Sofa King Podcast

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we look at the ultimate form of sports entertainment—Roman Gladiators. Everyone pictures these brave, bloodthirsty men performing for the crowd and emperor, but there is a lot more to their tale. For one, a lot of them were slaves or prisoners of war. Another thing is, they became crazy popular, becoming the celebrities of their era. There is still graffiti in places about girls in love with gladiators! There were no gladiators without the crowds, and we talk about the scope of gladiatorial games as well as how politicians used them in corrupt ways to sway the politics of the empire!   Visit Our Sources: https://www.historyextra.com/period/roman/who-were-roman-gladiators-famous-spartacus-crixus/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiator https://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-roman-gladiators https://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/gladiators/gladiators.html https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/5-fast-

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we talk about one of the all-time greats of comedy, Dave Chappelle. He is most famous for his super-successful sketch comedy show, Chappelle’s Show. He is even more famous for walking away from the show in the middle of season three while $50 million dollars were on the table! He uses comedy as a scalpel and cuts deep, often being controversial, sometimes being offensive. With five Emmy’s, three Grammy’s, and a Marc Twain award under his belt, this small town family-man keeps innovating and shocking the world.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/performer/dave-chappelle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Chappelle https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/73863/15-fun-facts-about-chappelles-show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwyeYmXjD1A https://www.looper.com/266269/the-real-reason-dave-chappelle-quit-his-sketch-show/ Dave Chappelle says fan boycott of his show worked, agrees to terms with Comedy Central - mlive.com

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we look at one of the worst ecological disasters of all time, the wreck of the Exxon Valdez. In March of 1989, the massive ship struck Bligh Reef in Alaska, and over 11 Million gallons of crude oil dumped into the once-pristine Prince William Sound. Hundreds of bald eagles and seals, thousands of otters, and hundreds of thousands of sea birds died as a result. The cleanup crews developed illnesses due to the chemicals used to scrub the beaches. The ship’s captain, Joe Hazelwood was accused of being drunk at the time of the crash, but as more evidence came out, Exxon seemed to be the real villain here. Go green with this one as you listen, laugh, and learn.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.history.com/topics/1980s/exxon-valdez-oil-spill https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exxon_Valdez_oil_spill DAARP Page https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2014/03/remembering-the-exxon-valdez-oil-spill/100703/ https://www.livescience.com/44314-exxon-valdez-spill-anniversar

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we look at Jodi Arias, and the murder of Travis Alexander. If you dig true crime, you probably already know this story since it was a media sensation. This couple had a very strange and tumultuous relationship, ranging from wild phone sex to conversions to Mormonism. Jodi Arias was so intense that Travis’ friends even called an intervention about it to try to get them to break up. Eventually, they did break up, but the phone sex (and real sex) kept happening alongside slashed tires and hacks to Facebook accounts. It all eventually leads to a stolen handgun, mystery gas cans, and a murder most foul.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/jodi-arias https://murderpedia.org/female.A/a/arias-jodi.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Travis_Alexander https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Lj4MO1ZfhU https://www.the-sun.com/news/4456994/jodi-arias-travis-alexander-murder-case-new-show-details/ https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/jodi-arias-li

In this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we look back in time and talk about the little-known but awesome Christmas mutiny at West Point Military Academy known as the Eggnog Riots. On Christmas Eve back in 1826, roughly 90 students at this military school got loaded on spiked eggnog and caused problems. Major problems. They tore up buildings, threatened lives, shot guns at people, and even hit people with logs! What lead to this gross dereliction of military decorum? You might say whiskey (and you’d be right), but there were other ingredients as well. To begin with, West Point was a ramshackle school that let anyone in, and after a bad couple of wars, Congress funded it to become the bastion of officer training it is today. The man who did this was Sylvanus Thayer. Aside from being considered the father of West Point (and sounding very much like someone who would battle Harry Potter), he was also a harsh disciplinarian. He created draconic rules that included a zero tolerance no-alcohol and tob

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we explore the eternal life of mummies. Everyone can picture the linen wrapped Egyptian kings, and most people know about curses and have nightmares of them coming back to life. However, it was more than kings. Middle class and poor Egyptians were mummified as were millions of pets. However, Egypt doesn’t have the only mummies. They are a global phenomenon, from the mummies of Guanajuato to the Ice Man and bog mummies. Why did they think there was a curse in the tomb of King Tut? What was the process for Egyptians? How did Buddhists self-mummify while they were still alive? If you’re curious about these perfectly preserved people, give this one a listen.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/history-of-the-mummy https://www.si.edu/spotlight/ancient-egypt/mummies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mummy https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/mummies https://www.livescience.com/mummification.html https://www.factretriever.com/mummy-facts

On this episode of The Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the child abduction and murder that changed everything—the case of Adam Walsh. Adam Walsh went missing in 1981 in a Sears store while he was playing Atari 2600 games in the toy department. Sixteen days later, his head was found in a drainage ditch by two wandering fishermen. This case is very interesting for many reasons. First, it was confessed to by Ottis Toole, but he confessed and recanted over and over. Some people then thought it was done by Jeffery Dahmer. Then, the police screwed up in a major way, so the case was unsolved for decades. However, a light came from all this darkness. That light was Adam Walsh’s father, John Walsh. John went on a crusade to change laws and bust criminals. This lead him through the halls of congress and onto a 24 season run of America’s Most Wanted, catching over 1000 criminals and changing the game.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/adam-walsh-is-abducted https://en.wikipedia.org/w

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we travel back in time and talk about the one and only Cleopatra. She was the queen of Egypt, but she wasn’t just there because she inherited it. In fact, she had to continuously earn her throne by killing members of her own family and constantly going to war with Rome. She famously seduced Julius Caesar and had his children. She was in Rome when he was assassinated, but she made it back to Egypt. When Mark Antony took control in Rome, she hooked up with him as well, having an epic romance of war, betrayal, suicide, and poison. Game of Thrones got nothing on the story of Cleopatra!   Visit Our Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/cleopatra https://www.history.com/news/10-little-known-facts-about-cleopatra https://www.ancienthistorylists.com/egypt-history/facts-cleopatra-vii/ https://medium.com/exploring-history/ten-interesting-facts-about-cleopatra-most-people-dont-know-9e6e4efce94b

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we cover the Tuskegee Airmen. This was the first ever all black air squadron, and they battled not just Nazis and the Axis, but good old American racism. Nobody in the army wanted black pilots, but the NAACP and Eleanor Roosevelt convinced people otherwise. They started to train at Tuskegee University and became a highly decorated part of World War II. What battles did they fight just for the chance to go to war and die? What was the Freeman Field Mutiny, and how might it have gotten Tuskegee Airmen shot by their own men? How does the UFO hunting Project Blue Book tie in? Listen, laugh, learn.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/tuskegee-airmen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Airmen https://www.tuskegee.edu/support-tu/tuskegee-airmen https://www.military.com/history/the-tuskegee-airmen.html https://www.afhistory.af.mil/FAQs/Fact-Sheets/Article/458979/tuskegee-airmen/ https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/643566/tuskegee-airmen

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we look at the life, loves, ups, and higher ups of Madonna. Her impact on 1980s culture can’t be overstated. Her videos, sound, and fashion made the entire Gen X imitate and want her. She has always been a master of branding and self-promotion. When being a sex symbol was getting old, Madonna would piss off the Catholic church, and when that got old, she’d drop a book full of lesbian sex pictures to draw the spotlight back on her. She’s had a crazy love life, is one of the bestselling female artists of all times, and manages to constantly be the queen of controversy. Come for the music, stay for the S&M phot shoots!   Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/musician/madonna https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna https://www.forbes.com/profile/madonna/?sh=1c2bde1c27ac https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/7000438/inside-madonnas-relationships-from-toyboy-lovers-to-rock-legends/ https://www.datingcelebs.com/who-is-madonna-dating/ https://www.mentalfloss.com/

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the madness and genius of Vincent van Gogh. Surely, you know him as one of the most important artists in all of human history. Because he was. But his life was filled with love, friendship, disaster, prostitutes, depression, art, and absinthe. His father was a priest, and his mother a painter, and he himself tried to become a minister before turning to art (and prostitutes). He didn’t touch a canvas until he was 30 years old, and his demons haunted him firmly enough that he tried to kill himself several times and spent a year in an insane asylum at St. Remy, where van Gogh painted some of his most important works. His story is an amazing, uplifting, tragic tale of family, art, and suicide. Visit Our Sources https://www.biography.com/artist/vincent-van-gogh https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh https://www.biography.com/news/vincent-van-gogh-biography-facts https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/21-facts-about-vincent-van-gogh  

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we talk about one of the biggest forces in popular culture history, Dennis Rodman. Of course he was a basketball player and part of both the infamous Bad Boys of the Detroit Pistons as well as the game changing comeback of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. But this unique man is so much more than that. He is a troubled man, battling depression and a sense of loneliness and insecurity which drove him to greatness. He was a friend to the LGBTQ community and AIDS support in the 1990s when that was rare. He broke social conventions, married himself in a wedding dress, dated Madonna, ignored his children, and somehow became friends with North Korea’s Kim Jung Un. His is a life you will want to hear about!   Visit Our Sources: 30 For 30, ESPN: Rodman, Better or Worse https://www.biography.com/athlete/dennis-rodman https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2018/06/12/a-brief-guide-to-dennis-rodmans-long-weird-history-with-north-korea/ https://en.wikipe

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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