039 — California | The Paradise Camp Fire

Before we say farewell to the Golden State, it’s time to dive into some of its wildest news stories. Turns out, California is so bonks that we couldn’t stop at just four headlines this week. We’re bringing you some lighthearted #CovidProbz, a stolen vehicle with some very precious cargo, and a scam that bamboozled Joe Dirt’s doppelganger. Buckle up for a bumpy ride (in the back of a police cruiser with a killer turkey). Sorry, folks — we don’t make the news; we just report it. [Episode guide] bit.ly/badtrip042 [Website] badtrippod.com [Twitter] twitter.com/badtrippod [Instagram] instagram.com/badtrippod

California really has it all, from mummified baby dragons and Satanic cults to the real-life site of the Windows XP wallpaper. This week, Taylor breaks down the weirdest laws and strangest pit stops in the state — including a store that’s basically Spirit Halloween on steroids. Then, Shauna introduces us to Jeff, a mysterious Los Angeles man with CIA connections and wayyyy too many guns. We learn about his life, his death, and some of the people who became ensnared in his tangled web throughout the decades. Content warning: Domestic abuse, death [Episode guide] bit.ly/badtrip041 [Website] badtrippod.com [Twitter] twitter.com/badtrippod [Instagram] instagram.com/badtrippod

Awwww shit y’all... Taylor here. I’m writing the description this week, so you know shit is gonna get WEIRD! First, I tell you the tale of a desperate mother, Aeropostale tote bag circa 2008 (allegedly), and richie rich newborns with fancy security bracelets. Then, Shauna describes a cryptid that just won’t stop wildin’ out with those spindly arms and Slenderman-esque legs. Listen in as she gives us the scoop on Wetzel’s Riverside Monster and a sexy man from the 60s with the nicest face cakes in town. It’s short and sweet this week — minus the sweet… So, buckle the fook up, cause it’s gonna be a bumpy ride. Content warning: Attempted kidnapping [Episode guide] bit.ly/badtrip040 [Website] badtrippod.com [Twitter] twitter.com/badtrippod [Instagram] instagram.com/badtrippod

Hustlers, grab your guns. We’re headed to California, the home of Hollywood, the Redwoods, and marijuana dispensaries with some very creative names. First, Shauna gives us the 411 on California, and we play some games to get us acquainted with the Golden State. Then we take a hard left turn as Taylor shares the story of the Paradise Camp Fire, the most deadly wildfire in California history. It’s a difficult one to get through, but it’s important — and it shines a light on human bravery and how evil corporations get away with literal murder. Content warning: Fire, death, mention of animal death [Episode guide] bit.ly/badtrip039 [Website] badtrippod.com [Twitter] twitter.com/badtrippod [Instagram] instagram.com/badtrippod

We’re back after an unplanned but much-needed break — and we’re ready to get creepy, y’all. This week, we’re bringing you two minis to wet your whistle before we get back to our regularly scheduled programming. First, Shauna tells us the story of Bart(leby) Brown, a guy in the early 1900s whose drunken encounter with a mule put him on the water wagon for life. Then, Taylor talks about her favorite topic ever: anthrax! When this insidious bacteria isn’t getting lit in IbiTHa to show Avicii that it’s cool, it’s wreaking havoc and annihilating people’s flesh. Yeah, maybe don’t listen to this one while you’re eating. Content warning: Animal death, gore [Episode guide] bit.ly/badtrip038 [Website] badtrippod.com [Twitter] twitter.com/badtrippod [Instagram] instagram.com/badtrippod [Shauna's TikTok LOL SORRY] @brash_candicoot

Update: we’ll be back and (maybe?) better than ever on Thursday, July 15! Get ready to join us again soon — on this Baaaaaad Trippppp!

Nevada is a dangerous place. As much as you might want to, we don’t recommend boning in a hot spring or robbing a grocery store at gunpoint. It’s been done before, and the consequences are not worth it...or are they? Find out in this week’s episode featuring wacky headlines from the great(?) state of Nevada. We also head to Reno to meet the cutest politician on the planet, and then to Tonopah, a town that just might have more clowns than people. Sorry, folks — we don’t make the news; we just report it. Content warning: ~*SeXy StUff*~ [Episode guide] bit.ly/badtrip037 [Website] badtrippod.com [Twitter] twitter.com/badtrippod [Instagram] instagram.com/badtrippod

Grab your beer bongs and boat shoes because this week we’re talking about hazing crimes. Shauna gives us the rundown on hazing — why it’s dangerous, when it’s illegal, and what it means for college Greek life. Then she tells two tragic stories about times that hazing at UNR went very wrong, in the cases of Albert Santos in 2002 and Ryan Abele in 2016. But first, Taylor shares some weird Nevada laws and takes us on a tour of some notable pit stops. Your wildest dreams will come true — as long as they include Bonnie and Clyde’s bullet-riddled car, giant ovens, and a coffin-shaped greenhouse. Content warning: Abuse, murder [Episode guide] bit.ly/badtrip036 [Website] badtrippod.com [Twitter] twitter.com/badtrippod [Instagram] instagram.com/badtrippod

This week, Shauna does a deep dive into Nevada’s legal brothels, where you can experience a classic BJ, a shower party, and some serious human rights abuses. It’s definitely worth checking out the episode guide for this one (link below) because we’ve got some dope brothel merch and delightful illustrations of sex acts, and they’re totally SFW (at least if you work at a brothel). Then, Taylor takes us on a seriously bad trip when she tells the story of TWA Flight 3. Back in 1942, this flight from NYC to California never made it to its destination. Was it a conspiracy, or just a series of mistakes? Either way, we learn one important lesson: Being an entitled Karen really can get you killed. Content warning: Abuse, death [Episode guide] bit.ly/badtrip035 [Website] badtrippod.com [Twitter] twitter.com/badtrippod [Instagram] instagram.com/badtrippod

Schooooool’s out for summer! That means we’re back, and things are about to get weird. This week, we’re heading to Nevada, arguably the most debaucherous state in the nation. Sure, most of it is covered in sand, but it’s also home to Sin City — and we all know that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, from drugs to gambling to sex scandals and beyond. (Based on the popularity of our Abigail Simon episode, we know you sickos are into those kind of things.) After Shauna introduces us to the state’s history and brothels, Taylor shares the mysterious and tragic story of Jean Moore. Jean was a 59-year-old woman who went missing in 1992, leaving behind a fiancé, two adult children, and a successful career. While on a trip to Nevada with her long-time partner, she seemingly vanished into thin air — that is, if she was even there at all. Content warning: Drugs, gambling, missing person [Episode guide] bit.ly/badtrip034 [Website] badtrippod.com [Twitter] twitter.com/badtrippod [Instagram] instagram.com/badtrippod