Profoundly Pointless

For more than 50 years Fine Art Detective Richard Ellis has traveled the world in search of stolen art.

In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore the fine art underworld. Where stolen masterpieces are sold in secret for millions or used as collateral for weapons and drugs by organized crime.

We talk the biggest art heists, the dumbest criminals and the one case Richard is still trying to solve.

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00:00 Introducing Fine Art Detective Richard Ellis

01:12 How Art is Stolen

06:03 Where Stolen Art Goes

11:19 Investigating Art Theft

17:48 The Biggest Art Theft Case

19:50 Smart Criminals and Dumb Criminals

24:28 The Thief that Got Away

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You might not know it. You might now believe it. But occult practices are all around you.

In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore how the occult shaped American. Influencing everything from cookbooks and movies to wide spread panic and the office of the President.

We talk occult practices, secret ceremonies and what's really on the dollar bill.

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Dr. Brian Regal Website

Dr. Brian Regal Social Media

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Fear is one of our most powerful emotions. It keeps us safe but it can also take over every aspect of our lives. Fear Researcher Dr. Kerry Ressler says there is a way to control it.

In this Episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore the science of fear. We talk why we feel fear, why the modern world has made us so afraid and the one thing everyone fears.

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Dr. Kerry Ressler Website

Introducing Dr. Kerry Ressler: 00:00

Why We Feel Fear: 01:10

What Happens When We're Afraid: 04:10

Controlling Fear: 07:27

Fear vs. Anxiety: 15:47

Why We're More Afraid: 18:22

Universal Fear: 22:49

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Haunted House Designer John Denley has spent the last 30 years creating some of the world’s scariest Haunted Houses. He says there’s one thing that makes a Haunted House truly terrifying, vulnerability.

In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore the business of Haunted Houses. We talk what makes a Haunted House scary, the world’s scariest Haunted Houses and the one thing people fear most.

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John Denley Website

Introducing John Denley: 00:00

What Makes a Haunted House Scary: 01:31

The Business of Haunted Houses: 04:59

The Scariest Haunted Houses: 07:43

Crowd Reactions: 11:03

The Future of Haunted Houses: 16:21

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Sometimes it’s inside information, sometimes it’s changing perceptions with huge amounts of cash, sometimes it’s holding a hair dryer to a weather gage.

Prediction Market Researcher Dr. Joshua Mitts says these are just some of the ways Prediction Markets are being manipulated.

In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore how people are making millions manipulating Prediction Markets like Kalshi and Polymarket.

We talk the different ways Prediction Markets are being manipulated, why some market categories are easier to manipulate than others and why only a very small number of people are actually making money on Prediction Markets.

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Dr. Joshua Mitts

00:00 Introducing Dr. Joshua Mitts

01:21 How Prediction Markets are Manipulated

07:28 The Cost of Prediction Market Manipulation

10:21 Where Prediction Market Manipulation Happens

13:46 Listener Submitted Questions

16:10 Protecting Yourself from Market Manipulation

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Right now Prediction Markets are exploding in popularity and controversy. Going from a niche hobby to a market with billions of dollars in trades.

In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore the future of Prediction Markets with Prediction Market Researcher Dr. Koleman Strumpf.

We talk how prediction markets really work, the crazy/brilliant strategies some people are using to make millions and why Prediction Markets could become the Wild West.

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Dr. Koleman Strumpf Website

Dr. Koleman Strumpf Social

00:00 Introducing Dr. Koleman Strumpf

01:20 What are Prediction Markets

04:37 Why Prediction Markets are Becoming More Popular

05:49 Regulating Prediction Markets

08:55 Manipulating Prediction Markets

12:52 The Dangers of Prediction Markets

14:51 Prediction Market Strategies

18:58 The Future of Prediction Markets

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In Hollywood casting is everything. Movie Producers and Casting Agents have to find just the right person to make movies and TV shows come to life. Even if that person, isn't a person.

In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore how Hollywood casts animals with Hollywood Animal Agent Joel Norton.

We talk what movie producers are looking for in an onscreen animals, why some dog breeds never get case in movies and the most famous movie animals of all time.

00:00 Introducing Hollywood Animal Agent Joel Norton

01:24 How Animals Get Cast in Movies

02:05: What Casting Directors are Looking For

03:51 Hollywood Animal Training

07:46 How Much Animals Get Paid

11:28 The Most and Least Popular Hollywood Dogs

12:24 The Most Famous Hollywood Pet

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In every language there are words you just don’t say. They can be about sex, religion, food or even your mother-in-law.

In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore the fascinating history and controversial present of language taboos with Professor Randall Eggert.

We talk the biggest current language taboos, historical language taboos and language taboos that are forming today.

00:00 Introducing Professor Randall Eggert

01:28 Language Taboos

06:03 The Biggest Language Taboos

08:33 Language Taboos that Have Faded Away

11:53 Historical Language Taboo

13:58 The Next Language Taboo

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Professor Randall Eggert YouTube

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We all know what the big swear words are, but where did they come from, what do they really mean and what do they say about the things we hold sacred.

Linguist Randall Eggert studies swear words. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we look at the history and hidden meaning of swear words. We talk where swear words come from, normal words that used to be swear words and the worst swear words of all time.

00:00 Introducing Professor Randall Eggert

01:11 How Words Become Swear Words

3:00 What All Swear Words Have in Common

07:00 The Worst Swear Words

11:18 The Best Swear Word

15:41 Historical Swear Words

17:16 When Swear Words Become Normal Words

19:57 New Swear Words

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Professor Randall Eggert YouTube

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Why do we cuss? And what happens when we do. Psychologist and Curse Word Researcher Dr. Richard Stephens has spent decades trying to answer those two questions.

Dr. Stephens says that while there are many reason why we cuss, such as anger and trying to fit in, when we curse, our body and mind go through significant changes. Changes that can dull pain and even make us stronger.

In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we talk the unique psychology behind cussing, the power of different curse words and why our brains treat curse words differently than other words.

00:00 Introducing Dr. Richard Stephens

01:11 Why We Cuss

02:30 What Happens When We Cuss

03:57 Cussing and Pain Management

05:31 Cussing Makes Us Stronger

08:09 The Strongest Cuss Words

09:45 Why Some People Cuss More

12:19 Cussing and Honesty

16:39 The Best Cuss Word

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Dr. Richard Stephens

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