Flightless Bird

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David looks at Best Friends, one of America’s largest animal rescue groups. Promoted by the likes of Mark Wahlberg, and with its own Nat Geo show “Dog Town”, David discovers Best Friends had its origins in a cult called “The Process Church Of The Final Judgement”. They wore a lot of black, had big big iron crosses around their necks, and liked keeping big dogs as pets - mainly German Shepards. Rumours spread they were involved in ritualistic murder - and by the time the Manson murders happened, prosecutors alleged there were links between Charles Manson and “The Process”. Under the leadership of “Mary Ann MacLean” the cult would undergo a series of changes, eventually ending up as - you guessed it - Best Friends. David meets a corner member who was born into the cult, and alleges what is now Best Friends’ Utah HQ was built - in part - by children. Support Flightless Bird on Patreon: www.patreon.com/flightlessbird Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/flightlessbirdpod Email us your feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before Flightless Bird takes a few weeks off for the holidays, we hear from self-proclaimed parasocial podcast listener Nick. He emailed us with a story he wanted to share - explaining how it all started on a Zoom call with his boss, when suddenly he felt like he’d been hit over the head with a bat. We think Nick’s story is intriguing and inspirational - and we wanted to share it with you as we head towards the end of 2025. Flightless Bird is taking a few weeks off, and returns on Tuesday January 6. LINKS: The Friendship Paddle: https://www.friendshippaddle.org Nick’s bands are Uncle Uncle (https://www.instagram.com/uncleuncleband/?hl=en) and Pookie - whose track “Thank You For Your Service” played us out this week: https://open.spotify.com/track/7zOeJ0T7S5VEgp5RvsRCAL?si=f5277282b92043c6 JOIN US ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/flightlessbird Email us: [email protected] Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flightlessbirdpod Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob delve into the deeply American world of Reality TV. They talk to Sara Reddy - one of the minds behind Honey Boo Boo and a number of record-breaking reality TV shows - before meeting reality TV veteran Jordan Wiseley. - JOIN US ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/flightlessbird - Email us: [email protected] - Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flightlessbirdpod - Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this month’s Nest Session, David and Rob are joined on the couch by Nathan Willett and Matt Maust of Cold War Kids, an indie rock band from Long Beach, California. They talk about their love / obsession with collecting very specific vintage t-shirts, before sharing their memories and passion for their friend and collaborator, musician and producer Richard Swift, who passed away in 2018. They are then joined by their bandmates to perform some of their tracks for your enjoyment. “The Nest Sessions” are a monthly music-focused series where each week Rob and David have a different musician in the studio to talk about a piece of American culture they’re obsessed with, before they share some live music in the studio. Join us for more on Patreon: www.patreon.com/flightlessbirdEmail us: [email protected] us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flightlessbirdpod Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob meet Betsy, a librarian who one day found herself being harassed by a “First Amendment Auditor” - a man in a hoodie badgering her endlessly for her name, salary and employment details. After calling the police, she discovered they could do nothing - and Betsy’s footage was uploaded for 100,000 people calling for her dismissal, and arrest. Farrier interviews Kristina Wilson and Kristi Nickodem, both experts in Public Law and Government, to find out what the hell was going on - and to see what someone like Betsy can do when confronted by this very unusual subculture of insufferable YouTubers.Email us: [email protected] Patreon: patreon.com/flightlessbird Dealing with Harassment and Threats Towards Local Government Officials and Employees: https://canons.sog.unc.edu/2022/07/dealing-with-harassment-and-threats-towards-local-government-officials-and-employees/ Responding to First Amendment Auditors: https://www.sog.unc.edu/sites/default/files/reports/2022-11-09%2020220124%20LGLB%20141.pdf Coates’ Canons NC Local Government Law: https://canons.sog.unc.edu/?s=%22responding+to+first+amendment+audits%22 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Thanksgiving-vibed Flightless Bird, David sets out to learn about the iconic American staple on the Thanksgiving table: Pumpkin Pie. Rob and David blind taste test three pumpkin pies - from supermarket scraps to high end Hollywood - to see if they can tell the difference. Rob then surprises David in the studio with Jordan Kahn, the chef behind incredible restaurants like Vespertine and Meteora (with French Laundry, Per Se, Alinea and Michael Mina also in his CV) who has made the Flightless Bird team his own pumpkin pie. Kahn then shares his pumpkin pie tips, along with his thoughts on what else should go (and not go!) on the Thanksgiving table. Support Flightless Bird on Patreon: www.patreon.com/flightlessbird Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/flightlessbirdpod Email us your feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's Flightless Bird, David and Rob attend Medieval Times in California - and are joined by Rob's son, Calvin. They set out to discover if it's still the same experience documented in the 1996 hit film The Cable Guy, before talking to a former worker at Medieval Times.JOIN US ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/flightlessbirdEmail us: [email protected] us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flightlessbirdpod Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Flightless Bird, Rob takes the reins and tells the story of Tom Pfaeffle - a mentor, musician, and the quiet force behind Seattle’s sound. What begins as a look into a mentor’s lasting influence becomes a haunting mystery: a motel shooting, a vanished gunman, and a community searching for answers. Rob speaks with Wild Orchid Children’s Kirk Huffman and Thomas Hunter, who share the story of Tom’s influence, and journalist Trent Moorman unravels the strange events that unfolded at the Blue Spruce Motel. Wild Orchid Children: https://open.spotify.com/artist/48g5S4pDBTkgU4MekOe5yV?si=a4Y9Wd7YRJG6Ei2uzAyQFwBlack Shiny FBI Shoes, the song: https://open.spotify.com/track/3AoUBpJmkZ2f3cqljsH6sn?si=4d2e2eb9fce84853 Kirk Huffman: https://www.instagram.com/realdonmusic Thomas Hunter: https://www.instagram.com/thomashunter____ Trent Moorman: https://www.instagram.com/cookiesnake Email us: [email protected] Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flightlessbirdpod Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once a month, Flightless Bird will release “The Nest Sessions,” a new music-focused series where each week Rob and David have a different musician in the studio to talk about a piece of American culture they’re obsessed with, before they share some live music in the studio. The Nest Sessions debuts with Anthony Green from Circa Survive, L.S. Dunes, The Sound of Animals Fighting, and Saosin. Anthony talks about his battles with sobriety on the road, and reveals his favourite American snack to David. Email us: [email protected] Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flightlessbirdpod Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Anthony Green: https://www.instagram.com/anthonygreen666/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s spooky Flightless Bird, Rosabel reveals her thoughts on the afterlife and ghosts, before David meets a bunch of Americans who’ve taken part in, or run, Christian Hell Houses. What is a Hell House, and what do they have to do with Halloween? David then drives to visit his first Hell House, learning about the myriad of ways humans can die, and what hell looks like. Flightless Bird on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flightlessbirdpod Email us your feedback and ideas: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode, Hayden explains why his old band broke up and David reveals some shocking news: Rosabel’s name is not “Roosevelt”. Next, Rob takes David deeper down the emo rabbit hole. They’re joined in the studio by Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional) and Nick Thomas (The Spill Canvas) to break down the genre, before they share some acoustic songs. Saosin and Days Away also perform! email us: [email protected] Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, we reveal the results of the competition to guess Rosabel’s filthy email address, before David travels to Portland to see if it really is a raging city out of control. Rob also talks to some locals to get their take about what is going on in their city at the moment. Email us your feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David talks to a man who lived as a train hopper for two years. They talk about the lifestyle, dangers and chaos of illegally hitching rides across America using the railroad system. The country’s first train tracks were laid down in the 1820s - and since then, America has gone on to have the largest rail transport network in the world - over 136,000 miles of train lines weaning their way across the USA. Which is why train hopping is part of America’s history. Based on original reporting in Webworm: https://www.webworm.co/trainhopping/ Email us: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David attends his first Homecoming football game and Homecoming dance - and Rob and David discuss their feelings around dances, balls, and weddings. Note: As discussed in this episode, Flightless Bird is hiring! We are looking for a “channel manager” to help look after a Flightless Bird’s Instagram, YouTube page, and other social media accounts. This is a paid position working 15 to 20 hours a week. If you are creative, organised and experienced please email us a short video explaining your experience and why you’re a good fit for this job - along with what you’re listening to at the moment (music wise or podcasts!) Email us at [email protected] Subject line: Flightless Bird Channel Manager Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode, David looks at the downfall of one of the world’s biggest Christian stars, Michael Tait. The (now former) frontman of The Newsboys, and former member of DC Talk, Tait led a secret double life that all came crashing down this year. Farrier talks to two journalists who covered the story, Jessica Morris and Josiah Hesse - as well as whistleblowers and victims like Israel Anthem. Farrier discovers a world of coverups and legal action in the world of Christian rock - learning about the sole owner of Newsboys, Wes Campbell, who some refer to as “The Devil”. - This is based on original reporting on Webworm: https://www.webworm.co/thedevil/ - Email David and Rob: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode David and Rob look at the world of Christian Contemporary Music, or CCM for short. Born out of the 1960s Jesus Movement, CCM was a way for kids to listen to “cool” music without any of the sin, and it became embedded in large parts of American culture. They’re joined in the studio by Underoath’s Aaron Gillespie who knows a thing or two about Christian music - and they talk about everything from Hell Houses to the good and bad of Christian music.Aaron Gillespie: https://www.instagram.com/aaronrgillespie/Underoath: https://www.instagram.com/underoathband/Flightless Bird merch: https://www.flightlessbirdpod.comEmail Rob and David: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, Rob takes David to his first ever Chipotle Mexican Grill experience, before teaching him about what makes this American food chain so iconic, important and delicious. Founded on July 13, 1993, we learn about its history with McDonalds to its attempt at being sustainable, they try to answer the eternal question: Is Chipotle better than fast food or slightly better than fast food? Flightless Bird merch: https://www.flightlessbirdpod.com/ Email Rob and David: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode, David flies to Washington, DC to meet with Kala - AKA “Tunnel Girl” - a woman digging a tunnel under her suburban home. David descends into Kala’s tunnel, trying to figure out what motivates her to do this. Along the way they talk about her fame on TikTok, the controversies she’s faced, and what you can learn from a tunnel fire. This episode was based on original reporting done for Webworm: https://www.webworm.co/tunnelgirl Flightless Bird merch: https://www.flightlessbirdpod.com/ Email Rob and David: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David looks back at Invisible Children’s “Kony 2012” documentary through the eyes of Lilly, an intern at the time - and Jedidiah Jenkins, the director of idea development for Invisible Children in 2012. Lilly and Jed take David inside the viral hit - the first ever video to reach 1 million likes on YouTube, the speediest ever to reach 100 million views. A Pew Research poll at the time indicated more than half of young adult Americans had heard about Kony 2012 in the days following its release. The purpose of Kony 2012 was to make Warlord Joseph Kony “famous”, and raise money for Invisible Children’s cause. And then everything went wrong.Contact David and Rob: [email protected] FB Merch: www.flightlessbirdpod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier meets Mike Masnick, the journalist and entrepreneur who came up with the term “The Streisand Effect” 20 years ago. The term has its origins in Barbara Streisland suing someone for $50 million for daring to take a photo of her house - only to have the photo spread to millions of people. Since then the Streisand Effect has been used to describe the effect of the rich and powerful trying to shut down information. Farrier and Mike discuss the legacy of what Barbara did, and its effects on the internet today. LINKS: David Farrier’s Webworm newsletter: www.webworm.co - please support it! TechDirt, Mike’s site: www.techdirt.com Kenneth Adelman’s site: californiacoastline.org Lawsuit details: https://www.californiacoastline.org/streisand/lawsuit.html Contact Flightless Bird: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier explores cryonics - freezing human corpses in the hope they may one day be resurrected by future humans! We interview James Arrowood, CEO of Alcor, America’s biggest cryonics outfit, to talk about the perception of this practice and what it means for Alcor’s 250 bodies on ice. Email us your feedback: [email protected] Links - Death To Dust: What Happens To Dead Bodies? http://www.galenpress.com/extras/extra32.htm - Melbourne Woman On Ice: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-16/second-person-cryogenically-frozen-southern-cryonics/105517102 - A startup is pitching a mind-uploading service that is “100 percent fatal” https://www.technologyreview.com/2018/03/13/144721/a-startup-is-pitching-a-mind-uploading-service-that-is-100-percent-fatal/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob discuss Pokemon Trading Cards. They’re joined in the studio by Alex (@chantastic_collection) to get schooled on Pokemon fandom and trading cards (David and Rob open their first deck ever!), before David heads to New York to meet Dave Suchmann, a man who’s combined his love of Pokemon with his computer savvy to try and make a sustainable business trading Pokemon cards. Now of course Pokemon comes from Japan, but when it was introduced to America, and then the world between 1998 and 2000, it went ballistic. It’s generally agreed upon that Pokémon is the world's highest-grossing media franchise ever - leaving Marvel and Disney stuff in its wake. So, strap in and prepare to Catch ‘Em All! Links: - David Farrier’s Webworm update on Fake Seizure Guy: https://www.webworm.co/p/fakeseizureguysentenced - Dave’s Galactic Collectables: https://www.instagram.com/galactictcg/ & https://linktr.ee/galacticcollectibles - Alex’s Pokemon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chantastic_collection Email Flightless Bird with your feedback: [email protected] Flightless Bird on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Flightless Bird merch and links: https://www.flightlessbirdpod.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob talk about one of the most iconic American movies of all time: Home Alone. David then meets Lauren, who not only loves Home Alone - but grew up in the Home Alone house. She was there during the entire shoot, observing the whole thing through the eyes of a six year old. This episode is part of Flightless Bird’s very unofficial “Chicago Week." LINKS: - Flightless Bird presents: METALLICA: SOME KIND OF MONSTER. Saturday August 23 in Los Angeles: https://www.americancinematheque.com/now-showing/flightless-bird-presents-metallica-some-kind-of-monster-8-23-25/ - If have any feedback we are always [email protected] - You can get t-shirts at www.flightlessbirdpod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode, Rob takes David around Chicago visiting some of his favourite deep dish pizza spots. The pair check out Pizano’s, Pequod’s, Lou Malnati's and Chicago's Pizza. They also stop by Goose Island so David can try Rob’s old favourite beer. Contact us anytime with your ideas and feedback: [email protected] - Pizano’s Pizza: https://www.pizanoschicago.com - Pequod’s Pizza: https://pequodspizza.com - Lou Malnati's: https://www.loumalnatis.com - Chicago's Pizza: https://chicagos-pizza.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s episode was recorded live in Chicago, where Rob and David brought Flightless Bird to Park West on July 10. They share their thoughts and feelings about Chicago, before interviewing legendary documentary maker Joe Berlinger about his work. Berlinger talks about recently EP’ing a doc about the “tylenol murders” that took place in Chicago in 1982. They then talk about some of the films he’s directed, including Brother’s Keeper, the Paradise Lost trilogy, and Metallica: Some Kind of Monster. They then chat about the Dahmer Tapes and his narrative film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile - and his upcoming series The Son of Sam Tapes. Next the Flightless Bird stage is taken by sandwich chef Jeff Mauro who feeds David some unique Chicago food, and then Nina Salem of the Insect Asylum presents Rob and David with a live opossum. Musical guests for this episode are the wonderful drmanhattan. All feedback: [email protected] T-shirts and other show info: www.flightlessbirdpod.com THANKS TO: - Joe Berlinger is a documentary filmmaker and producer. Director of such films as Brother’s Keeper, Paradise Lost, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster and Extremely Wicked. @joeberlingerfilms - Jeff Mauro is the co-host of the Food Network series The Kitchen, host of Sandwich King, $24 in 24, and the Come On Over podcast, CEO & Founder of @MauroProvisions @jeffmauro - Nina Salem of the Insect Asylum @theinsectasylum - Music by drmanhattan @drmanhattanboots - Photos by Lenny Gilmore @lennygilmore Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s Flightless Bird is Live From Denver! Rob and David explore the sights and sounds of Denver, CO, presenting their findings to a very fun crowd at the beautiful Cervantes Ballroom. They are joined by four guests that each bring a fascinating aspect of Denver and Colorado to life: The CEO of a cryonics company who has 250 human bodies and heads on ice, the head a hearse club, an expert from the largest Ice Core story facility on the planet, and a professor deeply involved with reintroducing gray wolves to Colorado. Musician Matthew Logan Vasquez provides live music including his rendition of the Flightless Bird themesong, and Happy Cones, founded by New Zealander Hap Cameron, delivers some hokey pokey ice cream to Rob! Thanks to our audience for their wonderful questions. Email us with your thoughts and ideas: [email protected] & Show Info: www.flightlessbirdpod.com ABOUT OUR LIVE GUESTS + LINKS- James Arrowood is the CEO and President of ALCOR, a non-profit organization dedicated to cryonics here in America: They have over 1500 members, 250 who are currently frozen, waiting for science to catch up: https://www.alcor.org/ - Zachary Helm is leader of the Denver Hearse Club, and has the best haircut in the whole of Denver: https://hearseclub.com/about/about.htm - Richard Nunn is Assistant Curator at the National Science Foundation Ice Core Facility in Lakewood, Colorado. There he oversees ice cores from places like Antarctica and Greenland, that are stored in a large freezer kept at -36 degrees. His primary job is to distribute samples of this precious ice to scientists all around the world - as they look at perfectly preserved gas bubbles trapped in the ice to find out what the heck is going on with global warming: https://icecores.org/ - Joanna Lambert is an environmental studies professor at the University of Colorado. She has been deeply involved with the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, and for some reason she agreed to come talk at a show that featured a Cryonics Expert, the leader of a hearse club and a mad scientist obsessed with ice: https://www.joannalambert.com/ - Matthew Logan Vasquez: @matthewloganvasquez- Happy Cones Ice cream: https://happyconesco.com/ - Photography: Andrew Rowley @guacarowley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, Rob takes David to Vons. There they each pick their five favourite American candies, ready to taste test back at the studio. They also pick a bunch of American candy David has never tried, so he can fill his blood with American sugar and become 200% more American. Live show tickets for Chicago on July 10: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiCHI If you want to contact Flightless Bird, we are always at: [email protected] are available here: flightlessbirdpod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trigger warning: Today’s episode is very much adults only. In this week’s episode, Flightless Bird explores incarcerated firefighters, talking to former inmate Matthew Hahn who signed up to fight fires when he was serving time. Hahn brings his lived experience to this episode, talking about his time inside and his rehabilitation and road to recovery. The episode takes a turn when we discover what led Matt to this prison term - and how he got out early. Links:Matt can be found @hahnscratch on social media, or at www.matthewhahn.comLive show tickets for Denver on July 3: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiDENLive show tickets for Chicago on July 10: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiCHI Email us: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob look at Subway - breaking down what America loves about the sandwich, before dining at a Subway and ordering all things footlong. Of course, they also examine the Jared Fogle disaster - and read some of the favourite listener feedback. Email us: [email protected] Live show tickets for Denver on July 3: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiDENLive show tickets for Chicago on July 10: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiCHI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob sit down to record on June 10th - a few days after David got a dose of pepper spray to the face at Sunday’s protests outside the Metropolitan Detention Centre were members of the LAPD and National Guard were posted. David and Rob discuss what the hell is going on as Trump sends 4,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, along with 700 marines. They talk to a former National Guard member about what they do, before David recounts his experiences Sunday near City Hall, and Monday night in Little Tokyo. Email us feedback: [email protected] LINKS: Guardian opinion piece: We are witnessing the first stages of a Trump police state https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/09/trump-police-state-robert-reich Live show tickets for Denver on July 3: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiDEN Live show tickets for Chicago on July 10: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiCHI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob explore Scientology in LA and beyond. David goes on a mini tour of LA Scientology, attempting to visit the Museum of Psychology, Big Blue and the Celebrity Centre to varying degrees of success. He looks at how this church/cult recruits members, before meeting someone who joined and spent around $50,000 on courses before leaving. He then meets Mike Brown, someone raised in Scientology, eventually joining the Sea Org before managing to escape. He takes David through his experience and his own theories about the church today in 2025. Email us: [email protected] show tickets for Denver on July 3: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiDENLive show tickets for Chicago on July 10: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiCHI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob look at the USA’s very unregulated sperm doner market. Along the way David meets Sheena, who recently met her biological father and discovered over 80 half-siblings… and counting. Email us: [email protected] Live show tickets for Denver on July 3: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiDEN Live show tickets for Chicago on July 10: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiCHI Links: - Sperm donor who fathered 550 children ordered to stop: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65429936 - Lawsuit alleges ex-Harvard Medical School professor used own sperm to secretly impregnate patient: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lawsuit-alleges-ex-harvard-medical-school-professor-used-sperm-secretl-rcna129696 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s Flightless Bird is live at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Musician Kelcey Ayer reimagines the FB themesong, before David and Rob share their thoughts on the city and peruse the headlines. Their special guests include Anna Lee of Lioness who has created a smart vibrator, and journalist Io Dodds who has been investigating the Zizian cult. Greg Sestero talks The Room film, and then there’s a Q&A with guests! Contact us: [email protected] LINKS: - Io Dodds on the Zizians’ Trial: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/zizians-murder-trial-witness-court-b2736777.html - Anna Lee and Lioness: https://lioness.io/ - Kelcey Ayer: http://instagram.com/kelceyayer - Photos by Jim McCambridge - Flightless Bird Live in Denver on 7/3: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiDEN - Flightless Bird Live in Chicago on 7/10: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiCHI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob look at the history and current trajectory of Topps Trading Cards. They talk baseball cards and baseball cards, before looking at all the strange trajectories this bubblegum company went in - including War trading cards, Garbage Pail Kids, and Mars Attacks! cards. They look at the most expensive cards of all time, and the act of wonderment that delving into this topic brings. Rob also calls his dad to find out about their card investment, and David talks about seeing a weird dead deer and the reaction it got from Americans. Email us: [email protected] Merch and links: www.flightlessbirdpod.com Links: - Swedish Mom Fined for Cracking Egg on Daughter’s Head: https://townflex.com/mom-fined-for-cracking-egg-on-daughters-head-in-viral-tiktok-prank - Why Are the Menendez Brothers on a Basketball Trading Card? https://people.com/the-menendez-brothers-basketball-card-8718273 - American Pope Topps card: https://www.topps.com/products/pope-leo-xiv-2025-topps-now%C2%AE-card-pope Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob visit the last Blockbuster videostore in the world in Bend, Oregon. On the way they stop off at the Overlook Hotel (sort of) and discuss their love of physical media. This week’s feedback is all very emo (in a good way). Email us: [email protected] LINKS: - Robin Hood change: https://nichegamer.com/robin-hood-film-censored-to-remove-anti-establishment-intro-message/ - The Last Blockbuster in New Zealand? https://web.archive.org/web/20201021165435/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2020/01/credits-roll-on-nz-s-last-blockbuster-video-store.html - https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/small-business/final-credits-dargavilles-blockbuster-dvd-and-video-rental-store-blue-2-video-is-closing/EJVFKWDEV5TONP6VFR2C7CUHAQ/?c_id=3&objectid=12301650 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob look at emo music in the United States, from its origins to where it is today. Rob presents David with a lesson in emo bands and reaches out to them to ask whether they consider themselves emo or not. David plays some of his old emo reporting from back in New Zealand in the mid 00s, before attending an infamous Emo Night event in LA where he talks to founders Morgan Freed and T.J. Petracca. They also interview Vic Fuentes from Pierce the Veil and discuss the war between punks and emos that broke out in Mexico City in 2008. Email us: [email protected] Merch: www.flightlessbirdpod.com LINKS: Rob’s emo playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7zwXnoiAe2Ja18nhvnSsCY?si=e5c8ca80a9a2434eTheme song performance: Nick Thomas of The Spill Canvas https://www.thespillcanvas.net In regards to last week’s Autism episode, some other spicy writing from David: - Prosopagnosia - face blindness: https://www.webworm.co/p/superrecogniser and https://www.webworm.co/p/prosopagnosia - Aphantasia: https://www.webworm.co/p/aphantasia - Telepathic Children Do Not Exist: https://www.webworm.co/p/telepathytapes - My memory and ADHD: https://www.webworm.co/p/memoryworms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David talks to Lisa Didion, an Assistant Professor of Special Education at the University of Kansas. Lisa wrote in after the Fake Seizure Guy episode, saying that Flightless Bird should take a deeper dive into autism in America. With RFK Jr’s recent unhinged comments on autism, it felt like the right time to clear up some misinformation. On top of this - David got invited to an Autism Reveal Party. What is that? Well, listen to find out. - Email us your feedback to: [email protected] Merch: www.flightlessbirdpod.com - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Links:- RFK Jr. exaggerates share of autistic population with severe limitationshttps://www.politifact.com/article/2025/apr/21/rfk-jr-exaggerates-share-of-autistic-population-wi/ - Kennedy announces new studies to examine environmental factors linked to autismhttps://thehill.com/homenews/5252236-kennedy-announces-new-studies-to-examine-environmental-factors-linked-to-autism/ - Trump Administration Cuts Funding for Autism Research—Even As It Aims to Find the Causehttps://time.com/7279068/trump-administration-autism-research-cuts/ - NIH autism study will pull from private medical recordshttps://www.npr.org/2025/04/23/nx-s1-5372695/autism-nih-rfk-medical-records - The Pitt’s Dr. Mel King Is a Small but Meaningful Step Forward for Neurodivergence Onscreen:https://time.com/7275814/the-pitt-mel-neurodivergence-autism-adhd/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s episode is from our live show in beautiful Portland that happened on April 13. David and Rob share stories from their time in Portland, before turning their attention to Bigfoot - talking to Cliff Barackman, the man behind the North American Bigfoot Center. Cliff has been doing bigfoot field research since 1994. His expeditions have taken him to 46 states and five continents in search of evidence supporting the existence of undiscovered hominoids worldwide. From there, Flightless Bird turns its focus to the urban beavers of Portland, talking with Matt Guziejka, a beaver researcher from Portland State University. Matt has spent the last few years knee-deep in data and also mud studying how people feel about beavers living in cities. David and Rob then meet Philip Bouchard, the man responsible for taking the Oregon Trail video game mainstream. Plus, a special live performance from Suzzallo. SPECIAL THANKS TO: - Suzzallo - www.instagram.com/suzzallo_music - Cliff Barackman - https://northamericanbigfootcenter.com / BigfootandBeyondPodcast.com - Matt Guziejka - Philip Bouchard - Paxton Gate for sharing their beautiful taxidermied birds - Local artist Mike Bennett: www.mikebennettart.com - Steven Smith Teamaker for the custom tea and hospitality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob visit one of America’s most iconic restaurant chains: The Cheesecake Factory. They discover its humble origins as a small cheesecake shop in 1940’s Detroit - eventually launching an empire with one of the lengthiest menus in the USA. They discuss decor, the toilets, and of course - the cheesecake. Links: Email us: [email protected] Upcoming live shows and t-shirts: www.flightlessbirdpod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode, David and Rob take calls from Flightless Bird listeners, who pitch the topics they want them to investigate! From a man who tells of being woken up at age 13 to two men in his room with zipties who abducted him to a controversial “Wilderness Therapy Camp”, to someone involved in competitive air ballooning, to an intern involved in the infamous “Kony2012” campaign, we hear from Birdies with stories to tell. Links: - Flightless Bird live in Portland on 4/13: https://bit.ly/lostkiwiPDX - Flightless Bird live in San Francisco on 4/18: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiSF - Flightless Bird T-Shirts: www.flightlessbirdpod.com - E-mail us with your feedback at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode, David and Rob look at the recent cases of ICE and other agencies detaining and/or deporting various US residents who are in the US 100% legally. David interviews Canadian Jasmine Mooney, who found herself imprisoned for two weeks after arriving in the US for her job. David wonders how safe he is being critical of the current US administration while here on an 01 Visa, and the practical dangers of even doing this episode. Links: Flightless Bird live shows and merch: www.flightlessbirdpod.com Email us: [email protected] News Articles and References: - Detained Columbia University student activist Mahmoud Khalil: https://apnews.com/article/columbia-protests-immigration-detention-mahmoud-khalil-755774045e5e82849e3281e8ff72f26d - Documentary voiced by Mahmoud: https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/columbia-protest-documentary-narrated-by-mahmoud-khalil-has-us-premiere-thursday - What we know about the Tufts University PhD student detained by federal agents: https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/27/us/rumeysa-ozturk-detained-what-we-know/index.html - Academic groups sue Trump administration for arresting students: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/academic-groups-sue-trump-administration-arresting-students-faculty-li-rcna198139 - Jasmine Mooney’s essay: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/19/canadian-detained-us-immigration-jasmine-mooney - The Guardian on Jasmine’s situation: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/18/canadian-actor-jasmine-mooney-detained-mexico-border - Canadian woman detained by ICE being used as ‘example,’ immigration experts warn: https://globalnews.ca/news/11080371/canadian-woman-detained-ice-example-immigration-border/ - University of Washington lab technician and green card holder detained: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/green-card-holder-50-years-detained-ice-rcna198044 - He voted for Trump. Now his wife sits in an ICE detention center. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/03/16/mass-deportation-ice-detains-non-criminals/82304354007/ - Yes, border control can go through your phone. Here's what travelers should know. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2025/03/21/border-control-phone-search/82594653007/ - David Farrier write on Webworm on speaking up during these Crazy Times: https://www.webworm.co/p/missionstatement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weeks Flightless Bird, David sets out to understand the Quiverfull movement, which advocates for having lots and lots of children. He talks to a Zach, a man raised in this environment, before find out his parents literally wrote the book on Quiverfull - so David calls Zach’s mom. Upcoming live shows: - Portland on April 13: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/80185968/flightless-bird-with-david-farrier-portland-revolution-hall - San Fransisco on April 18: https://www.ticketmaster.com/flightless-bird-live-with-david-farrier-san-francisco-california-04-18-2025/event/1C0062589BAC1D9F - Flights of Fancy Submissions: https://bit.ly/fbfancy Contact us: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Flightless Bird T-Shirts: https://www.flightlessbirdpod.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weeks episode, David goes for a ride on the Goodyear Blimp in an attempt to learn more about this iconic piece of America, celebrating its 100th birthday this year. He is shocked to find out that it's not even a blimp! Get tickets to our live shows: - Portland on April 13: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/80185968/flightless-bird-with-david-farrier-portland-revolution-hall - San Fransisco on April 18: https://www.ticketmaster.com/flightless-bird-live-with-david-farrier-san-francisco-california-04-18-2025/event/1C0062589BAC1D9F - Flights of Fancy Submissions: https://bit.ly/fbfancy Links: - Plugged in - Focus on the Family’s stupid reviews: https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/wolf-of-wall-street - Helium Shortage: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/helium-shortage-doctors-are-worried-running-element-threaten-mris-rcna52978 - New Blimp for travel: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/feb/24/the-flying-bum-uk-firm-airships-airlander-hav Contact us: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless bird, David looks at the American prison system, attempting to understand why the US has the largest prison population in the world - with around 1.9 million people incarcerated here. He interviews Bianca Tylek of national advocacy group “Worth Rises” about problems in the prison system, and meets Robert Craig, associate director at Abolish Private Prisons. He then travels to San Diego to meet Alana McMains, an attorney who mainly focuses on federal criminal defense. Farrier also talks to Jared Klickstein about his book “Crooked Smile”, as well as Rob’s dad! LIVE SHOWS: -Portland on April 13: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/80185968/flightless-bird-with-david-farrier-portland-revolution-hall -San Fransisco on April 18: https://www.ticketmaster.com/flightless-bird-live-with-david-farrier-san-francisco-california-04-18-2025/event/1C0062589BAC1D9F Links: Worth Rises: https://worthrises.org/ Abolish Private Prisons: https://www.abolishprivateprisons.org/ Jared Klickstein and his book: https://www.jaredklickstein.com/ Feedback and suggestions: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Flightless Bird, David looks at Dr James Dobson and Focus on the Family, a Colorado Springs based fundamentalist Christian group formed in the 70s. Using his status as a child psychologist, Dobson wrote over 30 parenting books, creating a media empire that changed how many parents raised their kids. With a very strong focus on discipline and breaking the will of the child, Dobson’s ideas travelled far and wide, ending up in places like New Zealand. With hundreds of millions of dollars in donations, Dobson turned his focus to lobbying, extremely angry that females and gay people were getting a voice in society. David talks to people raised by adherents of Focus on the Family, before talking to DL Mayfield of the “Strongwilled” podcast about Dobson’s problematic roots and ideas. He then tracks the influence of Focus on the Family in New Zealand, talking to Michael Frost and Shane Meyer-Holt of the “In The Shift” podcast. Email us: [email protected] “In The Shift” Podcast: https://intheshift.com/ “Strongwilled” newsletter and podcast: https://strongwilled.substack.com/ 4/13 Tickets for Portland: https://bit.ly/lostkiwiPDX 4/18 Tickets for San Francisco: https://bit.ly/lostkiwiSF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David and Rob take Flightless Bird to Seattle, doing a live episode to a sold out crowd at the Neptune Theatre. They interview a former homicide detective who penned a book on Seattle’s forgotten serial killer Gary Gene Grant, before turning their attention to the Rain City Jacks - a “jackoff club” preparing to celebrate its 20th year. What makes a group of over a 100 men come together to masturbate, and why? Rob and David also share what they love about the city, before David goes back into old interviews and finds one with grunge legend Chris Cornell. Links: - David’s full 30 minutes with Chris Cornell: https://www.webworm.co/p/chriscornell - Chris Cornell tribute by Frank Guan: https://www.vulture.com/2017/05/chris-cornell-lyrics.html A giant thanks to: - Real Don Music for performing an amazing opening set, and live theme song (https://linktr.ee/realdonmusic) - Paul Rosenberg of the Rain City Jacks (NSFW: https://www.raincityjacks.org/) - Cloyd Steiger, author of “Seattle's Forgotten Serial Killer: Gary Gene Grant” (https://www.amazon.com/Seattles-Forgotten-Serial-Killer-Grant/dp/1467143626) - Sydney Paulsen for her amazing photography - Betty Putnam for her taxidermy to dress our set (https://www.eputnamstudio.com) - Matt & Kate for stage managing - The staff at the Neptune! - All those in the audience who came to our first live show - stay tuned for me. Email us: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob are joined by Gareth Reynold’s from “The Dollop” and “We’re Here To Help” podcasts. Gareth tells them about the story of Gallagher, an American comedian who pioneered the "Sledge-O-Matic" - and got into a bitter feud with his younger brother Ron. Along the way they talk infomercials, Carrot Top, and the dangers of impersonating someone else. LINKS: Mental Floss story: https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/gallagher-vs-gallagher-ii | Pop culture hyperfixations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCbYP2mzFhQ The Dollop podcast: https://www.dolloppodcast.com/podcast We’re Here To Help podcast: https://www.heretohelppod.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David meets the man who squatted in Kanye West’s Simi Valley house, sleeping in Kanye’s bed, eating Kanye’s pasta, and shitting in Kanye’s backyard. While there, John wrote a book called “Squat” which is, in this podcast’s opinion, fantastic. David then has an update about Melbourne’s Fake Seizure Guy, and reads listeners emails about other local legends around America, Canada, and the world. NOTE: While this episode about Kanye may seem incredibly timely, we actually recorded the studio part of this episode a day before Kanye’s latest X/Twitter tirade, which saw him saying a bunch of mindnumbily dumb, stupid, and offensive stuff. He was racist, extremely anti-semitic, and sent out porn. In a way it doesn't really change anything because we already knew all this about Kanye West - he’s done all this before - but in the chaos of keeping up with everything that’s going on in the world right now, some of that felt a million years ago. I guess I could sum up my feelings by what I texted Rob just now - “I wish we’d gone a little harder here”. Links: - John Safran’s book, Squat: https://www.amazon.com/Squat-John-Safran/dp/1760890170 - Beware the Serial Squatter of Malibu’s Point Dume: https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/serial-squatter-malibu-point-dume - Update on Fake Seizure Guy’s Arrest: https://www.webworm.co/p/fakeseizureguy2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"In this week’s Flightless Bird, David continues his series in Australia. This week, he arrives in Melbourne to try and solve the mystery of “Fake Seizure Guy”, a local man who appears to fake having a seizure so locals can sit on him. Why does he want people to sit on him, and how long has this been going on? Do you have more information? Email us: [email protected] Links: - Webworm article on Fake Seizure Guy: https://www.webworm.co/p/fakeseizureguy - Flightless Bird on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast - Carrot Man: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/nov/12/melbourne-fitzroy-carrot-man & https://www.instagram.com/whereiscarrotman/ " Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode, David and Rob take a pause on regular programming to try and make sense of what’s happened since the inauguration of Donald Trump. From social media chaos, Elon Musk’s “hand gesture” and mass deportations, to the new D.O.G.E logo and presidential pardons - we are all just trying to make sense of this together. Email us: [email protected] Find us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Show Links: - David Farrier’s Webworm piece on inauguration: https://www.webworm.co/p/welcome-to-american-hell - The Present Age with Parker Molloy: https://www.readtpa.com/p/news-organizations-are-tiptoeing - Ezra Klein: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-trump-inauguration.html - Presidential Pardons: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-proud-boys-tarrio-rhodes-release-pardon-b2683691.html - Officer beaten by mob works 14 hour day at Trump’s inauguration. Comes home to pardons: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/officer-jan-6-trump-protection.html - “Trump pardons Silk Road dark web market creator Ross Ulbricht”: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz7e0jve875o - “Trump pardons two police officers convicted in murder of Black man in Washington”: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-pardons-two-police-officers-convicted-murder-black-man-washington-2025-01-23/ -The Bishop who angered Trump: https://time.com/7209222/bishop-mariann-budde-trump/ - How We Learn To Be Brave book: https://www.amazon.com/How-We-Learn-Be-Brave/dp/0593539214/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid= - “Only two genders”: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/23/trump-executive-order-fetal-personhood - Royalty Family YouTube video on LA fires: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7K1FKOV9ns - The Shit You Should Care About newsletter: https://shityoushouldcareabout.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices