Sofa King Podcast

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  

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.wikipe

In this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we give you some true crime and talk about the Dating Game Killer. Rodney James Alcala was a serial rapist and killer. Some people think he is the second most prolific killer in American history, even though he was only convicted for five counts. He posed as a photographer and would lure young women into his van and take naked photos of them. Many were never seen again until the photos were released by police desperate to close cold cases. He was a bachelor on the Dating Game in 1978 and actually won the contest! What ended up happening with the girl who picked him as the perfect bachelor? How many people do police think he may have killed? What happened when he literally questioned himself on the witness stand? How is he connected to Sammy David Jr and Dean Martin? Listen, laugh, learn.   Visit Our Sources: Dating Game Video Here https://murderpedia.org/male.A/a/alcala-rodney.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Alcala https://www.rollingstone.

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about a very unique rock star and UFO hunter, Tom DeLonge. DeLonge founded Blink 182 when he was 16 years old and after a few years, they were a massive band. While they toured in vans early on, he started to read books on UFOs, and his true life obsession was born. Cut to a couple decades later, and DeLonge is the founder of the To The Stars Academy of Arts and Sciences. This is a group of ex spies from the CIA, physicists, parapsychologists, and even engineers from Skunk Works. They collect videos and physical evidence of UFOs and even got the Pentagon to officially acknowledged that some of the craziest UFO footage of all time was real. We talk a lot about some of the UFOs from episode 446, Modern UFOs. Go back and revisit that one to really focus in how intense this former frontman’s endeavors have become.   Visit Our Sources: https://home.tothestarsacademy.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_DeLonge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_th

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we look at the rise and fall and rise again of the one and only Martha Stewart. Right when she was bigger than Oprah (worth $1.2 billion), the SEC busted her for insider trading and sent her to jail for almost a year. But the story of her constant drive to build up her brand, image, and companies, she bounced right back. This is the story of a middle class girl who turned a teenage modeling career into one of the most savvy media companies in the world. Plus, she’s friends with Snoop Dogg! How did she and Snoop meet? What happened that took her to jail? Who wins in the Superfight between her and Oprah that we play at the end of the episode? Listen, laugh, and learn.   Visit Our Sources: Snoop on Martha Stewart Living for the first time. Ghost Spoof. Titanic Spoof. https://www.biography.com/business-figure/martha-stewart https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Stewart https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/21/entertainment/martha-stewart-anthony-hopkins-hannibal-lecter-intl

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we back in time to World War Two and talk about the horror and honor that defined the London Blitz. In September of 1940, Hitler had lost the Battle of Britain, which was battle for air superiority over England. As a result, he decided to use bombing as a terror tactic to break Britain’s will before he invaded their country. However, it didn’t quite go as he planned. The Brits proved to be amazingly resilient, surviving some of the worst war conditions in the world. Tons of bombs were dropped every night, and entire neighborhoods vanished to explosives and fires. But the Brits carried on. Through the Blitz, they hid the Underground tubes, planted victory gardens, shagged each other, and got ready for another day of war. If you like the war, Britain, history with a side of bad jokes, give this one a listen.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-blitz-begins https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blitz https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-bl

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about Quentin Tarantino. He is considered one of the most influential directors of his generation and has won Oscars and Emmys for his work. He typically shows hyper-violent scenes and directs movies filled with very unique dialogue. Once a small independent film maker, Quentin Tarantino is now one of the most sought after directors in the world. But there are many reports of bad behavior, a violent streak, sexism, and mistreatment toward women on his sets. He’s a controversial figure who has publicly backed sexual predators, but his art is some of the best in the world of cinema. You won’t want to miss this one.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/filmmaker/quentin-tarantino https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quentin_Tarantino https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/73134/20-facts-about-your-favorite-quentin-tarantino-movies https://kottke.org/22/01/the-vega-brothers-from-quentin-tarantino https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/quentin-taran

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we hop over The Pond and talk about one of the most famous organized crime families in London. This is Ronnie and Reginald Kray. The Kray Brothers were a hyper-violent duo who ran a criminal underground known as The Firm. Their business focused on protection, money laundering, and night clubs. They ran things differently than many criminal organizations and thrived on the spotlight, fame, celebrity status, and a penchant for incredible violence. They were both bisexual and open about it at a time where it was illegal and would get you killed. So, what celebrities did they hang out with? How did a gay sex scandal make them untouchable? Which one of them was a paranoid schizophrenic? What violent line did they cross that finally brought them down? Listen, laugh, learn.   Visit our Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kray_twins#Ronnie https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/kray-family-fury-over-gay-jibe-for-helgeland-s-hollywood-3474074 https:/

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we talk about one hell of a drug, Cocaine! It releases more dopamine than any other natural drug into the human brain—way more than even sex. Cocaine made German scientists stick needles in their own eyes, and killed John Belushi, Chris Farley, Mitch Hedberg, and River Phoenix! We talk about its past, its ties with Coca-Cola, when it was purified, and what methods the cartels use to smuggle it into America. If you want a little booger sugar, give this one a listen…   Visit Our Sources: https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs3/3951/3951p.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_involvement_in_Contra_cocaine_trafficking https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocaine https://list25.com/25-facts-about-cocaine-that-you-probably-didnt-know/ https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/report_2361/ShortReport-2361.html https://www.kickassfacts.com/cocaine-facts/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola#Use_of_stimulants_in_formula http://defamer.gawker.com/remember-when-ti

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we drop some science and talk about one of the most important feats of agriculture in all of human history—Corn. You may be asking, why Corn? Many people argue that it is disastrous for the environment and for agriculture in the US. For another thing, it is one of the most subsidized crops by the US government; the government pays the biggest corn growers millions of dollars a year to grow (or not grow this crop). It has a crazy history and was domesticated some 9000 years ago by ancient peoples in Mexico. It was the descendent of a plant called teosinte. It was used by the Mayans and Native Americans, and now it is used to feed animals, make plastics, create fuel, sweeten your Mt. Dew and just about everything else you can think of. From threats of eco disaster to potentially corrupt government payoffs, Corn is more interesting than you might think.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rethinking-corny-history-maize-180971038/ https://w

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we cover long-time listener request. This is the death of Natalie Wood. Hers is a story of stardom, sexual scandal, a controlling mother, and quite possible murder. She was found drowned off Catalina Island, after a night of drinking and arguing with her husband Robert Wagner about her friend Christopher Walken. The case was ruled as accidental, but in 2011, it became active again. Natalie Wood was one of the biggest stars of her day, winning three academy awards before the age of 25. She was a childhood star in Miracle on 34th Street, and was in everything from Rebel Without A Cause to Westside Story. So what went down the night Natalie Wood died? What made the LAPD open this case after decades? What does Christopher Walken say happened? Why was Natalie Woods so afraid of the water? Why won’t her husband cooperate with the police in the current investigation? Listen, laugh, learn.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/actor/natalie-wood htt

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about one of the largest heists in US history and the inspiration for the movie Goodfellas. It was called the Lufthansa Heist, named after the airline they stole from. This story is a tale of vintage mobsters, theft, powergrabs, and murders. So many murders. Jimmy Burke, the leader of the crew, went a bit psychotic after the FBI started to investigate. He took care of loose ends as only the mob knows how. So, if you want to learn if Joe Pesci, Robert DeNiro, and Ray Liotta accurately portrayed these unhinged mobsters, then listen, laugh, and learn. Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/news/real-goodfellas-lufthansa-heist-henry-hill https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lufthansa_heist https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lufthansa-heist-jfk-airport-goodfellas-henry-hill https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/lufthansa-heist-murders-mafia-mobsters https://www.businessinsider.com/what-happened-during-the-lufthansa-heist-of-1978-2014-1 https:/

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we feel the blues as we talk about the life, death, music, and drugs of the one and only Stevie Ray Vaughan. Stevie is considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time. And that is because he is. His style of playing and singing are as big and unique as his hats. Though he died at the age of 35, everyone from Eric Clapton to David Bowie and The Rolling Stones considered him one of the best musicians alive. If you’ve never done a YouTube dive on his live footage, you owe it to yourself to watch him shred and sweat and sing…and then listen, laugh, and learn. Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/musician/stevie-ray-vaughan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevie_Ray_Vaughan https://srvofficial.com/ http://rockandrollgarage.com/what-eric-clapton-said-about-stevie-ray-vaughan-after-his-tragic-death/ https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news/2015/04/10/15-facts-about-stevie-ray-vaughan Life Without You Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we look at living cult, the New Zealand community of Gloriavale. It was founded by Neville Cooper. He learned his preaching craft in America, choosing the speaking-in-tongues, faith-healing variety. When he brought it back to New Zealand, he was a hit. He started a small agriculture community tied to his church. He survived a plane crash, renaming himself Hopeful Christian, and the rest is history. And by history, I mean a cult. You know the drill, nobody can leave, brainwashing, sexual abuse, all the money goes the founder, dairy cows, crazy names, stupid outfits. The works. Visit Our Sources: https://www.ted.com/talks/lilia_tarawa_i_grew_up_in_a_cult_it_was_heaven_and_hell/transcript?language=en https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloriavale_Christian_Community https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/91034991/reid-going-undercover-in-gloriavale-still-haunts-me https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/aug/30/my-life-in-a-religious-cult-the-most-dangerous-place-in-the-world-is-

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we all say “wooooo” and talk about the legend that is Ric Flair. If you don’t know Ric Flair, you owe it to yourself to discover him. He is considered by most wrestlers, promoters, and sports writers to be the greatest of all time. He had the skills in the ring, the crazy persona, and the charisma to win the crowd. Flair started in the old days of dozens of wrestling organizations and was able to stay at the top of his game all the way to Vince McMahon’s consolidation of the WWE. Ric Flair fought for decades and won belt after belt after belt. So, who did he really feud with backstage? How did a plane crash help him discover his wrestling persona? Where did the woooooo come from? Where did the line blur between his character and himself? Listen, laugh, learn. Visit Our Sources: Nature Boy: 30 For 30, ESPN. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ric_Flair https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/ric-flair-10009.php https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/ric-flair-net-worth-salar

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the king of the jungle. And by jungle, I mean petting zoo. That’s right, goats. No, we don’t mean Michael Jordan, the Greatest Of All Time. We mean goats. Billy goats, pygmy goats, mountain goats. You might wonder what is so exciting about goats. Do you want to know who doesn’t wonder that? Satan! That’s right, from Satan’s ultimate symbol to Pan, the horny Greek god, these domesticated devils have been part of human civilization for 10,000 years. So, what is a Goat Tower? Which American President had goats for pets? How can goats be used to fight climate change disasters? The simple goat may just surprise you! Visit Our Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goat#Mythology_and_folklore https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/61542/15-amazing-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-goats https://backyardgoats.iamcountryside.com/kids-corner/10-amazing-benefits-of-owning-a-goat/ https://www.livescience.com/52540-goat-facts.html https://factslegend.org/20-c

On this episode of The Sofa King Podcast, we talk about a wicked case of human test subjects known as the Holmesburg Prison Experiments. This small prison in Philadelphia became home to a very unethical doctor named Albert Kligman. He was brought there to investigate a break-out of athletes foot among the inmates, but what he saw was “acres of skin.” The hundreds of humans were the ultimate petri dish for Kligman, and he began to experiment. The shocking thing is that he had the support of the University of Pennsylvania, the prison system, the courts, and companies like Dow and Johnson and Johnson. What did he test? He started by testing shampoos and soaps on prisoner skin. He ended up dosing them with dioxin, wrecking them with radiation, and nuking them in microwave ovens. What brought this to a stop? What is Kligman’s reputation like now? Did any prisoners get justice? Listen, laugh, learn.   Visit Our Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmesburg_Prison https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/art

On this episode, we explore the Branch Davidians, their leader, David Koresh, and the deadly siege at Waco, Texas. This was one of the biggest conspiracies of the 1990s, and the story is full of bizarre and exciting twists. The Davidians started in the 1930s and grew to be an apocalyptic cult that preached that the world’s government was run by the devil and that the Davidians would all die as soldiers against the devil’s government soldiers in a storm of fire. They got most of that right, as it turns out. When Koresh took over in 1983, the power struggle involved an attempt to exhume a corpse and resurrect it. You read that right… After a box of hand grenades was discovered by a delivery driver, a 51 day siege of the compound known as Mt. Carmel started. First the ATF attempted to arrest Koresh and serve a search warrant, but it ended in a deadly gunfight. We discuss this and the details of the 51 day siege, looking closely at what the Davidians did wrong and what the FBI did wrong. The siege culminated in

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we look at Aum Shinrikyo, the Japanese “Death Cult” lead by the mysterious (and crazy) Shoko Asahara. Aum made international headlines in 1995 when they attacked the Tokyo subway system with Sarin gas killing 13 people and wounding thousands, but this bizarre cult did (and planned) a lot more than that. Their leader, Asahara, was born mostly blind to a poor family with seven kids. Once he graduated high school, he was unable to get admitted to a college and started to study Chinese herbalism and medicine as well as acupuncture, yoga, meditation, and various religions. He started his group innocently enough as a studio for yoga, but as he recruited some of the best minds from top Japanese universities, things took a dark turn. His religious teachings started to focus on the Bible’s Revelations and even the predictions of the end of the world by Nostradamus. He became obsessed with the US and thought they would start WWIII and nuke the world. Well, we still might to b

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we look at the life, business practices, and empire of Sam Walton. He was a business genius and co-founder of Wal-Mart (along with his brother Bud). Sam Walton learned how to build where nobody else was building and then slowly crush the competition. He was so savvy that all the big retailers were completely unaware of his existence until it was too late. This mega merchant changed the entire nature of retail and the face of America through his “Wal-Mart Effect.” So, was he the inventor the bad things that Wal-Mart is usually accused of? Why did he learn to fly his own plane? How rich are his children? Why did he sign a 99 year lease for his first Wal-Mart store? Listen, laugh, learn.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/business-figure/sam-walton https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/197560 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Walton https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walton_family https://www.investopedia.com/terms/j/jim-walton.asp https://www.forbes.com/si