Fortean Times Talk

Paul Giamatti’s CHINWAG with Stephen Asma

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Fortean Times has been bringing weirdness into people’s lives for over 50 years and Paul’s been reading its pages since he was a mere Chin-cub. Now join Paul and Stephen as they meet the man behind the mag, esteemed News Editor, Ian Simmons.

What follows is a mind-bending exploration of the weird and wonderful including a colorful sketch of the life and work of Charles Fort—a guiding spirit of this humble Chinwag podcast. Fort, known for his unique style of collecting and presenting ‘damned data,’ delved into phenomena excluded by mainstream science. Hear Fort’s own words about outcast phenomena and delve into the positivism movement and notable figures like Ken Campbell.

How has a narrow view of science shaped our understanding of the unexplained? Will mysterious occurrences like rains of blood, fish, and frogs ever find a place under the umbrella of respectable sciences? Ball lightning and cryptids also get their time in the sun, as do vomiting pelicans, Bigfoot’s petrified poop, and more and more obscure poltergeist outbreaks. And don’t miss Gef—the talking mongoose—a particular favorite of Paul’s! Plus, we explore Fort’s connection to Jacques Vallee and bizarre outbreaks like the Goblins in Zimbabwe. This Chinwag explores the delicate balance between skepticism and belief, the joy and complexity of embracing strangeness, and all from a Fortean point of view!

Paul Giamatti is an award-winning actor and producer, and the self-proclaimed Emperor of Neptune. Stephen Asma is a professor and author specializing in the philosophy of science, religion, and art. He also is the acting Minister of Triton for the Chinwag.

Ian Simmons is the News Editor of Fortean Times, the world's leading magazine for weird news. He has written for Fortean for over 30 years.

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