Episode 111: The Exorcism of Jonathan Van Ness

Original air date: August 8, 2019

Episode overview

The hosts introduce Tweet Text and critique Neil deGrasse Tyson's tweet comparing mass-shooting deaths with other causes, expanding into a serious discussion of guns, racism, suicide and public responses to violence. Bingo tells three stories containing one truth and two falsehoods; Danny guesses the worm-tree story and is explicitly wrong, the truth is withheld, and Bingo admits the promised gift did not exist. The hosts play Nathan Dan's voicemail about a drowning prediction, a supposedly good demon named Slevin and a possible shadow figure, then assess the story and propose a future truth-versus-fiction submission format. James Brubaker submits a concise correction explaining that the Montreal Expos no longer exist after Danny compares microbrews with seven-dollar beers at Expos games. HMSS accepts the Riddle Master's emailed challenge and works collaboratively through the submitted Eight Blood Freezing Crime Riddles with Answers video before declaring the mysteries solved.

Segments

• **Tweet Text** — 0:10:50 · citation pending — The hosts introduce Tweet Text and critique Neil deGrasse Tyson's tweet comparing mass-shooting deaths with other causes, expanding into a serious discussion of guns, racism, suicide and public responses to violence.
• **Silly Storiez** — 0:37:55 · citation pending — Bingo tells three stories containing one truth and two falsehoods; Danny guesses the worm-tree story and is explicitly wrong, the truth is withheld, and Bingo admits the promised gift did not exist.
• **Scary Stories to Tell in the Pod** — 0:53:31 · citation pending — The hosts play Nathan Dan's voicemail about a drowning prediction, a supposedly good demon named Slevin and a possible shadow figure, then assess the story and propose a future truth-versus-fiction submission format.
• **Fact Checked** — 1:00:57 · citation pending — James Brubaker submits a concise correction explaining that the Montreal Expos no longer exist after Danny compares microbrews with seven-dollar beers at Expos games.
• **Halfway Okay Mystery Solving Society** — 1:04:51 · citation pending — HMSS accepts the Riddle Master's emailed challenge and works collaboratively through the submitted Eight Blood Freezing Crime Riddles with Answers video before declaring the mysteries solved.

Verified episode facts

• **Silly storiez result**: Danny guessed that the worm/worm-tree story was true and was explicitly told he was wrong. The actual true story was withheld, no winner was declared, and Bingo admitted that the promised gift did not exist.
• **Halfway okay mystery solving society result**: Bingo and Danny collaboratively completed the Riddle Master's submitted crime-riddle and hidden-sniper challenge; no final competitive score, winner, or prize was established.