Radio Rental – Episode 88 (August 29, 2025)
Brief Overview
Episode 88 of Radio Rental plunges listeners deeper into true horror territory: the chilling unknowns of the woods. Hosted for this week by Ricky Lee Bagley (astrological advisor and Terry Carnation’s stand-in), the episode delivers two unnerving stories of strange encounters: one an apparent Bigfoot attack with a surprising reveal, the other a hunter’s inexplicable brush with a cryptid in rural Georgia. With comedic interludes and cosmic horoscopes, the episode blurs reality and fiction to chilling—and at times hilarious—effect.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Host Introduction & Astrological Comedy
- Ricky Lee Bagley introduces himself and sets the tone—paranormal stories, tongue-in-cheek astrological readings, and absurdity.
- Offers horoscopes for Leo and Cancer, blending humor into the horror setting.
- “Leo. This month you may feel an insatiable inner hunger… today would be a really good day to eat lunch, especially if somebody else is buying.” (03:54, Ricky Lee Bagley)
- Prepares listeners for especially “negative aura” content, hinting at the episode’s unsettling tales.
Story 1: "The Bigfoot That Wasn't" – Justin Finley in Oklahoma
[Starts at 06:52]
Summary & Insights
- Justin Finley’s childhood tale from Sulphur, Oklahoma:
- While biking near Bison Springs at dusk, he’s assaulted by flying objects from the woods—a pain in his leg and a near-wreck as something hits his bike.
- Panic builds as he hears rustling and then sees a large, hairy figure rushing at him, “screaming and bellowing.”
- “All I seen was hair and a lot of it. I just—I froze. I just kind of stood there, absolutely petrified.” (09:03, Justin Finley)
- He flees on his bike, terrified and questioning his own logic: “Did I just seriously have an encounter with Bigfoot?”
- Next day, Justin reports the incident to the park ranger, who is skeptical and mocks the report.
- “He wrote down mockingly: ‘Justin Finley was attacked by Bigfoot in the park.’” (13:53, Justin Finley)
- Twist: Days later, the ranger apologizes—another couple encounters a similar attack. Authorities chase and tackle a man covered in mud and leaves, escaped from a veterans’ home, confused and believing himself in Vietnam.
- “He thought he was back in Vietnam, throwing grenades at the enemy.” (18:19, Justin Finley)
- Justin reflects on the brush with danger and relief that the man would now get help.
Memorable Moment
- Justin’s deadpan relief: “I’m glad that I ran.” (20:56, Justin Finley)
Comedic Interlude: Bigfoot's Horoscope
[21:09]
- Ricky speculates: “What’s Bigfoot’s astrological sign?...I’m going to say Bigfoot is most definitely an Aquarius. You heard it here first, folks. Breaking news story.” (21:40, Ricky Lee Bagley)
Story 2: "Deer Man" – Haunting in Rural Georgia
[Starts at 24:32]
Summary & Insights
- Anonymous narrator shares a story he’s never told anyone before, fearing for his credibility.
- Setting: An abandoned hunting lease in middle Georgia, eerily undisturbed and isolated (“100-150 acres… just wilderness”).
- Uneasy feelings in the cabin: “There’s just something, something strange about it. I’m really not a superstitious dude at all, like not even a little bit. But something just felt kind of strange…” (25:19)
- A series of oddities—cabin door left open, strange huffing noises in the woods.
- One evening, the narrator senses a heavy silence; the woods fall dead quiet—a classic omen.
- “The entire woods just went quiet. Deafeningly loud noise to just nothing. That’s like a really, really strange, creepy thing to happen.” (29:53)
- He spots something standing upright in the middle of the road—too tall and broad to be human or animal, “like a deer standing up on its hind legs and just staring at me.” (32:20)
- Through the rifle scope, the figure doesn’t move, even as he racks the gun—an unnatural confidence, a warning: “Do not try me.”
- The narrator flees, choosing safety over bravado, and never returns to the spot alone.
- “If I’m going to call it what I’m seeing, more deer than person. But it’s standing there like a person... It wasn’t standing there just kind of casually. It’s standing there like, Hey, get out of here.” (34:24)
Memorable Moment
- Confession on hunter culture and disbelief: “I don’t want to be perceived as a nut job. I was seeing something that was not a person.” (34:57)
Host Reactions & Cosmic Comedy
[36:13]
- Ricky Lee Bagley's humorous reaction to the cryptid tale:
- “Good granny. Man, that was an unsettling one right there. That made the hair on my back stand up. I mean, that’s like when you have to clean out the bottom of the trash can.” (36:13)
- Offers a mock horoscope for his cat Malachi: “Malachi, good news is you are about to create a masterpiece. Bad news is it’s going to be a dang hairball in the middle of the rom com aisle.” (36:44)
Mystical Cliffhanger: Terry's Fate
[39:11]
-
As the episode ends, Ricky receives a “cosmic transmission” about Terry Carnation’s whereabouts—a deliberately garbled message acting as a humorous cliffhanger for ongoing fans.
- “He’s near something… It’s breaking up. It’s not clear. Oh, I’m going to need you to tune in next week to hear more, my celestial ancestors.” (40:01, Ricky Lee Bagley)
Notable Quotes & Timestamps
- “All I seen was hair and a lot of it. I just—I froze. I just kind of stood there, absolutely petrified.”
— Justin Finley (09:03) - “Right, you were attacked by a large hairy man-like creature in the woods. And yeah, okay, sure.”
— Park Ranger (13:39, paraphrased) - “He thought he was back in Vietnam, throwing grenades at the enemy.”
— Justin Finley (18:19) - “The entire woods just went quiet. Deafeningly loud noise to just nothing. That’s like a really, really strange, creepy thing to happen.”
— Anonymous narrator (29:53) - “If I’m going to call it what I’m seeing, more deer than person. But it’s standing there like a person...get out of here.”
— Anonymous narrator (34:24) - “I’m going to say Bigfoot is most definitely an Aquarius. You heard it here first, folks. Breaking news story.”
— Ricky Lee Bagley (21:40)
Useful Segment Timestamps
- 03:39: Ricky Lee Bagley’s introduction and humor/horoscopes.
- 06:52: Justin Finley’s Bigfoot encounter (Story 1).
- 21:09: Host comedic recap and astrology riff.
- 24:32: Georgia cryptid/hunter’s tale (Story 2).
- 36:13: Host’s comic response and feline astrology.
- 39:11: Mystical cliffhanger regarding Terry Carnation.
Episode Tone & Takeaways
Radio Rental episode 88 balances genuine horror with camp and cosmic humor. Real people’s stories—one with a rational (yet no less unsettling) explanation, another with no closure—are the stars, but the host's quick wit and parody give listeners both chills and laughs. Whether you’re after a thrilling campfire tale or a momentary escape via absurd horoscopes, this episode serves both with equal measure.