“Have You Heard?” is sometimes a little light because I’m not always able to listen to podcasts as they come out; I may skip an episode, or I just happen to hit a time of the month when there isn’t anything new to report on. I’ve decided to fill that in with a list with some of my favorite podcast episodes. Most podcasts can be listened to out of order, so these lists are a good way to check out a show without having to start at the very beginning.
Older episodes may not appear on the iOS podcasts app, and not everyone uses iTunes to subscribe to podcasts, so I’ve included a direct link to the podcast episode. Subscribe and share with your friends.
Oh No, Ross & Carrie is a podcast where two friends (Ross Blocher and Carrie Poppy) investigate pseudo-scientific claims, fringe religions, and the paranormal. The first episode dropped back in March 2011 and the show later joined the Maximum Fun network where it is still producing episodes. It’s a really fun podcast and will have you laughing almost immediately. Here are some of my favorite episodes that should get you hooked:
(Source: The Guardian)
Ross and Carrie Go Raelian
This two-parter is just bananas. Prior to this show I’d never heard of the Raelian movement, though I had seen fictionalized groups that may have been inspired by it. Similar to Scientologists, Raelians believe that life on Earth was seeded by aliens. French race car driver, Claude Vorilhon (known as “Rael”), started the group in 1974 after taking a little trip up a mountain and meeting some aliens (the “Elohim”). The Elohim were like, “Hey, we think you’re pretty rad and you should tell people about us. Also, we can totally get you laid.” Key figures in major religions (Buddha, Jesus, etc.) are said to be prophets of the Elohim, and miraculous events in religious texts are worked into the Raelian mythos as evidence of alien technology on Earth. While they have some progressive views, they also think swastikas are totally cool to use as their emblem (inside of a Star of David, no less). So, that’s fun.
[Content Warning: Discussion of sexual abuse allegations and coercion within the organization.]
Part One: Joining a World-Famous Alien Movement
Part Two: Keepin’ It Rael
In “Ross and Carrie and the Christmas Miracle,” we get a follow-up from the Raelian movement in the form of a letter threatening unfounded legal action against the show. Just listen, it’s too hilarious to even try to describe here.
“Chemtrails!!!”
Ross and Carrie Play Truther Dare: 9/11 Conspiracy Edition
North Americans may be familiar with the 9/11 Truth movement or may even be related to someone who buys into their batshit theories and posts them on Facebook. As the name might tell you, these conspiracy theorists are obsessed with the idea that the terrorist attacks of September 11th are perpetrated by the government (and also the Jews, because racism!). This same mindset also extends into other national tragedies which they believe are false flag operations, spreading anti-vaccination bullshit, and just being generally offensive to anyone who doesn’t watch Fox News. Ross and Carrie drop by a couple local Truther meetings and learn that they aren’t the most technically savvy people, they seemingly have an infinite amount of patience to sit through crazy-long “documentaries,” and that they love yelling about everything. Think The Lone Gunmen but not as lovable or helpful, and completely technologically inept. In addition to the false flag claims, the group also believes that free energy machines exist but are being covered up by the government and that fluoride in water and GMOs are going to kill you. Conspiracy theories, bigotry, and sexism abound!
Stylin’. (Source: Tony Alamo News)
Ross and Carrie Remember Tony Alamo
Hooboy.
This group.
I don’t even know where to start with them. Not only is their leader is a convicted sex trafficker serving a 175-year sentence, but the congregation still professes his innocence. The mother of one of the underage victims wrote a testament against her daughter and flat-out calls her a liar (mentioned in the episode). Per the tenets of this Evangelist sect: women are property of their husbands and should be treated as such, rape victims should marry their rapists, and Catholics and the government are evil. The ministry brought in homeless people, substance abusers, and others to their shelters, providing them with food and a whole lot of fear-based preaching while also using them for free labor. Congregation members and their children produced Alamo’s heinous denim jackets, which are still for sale on eBay. In the two part episode, Ross and Carrie visit their L.A. church and plan an escape in case their baptisms go horribly wrong.
[Content Warning: Discussion of rape, abuse, and violence within the organization.]
Part One: No Skirts Allowed
Part Two: Unnecessary Walking & Talking Edition
Totally happened.
Ross and Carrie Unearth Creationism: Eye Muscles Don’t Think
Ross, Carrie, and a couple scientist friends of theirs take a trip to a creation museum in southern California. This is a competitor of the one in Kentucky run by Ken Ham’s group, Answers in Genesis. Young Earth creationists like Ken Ham believe that the Earth was created exactly as described in The Old Testament between 5000 and 10,000 years ago. They also really like dinosaurs, and I can’t blame them because dinosaurs are pretty fucking cool. I just don’t think people were riding them around like horses. In the episode, Ross and Carrie drop by a Reasons to Believe talk and hear some noise about intelligent design that is a little more science-related than what is presented at the Creation Museum, but not by much. And then it’s on to the Creation Museum where their friends point out that the fossils used in the exhibits are just a convincing-looking mishmash of fossil bed and fossils. They also learn that Adam and Eve’s descendants were so genetically pure that their intermarriage populated the Earth without any of the usual birth defects and genetic disorders linked to incestuous pairings. Carrie also has a run-in with an oversharing pre-teen who claims to have an Egyptologist father who discovered some of the objects in the museum. Fun times!
Let’s get weird. (Source: Aleister Crowley Foundation)
Ross and Carrie Go OTO
If any of you follow me outside of this blog, you’ll know that I have a little kitty named Crowley. She wasn’t named for the Thelema founder–more like the Good Omens character (but same difference). In this two-parter, Ross and Carrie get the skinny on the spoooooooky goings-on at their local Ordo Templi Orientis lodge. The OTO is all about mystic rituals complete with obvious phallic symbols and naked priestesses. It kinda comes off as that loner kid who loved to wear a trenchcoat and Hot Topic jewelry to creep people out but didn’t actually do anything except read books and maybe draw some pentagrams on their book covers. Jack Parsons, co-founder of the Jet Propulsion Lab in southern California, was possibly the most well known member of this group and also believed himself to be the Antichrist.
Part One: Nudity and Dark Rituals Edition
Part Two: You’re Always Unwelcome Here
Larson can even expel your demons via Skype. (Source: CNN)
Ross and Carrie Get Some Exorcise: Teenage Exorcist Edition
Carrie gets an exorcism! In this episode, Ross and Carrie talk about attending an event hosted by Bob Larson and his Teen Exorcist Squad (not their real name). Literal Bible-thumping happens! They can cast out a demon by shouting and whapping someone over the head with The Good Book. Did you know that rejection, sexual assault, and depression are symptoms of having a demon inside of you? I sure as hell didn’t (forgive the pun). Of course, you can only really be sure if you’re susceptible to demonic attack if you take Larson’s test – for just $10!
One YouTube user posted a video of herself taking the test if you want the full experience without giving money to this guy.
I’d go. (Source: CtCameraEye)
Ross and Carrie Break Up: The Sedona and Bigfoot Edition
Don’t let the episode title fool you, Ross and Carrie are still buds. This time, they report back on their separate mini-investigations – Carrie’s findings in Sedona, AZ and Ross’ Bigfoot experience while on vacation. Sedona may very well be the Woo Capital of the United States – a city complete with mystical claims of healing by vortexes (not “vortices”), UFOs, and all kinds of crystal-clutching fun. Carrie learns about how vortexes can increase emotions, feminine and masculine energies, and also heal ailments (like cancer or fibromyalgia). She also meets up with a creeper cab driver named Tree, a flute player who hands out heart-shaped rocks to women, and a geologist who explains how the vortexes work. Meanwhile, Ross has been out to visit the Bigfoot Discovery Project and Museum in Felton, CA. While there, he learned about the history of Bigfoot sightings that continue to this day, how Mama Bigfoots (Bigfeet?) call their little ones, and the existence of a psychic Bigfoot. Ross also finds out that he and his wife had been hiking in the very same woods where the most recent Bigfoot sighting had been reported. The episode includes audio from their meetings with vortexperts and Bigfootxperts. As with all of their investigations, photos and video are available on their Facebook page.
These are just a few of my favorites because I seriously love every single episode that Ross and Carrie put out. They’re always well researched, report back honestly on each subject, and they try to keep an open mind during their investigations. Members of groups are invited to take part in the podcast and have appeared on past episodes to give their side of the story. Keep an eye out for future posts as new episodes drop.