BALLOON BOY

BALLOON BOY

In 2009, the news reported live as a six-year-old boy careened through the air at 7,000 feet trapped inside a homemade balloon craft. Millions tuned into the harrowing saga, but once the balloon finally hit the ground, no little boy was found inside. Details then emerged that seemed to indicate it was all a hoax created by a family as part of a PR stunt for a reality TV show. On this episode, we explore the story of Balloon Boy, ask whether the event was indeed a hoax, and look at the early history of the hot air ballooning craze in the 18th and 19th centuries where hoaxes and wild spectacles were a foundational part of the emerging scientific field. Become a Patron⁠ to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline at ⁠americanhysteria.com⁠ Sound Designer and Associate Producer: ⁠Riley Swedelius-Smith⁠ Producer and Editor: ⁠Miranda Zickler⁠ Voice Actor: ⁠Will Rogers⁠ Written, Produced, and Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episoder(290)

FRANCINE AND THE WOLVES OF WALL STREET with Sarah Marshall of 'You're Wrong About'

FRANCINE AND THE WOLVES OF WALL STREET with Sarah Marshall of 'You're Wrong About'

Sarah Marshall joins me to chat about how, in 1968, one unsuspecting young woman’s bustline almost caused a stock market bust when thousands of Wall Street employees became obsessed with watching her ...

22 Apr 20241h 17min

THE SOCIETY FOR INDECENCY TO NAKED ANIMALS

THE SOCIETY FOR INDECENCY TO NAKED ANIMALS

In the late 1950s, an organization known as SINA started a campaign with the mission of clothing naked animals for the sake of decency. Today we will look at this bizarre moral crusade and its leader,...

1 Apr 20241h 6min

When Conspiracies Aren't Just Theories with Journalist Tom Risen

When Conspiracies Aren't Just Theories with Journalist Tom Risen

Journalist and author Tom Risen is here to tell me about some of the real conspiracies that the CIA and the FBI were involved in from the 50s to the 70s and how, in 1975, one senator finally took thes...

25 Mar 20241h 16min

Bigfoot's Big Adventure with Author John O'Connor

Bigfoot's Big Adventure with Author John O'Connor

John O'Connor is the author of The Secret History of Bigfoot: Field Notes on a North American Monster, a cross-country adventure and investigation into the lore around Bigfoot as well as the personali...

18 Mar 202453min

GANG INITIATIONS (part two)

GANG INITIATIONS (part two)

For the second part of this Urban Legends Hotline episode, we are continuing to explore various tall tales of ruthless gang initiations from the 1990s onward, as well as looking at the sweeping anti-g...

4 Mar 202454min

GANG INITIATIONS (part one)

GANG INITIATIONS (part one)

For this Urban Legends Hotline episode, we are answering a listener message about a story of street gangs initiating wannabes with frightening rituals including driving around with their headlights of...

26 Feb 20241h 1min

Context Clues: Ganging Up

Context Clues: Ganging Up

'Gang Initiations' is the topic of our upcoming series, and this episode will provide extra context using excerpts from three previous episodes—Urban Legends, Drugs, and Dangerous Teens. Become a Pat...

19 Feb 202437min

Alligators in the Sewer with 'You're Wrong About' [Live at SketchFest]

Alligators in the Sewer with 'You're Wrong About' [Live at SketchFest]

Live at SF Sketchfest, Sarah Marshall tells me about the urban-legendary alligators in the sewers of New York City. But of course, that's only one of the many manholes we open. Make sure you listen t...

12 Feb 20241h 14min

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