That’s Effin Weird

We're diving headfirst into simulation theory with the Ol Stevenson Longbotom today, exploring the possibility that our entire existence could be part of an advanced computer-generated reality. We'll break down philosopher Nick Bostrom's famous Simulation Trilemma, examine the idea that future civilizations could create entire simulated worlds or could but don't want to, and ask the uncomfortable question: How would we ever know if we were living in one? 

Then we're turning the clock back to 2012—the year the world supposedly came to an end. From the infamous Mayan calendar predictions and fears of an apocalyptic event to theories about timeline shifts, reality glitches, and the possibility that something changed around December 21, 2012, we'll explore why that year still has people questioning what really happened.

Did the world simply move on from another failed doomsday prediction, or is there something more interesting hiding behind the 2012 phenomenon? Could simulation theory explain some of the strange stories people associate with that year, or are we connecting dots that were never meant to be connected? This one is going to make you head hurt for sure!

Host: Stevenson Longbotom

Guest: none

Reference: The simulation argument: Bostrom's trilemma explained , What is Nick Bostrom's Simulation Trilemma? Explained, Your reality really could be a simulation, say experts. Here’s why | BBC Science Focus Magazine, Wild theory claims the world actually ended in 2012... and we are now living in the apocalypse chaos | Daily Mail Online, Do We Live in the Matrix? Physicists Finally Have Answer - Newsweek

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We're diving down the rabbit hole of a theory that suggests much of the internet has become dominated by bots, artificial intelligence, automated accounts, and recycled content rather than genuine human interaction. Some believers argue that the internet effectively died years ago, with algorithms and AI-generated material taking over while real people become harder to find in the endless digital noise.

We'll explore how bot accounts manipulate conversations, how fake engagement can make content appear more popular than it really is, and how AI-generated images, videos, articles, and comments are flooding social media. Could online trends, political discussions, product reviews, and viral stories be manufactured to influence what we think, buy, and believe? And if artificial intelligence can now create convincing conversations, personalities, and entire online communities, how would we even know who—or what—we're interacting with?

Host: Stevenson Longbotom

Guest: none

Reference: The Dead Internet Theory: Is Most of the Web Already AI?

https://www.zendesk.com/blog/ai/chatbots/what-is-a-chatbot/benefits-of-chatbots/ 

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What happens when a real-life mystery, a tragic mistake, and a radio broadcast collide with fear itself? This episode of That’s Effin Weird takes a trip through some bizarre and unsettling stories where the line between entertainment and terror becomes dangerously thin!

First, we’re diving into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of legendary magician Harry Houdini. Known for escaping seemingly impossible situations, Houdini met a shocking end in 1926. Was his death the result of a freak accident, a medical complication, or something more sinister? We’ll explore the story behind his final days, the rumors that followed, and why questions about the world-famous escape artist’s death still capture people’s imaginations.

Next, we investigate a Halloween hayride that took a horrifying turn when a mistake led to a fatal accident. What was supposed to be a night of spooky thrills and harmless scares became a real-life tragedy. We’ll look at how one terrible error can turn an ordinary seasonal attraction into a nightmare—and remind ourselves that sometimes the scariest stories aren’t made up.

Then, we travel back to 1938 for Orson Welles’ infamous War of the Worlds radio broadcast. The dramatic presentation of an alien invasion became one of the most talked-about moments in broadcasting history. How much panic did it really cause? Did listeners truly believe Martians were invading Earth, or has the story grown into a legend of its own? We’ll separate the historical facts from the popular myths surrounding this legendary broadcast.

Host: Stevenson Longbotom

Guest: none

Reference: 10 Shocking And Even Disturbing Halloween Tragedies That Still Haunt People Today | Bored Panda

Eerie Events That Took Place on Halloween - Business Insider

10 Historic Events That Happened on Halloween

What Killed Harry Houdini? | HISTORY

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This Halloween, That’s Effin Weird is digging into the sugary depths of candy history to uncover some of the worst candies ever created! We're talking about the strange, questionable, and downright disgusting treats that make you wonder what the inventors were thinking. From bizarre flavor combinations and infamous candies that divide families to old-school treats that have haunted trick-or-treat bags for generations, we're asking the ultimate question: who actually enjoys eating this stuff?

Remember those candies you secretly traded away at school? The mysterious orange and black Halloween taffy? The candy that looked delicious on the wrapper but tasted like a punishment from the universe? We're revisiting the treats that have earned a reputation for being the unwanted leftovers of Halloween night. And let's be honest—some candy deserves to be haunted.

Host: Stevenson Longbotom

Guest: none

Reference: These are the worst candies ever made

25 Of The Weirdest Candies You Can Get Your Hands On | Food Box HQ

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Think you need an expensive camera, a Hollywood budget, and a professional film crew to make something terrifying? Think again!

In this episode of That’s Effin Weird, we sit down with Jovi, a horror and thriller filmmaker who proves that creativity, passion, and a cell phone can be all you need to bring your darkest ideas to life.

Jovi shares his journey into filmmaking and his passion for creating scary videos with limited resources. We'll explore how he turns simple locations, everyday equipment, and creative storytelling into creepy, suspenseful experiences that get under your skin. When you don't have a big budget or a professional production team, you have to think outside the box, improvise, and find unique ways to make an audience feel fear.

We'll talk about the challenges of filming horror on a cell phone, the tricks behind building suspense, and how independent creators can bring their visions to life without breaking the bank. What inspires someone to create things designed to scare us? How do you make a scene frightening when you don't have expensive effects? And can a simple phone camera capture something just as unsettling as a major Hollywood production?

Join us as we get inside the mind of an independent horror creator, discuss the art of making scary videos on a shoestring budget, and discover why sometimes the most terrifying stories come from the people who have the fewest resources.

Host: Stevenson Longbotom

Guest: Devon Jovi Johnson 

TikTok: @JoviThoughts YouTube: @JoviThoughts IG: @JoviThoughts Reddit u/Newd4yJovi

Reference: What Was the First Horror Movie?

Is Watching Horror Movies Bad for You? The Science - ScienceInsights

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In this episode of That’s Effin Weird, we're hitting the road and exploring some of the world's strangest haunted-highway legends. From Britain's A75, where drivers have reported bizarre apparitions and phantom vehicles, to Blue Bell Hill, famous for its stories of a mysterious female hitchhiker, the UK has no shortage of roads with disturbing reputations.

Then we're crossing the Atlantic to Canada, where stories of ghost roads, phantom hitchhikers, unexplained lights, and tragic encounters have become part of local folklore. Some Canadian legends are tied to documented historical tragedies, while others have been passed down for generations with details that become stranger the deeper you dig.

And here in the United States, we'll investigate roads with reputations ranging from ghostly figures and mysterious lights to legends involving tragic deaths and unexplained encounters. Clinton Road in New Jersey, for example, has become one of America's best-known paranormal roads, surrounded by decades of stories involving ghosts, strange lights, UFO reports, and other unexplained activity.

Host: Stevenson Longbotom

Guest: none

Reference: 10 Most Haunted Roads in America: Real Ghost Stories

Canada’s Haunted Roads: Ghost Hitchhikers & Legends

10 of The UK's Most Daunting and Scariest drives | Carparison

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In this episode of That’s Effin Weird, we're going back to the infamous 2016 creepy clown craze and asking how it all started. One of the earliest widely reported incidents came from Green Bay, Wisconsin, where a mysterious clown known as "Gags" was photographed under a bridge—only for that particular appearance to later be revealed as a horror-film marketing stunt.

From there, things got weird FAST. Reports spread throughout the United States, with some involving alleged attempts to frighten or lure children, while other reports turned out to be hoaxes, pranks, or unverified sightings. Police departments began receiving calls, schools issued warnings, arrests were made, and social-media rumors sometimes caused people to go searching for clowns themselves.

Then the phenomenon crossed the border into Canada and eventually jumped across the Atlantic into the United Kingdom. British police reported incidents involving people dressed as clowns frightening children, while some reports involved weapons or physical confrontations. Authorities also warned that dressing as a clown to intimidate people could result in criminal charges.

Host: Stevenson Longbotom

Guest: none

Reference: ‘Creepy Clown’ sightings: Why the epidemic is spreading across Canada and the U.S. | Globalnews.ca

Killer Clown Hysteria: How a Viral Trend Sparked Global Fear - Illuminating Facts

Students After the clown: https://x.com/AddiCarson/status/783164393504792577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E783164393504792577%7Ctwgr%5E2be707f75472164dbb0f20daa0624038b78e27be%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews.ca%2Fnews%2F2990008%2Fcreepy-clown-sightings-why-the-epidemic-is-spreading-across-canada-and-the-u-s 

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In this episode of That’s Effin Weird, we take a deep dive into Flock Safety cameras, automated license plate readers, and the growing surveillance infrastructure across the United States.

Flock cameras are designed to photograph vehicles and capture information such as license plates, vehicle characteristics, the time and date, and the camera's location. Flock says its system is intended to provide investigative leads for things like stolen vehicles, missing people, and criminal investigations—and says searches are restricted, logged, and controlled by the agencies that own the data.

But there are bigger questions.

If cameras can record where a vehicle was at a particular time and location, what happens when those records are combined across different communities and jurisdictions? Privacy advocates, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, argue that networks of automated license plate readers can create detailed records of people's movements and raise significant civil-liberties concerns.

We'll look at how Flock cameras actually work, what information they collect, who can access that information, how long data can be retained, and how agencies can share information with other agencies. We'll also examine Flock's stated privacy safeguards and the concerns raised by critics about the potential for these systems to become something much larger than simply finding stolen cars.

Host: Stevenson Longbotom

Guest: none

Reference: Axon AI Era Plan - Axon.com

Legal Hub | Flock Safety Terms, Policies & Agreements

USA: Flock Safety's alleged involvement in mass surveillance by federal agencies raises privacy and due process concerns - Business and Human Rights Centre

Trump bought Axon stock before ICE sought $220 million Taser deal

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Amazon is one of the biggest companies on the planet, but behind the boxes, warehouses, streaming services, and one-click shopping is a history filled with controversy, strange stories, and questions worth digging into. In this episode of That’s Effin Weird, we take a closer look at the rise of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, and the massive empire that started as an online bookstore.

We’ll also explore some of the stranger stories surrounding the company and its people, including the $10 million fraud case involving former Amazon employee Kayricka Wortham, as well as a more recent case involving Georgia business owner Brittany Hudson and allegations of nearly $10 million in fraud.

And then things get even more interesting as we head into space. Why was Katy Perry aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin flight? What was really behind the highly publicized celebrity space mission, and why did it generate so many conspiracy theories and questions online? The April 2025 flight was a real Blue Origin mission, but the controversy surrounding its purpose, price, publicity, and connection to Bezos created plenty of material for speculation.

Host: Stevenson Longbotom

Guest: none

Reference:

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What exactly is an “Alpha Male” program, and what happens when young men are challenged to become stronger, more disciplined, and more responsible?

In this episode of That’s Effin Weird, we take a closer look at Modern Day Knights, an organization focused on helping boys and young men develop confidence, leadership, discipline, accountability, and a stronger sense of purpose. We explore what these programs actually teach, why parents and participants are drawn to them, and whether the lessons being taught really translate into everyday life.

We’ll also look at the bigger conversation surrounding modern masculinity, fatherhood, mentorship, and the growing popularity of programs designed to help young men find direction in a changing world.

Are these programs creating stronger men—or are there deeper questions we should be asking? Join us as we take a closer look at the world of Alpha Male programs and Modern Day Knights.

Host: Stevenson Longbotom

Guest: none

Reference: Where the Term Alpha Male Really Came From - ScienceInsights

Squire Program 2026 - Sign Up Form

MDK Project: Application to Greatness

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