On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about John Ashley. He was the head of the Ashley Gang and was said to rob 40 banks while becoming the head of Florida rum-running during prohibition. He got one of his eyes shot out by a member of his own gang, became the first pirate to attack American ships since it was a British colony, and had a feud with a one-legged sheriff who vowed to take Ashley's eye! His lover and wife, Laura Upthegrave, was just as devious as he was. Bonnie and Clyde got all the attention, but they couldn’t hold a candle to these two!

 

Visit Our Sources:

Expedition Unknown

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ashley_(bandit)

https://indianrivermagazine.com/the-ashley-gang-what-really-happened/

https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/robberies/john-ashley/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Upthegrove

https://indianrivermagazine.com/defiant-to-the-end/

https://www.flsheriffs.org/blog/entry/sheriff-bob-baker

 

 

Episode 725: John Ashley: Gangster, Bootlegger, Pirate!

The Sofa King podcast is a twice-weekly show dedicated to influential people, popular culture, historical events, true crime and listener suggested topics the hosts find interesting. From conspiracy theories and technology to the mass media and the future, this show explores major issues in way that is simultaneously informative, critical, and humorous. The hosts have big ideas, big opinions, big mouths, and give their take on topics in a way that is both cynical and educational. Adult content, themes, and language.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Comedy

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about one of the biggest True Crime cases of the 1990s, that of Lorena and John Bobbitt. In June of 1993, Lorena famously cut off John’s penis with a Ginsu knife, threw it in a field, and later helped the police find and reattach it. The media circus that followed was intense. Cameras were allowed in the court room and listened to Lorena and a majority of the witnesses back up her claims of domestic abuse and rape. We do our half assed best to figure out what really happened, but it ends with John starring in one of the highest grossing pornos of all time and Lorena playing herself in a documentary series by Jordan Peele. Listen, laugh, learn.

 

Visit Our Sources:

https://www.biography.com/crime/lorena-bobbitt

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_and_Lorena_Bobbitt

https://time.com/5317979/lorena-bobbitt-today-anniversary-interview/

https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/battered-woman-syndrome-it-enough-not-guilty-reason-insanity-plea

https://www.nickiswift.com/380822/the-most-bizarre-things-about-the-lorena-bobbitt-case/

https://commons.und.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5068&context;=theses

Episode 745: The Bobbitts: Love Hurts

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we look at the colorful life of Randy "Macho Man" Savage. Randy was one of the all-time greats of wrestling. His character work and wrestling promos are among the most bizarre and hysterical of all time. He had a famous love affair with his manager (and actual wife) Miss Elizabeth, and helped to make WrestleMania, perhaps more than even Hulk Hogan did. Some say he was paranoid and intense, protecting Elizabeth from rivals he didn’t have, and he fell into a 9 year feud with Hogan and an even longer one with Vince McMahon. What turned him into a global pop culture phenomenon? What tore him and Vince apart? What famous wrestler was his brother? Why do they call him one of the best in the history of the business? Listen, laugh, learn.

Visit Our Sources:

https://www.biography.com/athletes/macho-man-randy-savage

https://www.wwe.com/superstars/randysavage

https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Randy_Savage

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Savage

https://nationaltoday.com/birthday/randy-savage/

https://play.aetv.com/shows/biography-wwe-legends/season-1/episode-3

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/513498/9-things-you-might-not-know-about-macho-man-randy-savage

https://uproxx.com/prowrestling/ohhhhh-yeah-10-things-you-might-not-know-about-the-mad-life-of-macho-man-randy-savage/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnBUbRowRgM

Episode 744: Macho Man: Oh Yeah!!!

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we dig into the biography of the one and only Dan Aykroyd. He earned his chops as one of the original cast members on Saturday Night Live, but this cultural legend has brought to life some of the most important characters in all of film. He blew the roof off the joint in 1984 with his film The Blues Brothers, and a few years later, he changed the world of comedy by writing and starring in Ghostbusters. And Ghostbusters was no accident for this man who is a spiritualist and firmly believes in ghosts, UFOs, and the paranormal. What UFO sightings has he had? Why did he create the spirit brad Crystal Skull Vodka? How much money is he worth for all his ghosts and spirits? Listen, laugh, learn.

Visit Our Sources:

https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/dan-aykroyd-3412.php

https://elevatesociety.com/dan-aykroyd/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Aykroyd

https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/culture/ghostbusters-dan-aykroyd-ufo-sighting-b2475454.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rvxPNHf-z4

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/-it-was-a-vivid-sighting-actor-dan-aykroyd-claims-he-had-spectacular-ufo-encounters-four-times-101704794103774.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Head_Vodka

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya0DQwWCO3o

 

Episode 744: Dan Aykroyd: From Ghosts to Spirits

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the life of an understated comic genius, John Candy. For two decades Candy was in some of the best comedies that Hollywood had to offer. But it all started with the famous comedy troupe Second City and his involvement with Emmy winning comedy show, SCTV. In his early years, he befriended and worked with comedians like Dan Aykroyd and Rick Moranis, and eventually became close friends the film legend John Hughes. From Stripes to Uncle Buck and from Home Alone to Planes Trains and Automobiles, this everyman of comedy dominated the scene.

 

 

Visit Our Sources:

https://www.biography.com/actors/john-candy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Candy

https://www.secondcity.com/people/other/john-candy/

https://variety.com/2023/film/news/john-candy-documentary-amazon-colin-hanks-ryan-reynolds-1235517899/

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/610983/john-candy-actor-facts

https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/25-fun-facts-about-john-candy-and-the-comedians-legendary-career

https://facts.net/celebrity/18-mind-blowing-facts-about-john-candy/

https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/actors/john-candy-net-worth/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtayB-vIyfY

Episode 743: John Candy: The Everyman of Comedy

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about one of the largest cults in Japan—the Happy Science Cult. Yes, that’s really their name. They were founded by Ryuho Okawa who was the key rival to the Aum Shinriko cult (who tried to kill Okawa with poison gas in his car). The Happies believe that Okawa is the embodiment of the god El Cantare who was born on Venus millions of years ago. Their leader channels people like Jesus, Buddha, Socrates, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and even Michael Jackson to write books for him. They produce tons of horrible anime, try to influence elections, and of course take all the money they can. Why does Okawa’s son claim he is a fraud? How many books have they written? Why are they called Happy Science? Listen, laugh, learn.

 

Visit Our Sources:

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Happy_Science

https://www.vice.com/en/article/jmvan4/my-afternoon-with-a-failed-japanese-cult

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Science

https://theworld.org/stories/2022-11-30/japan-s-infamous-happy-cult-sets-sights-united-states

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230302-japan-happy-science-cult-leader-okawa-dies-media

https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Death-of-the-founder-of-Happy-Science,-a-controversial-Japanese-religious-sect-57887.html

https://gamerant.com/japanese-cult-happy-science-anime/

Episode 725: John Ashley: Gangster, Bootlegger, Pirate!

Download our free app to listen on your phone