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That Would Be Rad
That Would Be Rad
Author: Woody Brown and Tyler Bence
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© Woody Brown and Tyler Bence
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A Podcast that MAJORS IN: '80s/'90s Nostalgia, Comic Culture, ALL THINGS Paranormal.
And MINORS IN: Retro Video Games, Table Top RPG's, Pre-Internet Mysteries and Raising our Kids to be HALF as cool as we were back in the '80s.
Hosted by:
WOODY BROWN and TYLER BENCE
And MINORS IN: Retro Video Games, Table Top RPG's, Pre-Internet Mysteries and Raising our Kids to be HALF as cool as we were back in the '80s.
Hosted by:
WOODY BROWN and TYLER BENCE
228 Episodes
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The Djinn – Ancient Horrors of Smokeless FireWhat came before ghosts?Before demons?Before the monsters we tell around campfires and in dark basements?This week—for our HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR finale—we turned our eyes to something far older.The Djinn.Ancient beings said to be created from smokeless fire—not angels, not demons… something in between. Hidden. Watching. Whispering.Throughout this episode, we’ll uncover the origins of the Djinn, and then descend into the chilling encounters people still swear are happening today.🔥 This episode, we’ll explore:Wadi al-Jinn (Saudi Arabia) – where cars are pulled uphill in neutral… and locals refuse to stay after dark.Abu Fanous – The Desert Lantern – a lonely flickering light that lures travelers off the path, and into nothingness.Ghoul-like shapeshifters, haunted wells, crossroads, and abandoned places said to belong not to men… but to those made of fire.The Possession of “Sania” (Pakistan) – a six-year-old girl, a voice that wasn’t hers, and the whisper that never left the hallway.Jinn Alley – Saudi Military Base – soldiers reporting voices, shadows, and orders from things they can’t see.The Haunted Hospital of Irqah (Riyadh) – abandoned after war and fire; stormed by hundreds; claimed by jinn.The House That Burned 11 Times – a family forced to flee as fire after fire erupted with no cause… until they left.East London Jinn Cases – psychiatrists documenting patients speaking unknown languages, describing red-eyed figures no one else could see.Zār Rituals (Iran, Sudan, Egypt) – ancient ceremonies where jinn are not exorcised… but negotiated with.🔥 We’ll dive into:What the word “Djinn” really means—and why it shares a root with genius, embryo, and insanity.The types of Djinn: Ifrit, Marid, Ghoul, Jann, Shayatin.Why some are said to fall in love.Why others only want to watch us burn.How mirrors, iron, salt, fire, and the Qur’an all play a role in djinn lore.Why Western culture made them into funny blue wish-granters……and why the original stories are nothing like Aladdin.From sleep paralysis shadows…to voices in languages never learned…to lights in the dunes that lead you off the path…Join us, as we step into the world of the Djinn—the ancient horrors of smokeless fire.Happy Halloween. Stay strange. Be Rad.CONNECT WITH US:📲 Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, DM us, or share your strange stories.🎙 Share a story / send a voice message: thatwouldberadpodcast.com✉️ Email: thatwouldberadpod@gmail.comSHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: “Ghost Story” by The Modern SocietyRAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us keep the weirdness coming at patreon.com/thatwouldberad☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Fuel our late-night research at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Snag official RAD gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com
What is it about dolls that unnerves us so deeply?Maybe it’s the way they watch us.Maybe it’s because they’re made to look alive… but never blink.Or maybe—it’s because all over the world, people keep finding dolls in places where no doll should be.Last week, we opened the case on Annabelle, Robert, Peggy, Letta Me Out, and other infamous possessed dolls.This week—we go deeper.Into the places where dolls are left behind, half-buried, waterlogged, hung in trees or locked in glass cases.This episode, we’ll hear:🪆 Abandoned Dolls in Abandoned Places:Richard & Sarah – “The Lovers’ Doll,” found in an abandoned car with a handwritten warning.Charlie the Haunted Doll – discovered in a 1930s attic—alongside a prayer.The Hougang Doll (Singapore) – left sitting at a roadside tree, blindfolded with “Bismillah” scrawled across the cloth.The Haunted Doll Factory (Mexico) – decaying doll parts, ritual remains, and whispered warnings never to take anything from it.La Isla de las Muñecas (The Island of the Dolls) – the drowned girl, the hermit, and the hundreds of dolls watching from the trees.🌍 International Haunted Dolls & Rituals:The Okiku Doll (Japan) – the doll whose hair grows… and never stops.Ushi no Koku Mairi – ancient Japanese curse ritual using straw dolls nailed to sacred trees.Hitori Kakurenbo (One-Man Hide and Seek) – an online ritual game with dolls, rice, blood, and 3AM.Masakichi’s Living Doll – a 19th-century sculpture so lifelike it was mistaken for a corpse.Nagoro, The Valley of Dolls – the abandoned village repopulated entirely with life-sized human dolls.Jenglot (Indonesia) – tiny vampire-like doll creatures said to drink blood and live in black boxes.We’ll explore:🩸 Why so many haunted dolls target the eyes—the place where “soul meets body.”🎭 How abandonment, grief, ritual, and folklore breathe life into lifeless toys.💀 And why something created to comfort us as children… so easily becomes the stuff of nightmares.Join us as we drift into the misty canals of Xochimilco, step into silent attics, and stare into the dead eyes of the dolls left behind.Stay strange. Be Rad.Got a creepy doll story of your own? A haunted toy in your attic? Send it our way—we might just feature it.CONNECT WITH US:📲 Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, DM us, or share your strange stories.🎙 Share a story / send a voice message: thatwouldberadpodcast.com✉️ Email: thatwouldberadpod@gmail.comSHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: “Ghost Story” by The Modern SocietyRAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us keep the weirdness coming at patreon.com/thatwouldberad☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Fuel our late-night research at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Snag official RAD gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com
What is it about dolls that unnerves us so deeply?Maybe it’s the way they watch us. Maybe it’s the fact that they look human—but aren’t. Or maybe it’s because, across every corner of the globe, people swear these lifeless toys are anything but.This week, we’re opening the display case and peering into the glassy gaze of haunted dolls from around the world. From countless famous cases in the USA to Australia’s “Letta Me Out” doll that screams from the trunk it was found in…these aren’t just bedtime stories. They’re artifacts of fear, faith, and something darker.We’ll explore:🩸 Why so many haunted dolls fixate on eyes—the windows to the soul.🎭 How belief, ritual, and folklore transform toys into terrifying relics.💀 And why something designed to comfort us in childhood can become our greatest source of horror.Join us as we travel across continents and centuries, uncovering the strange, the tragic, and the truly terrifying world of haunted dolls.Stay strange. Be Rad.Got a theory, creepy doll story, or cursed collectible of your own? Send it our way—we might just feature it.If you loved this episode:🧷 Share it with your horror-loving friend (preferably one without dolls in their house).⭐️ Follow/Subscribe so you don’t miss the next chapter of our October Spooktacular.💀 Drop us a 5★ rating and a one-sentence review on Apple or Spotify—it helps more than you think.CONNECT WITH US:📲 Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, DM us, or share your strange stories.🎙 Share a story / send a voice message: thatwouldberadpodcast.com✉️ Email: thatwouldberadpod@gmail.comSHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: “Ghost Story” by The Modern SocietyRAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us keep the weirdness coming at patreon.com/thatwouldberad☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Fuel our late-night research at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Snag official RAD gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com
A knock at the door after dark should be ordinary. But what if it isn’t? For decades, people all over the world have told the same unnerving story: pale, monotone children with jet-black eyes asking to be let inside. Some call them Black Eyed Kids. Some say they vanish when refused. Others whisper that letting them in leads to sickness… or worse.From Brian Bethel’s late-night encounter in a Texas parking lot, to a 1923 Louisiana farm where a woman was haunted nightly by a black-eyed boy, these stories blur the line between internet legend, folklore, and something far more sinister.This week, we’ll hear:Brian Bethel’s infamous 1996 story that ignited the legend.Martin York’s strange illness after his encounter in rural West Virginia.The eerie 1923 “Jane” case—decades before the internet gave the kids their name.Modern variants: hotel window knocks, shopping mall stalkings, and Cannock Chase sightings in the UK.Police and military encounters that suggest this isn’t just an urban legend.We’ll explore:Why the “invitation rule” runs through vampire, demon, djinn, and fairy folklore.How Black Eyed Kids echo changelings, shadow people, and other age-old monsters.And why the sight of a child—something meant to be innocent—hits our deepest fears when it’s wrong.Join us as we open the door (carefully) to the chilling phenomenon of the Black Eyed Kids—equal parts ghost story, folklore, and modern nightmare.Stay strange. Be Rad.Got a theory or creepy kid story of your own? Send it our way—we’d love to feature it.If you loved this:Share the episode with a friend who loves urban legends.Follow/Subscribe so you don’t miss next week’s October Spooktacular.Drop us a 5★ rating and a one-sentence review on Apple/Spotify—huge help.CONNECT WITH US:📲 Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, DM us, or share your strange stories.🎙 Share a story / send a voice message: thatwouldberadpodcast.com✉️ Email: thatwouldberadpod@gmail.comSHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: “Ghost Story” by The Modern SocietyRAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us keep the weirdness coming at patreon.com/thatwouldberad☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Fuel our late-night research at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Snag official RAD gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com
The air around us hums with voices we’re not meant to hear. For decades, strange radio signals have slipped through the static—buzzing tones, eerie music, and robotic voices reciting endless strings of numbers. They’re called numbers stations, and they may be the creepiest reminder that the Cold War never really ended.From Russia’s infamous UVB-76 “Buzzer” to the haunting Swedish Rhapsody music box, from Cuba’s Atención broadcast that landed spies in a U.S. courtroom, to an unplugged RAF radio that still plays Winston Churchill speeches—these transmissions blur the line between espionage, folklore, and the paranormal.This week, we’ll tune in to:The relentless drone of UVB-76, the Russian “doomsday buzzer.”The Lincolnshire Poacher and its cheery folk song masking coded messages.The nightmare fuel of Swedish Rhapsody and its childlike voice.The bizarre Yosemite Sam broadcast from the New Mexico desert.Atención—a numbers station that became hard evidence in a federal espionage trial.Old Tape and other hijacks that feel more urban legend than spycraft.The haunted radio of RAF Montrose, still whispering from beyond the grave.The Russian Woodpecker, a Cold War radar array that spawned mind-control conspiracies.We’ll explore:Why spies still use shortwave radio in the internet age.How secret codes become modern folklore.And why listeners can’t shake the feeling that someone, somewhere, is on the other end.Join us as we dive into the secret world of numbers stations—equal parts spy story, ghost story, and conspiracy theory.Stay strange. Be Rad.Got a theory or spooky radio story of your own? Send it our way—we’d love to feature it.If you loved this:Share the episode with a friend who loves weird history.Follow/Subscribe so you don’t miss next week’s October Spooktacular kickoff.Drop us a 5★ rating and a one-sentence review on Apple/Spotify—huge help.CONNECT WITH US:📲 Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, DM us, or share your strange stories.🎙 Share a story / send a voice message: thatwouldberadpodcast.com✉️ Email: thatwouldberadpod@gmail.comSHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: “Ghost Story” by The Modern SocietyRAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us keep the weirdness coming at patreon.com/thatwouldberad☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Fuel our late-night research at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Snag official RAD gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com
The story of Garth Brooks should be one of pure country music legend: a small-town Oklahoma kid who rose to become one of the best-selling artists of all time, breaking records and redefining stadium shows forever.But lurking in the darker corners of the internet is a bizarre and unsettling theory: what if Garth Brooks isn’t just a country superstar… what if he’s secretly a serial killer?From comedian Tom Segura’s offhand joke about Garth’s “serial killer smile” to internet sleuths mapping his tour dates against missing persons reports, the conspiracy has grown from a meme into a full-blown internet legend.And with Garth himself never publicly addressing the rumors, fans are left to wonder: is the silence suspicious — or just smart PR?This week, we dive headfirst into the strangest (and most fringe) celebrity conspiracy out there. You’ll hear about:The infamous “tour date overlaps” with missing person cases.The bizarre rise and fall of Garth’s moody alter ego, Chris Gaines.The offhand 1989 quote that conspiracy theorists cling to as “proof.”Why his giant, toothy grin has been branded as unsettling.The eerie internet silence that fans read as guilt.And how a simple comedy bit snowballed into one of the weirdest cultural rumors of the last decade.We’ll explore:Why our brains are wired to find patterns — even when none exist.How memes and modern internet culture give conspiracies new life.The psychology of why we want to believe outlandish stories about celebrities.And what this whole saga says about the way folklore, humor, and paranoia intersect in the digital age.Join us as we unpack the Garth Brooks conspiracy — part internet joke, part urban legend, and part cautionary tale about how the weirdest ideas catch fire.Stay strange. Be Rad.Got a theory or story of your own? We’d love to hear it — send us your experience (anonymous is fine).CONNECT WITH US:📲 Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, DM us, or share your strange stories.🎙 Share a story / send a voice message: thatwouldberadpodcast.com✉️ Email: thatwouldberadpod@gmail.comSHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: “Ghost Story” by The Modern SocietyRAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us keep the weirdness coming at patreon.com/thatwouldberad☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Fuel our late-night research at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Snag official RAD gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com
The Appalachian Trail is more than just a path through the mountains... it’s a living, breathing museum of history, folklore, and mystery. Beneath its sweeping vistas and quiet ridgelines, countless hikers have stumbled into something far stranger than blisters and black bears: ghostly figures, phantom lights, and encounters that leave them questioning what’s real and what belongs to another world.From Civil War battlefields still echoing with unseen soldiers, to spectral figures wandering foggy ridges, the Appalachian Mountains are a corridor for the strange and the terrifying.This week, we focus on the paranormal side of the Appalachian Trail. You’ll hear about:The fire-scorched figure that stalked a camper in Virginia, tied to a tragic house fire.The mysterious Brown Man, a hulking presence that seemed to control dogs with nothing but its stare.The hazy man by the birch tree witnessed by both a young girl and her mother in Pennsylvania.The unsettling phantom children, whose laughter haunted hikers for miles.The wide-brimmed stranger in period clothes, with piercing blue eyes, who vanished into thin air.The ghostly woodsman of Pierce Pond in Maine, returning night after night by the campfire glow.The restless child spirit of Ottie Cline Powell at Punchbowl Shelter.Dark Hollow Road’s cemetery, where love, betrayal, and tragedy left spirits that still linger.The phantom hound and little girl said to haunt Big Ridge State Park in Tennessee.And the blood-soaked hills of Spook Hill and Fox’s Gap, where Civil War dead still push cars uphill with ghostly hands.We’ll explore:Why hikers so often encounter apparitions in the Appalachian wilderness.How history, tragedy, and folklore fuel the trail’s haunted reputation.What these stories reveal about the human connection to place — and to the unknown.Join us as we step into the shadows of the Appalachian Trail - a place where the natural world and the supernatural blur together, and where the past is never truly gone.Stay strange. Be Rad.Got a ghost story? We’d love to hear it — send us your experience (anonymous is fine).CONNECT WITH US:📲 Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, DM us, or share your strange stories.🎙 Share a story / send a voice message: thatwouldberadpodcast.com✉️ Email: thatwouldberadpod@gmail.comSHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: “Ghost Story” by The Modern SocietyRAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us keep the weirdness coming at patreon.com/thatwouldberad☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Fuel our late-night research at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Snag official RAD gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com
On a clear night along the Appalachian Trail, you might expect to hear the wind through the trees, the crunch of your boots on gravel, maybe the call of a whip-poor-will in the distance.But for over two centuries, hikers, settlers, and locals have reported something else: strange creatures lurking just beyond the campfire glow.From apple-snatching tricksters in Pennsylvania to headless hulks in West Virginia, the Appalachian Mountains are alive with legends of monsters that refuse to be forgotten.This week, we dive deep into the cryptid lore of Appalachia. You’ll hear about:The mischievous Albatwitch, stealing apples along the Susquehanna.The terrifying Flatwoods Monster (“Braxie”), glowing-eyed and hooded in red.The ghostly White Thangs, pale cousins of Bigfoot.The stinking, swamp-stalking Skunk Apes of the southern Appalachians.Ole Slewfoot, the three-legged bear-beast of Balsam Mountain.Pukwudgies, magical tricksters of Wampanoag legend.The Loveland Frogmen, bipedal frogs on the edge of Ohio.The vampire-like Appalachian Chupacabra.Raven Mockers, shape-shifting omens of death that feast on human hearts.The mist-born Smoke Wolves, red-eyed predators that vanish into fog.Wampus Cats, half-woman, half-beast curses from Cherokee legend.The dragonlike Snallygaster, feared by early German settlers.The lumbering, headless Grafton Monster of West Virginia.And of course… the legendary Mothman, Appalachia’s most infamous omen.We’ll explore:Eyewitness encounters that still haunt people decades later.How folklore blends with tragedy, history, and cultural memory.Why so many cryptid sightings cluster along the Appalachian Trail.And what these stories say about our deepest fears of the dark woods.Join us as we trek into the shadows and unravel the monsters of the Appalachian Trail — creatures as strange, mysterious, and enduring as the mountains themselves.Stay strange. Be Rad.Got a cryptid story? We’d love to hear it — send us your experience (anonymous is fine).CONNECT WITH US:📲 Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, DM us, or share your strange stories.🎙 Share a story / send a voice message: thatwouldberadpodcast.com✉️ Email: thatwouldberadpod@gmail.comSHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: “Ghost Story” by The Modern SocietyRAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us keep the weirdness coming at patreon.com/thatwouldberad☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Fuel our late-night research at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Snag official RAD gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com
On the night of February 19th, 1994, 31-year-old Gloria Ramirez was rushed into Riverside General Hospital in California. She was weak, disoriented, and fighting for her life. But within minutes, something happened that no one in that ER could have prepared for: doctors and nurses began collapsing one by one. In total, 23 medical staff were poisoned simply by being in the same room — five of them hospitalized.What happened to Gloria Ramirez? Why did her body seem to emit toxic fumes? And how did a young mother battling cancer become forever known as “The Toxic Woman of Riverside”?This week, we dive deep into one of the strangest medical mysteries of the 20th century. From the eerie details of the ER that night, to the official investigations, to bizarre theories involving chemical reactions, cursed bodies, and even folklore parallels — this story blurs the line between science, legend, and the unexplained.We’ll also explore:Mass hysteria and other “psychogenic illness” outbreaks.The history of cursed or “toxic” humans (Typhoid Mary, the Radium Girls, Alexander Litvinenko).Folklore of the evil eye and “cursed touch.”Connections to UFO cases and toxic-contact encounters.And how tragedy becomes myth when science fails to give us answers.Join us as we unravel the haunting case of Gloria Ramirez — and why her story still resonates almost 30 years later.🕯️ Stay strange. Stay rad.Got a story like this? We’d love to hear it—send us your experience (anonymous is fine).CONNECT WITH US:📲 Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, DM us, or share your strange stories.🎙 Share a story / send a voice message: thatwouldberadpodcast.com✉️ Email: thatwouldberadpod@gmail.comSHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: “Ghost Story” by The Modern SocietyRAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us keep the weirdness coming at patreon.com/thatwouldberad☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Fuel our late-night research at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Snag official RAD gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com
This week on That Would Be Rad, we’re heading into the heart of a real-life catastrophe and the enduring mystery it birthed: The Butterfly People of Joplin, Missouri.On May 22, 2011, an EF5 tornado tore through Joplin—one of the deadliest and costliest in U.S. history. In the storm’s wake, survivors (especially children) began telling eerily similar stories: glowing, winged figures who shielded them from debris, guided them to safety, and then vanished.From roadside rescues and ditch-side miracles to a teenager who later found butterflies drawn to her like a living halo, we unpack the most compelling accounts—plus the city’s response, including the Butterfly Effect: Dreams Take Flight mural that turned grief into symbol and story.We dig into everything from firsthand narratives and angel folklore to deeper frameworks like the Third Man Factor (the “mysterious helper” reported by mountaineers and disaster survivors), and we trace parallels in other crises and legends.And at the end, Woody and Tyler lay out their theories—are these guardian angels, trauma-born protectors of the mind, something paranormal… or a combination that says as much about us as it does about the unknown?Whether you’re a believer, a skeptic, or just fascinated by how humans find meaning in the unexplainable, this episode blends chills, heart, and hope in classic RAD fashion.So dim the lights, listen for the wind, and join us as we step into the storm—and the stories that refuse to let go.Mentioned in this episode:– The 2011 Joplin EF5 tornado (context & timeline)– Children’s “butterfly people” encounters: car flips, ditch shelters, open-field protection– The Morgan family “green rug” mystery & the brown-haired figure– The church basement rescue by “six large men”– Emily Huddleston’s recovery and the butterflies that “wouldn’t leave her alone”– Butterfly Effect: Dreams Take Flight mural (community remembrance)– The Third Man Factor & disaster-helper parallelsGot a story like this? We’d love to hear it—send us your experience (anonymous is fine).CONNECT WITH US:📲 Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, DM us, or share your strange stories.🎙 Share a story / send a voice message: thatwouldberadpodcast.com✉️ Email: thatwouldberadpod@gmail.comSHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: “Ghost Story” by The Modern SocietyRAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us keep the weirdness coming at patreon.com/thatwouldberad☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Fuel our late-night research at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Snag official RAD gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com
This week on That Would Be Rad, we’re joined by the creative duo and founders of Sozo Bear Films: Luke Pilgrim and Brad Kennedy - as they share the story behind their latest mini-docuseries, Unknown Ellijay.Set in the quiet mountain town of Ellijay, Georgia, the series explores the eerie legends, paranormal encounters, and cryptid sightings that have haunted the area for generations. From ghostly tavern tales to whispers of the elusive Dogman — and yes, even stories of Bigfoot lurking in the North Georgia mountains - Luke and Brad take us behind the scenes of filming, revealing the strange stories, fascinating characters, and spine-tingling moments they uncovered along the way.We dive into everything from their creative process and challenges on location to bigger questions about belief, skepticism, and how folklore shapes the identity of a community. Whether you’re a lifelong believer in the unexplained or just curious about the stories that keep people looking over their shoulder at night, this episode is packed with chills, laughs, and plenty of rad conversation.So grab your lantern, settle in, and join us as we step into the shadows of Unknown Ellijay.Be sure to check out SOZO BEAR FILMS docuseries on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SozoBearFilmsRAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at patreon.com/thatwouldberad☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.comSHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern SocietyCONNECT WITH US:📲 Follow us on Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you!🎙 Got a weird story? Send us a voice message at thatwouldberadpodcast.comor email it: thatwouldberadpod@gmail.com
This week on That Would Be Rad, we’re diving deep into the legends of American Dragons—winged, scaly nightmares that allegedly terrorized the skies and waterways of the 19th and early 20th century. From a flying serpent that attacked a speeding train in the Colorado Desert, to bulletproof lake monsters, salt-encrusted horse-eaters, and the legendary Tombstone Thunderbird, these tales blur the line between folklore, cryptid encounters, and pure frontier madness.We’ll travel coast to coast through historic newspaper accounts, Indigenous legends, and bizarre eyewitness reports that feature everything from flying crocodiles to “pair-odactyls” in California’s marshlands. And of course, we’ll end with our own theories—trying to decide if these stories are just tall tales… or if dragons really did roam the American West.Grab your six-shooters, keep your eyes on the skies, and BE RAD AND HIT PLAY NOW!RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at patreon.com/thatwouldberad☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.comSHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern SocietyCONNECT WITH US:📲 Follow us on Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you!🎙 Got a weird story? Send us a voice message at thatwouldberadpodcast.com
Little America: The Redcaps & The Hidden in the HillsCould ancient America have been home to a forgotten race of tiny people?And what do murderous goblins, Appalachian cave legends, and buried skeletons have to do with it?This week on That Would Be Rad, we’re digging into one of the strangest stories you’ve probably never heard—the bizarre discovery of thousands of tiny human graves across Tennessee and Ohio, and Montanta in the 1800s, and the folklore that might connect them to something much older…and much darker.We’ll cover:🦴 The 1876 discovery of a six-acre “pygmy graveyard” in Coffee County, Tennessee🧢 The horrifying folklore of the Redcaps—tiny, bloodthirsty creatures from British myth🌲 Native American legends of little people hidden in the hills🧬 What science says (and doesn’t say) about these strange skeletons🔦 Creepy tales from Appalachia, Nevada, Wyoming, and even Chile📜 How history, myth, and misfits might all be telling the same storyIf you’ve ever wondered how much truth might be buried beneath folklore—or if ancient legends could be based on something real—this is one episode you do not want to miss.Because sometimes, history isn’t just strange—it’s radically strange.BE RAD AND HIT PLAY NOW!RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at patreon.com/thatwouldberad☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.comSHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern SocietyCONNECT WITH US:📲 Follow us on Instagram: @thatwouldberad — Tag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you!🎙 Got a weird story? Send us a voice message at thatwouldberadpodcast.com
Could James Gunn’s Superman be the fresh start DC fans have been waiting for?And… where the heck have we been all summer?This week on That Would Be Rad, we’re finally back behind the mics after a month-long hiatus to talk all things Superman—the new movie, what worked, what didn’t, and whether you should rush to the theater (don’t worry… it’s spoiler-free… mostly).We’ll cover:🦸♂️ Our (mostly spoiler-free) thoughts on James Gunn’s Superman🎥 Why this reboot feels different—and how it sets the stage for DC’s future🌞 What we’ve been up to during our summer break🦖 Woody’s strange and hilarious adventure to Dinosaur Kingdom II in Virginia🛸 How stepping away made us miss this weird little show even moreWhether you’re here for superhero talk, summer stories, or roadside dinosaurs with machine guns, this is one comeback you don’t want to miss.Because sometimes, life isn’t just strange—it’s radically strange.RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at patreon.com/thatwouldberad.☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad.🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com.SHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern SocietyCONNECT WITH US:📲 Follow us on Instagram: @thatwouldberadTag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you! Got a weird story? Send us a voice message at thatwouldberadpodcast.com.
Could some of history’s most revered saints have had... superpowers?This week on That Would Be Rad, we take a strange and fascinating journey into the world of Catholic sainthood — where documented miracles, ancient testimonies, and unexplainable phenomena blur the line between faith and the fantastic.We’ll cover:What it actually takes to become a saintThe difference between canonization and just being considered “holy”Why miracles are required — and how the Church investigates themSaints who were said to levitate, bilocate, glow, heal, and survive without foodThe wildest, most unbelievable stories that STILL can’t be fully explainedAre these exaggerated legends? Symbolic myths? Or… something much more?Join us as we explore the thin line between divine mystery and superhero origin story.Because sometimes, history isn’t just strange — it’s radically strange.—💬 We want to hear your theories—DM us or tag us on Instagram @thatwouldberad🛸 Be rad. Stay strange.RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at patreon.com/thatwouldberad.☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad.🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com.SHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern SocietyCONNECT WITH US:📲 Follow us on Instagram: @thatwouldberadTag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you! Got a weird story? Send us a voice message at thatwouldberadpodcast.com.
In this week’s episode, Woody and Tyler head deep into the heart of Transylvania to explore one of the strangest, most unnerving places on Earth: Hoia-Baciu Forest—a dense, twisted woodland often called the Bermuda Triangle of Romania.Locals say it’s cursed.Visitors report ghost sightings, lost time, and physical attacks.And somewhere in the center? A perfectly circular dead zone where nothing grows... and everything feels wrong.From disfigured faces in the trees, to UFO sightings, to a little girl who vanished—and reappeared five years later wearing the same clothes—this episode is packed with some of the most chilling high-strangeness we’ve ever covered.Whether you think it’s haunted, a portal to another realm, or just a glitch in reality, one thing is clear:Something is very, very wrong with this forest.In this episode we cover:The legend of the missing shepherd and 200 sheepPoltergeist activity and disembodied voicesThe mysterious dead zone in the forest’s heartDocumented UFO sightings (including footage and photos)Infrasound, magnetic anomalies, and electromagnetic chaosTheories: portals, aliens, Atlantis—and everything in betweenBe warned: the forest watches back.—💬 We want to hear your theories—DM us or tag us on Instagram @thatwouldberad🛸 Be rad. Stay strange.RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at patreon.com/thatwouldberad.☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad.🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com.SHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern SocietyCONNECT WITH US:📲 Follow us on Instagram: @thatwouldberadTag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you! Got a weird story? Send us a voice message at thatwouldberadpodcast.com.
In this nostalgia-packed, mushroom-fueled episode, Woody and Tyler plunge headfirst into the pixelated madness of one of the strangest movies of the 1990s…The Super Mario Bros. movie.Yes—the live-action one.Yes—with Bob Hoskins.Yes—that one.Released just weeks before Jurassic Park, this movie was supposed to be a surefire hit. Instead, it became one of the most confusing, chaotic, and accidentally brilliant disasters ever to grace the big screen.This week, we explore the bizarre legacy of the first-ever video game movie, complete with:🦎 Dennis Hopper as a cornrowed, germaphobic Koopa🔧 A de-evolution gun that turns punks into Goombas🍄 Sentient fungus that’s actually… Daisy’s dad?🚗 Car chases on bumper rails💃 A nightclub brawl featuring Big Bertha and thieving plumbers🎮 And of course, the unforgettable moment when we learn Mario's full name is… Mario MarioWe’ll break down our favorite ridiculous scenes, behind-the-scenes drama, and why (despite everything) this movie might actually be… kind of amazing?If you grew up in the '90s, loved Nintendo, or just enjoy watching beautiful disasters evolve into cult classics—this episode is for you.Jump into the warp zone with us.Because sometimes the weirdest misfires are the ones we remember the most.And that… would be rad.Here's the link to the Morton-Jankel Cut:https://archive.org/details/super-mario-bros-1993-the-morton-jankel-cut-extended-vhs_202207RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:🎧 JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at patreon.com/thatwouldberad.☕️ BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad.🛍 CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com.SHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern SocietyCONNECT WITH US:📲 Follow us on Instagram: @thatwouldberadTag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you! Got a weird story? Send us a voice message at thatwouldberadpodcast.com.
In this mind-bending episode, Woody and Tyler dive headfirst into some of the strangest, most compelling time travel stories ever recorded.We kick things off with the eerie case of Sergei Ponomarenko—a man who allegedly disappeared in 1958 and reappeared decades later... without having aged a day. Then, things get even weirder.From the possibility that the Roswell crash was actually a time machine from Earth’s distant future, to a bizarre theory involving a cosmic tug-of-war between Fish-Man and Sasquatch, to the mysterious case of a cell phone factory thief in 2003 who claimed he was from the future—we're exploring the wildest corners of the time travel phenomenon.We also revisit the idea that UFOs might not be extraterrestrial at all, but human-built crafts from centuries ahead... and question whether the Men in Black might actually be time travelers themselves.If you’ve ever wondered whether timelines can be bent, broken, or rewritten altogether—this one’s for you.🌀 Was Roswell a crash from our future?👔 Are the Men in Black temporal agents?📱 Did a man from 2036 really vanish from a jail cell?Join us as we explore the stranger-than-fiction tales of time travel and what they might be telling us about our past… and our future.RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at patreon.com/thatwouldberad.BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad ☕️.CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com.SHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern SocietyCONNECT WITH US:Follow us on Instagram: @thatwouldberadTag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you!Have your own urban legend? Send us a voice message at thatwouldberadpodcast.com.
This week on That Would Be Rad…What if your entire life—your memories, your relationships, your struggles, your dreams—was nothing more than a line of code?What if you’ve already lived 54 million other lives…...and just don’t remember any of them?In this mind-bending episode, we dive headfirst into simulation theory through the lens of two radically different but equally fascinating thinkers:First, we explore the work of physicist Melvin Vopson, who believes time might not be what we think it is—and that entire lifetimes could be compressed into mere minutes of “real” time outside the simulation. From entropy-defying data to philosophical ties to the Bible, Vopson’s theories blur the line between science, spirituality, and something far stranger.Then we take it a step further with Dr. Roman Yampolskiy and Alexey Turchin, who aren’t just asking if we’re in a simulation…They’re trying to HACK it.We’ll break down their ideas on how we might uncover glitches, communicate with the system’s architects, and (maybe) crash the whole thing.Whether you’re curious, skeptical, or already halfway through building your own digital escape plan—this episode is for you.So plug in, tune out, and question everything.Because if the simulation is real… the clock might already be ticking.RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at patreon.com/thatwouldberad.BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad ☕️.CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com.SHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern SocietyCONNECT WITH US:Follow us on Instagram: @thatwouldberadTag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you!Have your own urban legend? Send us a voice message at thatwouldberadpodcast.com.
Last week, we cracked open the case files of some of the strangest paranormal encounters ever reported by police officers — and this week, we’re back to finish what we started.In Part 2, Woody dives into even more bizarre, unsettling, and downright mind-bending stories of law enforcement officers who came face-to-face with entities that defy logic, reason... and sometimes physics.From hulking cryptids and glowing Bigfoot-like creatures to flying humanoids, sky beasts, tunnel-dwelling monsters, and a mysterious purple blob that inspired a Hollywood film — this episode takes you deep into the unknown.🔦 What’s Inside:🐾 The Jefferson Parish Prowler – A Louisiana officer investigates a prowler call and encounters a towering, hairy beast.🚛 The Texas Highway Runner – An off-duty cop watches a massive creature sprint across the road at inhuman speed.🦍 The Ontario Moose Hunt Incident – A seasoned hunter and police officer is stalked by a muscle-bound, wet-haired beast in the Canadian wilderness.🦇 The Flying Woman of Mexico – A cloaked, black-eyed entity slams into a patrol car and tries to claw her way in.🕊️ The Mexico City Sky Beast – A winged humanoid with a man-like body buzzes a patrol car and disappears into the night.👁️ The Third Eye Man – Deep beneath the University of South Carolina, officers report run-ins with a grotesque figure lurking in the tunnels.🟣 The Philadelphia Blob – Four police officers encounter a glowing, pulsating purple mass that melts away before their eyes.👮♂️ Why It’s Rad:These aren’t secondhand stories or urban legends — these are firsthand accounts from trained professionals. Officers who faced something they couldn’t explain... and never forgot.So buckle up, tune in, and prepare to question what’s possible when the protectors of our world come face-to-face with something from beyond it.RAD WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW:JOIN OUR PATREON: Unlock exclusive content and help us continue our quest for the truth at patreon.com/thatwouldberad.BUY US A COFFEE: Support our late-night research sessions at buymeacoffee.com/thatwouldberad ☕️.CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: Grab some official That Would Be Rad gear at thatwouldberad.myspreadshop.com.SHOW INFO:Hosts & Producers: Woody Brown & Tyler BenceRecorded At: Midnight Radio StudiosSound Wizardry: Woody Brown (Sound Design, Editing, & Music) & Tyler Bence (Mixing, Mastering, & Art Design)Outro Jam: "Ghost Story" by The Modern SocietyCONNECT WITH US:Follow us on Instagram: @thatwouldberadTag us, message us, or share your own strange stories — we love hearing from you!Have your own urban legend? Send us a voice message at thatwouldberadpodcast.com.
























If I can venture a guess the famous Gorrila you were thinking of was probably Willie B who was the main attraction at the Atlanta Zoo when I was a kid😊.