Podcast Brutal Wisconsin

This week C.J. and Kent continue their conversation about Frank Lloyd Wright by discussing his first decade in Chicago, his mentor Cecil Corwin, as well as his rise to prominence. News: Insurrectionist campaigns for Kelly, and expanding access to driver’s licenses in WI.Oleh CJ Lane, Kent Taylor

Join CJ in a new news highlight mini episode discussing the WI GOPs latest attack on food assistance in the state.Oleh CJ Lane, Kent Taylor

This week Kent and C.J. talk about Frank Lloyd Wright’s first days in Chicago. As well as the lies he told about them in the name of manufacturing his personal image. News: Frozen pizza, New Hope Cave ancient bone excavation, and 50% WI black neighborhoods found to be jails.Oleh CJ Lane, Kent Taylor

This week C.J. is solo as he talks about Dan Kelly's extremist view of the law.Oleh CJ Lane, Kent Taylor

This week Kent and C.J. stick to the news! They discuss recent anti-LGBTQ publications showing up in Evansville, Wisconsin Ukrainians and the anniversary of the invasion, and the WI Supreme Court primary and coming April election.Oleh CJ Lane, Kent Taylor

This week C.J. and Kent discuss a lawsuit brought against PSSI for violating child labor laws, a $25 million dollar package from the EPA for PFAS remediation in small towns, the Wisconsin Supreme Court primary, and an update to the “UFO” shot down over Lake Huron.Oleh CJ Lane, Kent Taylor

C.J. and Kent discuss the recent shoot down of a UFO by planes based at Madison's Truax Field. They also discuss the history of UFO encounters reported by pilots based at Truax, including the Kinross Incident, in which a fighter jet disappeared without a trace over Lake Superior. News: Black History Month resolution, Foxconn underpaying employees, …

C.J. and Kent continue their discussion of the Peshtigo Fire. They talk about the Peshtigo Paradigm and its use by Allied bomber commands in the Second world war to engineer massively lethal firebombings in Tokyo and Dresden. Lastly, they touch on how climate change is leading to more and more Peshtigo-like fires. News: LaCrosse overdoses increasin…

C.J. and Kent begin their discussion of the Peshtigo Fire, a fire that killed between 1,500 and 2,500 and caused millions of dollars in damages. This week they discuss the basics of the disaster and the first hand account of Father Pernin, a Catholic priest who worked in Peshtigo. News: WEC Spindell refusing resignation and more forever chemical co…

This week C.J. and Kent talk about the return of Wisconsin’s socialist caucus, which came as Ryan Clancy and Darrin Madison Jr. were sworn in as representatives from Milwaukee. They also discuss some of the history of socialism in Wisconsin, specifically the Sewer Socialists. News: Conversion therapy, Spindell called to resign, Rockford abortion cl…

This week Kent and C.J. again forgo a main topic and stick to the news. This week they talk about Kay LeClaire, an activist who fraudulently claimed indigenous ancestry. They also discuss Ron Johnson being willing to undermine the legitimacy of our democracy, Prehn overstaying his term on the DNR board, and the consequences of that in terms of PFAS…

C.J. and Kent discuss the research of Harry Harlow at the University of Wisconsin. Harlow was the founder of the Primate Research Center at UW Madison, and it was there he conducted psychological experiments that can only be described as animal abuse. These experiments included one called the pit of despair. News: Medical cannabis, road salt pollut…

This week C.J. and Kent talk about the Hodag, Eugene Shepard, and their role in Wisconsin history and culture. News: Evers and medical marijuana, supreme court partisanship, and FBI hate crime statistics.Oleh CJ Lane, Kent Taylor

Join your hosts C.J. and Evan as they discuss the continuing journey of the 18th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment as they make their way through the Western Theater of the American Civil War. News: Ballot drop-boxes and Kleefisch’s voting hypocrisy.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

Post-surgery CJ updates Kent and the listeners, then we discuss various local news stories, in this absolutely intentional all-news episode. Covered: 10 y/o tried as adult in homicide, PFAS, UW student wins Miss America, Marathon Cty. Library book banning attempts.Oleh CJ Lane, Kent Taylor

Join your hosts C.J. and Evan as they continue to discuss the journey of the 18th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment through the Western Front of the American Civil War, this week they discuss the period following the Second Battle of Corinth through to the end of 1863. News: WIGOP waters down PFAS bill and the WEC inaction re: fake electors.…

C.J. and Kent dip their toes into some historical news stories, including a baby inheriting a nativity scene, the Czech Settlers of Langlade county, and a many-talented Belleville boy. News: Law enforcement mental health, WI GOP war on democracy continues, and family planning clinic protestor case.Oleh CJ Lane, Kent Taylor

C.J. forgot the book he needed to do a grab bag episode, so oops it’s all news! News: MKE homeless resident deaths, National Guard deployed to Africa, Packers struggle hurts GB economy, UW nurses union update, origins of the deer camp, and WI DNR emphasizes safety after child death.Oleh CJ Lane, Kent Taylor

C.J. and Kent talk about some of the early women's rights advocates from Wisconsin including Mathilde Anneke, Juliet Severance, and others. News: Madison police arrested, child labor story, and UW charter school worries.Oleh CJ Lane, Kent Taylor

C.J. and Kent talk about the results of the 2022 Midterm elections, as well as doing a Wisconsin story grab bag, where they pick random stories from The Wisconsin Story: 150 Stories for 150 Years.Oleh CJ Lane, Kent Taylor

C.J. and Kent finish their discussion on the haunted history of Whitewater by discussing the numerous urban legends about the town and the handful of events that helped to inspire them. News: Barnes says RoJo threat to U.S., MKE election official to be charged, and local man’s Hitler Halloween costume.…

C.J. and Kent begin their discussion about the haunted history of Whitewater, Wisconsin, by talking about the history of the Morris Pratt Institute, one of the only Spiritualist schools in the United States. News: Culture wars policies plague WI school boards, Brooks found guilty, and Van-Orden’s prayer breakfast comments.…

C.J. and Kent pick random stories from a collection of Wisconsin ghost books, reading stories from Weird Wisconsin, Myths and Mysteries of Wisconsin, and Spooky Wisconsin. News: WILL student loan appeal rejected, RoJo’s “election integrity incident” site, interactive PFAS map, and water treatment surplus investments.…

This week C.J. and Kent talk about everybody’s favorite cryptid: Mothman. C.J. takes a break from skepticism to offer his own theory on Mothman and other strange flying creatures seen in the Great Lakes region. Oh, there are also a few new Mothman cases! News: Old World Monkeys retire, ancient canoes may indicate hidden village, and WI tribe seeks …

This week C.J. and Kent keep things spooky by discussing a handful of Wisconsin ghost stories including tales about Marquette University, UW Madison, and the Octagon House. News: Menominee charter school language immersion, WILL lawsuit dismissed, and snowy 2022 winter ahead.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

This week C.J. and Kent discuss Psycho; both the novel, by Robert Bloch, and the movie, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. News: Johnson, Michaels won’t commit to accepting 2022 results; tech college board members refuse to step-down.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

This week C.J. and Kent discuss the career of Robert Bloch, who was a pulp novelist who was a part of the Lovecraft Circle alongside August Derleth. They discuss Bloch’s writing style as well as a general outline of his body of work. News: Ancient canoe recovered; PFAS mitigation delayed again; Alligator sighting in Kewaskum.…

This week C.J. talks about the news with Kent and then, due to technical difficulties, CJ solos a few news stories from the Wisconsin Historical Society archives. News: Brett Favre welfare scandal; White Supremacists use Waukesha parade tragedy for recruiting.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

Join C.J. and Kent for a discussion about Yerkes Observatory, home of the world’s largest refracting telescope and former home of the University of Chicago astronomy and astrophysics department. News: Abortion acces post-Roe; Enbridge Line-5 Tresspass; Police benefitting from opiate settlement plan.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

In lieu of not posting an episode this week, enjoy a crossover episode of this week's Historaholics, ep. 45: MK ULTRA Part Four: The Tragic Tale of Frank Olson (Wisconsin native), where CJ and Zak discuss the death of Frank, whether it be by suicide or homicide, after an LSD-fueled CIA retreat.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

This week C.J. and Evan discuss the disappearance of Northwest Orient Flight 2501 in the summer of 1950. News: Federal funding for WI conservation projects approved; Lumberjack World Championships.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

Join C.J. and Evan for a discussion on even more Wisconsin weirdness including charcoal-colored cloud-like things and haunted bunk beds. News Primary election winners and losers.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

Join C.J. and Evan as they discuss the father of MK ULTRA (and UW Madison graduate) Sidney Gottlieb and his role in the CIA’s search for the Manchurian candidate. News: Ron Johnson on Social Security and Medicare; AR-15s in Madison County schools.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

This week C.J. and Evan finish their conversation about Carl Sandburg by talking about some poems from one of his last collections, Harvest Poems: 1910-1960, as well as their reactions to his life and work. News: No fraud found in Gableman probe; Godlewski suspends and Dems coalesce for midterm elections.…

This week C.J. and Evan continue their discussion of Carl Sandburg by talking about his massive Abraham Lincoln biography and his poetry collection The People, Yes. News: Republican Governor pre-debate discussion and commentary.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

This week C.J. and Evan discuss Carl Sandburg’s work on the Chicago race riot of 1919 as well as his poetry collection Smoke and Steel. News: New 988 Emergency Crisis Line; Trump’s bogus ballot box claims.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

This week C.J. and Evan have a discussion about Carl Sandburg and his early life and works, up to the publication of Chicago Poems in 1916. News: Kenosha Cty declares 2nd Amendment sanctuary; WI Supreme Court disallows absentee ballots; Ron Johnson pulls campaign ad.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

This Week C.J. and Evan discuss poems and a short story from a collection of writings by Indigenous Wisconsinites called Dreaming History. News: Wisconsin leaders respond to Roe v. Wade decision (and so do we).Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

This week C.J. and Evan discuss the neurodivergence of Rosemary Kennedy, her family’s response to it, and her eventual lobotomy. News: Dane Co. sues over PFAS requirements; Madison’s 33rd Juneteenth celebration; Goodman Community Center Free Career Closet.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

This week the Brutal Wisconsin boys discuss some more Wisconsin weirdness including: more Mothman, the Beast of 92, and Forest Hill Cemetery. News: The Contemptible Gableman; GOP allows Evers Admin PFAS standards.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

C.J. and Evan discuss the experiences of two B-17 crew men from the state of Wisconsin, as well as the experiences of the German victims of their attacks. News: WI sundown towns; Lyin’ Ted heads to MKE; Afghan refugee dentist story.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

Join C.J.and Evan as they discuss the story of the goatman of Washington County, in both folklore and, possibly, reality. News: Whitefish Bay students protest gun violence; Lac du Flambeau tribal youth taught tradition of spearfishing.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

Join Evan for a dramatic reading of The Ancestor, by August Derleth.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

C.J. and Evan finish their discussion of August Derleth by touching on his relationship with noted racist H.P. Lovecraft. Because of Derleth’s pivotal role in the preservation of Lovecraft’s work we will touch on the Cthulhu Mythos, as well as Lovecraft’s racism. News: WI Cannabis Expo; State legislators joining right-wing FB groups.…

Join C.J., Evan, and Kent as they continue their discussion of August Derleth and his work. This week they discuss more of his poetry, as well as prose poems from his book Walden West. News: Wisconsin legislators mass exodus; RoJo only more popular than McConnell.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

Join C.J., Evan, and Kent as they discuss the life of August Derleth, one of the most prolific writers from the state of Wisconsin. This week they will discuss his work, including reading a few of his poems, as well as his numerous achievements. News: AG Kaul refuses abortion ban enforcement; Madison anti-abortion arson attack.…

Join C.J., Evan, and Kent for the hundredth episode of Brutal Wisconsin! We reflect on 100 episodes and engage in some good ol’ Spring Spookin’!Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

Join your hosts C.J. and Evan as they discuss more myths of Manabush, a culture hero of the Anishinabe. This week they go beyond the stories of the Menominee by discussing Chippewa and Ojibwa stories as well. News: Uptick in white supremacist activity in WI; plans to change the derogatory names of places in Wisconsin.…

Join your hosts C.J. and Evan as they discuss the stories of Manabush, a culture hero of the Menominee. This week they talk about Manabush’s origins, the time he told his thigh to keep watch, and the origin of corn. News: Cavalier Johnson’s victory, and WIGOP election “review” continues.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor

Join your hosts C.J. and Evan as they discuss some more Wisconsin folklore, this week they discuss indigenous stories, lumberjack tall-tales, and urban legends. News: Pro-Ivermectin candidate joins AG race, and Tommy Thompson meets w/Trump.Oleh CJ Lane, Evan Oakeson, Kent Taylor