Midnight Facts for Insomniacs

The Origins of Common Idioms, Phrases, and Figures of Speech (Redux)

Have you ever wondered why we "turn a blind eye," "pull out all the stops," or "fly off the handle"? In this episode, Shane and Duncan dive into the quirky, surprising, and sometimes downright bizarre origins of the phrases we use every day. From ancient customs to historical mishaps, discover the stories behind the words—and how they’ve stood the test of time. Get ready to uncover the ‘writing on the wall’ about your favorite idioms and figures of speech!
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Encore: The Pagan Origins of Christmas

Merry Christmas, insomniacs! Here's a blast from the past. We hope you're having an amazing holiday season. 
 
How is Santa Claus connected to cannibalism? Which Christmastide holiday commemorates the slaughter of children? How should you decode the cryptic numerology message 20+C+M+B+22? And what's with all of those airborne reindeer? Welcome to Ghosts of Christmases Past, in which Shane and Duncan explore how tree-worship and animal sacrifice evolved into the bizarre, festive, highly commercialized holiday we know today. So whether you're feeling the Christmas spirit or just feeling jaded and grinchy, grab a cup of heavily-spiked eggnog, get cozy by the yule-log, and join the boys as they unpack the fascinating pagan history of Christmas.
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In this episode:  
Christmastide
Christmas Eve
The Feast of Saint Stephen, Protomartyr
Childermas, The Feast of the Holy Innocents
Herod the Great
The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ, Octave of the Nativity, Solemnity of Mary
The Feast of the Holy Family
12th Night, Epiphany Eve
Chalking the Door
Saturnalia
The Holiday of Yule
Yule Boar, Yule Goat, Yule Log
Anglican Revelers vs. Puritan Grinches
The Story of the Nativity
December 25th Becomes the Arbitrary DOB
Christenmas, Christ Mass, and Xmas
Christmas Trees
Saint Nicholas of Myra, aka Saint Nick, aka Nicholas the Wonderworker
Sinterklaas 
Christmases Around the World
Reindeer
Thomas Nast
Haddon Sundblom and Coca-Cola
 
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Jehovah's Witnesses: A Modern Evangelical Doomsday Cult

Crack open the door on one of the world’s most intriguing and controversial faiths: The Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Despite requiring members to give up holidays, patriotism, voting, birthday celebrations, popular music, any real chance of eternal life in heaven, and blood consumption (seriously), the church topped 8 million members in 2014 and continues to expand.
From apocalyptic roots and bold predictions to relentless evangelical hustle, find out how a tiny group of contrarian Bible students gradually built one of the largest doomsday cults on earth.
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Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
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The Reckoning: Charles Manson and The Helter Skelter Murders (Part 3)

PART 3!
In this final topic of spooky season, unravel the sinister saga of the Manson Family and the pint-sized puppet master who convinced his followers that Helter Skelter was more than just a Beatles song. From the infamous Hollywood murders to the courtroom circus that followed, Shane and Duncan explore how Manson’s twisted charisma led to one of the darkest chapters in American history.
 
INKY'S VIRAL MOMENT: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8NFTxXk/
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Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
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Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
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Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
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The Devil's Work: Charles Manson and the Helter Skelter Murders (Part 2)

PART 2!
In this final topic of spooky season, unravel the sinister saga of the Manson Family and the pint-sized puppet master who convinced his followers that Helter Skelter was more than just a Beatles song. From the infamous Hollywood murders to the courtroom circus that followed, Shane and Duncan explore how Manson’s twisted charisma led to one of the darkest chapters in American history.
~
Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
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Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
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Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
Midnight Merch
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ENCORE: The (Original) Darwin Awards

ENCORE!
Shane needed a break, but we'll be back with a regular episode next week. In the meantime, if you need to chat or decompress, join our Discord community:
MFFI DISCORD
Warning: if you're not a fan of dark humor, feel free to skip this episode. We won't judge you! For our fellow twisted weirdos...enjoy. 
"The Darwin Awards salute the improvement of the human genome by honoring those who accidentally remove themselves from it in a spectacular manner!"
 
IN THIS EPISODE:
History of the Darwin Awards
Wendy Northcut, opportunist
Death By:
Self-shooting demonstration - Clement Vallandigham
Radish - Sir William Payne-Gallwey
Slow car - Bridget Driscoll
"Wearable" Parachute - Franz Reichelt
Unbreakable-window test - Gary Hoy
The North Sentinel Island natives are restless - John Allen Chau
Beard sabotage- Hans Steininger
Gurney mishap- Edward Juchniewicz
Rattlesnake catch - Joe Buddy Caine
Segway daredevil- Jim Heselden
Cockfight revenge - Jose Luis Ochoa
Cockroach-eating contest - Edward Archbold
...and more
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And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
https://midnightbonus.weebly.com/midnight-merch.html
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~ KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, AND SLEEP IS OVERRATED ~

SHOW SWAP! AHC - Bonnie and Clyde

Hey Insomniacs, we have something very special for you today. We're bringing you an episode of one of our favorite podcasts!
AHC (Asshole Court) is a show in which three lifelong friends--Buddy, Mikey, and Randy--examine the life of a public figure who may or may not be a giant asshole. They assign a preliminary score based on what they already know of the person, and then they delve into the details of his or her life, and at the end they determine the celebrity's final score (rated from 1 to 11: Mr. Rogers to Hitler). Subjects have included Steven Seagal, Connor McGregor, Joe Rogan, Alex Jones, Kanye, Harvey Weinstein, Tom Cruise, Diddy, Andrew Tate, and even Dolly Parton (spoiler alert: not an asshole.)
Since you're presumably a fan of OUR show, we know you enjoy laughing and learning, so we're confident you're going to love AHC. We hope you'll give them a listen, and include asshole court in your regular podcast rotation. Thanks so much for being an insomniac, and we'll be back next week!

Cult of Personality: Charles Manson and the Helter Skelter Murders (Part 1)

In this final topic of spooky season, unravel the sinister saga of the Manson Family and the pint-sized puppet master who convinced his followers that Helter Skelter was more than just a Beatles song. From the infamous Hollywood murders to the courtroom circus that followed, Shane and Duncan explore how Manson’s twisted charisma led to one of the darkest chapters in American history.
~
Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
~
Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
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Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
Midnight Merch
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[Throwback Encore] We Are Legion: Exorcism and Demonic Possession

BEGONE, FOUL DEMON!! NO LONGER SHALL YOU BEDEVIL THE INSOMNIACS OF THE MIDNIGHT MASSES
(Apologies for the caps lock, but Satan doesn't respect lowercase.)
What's the difference between a demonic vexation, an infestation, and an oppression? How many demons do you have to host to become Legion? And is the Pope really on Twitter? Join the boys for a deep-dive into hellfire and brimstone in this examination of the disturbing history of exorcism and demonic possession.  
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In this episode: 
Ancient exorcisms in Babylon
Demonic possession in the Bible
Relevant Biblical passages
Jesus, demons, and exorcisms
Judas
Mark 5: My name is Legion
The Pope on Twitter
Official Exorcist of Indiana, Father Vincent Lambert
Demonic entry points and doorways
Sexual abuse and demonic possession
The International Association of Exorcists
Infestations, Vexations, Obssessions, and Subjections
The Exorcist, the movie
Peter Blatty, Linda Blair, Roland Doe/Robbie Mannheim
Cultural impact of the film
Discernment
Qualifications to receive an exorcism
The ritual itself
Notable cases of possession
Jason Dalton and the Uber Demon
The Tanacu exorcism
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Join the Midnight Masses!
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And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
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Shane's Comedy Schedule and Info
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Episode Transcript
 
~ KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, AND SLEEP IS OVERRATED ~
 

Jack the Ripper: History's Most Notorious Serial Killer

In the shadowy alleys of Victorian London, a sinister figure lurked, leaving a trail of terror that has baffled historians for over a century. Join Shane and Duncan as they delve into the chilling tale of Jack the Ripper, unraveling the gruesome details of his infamous crimes and exploring mysteries that continue to haunt the annals of true crime.
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Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
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Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
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Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
Midnight Merch
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