Ep 114: Monsters & Mind Control

Darren is worried about what's he going to miss out on by not living for another 1000 years, and Joe is considering an eternity in 1990. Darren has some serious problems with the ethics of Jurassic Park, and submits to us that the T-Rex was in fact a big chicken (literally). And the lads show a great degree of sympathy towards the early-Christmas songs crowd.

We reach the final stage of our odyssey through the world of JFK assassination conspiracies, and for our final act we explore some of the many different conspiracy theories that have arisen from the storm of confusion left in the wake of the murder of JFK. From Cuban exiles to disgruntled Mafia bosses, from war-hungry spy masters to murderous aliens - it seems there are few left above suspicion once we get through the vast array of theories, from the potentially plausible to outright bizarre. And to round it out, the lads give their take on what they think it the most likely of the many scenarios put forward. Will Joe allow himself be swayed away from conspiracy by any of the evidence he has heard, or will he convert Darren to his point of view?

We move beyond the Texas School Book Depository, and explore the events and evidence that doesn't relate solely to Lee Harvey Oswald - from the Grassy Knoll, to the Magic Bullet, to The Umbrella Man and JFK's missing brain. This is where the mystery of the day really kicks in. Were there shooters behind a picket fence, was there a signal from a mysterious man standing at the curve in the road, why did the doctor who conducted the autopsy burn his notes? Who were the men seen in the railroad yard in the moments around the shooting? Was a puff of smoke seen on the Grassy Knoll as the shots rang out? We delve down into the further layers that make up the parts of the many JFK conspiracy theories, and ask what can be relied on, and what is debunked - as we explore what it is that ensures this story endures to this day. Plus we track how the story evolved in the years after November 1963, as a newly released video and a Hollywood blockbuster ensured the public could never lose the obsession with this unsolved mystery.

The lads wrestle with some absolute nonsense this week, as your questions force them to consider things such as: Is a life better spent under the watchful eye of a narrator, loudly detailing your every move to the world, or a brass band following you with a bespoke playlist for your days? There are also brain busters forcing us to weigh up giant tricycles and hoverboards as a lifetime's transport. Joe, of course, comes in for some criticism - the people are against some of his recent big pronouncements on his ability to do absolutely anything - but also some love, it seems he was missed.

Who was Lee Harvey Oswald? Was he the patsy he claimed to be, or part of something far more elaborate? We continue our deep dive into the world of the JFK assassination, looking into the back story of Lee Harvey Oswald and examining the evidence laid out against him, and why critics argue the official version of events doesn’t add up.