BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 376) — This special three-in-one episode is a thorough exploration of the true story behind the U.S. government's top secret program investigating UFOs called Project Blue Book. In 2019, the History Channel released a dramatized version of Project Blue Book's reports starring Aidan Gillen as Dr. J. Allen Hynek.

Ufologist Rob Kristoffersen will help us uncover the true story behind each episode of the twenty episodes in the TV series. Then, the third part of our episode today is to talk to David O'Leary (Creator of Project Blue Book) and Sean Jablonski (Showrunner of Project Blue Book) to go behind what it took to make a series about UFOs that is based on true events.

Where to watch Project Blue Book

Listen to Rob's awesome podcast, Our Strange Skies

Read the U.S. Air Force fact sheet on Project Blue Book

Answer this question from the episode:

What do you think people are seeing when they report UFOs? 

Share your opinion in the BOATS Discord

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:24 Synopsis

00:03:47 Rob Kristoffersen on Project Blue Book season one

01:25:48 Rob Kristoffersen on Project Blue Book season two

02:41:26 David O'Leary and Sean Jablonski on creating Project Blue Book

Support my work

• Become a BOATS Producer (name in credits + ad-free episodes)
• Great deals from my sponsors
• Join the BOATS Discord
• Get the BOATS email newsletter
• Email me: [email protected]
• Get my video podcasting class

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BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 375) — Donald Rumsfeld served as the U.S. Secretary of Defense twice in his career, including during the 9/11 attacks. Today, we'll learn how the movies "Vice", "W." bring a fictional portrayal of Rumsfeld. We'll also look into the accuracy of the documentary "The Unknown Known" which interviews Rumsfeld himself.

⁠Get William's book⁠

Separating fact from fiction for us today is William Cooper, whose new historical fiction novel "The Trial of Donald H. Rumsfeld" is available now.

⁠Where to watch Vice⁠

⁠Where to watch W.⁠

⁠Where to watch The Unknown Known⁠

Answer this question from the episode: What impact do you think Rumsfeld has had in U.S. politics today?

⁠Share your opinion in the BOATS Discord⁠

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:15 Movie synopsis

00:02:13 Two truths and a lie

00:03:27 Interview

01:09:02 Two truths and a lie answer

Also mentioned in this episode

• ⁠Follow William on Bluesky⁠
• ⁠(BOATS EP. 196) — Moneyball with William Cooper⁠
• ⁠(BOATS EP. 335) — Vice with William Cooper⁠
• ⁠Search Rumsfeld's archive at Rumsfeld.com⁠
• ⁠William's Non-Fiction Book: "How America Works . . . and Why It Doesn’t"⁠

Support my work

• ⁠Become a BOATS Producer (name in credits + ad-free episodes)⁠
• ⁠Great deals from my sponsors⁠
• ⁠Join the BOATS Discord⁠
• ⁠Get the BOATS email newsletter⁠
• ⁠Email me: [email protected]⁠
• ⁠Get my video podcasting class⁠

Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: ⁠https://links.boatspodcast.com/375

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 375) — Donald Rumsfeld served as the U.S. Secretary of Defense twice in his career, including during the 9/11 attacks. Today, we'll learn how the movies "Vice", "W." bring a fictional portrayal of Rumsfeld. We'll also look into the accuracy of the documentary "The Unknown Known" which interviews Rumsfeld himself.

Get William's book

Separating fact from fiction for us today is William Cooper, whose new historical fiction novel "The Trial of Donald H. Rumsfeld" is available now.

Where to watch Vice

Where to watch W.

Where to watch The Unknown Known

Answer this question from the episode: What impact do you think Rumsfeld has had in U.S. politics today?

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:15 Movie synopsis

00:02:13 Two truths and a lie

00:03:27 Interview

01:09:02 Two truths and a lie answer

Also mentioned in this episode

Support my work

Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/375

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 374) — Today we'll rejoin Billy the Kid's outlaw gang as they continue their attempts to escape the law following the events in Young Guns (BOATS EP. 146). Was Brushy Bill Roberts a real person? Was he Billy the Kid? What other creative liberties did the filmmakers take in telling the true story of Billy the Kid?

Where to watch Young Guns II

Follow Josh's podcast

To help us unravel the historical accuracy of Young Guns II, we'll be joined by Josh, the host of The Wild West Extravaganza podcast.

Is Young Guns or Young Guns II a better movie?

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:15 Movie synopsis

00:02:13 Two truths and a lie

00:03:27 Interview

01:09:02 Two truths and a lie answer

Also mentioned in this episode

Support my work

Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/374

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 373) — Learn about legendary aviator Amelia Earhart as she was portrayed onscreen by Hilary Swank in the 2009 biopic. To uncover the true story, today we'll talk with author, documentarian, and host of Chasing Earhart , the only podcast dedicated entirely to Amelia Earhart: Chris Williamson.

Where to watch Amelia

Get Chris's book

Chris Williamson has an array of work with the Chasing Earhart Project, including the book "Rabbit Hole: The Vanishing of Amelia Earhart & Fred Noonan."

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:15 Movie synopsis

00:02:13 Two truths and a lie

00:03:27 Interview

01:09:02 Two truths and a lie answer

Also mentioned in this episode

Support my work

Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/373

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 372) — Travel back to the Old West for a tale of revenge, Pinkerton agents, and frontier justice in the wake of the Civil War. One of those former Pinkerton agents in the movie is John Scobell (Gbenga Akinnagbe), making 2025's Trail of Vengeance the first movie to feature John Scobell as one of its main characters.

Where to watch Trail of Vengeance 

Get Rob's book

To help us separate fact from fiction in the movie today is author Rob Hilliard, whose book "In Freedom's Shadow" is a historical novel based on John Scobell. How well does the movie tell us John Scobell's true story? Let's find out!

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:09 Movie synopsis

00:02:05 Two truths and a lie

00:03:18 Interview

01:31:54 Two truths and a lie answer

Also mentioned in this episode

Support my work

Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/372

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 371) — How well do you know about the real Bruce Lee? There are a lot of myths that came out of the movie "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story" so today we'll pull another classic episode from the Based on a True Story vault.

Where to watch Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story

⁠Get Matthew's book⁠

Matthew Polly authored "Bruce Lee: A Life," called the definitive biography by The New York Times. His research revealed Lee's more complex humanity, debunking decades of Hollywood myths.

Did you enjoy this episode?

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BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 370) — Twentieth Century-Fox's "Titanic" starring Barbara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb claims to draw facts from 1912 congressional inquiries, so how well does it do when we compare it to history?

Where to watch Titanic (1953)

⁠Get Mark's book

Mark B. Perry is the author of the novel "And Introducing Dexter Gaines: A Novel of Old Hollywood", a tale that transports you back to the time when during the film's production. is a Golden Globe and Emmy-winning screenwriter known for Wonder Years, Law & Order, Picket Fences, and more. A self-proclaimed "ship geek" and founding board member of SS United States Conservancy, he ironically wrote his own Titanic screenplay in 1988—rejected by studios because "nobody cares about the Titanic."

Also mentioned in this episode

Did you enjoy this episode?

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BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 369) — This Friday marks the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings. Arguably the most popular movie depicting the fighting on the beaches of Normandy is 1998's Saving Private Ryan.

Did you enjoy this episode?

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BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 368) — Go behind the true stories shown in Holocaust movies through the experiences of Robert Wolf's family. Since we'll be talking about the Holocaust, listener discretion is advised.

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