Flightless Bird

Lifespring Cult 02.06.2026 1год 5хв

In this week’s episode of Flightless Bird, David looks into the bonkers world of the Human Potential Movement and Large Group Awareness Training - viewed through the lens of a child whose mother got sucked into the Lifespring cult in the 80s. Founded in 1974 by three people, Lifespring members found out that it was incredibly hard to leave, as their brains were systematically broken down and dismantled piece by piece. What can we learn from Lifespring, and is this kind of movement still an issue in 2016?Feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Live in Salt Lake City: Skinwalker Ranch, Caving, & Weiner Dog Races 26.05.2026 1год 50хв

Flightless Bird comes to you live from Salt Lake City, Utah. In a jam packed show, Rob and David share their experiences visiting The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Gilgal Sculpture Garden, before being joined on stage by Brandon Fugal (the owner of the mysterious Skinwalker Ranch), Brandon Kowalis (an extreme caver who part of the ill-fated Nutty Putty cave rescue attempt) and Brad Wheeler (professional weiner dog racer). The show is opened and closed by the mesmerizing Salt Lake City-based musician Josaleigh Pollett. Join us for bonus Flightless Bird episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/flightlessbird Feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anna Konkle on Pen15 & the Sane One 19.05.2026 1год 28хв

David and Rob are joined in the studio by Anna Konkle, the co-creator and star of PEN15, one of their favourite shows of all time - looking at the trials and tribulations of being a seventh grader in the United States. Anna has a new book out - The Sane One - looking back at her real life, and real parents, that were part of the inspiration for her show.Feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.comAnna’s book, The Sane One: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-sane-one-a-memoir-anna-konkle/b03f30c6d183b728Watch on Spotify. Spotify subscribers get fewer ads on our episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wisconsin: Supper Clubs 12.05.2026 56хв

In this week’s episode, as part of his “Wisconsin” series, David investigates the world of Supper Clubs in Madison. What the hell is a supper club, and why is this state obsessed with them? What is a Friday Fish Fry, and how creamy is a grasshopper? David attempts to find out.Feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nest Sessions: Nick Thorburn on Underground Comics 07.05.2026 51хв

In this month’s Nest Session, David and Rob are joined in the studio by musician Nick Thorburn (Islands, the Unicorns, Mister Heavenly, The Creem) to discuss his love of underground comics and fulfilling his dream of publishing his own comic with legendary publisher Fantagraphics. Nick - originally from Canada - shares his thoughts on the US, and his music with bands like The Unicorns and Islands, before sharing his favourite homemade American snack, and some charming acoustic renditions of his music. Feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com The Cream: https://www.instagram.com/thecreeem/ Nick’s comic: https://www.fantagraphics.com/products/pear-shape Nick's book: https://www.fantagraphics.com/collections/nick-thorburn/products/penguins Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ICE Detention Center Visit 05.05.2026 56хв

In this week’s episode, David and Rob head to the Adelanto ICE Detention Centre in which is imprisoning New Zealand woman Everlee Wihongi, who holds a valid green card. Rob goes inside and spends an hour with Everlee, discussing what conditions are like, and why the New Zealand government refuses to offer any help. Meanwhile, David calls Everlee’s mother Betty at her home in Wisconsin, to talk about what it’s like to have a family member kidnapped by ICE.Email us your feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.comEverlee’s GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-free-and-get-everlee-home Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ICE Kidnaps A Kiwi 28.04.2026 1год 3хв

In this week’s Flightless Bird we tell the story of Everlee Wihongi, a 36-year-old New Zealander on a green card, snatched by ICE at LAX airport. We talk to her mother Betty, trying to figure out why her daughter got kidnapped, and how to get her out again. Email us your feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmal.com LINKS: - GoFundMe for Everlee’s legal fees: https://gofund.me/c9217e4f1 - Original Webworm reporting: http://www.webworm.co/betty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wisconsin: Cheeseheads 21.04.2026 56хв

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier travels to Madison, Wisconsin, to investigate the World Championship Cheese Contest. With 3375 entries and 150 classes, we are talking a lot of cheese. Hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, the comp has been running since 1957 - and this year was bigger than ever. Why is cheese so big in this part of the US, and what exactly is a cheesehead? All will be revealed in this very cheesy episode. Links: Join us for bonus Flightless Bird episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/flightlessbird Contact us with your feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pro Puzzler 14.04.2026 1год 8хв

On this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob discover that doing jigsaw puzzles is not just a hobby - it’s a sport! They talk to US speed puzzler Karen Kavett - AKA Karen Puzzles - who’s about to head off to the 2026 USA Jigsaw Nationals. How big is the scene and what does it take to get to the worlds? What is the secret to doing puzzles very, very fast? David also reveals that he’s being sued in America after an article he wrote for Webworm, and Rob and David discuss the recent Flightless Bird tour which featured the one and only Rosabel! Links: Email us your feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Karen Puzzles on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenpuzzles/ Rosabel on tour & our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-rosabel-155107678 Why is David being sued? https://www.webworm.co/wildingpart9/ Vote for us at the Webbys: Or - https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/features/best-indie-podcast 1. ⁠Go to webbyawards.com 2. ⁠Click “Go Vote” button 3. ⁠Hit SEARCH 4. ⁠Type in “Flightless Bird” and click on “Flightless Bird” when it turns up 5. ⁠Cast your vote Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parasocial Listener II 07.04.2026 53хв

In this week’s Flightless Bird, we return to Nick from last year’s Parasocial Listener Episode. Nick had been diagnosed with a rare kind of brain tumor - rare in that you can remove it, but it keeps coming back. In today’s episode, Nick has taken a leap of faith and arrived in New Zealand, to eat meat pies, surf, and visit Hobbiton. We catch up with Nick as he meets some fellow Flightless Bird listeners, goes on some soaring adventures, and has a terrifying encounter in a cave. Links:Nick’s paragliding experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l8QYZW2v_INick’s band Pookie: https://www.instagram.com/pookietheband/ The Friendship Paddle: https://www.friendshippaddle.org/ Vote for our Webby: https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/features/best-indie-podcastJoin us for bonus Flightless Bird episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/flightlessbird Contact us with your feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nest Sessions: Genevieve Schatz on being clairvoyant 02.04.2026 1год 2хв

In this week’s Nest Session, David and Rob are joined by Genevieve Schatz, frontperson of Chicago indie band Company of Thieves. Schatz has been on quite the journey since fronting that band - which includes delving into a new type of field: being a clairvoyant! What does this mean exactly, and what’s the boundary between woo and reality? Genevieve also performs in the Flightless Bird studio, showcasing her lyricism and vocal prowess in a pretty hypnotic way!Email us your feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.comJoin us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/flightlessbird You can find Genevieve here: https://www.instagram.com/gemmebean/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Goosebumps 31.03.2026 53хв

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob talk iconic series Goosebumps - discussing their favourite books in the series, the joy of the Scholastic Book Fair, and how Goosebumps have managed to sell over 400 million copies around the world. David then interviews the man himself - R.L. Stine - who has just finished writing his latest book: A book for adults. Join us for bonus episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/flightlessbird Contact us with your feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Food Trucks with Roy Choi 24.03.2026 1год 55хв

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob have Korean-American chef Roy Choi in the studio to talk food trucks. The creator of legendary Korean-Mexican taco truck “Kogi”, Roy talks about his influences growing up, launching a game-changing food truck, and what makes food trucks so important in America’s DNA.LINKS:Upcoming Flightless Bird live shows:3/29 in Salt Lake City at the Depot https://bit.ly/flightlessSLC 4/2 in Austin at Emo's https://bit.ly/flightlessATX 4/4 in Dallas at the Texas Theatre https://bit.ly/flightlessDFW Join us for bonus episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/flightlessbird Contact us with your feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Train Crashes 17.03.2026 1год 11хв

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David talks to a woman who’s been working at a law firm for over a decade that represents motorists who get hit by trains. How is this a full time job? Well, there are around 1300 train derailments in the US every year - 3.5 per day. Since 1975, those derailments have killed 467 people, 12,500 people maimed along the way. Then there are all the incidents of trains hitting cars, mostly at railway crossings. Last year, trains hit cars 1,870 times. 247 people died in the process - and 623 were injured. The year before that, even more people died being hit by America’s trains. David talks survival tips, and tries to get to the bottom of why this is happening. LINKS: Upcoming Flightless Bird live shows: 3/29 in Salt Lake City at the Depot https://bit.ly/flightlessSLC 4/2 in Austin at Emo's https://bit.ly/flightlessATX 4/4 in Dallas at the Texas Theatre https://bit.ly/flightlessDFW Join us for bonus episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/flightlessbird Contact us with your feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jehovah's Witnesses 10.03.2026 57хв

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David talks to two former members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses religion in the USA, to find out what it’s really like inside. Can members really not pledge their allegiance to the American flag? Are they really not allowed to have blood transfusions? Are they not allowed to be gay? Is there anything JW’s *are* allowed to do, besides door knock? David tries to find out. LINKS: Upcoming Flightless Bird live shows: 3/29 in Salt Lake City at the Depot https://bit.ly/flightlessSLC 4/2 in Austin at Emo's https://bit.ly/flightlessATX 4/4 in Dallas at the Texas Theatre https://bit.ly/flightlessDFW Join us for bonus episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/flightlessbird Contact us with your feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nest Sessions: The Format on Fan Clubs & Being Birthed 05.03.2026 53хв

In this month's Nest Session, David and Rob are joined on the couch by The Format's Nate Ruess and Sam Means, who met as teenagers at a Weezer concert while Sam was running the band's fan club. The two reflect on what it was like growing up in the scorching sprawl of the Arizona desert, and Nate shares his uncanny claim of remembering the exact moment he was born. They bring along an iced peanut butter latte for David to get his head around, before discussing the current state of America and the exhausting sense that we've all been here before. The Format then perform The Bar Is Set So Low, Back to Life, and Depressed. Email us your feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.comJoin us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/flightlessbird You can find The Format here: https://www.theformat.com https://www.instagram.com/theformat/ The Bar Is Set So Low: https://theformat.bandcamp.com/track/the-bar-is-set-so-low Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Schizophrenia Simulator 03.03.2026 1год 19хв

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David talks to someone who has schizophrenia. Christopher Grant talks about what it was like to grow up seeing the world a little differently than others, his growing struggles with mental health, and finally being diagnosed and treated. Chris now creates “schizophrenias simulation videos” which are watched by million of people. They are his attempt to let us see the world through the eyes of someone who sees and hears people, and entities, that aren't there. LINKS:This episode is based on original reporting from Webworm: https://www.webworm.co/schizophrenia/ Chris’ videos on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xoradmagical Chris’ videos on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@xoradmagical More of Chris’ work: https://linktr.ee/xoradmagical Upcoming Flightless Bird live shows:3/29 in Salt Lake City at the Depot https://bit.ly/flightlessSLC 4/2 in Austin at Emo's https://bit.ly/flightlessATX 4/4 in Dallas at the Texas Theatre https://bit.ly/flightlessDFW Join us for bonus episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/flightlessbird Contact us with your feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Child Stars with Mara Wilson 24.02.2026 1год 21хв

In this weeks Flightless Bird, David and Rob talk to Mara Wilson about being a child star in films like Mrs Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Street and - of course - the titular character in Matilda. Wilson has had time to reflect on those years, both the good and the bad - and explains what she’s found out. Mara - a podcaster, actor and author also appeared in the HBO documentary Showbiz Kids, so she’s been thinking about this stuff for awhile.Upcoming live show dates:3/29 in Salt Lake City at the Depot https://bit.ly/flightlessSLC4/2 in Austin at Emo's https://bit.ly/flightlessATX4/4 in Dallas at the Texas Theatre https://bit.ly/flightlessDFWFeedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.comJoin us for bonus episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/flightlessbird Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

90's Nickelodeon 17.02.2026 1год 23хв

In this week’s Flightless Bird, Rob schools David on Nickelodeon, the American TV channel launched on April 1, 1979, when David was just three years old. Nickelodeon gave us Rugrats, Doug, and SpongeBob SquarePants - and a bunch of shows David has never heard of like Are You Afraid of the Dark, Legends of the Hidden Temple, Keenan and Kel, and CatDog. What did it means to be a kid in America growing up with these characters, and what’s it like looking back? To explain: A Rob slideshow to rival all his previous slideshows.Upcoming live show dates:3/29 in Salt Lake City at the Depot https://bit.ly/flightlessSLC4/2 in Austin at Emo's https://bit.ly/flightlessATX4/4 in Dallas at the Texas Theatre https://bit.ly/flightlessDFWFeedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.comJoin us for bonus episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/flightlessbird Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hooters 10.02.2026 1год 11хв

In this week’s Flightless Bird, Rosabel muses on the fallout from her episode a few weeks ago, before David and Rob set off for Hooters - absolutely terrified to their core that they will be cancelled in the process by saying the wrong thing or looking in the wrong direction. They hear from a variety of former “Hooters Girls” (their term, not ours) over the last few decades, before talking to current Hooter ambassador Averey Tressler (who eagle eyed listeners may recognise from another All-American institution, The Challenge). Join us as we learn about Hooters - hoot hoot! Email us: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Join us on Patreon for ad-free episodes and bonus episodes, too: www.patreon.com/flightlessbird The Original Hooters guide for staff: https://www.thesmokinggun.com/file/so-you-wanna-be-hooters-girl?page=1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices