Somewhere in the Skies

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Jim Marrs (1943-2017) On episode 17 of SOMEWHERE IN THE SKIES, Ryan speaks briefly about the recent passing of conspiracy legend and author, Jim Marrs. Then, he sits down with Peter Robbins, UFO researcher and author for an in-studio discussion. After a few beers, Robbins runs us through a brand new lecture he's currently shaping and refining on the following:  The lecture begins with questioning why 'we' respond to the subject of UFOs the way we do and how society was conditioned to understand that UFOs are nonsense. What constitutes 'proof,' or at the least, UFO related images we should consider taking seriously? What about 'ancient aliens' type images? What about other historical imagery? What we can learn from pre-digital UFO photographs, and what marks the 'real' ones as authentic? How did UFO news coverage, that is print journalism, impact public thinking in the 1940s? And what was the legacy it implanted in the public's psyches? How will the truth ultimately manifest itself? Alternate theories are examined and considered in this episode. WARNING: This conversation relied heavily on images. For the best representation, It's highly suggested that you follow along at the following link while listening for the best experience. Guest Bio: Peter Robbins is an investigative writer, author, and lecturer, best known for his books, columns, articles, radio commentaries, interviews and conference talks He has appeared as a guest on and been a consultant to numerous television programs and documentaries. Peter was born in Queens New York and studied art, design, and theater at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. He received his BFA (painting, film history) from New York City’s School of Visual Arts (SVA) where he also taught painting for a dozen years. He was studio assistant to Abstract Expressionist painter Adolph Gotlieb, studio assistant to American primitive painter William Cply (correct spelling), and general assistant to pioneer kinetic light sculptor Stanley Landsman. He has also worked as a carpenter, art gallery assistant, the mid-1980s he became seriously involved in UFO research when his knowledge of classified data indicated to him the US government was not telling the public the truth about UFOs. He is coauthor of the British best-seller, Left at East Gate: A First-Hand Account of the Rendlesham Forest UFO Incident, Its Cover-Up and Investigation, and author of Deliberate Deception: A Case of Disinformation in the UFO Research Community, and Halt In Woodbridge: An Air Force Colonel’s Thirty-Year Fight to Silence an Authentic UFO Whistle-Blower. Website: www.somewhereintheskies.com Email: Sprague51@hotmail.com Twitter: @SomewhereSkies Order Ryan's Book by CLICKING HERESupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/somewhere-in-the-skies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On episode 16 of SOMEWHERE IN THE SKIES, Ryan is joined by Sammy Waisenen, host of the popular podcast, THE HOWL HORROR PROGRAM. This is a podcast mash-up where Ryan and Sammy discuss their personal UFO sightings, what they love about horror movies, and their admiration for the 1993 film, FIRE IN THE SKY. FIRE IN THE SKY is the comprehensive story of a logger named Travis Walton who mysteriously disappears in 1975. Walton and co-workers accidentally discover a UFO and unfortunately, they all escape except Walton who is elevated aboard the bizarre aircraft. As time passes, the small town of Snowflake, Arizona begins to believe that the other loggers are covering up the murder of Walton. But when Walton shows up sometime later, his story of what happened is both incredible and downright terrifying. Sammy and Ryan dissect the film and go in depth about the dichotomy between the Hollywood version and the actual events that Travis Walton recounted to the public. It was a fresh take on this classic UFO film. Will there be a remake that follows Walton's version in a more accurate light? And what stunning revelations has Travis Walton brought forward about what truly happened to him on the craft that night? Tune in to find out. Guest Bio: Sammy Waisanen is the creator and host of the HOWL HORROR PROGRAM; a podcast devoted to horror movies of all kinds, from all eras. Each episode, Sammy brings on a wide range of guests including musicians, authors, burlesque performers, and television horror hosts to discuss the movies they love, and why they love them. Sammy is also the co-host of the BACK TO LIFE PODCAST, a podcast about the finer things in life like; fast food, television, aliens, music, and complaining about anything and everything. Both shows can be found on iTunes, Stitcher, and at www.backtolifepodcast.com. Outside of podcasting, Sammy has always been interested in a wide range of topics including talk radio, cryptozoology, UFO's & aliens, the paranormal, and true crime. All Past Episodes, Articles, and special content can be found at www.somewhereintheskies.com Guest & Topic Suggestions: Sprague@somewhereintheskies.com Twitter: @SomewhereSkies Order Ryan's Book by CLICKING HERE Donations to the show are beyond appreciated. To donate, CLICK HERESupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/somewhere-in-the-skies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On episode 15 of SOMEWHERE IN THE SKIES, Ryan is joined by David Jenkins. Jenkins is the creator and executive producer of the hit television series, PEOPLE OF EARTH, on TBS Network. The show is a gentle and modestly pleasing comedy about a support group for alien abductees, but as we learn in this interview, it's about much more. Jenkins explains the inception of the show, his thorough research into the UFO and abduction phenomenon, and where the show is heading with its second season premiering tonight! Jenkins doesn't do podcast interviews often, let alone a UFO one, so it was a huge honor to have him on the show. It's also very clear that although the show may be considered a comedy, the heart and compassion brought forward by the creative team behind PEOPLE OF EARTH is palpable, and no matter your beliefs on the alien abduction phenomenon, this is a show worth watching, and a topic worth discussing as we continue to reach further and further out into the cosmos.  Guest Bio: David Jenkins received undergraduate degrees in political science and philosophy from Boston University, and an MFA in acting from New York University. While working as an actor in both New York and Chicago, he began writing plays, eventually founding a theater company called "Human Animals". PEOPLE OF EARTH is his first television project. Website: www.somewhereintheskies.com Twitter: @SomewhereSkies Email: Sprague@somewhereintheskies.com Order Ryan's Book: HERE * All sound clips in this episode courtesy of TBS Network. For promotional purposes only.   Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/somewhere-in-the-skies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On episode 13 of SOMEWHERE IN THE SKIES, Ryan confesses his closeted passion for punk music, and is then joined by journalist, Mike Damante, to talk about his book, Punk Rock and UFOs: Cryptozoology Meets Anarchy. What exactly does punk music have in common with the UFO topic? And how has Damante infused this into his own research into the topic? His theories on UFOs are complex and extremely intriguing, and we dive deep into them on this week's show. We also talk about his latest endeavor with his new website, PunkRockandUFOs.com Guest Bio: Damante is the author of the book, Punk Rock and UFOs: Cryptozoology Meets Anarchy. He is also an established journalist, having worked for the Houston Chronicle as a copy editor, writer, reporter and web producer. He currently produces their "MIKED" music blog and has interviewed bands and musicians like Bad Religion, blink-182, Taking Back Sunday, Tom DeLonge, Tegan and Sara, Aerosmith, B.o.B and countless others. He currently teaches Journalism and English in Houston, TX. All his work can be found at his website: PunkRockandUFOs.com   Guest & Topic Suggestions: Sprague@somewhereintheskies.com Twitter: @SomewhereSkies Facebook Group: Click Here Order "Somewhere in the Skies" book HereSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/somewhere-in-the-skies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 12 of SOMEWHERE IN THE SKIES: In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the 1947 Roswell crash, Ryan speaks with documentary filmmaker, Simon Sharman. They discuss his new film, Cosmic Whistleblowers. What began as one final attempt to interview the last living witnesses of the Roswell UFO incident of 1947 unexpectedly turns into a two-year investigation of the UFO investigators themselves, in what some have said is the most revealing documentary ever made about the UFO issue. With incredible interviews given by retired military personnel with Top Secret clearance, ex-NASA officials and others who became embroiled in this extraordinary event, Cosmic Whistleblowers is the final and perhaps last chance at discovering the truth on the biggest UFO mystery of the last century. Guest Bio: Simon Sharman grew up in the 1970s on a tv and film diet of Space 1999, Star Wars, and Alien, but it was 1960s tv series, The Invaders, that sticks in his mind over all the rest. During his early twenties whilst studying a business degree, he realized he wanted to make films more than making money. Since then, he's made countless films in the form of tv broadcasts across major UK channels. His work covered producing live format studio shows, music documentaries, entertainment series and even directing shoots on real life crime shows. And whilst all this was happening he was still finding the time to build what eventually became a substantial personal library on the UFO subject. He started researching UFO material in 1989 and never stopped.  Being the one topic he doesn't get bored of, he decided it was probably a good idea to make his films about this. Cosmic Whistleblowers was his debut feature film on the subject. To view the film and learn more about Simon, visit: www.cosmicwhistleblowers.com Guest and Topic Suggestions: Sprague@somewhereintheskies.com Twitter: @SomewhereSkies Facebook Group: Here Order Ryan's Book by Clicking HereSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/somewhere-in-the-skies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On episode 11 of SOMEWHERE IN THE SKIES, Ryan speaks with Erica Lukes, a UFO researcher out of Utah. They discuss the many mysterious happenings at Dugway Proving Ground, a U.S. Army facility known for testing biological and chemical weapons. But recently, many exotic aircraft and UFO activity have been reported in and around the base. Erica also speaks to us about the strange plethora of activity surrounding the Skinwalker Ranch. The conversation then moves to strictly UFOs with Erica's research into a 2014 mass UFO sighting over Salt Lake City, the orange orb phenomenon, and the stunning UFO incident of American Airlines Flight 434. Guest Bio: Erica Lukes is the head of Unexplained Utah, an organization which is focused upon scientifically researching Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. She is currently developing research protocols that can be utilized by other organizations and to streamline the research process. She now serves as the Communications Director for the International Association of UAP Researchers. She has collected decades’ worth of case reports from Skinwalker Ranch regarding mass sightings of UFOs, mysterious mutilations of animals, and alien abductions. Erica was the team-leader on a research program called “Project Orange.” This project is specifically dedicated to studying sightings and clusters of orange/red orbs. Erica was also the lead investigator on the American Airlines 434 case over Nephi, Utah. Her weekly radio show, UFO Classified, and all her work can be found at: www.ufoclassified.com ​Guest & Topic Suggestions: Sprague@somewhereintheskies.com Twitter: @SomewhereSkies Facebook Group: Click Here Order Ryan's Book by Clicking Here  Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/somewhere-in-the-skies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On episode 10 of SOMEWHERE IN THE SKIES, Ryan speaks with Mark O'Connell, author of the recently released book, The Close Encounters Man: How One Man Made the World Believe in UFOs. The book chronicles the life and career of J. Allen Hynek, who was hired by the Air Force to debunk Unidentified Flying Object sightings reported across the country. But after years of denials, Hynek made a shocking pronouncement: UFOs are real.  With unprecedented access to Hynek’s personal and professional files, Mark O’Connell smashes conventional wisdom to reveal the intriguing man and scientist beneath the legend. Tracing Hynek’s career, O'Connell examines Hynek’s often-ignored work as a professional astronomer to create a complete portrait of a groundbreaking enthusiast who became an American cult icon and transformed the way we see our world and our universe. Guest Bio: Mark O’Connell is a screenwriter, teacher, and blogger. He wrote episodes for Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and has developed feature film projects with major studios, including Walt Disney and DreamWorks Animation. He is a former MUFON investigator and also the founder of the UFO blog High Strangeness. He lives in Wisconsin with his wife, Monica, and teaches screenwriting at DePaul University in Chicago.His work can be found at: www.highstrangenessufo.com Guest or Topic Suggestions: Sprague@somewhereintheskies.com Twitter: SomewhereSkies Facebook Group: Click Here Order Ryan's Book: HereSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/somewhere-in-the-skies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On episode 09 of SOMEWHERE IN THE SKIES, Ryan conducts the first in-studio interview with Andrew Sanford, host of the current events comedy podcast, Half White Son of a Black Man. Being a skeptic, Andrew comes on the show to hear some of the more convincing aspects of the UFO question. They also discuss the 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast that shook the nation, the Travis Walton incident, and the heavy power of belief. They round out the conversation with a light-hearted segment from Andrew's podcast called "Explain". It was a refreshing mash-up of podcasts, and certainly won't be the last we hear from the half-white son of a black man! Andrew Sanford is a writer/performer located in New York City. As a writer, he has written a full-length graphic novel called Gwendolyn that was published in 2014 and he has twice been a featured writer in the 2014 and 2016 ABC New Talent Showcases. As a performer, he has produced and starred in a host of online content and is currently hosting a weekly podcast called Half White Son of a Black Man. His work can be found at: www.halfwhitesonofablackman.com Guest and topic suggestions: Sprague@somewhereintheskies.com Twitter: @SomewhereSkies Facebook Group: Click here Order Ryan's book by Clicking here UFOs: Reframing the Debate is available by Clicking hereSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/somewhere-in-the-skies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On episode 08 of SOMEWHERE IN THE SKIES, Ryan begins with a recent '60 Minutes' interview with aerospace millionaire, Robert Bigelow, where he made dramatic claims that not only are UFOs real, but that the occupants of these craft have already visited the planet and continue to do so. Ryan then speaks with Jane Kyle, a UFO researcher out of Texas. They discuss some of the more famous cases to come out of the area, such as the Cash/Landrum incident and the Stephenville Lights. Jane then brings us through some of her personal investigations and research into local cases, including a strange ring of light in Houston and mysterious humming noises throughout Texas. The conversation is rounded out by Jane's personal thoughts on getting younger people involved in UFO studies, and she also comments on the whole Tom DeLonge controversy in respect to his UFO work. In a state whose unofficial motto is "Go Big or Go Home!", we certainly lived up to said motto in this episode. Jane Kyle is a UFO researcher and writer living in Texas, and has documented over 1,000 local and worldwide UFO sightings since beginning the site in 2012. With a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, a ten-year career in writing and marketing, and an addiction to exploring the unknown, she offers up a unique perspective on the subject matter. Jane lives with her husband, son, three dogs, and cat in her home state of Texas. She is definitely not an alien hybrid. Visit Jane at: www.TexasUFOs.com Guest and Topic Suggestions: Sprague@somewhereintheskies.com Twitter: @SomewhereSkies Ryan's book is available in Paperback & Ebook by Clicking HereSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/somewhere-in-the-skies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On episode 07 of SOMEWHERE IN THE SKIES, Ryan speaks with author and researcher, Nick Redfern.  In 2005, a book hit the shelves that completely shattered the Roswell UFO incident into pieces, and caused quite a stir in the UFO community and beyond. Rather than a crashed UFO piloted by alien beings, a new theory was brought to the table: a highly confidential, U.S. government-sanctioned program to conduct medical experiments on handicapped, disfigured, and diseased Japanese POWs, exploited as "expendable" victims by their captors and flown at high altitudes in advanced balloons and possible aircraft over the New Mexico desert. That book was Bodysnatchers in the Desert: The Horrible Truth at the Heart of the Roswell Story. Now, author, Nick Redfern, has stirred the pot once more expanding on the information in a follow-up book, The Roswell UFO Conspiracy: Exposing a Shocking and Sinister Secret. Ryan speaks with Redfern about the new information he's uncovered concerning his original theories on what crashed in 1947, and who may have been responsible. As we head toward the 70th anniversary, is it possible that the most famous UFO incident of all time may, in fact, have had nothing to do with UFOs and aliens at all? Guest Bio: Nick Redfern is the author of more than forty books. They include Men in Black; Women in Black; and 365 Days of UFOs. Nick has appeared on many TV shows, including the BBC’s Out of This World; the SyFy Channel’s Proof Positive; the History Channel’s Monster Quest, America’s Book of Secrets, Ancient Aliens UFO Hunters, the National Geographic Channel’s Paranatural, and MSNBC’s Countdown with Keith Olbermann. He can be contacted Here. Guest and Topic Suggestions: Sprague@somewhereintheskies.com Twitter: @SomewhereSkies Ryan's Book in paperback and Ebook: HereSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/somewhere-in-the-skies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices