Shows
Ripley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – A Naked Bookseller & the World’s Largest BoulderThe largest boulder in the world is seven stories tall and lies within the Mojave Desert. Over the years, people from all over, including a few from Venus have visited what is now called Giant Rock. Barbara Harris is a local historian who knows more about that hunk of granite than anyone. She talks with Tim this week on Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and explains why aliens love this place. Over in Arizona, there’s a bookstore owner who works in the nude, except for a well-placed sock. Chad Lewis take...2014-07-2853 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – A Fingerless Dart Thrower & Big Foot Hunting in OregonIt’s hard to imagine a high-ranking dart thrower with no fingers. Add to that the fact that he has only one good eye and it becomes totally unbelievable! Canadian dart master Wayne Chapman joins us this week and talks about his incredible skills. We go road trippin’ with Chad Lewis to Oregon this week on Ripley Radio, the official program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, and we learn of a unique trap created to capture bigfoot, and then we stop off at Bigfoot Tavern for a sandwich and a beer.
Additional incredible, strange and weird...2014-07-1450 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – A Car-Driving Dog & the Ultimate Elvis FanRipley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! has gone to the dogs, because dogs, in their own cute way can be quite strange at time. This week, we’ll hear of an accident in which a Chihuahua was driving one of the cars. We’ll also hear about Sally, a small dog from Fort Lauderdale who fell 15 stories down a shaft and walked away with only minor cuts and bruises. But boy, was she upset reports Dr. Spencer Ratnoff, the vet who treated her.
Additional weird and wacky stories on the July 7...2014-07-0749 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Thieving Bears & Whiskey Flavored PigsBears of all kind have been making headlines this summer but the latest weird bear story from New Hampshire may be the best yet. It seems a bear broke into a parked car and stole the car stereo. This week on Ripley Radio, we talk with Sargent George Walker, the trooper who investigated the crime. Whiskey flavored bacon coming from whiskey flavored pigs? Believe It or Not! it could happen. We’ll have a chat with Scott Bush, the president of the Templeton Rye Distillery and he’ll tell us about his plans.
Additional Weird and Wacky Stories on t...2014-06-3058 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Bed Bug Tattoos & Bizarre LawsYou can’t tie up your alligator to a fire hydrant after 9 p.m. in Detroit, and you are not allowed to honk your car horn in front of a sandwich shop after 9 p.m. in this Southwestern US city. Weird laws are still on the books, and often enforced. We’ll be talking about these and other bizarre laws on this week’s Ripley Radio, the official radio show of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Allowing bed bugs to craw over your arm and randomly bite you is the latest craze in strange tattooing methods. We talk with Mat...2014-06-2357 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Two-Headed Babies & Visiting a Bordello MuseumThe birth of conjoined twins is more common than most people think in these modern times. This week on Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! we take a look at this birth phenomena and learn where most of the two-headed children are born and which sex – male or female – has the best chance of survival. Ripley’s Roadside America expert, Chad Lewis returns with another road trip suggestion. This time, he takes us to Idaho to a Bordello Museum and to a small town shaped like a horseshoe.
Additional Weird and Wack...2014-06-1655 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Church Services in a Strip Club & Abe Lincoln’s Pocket WatchAmong the greatest conspiracies that you may not know about is the Great Abraham Lincoln Pocket Watch Conspiracy. That’s also the name of a new book. It’s author, Jacopo della Quercia joins us this week on Ripley Radio, the official radio show of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and tells us his story is based on true historical facts, but that he added some very quirky fictional twists. We also hear about a church whose pastor moved its Sunday services to a strip club in town because he wanted to better reach the underserved Christians in the ar...2014-06-0957 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Blazing Fries, Klown Dolls & Spiders and SnakesFire officials in Waterville, Maine were confronted with a blazing fire in a truck in the Wal-Mart parking lot and upon arrival were quite surprised at the cargo contained in that truck! Fire chief David La Fountain joins us this week on Ripley Radio, the official radio show of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, and explains. Sara Latta, author of Scared Stiff, a book about the top 50 phobias, tells us all about the fears associated with spiders and snakes.
Additional weird but true stories on the June 2 episode of Ripley Radio include: Chad Lewis takes us ro...2014-06-0251 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Winnie the Pooh in Real Life & Blood and Needle PhobiasA bear with a jar stuck on his head in the Canadian city of Sudbury was rescued by officials after it blindly walked into a police cruiser! Was it the REAL Winnie the Pooh? This week on Ripley Radio, the official radio show of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, talks with a constable who helped the young bear. The overwhelming fear of needles and blood is discussed this week by Sara Latta in the third installment in her series on strange and weird phobias.
Additional bizarre, weird but totally true stories discussed on the May 26 episode of...2014-05-2654 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Eddie Munster, Cat Phobia & a Trip to West VirginiaButch Patrick, better known as Eddie Munster on the iconic TV series, The Munsters, visits us this week on Ripley Radio, the official radio show of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, and tells us about his plans to restore his haunted ancestral home in Macon, Mo. Author Sara Latta joins us again this week and explains the phobias of cats and the number 13.
Additional Bizarre, Strange and Weird Stories on the May 19 Edition of Ripley Radio include: Our expert on the charms of Roadside America, Chad Lewis takes us road trippin’ again this week as we visi...2014-05-1953 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Training for Mars, Clown Phobias and Road Trippin’Two volunteers who have trained for a trip to Mars in simulated environments in the U.S., talk with Ripley Radio, the official broadcast program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, about their time isolated in these environs. We start off four-week series on bizarre phobias and on road trippin’ to offbeat and strange roadside attractions.
Additional weird, crazy, strange and wacky stories on the May 12 Edition of Ripley Radio includes: Sara Latta, author of Scared Stiff – Everything you need to know about 50 famous phobias, delves into the bizarre phobias centered on clowns and dolls; Chad Lewis...2014-05-1256 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Growing Your Own Boat & Visiting the Garden of EdenRichard Reames grows boats and chairs! He plants trees in a pattern, waters and waits as they grow into what he wants them to be. He visits Ripley Radio, the official radio show of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! this week and tells us how, and why, he does this. Chad Lewis takes us on a road trip to Southern Wisconsin, where he discovers the Garden of Eden.
Additional weird, crazy, strange and wacky stories on the May 5 Edition of Ripley Radio includes: Skidmore College is offering a summer course based on Miley Cyrus. Ralf finds ou...2014-05-0552 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Goat Brain Beer, Vampires & a Bonnie & Clyde FestivalMargot Adler has read more than 270 books and in return, she has written a book about that experience, Vampires are Us, and brewmaster Justin Low is making beer with goat brains! We talk with both this week, on the April 28 edition of Ripley Radio, the official broadcast program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Additional weird, crazy, strange and wacky stories on this week’s show includes: Sara Latta shares a few of the most bizarre phobias that she writes about in her new book, Scared Stiff, when she talks with Tim; Chad Lewis takes us back...2014-04-2855 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Extreme Acrobat, Forks with Flavor & a Town on FireBrittany Walsh shot an arrow at David Letterman and he loved it! Her “stupid human trick” was the hit of the night. This week on Ripley Radio, she tells us all about that night and how she hit her target, standing on her hands and shooting the bow with her feet! We also hear about a new revolution in tasting! A company has created an aromafork, a utensil that provides different flavors and smells to your food. The product goes on sale this summer.
Additional Weird, Wacky, and Strange Stories on the April 21 episode of Ripley Radio, the...2014-04-2150 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Amelia Earhart, Living Dead Dolls & Near Death ExperiencesAmelia Earhart to fly solo around the world! Big news then, big news now and Ripley Radio this week talks with the “new” Earhart as she plans her 28,000 mile journey. The 31-year old tells Ralf that with the name her parents gave her, she was destined to be a pilot. Most of us never have a near-death experience, but Brooklyn’s Robert Kopecky has had three and he tells Tim that each one was different and each taught him a different lesson. He shares those lessons with us and talks about his new book, “How to Survive Life and Death.”2014-04-1455 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – The Mummy of John Wilkes Booth & Feelin’ What You’re Readin’Presidential conspiracies go back to the first assignation of a U.S. president. This week on Ripley Radio, the official broadcast program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, historian James Taylor reveals that John Wilkes Booth, the actor who killed Abraham Lincoln, may not have been caught as thought and went on to live a long life and then a long second life on carnival and circus sideshows as a mummified exhibit. We also hear about MIT students who have created a way for a person to feel the sensations of the book that they are reading. It is...2014-04-0754 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Shrunken Torsos, Spam, & Pathological GenerosityRipley’s has the world’s greatest collection of shrunken heads, but we also have a couple very rare shrunken torsos and dozens of mummified body parts in the archives. James Taylor’s series on mummies continues this week on Ripley Radio, the official broadcast program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and Ripley archivist Edward Meyer joins in the dialogue of the mysteries of Dr. Struve’s shrunken bodies. Jodi Pliszka reports on a weird medical malady in which a person can’t stop giving things away. She calls it pathological generosity.
Additional Weird, Wacky, and Strange...2014-03-3148 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – New Mummies, Baseball Oddities & April PranksIt’s springtime at Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, and that means more unbelievable baseball oddities and April Fool’s Day pranks. We talk with our favorite weird baseball mogul, Mike Veeck and he tells us of his plans to feature bobble legs, instead of bobble heads, this summer in honor of his father’s peg leg. We also hear from the manager of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs about his team’s bacon-themed uniforms and the scratch and sniff bacon t-shirts in the team’s gift shop. He also announces that he won the b...2014-03-2452 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Sumo Wrestlers, Crying Babies & Ghost Hunting as Family FunBelieve It or Not! there is an event in Japan in which Sumo wrestlers compete in how long and loud they can make babies cry. The 400-year old traditional spring competition is coming up in April and you’ll hear all about this week from Chad Lewis on Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! We’ll also hear from a professor of a popular course in death and dying at Cal State who also runs a hospice for dogs on death’s door.
Additional Weird and Wacky Stories you’ll Hear on th...2014-03-1753 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Exploding Head Syndrome & Kissing the Blarney StoneThis week on Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! features a fellow who has kissed the famous Blarney Stone in Ireland. Chad Lewis claims that it has helped him with his gift of gab. In our popular Weird Medical Malady of the Week segment, Jodi Pliszka explains the rare Exploding Head Syndrome, in which a person experiences strange and strong auditory hallucinations while sleeping.
Additional Weird and Wacky Facts you’ll Hear on the March 10 Episode of Ripley Radio: The Safe House restaurant in Milwaukee has been named by Readers Dige...2014-03-1055 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Hotel California, Deputy Dan Ackroyd & a Pot PavilionThe world’s largest vinyl record now serves as the roof of the Forum in Los Angeles. The huge copy of the Eagles’ Hotel California spins at 17 miles-per-hour and has 15,000 LED lights. Angela reports on the unique addition to the LA skyline on this week’s Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! The Denver (Colo.) County Fair plans to get in on the legalized marijuana bandwagon in August, by offering up what could possibly be America’s first legal Pot Pavilion. The fair’s Tracy Weil explains why they are doing it and what the...2014-03-0355 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – World’s Oldest Facebook User & The Vampire SyndromeRipley Radio, the official radio show of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! talks with the world’s oldest Facebook user,105 year old Edythe Kirchmaier this week. We called her at work and she took a few minutes off to chat with Ralf with an F. We also talk with Tad Johnson, of the Brainerd, Minn. Jaycees, the organizer of the world’s largest charity ice fishing tournament which hosted 10,000 fisherman this year, all huddled around little holes drilled in the ice!
Additional Weird and Wacky Facts you’ll Hear on the February 24 Episode of Ripley Radio: Chad Lew...2014-02-2453 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Hexes, Sword Swallowing & Stone Man’s SyndromeIt’s World Sword Swallowers Day on Saturday, February 22, and more than 30 performers will be displaying their dangerous art at 15 Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditoriums and at the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix. The originator of this weird and strange event is Dan Meyer and he stops by to tell us why the day is so special AND important not only to fans of the sideshow arts, but to the world medical community as well. We also hear from Alexandra Chauran on the February 17 edition of Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not...2014-02-1753 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – 021014With Valentine’s Day approaching, this episode of Ripley Radio, the official radio show of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! could prove to be a life saver for the lovelorn. Ripley’s resident witch, Judika Illes has shared with us step by step instructions on how to cast a love spell on that person you have had your eyes on. You don’t want to miss this! Also, Chad Lewis shares his research on some of the items that people have married – including dolls and an amusement ride. Really! He also describes several unusual and strange wedding chapels.
Addi...2014-02-1057 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – TV Witches & Weird Winter FestivalsDo real witches like how television portrays their kind? This week on Ripley Radio, the official radio show of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, our friendly witch Judika Illes reviews a couple shows that were popular in 2013 that featured witches. We hear that in the end, it’s all great entertainment. Just because its winter, doesn’t mean the outside weirdness has to stop. Chad Lewis takes us to a downhill shovel race championship and then to an international water tasting festival.
Additional Weird and Wacky facts on the February 3 edition of Ripley Radio: Joe Kasinski of Rip...2014-02-0356 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Boy with Fish Scales & Stealing Beer from WalmartThis week’s strange happenings on Ripley Radio, the official broadcast program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! includes a roundup of the weirdest and oddest things about the National Football League, just in time for Super Bowl Sunday! Did you know that more than 70% of NFL players go broke within a few years of leaving the sport? Details on this and many other strange facts will be shared. Also, we’ll hear about thieves who not only stole beer from a Florida Walmart, but they also inadvertently stole the manager as well!
Additional Weird, Wild and Wa...2014-01-2754 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – A Broken Strawberry & a Last Name of 36 CharactersAfter years of being challenged because her full name wasn’t on her official identification, Hawaiian resident Janice “Lokelani” Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele (go ahead, try it) has won a personal battle and the state is now required to print the entire name on her driver’s license. Ripley Radio talks with the former Miss Hawaii, now a TV reporter, about what is being called a “great day” for all Hawaiians. And in Harrisburg, Pa., a huge strawberry fell and broke but a new one was prepared in time for New Year’s Eve. What’s all that about? We hear what happened this we...2014-01-2053 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – A Man with 3 Eyes and 2 Noses & the Home of Winnie the PoohOne of the strangest men to ever work the circus sideshows of the U.S. is Bill Durks, who was billed as the man with three eyes and two noses. This week on Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, sideshow historian James Taylor talks about this most unusual man. Also, Chad Lewis recalls his favorite road trip of 2013 and how he unexpectedly discovered the home of Winnie the Pooh.
Additional Wacky and Unbelievable Stories on the Jan. 13 episode of Ripley Radio: Jodi Pliszka reveals the top three medical maladies she re...2014-01-1355 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – A Very Fat Man, a Slender Man Monster & a Strong WomanHappy New Year and may it be as Weird, Wacky and Wonderfully strange as you wish it to be. A good place to start that journey is by listening to Ripley Radio, the official radio show of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! every week in 2014! It’s Wacky guaranteed. This week, James Taylor, our sideshow historian talks with us about Bruce Snowden, the last Fat Man to work the carnival midways of America and Chad Lewis, our intrepid reporter unveils the monster that we all need to be on the look-out for this year – the Slender Man Monster, who wa...2014-01-0654 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – The Strangest & Weirdest Christmas Music – EVER! – On December 23 Episode of Ripley RadioORLANDO (Dec. 23, 2013) – You’re not going to hear any sappy holiday music this week on Ripley Radio’s first-ever Strange & Weird Christmas Music special. No Alvin and the Chipmunks, or Snoopy, or probably anything else you’ve ever heard. While most of the staff took the week off, co-host Ralf, with an F snuck into Ripley’s musical archives and pulled out some of the strangest stuff that even he thinks is over the top. He put together a fun and odd show that is destined to become a holiday classic on Internet Radio!
Among others, you’ll hear on t...2013-12-2355 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Eating Too Many Twinkies & Drinking Too Much ColaTwas the week before Christmas and things got weirder than usual on Ripley Radio, the official radio broadcast of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! We hear how hot-dog eating champion Joey Chestnut added dessert to his repertoire and won a Twinkie eating contest by downing more than 10 pounds of those sweet little delights accounting for 18,000-plus calories! And, Jodi Pliszka reveals how drinking a whole lot of cola over a long period of time, can be quite detrimental to your health.
Additional Wacky and Unbelievable Stories on the Dec. 16 episode of Ripley Radio: Angela unveils where th...2013-12-1657 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Aliens Trade Water for Pancakes & a Surfer Knocks out a SharkA strange but true story kicks off this week’s episode of Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe it or Not!, when we hear from surfer dude Jeff Horton on how he knocked out a shark that attacked him off the coast of Hawaii – with his fists. Chad Lewis reports on a 1961 event in which aliens stopped by a Wisconsin farmhouse and traded saucer pancakes for a fresh supply of water. Witnesses throughout town reported seeing the spacecraft as well, but by all reports, they didn’t get any pancakes.
Additional Wacky and Unbeliev...2013-12-0951 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Hosting Your Own Haunt, Ghost Hunters & Freaky FilmsIt’s less than two weeks until Halloween and Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! continues the freaky fun as we go back to Central Florida’s Ghoul School for another show. Ghost Hunter Kris Williams joins us and talks about the time she got trapped in the cistern while checking out the haunted Light House in St. Augustine, Fla., Rick Davis, director and co-founder of the Darkride and Funhouse Enthusiasts group explains what the new trend in haunted houses – home haunts – is all about and why his is so successful.
Addition...2013-10-2148 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Ghoul School, Fire Photos & a Two-Headed TurtleIt’s October and that means a month made for Ripley’s! This week we broadcast from Orlando’s Ghoul School and kick the month off right – sitting amongst some of the creepiest creations a human can make. Ghoul School proprietor and horror make-up artist Barry Anderson and horror film writer and director Steven Shea are our in-studio guests and they tell us why people love horror and what is so intriguing about the horror genre.
Additional Weird, Wild and Wacky Stories on the October 7 Episode of Ripley Radio, the official radio show of Ripley’s Believe It or Not...2013-10-0750 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Mermaids: Fact or Fiction? and a Guy Who Has eaten 26,000 Big MacsWe salute the seductive sirens of the sea this week on Ripley Radio, the official broadcast program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! We ask the question, are they real? Although she hasn’t seen one, Varla Ventura believes there are live mermaids in the vast depths of the seas. We talk with her about her new book, “Among the Mermaids,” in which she presents a wide array of stories, myths, and legends. Stayce McConnell, a “live” mermaid who has performed at Florida’s Weeki Wachee State Park for 14 years, stops by and tells us how cool it really is to b...2013-09-3048 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Funky Road Trips, Seeing Upside Down & Newfangled PhobiasBeen to the Devil’s Rope Museum lately? Or have you seen the huge Blue Whale? This week on Ripley Radio, the official broadcast program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, Chad Lewis takes us on a funky road trip that the entire family will recollect forever. Also, we hear about a few of the new phobias found within our modern day culture. How about Nomophobia, the fear of losing one’s mobile phone?
Additional Weird, Wild and Wacky Stories on the September 23 Episode of Ripley Radio includes: Cops in Seattle handed out Doritos to the stoner...2013-09-2353 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Eating Road Kill, Crying Blood Tears & Tipping Large
The fall is a great time to take a family road trip and visit a bunch of weird and wacky festivals, fairs or events. This week on Ripley Radio, the official broadcast program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, Chad Lewis visits three such festivals, all set for late September. He visits a Bugfest, Mayberry Days, and a Road Kill Cook-off. Meanwhile, we hear from a popular saloon in the Great Northwest Territory of Canada, that someone swallowed the revered sour toe, which was supposed to remain in the glass after that shot of Yukon Jack was...2013-09-1651 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – UFOs, Pickled Punks & The Worst Song Titles EverThis week on Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, we celebrate our fourth year anniversary of broadcasting. We begin our fifth weird and wacky year hearing from Don Donderi, a scientist who believes in the research that crews from UFOs landed on Earth and abducted humans and released them after who knows what took place. We also take a very humorous look at the worst song titles ever created. How about the country ditty entitled, “She Flushed me from the Bathroom of Her Heart?”
Additional Weird, Crazy, Bizarre and Strange Storie...2013-09-0955 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – The Mouse House, Family Cremains & a Knife Throwing Breast SurgeonDisneyphile Chad Emerson has compiled a book of essays from Disney aficionados around the world to celebrate the four decades of Florida’s Walt Disney World. This week on Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, Chad shares with us some of the more unusual and amazing and unbelievable stories from his book.
Additional Weird, Wacky and Wonderful Items Discussed on the September 2 episode of Ripley Radio: Intern Abby reports on a Knife Throwing Breast Surgeon; Author Dan Schlossberg covers some of the strange things we’re likely to experience during the Ma...2013-09-0259 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Year of the Rabbit, a Carny Priest and a Bunch of CreepsJody Pliszka visits us this week on Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, and explains what the Chinese Year of the Rabbit means to all of us and what we should expect if we were born under one of the five signs of the rabbit.
Additional random amazements discussed this week on the August 26 Edition of Ripley Radio: Well-known TV writer and author David Bickell has an unusual and somewhat kooky book and website called Creepiosity. He talks with us about what he finds really creepy in this already strange wo...2013-08-2659 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Talking Animals & a Pyramid on Pike’s Peak“Bats Sing, Mice Giggle” is the name of the new book by Dr. Karen Shanor, a researcher who reveals some amazing and surprising facts about the way animals communicate. This week on Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, Dr. Shanor shares some amazing research that is totally unbelievable.
Additional random amazements discussed during the August 19 Episode of Ripley Radio: UFO Phil, perhaps one of the most unusual and fun guests ever on Ripley Radio unveils his plan to build a huge pyramid on the top of Pike’s Peak in Colorado...2013-08-1951 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Frozen Dead Guys & a Veteran Sideshow TalkerGail Rubin’s slightly irreverent but quite practical look at death and funerals led her to be a part of this year’s Frozen Dead Guy Festival where she unveiled her new game, the NewlyDead Game. This week on Ripley Radio – An On-Demand Oddcast, the official radio station of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, she talks with us about how to plan for your own funeral in a fun way.
Other Unbelievable items discussed on the August 12 edition of Ripley Radio: Ripley’s favorite witch, Judika Illes talks about the recent edict from the Catholic Church about witc...2013-08-1257 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Elvis, Buddy Holly & a Great Fish StoryThere are still mysteries and controversy surrounding what many feel is the day the music died, Feb.3, 1959, when Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie Valens died in a plane crash. This week on the official radio station for Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, we talk with Gary Moore, author of the book “Hey Buddy” and he unveils what has not been told to us through the years.
Additional random amazements discussed on the Aug. 5 Episode of Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! include: We visit with a security guard in...2013-08-0554 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Outhouse Races & Talking with an OrangutanWeird Animal Month continues on Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, this week as Jack Kassewitz, the world-famous modern day Dr. Doolittle, explains the value behind being able to talk with animals and we hear of a very strange Kangaroo round-up in Florida.
Additional Weird, Crazy, Bizarre and Strange Stories on the July 29 Episode of Ripley Radio includes: James Taylor reports on the famous Hubert’s Museum on Times Square in New York City, a hotspot of variety entertainment during the first half of the 20th century; Chad Lewis returns and...2013-07-2952 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Turning Blue, Garlic Ice Cream & Dr. DoolittleImagine having a weird medical malady that turns your entire family BLUE! Jodi Pliszka tells us all about that group of blue people this week on Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! You’ll also learn of a real-life, modern day Dr. Doolittle who successfully talks to the animals.
Additional Weird, Crazy, Bizarre and Strange Stories on the July 22 Episode of Ripley Radio includes: a big-time Barbie Doll collector whose home has been over-run by the 3,000 Barbies in her collection; Chad Lewis hits the road again this week and tells us a...2013-07-2254 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Weird Pop Culture Lists & Underwater MusicIt’s mid-summer and Ripley Radio, the official broadcast station of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, is taking you on a road trip to a couple unusual destinations this week. Chad Lewis is joining us to report on an underwater music festival and a Mothman fest. Dan Harmon, author of Super Pop, a book of Top 10 pop culture hits, will stop by and tell us why his new book will make its readers smarter, happier and more likely to survive a shark attack.
Additional Weird, Crazy, Bizarre and Strange Stories on the July 15 Episode of Ripley Radi...2013-07-1557 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – Squirrel Tails & Weird Medical Re-AttachmentsOur month-long series of weird animal stories starts this month on Ripley Radio with the story of how a veterinarian saved the life of seven baby squirrels whose tails had been fused together and our U.S. National Park expert Mike Oswald returns to tell us some strange and unbelievable stories about the animals that live in our parks.
Additional Weird, Strange, and Unbelievable Stories in the July 8 Edition of Ripley Radio, the official broadcast station of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, include: Jodi Pliszka, Ripley’s own guru of weird medical maladies reports on some of t...2013-07-0856 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast – The Tanning Mom Action Figure & How to Train FleasIt truly is a scary thought. Believe It or Not!, the woman who became notoriously known as the Tanning Mom is now an action figure! A toy and doll company in Connecticut is now selling the figure for $29.95. And what’s more, the company president tells Ralf, that his company can customize an action figure that looks like you! Tune in to this week’s Ripley Radio Oddcast for this truly bizarre story.
Power to the People! is more than an anthem. Floor tiles are being installed In London, in time for the Olympics that can generate elec...2013-07-0152 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Re-Attaching Body Parts & a Giant Bat CreaturePicture this. A giant bat-like creature, with glowing eyes comes out of a cave and terrorizes an Iowa town by night. It has a foul breath that seems to erase memory. Gun shots won’t stop it. Is it real or mythical? Tune in, Chad Lewis has the story of the Van Meter Visitor on the June 24 edition of Ripley Radio, the official broadcast partner of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Other intriguing, weird, bizarre and absolutely unbelievable things we discuss this week: Jodi Pliszka, Ripley’s Weird Medical Maladies ingénue reports on severe accidents in which s...2013-06-2458 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Leaking Brain Fluid and a Visit to the Hobo FestivalBelieve It or Snot, we have a story this week about a person who just thought he had a runny nose, but that run-off proved a little more critical than the common every-day drippage. It was brain fluid! We also hear from Chad Lewis who reports on one of the oldest community festivals in the US – the Hobo Festival in Iowa.
Additional, amazing, unbelievable and bizarre stories on the June 3 edition of Ripley Radio, the official radio station of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! include: Historian James Taylor explains how important it is for all successful show...2013-06-1756 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Ball of Twine Controversy, UFO Phil, and is it Real or is it Fake?We take a look into the great American Hoax this week on Ripley Radio, the official radio broadcast of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Sideshow historian James Taylor talks about the great fakes of all times that were presented as real in museum and circus shows, Ripley archivist Edward Meyer takes a look at the fakes and labeled as such, in the Ripley collection and we continue our series with author Jim Murphy who reveals some of the more contemporary hoaxes contained in his book, The Giant and How He Humbugged America.
More amazing, unbelievable and bi...2013-06-1050 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – A Bumbling Thief, a Porsche’s Curse, & Jet Engine Art WorkWhat does the Cardiff Giant and the Feejee Mermaid have in common? They are both major deceptions that have fooled millions over the years. This week on Ripley Radio, we begin a four-part series on the art of the hoax as we interview Jim Murphy, author of the new book, The Giant and How He Humbugged America. We also hear from Chad Lewis about the curse of the Porsche in which movie star James died.
Additional, amazing, unbelievable and bizarre stories on the June 3 edition of Ripley Radio, the official radio station of Ripley’s Believe It or...2013-06-0353 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Leeches, Mermaids & a Sword Wielding BishopSummer 2013 traditionally and officially begins at the grand conclusion of Coney Island’s Infamous Mermaid Parade, set to bedazzle the crowds on June 22 this year. Coney Island expert James Taylor drops by and tells us that the R-rated parade is the best thing outside of Mardis Gras and should not be missed. Jodi Pliszka explains how the once favored medical procedures using leeches are once again being used – to great success.
Additional, amazing, unbelievable and bizarre stories on the May 27, Memorial Day edition of Ripley Radio, the official radio station of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! includ...2013-05-2755 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Biggest Catfish, Largest Organism & the Smallest ParkThis week on Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, we laugh along with Flathead Ed of Arizona as he tells us how he landed the largest catfish ever caught in that state, and Mark Ross explains the International tension that has built up around claims of The Smallest Park in the World title. He tells us hands down that Portland, Oregon holds that honor.
More amazing, unbelievable and bizarre stories on the May 20 episode of Ripley Radio include: Author and adventurer Mike Oswald introduces us to General Sherman, the world’s la...2013-05-2056 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Zombification, a Zombie Café & Zombies in PittsburghWe take a different view of Zombies this week as we look at the pop culture side of the walking dead. We hear from Tony Rossi, the manager of the Georgia Coffee Shop and Café in the Georgia town where the popular Walking Dead TV series is filmed and he relates how much fun it is when the walking dead visit his eatery. Lucy Leitner tells us why Pittsburgh, Pa. is the epicenter of the Zombie movement in the US.
Additional Amazingly Strange, Weird and Unbelievable Stories we captured for the May 13 episode of Ripley Radio, the official r...2013-05-1349 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Unbelievable Volcanoes, Dinosaurs & Whales on TourBelieve It or Not, during the 20th century, frozen whale carcasses were big draws on the circus and carnival midways! Historian James Taylor visits this week and talks about frozen whales, live whales and exploding whales. Mark Oswald wraps up his series on natural oddities and unbelievable sights at US National Parks, by telling us about the opportunity to walk right up to the crater of an active volcano.
More amazing, unbelievable and bizarre stories on the May 6 episode of Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! include: Ryan DeSear, manager of...2013-05-0657 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Smelling Like a Zombie & a Lake Monster Named PepieBelieve It or Not! there’s a perfume out there that makes you smell like a Zombie. What does a Zombie smell like? While hard to describe, Mark Crames, president of the company that manufactures it, explains why he created it and compares its smell to something that will make most of us cringe. Meanwhile, our intrepid reporter Chad Lewis tells of his search in Lake Pepin, Minn. for the famous monster named Pepie.
Additional Amazingly Strange, Weird and Unbelievable Stories we captured for the April 29 episode of Ripley Radio, the official radio partner of Ripley’s Beli...2013-04-2952 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast -Peanut Shell Artwork & The Sexiest Con-joined Twins EverArtist Steve Casino has chosen an unusual medium for his art – peanut shells – on which he paints the famous and the infamous. He tells us how he does it and why he began this strange endeavor and what his friends really think of it (and him). Sideshow historian James Taylor relates the triumphant but somewhat tragic story of the sexiest and most talented con-joined twins of all times – the Hilton Sisters. From their mother selling them upon their birth to their nanny to their financially successful life on the vaudeville stages to their retirement jobs as dual cashiers at a Flor...2013-04-1558 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Seven Years of Hiccups & Human Spontaneous CombustionThis week on Ripley Radio, we present two unbelievable mysteries. What makes a person hiccup for seven years and is there really such a thing as spontaneous human combustion? Is there a cure and what is it like to live with continuous hiccups, and is there such a thing as spontaneous human combustion and if there isn’t, why do some people burn into a little pile of ash while nothing else around them is disturbed?
Other Strange and Wonderfully Weird Stories we captured for the April 1 episode of Ripley Radio, the official radio partner of Ripley’s Belie...2013-04-0149 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Visiting Popeye’s Home Town & a Half-Blind Baseball PitcherOne of the oldest cartoon characters in the world is Popeye the Sailor Man and this week we learn from Chad Lewis that Chester, Ill. lays claim as the hometown of the character and each year holds an off-beat picnic in his honor. Getting into the big leagues is tough for any player, but especially hard if you are half-blind. We hear the tale of one half-blind baseball pitcher who has a good shot at it this year – Believe It or Not!
Other Strange and Wonderfully Weird Stories We Captured for the March 25 Episode include: a homeless man ta...2013-03-2548 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Wild Men, Hot Water Bottles & Not Missing Work for 44 YearsDetroit’s Deborah Ford retired from the US Post Office in February having never missed a day of work in her 44 years. She visits this week and tells us how she did it. Also this week on Ripley Radio, the official broadcast program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, we hear from Brian Jackson, who holds several world records – for blowing up hot water bottles. He once lifted a car with his lungs – sort of.
Other Strange and Wonderfully Weird Stories We Captured for the February 25 Episode include: Chad Lewis reports on the wild men who at one t...2013-02-2552 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Sword Swallowers Day & The Smartest Horse EverThis Saturday, February 23, nearly three dozen sword swallowers will gather at 20 Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, worldwide, to celebrate World Sword Swallower’s Day. Dan Meyer, the world’s preeminent sword swallower, and founder of this special day, visits with us this week on Ripley Radio, the official radio program of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Other Strange Stories We Captured for the February 18 Episode:
Marc Hartzman tells us that Hans may be the smartest horse ever; Dan Diehl, an artist who “paints” with smoke describes his unique talent to us; Ripley’s new media exper...2013-02-1855 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Valentine’s Day Oddities & WeirdnessOn this special Valentine’s episode of Ripley Radio, we take a look at the strange, unusual and non-mainstream ways to celebrate the big holiday dedicated to sweethearts. As more and more people are writing love letters, we hear from David Rees, the world’s only professional pencil sharpener, and Barbara Berg returns to explain Ring Shui, a way of predicting if a person is a romantic match based on how they wear their rings.
Additional Weird & Wacky stories on the February 11 episode of Ripley Radio, the official broadcast partner of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! include:
...2013-02-1151 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – The 3-Legged Man Named Lentini and the Alligator Man Named JakeThis week on Ripley Radio, the official broadcast partner of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, we look at a couple of Legends. Sideshow historian James Taylor introduces us to Francesco Lentini, a man with three legs who spent his life entertaining the weird and strange-seeking masses. David Marsh of Marsh’s Free Museum in Washington State, tells us about his most popular exhibit – the remains of Jake the Alligator Man.
Other Strange Stories We Captured for the January 28 Episode: UFO Researcher of the Year and Huffington Post journalist, Lee Speigel, lists the top UFO stories of 2012; a sher...2013-01-2856 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Top Stories of the Weird, Strange & Unusual of 2012It was a big year for the weird and strange and this week on Ripley Radio, the official broadcast partner of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, we take a look at some of the weirdest tales of 2012. Chad Lewis reveals the top roadside attractions he visited during the year and Lee Speigel unveils the top paranormal stories he covered for Huffington Post.
Other Strange Stories We Captured for the January 14 Episode: Braxton Southwick of the Nat Geo TV show, The Preppers, tells us how to prepare for bad times; John McKissick, the 86 year old football coach who ha...2013-01-1455 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Roadkill Nourishment & Money-Eating MongrelThis week we feature a Florida woman who left $1,000 in cash on the kitchen counter only to be eaten by her dog! How she got it back may surprise you! We also discover that at least one pregnant woman craves roadkill, not ice cream.
Also on the December 17 episode of Ripley Radio, the official radio show of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, we hear about the holiday activities at Ripley attractions across America. We talk with Michael Hirsch of the New York City Believe It or Not! museum who tells us about his month-long Ripley-style fun, wh...2012-12-1746 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Hobbit Food, a Long Walk & 300 Years of travel for Cromwell’s HeadNick Kleckner was homeless and adrift the day he decided to walk from Florida to California. He not only found the West Coast, but a new direction in life as well. He tells us about his remarkable 178 day journey and how it turned his life around – this week on Ripley Radio, the official radio show of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Also on the November 26 episode of Ripley Radio: We follow the journey of Oliver Cromwell’s head, for 300 years after his beheading; Coach Meg from the Harvard School of Mind Control drops by; Don Ecker of the...2012-11-2656 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Funerals, Sea Turtles & Percilla the Monkey GirlAuthor and doyenne of death, Gail Ruben visits Ripley Radio this week and tells us about her quest to crash 30 funerals of total strangers in 30 days. Then she blogs about the deceased and her experiences at the funeral. Taking a whimsical approach to death and funerals is her forte.
In Jackpotting with James Taylor, the sideshow historian talks about one of his most unusual friends, Percilla the Monkey Girl. Now deceased, Percilla spent decades on the circus and carnival sideshow circuit, dancing for thousands of paying customers and showing off her body – totally covered with hair.
Also on...2012-11-1947 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Scary Things, Live Psychics & Weird Burial Rituals: all on October 22 Halloween Edition of Ripley RadioWe broadcast the first of two special Halloween shows this year live from the “Psychic Capitol of the World,” Cassadaga, Fla. From the historic Cassadaga Hotel, we learn of the history and the amazing draw that this small community has had since the late 19th century. Hotel owner Diana Morn joins us this week on Ripley Radio – the official broadcast partner of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, as does medium and psychic Torre.
Also this week: Chad Lewis reports on the very odd and unusual burial traditions of Europe, and sideshow entertainer The Great Orbax, gives us a pre...2012-10-2253 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Burning Rocks, Paul Bunyan & Professional SnugglingImagine how terrified you’d be if the rocks you picked up on the beach suddenly broke into fire a couple hours later – while they were still in your pocket! Believe it or Not!, you’ll hear that story on this week’s episode of Ripley Radio! Our newest contributor Chad Lewis reveals why Babe the Blue Ox is blue as he tells us to the long-lived tale of Paul Bunyan.
Also this week on Ripley Radio, the official radio show of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, you’ll hear: about what the Ripley’s Haunted Adventures hav...2012-10-0800 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Jesus Toast, Tom Thumb and Small HorsesThis week on Ripley Radio, we talk with the creator of the toaster that can summon up a great image of Jesus each and every time on any slice of bread! Tom Thumb was not the smallest person to ever walk the earth, but he certainly was the most popular of the Lilliputians. Sideshow historian James Taylor and Ripley archivist Edward Meyer present two different segments on the mighty mite general and we are told that Ripley owns the suit in which Tom Thumb was married.
Also, this week: we hear from the breeders of the world’s...2012-10-0150 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Bad Girls, Steampunk and Broken WingsBad Girls Galore – The American West had its share of outlaw women, many of whom were killers and rustlers – and some actually ended up on the short end of a long rope as a result. Author Michael Rutter has documented these bad girls in his “Bedside Book of Bad Girls.” He visits with us on the Sept. 10 episode of Ripley Radio – An On-Demand Oddcast, the official radio station of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, and shares several amazing and shocking stories about a few of them.
Additional Fun, Weird and Totally Unbelievable Items Discussed this week:
• Stea...2012-09-1052 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Year of the Rabbit, a Carny Priest and a Bunch of CreepJody Pliszka visits us this week on Ripley Radio – An On-Demand Oddcast, the official radio station of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, and explains what the Chinese Year of the Rabbit means to all of us and what we should expect if we were born under one of the five signs of the rabbit.
Additional random amazements discussed this week:
• Well-known TV writer and author David Bickell has an unusual and somewhat kooky book and website called Creepiosity. He talks with us about what he finds really creepy in this already strange world.
• Sideshow veteran a...2012-08-2759 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Talking Animals & a Pyramid on Pike’s Peak“Bats Sing, Mice Giggle” is the name of the new book by Dr. Karen Shanor, a researcher who reveals some amazing and surprising facts about the way animals communicate. This week on Ripley Radio – An -On Demand Oddcast, the official radio station of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, Dr. Shanor shares some amazing research that is totally unbelievable.
Additional random amazements discussed this week
• UFO Phil, perhaps one of the most unusual and fun guests ever on Ripley Radio unveils his plan to build a huge pyramid on the top of Pike’s Peak in Colorado so...2012-08-2051 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Frozen Dead Guys & a Veteran Sideshow TalkerGail Rubin’s slightly irreverent but quite practical look at death and funerals led her to be a part of this year’s Frozen Dead Guy Festival where she unveiled her new game, the NewlyDead Game. This week on Ripley Radio – An On-Demand Oddcast, the official radio station of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, she talks with us about how to plan for your own funeral in a fun way.
Other Unbelievable items discussed this week on Ripley Radio:
• Ripley’s favorite witch, Judika Illes talks about the recent edict from the Catholic Church about witches;
• Inte...2012-08-1357 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – A Summer Sideshow, a Bacon Coffin, & a Space & Bicycle MuseumA Summer Sideshow, a Bacon Coffin, a Space & Bicycle Museum, a primer on old time Medicine Shows and a psychic pig! That and more on the July 9 episode of Ripley Radio – An On-Demand Oddcast!
The traditional sideshow acts are back at Quassy Amusement Park this July 9-22 as the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Summer Sideshow is presented daily at the Middlebury, Conn. family funpark. The amazing Todd Robbins will head up the acts in this historic look back at the golden years of the sideshow. It’s a free show at the free-admission park and you’ll hear...2012-07-0952 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Getting Booted from a Buffet & a Juggling TriathleteThe triathlon, where contestants swim, bike and run for various lengths are quite common. What’s uncommon is to have an athlete juggle balls during all three events. Believe It or Not!, that’s what Joe Salter did and Ralf caught up with him afterward for a fun chat. Did he drop any of the balls during the race? Tune in to this week’s Ripley Radio Oddcast to find out!
P.T. Barnum made the Dime Museum of the late 1800s a popular attraction to visit for the entire family. These storefront “museums” displayed wild and weird specimens...2012-06-1848 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – UFOs Over Las Vegas, an Adventurous Cow & Twitter Saves a WeddingWhere is the worst place for a cow to show up after escaping from its farm? This week on Ripley Radio Oddcast, we discover the answer to that question. It’s a fun, feel-good animal story that gives an all-new meaning to the food chain, AND, it’s a perfect Ripley story because it is totally UNBELIEVABLE!
Ripley’s paranormal and UFO correspondent, Lee Speigel, joins us and proves that what goes on in Las Vegas never really stays there! On a recent trip during dinner, he missed a major UFO sighting over the city and didn’t hear abo...2012-05-2851 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – The UFO Congress, Mob Museums & a Swami NerdLee Speigel, a regular contributor to Ripley Radio – An On-Demand Oddcast and a Huffington Post writer, not only gave a popular presentation to the International UFO Congress last month, but he was also awarded the UFO Researcher of the Year. This week, he talks about the award and about the importance of the UFO Congress.
Swami Yomahmi, the self-proclaimed “Original Sideshow Geek,” has one of the most original sideshow acts in the business today – combining traditional acts with a heavy dose of nerdiness and humor! He drops by this week and discusses his act, why he does what he does...2012-04-3059 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Tattooed Mayor, US Stonehenges & Ripley’s PresidentThis week marks the 100th episode of Ripley Radio – An On-Demand Oddcast and during the show we hear from Ripley’s President Jim Pattison Jr. on how the show is helping keep Robert Ripley’s legacy alive and current, and we also hear from many of our guests who we featured during the first 100 shows!
We talk with Ray Johnson, the 46-year mayor of Campo, Colo., who is thought to be the most heavily tattooed mayor in the US. Ralf questions him on how his constituency feels about all the ink. You’ll be surprised at his response.
Ad...2012-04-2352 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Area 51, The Hair Hangers of Ringling & Ripley Joins Hall of FameBelieve It or Not! creator Robert Ripley has been inducted into the Sideshow Hall of Fame, at Coney Island USA! Ninety-four years after he drew his first Believe It or Not! cartoon and 79 years after he opened his first Odditorium at the Chicago World’s Fair, Ripley officially joins the esteemed lineup of history’s greatest showmen! Tim was there and he reports on how it all went down!
An exhibit featuring the secretive Area 51 has just opened at the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas. Ripley’s UFO expert Lee Speigel tells us the the irony that t...2012-04-1652 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – How to Eat Chocolate Bunnies & Tattoos That VibrateRipley Radio’s tribute to Easter this week features Ripley-style advice on how one should eat a chocolate bunny and author Anne Perciado Rich visits to explain how bunnies and colored eggs became a part of the most important holiday in the Christian religion.
Have you ever been in a noisy restaurant or a loud rock concert and have been unable to hear your cell phone or even feel it vibrating? Now, our friends at Nokia are creating the technology that will cause a special tattoo on your body to vibrate when a call or email comes in....2012-04-0955 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Girls Turning into Gorillas & Tax Problems of the Rich and FamousSince its beginning, the Girl to Gorilla illusion has been a hit on circus and carnival midways around the world. Using mirrors, it appears the beautiful girl is slowly turning into a big hairy ape and as she does, the mesmerized crowds stood there silently until something happens that sends them all screaming out of the tent! Sideshow historian James Taylor visits Ripley Radio this week and tells us the reason behind that mass exodus at practically every show.
As the tax deadlines approach in the US, we learn that many of the rich and famous owe incredible...2012-04-0252 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Boxing Chimps, Flying Squirrels & the New Jersey DevilThis year contains the most Friday the 13th occurrences possible in one calendar year – three. And to make things even more daunting for those with Triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13) is that they are exactly 13 weeks apart! This week on the Ripley Radio Worldwide Oddcast, we examine the number and give everyone a little bit more to worry about, such as the fact that dying in a car crash is 64% greater on Friday the 13th!
The New Jersey Devil, not the Hockey Team, is legendary in the folklore of New Jersey, and this week the author of Myths an...2012-03-0557 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Doomsday TV & A Man with Two MouthsIt’s a new year and that means there are new Doomsdays predicted that we all must prepare for. Tim Ralston is our guest on Ripley Radio Oddcast this week. He’s a Prepper, one who prepares extensively for Doomsday by stocking up on food, water, batteries, and maybe most important – knowledge. As part of the team on the new National Geographic TV show Doomsdayers 2012, he shares with us what really can happen “out there” and how to prepare for it.
Throughout ages, humans have been born with extra body parts, including arms, legs, fingers, and in some cases anot...2012-02-2754 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Cheese and Children in the White HouseIt’s President’s Week here at Ripley Radio – An On-Demand Oddcast, as we present two amazing and unusual stories you won’t find anywhere else.
We hear that President Andrew Jackson may be the biggest party animal the White House has ever seen! Author and presidential historian Jacopo della Quercia visits and explains what Jackson’s big and boisterous Cheese Party was all about!
We learn from Ian Randall Strock that the fertility of the US Commander in Chief tells us a great deal about how we should judge the success of a president. His research is expansi...2012-02-2054 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Sword Swallowing, Ripley’s Historic Cartoon & 101 MarriagesBelieve It or Not! David and Lauren Blair of Nashville, Tenn., have married each other 101 times! The couple joins Ripley Radio this week to discuss their love for each other and share some of the weirder vow exchanges the two have made: ranging from several at Hard Rock Cafes to the time Elvis married them in Las Vegas!
Dan Meyer, president of the Sword Swallowers Assoc. International, stops by to talk about the upcoming World Sword Swallowers Day on Feb. 25, to be held at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! odditoriums around the world. He notes that this ye...2012-02-1357 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Mental Floss, Starbuck Surprises & a Dog Named RipleyEthan Trex of the popular web site and magazine, Mental Floss, stops by Ripley Radio this week to discuss the weird topics his publication carries, how they research the bizarre, and how it compares with Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
A pitiful little pooch was found in the ditches in Houma, La., near death and totally unrecognizable as a dog in fall 2010. Today, a little more than a year later, Ripley the Dog is flourishing in his new home. Mike Tingle joins us and provides an update on the little guy and says that with the help th...2012-01-3043 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Bizarre Economic Indexes & Walking Over Niagara FallsNik Wallenda, the 7th generation high-wire walker in the world-famous Wallenda Family, is attempting to get official permission from the Canadian Government to walk across Niagara Falls in June 2012. Meanwhile, the New York State government has already given him the go ahead for that side of the Falls. Nik talks with Ripley Radio this week about what motivates him to risk his life in his world-record high-wire walks.
The mother of Amber Karlins felt that her daughter was living a ”small life” and needed to face her many fears – head on. The 25 – year old talks with Ripley Radio this wee...2012-01-1653 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Roadkill Nourishment & Money-Eating MongrelThis week on Ripley Radio we talk with a Florida woman who left $1,000 in cash on the kitchen counter only to be eaten by her dog! How she got it back may surprise you!
Nation-wide, Ripley attractions are celebrating the holidays. We talk with Michael Hirsch of the New York City Believe It or Not! museum who tells us about his month-long Ripley-style fun, which includes an opportunity to have a mini-Santa sit on YOUR lap! Kim Kiff, manager of the St. Augustine, Fla., Believe It or Not! museum describes her Santa’s Village and the city’s Ni...2011-12-0546 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Halloween Stories and Witches: When to Love Them; When to Fear ThemRipley Radio celebrates Halloween by reaching out to three different witches and warlocks and asking them to explain what this witch thing is all about. What we got in return is an entertaining and enlightening program dedicated to the unbelievable world they live in.
Christian Day, the World’s Most Famous Warlock, talks with us from his home in Salem, Mass., and explains in his new book, “Witches Book of the Dead,” that the dead can be “powerful allies” to their surviving friends and families. Author and lecturer Raven Grimassi shows how ancient ways can be used in these m...2011-10-3147 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – The Door to Nowhere, Missile Mail & Ripley’s Food DriveBirdsville Australia is so far from anything and everything it is lovingly referred to as the Front Door to Nowhere! Travel writer Cynthia Clampitt joins us this week and tells us all about her experiences in this unbelievable part of Down Under.
Can you believe that at one time, the US Postal Service thought the future of mail delivery might be by missiles? Marc Hartzman tells us about the government’s early attempts at rocket-powered missile mail.
Additional random amazements discussed this week:
• Edward discusses Cristerna, the lawyer lady from Mexico who is bett...2011-10-2441 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Bernard Hopkins, Schweddy Balls & Christopher Elliott’s Book of ScamsWould you eat Schweddy Balls? Actor Alec Baldwin made his Schweddy Balls famous in a “Saturday Night Live” skit years ago. Now, the lovable folks at Ben & Jerry’s have named their newest flavor, Schweddy Balls Ice Cream. We talk about the strange addition to the Ben & Jerry line-up this week on Ripley Radio.
Bernard Hopkins checks in with us to talk about his upcoming “Believe It or Not! title fight against Chad Dawson next Saturday, Oct. 15. Hopkins, the oldest fighter to ever win a major world championship, is a true Believe It or Not! and Ripley’s is creat...2011-10-1054 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Buddy Holly, Laurel & Hardy, and Feel-Good Dog StoriesMysteries and Conspiracies continue 52 years after pioneer rocker Buddy Holly died in a fiery plane crash. However, Buddy has not rested in peace as there are many theories surrounding that crash that are still being discussed and remain unsolved today. The key they say is in the wreckage – a pile of metal which the original owner of the plane still has hidden away but refuses to talk about or share his knowledge of what caused it. Author of Hey Buddy, Gary Moore, returns to Ripley Radio to provide an update on the tragic crash.
Additional random amazements di...2011-10-0346 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – A Fertility Statue Baby, a Solar Bikini, & Should Clowns Be LicensedNew Jersey’s Rachel Taylor flew to Wisconsin to the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium, touched Ripley’s world famous Fertility Statues and shortly thereafter became pregnant, after being told numerous times by her doctor that it was not possible. Little Maxwell Taylor celebrates his first birthday on July 31 at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium in Atlantic City. Ben Muessig reports about a movement afoot in Canada to make all clowns obtain a license before they are allowed to entertain; Abby uncovers the coolest thing we have heard about so far this summer – a solar powered bi...2011-07-1848 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – The Cat From Hell, Improv in NYC, & How Hollywood Got its NameThe great-grandfather of Gaelyn Whitley Keith founded and named Hollywood, Calif., and was also instrumental in creating the first movie lot, approximately where the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium now sits at the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Hyland Ave. She is with us this week and shares some fun and unbelievable tales about her great-grandfather’s life. Robert Ripley drew a cartoon about Santa Claus, Indiana in the 1930s and by doing so, virtually put the sleepy little village on the map! Paula Werne of Santa Claus tells us how important Ripley was for the growth of t...2011-07-1157 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – Unique Amusement Parks, Scary Coasters & Live MermaidsFormer aerospace engineer Jim Seay explains why people of all ilk the world over love to be scared to death on roller coasters. He should know – he’s the creator of the world’s scariest coasters and he is our special guest this week.
One of the oldest types of amusement parks – dating back 100 years – is the trolley park and there are only 11 true examples of this wonderful slice of Americana still in operation. Author and long time historian of Trolley Parks, Ron Gustafson, tells us why these remaining gems are loved by all who attend.
The Liza...2011-06-2058 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – A Mermaid Parade, The Penguin Boy & New EarsThe Coney Island Mermaid Parade, as decadent, naked, colorful and fun as it is, marks the official opening of the Atlantic Ocean for New York Beach goers each June.
Dick Zigun, founder and top executive of Coney Island USA and the creator of the parade explains in this episode how and why it all started, what to expect and where best to watch it. Zigun also outlines the summer activities at Coney Island USA and the Sideshow by the Seashore for this summer.
Staying close to the Atlantic Ocean, Ripley’s Chad Netherland, the manager of...2011-05-3059 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – He-Brew, Doomsday Wishes & a Front Yard Toilet PlanterKosher Jewish Beers and Whimsical Coney Island brews! Jeremy Cowen, founder and CEO of Shmaltz Brewing has a great deal of fun brewing, naming, and promoting his line of beers. The Jewish beer for the chosen few, He-Brew, started it all 13 years ago and today, with his line of Coney Island beers, including Mermaid Pilsner and Freaktoberfest, Cowen continues to have fun as well as win awards! He joins Ripley Radio to tell his offbeat approach to the beer business. Joseph Felser will also be here to talk about his book: “The myth of the Great Ending – Why we’ve bee...2011-05-1652 minRipley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast Archives - WebTalkRadio.netRipley Radio – An A-Bomb Falls on New Mexico & a Dog Rescued at SeaIn May 1957, airmen from Texas dropped an A-Bomb on our own US soil! It hit near Albuquerque, New Mexico leaving a huge crater and killing only a luckless grazing cow. John Hafnor, author of “Strange But True America” joins us this week to share the A-Bomb tale and other totally unbelievable stories. Also on this week’s show, Michael Hirsch of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square in New York, tells us that a very large Ripley-style dessert has been created and will be available during May at the city’s Serendipity Restaurant; Marc Hartzman amazes with a story ab...2011-05-0258 min