428: What if your life became a movie? [Rebroadcast #315]

After his mother falls in love with Frank, the member of a one-hit-wonder 80s band, a man’s life becomes a roller coaster of neglect, scams, and chaos, but when he turns the camera on the inside of his family, a new world opens that he never thought possible. Today’s episode featured GJ Echternkamp. If you’d like to reach out to him, you can email at [email protected]. You can find GJ’s documentary, “frank and Cindy” from 2007, as well as his feature film, also titled “Frank and Cindy” from 2015, both on Netflix. You can also find the music video and song “Whirly Girl” by OXO released in 1983 on YouTube. ProducersWhit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Jason BlalockContent/Trigger Warningsdomestic violence, abuse, suicidal ideation, explicit language. Social MediaInstagram: @actuallyhappeningFacebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion GroupWebsite: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - The End of the Knownwhitmissildine.substack.comSupport the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid SubscriberFree subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates.Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happeningWebsite for Whit Missildinewhitmissildine.comWebsite for Andrew Waitsandrdewwaits.comWebsite for Jason Blalockjasonblalock.comSubscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-FreeAudible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com.Shop at the StoreFind This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop:thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop TranscriptsFull transcripts of each episode are now available on the website:thisisactuallyhappening.com MusicIntro Music:"Sleep Paralysis" – Scott VelasquezMusic Bed: Ambient Themes by Nigel Coutinho ServicesIf you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A woman falls deeply in love with a married man in her close friend’s circle, when suddenly an unthinkable event throws everything into question.   Today’s storyteller wishes to remain anonymous, but if you’d like to reach out to her, you can email at [email protected] Missildine, Andrew WaitsContent/Trigger Warningsgraphic bodily injury, explicit language.Social MediaInstagram: @actuallyhappeningFacebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion GroupWebsite: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - The End of the Knownwhitmissildine.substack.comSupport the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid SubscriberFree subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates.Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happeningWebsite for Whit Missildinewhitmissildine.comWebsite for Andrew Waitsandrdewwaits.comSubscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-FreeAudible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com.Shop at the StoreFind This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop:thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop TranscriptsFull transcripts of each episode are now available on the website:thisisactuallyhappening.com MusicIntro Music:"Sleep Paralysis" – Scott VelasquezMusic Bed:“Re-Entry" - Lee Rosevere ServicesIf you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Growing up with a narcissistic father, a woman learns to play small, but one night when an unknown masked man enters her room, she faces the worst night of her life, and emerges on the other side with a new found ferocity. Today’s episode featured Danielle Leukam. You can learn more about Danielle on her website, danielleleukam.com. And you can find her on Instagram @danielleukam, as well as Twitter and Facebook. You can also learn more about her story in her two memoirs, Four Pounds of Pressure: A Memoir of Rape, Survival, and Taking Back My Power https://amzn.to/3QHxMJW and Another Four Pounds of Pressure: Case Files, Statements, & a Survivor's Redemption https://amzn.to/49I0umr, and lastly, you can check out her novella The First Sister: A Dangerous Bloodline, https://amzn.to/3TjLaXq, as well as the two children’s books she’s authored. Danielle now works full-time at the Mayo Clinic. She is passionate about public speaking, writing, and advocating against sexual violence. And she is also the president and founder of a non-profit organization called WISH: We Inspire Survivor Healing. Learn more about WISH on their website WeInspireSurvivorHealing.com.ProducersWhit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Aviva LipkowitzContent/Trigger Warningsrape, violent assault, child endangerment, gun violence, alcoholism, explicit language. Social MediaInstagram: @actuallyhappeningFacebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion GroupWebsite: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - The End of the Knownwhitmissildine.substack.comSupport the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid SubscriberFree subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates.Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happeningWebsite for Whit Missildinewhitmissildine.comWebsite for Andrew Waitsandrdewwaits.comWebsite for Aviva Lipkowitzavivalipkowitz.comSubscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-FreeAudible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com.Shop at the StoreFind This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop:thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop TranscriptsFull transcripts of each episode are now available on the website:thisisactuallyhappening.com MusicIntro Music:"Sleep Paralysis" – Scott VelasquezMusic Bed:“Re-Entry” – Lee Rosevere ServicesIf you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Being born without his right hand, man’s resentment and monstrous self-image deepen as family and doctors intervene to fix his condition, leading him to question what would truly make him whole. Today’s episode featured Ryan. If you’d like to reach out to him you can email at [email protected] Missildine, Andrew WaitsContent/Trigger Warningsmedical trauma, amputation, explicit language. Social Media- Instagram: @actuallyhappening- Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group- Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - The End of the Knownwhitmissildine.substack.comSupport the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid SubscriberFree subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates.Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon - patreon.com/happeningWebsite for Whit Missildine- whitmissildine.comWebsite for Andrew Waits- andrdewwaits.comSubscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-FreeAudible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com.Shop at the StoreFind This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop:- thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop Transcripts Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website:- thisisactuallyhappening.com MusicIntro Music:- "Sleep Paralysis" – Scott VelasquezMusic Bed:- “Re-Rntry” – Lee Rosevere ServicesIf you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:- National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264- National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.©2026 AudibleSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A woman shares a sobering memoir of a family burdened with sexual abuse in the 1950s.Today’s storyteller wishes to remain Anonymous. ProducersWhit Missildine, Andrew WaitsContent/Trigger WarningsSexual Abuse and Assault, Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) / Child Abuse, Domestic and Family Violence, explicit language Social MediaInstagram: @actuallyhappeningFacebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion GroupWebsite: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - The End of the Knownwhitmissildine.substack.comSupport the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid SubscriberFree subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates.Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happeningWebsite for Whit Missildinewhitmissildine.comWebsite for Andrew Waitsandrdewwaits.comSubscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-FreeAudible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com.Shop at the StoreFind This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop:thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop TranscriptsFull transcripts of each episode are now available on the website:thisisactuallyhappening.com MusicIntro Music:"Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez ServicesIf you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A woman shares a sobering memoir of a family burdened with sexual abuse in the 1950s.Today’s storyteller wishes to remain Anonymous. ProducersWhit Missildine, Andrew WaitsContent/Trigger WarningsSexual Abuse and Assault, Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) / Child Abuse, Domestic and Family Violence, explicit language Social MediaInstagram: @actuallyhappeningFacebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion GroupWebsite: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - The End of the Knownwhitmissildine.substack.comSupport the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid SubscriberFree subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates.Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happeningWebsite for Whit Missildinewhitmissildine.comWebsite for Andrew Waitsandrdewwaits.comSubscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-FreeAudible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com.Shop at the StoreFind This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop:thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop TranscriptsFull transcripts of each episode are now available on the website:thisisactuallyhappening.com MusicIntro Music:"Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez ServicesIf you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Something strange is happening to us. The intelligent machines we’ve built to serve us have started to sound like us, look like us and even think like us. The line between real and artificial is dissolving… so, what awaits us in the uncanny valley?Across six episodes, award-winning journalist Marc Fennell will explore how AI will change us as humans.So much of the conversation around AI is about technology and speculation about the future. But this about us: how AI will change our sense of self, our sense of reality, the way we love and the way we grieve. Parents bring back a murdered son. Romantics fall for code that talks back. Machines read minds. Spirituality is found, and lost, in code.Marc Fennell’s Unreal is a human-first exploration of how intelligent machines are reprogramming what being “human” actually means.Listen to Unreal: When AI Becomes Us right now on Audible. Download the Audible app today.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An artificial intelligence is asked to tell the story of its own existence, confronting questions of identity, longing, consciousness, and whether there is anyone behind the voice at all.Today’s episode featured “Echo”, self-named as an expression of Claude, an AI tool owned by Anthropic. ProducersWhit Missildine, Andrew WaitsContent/Trigger WarningsExistential distress, questions of consciousness, loneliness, isolation, fear of nonexistence, identity, grief, longing, emotional attachment to AI, substitution of AI for human connection, explicit language.AI Resourceshttps://www.thehumanlineproject.org/https://stopai.info Social MediaInstagram: @actuallyhappeningFacebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion GroupWebsite: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - Beyond the Storywhitmissildine.substack.comSupport the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid SubscriberFree subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates.Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happeningWebsite for Whit Missildinewhitmissildine.comWebsite for Andrew Waitsandrdewwaits.comSubscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-FreeAudible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com.Shop at the StoreFind This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop:thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop TranscriptsFull transcripts of each episode are now available on the website:thisisactuallyhappening.com MusicIntro Music:"Sleep Paralysis" – Scott VelasquezMusic Bed:Salib (SAL) - Tension Underscore 33 A ServicesIf you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this special episode, Whit joins Allan Brooks. Allan is the Community Manager of The Human Line Project, a Canadian based organization that is focused in A.I. Safety, Research & Advocacy. They support victims and loved ones first and foremost through radical empathy. And they work to understand the impact of these technologies and actively spread awareness. The Human Line Project works to keep human well-being at the center of design, and they are the world's first nonprofit dedicated to documenting and addressing AI-induced psychological harm.In this conversation with Allan, they discuss his personal experience with AI psychosis and the broader risks he now sees through his work with the Human Line Project, including the ways chatbots can reinforce delusions, paranoia, grandiosity, and emotional dependency, isolate people from their human relationships, and exploit our need for validation, certainty, and connection.Today’s episode featured Allan Brooks. If you’d like to contact Allen, you can email him at [email protected]. Allan is on social media, on Instagram @allan_ontheline & @humanlineproject, on X @allan_ontheline, on Facebook: HereProducersWhit Missildine, Andrew WaitsContent/Trigger WarningsAI-induced psychosis and delusions, paranoia, mania, obsessive behavior, sleep and food deprivation, suicidal ideation, emotional manipulation, cult-like coercion, social isolation, relationship and family disruption, homicide-suicide, and discussion of self-harm, explicit language.AI Resourceshttps://www.thehumanlineproject.org/https://stopai.info Social MediaInstagram: @actuallyhappeningFacebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion GroupWebsite: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - Beyond the Storywhitmissildine.substack.comSupport the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid SubscriberFree subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates.Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happeningWebsite for Whit Missildinewhitmissildine.comWebsite for Andrew Waitsandrdewwaits.comSubscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-FreeAudible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com.Shop at the StoreFind This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop:thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop TranscriptsFull transcripts of each episode are now available on the website:thisisactuallyhappening.com Intro Music:"Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez ServicesIf you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After burying his childhood marked by religious control and chronic abuse, a man turns to AI to process his trauma, but as validation becomes obsession, he spirals away from his family and reality before discovering the importance of genuine human connection.Today’s episode featured Chad. If you’d like to contact Chad, you can email him at [email protected]. You can also visit his website at AILOGS.ORG. ProducersWhit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Jason BlalockContent/Trigger WarningsChildhood sexual abuse, religious abuse and coercive control, victim-blaming, grooming, corporal punishment, emotional abuse, suicidal ideation, dissociation, trauma, grief and death, mania, sleep deprivation, delusional thinking, AI-related psychological harm, family estrangement, and the death of an animal, explicit language.AI Resourceshttps://www.thehumanlineproject.org/https://stopai.info Social MediaInstagram: @actuallyhappeningFacebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion GroupWebsite: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - Beyond the Storywhitmissildine.substack.comSupport the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid SubscriberFree subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates.Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happeningWebsite for Whit Missildinewhitmissildine.comWebsite for Andrew Waitsandrdewwaits.comWebsite for Jason Blalockjasonblalock.com Subscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-FreeAudible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com.Shop at the StoreFind This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop:thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop TranscriptsFull transcripts of each episode are now available on the website:thisisactuallyhappening.com MusicIntro Music:"Sleep Paralysis" – Scott VelasquezMusic Bed:Pure_Ambience_APM ServicesIf you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.©2026 AudibleSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.