Dystopian Simulation Radio: Conspiracies with added comedy

Have You Heard? is where the Pod Bible team meet the people behind the podcasts you may not have heard of yet. This time we’re speaking to Linz and Chris from Dystopian Simulation Radio – the perfect podcast for listeners ready to delve into the unsolved, paranormal and bizarre…

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

Linz: I’m Linz, I’m a blogger and researcher for the Generation Why Podcast and my blogs are published every Tuesday at genwhypod.com, I’ve also written a book on ten real life cases of missing people. I’m one of the hosts of DSR, our podcast is about real life cases from around the world covering true crime, unsolved cases, cryptids, the paranormal, UFOs & aliens, and bizarre & interesting individuals. We dig deep to bring lesser known cases to the listeners, as well as covering listener suggestions.

Chris: I’m Chris, I’m the other host and a number of the cases I present come from Japan where I spent a large chunk of my adult life. I have an unhealthy interest in the X-Files and pro-wrestling and shoehorn them into our little podcast whenever I can. This is probably as close as I’ll get to being Fox Mulder! Our podcast is unlike most other true crime or ‘conspiracy’ podcasts as we also fit within the comedy category. We’re a serious podcast that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Linz: However, we do take the true crime episodes seriously and try to cover them in a factual and sensitive manner. When we’re not covering true crime cases, however, we do get pretty silly.

What was the first podcast you listened to?

Linz: Generation Why was one of my first. I listened to stand alone episodes of other podcasts here and there, but Generation Why was the first one I binged!

God is Dead / Depravity Land is another podcast I couldn’t get enough of. Wildly different subject matter which I think reflects in the stories I choose to cover on Dystopian Simulation Radio.

Chris: My introduction to podcasting was through John Pollock and Was Ting’s Review-a-Wai podcast. Suddenly there was this watershed moment where I realised that there was a specific signal I could tune into that talked about the content I cared about! I began searching out more and more about all these niche little topics which has ultimately lead me to the point where we can release an hour’s deep dive into all the ways people have died at Disneyland and have listeners demand more!

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

Linz: We always wanted to do a project together, but we needed to find the right format. We really started talking about doing a podcast during the pandemic when I had just finished up my book. I got involved with some other podcasts on the blogging side of things and suggested to Chris that we should give it a go!

Chris: Linz & I have been friends for nearly 20 years now and we riff off of each other effortlessly. When Linz suggested we start a podcast I was down for it straight away because I knew we would work in podcast form… we just needed a topic! As Linz had just completed her book in the genre of true crime it felt like the perfect jumping off point. Plus, Ant and Dec have dominated the Geordie entertainment scene for too long now and they need to be put out to pasture.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

Linz: Generation Why since they’re two friends covering true crime, Depravityland, also two friends discussing weird, cringe and gross content on the internet and laughing a lot while doing it, Morbidology, Em is such an inspiration to me, she does so much on her own, podcasting, books, blogging, even a bit of Youtube now I think. She also helps me and DSR out a lot when it comes to advice and sharing our stuff.

I also take inspiration from Do Go On, an Australian Podcast that has a similar format to us as its one host telling a story to the others with a lot of laughs.

Chris: I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from outside the world of true crime, although I do have to shout out Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know which is the kind of standard I try to aspire too. I love podcasts that review old wrestling events, like OSW Review or The Attitude Era Podcast, and I’ve tried to incorporate some of their style into what we do. I think that’s where a lot of the comedy elements of the podcast come from, where else would you find a podcast that covers murders but also Michael Jackson’s missing monkey?

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

Linz: Without a doubt it’s Mao Sugiyama, one of the subjects of a DSR episode. He’s a Japanese artist / chef who wanted to modify his body to the point of no longer being human. He arranged an ‘art exhibition’, in his words, where willing people paid to eat his genitalia…that he had removed and cooked himself. He’d be a wonderful podcast, and/or dinner, guest. I just wonder what he’s up to now….

Chris: I’d love to have Jessie Ventura on the podcast. For anyone who doesn’t know, he’s a former navy seal turned professional wrestler turned governor of Minnesota turned conspiracy theorist. His TV show brought so many conspiracies to my attention…not necessarily to my belief…but certainly to my attention. Most notably the Denver airport conspiracy which we have a whole, wild, episode on. The whole world really is connected by pro-wrestling…

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

Linz: Don’t try to record a podcast on a Britney Spears style headset mic that you bought on discount at Argos. Invest in some halfway good equipment from the jump because you will end up with more issues in the end if you don’t. You don’t need to go wild but get yourself a decent mic and a pop shield! Also, make sure you’re having fun!

Chris: Reach out and make friends in the community, not just your listeners but to other podcasters in the same sphere as you. It’s amazing how supportive the community is and that’s one of the things that keeps me going with the podcast. I listen to every episode of Live, Laugh, Larceny because they reached out early on and let us know they enjoyed our Chris Benoit episode!

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

Linz: If you like True Crime, I’d recommend the Futoshi Matsunaga episode, ‘The Kitakyush Serial Murder Incident, as it’s one of the most unbelievable stories you’ll ever hear. If you’re into your UFO/paranormal stuff I’d recommend ‘The Robert Taylor Incident’ as it’s where it all began and it’s the only UFO case ever investigated by the British police.

Chris: For the sheer insanity of it, I’d say ‘Monsieur de Rougemont – Cannibal Chief’ about a man who got shipwrecked on an island and…well…let’s just say it ends with him waterskiing on the back of a sea turtle. If you’re after a few laughs, our latest episode on ‘The Moon Landings & The Future of Space’ was possibly one of the funniest episodes, according to our listeners anyway!

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

Linz: You can find us and interact with us on Instagram @d.s.radio where you will see our Linktree link in the bio with all our links to ours socials. You can also find a list of our episodes at dsr.bruzzsprout.com

Chris: You can listen to us on your podcast platform of choice by searching “Dystopian Simulation Radio”- don’t forget to subscribe! Hope to see you in the Dystopian Simulation!

Listen to Dystopian Simulation Radio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

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