Sun, Sep 10, 2017
In this very special episode of Hysteria 51 we take an introspective look back at the show over the years and the socioeconomic...hahahahah...I can't. Nope, for our 51st episode we talk our (sorta) namesake - Area 51. What's there? What isn't? Do the aliens only communicate with Data from Star Trek? Plus, C-Bot compares the show to Rouge One (he just likes the robot), can a patty melt be classified as a cheeseburger (a debate ensues), and are Lego sets really Area 51 starter kits (was there ever a doubt)? All of that and more on the podcast that can't quite believe we've actually made it to 51 episodes - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Sep 17, 2017
A recently deceased man's body is discovered on an Australian beach. No signs of foul play and at first glance it appears to be just another unremarkable death. But then - The man can't be identified...with any database...anywhere on the planet. All tags have been removed from his clothing, taking away the ability to even trace their country of origin. A small scrap of paper is found in his possession with two words in Persian, torn from a rare first edition book by a 12th century poet. Oh, and that natural death? Might not have been so natural. And that's just the tip of the iceberg in what is considered Australia's most perplexing cold case. The Somerton Man case has it all; love triangles, spy games, and even ciphers. Every good mystery needs a cipher. The H51 I-Team investigates. Plus, we discuss the various ways to die or get eaten in Australia, the return of C-Bot's homicidal tendencies, and the return of the WHEEL OF CONSPIRACIES. All of that and more on the podcast that isn't from the Land Down Under, but we sure like to party like we are - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Sep 24, 2017
Over 70% of the earth's surface is covered in water. And over 95% of that waterscape is unexplored. What lurks beneath the surface? Are there unknown beasts in the deep of imaginable size, ready to eat ships and destroy cities? Are there breeding populations of thought extinct fish, reptiles, and even dinosaurs? This week we'll dive in deep and release the Kraken to find out. Plus, should the boys scrap C Bot in lieu of a Jaeger? (Yes) Can C Bot lift Thor's hammer? (No) And are all the best sea monsters found at Red Lobster? (Of course) All of that and more on the podcast that prefers its sea monsters with a little butter and lemon - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Oct 1, 2017
Ever played a video game and felt almost addicted? We've all been there. Then you get nauseous, have horrible nightmares, suffer from convulsions, and maybe even die? Oh wait, the Street Fighter 2 marathon didn't do that? Well, a mysterious arcade game in the outskirts of Portland, Oregon did in the early 80's. Polybius, allegedly only in a few arcades, was under constant surveillance by (you guessed it) men IN BLACK SUITS. Soon after it appeared, the mysterious arcade game vanished without warning-leaving no record of its existence. Did the game really exist? If so was it some sort of mind control experiment by the government, or something even more far fetched? Could it have been a testing ground to find the best and the brightest future stars of the US military? The H 51 I-Team investigates (but mostly just plays video games). Plus, is C Bot's favorite game Global Thermonuclear War or Tic Tac Toe (hint: is isn't Tic Tac Toe)? Who's the best at Dig Dug (hint: it isn't Brent). And is the Power Glove just...so bad (yes, of course it is). All of that and more on the podcast that's never had our mind controlled by a video game, but HAS controlled a video game with our minds...and forearms...and fists - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Oct 8, 2017
On March 8th 2014 Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing with 239 souls on board. It never arrived and no one knows for sure where it went. Did it crash into the ocean? Was there a terrorist attack? What could make a 380 ton airplane disappear off of the face of the earth? Where did it go? Who was actually flying? Was there a larger plan at work? Or was it just a series of unfortunate events that ended in the tragic deaths of all on board? To this day the body of the plane has not been located, speculation runs rampant, and no one can conclusively answer - what happened to flight MH 370? The H 51 I-Team investigates (with the help of the Secret Transmission Podcast!) Plus, Conspiracy Bot decides he wants his pilots license.The tie between Derek Zoolander and the Malaysian Prime Minister is explored. And we pay homage to the best aeronautical movie of all time, Airplane. All of that and more on the podcast that would take a lot more flights if we weren't on the no fly list - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Oct 15, 2017
Battleship armadas, space stations, Martian colonies, and moon bases - no, this isn't the newest Michael Bay flick - it's what's happening in our solar system RIGHT NOW. Welcome to the Secret Space Program. With roots dating back to WW2 (why are the Nazis always involved in this crap?) - do we have an intergalactic fleet of ships patrolling the universe to keep the Earth safe? Some people, even some with (loose) military ties - say we do. Heck - that laser thing Ronnie Ray-Gun was working on in the 80's was called Star Wars. Do we need more proof than that? We take the show into WARP speed and see what's really on the Dark Side of the Moon (great album). Plus, was Thor actually a member of the Wonder Twins (obviously)? The fellas can't settle the Star Trek vs Star Wars debate (obviously). And we learn Conspiracy Bot's favorite character in either franchise is the Borg (OBVIOUSLY). All of that and more on the podcast that's never made the Kessel Run, but if we did we're sure we could do it in less than 12 parsecs - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Oct 22, 2017
You're laying in bed half asleep, half awake and see something out of the corner of your eye. Did that shadow just move? No, that's silly. Shadows don't move. But, then again...it really seemed like it moved...there it is again..but closer...and closer. It's our ANNUAL HALLOWEEN SHOW and it's time to talk Shadow People. Shadow people are thought by many to be conscious, intelligent, inter-dimensional beings that can move in and out of our dimension at will. And these bad boys aren't here just to play canasta. They are reported to paralyze their victims, drain them of energy, and do much, much worse. We go hunting in the dark to find out more. Plus, we play some of our favorite clips from Halloween movies (fun!). Conspiracy Bot gets legs (bad idea!). And the show is joined by JP Doyal of Just Paranormal (horrible idea for him!). All of that and more on the podcast that doesn't always see shadow people, but when we do it means 6 more weeks of HALLOWEEN - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Oct 29, 2017
The assassination of Abraham Lincoln. A secret confederate treasure train. The outlaw Jesse James. The falsified death of John Wilkes Booth. A second American Civil War. Secret codes, false identities, and hidden treasures. They might all sound like plot devices of the latest Nic Cage flick, but they're actually all parts of the story of the Knights of the Golden Circle. An alleged secret society of southern sympathizers who were around well before the Civil War began and went underground when it ended. This secret society with masonic roots is also said to have birthed the Klu Klux Klan and buried a treasure somewhere in the US so valuable that treasure hunters still seek it to this day. Were the Knights of the Golden Circle a well-organized and extraordinarily funded machine with a pro-slavery / racist agenda pushing the US towards a second civil war? Or was it a hapless band of racist idiots that printed a few fliers and came up with what they thought was a cool name and handshake? The H-51 I-Team investigates. Plus, contest winner Ryan Nolan joins the show to tell us why he suggested this topic, C Bot mends fences with Nic Cage while simultaneously accusing him of assassinating Lincoln, and we learn that the best mercenaries are always black market antiquities dealers (don't ask). All of that and more on the podcast that doesn't do ALL of our research in Nic Cage movies - just most of it - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Nov 5, 2017
Pharaohs and fortune, gods and gold, magic and murder, tombs and treasure. That's just a little of the mythology evoked when you mention the pyramids. These ancient buildings in the dessert are shrouded in mystery and steeped in legend. And though there are literally 1000s of ancient pyramids all across the world, when you say "the pyramids" to almost anyone they think of that same place: the Giza Pyramid Complex. With mysteries such as the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx, these ancient wonders leave experts with more questions than answers. What is their true purpose? Who actually built them? Could they have been 1000s of years old when the Egyptians found them? And, of course, how were the aliens involved? This week we dust off our fedoras, pack up the camels, and go in search of the truth. Plus, a programming error makes Conspiracy Bot nice (we hope it's permanent), Giorgio Tsoukalos stops by the show to tell us about ALIENS (not really but we play clips), and why don't people eat inside Pizza Hut anymore (unless it's across from the Sphinx)? All of that and more on the podcast that has NO IDEA where the pyramids came from and we're definitely not saying it was aliens, but it was aliens - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Nov 12, 2017
On the eastern tip of Long Island New York sits the sleepy town of Montauk. It's a summertime getaway for New York's affluent and also happens to be the home of one of the darkest conspiracy theories in US history - the "Project Montauk ". Allegedly a special ops black site where children were kidnapped, brainwashed, and experimented on, dissected, and killed. The purposes of which ranged from mind control, remove viewing, and ESP to telekinesis and ripping holes in space time. Were thousands of children turned into the telekinetic super soldiers...or is this just the mad ramblings of some weird old men. We'll journey into the upside down to find out. Plus, Brent professes his love for Wynona (Judd), the boys have an uncomfortable debate about the pronunciation of Winona's first name (Ryder), and Joe Peck joins the show for the last time (C-Bot means it this time). All of that and more on the podcast that doesn't always pick topics that have TV shows loosely based on them, but when we do it's always Stranger Things - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Nov 19, 2017
In the early morning hours of February 25th, 1942 the US military fired over 1400 anti aircraft shells and thousands of .50 caliber rounds into the night sky over Los Angeles...at something. The question is, what were they firing at? In the chaos a single photo was taken. In the photo, amidst the artillery, flak, and chaos, was a mysterious craft with searchlights trained on it...a craft with a distinctly saucer shape. Had World War II hit the mainland United States? Or was this a different type of battle altogether...the intergalactic type? We lace up our boots and join the fight this week. Plus, the boys discuss the benefits of having a Secretary of WAR (there are many), Conspiracy Bot gets a man-cave...err...bot-cave (hey it helps keep the neighbor's cats safe), and Joe Peck joins the show for the last time (we mean it this time). All of that and more on the podcast that doesn't always shoot first and ask questions later, but when we do we make SURE it's directly at Nazis - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Nov 26, 2017
In the late 1800's the sleepy town of Watseka, Illinois saw a series of strange and mysterious events involving the tragic death of one young girl and the beguiling illness of another. The mysterious story allegedly ended with America's first documented case of spiritual possession. From remote viewing, to necromancy, seances and spiritualism to hauntings and angels, this story has it all. But the larger question remains - did a an actual possession take place? Or, was a grieving family just taken advantage of by a spiritualist huckster? This week we get into the spirit of things for the haunting of the the Roff house and the legend of the "Watseka Wonder". Plus, somehow the finer points of Peter Jackson's work are discussed (Meet the Feebles and Dead Alive, duh), the fellas get to the bottom of the "water cure" (spoiler alert - this isn't Oprah telling you to drink more of it), and Harley Covington from the Travel Oddities Podcast joins the show. All of that and more on the podcast that's never been possessed by the dead, but if we were we'd definitely want it to be Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Dec 3, 2017
The Hollow Earth - the belief by some that instead of a molten core and other science-y things, that instead there's an entire other world just inside our Earth's crust. Ancient civilizations? Sure. Dinosaurs. Of course. Another sun? How else would they see? Aliens? Why not. Nazis to make fun of? Well, this wouldn't be Hysteria 51 if there weren't. But where does this belief come from? How do so many civilizations throughout history share a similar belief of holes in the polar icecaps that take you to this mythical Shangri-La? And...bear with us here...what if? What if, defying logic, science, and really all rational thought there is something more just beneath our feet? This week we grab our spelunking gear and set out to get to the core of the matter. Plus, Conspiracy Bot hopes to pursue a career in comedy (he can't), we find a new whack-a-doo society that we're hoping will give the Flat Earthers a run for their money (they can't), and Brent endeavors to teach us about the physics of giants (he can't). All of that and more on the podcast that's never been inside the Hollow Earth, but if you want to buy a nice piece of land down there - we know a guy - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Dec 10, 2017
Remember that year or two in the 80's when you weren't allowed to do anything? Yeah - this week's topic was pretty much the problem. The "Satanic Panic" was this all too real period mostly during the 80's that America's housewives knew their kid's souls were being stolen by "beelzebub", Ozzy, and anyone else they were listening to on that "devil machine". The problem with this joke is real people suffered. Real lives were lost and the "devil" had nothing to do with any of it. We break out our black t-shirts, dye our hair, and get to the HYSTERIA (too obvious?) behind it all this week. Plus, C-Bot makes it as a comedian (he thinks), Brent goes chaotic neutral (an upgrade?), and the boys welcome a "pentagram" of guests (it really was an accident). All of that an more on the podcast that's never been the victim of Satanic Ritual Abuse, but if they were they're sure it would be at the hands...check that...pincers...of Conspiracy Bot - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Dec 17, 2017
It's the most wonderful time of the year and you know what that means. Stockings, snowmen, hot chocolate, nativity scenes, gingerbread men, horned goat half demons that will drag children to hell. That's right, to go right along with Jolly Ol' Saint Nick, there's a more sinister Christmas character lurking beneath the shadows. Krampus - the Christmas Demon. Santa might bring gifts for good little girls and boys - Krampus doesn't. The hairy beast hits bad kids with sticks and sometimes even throws them in his sack to take back to hell. This week we fire up the Hysteria Sleigh and explore the legend. Plus, are non-Christmas Christmas movies actually Christmas movies (trust us, it'll make sense)? Conspiracy Bot does his best Clark Griswold. And the fellas exchange Christmas gifts (just be glad they didn't buy for you). So throw another yule log on the fire, grab a glass of eggnog and cozy up for one hell of a Christmas tradition as we celebrate the holidays the only way we know how on the podcast that doesn't always do a holiday episode, but when it does...does it right - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Dec 24, 2017
On the south edge of Chicago's Magnificent Mile - Michigan Avenue - sits the historic Congress Hotel. Originally known for its opulence, it hosted national leaders and foreign dignitaries alike. But almost since its doors opened it's also been known for something more sinister - it's hauntings. From tales of trapped construction workers, to the elevator shafts that allegedly claimed so many lives, to the shocking number of suicides - the Congress is said to have seen its unfair share of death. Do ghouls now lurk its halls as guests sleep? Time to put our money where our mouth is and see for ourselves. We'll take this show on the road to see if the Congress is truly haunted or if it's just another urban legend to help sell ghost hunting kits. We go ghostbustin' this week on Hysteria 51. Plus, Joe Peck returns to the show and brings us actual holy water from Jerusalem in case things get weird (no luck on the piece of the True Cross), Conspiracy Bot installs blast doors on the studio in an attempt to persuade the fellas to take him on the ghost hunt (would you let him loose in downtown Chicago?), and in an unrelated matter Conspiracy Bot no longer has access to a credit card (it's related). All of that and more on the podcast that doesn't stay at haunted hotels often, but when we do, they're only the nicest haunted hotels - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Dec 31, 2017
In 1972 the WUHN radio station out of Peoria Illinois did something most radio stations had stopped doing long ago, they put on a live radio drama - the Peoria Plague. With its roots in Night of the Living Dead and War of the Worlds, it is a piece that has truly stood the test of time to become one of the great dramas in radio history...and yet most people have not heard of it. There are no original copies to be found, just copies of a copy of a copy that survive in the public domain. But that doesn't stop Producer Lisa this week as she goes hunting Zombies with the help of Conspiracy Bot while Brent and John have the week off. Will C-Bot try and poison her? Does an old timey audio drama still hold up to this day? Will you even miss Brent and John? Find out next on the podcast that loves zombies and producers that give the hosts the week off - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Jan 7, 2018
The Ouija Board. It's a simple children's game. Nothing more than cardboard and plastic. An alphabet laid out for kids to spell out messages and pretend the ghost did it. A plaything for the over active imagination and a tool for the manipulative mind. Nothing more. The Ouija Board. Not a simple children's game but much, much more. While it looks like nothing more than cardboard and plastic - appearances can be a deceiving. It's a summoning tool that in the best of circumstances awakens spirits that should be left in slumber. And in the worst of circumstances opens doors to places that shouldn't be opened...and sometime can't be closed. Demons don't like to be disturbed - But which is true? Is Hasbro selling a tool of the devil? Or are thousands of idiots spending their time on YouTube videoing themselves with a children's toy? We examine the history, weigh each side, then dive into the battle and find out for ourselves as we hit the road and test out a Ouija board in the field. Plus, was Bozo the Clown actually a demon who sent kids to hell? Joe Peck joins the show and spends most of it telling the ghosts they're all cowards. And the fellas actually try to summon a demon on the air (and we don't mean C-Bot). All of that and more on the podcast that's never accidentally summoned a demon from the gates of hell, but if we did we know we'd call Bill Murray to help - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Jan 14, 2018
Ever wondered what it would be like to be able to see anything, anywhere, at any time? All you have to do is THINK about it and you can see it INSIDE OF YOUR OWN MIND. Sounds cool, right? But no one can do that. That's the kind of stuff you read in comics and see in movies. In fact, wasn't that what Patrick Stewart did for like 10 years in those X-Men Movies? It's called Remote Viewing and not everyone thinks it's just science fiction. That includes conspiracy theorists, new age philosophers, that one professor you had in college that would smoke weed with his students, and THE U.S. FREAKIN' GOVERNMENT. Who spent over 2 decades and millions of dollars studying the phenomenon (and of course how they could use it for spying). Is it a real, trainable skill that human beings are only now learning to unlock the potential of, or just another waste of taxpayer time and money by good ol' Uncle Sam? We open up our third eyes and go investigating this week. Plus, we talk walrus people milking (don't worry though, no spoilers), C-Bot claims to have access to world's NEST cams (he doesn't - we hope), and we find a reason to mention Bill Brasky (never enough of those). All of that and more on the podcast that considers itself a leader in remote viewing...if by remote viewing we mean viewing TV with a remote - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Jan 21, 2018
Is there a secret, clandestine organization inside the U.S. Government responsible for the identification, investigation, and obfuscation of all extra-terrestrial activity on Earth? If so, they're called The Majestic 12 and were started back in the 40's by Truman right around the time of Roswell. But, the theory has its skeptics - INCLUDING members of the very UFO community it calls home. Is it real or just an elaborate hoax to sell books? The H 51 I-Team gives you the answers this week (well, our opinions...but close enough). Plus, we completely agree with something MUFON says, C-Bot quotes something from this decade, and a clip from Fox News is played on the show (all of the above is true and no it isn't April Fools!). All of that and more on the podcast that absolutely believes in government conspiracies, but only in the truly evil ones, and luckily we know the difference - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Jan 28, 2018
Bigfoot - sometimes a topic needs no introduction and this is one of them. But just in case you stumbled across this podcast by dumb luck and know nothing about cryptids OR you've been living in a bomb shelter, cut off from the world, à la Brendan Fraser in Blast From the Past - here's a quick rundown. It's purportedly a large, hairy, ape-like creature that roams the U.S's Pacific Northwest. While there have been 1000s of sightings, 100s of footprints, and dozens of alleged videos taken of the legend - not one bone, skull, or any other other piece of true forensic evidence has ever been produced substantiating the simian beast's existence. So, is this a lost species that is either too good at hiding or too endangered to be found? Or, if this the greatest self perpetuating hoax of all-time? We strap on our hiking boots and do some tree knocking to get to the bottom of it this week. Plus, C-Bot has a disturbing notion of what one should bring with them to the zoo (we don't know why he needed bleach and plumber's putty), we talk the ins and outs of Bigfoot finding himself (even a Sasquatch can spend his formative years backpacking through Europe), and Brent adds a new voice to his repertoire (Frankenstein's Bigfoot anyone?). All of that and more on the podcast that has not only seen Bigfoot, but ate it too...a lot of it...from Pizza Hut - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Feb 4, 2018
Why would the widower of one of the world's largest gun companies take over 36 years to build a mansion with 160 rooms, staircases that lead to nowhere, trap doors, and secret passageways? Was she simply a crazy old woman with too much time and money on her hands? Or was she doing everything in her power to bewilder and confuse the spirits of those killed by the blood money of the family business? The Winchester rifle DID win the west after all. We bust out our protractors and repeating rifles this week to figure it out. Plus, 2 of our 3 hosts have actually been to the location in question this week so you'd think that would give us a better than usual insight (it doesn't), is Christie Brinkley an actress (duh, have you seen Vacation?), and C-Bot tries to break up Brent's marriage (again). All of that and more on the podcast that doesn't have a mystery house, but if we did it would be just like the one in Webster - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Feb 11, 2018
The year is 1945 and things aren't going well for Hitler and the Third Reich. Time is up for Adolph and everyone knows it. Everyone that is but Hitler himself. As the walls begin to close in he puts even more resources into his Wunderwaffe or Wonder Weapons. The prize of the lot? A bell shaped machine potentially capable of destroying everything and everyone in it's path...or perhaps even altering time itself. We all know how the story ends - the Allies win the war, Germany is split, and the face of the world changes. But what happened to this secret Nazi project? Did it actually even exist? Was Hitler on the verge of using the Nazi Bell to change history forever and if so, where is it now? And what does it have to do with a UFO sighting in Pennsylvania 20 years later? Join us as we go behind enemy lines and ring out the truth this week. Plus, Conspiracy Bot's comedy career goes on hold (thank all that is Holy), the fellas KILL IT with with their German accents (not really), and John continues to confuse the conspiracies on the show with Nazi Zombies from Call of Duty (no surprise there). All of that and more on the podcast that wasn't around for WW2, but if we were we'd definitely have wanted to serve under Lt Aldo Rain - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Feb 18, 2018
Those tin foil hat types are at it again. Talking about a "conspiracy" by the US Government to attack our own cities and military targets just to blame another country so we could invade them...that would NEVER HAPPEN. Wait...hold on...I'm reading...yep, actually not only is it not crazy, it's confirmed to have been planned. That's right, in the early 60's the JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF approved a false flag operation called Operation Northwoods that would authorize attacks on our own military targets, instigate hijackings, and bomb American cities. THEN, plant false evidence implicating Fidel Castro and communist Cuba...so we had a reason to invade. But why were we so willing to hurt our own people? Who was really behind the cover-up? Did JFK die for his refusal to move forward with the plan? This week we spend a Havana Night getting to the bottom of it. Plus, Brent is implicated in the death of JFK (by Conspiracy Bot), somehow there's a discussion about Northern Exposure (remember when Paul Provenza was on?), and C-Bot decides he was a fan of Nero (the most unsurprising news of the week). All of that and more on the podcast that loves EVERYTHING from Cuba; it's cigars...its sandwiches...even its Petes. - Hysteria 51.
Sun, Feb 25, 2018
The Greys - they're the archetype alien. When someone even says the world "alien" - they likely picture a "Grey". You're thinking of them right now - little grey dude...big black eyes...over-sized and round head. Heck, look at our logo - that's a Grey. Is the image just so common now that every loon who says they've been abducted comes back with some version of the traditional Grey image? Or, is it so prevalent because this ACTUALLY IS the group of extra-terrestrials that regularly visit our planet? And if so, is there only one type? Are they actually aliens at all or a version of ourselves from the future? We probe the matter DEEP this week. Plus, Conspiracy Bot tries to make a kitty quesadilla (he fails), Joe Peck invites himself into the kitchen at Taco Bell (he succeeds), and Brent has multiple restraining orders leveraged against him thanks to C-Bot (success or failure on this one depends on your perspective). All of that and more on the podcast that loves ALL the GREYS except maybe the 50 Shades kind - Hysteria 51.