Transcript

Andrew (0:01)

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Josh (0:57)

to Ninjas and Butterflies, y'.

Lily (0:58)

All.

Josh (0:58)

Not only are us scientists going missing, but now Chinese scientists are going missing. Is it aliens? Is it AI?

Lily (1:04)

Is it your mother?

Josh (1:05)

We'll tell you.

Lily (1:05)

And I'm telling you two terrifying stories about a Russian cryptid. You're going to want to stay tuned because it's the only way you're going to be able to protect yourself from it.

Andy (1:12)

And you already know we're going to talk about the White House Correspondent's Dinner. There's some weird stuff going on, but even crazier than that is this story from the 1800s of this pirate who took over the entire Eastern Sea. And it was a woman.

Lily (1:23)

It.

Andrew (1:24)

And unless you're. I got M in my mouth. And unless you're an ancient forest demon, this podcast is brought to you and powered by Sunday. Cool. So watch this or listen.

Andy (1:40)

Yeah, Very good.

Josh (1:41)

Very good.

Lily (1:42)

Let it go.

Andy (1:43)

That's good.

Lily (1:43)

Unleash the Leshy.

Summary

Ninjas Are Butterflies: Episode 193 Summary

Episode Title: Forest Shapeshifter, Missing Experts, & History's Deadliest Woman
Release Date: May 8, 2026
Hosts: Josh Hooper, Andy DeNoon, Lily, Andrew
Theme: Outrageous comedy and wild storytelling centered on conspiracies, cryptids, mysterious events, and history’s most fascinating figures—with plenty of off-the-wall banter and running jokes.

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode delivers a raucous blend of internet oddities, global conspiracies, unsettling cryptid folklore, and little-known historical powerhouse figures—with the Ninjas Are Butterflies crew bouncing between laugh-out-loud riffing and genuine curiosity about the world’s weirdest happenings. The discussion covers:

The mysterious disappearance of scientists worldwide (including the latest on Chinese researchers),
A chilling Russian cryptid (the Leshy),
The captivating history of female pirate Ching Shih,
Current events such as the White House Correspondents’ Dinner incident,
And loads of conspiracy-flavored commentary and jokes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Scientists Are Going Missing—Now in China

The hosts continue to track the recent, puzzling trend of scientists vanishing under mysterious circumstances (US, now China).
"Not only are US scientists going missing, but now Chinese scientists are going missing. Is it aliens? Is it AI? Is it your mother?" (Josh & Lily, 00:58)
Chinese scientist disappearances are especially notable, given state secrecy; many were connected to AI, drone, nuclear, and space programs.
"Nine to ten Chinese scientists have gone missing or have died. Very weird ways. ... All connected to AI programs, drone programs, nuclear programs, and classified space programs." (Josh, 65:17)
Speculation ranges from Cold War subterfuge to extraterrestrial intervention—parallels are drawn to the sci-fi novel "The Three-Body Problem."
- Notably, the author of "The Three-Body Problem," Cixin Liu, is highly connected in Chinese science and government, adding an extra layer of intrigue.
Discussion on possible explanations includes:
- Government black ops or intelligence race (China vs the US, especially around Taiwan).
- Media control in China: “China, communist state, very tight lipped on media. ... We're China. We're fine. We're perfect." (Josh, 65:08)
- “It really seems like something ultra sinister, big picture, end of the world kind of stuff is happening." (Josh, 74:04)
- "Could it be like a Cold War kind of thing too, though? Like, could China be taking out our scientists and we’re taking out theirs?" (Josh, 71:52)

2. Conspiracy Corner: White House Correspondents’ Dinner Incident

The crew reviews the recent security scare at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
- A teacher/former NASA JPL employee, Cole Allen, was apprehended while armed at the event.
- Oddities in the investigation: strange online connections, like a cryptic X/Twitter post from a fellow NASA alum, and potential evidence of censorship or online scrubbing.
Questions over suspiciously poor security camera footage and slow security response abound.
- "In a building where the President and some of the most powerful people in our nation are in one building, how do we have 720 pixel security footage?" (Lily, 38:50)
The gang chats about how easily conspiracy theories take root when official explanations seem lacking, and muses about the "scripted" nature of recent events.
Rumors about AI-generated shirt emblems and social media ties are debunked live.

Memorable Moment:

The topographical map Twitter banner allegedly concealing an image of Trump (33:53–34:11).
- "After people reverse it, turns out to be… Trump holding up... Okay." (Josh)

3. Book & Pop Culture Chatter

Andrew highly recommends "I Who Have Never Known Men," a feminist dystopian novel with Holocaust parallels.
- "Literally a five star read. So good." (Andrew, 06:15)
The gang riffs on conspiracy tropes, including the infamous story of newspapers "predicting" historic events, like the wrong election winner or the second plane hitting on 9/11. "There’s an iconic image of [Truman] at his acceptance speech, holding up the paper… of his opponent winning." (Lily, 08:41)
Hilarious discussion around Disney's allegedly repurposed Hillary Clinton animatronic for Trump at the Magic Kingdom (09:07).

4. Cryptid Feature: The Leshy – Forest Shapeshifter (Russian Folklore)

Lily tells a chilling tale of the Leshy, a Russian woodland shapeshifter.
- It's said to lure travelers with familiar voices, mimic loved ones, and lead victims hopelessly off-path, often to their doom.
- "If you saw a friend and they had their shoes on the wrong feet—red flag. Run right now." (Andrew & Lily, 80:21)
The Leshy has deep roots in Slavic and Christian folklore (a "wood demon" descended from fallen angels).
Connections are made to global stories of shapeshifters, including American and Middle Eastern cryptids.
Protection tips: make the sign of the cross, carry bread and salt, don't whistle in the woods.
"It’s very, very scary. But it was passed down. And the word Leshy in Russian means wood demon, which is terrifying." (Lily, 82:15)
Personal encounters and scary movie recommendations ("The Ritual") ramp up the spookiness.

5. History’s Most Successful Pirate: Ching Shih

Josh shares the story of Ching Shih, the legendary Chinese pirate queen.
- Once a concubine, she became the head of the 80,000-strong Red Flag Fleet—dwarfing Blackbeard's legend.
- "At her peak, she had 1800 ships in her command with over 80,000 pirates working for her. ... In comparison, Blackbeard had four ships and 300 people." (Josh, 99:00)
- She forced the Chinese government to effectively buy her retirement, keeping her fortune and winning amnesty.
- Ran a tight, brutal ship—rules for discipline and severe consequences for pirates who broke her code.
The crew marvels at her underrepresentation in popular culture: "How have we never heard of her before? That’s a hero, dude." (Lily, 102:24)
Spawns ideas for a pirate-focused series.
Notable quote: "She just retired. But she’s infamous for her pirate rules. ... If you disobeyed orders, you’re beheaded." (Josh, 101:12)

6. Bonus Laughs & Memorable Moments

The crew cracks up over bathroom, grease, and septic tank anecdotes, with plenty of self-deprecating humor:
- "I think Josh counts as three people." (Andrew, 03:45)
Lily delivers back-to-back wild stories:
- "Story of the Leshy… [and] a father and son who get ensnared by a forest spirit." (75:02–88:02)
Pop culture riffs: comparing Josh to the dad from Pawn Stars (10:00), live musical improv about clones taking over their lives (13:03).
Touching on wild betting/gambling/insider trading stories—like a US special forces member profiting from a bet on the apprehension of Nicolas Maduro (41:11).
- "Turns out it was one of the military dudes … he profited $400,000." (Josh, 42:44)
Heated debate: bed full of breadcrumbs vs. shoes full of jelly (50:27).
Tangent on the world’s worst household plumbing habits.

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

On the missing scientists:
- Josh: "It really seems like something ultra sinister, big picture, end of the world kind of stuff is happening." (74:04)
- Andy: "There’s a second wave of watchers traveling via asteroid..." (67:27)
On the Leshy cryptid:
- Lily: "Don’t whistle in the woods." (81:47)
- Andrew: "If you saw a friend and they had their shoes on the wrong feet—red flag. Run away." (80:21)
On Ching Shih:
- Lily: "That’s a hero, dude." (102:24)
- Josh: "She would just control that territory... she would go against the British naval, the Chinese navy ... at her peak, she had 1800 ships. ... Blackbeard had four." (98:59–99:12)
Musical Moment:
- Lily/Josh: Spontaneous “My Clone Has Ruined My Life” song (13:16–14:36)
Cultural Satire:
- Andy: "In a building where the President... is under one roof. How do we have 720 pixel security footage?" (38:50)
- Lily: "We have AI video now. We have all this stuff. It’s like, get better footage. What are you talking about?" (39:31)
Pirate Rules/Women in History:
- Josh: "She just retired. But she’s infamous for her pirate rules… If you disobeyed orders, you’re beheaded." (101:12)

Timestamps for Important Segments

[00:58] — Introduction to missing scientists, Leshy, and the pirate story
[06:15] — Book recommendation: "I Who Have Never Known Men"
[09:07] — Disney animatronic conspiracy chat
[13:16–14:36] — Improvised song: "My Clone Has Ruined My Life"
[26:00] — White House Correspondents’ Dinner incident breakdown
[38:50] — Discussion on poor security footage
[50:27] — Would-you-rather: breadcrumbs in bed vs. shoes filled with jelly
[65:14] — Deep dive: Chinese scientists missing, Three-Body Problem parallels
[75:02–88:02] — Leshy Russian cryptid stories
[98:06–104:13] — History’s deadliest pirate, Ching Shih
[104:44+] — Wrap-up, Patreon/merch shout-out, closing community banter

Tone & Style

The show keeps a rollicking, irreverent, and slightly conspiratorial tone, frequently breaking into song or sidebar rants.
Jokes, pop culture references, fake arguments, and storytelling are interwoven with the actual content—creating a uniquely comedic yet oddly informative vibe.
The team is not afraid to embrace the absurd, challenge official narratives, and invite both awe and skepticism.

For Further Listening

Check Patreon or YouTube Members for exclusive bonus content: extra stories, including a chimpanzee attack/success tale and new research into Russian propaganda.
Watch for a future episode featuring their interview with Bart Sibrel (moon landing debunker).

Final Thoughts

This episode showcases Ninjas Are Butterflies at their chaotic comic best—mixing real-world mysteries, folklore chills, and a dash of untold history for a madcap, engaging ride. Whether you're here for the science conspiracies, the cryptid creep-outs, or wild tales of the sea, this episode is a winning sampler of the group's signature style.

Don’t forget to comment on the episode’s YouTube for a chance to win free merch, and check out Sunday Cool for funky podcast tees!

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193 - Forest Shapeshifter, Missing Experts, & History's Deadliest Woman