Sofa King Podcast

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Episode 644: Jodi Arias: The Murdering Mormon Mar 08, 2022

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On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we look at Jodi Arias, and the murder of Travis Alexander. If you dig true crime, you probably already know this story since it was a media sensation. This couple had a very strange and tumultuous relationship, ranging from wild phone sex to conversions to Mormonism. Jodi Arias was so intense that Travis’ friends even called an intervention about it to try to get them to break up. Eventually, they did break up, but the phone sex (and real sex) kept happening alongside slashed tires and hacks to Facebook accounts. It all eventually leads to a stolen handgun, mystery gas cans, and a murder most foul. Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/jodi-arias https://murderpedia.org/female.A/a/arias-jodi.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Travis_Alexander https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Lj4MO1ZfhU https://www.the-sun.com/news/4456994/jodi-arias-travis-alexander-murder-case-new-show-details/ https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/jodi-arias-lifetime-cellmate-secrets https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/crime-history/5-essential-things-to-know-about-the-jodi-arias-case

A Sofa King Classic: Hopkinsville Goblins Mar 04, 2022

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On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we hit you with a crazy recipe—take one part cryptid and one part UFO encounter, bake in the Kentucky summer, and you get the Hopkinsville Goblins. The case of the Hopkinsville Goblins is one of the most important in all of UFOlogy because it establishes the details that a great many UFO cases follow for years after. It is, in fact, the genesis of the term “little green men,” even though the Goblins weren’t thought to be green. So, what exactly happened in Hopkinsville that is still studied to this day? Back in August of 1955, two families were staying in a small, homemade house in the woods of Kentucky. There were a total of 11 of them (5 adults, 4 children, and 2 carnies) at the house when things went sideways. One member of the house went outside to draw some water from the pump and saw what he called a flying saucer that showed every color in the rainbow. He told everyone this, and they dismissed it as a shooting star. (A highway patrol officer reported similar lights in the sky a few hours later, unbeknownst to each other). About an hour after, everyone heard noises outside and went to investigate. Since the dog was freaking out, they took their guns and saw the Goblins. They were allegedly about 2 or 3 feet tall with large glowing eyes. They had atrophied legs but buffed upper bodies, and they walked with a strange gait that looked as if they were underwater (and some witnesses said they were floating off the ground). The two men fired at the first Goblin, hit it dead center, and reported a sound like a bullet striking metal. The Goblin fell back and retreated into the woods, and this was the start of a four hour campaign of fear and bullets. The Goblins started to claw at the roof and pop up into windows and scratch at the door. The families fired over 100 rounds at them and eventually packed it up headed into town to get the police. The cops had heard tell of the fire fight, so they weren’t taking any chances. A total of 16 officers from three police and military unit went to investigate. They confirmed in all 16 of their reports that the house was damaged as if something was trying to get in. The police also heard strange things in the trees and saw the weird lights. Eventually, the cops left, and about 45 minutes later, the Goblins were back to terrorize some more. The families left for the night, and it all hit the media. The next day, they gave their one and only interview to a local radio host, and they described the creatures. This is an odd case because it predates UFO hysteria, and the witnesses stood nothing to gain. They hated the attention it brought them and after later investigations were conducted, their story turned out to be one of the most consistent in UFO/Cryptid lore. So, what were these Goblins? Were they a great horned owl as many suggested? Was it a circus monkey painted silver (yes, that’s a theory). Were they all tripping balls on some chemical or drug? What connections do these creatures potentially have to the Mothman? Listen, laugh, learn. Visit our Sources: https://themothman.fandom.com/wiki/Kelly%E2%80%93Hopkinsville_encounter https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Hopkinsville_Goblins https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Kelly%E2%80%93Hopkinsville_encounter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly%E2%80%93Hopkinsville_encounter https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00336/full http://www.kellyky.com/

A Sofa King Classic: The Eggnog Riots Mar 01, 2022

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In this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we look back in time and talk about the little-known but awesome Christmas mutiny at West Point Military Academy known as the Eggnog Riots. On Christmas Eve back in 1826, roughly 90 students at this military school got loaded on spiked eggnog and caused problems. Major problems. They tore up buildings, threatened lives, shot guns at people, and even hit people with logs! What lead to this gross dereliction of military decorum? You might say whiskey (and you’d be right), but there were other ingredients as well. To begin with, West Point was a ramshackle school that let anyone in, and after a bad couple of wars, Congress funded it to become the bastion of officer training it is today. The man who did this was Sylvanus Thayer. Aside from being considered the father of West Point (and sounding very much like someone who would battle Harry Potter), he was also a harsh disciplinarian. He created draconic rules that included a zero tolerance no-alcohol and tobacco policy, and he whipped the cadets into shape by giving them virtually no freedoms. They couldn’t leave campus; they couldn’t cook food. And did I mention that they couldn’t drink? So, the year of his liquor ban, the cadets decided to have a wee party, and they paid a sentinel to look the other way while they crept across the Hudson River and bought some whiskey. Five gallons or so. On Xmas eve, they started drinking their heavily spiked Eggnog, and the Eggnog Riots were born. Much of the mayhem involves a military history instructor who kept creeping in on the parties to break them up. He arrested Jefferson Davis (yes, the guy who went on to become the president of the Confederacy), and we talk about Davis’ drunken youth quite a bit. After a lot of whiskey-fueled dickery, the professor finally started to break up the party in earnest, and the cadets decided to arm themselves with blades and pistols and kill him for ruining their fun (like you do). And the Eggnog Riots were off and running. What happened next in the Eggnog Riot was a night of madness. They hit another officer with a log and left him unconscious in a stair well; they ran around brandishing swords and pistols. They smashed windows, tore about the dorm, and readied themselves for war against the Army soldiers they thought were coming. So, how did the participants in the Eggnog Riots try to kill the professor and what went wrong in the attempt? What kept Jefferson Davis from getting court-martialed? How many students ended up getting arrested? Why did they tear down the dorm that hosted the party, and how was the new dorm designed so this would never happened again? Listen, laugh, learn. Good Article on It: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/egg-nog-its-all-fun-and-games-until-someone-starts-a-holiday-riot-180949281/#dShz66KYUWk6APy1.99

Episode 643: Mummies: Crypts, Curses, and Kings Feb 25, 2022

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On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we explore the eternal life of mummies. Everyone can picture the linen wrapped Egyptian kings, and most people know about curses and have nightmares of them coming back to life. However, it was more than kings. Middle class and poor Egyptians were mummified as were millions of pets. However, Egypt doesn’t have the only mummies. They are a global phenomenon, from the mummies of Guanajuato to the Ice Man and bog mummies. Why did they think there was a curse in the tomb of King Tut? What was the process for Egyptians? How did Buddhists self-mummify while they were still alive? If you’re curious about these perfectly preserved people, give this one a listen. Visit Our Sources: https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/history-of-the-mummy https://www.si.edu/spotlight/ancient-egypt/mummies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mummy https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/mummies https://www.livescience.com/mummification.html https://www.factretriever.com/mummy-facts https://littlethings.com/lifestyle/mummies-facts https://www.history.com/news/is-the-curse-of-king-tut-real https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_of_the_pharaohs#Deaths_popularly_attributed_to_Tutankhamun's_curse

Episode 642: Adam Walsh: America’s Most Wanted Feb 22, 2022

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On this episode of The Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the child abduction and murder that changed everything—the case of Adam Walsh. Adam Walsh went missing in 1981 in a Sears store while he was playing Atari 2600 games in the toy department. Sixteen days later, his head was found in a drainage ditch by two wandering fishermen. This case is very interesting for many reasons. First, it was confessed to by Ottis Toole, but he confessed and recanted over and over. Some people then thought it was done by Jeffery Dahmer. Then, the police screwed up in a major way, so the case was unsolved for decades. However, a light came from all this darkness. That light was Adam Walsh’s father, John Walsh. John went on a crusade to change laws and bust criminals. This lead him through the halls of congress and onto a 24 season run of America’s Most Wanted, catching over 1000 criminals and changing the game. Visit Our Sources: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/adam-walsh-is-abducted https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Adam_Walsh https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Walsh_(television_host) https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/40-years-later-adam-walshs-abduction-and-murder-not-forgotten-in-south-florida/2508053/ https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2021/07/27/adam-walsh-murder-changed-florida-and-the-us/ https://nypost.com/2021/09/04/woman-believes-adam-walshs-killer-kidnapped-her/ https://time.com/4437205/adam-walsh-murder/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America%27s_Most_Wanted

Episode 641: Cleopatra: The Cunning Queen of the Nile Feb 18, 2022

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On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we travel back in time and talk about the one and only Cleopatra. She was the queen of Egypt, but she wasn’t just there because she inherited it. In fact, she had to continuously earn her throne by killing members of her own family and constantly going to war with Rome. She famously seduced Julius Caesar and had his children. She was in Rome when he was assassinated, but she made it back to Egypt. When Mark Antony took control in Rome, she hooked up with him as well, having an epic romance of war, betrayal, suicide, and poison. Game of Thrones got nothing on the story of Cleopatra! Visit Our Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/cleopatra https://www.history.com/news/10-little-known-facts-about-cleopatra https://www.ancienthistorylists.com/egypt-history/facts-cleopatra-vii/ https://medium.com/exploring-history/ten-interesting-facts-about-cleopatra-most-people-dont-know-9e6e4efce94b

Episode 640: Tuskegee Airmen: Fighting Hard to Die Feb 15, 2022

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On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we cover the Tuskegee Airmen. This was the first ever all black air squadron, and they battled not just Nazis and the Axis, but good old American racism. Nobody in the army wanted black pilots, but the NAACP and Eleanor Roosevelt convinced people otherwise. They started to train at Tuskegee University and became a highly decorated part of World War II. What battles did they fight just for the chance to go to war and die? What was the Freeman Field Mutiny, and how might it have gotten Tuskegee Airmen shot by their own men? How does the UFO hunting Project Blue Book tie in? Listen, laugh, learn. Visit Our Sources: https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/tuskegee-airmen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Airmen https://www.tuskegee.edu/support-tu/tuskegee-airmen https://www.military.com/history/the-tuskegee-airmen.html https://www.afhistory.af.mil/FAQs/Fact-Sheets/Article/458979/tuskegee-airmen/ https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/643566/tuskegee-airmen-facts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeman_Field_mutiny#The_protest_at_Freeman_Field

Episode 639: Madonna: The Mistress of Music and Marketing Feb 11, 2022

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On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we look at the life, loves, ups, and higher ups of Madonna. Her impact on 1980s culture can’t be overstated. Her videos, sound, and fashion made the entire Gen X imitate and want her. She has always been a master of branding and self-promotion. When being a sex symbol was getting old, Madonna would piss off the Catholic church, and when that got old, she’d drop a book full of lesbian sex pictures to draw the spotlight back on her. She’s had a crazy love life, is one of the bestselling female artists of all times, and manages to constantly be the queen of controversy. Come for the music, stay for the S&M phot shoots! Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/musician/madonna https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna https://www.forbes.com/profile/madonna/?sh=1c2bde1c27ac https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/7000438/inside-madonnas-relationships-from-toyboy-lovers-to-rock-legends/ https://www.datingcelebs.com/who-is-madonna-dating/ https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/651771/madonna-music-facts https://www.biography.com/news/madonna-like-a-virgin-vmas-1984 https://theindustryobserver.thebrag.com/when-madonna-leaked-a-fake-version-of-her-album-to-thwart-pirates/

Episode 638: Vincent Van Gogh: Madness on a Canvas Feb 08, 2022

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On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the madness and genius of Vincent van Gogh. Surely, you know him as one of the most important artists in all of human history. Because he was. But his life was filled with love, friendship, disaster, prostitutes, depression, art, and absinthe. His father was a priest, and his mother a painter, and he himself tried to become a minister before turning to art (and prostitutes). He didn’t touch a canvas until he was 30 years old, and his demons haunted him firmly enough that he tried to kill himself several times and spent a year in an insane asylum at St. Remy, where van Gogh painted some of his most important works. His story is an amazing, uplifting, tragic tale of family, art, and suicide. Visit Our Sources https://www.biography.com/artist/vincent-van-gogh https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh https://www.biography.com/news/vincent-van-gogh-biography-facts https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/21-facts-about-vincent-van-gogh

Episode 637: Dennis Rodman: Rebounds, Madonna, and Kim Jong Un Feb 04, 2022

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On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we talk about one of the biggest forces in popular culture history, Dennis Rodman. Of course he was a basketball player and part of both the infamous Bad Boys of the Detroit Pistons as well as the game changing comeback of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. But this unique man is so much more than that. He is a troubled man, battling depression and a sense of loneliness and insecurity which drove him to greatness. He was a friend to the LGBTQ community and AIDS support in the 1990s when that was rare. He broke social conventions, married himself in a wedding dress, dated Madonna, ignored his children, and somehow became friends with North Korea’s Kim Jung Un. His is a life you will want to hear about! Visit Our Sources: 30 For 30, ESPN: Rodman, Better or Worse https://www.biography.com/athlete/dennis-rodman https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2018/06/12/a-brief-guide-to-dennis-rodmans-long-weird-history-with-north-korea/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Rodman https://wealthygorilla.com/dennis-rodman-net-worth/ http://www.mindofmodernity.com/14-unique-facts-that-you-probably-didnt-know-about-dennis-rodman/ https://tvovermind.com/dennis-rodman/

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