Big, If True

In our final episode, we celebrate all that was Big, If True, discussing our favourite (and least favourite) episodes, moments, and memories associated with the show. Thank you to everybody who sent in emails for the episode, and thanks to every single person who ever listened to the show, donated to our Patreon, liked us on social media, left us a review, or recommended us to a friend. We never could have done this without you. Until we meet again, stay safe and healthy friends. Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

The idea of the cursed film has been around in some shape or form since the dawn of the medium. Some of the earliest examples of cursed movies include The Wizard of Oz, The Conqueror, and Rebel Without a Cause. In the 1970's and 80's, the popularity of the cursed movie urban legend exploded due to the release of horror films like The Exorcist, The Omen, and Poltergeist. Typical "cursed films" typically have a myriad of production issues, and many of the cast and crew are later suffer from serious injuries or expected and untimely deaths. In this episode, we take a look at a number of allegedly cursed movies including Poltergeist, The Omen, The Passion of the Christ, The Conqueror, The Exorcist, Atuk, and The Crow. Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while you're at it, leave us a rating or review telling us what you love about the show! Email us at: bigiftruepodcast@gmail.com Follow us on: Twitter: bigiftruecast Instagram: bigiftruecast F

The Ant Hill Kids are perhaps Canada's most famous cult, operating out of Quebec and Ontario throughout the late 1970's and 80's. Led by the charismatic Roch Theriault, the commune mostly kept to themselves, funding their alternative lifestyle by selling baked goods. Theriault claimed that he was a messenger of God, and warned his followers that the end times were approaching. He claimed that the Ant Hill Kids would ascend to heaven if they followed his command, but that the road to absolution would be marked by pain and intense challenges. What followed was nearly a decade of twisted violence, isolation, and manipulation that led to the deaths of two people, forever altering dozens of lives in the process. In this week's episode, we discuss the history of Roch Theriault and the Ant Hill Kids. Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while you're at it, leave us a rating or review tel

The Moors Murders are some of the UK's all-time most gruesome murders, taking place from July 1963 to October 1965. The perpetrators of the Moors Murders were Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, a young couple obsessed with sadism and torture, whose sick fantasies quickly involved into the murders of five young Britons. By the end of their twisted crime spree, Brady and Hindley were England's most hated couple, a status that would last two decades until the arrests of Fred and Rosemary West. In the final chapter of our Deadly Love series, we tackle the life and crimes of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, the Moors Murderers. Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while you're at it, leave us a rating or review telling us what you love about the show! Email us at: bigiftruepodcast@gmail.com Follow us on: Twitter: bigiftruecast Instagram: bigiftruecast Facebook: bigiftruecast Tumblr: bigiftruecas

Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck, the Lonely Hearts Killers, are one of America's most famous serial killer duos. The couple met in 1947, driving around the country to meet lonely older women. Today, the scam they committed is known as the lonely hearts scam - where the perpetrators gain the trust of a lonely (often widowed or unmarried) older woman with the objective of stealing money and jewelry from them, committing insurance fraud in their name, and sexually abusing them. Fernandez and Beck took the lonely hearts scam to new levels, murdering their victims to take them out of the equation so that they could move onto their next victim when the money inevitably ran dry. In the third part of our Deadly Love series, we take a look at the life and crimes of Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck, the Lonely Hearts Killers. Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while you're at it, leave

From September 1978 to November 1980, Gerald and Charlene Gallego terrorized Sacramento, California and Reno, Nevada, claiming 10 victims during their killing spree. The victims mostly consisted of young teenage girls, whom Gerald Gallego used as sex slaves prior to their murders. Gerald, who had a long criminal history with arrests for armed robbery, sexual assault, and lewd and lascivious acts with a child, was obsessed with the idea of keeping sex slaves. These twisted fantasies led to what are now known as the Sacramento Sex Slave Murders, making Gerald and Charlene one of America's most famous serial killer couples. In the second part of our Deadly Love series, we discuss the life and crimes of the Gellego's. Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while you're at it, leave us a rating or review telling us what you love about the show! Email us at: bigiftruepodcast@gmail.com F

Ray and Faye Copeland are known today as the oldest couple ever sentenced to death in the United States. Their crimes took place between 1986 and 1989, when drifters who worked on the Copeland's farm began to disappear without a trace. These drifters were used by Ray Copeland, a lifelong swindler, in an elaborate cattle buying scam that went on for years. Once the usefulness of these drifters was determined to have reached its end by Ray, he would kill them and bury them on nearby properties. In the first episode of our returning Deadly Love series, we look at the alleged crimes of Ray and Faye Copeland. Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while you're at it, leave us a rating or review telling us what you love about the show! Email us at: bigiftruepodcast@gmail.com Follow us on: Twitter: bigiftruecast Instagram: bigiftruecast Facebook: bigiftruecast Tumblr: bigiftruecast.tumbl

For hundreds of years, well-preserved bodies of ancient humans have been found in the bogs of northern Europe. These bodies have been inadvertently protected by the bogs that have become their final resting place, offering valuable insight into the lives of Iron Age Europeans. Archaeologists, though, have wrestled with one question - why were these bodies dumped in the bog, rather than buried or cremated as was custom? Fast forward to present day British Columbia and Washington, where disarticulated feet have been washing up on the shores of the Salish Sea since 2007. These floating feet instantly became a major hit with the media, who posed questions about how they washed ashore - were these the victims of a serial killer or brutal drug cartel, or is the real explanation much more mundane? In a very special double episode, we take a look at the history of bog bodies and the Salish Sea floating feet phenomenon with one question in mind - how the heck did that get there? Support Big, If True on Patreon at w

James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States of America, entered office with hopes of economic growth, social service reform, and the betterment of all Americans. Unfortunately, his term would be cut short, and after 199 days in office, Garfield succumbed to wounds suffer after being shot twice in the back by a deranged man named Charles J. Guiteau. The delusional Guiteau believed that he was responsible for Garfield's meteoric rise to the presidency, and so expected compensation from the President. When that compensation never came, Guiteau began to believe that he was sent by God to rid the United States of President James A. Garfield by any means necessary. In this episode of Big, If True, we discuss the assassination of President James A. Garfield. Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while you're at it, leave us a rating or review telling us what you love about the

The Bennington Triangle in Vermont has historically been home to some of the country's weirdest sightings and events. The Triangle is comprised of small communities that include Bennington, Woodford, Somerset, Glastenbury, and Shaftsbury, with Glastenbury Mountain located at its centre. Besides being home to UFO sightings, wild men, the Bennington Monster, and strange rumors about cursed mountains, the Bennington Triangle is the last known location of a number of missing persons. Between 1945 and 1950, Middie Rivers, Paula Jean Welden, James Tedford, Paul Jepson, and Frieda Langer all disappeared without a trace - in the years since their disappearances, only one body has ever been recovered. Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while you're at it, leave us a rating or review telling us what you love about the show! Email us at: bigiftruepodcast@gmail.com Follow us on: Twitter: 

Happy New Year everybody! To mark the end of the year (and decade), Matt and Kayla took a look at all their favourite things from the past year, including their top moments, movies and music of the year. Other topics discussed include Jeffrey Epstein, the media, professional wrestling, UFC, and so much more! Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while you're at it, leave us a rating or review telling us what you love about the show! Email us at: bigiftruepodcast@gmail.com Follow us on: Twitter: bigiftruecast Instagram: bigiftruecast Facebook: bigiftruecast Tumblr: bigiftruecast.tumblr.com Minds: bigiftrue Gab: bigiftrue Intro/Disclaimer: Josh McLellan (http://www.fiverr.com/joshmclellan) Intro Music: Auld Lang Syne, Royalty Free Music @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co9A8qP9p8w  Outro Music: Baby's Christmas, Purple Planet @ https://www.purple-planet.com

Happy holidays to our wonderful listeners! In our very special holiday edition of Do It for the Vinyl, Matt and Kayla discuss Big, If True's 2018 Album of the Year - Mitski's "Be the Cowboy". Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while you're at it, leave us a rating or review telling us what you love about the show! Email us at: bigiftruepodcast@gmail.com Follow us on: Twitter: bigiftruecast Instagram: bigiftruecast Facebook: bigiftruecast Tumblr: bigiftruecast.tumblr.com Minds: bigiftrue Gab: bigiftrue

Happy holidays everybody! This week, we take a break from the bleak world of unsolved mysteries and conspiracies to take a look at the sequel to one of our all time favourite Christmas films - Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Sit down and relax by the fireplace and enjoy this special holiday presentation by your friends at the Big, If True podcast. Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while you're at it, leave us a rating or review telling us what you love about the show! Email us at: bigiftruepodcast@gmail.com Follow us on: Twitter: bigiftruecast Instagram: bigiftruecast Facebook: bigiftruecast Tumblr: bigiftruecast.tumblr.com Minds: bigiftrue Gab: bigiftrue Intro/Disclaimer: Josh McLellan (http://www.fiverr.com/joshmclellan)

The Takenouchi Manuscripts, allegedly discovered in the 1930's, describe how Japan was once the very centre of all civilization, ruled over by the gods who created mankind to work as farmers for them. The Manuscripts detail millions of years of human history, telling of how humans eventually rebelled against the gods and began to elect their own world officials and act in defiance to their once mighty rulers. These bizarre documents also explore the story of Jesus Christ, who is said to have spent his final days in Japan after casually swapping places on the cross with his brother, Isukiri. In the first episode of our very special holiday schedule, we discuss the Takenouchi Manuscripts and the story of Jesus in Japan. Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while you're at it, leave us a rating or review telling us what you love about the show! Email us at: bigiftruepodcast@gmail.c

The Shroud of Turin is a piece of linen cloth bearing the image of a bearded man resembling the traditional Catholic image of Jesus Christ. The Shroud is thought by many to be the actual burial linen of Jesus of Nazareth, having been left behind by Jesus after the Resurrection. In the years since its discovery, the Turin Shroud has consistently generated controversy and heated debates between the religious and secular scientific communities. Over the years, the Shroud has been proven to be both a medieval era forgery and a genuine 2,000 length of linen - it is so controversial that even the Catholic Church is hesitant to accept its legitimacy. In this episode of Big, If True, Matt and Kayla discuss the last days of Jesus Christ, the history of the Shroud of Turin, and the many scientific tests that have proven and disproven its legitimacy. Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - whi

The Ark of the Covenant is one of history's most famous lost objects. The Ark was built after God commanded Moses on Mount Sinai to build it to his exact specifications in order to hold the Ten Commandments. The Ark accompanied the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land, being housed in a mobile shrine known as the tabernacle. Throughout the Old Testament, the Ark brings good fortune to the Israelites, helping them in battle and clearing the way for them when obstacles are encountered on the way to the Promised Land. Once in Canaan, The Ark of the Covenant was passed down from king to king until the Babylonians took Jerusalem - after this, mentions of the Ark are few and far between. In this episode of Big, If True, we discuss the history of the Ark of the Covenant, breaking down the stories of Moses, Aaron, and Joshua, as well as exploring the many locations where the Ark might currently be. Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts,

In March 1584, Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter to Sir Humphrey Gilbert, allowing him to explore and settle areas of the New World that had yet to be claimed by the Spanish. What followed were several disastrous attempts to form settlements, with colonists being met with shipwrecks, food shortages, hostile aboriginals, and disease. In 1587, Governor John White finally established what was supposed to be the first permanent English settlement in the New World at Roanoke Island. In August 1587, White was forced to leave the Roanoke colonists behind in order to sail back to England for supplies and reinforcements, and to inform the Queen about the complications the colonists had run into. A series of unfortunate events led to White being unable to return to the New World until 1590. Upon his return, White could find no trace of the colonists - what happened to the Roanoke colonists is still unknown today. On this episode of Big, If True, Matt and Kayla discuss the lost colony of Roanoke, including the long h

In November 1986, the Reagan administration became embroiled in the Iran-Contra Affair, a scandal that saw the National Security Council secretly selling weapons to the newly hostile regime in Iran, using the profits of these sales to fund the Contras in Nicaragua. The scandal would haunt the Reagan administration for years, and create further disillusionment in the American people about the priorities and intentions of their government and intelligence agencies. In this episode of Big, If True, Matt and Kayla discuss the Iran-Contra Affair, breaking down the histories of Nicaragua and Iran, and detailing the events that led to the conspiracy being leaked to the public. Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while you're at it, leave us a rating or review telling us what you love about the show! Email us at: bigiftruepodcast@gmail.com Follow us on: Twitter: bigiftruecast Instagram

During the reign of Stephen, King of England, the small English village of Woolpit reported the strange arrival of two green children who spoke a foreign language and appeared alien in nature. The story of these children is documented in historic texts from the medieval period, and has puzzled historians for hundreds of years. Hundreds of years later in rural Pennsylvania, a disfigured blind man named Raymond Robinson would become the stuff of legend, after being observed walking the local highways at night by local teens. Raymond would become known as the "Green Man" or "Charlie No-Face", with locals telling stories about a ghoulish figure who stalked the roads late at night, searching for his next victim. In our first ever double header episode, Matt and Kayla discuss the Green Children of Woolpit and the "Green Man" Raymond Robinson. Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while

On July 1st, 1976, 23-year old Anneliese Michel died in her home after having gone through 67 exorcism sessions over a ten month period. In the lead up to her exorcism, the young woman had experienced horrifying visual and audible hallucinations, phantom smells, near-catatonic periods, and other extreme behaviour. The events that led to Anneliese's death have been hotly debated in the years since, with many unanswered questions still existing. Was Anneliese Michel truly possessed by a power demon, or were underlying and undiagnosed mental illness the true cause of her misery? In the final episode of our Spooktober series, Matt and Kayla discuss the exorcism of Anneliese Michel, including the events that led to the exorcism, the sessions themselves, and the aftermath of her death. Support Big, If True on Patreon at www.patreon.com/bigiftrue Subscribe to Big, If True on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts - while you're at it, leave us a rating or review telling us what y