Meet The Skeptics!
By Christopher Brown
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Podcast Description
A regular interview show with today's most prominent Skeptics and critical thinkers.
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CleanMTS: Meet Michael Goudeau | Michael Goudeau is a juggler, unicyclist, stage performer, writer, pancake artist, barbecue grill cover creator and former clown with the Barnum & Bailey Circus. He was the lead writer on Penn & Teller's "B******t," and co-hosts the podcast "Penn's Sunday School." For 19 years, he appeared as the comdey act in Lance Burton's Las Vegas show. Some have called him the most successful juggler in Las Vegas history. Aside from stage performing and juggling, Michael shared some great stories of his life, his concerns about the harm being done by anti-vax activists, the real reasons he didn't go to church as a child, and much more. Website: http://www.mikegoudeau.com/ Book: Extreme Pancakes And you HAVE to check out this video clip! | 5/22/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Seth Shostak | Seth Shostak is the lead Astronomer for SETI, The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. I have to admit that I was a bit giddy about this interview, as the movie Contact is one of my favorites. In the movie, Jodie Foster plays an astronomer who finds the signal sent by an alien civilization. The reality is a bit different, as Seth explains. Seth also hosts a radio show/podcast titled "Big Picture Science," which I cannot recommend highly enough. He is the author of the book "Confessions of an Alien Hunter." | 4/18/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Hemant Mehta | Hemant Mehta is best known for his work as the blogger "The Friendly Atheist." He began his public activism career with a curious and creative Ebay auction that eventually became the inspiration for his book I Sold My Soul on eBay: Viewing Faith through an Atheist's Eyes. His efforts to personally understand religion have informed his unique approach to promoting an Atheistic worldview as a better moral choice. Hemant has also worked on the board of the Secular Student Alliance and helps run the charity Foundation Beyond Belief. You can read Hemant's Blog at www.FriendlyAtheist.com. Follow him on Twitter at: @Hemantmehta. | 3/8/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Steven Novella | We've hit the big 5-0! I'm really excited an happy to be able to offer this interview with Dr. Steven Novella. The Skeptics Guide to the Universe was one of my earliest, favorite podcasts and was my primary introduction to the whole world of active Skepticism. Steven Novella is one of the figureheads of the movement and is a tireless advocate for reasoned, scientific approaches to societal problems. In addition to the Skeptics Guide Podcast, Dr. Novella writes blogs at Science Based Medicine, Neurologica, and has produced a lecture series for The Great Courses titled: Medical Myths, Lies, and Half-Truths: What We Think We Know May Be Hurting Us. You can also catch him at Skeptical conferences all over the world. | 1/9/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Michael Diaz | Michael Diaz is a college student better known as "Chattiestspike2" on YouTube. He has made some extremely clever videos, one of which caught my eye and encouraged me to check out the others. He hit it big with his "Question Gravity" video as seen below. Michael has a unique talent for producing humorous, funny videos that also pack a skeptical punch. Check out his YouTube channel or find him on any of the social networks as seen below. Twitter: @chattiestspike Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Chattiestspike2 Blog: http://chattiestspike.blogspot.com/ BUY A "QUESTION GRAVITY" SHIRT HERE!: http://spikeattire.spreadshirt.com/ | 11/30/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Dezrah Blinn (Dezrah the Strange) | Dezrah Blinn is a professional Magician who uses his skills to spread a message of scientific skepticism and curiosity. I first met him at Skepticamp New Hampshire, where he had a friend break a large concrete block with a sledgehammer as he held the block on his chest while laying on a bed of nails. He then proceeded to explain the physics behind the stunt, demystifying it and teaching the lesson that things are not always as unbelievable as they seem. I had a chance to visit Dezrah at his home to get the full scoop on the man behind the show. Enjoy! Website: www.Dezrah.com Twitter: @Dezrah Facebook: Dezrah on Facebook Google+: Dezrah's Page Make your own slide show at Animoto. | 11/16/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Michael Shermer | What can I say about Michael Shermer that hasn't already been said? Author, Magazine Publisher, College Professor, Consistent debate opponent to Deepak Chopra, and on, and on. In our interview I got to ask about his early days as an author, his participation in founding the "Race Across America," and his position as a Libertarian in a Liberal world. Skeptic Magazine The Believing Brain Why People Believe Weird Things Follow Dr. Shermer on Twitter! @MichaelShermer | 11/8/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Carrie Poppy | Carrie is 1/2 of the duo "Ross and Carrie." A few episodes back we interviewed Ross. Now, here's Carrie! Carrie seems to infuse an upbeat energy into everything she does & it's no surprise that they seem to be having so much fun while recording the "Oh No, Ross & Carrie" podcast. During our interview we talked about her days as a child exorcist, how a search for non-leather boots led to a whole new lifestyle, her partnership with Ross Blocher. We also did a begging segment at one point. Enjoy! Oh No, Ross and Carrie! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ONRAC | 11/2/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Blake Smith | Blake Smith is the co-host (along with Ben Radford and Karen Stollznow) of the Monster Talk podcast. During this discussion, we talked about religion, community, monsters and an alternate career path that could have had Blake working with a large bandage wrapped Yeti. No joke. He also divulged the rather surprising thing he had to do to gain status as an Official Podcast of Skeptic Magazine. In addition to Monster Talk, you may be surprised to learn about other podcasts that Blake is involved with, namely "Ask a Canadian" and "The Death Panel." Follow Blake on Twitter at @DoctorAtlantis | 10/18/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Chris Mooney | Chris Mooney is one of the hosts of the Point of Inquiry Podcast, writes The Intersection With Chris Mooney, and is a published author with several books under his belt and more on the way. Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens our Future The Republican War on Science Storm World: Hurricanes, Politics, and the Battle Over Global Warming During our interview we talk about Science Education in America, his fellowships, his time at the Center for Inquiry, and his defense of his positions against some rather well known critics. Twitter: @Chrismooney | 10/12/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Gary Stockdale | Gary Stockdale is a Musician first, Skeptic/Atheist second. I met Gary at TAM 9 and had a really nice time chatting with him and getting to know him a bit. He has worked for many years as the musical director for Penn & Teller and is the man responsible for the theme music to Penn & Teller's show "B******t." In addition to his work with Penn & Teller, Gary is an independent Musician and Composer with his own career path. During this interview we actually play a few of his songs, which have become favorites on my iPod. Make sure to check out Gary on Twitter at @GaryStockdale His Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/garystockdalemusic And his Website: www.GaryStockdale.com | 9/28/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Brian Trent | Brian Trent is an "Aristotelian humanist non-partisan freethinking aggressive rationalist bibliophile." He also is an author of two books (for now), many articles and short stories and has been published in over 100 venues. America's Addiction to Belief LADY PHILOSOPHER: The Story of Hypatia Never Grow Old: The Novel of Gilgamesh In addition to his tireless writing efforts, Brian works as a film producer on independent projects as well as behind the scenes with the Skeptics Guide to the Universe team both as a producer and blogger. The Rogues Gallery Blogs Brian is also producing the Skeptics Guide 24 Hour Live Show on September 23-24. Make sure to tune in! SGU-24 Show And don't forget to check out Brian's website at: www.BrianTrent.com | 9/20/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Donna Mugavero (Ms. Information) | I originally met and interviewed Donna Mugavero during a road trip that took me past Bethlehem, PA where she and George Hrab reside and continuously crank out episode after episode of the Geologic Podcast. I stopped by and we hung out and chatted for a bit as I put my recorder on. That interview originally went up online back in late 2010 on my old feed. Since I gradually moved all the old episodes over to the new feed, hers remained and languished in a bit of obscurity until I got my act together. Not too long ago, I happened to be back in Bethlehem & I asked if we could catch up a bit. Once again, I recorded it and added it to the original episode before moving it over to the new feed here. Apparently, Ms. Info is now a Skepchick! This is an interesting tidbit because during our interview she made mention of the fact that she was a big supporter but was not an actual Skepchick. Since then things have changed and made at least part of this episode antiquated. Enjoy! Twitter: @MsInformation Sheer Brick Studios: http://www.sheerbrick.com/ | 9/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Ross Blocher | Ross Blocher is a mild mannered Disney artist by day, woo woo hunter by night. He is the co-host of "Oh No, Ross and Carrie! The Podcast." The tagline is "We show up, so you don't have to." Along with his co-host Carrie Poppy, Ross investigates various religions, psuedosciences, alternative medical approaches, and more. They actually subject themselves to the process and report back in a podcast episode. Ever wonder about Kabbalah? Accupuncture? Mormonism? Ear Candling? Just check out Oh No, Ross and Carrie! to hear their first hand accounts. In our interview, Ross and I talk about his advenures with the podcast, his efforts and time with the Independent Investigations Group, his conversion from devout Christian, and much more. Check them out on Facebook at: ONRAC on FB | 9/7/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Brian Keith Dalton (Mr. Deity) | Brian Keith Dalton is far better known as Mr. Deity, regularly depicting his own take on the stories and circumstances depicted throughout the bible in a humorous web series that has become a "must see" for anyone serious about biblical criticism. While the series itself tends not to shine a very favorable light on the stories from scripture, it has ironically been embraced even by many within the Christian community as a great starting point for discussion. During our interview we talked about his past, living in a mixed marriage (religious vs. non), the many wives of Joseph Smith, and much more. Brian is an "Forman" (Former Morman) who now splits his time between producing new Mr. Deity episodes and public speaking engagements. You can check out his stuff on the web at any of the links below, or even watch the very first episode of Mr. Deity right here. Facebook: Mr. Deity FB Page YouTube Channel: Mister Deity on YouTube Mr. Deity Website Twitter: @MrDeity | 8/31/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Derek Bartholomaus | Derek Bartholomaus is best known as the creator and publisher of the Jenny McCarthy Body Count website. Since 2007 he has been compiling statistics to demonstrate that the anti-vaccine movement in the United States (with its figurehead Jenny McCarthy) has had a solid, measurable, negative impact in the form of an ever increasing number of preventable deaths and illnesses. In addition to the JMBC website, Derek also has a website devoted to the Billy Meier UFO Case and another as a fun lure for unsuspecting, self deluded psychics. In our interview we spoke about these sites, his activities with the IIG, and much more. You can follow Derek on Twitter at: @derekcbart Websites: www.BillyMeierUFOCase.com www.JennyMcCarthyBodyCount.com www.Psychic-Union.org | 8/23/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Jeff Wagg | Jeff Wagg has been a recognizable name in the Skeptics community for quite some time. He worked at the JREF for several years, managing the Million Dollar Prize. He started and ran a website; IndieSkeptics.com before handing it over to Andrew Gould. Most currently, Jeff runs a travel business known as Skeptours. While I haven't yet had the chance to attend one of these tours, I can tell you that any self respecting skeptic with an excess of cash and a spirit of adventure should absolutely check it out. Skeptical, science minded vacations head to such places as The Bermuda Triangle, The Galapagos Islands, Alaska, and the Mayan Ruins of the Yucatan. Follow Jeff on Twitter at @JeffWagg. | 8/16/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Sharon Hill | I'm really not quite sure how Sharon Hill handles all her different projects. She blogs on a whole bunch of different sites, investigates the (paranormal) investigators, and somehow holds down a day job as a Hydrogeologist (boy, I hope I spelled that correctly). We talked about all that stuff, her "coming of age" as a Skeptic, interests in cryptozoology, and her Masters Degree program with the Center for Inquiry. You can check out Sharon at any of the following: I Doubt It Skeptoid SheThought Who Forted? Spook Spot Twitter: @IDoubtIt | 8/9/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Maria Walters (Masala Skeptic) | Maria Walters is about as well travelled as they come, having lived in India, Hong Kong & Trinidad, but currently calls Atlanta "home." Also known as Masala Skeptic, Maria is a blogger for Skepchick and the first (but hopefully not the last!) Skepchick we've had on the show. Maria and I talked about her involvement in Atlanta Skeptics, Skepchick, her support and work at spreading the importance of immunizations, life in various foreign countries, her "elevator pitch" for Skepticism, and much more. Check out some of Maria's writings at: http://skepchick.org/author/ottle/ OR follow her on Twitter: @masalaskeptic | 8/2/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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ExplicitMTS: Meet Emery Emery | Emery Emery has been in Stand-Up Comedy for years, and now brings his formidable talents to his radio show/podcast Ardent Atheist. Somehow or another he manages to pull together an incredibly impressive panel for discussions on Religion and its place in the world today. Never allowing himself to take the easy way out, Emery almost always has at least one religious person on the panel, which makes for a great debate without fail. During our interview, we talked about freedoms, Emery's work on the movie "The Aristocrats," his conversion from a strong believer on track to becoming a preacher, the use of language, and much, much more. Ardent Atheist Website Follow Emery on Twitter: @ArdentAtheists Ardent Atheist on iTunes New Dissident Radio | 7/26/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Donald Prothero | Donald Prothero is an instructor of Physical and Historical Geology, Sedimentary Geology, and Paleontology. We had a chance to talk about his participation during the very early days of the Skeptical movement, hisincredible track record of book publishing, Skeptic Geology Tours, and what it's like to work in dusty museum basements. Skeptic Blog The video below is a fantastic presentation regarding the proofs of Evolution. His presentation begins at about the 12:30 mark. | 7/19/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Brian Gregory | Brian Gregory is the creator and host of Virtual Drinking Skeptically. While this is particularly great for those of us who do not have a Skeptical social group nearby, it's also a fun evening if you do. All you need is a webcam, some good bandwidth, and a bottle of something potable in the fridge. Brian and I spoke about his time in an evangelical church, his involvement with the Capital Area Skeptics and a recent Skepticamp, dowsing for electrical lines, and much more. Follow Brian on Twitter! @Briandgregory or check out his blog full of amusing findings from around the world of the Internet; Things I've Missed. | 7/12/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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ExplicitMTS: Meet Paul Provenza | Paul Provenza is the host of Showtime's "The Green Room with Paul Provenza." He has been working in the field of Stand-Up Comedy for over 30 years now, and is the man responsible for the movie The Aristocrats and the book Satiristas: Comedians, Contrarians, Raconteurs & Vulgarians. In addition to Comedy, Paul is an accomplished actor who has played parts in such shows as The Facts of Life, Northern Exposure, and The West Wing. Paul comes to the Skeptics movement from the point of view of a comedian. While we may think of Magicians as experts of deception and Scientists as experts in diligently uncovering scientific truths, Comedians are often expert analysts of human behavior. During TAM9 Paul will be hosting a Live Satiristas show with several very special guests. Paul has made it a habit to bring together comedians to entertain, challenge, and inform audiences while having a blast of a time in the process. This is what he does on his Showtime Show and it's what he is doing for the Skeptics movement by bringing comedians to TAM and putting on a show for attendees. To view some hilarious outtakes from The Green Room, click the links below! Romano/Apatow/Shandling outtakes http://tinyurl.com/3k5jvp3 Griffin/Gould/Proops outtakes http://tinyurl.com/3bg7t35 Follow Paul on Twitter at @PaulProvenza | 7/5/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Ashley Paramore | Ashley Paramore is one of those people that you can't help notice popping up all around in various places in the Skeptiverse. She is the Development Director for the Secular Student Alliance and seemingly attends every conference remotely connected to Science, Skepticism and Atheism. Ashley assists students in setting up groups to promote critical thinking and secular/humanistic values in a non-religious setting. She travels to conferences to network and expand the impact of the SSA, making more opportunities available to students both in college and high school. Ashley's YouTube Channel Secular Student Alliance Twitter: @Healthyaddict | 6/28/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Mark Edward | Mark Edward is a unique interviewee. While his Skeptical credentials aren't at all in question, he actually works and has worked as a "Psychic Entertainer." To be sure, Mark is a highly skilled mentalist, but in our talk he made some very clear distinctions between the skills of a good Mentalist versus the skills of a "Psychic." Mark pulls back the mask to show how psychics operate and explains clearly just why people walk away with the impression that "he knew stuff that he never could have known." Check out Mark's website at www.TheMarkEdward.com and look for his new book "Psychic Blues - Confessions From a Happy Medium." | 6/21/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Andrew Mayne | Magician, Skeptic, Author, Inventor, and lover of all things weird, Andrew Mayne is an interesting guy to chat with to say the least. He has published a large number of magic books, but more recently has delved into the world of fiction with The Grendel's Shadow and Public Enemy Zero. Andrew worked at the JREF for several years, specifically involved with The Million Dollar Challenge. Now he splits his time between writing, recording the "Weird Things" podcast, inventing new magic tricks, and taking on the occasional stint performing live magic shows. Make sure to check him out at: www.AndrewMayne.com or follow Andrew on Twitter at @AndrewMayne | 6/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet John Rennie | When you meet John Rennie in person, you quickly realize that he's pretty much the same guy that his writing would indicate. He has a unique ability that was no doubt honed to a razor sharp edge during his 2 decades at Scientific American Magazine, 15 as Editor in Chief. John has a special way of explaining science in an easy to understand fashion while avoiding any appearances of condescension. We talked about his years at Scientific American, his newer role as blogger, ways in which science education can be improved, what books he's reading, his stint as a Guest Rogue on SGU and so much more. You can follow John on Twitter at @tvjrennie. John's Website: http://johnrennie.net/ The Gleaming Retort Blog Recommended Reading: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks | 6/7/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Milton Mermikides | Milton Mermikides started his life with a love for science as only a young child, being distinctly lucky to be born to a Particle Physicist father. While he was keenly interested in science himself, he was gradually diverted by his love for music which he embraced fully. He even composed the intro music for this podcast. A few years back Milton came down with Leukemia and wrote about his ordeal. The essay won him a scholarship to TAM London and put him on the map within Skeptical circles. That essay can be found at the link below. A Life Examined Visit Milton online at www.MiltonMermikides.com | 5/31/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Jamy Ian Swiss | Penn & Teller describe Jamy Ian Swiss as James Bond with a deck of cards for a gun. If you ever have the chance to see Jamy perform card magic, you'll be hard pressed to disagree. Not limited to simply cards though, Jamy Ian Swiss performs just about every type of magic there is, with the exception of kids birthday parties. Jamy has been on the forefront of the Skeptics movement for many years, even holding the distinct honor of being the very first person to speak on stage at the very first TAM. He has appeared on The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Today Show, and several television specials. Jamy has worked as a consultant for Penn & Teller and for the recent book Sleights of Mind. He also proudly bears the moniker "The Honest Liar." During our interview we talked about magic, con games, active skepticism and traditional Italian cooking. www.JamyIanSwiss.com Shattering Illusions: Essays on the Ethics, History, and Presentation of Magic | 5/24/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Jim Fitzsimons | Jim "Dr. Dim" Fitzsimons is the host of Dimland Radio, a show on the internet radio station Z-Talk Radio. Z-Talk Radio is a bit unique as the programming is largely paranormal. Jim is sort of their token Skeptic, which means that his show is often the sole voice of reason. Unlike many of us, Jim is regularly surrounded by those who believe in the paranormal, so he has gotten used to hearing their claims and challenging without offending (usually). He is also an artist and a father, both of which we had a chance to talk about. You can check out his show and his work at: The Dimland Blog Z Talk Radio Download episodes of Dimland Radio here at the Dimland Show Archives | 5/17/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Steve Thoms | I’ve always taken a bit of pride in my Canadian roots having been born in the same city as James Randi himself (Toronto). Of course, I have actually lived in the USA for almost my entire life and I am thoroughly Americanized, but I shall always have a special fondness for the Great White North. Needless to say, I was incredibly excited when I stumbled across the SkepticNorth website and saw that there seems to be a growing movement toward Science and Skepticism in the land of my birth. Some further reading brought me to a few columns by Steve Thoms, which further brought me to his personal website “Some Canadian Skeptic.” Steve’s writing is to the point, well thought out, and definitely thought provoking. I knew I had to get him on here, so I touched base and luckily landed the interview. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Follow Steve on Twitter at @SomeCndnSkeptic or follow me at @MeetTheSkeptics | 5/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Ben Radford | You can ask 100 self identified Skeptics what motivates them and you'll likely get 100 different answers. Some people are looking to stop con artists. Some just love science. Some people are fascinated with psychology while others just want to make the world a more rational place. If you grew up watching Scooby Doo like I did, you'll probably be incredibly jealous of Ben Radford. Except for the talking Great Dane, Ben essentially tracks down ghosts & goblins for a living. Not surprisingly, it usually turns out to be the guy who runs the roller coaster at the amusement park, or something along those lines. Ben works with the Center For Inquiry (Formerly PSICOP) and is the Managing Editor of Skeptical Inquirer Magazine. He has also written several books, most recently "Tracking The Chupacabra." Some Books by Ben Radford: Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and Folklore Scientific Paranormal Investigation: How to Solve Unexplained Mysteries Media Mythmakers Lake Monster Mysteries: Investigating the World's Most Elusive Creatures Ben's Website: http://www.radfordbooks.com/ We talked about his books, his history of investigations, what it's like hanging out in jungles, and his scientific approach to investigations. | 5/9/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Michael Blanford | Michael Blanford has spent the last 15 years promoting science literacy, science appreciation, and critical thinking. Michael has developed science curricula, programs, and informal content for a number of institutions, including schools, community centers, museums, and Camps. Before coming to the JREF, he was coordinator for the Saint Louis Science Center’s Life Science Lab. Michael is also founder and president of the Skeptical Society of Saint Louis. In our conversation we talked about Michael's goals for the JREF's Educational wing and methods that we can all use for spreading critical thinking skills and scientific literacy. www.Randi.org Twitter: @MichaelBlanford Follow Me: @MeetTheSkeptics | 5/3/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Brian Brushwood | Brian Brushwood is a Magician, sort of. He breathes fire, pounds freakishly long nails into his nose and teaches people how to scam free drinks at the bar from soon-to-be-ex friends. His Internet show Scam School is watched over a million times a month. He headlines college campuses with his show "Bizarre Magic." His radio show "NSFW" is a huge hit and an incredibly popular podcast, and to top it all off, he co-hosts the "Weird Things" podcast which he describes as his favorite project. He has been called "Brilliantly Original" by Penn & Teller and "Amazing" by Jay Leno. We talked about the development of his act, walking the line between entertainment and dishonesty, and the biggest problem with eating glass light bulbs. Scam School: http://revision3.com/scamschool Bizarre Magic: http://shwood.squarespace.com/live-shows/ Weird Things Podcast: http://weirdthings.com/ Brian on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/shwood ME on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/MeetTheSkeptics | 4/26/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet George Hrab | Never heard of George Hrab? Oh, you have! My bad. I’ve been a big fan of the Geologic Podcast ever since I realized that the title referred to the “Logic of Geo” as opposed to rocks. Nothing against Geologists, but it’s more fun to hear Geo’s mom reading Jay-Z lyrics than it is to hear about erosion of sandstone. I had the chance to stop off at the Geologic Headquarters during a recent trip to Pennsylvania. It was definitely worth the detour. Well, to be fair, it was a very minor detour but HAD it been a longer trip out of the way it still would have been worth it. I think 43 or 44 minutes further would have pressed the issue a bit but anything less than an additional 40 minutes was definitely worth the sidetrack. Well, then again Ms. Information gave me an apple for the road, so that perhaps was worth the extra 5 minutes so maybe 45 minutes would have been a sufficiently appropriate venture time to obtain the audio, digital bits contained herein. Now that I think of it, I would have likely stopped for a McFlurry at about that time anyway just to break up the trip so I’d have to account for about 8 - 9 minutes anyway so maybe a 53 - 54 minute drive would have satisfied my sense of balance. But wait, Geo didn’t make me an ice cream treat so I’m not sure if the whole 8 - 9 minutes should count. Oh hell, just press play. Follow Geo on Twitter at @GeorgeHrab and follow me @MeetTheSkeptics. www.GeologicPodcast.com | 4/23/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Mike Meraz | Mike Meraz could well be described as the Dale Carnegie of the Skeptical world. A few years back, he recognized that while critical thinking skills and Skepticism are essential tools for navigating society effectively, very few of us are putting forth an effort to effectively and attractively communicate those skills. Mike created a podcast, "Actually Speaking" to deal with this exact topic. Each episode is concise and full of real world examples and well balanced advice for topics such as "The Human Nature of Prejudice," "Managing and Aggressive Tone," and "The Art of Listening." If this weren't enough, Mike also works on a podcast with his young son Aaron, who actually hosts the show! If you have kids into science and especially dinosaurs, you HAVE to let them have a listen. www.ActuallySpeaking.com Aaron's World You can also follow Mike on Twitter at @factually, and don't forget to follow me too at @MeetTheSkeptics! | 4/19/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Sid Rodrigues | Sid Rodrigues is best known as the organizer for the London Skeptics in the Pub group. The Skeptics in London have consistently proven to be some of the most active and effective groups in the world. 200 - 400 people regularly show up to skeptics meetings where they get to hear great presentations from Scientists, Activists, and even in one instance, a Creationist. Sid and I talk about how to organize your own group, how he deals with such large groups, his background as an escape artist, his involvement with the Little Atoms podcast, and much more. Follow Sid on Twitter at @sidrodrigues and don't forget to follow me too at @MeetTheSkeptics. http://www.sidrodrigues.com/ | 4/12/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Eugenie Scott | It was a sincere honor to speak with and interview Eugenie Scott recently. Not only is she one of the brightest people I’ve had the opportunity to chat with, she’s at the forefront of the Creationism/Evolution debate across the United States as the Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education. Anybody who values science education in the United States owes a sincere debt of gratitude to Dr. Scott. Eugenie somehow manages to maintain a great sense of humor in the midst of some very stressful and potentially discouraging circumstances. If you ever have the chance to see her speak. I cannot recommend more strongly that you take the time to do so. If you are unable to see her live, make sure to check out some of her presentations on the NCSE YouTube Channel. If you live in an area where the teaching of Evolution is under attack in the local schools, do not hesitate to contact the NCSE. NCSE Website | 4/9/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Robynn "Swoopy" McCarthy | Robynn McCarthy is better known as the "Swoopy" half of Derek and Swoopy of the Skepticality podcast. Skepticality is one of the Official Podcasts of Skeptic Magazine. Since podcasting first came on the scene, Derek and Swoopy were there with regular thought provoking shows, serious insights, and goofy banter. Since 1996 Swoopy has been largely in charge of the entire planning and production of the podcast. I warn you, if you listen to just about any Skepticality episode you WILL end up putting one more book on your "to read" list. Go ahead, I dare you to listen and not run out to buy the book of the author she was interviewing that day. Robynn and I talked about how they got Skepticality started, her involvement with DragonCon, the process of creating each Skepticality episode, how she became a Skeptic, and so much more. You can follow Robynn on Twitter: @Swoopy. Don't forget to follow me too at @MeetTheSkeptics. Skepticality Podcast SKEPTIC Magazine | 4/5/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Brian Dunning | Brian Dunning is one of the names you’ll come across in the Skeptical world quite often. He hosts Skeptoid, a weekly 10 - 15 minute podcast taking on some of the sacred cows of pop culture as well as having several other ventures of a similar nature. Brian thoroughly researches each and every topic before building a solid and seemingly unassailable case for logic and reality. Unlike free flowing interview shows, Skeptoid is brutally efficient and to the point. If you have a 15 minute commute to work each day, you could do far worse than to spend it listening to Skeptoid once or twice a week. Here Be Dragons: The Movie InFact Skeptoid: Critical Analysis Of Pop Phenomena Skeptoid 2: More Critical Analysis Of Pop Phenomena Pirates, Pyramids, and Papyrus (Skeptoid) Don't forget to follow me on Twitter: @MeetTheSKeptics | 4/2/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Tom Croucher | Tom Croucher is the 4th Australian I've interviewed for this podcast! Somehow, I highly doubt he'll be the last. Tom and his brother Nick are more commonly known as the Skeptic Bros. They co-write a blog affectionately titled "The Zombie Apocalypse Survival Guide." More recently though, they have made a pretty big splash in the Skeptical world by manufacturing and selling "Placebo Bands." These are a perfect knockoff of the more widely known Power Balance bracelets. The key differences are a) the Placebo Bands are appropriately named and b) The Placebo Bands cost about 5% of what the Power Balance bands cost for an essentially identical product. Check out Placebo Bands featured on Scam School with Brian Brushwood! Check out Tom at any of the following: www.SkepticBros.com Twitter: @tomfoolery_101 Follow me on Twitter too!: @MeetTheSkeptics | 3/29/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Jay Novella | While I’ve gotten a unique kick out of each interview so far, this one was particularly interesting in that it was done as we walked through a Haunted Corn Maze owned by Bob Novella, Jay’s older brother and one of the co-hosts of Skeptics Guide to the Universe. Jay adds a wry sense of humor and a lighthearted comedic touch to the SGU podcast and he was as fun in person as he seems on the show. During the interview, we talked about additional projects that Jay and the SGU crew were getting involved in. One past project was a comedic video series that Jay produced himself. While it didn’t go very far, I really enjoyed it. Here’s Part 1 of the first Episode. Enjoy the interview and follow me on Twitter: @MeetTheSkeptics. | 3/26/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Jason Brown | Jason Brown is a Skeptical activist in Sydney Australia. Primarily, he organizes Sydney's Drinking Skeptically group. He's also a bit of a podcaster himself, plays Bass Guitar on Youtube, and is a wine aficionado with a Wine Podcast that is under construction at the time of this episode. In Vino Veritas Podcast More prominently, Jason runs the website www.Skepticator.com. This is an inceredibly helpful site that aggregate feeds from Skeptical sources all over the world. In essence, if you're looking for good stuff to read and think about, Skepticator's the place to find it. In our interview, we spoke about TAM Oz, local organization, homeopathy, and the Anti-Anti-Vaccine movement known as "Stop the AVN." Follow me on Twitter @MeetTheSkeptics and follow Jason @DrunkenMadman. | 3/22/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Arthur Benjamin | As both an entertainer and an educator, Art Benjamin has inspired and excited people about math for several decades. He is a Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College and has produced several courses for The Great Courses, including The Joy of Mathematics and Discrete Mathematics in addition to writing the book “The Secrets of Mental Math.” Secrets of Mental Math: The Mathemagician's Guide to Lightning Calculation and Amazing Math Tricks I’ve been a fan of Dr. Benjamin’s since I was sipping coffee on a Sunday morning almost a year ago and scrolling through the great videos on TED. His presentation was labelled “Jawdropping” by the other viewers so I decided to check it out. By combining rapid mental calculations and magic, he has created a unique show that defies belief. Are you skeptical? Check it out right here. | 3/19/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Daniel Loxton | Daniel Loxton is an artist, writer, editor, and former shepherd. He grew up on the idyllic Vancouver Island and was once a strong believer in many Pseudo scientific things such as cryptozoology. Today, he puts his considerable talents to use as an artist and editor for Junior Skeptic magazine and as an author of the children's book: Evolution: How We and All Living Things Came to Be Daniel and I talked about his past, current projects, and the various things he has planned for the future. Especially keep an eye out for his series of children's books! In particular, a book on Dinosaurs will be released on September 1, 2011. Skeptic Magazine Follow Daniel on Twitter at @Daniel_Loxton and/or follow me at @MeetTheSkeptics | 3/9/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Jennifer Michael Hecht | Jennifer Michael Hecht was a bit of a welcome diversion from my normal guest. We Skeptics are often accused (sometimes rightfully so) of being overly literal and scientific. Jennifer Michael Hecht draws on history and poetry to discuss and present ideas about ethics, culture, and morality. Some of her books include: Doubt: A History: The Great Doubters and Their Legacy of Innovation from Socrates and Jesus to Thomas Jefferson and Emily Dickinson Funny (Felix Pollak Prize in Poetry) The Next Ancient World The Happiness Myth: The Historical Antidote to What Isn't Working Today From her website: "Jennifer Michael Hecht is the author of three history books and two volumes of poetry and she is currently serving as one of the five judges for the Nonfiction category of the 2010 National Book Award. Her bestseller Doubt: A History demonstrates a long, strong history of religious doubt. Hecht’s The End of the Soul: Scientific Modernity, Atheism, and Anthropology won the Phi Beta Kappa Society’s 2004 Ralph Waldo Emerson Award “for scholarly studies that contribute significantly to interpretations of the intellectual and cultural condition of humanity.” Her most recent book, The Happiness Myth brings a skeptical eye to modern wisdom about the good life. Hecht’s poetry books are The Next Ancient World which won three national poetry awards, and Funny which Publisher’s Weekly called “one of the most original and entertaining books of the year.” Her prose and poetry appear in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Boston Globe, and The Washington Post. Hecht earned her Ph.D. in the History of Science from Columbia University in 1995 and now teaches in the MFA program of Columbia University and The Graduate Writing Program of The New School University." http://www.jennifermichaelhecht.com Don't forget to follow me on Twitter! @MeetTheSkeptics | 3/8/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Kylie Sturgess | Kylie Sturgess came to my attention a while back as one of the many Australian skeptical activists who is out there beating the drum of rational thinking about as consistently as anybody. Kylie runs her own website, podcast, and blog all while somehow finding time to actually live her life. She is an active skeptic and holds qualifications in Philosophy, Education and the measurement of paranormal belief. A teacher with over ten years experience in the field, Kylie has lectured on teaching critical thinking, feminism, new media and anomalistic beliefs worldwide. If you are at any Skeptical conferences anywhere in the world, there's a good chance Kylie's there too. Make sure to say hello! www.Podblack.com http://tokenskeptic.org/ @podblack on Twitter. | 3/2/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Derek Colanduno | Having been a fan of Skepticality, I knew I wanted to get both Derek and Swoopy as guests at one time or another. For no logical reason, I simply asked Derek first and he gladly obliged. An interview with Swoopy is in the works (at the time of this publication) and you should see it pretty soon. For any of you who don't know, Skepticality was one of the first Skeptical podcasts out there and it set the bar pretty high in terms of quality production and entertaining. We have all been struggling to catch up ever since they set the standard. To put it in scientific, technical terminology, Derek’s a bright cookie. We was at the forefront of the podcasting movement (pre-dating Steve Jobs and iTunes’ participation). He helps organize Dragon*Con, the annual Mardis Gras for self proclaimed science geeks. He hosts Skepticality with partner “Swoopy,” and he basically keeps the rest of us on our toes with keen insight and a no-holds-barred attitude toward spreading reason and scientific thinking. In this interview we talked about Derek's stroke a few years back, Skepticality, Dragon Con, and several other things. Enjoy! Follow me on Twitter @MeetTheSkeptics. | 3/1/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Richard Saunders | Richard Saunders is the host and producer of the weekly The Skeptic Zone podcast. Podcaster, Vodcaster and TV Skeptic as seen on'THE ONE', Richard is also Vice President of Australian Skeptics NSW. In his free time (free time?) he is also part of the Mystery Investigators show for schools. Richard is also an origami expert and author of 30 books for children. He travels often to the USA to speak at conventions and meetings. Richard founded Sydney Skeptics in the Pub. Details here. Follow me on Twitter @MeetTheSkeptics. | 2/22/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CleanMTS: Meet Tim Farley | Tim Farley hosts the website www.whatstheharm.net. He's well known in skeptical circles both for this website and for his regular daily updates on Skeptic History. You can hear Tim's updates on The Skepticality podcast, or follow him on Twitter @Krelnik. Don't forget to follow Meet The Skeptics on Twitter as well @MeetTheSkeptics. | 2/15/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 50 Episodes |
Customer Reviews
A different look at some familiar and maybe not-so-familiar skeptics
I don't recall which podcast I already listened that mentioned Chris Brown at Meet the Skeptics had interviewed him, "so head on over and take a listen to this podcast," but it was fairly early in the Meet the Skeptics timeline (within the first half dozen postings or so). I'm glad I did.
Chris interviews a wide range of familiar, and maybe not-so-familiar, skeptics in the community, usually from established podcasts, but not always. My personal favorite with the interview with Eugenie Scott. These interviews could go the way of the usual information, but Chris gives them a spin so that we can learn about these skeptics and how they got to where they are now (the place where us listeners know them from.) Chris will certainly not lack for potential interviewees with the number of skeptical podcasts, blogs, and activists that are out there.
His skills as an interviewer have honed over time and even though the early ones are certainly fine, they get better as time goes on. Thanks for undertaking this task, Chris!
Keep it up!
I like getting the history's of the great skeptics! They should use the proper descriptor of atheist though.
Mixed
As a Christian/creationist/apologist, I of course disagree strongly with the views of this podcast, but I find it refreshing to be able to consult the ideas of skeptics in a "clean" podcast where I don't have to listen to #*%$ in every other sentence.
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