We're doing a reverse episode where Kellie actually did some homework! 

Mall  Santas have a long tradition of bringing joy to children throughout the world, but do you really know what's behind the beard? This week, we explore the story of the first mall Santa, assess the three main Santa wars, and examine the most prolific Santa school. 

It's all things Santa today, in case you didn't pick up on it... 

Did we miss anything Santa? Email us at [email protected]

Our intro and outro music is by Commuted. Find him at https://commuted.bandcamp.com/

Our art is by Zachary Groombridge. 

We came up with every Little Drummer Boy joke that could possibly exist while interviewing Chris Vergara, a Toronto-based actor who spent years making an income as part of an a-capella Christmas caroling ensemble. 

Find Chris on Instagram @verbitty

Want to share the real meaning of Christmas? Email us at [email protected]

Our intro and outro music is by Commuted. Find him at https://commuted.bandcamp.com/

Our art is by Zachary Groombridge

We're back! And we're talking about a spooky side hustle that we totally intended to publish on Halloween but I guess we'll hope the topic is evergreen and eternal as its subject matter: ghosts.

We talk about the history of ghost hunting, the ways people pursue it today, and how you too can make money by making a YouTube channel where you scream at your friends hysterically for over an hour. 

Want to confront us with proof of the paranormal? Email us at [email protected]

Our intro and outro music is by Commuted. Find him at https://commuted.bandcamp.com/

Our art is by Zachary Groombridge

Sources for this episode: 

Podcasts

Last Podcast on the Left: The Most Haunted House in England Part II, Dirty Ding. Oct. 2019

Web

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

https://sharonahill.com/2017/07/22/confessions-about-confessions-of-ghost-hunters/

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/09/10/Ghost-hunting-woman-dies-at-U-of-Toronto/12001252605435/?pvn=1&u3L=1

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

https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.218596/page/n273/mode/2up

https://www.youtube.com/c/samandcolby

www.gallup.com/poll/16915/Three-Four-Americans-Believe-Paranormal.aspx

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

https://www.historyvshollywood.com/video/enfield-poltergeist-recording/

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/576188/The-Enfield-Haunting-Poltergeist-The-Sky-Living-Dr-Barrie-Colvin

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0426697/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486232/

https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/historical-ghost-stories

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/3500-year-old-babylonian-tablet-may-hold-earliest-known-ghost-image-180978923/

https://www.worldhistory.org/ghost/

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/the-power-of-suggestion-what-we-expect-influences-our-behavior-for-better-or-worse.html

Hey folks! No new episode this week, but we have news to share with you, and a teeny-tiny request.  

Don't worry, we'll be back soon! 

If you wanna complain about us missing a week: email us at [email protected]

Our intro and outro music is by Commuted. Find him at https://commuted.bandcamp.com/

Our art is by Jennifer Walker. Find her at https://www.jenniferwalker.design/

We're joined again by Brian Hall for his long-awaited tales of his time as a pizza delivery boy. Get ready for tales invoking porn, prison, and maybe even a D-list celebrity cameo... 

Want our mailing addresses so you can send us a pizza? Email us at [email protected]

Our intro and outro music is by Commuted. Find him at https://commuted.bandcamp.com/

Our art is by Jennifer Walker. Find her at https://www.jenniferwalker.design/

Did you listen to our Tony Robbins episode and think "yeah, I think I do wanna do this! How do I do this?" Well, we're going to get inside the science, history, and business to determine the best way into motivational speaking. 

Also we do a lot of crossing over with previous episodes... 

Feeling motivated to communicate with us electronically? Email us at [email protected]

Our intro and outro music is by Commuted. Find him at https://commuted.bandcamp.com/

Our art is by Jennifer Walker. Find her at https://www.jenniferwalker.design/

Podcasts

• Oh No Ross and Carrie. Parts 1, 2, and 3, Get Rich Quick. 

Books

• National Speakers Association. Paid to Speak: Best Practices for Building a Successful Speaking Business. Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2011. 

Film

• Tony Robbins: I am Not Your Guru. Dir. Joe Berlinger. Netflix, 2016

Web

https://virtualspeech.com/learn/motivational-speakers/

https://www.landmarkworldwide.com/

https://virtualspeech.com/blog/history-public-speaking

https://walton.uark.edu/business-communication-lab/Resources/downloads/The_Five_Canons_of_Rhetoric.pdf

https://hbr.org/2017/07/the-science-of-pep-talks

https://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/7878/Motivational-Speaker.html

https://www.vqronline.org/essay/was-ralph-waldo-emerson-our-first-motivational-speaker

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

https://brandarchitects.medium.com/is-the-landmark-forum-a-cult-c389d2c3af15

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/dec/14/ameliahill.theobserver

https://culteducation.com/group/907-nxivm/34360-escaping-nxivm.html

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

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/08/landmark-42-hours-500-65-breakdowns/

https://www.forbes.com/forbes-life-magazine/2003/1110/070.html?sh=ce7019537075

https://www.forbes.com/sites/shephyken/2019/06/30/so-you-want-to-be-a-motivational-speaker/?sh=53950c766a54

*Content warning* This episode includes discussions of sexual harassment, suicide, and familial abuse. 

We begin our journey into the world of motivational speaking with a full-episode case study on Tony Robbins, one of the most famous and financially successful speakers and life coaches of all time. 

Can you turn your life around by walking over coals? Are this gigantic, gravelly-voiced titan's seminars really worth the thousands of dollars they cost to attend??? 

Feel motivated to talk to us about stuff? Email us at [email protected]

Our intro and outro music is by Commuted. Find him at https://commuted.bandcamp.com/

Our art is by Jennifer Walker. Find her at https://www.jenniferwalker.design/

Sources:

Podcasts

• Oh No Ross and Carrie. Parts  2, and 3, Get Rich Quick. 

Books

• National Speakers Association. Paid to Speak: Best Practices for Building a Successful Speaking Business. Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2011. 

Film

• Tony Robbins: I am Not Your Guru. Dir. Joe Berlinger. Netflix, 2016

Web

https://www.tonyrobbins.com/

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

https://fortune.com/2014/10/30/tony-robbins-best-advice-executive-coach/

https://moneyinc.com/why-many-people-believe-tony-robbins-is-a-scam/

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/janebradley/tony-robbins-self-help-secrets

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelschein/2018/05/03/tony-robbins-is-a-major-jerk-and-other-reasons-you-should-follow-his-lead/?sh=7a8cf03f7be9

https://www.forbes.com/forbes-life-magazine/2003/1110/070.html?sh=ce7019537075

https://www.forbes.com/sites/shephyken/2019/06/30/so-you-want-to-be-a-motivational-speaker/?sh=53950c766a54

Tony Robbins and #metoo - what is wrong with this picture?

Content warning: our discussion addresses the fantasies of callers into a phone sex line, which include fantasies targeting minors. 

We are lucky to be joined by Shauna Elliott to discuss her time in the fascinating world of phone sex. Topics discussed include the surprising resilience of the industry, the most interesting requests she's performed,  and her tips on how to keep your customers requesting you years after you've hung up the headset for the last time. 


Want to see if there's a future in email sex? Email us at [email protected]

Our intro and outro music is by Commuted. Find him at https://commuted.bandcamp.com/

Our art is by Jennifer Walker. Find her at https://www.jenniferwalker.design/

We're joined once again by previous guest Brian Hall! (If you don't recognize him then listen to our Officiating Weddings episode. Then laugh and learn like a grown up). 

We talk about the strangest summer job he ever had involving a zoo, a gorilla suit, and what a man is willing to give up for a slushie. 

There's some twists and turns in this one, folks...