Podcast
Flightless Bird
Hosted by David Farrier · EN
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.
59episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
New York Trash
Yesterday01:02:04Summary readyIn this week’s Flightless Bird, David looks into the state of trash in the USA, through the eyes of a New Yorker who’s made it her mission to clean up all the trash on the Brooklyn bridge. New Yorkers produce more than 14 million tons of waste every year, with 44 million pounds of trash flung onto the curb every day. Begging the question: What’s it like in the rest of the country?Join us for bonus Flightless Bird episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/flightlessbird Feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.comWatch on Spotify. Spotify subscribers get fewer ads on our episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryNest Sessions: Matthew Logan Vasquez on Botched Vasectomies
6d ago00:56:48Summary readyIn this month’s Nest Session, David and Rob sit down with musician Matthew Logan Vasquez, best-known as the co-founder and frontman for Delta Spirit. Vasquez has a rich history with Flightless Bird, scoring the early episodes and opening up a few of their live shows! Vasquez tells Rob and David about his run-ins with the US healthcare system while he navigated a botched vasectomy. When all the genital talk is out of the way, he plays some beautiful tunes in the Flightless Bird studio. You can find Matthew Logan Vasquez here: http://www.matthewloganvasquez.com/ https://www.instagram.com/matthewloganvasquez/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/4ndN8LWSsLWQqbWVJD8miG?si=_qQ2Ad_aQ8G660MtJ-pQCQ https://open.spotify.com/artist/1xVWSPiw5B0OduIC0DSu3V?si=LrEk3-1dRvegecvHZfZ7mA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryLive in Austin: Bats, Lizardman, Rosabel, & The Yogurt Shop Murders
1w ago01:28:48Summary readyThis week’s Flightless Bird comes to you live from Austin, where David and Rob explore the city before interviewing a range of guests to dig deeper into what Austin, TX is all about! They meet Merlin Tuttle, the legend responsible for the bats under the bridge, and who helped change Austin’s (and America’s) perception of this misunderstood animal. They’re also joined by Erik Sprague AKA the Lizardman - best known for his body modification, including his sharpened teeth, full-body tattoo of green scales, bifurcated tongue, subdermal implants and green-inked lips. If that’s not enough, criminologist Kim Rossmo delves into the Rainey Street Ripper and "The Yogurt Shop Murders" to try and understand the difference between a real serial killer and a myth - and to top it all of, Rosabel appears - thanks to Webworm’s Patreon members! Feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Watch on Spotify. Spotify subscribers get fewer ads on our episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryThe OC with Rachel Bilson
2w ago01:13:24Summary readyIn this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob have the pleasure of being joined on the couch by actor Rachel Bilson, to talk about the American juggernaut of pop-culture: The OC. Feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.comWatch on Spotify. Spotify subscribers get fewer ads on our episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryBoy Throb
3w ago01:02:21Summary readyIn this week’s Flightless Bird, David travels to New York to the debut live show of America’s newest boyband, Boy Throb. Formed in October of last year, the three American members of Boy Throb are attempting to get an 01 visa for their fourth member Darshan, who’s in India. Begging the question: What is Boy Throb, exactly? David attends a packed Bowery Ballroom show in an attempt to find out. Feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Watch on Spotify. Spotify subscribers get fewer ads on our episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryTitanic Panic
4w ago00:54:54Summary readyIn this week’s Flightless Bird, David looks into a small but dedicated group of Americans who are still obsessed with the (alleged) sinking of the Titanic. They find it terrifying, they find it moving, they find it all quite hard to believe. In fact - did the Titanic even sink, or was it the sister ship, the Olympic? Farrier wants to understand why this tragedy is still felt so strongly, so many years on.Feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.comWatch on Spotify. Spotify subscribers get fewer ads on our episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryNest Sessions: Tim Kasher on Game Shows
Jun 401:01:25Summary readyIn this month’s Nest Session, David and Rob sit down with Tim Kasher, the frontman of Cursive. Hailing from Omaha, Nebraska, Tim and his wife are borderline obsessed with American gameshows. Not only have they both appeared on major gameshows, Tim also hosts his own! Tim shares his insights into gameshow culture, before playing some stripped back songs in the Flightless Bird studio. You can find Tim Kasher here: https://www.instagram.com/timkasher/ https://www.instagram.com/cursivetheband/ Sponges of Experience: https://bornlosersrecords.com/products/tim-kashers-home-phone-sponges-of-experience-cd?variant=50060118294721 Musical Puke: https://linktr.ee/musical.puke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryLifespring Cult
Jun 201:05:10Summary readyIn this week’s episode of Flightless Bird, David looks into the bonkers world of the Human Potential Movement and Large Group Awareness Training - viewed through the lens of a child whose mother got sucked into the Lifespring cult in the 80s. Founded in 1974 by three people, Lifespring members found out that it was incredibly hard to leave, as their brains were systematically broken down and dismantled piece by piece. What can we learn from Lifespring, and is this kind of movement still an issue in 2016?Feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryLive in Salt Lake City: Skinwalker Ranch, Caving, & Weiner Dog Races
May 2601:50:15Summary readyFlightless Bird comes to you live from Salt Lake City, Utah. In a jam packed show, Rob and David share their experiences visiting The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Gilgal Sculpture Garden, before being joined on stage by Brandon Fugal (the owner of the mysterious Skinwalker Ranch), Brandon Kowalis (an extreme caver who part of the ill-fated Nutty Putty cave rescue attempt) and Brad Wheeler (professional weiner dog racer). The show is opened and closed by the mesmerizing Salt Lake City-based musician Josaleigh Pollett. Join us for bonus Flightless Bird episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/flightlessbird Feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryAnna Konkle on Pen15 & the Sane One
May 1901:28:27Summary readyDavid and Rob are joined in the studio by Anna Konkle, the co-creator and star of PEN15, one of their favourite shows of all time - looking at the trials and tribulations of being a seventh grader in the United States. Anna has a new book out - The Sane One - looking back at her real life, and real parents, that were part of the inspiration for her show.Feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.comAnna’s book, The Sane One: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-sane-one-a-memoir-anna-konkle/b03f30c6d183b728Watch on Spotify. Spotify subscribers get fewer ads on our episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Summary