Flightless Bird - David Farrier

Latest Episodes:

Nest Sessions: Chat Pile Jan 08, 2026

Show notes

In this month’s Nest Session, David and Rob are joined on the couch by Chat Pile, one of David’s favourite bands who hail from Oklahoma. Raygun Busch and Stin talk about their shared - and differing - experiences being sent to church camp growing up, and explain the origin of their name, referencing the massive hills of hazardous waste found in their home town. If you want to find out what a “chat rat” is, then this is the episode for you. The two then dish out their favourite American snack, before performing broken down versions of two of their deeper cuts - Tenkiller and King.
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You can find Chat Pile here:
https://chatpile.net
https://www.instagram.com/chatpileband
David recommends God’s Country, Cool World and In the Earth Again (with Hayden Pedigo).

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Best Friends: Animal Cult Jan 06, 2026

Show notes

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.

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The Parasocial Listener Dec 16, 2025

Show notes

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: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast

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Reality TV Dec 09, 2025

Show notes

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: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com - Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flightlessbirdpod - Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast

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Nest Sessions: Cold War Kids on Vintage Shirt Collecting Dec 04, 2025

Show notes

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/flightlessbird
Email us: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flightlessbirdpod
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast

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First Amendment Auditors Dec 02, 2025

Show notes

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: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com
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

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Pumpkin Pie Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

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

Email us your feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com

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Medieval Times Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

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/flightlessbird
Email us: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flightlessbirdpod
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast

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Black Shiny FBI Shoes Nov 11, 2025

Show notes

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: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flightlessbirdpod Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast

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Nest Sessions: Anthony Green on Sobriety in America Nov 06, 2025

Show notes

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: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast

Anthony Green: https://www.instagram.com/anthonygreen666/

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