Stupiracy | Stupid History + Conspiracy

Hubbard Radio

In a world where conspiracy and history meets stupidity, 'Stupiracy' takes you on a wild ride through the most bizarre tales ever told. Join hosts Scott Rizzuto and Tim McKernan for another 12 episode season of absurd, unbelievable, and downright hilarious stories you never learned in history class. This is the Stupiracy Podcast. New episodes every Thursday. Presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee.

  1. Is Nicolas Cage a Vampire? The Weird History Behind the Internet’s Wildest Conspiracy

    3 DAYS AGO

    Is Nicolas Cage a Vampire? The Weird History Behind the Internet’s Wildest Conspiracy

    Is Nicolas Cage a vampire? It sounds like a ridiculous internet conspiracy, but the Nicolas Cage vampire theory has been floating around for years thanks to a bizarre Civil War photo, vampire movie roles, and some very strange Nicolas Cage behavior.  Let’s start with the evidence.  There’s a mysterious 1870 Civil War–era photograph that looks suspiciously like Nicolas Cage. Same face. Same eyes. Same expression like he just remembered where the Declaration of Independence is hidden.  Naturally, someone found this photo and tried to sell it on eBay while claiming Cage is an immortal vampire who reinvents himself every 75 years.  Which… feels like a bold listing description.  In this episode of the Stupiracy podcast - presented by CARSTAR - Tim and Rizz dig into one of the internet’s strangest celebrity conspiracy theories and break down the ridiculous evidence behind the Nicolas Cage vampire conspiracy.  Along the way we explore:  The bizarre Civil War Nicolas Cage photo His legendary performance in Vampire’s Kiss (yes, he really ate a cockroach) Why he once spent the night at Dracula’s castle His obsession with haunted mansions, castles, and a Tyrannosaurus rex skull And whether vampires can actually appear in photographs It’s the perfect mix of weird history, conspiracy stories, and ridiculous historical facts that somehow ends with a question no serious historian has ever asked:  Is Nicolas Cage just an eccentric actor… or an immortal vampire who occasionally wins Oscars and buys haunted houses?  We may not solve the mystery of the Nicolas Cage vampire conspiracy, but we will absolutely overanalyze it.  Follow the Stupiracy podcast for more dark history, conspiracy comedy, and stupid tales you definitely didn’t learn in school.  And if you enjoyed the episode, leave a review.  Not because it helps the show… but because if Nicolas Cage really has been alive since the 1800s, he probably reads podcast reviews.  And he has a lot of time to check them.  Stupiracy is presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee. This episode explores the Nicolas Cage vampire theory, the famous Civil War Nicolas Cage photo, and one of the internet’s strangest celebrity conspiracy stories. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    21 min
  2. The Brazen Bull and the Dark History of Executions

    5 MAR

    The Brazen Bull and the Dark History of Executions

    At some point in human history someone looked at a criminal and said, “Sure, we could just execute him… but what if we did it in the most unnecessarily dramatic way possible?” And that’s basically the history of executions. In this episode of the Stupiracy podcast - Presented by CARSTAR - we dive into the bizarre history of executions, one of the darkest corners of weird history. Because humans didn’t just invent capital punishment. We turned it into full-blown theater. We start with the infamous Brazen Bull torture device, a hollow bronze cow where victims were roasted alive while their screams echoed out like the bellowing of a bull. Yes, someone invented that. And yes, the inventor immediately became the first person forced inside it. Honestly? Fair. From there the ancient execution methods get progressively weirder. The Romans introduce the Roman execution sack punishment, sewing criminals into a bag with a dog, snake, rooster, and ape before tossing them into a river.Medieval Europe contributes an entire starter kit of medieval torture devices like the rack, thumb screws, and the sleep-destroying heretic’s fork.Then the Enlightenment arrives and somehow invents the guillotine, a machine meant to make executions more “humane.”America eventually enters the chat with the electric chair invention, a device born out of the bizarre rivalry between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. What follows is one of the most chaotic and botched executions in history, proving that even modern technology couldn’t clean up the dark history of executions. By the time we reach lethal injection history, executions look sterile and clinical—but the potential for horror hasn’t exactly disappeared. It just moved behind closed doors. So the real question becomes: did society actually become more humane… or did we just get better at hiding what’s happening? If you enjoy ridiculous historical facts, historical oddities, and the kind of crazy true history that makes you say “there is absolutely no way that actually happened,” welcome to Stupiracy, the podcast where history meets comedy and things go very wrong. Now do the obvious thing: subscribe to the Stupiracy podcast, leave a review, and tell a friend about it. Not because we’re politely asking. But because somewhere in the long history of executions, someone definitely invented a punishment for people who didn’t subscribe. And honestly… we’d rather not find out what it was. Stupiracy is presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    28 min
  3. The Bohemian Grove Conspiracy: Cremation of Care, Weird History, and the Manhattan Project

    26 FEB

    The Bohemian Grove Conspiracy: Cremation of Care, Weird History, and the Manhattan Project

    You think this is a secret cult in the woods plotting world domination.  It’s not what you think.  It’s worse.  But also… somehow much dumber.  The Bohemian Grove conspiracy sounds like peak weird conspiracies internet lore — presidents, billionaires, media titans, and captains of industry gathering in strict secrecy beneath a 40-foot owl statue in Northern California. And yes. That part is real.  But what actually happens at Bohemian Grove isn’t a clean villain monologue situation. It’s a chaotic mix of global power, summer camp energy, theatrical rituals, whiskey, frog skits, and the legally celebrated freedom to pee on redwood trees.  Welcome to the Stupiracy podcast - presented by Carstar - where this week’s weird history episode dives headfirst into one of the most bizarre history rabbit holes in America.  The Bohemian Grove conspiracy centers on a 2,700-acre private campground owned by the Bohemian Club, founded in 1878. Every July, private jets quietly flood Sonoma County. Security locks down. And some of the most powerful men in American political and corporate history disappear into the woods.  Ronald Reagan.George H.W. Bush.Gerald Ford.Eisenhower.Rockefellers.William Randolph Hearst.Clint Eastwood.Walter Cronkite.Jimmy Buffett. Yes. That Jimmy Buffett. And once inside? They perform the Cremation of Care ceremony — a ritual where robed members gather before a giant owl statue and symbolically burn an effigy called “Care” to free themselves from worldly concerns. That’s either: A sinister secret society ritualA theatrical arts camp fever dreamOr history gone wrong with a production budget And here’s where the Bohemian Grove conspiracy stops being internet lore and turns into crazy true history: In 1942, a meeting at Bohemian Grove helped lay groundwork for the Manhattan Project. The atomic bomb. Yes. The groundwork for one of the most world-altering weapons in human history traces back to a secretive encampment in the redwoods.  So is this a shadow government summit where elite agendas are shaped?  Or is it just a fraternity party for Fortune 500 executives who never emotionally left college?  This episode unpacks: The patron saint of secrecy with his finger to his lipsThe 33-year membership waitlistThe owl symbolism and conspiracy stories around itThe documented Manhattan Project meetingThe Cremation of Care ritualAnd the persistent belief that a small circle of powerful men are quietly steering history We explore whether the Bohemian Grove conspiracy is one of the great debunked conspiracies… or just one of the most unbelievable historical events hiding in plain sight.  If you love dark history, historical oddities, ridiculous historical facts, and history you didn’t learn in school, this is your episode of Stupiracy – Presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee. This is dark history meets comedy. This is conspiracy comedy. This is a comedy history podcast asking:  Is it a cult? Is it a summer camp? Is it both?  And why is there always an owl. Now listen carefully. If you made it this far and you’re not following the show, that’s suspicious. Very suspicious. Subscribe immediately. Leave a five-star review like you’ve just been invited to a secret encampment in July. The owl is watching. The redwoods are judging. And we absolutely track who refuses to click “follow.” Don’t make this weird. Just join the club.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    22 min
  4. The Dark Origins of Common Phrases: Weird History You Didn’t Learn in School

    19 FEB

    The Dark Origins of Common Phrases: Weird History You Didn’t Learn in School

    You’ve been casually referencing battlefield amputations and ancient political chaos your entire life. This week on Stupiracy - presented by CARSTAR - we uncover the dark origins of common phrases, from “bite the bullet” to “spill the beans,” and the weird history hiding inside everyday sayings you never questioned. Turns out… language is violent. And occasionally butter-based. You say “bite the bullet” like it’s nothing. You casually tell someone to “break a leg.” You accuse people of “spilling the beans” without realizing those beans were once ancient Greek voting ballots. The dark origins of common phrases are far less metaphorical than you think. “Bite the bullet”? Civil War surgery. No anesthesia. Just a lead bullet and courage.“Cat got your tongue”? Possibly ancient Egypt feeding liars’ tongues to cats. Possibly naval torture.“Spill the beans”? Ancient Greek democracy chaos. Literal beans. Political beans.“Mad as a hatter”? Mercury poisoning from hat-making. Industrial brain damage, but fashionable.“Bury the hatchet”? Shockingly wholesome peace treaties. Actual hatchets in the dirt.“Saved by the bell”? Not coffins. Sorry. It’s boxing.“Break a leg”? Theater people trying to pull one over on evil spirits.“Rule of thumb”? Not the myth you’ve heard.“Dead ringer”? Horse racing fraud, because of course people cheat. This is the dark history of common phrases you were never taught. This is weird history at its finest. This is history you didn’t learn in school because textbooks prefer wars and treaties over butter being thrown at the gods. We unpack the real phrase origins of everyday sayings, the myths that refuse to die, and the phrases that survived centuries of chaos to end up in your group chat. Some of these stories are dark. Some are clever. Some are completely fake, and humanity just decided to commit to the bit. The dark origins of common phrases prove one thing: language is basically an archaeological dig, except instead of pottery shards you find raccoons, gramophones, furious playwrights yelling about stolen thunder, and a suspicious amount of mercury exposure. If you love weird history, stupid history, and the kind of comedy history podcast that explains something clearly and then immediately derails it, this episode is exactly your problem. Welcome to Stupiracy – Presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee. Now listen carefully. You are going to follow this show. You are going to leave a five-star review. You are going to tell a friend. Not because we’re desperate. Obviously not. But because somewhere in ancient Greece a guy spilled beans too early and democracy survived anyway. You can survive tapping five stars. Subscribe. Review. Join the weird history ritual. Or we release the mercury hats. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    24 min
  5. Early Automotive History: The First Car Crash, Henry Ford’s Weed Diet, and the Horsey Horseless Disaster

    12 FEB

    Early Automotive History: The First Car Crash, Henry Ford’s Weed Diet, and the Horsey Horseless Disaster

    There were only two cars in the entire state of Ohio. Two. And somehow… they crashed into each other. That’s not a metaphor. That’s early automotive history. And it only gets weirder from there. This is Stupiracy - Presented by CARSTAR. This week on our funny history podcast, we’re diving into early automotive history — when cars looked like farm equipment possessed by ambition and nobody fully understood what was happening. Before Henry Ford and the Model T, there was the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, built by Carl Benz in 1885. The first real automobile. Not a carriage. Not a horse. A car. And adjusted for modern money? Shockingly affordable. Which feels wrong. The first car should’ve cost “sell your castle” money. Instead, early automotive history opens with a relatively reasonable price tag. Then America said, “Cool. Let’s make this worse.” Enter the Horsey Horseless. An actual vehicle with a wooden horse head attached to the front so it wouldn’t scare real horses. The head was hollow. The fuel tank was inside it. Gasoline. In a fake horse skull. This is not satire. This is weird history you didn’t learn in school because no teacher wants to say “gas-powered horse face” out loud. And then comes 1895. The first car crash in America. In Ohio. With only two cars registered in the entire state. Early automotive history statistically said, “That’s impossible.” Ohio said, “Watch this.” Boom. Tree root. Collision. Awkward silence. Of course we talk about Henry Ford — assembly line genius, Model T architect, industrial legend. But also: man who regularly pulled over to eat weeds. Dandelions. Milkweed. Pigweed. Shepherd’s purse. He called them “roadside greens,” which sounds artisanal but was really just him grazing near Detroit like a very motivated goat. We also get into: • The Henry Ford weeds diet • The first car crash in America • The Benz Patent-Motorwagen • The Horsey Horseless • Thomas Edison’s final breath preserved in a vial • In-car toilets from the 1950s • A fifth wheel designed only for parallel parking • Chrysler installing record players in dashboards Because early automotive history wasn’t smooth innovation. It was chaos. It was experimentation. It was “put a toilet in it and see what happens.” It was “maybe the car needs a horse face.” It was “capture Edison’s breath like it’s limited-edition air.” This is stupid history. This is weird history. This is history you didn’t learn in school because the textbook couldn’t handle the milkweed. If you like your comedy history podcast informative, slightly unhinged, and confidently explaining nonsense like it’s obvious — welcome to Stupiracy. A podcast about stupid history and weird history - Presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee. Now do the responsible thing. Follow the show. Leave a five-star review. Not because we’re desperate. Because statistically, if there are only two podcasts in your state and you don’t subscribe to this one… something terrible could happen. Don’t be Ohio, 1895. WTF history? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    23 min
  6. Was Helen Keller A Fraud? The History Conspiracy That The Internet Won't Let Go Away

    5 FEB

    Was Helen Keller A Fraud? The History Conspiracy That The Internet Won't Let Go Away

    Helen Keller wrote 14 books, met 12 presidents, helped found the ACLU, got surveilled by the FBI, and somehow, according to TikTok commenters with anime avatars, she was also lying about all of it. Cool. Sure. Totally reasonable. In this episode of Stupiracy - presented by CARSTAR - Scott Rizzuto and Tim McKernan ask the question that feels illegal to even say out loud: Was Helen Keller a fraud? Not because we believe it — but because the internet absolutely does and is very confident about it. Confident in the way only someone who learned history exclusively through obscure web forums and short-form video can be. Rizzuto and McKernan break down where this modern conspiracy theory came from, why it keeps popping up in weird history threads and Reddit comments, and how a woman who became the most famous deafblind person in history somehow turned into a punchline meme about airplanes and handwriting. Because yes, apparently the fact that Helen Keller “flew a plane” in 1946 is now considered iron-clad proof that the entire 20th century was lying to us. So we rewind. Back to Alabama. Back to the mysterious childhood illness. Back to the Miracle Worker water pump moment that everyone remembers but no one actually understands. Then we keep going — past the inspirational poster version of Helen Keller and straight into the stuff you definitely didn’t learn in school. The socialism. The labor activism. The IWW membership. The FBI file. The part where she was a full-on political menace while also being treated like a porcelain doll by history textbooks. From there, we put on the tinfoil hats and examine the “evidence.” The books were too well written. The handwriting was too neat. The airplane thing. Oh god, the airplane thing. We explain how Helen Keller actually wrote, how assistive technology worked in the early 1900s, why Anne Sullivan wasn’t some shadowy puppet master running a long con, and how a 20-minute supervised flight turned into the dumbest gotcha in conspiracy history. Along the way, we talk ableism, internet brain rot, and why people seem deeply uncomfortable accepting that disabled people can be brilliant without it being a trick. This is weird history, stupid history, and a perfect example of history you didn’t learn in school, mostly because your teacher didn’t have time to say, “By the way, someday people on the internet will accuse this woman of being fake.” So no, Helen Keller was not a fraud. But the conspiracy claiming she was? Absolute hall-of-fame Stupiracy - Presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee. Now do the obvious thing. Subscribe to the show. Leave a review. Tell the algorithm you enjoyed listening to two grown adults defend Helen Keller against TikTok detectives. If you don’t, that’s fine, but just know Helen Keller would have hated you, and frankly, we’ll assume you’re part of the conspiracy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    20 min
  7. Tulip Mania

    09/09/2024

    Tulip Mania

    In this episode of Stupiracy, Scott and Tim delve into the historical financial bubble known as Tulip Mania. Explore how a simple flower bulb caused a massive economic crash in the 17th-century Netherlands. Learn about the cultural significance of tulips, the rise and fall of their prices, and the lasting impact of this financial frenzy on modern economics. This episode uncovers one of the first recorded instances of a market bubble and its surprising parallels to today's financial markets. Key Points: Introduction to Tulip Mania and its historical context. How tulips became a status symbol in the Netherlands. The escalation of tulip prices and the economic impact. The eventual crash of the tulip market and its aftermath. Comparison of Tulip Mania to modern financial bubbles. Resources Mentioned: Historical records of Tulip Mania. Articles on economic bubbles and market speculation. "Tulipomania: The Story of the World's Most Coveted Flower and the Extraordinary Passions It Aroused" by Mike Dash. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    18 min
  8. Elvis is Alive

    02/09/2024

    Elvis is Alive

    In this episode of Stupiracy, Scott and Tim dive into the enduring conspiracy theory that Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, is still alive. Explore the official account of Elvis's death, the numerous reported sightings of Elvis after his supposed demise, and the various reasons why people believe he faked his death. From misspelled tombstones to sightings at Burger King, uncover the strange evidence and theories that keep this conspiracy alive. Key Points: Official account of Elvis Presley’s death. Inconsistencies surrounding his death, including the misspelled tombstone and the heavy casket. Numerous reported sightings of Elvis after his death. Theories on why Elvis might have faked his death, including escaping the mafia and financial troubles. The cultural impact and lasting fascination with the idea that Elvis is still alive. Resources Mentioned: Rolling Stone magazine's list of top Elvis songs. "Is Elvis Alive?" book. Articles and interviews about Elvis sightings and the conspiracy theory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    23 min
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In a world where conspiracy and history meets stupidity, 'Stupiracy' takes you on a wild ride through the most bizarre tales ever told. Join hosts Scott Rizzuto and Tim McKernan for another 12 episode season of absurd, unbelievable, and downright hilarious stories you never learned in history class. This is the Stupiracy Podcast. New episodes every Thursday. Presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee.

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