Scandal Sheet

With our co-host – the MacGyver of the kitchen – Anuradha.

Video: https://bit.ly/4oEDEmd

I get it. You’re saying – what the h**l is ‘spatchcocking’ and is that the BEST name the cooking marketing genius’s of Madison Avenue could come up with? I’m with you on that. This technique can easily be used for chicken and other poultry. It reduces cooking time by at least half and the results are an evenly cooked bird. Remember, roast TURKEY isn’t a one day a year entrée – NO!. It ties with ham as a favorite Christmas Day offering and is of course delicious throughout the fall/winter and the year.

Anuradha can be found at her Instagram accounts: @anuradhaduz_food and @artist_anuradhachhibber.

Video Version: https://bit.ly/4o8SkcQ

Why did the horrific 1692 Salem witch trials and subsequent executions happen? Many Americans don’t know that Salem, Massachusetts was founded by numerous people that were part of the original Christian Puritans (aka the “Pilgrims”) that founded the Plymouth, Massachusetts colony. The same folks that celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day in 1621 with their indigenous friends/partners. However, many Puritans left Plymouth in 1626, as it did not have a practical harbor, and moved 60 miles south to a place with a GREAT natural harbor that they called Salem. Salem and nearby Boston succeeded enormously as commercial colonies while Plymouth gradually faded from relevance. But in 1692 – in a series of bizarre and inexplicable actions - Salem authorities accused and imprisoned over 20% of their population, executing many and leaving many others to die in jail. How could these very conservative, “reformed” Christians - Biblical New Testament literalists - prosecute this insanely gross level of genocide on members of their very own community? Was the then unknown rye grain fungus ‘ergot’, a key ingredient in modern LSD (i.e. ‘Acid’), a contributing factor in the behavior issues that sparked the hysteria? Anuradha and I will guide you through this rarely told - but very informative story.

Hey folks – we’re Scandal Sheet, right? So, you get what you signed up for. But we can still wish all our listeners love and family communion at this holiday time. Enjoy your celebrations!

Anuradha can be found at her Instagram accounts: @anuradhaduz_food and @artist_anuradhachhibber.

And find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Please reach out to us at scandalsheetpod.com@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

Video Version: https://bit.ly/4hB8gmt

OUR HALLOWEEN SPECIAL! Today, VAMPIRES are the most popular of all supernatural figures but what are they really and where did they come from? Merely a legend? Or, are they sexy teenagers in Washington State. Was there really a Count Dracula and why was he so over-dressed for every occasion. We examine these questions and more in this spooktacular episode.

The previously published cold open is included at the top of the show and features the talents of co-host Anuradha, composer and actor, John Hoekstra, and Thad. Co-host, Anuradha can be found at her Instagram accounts: @anuradhaduz_food and @artist_anuradhachhibber. John on You Tube https://shorturl.at/i1Q8h SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/user-363005792

And find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Please reach out to us at  scandalsheetpod.com@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

Video Version: https://bit.ly/4oCV2Ia

As part of our Halloween special, host Thad is able to interview a 200+ year old vampiress! She is part of a coven run by her over protective uncle, Count Dracula – the OG vampire.

COMPLETE EPISODE COMING BEFORE HALLOWEEN NIGHT !! We drill deep into the origins of vampires for your spooky pleasure.

The cold open features the talents of co-host Anuradha, composer and actor, John Hoekstra, and Thad. Co-host, Anuradha can be found at her Instagram accounts: @anuradhaduz_food and @artist_anuradhachhibber. John on You Tube https://shorturl.at/i1Q8h SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/user-363005792

And find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Please reach out to us at  scandalsheetpod.com@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

GREAT VIDEO VERSION: https://bit.ly/4nlN4SZ

With the second highest payroll in the MLB and an amazing roster of talent, the NEW YORK METS were positioned for history. They started the 2025 baseball season with the best record in the entire MLB -- and in all team history. But then in June…something happened. What? WHAT? We are again joined by our 6-year baseball commentators and favorite New Yorkers – THE METS MOB! They are here to explain the unexplainable, yell at one another, and cry on each other’s shoulders. You’ll both laugh and cry listening …

The Mets Mob consists of: 5 time, NYC Super Lawyer, David Grover; Handsome Rob from Upper East Side of Manhattan; and Leonardo from Manhattan, NYC radio WFAN personality and host of the motorcycle podcast Arrive Alive, arrivealive.com, available on all listening platforms.

David’s amazing law firm is Grover and Fensterstock. You can reach him at 1-866-99-LAWYER (866-995-2993), https://gfpc.us/ or email to DGrover@GroverFen.com. Mention this podcast for additional discounts.

Co-host, Anuradha was unable to join us for this particular session but find here at Instagram accounts: @anuradhaduz_food and @artist_anuradhachhibber.

You can now find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Please reach out to us at  scandalsheetpod.com@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

 

Video: https://bit.ly/3VEvFth

Actor icon, movie producer and director, and founder of the famous Sundance Festival, Robert Redford, passed away very recently, at age 89, after 60+ years of amazing professional work in the cinematic industry. In addition to his $1B+ career box office receipts, he won numerous Oscars and other major awards and helped kickstart the careers of many dozens of – then - unknown indie filmmakers like Quentin Taratino, Steve Soderbourgh, Richard Linklater, Rian Johnson and many others, too numerous to list here.

Redford practiced a double, contradictory life. While continuing to work within the Hollywood system throughout his career (to finance his indie activities?), Redford also legitimized independent filmmaking for all time and -as much as any one person could- re-shaped how American movies were both made - and the neglected topics they dramatized.

In this episode, Anuradha and I initially discuss Mr. Redford’s overall career and then we replay a famous past episode of this pod where we discuss the Watergate Scandal – and concurrently – Redford’s very first maiden, movie producing effort, “All The President’s Men”, which became an unlikely bock office hit and won 4 Oscars.

Find our co-host, Anuradha’s Instagram accounts: @anuradhaduz_food and @artist_anuradhachhibber.

Find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Also, please reach out to us at scandalsheetpod@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

Fantastic Video Version: https://youtu.be/soCk-nSTo6I

Many Americans don’t know this…but back in 1955, the Disney corporation was only a modestly profitable animation movie company. They had a couple of hits – but that was it. But, then, the founder, Walt Disney, decided to pour all his movie profits into something that had never been done before – a permanent, around the year, live action amusement park, which he called Disneyland (named after himself, of course). It was a giant financial risk for him that could have easily sunk his entire company, if it failed. Today, WE TAKE YOU BACK to the disastrous opening day of Disneyland, 60 years ago, in the summer of 1955. Can anyone possibly laugh this much? Watch and find out. We had fun recording it.

We are delighted to welcome back professional video producer and cultural commentator, JOSEPH LONG, who has appeared in previous popular episodes.

This incorporates the previously published “Disney On Ice – WE FOUND HIM !!!” comical cold open, starring Anuradha and Thad. Find our co-host, Anuradha’s Instagram accounts: @anuradhaduz_food and @artist_anuradhachhibber.

Find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Also, please reach out to us at scandalsheetpod@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

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Amazing Video Version: https://bit.ly/45VPiTC

Since legendary entrepreneur Walt Disney’s untimely death in 1966, there has been a persistent conspiracy theory that says, just before he died, he had himself cryogenically frozen until such time as there was a cure for his cancer. No evidence has ever been produced...until now. Our intrepid co-host, ANURADHA, was able to locate his nitrogen chamber and revive Mr. Disney. The truth can now finally be told!

This is the hilarious cold open for our episode on the disastrous opening day of Disneyland in 1955. Coming soon!

Great Video Version: https://bit.ly/45N0yQP

The summer ain’t over yet folks! And there’s a lotta cookin’ and eatin’ left to do. In this part 2 of or summer cooking special we celebrate the 15 years Thad’s daughter and their friends competed semi-professionally in chili cook-offs in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC. We were invited to the World Championship only once but frequently placed – and sometimes made some prize money to boot. Lot’s of cooking fun along way.

There have been many amazing contributors to our efforts over the years but featured in this video (because we had video) are Thad’s daughter Kassia, co-chef Joe Duffus, Rebecca Hogue, Susan Jekielek, and Brian Hellems.

You can make our award-winning chilis at home --

Recipe for “Rage Against The Cuisine – Green”: https://bit.ly/4fIYnlF (Joe)

Recipe for “Rage Against The Cuisine – Red”: https://bit.ly/4lwCBTy (Thad)

The featured new song, “Joe And Thad Oughta Open a Restaurant” can be heard in its entirety here: https://bit.ly/3V9jWSZ

Find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Also, please reach out to us at scandalsheetpod@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

This is a terribly sad anniversary, in any way you perceive it – especially for people of any faith tradition, like myself. We’re replaying an episode from 2023 recorded on the occasion of the Academy Award-winning movie, “Oppenheimer”. It features my son-in-law, Dylan Cuellar, who was born and grew up in New Mexico, near Los Alamos, where the first several nuclear bombs were invented. Also, my daughter Kassia, Dylan’s wife, who had a rare opportunity to explore the original Trinity test site, where the first bomb test occurred. It seems more relevant now.

The facts: on the morning of AUGUST 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped the first fission uranium atom bomb from a US-made B-29 on Hiroshima in Japan. It killed 85,000+ people almost instantly. 150,000+ would die weeks and months later from radiation sickness. 98% of the deaths were civilians and not uniformed soldiers. In fairness, radiation sickness was not understood by either the U.S. physicists who built the bomb or the supervising generals at the time. A second plutonium bomb was dropped on Nagasaki 3 days later, with similar, catastrophic results.

FDR died only weeks before the Nazi Germany surrender. Vice President HARRY TRUMAN hurriedly became the new President, knowing very little of the top-secret investments – like the atom bomb – that were in the works. Unlike FDR, Truman was a religious man, a life-long practicing Baptist. When eventually presented with these previously unknown facts, he faced a terrible choice between his own Christian faith and what most of his advisors believed was necessary to finally end the 7 year war that had already killed 55 million people (conservatively). His choice was controversial then – as it is now. The reality was the Japanese DID FINALLY SURRENDER only days after the 2 nuclear bombs were dropped on their cities. But - was it really worth the terrible body count? Although - on the other hand - how many more would have died on both sides if the Allies had staged a D-Day style amphibious invasion of Japan, as was planned? Casualty estimates for everyone were much, much worse in that scenario.

When Truman did his nightly prayers to God, as he did for 50+ years, what did God say to him? Or, did he say anything at all? A soul-crushing, lose-lose choice no single person should ever have to make....but it was done…

It’s not up to your Scandal Sheet friends to tell you what’s what. Just to present facts that are available to us. You guys call it yourself. I think we all agree that we appreciate that horrible war ended and, while there have been other wars on the planet since, none have reached the size and scale of WW2. Let us know you thoughts at scandalsheetpod@gmail.com.