Commendable Commotion

I was a guest on the latest episode of Steven Snider's podcast 'The Farm'. In the episode, re-uploaded here, I described my recent meeting with Stanley Kubrick's personal assistant, Emilio D'Alessandro. I told Steven about the bizarre, creepy events that befell the production of Kubrick's final film, 'Eyes Wide Shut', as related to me by Emilio in the Summer of 2025 when I travelled to Cassino, Italy.Follow Steven Snider ('Recluse') on X:https://x.com/RecluseS9Look out for Tony Zierra's documentary about the making of Eyes Wide Shut, 'SK13: Kubrick's Endgame':https://www.docaddicts.comBuy Emilio D'Alessandro's memoir, 'Stanley Kubrick and Me', co-authored with Filippo Ulivieri:https://www.filippoulivieri.it/SKEM/english/the-book/index.html This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

The opening overture to a deep examination of Thomas Matthew Crooks, who tried to assassinate Donald Trump on July 13th 2024.Partial list of sources used for this episode:WTAE-TV Pittsburgh, Channel 4 Action News. July 13th 2024 broadcast.'Police comb through Thomas Matthew Crooks' van that hid explosives, video shows'. Fox News, July 18th 2024.Dr. James D. Frizzi nomination. Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States of America. Volume 152 (February 1st 2010).Lawrence J. Macko's LinkedIn profile.'Eisenhower Army Medical Center among the safest in the Nation'. U.S. Army news piece, June 11th 2015.'Leaked Document Appears to Show NSA Infiltrated Cryptos, Tor, VPN'. BitcoinNews.com, February 2nd 2018.Ruby Kehaulani Macko nomination. Proceedings & Debates of the 116th United States Congress, First Session. July 25th 2019.'The Hospital That Treated Friend & Foe'. The New York Times, October 2nd 2009.‘Use of neurosurgical decision-making and damage-control neurosurgery courses in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts: a surgeon’s experience’. Neurosurg Focus 28 (5). 2010.John N. Frizzi obituary, December 2nd 2010.Lt. Col. Mark Revor's LinkedIn profile.John Frizzi Jr. obituary, June 28th 2019.Marriage license application of Lawrence J. Macko and Cynthia A. Cavanaugh (later Frizzi). Pittsburgh Press, 10th March 1984.‘Van crash kills boy’. Indiana Gazette, 15th July 1986 (mentions Deputy Coroner James Frizzi of the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office).'Headline USA Obtains Trump Shooter's Autopsy Records'. Headline USA, October 7th 2024.'Trump shooter Thomas Crooks' emails reveal a student dreaming of a bright future. And contemplating a violent attack.' CBS News, May 23rd 2025. 'Local Sniper Who Lost Thomas Crooks Shot Himself 7 Months Ago'. Headline USA, July 29th 2024.'Thomas Crooks Searched for Porn Before Shooting Donald Trump: FBI'. The Daily Beast, July 19th 2024.Music tracks by the wonderful Myuu:‘In the Hall of the Mountain King (Piano Version) by Edvard Grieg (Cover)’,’Forsaken’, ‘Unspoken’, ‘Shelter’, ‘Cornered’, ‘Bad Encounter’, ‘Identity Crisis’,‘Strolling Around’, ‘Winds Wreck 2014’,’Angels We Have Heard on High (Dark Piano Version)’.Closing dirge: ‘Ceefour’ by Cay ‘Xxtrah’ Oliver. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

Filmmakers Vinnie Vineyard and Luke Walker give their advice on independent production, particularly distribution and scriptwriting.My documentary 'Mothman: The Film That Never Was' is coming very soon. Check out the trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwIXOmvQPj8Also check out Vinnie and Luke's film company, Big N Funky Productions. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

A new side of renowned writer Hunter S. Thompson is presented here exclusively. We talk to Henry Vinson, convicted in 1990 for running a large “male escort service” in Washington D.C. For the first time, he describes his interactions with Thompson, & the late Gonzo journalist’s close friendship with disgraced lobbyist (& purported CIA asset) Craig J. Spence.Afterwards, we talk to Zach Glenn of the Predictive Programming podcast. Zach will walk us through the murkier sides of Hunter Thompson’s life, including possible links to the U.S. intelligence community.At the start of this episode, you’ll also hear about the strange, scandalous events unfolding in D.C. during the month of Thompson’s death. The father of Gonzo journalism may have been much closer to these events than has previously been known.Some helpful background reading:‘WV native, former leader in DC prostitution ring, authors tell-all book’. Charleston Gazette-Mail, May 17th 2015.https://www.wvgazettemail.com/arts__entertainment/wv-native-former-leader-in-dc-prostitution-ring-authors-tell-all-book/article_3a5fea02-9ae7-5f12-ae6b-e8efca445b93.html‘The Shadow World of Craig Spence’. Washington Post, July 17th 1989.https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1989/07/18/the-shadow-world-of-craig-spence/2837e91e-49ce-4121-9416-8e0c7a2debf6/‘Son’s Shotgun Tribute’. Rocky Mountain News, March 2nd 2005.https://web.archive.org/web/20050404123625/http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/0,1299,DRMN_21_3587245,00.htmlMusic- ‘Identity Crisis’, ‘Cornered’ & ‘Danger’ by the wonderful Myuu. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

Today I talk to Dr. Alexander Reid Ross from Portland State University. He writes and hosts the excellent Years of Lead Podcast, examining Italy’s turbulent Cold War years and the murky, covert forces in the background. We also discuss two filmmakers who have made interesting movies relating to Italy’s Years of Lead- Alan Francovitch and Pier Paolo Pasolini.The Years of Lead Podcast:https://open.spotify.com/show/7z53cv4hO0JhU3wkHLh5ot?si=2169712bdbb645e6‘Stay-behind networks and interim flexible strategy: the 'Gladio' case and US covert intervention in Italy in the Cold War’. Francesco A. Cacciatore. Intelligence and National Security, Vol. 36, Issue 5:https://doi.org/10.1080/02684527.2021.1911436 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

In this preview for my upcoming project, 'The Panic in Bethel Park', journalist Ken Silva relates a small but significant new detail he recently uncovered about the investigation into the July 13th 2024 assassination attempt of Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.Follow me for updates on this work-in-progress, and follow Ken Silva on X:https://x.com/JD_CashlessMusic: ‘Identity Crisis’ and ‘Forsaken’ by Myuu. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

On September 21st, I gave a talk prior to the premiere of my new documentary ‘Mothman: The Film That Never Was’. The event took place at the 2024 Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. The audience consisted mainly of festival attendees from elsewhere in the United States, several from West Virginia. There were also some locals present, and two actors from the film even made a surprise appearance.You’ll get to see people’s reactions and questions when the topic of the Mafia was discussed, and you’ll hear about several strange crimes that occurred in this famous “Mothman town” over several decades, which may have been Mob-linked.Many thanks to Mark Lopez for recording my talk, and to Jeff Wamsley for giving permission to share it online. You can watch the video recording of my talk by going to the Commendable Commotion YouTube channel. The film is now ready for distribution and this is being looked into at this very moment. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

With Halloween coming up, filmmaker Tom L. Byron talks to me about 'Clack Mountain', a mysterious landmark near his home in Morehead, Kentucky. Strange tales of devil worship have surrounded this place for years. You'll also hear the strange story of a local woman named Donna Markwell, who was murdered on the mountain in the 1980s, and the mysterious death of her killer, Alexander Bowling.Partial list of sources used for this episode:'Missing woman's body found in trunk of car', Louisville Courier-Journal, 1st November 1980'Rowan man gets death penalty in 1980 kidnap-murder case', Lexington Herald-Leader, 26th November 1981'Non-jury trial set in drug possession case', Daily Republic (Fairfield, CA), 26th February 1970'Dyer Act charge jails three', El Paso Times, 24th January 1971'Prison death now blamed on drug overdose', Louisville Courier-Journal, 25th September 1982'Small deprivations on death row could lead to thoughts of suicide', Louisville Courier-Journal, 5th November 1982'Gallery of the Doomed: An Exploration of Creative Endeavors by the Condemned', Roberta M. Harding, University of Kentucky College of Law, 2002 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

In anticipation of my upcoming documentary 'Mothman: The Film That Never Was', now's a good time to upload this chat between myself and Mark Lopez. Mark is a former West Virginia and Ohio resident who assisted me greatly in filming the Ohio Valley region for my documentary. Check out his YouTube channel below:Come One Come AllCheck out my recent interview on The Nick Bryant Podcast:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHd_JneXgwk&t=1237sFor updates on my upcoming documentary, follow Commendable Commotion on Twitter/X, YouTube, Facebook & Instagram. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

Journalist Nick Bryant, who published Jeffrey Epstein's contact book in 2015, talks to me about his new book 'The Truth About Watergate'.Make sure to follow @The Nick Bryant PodcastCheck out the trailer for my upcoming documentary 'Mothman: The Film That Never Was':https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwIXOmvQPj8&t=6s This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

Tennessee-based filmmaker William 'Wilky' Fain joins me to give advice on all stages of film production, from prep to post.Check out Wilky's work below:https://www.facebook.com/williamfainproductionsFollow me on the socials for updates about my upcoming documentary 'Mothman: The Film That Never Was':https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085030901599https://twitter.com/CommCommotionhttps://www.instagram.com/commendablecommotion/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

Today I talk to 'Cian', creator and host of the Wide Atlantic Weird podcast. It's a brilliant podcast where the facts behind creepy legends are examined to determine the veracity of said legends. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts!Look out for my upcoming documentary, 'Mothman: The Film That Never Was'. Follow Commendable Commotion on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X for updates:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085030901599https://twitter.com/CommCommotionhttps://www.instagram.com/commendablecommotion/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

Robin Ramsay, co-founder and editor of Lobster Magazine, talks about how he started out in journalism and when his publication gained national attention in the 1980s for its coverage of a mysterious political scandal.Robin's appearance in 'After Dark' (1988):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HaOfQswPOoSubscribe to Commendable Commotion on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKWKEzLCsSx-2Lh9AdnPRigFollow Commendable Commotion on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram:https://twitter.com/CommCommotionhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085030901599https://www.instagram.com/commendablecommotion/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

Part two of my interview with George, the lead researcher at CAVDEF.org. George walks us through a second example of a 'Deep Crime' with multiple layers- the tragic JonBenét Ramsey case.Follow George on Twitter:https://twitter.com/CAVDEF_GeorgeFollow Commendable Commotion on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for updates on upcoming projects:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085030901599https://twitter.com/CommCommotionhttps://www.instagram.com/commendablecommotion/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

George from CAVDEF.org talks about the concept of "Deep Crime" and the extraordinary work he has undertaken investigating parapolitics and true crime. Part one of two.CAVDEF:https://cavdef.orgGeorge from CAVDEF on Twitter:https://twitter.com/CAVDEF_GeorgeFollow Commendable Commotion on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085030901599https://twitter.com/CommCommotionhttps://www.instagram.com/commendablecommotion/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

John Lordan, creator & host of the true crime YouTube channel LordanArts, reflects on his career & his in-depth investigation into the tragic death of Canadian tourist Elisa Lam. John also talks about when he was interviewed for the Netflix documentary 'Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel', which examined the Elisa Lam case.Subscribe to LordanArts on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@LordanARTSSubscribe to Commendable Commotion on YouTube- more interviews & larger projects are on the way!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKWKEzLCsSx-2Lh9AdnPRig This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

Filmmaker Wing Flanagan talks about his childhood discovery of cinema, his short film 'Kanashimi' & submitting movies to international festivals. Wing also describes what he saw while visiting the set of the iconic 1983 movie 'Scarface'.Subscribe to Wing Flanagan on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@wingflanagan/featuredFollow Commendable Commotion on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085030901599https://www.instagram.com/commendablecommotion/https://twitter.com/CommCommotion This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

Writer Nick Bryant, the man who published Jeffrey Epstein's contact book in 2015, talks about why he started his podcast & about the very dark topics he & his guests examine on it. Nick also reflects on when he was the focus of a 2019 Vanity Fair piece commending his work, & offers advice for aspiring journalists, writers & podcasters.Subscribe to The Nick Bryant Podcast:https://www.youtube.com/@nickbryant8580Follow Commendable Commotion on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085030901599https://twitter.com/CommCommotionhttps://www.instagram.com/commendablecommotion/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

Freelance theatre director Jason Byrne describes how he started directing high-profile shows in venues like Dublin's Abbey Theatre, and gives highly useful advice for aspiring creatives.Follow Commendable Commotion on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook:https://twitter.com/CommCommotionhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085030901599https://www.instagram.com/commendablecommotion/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe

In this interview, theatre writer Sean MacDhonnagain talks about how he got into his craft and offers his advice to aspiring creatives.Follow Commendable Commotion on Twitter & Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085030901599https://twitter.com/CommCommotionMore interviews coming soon, along with larger projects too. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commendablecommotion.substack.com/subscribe