Flightless Bird

Flightless Bird

David Farrier

Flightless Bird follows journalist David Farrier as he learns about what makes America special from his unique perspective as a Kiwi accidentally marooned in the Land of the Free. Infinitely curious but never judgmental, each week, David (along with cohost and American Rob) seeks to understand what makes America so unique, strange, and wonderful.

Gallagher

Gallagher

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob are joined by Gareth Reynold’s from “The Dollop” and “We’re Here To Help” podcasts. Gareth tells them about the story of Gallagher, an American comedian who pioneered the "Sledge-O-Matic" - and got into a bitter feud with his younger brother Ron. Along the way they talk infomercials, Carrot Top, and the dangers of impersonating someone else. LINKS: Mental Floss story: https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/gallagher-vs-gallagher-ii | Pop culture hyperfix

Feb 18, • 1:10:19

Kanye's Squatter

Kanye's Squatter

This week, David meets the man who squatted in Kanye West’s Simi Valley house, sleeping in Kanye’s bed, eating Kanye’s pasta, and shitting in Kanye’s backyard. While there, John wrote a book called “Squat” which is, in this podcast’s opinion, fantastic. David then has an update about Melbourne’s Fake Seizure Guy, and reads listeners emails about other local legends around America, Canada, and the world. NOTE: While this episode about Kanye may seem incredibly timely, we actually recorded the s

Feb 11, • 1:02:09

Australia: Fake Seizure Guy

Australia: Fake Seizure Guy

"In this week’s Flightless Bird, David continues his series in Australia. This week, he arrives in Melbourne to try and solve the mystery of “Fake Seizure Guy”, a local man who appears to fake having a seizure so locals can sit on him. Why does he want people to sit on him, and how long has this been going on? Do you have more information? Email us: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Links: - Webworm article on Fake Seizure Guy: https://www.webworm.co/p/fakeseizureguy - Flightless Bird on YouTube: htt

Feb 4, • 1:16:44

Inauguration Week

Inauguration Week

In this week’s episode, David and Rob take a pause on regular programming to try and make sense of what’s happened since the inauguration of Donald Trump. From social media chaos, Elon Musk’s “hand gesture” and mass deportations, to the new D.O.G.E logo and presidential pardons - we are all just trying to make sense of this together. Email us: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Find us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Show Links: - David Farrier’s Webworm piece on inauguratio

Jan 28, • 1:21:39

LA Wildfires

LA Wildfires

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob reflect on the California wildfires, talking to a variety of people affected both directly and indirectly. We hear from one of the team from Watch Duty (the app downloaded by over 2 million people in the last week) about how it works and how it’s saved lives, before talking to one of the people organising at Mutual Aid LA. We then hear from Flightless Bird listeners about various aspects of American wildfires - and what makes this wildfire different.

Jan 21, • 1:39:44

Australia: Shark Attacks

Australia: Shark Attacks

In this week’s Flightless Bird David is on the ground in Australia, looking at topics that are distinctly… Australian. Australia has, relatively speaking, a lot of shark attacks. So many there’s a whole Wikipedia page called “Shark attacks in Australia”. Of the 69 “unprovoked shark bites” around the world in 2023, 22% of them happened in Australia. David meets with two men who survived shark attacks - who share their motivational stories of recovery, and talk about an elite members club called

Jan 14, • 1:18:10

Black Box of Doom

Black Box of Doom

In this week’s episode, David talks with author Jason Pargin (John Dies At The End & I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom) about what TikTok and the modern internet is doing to our brains. David and Rob also discuss their New Years’ (David saw Creed in Las Vegas, Rob ate a yummy meal and went to sleep), the Cyber Truck explosion outside Trump’s hotel, and how much a blimp costs. Links: -Email Flightless Bird: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com -YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightles

Jan 7, • 1:11:57

Lord of the Rings Revisited

Lord of the Rings Revisited

This week on Flightless Bird, David calls his friend Leon Wadham who plays "Kemen" in Amazon's Rings of Power series. Rob and David then look back at one of their favourite Flightless Bird episodes, when David visited Hobbiton. Calvin then reviews the first two Lord of the Rings films, and Rob gifts David a birthday present! Links: -Dave Kloc: https://www.instagram.com/davekloc/ -Flightless Bird Shirts: www.webworm.store -Email us: flightlessdbirdchat@gmail.com

Dec 31, 2024 • 58:36

Leaf Blowers Revisited

Leaf Blowers Revisited

This week on Flightless Bird, Rosabel slips on a leaf and David and Rob look back at one of their favourite episodes and what’s changed since it first aired: Leaf Blowers. They also read feedback on the American Girl episode - and there is a lot of it, including horror stories, and trips to the American Girl doll hospital. David also learns that there is a place you can go where Cabbage Patch Babies are birthed. Links: -Cost to convert entire Greenwich fleet to electric leaf blowers 'shellshocki

Dec 24, 2024 • 1:03:38

American Girl Doll

American Girl Doll

In this week’s episode, David visits the American Girl store in Los Angeles, attempting to learn what is so American about the American Girl doll. There he meets Alyson Campbell, the Senior Events and Marketing Coordinator at American Girl - who explains how the store works. He then gets Jamie Cygielman on the line, senior vice president and GM for American Girl. He discovers the doll is the invention of Pleasant T. Rowland - an American educator, writer, and philanthropist. She spent some time

Dec 17, 2024 • 1:10:07

Kiwis in America with Rhys Darby

Kiwis in America with Rhys Darby

"In this week’s Flightless Bird, David sits down with Rhys Darby - the New Zealander actor and comedian who’s made America his home. They talk about Darby’s breakout role in Flight of the Conchords - a show some Kiwis out of depth in America. From there, Rhys has cemented himself in what seems to be like every part of American TV and film pop culture - appearing in things like The X-Files, Bob’s Burgers and The Simpson’s - not to mention roles alongside the likes of The Rock and Jim Carrey. Davi

Dec 10, 2024 • 51:59

Mysterious Sound

Mysterious Sound

"Today on Flightless Bird: Imagine if you have fulfilled the American dream of buying your dream home… only to find there’s a problem. A big problem. You can’t see it or taste it - but you can hear it. There’s a mysterious sound and it’s out to ruin your life. That’s what this week’s episode is about. Rob and David also look at feedback to the Death Doulas episode from a few weeks back. Links: Flightless Bird on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flightlessbirdpodcast Contact David and Rob: fli

Dec 3, 2024 • 1:18:48

Shower Curtains & Porn Revisited

Shower Curtains & Porn Revisited

In this weeks Flightless Bird, David and Rob discuss their thanksgiving plans, before hearing from indigenous leader Crystal Echo Hawk about the true meaning behind thanksgiving in America. They then use this holiday week to give thanks for two older Flightless Bird episodes, revisiting the Shower Curtains and Porn episodes from many moons ago. David tries to get to the bottom of my America loves shower curtains so much, before visiting the set of a porn film. In the feedback section, David’s mu

Nov 26, 2024 • 1:14:58

Death Doulas

Death Doulas

In this week’s episode, David calls his friend Rosabel to see what she thinks about dying, and learns that Rosabel has put him in her will! Rob and David then attempt to face their own fear of death by looking at death doulas in America - a profession born in the USA in 1998, when a foundation in New York sponsored a conference on end of life care, where a Jewish professor talked about the importance of helping the “seriously ill” during the dying process. David meets several doulas, including A

Nov 19, 2024 • 1:15:04

Election Night

Election Night

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob look back at the last week since the election, trying to make sense of what happened. Farrier attends a Trump Watch party in Long Beach, California - taking in Trump’s voter base. Hundreds of listeners submitted voice memos documenting their election night thoughts last week, and today a selection get played out. Links: Flightless Bird t-shirts: https://www.webworm.store/ Hayden’s column: It’s OK To Feel Shitty: https://www.webworm.co/p/its-ok-to-f

Nov 12, 2024 • 1:06:18

Election Conspiracies

Election Conspiracies

This week on Flightless Bird, David and Rob look at some of the defining conspiracy theories of this election cycle. They’re joined by conspiracy theory experts Mike Rothschild (author of “The Storm is Coming”) and Joseph Uscinski, who literally wrote THE book on conspiracy theories, called “Conspiracy Theories”. Rob and David talk about what they’re expecting November 5 to look like - and the weeks that follow. They then go through feedback to last week’s episode on Catfishing. Email Flightless

Nov 5, 2024 • 1:28:14

Catfishing

Catfishing

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob sit down with American documentary maker Erin Lee Carr and the subjects of her new film “Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara.” Erin, Tegan and Sara, and producer Jenny Eliscu talk about the deeply unusual catfishing story at the heart of the film, and the relationship between artists and fans. As usual, Calvin weighs in at the end of the episode with his insight and knowledge. Links: Pig butchering: https://www.wired.com/story/pig-butchering

Oct 29, 2024 • 1:13:43

Olive Garden

Olive Garden

In this week’s episode, David Farrier goes and dines at the Olive Garden as he tries to figure out what makes this place such an American Institution. Inside he is swept away by the antics of Olive Garden’s PR team, wondering if he’s possibly been brainwashed into joining some kind of cult. He also talks with three Olive Garden megafans, one who got Olive Garden tattoos - the other two who say they owe their love story to the restaurant chain.

Oct 22, 2024 • 52:47

Slime

Slime

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David explores the resurgence of interest in slime on Instagram and TikTok - an incredibly American phenomenon that's slimed its way into American culture since the 1970’s. He meets professor Christopher Michlig, author of File Under: Slime to discuss how slime has an even wider meaning and context within the United States. From The Blob to Ghostbusters, Garbage Pail Kids to skateboarding - slime is bigger than you might think. Links: File Under: Slime (the book

Oct 15, 2024 • 54:17

Capital Punishment

Capital Punishment

David Farrier heads to Missouri two days out from the execution of Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams. He embeds with “Missourians To Abolish the Death Penalty” who are desperately trying to petition Missouri Governor Mike Parson for a stay. Along the way he meets locals who feel passionately about the death penalty, before traveling to Bonne Terre - and the prison where Missouri carries out all its executions. Farrier questions why 27 US States still insist on killing certain prisoners, and why thi

Oct 8, 2024 • 1:16:20

Spaceman Barry

Spaceman Barry

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier takes a darker, weirder deep dive into America with a story that is very specific, niche, and dangerous. This is a story about two Americans who were strangers to each other, until they decided to move in together. One man was in his 30s, the other rapidly approaching 80. One man was called Noah, and the other we’ll call “Spaceman Barry”. This is their story - and how it went wrong. LINKS: "Spaceman Barry" - photos and more information and discussion

Oct 1, 2024 • 1:29:08

Creed

Creed

In this week’s episode, David Farrier investigates the rise and fall - and rise again - of American band Creed. Once the highest selling rock band of the late 90s, Creed disappeared for a period before reappearing again in American pop culture. David heads to a Creed concert in San Bernardino, California, to meet the fans and rediscover Creed. What he finds is a confusing mix of music, Christianity, patriotism and Trump. David must reckon with his 15 year old self (a Creed fan) to find out where

Sep 24, 2024 • 1:07:40

Homelander

Homelander

In this episode, David and Rob sit down with Ant Starr - the New Zealand actor who plays deranged, narcissistic superhero “Homelander” on Amazon’s The Boys. Seen by many as a caricature of Donald Trump, Starr discusses what it’s like to play a superhero who’s viewed by many as a villain… and by some as a patriotic, American hero. Links: Outrageous Fortune scenes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMYkUJLhsI4 The Boys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mixlZE7ol1s More on Ant Starr: https://www.n

Sep 17, 2024 • 55:03

7th Day Adventists

7th Day Adventists

In this episode David Farrier sets out to investigate the 7th Day Adventism, a type of Christianity that kicked off in upstate New York in the 1840s. It was a 7th Day Adventist who invented the humble cornflake, a food so bland it was meant to stop boys masturbating - and today the religion boasts 22 million baptized members worldwide. David meets up with Sam Neves, the Associate Director of Communication at General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, before talking to an ex-member who clears

Sep 10, 2024 • 1:04:19

Navy Dolphins

Navy Dolphins

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier dives deep into the US Navy’s Marine Mammal program. He talks with three former trainers for the program, leaning about how both seals and dolphins are trained to protect American waters from what lurks beneath. David looks at rumors armed dolphins escaped during Hurricane Katrina, and he and Rob Holysz discuss the ethical implications of a dolphin’s horny nature. Links: US Navy’s Marine Mammal programme: https://www.niwcpacific.navy.mil/About/Departm

Sep 3, 2024 • 57:21

OnlyFans

OnlyFans

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand OnlyFans, which while based in the UK boasts a mostly US based audience. David talks to Sara (@pockowokosara) who we first met on Flights of Fancy, an OnlyFans creator based in the USA. She talks about her experiences making content and what it’s like managing and catering to a paying audience. David then explores the world of male only fans creators, talking to Jakk Maddox about some of his stranger experiences on the platform.

Aug 27, 2024 • 1:04:55

Rhode Island

Rhode Island

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier discovers that Rhode Island is not in fact an island. If not an island - what is it? Farrier talks to linguist Kate who has a true love for Rhode Island - and she educates David about the vampire buried there, the food Rhode Island loves, and its place in pop culture. Along the way Farrier discovers Rhode Island has a lot in common with his favourite place, New Zealand - which, arguable, is an island.

Aug 20, 2024 • 58:03

Possums

Possums

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier investigates why American opossums are so different to New Zealand possums. Speaking of which - why does one have an “O” in front of them? To find answers, David meets up with a possum called Horace, and learns that contrary to popular opinion possums are not related to rats. In fact possums have many amazing traits including being pretty much immune to rabies, being living fossils, and masters at playing dead. While New Zealand possums are terrible fo

Aug 13, 2024 • 58:35

Chocolate

Chocolate

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier investigates why American chocolate tastes so different to New Zealand chocolate - and more specifically, why Hershey’s chocolate allegedly smells a little bit like vomit. Farrier talks to a former Hershey’s worker to try and get to the truth, learning about various theories and stumbling on an old rivalry between Hershey’s and Mars. David finds himself talking to flavour expert Barb Stuckey, author of TASTE: Surprising Stories & Science About Why Food

Jul 2, 2024 • 48:41

Monster Trucks

Monster Trucks

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier goes to his first Monster Truck Jam to try and understand why Americans love big vehicles so much. There he meets Krysten Anderson, who drives Grave Digger - and tells David what it’s like to be a female driver in a male-dominated sport. David then joins Dax Shepard who explains why Americans like big wheels and big power, before the two of them watch the Monster Jam World Finals go down. Slowly Farrier begins to understand these oversized vehicles,

Jun 25, 2024 • 48:17

Frozen Foods

Frozen Foods

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets off to understand America's frozen food obsession. Each year Over 80% of American households will eat frozen dinners this year - making the frozen food market worth over $65 billion dollars. Monica Padman takes Farrier frozen food shopping, introducing him to her favorite frozen foods. They then put on a fancy dinner for their friends featuring nothing but frozen foods.

Jun 18, 2024 • 45:44

Top TV Episodes

Top TV Episodes

"In this week’s Flightless Bird, Monica, David and Rob discuss their favourite (mostly American) TV shows. Because occasionally on Flightless Bird, we break from the usual format and do something a little bit different. You saw that with Flights of Fancy about a month ago, where we got your expert insights into very American things - and also with American Gods, where we focus on an American legend. And today, we’re doing another new thing that we’ll do from time to time: a Top 10 List. David, R

Jun 11, 2024 • 1:04:31

Chutes and Ladders

Chutes and Ladders

In this week’s Flightless Bird, Farrier sets out to understand why Americans call “Snakes and Ladders” something completely different: “Chutes and Ladders”. Farrier meets with Hasbro’s Brian Baker, senior vice president for board games. Farrier learns the surprising origins of Chutes and Ladders - as well as other popular American board games like Candyland and Monopoly.

Jun 4, 2024 • 49:46

Bubba Gump

Bubba Gump

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier goes to eat at iconic American restaurant chain the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Back in 1994, Forest Gump was box office gold - the highest grossing film in America that year. Forrest Gump also did something not many films have ever done - something truly magical - it leapt out into real life. Because on any day of the week in America, you can stroll directly into a restaurant that wouldn't exist without Forrest Gump: The Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. To learn abo

May 28, 2024 • 44:41

Renaissance Fair

Renaissance Fair

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier throws himself back to the reign of Queen Elizabeth during the 1500s. Why? Because Americans love Renaissance Fairs. The whole idea of the Renaissance Fair started back in 1963 - when teacher Phyllis Patterson held an event for her students in her backyard. A few months later her and her husband Ron put on a bigger one - hosting about 8000 people. It kept growing - and in 1966 the official “Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California” was launc

May 21, 2024 • 41:11

Flights of Fancy

Flights of Fancy

We’re trying something a little different today - something we’re calling “Flights of Fancy.” Now awhile back, if you follow David Farrier on Instagram, you would have seen a prompt where he wanted you to pitch a deeply American topic YOU could speak on. Maybe it was a job you had, or some other personal insight you could give into something AMERICAN. Maybe you worked at Buckees, or in the depths of the White House. We heard from so many of you - like hundreds - with so many ideas. Rob made a fa

May 14, 2024 • 1:09:57

Pie

Pie

In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier talks to the author of 50 Pies 50 States, Stacey Mei Yan Fong. Farrier sets out to discover why Americans love pie so much, declaring January 23rd National Pie Day back in 1986. Farrier and Fong discuss what makes the pie so American, before looking at Stacey’s top 3 American pies - which David, Monica and Rob then sample.

May 7, 2024 • 51:52

Citizenship

Citizenship

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier looks at the process of gaining American Citizenship, and what it means to become truly American. Why over the last decade did over seven million non-Americans choose to become American? And what does this process look like? David talks to a New Zealander who chose to Naturalise before looking at some Americans who’ve chosen to do the exact opposite. Why would someone choose to become American and why would someone choose to give it up?

Apr 30, 2024 • 1:02:03

Surveillance

Surveillance

In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier looks at how America surveils its own citizens and asks why America is a “spying superpower.” In 2022 alone, 145,000 Facebook users and 100,000 Gmail accounts were rifled through by the US government’s spy agencies. How come? Farrier delves into America’s Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and “Section 702" and talks with journalist Byron Tau, author of “Means of Control: How The Hidden Alliance of Tech and Government is Creating a New American Su

Apr 23, 2024 • 52:22

Loma Linda

Loma Linda

In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier starts to ponder his own mortality and why despite America spending more on healthcare than any other nation on earth - it’s only 59th on the life expectancy list. To find some answers, he heads to Loma Linda: population 9000, an average life expectancy 10 years longer than the average American.

Apr 16, 2024 • 58:38

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift

In this week's Flightless Bird, a new format that we will bust out occasionally called "American Gods." David, Monica, and Rob pick an American that's reached fever status. They share their initial thoughts, before going away for a week of research and "assignments" to do - gathering together again to share what they've learned. This week, we look at Taylor Swift - what we know, what we think we know, and what we definitely don't know!

Apr 9, 2024 • 1:01:58

True Crime

True Crime

In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier talks to Terra Newell, who you may well know from the Dirty John podcast. We look at what makes the True Crime genre such a big deal, and some of the ethical questions it raises. David also shares his favourite 10 True Crime bits of media with Monica and Rob.

Apr 2, 2024 • 1:10:37

Shoes Indoor

Shoes Indoor

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier looks at why so many Americans don’t take their shoes off indoors. A poll by CBS last year found “the majority of Americans don't ask their guests to remove their shoes when they come to visit, and this is particularly true of older Americans.” David wants to find out why, so meets with etiquette coach Elaine Swann, founder of The Swann School of Protocol. The pair talk about the correct thing to do with your shoes, before moving their attention to roa

Mar 26, 2024 • 55:36

Lord of the Rings

Lord of the Rings

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier still finds himself stranded back in New Zealand, waiting for his new Visa to be issued so he can make more American Flightless Birds. Cut off from America, he decides to do one of the most touristy things he can imagine: He sets off for Matamata and the tiny sleepy village of Hobbiton. Left over from the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit, he goes to meet Hobbiton general manager Shayne Forrest, who takes Farrier around the most incredibly detai

Mar 19, 2024 • 1:02:59

Feijoas

Feijoas

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier finds himself stranded back in New Zealand, waiting for his new American Visa to be issued. He decides to investigate New Zealand’s most famous fruit - not the kiwifruit, but the feijoa. They’re an icon in New Zealand, put in everything from chocolate to vodka. Farrier then sets out to understand why the feijoa has never taken off in America - and is shocked to find an underground network of feijoa lovers throughout California.

Mar 12, 2024 • 45:24

Smokey Bear

Smokey Bear

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand the origins of Smokey Bear, an educational mascot who’s turned into the longest-running PSA in American history. Farrier then gets a tip that there is a real Smokey Bear, so travels to the sleepy town of Capitan, New Mexico. Farrier searches for Smokey’s alleged gravesite, meeting with park ranger “Max” to understand the secrets of Smokey, a bear that ended up with their own Zip Code. Along the way Farrier learns about another lo

Mar 5, 2024 • 47:17

Costco

Costco

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand Costco, the giant membership warehouse club loved by millions of Americans, a store that now pulls in $64 billion in revenue each year. Farrier meets up with a friend of the show Andy, who takes David inside Costco for his first shopping trip. David is so impressed he signs up as a card-carrying Costco member, before returning with a former staff member to get the goss. Finally, Farrier talks to a staff member who’s been at Costc

Feb 27, 2024 • 52:00

Roswell

Roswell

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to the town of Roswell, New Mexico - home of the 1947 UFO crash that ignited the imagination of the entire planet. After visiting the Roswell UFO Museum, Farrier sets out to see what makes Roswell, well, Roswell. He meets up with artist Michael Beitz who runs the Meow Cat Sanctuary, before getting some Mexican food with local cowboy “Spider Dailey”, who fills Farrier in on the local military academy… and how to be an anarchist. He also goes to

Feb 20, 2024 • 55:29

Donuts

Donuts

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand why Americans guzzle down over 10 billion donuts every year. He sets off with his friends Andrew and Lauren to sample some Californian donuts, before meeting up with Emily Taing. Tang is behind Pink Box Stories (@pinkboxstories) on Instagram and educates David about the origins of the donut’s famous pink boxes, and the importance of America’s mom-and-pop donuts stores. David then sets his sights on the big East Coast chain - Dunk

Feb 13, 2024 • 45:13

Callery Pear Trees

Callery Pear Trees

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier tries to understand why his entire street smells like semen. He finds himself in the world of the Callery Pear Tree - also known as the Linden Tree or the Bradford - AKA “the cum tree”. David talks with Theresa Culley, a professor at the University of Cincinnati - who knows a lot about this particular foul-smelling tree. The plant biologist teaches David why the trees smell like that, before diving into an analysis of how American these trees really ar

Feb 6, 2024 • 49:20

Hot Dogs

Hot Dogs

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier dives headfirst into one of America’s favorite foods, the humble hot dog. He learns that Americans eat around 20 billion hot dogs a year, which means the average American eats about 70 hot dogs per year. Why? How did this simple food get so popular here? To understand, Farrier decides to talk to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council. Eric Mittenthal picks up and answers some of Farrier’s burning questions. David then takes foodie and Flightless Bird p

Dec 19, 2023 • 43:39

Quilts

Quilts

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier takes Monica’s advice from an earlier episode and investigates America’s obsession with quilts. He begins his journey by interviewing quilting podcaster Ashelyn Downs of “The Grateful Thread”. Farrier discovers that quilting is not just oldies sitting by the fire, but that there’s a new movement of younger, more diverse quilters taking over America. He sets off to meet Latifah Saafir, an engineer who now makes some of the most amazing quilts you’ll see

Dec 12, 2023 • 52:15

American Accents

American Accents

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier seeks to be better understood by his co-hosts by diving headfirst into the American accent. He meets with dialect coach Joel Goldes, who’s helped coach actors like Viola Davis through her various accent roles. As “The Dialect Coach” (www.thedialectcoach.com), Joel teaches David how to place his tongue to sound more American, and takes Farrier through what he’s been doing wrong. Monica, Rob and David also take an accent quiz to see how good they are at

Dec 5, 2023 • 57:29

Cereal

Cereal

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier investigates America’s extreme love of cereal. He sets out to answer why America needs over 5000 different types of cereal, and why some of the most popular cereals have been discontinued. He meets with YouTube cereal reviewer Thomas Hicks, AKA The Cereal Snob (https://www.youtube.com/c/CerealSnob), to get the lowdown on how much milk should be used in cereal, and what types of cereal are the best. David also discovers that cereal was invented by John

Nov 28, 2023 • 50:35

Cars

Cars

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier begins to notice how much America loves cars. Why do 92% of American households have at least one vehicle? That is so many cars! The country's love of cars has transformed it, with not only roads - but with millions and millions of parking spaces. David becomes obsessed with all of America’s parked cars, sitting down with Henry Grabar - a staff writer at Slate who writes about cars and transportation, urban policy and housing. And Grabar has also been

Nov 21, 2023 • 1:01:53

Pinball

Pinball

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand America’s obsession with pinball. He heads to Long Beach California for a meeting of the Long Beach Pinball League, headed by passionate pinball man Tom Walker. His league is part of the International Flipper Pinball Association which is made up of 96,000 players from 45 countries. David then meets Tom Radar, a man who has been obsessively collecting pinball machines for years.

Nov 14, 2023 • 50:49

Fantasy Football

Fantasy Football

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand the mysterious world of fantasy football. He joins a group of manly men as they do a fantasy football draft in a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, trying to understand the appeal of a game played by 50 million Americans. David then meets sports reporter and ESPN correspondent Mina Kimes who drills down into the finer details of fantasy football, even offering some expert tips.

Nov 7, 2023 • 48:53

Haunted Houses

Haunted Houses

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier takes Monica to a haunted house to celebrate Halloween. And not just any haunted house! Each year Universal Studios puts on its Halloween Horror Nights, using its Hollywood tricks to create some of the scariest haunted houses in America. David and Monica meet with John Murdy, the creative director behind the haunted houses. Monica then comes face to face with her ultimate fear: Chucky. And not just one chucky: Hundreds of Chucky’s.

Oct 31, 2023 • 56:21

Bail Bonds

Bail Bonds

This week on Flightless Bird David Farrier investigates bail bonds in America, and more specifically - the bail bondsman. With 15,000 bail bonds agents in America, it seems to be a thriving private enterprise. In Oklahoma he meets with Ron Eden, a bail bondsman who inherited the business from his mother. What’s it like to deal with people accused of crimes, and the families desperate to get their loved ones out while they await trial? David then brushes up on how you get bail in New Zealand, by

Oct 17, 2023 • 1:04:36

Laundromats

Laundromats

This week on Flightless Bird David Farrier investigates whether we have America to thank for the modern laundromat. After all, there are over 30,000 laundromats in the US - employing 39,000 people, making $5 billion in revenue each year. To help him in his investigation David meets with Brain Wallace of the Coin Laundry Association to discuss how on April 18th,1934 a Texan named CA Tannahill opened the world's first coin-operated laundromat. David then discovers how laundromats mean different th

Oct 3, 2023 • 47:29

Healthcare II

Healthcare II

After two American surgeons told David he needed back surgery, he fled back to his home of New Zealand where healthcare was less scary! What he discovered in New Zealand surprised him. David calls up journalist Luke O’Neil (writer of the Welcome to Hellworld newsletter and new book A Creature Wanting Form) to chat through what he discovered: two very different medical systems with vastly different approaches.

Sep 19, 2023 • 52:41

Pizza

Pizza

This week on Flightless Bird David Farrier investigates pizza, one of America’s favourite foods. He discovers that around 76,000 pizza joints bring in $44 billion dollars each year in the US - where every day 13% of the population will eat a slice of pizza. David begins his journey in Los Angeles, as Rob takes him and Monica to a fancy pop-up called “Chain”. Here, chefs riff on chain food but with their own upgraded twists - and tonight it’s Pizza Hut! Next David heads to New York to eat a varie

Sep 5, 2023 • 47:48

Storm Chasers

Storm Chasers

This week on Flightless Bird David Farrier investigates the incredibly American pastime of storm chasing. There are about 1200 tornados in America each year - for some, they are a source of fear and worry, but for others, they are a challenge to be bested. David travels to tornado alley, visiting Oklahoma in search of answers. There he meets storm chasers Stephanie & Justin Cox (@oklahoma_weather_couple) who talk about falling in love while chasing storms and their shared obsession with finding

Aug 22, 2023 • 43:25

Ice

Ice

This week on Flightless Bird David Farrier investigates America’s obsession with ice. From excessive ice in drinks to the joy of frozen food, Farrier finds that ice is deeply American. Meeting with Reid Mitenbuler, the author of Bourbon Empire, David discovers the story of Frederic “The Ice King” Tudor, who dug up ice from the lakes of New England and got America, and the world, hooked on ice in the 1800s. Farrier then heads to New York to meet writer and academic Heidi Julavits, who muses about

Aug 8, 2023 • 47:35

School Cafeterias

School Cafeterias

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier goes behind the scenes of the food that’s dished up to 30 million American kids at the school cafeteria. Back in New Zealand, they don't have school cafeterias, so all he knows is what he's learned from Euphoria and Saved By The Bell. In Hemet, Farrier meets Kate Kloet, assistant director of nutrition services for Hemet Unified School District. Donning a hairnet, she takes Farrier into the industrial kitchen where food is made for 23,000 kids in the ar

Jul 25, 2023 • 1:00:44

Health Update

Health Update

An update on Flightless Bird! David explains to Monica and Rob why he’s had to take flight to New Zealand. Defeated by the US healthcare system and his bad health insurance plan, David has temporarily returned to Aotearoa, New Zealand for some minor back surgery! This has disrupted the usual smooth flow of making the show, so for July and August Flightless Bird will arrive fortnightly instead of weekly.

Jul 11, 2023 • 33:53

Independence Day

Independence Day

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to investigate what the heck is going on with Independence Day, one of America’s 11 officially mandated holidays. What makes this day so American, and how is he meant to spend it? To learn about Independence Day the day, Farrier turns to Independence Day the movie. Farrier talks to film critic David Chen of DecodingEverything.com to find out what made this film so patriotic it was literally named after the 4th of July. Farrier then tracks down

Jul 4, 2023 • 30:50

Attics & Basements

Attics & Basements

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier realizes that New Zealand doesn’t have attics or basements, so sets out to discover why so many of America’s 333 million homes do. David talks to Stephen Fox, an architectural historian and a lecturer at the Rice School of Architecture in Houston, who explains the practical reasons for these spaces, as well as why they’ve turned into habitable spaces. David then talks to filmmaker and architect Giorgio Angelini about what these spaces mean culturally t

Jun 27, 2023 • 58:13

Electric Kettles

Electric Kettles

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to discover why America is yet to fully embrace the electric kettle. Why does America insist on the stovetop kettle when it could be boiling its water so much faster? To find out, David talks to Bruce Richardson, a tea master who founded Elmwood Inn Fine Teas in Kentucky, and wrote a book called “The New Tea Companion.” Bruce is a man obsessed with the correct boiling point of water, whose worst enemy is the microwave. Richardson teaches David

Jun 20, 2023 • 44:56

DMV - Pt II

DMV - Pt II

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to discover why America is yet to fully embrace the electric kettle. Why does America insist on the stovetop kettle when it could be boiling its water so much faster? To find out, David talks to Bruce Richardson, a tea master who founded Elmwood Inn Fine Teas in Kentucky, and wrote a book called “The New Tea Companion”. Bruce is a man obsessed with the correct boiling point of water, whose worst enemy is the microwave. Richardson teaches David

Jun 13, 2023 • 42:35

Beavers

Beavers

This week on Flightless Bird, David becomes fixated on the beaver, the rodent that’s become synonymous with Buc-ees, the giant American gas station. But David quickly learns there is so much to the beaver, the biggest rodent in the United States. With over 15 million of them spread over North America, they were once hunted almost to extinction for their pelts. David talks to Leila Philip, author of Beaverland, an incredible book about how the beaver transformed America. David learns that the bea

Jun 6, 2023 • 39:20

Drug Rehab

Drug Rehab

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to look at drug rehab in the state of Florida. According to the CDC, since 1999 over 932,000 people have died from a drug overdose. Since 1999, overdoses involving opioids have increased eight times. With those stats came an exploration of drug rehab facilities - many of which gamed the system and became corrupt. Why did Florida end up leading America in having the most drug centers per capita? What went wrong and has it been put right? To find out, D

May 30, 2023 • 34:51

Exotic Pets

Exotic Pets

In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand Florida’s obsession with exotic pets. Why does the sunshine state have more exotic animal species than any other state and, quite possibly, than any other country? David discovers that there are about 50 different reptile species now thriving in Florida - most of them imports. With that in mind he explores the burmese python, an escaped imported creature which is now eating alligators out in the Everglades, taking the positions

May 23, 2023 • 49:43

Villages

Villages

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets off for The Villages, America’s biggest retirement community - home to over 100 thousand people over the age of 55. What lies in this mysterious land spread out over about 32 square miles, an area bigger than Manhattan? David discovers The Villages are so big, they get their own designation on the census. Taking a tour with a resident, Farrier discovers golf courses, pickleball courts, grocery stores, banks, and a roading system just for golf carts. And w

May 16, 2023 • 50:13

Epcot vs Universal

Epcot vs Universal

This week on Flightless Bird, David continues his Florida series by going to EPCOT, Disney’s “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.” Joined by two Disney Adults, Elizabeth and Patrick, David eats his way around the world, and discovers why many also choose to drink their way around the world. Along the way, Farrier discovers Figment, a Disney character that only exists in EPCOT. After finding out why no one is allowed to die in Disney World, Farrier heads back to LA to compare Disney Wor

May 9, 2023 • 46:22

Alligators

Alligators

In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to discover Florida’s relationship with its 2000 crocodiles and whopping 1.25 million alligators. Traveling to America’s oldest city, St Augustine, Farrier visits the Alligator Farm to discover why crocs are more feisty than gators, and what food they like eating. He then dives headfirst into the phenomenon of Florida Man, after discovering a man high on bath salts once climbed into the very croc enclosure he’s now looking at!

May 2, 2023 • 50:23

Spiritualists

Spiritualists

In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to the “psychic capital of America”, Cassadaga. On the way he comes across his first Big Tent Revival, so stops to find out what’s going on. Eventually winding his way to Cassadaga, Farrier encounters a group of Americans who not only believe in life on the other side of death, but the fact that you can communicate with those who have crossed over. David discovers Spiritualism, a religion that once boasted 8 million followers in America - am

Apr 25, 2023 • 44:41

Gladesmen

Gladesmen

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to Florida’s south, deep into the Everglades, in search of the men who live in the glades: Gladesmen. Descending by airboat into the wet marshlands, David discovers he’s on a giant river 100 miles long and 60 miles wide. Surrounded by alligators, bugs, birds and fish, his guide Steve - a third generation gladesman - takes David to a “camp” - the place where gladesmen live. While there David discovers the legend of the skunk ape, Florida’s sw

Apr 18, 2023 • 57:28

Eggs

Eggs

In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand why Americans put their eggs in the fridge. Why the fridge, when the rest of the planet puts them in the pantry? David learns that each year each American eats an average of 277 eggs each, and that America has enough chickens to provide each American with at least an egg a day. David then discovers a plethora of organizations exist around the humble egg, from the International Egg Commission to the American Egg Board. After lea

Apr 11, 2023 • 50:25

Movies

Movies

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand how Americans interact with movies. Motivated by watching Nicole Kidman’s heartfelt introduction before every movie at the AMC theater chain, Farrier sets out to understand the other big chains like Regal. How are these chains enticing people in the door? He finds that AMC has the Stubs A-List, and Regal has Regal Unlimited. Then Farrier talks to Stacy Spikes, the founder and brains behind MoviePass - a subscription service he

Apr 4, 2023 • 1:00:00

Pickleball

Pickleball

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand America’s fastest growing sport, pickleball. Why did five million Americans turn to pickleball during the pandemic, and why did Tom Brady and LeBron James buy franchises in various Pickleball leagues? David goes to meet and play Pickleball with one of America’s best players, Jessie Irvine, to discover some tips and tricks. Along the way he discovers why Americans are suing each other over pickleball, before talking to Chuck Men

Mar 28, 2023 • 54:23

Rabies

Rabies

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier gets bitten by a squirrel, forcing him to come face-to-face with his greatest nightmare: Rabies. Why does this virus have a near 100% mortality rate, and how are you meant to be treated for it? David joins the 60,000 Americans who find themselves having to reckon with the risk of rabies every year, whether they are bitten by dogs, raccoons, bats… or in David’s case, a squirrel. To learn more, David meets fellow victims Courtney and Paul, who all had

Mar 21, 2023 • 51:27

BBQ

BBQ

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier travels to Austin, Texas to investigate America’s love of BBQ. Why do 7 out of 10 adults in America own some kind of BBQ device, and why is there so much BBQ in Texas? David meets up with the BBQ editor of Texas Monthly, Daniel Vaughn. David discovers that Daniel has eaten at over 2,000 barbecue spots all over the planet… 2,119 to be precise - many of them in Texas. Daniel agrees to take David on a day of BBQ eating, from Austin to Lockhart to Luling

Mar 14, 2023 • 1:03:24

Waco

Waco

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to Waco, Texas - taking a drive to visit the Branch Davidians compound, the old home of David Koresh. David is surprised to find that the strange offshoot of the Seventh Day Adventist church still exists and sits down to interview their new leader. Why are they still on the same grounds where so many terrible things happened? What do they believe? What do they think of Koresh? What is inside their church? And why did things go so crazy here

Mar 7, 2023 • 51:04

Wafflehouse

Wafflehouse

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand Waffle House, the much loved diner found scattered throughout the American south. What makes this chain so special, and what the heck is the Waffle House Index? David interviews Waffle House’s Njeri Boss about the magic of waffles, and why it’s actually more about the hash browns. He also talks to photographer Micah Cash about his book Waffle House Vistas (https://bittersoutherner.com/) and why this generic shoebox restaurant i

Feb 28, 2023 • 54:49

DMV - Pt I

DMV - Pt I

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out for the DMV in an attempt to get his American driver’s license. By his side (and scared in the passenger seat) is Monica Padman, there to assist the New Zealander in his quest. Things take a turn when they discover Monica’s car is far too dirty. A diversion to a carwash, a quick quiche, and a lot of debate over the road rules take the pair to the DMV. Will David pass? What could go wrong? A whole lot, apparently.

Feb 21, 2023 • 50:54

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand America’s obsession with Valentine's Day. Why do Americans fork out $20 billion each year in an attempt to woo a mate or prove their love to an existing one? David discovers he doesn’t have a valentine, so interviews online dating coach Perri Schneider. What are the do’s and don’ts of American dating? Farrier then discovers that sales of vibrators go up on and around Valentine's Day, so talks to engineer Anna Lee of Lioness who

Feb 14, 2023 • 47:33

Sandwiches

Sandwiches

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier looks at America’s obsession with sandwiches. Why is Subway the United State’s biggest fast food chain, leaving Starbuck and McDonalds in its wake? To get answers, David heads to Philly to investigate one of America’s greatest inventions: The Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich. There he discovers two sandwich stores locked in a decades-long rivalry. What’s the beef between Geno’s and Pat’s? And what of the man who supplies both stores with their tasty sodas

Feb 7, 2023 • 1:10:31

New Zealand Vacation

New Zealand Vacation

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier returns to Aotearoa, New Zealand, to investigate why so many of New Zealand's native birds are flightless. Literally. David sets out to find three such creatures: The little penguin, the kakapo and - of course - the useless kiwi bird. What happened to their wings, and why does the world’s heaviest parrot choose to live in the forest floor instead of the majestic trees? David learns why New Zealand birds are so stinky, and marvels at the weight of the

Jan 31, 2023 • 1:07:23

Christmas Nativity Scenes

Christmas Nativity Scenes

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier looks at why Christmas is the OG holiday in America. He brings back Mike McHargue from the very first episode of Flightless Bird to talk about how religion and commerce mix. In 2021 Americans spent $800 billion on Christmas-related purchases and this year it looks to soar to new heights! Mike and David delve into the origins of Santa Claus, before David takes a trip to “Holiday Road,'' a giant Christmas display in Calabasas. Finally, David calls his

Dec 20, 2022 • 1:02:46

Soft Drinks

Soft Drinks

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand the vast array of soft drinks on offer in the United States of America. He ends up stumbling into Waco, Texas - home of Dr. Pepper - where he attempts to solve the riddle of what the heck Dr. Pepper tastes like. Along the way, he discovers Big Red and the chaotic history of bottled soda water. He visits the Dr. Pepper Museum where he meets the Dr. Pepper-obsessed Joy Summer-Smith, associate director of the Dr. Pepper Museum. Be

Dec 13, 2022 • 57:16

Leaf Blowers

Leaf Blowers

"In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand why Americans love leaf blowers so much. Plagued by leaf blowers around his tiny one bedroom apartment, David attempts to reach President Joe Biden to discuss leaf blower use at the White House. Failing miserably, he has to settle for another politician - also powerful - Pleasentville Village Trustee, Nicole Asquith. Why are various cities and States attempting to phase out gas guzzling leaf blowers, and what are they so dang

Dec 6, 2022 • 48:33

Bears

Bears

"In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand one of America’s grandest animals, the Grizzly Bear. Emblazoned on the California flag and seal, what does this giant predator have to say about the American people? David discovers that animals kill about 400 Americans every year… how many of those deaths involve bears? To get some perspective on this often misunderstood creature, David sits down with journalist and newspaper editor Rob Chaney, who wrote an incredible book ab

Nov 29, 2022 • 58:54

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to find the perfect turkey, and in doing so discovers what Thanksgiving is all about. Somehow, Farrier gets acclaimed celebrity chef Michael Voltaggio to cook him, Dax, Monica and Rob a full Thanksgiving meal - which involves a lot of turkey, sides, stuffing and pies. Voltaggio and Farrier discuss turkey jacuzzis, and where Michael can be found most Thanksgivings. Puzzled by the origins of Thanksgiving, David talks to Crystal EchoHawk, found

Nov 22, 2022 • 56:05

Airports

Airports

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand the American airport, and what makes it tick. Why are the top seven busiest airports in the world all based in America, and what does that mean for the traveler? David sets off for the world’s third business airport - Denver - to dig into the various conspiracy theories surrounding the airport. Why does it greet passengers with a giant terrifying mustang with glowing red eyes, and did it really kill the artist who made it? Davi

Nov 15, 2022 • 53:35

News

News

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David sets out to understand American Network News, and the country’s obsession with rolling 24/7 news coverage. Why does the Fox News Channel average more total viewers than CNN and MSNBC combined, and how is American TV news faring in the wake of Twitter and TikTok? David talks to Stacy Scholder, a professor at the University of Southern California who teaches TV journalism. What is she teaching the next generation of TV journalists, and what was it like coverin

Nov 8, 2022 • 1:00:36

Maths

Maths

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand why Americans say “math”, while New Zealand - and most of the rest of the world - says “maths”. He speaks to Dean Koorey about the mysteries of language, before stumbling into the depths of math/maths and the perils of the metric system. How many ounces in a pound? How many pounds are in a stone? And why is America stuck using the imperial system when the rest of the planet loves the sensible metric system? Farrier is shocked t

Nov 1, 2022 • 58:17

Halloween

Halloween

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets to understand where the heck Halloween came from, a holiday which generates over $10 billion in retails sales in the US each year. Why does an average American spend $60 on the scary day, and is it more tied in with paganism, Christianity, or scary monsters? David meets with Regina Hansen - a writer and scholar who teaches at Boston University - to talk about why we used to carve turnips instead of pumpkins, before calling up professor of philos

Oct 25, 2022 • 57:22

Shower Curtains

Shower Curtains

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand why America - despite all its advancements in innovation and technology - has decided to stick with the puzzling shower curtain. Why, while countries like New Zealand embrace the shower door, is America stuck in a long-term love affair with the fabric (or sometimes plastic) mistress? David calls his old friend Harvey from the Toilets episode to discuss American showering habits, before spending the day with the self-proclaimed

Oct 18, 2022 • 39:25

Amish

Amish

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand the Amish, a group of Swiss Germans slash Alsatians that chose America as their home away from home. Why does a country that embraces fast cars, fast money, and fast food also embrace the very slow-moving Amish? David discovers why back in 2000 there were only 178,000 Amish in the US, and why that number has climbed to well over 367,000 - an increase of 106%. David sits down with Susan Trollinger, a professor from the Universi

Oct 11, 2022 • 52:25

Game Shows

Game Shows

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier embraces the American institution of game shows. He sets out to understand how in this time of high-caliber TV, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune still manages to pull in four million ahead of shows like Dateline, Undercover Boss, and Masterchef. David joins fellow kiwi Rhys Darby as he’s invited on Celebrity Family Feud - thrilled at the idea of meeting comic, actor, author, and Emmy Award-winning talk-show host Steve Harvey. Quickly David is shocked to le

Oct 4, 2022 • 50:56

Pornography

Pornography

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to explore America’s adult film industry, which has its heart in California’s San Fernando Valley. In this episode Farrier heads for a mansion in the hills of Calabasas to attend an adult film shoot, hoping to understand why Americans spend an average of 9 minutes and 44 seconds on porn sites at a time. David meets a porn director also called “David” to ask why they still have all that dialogue and plot in amongst all the sex, before chatting

Sep 27, 2022 • 1:12:16

RVs

RVs

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to understand America's obsession with recreational vehicles, also known as RVs. Joined by Monica and Dax, David discovers why 11.2 million American homes have an RV of some kind and why 10 million more are considering buying one within the next five years. David sits down with Monica Geraci, the official spokesperson for the American RV Industry Association, to find out some tips and tricks before descending into Griffith Park to meet an actor who li

Sep 20, 2022 • 58:35

Bunkers

Bunkers

This week on Flightless Bird, David descends underground into the world of preppers and bunkers, learning that 40% of Americans believe that stocking up on supplies or building an underground shelter is a better investment than saving for retirement. Joined my Monica Mouse, David discovers that humans have wanted to live underground for the last 2000 years. David interviews ethnographic researcher Bradley Garrett about the mindset of the American bunker enthusiast since Covid, and finds out why

Sep 13, 2022 • 50:16

Baseball

Baseball

This week on Flightless Bird, David heads to San Francisco to meet the San Francisco Giants. Joined by Wobby Wob, David attempts to learn how to catch a baseball, before becoming distracted by some loud screams coming from the field. It's there he meets the Chicago White Sox's Liam Hendriks, an outspoken Australian with a good arm and lots of opinions. David learns why 16 million Americans play baseball in some kind of organized fashion and talks to bench coach Kai Correa about how to win a game

Sep 6, 2022 • 55:22

Tipping

Tipping

This week on Flightless Bird, David gets out his wallet and dives into the culture and politics of tipping. Joined by Monica Padman, he sets out to discover why 52% of Americans tip their hairdresser while only 14% always tip their barista. David interviews Mike Lynn, a professor at the Cornell Hotel School, about the social pressures of tipping and why we tip what we tip. David also talks to Saru Jayaraman of “One Fair Wage”, who explains that tipping is a deeply warped version of what American

Aug 30, 2022 • 51:28

Juggalos

Juggalos

This week on Flightless Bird, David dives into the insane world of Insane Clown Posse fans, who called themselves “Juggalos”. David is shocked to discover that due to the criminal enterprises of certain members of the fandom, the FBI decided to classify them as a gang. David talks to one of the first people to document Juggalo culture, Derek Erdman - before meeting another documentary maker who spent years with ICP’s “Violent J” and “Shaggy 2 Dope”, unlocking the magic that makes this band a $10

Aug 23, 2022 • 48:01

Amazon

Amazon

This week on Flightless Bird, David prepares to hit “Buy Now” as he embarks into the world of Amazon, the company that notched up 116 billion dollars in sales during the first three months of this year. Joined by Monica, he looks at how this company has slowly inserted itself into the American lifestyle, from TV and film, to products, to Alexa living in everyone’s house, tending to their every need. David interviews Emily West, an Associate Professor of Communication at the University of Massach

Aug 16, 2022 • 58:16

Healthcare

Healthcare

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to make sense of the very confusing American healthcare system. Joined by Monica, he tries to figure out why some Americans end up paying their own ambulance bill, and why over half of the American population is riddled with medical debt. David talks to Luke O’Neil - the journalist and writer behind popular newsletter "Welcome to Hellworld" - about why it falls on children to raise money for their parents medical bills; and discovers why in the US hea

Aug 9, 2022 • 52:55

Diners

Diners

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to understand what makes the American diner experience so special, by travelling to Reno, Nevada. There he meets the staff of Peg's Glorified Ham N Eggs, and meets the regulars who've made the diner their home away from home - including Rainbow Man, a man obsessed with painting human bodies at Burning Man. What makes a diner a diner? How have they changed over the years? David and Monica discuss their various diner experiences, from fights to excessiv

Aug 2, 2022 • 35:28

Circumcision

Circumcision

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to discover why America loves circumcision so much, to the point where 115 million American men now find themselves without a foreskin. Joined by Monica, he tries to figure out why this medical procedure became so popular here, leading to some medical diagrams not bothering to include a foreskin anymore. David talks to a man in his 30s who’s furious he got circumcised when he was a baby, and another who’s annoyed he wasn’t circumcised, as he considers

Jul 26, 2022 • 51:34

Football

Football

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to understand a game that simply doesn’t exist in New Zealand: American Football. He tries to figure out America’s most popular sport and asks why over 100 million Americans watched the Super Bowl. After watching the Super Bowl for the first time, David travels to Seattle to get schooled by NFL Hall-of-Famer Walter Jones, who was drafted by the Seahawks in 1997. He discovers what a locker room smells like, and why some football players love to chew gu

Jul 19, 2022 • 44:46

Bottled Water

Bottled Water

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to understand America’s obsession with bottled water. Joined by Monica, he tries to figure out why tap water just won’t cut it in many US States, leading Americans to spend billions on bottled water every year. David talks to author and scientist Peter Gleick about tap water myths, and how some bottled water companys have accidentally added things like arsenic and cricket parts to their bottled creations. We discover why a new sports stadium purposefu

Jul 12, 2022 • 47:29

Disney Adults II

Disney Adults II

This week on Flightless Bird, David embarks on his first-ever trip to Disneyland with Dax, Monica, and Wobby Wob to see if the magic of the place rubs off on him. In amongst discovering the joys of Star Wars: Galaxies Edge and the Cars ride, David investigates Disney Social Clubs, also known as "Disney Gangs." He learns about the alleged beef between two groups, the Main Street Fire Station 55 Social Club and the White Rabbits, and talks to a member of the Sons of Anakin. David discovers the one

Jul 5, 2022 • 36:44

Flags

Flags

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to understand why Americans love their flag so much, buying nearly 150 million of them every year. Joined by Dax and Monica, David quizzes them about what it’s like to go to school and pledge allegiance to the flag, before Dax recalls his colourful interactions with an American flag and a flag pole. David talks to flag expert, TedTalker and podcaster Roman Mars about what makes a good flag design, before chatting with vexillologist Tory Laitila - cura

Jun 28, 2022 • 51:04

Burgers

Burgers

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to discover why Americans love burgers so much, eating 50 million of them a year. Joined by Monica, he tries to figure out why in America it’s always beef for dinner and how that fact has drastically altered the biology of the humble cow. David talks to Ben Wurgaft, author of “Meat Planet: Artificial Flesh and the Future of Food” about the triumphs and problems of creating artificial meat. David also talks to Isha Datar, executive director of New Harv

Jun 21, 2022 • 54:45

Dog Shows

Dog Shows

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to understand his favorite American mockumentary "Best in Show" by attempting to immerse himself in the world of competitive dog shows. Joined by Monica, David shares his unusual history in the animal-showing world, before meeting happy animal owners who love nothing more than selectively breeding an animal that is superior to all others. We discover the story of a dog assassination attempt and look at how ethics and boundless enthusiasm collide in th

Jun 14, 2022 • 46:38

Suing

Suing

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to discover why Americans love suing each other so much - filing over 40 million lawsuits a year. Joined by Dax and Monica, David attempts to figure out how to avoid being sued and talks about the time a New York man sued him... twice. Dax weighs in with his own legal battles and David talks to New York media lawyer Cameron Stracher about what it was like defending the National Enquirer during the Michael Cohen Trump Fiasco. We discover how lawsuits a

Jun 7, 2022 • 59:27

Disney Adults

Disney Adults

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to discover how Disney’s parks and experiences division made 17 billion dollars last year - seeing 77 million people through its rollercoasters, rides, and massive queues. Joined by Monica, David tries to figure out what Disney Adults are all about, and why they love those Mickey Mouse ears so much. David talks to a hardcore Disneyland fan to learn about Disney’s biggest secrets, including SEA - the hidden backstory worked into every Disney Park on th

May 31, 2022 • 49:25

Toilets

Toilets

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to discover why the water level on American toilets is terrifyingly high, almost filling up the entire toilet bowl. Joined by Monica, he tries to figure out why it’s so hard to find a public restroom and why the gaps in the doors are so big. David talks to urban sociologist and toilet expert Harvey Molotch, who explains why public restrooms unchanging - segregated into male and female sections - seem to be locked in time. We discover why so many horro

May 24, 2022 • 56:59

Religion

Religion

This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to understand religion in America. Joined by Dax and Monica, he tries to figure out why over 200 million Americans are Christians, and how uniquely Americanised this religion has become - with franchises, brands, and celebrity endorsements. David talks to Mike McHargue - a Baptist who became an atheist who then became a Christian again. We discover how someone can love both Christianity and science - and you may be very surprised to learn your brain m

May 17, 2022 • 58:18

Switch to the Fountain App