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IN THIS EPISODE: In 1959, a radio DJ in New York decided to conduct a publicity stunt – and it literally drove him insane. (Sleepless In New York) *** In December 1963 two boys hit upon an idea for a school science project – stay awake for as long as possible. And it shed new light on what happens inside our tired brains. (The Boy Who Wouldn’t Sleep) *** We can fight off the sandman for a while, but after a certain point, sleeplessness leads to temporary madness and possibly even death. (Don’t Try To Stay Awake) *** The infamous cursed paintings called “The Crying Boy”. Are all of the terrifying stories associated with the painting true, or have we simply created a fascinating legend we choose to believe? (The Crying Boy Painting)

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00 .000 = Title Story Preview and Show Open
00:03:07 .091 = Don’t Try To Stay Awake
00:23:09 .030 = The Crying Boy Paintings
00:34:47 .876 = Show Close
SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…
“The Crying Boy Painting” posted at Scarely.com: (link no longer valid, site shut down); video of attempt to burn “Crying Boy” painting: http://bit.ly/2Hremp1
“Sleepless In New York: The Radio DJ’s Publicity Stunt That Ended In Madness” by Esther Inglis-Arkell: (link no longer valid – site shut down)
“The Boy Who Wouldn’t Sleep” by Sarah Keating: https://bbc.in/2Hlt3Lx
“Don’t Try To Stay Awake” by Adam Hadhazy: https://bbc.in/2E6p17F
Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library.
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"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
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WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.
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Originally aired: May 15, 2019

CUSTOM LANDING PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/donttrytostayawake/