Episodes
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In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob look at Subway - breaking down what America loves about the sandwich, before dining at a Subway and ordering all things footlong. Of course, they also examine the Jared Fogle disaster - and read some of the favourite listener feedback.
Email us: [email protected]
Live show tickets for Denver on July 3: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiDENLive show tickets for Chicago on July 10: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiCHI
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In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob sit down to record on June 10th - a few days after David got a dose of pepper spray to the face at Sunday’s protests outside the Metropolitan Detention Centre were members of the LAPD and National Guard were posted. David and Rob discuss what the hell is going on as Trump sends 4,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, along with 700 marines. They talk to a former National Guard member about what they do, before David recounts his experiences Sunday near City Hall, and Monday night in Little Tokyo.
Email us feedback: [email protected]
LINKS:
Guardian opinion piece: We are witnessing the first stages of a Trump police state https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/09/trump-police-state-robert-reich
Live show tickets for Denver on July 3: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiDEN
Live show tickets for Chicago on July 10: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiCHI
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In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob explore Scientology in LA and beyond. David goes on a mini tour of LA Scientology, attempting to visit the Museum of Psychology, Big Blue and the Celebrity Centre to varying degrees of success. He looks at how this church/cult recruits members, before meeting someone who joined and spent around $50,000 on courses before leaving. He then meets Mike Brown, someone raised in Scientology, eventually joining the Sea Org before managing to escape. He takes David through his experience and his own theories about the church today in 2025.
Email us: [email protected] show tickets for Denver on July 3: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiDENLive show tickets for Chicago on July 10: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiCHI
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In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob look at the USA’s very unregulated sperm doner market. Along the way David meets Sheena, who recently met her biological father and discovered over 80 half-siblings… and counting.
Email us: [email protected]
Live show tickets for Denver on July 3: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiDEN
Live show tickets for Chicago on July 10: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiCHI
Links:
- Sperm donor who fathered 550 children ordered to stop: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65429936
- Lawsuit alleges ex-Harvard Medical School professor used own sperm to secretly impregnate patient: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lawsuit-alleges-ex-harvard-medical-school-professor-used-sperm-secretl-rcna129696
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This week’s Flightless Bird is live at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Musician Kelcey Ayer reimagines the FB themesong, before David and Rob share their thoughts on the city and peruse the headlines. Their special guests include Anna Lee of Lioness who has created a smart vibrator, and journalist Io Dodds who has been investigating the Zizian cult. Greg Sestero talks The Room film, and then there’s a Q&A with guests!
Contact us: [email protected]
LINKS:
- Io Dodds on the Zizians’ Trial: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/zizians-murder-trial-witness-court-b2736777.html
- Anna Lee and Lioness: https://lioness.io/
- Kelcey Ayer: http://instagram.com/kelceyayer
- Photos by Jim McCambridge
- Flightless Bird Live in Denver on 7/3: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiDEN
- Flightless Bird Live in Chicago on 7/10: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiCHI
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On this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob look at the history and current trajectory of Topps Trading Cards. They talk baseball cards and baseball cards, before looking at all the strange trajectories this bubblegum company went in - including War trading cards, Garbage Pail Kids, and Mars Attacks! cards. They look at the most expensive cards of all time, and the act of wonderment that delving into this topic brings. Rob also calls his dad to find out about their card investment, and David talks about seeing a weird dead deer and the reaction it got from Americans.
Email us: [email protected]
Merch and links: www.flightlessbirdpod.com
Links:
- Swedish Mom Fined for Cracking Egg on Daughter’s Head: https://townflex.com/mom-fined-for-cracking-egg-on-daughters-head-in-viral-tiktok-prank
- Why Are the Menendez Brothers on a Basketball Trading Card? https://people.com/the-menendez-brothers-basketball-card-8718273
- American Pope Topps card: https://www.topps.com/products/pope-leo-xiv-2025-topps-now%C2%AE-card-pope
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In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob visit the last Blockbuster videostore in the world in Bend, Oregon. On the way they stop off at the Overlook Hotel (sort of) and discuss their love of physical media. This week’s feedback is all very emo (in a good way).
Email us: [email protected]
LINKS:
- Robin Hood change: https://nichegamer.com/robin-hood-film-censored-to-remove-anti-establishment-intro-message/
- The Last Blockbuster in New Zealand?
https://web.archive.org/web/20201021165435/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2020/01/credits-roll-on-nz-s-last-blockbuster-video-store.html
- https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/small-business/final-credits-dargavilles-blockbuster-dvd-and-video-rental-store-blue-2-video-is-closing/EJVFKWDEV5TONP6VFR2C7CUHAQ/?c_id=3&objectid=12301650
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In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob look at emo music in the United States, from its origins to where it is today. Rob presents David with a lesson in emo bands and reaches out to them to ask whether they consider themselves emo or not. David plays some of his old emo reporting from back in New Zealand in the mid 00s, before attending an infamous Emo Night event in LA where he talks to founders Morgan Freed and T.J. Petracca. They also interview Vic Fuentes from Pierce the Veil and discuss the war between punks and emos that broke out in Mexico City in 2008.
Email us: [email protected]
Merch: www.flightlessbirdpod.com
LINKS:
Rob’s emo playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7zwXnoiAe2Ja18nhvnSsCY?si=e5c8ca80a9a2434eTheme song performance: Nick Thomas of The Spill Canvas https://www.thespillcanvas.net
In regards to last week’s Autism episode, some other spicy writing from David:
- Prosopagnosia - face blindness: https://www.webworm.co/p/superrecogniser and https://www.webworm.co/p/prosopagnosia
- Aphantasia: https://www.webworm.co/p/aphantasia
- Telepathic Children Do Not Exist: https://www.webworm.co/p/telepathytapes
- My memory and ADHD: https://www.webworm.co/p/memoryworms
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In this week’s Flightless Bird, David talks to Lisa Didion, an Assistant Professor of Special Education at the University of Kansas. Lisa wrote in after the Fake Seizure Guy episode, saying that Flightless Bird should take a deeper dive into autism in America. With RFK Jr’s recent unhinged comments on autism, it felt like the right time to clear up some misinformation. On top of this - David got invited to an Autism Reveal Party. What is that? Well, listen to find out.
- Email us your feedback to: [email protected] Merch: www.flightlessbirdpod.com - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast
Links:- RFK Jr. exaggerates share of autistic population with severe limitationshttps://www.politifact.com/article/2025/apr/21/rfk-jr-exaggerates-share-of-autistic-population-wi/ - Kennedy announces new studies to examine environmental factors linked to autismhttps://thehill.com/homenews/5252236-kennedy-announces-new-studies-to-examine-environmental-factors-linked-to-autism/ - Trump Administration Cuts Funding for Autism Research—Even As It Aims to Find the Causehttps://time.com/7279068/trump-administration-autism-research-cuts/ - NIH autism study will pull from private medical recordshttps://www.npr.org/2025/04/23/nx-s1-5372695/autism-nih-rfk-medical-records - The Pitt’s Dr. Mel King Is a Small but Meaningful Step Forward for Neurodivergence Onscreen:https://time.com/7275814/the-pitt-mel-neurodivergence-autism-adhd/
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This week’s episode is from our live show in beautiful Portland that happened on April 13. David and Rob share stories from their time in Portland, before turning their attention to Bigfoot - talking to Cliff Barackman, the man behind the North American Bigfoot Center. Cliff has been doing bigfoot field research since 1994. His expeditions have taken him to 46 states and five continents in search of evidence supporting the existence of undiscovered hominoids worldwide. From there, Flightless Bird turns its focus to the urban beavers of Portland, talking with Matt Guziejka, a beaver researcher from Portland State University. Matt has spent the last few years knee-deep in data and also mud studying how people feel about beavers living in cities. David and Rob then meet Philip Bouchard, the man responsible for taking the Oregon Trail video game mainstream. Plus, a special live performance from Suzzallo.
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
- Suzzallo - www.instagram.com/suzzallo_music
- Cliff Barackman - https://northamericanbigfootcenter.com / BigfootandBeyondPodcast.com
- Matt Guziejka
- Philip Bouchard
- Paxton Gate for sharing their beautiful taxidermied birds
- Local artist Mike Bennett: www.mikebennettart.com
- Steven Smith Teamaker for the custom tea and hospitality.
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In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob visit one of America’s most iconic restaurant chains: The Cheesecake Factory. They discover its humble origins as a small cheesecake shop in 1940’s Detroit - eventually launching an empire with one of the lengthiest menus in the USA. They discuss decor, the toilets, and of course - the cheesecake.
Links:
Email us: [email protected]
Upcoming live shows and t-shirts: www.flightlessbirdpod.com
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In this week's episode, David and Rob take calls from Flightless Bird listeners, who pitch the topics they want them to investigate! From a man who tells of being woken up at age 13 to two men in his room with zipties who abducted him to a controversial “Wilderness Therapy Camp”, to someone involved in competitive air ballooning, to an intern involved in the infamous “Kony2012” campaign, we hear from Birdies with stories to tell.
Links:
- Flightless Bird live in Portland on 4/13: https://bit.ly/lostkiwiPDX
- Flightless Bird live in San Francisco on 4/18: http://bit.ly/lostkiwiSF
- Flightless Bird T-Shirts: www.flightlessbirdpod.com
- E-mail us with your feedback at [email protected]
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In this week’s episode, David and Rob look at the recent cases of ICE and other agencies detaining and/or deporting various US residents who are in the US 100% legally. David interviews Canadian Jasmine Mooney, who found herself imprisoned for two weeks after arriving in the US for her job. David wonders how safe he is being critical of the current US administration while here on an 01 Visa, and the practical dangers of even doing this episode.
Links:
Flightless Bird live shows and merch: www.flightlessbirdpod.com
Email us: [email protected]
News Articles and References:
- Detained Columbia University student activist Mahmoud Khalil:
https://apnews.com/article/columbia-protests-immigration-detention-mahmoud-khalil-755774045e5e82849e3281e8ff72f26d
- Documentary voiced by Mahmoud: https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/columbia-protest-documentary-narrated-by-mahmoud-khalil-has-us-premiere-thursday
- What we know about the Tufts University PhD student detained by federal agents:
https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/27/us/rumeysa-ozturk-detained-what-we-know/index.html
- Academic groups sue Trump administration for arresting students:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/academic-groups-sue-trump-administration-arresting-students-faculty-li-rcna198139
- Jasmine Mooney’s essay:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/19/canadian-detained-us-immigration-jasmine-mooney
- The Guardian on Jasmine’s situation:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/18/canadian-actor-jasmine-mooney-detained-mexico-border
- Canadian woman detained by ICE being used as ‘example,’ immigration experts warn:
https://globalnews.ca/news/11080371/canadian-woman-detained-ice-example-immigration-border/
- University of Washington lab technician and green card holder detained:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/green-card-holder-50-years-detained-ice-rcna198044
- He voted for Trump. Now his wife sits in an ICE detention center.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/03/16/mass-deportation-ice-detains-non-criminals/82304354007/
- Yes, border control can go through your phone. Here's what travelers should know.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2025/03/21/border-control-phone-search/82594653007/
- David Farrier write on Webworm on speaking up during these Crazy Times:
https://www.webworm.co/p/missionstatement
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In this weeks Flightless Bird, David sets out to understand the Quiverfull movement, which advocates for having lots and lots of children. He talks to a Zach, a man raised in this environment, before find out his parents literally wrote the book on Quiverfull - so David calls Zach’s mom.
Upcoming live shows:
- Portland on April 13: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/80185968/flightless-bird-with-david-farrier-portland-revolution-hall
- San Fransisco on April 18: https://www.ticketmaster.com/flightless-bird-live-with-david-farrier-san-francisco-california-04-18-2025/event/1C0062589BAC1D9F
- Flights of Fancy Submissions: https://bit.ly/fbfancy
Contact us: [email protected]
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast
Flightless Bird T-Shirts: https://www.flightlessbirdpod.com/
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In this weeks episode, David goes for a ride on the Goodyear Blimp in an attempt to learn more about this iconic piece of America, celebrating its 100th birthday this year. He is shocked to find out that it's not even a blimp!
Get tickets to our live shows:
- Portland on April 13: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/80185968/flightless-bird-with-david-farrier-portland-revolution-hall
- San Fransisco on April 18: https://www.ticketmaster.com/flightless-bird-live-with-david-farrier-san-francisco-california-04-18-2025/event/1C0062589BAC1D9F
- Flights of Fancy Submissions: https://bit.ly/fbfancy
Links:
- Plugged in - Focus on the Family’s stupid reviews: https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/wolf-of-wall-street
- Helium Shortage: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/helium-shortage-doctors-are-worried-running-element-threaten-mris-rcna52978
- New Blimp for travel: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/feb/24/the-flying-bum-uk-firm-airships-airlander-hav
Contact us: [email protected]
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast
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In this week’s Flightless bird, David looks at the American prison system, attempting to understand why the US has the largest prison population in the world - with around 1.9 million people incarcerated here. He interviews Bianca Tylek of national advocacy group “Worth Rises” about problems in the prison system, and meets Robert Craig, associate director at Abolish Private Prisons. He then travels to San Diego to meet Alana McMains, an attorney who mainly focuses on federal criminal defense. Farrier also talks to Jared Klickstein about his book “Crooked Smile”, as well as Rob’s dad!
LIVE SHOWS:
-Portland on April 13: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/80185968/flightless-bird-with-david-farrier-portland-revolution-hall
-San Fransisco on April 18: https://www.ticketmaster.com/flightless-bird-live-with-david-farrier-san-francisco-california-04-18-2025/event/1C0062589BAC1D9F
Links:
Worth Rises: https://worthrises.org/
Abolish Private Prisons: https://www.abolishprivateprisons.org/
Jared Klickstein and his book: https://www.jaredklickstein.com/
Feedback and suggestions: [email protected]
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This week on Flightless Bird, David looks at Dr James Dobson and Focus on the Family, a Colorado Springs based fundamentalist Christian group formed in the 70s. Using his status as a child psychologist, Dobson wrote over 30 parenting books, creating a media empire that changed how many parents raised their kids. With a very strong focus on discipline and breaking the will of the child, Dobson’s ideas travelled far and wide, ending up in places like New Zealand. With hundreds of millions of dollars in donations, Dobson turned his focus to lobbying, extremely angry that females and gay people were getting a voice in society. David talks to people raised by adherents of Focus on the Family, before talking to DL Mayfield of the “Strongwilled” podcast about Dobson’s problematic roots and ideas. He then tracks the influence of Focus on the Family in New Zealand, talking to Michael Frost and Shane Meyer-Holt of the “In The Shift” podcast.
Email us: [email protected]
“In The Shift” Podcast: https://intheshift.com/
“Strongwilled” newsletter and podcast: https://strongwilled.substack.com/
4/13 Tickets for Portland: https://bit.ly/lostkiwiPDX
4/18 Tickets for San Francisco: https://bit.ly/lostkiwiSF
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David and Rob take Flightless Bird to Seattle, doing a live episode to a sold out crowd at the Neptune Theatre. They interview a former homicide detective who penned a book on Seattle’s forgotten serial killer Gary Gene Grant, before turning their attention to the Rain City Jacks - a “jackoff club” preparing to celebrate its 20th year. What makes a group of over a 100 men come together to masturbate, and why? Rob and David also share what they love about the city, before David goes back into old interviews and finds one with grunge legend Chris Cornell.
Links:
- David’s full 30 minutes with Chris Cornell: https://www.webworm.co/p/chriscornell
- Chris Cornell tribute by Frank Guan: https://www.vulture.com/2017/05/chris-cornell-lyrics.html
A giant thanks to:
- Real Don Music for performing an amazing opening set, and live theme song (https://linktr.ee/realdonmusic)
- Paul Rosenberg of the Rain City Jacks (NSFW: https://www.raincityjacks.org/)
- Cloyd Steiger, author of “Seattle's Forgotten Serial Killer: Gary Gene Grant” (https://www.amazon.com/Seattles-Forgotten-Serial-Killer-Grant/dp/1467143626)
- Sydney Paulsen for her amazing photography
- Betty Putnam for her taxidermy to dress our set (https://www.eputnamstudio.com)
- Matt & Kate for stage managing
- The staff at the Neptune!
- All those in the audience who came to our first live show - stay tuned for me.
Email us: [email protected]
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast
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In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob are joined by Gareth Reynold’s from “The Dollop” and “We’re Here To Help” podcasts. Gareth tells them about the story of Gallagher, an American comedian who pioneered the "Sledge-O-Matic" - and got into a bitter feud with his younger brother Ron. Along the way they talk infomercials, Carrot Top, and the dangers of impersonating someone else.
LINKS:
Mental Floss story: https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/gallagher-vs-gallagher-ii | Pop culture hyperfixations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCbYP2mzFhQ
The Dollop podcast: https://www.dolloppodcast.com/podcast
We’re Here To Help podcast: https://www.heretohelppod.com/
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This week, David meets the man who squatted in Kanye West’s Simi Valley house, sleeping in Kanye’s bed, eating Kanye’s pasta, and shitting in Kanye’s backyard. While there, John wrote a book called “Squat” which is, in this podcast’s opinion, fantastic. David then has an update about Melbourne’s Fake Seizure Guy, and reads listeners emails about other local legends around America, Canada, and the world. NOTE: While this episode about Kanye may seem incredibly timely, we actually recorded the studio part of this episode a day before Kanye’s latest X/Twitter tirade, which saw him saying a bunch of mindnumbily dumb, stupid, and offensive stuff. He was racist, extremely anti-semitic, and sent out porn. In a way it doesn't really change anything because we already knew all this about Kanye West - he’s done all this before - but in the chaos of keeping up with everything that’s going on in the world right now, some of that felt a million years ago. I guess I could sum up my feelings by what I texted Rob just now - “I wish we’d gone a little harder here”.
Links:
- John Safran’s book, Squat: https://www.amazon.com/Squat-John-Safran/dp/1760890170
- Beware the Serial Squatter of Malibu’s Point Dume: https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/serial-squatter-malibu-point-dume
- Update on Fake Seizure Guy’s Arrest: https://www.webworm.co/p/fakeseizureguy2
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