Midnight Facts for Insomniacs

Unreal: The History and Secrets of Reality TV

Never say never. Shane swore that MFFI would never address the dreaded "K" family, but fate (and the Discord crew) had other plans. Join the boys for a fascinating dive into the putrid swamps of television history to learn how the scourge that is Reality TV conquered the entertainment world. 
In this episode:  
Reality Television VS Documentary Series
The Finances
SAG-AFTRA
Networks VS Production Companies
Writers Strikes
The History of Reality TV
American Family
Meet the Louds
Nummer 28
MTV
The Real World New York
Cast VS Editors
Expedition Robinson
Survivor Debuts
Types of Reality TV
Competition/Elimination Shows
Formatted Shows
Docu-Style Shows 
Soft Scripting
Story Narratives
Criticism and Controversy
Reality TV as Anthropological Experiment
Frankenediting
Joe Millionaire and the Slurp Heard Around the World
Liquor and Sexual Abuse Allegations
Product Placement
The Humiliation Factor/Shame TV
Tragedies
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Botched Coups and Failed Assassinations: The Bay of Pigs

You can’t win them all.
In 1961, America experienced the sting of its first truly humiliating public defeat, a debacle that played out in real time on the international stage. The bungled and bloody Bay of Pigs Invasion would mark the first major misstep of the Kennedy administration, and as “Operation Zapata” began to unravel in Cuba, the resulting scandal would undermine America’s carefully crafted image as a shining beacon of virtue.
In this episode:  
Fulgencio Batista
1933 Sergeants uprising
Mafia’s Playground
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz
Che Guevara
The Movement
The Moncada Army Barracks
26 of July movement
Granma Yacht 
Brain Drain
Dwight D Eisenhower
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Operation Pluto
Phases One, Two, and Three
Operation Zapata
Sonic Booms
Brigade 2506
Carlos Rafael Santana Estevez
The Attack 
Mad Dog Flight
FAR T-33s
The Aftermath
Tractors 
Operation Mongoose
Poison Cigar
Exploding Mollusk
The Fountain Pen
Scuba Suit
Poison Pills
LSD Spray
Thallium Salts
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Crimes of the Century: The Lindbergh Baby, the Mona Lisa Heist, and the Fatty Arbuckle Scandal

Why have only a few particular murders and heists and scandals been immortalized in popular culture? Join Shane and Duncan for a dive into three famous capers of the 1900s to help uncover the x-factors that elevate a garden-variety crime to legend status. 
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM

The Most Dangerous Cult in the World: North Korea

The largest cult on earth has over 25 million followers, the 4th largest army in the world, and a nuclear arsenal. It also has bowling alleys and karaoke bars, and regularly hosts international marathons. Under three generations of iron-fisted dictators, the so-called Hermit Nation disconnected from the rest of the world, but with the rise of western-educated Kim Jong-un, North Korea is rapidly modernizing. Is the country bracing for change? What is life like in an isolated, rogue state? And is there any point in negotiating with a hostile, nuclear-armed enemy? Join Shane and Duncan for a nuanced exploration of the most feared and vilified country on earth.
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Bizarre and Disturbing Fashion Trends Through the Ages

From paper dresses to giant metal erections, MFFI explores some of the weirdest historical fashion trends. 
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Misattributed Quotes, Theories, Discoveries, and Inventions

Only a sucker would believe that P.T. Barnum said, "There's a sucker born every minute." In the latest episode of MFFI, the boys once again undermine their own faith in humanity by exposing the inventors, scientists, authors, and orators who deserve none of the credit they've been given. 
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Host Swap: The Science Behind Ghosts, Phantoms, and Apparitions

Is it reasonable to believe that ghosts actually exist? From a scientific standpoint, are there any credible explanations for ghost sightings? In the latest MFFI host-swap episode, Duncan debunks his own sketchy theories and then regales Shane with some of the world's earliest ghost stories. 
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Decrypting Crypto: Bitcoin and NFTs

The boys take a break from espionage to explore bitcoin, the blockchain, and all things cryptocurrency. What even IS a Bitcoin, and how does it work? Is cryptocurrency a solid investment? Is Bitcoin really anonymous? And who the heck is Satoshi Nakomoto? 
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Espionage Technology: From Lipstick Pistols to the Insectothopter

In the second installment of MFFI's espionage series, the boys investigate spying technology, from cryptography to microdots to The Thing. 
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Spy vs. Spy: The History of Espionage

In the first installment of MFFI's espionage series, Shane gives Duncan an overview of the spy game, from its origins in postiquity through the Cold War and all the way to the modern intelligence industry. 
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM