Sofa King Podcast

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about one of the biggest True Crime cases of the 1990s, that of Lorena and John Bobbitt. In June of 1993, Lorena famously cut off John’s penis with a Ginsu knife, threw it in a field, and later helped the police find and reattach it. The media circus that followed was intense. Cameras were allowed in the court room and listened to Lorena and a majority of the witnesses back up her claims of domestic abuse and rape. We do our half assed best to figure out what really happened, but it ends with John starring in one of the highest grossing pornos of all time and Lorena playing herself in a documentary series by Jordan Peele. Listen, laugh, learn. Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/crime/lorena-bobbitt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_and_Lorena_Bobbitt https://time.com/5317979/lorena-bobbitt-today-anniversary-interview/ https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/battered-woman-syndrome-it-enough-not-guilty-reason-insanity-plea https://www.nickiswift.com/380822/the-most-bizarre-things-about-the-lorena-bobbitt-case/ https://commons.und.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5068&context=theses

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we look at the colorful life of Randy "Macho Man" Savage. Randy was one of the all-time greats of wrestling. His character work and wrestling promos are among the most bizarre and hysterical of all time. He had a famous love affair with his manager (and actual wife) Miss Elizabeth, and helped to make WrestleMania, perhaps more than even Hulk Hogan did. Some say he was paranoid and intense, protecting Elizabeth from rivals he didn’t have, and he fell into a 9 year feud with Hogan and an even longer one with Vince McMahon. What turned him into a global pop culture phenomenon? What tore him and Vince apart? What famous wrestler was his brother? Why do they call him one of the best in the history of the business? Listen, laugh, learn. Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/athletes/macho-man-randy-savage https://www.wwe.com/superstars/randysavage https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Randy_Savage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Savage https://nationaltoday.com/birthday/randy-savage/ https://play.aetv.com/shows/biography-wwe-legends/season-1/episode-3 https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/513498/9-things-you-might-not-know-about-macho-man-randy-savage https://uproxx.com/prowrestling/ohhhhh-yeah-10-things-you-might-not-know-about-the-mad-life-of-macho-man-randy-savage/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnBUbRowRgM

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we dig into the biography of the one and only Dan Aykroyd. He earned his chops as one of the original cast members on Saturday Night Live, but this cultural legend has brought to life some of the most important characters in all of film. He blew the roof off the joint in 1984 with his film The Blues Brothers, and a few years later, he changed the world of comedy by writing and starring in Ghostbusters. And Ghostbusters was no accident for this man who is a spiritualist and firmly believes in ghosts, UFOs, and the paranormal. What UFO sightings has he had? Why did he create the spirit brad Crystal Skull Vodka? How much money is he worth for all his ghosts and spirits? Listen, laugh, learn. Visit Our Sources: https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/dan-aykroyd-3412.php https://elevatesociety.com/dan-aykroyd/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Aykroyd https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/culture/ghostbusters-dan-aykroyd-ufo-sighting-b2475454.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rvxPNHf-z4 https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/-it-was-a-vivid-sighting-actor-dan-aykroyd-claims-he-had-spectacular-ufo-encounters-four-times-101704794103774.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Head_Vodka https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya0DQwWCO3o

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the life of an understated comic genius, John Candy. For two decades Candy was in some of the best comedies that Hollywood had to offer. But it all started with the famous comedy troupe Second City and his involvement with Emmy winning comedy show, SCTV. In his early years, he befriended and worked with comedians like Dan Aykroyd and Rick Moranis, and eventually became close friends the film legend John Hughes. From Stripes to Uncle Buck and from Home Alone to Planes Trains and Automobiles, this everyman of comedy dominated the scene. Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/actors/john-candy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Candy https://www.secondcity.com/people/other/john-candy/ https://variety.com/2023/film/news/john-candy-documentary-amazon-colin-hanks-ryan-reynolds-1235517899/ https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/610983/john-candy-actor-facts https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/25-fun-facts-about-john-candy-and-the-comedians-legendary-career https://facts.net/celebrity/18-mind-blowing-facts-about-john-candy/ https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/actors/john-candy-net-worth/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtayB-vIyfY

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about one of the largest cults in Japan—the Happy Science Cult. Yes, that’s really their name. They were founded by Ryuho Okawa who was the key rival to the Aum Shinriko cult (who tried to kill Okawa with poison gas in his car). The Happies believe that Okawa is the embodiment of the god El Cantare who was born on Venus millions of years ago. Their leader channels people like Jesus, Buddha, Socrates, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and even Michael Jackson to write books for him. They produce tons of horrible anime, try to influence elections, and of course take all the money they can. Why does Okawa’s son claim he is a fraud? How many books have they written? Why are they called Happy Science? Listen, laugh, learn. Visit Our Sources: https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Happy_Science https://www.vice.com/en/article/jmvan4/my-afternoon-with-a-failed-japanese-cult https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Science https://theworld.org/stories/2022-11-30/japan-s-infamous-happy-cult-sets-sights-united-states https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230302-japan-happy-science-cult-leader-okawa-dies-media https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Death-of-the-founder-of-Happy-Science,-a-controversial-Japanese-religious-sect-57887.html https://gamerant.com/japanese-cult-happy-science-anime/

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we explore one of the worst regimes in the West: the dictatorship of Papa Doc Duvalier. François Duvalier came to be the sadistic president for life of the island of Haiti, running the island through a regime of terror, voodoo, and secret police for 14 years. He had a murder squad called the Tontons Macoutes, named after a Haitian boogey man who would eat children for breakfast. He killed tens of thousands of Haitians during his dark reign, claimed to have killed President Kennedy through voodoo, once had every black dog in the country killed, and kept the head of an enemy on ice in a special closet, so he could talk to it. If you like them bloody and crazy, it doesn’t get much better than Papa Doc. Visit Our Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/1971/04/23/archives/papa-doc-a-ruthless-dictator-kept-the-haitians-in-illiteracy-and.html https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/people-politics/papa-doc-duvalier-the-voodoo-president-who-killed-kennedy/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Duvalier https://www.doctorsecrets.com/papa-doc-duvalier-haiti-s-voodoo-doctor https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/papa-doc-the-voodoo-tyrant-of-haiti-654a41a68474 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_occupation_of_Haiti

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the career of the one and only Conan O’Brien. Conan went from utterly unknown to become one of the all-time greats of late night television. He had a major feud with Jay Leno (who screwed him out of his dream job), but nothing could dampen his impact on American comedy. From amazing remotes to unbelievable characters (I’m looking at you, Masturbating Bear), his late night shows were among the best. We talk about his crazy pranks he pulled at Harvard, his podcast, and even his classic moments with Norm McDonald. Visit Our Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_O%27Brien https://www.biography.com/movies-tv/conan-obrien https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/conan-obrien/bio/3030386650/ https://histlit.fas.harvard.edu/people/people/alumni/conan-obrien https://www.universallifechurchministers.org/celebrities/conan-obrien https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-conan-obrien/jacob-shelton https://www.cracked.com/article_37683_60-conan-obrien-trivia-tidbits-on-his-60th-birthday.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpIEyn9G6_8&t=371s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKmadR4Ye54&t=1s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-MJy7w69EU

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we say a hearty “Live from New York…It’s Saturday Night.” That’s right. We talk all things Saturday Night Live. This American television institution has been responsible for discovering some of the most important comic voices over the past five decades. It has been a bastion for counter culture, political satire, musical discovery, and dicks in boxes. It was created by Lorne Michaels who has succeeded in keeping the show somehow relevant, fresh, funny, and on the air all these years. Whether you like old school SNL like the Blues Brothers or dig Michael Che and Colin Jost, we’ve got you covered. Visit Our Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Live https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/saturday-night-live-debuts https://snl.jt.org/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorne_Michaels https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/harry-shearer-interview-simpsons-spinal-tap-b2456903.html https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/69730/facts-about-saturday-night-live https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEKul4088ug https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Saturday_Night_Live_cast_members https://ew.com/music/sinead-oconnor-pope-photo-snl/

On this episode of The Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the ultimate case of forbidden love—the story of Mary Kay Letourneau. Letourneau was made (in)famous in the late 1990s when she had a love affair with a student of hers named Vili Fualaau. Why would this propel her to the heights of tabloid fame? Because she was 35, and he was only 13. She gave birth their first daughter while still awaiting trail for child rape, and she broke the rules of her parole and got pregnant by him again almost the instant she got out of prison. So, how long did she serve time? How long did they stay together? How did marijuana cause them to get a divorce? Listen, laugh, learn. Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/crime/mary-kay-letourneau https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Kay_Letourneau https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/mary-kay-letourneau-may-december-true-story-1234918355/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/07/obituaries/mary-kay-letourneau-dead.html https://www.crimelibrary.org/criminal_mind/psychology/marykay_letourneau/1.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RezOEn0daNU https://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/mary-kay-letourneau-vili-fualaaus-interview-inspired-film/ https://facts.net/celebrity/39-facts-about-mary-kay-letourneau/

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we look at the amazing underground city of Derinkuyu. This tomb of a city is in modern day Turkey and dates back thousands of years. Nobody is sure when they started building it, but at its peak, it held a sustainable population of 20,000 people. It held its own food stores, animal farms, churches, wine makers, you name it. It had giant stone doors that no attacker could budge, and it was used over the centuries by multiple cultures and religious groups. In fact, it wasn’t fully abandoned until the early 1920s and rediscovered by accident in the 1960s. If you like the cities of the dwarves and underground catacombs, this one is for you. Visit Our Sources: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220810-derinkuyu-turkeys-underground-city-of-20000-people https://sometimes-interesting.com/derinkuyu-the-underground-cities-of-cappadocia/ https://tomorrow.city/a/elengubu-derinkuyu-underground-city-thousands-of-people https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/derinkuyu-turkey-underground-city-strange-maps https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derinkuyu_underground_city

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the many lives of Sacha Baron Cohen. He won awards as Ali G and took over the world as Borat, all through his unique style of comedy. Sacha Baron Cohen develops humor that plays off the prejudice, politeness, and ignorance of people. He takes shots at celebrities, politicians, racists, and an anti-Semites in the most scathing way possible. He even took down Rudy Giuliani in a now infamous scene with his fake daughter. If you don’t know his work, what the hell’s wrong with you?!? He’s a master of comedy, and we spit all his facts for you on this episode. Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/actors/sacha-baron-cohen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Baron_Cohen https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/sacha-baron-cohen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Baron-Cohen https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/553524/facts-about-sacha-baron-cohen https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/richest-comedians/sacha-baron-cohen-net-worth/ https://www.adl.org/resources/news/sacha-baron-cohens-keynote-address-adls-2019-never-now-summit-anti-semitism-and-hate https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/sacha-baron-cohen-the-man-behind-the-mustache-249539/#ixzz3qN0WPVcv

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we take a look an activist group called MOVE, and how they were eventually assaulted, murdered, and bombed by Philadelphia police via helicopter in the 80s. MOVE started out as a strange group that people considered one part Black Panthers and one part green-loving hippies. They fought for social justice and justice for all living beings, black, white, animal, you name it. But they were loud, and they swore through megaphones, and they had weapons. Some say they were an innocent activist group who was persecuted by the police. Others say they were a dangerous cult, and that the Philly police pulled a Waco on them. Give it a listen, learn the facts of the MOVE bombing, and judge for yourself! Visit Our Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOVE_(Philadelphia_organization) https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/8/8/20747198/philadelphia-bombing-1985-move https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_MOVE_bombing https://collaborativehistory.gse.upenn.edu/stories/move-osage-avenue https://www.newyorker.com/news/essay/saying-her-name https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1054&context=jmurj https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X03ErYGB4Kk https://leavingmove2021.blogspot.com/

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk the red planet, Mars. There is a lot to unpack here. I mean, yes, it is super cool that errors in interpreting early photos led us all to think Mars was covered in canals and highways. This lead to fiction such as The War of the Worlds. But more than that, Mars has always been an important symbol to humanity. For early humanity, it was a mystery—a star that was a red and had a funky orbit. For modern humanity, it is a curiosity, one which we spend billions of dollars on, sending probes and satellite cameras to help unlock its secrets. So, what is the atmosphere and surface of mars like? Can we make it livable? Why should we want to? What is Elon Musk’s big plan for red neighbor? Listen, laugh, learn! Get yo’ ass to our sources: https://mars.nasa.gov/allaboutmars/mystique/history/early/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Mars_observation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_canals https://www.space.com/47-mars-the-red-planet-fourth-planet-from-the-sun.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars https://news.usc.edu/173755/mars-human-history-culture-usc-experts-2020-launch/ https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/ https://www.spacex.com/human-spaceflight/mars/ https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-ready-mars-humanity-ready https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=921VbEMAwwY&t=1s https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cydonia_(Mars)#%22Face_on_Mars%22

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we talk about one of the most unique visionaries in all of Hollywood, Tim Burton. It’s hard to even start with his biggest hit since there are so many—Batman, Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. His movies aren’t just financial blockbusters, they are cult favorites, adored by millions. His visual style, animation, and soundtracks are just as iconic as some of his characters. Come along as we take a look inside the mind of a maestro. Visit our Sources: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000318/bio/ https://www.biography.com/movies-tv/tim-burton https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Burton https://www.ranker.com/list/fascinating-facts-about-tim-burton/collin-flatt https://vocal.media/geeks/25-facts-about-tim-burton-and-some-of-his-movies https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/directors/tim-burton-net-worth/ https://chrislacy1990.medium.com/revisiting-princes-batman-1989-retrospective-tribute-ed09e692be02#:~:text=While%20assembling%20a%20rough%20cut,convinced%20Burton%20to%20contact%20Prince.

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the ultimate brain baller, Archimedes. He was born in 287 BC, but he was a genius the likes of which the world has seldom known. The cool stuff was his machines. He created giant claws that could scoop attacking ships out of the sea, advanced catapults, ballista that could throw whole trees, and allegedly a heat ray that set ships on fire, as well as the world’s first analog computer. But his real genius was in mathematics. He is said to be one of the all-time greats, a thousand years or more ahead of his time. The inventions and discoveries of Archimedes make him one of the smartest humans in the history of the species. Visit Our Sources: http://archimedespalimpsest.org/about/history/archimedes.php https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archimedes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v86Yk14rf8 https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/archimedes-archimedes https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/archimedes-ancient-greek-genius-ahead-his-time-003690 https://explorable.com/archimedes-war-machines https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we go back in time to a story of murder, voodoo, torture, and sex. This is the story of Annie Palmer, the White Witch of Rose Hall. The year is 1820, and an 18 year old Annie marries the wealthy owner of Rose Hall. However, he is abusive to her, and she learned dark voodoo from her nanny, so he’s killed with a mix of poison and dark magic. From there she goes off the rails, killing more hubbies, having sex with slaves, torturing people, and being a medieval-style crazy woman bent by dark magic and power. But, why do some skeptics say none of the story is true? What parts can history prove? Did she really kill slave babies just to use their bones in ritual? Who is the sorcerer Takoo, and how does he help in her undoing? Listen, laugh, learn. Visit Our Sources: https://medium.com/@karennordhus/annie-palmer-the-white-witch-of-rose-hall-81b434be4a2e https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Witch_of_Rose_Hall https://www.thepalmsjamaica.com/annie-palmer-white-witch-rose-hall/ https://www.gonomad.com/1103-annie-palmer-the-white-witch-of-jamaica https://jamaicatravelandculture.com/destinations/st_james/rose-hall/annie-palmer.htm https://theculturetrip.com/caribbean/jamaica/articles/who-is-the-white-witch-of-rose-hall https://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/annie-palmer-white-witch-rose-hall-008837 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fJtU-_5osQ&t=636s

On this bonus episode of everyone’s favorite sitcom, the guys celebrate shark week. Brent turns his pool into salt water, so he can buy a great white shark. Brad builds a shark cage to use in Brent’s pool, but cheap steel from Kerplunkistan puts his life in danger. Dave makes a killing when he buys out all the U.S. steel in town and replaces it with cheap steel from Kerplunkistan. Special Guest Star: The King of Flavor! If you can’t find this classic episode, you can always tune in at https://www.patreon.com/sofakingpodcast

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the GOAT of late night television, Johnny Carson. At his height, he had the power to literally ask a comedian to stick around after a commercial break and make them overnight starts. David Letterman, Robin Williams, Rodney Dangerfield, Joan Rivers, and endless others claim that this single nod is what made their career. He single handedly changed late night programming into the format we recognize tonight. Carson was a brilliant comedian and show runner, though he did have some problems with liquor women. If you love classic comedy, give this one a listen! Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/movies-tv/johnny-carson https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/richest-comedians/johnny-carson-net-worth/ https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/johnny-carson-foundation/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Carson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Do_You_Trust%3F https://www.purevolume.com/entertainment/secrets-from-the-johnny-carson-show/ https://factsverse.com/dark-secrets-about-johnny-carson-we-ignored-for-too-long/ https://www.neatorama.com/2017/02/22/14-Facts-You-May-Not-Know-About-Johnny-Carson/ https://www.factinate.com/people/johnny-carson

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast we talk about one of the strangest True Crime cases we’ve ever seen—the Phantom of Heilbronn. Also called “The Woman Without a Face,” this master criminal left DNA evidence at over 6 murders and 40 crime scenes spread over three countries. From the gang-style murder of an elite drug cop to DNA left on a toy gun at a small robbery, The Phantom was unstoppable. Her crimes led to a multinational manhunt. Why didn’t people already arrested for her crimes come forward with her identity? What was unique about the police officer's murder? Why did they think she used Heroin? What was the ultimate truth about this criminal mastermind who ran rampant across Europe? Listen, laugh, learn. Visit Our Sources: https://www.iso.org/news/2016/07/Ref2094.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_of_Heilbronn https://haubrichnoir.medium.com/tanzen-in-the-dark-the-phantom-of-heilbronn-1f4778e4ecdf https://www.iflscience.com/serial-killer-the-phantom-of-heilbronn-was-hunted-for-16-years-the-problem-she-didnt-exist-58551 https://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1888126,00.html https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/nov/09/germany-serial-killer https://killzoneblog.com/2020/06/the-woman-without-a-face.html

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the Order of Odd Fellows. This fraternity slash secret society included Charlie Chaplin, Wyatt Earp, Ulysses S Grant, Charles Lindberg, and Franklin D Roosevelt. It was once larger than the Masons. Their goal was to expand friendship, love, and truth to all of humanities. They even acted as a form of insurance for each other before such a concept actually existed, but they had a funny way of doing things. For instance, starting in the 2000s, people all across America discovered dozens of skeletons hidden in abandoned Odd Fellow Lodges, and it turned out that this was a group that protected itself with odd rituals and cryptic codes. Visit Our Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Order_of_Odd_Fellows https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/633931/independent-order-odd-fellows-secret-society-skeletons https://odd-fellows.org/ https://www.reddit.com/r/ioof/comments/6hyyx4/my_great_great_grandfather_was_a_odd_fellow_left/ https://occult-world.com/odd-fellows/ https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-apr-01-mn-45210-story.html https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/eras/grand-united-order-of-odd-fellows-in-america/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odd_Fellows https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Howard_Cook