Episode 317 Dr. Rizwan Virk "The Simulation Hypothesis"

Hold on to your hats!   My featured guest for this episode of Necronomicast is Dr. Rizwan Virk! A graduate of MIT and Stanford, Rizwan Virk is a successful entrepreneur, video game pioneer, film producer, venture capitalist, computer scientist and bestselling author. Virk recently finished his doctoral research at the Center for Science and the Imagination (CSI) and teaching classes on the Metaverse, Innovation and Simulation Theory at the College of Global Futures and the Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. His books include The Simulation Hypothesis, Startup Myths & Models: What You Won't Learn in Business School, Wisdom of a Yogi, The Simulated Multiverse, Treasure Hunt and Zen Entrepreneurship.   Virk founded Play Labs @ MIT, a startup accelerator, and invested in many successful startups including Discord, Theta Labs, Upland and Tapjoy.  His startups created video games played by millions, including Tap Fish and games based on Game of Thrones, Star Trek, The Walking Dead, Grimm and Penny Dreadful. Virk and his books have been featured on The Joe Rogan Podcast, in Forbes, The Telegraph, NBC News, vox.com, Techcrunch, Inc., VentureBeat, Digital Trends, BBC Science Focus, and Scientific American, CBS, the CBC, Coast to Coast AM and The History Channel.  He has been a speaker and mentor ranging from MIT's $100k Business Plan Competition and Delta V accelerator to 500 Startups, Talks @ Google and GamesBeat in Silicon Valley. Follow him @rizcambridge, and at zenentrepreneur.com. "The Simulation Hypothesis" at Amazon. Support the Necronomicast and "Buy Me A Coffee"!

For this episode of Necronomicast, it is my pleasure to welcome to the program Sterling Moon! Sterling is a fulltime, heels-on-the-ground, tarot reader, psychic medium, folk magician, animal communicator, published author, podcaster, and an educator on the mystical and strange. She has been working with clients, and teaching professionally since 2013.  She is the author of Talking to Spirits: A Modern Medium's Practical Advice for Spirit Communication 2023) and Llewellyn's Little Book of Spirit Communication (2025), both published by Llewellyn Books. Sterling also spent almost 20 years as a professional advocate for victims and survivors of crime in Wyoming, Minnesota, and Colorado, which will forever remind her of the importance of serving her communities.  Sterling Moon Official Website. Sterling Moon at Llewellyn Books. Support the Necronomicast at "Buy Me A Coffee"!  Thank you!  

It is my pleasure to welcome to Necronomicast, Rachel McCarthy James!  A native of Kansas, she is the daughter of baseball's Bill James and artist Susan McCarthy. At Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, she studied political science and creative writing. Her first book, The Man from the Train (coauthored with her father) chronicled the serial killer behind the Villisca axe murders. Published in 2017, The Man from the Train was nominated for an Edgar award for best fact crime, and won the Kansas Notable Book award. Her newest book, Whack Job, is the story of the axe, first as a convenient danger and then an anachronism, as told through the murders it has been employed in throughout history: from the first axe murder nearly half a million years ago, to the brutal harnessing of the axe in warfare, to its use in King Henry VIII's favorite method of execution, to Lizzie Borden and the birth of modern pop culture. Whack Job sheds brilliant light on this familiar implement, this most human of weapons. This is a critical examination of violence, an exploration of how technology shapes human conflict, the cruel and sacred rituals of execution and battle, and the ways humanity fits even the most savage impulses into narratives of the past and present.  Official Website of Rachel McCarthy James "Whack Job" available at Amazon Support Necronomicast at "Buy Me A Coffee".  Thank you!

Joining me for this special episode is Benedict Sanderson (director) and Claire Goodlass (producer) to chat about their powerful new documentary "Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart".   This documentary revisits the harrowing abduction of Elizabeth Smart, exploring the investigation, the media frenzy, and the failures that allowed the case to unfold the way it did, while centering Elizabeth's own voice and survival in one of the most haunting true crime stories of our time.   Find out the inside story on why this is one of the most talked about shows in the world directly from two of the most talented storytellers working today.   "Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart" is available on Netflix (Official Website)   Benedict Sanderson Official Website   Claire Goodlass Official Website   Support Necronomicast at "Buy Me A Coffee".  Thank you!        

On this incredible episode of Necronomicast, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Texas Ranger James B. Holland, who has built a reputation as one of the most remarkable investigators in modern law enforcement. With more than 26 years with the Texas State Police, Holland has cracked hundreds of cases, including some of the country's most haunting unsolved crimes.  But his rare gift lies in drawing confessions from the unthinkable: serial killers.  This gripping new series pulls back the curtain on Holland's most complex and chilling cases when KILLER CONFESSIONS: CASE FILES OF A TEXAS RANGER premieres on Tuesday, January 13 at 10/9c on ID. Episodes will be available to stream the next day on HBO Max.     Through Holland's masterful psychological approach, viewers are immersed in the tension of real-time confessions and given a front-row seat to retired Texas Ranger, James Holland, as he reveals his tactics in cases once considered unsolvable. Through interrogation footage, case files, and with the personal reflections of Holland himself, each episode of KILLER CONFESSIONS traces the path from the crime scene to the confession chair and offers unprecedented access into the minds of killers through one of law enforcement's most enigmatic, and successful, figures.    Killer Confessions official website.   Support the Necronomicast at "Buy Me A Coffee"!

I am very excited to welcome Ben Leonberg to Necronomicast as my first guest of 2026!  Ben is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer known for his work in the horror and fantasy genres. He wrote and directed "Good Boy", a supernatural thriller told from the perspective of a dog named Indy. The film explores themes of loyalty, trauma, and perception, using a canine point of view to drive the narrative. "Good Boy" follows Indy and his owner, Todd, a young man with a chronic lung disease, as they move into Todd's late grandfather's rural home, where a malevolent supernatural presence gradually engulfs Todd, while his devoted dog attempts to rescue him. Widely considered as one of the top ten independent films of 2025, "Good Boy" is regarded as "a visually striking, emotionally devastating horror film that eschews genre conventions to deliver a uniquely haunting and conceptually ambitious experience." "Good Boy" is streaming now on Shudder! Ben Leonberg official website Musician Sam Boase-Miller's website Support Necronomicast with "Buy Me A Coffee"!    

For the last episode of 2025, not one but two veteran paranormal experts join me for a spirited and fun conversation!  My gift to you! To discuss their book "Mothman", Richard Estep and renowned Mothman researcher Tobias Wayland document firsthand witness accounts and conduct detailed investigations with the hope of seeing the iconic cryptid themselves. This book chronicles their discoveries, which include large concentrations of sightings in the Chicago and Lake Michigan area. They delve into the science of Mothman, where he may reside and travel, and much more. When a large, winged humanoid with glowing red eyes was spotted in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, the Mothman legend was born. Since that fateful November night, the flying cryptid has become one of the most famous monsters of all time. From the encounter at Dufield Pond to the Van Meter Visitor, Mothman presents terrifying experiences with the black, red-eyed creature that no one—including you—will ever forget. "Mothman" by Richard and Tobias at Llewellyn Books! Richard Estep Official Website Tobias Wayland Official Website Support Necronomicast and "Buy Me A Coffee!"

Making a return to the Necronomicast, a favorite of mine...Jason Offutt!  Tonight we chat about his newest book "Chasing North American Monsters"! From his website: "Jason Offutt grew up on a farm near the little town of Orrick, Missouri. In his life he's been a farm hand, journalist, photographer, bartender, and the mayor of that same small town. Jason now teaches journalism at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, and keeps the world safe from the forces of evil. Okay, so now that the interview bio's out the way, here's who I really am. I'm a nerd. A Dungeons and Dragons playing, "Star Trek" watching, conspiracy theory Fanboy. "The Twilight Zone" is the greatest television program ever created, author Michael Crichton was a wizard, and I once went to a Halloween party dressed as Gilligan (my wife went as Mary Ann. Hubba hubba). As a kid I looked for Sasquatch footprints in the yard, UFOs over our farmhouse (one night my whole family saw something that shouldn't – couldn't – have been in the sky. Damn straight), and one afternoon, alone, I saw a full-bodied apparition that stared at me through hollow eyes. So, yeah. That's me. If you want to talk writing, nerd stuff, or the paranormal, send me a message. I'll try to respond as soon as possible, but if I'm on deadline, that cute kid in the picture can be kind of a dick." Jason's newest book is another page turner that is just as much fun and is as brilliant as its author!  Have fun with this episode of Necronomicast! Official Website of Jason Offutt Jason's author page at Llewellyn Books Support the Necronomicast with "Buy Me A Coffee"!  Thank you! Necronomicast shirts and merch available here!  Thank you!  

I am excited for you all to hear this episode featuring author Fiona Dodwell as we dicsuss her new book "A Cursed Collection of Haunted Dolls"! Robert. Annabelle. Peggy. The very names of these dolls can strike fear into your heart. Fiona Dodwell, who has been gripped by the idea of spirit-possessed dolls for years, dives into real world and fictional examples of toys gone bad—playthings meant to comfort children but instead make life a living hell. Fiona presents a comprehensive collection of true-life cases of haunted dolls, including lesser-known ones such as Mandy and Okiku. She also explores the killer dolls that have inspired endless horror movies and books. To chill your spine even further, Fiona shares interviews with Child's Play writer and director Don Mancini, actress Jennifer Tilly, Patti Negri of Ghost Adventures, Jayne Harris of Help! My House Is Haunted, and many, many more. Creepy, addictive, and meticulously researched, this book takes paranormal enthusiasts on a thrilling journey into the dark and fascinating world of haunted dolls.   Fiona's author page at Llewellyn Books Order "A Cursed Collection of Haunted Dolls" on Amazon! Fiona's Linktree   Support or sponsor Necronomicast Episodes at "Buy Me A Coffee"!

An exciting guest for this episode of Necronomicast....actor Tobias Jelinek! Tobias Jelinek's journey into entertainment began at age 15, when he was cast as Jay in Disney's cult classic Hocus Pocus (1993). Over the past 30 years, he has built a reputation for portraying bold, unpredictable characters across film and television. His screen credits span both the Marvel and DC universes (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Arrow), as well as standout roles in Stranger Things, Mayfair Witches (AMC), Obliterated (Netflix), and Baskets (FX). Jelinek has recurred as a guest star on This Is Us, NCIS, and Shameless, and brought his comedic range to The Mindy Project, Comedy Central Presents, and Rhett & Link's Buddy System opposite Molly Shannon and Tony Hale. Most recently, Jelinek continues to push boundaries in Ryan Murphy's Monsters (Netflix), Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, ABC's High Potential and NBC's The Hunting Party. Also a passionate mentor, Jelinek is the founder of The Inspired Actor, a Chekhov-based acting lab exploring performance, presence, and transformation. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their two sons. Enjoy this conversation with a insightful and talented actor...Tobias Jelinek!   To sponsor an episode of Necronomicast, or to "buy me a coffee" click here!   Necronomicast Opening Theme: "Brand New Graveyard" by N. Barber, B. Corey, J. Dodson, S. Zimmerman. Closing Music:  "Possibly Olives" by Andrew Vogt. All music used with permission.