This week, SMiles Lewis joins AP for a wide-ranging discussion about fringe and conspiracy narratives and the ways in which many of these ideas have mutated as they have made their way into mainstream culture. SMiles is the founder of Anomaly Archives, a Texas-based collection of over 7000 titles related to UFOs, parapsychology, and other unexplained phenomena. He is a longtime researcher, writer, and podcaster with a valuable perspective on the topic at hand. In 2023, he was featured in a New York Times Op Ed by Dr. Annie Kelly, which analyzed the rise of QAnon and the prominence of conspiracy theories in public discourse. Times being as they are, it seemed a fruitful line of inquiry to revisit the topic and discuss how this has progressed in the few short years since Dr. Kelly wrote her article.

In conversation here, SMiles discusses his history with fringe topics and various turning points in the last few decades that have helped formerly fringe ideas proliferate. They manage to find room for levity in what might seem a dark topic, as they discuss everything from 9 / 11 truthers to Bohemian Grove and more. Also discussed is the balancing act of remaining simultaneously critical and open to ideas, and the importance of preserving one's sanity when diving into rabbit holes.

Check out SMiles' work at Anomaly Archives here: https://anomalyarchives.org/ , and consider joining the Patreon for it to help support a tremendous lending library in need!

This week's show is a fun and fascinating discussion with author and journalist Aaron Smith about his book, Natural Born! Circus, Sideshow, and the Art of Being Human. In the book, he interviews and profiles working performers in the world of sideshow that would have once been called "freaks"- now largely preferring the term "Natural Born"- about their experiences, lives, philosophies, and ambitions. Before he began his career in journalism, Aaron had worked for the circus as a cotton candy vendor and a roustabout, giving him a unique insider perspective and credential that leads to enlightening conversations with those profiled about humanity and finding one's place in the world. In conversation here, Smith explains the inspiration for the book and the methods he undertook to find these performers, providing a snapshot of the modern version of a sideshow- something many would assume is a thing of the past.

He and AP talk about several of the performers featured in the book, such as Jackie the Human Tripod, Short E. Dangerously, The Bendable Girl Camille Zamboni, and many more. Actor and natural Mat Fraser, aka Seal Boy, comes up frequently both in the book and discussion; he was among the stars of the TV series American Horror Story in the Freak Show season, which leads to talk of media representation and common perspectives about people who are born differently. This provides a through line for the history of the subject, from the early days and the ever presents specter of exploitation, which makes the points of view of these modern day performers all the more valuable.

Check out Aaron Smith's book from Outside Talker Press here: https://outsidetalkerpress.bigcartel.com/product/natural-born-circus-sideshow-and-the-art-of-being-human

On this week's episode, Rachel Nelson joins AP for an in-depth and thoughtful discussion about the merry old land of Oz and the many ways the mythic realm has impacted our culture since L. Frank Baum first created it. Rachel is a researcher, a poet, and a presenter of the strange over at Ufo Sunset, a multimedia project she works on with Jeff Knox. In this conversation, Rachel discusses what ultimately led her to the UFO subject through a variety of other strange interests, where her interest in Oz began, and how these two interests often overlap. More than that, though, they discuss how ubiquitous the Oz narratives are which inform us all in some way or another.

The discussion covers a bit about Baum and his life, and his influences which include his mother-in-law, the activist Matilda Joslyn Gage. The 1985 movie Return to Oz is also discussed, with a focus on the character of Princess Ozma. The freewheeling conversation frequently alludes to concepts in the field of anomalies such as the Oz Effect, and attempts to contact ET civilizations, while also dipping into the almost subliminal qualities of tropes and narratives within the Oz cannon in the cultural subconscious. Further, there's discussions about semiotics, David Lynch, and finally, Rachel's current efforts with a large scale poetry project. Of course there's also lions and tigers and bears along the way!

Check out the awesome videos by Ufo Sunset at https://www.youtube.com/@UfoSunset1947