Show Details

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! — a journey through the weird, wacky, whimsical, wild, and totally unbelievable world of the odd, strange and unusual. Amazing and absolutely true tales happening right now and reported from around the world by a cast of thousands as well as stories ripped from the archives of the company that has been freaking out families for more than 90 years!
New Episodes of Ripley’s Oddcast are posted twice monthly.

www.ripleys.com

Biography

Ripley Radio: An On-Demand Oddcast

THE RIPLEY’S WEBTALKRADIO ENSEMBLE INCLUDES…

TIM O’BRIEN
VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS, RIPLEY ENTERTAINMENT INC.
As Ripley corporate spokesperson, Tim O’Brien appears on hundreds of TV and radio shows each year. In addition, his duties include editing the daily cartoon and maintaining the company’s online newsroom. During his journalism career prior to joining Ripley, Tim had more than 5,000 articles and 3,000 photos published. As an aside, he has ridden nearly 500 different roller coasters In 27 different countries. He has written 13 books including Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Amusement Park Oddities and Trivia, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Baseball Oddities and Trivia, and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Frog Oddities. Tim has a double Masters degree in Broadcast Journalism and Film Production from The Ohio State University.

“Ralf with an F”
DIRECTOR OF GHOST TOURS
RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT!, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLA.
“Ralf with an F” is Ralf Ingwersen. Although Ralf has been with Ripley’s since 2005, he spent nearly 20 years as a broadcaster prior to arriving in the Nation’s Oldest City. Using the air-name Atom Taler, he entertained listeners with irreverent humor for a decade as the morning show host on rock station 96 WAVE in Charleston SC, then switched mediums – but not attitudes – by jumping to the TV side and serving as the sports director of that city’s NBC affiliate for several years. Ralf is married with two children and is quite adept at balancing items on his nose (nothing larger than a vacuum cleaner please).

EDWARD MEYER
VICE PRESIDENT, EXHIBITS AND ARCHIVES, RIPLEY ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Edward Meyer has written, edited and published more than 50 books for Ripley Entertainment. He has made more than 40 television appearances on behalf of the company and directed and produced more than 100 Ripley museum films. He is credited with researching more than 160 “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” television episodes during both of the show’s runs, in 1980–84 and 2000–04. In the past 30 years, Edward has acquired more than 20,000 exhibits for Ripley’s museums worldwide and has served as Ripley’s collection curator since 1984. Ironically, he has worked for Ripley Entertainment (31-plus years) longer than Robert Ripley himself did (31 years). Believe It or Not!

MARCIE PIKEL
MANAGER OF MARKETING & PRODUCTION SERVICES, RIPLEY ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Marcie is making her broadcast debut on Ripley Radio – An On-Demand Oddcast. She has been with Ripley for more than 12 years and has excelled in several areas of the company during those years. In addition to her other duties, Marcie today serves as the social networking queen of the company and she refers to her MacBook as her BFF! She sends out the daily tweets, maintains the company’s various Facebook pages and is the creator and main contributor to Ripley’s official blog – Have You Heard. She enjoys engaging Ripley’s large fan base online and loves making new friends for the company on the world wide web!

Archived Shows

• Ripley Radio – Roadside Marvels

  Doug Kirby and Ken Smith of the popular www.roadsideamerica.com site details the latest on roadside attractions; Intern Eric tells us the sad tale of the lightning strike of the Touchdown Jesus statue; Tim talks with the Weeki Wachee mermaids; Marci reports on a terrible death at the National Sauna Championships and Edward unveils Ripley’s newest acquisition: a Lady Gaga portrait made from BB pellets!

• Ripley Radio – UFO’s: The Great Cover-Up

  Lee Speigel, one the world’s pre-eminent researchers in the realm of UFO’s provides proof that the government is hiding the truth about alien adventures on earth; AOL’s Buck Wolf tells us about Julia Gnuse, the world’s most tattooed lady; Intern Clara discovers the world’s largest concrete garden gnome; and Marci provides us information on high caloric sandwiches found in our fast food eateries.

• Ripley Radio – Unbelievable World of Rock & Roll

  Carl Wiser of www.songfacts.com shares a few weird and bizarre facts behind the lyrics of several rock songs; Intern Clara tells us about artwork made from human feces; AOL’s Buck Wolf explains what he did when he discovered Adolf Hitler’s toilet in a New Jersey gas station; and Ripley’s archivist Edward Meyer reveals that the greatest theft ever at a Ripley’s Believe It or Not! was Elvis’s black underwear!

• Ripley Radio – Why We Love Horror

  Chris Alexander, Editor-in-Chief of Fangoria magazine explains why people love to be grossed out and scared by horror! Intern Eric tells us why the burial crypt above Marilyn Monroe remains empty; we learn from AOL’s David Moye how Chicken Charlie has made a living deep frying Oreos and Twinkies; and Ripley archivist Edward Meyer tells the story of Ripley’s most horrifying exhibit – The Iron Maiden.

• Ripley Radio – Everyday Magic Spells

  Spell collector and author Judika Illes discloses a few everyday spells that are both simple to cast AND have been proven to work! Intern Eric tells of a Cardboard Boat Museum and Regatta in Ohio; Ripley archivist Edward Meyer explains how he acquired a 1920s Voodoo Doll from Haiti; and we hear of a marriage custom from India that few, if any, people outside of that area would find tolerable.

• Ripley Radio – Glorious Cryptids

  We are introduced to a few of the lesser-known Cryptids – such as skyrods, the Ohio Grassman and the New Jersey Devil, by author Deena Budd. AOL’s Buck Wolf takes us to the Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest; Edward Meyer tells us that within the Ripley archives, we have hairs from an unknown creature; and we learn that an early African ruler’s toothache cost 25,000 people their lives.

• Ripley Radio – God Made Me Do It!

  Marc Hartzman details a few hilarious stories of the worst advice the Lord has ever given his followers; AOL’s Buck Wolf tells us of Al Tomaini, the 8 foot 4 inch giant of Gibsonton, Fla.; we find out from Edward Meyer that Robert Ripley wasn’t a church-going guy, but he respected the world’s religions; we find that many truths we all believe are really untruths; and we hear of a tumor that has real teeth.

• Ripley Radio – Weirdness on I-95

  Stan and Sandra Posner tell of the Weirdness that awaits at exits along Interstate 95; AOL’s Buck Wolf talks about bathroom stage fright; Edward Meyer tells of Ripley’s newest acquisition – a car that can fly; Travis Fessler talks with Tim immediately after swallowing a sword with a 3-inch cockroach in his mouth; and we hear of a woman who is only 400 pounds away from her goal weight- of 1,000 pounds.

• Ripley Radio – Baseball Oddities

  America’s favorite summer pastime is featured as we talk with baseball promotion guru Mike Veeck about his outrageous stunts; author Dan Schlossberg reveals his Top 5 weird baseball moments of all time; former big leaguer Terry Pendleton plays Spot the Not!; Buck Wolf introduces us to NYC’s Death Bear; and Edward Meyer tells us Robert Ripley briefly played professional baseball .

• Ripley Radio – The Carny Chroniclers

  Those who write about sideshows: James Taylor, publisher of the famed “Shocked and Amazed” and Tony Gangi, author of “Carny Sideshows” talk about their editorial exploits; OUT THERE’s Buck Wolf tells us of Doggie Chastity Belts; and hear of edible wedding dresses, whimsical furniture, vinyl pants, and how technology has saved people’s lives.

• Ripley Radio – Aliens & A Funky Tower

  Jerry Chubbuck, owner of the funky roadside attraction, Wonder Tower, in Colorado, takes us on a fun tour of this landmark; Jim Moroney tells us of the night he was abducted by Aliens and how it changed his life; we hear of the New York Towers, a dwarf basketball team; Odd Japanese beverages are discussed; and we learn of an army commander who was so young that he had to be carried onto the battlefield.

• Ripley Radio – Historical Oddities

  Gene Kent Nitz and Jeremiah Greer report on amazing findings from their years of researching off-beat historical events and political leaders; We join hundreds of brides in Filene’s basement as they fight for wedding gowns; we learn awesome facts about dreams, a street wrapped in bubble wrap, and Lee Harvey Oswald’s morgue toe-tag; and we take a tour of the unbelievable historical artifacts in the Ripley collection, including pieces of the Berlin Wall.

• Ripley Radio – Vampires – How to Love them, How to Kill them.

  Ripley’s investigates why Vampires are viewed as romantic and popular creatures today: J.M. Dixon talks of the trials and tribulations of his life as a modern-day Vampire; author Meredith Woerner warns that both good and bad vampires exist and walk among us daily; archivist Edward Meyer reveals that Ripley’s collection of Vampire Killing Kits is the largest in the world; and Ripley’s Spot the Not! quiz challenges NBA great Nick Anderson.

• Ripley Radio – Strange & Wonderful Love

  David & Lauren Blair are the world’s most “marriest” couple - 98 times to each other!; Father Mac, the Carny Priest has married more than 100 couples on the carnival midway; Buck Wolf and his wife renewed their vows in front of Ripley’s Fertility Statues; and Ripley’s archivist Edward Meyer talks about those famous statues which have helped in more than 2,000 pregnancies – and still counting!

• Ripley Radio – The Colorful World of Tattooed Ladies

  Amelia Klem Osterud explains how she came to write the first-ever definitive history of the tattooed woman and two of the modern day ladies featured in the book, Charon Henning and Thrill Kill Jill elucidate about their sideshow acts as tattooed ladies. We go Inside the Vault and discuss Ripley’s skin and tattoo collections and we learn who wants to donate their tattooed skin to Ripley’s.

• Ripley Radio - Amazingly Weird Collections

  “Tracker Bob” Hiemenz tells us how he has collected more than 61,000 8-Track tapes; Juanita Rose Violini explains her new almanac of weird and bizarre tales; Jeremiah Greer visits the Georgia Guide Stones; we learn why it didn’t pay to be a bad musician in the 15th century; and the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in Prince Edward Island is featured.

• Ripley Radio - Daredevils

  We explore the amazing world of Daredevils. Nik Wallenda, 7th generation of the famous Wallenda family tells of his life and upcoming history-making events; Murrugun the Mystic explains how he swallowed a rocket-powered sword; we go hunting for the Yeti in the Himalayas; and the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in the Wisconsin Dells is visited.

• Ripley Radio – Helpful Fears & Strange Phobias

  Dr. Craig April shares some of the strangest phobias he has treated as a psychologist and we play a phobia quiz; Margie Warrell tells us why fear and the resulting adrenalin is good for you; we hear a disturbing fact about the world’s most expensive coffee; we learn about an unusual tonsillectomy; and we visit the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in Williamsburg, Va.

• Ripley Radio - Will We All Die in 2012?

  Two guests, Bob Thiel and Jayson Rand, both authors, researchers and experts on the 2012 phenomenon talk about the anticipated events leading up to and following Dec. 21, 2012 and inform us if we should expect to live through the event; we take a drive along a VERY short street in Ohio; play Spot The Not!, the Ripley’s quiz; and we visit the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in Branson, Mo.

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• Ripley Radio - Why Do They Do What they Do?

  Joel Waul, creator of the world’s largest rubber band ball talks about why and how he created the five-ton orb; we asked five sideshow performers how they do what they do and what their mothers think about their choice of professions; and the Guinness World Records Museum in San Antonio is visited.

• Ripley Radio - Mysteries & Conspiracies

  World famous author, lecturer and mystery investigator Lionel Fanthorpe speaks of his favorite all-time mysteries; Jeremiah Greer, host of the Shadows in the Dark radio show and co-editor of Mysteries magazine talks of his passion for the mysterious; we learn whether there really was a man named Ripley; and we visit Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in London.

• Ripley Radio - Mysteries & Mayhem

  Author and researcher Robert Damon Schneck amazes us with his tales of pygmy cannibals from Wyoming; Dr. Robert Thiel notes that many of the 2012 prophecies have already started happening; we learn why a town clock has intentionally shown the wrong time for 700 years; the whys and how’s of shrunken heads are discussed; and we visit the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in Key West, Fla Ripley Radio - Women of Strength and Speed The world’s fastest female talker, Fran Capo, entertains us with her high speed humor; The Great Cindini talks about her life as a strongwoman and stuntwoman; we learn of one lady’s amazing dedication to her bedtime ritual; we’re introduced to the world’s richest heiress; and we visit Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum in Gatlinburg, Tenn.     Back to Top Disclaimer: The opinions expressed on these programs are those of the hosts and participants and are not intended to and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WebTalk Radio Network its owners and agents. All listeners are advised that neither WebTalk Radio Network, nor its owners and agents shall be held liable for the content of programs, including any advice given. All listeners are advised to make their own decisions after appropriate consultation with professionals who have had an opportunity to consider completely each listener's circumstances, and not in reliance upon the content of WebTalk Radio Network programs. © Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved