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- [00:02]
Maggie Freeling
You're listening to a Tenderfoot TV podcast, y'. All. Lately I've been trying to be more thoughtful about what I add to my wardrobe. Fewer pieces, better quality. That's why I've been turning to Quince. Their styles are simple, timeless and made to last, which is exactly what I want heading into fall. I recently bought their cashmere crew neck and honestly I didn't expect to feel this nice. It's soft, warm and holds its shape beautifully and it was under $60. I've also had my eye on their silk button ups and linen pants and I love that I can build a wardrobe that feels elevated without spending a fortune. Quince works directly with top manufacturers, cutting out the middleman, which means you get luxe essentials for about half the price of similar brands, and everything is made in safe, ethical factories using premium materials. Elevate your fall wardrobe essentials with quince. Go to quince.comvanishedweek. for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U I N C E.comvanished weekly to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Coins.comvanished weekly.
- [01:23]
Tenderfoot TV Announcer
Up and Vanished weekly is released every Wednesday and brought to you absolutely free, but for one week early access and ad free listening subscribe to Tenderfoot Plus@TenderfootPlus.com or on Apple Podcasts if you're already a subscriber. Thank you for your support.
- [01:41]
Maggie Freeling
This podcast discusses mature and sensitive content, including descriptions of violence that may be triggering for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised.
- [02:03]
Brian Enten
Foreign.
- [02:06]
Maggie Freeling
Hey y'. All. Welcome to up and Vanish Weekly. I'm your host, Maggie Freeling. Over the course of our lifetime, many of us will face situations we just can't fully comprehend, like getting dumped without an explanation when you thought everything was going well, or a sudden health diagnosis even though you never felt better. We may not know all of the details of what happened or why it happened, but often we're forced to accept things and move on. But there are other times when something has no real explanation and it pushes the boundaries of what we perceive and believe to be reality. Today, we're diving into a peculiar story that's unlike anything else we've covered on the show. We're going to be discussing the unexplained disappearance of a young Australian pilot named Frederick Valentich. One evening in 1978, Frederick was making a short flight from the coast of Australia to a nearby island. But he never made it to his final destination, and to this day, nobody has been able to fully explain what happened to Frederick Now. Pilots go missing from time to time. That's nothing new. But unlike many other stories of missing flights and pilots, Frederick made a chilling radio transmission just before his disappearance, and during his call he described encountering some kind of strange craft. Now, okay, I know we haven't really broached the subject of UAPS and extraterrestrials in the series before, but we do try and cover cases where the circumstances around someone's disappearance or death are unexplained and warrant a deeper look. And Frederick's definitely fits the mold. Now, maybe you're skeptical to ideas like this, and I get it. There are enough clearly debunked UAPs and ET sightings to make anyone think it's all unbelievable. But entertaining discussions about encounters of this nature have become much more commonplace in recent years. Beginning in the 40s and 50s, questions around UAPs and ETS entered the mainstream American consciousness. And since then, Americans have always wondered if the government has been hiding evidence of their existence. After decades of advocates pushing for increased disclosure, in June 2021 the American government released documents that seemingly admitted that the United States has clandestine programs related to UAPs and ETs. Then two years later, Navy pilots and Air Force intelligence officers testified in front of lawmakers about their personal encounters with the unexplained. And accounts like Frederick Valentich's only add to the speculation that there's something else out there. If you follow Payne closely, then you know he's a UAP enthusiast and a few years ago he investigated the topic of UAPS in his series High Strange, a favorite of mine. A little later we'll hear from Payne, who sat down with journalist Brian Enten who has taken a look at the validity of claims about UAPs and ETs. And Brian and Payne discuss the lack of transparency between the government and the public about these kinds of accounts. But first, let's dive into the final moments of Frederick's mysterious flight. Here's Rob with more.
- [05:55]
Rob
It'S the Evening of Saturday, October 21, 1978 on the southern coast of Australia. 20 year old Frederick Valentich is diligently inspecting his Cessna 182L, part of his routine pre flight safety check. He slowly makes his way around the small aluminum bodied craft before grabbing several life vests. Frederick quickly fuels up and prepares for departure. Moments later he climbs the board and readies himself for takeoff. According to the flight plan he shared, Frederick is en route to meet up with some friends on nearby King Island. It's a one hour flight over the Bass Strait, an area highly traveled by planes and boats. As he begins to taxi down the Runway, he receives the all clear for takeoff. It's roughly 6:20pm When Frederick departs Moorabbin Airport, located in the suburbs of Melbourne. He begins to gain altitude. The conditions are calm and clear as the sun is setting over the horizon. As Frederick settles in, he routinely monitors the various gauges and dials on the dash in front of him. The flight to King island should be a breeze even for a new pilot like Frederick. And despite the heavy traffic expected on his flight path, he doesn't anticipate any major delays. But a short time into the flight, Frederick makes a radio transmission to air traffic control in Melbourne. And the nature of the message sends a shockwave.
- [07:29]
Frederick Valentich (radio transmissions)
Melbourne, this is Delta Sierra Juliet. Is there any known traffic below 5000? Im seems to be a large aircraft below 5000. It is full bright. It seems to me like landing lights.
- [07:46]
Rob
Over the next several minutes, Frederick continues his transmission, and what he shares paints a very startling picture. He describes a large, unidentifiable craft with strange movement rapidly approaching him. And then the transmission abruptly ends. In the days that followed, rumors ran amok about what may have happened in the skies above Australia. While many suspect it was a series of mistakes made by a novice pilot, others claim he encountered something otherworldly. But one thing is clear. Whatever happened to Frederick Valentich, many details have yet to be explained. From Tenderfoot TV in Atlanta, this is up and Vanish Weekly with Payne, Lindsay and Maggie Freeling.
- [09:00]
Maggie Freeling
To this day, nobody has been able to fully explain what may have happened to Frederick during that evening flight. Naturally, this story has become a folktale for those who believe in intelligent life outside of Earth. It's captured the attention of a lot of people. In fact, it's been the subject of several documentaries and books over the past nearly 50 years. So what may have happened to Frederick? Well, let's dive deeper into this bizarre case, starting with what we know about Frederick Valentich. At just 20 years old, Frederick was still an inexperienced pilot. While he had his pilot's license, he had less than 150 flight hours logged, and he was still restricted in the types of flights he was allowed to take. It's been reported that Frederick had applied to the raaf, the Royal Australian Air Force twice, but he was rejected due to lack of education. He had been working towards getting a commercial pilot's license, but had repeatedly failed his exams. It's also alleged that he had prior infractions, including flying into restricted airspace and Clouds. So by all accounts, Frederick was not an experienced pilot and he didn't have a dependable track record. So it's understandable why odd claims from a novice pilot may not be taken at face value. Maybe he was just confused by what he saw and this was just another unsubstantiated claim. But Frederick's case does offer something unique, a detailed explanation in real time. Whatever happened to Frederick, his final radio transmission has fueled speculation that he may have encountered something in the skies above Australia. Something not of this earth. So what exactly did he say he witnessed? Here's Rob with more.
- [11:02]
Rob
As part of the flight restrictions on Frederick's pilot license, he was required to maintain regular contact with air traffic control throughout the duration of his flights. After his 6:19pm takeoff from Moorabbin, Frederick radioed in at his first checkpoint around 7pm his next scheduled check in wasn't until minutes before landing on King Island. So when he radioed back just minutes later, it took officials by surprise. Here's what he shared at 7:06pm.
- [11:37]
Frederick Valentich (radio transmissions)
Melbourne, this is Delta Sierra Juliet. Is there any known traffic below 5,000? Delta Sierra Juliet, 9.
- [11:44]
Brian Enten
9 traffic.
- [11:47]
Payne Lindsay
I am.
- [11:48]
Frederick Valentich (radio transmissions)
Seems to be a large aircraft below 5,000.
- [11:52]
Brian Enten
Delta Sierra Juliet. What type of aircraft is it?
- [11:56]
Frederick Valentich (radio transmissions)
I cannot affirm. It is full of bright, it seems to me like landing lights. Delta Sierra Juliet, this aircraft just passed over you. Affirmative, Delta Sierra Juliet. And is the aircraft still with. It's not an aircraft.
- [12:21]
Rob
As Valentich relayed details of his encounter with this unidentifiable craft over several minutes, officials quickly jumped into action. But the more he shared, the more confused they became by what he claimed to be witnessing.
- [12:38]
Frederick Valentich (radio transmissions)
Can you describe the aircraft as it's flying past? It's a long shape. Cannot identify more than that. It has such speed. It is before me right now. Melbourne, Delta Sierra Juliet. And how large would the object be? It seems like it's stationary. What I'm doing right now is orbiting and the thing is just orbiting on top of me. Also, it's got a green light and a sort of metallic like it's all shiny on the outside. Delta Sierra Juliet, can you. It's just vanished. Would you know what kind of aircraft I've got? Is it a military aircraft?
- [13:23]
Brian Enten
Delta Sierra Juliet, confirmed the aircraft has vanished.
- [13:28]
Frederick Valentich (radio transmissions)
Say again, Delta Sierra Juliet. Is the aircraft still with you?
- [13:36]
Rob
As Frederick's transmission continued, ground personnel could tell from the panic in his voice that he was distressed and unsure of what he was experiencing. And their alarm was further heightened when his broadcast abruptly ended around 7:12pm After a chilling final message.
- [13:57]
Frederick Valentich (radio transmissions)
It'S now approaching from the southwest. The engine is rough idling. I've got it set at 23:24. And the thing is.
- [14:08]
Brian Enten
Delta Sierra Juliet.
- [14:10]
Frederick Valentich (radio transmissions)
What are your intentions? My intentions are to go to King Island Melbourne. That strange aircraft is hovering on top of me again. It is hovering and it's not an aircraft.
- [14:31]
Maggie Freeling
We'll be right back after a quick break.
- [14:36]
Brian Enten
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- [15:03]
Maggie Freeling
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- [17:33]
Rob
When news about the disappearance hit media outlets, it quickly became an international headline as authorities began their investigation. They started by searching the Bass Strait for signs of a crash. They quickly employed a number of private and military aircraft in their initial search, but recovered no evidence. As officials continued to chalk the tragedy up as an accident, word of other unexplained sightings in the area began to gain traction. In the days before and after Frederick's disappearance, many Australian locals stated they saw strange lights in the sky. With little verifiable evidence, authorities would not be able to investigate or corroborate the claims. But when multiple accounts came forward with reliable information, it called into question what really may have happened to Frederick Valentich. The evening Frederick vanished, a photographer named Roy Manifold had set up his camera over the Bass Strait with a hope of capturing the sunset. At one point, his son claims he heard a loud sound like an airplane overhead, but was unable to see what was making the noise. When the pictures were later developed, a strange image was captured in the top corner. While some say it's nothing worthwhile, others have theorized it's an oddly shaped craft. Analysis of the photos have verified the prints had not been tampered with. A second, equally strange account came the morning following Frederick's disappearance. A farmer In Adelaide, nearly 500 miles from Bass Strait, stated that he saw a large disc shaped craft, around 150ft in diameter hovering over his property. Making the account even more bizarre, the man claimed that the object had a Cessna aircraft attached to its side, the same type of craft that Valentich was believed to have been flying. With multiple eyewitness accounts in the hours surrounding Frederick's disappearance, authorities were left to sort fact from fiction. For believers, these accounts offer convincing evidence that Frederick Valentich did in fact encounter something out of this world. But those more skeptical are quick to point out that because these claims were not documented until after news of his disappearance went public, their credibility should be questioned. Regardless of what these accounts could prove, they highlight several burning questions. What happened to Frederick Valentich? And why has he not been found for nearly half a century.
- [20:26]
Maggie Freeling
For the sake of full transparency, we have to mention that there could be another explanation to Frederick's account besides his lack of inexperience as a pilot. In the wake of his disappearance, Frederick's family were open to the idea that he had been abducted. And before long, it became publicized that Frederick and his family had some level of interest in UAPs and ETs prior to him vanishing. Sources state that Frederick was a casual reader of literature about alien encounters, and just months before he vanished, it's alleged that Frederick's mother claimed that she too had seen a ufo. These sources also state that prior to the night of October 21, Frederick started to believe that ETs may have nefarious intentions and he became paranoid that they were after him. Some have theorized that his paranoia may have grown so intense that he could have faked his own death to start a new life. Others take the stance that Frederick simply saw what he wanted to see. Perhaps he was having a mental health break despite never finding his remains. In 1982, the Australian Department of Transport concluded that the cause of Frederick's death was unknown and a memorial plaque was placed at cape Otway in 1998. In the years after his disappearance, some have alleged that the Australian Department of Transportation somehow worked to prevent the release of the full transcript and audio recording of Frederick's radio transmission. These sources claim that one expert managed to hear a leaked version in which the time code for five minutes of the transmission was missing and other portions were censored. And for those who follow UAPS and the disclosure of documented accounts, Fredericks fits into a worldwide pattern with many documented instances of sightings, encounters, and unexplained phenomenon. There seems to be a lack of transparency from officials on what they know and what they're willing to share with the general public. The question is why? Payne sat down with Brian Entin, an Emmy Award winning journalist and reporter, to interview him for Payne's podcast, Talking to Death. You may be familiar with Brian from his coverage on cases like the death of Gabby Petito and the Idaho murders. In recent months, Brian and the team at NewsNation have been on the front lines covering the congressional hearings aimed at government disclosure. When we come back from the break, we'll bring you Payne's conversation with Brian. Just got a new puppy or kitten. Congrats. But also yikes. Between crates, beds, toys, treats, and those first few vet visits, you've probably already dropped a small fortune. Which is where Lemonade Pittance Insurance comes in. It helps Cover vet costs so you can focus on what's best for your new pet. The coverage is customizable, sign up is quick and easy, and your claims are handled in as little as three seconds. Lemonade offers a package specifically for puppies and kittens. Get a'llemonade.com pet your future self will thank you. Your pet won't. They don't know what insurance is. It's summer time to enjoy long days, lazy nights and great food. Because Uber Eats has deals all summer long. So when hunger strikes, don't sweat it. Delicious deals are just a tap away on Uber Eats. Enjoy all your favorite grocery items delivered straight to you. Get ice cream, soda and snacks from your favorite stores like Wegmans and cvs. And make the most of every moment. Now that sounds like a good summer. Order. Now on UberEats Terms apply. Product availability varies by region. See app for details. And now, here's John with this week's critical missing case.
- [24:23]
Tenderfoot TV Announcer
Today's case comes to us from namus. Now according to the outlet, authorities are seeking help finding a woman last believed to be in the Ontario, Oregon area. The report states that 39 year old sky Thiel suddenly broke contact with her family on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 and she's not been seen or heard from since. Now they believe that she may have lost access to her phone and she's not been able to contact loved ones. Authorities believe sky may be driving in a white 2013 Ford Transit Connect cargo van with Maryland plate 2 Golf Delta 2269. Sky is described as being between 5 foot 3 inches and 5 foot 6 inches tall with a weight between 150 and 180 pounds. She has strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. Now listeners, we need your help in spreading the word about Sky. You could check out the up and Vanish weekly Instagram page at UAV weekly to see a picture of sky and to share our post for more visibility. And lastly, if you've seen sky or know any information about where she may be, please contact the Ontario Police Department at 541-889-7684.
- [25:37]
Maggie Freeling
All right, we're back.
- [25:39]
Payne Lindsay
Brian Enten, what's up man? How you doing?
- [25:41]
Brian Enten
Hey, thanks for having me.
- [25:42]
Payne Lindsay
I want to switch gears for a second to what I'm selfishly the most excited to talk to you about.
- [25:47]
Brian Enten
Okay.
- [25:48]
Payne Lindsay
I want to just break into it by asking you, are aliens real?
- [25:54]
Brian Enten
Yeah. This is another one that I didn't expect myself to get into. Like I never thought I'd be covering UFOs so much. Look based and Again, this is interesting because it's kind of like with the true crime stuff, like, I wasn't an alien guy. Like, you know, probably three months ago. Like, I'd never done an alien.
- [26:09]
Payne Lindsay
It was not cool back then. No.
- [26:11]
Brian Enten
Yeah. So, like, I'm not, like, I really don't have like a bias on it. You know, based on everything I've learned. I think there's something out there. I mean, I do, I think that the government knows something. There's clearly secret programs. What it is, I don't know.
- [26:27]
Payne Lindsay
Right.
- [26:27]
Brian Enten
I don't know if aliens are real, but I think there's, I really think there's something out there that they, that they know.
- [26:35]
Payne Lindsay
Pretty recently, there was a bombshell story that News Nation put out.
- [26:39]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [26:40]
Payne Lindsay
David Grush, ex military whistleblower who had some very bizarre, powerful claims.
- [26:46]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [26:47]
Payne Lindsay
What was your take on the whole thing?
- [26:49]
Brian Enten
So, you know, he's, he's got all the credentials. I mean, he had like the highest level of top secret clearance because he was, you know, an intel official. You know, he was in the Air Force for a long time. His, his representation, his, his attorney now getting him through this whistleblower process is the former inspector general for the intel community. So he had like all the credentials, like the thing that I just wasn't just some dude. Yeah. And we like checked all this out before we put him on News Nation. And I just kept going back to like, why would he make it up?
- [27:19]
Payne Lindsay
What's the motivation?
- [27:20]
Brian Enten
What would the motivation be? And like, that's what you do with all stories, right? Like, because there's not always proof when you go interview somebody. But you just have to, in your mind think like, you know, are they trying to play me? Is there a reason they would be lying? And it's not just David Grush. I mean, a lot of other high level people have come forward, not all of them publicly at this point, but these are the people who we, who our government has told the biggest secrets to. And they've admitted that. I mean, like, they have the highest level clearance. They check into their background as much as possible. They do psychological tests. So, like, if they're trusting them with that clearance, like, why shouldn't we trust them now with what they're saying?
- [27:55]
Payne Lindsay
Right.
- [27:55]
Brian Enten
I mean, I'm skeptical too, of some things, but sure. But I think it's worthy of us talking about.
- [28:00]
Payne Lindsay
Could you just summarize on a basic premise what his claims were?
- [28:05]
Brian Enten
Yeah. So he claims that the US Government has a secret crash retrieval program and that for decades they have had this secret program that has retrieved crashed spacecraft, essentially. Now, is it like the movies where it's little green men and, you know, a saucer? Sounds like a. Maybe it is, but he won't give details because of all this classification stuff. But, you know, is it just weird metals that they found that don't register on the periodic table? That's a possibility. But. But he says there is this program where they have this technology and that they've been trying to replicate it to, you know, increase our. To. To use within our, like, Defense Department, you know, within the military, try to replicate the technology for defense, and that other countries are also doing the same thing, and that there's sort of like this secret Cold War happening to try to try to replicate that technology. That's essentially what he says.
- [28:57]
Payne Lindsay
But it wasn't just craft. Right. It was also claims of bodies of some sort.
- [29:03]
Brian Enten
Calls them biologics, which, again, it's like, you could say bodies, and he won't clarify. Is it just, you know, I don't know what. Let me goop on these metals that they found that. That have, you know, DNA or something.
- [29:15]
Payne Lindsay
Right.
- [29:16]
Brian Enten
That's possible, but we don't.
- [29:17]
Payne Lindsay
We.
- [29:17]
Brian Enten
Yeah, he says, he calls it biologics that. That have come along with some of these crashed craft.
- [29:23]
Payne Lindsay
I mean, obviously, this is an extraordinary claim.
- [29:26]
Brian Enten
It is, yeah. It's. It's. Yeah. Like, some of my colleagues, I were like, if this is all true, like, this is like the biggest story. Like, we're just, like, doing this story. Like, we kind of came at it like any other story, you know, like, we're trying to vet him. We're trying to. And then I'm like, wait a minute.
- [29:38]
Payne Lindsay
Like, the implications here are pretty big.
- [29:40]
Brian Enten
Crazy, you know, like. Yeah.
- [29:42]
Payne Lindsay
And he didn't have all of the physical evidence that you'd want to see or go through to back those claims up. Right. But he does say that he has dozens or more. I think he's said almost 40 different people who've told him this stuff over time. And I'm starting to think about, okay, I don't think that David Rush is lying. I think he believes this.
- [30:08]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [30:08]
Payne Lindsay
No matter what. So it's either that these 40 people were telling him lies and gaslighting him over a decade or more, which, you know, to what end? Like, I don't understand that fully. Or it's true. What would be the motivation for them to convince this guy of something that is totally right?
- [30:32]
Brian Enten
And he says, you know, he's interviewed all. He was, like, doing his own Little mini investigation when he started to find out about this and started interviewing people within the program and he, like you said, he's got a lot of people who he's talked to and he's already brought those people to the intel community to, you know, the Marco Rubio's, the people who have this secret access. So a lot more people have talked than we realize. But yeah, it just goes back to like, what's their motivation? And when we interview skeptics, a lot of them say what you just said. Like they actually, they don't believe David Grush's story, but they also don't think he's lying. Like, they wonder like, is this some kind of plant to distract us from something else that he's been told?
- [31:10]
Payne Lindsay
Right. Or he was told this.
- [31:12]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [31:13]
Payne Lindsay
To eventually say it, to discredit something or I don't even know what the end game there would be.
- [31:19]
Brian Enten
And, and you can go down a real rabbit hole just mentally if you start to play this. It's like, you know, it's kind of crazy.
- [31:25]
Payne Lindsay
There was recently a pretty big hearing at Congress. Yeah, there was a congressional hearing pretty recently. I actually went there, I flew in. Oh, wow. It was my first time ever being in a setting like that. Yeah, I was bringing came and recording equipment and I didn't know if I was going to be let in with this stuff, but turns out you can bring all that shit in there and I'm like, okay, I guess that's one of our rights or something.
- [31:51]
Brian Enten
Yeah, I'm always like intimidated when I go there. Like, like, you know, there's all these rules and stuff.
- [31:54]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah. But it was so bizarre being in there and seeing these military officials in suits and doing the whole Congress thing.
- [32:05]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [32:06]
Payne Lindsay
Saying what they were saying.
- [32:08]
Brian Enten
Yeah. It was kind of like hard to believe, like. Yeah. And you know, so it was David Grush and then it was David Fravor and Ryan Graves.
- [32:15]
Payne Lindsay
That's correct.
- [32:16]
Brian Enten
And, and I found like, I mean, obviously what Grush had, had said to us in the interview and said to Congress was like kind of the most like juicy. But I found like what the other, what the pilot said to be like almost like crazier because here you, you had evidence like the Tic Tac video that the Pentagon ended up releasing themselves. And here again you got these like F18 pilots. And David Fravor was saying like, he's also like not into UFOs, you know, like he doesn't want to be sitting there. I'm like, why would they be making it up? Not to mention There is video, like, there's real video of this stuff released by the government. So, like, even if you don't believe David Grush, like, it's hard not to believe those pilots.
- [32:53]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah. I mean, if you're a Navy pilot who flies pretty much the most badass machines we have to date.
- [32:59]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [33:00]
Payne Lindsay
And that person's telling you that they saw something in the sky that spooked them because it shouldn't be there, or it's something that they cannot comprehend.
- [33:10]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [33:10]
Payne Lindsay
What it was. I tend to want to believe them, you know, unless they were just seeing stuff all the time, which doesn't seem like when there's the case.
- [33:19]
Brian Enten
I mean, there's.
- [33:19]
Payne Lindsay
And there's video. Yeah.
- [33:21]
Brian Enten
And they were told not to talk about it. And like, you know, there's other people who say, you know, stuff was erased afterwards and there's. There's something going on. Like, there's just. There's just no way. There's not. The government knows something. And I think that. That they're just, you know, they're keeping it a secret.
- [33:36]
Payne Lindsay
And when you say the government, you know, I feel like there's been a trope with, you know, UFO lore for so long where it's, you know, the government knows and they have alien bodies at Area 51 or whatever.
- [33:48]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [33:49]
Payne Lindsay
And it's this idea of, you know, the government as some big thing that's working in unison, which clearly we've learned. That's not how it goes.
- [33:57]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [33:57]
Payne Lindsay
And so I think that there's. If it is all true, then a lot of these people, maybe most of them don't know if it's true or not. And so it would be some, you know, department that's hidden somewhere.
- [34:10]
Brian Enten
Yeah, that's what David Grush says, that it's a. Like a dark program, a dark secret program. So basically, the defense budget is, like, massive. It's like more than 50%, I think, of our whole federal budget. And, you know, there's a lot of money that they. They can't explain where it's going. Like, everybody knows that. They don't. You know, it's not like every dollar is accounted for. So David Grush claims that, you know, within the budget, there's. There's fat there that goes to fund this and that. There's a. We don't know which one, but that there's a private contractor. So not government, like some kind of private defense contractor that gets paid to sort of handle this. And that way it's, you know, it stays on the outside. That's what he says.
- [34:50]
Payne Lindsay
Do you think that if the government definitively said that they have scientific proof of extraterrestrial life and they've been coming here and for years, and we have these spacecraft that are not from Earth, what are the implications, do you think, for just the modern American or just citizen, in terms of how it may affect the way they view the world or their belief systems?
- [35:18]
Brian Enten
Yeah, I've thought a lot about that. Like, what if the Pentagon just put out a statement and said, yes, it's all true, or, you know, whatever. Like, I don't know. Life is so crazy now. And, like, it all happens so fast. Like, you just see all this crazy.
- [35:29]
Payne Lindsay
After Covid, I'm like, who cares?
- [35:30]
Brian Enten
You see all this. Like, honestly, like, if there was a press conference tomorrow and they said, we want to let you know that we do have this program, and we can't get into detail, but we've been studying some of these items that have crashed. Like, don't you just feel like everyone would freak out? And then two days later, it'd be like, I really don't think it would be that. I mean, it'd be a big deal, but I don't think, like, you know, the world would stop.
- [35:51]
Payne Lindsay
No, I think.
- [35:51]
Brian Enten
I think most people are kind of like, yeah, there probably are aliens out there, you know.
- [35:55]
Payne Lindsay
Right. I feel the same way. I feel like if. If the President walked out on the White House lawn and, you know, really showed whatever he needed to to prove that ET Life existed, and they had the proof and the evidence of it.
- [36:08]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [36:08]
Payne Lindsay
I think that the American public would. Half of them would say, holy shit, I always knew it. Or, that's crazy. And the other half would say, nah, that's not true. Yeah, he's lying.
- [36:18]
Brian Enten
Well, that's the other thing. They might just not believe it.
- [36:20]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah. It's part of some bigger conspiracy now. And I'm like, you know, I think we live in that time where people. I don't agree with it. Just choose to believe what they.
- [36:29]
Rob
Yeah.
- [36:29]
Brian Enten
There is no truth anymore anyway. Like, even if they said it, like, some people just wouldn't believe it. And you know what I mean?
- [36:33]
Payne Lindsay
Like, yeah.
- [36:34]
Brian Enten
So. But I don't. I just. I don't buy that. It's like, oh, the world's not ready. I don't know. I just think everybody would.
- [36:40]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah. Maybe my grandparents weren't ready.
- [36:42]
Brian Enten
Yeah. Right.
- [36:43]
Payne Lindsay
But I think that the generation younger than me, I think they don't give a shit at all.
- [36:47]
Brian Enten
I agree with you.
- [36:47]
Payne Lindsay
I think they're just like, yeah, sure. We always kind of thought that anyway.
- [36:50]
Brian Enten
Yeah, right. Like, let me scroll my Instagram again.
- [36:53]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah. Anyways, like, where are we going to eat later?
- [36:55]
Brian Enten
Correct. Yeah, yeah, exactly. That is what I think, honestly. Yeah.
- [36:58]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah. I think it's not as crazy as, you know, people might make it out to be in terms of how we'd react to it.
- [37:05]
Brian Enten
Yeah. Because even with these hearings, I mean, when we first did the interview with Grush, you know, we did the interview and that was one thing, but now you've got this guy at a congressional hearing under oath. I mean, you can go to jail if you lie. And then you've got the two pilots with him all saying this really crazy stuff and, like, people accepted it.
- [37:22]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah. And he's put himself at risk there. I mean, it's. You know, he can go to jail if he's proven to be a liar there. Right.
- [37:28]
Brian Enten
Right. Yeah.
- [37:30]
Payne Lindsay
It's just a whole strange topic that's fun to talk about. And, you know, my team and me especially, really, have been enjoying all the News Nation coverage of it.
- [37:40]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [37:40]
Payne Lindsay
And I wanted to see if you had an opinion or thought on maybe why some of the other larger news networks may not report on it as much or as fast or as in depth.
- [37:51]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [37:51]
Payne Lindsay
And if it has something to do with maybe just optically how it may be perceived or. I don't know.
- [37:59]
Brian Enten
Yeah. I mean. Well, first of all, it's been fun covering it in an objective way because, like, a lot of people, like, you know, a lot of the UFO podcasters and stuff who are cool, but it's like, you kind of know, like, they're.
- [38:08]
Payne Lindsay
Believers, like, they believe no matter what.
- [38:10]
Brian Enten
Yeah. Like, it's been fun, like, because the topic hasn't really gotten a news person report.
- [38:15]
Payne Lindsay
And it's.
- [38:15]
Brian Enten
It's kind of been, like. It's been. It's been neat, and a lot of people have been appreciative of it. You know, we always have skeptics on, and it's not like we're just saying it's true, you know, and I've thought about, like, why the other big networks don't cover it. Like, even the. The congressional hearings didn't get a lot of coverage from, like, you know, NBC, abc, cbs, I think. I mean, we're a startup at News Nation, so, you know, when you're a startup, you're looking for eyeballs. You're willing to take risks on things, cover things. The whole idea is to cover stuff that other people aren't covering, because why would they watch us if you can get it on, you know, the station you've always been watching. So I think we were just willing to do something different. Whereas, like, if you're the New York Times or NBC and you've got your thing going, like, why are you going to freak people out about aliens? Like, let's just, you know.
- [38:55]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah, that's kind of how I perceived it too, where this was a. This is a risk that you guys are willing to take and I think you guys should take.
- [39:01]
Brian Enten
And it was a risk. Like our bosses, like, when we did the David Grush interview, Ross Coldheart actually did the interview. I mean, we didn't air it for, I don't know how long it was. It was a while.
- [39:11]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah.
- [39:12]
Brian Enten
Just trying to get more documents from him.
- [39:14]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah. You know, this was being talked about. This wasn't like, oh, my God, that's so crazy. Let's go tell everybody.
- [39:19]
Brian Enten
No, we realize. And like, our bosses also realize, like, we're, you know, we're trying to establish credibility as a new network. Like, we can't just, like, put this on. Like, people are gonna, like, we have to really make sure we're not wrong here and this guy isn't crazy or we're gonna. We're done, you know, 100%.
- [39:34]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah. And I mean, for what it's worth, it hasn't been able to be proven untrue yet.
- [39:39]
Brian Enten
Yeah, I think by now, like, we. Someone would have said, like, something, you know.
- [39:42]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah.
- [39:43]
Brian Enten
Hopefully.
- [39:44]
Maggie Freeling
Back after a short break. It's Wednesday. Adams, I see you're trying to distract yourself from your own banal thoughts. Let me help. Here's a recording thing made of my latest root canal. Wednesday Season two is now playing only on Netflix.
- [40:19]
Rob
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- [40:50]
Tenderfoot TV Announcer
Hey, listeners, if you have a tip or theories about a case you want to share or a case of interest you'd like to recommend to us, then we want to hear from you. Email us casesenderfoot TV DM us on Instagram avweekly or give us a call at 770-545-6411. You can also join the conversation on our discord at Discord GG upandvanished. Now back to the show.
- [41:24]
Payne Lindsay
Do you feel like in your lifetime career As a reporter, that you'll ever be saying the words that we've definitively scientifically proven that ETs are real.
- [41:37]
Brian Enten
I kind of do.
- [41:38]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah.
- [41:39]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [41:39]
Payne Lindsay
Do you? I think so.
- [41:40]
Brian Enten
I wouldn't be surprised like if in 10 years or something, like some report comes out from NASA and it's like, yeah, they've confirmed.
- [41:47]
Payne Lindsay
Hey, guys. Yeah, the James Webb telescope. Yeah, there's a bunch of people over here.
- [41:51]
Brian Enten
It wouldn't surprise me now.
- [41:53]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah, I hope so.
- [41:54]
Brian Enten
Yeah, it'd be cool, I think.
- [41:56]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah.
- [41:56]
Brian Enten
I mean, it is kind of freaky, you know, it's.
- [41:58]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah. It's a little weird being. Just because we've always been so used to the fact that it's just us.
- [42:03]
Brian Enten
I also think there's only so much that we can. Like, I mean, just the way I always think about, like ants. Like, you know, ants are so small and, and they can't really see us, but we can see them. Like I'm sure we're the ants for something else.
- [42:15]
Payne Lindsay
I totally agree.
- [42:16]
Brian Enten
Like there's only so much that we can probably see and feel.
- [42:19]
Payne Lindsay
And y. I had an analogy very, very similar in my podcast called High Strange where everyone always has the idea in their head, if there's aliens that exist, you know, why don't they show themselves? Why aren't they talking to us?
- [42:32]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [42:33]
Payne Lindsay
And I'm like, that seems a little narrow minded to me or a little small minded. If you were to take a stroll in the woods and you saw an ant hill, you know, would you sit down and talk to it or would you just say, oh, yeah, that's them and I'm not going to kick the hill over because that's kind of fucked up.
- [42:49]
Brian Enten
Right.
- [42:50]
Payne Lindsay
I'm just gonna leave it there. Yeah, right.
- [42:52]
Brian Enten
Yeah. They may be so advanced that it's.
- [42:53]
Payne Lindsay
Unless you're on shrooms is what I said. And then maybe, maybe you were talking to the ants. I don't, I don't know.
- [42:58]
Brian Enten
You're right though. Yeah, that's a good analogy.
- [42:59]
Rob
Yeah.
- [43:00]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [43:00]
Payne Lindsay
I hope that in our lifetime we definitively learn something. But it seems like every couple months now the universe gets bigger and bigger.
- [43:09]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [43:10]
Payne Lindsay
It's, you know, way bigger than we thought. We've been around for longer than we thought and there's just so much space and potential out there for it to exist, even just scientifically at this point.
- [43:22]
Brian Enten
Yeah.
- [43:22]
Payne Lindsay
Whether we have the proof or it's happened here or not yet. I think science leans towards the likelihood of other beings existing out there somewhere in the universe.
- [43:32]
Brian Enten
Yeah. And I thought too, like, so many people talk about UFOs again and there's so many people online, it's like, it'd be cool to see more actual research done. I mean, obviously, like, NASA does it and there's some people at Harvard, but, like, if they just dump some money into this, like, we could probably figure it out.
- [43:46]
Payne Lindsay
Yeah. Well, thanks so much, man, for doing this. Yeah, it's been a blast. Yeah, I appreciate it, man.
- [43:56]
Maggie Freeling
Love hearing Brian's take about UAPs. I've only ever seen him discuss murder trials on News Nation. Anyway, it's easy to see why an account from someone like Frederick Valentich was downplayed. He was an inexperienced pilot with a pre existing bent towards the supernatural. Perhaps he was having a psychological crisis and either became disoriented or was disoriented and went into crisis, causing some kinds of hallucination. I certainly think it's possible it may have been nothing more than a terrible accident. In 1983, a cowl flap of a Cessna 182L did wash ashore. This is just a few years after Frederick disappeared. And this is the same type of plane as the one he was flying. On the flap was a partial serial number, which could not rule out it coming from the vessel Frederick was flying. This leaves many to believe that Frederick did indeed crash. But what I can't seem to reconcile are the many documented claims of similar encounters from military officials, officers and pilots. People with a lot to lose by coming forward. And to me, what makes Frederick's message so chilling is that his description is nearly identical to many of the substantiated sightings of UAPs. A cigar shaped object going from rapid speed to hovering technology we certainly did not have in the 1970s. I imagine what he was seeing resembles something like what Navy pilots captured in the infamous Tic Tac videos. Check them out if you haven't seen them. Another thing, Frederick Valentich was actually not the first person to have vanished from what many have dubbed the Bass strait Triangle. On October 19, 1934, nearly 44 years to the day before Frederick disappeared, an airliner called Ms. Hobart vanished from the same area. Locals claimed they heard the sound of the airliner overhead, but then it just vanished. It's reported the airliner pilots also saw another craft in the sky and had made a radio transmission to see if another craft was in the same airspace. Whatever you believe about the legitimacy of ETs, UAPs and the like, the question still remains. Why does there still seem to be such a concerted effort to keep details of incidents like this under wraps and what will it take to have greater transparency? To hear the full discussion between Payne and Brian, check out Talking to Death with Payne Lindsay wherever you get your podcasts, y'.
- [47:09]
Brian Enten
All.
- [47:09]
Maggie Freeling
Thank you so much for listening to this week's episode of up and Vanish Weekly. Be sure to tune in next week as we dig into another new case. Until next time.
- [47:26]
Payne Lindsay
Up and Vanish Weekly is a production of Tenderfoot TV in association with Odyssey. Your hosts are Maggie Freeling and myself, Payne Lindsay. The show is written by Maggie Freeling, myself and John Street. Executive producers are Donald Albright and myself. Lead producer is John Street. Additional production by Meredith Steadman and Mike Rooney Research for the series by Jamie Albright, Celicia Stanton and Carolyn Tallmadge Edit and mix by Dylan Harrington and Sean Nurney Supervising producer is Tracy Kaplan. Artwork by Byron McCoy. Original music by Makeup and Vanity set. Special thanks to Oren Rosenbaum and the team at UTA Beck Media and Marketing in the NORD Group. For more podcasts like up and Vanish Weekly, search Tenderfoot TV on your favorite podcast app or visit us@Tenderfoot TV. Thanks for listening.
- [48:31]
Rob
Celebrate over 100 years of steak perfection during the Omaha Steaks anniversary sale. Save 50% site wide on USDA certified tender steaks and more. Plus get an extra $35 off with code certified@omaha steaks.com today. Don't wait. Shop the anniversary sale at omaha steaks.com to save 50% on legendary steaks and more. Plus get an extra $35 off with code certified minimum purchase. May apply See site for details. In March 2017, police in Ketchikan, Alaska got a worried call and I haven't.
- [49:07]
Brian Enten
Heard from them, so I'm getting worried.
- [49:09]
Rob
It was about a beloved surgeon, one of just two in town named Eric Garcia. When police officers arrived to check on the doctor, they found him dead on a couch.
- [49:20]
Brian Enten
Is it a suicide?
- [49:21]
Rob
Is it a murder?
- [49:22]
Frederick Valentich (radio transmissions)
What is it?
- [49:23]
Rob
From ABC Audio and 2020 Cold Blooded Mystery in Alaska is out now. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.