Guest host Richard Syrett (Twitter) was joined by researcher Stephen Sakellarios to discuss reincarnation, his past life experience, and a conspiracy theory regarding 19th-century author Charles Dickens. According to Sakellarios, Dickens did not originate "A Christmas Carol" but instead adapted it from the works of Mathew Franklin Whittier and his wife, Abby. He argued that elements of mysticism and spiritualism in "A Christmas Carol" are inconsistent with Dickens' other works. Sakellarios highlighted evidence such as Mathew's affiliation with spiritualist organizations and Abby’s mystic poetry, arguing that Dickens, a materialist and skeptic, could not have authentically incorporated such themes.
Sakellarios referenced instances in Dickens' career that suggest a pattern of appropriation, such as his involvement with illustrator Robert Seymour, whose work on The Pickwick Papers he believes Dickens manipulated and claimed credit for, driving Seymour to despair. Similarly, he cited a letter Dickens wrote with a Freudian slip that implies he "fastened on" rather than created "A Christmas Carol." The Whittiers likely sought to inspire social change through the story, but after Abby's death, Mathew entrusted the manuscript to Dickens, who reworked it under financial pressure, he suggested.
Sakellarios described an intriguing connection to what he believes is a past life as Mathew Franklin Whittier, centering on an architectural detail in a house believed to be tied to Mathew and Abby. The story begins with a vision of Abby leading Mathew up the stairs of a house and into a small, hidden room resembling a linen closet. This unique feature—a door seemingly cut into the wall, leading to a nine-by-nine room midway between floors—turned out to exist in two houses linked to Abby's family property. The architectural detail, which Sakellarios had never encountered before, matched his vision and was corroborated during research. This and other details solidify Sakellarios's belief that he is the reincarnation of Whittier.
TOTO, The Beatles, & Yacht Rock
In the first hour, musician Steve Lukather reflected on his extraordinary career with a mix of humility and gratitude, emphasizing the milestones that have defined his journey. As a founding member of TOTO, he experienced global success, including Grammy-winning albums and hit singles like "Africa" and "Rosanna". Lukather talked about his work as a session guitarist on numerous iconic projects, including Michael Jackson's Thriller, where he contributed to tracks "The Girl Is Mine" and "Beat It". He described working with legends Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr as surreal, particularly given his lifelong admiration for The Beatles, who inspired his love for music after he saw them perform on The Ed Sullivan Show. Lukather also discussed his participation in the recent Yacht Rock documentary.