Orlando-based Ripley's new podcast promises to be weird, believe it or not

Robert Ripley was a media genius, regularly appearing on television and radio to promote his unique brand of weird. Now the 100-year-old Orlando-based brand he left behind is continuing right where he left off. Just days after the relaunch of the Ripley's Believe It or Not! television series, now seen on Travel Channel, a new Ripley’s podcast was launched. The new "Ripley’s Believe It or Notcast" launched last week.

“While searching for artifacts to exhibit in our Believe It or Not! odditoriums and stories to tell in Ripley books and online, our editors meet unbelievable experts with unique perspectives we are dying to tell,” says Ripley’s Believe It or Not! creative content manager Sabrina Sieck. “The Believe It or Notcast is now home to those first-person interviews and peculiar tales that are incredibly hard to believe, but undeniably true!”

The brand-new podcast will honor the century-long history of Robert Ripley while remaining focused on the weird of today. Ghost hunter and author Ryan Clark and journalist Brent Donaldson host the interview-format show.

Dropping new episodes every Tuesday, the show explores bizarre topics from around the world. Episode One kept the focus on Florida with guest Dave Shealy talking about his South Florida skunk ape research center. Multi-dimensional shifting Bigfoots, Florida’s wild primate infestation, and legal protections of cryptids were all covered in the 32-minute episode.

Future episodes will feature a long list of unique experts including Lonely Planet editor Ben Bucker, exorcism expert Father Vincent Lampert, and horror icon Bruce Campbell, who hosts the new Ripley’s television series.

Ripley’s promises the podcast will help with answers to questions you never knew to ask, like, "How did conjoined twins Chang and Eng father 21 children? Are exorcisms like the movies? And what should you do if you capture Bigfoot?"

Host Ryan Clark exclaims: “Strap in, we are taking listeners on a real ride. … These stories will leave you captivated, maybe even confounded. And the best part? They’re all true. Believe them or not.”

This isn’t the first Ripley’s podcast. They also host a daily story of the weird, "Ripley’s Weird Minute," and archives for their previous radio shows are still online. The new "Ripley’s Believe It or Notcast" can be found on all major podcast players including Spotify, PodCoin, Stitcher, Anchor, Google Podcasts, and iTunes.

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