Best Treefort Media Podcasts (2024)

1
COURTING DISASTER 32:39

41m ago32:39

32:39

The stakes are high for Scott McAda as he faces off against William “Wild Bill” Holbert in a Panamanian courtroom. The wealthy retiree is confident that his meticulous preparation will bring him justice and reveal he is telling the truth, not the avowed murderer in shackles sitting across the table. But, once again, Scott underestimates his nemesis…

1
Encore - Dorothea Puente: Killer Landlord 42:52

3m ago42:52

42:52

Former FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong delves into the case of Dorothea Puente, a murderer who primarily found her victims at the boarding house she oversaw. Dorothea hid behind a kind, grandmotherly facade, all the while stealing from and killing her residents. Need more Killer Psyche? With Wondery+, enjoy exclusive episodes, early …

1
The UFO Episode 51:22

9h ago51:22

51:22

🛸🛸🛸 Paul and Stephen are joined by intrepid investigative journalist Leslie Kean — the very journalist who broke the groundbreaking 2017 UFO story to The New York Times and introduced the world to the Pentagon’s UFO videos. Leslie unveils the intriguing story of Luis Elizondo, the former head of the Pentagon program responsible for the investigatio…

1
CERTIFIED PSYCHOPATH 48:31

1h ago48:31

48:31

As the body of another victim lays in a shallow grave in Bocas del Toro, serial killers William “Wild Bill” Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese flee Panama. A manhunt crisscrosses Central America, lasting weeks while the expat community in Bocas reels from the news that their friendly neighborhood barkeep was actually a cold-blooded murderer. Despite …

1
Jerry Brudos: Fetish Killer 47:16

7d ago47:16

47:16

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong explores the case of Jerry Brudos. In his youth, Jerry developed an obsession with women’s feet and shoes – an obsession that would eventually drive him to murder four women between 1968 and 1969. Candice explains how Jerry’s fetish may have manifested, and what drove him to commit such terribl…

1
CHINWAG LIVE: Were the Wolves At? 27:18

1h ago27:18

27:18

🐺🐺🐺 Under the shadow of the full moon at the Boston Armory, Paul and Stephen tackle beastly audience questions in this live recording of Chinwag. Ever wondered why cats are such mysterious predators, or if Bela Lugosi really donned werewolf fur? The conversation shifts to popular culture’s take on werewolves, the impact of Twilight on werewolf cult…

1
FRIENDLY FIRE 48:59

10d ago48:59

48:59

Not long after American fugitive William “Wild Bill” Holbert lands in Central America, he sets up shop as a “psychiatrist” catering to fellow expats, a ruse which helps him progress from con man to serial killer. As a fake therapist he hones two useful skills – building trust and feigning empathy – that he uses to his advantage while targeting peop…

1
Karen Read 36:47

4h ago36:47

36:47

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong speaks with legal analyst Josh Ritter to discuss the polarizing trial of Karen Read, who stands accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston Police officer John O’Keefe, in January 2022. The case made its way into national headlines when both sides put forward two completely different theories of w…

1
CHINWAG LIVE: The Werewolf Experience 58:23

16d ago58:23

58:23

🐺🌖🐺 Recorded live at the historic Boston Armory, join hosts Paul and Stephen for a thrilling conversation on werewolves, from ancient myths to modern interpretations. Go back in time to break down the great werewolves of the past: Jan Thys of Livonia, Peter Stump, and of course…the Beast of Gévaudan, a mysterious creature in 18th-century France. La…

1
RIDE OR DIE 36:49

7d ago36:49

36:49

One Spring evening in 2010, Scott McAda is waiting on the docks of Bocas del Toro, Panama for a friend to whisk him across the lagoon when along comes a boat with one occupant - William “Wild Bill” Holbert. Wild Bill insists on taking Scott to his destination, leaving the two men alone in the remote, open waters. Scott has no clue that months earli…

1
Dennis Rader - BTK PT II: A Conversation with Katherine Ramsland 38:35

21d ago38:35

38:35

In the second half of this two-part episode, retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong speaks with Dr. Katherine Ramsland, a forensic psychologist and one of the world’s foremost experts on serial killers. In her book, Confession of a Serial Killer: The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer, Katherine details her years-long corr…

1
Mark Mothersbaugh is DEVOted: Part 2 38:27

23d ago38:27

38:27

🧿🧿🧿 More Chinwag with DEVO’S co-founder, and author of the beautiful new book “Apotropaic Beatnik Graffiti”, Mark Mothersbaugh. Mark shares his earliest memory of AI which happened to involve Timothy Leary’s AI therapist! Then, DEVO’s frontman takes us back to a memorable church trip when he hears people speaking in tongues. And what’s all that got…

1
THE JOLLY ROGER SOCIAL CLUB 45:07

14d ago45:07

45:07

William “Wild Bill” Holbert and his companion Laura Michelle Reese fled Costa Rica for Panama and are now running a dockside bar close to their new home called The Jolly Roger Social Club. The hangout is popular with expats, like wealthy American retiree Scott McAda, who grow accustomed to Wild Bill slinging drinks in a Viking helmet and telling ou…

1
Dennis Rader: BTK Part I 50:43

22d ago50:43

50:43

In the first half of this two-part episode, retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong explores the case of Dennis Rader, also known as BTK. Over 17 years, Rader tortured and murdered 10 people, while playing a game of cat and mouse with law enforcement and the media. Candice digs into how one of the most infamous killers in history, wa…

1
DEVOlution with Mark Mothersbaugh 40:46

1M ago40:46

40:46

🤖🖼🎸 This Chinwag welcomes Mark Mothersbaugh, DEVO’s co-founder and author of the fascinating new book “Apotropaic Beatnik Graffiti.” Come along and reminisce about DEVO’s first live appearance on SNL, thanks to the legendary Blues Brothers, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. Mark is tickled to learn Paul and Stephen were spooked by DEVO as kids, and Mar…

1
Dennis Nilsen: The Kindly Killer 47:51

22d ago47:51

47:51

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong examines the case of Dennis Nilsen. Between 1978 and 1983, Nilsen preyed on the homeless and gay communities of London, murdering 15 people in his home. Candice dives into Nilsen’s isolated and lonely childhood, and the intense desire for love that led him to kill. Need more Killer Psyche? With…

1
THE CONCRETE PLAN 50:25

1M ago50:25

50:25

American fugitives and prolific con artists William “Wild Bill” Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese murder a man in Costa Rica, steal his suitcase full of money and dispose of his body in the yard of their rental home. Then the killers escape over the border into Panama to find their next mark. When they come upon a family selling their property in th…

1
On Disability & Monsters 1:17:39

27d ago1:17:39

1:17:39

🦾🐕‍🦺🦻🏼 On this riveting Chinwag, Paul and Stephen speak to Riva Lehrer, an award-winning artist, writer, and curator with an unconventional approach to portraiture. Together they explore the nuances of living with a disability, stigma, defining beauty, and the complexities of human interactions. Riva shares the importance of representation and the …

1
THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING 50:09

1M ago50:09

50:09

Over a year has passed since that night aboard the Natural Selection. By now, William “Wild Bill” Holbert has graduated from grifter to murderer. He is arrested (along with his faithful companion, Laura Michelle Reese) and charged with murdering six fellow ex-pats in Central America. As he awaits trial in a Panamanian prison, Wild Bill makes a shoc…

1
Matthew Milat: Keeping Murder in the Family 39:07

1M ago39:07

39:07

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong digs into the case of Matthew Milat. In his early teen years, Matthew harbored an unhealthy obsession with his uncle -- Ivan Milat, the notorious "Backpack Murderer" of Australia. In 2010, Matthew decided to follow in Ivan's footsteps by killing his own friend. Candice explores Matthew's descen…

1
Fortean Times Talk 59:31

1M ago59:31

59:31

📰🛸🕵🏼‍♀️ Fortean Times has been bringing weirdness into people’s lives for over 50 years and Paul’s been reading its pages since he was a mere Chin-cub. Now join Paul and Stephen as they meet the man behind the mag, esteemed News Editor, Ian Simmons. What follows is a mind-bending exploration of the weird and wonderful including a colorful sketch of…

1
I AM A GOD 45:25

1M ago45:25

45:25

Bocas del Toro, Panama – 2009. Scott McAda, his wife Belinda, and their son Wes are enjoying a peaceful sunset on their yacht, the Natural Selection, when a motorboat approaches. An American couple introduce themselves as Bill and Jane Cortez. Always a friend to fellow expats, Scott invites them on board for a cocktail, but after several rounds of …

1
Mothman: Legend and Lore 24:11

1M ago24:11

24:11

👨🏼‍🏫🍏🕰️ The Professor is in for Chinwag Office Hours! Professor Stephen Asma offers his rarefied time and detours into more of the unusual topics you crave. This week on Office Hours, Stephen drops his knowledge on the Mothman and the psychology of creepiness. What is the purpose of creepy feelings and eerie sensations? Are they interdimensional be…

1
ENCORE: The Cult of Kathryn Hahn 1:00:09

1M ago1:00:09

1:00:09

🏐🏐🏐 Paul Giamatti and Stephen Asma were delighted to speak with the wonderful Kathryn Hahn in this early Chinwag gem. They were fascinated by Hahn's deep knowledge of cults, con men, hypnosis, brainwashing dogs, and the power of late night volleyball sessions. Hear about Travis the chimpanzee, radical nuns, lice couches, whether the Popes "Netflix …

1
Belinda Van Krevel: Her Brother's Keeper 45:39

1M ago45:39

45:39

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong explores the case of Belinda Van Krevel. After enduring a childhood of alleged abuse – and her brother’s eventual spiral into violence and imprisonment – she orchestrated the murder of her father, whom she blamed for her brother’s downfall. Candice dives into this troubled family, and how Belin…

1
ASK THE PHILOSOPHER! PT DEUX 57:36

2M ago57:36

57:36

📚🧐🏛 Paul’s been studying up on Western philosophy and has even more burning questions for our exceedingly patient resident expert, Professor Stephen Asma. Lean in to these bite-sized lessons about rationalists, empiricists and idealists, and Stephen’s explanation of the notoriously difficult to understand German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich …

1
Stephen Griffiths: Crossbow Killer 40:08

2M ago40:08

40:08

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong dives into the case of Stephen Griffiths. Between 2009 and 2010, Griffiths killed and cannibalized women in the West Yorkshire, England town of Bradford. His unusual weapon of choice – a crossbow – earned him the nickname “The Crossbow Cannibal.” Candice digs into the troubled mind of Griffiths…

1
Bonus-wag: Burning Questions with Bill Hader 24:55

2M ago24:55

24:55

😊🎙️👽 It’s the audience’s turn to ask Paul, Stephen and the hilarious Bill Hader anything at this Chinwag recorded live from Dynasty Typewriter in L.A., and things go off the rails pretty quick! If aliens land on Earth, what movie would this trio show them first? Then at the audience’s prodding, hear their favorite alien abduction movies, which cryp…

1
Tackling True Crime, One Podcast at a Time: A Conversation With M. William Phelps 13:46

2M ago13:46

13:46

For more than 20 years, bestselling author and investigative journalist M. William Phelps has been immersed in the world of true crime. As the host of the podcast Paper Ghosts, he seeks answers in unsolved cases. And in his podcast Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps, he sheds light on stories of the missing and murdered from the past – and th…

1
CHINWAG LIVE: Bill Hader Unleashed and Waggin' 1:04:17

2M ago1:04:17

1:04:17

🎬🍿🎞 Recorded live at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles, Paul and Stephen are joined by comedy legend Bill Hader for a night of hilarious and obscure impressions, a rundown of insane B- movies, their shared fear of the school bus, and so much more! What did Hader overhear director Sam Raimi say walking out of a screening of Cannibal Holocaust? What …

1
Nancy Brophy: The Husband Killer 43:35

2M ago43:35

43:35

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong walks us through the case of Nancy Brophy. Brophy was a romance novelist who murdered her husband Daniel at the culinary institute where he worked in 2018. Though it appeared that she and her husband had a good relationship and were said to be a loving couple, Brophy's elaborate plot showed sig…

1
Bonus-wag: David Grann 23:51

2M ago23:51

23:51

📓✍🏽🛢️ In this captivating Bonus-Wag, hosts Paul and Stephen sit down with investigative historian David Grann for a cerebral exploration. Grann’s journey began as a journalist with an insatiable passion for storytelling. How did he transition from reporting facts to weaving gripping narratives? Then, imagine a man unfairly sent to death row, despit…

1
How (Not) to Murder Your Husband: Inside the Story of Nancy Brophy 14:31

2M ago14:31

14:31

In today’s Headlines, Candice is joined by novelist Heidi Tretheway, who was formerly a member of Brophy's writing group, and currently hosts the new Wondery limited series Happily Never After: Dan and Nancy. Together, they discuss possible reasons why Brophy committed such a horrible crime, and take a closer look at her behavior before and after t…

1
Chin-wrecked! 1:02:59

2M ago1:02:59

1:02:59

🌊🏴‍☠️⚓ Paul and Stephen embark on a deep-sea exploration of maritime history with David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower Moon, The Lost City of Z, and most recently, The Wager. The trio unravel tales of mutinies, scurvy, and the enigmatic allure of failure. Did you know most seamen couldn’t swim? How were sailors selected or found aboard thes…

1
Bonus-wag: Shaking Hands with the Dead 19:30

3M ago19:30

19:30

☠️🤝☠️ Join Paul and Stephen for a special bonus episode as they sit down with investigative journalist Leslie Kean. The topic? Spirit hands—ethereal entities that connect the living and the dead. Leslie describes witnessing famed British spirit medium Stewart Alexander conjuring spirit hands seemingly from nothing – conjuring a black amorphous goo …

1
The Case of Kouri Richins: Will the Defense Struggle to Prove Her Claim of Innocence? 13:27

3M ago13:27

13:27

In 2022, after the sudden death of her husband, Utah mother Kouri Richins released a children’s book about coping with grief. But shortly after the book garnered national attention, Kouri was charged with murder. Prosecutors say that she intentionally killed her own husband, but she claims she is innocent. Just a few weeks ago, Kouri’s attorneys wi…

1
Séances, Skeptics, and ... Spirit Trumpets! 1:05:06

3M ago1:05:06

1:05:06

🎺🎺🎺 Open your mind as Paul Giamatti and Stephen Asma talk about accessing the spirit world with investigative journalist Leslie Kean — the very journalist who broke the groundbreaking 2017 UFO story to The New York Times and introduced the world to the Pentagon’s UFO videos. The trio delve into the esoteric world of ectoplasm and explore its weight…

1
John Wayne Gacy, Part 2: A Conversation with his Appeal Lawyer 40:18

2M ago40:18

40:18

In the second half of this two-part episode, retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong speaks with Chicago trial attorney, radio show host and legal analyst Karen Conti, who represented notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy in his final death row appeal attempts. Candice and Karen discuss what Gacy was like on a personal level and wh…

1
Bonus-wag: Chuck Bryant Has Seen A Ghost 24:27

2M ago24:27

24:27

🪐🕰️💫 Paul, Stephen and Chuck Bryant on being a strict materialist, natural evolution, Olaf Stapledon, and more Stuff You Should Know. Plus, Chuck shares a creepy ghost story that challenges his skeptical nature to this day. Paul Giamatti is an award-winning actor and producer, and the self-proclaimed Emperor of Neptune. Stephen Asma is a professor …

1
Felonious Florida: The Case of The Pillowcase Rapist 15:14

3M ago15:14

15:14

During the 1980s, women in South Florida were terrorized by a prolific serial rapist. Victims reported a man sneaking into their homes at night and assaulting them while covering their faces with a pillowcase. They called him “The Pillowcase Rapist,” and after over 40 assaults, he vanished, until over 30 years later, when a stroke of luck led polic…

1
Stuff You Should Chinwag About with the Silurian Hypothesis 1:10:39

3M ago1:10:39

1:10:39

☢️☢️☢️ Paul and Stephen are joined by Stuff You Should Know’s Chuck Bryant for a deep wag on lizard people, the importance and impermanence of what we leave behind, the rarity of finding dinosaur bones, nuclear semiotics, and of course, the Silurian Hypothesis. How do we know advanced civilizations didn’t exist before us and what does that mean for…

1
John Wayne Gacy: The Killer Clown, Part I 52:50

3M ago52:50

52:50

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong breaks down the seminal case of John Wayne Gacy. Known as the "Killer Clown," Gacy murdered thirty-three boys and young men, burying the majority of them under his house. Candice digs into Gacy's abusive childhood, a domineering father and internalized homophobia to understand how he became one…

1
Mailwag: War of the Worlds & Penis Clairvoyance 25:33

3M ago25:33

25:33

📻✋🏼♆ It’s back to the WagBag we go! This week, Chinwag listener Scott S. writes in with an account of his grandfather’s panic during Orson Welles’s famed 1938 The War of the Worlds broadcast. Paul recalls his own grandfather’s memory of that fateful broadcast, as well as that of the Hindenburg! Then, Barbara C. writes us with a fascinating tutorial…

1
Why Did Kendra Licari Harass her Own Daughter? The Strange Case of "Cyber Munchausen Syndrome" 11:26

3M ago11:26

11:26

For over a year, Kendra Licari’s 14-year-old daughter received threatening and harmful messages from a person she believed to be another teenager. She told her mom and together, they reported the harassment to the police. Cyberbullying at its worst, the hateful messages devastated Kendra’s daughter as she didn’t know the culprit behind the messages…

1
Breaking Down Buddhism 1:15:48

3M ago1:15:48

1:15:48

📿📿📿 Paul and Stephen are honored to welcome the esteemed Dr. Khy Sovanratana, dear friend of Dr. Stephen Asma, and former monk in the Theravada tradition in Cambodia. After 34 years as a monk, Dr. Sovanratana removed his robe and left the monastery to become the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Cambodian government. Many think they know Buddhism…

1
The Weepy Voiced Killer: Paul Michael Stephani 37:37

3M ago37:37

37:37

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong delves into the case of Paul Michael Stephani, also known as the “Weepy-Voiced Killer.” A serial murderer who terrorized women around St-Paul in the early 80s, Stephani got his moniker because he would place anonymous calls to the police and report his own crimes in a whiny, high-pitched, weepy…

1
Bonus-wag: AI'm Not A Robot 16:02

3M ago16:02

16:02

🤖🌭🏦 Recorded at Spotify Studios... Elizabeth Banks reflects on her collegiate aspirations to become the next Diane Sawyer, and whether AI could make its own Everything Everywhere All At Once. But…could it replicate the hot dog fingers fight scene? Among other topics, our hosts and Ms. Banks ponder why so many actors are introverts? And what does ch…

1
The Trial of Chad Daybell: Will a Bombshell Testimony Lead to Conviction? 12:42

3M ago12:42

12:42

The trial of "Doomsday Prophet" Chad Daybell is well underway, expected to last at least two months, with more than sixty witnesses having taken the stand so far. Daybell stands accused of murder in the deaths of his first wife, Tammy Daybell, and the two children of his second wife, Lori Vallow. Daybell is facing the death penalty. Though his firs…

1
Cocaine Bears and Ghostly Stares 1:14:00

3M ago1:14:00

1:14:00

❄️🐻👻 Recorded at Spotify Studios... Join Paul and Stephen as they sit down to discuss death and their paranormal encounters with Paul’s Fred Claus co-star Elizabeth Banks. They discuss what drove Elizabeth to make her 2023 hit film Cocaine Bear, the omen of the white owl on her doorstep, and how they would all like to be buried or in Stephen’s case…

1
Nathan Matthews: The Murderous Step-Brother 41:05

3M ago41:05

41:05

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong examines the case of Nathan Matthews. With the help of his girlfriend Shauna Hoare, Nathan brutally murdered his sixteen year old step-sister Becky Watts in a sexually motivated attack. Candice walks us through how Nathan's history of resentment and dangerous sexual fantasies tore his family ap…

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Treefort Media Podcasts

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