Too Close to Home Podcast

91: The Stanford Prison Experiment - No One Said Go For The EGOT, Okay?

What happens when you bring a number of bushy and bright-eyed college students to play guards and inmates for the awesome pay of $15 a day? We find out within the confines of Jordan Hall at Stanford University: a prestigious research institute that may like to remove this event from its history. During this morally questionable 1971 prison experiment, we see how situational variables may have transformed the researcher and participants into monsters… or maybe some were monsters all along?

90: Larry Hall, Part 2 - When Opportunity Comes Knockin’, Sling Cocaine

Athlete. Ladies' man. Drug pusher. Anti-hero. Operative. These are just some of the words you could use to describe Jimmy Keene, the individual recruited by the FBI to befriend (and gather incriminating evidence against) Larry Hall. We discuss Jimmy Keene's upbringing, the sequence of events which lead to his subsequent imprisonment, and the unlikely yet deceitful friendship with Hall which resulted in his successful conviction.

89: Larry Hall, Part 1 - Entering Our Burnside Era

Get ready to fix bayonets and charge while letting your epic mutton chops flutter in the wind, because we are about to discuss re-enactment soldier, Mopar enthusiast, and suspected serial killer Larry Hall! In part 1 of this series, we look at Hall's humble beginnings in the womb, his relationship with his (much better looking) brother Gary, his love for mock battles... and his association with the case surrounding the disappearance and murder of Jessica Roach. Is he just an unintelligent wannabe who likes to take credit? Or is there something far more devious to Larry Hall than meets the eye?

88: Cambyses II - Older Than Methuselah

We are going way back in time for a cautionary true crime tale, y'all... one that involves an ancient king, a corrupt judge, and the ultimate "f*#$ around and find out" symbolic punishment! In this short and sweet episode, we will divulge a little background on Cambyses II, some of the controversies surrounding his reign (which may or may not be truthful), and the event, memorialized in painting, which shows his penchant for truth, justice, and the Persian way... and "leather" upholstery. Karma is truly a bitch, and anyone who sits upon the chair will dutifully remember that.

87: Herb Baumeister and Fox Hollow Farm, Part 2 - There’s A Portal In My Toilet

As we begin part 2 of this series, we see the firsthand account provided by Tony Harris concerning Herb Baumeister's modus operandi, and how old Herb's life gets turned upside down (but not in a fresh prince sort of way). While Herb's metaphorical and literal "skeletons in the woods" are discovered, he takes fate into his own hands in the woodlands of Canada. In the second half of this episode, we look at the Graves family's anecdotal evidence surrounding the haunting of Fox Hollow Farm, and perhaps also what drew paranormal investigators (including certain controversial dude bro's) to the location. Is there a portal in the swimming pool? Are there dark entities within the woods of Fox Hollow Farm? Grab your digital recorder and find out!

86: Herb Baumeister and Fox Hollow Farm, Part 1 - When Tolerance Breeds A Serial Killer

How can one improve upon the thrift shop business model? What is the taste of human urine? These are important questions asked by Herbert the Pervert... suspected serial killer and future owner of Fox Hollow Farm. With his fascination with urophilia, multiple mental disorders, and levels of bizarre behavior matched only by his work ethic, it's little surprise there were eventually skeletal remains found in his backyard. But what is the story behind these murders? How do we know if he was the perpetrator or not? Was he the unidentified I-70 Strangler? There are more questions than answers, and in part 1 of this series on Herb Baumeister and Fox Hollow Farm, we see if we can't separate the fact from fiction.

85: The Final Fantasy 7 Cult- This Guy Are Sick

Today we are going a bit off the rails and looking into a different flavor of cult: one that is not based on faith, but on one of the most popular video games of all time... Final Fantasy 7! After providing some background on the video game franchise and the story-beats/characters of the 7th installment, we explore a bizarre tale of manipulation, abuse, and "soulbonding" which infamously made waves on the internet in the early 2000's. Brandish your Buster Sword and equip your finest Materia, because we are about to do battle with Jenova; not Final Fantasy 7's extra-terrestrial calamity from the skies, but Jennifer Cornett from State College, Pennsylvania... the elusive and glittery human who twisted an innocent fandom into a living nightmare.

84: Kelly’s Correction Corner And The Jersey Devil

In this hilarious and different episode, we bring in a very special guest: Jenn's little sister... the rainbow agent of chaos herself... Kelly! In the first half, the librarian brings her own little fun facts and corrections to past episodes. To finish out, she educates us on the brief history of the screeching swole lord of the Pine Barrens: The Jersey Devil! Is it the cursed 13th child of Mother Leeds? What is it's association with Benjamin Franklin? Did Napolean Bonaparte's elder brother actually see the devil? It is time for a little GTL in southeast New Jersey.
This episode is dedicated in loving memory of Jenn and Kelly's father, Ernest Strickland. May he enjoy that everlasting safety meeting in the sky.