Clown Cast

Joey Musselman

Podcasts about whatever I find interesting — history, tech, weird rabbit holes. I was making these for myself anyway, so I figured I'd share. Research by Claude, produced with NotebookLM, deployed by tools built using Claude Code. Orchestrated by a clown. Enjoy.

Episodes

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Magisterium AI: Can a Chatbot Handle Catholic Theology?

    Enterprises spent $19 billion on AI apps in 2025 — and one of the most fascinating cases is a Catholic theology chatbot backed by 28,000 sacred documents. Magisterium AI is the perfect lens for understanding how modern AI actually works, and where it dangerously breaks down. Topics covered: - How RAG (retrieval augmented generation) works: the chef, the library, and the recipe cards - Vector embeddings explained: meaning as geometry, and why AI can't understand 'not' - The Barnes vs. Sanders debate: is conversing with a theology bot an 'irrational act'? - The creator's own AI hallucinated fake quotes in his defense of the tool - Thin wrappers vs. thick platforms: Bloomberg GPT's $10M failure and Harvey AI's $8B success - Automation bias: why fluent answers make us stop thinking critically - The privacy paradox of digitizing confessional-grade questions on commercial servers Timestamps: 00:00 - The $19 billion question: revolution or house of cards? 02:00 - What is Magisterium AI and who built it? 05:00 - Anti-anthropomorphic design and the three modes of truth 07:30 - RAG explained: the chef analogy 10:00 - Chunking, vector embeddings, and GPS for meaning 14:00 - The negation problem: why vectors can't tell yes from no 16:00 - Dynamic retrieval and the ability to say 'I don't know' 17:30 - The 'Delete Magisterium AI' controversy 20:00 - Barnes's argument: probabilism, gnosticism, and idolatry of the machine 22:00 - Sanders's rebuttal — and the hallucination that torpedoed it 24:00 - Thin vs. thick wrappers: the business model war 27:00 - Efrom: building a Catholic shield over a secular brain 29:00 - Automation bias, sycophancy, and the Stanford hallucination study 31:00 - Editorial power, privacy, and the Vatican's concerns 32:30 - Final verdict: don't mistake the chatbot for the church This episode was produced with NotebookLM from research by Claude. This podcast episode was generated using NotebookLM's audio overview feature. The source material was researched and curated by the host, with AI assistance in audio production.

    33 min

  2. 3 DAYS AGO

    How to Moderate a Killer Book Talk (Without Spoiling the Murder)

    What do you do when the author gives a three-word answer and you have 58 minutes to fill? We break down the surprising art and psychology of moderating author events — specifically for murder mystery books. Topics covered: - The golden rule: over-prepare your questions, under-prepare your ego - The 'insider bubble' trap and how friendship on stage alienates your audience - A minute-by-minute blueprint for engineering a 60-minute event around human attention spans - The spoiler paradox: how to talk about a mystery novel for an hour without ruining the ending - Crowd control tactics for the 'more of a comment than a question' guy - The Steve Wettel rule: double your questions, then add 20 Timestamps: 00:00 - The nightmare scenario: dead air at the podium 01:30 - Core philosophy: you are the lighting technician, not the star 03:00 - The insider bubble trap and 'we' language 05:00 - Replace flattery with specificity 06:00 - The minute-by-minute event blueprint 08:00 - Why the reading goes at minute 15, not the end 10:00 - The energy valley: minutes 25-35 danger zone 12:00 - Games that save the room (Two Truths and a Lie for murder writers) 13:30 - The spoiler paradox and the first 50 pages rule 15:00 - Audience Q&A: the Wild West 17:00 - Crowd control and the art of the polite interrupt 18:30 - Emergency moves: the magic question 19:30 - Sticking the landing and selling the books This episode was produced with NotebookLM from research by Claude. This podcast episode was generated using NotebookLM's audio overview feature. The source material was researched and curated by the host, with AI assistance in audio production.

    20 min

  3. 4 DAYS AGO

    Hallow: Silicon Valley's $105 Million Catholic Prayer App

    A Catholic prayer app raised $105 million in VC funding, hired Mark Wahlberg, ran a Super Bowl ad, and hit #1 on the App Store — beating TikTok and Netflix. How did rosary beads become a tech unicorn? Topics covered: - How Hallow 'baptized' the Calm/Headspace wellness playbook with traditional Catholic content - The Notre Dame founders who went from McKinsey and Goldman Sachs to selling the rosary - Peter Thiel, JD Vance, and the politics of faith-tech funding - The 'liturgical engine' — why Hallow grew while secular wellness apps crashed post-pandemic - Celebrity endorsements gone wrong: the Liam Neeson and Russell Brand fallout - Is gamifying prayer the new evangelization or the new indulgence? Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 01:00 - The staggering numbers behind Hallow 02:30 - UX breakdown: wellness app meets ancient tradition 04:30 - The founders: McKinsey to monastery 06:00 - $105M in VC from Silicon Valley's conservative elite 07:30 - The liturgical engine: why Lent beats 'Stress Awareness Month' 09:00 - Mark Wahlberg, the Super Bowl, and celebrity risk 11:00 - Culture war crossfire: critics from left, right, and academia 14:00 - 40% non-Catholic users and the case for digital evangelization 15:30 - Can you scale prayer without losing its soul? This episode was produced with NotebookLM from research by Claude. This podcast episode was generated using NotebookLM's audio overview feature. The source material was researched and curated by the host, with AI assistance in audio production.

    16 min

  4. 6 DAYS AGO

    Millwrights, Union Politics, and the Hidden Cost of Building Warehouses

    A zip code can triple your labor cost, a Depression-era law still dictates robot installation wages, and the most critical trade in logistics is filed under 'carpenters.' Welcome to the invisible economics of warehouse construction. Topics covered: - Millwrights: the misunderstood surgeons of industrial installation - Union vs. non-union labor — why the same crew costs $38K in Chicago but $11K in Dallas - Jurisdictional disputes: when trades go to war over who bolts what - The Davis-Bacon Act: how a 1931 law inflates modern automation projects by 161% - Per diem math: $75K just for hotels and meals before a single bolt gets tightened - The OEM triangle and why installers finance everyone else's risk Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: who actually builds the robot warehouses? 01:45 - Millwrights vs. iron workers — the critical distinction 03:30 - Why millwrights are classified as carpenters (labor history quirk) 04:45 - Jurisdictional disputes and the turf wars between trades 06:15 - Crew hierarchy: foremen, journeymen, and the ratio trap 07:30 - Union vs. non-union: the 300% cost gap by zip code 09:00 - Salting: how non-union shops sneak into union territory 10:00 - The Davis-Bacon Act and prevailing wage traps 11:30 - Per diem: the hidden tax of traveling crews 13:15 - Travel crews vs. local hires and the hybrid model 14:30 - The OEM triangle: pay-when-paid and retainage 16:00 - The future: why demand for millwrights is about to skyrocket 17:30 - Wrap-up: what 'free shipping' really costs This episode was produced with NotebookLM from research by Claude. This podcast episode was generated using NotebookLM's audio overview feature. The source material was researched and curated by the host, with AI assistance in audio production.

    18 min

  5. 6 DAYS AGO

    Racks, Robots, and Anchors: What Actually Gets Built Inside a Warehouse

    Every shelf in a warehouse is bolted to concrete with seismic-rated anchors, and every conveyor costs $1,500 per foot. We tour the hidden hardware that makes next-day delivery possible. Topics covered: - Selective pallet rack: the backbone of every warehouse and how crews install 30 bays a day - Drive-in rack and gravity flow systems — where tolerances drop to fractions of an inch - Conveyor systems from basic belts to bomb-bay sorters and spiral lifts - Warehouse robotics: AMRs, AutoStore grids, and rack-supported ASRS buildings - Pick modules: the 'boss level' install combining racks, conveyors, and mezzanines - Loading docks and truck restraints — the safety gear that prevents fatal driveaways Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: looking past the products 01:30 - Selective pallet rack: the backbone 03:30 - Drive-in rack and gravity flow systems 05:45 - Conveyors: belts, MDR rollers, and sortation 07:30 - Spiral conveyors and space-saving tricks 08:15 - Robotics: AMRs, AutoStore, and ASRS 10:00 - Mezzanines and multi-tier pick modules 11:45 - Loading docks and vehicle restraints 13:00 - The estimator's mindset: why labor is the real risk 14:30 - Wrap-up: the machine behind next-day delivery This episode was produced with NotebookLM from research by Claude. This podcast episode was generated using NotebookLM's audio overview feature. The source material was researched and curated by the host, with AI assistance in audio production.

    15 min

  6. 6 DAYS AGO

    Why Warehouses Cost Millions More Than You Think

    That 'big box' by the highway is hiding heated underground cables, seismic bracing, and floors flat to a quarter inch. We break down why warehouse construction is way more complex than it looks. Topics covered: - Distribution centers vs. fulfillment centers — same outside, totally different inside - Cold storage nightmares: vapor barriers, brittle steel, and heated sub-slabs - Why a tiny bump in the floor can cause a 40-foot forklift crash - Seismic zones beyond California — Memphis is at risk too - The chaos of building a warehouse while it's already operating Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: the 'big box' myth 01:30 - Distribution centers and the Walmart model 03:15 - Fulfillment centers: buildings inside buildings 05:30 - Cold storage: working in minus 20 degrees 07:15 - The heated sub-slab paradox 08:00 - Manufacturing, pharma, and 3PL facilities 09:15 - Floor flatness: when concrete kills your budget 10:45 - Seismic zones and earthquake-proofing racks 11:45 - Clear height: warehouses going vertical 13:00 - Occupied buildings and trade stacking chaos 14:30 - Wrap-up: the invisible engineering of 'free shipping' This episode was produced with NotebookLM from research by Claude. This podcast episode was generated using NotebookLM's audio overview feature. The source material was researched and curated by the host, with AI assistance in audio production.

    15 min

  7. 16 FEB

    How a Podcast Joke Made Millions Think Garth Brooks Is a Killer

    A comedian called Garth Brooks a serial killer in 2018. By 2024, millions were posting 'where are the bodies?' — and then a real lawsuit blurred the line between meme and reality. This is the story of the internet's wildest conspiracy theory and the psychology that makes it stick. Topics covered: - The Tom Segura joke that started it all (YMH Podcast, Episode 476) - TikTok 'evidence': tour date maps, out-of-context quotes, and Chris Gaines - The psychology: apophenia, confirmation bias, and the irony pipeline - How the 2024 sexual assault lawsuit collided with the meme - What the Garth Brooks theory reveals about how disinformation actually spreads Timestamps: 00:00 - Two images of Garth Brooks 01:15 - Patient zero: Tom Segura's joke on YMH Podcast 03:00 - The 'Where are the bodies?' comment invasion 04:00 - TikTok detectives and the missing persons maps 05:30 - Why the maps prove nothing (it's just a population density map) 06:30 - The Chris Gaines alter ego and why it's the theory's linchpin 08:15 - The psychology: apophenia, irony pipeline, and proportionality bias 10:00 - The 2024 lawsuit and how the meme swallowed a real allegation 11:45 - How Garth handles it (hint: he shows people Tom breaking his arm) 12:30 - Segura's Netflix show and the Rex Henley character 13:15 - The bigger lesson about pattern-seeking and disinformation This episode was produced with NotebookLM from research by Claude. This podcast episode was generated using NotebookLM's audio overview feature. The source material was researched and curated by the host, with AI assistance in audio production.

    14 min

  8. 16 FEB

    Michael Jordan Toppled NASCAR's 77-Year Dictatorship

    How did a basketball legend break a family monarchy that ruled American racing since 1948? From a fistfight at Talladega in 1969 to a federal antitrust lawsuit in 2024, this is the story of two rebellions against NASCAR's France family — and why Michael Jordan succeeded where Richard Petty failed. Topics covered: - Big Bill France's iron-fisted rule and the construction of Talladega Superspeedway - The 1969 driver boycott led by Richard Petty and the PDA - Leaked texts calling NASCAR leadership a 'comfortable dictatorship' - Michael Jordan and Jeffrey Kessler's antitrust lawsuit under the Sherman Act - Tyler Reddick's symbolic Daytona 500 win in February 2026 Timestamps: 00:00 - Tyler Reddick wins the 2026 Daytona 500 01:00 - Big Bill France and the founding of NASCAR's monarchy 02:15 - Building Talladega: speed, danger, and bad tires 04:00 - The 1969 PDA boycott and the punch heard round the garage 06:30 - The scab race and Richard Childress's unlikely origin story 08:00 - Michael Jordan's 2024 antitrust lawsuit 09:45 - The smoking gun texts: 'a comfortable dictatorship' 11:00 - The trial, settlement, and the end of the France dynasty 12:30 - Why Jordan won where Petty lost: courage vs. tools This episode was produced with NotebookLM from research by Claude. This podcast episode was generated using NotebookLM's audio overview feature. The source material was researched and curated by the host, with AI assistance in audio production.

    14 min

  9. 16 FEB

    Smokey Yunick: The Mechanic Who Drove NASCAR Crazy

    A NASCAR mechanic hides 5 gallons of gas in a sewer-pipe fuel line, stuffs a basketball in his tank to fool inspectors, and drives away without a fuel tank. Meet Smokey Yunick. Topics covered: - The legendary 1968 Daytona 500 fuel tank incident - Creative engineering exploits: the 11-foot fuel line, basketball trick, and frozen fuel - The 'seven-eighths scale' Chevelle and the fender well grammar loophole - Smokey's WWII service as a B-17 bomber pilot and how it shaped his fearlessness - His rivalry with Bill France Sr. and the NASCAR establishment - The adiabatic engine: 51 MPG and 0-60 in under 6 seconds — in 1983 - Was he a cheater or a genius? The legacy debate Timestamps: 00:00 - The car with no gas tank 02:30 - The 11-foot, 2-inch fuel line trick 04:00 - Basketballs, frozen fuel, and thermodynamics 06:00 - The 7/8 scale Chevelle and the fender well gambit 08:30 - Captain Yunick: B-17 pilot, 50+ combat missions 10:30 - Best Damn Garage in Town vs. the France family 12:00 - Nine patents and the adiabatic engine 13:15 - Cheater or developer? The legacy of Smokey Yunick This episode was produced with NotebookLM from research by Claude. This podcast episode was generated using NotebookLM's audio overview feature. The source material was researched and curated by the host, with AI assistance in audio production.

    14 min

  10. 15 FEB

    How Romantasy Became a $610M Industry: BookTok, Dragons & Business

    Romantasy hit $610 million in 2024 sales — up 34% in a single year. We break down the business model, the breakout paths, and why your TikTok following might matter more than your manuscript. Topics covered: - Four paths to breaking in: the veteran (Rebecca Yarros), the viral star (Lauren Roberts), the skit-to-book deal (Hannah Nicole Maehrer), and the hybrid indie-to-trad route - Content vs. platform: why publishers pay 2-3x advances for authors with BookTok reach - Sprayed edges, deluxe editions, and how books became video props - The dark side: AI scandals, review bombing, and the Kate Carian controversy - The lipstick index: why escapist fantasy booms during uncertain times - The 2026 blueprint: word counts, trope marketing, email lists, and what comes after fae courts Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: $610 million and counting 01:30 - Rebecca Yarros: 20 books before 'overnight success' 03:30 - Lauren Roberts: from cleaner to Simon & Schuster at 19 05:00 - Hannah Nicole Maehrer: comedy skits to book deal 06:00 - The hybrid path: self-pub to traditional distribution 07:30 - Content vs. platform — the great debate 09:00 - How the industry rewired: sprayed edges and visual marketing 10:30 - Self-publishing legitimized: 49% of top romance is indie 11:30 - The dark side: AI cheating and review bombing scandals 12:30 - Why now? The Harry Potter generation wants spice 13:30 - Trope marketing: 'enemies to lovers' as a search engine 14:30 - What comes next: gothic, horror-mance, cozy romantasy 15:00 - The blueprint: word count, series strategy, and email lists 16:30 - The billion-dollar question: what does Gen Alpha want? This episode was produced with NotebookLM from research by Claude. This podcast episode was generated using NotebookLM's audio overview feature. The source material was researched and curated by the host, with AI assistance in audio production.

    17 min

  11. 14 FEB

    Why the Southern Breakfast Tomato Vanished From Every Plate

    How did a thick slice of salted tomato go from non-negotiable breakfast staple to completely forgotten? The answer touches genetics, migration, and the death of the 90-minute morning meal. Topics covered: - The agrarian roots of the Southern breakfast tomato — why it was inevitable, not invented - How the uniform ripening mutation (GLK2) bred the flavor out of commercial tomatoes - The Florida paradox: why Tallahassee kept the tradition but St. Petersburg never had it - The Clean Plate Club, kids' taste buds, and the broken chain of forced exposure - Women entering the workforce, the rise of fast food, and the death of sit-down breakfast Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: the missing breakfast item 01:30 - Agrarian inevitability: gardens, not grocery stores 04:00 - Depression-era survival gardens and tomato gravy 05:30 - The science of de-flavoring: green picking and ethylene gassing 07:00 - The GLK2 mutation — how we bred out the flavor for looks 08:45 - Never refrigerate a tomato (seriously) 09:15 - The Florida paradox: demographics vs. tradition 11:00 - Kids, the Clean Plate Club, and modern parenting 12:30 - The time collapse: unpaid labor and the Egg McMuffin 14:00 - Can we breed the flavor back but not the lifestyle? This episode was produced with NotebookLM from research by Claude. This podcast episode was generated using NotebookLM's audio overview feature. The source material was researched and curated by the host, with AI assistance in audio production.

    15 min

  12. 13 FEB

    The_Oneida_Chief_Behind_Shenandoah

    The_Oneida_Chief_Behind_Shenandoah This podcast episode was generated using NotebookLM's audio overview feature. The source material was researched and curated by the host, with AI assistance in audio production.

    35 min
  • 12 Episodes

About

Podcasts about whatever I find interesting — history, tech, weird rabbit holes. I was making these for myself anyway, so I figured I'd share. Research by Claude, produced with NotebookLM, deployed by tools built using Claude Code. Orchestrated by a clown. Enjoy.

Information

  • Creator
    Joey Musselman
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Clown Cast