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 an experimental car called the Lincoln Futura, and whether it was nuclear or not.

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 consider Batman staples, including Bruce Wayne’s Butler Alfred Pennywort...

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 Deadliest Fighting Secrets...

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 Bob Calhoun, walks me through the rise and fall of this very uniqu...

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 Stewart Gardner museum in Boston.  This is the site of one of the most famous art heists in U.S. history, and...