What It Was Like

Superreal

Conversations with people who have lived through extreme events. Some stories are dark and twisted, others are light and funny. In all cases, we get an intimate portrait of 'what it was like' to be there.

Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcast

Find us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcast

Hosted by Julian Morgans

This is a Superreal production

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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40 episodes
Avg 46 min
English

Episodes 40

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S1 · E160
Friday · 56 min
Why do Some Pilots Become Mass Murderers?
The recent effort by a FlyDubai co-pilot to crash his own plane is not the first case of its kind. In 2015, Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz flew a plane into the French Alps, killing 150 passengers. On this ep, we talk to pilot and journalist Jeff Wise, who met Lubitz’s friends and visited the crash site. Why do suicidal pilots sometimes become mass killers? Read Jeff’s book: Fatal Descent: Andreas Lubitz and the Crash of Germanwings 9525 Check out Jeff’s podcast: Finding MH370 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Friday · 7 min
I Think I Know What Happened to MH370 (Preview)
In 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished on its way to Beijing with 239 people on board. It remains one of aviation’s greatest mysteries. In this subscriber ep preview, Jeff Wise, host of the podcast Finding MH370, shares his unique take on what happened to the plane, and why it hasn’t been found. Check out Jeff’s podcast: Finding MH370 Subscribe to WIWL PLUS+ to hear the full episode and get access to loads more exclusive content. Join our membership on Spotify here or on Apple Podcasts here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E159
October 30 · 1 hr
My Manic Life as a Bipolar Art Forger
In 1980s New York, Andy Behrman was an art dealer forging his clients’ paintings. He was also living with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, which he believes fueled his criminality and eventually landed him in prison. On this ep, Andy talks about his eternal hunger for more and how mania both enhanced and ruined his life. Read Andy’s book: Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 30 · 11 min
I Spent 20 Years Catching Art Thieves (Preview)
Robert Wittman founded the FBI’s Art Crime Team and spent 20 years going undercover to recover stolen art. In the full subscriber ep, Bob tells us how he catches art criminals. As he says, most of them make the same predictable mistakes, including those behind last October’s heist of the Louvre in Paris. Read Robert’s books: Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World’s Stolen Treasures The Devil’s Diary: Alfred Rosenberg and the Stolen Secrets of the Third Reich Subscribe to WIWL PLUS+ to hear the full episode and get access to loads more exclusive content. Join our membership on Spotify here or on Apple Podcasts here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E158
October 24 · 1 hr 4 min
Years Later, I Discovered the Truth About My Abduction
In 1983, 11-year-old Kristine Conyers was abducted at gunpoint by a serial killer. She survived, but those four hours changed her life. It’s a story about the ripple effect on her family, and how she realised the crime was premeditated in ways she didn’t understand as a child. Kristine tells us how she’s lived with the trauma, and why the Me Too movement and the Cornell University rape case has emboldened her to come forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 24 · 7 min
I've Spent Decades Helping Abused Children Heal (Preview)
This show often features people who’ve survived unimaginable horrors as kids, which begs the question: how do people move on? In this episode preview we put this question to Al Killen-Harvey, a clinical social worker who has spent decades helping abused and neglected children rebuild their lives. We talk trauma healing, how he carries his clients’ stories, and why he’s optimistic about the future. Learn more about Al’s organisation: The Harvey Institute Subscribe to WIWL PLUS+ to hear the full episode and get access to loads more exclusive content. Join our membership on Spotify here or on Apple Podcasts here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E157
October 16 · 1 hr 8 min
When the Captain Abandoned Ship, the Musicians Took Charge
In 1991, cruise ship performers Moss and Tracy Hills found themselves on a sinking ship. As the MTS Oceanos floundered, passengers waited for the crew to take charge. Finally, Moss and Tracy stepped in, and ultimately rescued over 500 passengers. On this ep, Moss tells the story of becoming an accidental hero. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 16 · 6 min
I Got Stuck on a Cruise Ship When COVID Hit (Preview)
This week's subscriber episode takes us back to February 2020, where Kent Frasure found himself confined to his cabin on the Diamond Princess due to COVID. It was a preview of the pandemic to come: the slow response, the gap between regular people and authority, and the limits of money against a million year-old virus. Subscribe to WIWL PLUS+ to hear the full episode and get access to loads more exclusive content. Join our membership on Spotify here or on Apple Podcasts here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E156
October 10 · 50 min
The Strange Story of Tasmania’s Ninja Cult
Through the 1990s, a group of men in Australia’s southernmost state began training as ninjas. It was a kind of proto-manosphere that slowly became part cult, part domestic terrorist cell. They stole explosives, stockpiled guns, and plotted to kidnap local businessmen, until their leader was murdered in 1997. On this ep, Journalist Claire Sullivan walks us through this bizarre and forgotten saga. Pre-order Claire’s book: Criminally Bad The 100% true story of Tasmania’s most inept crime ring Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 10 · 7 min
How Cults Take Over Your Mind And How to Escape (Preview)
How do ordinary, intelligent people end up in cults, and how do they get out? In this subscriber ep preview, we talk to Ingo Michehl, who spent six years in the Moonies before a single phrase from a friend set him free. He later did a master’s in psychology with a thesis on mind control. He tells us about his journey in and out, and we unpack the eight criteria of “ideological totalism”. Get in touch with Ingo at Balance With Ingo. Subscribe to WIWL PLUS+ to hear the full episode and get access to loads more exclusive content. Join our membership on Spotify here or on Apple Podcasts here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E155
October 2 · 1 hr 11 min
I Fell in Love (and Had a Baby) With My Dad
Sophia Greenwood was adopted as a baby. She had no contact with her birth parents, until she met her biological dad in her 20s. They both experienced a sense of profound connection and fell into a relationship that ended in pregnancy. In this ep, Sophia talks about knowing she was in a relationship with her dad, yet unable to switch off the attraction, and why that’s more common than you'd think among adoptees. Sophia's book, Forbidden Love, is on Amazon here. This week’s episode was originally featured on our sister show Sex Confessions. Watch it on Spotify or listen on Apple Podcasts Instagram ⁠@sexconfessionspod Tiktok ⁠@xconfessionspod Youtube ⁠@SexConfessionsPod Host Laura Roscioli ⁠@lauraroscioli⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 2 · 6 min
Why Some Adoptees Become Attracted to Their Birth Parents (Preview)
This week’s story will likely be hard for many listeners to wrap their heads around, which is why we're unpacking the science behind it in this week’s subscriber episode.This is an excerpt from Julian’s discussion with Dianne Mathes, a Canadian therapist who specialises in the phenomenon of adoptees feeling attracted to biological family members. By her estimate, it's actually the majority of her cases, and she shares her own experience as an adoptee. Subscribe to WIWL PLUS+ to hear the full episode and get access to loads more exclusive content. Join our membership on Spotify here or on Apple Podcasts here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E154
September 25 · 52 min
I Was Abducted at Gunpoint During Running Practice
At 15, Maggie Malloy was abducted at gunpoint during running practice near her home in Galion, Ohio. A few hours later, she was found with multiple gun shots to the head, but alive. This week, Maggie shares how she survived and how faith and facing her past helped her to heal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E153
September 19 · 47 min
The Hurricane That Swallowed a Cargo Ship (Classic)
This week we are revisiting one of our favourite stories. In 2015, Hurricane Joaquin roared over the Bahamas and sank a cargo ship called the El Faro, drowning all 33 people onboard. It was a mystery how a modern US-flagged ship could sail into a hurricane until its black box was found. In this episode, Julian examines the black box transcript to discover a crew that ignored all their own instincts. Transcript from the El Faro's black box is here. The US Coast Guard's report is here. And here is an article and a book that was hugely helpful in researching this case: “The Clock Is Ticking”: Inside the Worst U.S. Maritime Disaster in Decades by William Langewiesche Into the Raging Sea: Thirty-Three Mariners, One Megastorm, and the Sinking of El Faro by Rachel Slade Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E152
September 13 · 38 min
The Strange Condition That Made Me Write Constantly
When Alice Weaver Flaherty’s twins died at birth, she developed an overwhelming compulsion to write about the experience. Soon, Alice had developed hypergraphia, a rare condition that causes sufferers to write morning and night. She explains what happened to her and what it reveals about the brain and creativity. Check out Alice’s book, The Midnight Disease Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E151
September 4 · 49 min
My Childhood Bully Killed My Friend
In 1990, 14-year-old Tyler Pelke was home alone in Altona, Canada, watching a movie with a friend. Then the local bully, Earl Giesbrecht, showed up at the door. Hours later, Tyler’s friend was dead and his house was on fire. Years later, Tyler confronted Earl in prison to ask “why?”. Get Tyler to speak at your next event: tylerpelke.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E150
August 30 · 1 hr 23 min
He Slept on His Daughter’s Dorm Room Couch and Built a Cult
In 2010, fraudster Larry Ray got out of prison and started sleeping on a couch in his daughter’s college dorm. Within weeks, he was mentoring her friends. A year later, he’d recruited most of them into what would later be described as a “sex-cult.” Felicia Rosario was one of them. Introduced to Larry by her brother, she spent 10 years under his spell. She unpacks his incredible aptitude for mind control and how she rebuilt her life after his arrest. Contact Felicia Rosario via her website here: feliciarosario.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E149
August 23 · 57 min
I Joined a Cult That Demanded Human Ears
"Bring me their ears." That was the order from cult leader Yahweh ben Yahweh, who admitted new members of the Nation of Yahweh into his inner circle only after they'd killed someone and had an ear to prove it. Our guest, Khalil Amani, never killed anyone, but this instruction was a step too far. This week, Khalil tells us how he became an FBI informant and put the group's leader behind bars. Find us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whatitwaslikepodcast Find us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatitwaslikepodcast Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/whatitwaslikepodcast/ This is a Superreal production: https://superreal.com.au/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E148
August 15 · 44 min
I Traced a Mystery Stalker Back to eBay’s Corporate Headquarters
In 2019, David and Ina Steiner began receiving mysterious packages at their Massachusetts home. Local police sergeant Jason Sutherland was called in to investigate, and eventually traced the harassment back to executives at eBay. In this episode, Sergeant Sutherland explains how one of Silicon Valley’s biggest companies came to target a suburban couple. Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcast Find us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcast Follow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcast This is a Superreal production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E147
August 7 · 48 min
How a Bunch of Australian Teens Invented 'Urban Exploration'
Today, "urbex" (urban exploration) is a global phenomenon with millions of videos online. But few people know it all traces back to a group of teenagers in Melbourne. In the mid-1980s, they founded the Cave Clan, formalising the exploration of storm drains and abandoned buildings. In this ep, founding member Dougo explains how the group began, the tragedy that changed everything, and how they’re hoping to bring the Cave Clan back to life. Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcast Find us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcast Follow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcast This is a Superreal production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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