On the latest Bunkum & Ballyhoo, we take aim at one of the internet's favourite obsessions - The Mandela Effect, and how it tells us very little about alternate timelines, but a lot about the selfishness of conspiratorial belief. 🟢: bit.ly/4802SFi 🍎: bit.ly/480a83R 📦: bit.ly/4o2jHFw

Bunkum & Ballyhoo returns with a look at the most audacious literary coup of the 20th century - The Autobiography of Howard Hughes, the tell-all memoir of the world's most famous eccentric recluse. Just one problem - the whole thing was a hoax. 🟢: bit.ly/4oLyBAG 📦: bit.ly/4oLyOUu

Bunkum & Ballyhoo returns with a look at the most audacious literary coup of the 20th century - The Autobiography of Howard Hughes, the tell-all memoir of the world's most famous eccentric recluse. Just one problem - the whole thing was a hoax. 🟢: bit.ly/4oLyBAG 📦: bit.ly/4oLyOUu

Bunkum & Ballyhoo returns to the world of literary scandal, with a new episode on The Autobiography of Howard Hughes - audacious hoax, or the publishing coup of the century? Get exclusive access one week early, exclusively on Patreon.

Bunkum & Ballyhoo returns to the world of literary scandal, with a new episode on The Autobiography of Howard Hughes - audacious hoax, or the publishing coup of the century? Get exclusive access one week early, exclusively on Patreon.

God, True Believer Syndrome is a real sonuvabitch. (Yo, listen to this show!)

In the latest episode of Bunkum & Ballyhoo, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle goes to bat to support the authenticity of some extraordinary photographs, which appear to show two young girls playing with the fairies at the bottom of their garden. But are they the real deal? 🟢: bit.ly/4g755Cl

In the latest episode of Bunkum & Ballyhoo, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle goes to bat to support the authenticity of some extraordinary photographs, which appear to show two young girls playing with the fairies at the bottom of their garden. But are they the real deal? 🟢: bit.ly/4g755Cl

Patreon subscribers can access the next episode right now, one week before anyone else, as the patron saint of Bunkum & Ballyhoo rubes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, returns to the forefront for the story of the Cottingley Fairies.

I can’t say enough great things about this podcast. It’s a briefer listen than most and uses stories about charlatans and oddities to highlight all-too-present truths. In this season 3 premiere, I was delightfully surprised by a rare left turn — then faced with a very uncomfortable (needed) truth.

Bunkum & Ballyhoo returns to the world of mid-20th century con artists, exploring the story of spiritualist medium M. Lamar Keene and the Psychic Mafia, and the perils of True Believer Syndrome. Give it a listen now! 🟢: bit.ly/3IVJZdt 🍎: apple.co/4eZcpzn 📦: amzn.to/3IWrMwk

Bunkum & Ballyhoo returns to the world of mid-20th century con artists, exploring the story of spiritualist medium M. Lamar Keene and the Psychic Mafia, and the perils of True Believer Syndrome. Give it a listen now! 🟢: bit.ly/3IVJZdt 🍎: apple.co/4eZcpzn 📦: amzn.to/3IWrMwk

If you're a Patreon subscriber, you can get early access to the first episode of Bunkum & Ballyhoo Series 3 *right now*, one week before general release!

If you're a Patreon subscriber, you can get early access to the first episode of Bunkum & Ballyhoo Series 3 *right now*, one week before general release!

Watch this space. And listen to the old episodes.

Culminating in part 2 with a closer look at the men at the heart of the Highgate Vampire panic, and some of their other equally unusual, and often unsavoury, beliefs - and why I do Bunkum & Ballyhoo in the first place, and why we should always pay attention to the weirdoes. bsky.app/profile/bunk...

And finally, an epic two part finale looking at one of the strangest stories of the 20th century press - the Highgate Vampire, the supernatural fiend that stalked a London cemetery in the 1970s, and the intertwined lives of the two men who sought to exorcise it. bsky.app/profile/bunk...

In an episode I had planned since first creating Bunkum & Ballyhoo, and eagerly anticipated putting together, a look at the life of Grey Owl, an indigenous North American conservationist who turned out to not be what he seemed. bsky.app/profile/bunk...

From the world of wrestling, looking at the life behind the meme and the viral video, exploring the extraordinary life story of The Great Antonio. bsky.app/profile/bunk...

How about Carlos Kaiser, the Brazilian footballing star who never spent a single minute of a single game on the pitch? bsky.app/profile/bunk...

Or Frank Searle, Monster Hunter Extraordinaire, and his exploits on the banks of Loch Ness. bsky.app/profile/bunk...

Bunkum & Ballyhoo is currently in a between-seasons break, which might run a little longer than expected while @patrickwreed.bsky.social prioritises working on his next book. But that just means there's time to catch up on Series 2, like... The story of Count Dante! bsky.app/profile/bunk...

I don't think any human being has ever had as much fun telling a story as @patrickwreed.bsky.social has here talking about the Highgate Vampire and men who cannot stop yelling about being right.

Bunkum & Ballyhoo is currently in a between-seasons break, which might run a little longer than expected while @patrickwreed.bsky.social prioritises working on his next book. But that just means there's time to catch up on Series 2, like... The story of Count Dante! bsky.app/profile/bunk...

I keep forgetting to jump on here and say how great this show is. Patrick always has a way of laying out the absurd and tracing it straight to immediate relevance.

To end series two of Bunkum & Ballyhoo, we return to Highgate, to look at the afterlife of the Highgate Vampire, to more closely explore the lives of the principle players, and to ask why unusual beliefs are worth paying attention to. 🟢: spoti.fi/3DVVS1e 🍎: bit.ly/42ptqgk 📦: bit.ly/4i8zYFQ

Thank you to the eagle-eyed (eagle-eared?) listener who caught an audio error in the latest episode - this has now been fixed, and the original audio file on Spotify has been updated.

To end series two of Bunkum & Ballyhoo, we return to Highgate, to look at the afterlife of the Highgate Vampire, to more closely explore the lives of the principle players, and to ask why unusual beliefs are worth paying attention to. 🟢: spoti.fi/3DVVS1e 🍎: bit.ly/42ptqgk 📦: bit.ly/4i8zYFQ

Elsewhere in podcast world, I'm back on DiscWorld Order to talk about Reaper Man. I really enjoyed chatting to Mark about this book, and just having the chance to revisit it after at least 25 years since I last read it, I hope you'll enjoy listening to it just as much. 💀🌽

Series two comes to an end with a bumper two-parter about an infamous bit of 1970s spooky nonsense; this is the story of the Highgate Vampire, of the afterlife of a moral panic, of the feud between two vampire hunters, and of why it matters. 🟢: spoti.fi/4i05O7H 🍎: apple.co/3RqNmdo 📦: bit.ly/4iJogm8

Meanwhile, Patreon subscribers get this week's Bonus Ballyhoo exclusive, a look at the life and black magic of Rollo Ahmed - Occultist, Egyptian Mystic, author, lecturer, practicing witch, swindler, and con artist. Also, this series' token Channel Island connection! www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-...

This was one of the episodes I most looked forward to writing when I planned out this series, so please check it out, especially if you're unfamiliar with this story. I hope you enjoy it.

Patreon subscribers get exclusive early access today to *both* parts of the series 2 finale, one and two weeks before anyone else. In the gloom of 1970s London, in a run-down old cemetery, Bunkum & Ballyhoo asks the question - did a Vampire walk in Highgate? www.patreon.com/patrickwreed

This is, in many ways, what this whole podcast has been building to.

Mood board for the two part finale of Bunkum & Ballyhoo series 2.

Grey Owl was a pioneering conservationist, an inspiration to legendary figures in that field, and one of the most famous indigenous North American figures in the world. But Grey Owl harboured a secret. Find out all about it in the latest Bunkum & Ballyhoo. 🟢: spoti.fi/3FAlgKc 📦: bit.ly/4kPZemN

Grey Owl was a pioneering conservationist, an inspiration to legendary figures in that field, and one of the most famous indigenous North American figures in the world. But Grey Owl harboured a secret. Find out all about it in the latest Bunkum & Ballyhoo. 🟢: spoti.fi/3FAlgKc 📦: bit.ly/4kPZemN

The longest episode to date has been 25 minutes. I just finished recording the latest, and it's currently sitting at over 1 hour 30 minutes, going in some directions you might not expect. I think we're looking at our first two-parter here, folks.

a while ago on my blog, and in the first episode of @bunkumballyhoo.bsky.social, I discussed the life of Johannes Van Der Walt, the South African professional wrestler who became a white supremacist paramilitary leader, terrorist, and Nazi sympathiser. I regret to inform you, I found another one.

One week early exclusively for Patreon subscribers, the newest episode of Bunkum & Ballyhoo takes a look at the life and times of the writer and conservation pioneer, Grey Owl - and the thorny issue of cultural appropriation. www.patreon.com/posts/bunkum...

In the latest Bunkum & Ballyhoo, a look behind an early viral pro-wrestling video, to explore the larger than life story of The Great Antonio - from poverty to international stardom, to the peripatetic life of a beloved eccentric. 🟢: spoti.fi/4h4KbCz 🍎: bit.ly/4i0xEBE 📦: amzn.to/3XqpHNN

One week early for Patreon subscribers, a look at the life and times of wrestler, strongman, and Montreal outsider icon The Great Antonio, and why a man's life and work shouldn't be reduced to a meme. www.patreon.com/posts/121726...

Carlos Kaiser had a 13 year career with some of the biggest football teams in Brazil, & an unmatched record - 0 goals scored. In fact, he never even made it on to the pitch. Hear the story of football's greatest faker in the latest episode: 🟢: spoti.fi/3QlxSqF 🍎: apple.co/42YDYoj 📦: amzn.to/4i0X29N

Carlos Kaiser had a 13 year career with some of the biggest football teams in Brazil, & an unmatched record - 0 goals scored. In fact, he never even made it on to the pitch. Hear the story of football's greatest faker in the latest episode: 🟢: spoti.fi/3QlxSqF 🍎: apple.co/42YDYoj 📦: amzn.to/4i0X29N

The camera never lies. Bunkum & Ballyhoo takes its first cautious steps into the murky waters of cryptozoology, as we head to the shores of Loch Ness, and the caravan of Frank Searle, Monster Hunter Extraordinaire. 🟢: spoti.fi/4jFjLKm 📦: amzn.to/4jLABY7

Available one week early exclusively for Patreon supporters, the next episode of Bunkum & Ballyhoo takes a look at the life and lies of Carlos Kaiser, the Brazilian footballing superstar who, in a thirteen year career, never made a single appearance on the pitch. www.patreon.com/posts/bunkum...

Available one week early exclusively for Patreon supporters, the next episode of Bunkum & Ballyhoo takes a look at the life and lies of Carlos Kaiser, the Brazilian footballing superstar who, in a thirteen year career, never made a single appearance on the pitch. www.patreon.com/posts/bunkum...

I watched the WWE Royal Rumble. This is not a review of the WWE Royal Rumble. It is, instead, a reflection of how it made me consider how WWE runs counter to everything I think about how wrestling should presented, and to try and put that into words. www.patrickwreed.com/blog/this-is...