Stupiracy | Stupid History + Conspiracy

Hubbard Radio
  • 4.5 (109)
  • HISTORY

This is a podcast about real historical events that should not have happened. But they did. Repeatedly. By adults. Stupiracy is a weird history podcast where conspiracy, bizarre history, and absolute human stupidity collide in ways that should not be possible. And yet all of these stories are somehow completely real. Hosted by Scott Rizzuto and Tim McKernan, this is where crazy true history, ridiculous historical facts, and conspiracy stories get explained clearly… and then immediately derailed into chaos. We’re talking about history gone wrong. We’re talking about historical oddities that feel made up. We’re talking about stories so dumb they sound fake. They are not fake. This is the dark history you didn’t learn in school. Mostly because no one thought it was a good idea to teach it. Every episode dives into wild tales of stupidity, unbelievable historical events, and the kind of weird conspiracies that make you stop and go, “Wait… how did this actually happen?” It’s part comedy history podcast, part conspiracy comedy, and part “who let this happen?” Which, historically, is a question that comes up a lot. New episodes every Thursday. Presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee. Follow the Stupiracy podcast, leave a review, and tell a friend—because if enough people listen, this technically becomes educational. And that feels irresponsible.

  1. Harold Holt Disappearance: World Leader Goes Swimming, Accidentally Creates A 50 Year Conspiracy

    APR 23

    Harold Holt Disappearance: World Leader Goes Swimming, Accidentally Creates A 50 Year Conspiracy

    A sitting Prime Minister walked into the ocean and never came back. No body. No explanation. Just… gone.  The Harold Holt disappearance is one of the wildest weird history stories that somehow gets dumber the more you look at it. In 1967, Australia’s leader took a casual swim during a beach stop—and vanished in front of witnesses.  This was not a cautious man.  Holt was obsessed with swimming. Not “nice hobby” obsessed—more like holding-his-breath-during-government-meetings obsessed. His doctor told him to slow down. He responded by continuing to be the most committed swimmer in politics.  On the day he disappeared, the ocean was rough. Strong currents. Big waves. Everyone else looked at it and said, “absolutely not.”  Harold Holt said nothing. He just walked in.  He swam out.  Kept going.  Then—gone.  No struggle anyone could stop. No dramatic ending. Just a Prime Minister quietly losing a fight with the ocean.  And because there was no body… the bizarre conspiracy theories began.  Was it a simple drowning? Most likely.  A political meltdown? Possible.  A secret extraction by Chinese frogmen into a waiting submarine? Yes, that is a real Harold Holt conspiracy.  This is how you end up in dark history territory.  Cold War paranoia, political scandal, and a man who refused to stop swimming all collide into one of the strangest unsolved stories ever. It’s history gone wrong with zero chill and worse decision-making.  And Australia’s response?  They named a swimming pool after him.  A swimming pool. For the guy who disappeared while swimming.  Unbelievable.  This is Stupiracy. Presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee. If you like weird history podcast stories, conspiracy comedy, and unbelievable historical events that feel made up but aren’t, the Harold Holt disappearance delivers.  Follow the show and leave a review, or we will assume you also saw dangerous ocean conditions and thought, “yeah, I can beat that.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    20 min
  2. Can You Booby Trap Your House? The Weird Case Where the Burglar Won

    APR 16

    Can You Booby Trap Your House? The Weird Case Where the Burglar Won

    The house shot him. The court sided with him. Nobody feels good about what happened next. Can you booby trap your house? This episode of the Stupiracy podcast answers that question with one of the most infamous weird legal cases in American history. After years of break-ins at an abandoned farmhouse, one homeowner decided locks weren’t enough. So he built a shotgun booby trap. Not near the door. Not as a warning. Directly wired to it. Enter Marvin Katko—a guy who thought an empty house meant free antiques and zero consequences. He opens a door. The house shoots him. And then—because this is history gone wrong—he sues. This is the Katko v. Briney case, a piece of crazy true history where public opinion said “obviously the homeowner wins,” and the court said: “Absolutely not.” We break down: Why booby trap laws exist (and why they’re strict)The difference between self-defense and what is basically revenge engineeringHow this bizarre case still shapes home defense laws todayWhy “trespassers will be shot” is legally meaningless Because the law makes one thing very clear: You can defend yourself. You cannot turn your property into a surprise weapon. Even if someone is absolutely, undeniably doing something dumb. It’s part bizarre history, part courtroom chaos, and part realizing Home Alone would’ve ended in multiple felony charges. And somehow… this is still happening. This is Stupiracy. Presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee. Follow Stupiracy for more dark history, ridiculous facts, and stories where people confidently make the worst possible decision. Or don’t. But if you don’t subscribe, we are forced to assume you think a shotgun-on-a-string is a “security system,” and legally speaking… that puts all of us in a very complicated position. This episode covers spring loaded stupidity: you can’t booby trap your way out of the law. The weird case of Katko v. Briney. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    17 min
  3. People Danced Until They Died and No One Stopped It: The Bizarre Dancing Plague of 1518

    APR 9

    People Danced Until They Died and No One Stopped It: The Bizarre Dancing Plague of 1518

    It starts with one woman dancing in the street.  It ends with hundreds of people unable to stop—even as they’re dying.  The Dancing Plague of 1518 makes absolutely no sense—and it gets worse the more you understand it.  In this episode of the Stupiracy Podcast - Presented by CARSTAR - we break down one of the strangest cases of mass hysteria ever recorded.  It starts with one woman dancing in the street in Strasbourg. No music. No reason. Then her kid joins. Then the neighbors. Then hundreds of people. And nobody stops. This isn’t a party—it’s a full-blown history gone wrong situation.  People danced for days. Then weeks. Then months. Some collapsed. Some died. Others watched and thought, “Yeah, I’m in.” We dig into the real explanations behind this bizarre historical event:  Religious panic involving St. Vitus (patron saint of unwanted cardio)Mass psychogenic illness from war, famine, and stressErgot fungus (aka medieval LSD bread) tied to other weird conspiracies Doctors prescribing… more dancing  Yes, the official solution was: keep dancing. This episode is packed with: Unbelievable historical eventsRidiculous historical facts that sound fake but aren’tThe exact kind of history you didn’t learn in schoolAnd a lot of questions that never get fully answeredLike: Why would you join? Why didn’t anyone stop it? Why did the Dancing Plague of 1518 go on for months??  If you like dark history podcasts, conspiracy comedy, and stories where humanity makes aggressively bad decisions in groups, this one’s for you.  Because the Dancing Plague of 1518 is either:  A psychological breakdown, A religious phenomenon, A fungal disaster, Or just people being unbelievably dumb at scale. This is Stupiracy presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee. Follow the show.  Leave a review.  Historians are still trying to figure this one out, and frankly, we need backup. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    17 min
  4. The Salem Witch Trials: Did Moldy Bread Cause an Accidental LSD Trip?

    APR 2

    The Salem Witch Trials: Did Moldy Bread Cause an Accidental LSD Trip?

    This is a completely normal story about bread causing mass hysteria. Nothing weird happened here except hallucinations, executions, and possibly accidental LSD. In this episode of Stupiracy - Presented by CARSTAR - we dig into the Salem Witch Trials and the surprisingly popular theory that nobody was actually practicing witchcraft… they were just eating very bad bread. In 1692, a group of girls in Salem start having violent fits—convulsions, screaming, claiming invisible forces are attacking them. The town responds the only way that makes sense in the 1600s: Witch trials. What follows is one of the most bizarre history spirals ever—over 200 accused, 19 executed, one man crushed to death, and somehow… two dogs also get executed. The dogs. We killed the dogs. Then comes the twist. The Salem Witch Trials ergot theory suggests that contaminated rye (aka moldy bread) may have caused hallucinations similar to LSD. Suddenly, the visions, the panic, the “spectral evidence”—it all starts to look like a very real, very unfortunate group trip. Cold, wet weather? Perfect for fungus. Symptoms? Match ergot poisoning. People seeing things that aren’t there? Yeah, that checks out.So was this just history gone wrong because of carbs? Not exactly. Because if it were the bread, why didn’t everyone lose their minds? Why were the accusations so specific? And why did the legal system fully commit to ghost stories as evidence? Turns out this wasn’t just a case of bad grain—it was fear, politics, religion, and a system built to find guilt no matter what. The moldy bread theory is simple. The truth about the Salem Witch Trials is messier. And way more human. This is one of those unbelievable historical events that sounds fake, feels like a conspiracy, and somehow… actually happened. This is Stupiracy presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee. Follow the show. Leave a review. Not because we need it—but because historically, ignoring obvious problems and committing to bad ideas has been working great for humanity so far. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    19 min
  5. Bizarre History of the Guam Invasion: They Fired Cannons and Guam Said “Sorry”

    MAR 26

    Bizarre History of the Guam Invasion: They Fired Cannons and Guam Said “Sorry”

    This is a completely normal story about the Guam invasion where nobody knew there was a war. The locals thought the cannons were a greeting. In 1898, during the Spanish-American War, the U.S. Navy pulled up to Guam expecting a fight. Instead, they got an apology. No defenses. No return fire. Just a small boat rowing out like, “Hey, sorry we didn’t salute you properly.” Because Guam had no idea a war was even happening. This episode of Stupiracy - Presented by CARSTAR - dives into one of the weirdest moments in bizarre history—a Guam invasion that felt more like an awkward misunderstanding than a battle. We get into how this entire Spanish American War Guam situation played out like a last-minute errand: “Hey, on your way to the Philippines, can you just… conquer Guam real quick?” And they did. We break down: Why Guam was completely out of the loop (no news, no communication, just vibes)The moment “friendly greeting” turned into “you are now prisoners of war”The accidental rise of a random guy who somehow became governor in a dayWhy this is peak history gone wrong and one of the best historical oddities everIt’s weird history, stupid history, and one of those unbelievable historical events that sounds fake but absolutely isn’t. This is Stupiracy presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee. Also yes—we will keep saying they thought the Guam invasion was a greeting. Because they did. They really did. Follow the show. Or don’t. But if we show up unannounced and take over your podcast app, just apologize, and we’ll sort it out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    20 min
  6. History of Drugs in War: From Viking Berserkers to Meth Fueled World War II Soldiers

    MAR 19

    History of Drugs in War: From Viking Berserkers to Meth Fueled World War II Soldiers

    You ever wonder if entire wars were fought by people who hadn’t slept in three days and thought that was a great idea? Cool. Because the history of drugs in war is basically that… but worse. Much worse. This week on Stupiracy - presented by CARSTAR - we dig into the history of drugs in war, where soldiers weren’t just brave—they were absolutely, chemically committed. Ancient Greeks were out here sipping opium wine like it’s a post-battle nightcap. Vikings? Possibly eating mushrooms and screaming their way into legend. No armor. No fear. Just vibes and very questionable decision-making. Then it escalates—fast. Zulu warriors pregame with cannabis and herbal cocktails before handing the British a historic loss. Napoleon’s troops discover hashish and immediately become the least focused army in Europe. Shocking. Truly shocking. And then we hit the industrial era, where this stops being quirky weird history and turns into full-blown “who approved this?” energy. World War I hands out cocaine pills like battlefield snacks. World War II cranks it to eleven with meth-fueled blitzkrieg, “tank chocolate,” and kamikaze pilots flying on stimulants straight into unbelievable historical events. Entire military strategies were running on zero sleep and terrible ideas. This is history gone wrong, powered by chemistry. But here’s where it gets weird in a different way. The same types of substances from the dark history of drugs in war are now being studied to treat PTSD in veterans. So we’ve gone from “take this to fight harder” to “take this to survive what you just went through.” Full circle. Horrifying. Kind of hopeful. Still extremely weird. We’re talking Viking berserkers on mushrooms, Zulu warriors on cannabis, cocaine in World War I, meth fueled World War II soldiers, and the full unhinged history of drugs in war that somehow is all real. Stupiracy is presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee. Subscribe to the Stupiracy podcast, leave a review, and tell a friend—or don’t, but just know we will assume you’re historically anti-fun and possibly working against us. Not saying it’s a conspiracy… but also not not saying that. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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

    MAR 12

    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
  8. The Brazen Bull and the Dark History of Executions

    MAR 5

    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
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About

This is a podcast about real historical events that should not have happened. But they did. Repeatedly. By adults. Stupiracy is a weird history podcast where conspiracy, bizarre history, and absolute human stupidity collide in ways that should not be possible. And yet all of these stories are somehow completely real. Hosted by Scott Rizzuto and Tim McKernan, this is where crazy true history, ridiculous historical facts, and conspiracy stories get explained clearly… and then immediately derailed into chaos. We’re talking about history gone wrong. We’re talking about historical oddities that feel made up. We’re talking about stories so dumb they sound fake. They are not fake. This is the dark history you didn’t learn in school. Mostly because no one thought it was a good idea to teach it. Every episode dives into wild tales of stupidity, unbelievable historical events, and the kind of weird conspiracies that make you stop and go, “Wait… how did this actually happen?” It’s part comedy history podcast, part conspiracy comedy, and part “who let this happen?” Which, historically, is a question that comes up a lot. New episodes every Thursday. Presented by CARSTAR – your auto body repair experts – locally owned with a nationwide guarantee. Follow the Stupiracy podcast, leave a review, and tell a friend—because if enough people listen, this technically becomes educational. And that feels irresponsible.

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