On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we travel back in time and talk about the one and only Cleopatra. She was the queen of Egypt, but she wasn’t just there because she inherited it. In fact, she had to continuously earn her throne by killing members of her own family and constantly going to war with Rome. She famously seduced Julius Caesar and had his children. She was in Rome when he was assassinated, but she made it back to Egypt. When Mark Antony took control in Rome, she hooked up with him as well, having an epic romance of war, betrayal, suicide, and poison. Game of Thrones got nothing on the story of Cleopatra!   Visit Our Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/cleopatra https://www.history.com/news/10-little-known-facts-about-cleopatra https://www.ancienthistorylists.com/egypt-history/facts-cleopatra-vii/ https://medium.com/exploring-history/ten-interesting-facts-about-cleopatra-most-people-dont-know-9e6e4efce94b

Sofa King Podcast

Episode 641: Cleopatra: The Cunning Queen of the Nile

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we cover the Tuskegee Airmen. This was the first ever all black air squadron, and they battled not just Nazis and the Axis, but good old American racism. Nobody in the army wanted black pilots, but the NAACP and Eleanor Roosevelt convinced people otherwise. They started to train at Tuskegee University and became a highly decorated part of World War II. What battles did they fight just for the chance to go to war and die? What was the Freeman Field Mutiny, and how might it have gotten Tuskegee Airmen shot by their own men? How does the UFO hunting Project Blue Book tie in? Listen, laugh, learn.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/tuskegee-airmen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Airmen https://www.tuskegee.edu/support-tu/tuskegee-airmen https://www.military.com/history/the-tuskegee-airmen.html https://www.afhistory.af.mil/FAQs/Fact-Sheets/Article/458979/tuskegee-airmen/ https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/643566/tuskegee-airmen-facts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeman_Field_mutiny#The_protest_at_Freeman_Field

Episode 640: Tuskegee Airmen: Fighting Hard to Die

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we look at the life, loves, ups, and higher ups of Madonna. Her impact on 1980s culture can’t be overstated. Her videos, sound, and fashion made the entire Gen X imitate and want her. She has always been a master of branding and self-promotion. When being a sex symbol was getting old, Madonna would piss off the Catholic church, and when that got old, she’d drop a book full of lesbian sex pictures to draw the spotlight back on her. She’s had a crazy love life, is one of the bestselling female artists of all times, and manages to constantly be the queen of controversy. Come for the music, stay for the S&M phot shoots!   Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/musician/madonna https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna https://www.forbes.com/profile/madonna/?sh=1c2bde1c27ac https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/7000438/inside-madonnas-relationships-from-toyboy-lovers-to-rock-legends/ https://www.datingcelebs.com/who-is-madonna-dating/ https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/651771/madonna-music-facts https://www.biography.com/news/madonna-like-a-virgin-vmas-1984 https://theindustryobserver.thebrag.com/when-madonna-leaked-a-fake-version-of-her-album-to-thwart-pirates/

Episode 639: Madonna: The Mistress of Music and Marketing

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about the madness and genius of Vincent van Gogh. Surely, you know him as one of the most important artists in all of human history. Because he was. But his life was filled with love, friendship, disaster, prostitutes, depression, art, and absinthe. His father was a priest, and his mother a painter, and he himself tried to become a minister before turning to art (and prostitutes). He didn’t touch a canvas until he was 30 years old, and his demons haunted him firmly enough that he tried to kill himself several times and spent a year in an insane asylum at St. Remy, where van Gogh painted some of his most important works. His story is an amazing, uplifting, tragic tale of family, art, and suicide. Visit Our Sources https://www.biography.com/artist/vincent-van-gogh https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh https://www.biography.com/news/vincent-van-gogh-biography-facts https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/21-facts-about-vincent-van-gogh  

Episode 638: Vincent Van Gogh: Madness on a Canvas

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we talk about one of the biggest forces in popular culture history, Dennis Rodman. Of course he was a basketball player and part of both the infamous Bad Boys of the Detroit Pistons as well as the game changing comeback of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. But this unique man is so much more than that. He is a troubled man, battling depression and a sense of loneliness and insecurity which drove him to greatness. He was a friend to the LGBTQ community and AIDS support in the 1990s when that was rare. He broke social conventions, married himself in a wedding dress, dated Madonna, ignored his children, and somehow became friends with North Korea’s Kim Jung Un. His is a life you will want to hear about!   Visit Our Sources: 30 For 30, ESPN: Rodman, Better or Worse https://www.biography.com/athlete/dennis-rodman https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2018/06/12/a-brief-guide-to-dennis-rodmans-long-weird-history-with-north-korea/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Rodman https://wealthygorilla.com/dennis-rodman-net-worth/ http://www.mindofmodernity.com/14-unique-facts-that-you-probably-didnt-know-about-dennis-rodman/ https://tvovermind.com/dennis-rodman/

Episode 637: Dennis Rodman: Rebounds, Madonna, and Kim Jong Un

In this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we give you some true crime and talk about the Dating Game Killer. Rodney James Alcala was a serial rapist and killer. Some people think he is the second most prolific killer in American history, even though he was only convicted for five counts. He posed as a photographer and would lure young women into his van and take naked photos of them. Many were never seen again until the photos were released by police desperate to close cold cases. He was a bachelor on the Dating Game in 1978 and actually won the contest! What ended up happening with the girl who picked him as the perfect bachelor? How many people do police think he may have killed? What happened when he literally questioned himself on the witness stand? How is he connected to Sammy David Jr and Dean Martin? Listen, laugh, learn.   Visit Our Sources: Dating Game Video Here https://murderpedia.org/male.A/a/alcala-rodney.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Alcala https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/rodney-alcala-the-dating-game-killer-dead-1201827/ https://the-line-up.com/rodney-alcala-the-dating-game-killer-victims  

Episode 636: Rodney Alcala: The Dating Game Killer

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about a very unique rock star and UFO hunter, Tom DeLonge. DeLonge founded Blink 182 when he was 16 years old and after a few years, they were a massive band. While they toured in vans early on, he started to read books on UFOs, and his true life obsession was born. Cut to a couple decades later, and DeLonge is the founder of the To The Stars Academy of Arts and Sciences. This is a group of ex spies from the CIA, physicists, parapsychologists, and even engineers from Skunk Works. They collect videos and physical evidence of UFOs and even got the Pentagon to officially acknowledged that some of the craziest UFO footage of all time was real. We talk a lot about some of the UFOs from episode 446, Modern UFOs. Go back and revisit that one to really focus in how intense this former frontman’s endeavors have become.   Visit Our Sources: https://home.tothestarsacademy.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_DeLonge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_the_Stars_(company) https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a37532754/tom-delonge-interview-2021/ https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/inside-tom-delonges-ufo-obsession-blink-182-turmoil-50572/ https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/tom-delonge-ufo-video-pentagon-release-blink-182-994370/ https://www.history.com/shows/unidentified-inside-americas-ufo-investigation/cast/tom-delonge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqHn4vSSuro

Episode 635: Tom DeLonge: Rock Star to UFO Hunter

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we look at the rise and fall and rise again of the one and only Martha Stewart. Right when she was bigger than Oprah (worth $1.2 billion), the SEC busted her for insider trading and sent her to jail for almost a year. But the story of her constant drive to build up her brand, image, and companies, she bounced right back. This is the story of a middle class girl who turned a teenage modeling career into one of the most savvy media companies in the world. Plus, she’s friends with Snoop Dogg! How did she and Snoop meet? What happened that took her to jail? Who wins in the Superfight between her and Oprah that we play at the end of the episode? Listen, laugh, and learn.   Visit Our Sources: Snoop on Martha Stewart Living for the first time. Ghost Spoof. Titanic Spoof. https://www.biography.com/business-figure/martha-stewart https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Stewart https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/21/entertainment/martha-stewart-anthony-hopkins-hannibal-lecter-intl-scli-gbr/index.html https://www.prevention.com/beauty/a38830927/martha-stewart-cbd-muscle-cream/ https://www.marthastewart.com/274830/the-martha-timeline https://www.insider.com/facts-martha-stewart-2018-7 https://www.inc.com/larry-kim/20-bizarre-facts-you-never-knew-about-martha-stewart.html https://www.investopedia.com/articles/professionals/071415/how-martha-stewart-built-media-empire https://www.insider.com/timeline-martha-stewart-snoop-dogg-friendship-2021-2

Episode 634: Martha Stewart: Rise and Fall and Rise (And Snoop)

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we back in time to World War Two and talk about the horror and honor that defined the London Blitz. In September of 1940, Hitler had lost the Battle of Britain, which was battle for air superiority over England. As a result, he decided to use bombing as a terror tactic to break Britain’s will before he invaded their country. However, it didn’t quite go as he planned. The Brits proved to be amazingly resilient, surviving some of the worst war conditions in the world. Tons of bombs were dropped every night, and entire neighborhoods vanished to explosives and fires. But the Brits carried on. Through the Blitz, they hid the Underground tubes, planted victory gardens, shagged each other, and got ready for another day of war. If you like the war, Britain, history with a side of bad jokes, give this one a listen.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-blitz-begins https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blitz https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-blitz-around-britain https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/online-exhibitions/history-of-the-battle-of-britain/the-blitz-the-hardest-night/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/virus-and-blitz/608965/ https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/the-blitz-what-happened-how-many-died-blitz-meaning/ https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-evacuated-children-of-the-second-world-war

Episode 632: The Blitz: London’s Darkest Days

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about Quentin Tarantino. He is considered one of the most influential directors of his generation and has won Oscars and Emmys for his work. He typically shows hyper-violent scenes and directs movies filled with very unique dialogue. Once a small independent film maker, Quentin Tarantino is now one of the most sought after directors in the world. But there are many reports of bad behavior, a violent streak, sexism, and mistreatment toward women on his sets. He’s a controversial figure who has publicly backed sexual predators, but his art is some of the best in the world of cinema. You won’t want to miss this one.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/filmmaker/quentin-tarantino https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quentin_Tarantino https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/73134/20-facts-about-your-favorite-quentin-tarantino-movies https://kottke.org/22/01/the-vega-brothers-from-quentin-tarantino https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/quentin-tarantino-has-responded-to-that-pulp-fiction-lawsuit https://www.thedailybeast.com/quentin-tarantinos-history-of-disturbing-behavior-toward-his-actresses https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/quentin-tarantino-mom-money-1234994873/

Episode 633: Quentin Tarantino: Laying His Vengeance Upon You

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we hop over The Pond and talk about one of the most famous organized crime families in London. This is Ronnie and Reginald Kray. The Kray Brothers were a hyper-violent duo who ran a criminal underground known as The Firm. Their business focused on protection, money laundering, and night clubs. They ran things differently than many criminal organizations and thrived on the spotlight, fame, celebrity status, and a penchant for incredible violence. They were both bisexual and open about it at a time where it was illegal and would get you killed. So, what celebrities did they hang out with? How did a gay sex scandal make them untouchable? Which one of them was a paranoid schizophrenic? What violent line did they cross that finally brought them down? Listen, laugh, learn.   Visit our Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kray_twins#Ronnie https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/kray-family-fury-over-gay-jibe-for-helgeland-s-hollywood-3474074 https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/kray-twins-legend-tom-hardy https://thekraytwins.fandom.com/wiki/Ronnie_Kray https://thekraytwins.fandom.com/wiki/Reggie_Kray https://www.buzzfeed.com/sam_cleal/secrets-of-the-krays-things-i-learned https://www.mylondon.news/news/east-london-news/kray-twins-east-london-still-20649537 https://www.historyhit.com/facts-about-the-kray-twins/

Episode 631: The Krays: Crazed Kings of London

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we talk about one hell of a drug, Cocaine! It releases more dopamine than any other natural drug into the human brain—way more than even sex. Cocaine made German scientists stick needles in their own eyes, and killed John Belushi, Chris Farley, Mitch Hedberg, and River Phoenix! We talk about its past, its ties with Coca-Cola, when it was purified, and what methods the cartels use to smuggle it into America. If you want a little booger sugar, give this one a listen…   Visit Our Sources: https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs3/3951/3951p.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_involvement_in_Contra_cocaine_trafficking https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocaine https://list25.com/25-facts-about-cocaine-that-you-probably-didnt-know/ https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/report_2361/ShortReport-2361.html https://www.kickassfacts.com/cocaine-facts/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola#Use_of_stimulants_in_formula http://defamer.gawker.com/remember-when-tim-allen-almost-got-a-life-sentence-for-1682644188 https://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin1993-04.html

Episode 630: Cocaine: One Hell of a Drug!

On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we drop some science and talk about one of the most important feats of agriculture in all of human history—Corn. You may be asking, why Corn? Many people argue that it is disastrous for the environment and for agriculture in the US. For another thing, it is one of the most subsidized crops by the US government; the government pays the biggest corn growers millions of dollars a year to grow (or not grow this crop). It has a crazy history and was domesticated some 9000 years ago by ancient peoples in Mexico. It was the descendent of a plant called teosinte. It was used by the Mayans and Native Americans, and now it is used to feed animals, make plastics, create fuel, sweeten your Mt. Dew and just about everything else you can think of. From threats of eco disaster to potentially corrupt government payoffs, Corn is more interesting than you might think.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rethinking-corny-history-maize-180971038/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/time-to-rethink-corn/ https://farmtogether.com/learn/blog/a-brief-history-of-corn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maize https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBuYUb_mFXA https://www.thebalance.com/farm-subsidies-4173885 https://grist.org/food/our-crazy-farm-subsidies-explained/ https://www.farmprogress.com/vegetables/13-ways-corn-used-our-everyday-lives https://www.freshcityfarms.com/blogs/9-facts-you-might-not-know-about-corn https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC212689/ http://www.teachinghistory100.org/objects/about_the_object/maize_god  

Episode 629: Corn: Mayans, Monocrops, and Monopolies

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we cover long-time listener request. This is the death of Natalie Wood. Hers is a story of stardom, sexual scandal, a controlling mother, and quite possible murder. She was found drowned off Catalina Island, after a night of drinking and arguing with her husband Robert Wagner about her friend Christopher Walken. The case was ruled as accidental, but in 2011, it became active again. Natalie Wood was one of the biggest stars of her day, winning three academy awards before the age of 25. She was a childhood star in Miracle on 34th Street, and was in everything from Rebel Without A Cause to Westside Story. So what went down the night Natalie Wood died? What made the LAPD open this case after decades? What does Christopher Walken say happened? Why was Natalie Woods so afraid of the water? Why won’t her husband cooperate with the police in the current investigation? Listen, laugh, learn.   Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/actor/natalie-wood https://allthatsinteresting.com/natalie-wood-death https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-11-30/40-years-later-the-mystery-over-natalie-woods-death-endures https://nypost.com/2021/11/04/natalie-woods-sister-says-robert-wagner-killed-the-actress/ http://sandhillsexpress.com/cbs_entertai/natalie-wood-death-investigator-calls-new-witnesses-very-credible-cbsidcd019ffa/ https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-natalie-wood/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0fm42MGMGc

Episode 628: The Death of Natalie Wood: Murder or Mishap?

On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we talk about one of the largest heists in US history and the inspiration for the movie Goodfellas. It was called the Lufthansa Heist, named after the airline they stole from. This story is a tale of vintage mobsters, theft, powergrabs, and murders. So many murders. Jimmy Burke, the leader of the crew, went a bit psychotic after the FBI started to investigate. He took care of loose ends as only the mob knows how. So, if you want to learn if Joe Pesci, Robert DeNiro, and Ray Liotta accurately portrayed these unhinged mobsters, then listen, laugh, and learn. Visit Our Sources: https://www.biography.com/news/real-goodfellas-lufthansa-heist-henry-hill https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lufthansa_heist https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lufthansa-heist-jfk-airport-goodfellas-henry-hill https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/lufthansa-heist-murders-mafia-mobsters https://www.businessinsider.com/what-happened-during-the-lufthansa-heist-of-1978-2014-1 https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/goodfellas-did-the-real-henry-hill-make-any-money-from-the-movie.html/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Burke_(gangster)

EPISODE 627: LUFTHANSA HEIST: REAL LIFE GOODFELLAS

comedy, entertainment, pop culture, and topics we want to talk about

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Sofa King Podcast

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