Sofa King Podcast

On this episode of The Sofa King Podcast, we almost break one of our rules about not talking sports, and we cover the Hillsborough Disaster and Cover Up. In 1989, a horrible crush of thousands of people at a soccer (okay, football…) match killed 96 people and injured over 700. The after-effects lead to suicide and mental trauma on top of physical injuries, and the cause is still open for investigation in the UK. The biggest part of this story is that the police (like, a lot of them) lied to the media and even the inquest about the events. So what lead to the death and the cover up? Mostly, it seems to have been one man, David Duckenfield. He was the head cop on the scene and was brand new to the football arena beat. His predecessor would spend hours walking the stadium to make a plan that would combat the hooliganism of 80’s soccer fans. Duckenfield, however, did practically nothing to set things up. This means that when tens of thousands of people showed up to the small gates that he left open, there was a sudden crush of people who flooded the stadium. After several officers advised him to delay the start of the match and to open and close different gates, he ignored most of them and let things proceed as if the crowd would just manage itself. Surprise! It didn’t. In fact, the mass of people were led through bad gates, and the actions Duckenfield took just added to the Hillsborough Disaster. What made it all worse was that as the crush was happening, he refused to call it in as an emergency and kept spouting the narrative of drunken fans and hooligans, though that wasn’t the reason for the distress. This meant that no firefighters or ambulance drivers could get to the wounded to free or treat them in time. And when the death toll mounted, and the bodies were stacked, the cops lied to the media about the cause of it all and even falsified statements in the official court inquiry. The events of the Hillsborough Disaster led to changes in how soccer stadiums work, and in spite of several ongoing investigations, Duckenfield still hasn’t been held accountable yet. Listen in for our take on who was to blame and the horrors of this stadium massacre. Video of the crush as it happens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6kAtdwNJ5s

On this episode of The Sofa King Podcast, we get pumped and talk about one of the all-time greats of cinema, athletics, action, cigars, and politics: Arnold Schwarzenegger. This icon was born in 1947 (yes, he’s that old now!) in Austria, and his father was a drunken, abusive police chief who was once a paramilitary Nazi who was wounded in the Battle of Stalingrad. Let that sit with you for a minute. Living in a poor, broken home, Arnold turned to the cinema as an escape and fell in love with Hercules movies. This lead to him starting to body build as a teen, and by the time he was 18 and in the army, he was already winning big body building competitions. He took second place at his first Mr. Universe, and in doing so, he met some key people in the weight lifting game and was able to move out of his house and in with a family in London. Training here, he became the youngest winner of Mr. Universe and ultimately was able to move to California, where he trained with the legendary Joe Weider at Gold’s Gym and went on to win competition after competition. This was just a stepping stone in his career path, however, since he also decided to conquer movies. He starred in a truly horrible movie called Hercules in New York. (Surprisingly, it’s about the ancient Greek demigod. In New York. Go figure.) From there, he landed a Golden Globe for a roll opposite Sally Field, and he did a string of small roles leading up to his time as Conan the Barbarian in 1982. Just two years later, he starred in The Terminator, and the rest was history. He went on to make some of the most beloved action films of the 80s and 90s, and Arnold Schwarzenegger became a global household name. So what led to Arnold Schwarzenegger entering politics? What was his relationship to the famous political Kennedy family? Why do some people think he murdered a prominent British politician named Lord Lucan in the 1970s? Did he really beat people up for the mob with a lead pipe covered in plastic wrap? How did he end up running the notoriously Democratic state of California while he is a Republican? What was the story with his affair and illegitimate child? What does this have to do with Bakersfield (home of the Fight Club Studios)? Listen, laugh, learn. Conspiracy Theory of Murder: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/xdvvmn/arnold-schwarzenegger-murder-conspiracy Hercules in New York Scene. So bad it's good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMUZect_pgY

On this episode of The Sofa King Podcast, we mix two of our listeners’ favorite topics--cults and serial killers--and we talk about the Thuggee Assassin Cults of India. This group terrorized the Indian countryside for almost five centuries, were the root of the English word “thug,” and according to some experts were responsible for the murder of an estimated 2 Million people. Their most notorious member, King Thug, was said to have killed 931, making him the most prolific serial killer in all of human history. So, what did these people believe, and why did they kill? Well, it was to avert the apocalypse. You see, they believed that the goddess Kali was going to come and bring the end to this life cycle on Earth, thereby killing all humans. They thought that by making regular sacrifices to her, they would satiate her and keep her from coming back to Earth. They were true heroes! Based on an ancient legend involving a demon whose blood would create more demons, the Thuggee cult would only kill using means that didn’t shed blood, typically strangling to death using the yellow sash they wore. After the murders, they would perform a ceremony involving sacred sugar and a holy pickaxe to bury the body. They were amazingly secretive, and even the member’s wives didn’t know they were married to Thuggee cult murderers. Often, fathers would recruit their sons (for generation aftr generation) to join and have them witness their first murder at age ten and kill a few years after. When the men got too old to kill, they became assassin training gurus or spies or even cooks, anything they could do to keep Kali at bay. So, who did their religion allow them to kill, and who was off limits? What tactics did the Thuggee use to kill and stalk their victims? What did the British Sir William Henry Sleeman do in order to finally destroy the terrifying reign of the Thuggee Cult? How were they able to travel and get support from Thugs they had never met? How did mass graves lead to their downfall, and why did society turn a blind eye to hundreds of years of mass murders? Most importantly, what does all of this have to do with Indiana Jones? Listen, laugh, learn.

On this very special bonus episode of The Sofa King Podcast, we creep it real and answer questions from listeners about everyone's favorite pagan rite, Halloween. That's right, we are rolling straight outta coffin for a spooktacular, fangtastic, episode. We have some skeli-fun and get this party startled based on answering questions that you posed to us. You can't skele-run from my skele-puns. What is wrong with me? Why can't I stop? I mean, I would make a skeleton joke, but you wouldn't find it very humerus. Help me please. These puns are un-BOO-lievable. I'm laughin' so hard I'm coffin. What questions do we answer, you may be asking: What is the worst scary movie we've ever seen? How often do kids really get candy with needles in them? How do we feel about some states that fine teenagers from trick or treating? Who wins: Jason, Freddy, Myers. Settled by Superfight! What do we think about haunted house attractions at amusement parks? What is the craziest Halloween party we've ever been to? And many, many more! For the record, a lot of people asked questions about the history of Halloween and all sorts of stuff that require research and an episode that isn't a bonus episode. Surprise, peasants! We already did this a loooong time ago, back on episode 39: Halloween: Vandalism or Treat? As always, thanks to our listeners and patrons for the support and questions. If you dig the show, why not be a suporter? You can visit us at our Patreon, and for the price of a cup of coffee a month, you can stop being an FFP. For a few dollars more, you get exlusive tee shirts, live streaming, and all sorts of goodies. Come on! Do it! You know you want to? El Yucateco is our primary sponsor, but your support is really awesome and shows us that we are loved. We need that. Especially Brad. Plus, how else will we afford whiskey and keep ourselves in Boos (you thought the puns were over...).

On this episode of The Sofa King Podcast, we realize that the truth is out there, and we explore the wild stories of Unidentified Submerged Objects, or USOs. USOs are the underwater equivalent of a UFO. They are unidentified to be sure, and they typically both fly and move underwater as well. USO tales range from sketchy speculation to pretty crazy accounts involving various militaries, police, and civilians simultaneously. From orbs of light and crafts out flying jet fighters to week long military hunts and giant sea people, the USO is where it’s at. So, what accounts exist? Here’s a quick run-down: 1982 Lake Baikal in USSR: This may be our favorite. It happens in the oldest lake on Earth, and it involves a fight between Soviet naval divers and nine foot tall humanoids who leave their USO and attack with sonar weapons that give the Russians the bends! USS Nimitz Encounter: The New York Times uncovered an account of a USO butting heads with the US Navy off the shore of San Diego in 2004. It involves an air craft carrier, a gun ship, six different fighter planes, and even comes with a video of the thing flying through the night sky with pilots tripping out on what it could be. (Go here for the video and the official Naval record: https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a14456936/that-time-the-us-navy-had-a-close-encounter-with-a-ufo/) Point Dume Alien Base: A strange structure on the ocean floor a few miles away from Malibu makes people think it is an alien base propped up on pillars, large enough for submarines to glide through. Baltic Sea Anomaly: This is an alleged downed USO on the ocean floor in the Baltic sea. It was discovered by professional treasure hunters, and it looks eerily like the Millennium Falcon. Feel free to Google this one. Shag Harbor, Nova Scotia: This account is from 1967, and it involves a whole area of the country side, the Canadian Navy, Canadian Mounties, the coast guard, civilian crafts, divers, and a full blown search for a downed airplane that leads to a week-long show down with two USOs and the Canadian Navy. We cover these cases, a crazy one in Norway, and even a USO that messed with Christopher Columbus. If you think aliens are among us, just look to the waters and give this one a listen.

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we dive into some more files from our True Crime department and look at the career of the American serial killer, Dennis Rader, also known as BTK. The BTK Killer murdered a total of ten people in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. However, he wasn’t caught and tried until 2005. His Modus Operandi is different than many serial killers, and Brad and Dave both think he’s a punk and a poser. More on that later… Dennis Rader was born to a typical family, and he didn’t seem to tick all the boxes of serial killers, like crazy mothers and over-religious family life. He is said to have tortured and killed animals, but this was of his own admission, which can be untruthful at times. After dropping out of college, joining the Air Force, and settling down back in Kansas, he started multiple jobs and eventually gave into his desire to kill. But, he wasn’t very good at it. He needed several attempts to successfully strangle people, and he didn’t even have a kill kit or anything as sophisticated as that when he started. While most serial killers do so out of some strange suppressed rage or sexual fetish, it seems Dennis Rader killed because he idolized serial killers. He read books about them and taunted the media and police because he basically thought it was cool and wanted the attention. In other words, he was a try-hard and a poser. Eventually, in the 1990s, he was said to have mastered his desire to kill and would dress up as victims and pleasure himself to keep from killing. He had a family and kids and became a Boy Scout Leader and church mentor. But he couldn’t take it, the normal life. He had to be BTK. Eventually, in 2004, he started to send messages, riddles, dolls, crime scene photos, and other things to taunt the local media and cops. He gave himself his own nickname (in spite of what Brent always says about nicknames) using the media, and he wanted other successes as well. Why did he taunt the cops for no reason after all these years? How did this taunting get him arrested? What clues did he leave behind, and why was it his own dumbass fault? What was “Factor X,” and how did link everyone from Son of Sam to Jack the Ripper? What made Rader think he had a demon living inside him? What was the profile of his victims, and why was he allowed to write a book and sell it from inside of prison? What did BTK stand for, and why are Brad and Dave not impressed? Listen, laugh, and learn. Full Confession Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvWOje46Xp8

On this episode of The Sofa King Podcast, we represent the West Side and talk about the life, beefs, death, and notorious reputation of the Grandfather of Gangsta Rap—Easy-E. Though he seems like the clown of NWA based on his raps, he was actually the face of gang life, from its fashion to its criminal background. From murderous beefs with Suge Knight to conspiracies of AIDS as a means of assassination, the story of Eazy-E is pretty epic. Born Eric Wright in Compton, California, he was raised by typical parents but in a rather atypical neighborhood. Compton, of course, was the gang capitol of Southern California, and there were a lot of illegal ways to make money. Young Eric Wright fell into one such way and started to deal drugs, following in his cousin’s footsteps. He made a lot of money, and after his cousin was shot, he got out of the game and decided to use his money to build a music label. He fell in with his partner Jerry Heller, and they created Ruthless Records. In no time, he was working with the up and coming Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Yella and MC Ren, and he ended up creating a hit record, Eazy Duz It, and joined up with the newly formed NWA. He was not a natural rapper, and it took some convincing to get him to the mic, but once there, he was a natural. He became an iconic figure of Gangsta Rap and led the charge on such hits as F*ck the Police. In fact, most insiders realize that it was his true street life that gave NWA its credibility. They rose quickly and like most bands, hit rough spots and had people leave. Unlike most bands, the break up included death threats, assaults, and any number of West Side street justice. After years of success (and sex with lots of fans), Eazy-E eventually got sick, and when he went to get it checked out, found out he had AIDS. Within a few weeks, he was dead at the age of 30. But that’s not the end of the story. Why does his family think the AIDS story was strange? Why do they think there was a cover up of how he caught it? Why do they think it may not have been AIDS in the first place? What part does Suge Knight play in all this, and what did he say in an interview that seems to indicate he may have gotten Eazy-E infected intentionally to kill him? What did his diagnosis do to change the national conversation about this disease? Listen, laugh, learn. Thorough Vibe Eazy-E Story: https://www.vibe.com/featured/vibe-eazy-e-cover-story/ Conspiracy AIDS Article: https://www.highsnobiety.com/2015/08/13/eazy-e-death-conspiracy/

On this episode of The Sofa King Podcast, we look at a not-so-secret society that has been around for hundreds of years throughout all of the Western World: The Rosicrucians. They are often compared to the Freemasons and have some amazing world leaders, philosophers, and artists (I’m looking at you Gene Rodenberry) in their membership roster. However, unlike the Masons, they aren’t one unified group, but a smattering of over 30 different groups that believe similar things. So what do they believe? It’s actually hard to say since that’s the secret part. What is known is that they believe in mastering all knowledge (scientific, spiritual, mystical, alchemical) in order to improve the self and those around them. Oh, and they believe in telepathy, ESP, psychic healing, auras and all sorts of interesting fringe stuff. The Rosiscrucians aren’t quite a religion, though they adhere to some of the tenants of major world religious systems. All of their secrecy and quest for knowledge goes back to their founder, Christian Rosenkreuz. He was a German doctor who went on a quest to the Far East to master mysticism and other esoteric bodies of knowledge. When he returned, he was a changed man and established a secret order of 8 other physicians who swore to remain bachelors, vowed to cure the sick for free, and sought to learn the ways of alchemy and all things mystical and scientific. He died and was buried in a sanctum under the earth where he predicted he would be discovered 120 years later; according to Rosicrucian beliefs, that’s exactly what happened, and his body was in a perfect state and hadn’t decomposed. That said, many people claim he was never a real person but was actually an allegory of traits and information that the Rosicrucians value. Either way, this possibly-fictional person had a very real impact on Europe for centuries. Everyone from René Descartes to Francis Bacon were followers, and it was a very hip thing to be a Rosicrucian. In America, the main body of them is the AMORC organization out of California. You can turn to them to learn the mystic arts of alchemy—all through online classes. How about that. Home Study and Online Rosicrucian Lessons: https://www.rosicrucian.org/home-study-lessons Obama’s Letter to the Rosicrucians: https://678d7c627720ddde2df2-c5b158543cb4b709e42fdf5583590d2f.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/2015_letter_from_president_barack_obama.jpg Rosicrucian Manifesto Texts: http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/ros/index.htm  

On this episode of The Sofa King Podcast, we look at a guy who may be the worst Brit to ever live, Jimmy Savile. Jimmy Savile was a media personality and radio host (think Ryan Seacrest or Dick Clark in the States). He had a hit-maker radio and tv show that every musician wanted to be on. He also had a BBC television series that made the dream of ill children come true. He was knighted by the Queen of England and the Pope. That all sounds pretty awesome, right? Well, he was also a serial rapist, pedophile, and necropheliac. A year after he died in 2011, over 500 victims came forward to discuss their trauma. They ranged from 5 to 75 years old at the time of the crime. Most of them were physically or mentally ill at the time of the abuse. There were dozens of rapes. Oh, and most people think none of this ever came to light because of a cover up that may have gone as high up as the Prime Minister or the Royal family, both of whom he was close to. So how did a crappy meta-celebrity become such a monster and mega rapist? It was his “charity work.” He would hold fund raisers and give money—millions of pounds—to hospitals, children’s schools, and mental hospitals. This would ingratiate Jimmy Savile with the board of directors and give him access to the hospital at all hours as a major donor. Then, he would rape, fondle, and abuse patients, relatives of patients, and everyone he could get his hands on. He’d feel up people hours after major surgery and rape people who were too mentally ill to know any better. He’d also sneak into the morgue and give oral sex to dead bodies (something called gamaroosh…see, you learn something new every day) and pose them in sexual acts to take photos with them. And steal their glass eyes. And then, he’d brag about it to the hospital staff. How this sicko got away with such a range of heinous crimes for 50 years is hard to imagine, unless, of course, it was being covered up for him. So, was Jimmy Savile part of an international sex trafficking scheme as many people allege? Was he a lone shooter? Was he just the luckiest rapist in the UK, or did he go out of his way to hide the truth? Why did the BBC bury the story of Jimmy Savile’s sexual assault after he died? How many times were the police tipped off over the years? Who was Clair McAlpine, and how did her suicide almost bring him down in the 1970s? Listen, laugh, learn as we talk about someone who couldn’t have died soon enough. Sex Timeline: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jun/26/jimmy-savile-sexual-abuse-timeline  

On this episode of The Sofa King Podcast, we take a jump across the pond and talk about one of the most important politicians who ever lived, the original British Bulldog, Winston Churchill. Many credit him with playing a major role in the victory over Nazi Germany, and others accuse him of causing the death of millions of Indians and being a drunken racist. Maybe both? You listen, you decide. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill was born to Lord Randolph Churchill in a very upper class family. He was said to be a scatterbrained child, always tardy and fairly bad at school, but when he was able to take up rifles, he started to excel. Eventually, he went on to a distinguished military career, even being an action hero and breaking out of a war camp and travelling 300 miles across enemy lines to find a safe border to cross. Back in England, he began a political career which came to a head as he was one of the most vocal naysayers about Hitler’s rise to power. Eventually, on the eve of World War II, King George appointed him as the prime minister, and the war was then started in earnest. Churchill is said to have been the main reason the Brits were able to rescue the 300,000 soldiers stranded at Dunkirk. He was also responsible for ruthless actions such as the sinking of the allied French fleet, so it wouldn’t fall into Nazi hands. Did Winston Churchill know about the bombing that devastated Coventry, and if he did, why did he keep it a secret? How big of a partier and drinker was he? How bad was his debt, and why did the government and other political donors have to pay his bills for him? How did he die? What did he think of Gandhi? What was up with his velvet onesies? Listen, laugh, learn. Link about the Coventry Conspiracy: https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/myths/churchill-let-coventry-burn/

Show: Kings of the Sofa Season 2, Episode 20: "Roots, Rock, Rob-Bot" Genre: Situation Comedy Run Time: 22 Minutes Rating: TV-MA (Suggestive Dialogue, Coarse or Crude Language, Sexual Situations, Violence) Summary: Brad makes it to Nationals in his freestyle rap competition but faces unforeseen complications due to the injections he takes for a bee sting. Brent builds a Brent-Bot to help around the computer shop, but it meets with hilarious results. Dave enters a wrestling tournament to earn the money to save a puppy blood bank, but he finds himself face to face with an old childhood friend. Guest stars: Rob Van Dam and Vanilla Ice

Show: Kings of the Sofa Season 4, Episode 5: "Triple Terror" Genre: Situation Comedy Run Time: 22 Minutes Rating: TV-MA (Suggestive Dialogue, Coarse or Crude Language, Sexual Situations, Violence) Summary: Brad becomes obsessed with his new neighbor when he thinks he might be Saddam Hussein. Terry and Dave see a ghost. Brent enters a chilli cook off against the business next door to prove he can handle the heat, but when the peppers get swapped hilarity ensues. Guest starring Guy Fieri and Haley Joel Osment.

Show: Kings of the Sofa Season 7, Episode 9: "Fear and Loathing in Bakersfield" Genre: Situation Comedy Run Time: 22 Minutes Rating: TV-MA (Suggestive Dialogue, Coarse or Crude Language, Sexual Situations, Violence) Summary: On a very special episode of Kings of the Sofa, CJ Lazer smokes marijuana for the first time. Concerned, the guys all attempt to help in different ways. Brent holds an intervention. Brad tries to make CJ sweat it out. Dave tries to scare CJ straight. All of their tries meet with unexpected results and teach them more than they ever bargained for about drug use. Guest starring Whoopi Goldberg.

Show: Kings of the Sofa Season 3, Episode 12: "Elevator Music to My Ears" Genre: Situation Comedy Run Time: 22 Minutes Rating: TV-MA (Suggestive Dialogue, Coarse or Crude Language, Sexual Situations, Violence) Summary: Brent accidentally punches a baby and needs to turn to Brad for coping advice. Brad and Dave see their accountant to settle their wacky finances, and a power outage and a pregnant police officer lead to a wild encounter in an elevator. Very special guest star Don Knotts and Meredith Baxter-Birney.

What we have here is a bonus episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast. Instead of our normal research-based informational podcast full of 20% accurate information, 30% inaccurate information, and 60% offensive jokes (yes, the math adds up if you've listened to us), we flip the script. This time, we have a three person debate, college rules, no holds barred. We turn to our listeners to randomly give us numbers, and we debate key topics from the New York Times top 100 debate topics. They range from sports to video games to child rearing to the almighty Zeus. We also play a hardcore round of Superfight. You don't want to miss it. Or you do want to miss it, in which case that isn't hard to do since you just have to not listen. We don't care. We won't be sad. Those aren't tears in my eyes. They are tears in YOUR eyes!