The hosts, Ross Blocher and Carrie Poppy, met at a book club meeting at the Center for Inquiry (CFI) West, where they discovered they had a mutual love for The Simpsons television program. They were also both interested in religion and fringe science, so they decided to attend a meeting of the Kabbalah Centre in LA together and analyze the claims made there. That experience inspired them to start their own podcast centered around such investigations.[2]
The first episode, based on their experiences at the Kabbalah Centre, was released on 10 March 2011. The show was independently distributed until it became part of the Maximum Fun network in January 2014. Funding for the hosts' investigations comes from listener donations.[3]
Blocher and Poppy have since investigated a number of religious groups, fringe science claims, and alternative medicine modalities, including Mormonism, dowsing, and Reiki healing.
The podcast has been ranked among the top 100 podcasts on iTunes in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The highest ranking it has achieved in each country is #30 in Australia, #28 in Canada, #93 in the UK, and #36 in the U.S.[4] It has also been one of the most downloaded podcasts on iTunes in the Religion and Spirituality category, ranking as high as #11 on 9 February 2014.[5]
Scientology investigation
Beginning in February 2016, they released a series of episodes about their investigation of the Church of Scientology.[6] In their first Scientology episode, the pair state that an investigation of Scientology was their most frequent request.[6] The Scientology episodes were recommended by The Guardian,[7] The A.V. Club,[8] Boing Boing,[9] and SplitSider.[10] As of August 2020[update], there are ten episodes devoted to the Scientology investigation – 9 original episodes in 2016, and a follow-up episode in 2017.[11] Former senior Scientology executive Mike Rinder said of one episode that "the insight into the current state of affairs inside LA Org is revelatory"[12] because Blocher was the only person in attendance at the introductory classes, despite Scientology's claims that their Los Angeles site is an ideal example of Scientology's success.[12]
Most episodes feature Blocher and Poppy talking about their experiences during a recent investigation they performed, while some episodes are based on interviews with guests who have some relation to a recent investigation. The investigations usually take place in the Los Angeles area, although some have occurred in other areas of California and Arizona, or even internationally. When investigating a claim, the hosts generally attend meetings or sessions having conducted little background research in order to get a feel for what the average person would experience. They perform the investigations undercover and only reveal that they are journalists if asked. On one occasion, when investigating the Ordo Templi Orientis, they used assumed names to protect their identities.[15] Some investigations are continued over the span of more than one episode.[16]
At the end of each investigation, the hosts subjectively rate the level of pseudoscience, creepiness, danger, and cost (or "pocket drainer" value) of the claim or group they studied using ten-point scales. The pseudoscience rating is based on a scale in which the theory of evolution has a score of 1 (completely scientific) and the idea that humans are made completely of goatsperm has a score of 10 (completely pseudoscientific).[18] Poppy also frequently gives a "hot drink" rating, at the end of the investigation.
The show is produced by Ian Kremer, and the theme music was created by Brian Keith Dalton, producer of the Mr. Deity video series.[15]
Blocher and Poppy intermittently perform a live version of the show. In an interview with Richard Saunders Blocher said that the live show gives them a great opportunity to "meet people in person and know that our message... of having fun with zany beliefs resonates with people"[19]
Guests
In addition to episodes about investigations, Blocher and Poppy have also released episodes based on interviews with guests who have some relation to or expertise in the subject of a recent investigation.[18] Notable guests include:
Both Blocher and Poppy are former evangelical Christians but are no longer religious believers.[1]
Blocher and Poppy presented a workshop on investigation techniques, along with the hosts of the MonsterTalk podcast, at The Amaz!ng Meeting 2012.[35] At that same meeting, Poppy gave a talk on the importance of using inclusive language when reaching out to people with beliefs that are different from one's own.[36]
^ abBrown, Christopher (2 November 2011). "MTS: Meet Carrie Poppy". Meet the Skeptics!. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
