Bigfoot Collectors Club – "Darth Vader's Ghost"
Release Date: January 21, 2026
Hosts: Michael McMillian & Riley Bray

EPISODE OVERVIEW

Main Theme / Purpose
Michael and Riley kick off 2026 with an "L Files" episode (listener stories of high strangeness), deviating from their traditional schedule. The episode blends their signature humor, personal life updates, current UFO news, and multiple eerie listener submissions. Michael also shares deeply personal and moving experiences surrounding his father's recent passing, focusing on subtle paranormal and symbolic occurrences. The Clubhouse maintains its trademark vibe: all topics, from genuine loss to shadowy Darth Vader ghosts, are explored with warmth, curiosity, and a dash of irreverence.

EPISODE STRUCTURE & KEY DISCUSSION POINTS

1. Opening Banter & New Year (01:24–04:02)

• The hosts joke about Discord nicknames and Riley’s annual sword-based Christmas tree disposal tradition ("Either like metal or just like abstract ambient, you know?" – Riley Bray, 03:26).
• Light, improvisational energy, setting a relaxed and playful tone for the episode.

2. Life Updates & Personal Catch-Up (04:14–07:38)

• Riley details his hectic end-of-year schedule, playing drums at a New York festival, officiating his cousin’s wedding in Guatemala, and working with Jungle at Art Basel in Miami.
  • "It was awesome. We played on this circular stage in the round." – Riley Bray, 04:54
  • "Michael and I are now co-ministers." – Riley Bray, 05:19
• They joke about launching BCC-themed weddings, with humor skewering the intersection between nerd and privilege.

3. Housekeeping & Club Announcements (07:38–09:10)

• Michael invites listeners to join their Fourth Wall shop (merchandise) and BCC Clubhouse for bonus content and ad-free episodes.
• Classic episodes are being released ad-free every Monday, sparking new discussion on Discord.

4. BCC News – UFOs, Disclosure, and Catalina Island (09:19–18:50)

• Ongoing UFO disclosure talk, with Steven Spielberg teasing a new disclosure-themed UFO movie ("All will be disclosed" – Michael McMillan, 10:24).
• Discussion about right-wing influence on UFO narratives in mainstream media.
• Attention turns to underwater UFO bases and recent News Nation coverage involving Catalina Island.
  • "Catalina Island is a hot spot right now. It always has been, but it's back in the conversation." – Michael McMillan, 13:53
• Boat captain Thor Lacens’ sightings of unexplained underwater lights and orange orbs off Catalina.
  • "Sat there the rest of the night with a gun in my hand, waiting for something to come creeping out of the water...I was scared." – Thor Lacens via News Nation report, retold by Michael, 17:01
• Discussing the idea of a BCC UFO-spotting quest to Catalina.
  • "I think we got to go out and spend a night Catalina island and see Quest Catal." – Michael McMillan, 17:30

5. Listener Engagement & Five Star Club Review (20:14–22:05)

• Encourages podcast reviews for algorithm visibility.
• Readout of a listener's whimsical "pie breakdown" analogy of the show.

6. Personal Paranormal Update: Michael’s Recent Loss (22:05–43:54)

[Main Segment; Highly Notable and Deep]

• Michael shares the recent, sudden death of his father in early December.
• Discusses "animal symbolism": finding deceased animals (e.g., a favorite squirrel "Tiger") prior to family members’ deaths, and the emotional prescience or intuition attached ("...when I saw that squirrel, I thought, my dad's gonna die." – Michael, 24:44).
• Recounts his father’s end-of-life experiences in hospital: seeing multiple apparitions (a white-haired man, "onion lady," and an elderly woman), with Michael acting as witness and confidant.
  • "'Do you see her?' ...'You can't see that woman?' ...'You can't see things that I cannot see.'" – Michael, narrating his father, 31:02
  • "He goes...I have seen the man with the beard before...when your mother was in the hospital." – Michael’s father, 32:01
• After his father's passing, other symbolic events: family of deer seen the day after his mother’s death; a large buck appears near his cousin’s house after his father dies, in a neighborhood where deer are never seen.
  • "For a second I was like, oh, that's wild. And then I was like, wait, we saw deer the morning after my mom died, you know, So I don't know." – Michael, 36:33
• Discusses meaning-making, nature symbolism, what "paranormal" signs might represent in grief. Riley theorizes Michael is a "nature wizard."
  • "I think you have, like, nature magic blood. Like, you're like, the type of wizard you are is the one that's, like, in the woods...” – Riley, 37:03
• Emphasis on beauty and reassurance found in painful transitions; recognition that paying attention to nature and personal meaning can be powerful, even if not strictly "paranormal."

NOTABLE QUOTES

• "What is a hallucination?" – Riley Bray, 31:02, reflecting on Michael’s father’s visions.
• "It's hard not to be like, in the world of Michael's book of symbols, this seems to...there seems to be a direct correlation." – Michael, 38:48
• "Throughout this very difficult process, you found these moments of, like, poetry and beauty." – Riley, 42:13

7. L Files (Listener Stories) & Paranormal Letters (45:01–65:32)

Segment includes:

A. Heather’s New UFO Sighting (45:41–49:38)

• Listener Heather (returning after a previous "blue UFO" sighting) reports seeing a "classic UFO" with six lights, near an airport, moving with odd speed and trajectory ("Within three seconds it was coming in the opposite direction over me again." – Heather, 46:39).
• The hosts request video next time and express interest in the region for possible flap/corroboration.
• "You gotta get out of the car and you gotta take some video." – Michael, 48:33

B. T’s Haunted Childhood Home (50:14–54:34)

• Multiple sightings: green-glowing ghost girl with a teddy bear, a void-black male entity with dreadlocks looming over T, and a spooky Cat in the Hat clothes hamper "always watching."
• "My closet and bathroom especially felt straight up murderous. And stuff would move around in there when I was wasn't looking." – T, 53:56

C. James’ “Darth Vader’s Ghost” (55:17–64:09)

• Repeat shadow entity over years, described as a tall figure "with a weird shaped head like Darth Vader’s helmet," seen by both James, his brother, and his girlfriend at different times—with zero prior collusion.
• Hauntings include moving toys, doors opening on their own, and the family dog reacting.
• "He said the figure was so tall it took up the whole doorway. And his head looked like Darth Vader's helmet." – James, 59:14
• Suggestion that the shadow might be an egregore—an entity shaped by collective thought and fear.

8. Voice Memo Appeal & Closing (65:38–67:01)

• Call for listeners to send stories via voice memo (ideally ~5 minutes).
• Collector’s Corner skipped except for Riley’s new Guatemalan flute.
• Friendly reminders to join the Clubhouse and submit listener mail.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS & TONE

• Michael’s vulnerable, detailed sharing about his father's passing and the symbolism of animal encounters, as well as hospital visions, stands out as the emotional core of the episode. The tone is gentle, earnest, and a bit mystical, but always with warmth and curiosity.
• Playful Clubhouse banter: habitual swords for Christmas trees; the playful riff on naming club members after pies.
• The ongoing thread of "UFO Quest"—the idea of making a YouTube adventure out of Catalina Island’s mysterious lights—injects adventure and lightness.
• Listener stories are told tongue-in-cheek but with real respect for experience, especially the “Darth Vader’s Ghost” shadow entity—equal parts Spooky 80s Movie and familial mystery.

TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• Opening/New Year, Banter: 01:24–04:02
• Big Club Announcements: 07:38–09:10
• BCC News: Spielberg, Catalina Island, Underwater UFOs: 09:19–18:50
• Five Star Club Review - 'BCC Pie Breakdown': 20:14–22:05
• Michael’s Personal Paranormal Update (father's passing & animal symbolism): 22:05–43:54
• L Files Segment Start: 45:01
  • Heather’s UFO: 45:41–49:38
  • T’s Haunted Childhood: 50:14–54:34
  • Darth Vader’s Ghost (James): 55:17–64:09
• Appeal for Voice Memos & Wrap-up: 65:38–67:01

CONCLUSION

The episode embodies the full spirit of Bigfoot Collectors Club: blending personal vulnerability, light-hearted banter, deep dives into Fortean news, and a batch of lively listener tales. It’s a quintessential Clubhouse hang: weird, welcoming, and woven with moments of genuine beauty and sadness. The hosts make sure both laughter and sincerity are given space, especially as they encourage the sharing of personal paranormal stories and the pursuit of cosmic meaning in everyday life.