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What It Was Like: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Superreal
Conversations with people who have lived through extreme events. Some stories are dark and twisted, others are light and funny. In all cases, we get an intimate portrait of 'what it was like' to be there. Hosted by Julian Morgans This is a Superreal production
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- Yesterday47 min
The Hurricane That Swallowed a Cargo Ship (Classic)
This week we are revisiting one of our favourite stories. In 2015, Hurricane Joaquin roared over the Bahamas and sank a cargo ship called the El Faro, drowning all 33 people onboard. It was a mystery how a modern US-flagged ship could sail into a hurricane until its black box was found. In this episode, Julian examines the black box transcript to discover a crew that ignored all their own instincts.Transcript from the El Faro's black box is here.The US Coast Guard's report is here.And here is an article and a book that was hugely helpful in researching this case:“The Clock Is Ticking”: Inside the Worst U.S. Maritime Disaster in Decades by William LangewiescheInto the Raging Sea: Thirty-Three Mariners, One Megastorm, and the Sinking of El Faro by Rachel Slade Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 1 weeks ago38 min
The Strange Condition That Made Me Write Constantly
When Alice Weaver Flaherty’s twins died at birth, she developed an overwhelming compulsion to write about the experience. Soon, Alice had developed hypergraphia, a rare condition that causes sufferers to write morning and night. She explains what happened to her and what it reveals about the brain and creativity.Check out Alice’s book, The Midnight Disease Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 2 weeks ago49 min
My Childhood Bully Killed My Friend
In 1990, 14-year-old Tyler Pelke was home alone in Altona, Canada, watching a movie with a friend. Then the local bully, Earl Giesbrecht, showed up at the door. Hours later, Tyler’s friend was dead and his house was on fire. Years later, Tyler confronted Earl in prison to ask “why?”.Get Tyler to speak at your next event: tylerpelke.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 3 weeks ago1h 23m
He Slept on His Daughter’s Dorm Room Couch and Built a Cult
In 2010, Larry Ray was released from prison and moved into his daughter’s college dorm at Sarah Lawrence College. Within weeks, he was mentoring her friends. A year later, he'd moved them into a one-bedroom apartment, where he maintained control through psychological and physical abuse. Felicia Rosario was one of them. Introduced to Larry’s cult by her brother, she spent 10 years under his spell. She tells us how he brainwashed people and how she rebuilt her life after his arrest.Contact Felicia Rosario via her website here: feliciarosario.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 4 weeks ago57 min
I Joined a Cult That Demanded Human Ears
"Bring me their ears." That was the order from cult leader Yahweh ben Yahweh, who admitted new members of the Nation of Yahweh into his inner circle only after they'd killed someone and had an ear to prove it. Our guest, Khalil Amani, never killed anyone, but this instruction was a step too far. This week, Khalil tells us how he became an FBI informant and put the group's leader behind bars.Find us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatitwaslikepodcastFollow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/whatitwaslikepodcast/This is a Superreal production: https://superreal.com.au/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Aug 15, 202644 min
I Traced a Mystery Stalker Back to eBay’s Corporate Headquarters
In 2019, David and Ina Steiner began receiving mysterious packages at their Massachusetts home. Local police sergeant Jason Sutherland was called in to investigate, and eventually traced the harassment back to executives at eBay. In this episode, Sergeant Sutherland explains how one of Silicon Valley’s biggest companies came to target a suburban couple.Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcastFollow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcastThis is a Superreal production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Aug 7, 202648 min
How a Bunch of Australian Teens Invented 'Urban Exploration'
Today, "urbex" (urban exploration) is a global phenomenon with millions of videos online. But few people know it all traces back to a group of teenagers in Melbourne. In the mid-1980s, they founded the Cave Clan, formalising the exploration of storm drains and abandoned buildings. In this ep, founding member Dougo explains how the group began, the tragedy that changed everything, and how they’re hoping to bring the Cave Clan back to life.Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcastFollow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcastThis is a Superreal production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Aug 2, 202645 min
The Day My Daughter Got Abducted (and How I Got Her Back)
In 2018, Brittany Todd was a mother of five living in South Carolina. Then one day she came home to find a stranger inside her house who beat her unconscious and abducted her four-year-old daughter. In this episode, Brittany tells us how they got her girl back.Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcastFollow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcastThis is a Superreal production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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About What It Was Like
Conversations with people who have lived through extreme events. Some stories are dark and twisted, others are light and funny. In all cases, we get an intimate portrait of 'what it was like' to be there. Hosted by Julian Morgans This is a Superreal production
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