The Shallow End

Some people make mistakes. Others commit to them. This week on The Shallow End, JG and Jethro dive into two unbelievable true stories where one bad decision somehow keeps getting worse. First, a Florida traffic stop takes an astonishing turn when a routine arrest leads to an X-ray scanner, a mysterious "anomaly," and one of the most creative excuses police have heard in years. Then it's off to New...

From people who think Spain is in South America to someone convinced milk isn't dairy, this episode of The Shallow End dives headfirst into some of the funniest—and most bewildering—examples of internet ignorance ever posted online. Are Americans really getting dumber, or are social media algorithms simply rewarding spectacular confidence? Then it's off to Florida, where a heated pickleball disput...

Here's an SEO-focused Shallow End episode description that leans into the absurdity, true-crime foolishness, and "poor decision making" theme that runs through both stories: This week in The Shallow End, we celebrate becoming the 12th most popular podcast in the category of "Foolishness" by doing what we do best: examining spectacularly bad decisions. First, a Michigan woman nearly loses more than...

In this episode of The Shallow End, Schnebly and Toth explore two stories that raise an uncomfortable question: Is modern civilization running on competence... or just paperwork and confidence? First, the guys dive into the bizarre case of a former airline captain who allegedly flew commercial passenger jets for nearly 17 years without holding the specific pilot certification required for the job....

What happens when criminals forget how gasoline works? Or when a dog accidentally becomes the prime suspect in a drive-by shooting? This week on The Shallow End, JG and Lindsay dive into two true stories that sound completely made up—but absolutely aren't. First, a pair of aspiring arsonists discover that fire has very strong opinions about gasoline, leading to one of the fastest criminal career c...

Would you say "yes" after a fake armed robbery? One Colombian man staged a terrifying mock carjacking complete with motorcycles, masked accomplices, and a gun—only to drop to one knee and propose marriage. Then, Jethro and Lindsay dive into the bizarre true story of a South Carolina pastor who landed in jail after church services became so loud that neighbors, police, and city officials finally ha...

Two grown men attempt to answer life’s biggest questions:How far should you go to retrieve your car keys from a porta-potty? How many beers does it take before 911 becomes Coors Light customer service? And exactly where should you not squat in the English countryside? In this hilariously disastrous episode of The Shallow End, JG and Lindsay dive headfirst into a collection of true stories involvin...

In this episode of The Shallow End, Jethro and Lindsay dive headfirst into one of the strangest crimes in Texas history: the infamous 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery. A gun-toting Kris Kringle storms a bank in Cisco, Texas, sparks a downtown shootout, kidnaps two young girls in a stolen Model T, and launches one of the wildest manhunts the Lone Star State has ever seen. It’s Christmas chaos, Texas v...

On this classic episode of The Shallow End, we dive headfirst into one of the most absurd workplace disaster stories imaginable: the tale of a janitor inside a world-class research facility whose unbelievably bad decisions spiraled into total chaos. It’s a hilarious real-life reminder that sometimes the biggest threat to science isn’t a supervillain… It’s a guy with a mop and absolutely no common...

What happens when humans push things just a little too far… and nature pushes back harder? In this wildly unpredictable episode of The Shallow End, we kick things off with a surreal, full-circle moment—meeting legendary singer-songwriter James Taylor and reflecting on unexpected life connections that somehow all collide at once. But then… things take a sharp turn. First up: a suburban Massachusett...

What do exploding pants and a stolen identity have in common? In this episode of The Shallow End with Schnebly and Toth, they’re both the result of truly spectacularly bad decisions—and the kind of stories you won’t believe actually happened. First, we head to Walker County, Georgia, where a routine visit from authorities turns into a moment of unforgettable chaos. A man, caught mid–“activities co...

What do a legendary bank robber in disguise and a backyard “experiment” gone catastrophically wrong have in common? They both belong squarely in The Shallow End. In Episode 205, the boys dive into the unbelievable true story of Peggy Jo Tallas—better known as “Cowboy Bob”—a free-spirited Texas woman who reinvented herself as a bearded outlaw and pulled off a string of bank robberies so smooth they...

What do a counterfeit cash scheme, a Target return counter, and a doomed diamond heist have in common? Absolutely terrible decision-making—and that’s exactly what’s waiting for you in this episode of The Shallow End. JG and Lindsay dive headfirst into two wildly absurd true crime stories that prove sometimes the biggest threat to criminals… is themselves. First, a man in Augusta, Georgia attempts...

Because even chaos takes a holiday… It’s a Shallow End classic. Due to Easter weekend, we’re cracking open the vault and re-releasing one of our all-time favorite episodes—and trust us, it’s worth resurrecting. JG dives headfirst (as one does) into the spectacularly ridiculous sinking of a World War II Nazi U-Boat—because sometimes history isn’t just tragic… It’s unintentionally hilarious. Meanwhi...

What happens when criminals make every possible wrong decision… and then double down? In this episode of The Shallow End, we dive headfirst into a series of real-life stories that prove you don’t need a mastermind to commit a crime—sometimes all you need is spectacularly bad judgment. First, meet Darren Kimpton—a burglar having what can only be described as an aggressively terrible day. After botc...

What starts as a routine flight out of Mogadishu turns into one of the strangest “instant karma” stories you’ll ever hear… when a man in a wheelchair boards a plane with a deadly secret—and what happens next defies every expectation. This is a true story of chaos, survival, and a twist so unbelievable it sounds fictional… but isn’t. Then, we head to Clearwater, Florida—because of course we do—wher...

Episode 200 dives headfirst into the absurd with a milestone celebration you won’t forget—whether you want to or not. From a hilariously ill-conceived ‘nude episode’ kickoff to a real-life criminal mastermind who tried to improve his own wanted poster with a better selfie, this installment is packed with bizarre true stories, dumb decisions, and the kind of strange-but-true moments that define The...

On this episode of The Shallow End, the guys dive headfirst into two stories that prove reality is often stranger—and far funnier—than fiction. First, a bizarre crime spree in Gwinnett County, Georgia where a man allegedly attempted a series of car thefts while wearing nothing but a tablecloth and fuzzy blue slippers, turning a routine police chase into one of the strangest wardrobe choices in cri...

In this episode of The Shallow End with Schnebly and Toth, two unbelievable real-life stories prove that sometimes the most ridiculous headlines are absolutely true. First, we head to Skull Valley, Arizona, where a sheriff’s deputy responds to a strange crash and discovers a driver who insists he’s “totally perfect”… despite crashing into a guardrail and somehow getting his finger stuck inside a c...

In this episode of The Shallow End, Jethro and Lindsay dive headfirst into two true crime stories that feel less like reality and more like a stress dream fueled by bad decisions and poor time management. First up: a record-setting criminal spree that unfolded during a single nine-hour Greyhound bus layover in Nashville. One man somehow managed to cram 11 felonies into less time than most people s...

In this episode of The Shallow End, Florida once again proves it’s not just a place—it’s a mindset. First: a birthday fishing trip off the coast of Florida takes a sharp turn when a six-foot lemon shark becomes an unwilling Instagram prop. What starts as a triumphant catch turns into a 911 call, a tourniquet, and a helicopter ride—because nothing says “memories” like underestimating a living torpe...

In this episode of The Shallow End, the universe appears to clock in early and enforce consequences with zero paperwork. Schnebly and Toth break down a surreal Milwaukee incident in which a man attempting to set a Cadillac Escalade on fire instead ignites his own pants—an act of instant karma caught entirely on surveillance video. What begins as felony-grade arson collapses into slapstick physics...

In this episode of The Shallow End, Schnebly and Toth dive headfirst into the kind of poor decision-making that only extreme weather, youthful confidence, and suspended driver’s licenses can produce. It starts in Vermont during the infamous Blizzard of 2010, where a 23-year-old man was caught driving more than 60 mph down Interstate 89 while towing a friend on a plastic sled. When police attempted...

In this episode of The Shallow End, human decision-making briefly leaves the building—and gravity takes over. First, we head to downtown Vancouver, Washington, where a routine disturbance at a restaurant escalates into a full-blown aerial performance. Instead of running from police like a normal person, one man chooses a bold new escape strategy: climbing onto a rooftop communications cable, dangl...

Episode 192 of The Shallow End delivers three perfectly unhinged true stories that prove human decision-making collapses completely under mild pressure. First, police in the UK respond to a routine burglary investigation—only to discover their suspect hiding inside a washing machine. Not running. Not mid-cycle. Just vibrating slightly with shame. When officers lift the lid, the man doesn’t flee or...