Paranoid Planet

Paranoid Planet

PARANOID PLANET is a podcast about conspiracy theories, paradigm shifts, and critical thinking that offers serious and lighthearted conversations with people who believe in conspiracy theories, and with the skeptics who critique them. We also explore historical, philosophical, artistic, psychological, and scientific themes related to conspiracies and the study of knowledge. Whether you are an avid conspiracy follower or a hardened skeptic, our aim is to help you become a better critical thinker and a proponent of healthy public discourse.

Episodes

October 27, 2025 144 mins

The one where JFK researcher Fred Litwin scrutinizes the conspiracy theories that claim the CIA murdered President Kennedy, and where we chat about Dealey Plaza, conspiracy tourism, Lee Harvey Oswald, General Edwin Walker, and President Lyndon Johnson with veteran Dallas tour guide Daniel Evans.     

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00:00 Pre-show announcement & eulogy
0:03:15   Introduction / Conversation with Dan Evans (part 1)
0:30:...

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The one where we get visited, prodded, and probed in the middle of night by a gaggle of alien creatures as we review the autobiographical film (and book)  Communion, based on the alleged abductions of horror novelist and armchair metaphysician Whitley Strieber.

Brought to you by RectalAid Pro, a revolutionary new line of niche colostomy bags and accessories.

Click here to watch Communion on YouTube

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00:00  Introductio...

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The one where we conduct a full investigation of the Travis Walton (a.k.a.: "Fire In the Sky") UFO abduction and discuss the methods, ideas, and demise of UFO abduction therapists Budd Hopkins, David Jacobs, and John Mack, with the help of author, journalist, and podcaster Toby Ball.

Brought to you by a fashionable new line of gastrointestinal accoutrements.

Click here to listen to Toby Ball's Strange Arrivals podcast....

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The one where we lay the groundwork for the UFO abduction phenomenon with guest co-host Matthew Newland and contrast the UFO abduction memories of Betty and Barney Hill with the help of author, journalist, and podcaster Toby Ball.

Brought to you by a fashionable new line of gastrointestinal accoutrements.

Click here to listen to Toby Ball's Strange Arrivals podcast. 

Click here to listen to Toby Ball's  Rip Current podcast.

C...

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The one where we diagnose the UFO abduction claims of Betty and Barney Hill, Whitley Strieber, and Travis Walton, and evaluate the research methods of self-appointed alien abduction therapists Budd Hopkins, David Jacobs, and John Mack with the help of author, journalist, and podcaster Toby Ball.

Brought to you by a fashionable new line of gastrointestinal accoutrements.

Click here to listen to Toby Ball's Strange Arrivals podcas...

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The one where we shoot down some unidentified objects with a cross section of American East coasters, dig up the remains of the infamous 1947 Roswell crashed "flying disc", and discuss the ideas and influence of Ufologists J. Allen Hynek, Jacques Vallée, Leslie Kean, and Avi Loeb, with Science writer and veteran UFO debunker, Robert Sheaffer.   

(This episode was NOT funded by the South Carolina Department of Tourism--thou...

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The one in which we assemble another panel of armchair experts aboard the starship USS Swampgass to explore, assess, quarantine, and if necessary obliterate, the 2023 National Geographic series UFOs: Investigating the Unknown, featuring Leslie Kean, Luis Elizondo, Allen Hynek, and Avi Loeb, with a little help from our friends Matthew Newland and Rémi Poirier.     

Click here for light-speed access to our episode blog page...

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The one where we investigate the latest UAP craze and its many proponents, discuss the psychology of ufology, excavate the 1947 Roswell "crashed saucer" story, ruminate over the life and mind of “Close Encounters Man” J. Allen Hynek, and gawk at a plethora of funny lights in the sky with veteran UFO Skeptics Michael Shermer and Robert Sheaffer.

Brought to you by a little blue pill that will keep you from having ...

Mark as Played

The one where we investigate the latest UAP craze and its many proponents, discuss the psychology of ufology, excavate the 1947 Roswell "crashed saucer" story, ruminate over the life and mind of “Close Encounters Man” J. Allen Hynek, and gawk at a plethora of funny lights in the sky with veteran UFO Skeptics Michael Shermer and Robert Sheaffer

Brought to you by a little blue pill that will keep you from having ...

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The one where we investigate the 1980 Rendlesham Forest UFO story (and other tales of strange things in the sky) with former British Ministry of Defence UFO analyst Nick Pope, science writer and UFO sceptic Ian Ridpath, and returning guest co-host Matthew Marc. (Part 3 of 3).

Brought to you by a popular 1980s electronic memory game that might also have served as a powerful mind-control weapon...     

Time Stamps:
0:00:00  Introdu...

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The one where we investigate the 1980 Rendlesham Forest UFO story (and other tales of strange things in the sky) with former British Ministry of Defence UFO analyst Nick Pope, science writer and UFO sceptic Ian Ridpath, and returning guest co-host Matthew Marc. (Part 2 of 3).

Brought to you by a popular 1980s electronic memory game that might also have served as a powerful mind-control weapon...     

Time Stamps:
0:00:00  Introdu...

Mark as Played

The one where we investigate the 1980 Rendlesham Forest UFO story (and other tales of strange things in the sky) with former British Ministry of Defence UFO analyst Nick Pope, science writer and UFO sceptic Ian Ridpath, and returning guest co-host Matthew Marc. (Part 1 of 3).

Brought to you by a popular 1980s electronic memory game that might also have served as a powerful mind-control weapon...     

Time Stamps:<...

Mark as Played

The one where we investigate the 1980 Rendlesham Forest UFO story (and other tales of strange things in the sky) with former British Ministry of Defence UFO analyst Nick Pope, science writer and UFO sceptic Ian Ridpath, and returning guest co-host Matthew Marc.

Brought to you by a popular 1980s electronic memory game that might also have served as a powerful mind-control weapon...     

Click here to access Nick Po...

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The one where we deconstruct the 1997 "Phoenix Lights" UFO sightings, chide sensationalist journalists, debunk UFO junk science, rebuke New Age space gurus, and  learn a few things about telescopes, comet Hale-Bopp, and where in the world is Shelley Miscavige, with cult-busting journalist, editor, author, and amateur astronomer, Tony Ortega.

Click here to read "The Great UFO Cover-up", Tony's orig...

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The one where we track the evolution of the modern UFO saga with science historian Greg Eghigian, reflect on what Kenneth Arnold flew past in the Washington skies back in 1947, and find out what college freshmen believe about space aliens.  Brought to you by a kind little alien visitor with a big heart and even bigger stomach.

Check out Greg Eghigian's book After the Flying Saucers Came here.

TIMESTAMPS:

Mark as Played

The one where we track the evolution of the modern UFO saga with science historian Greg Eghigian, reflect on what Kenneth Arnold flew past in the Washington skies back in 1947, and find out what college freshmen believe about space aliens.  Brought to you by a kind little alien visitor with a big heart and even bigger stomach.

Check out Greg Eghigian's book After the Flying Saucers Came here.    

Question Jar (send us ...

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The one where we kick off our third season by chewing the alien fat with our favorite interdimensional oracle and space traveler, religious studies scholar James Jervis, and review Steven Spielberg's classic sci-fi-horror-fairy-tale Close Encounters of the Third Kind with the help of philosophy professor Matthew Newland.    Brought to you by a stellar dining experience fit for a galactic overlord.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:0...

Mark as Played

The one where we kick off our third season by chewing the alien fat with our favorite interdimensional oracle and space traveler, religious studies scholar James Jervis, and review Steven Spielberg's classic sci-fi-horror-fairy-tale Close Encounters of the Third Kind with the help of philosophy professor Matthew Newland.    Brought to you by a stellar dining experience fit for a galactic overlord.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:0...

Mark as Played

The one where we kick off our third season by chewing the alien fat with our favorite interdimensional oracle and space traveler, religious studies scholar James Jervis, and review Steven Spielberg's classic sci-fi-horror-fairy-tale Close Encounters of the Third Kind with the help of philosophy professor Matthew Newland.    Brought to you by a stellar dining experience fit for a galactic overlord.

Question Jar (send us a text m...

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The one where we discuss Canadian history, historical theory, historical films, a couple conspiracies, and why everyone hates Toronto, with Canadian historian and podcaster Greg Koabel.

Click here to visit Greg's Nations of Canada Podcast homepage.   

Click here to read illustrated transcripts of Nations of Canada on Quillette.

Click here to visit Greg's Early Stuart England podcast homepage.  <...

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