Mission Implausible

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As former high-level CIA operatives, John Sipher and Jerry O'Shea would create fake conspiracies around the world. Now, with the help of experts, they execute their own fun and fearless investigation into conspiracy theories past and present to assess what's real. And how. And why.

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    • May 18, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 31m AVG DURATION
    • 76 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Mission Implausible podcast is truly a gem in the world of podcasts. With its unique blend of humor and information, this show captivates listeners from start to finish. The hosts are incredibly funny but also know how to navigate complex topics with logic and clarity. They skillfully take us on a journey through various conspiracy theories, revealing their twisted logic while explaining the "why" behind these beliefs. It's both fascinating and disturbing to witness firsthand the depths some fellow Americans will go to believe in such ideas.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is the way it breaks down conspiracy theories and explains them in an easily digestible manner. The hosts don't just dismiss these theories as crazy; instead, they dive deep into the history, bringing in subject matter experts to provide valuable insights. It's not just entertainment; it's education. We learn about historical events, gain knowledge from experts, and even get schooled in logistics. This podcast truly goes above and beyond to deliver a comprehensive understanding of these conspiracy theories.

    Another great aspect is the humor injected into every episode. The hosts have impeccable comedic timing, and their wit shines through in every conversation. They follow the logical progression of each theory until it reaches its hilariously absurd conclusion. It's refreshing to see humor being used as a tool to debunk these conspiracy theories, making them appear fundamentally silly rather than causing fear or confusion among listeners.

    If there is one downside to this podcast, it may be that some listeners could find certain topics troubling or disturbing. Conspiracy theories often touch on sensitive subjects or challenge widely accepted truths, which can be uncomfortable for some people. However, the hosts handle these topics with sensitivity and respect, ensuring that listeners feel informed rather than overwhelmed by what they hear.

    In conclusion, The Mission Implausible podcast is nothing short of amazing. It provides an incredible balance between humor and information, keeping listeners engaged and entertained throughout each episode. The depth at which they explore conspiracy theories, along with the inclusion of experts and historical context, sets this podcast apart from others in its genre. It's a must-listen for anyone fascinated by the human mind and the bizarre beliefs some individuals hold. Prepare to be educated, entertained, and amused by this exceptional podcast.



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    Latest episodes from Mission Implausible

    How Everyone Else Sees America (with Gabriel Gatehouse)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2025 41:22 Transcription Available


    Gabriel Gatehouse is a journalist and broadcaster and author of “The Coming Storm” that looks at Q Anon and the January 6th conspiracies. And he’s British!

    Weapons of Mass Destruction (with Valerie Plame)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2025 38:52 Transcription Available


    Former undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame was outed by The Bush Administration when her husband exposed the lie behind the claim of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq that was used as justification for the U.S. to invade. - A REAL government conspiracy

    Get Ready for Martial Law (with Joe Walsh)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2025 42:20 Transcription Available


    Former Tea Party Republican Congressman, and now hardcore Anti-Trumper, Joe Walsh has dire warnings for all of us. America's failure has been a failure of imagination -- unable to imagine what Trump would try to do. Prepare for the 2026 elections to be cancelled, for the military to go after civilian protesters, and anything else you thought was far-fetched. Walsh has an inside understanding of "the MAGA cult" but he also has a gift for constructively engaging with them. Listen to find out more!

    Alpha Make Brent Terhune

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2025 34:03 Transcription Available


    Hoosier comedian Brent Terhune finds the inspiration behind his viral MAGA character.

    "Bad Astronomer" Phil Plait

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2025 38:54 Transcription Available


    In classic Mission Implausible style, astronomer Phil Plait comes on to debunk a litany of space conspiracy theories and other pseudo-science scams.

    Michael Ian Black Has the Answers

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2025 41:30 Transcription Available


    Michael Ian Black -- humorist, political blogger, comedian, team captain of CNN's "Have I Got News for You," and generational poker talent -- brings all his skills to making sense of Trump and those who enable (or take advantage of) him. He also has something to say about the establishment and lifting of tariffs this week... actually, during the actual recording of the episode. (with guest Michael Ian Black, if that wasn't clear)

    The Army of God (with Stephanie McCrummen)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2025 34:13 Transcription Available


    The New Apostolic Reformation is a growing anti-democratic religious movement that believes that God speaks through modern-day apostles and prophets. How did they become energetic allies of Trump?

    JFK Assassination Convert Phil Robinson

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 41:12 Transcription Available


    Last week’s dump of the remains of the JFK Assassination files were a complete dud (except for the sloppy non-redaction of social security numbers and the names of intelligence sources). Hollywood movie director Phil Robinson wasn’t surprised. For years, he’d grown up a JFK Assassination conspiracy theorist. But when he dug deep enough he found… nothing. Now he extols the sadly mundane truth — it was just Lee Harvey Oswald acting alone. How did he climb out of this, the most famous of rabbit holes?

    The First Two Months (with Mike Rothschild)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025 33:06 Transcription Available


    The first two months of Trump's term have been a tour de force of chaos, bizarre hires and indecipherable decisions. Conspiracy theories operate on both sides of the equation. They are attempts to find an underlying rationale for moves by Trump and Musk, often presuming nefarious motivations of self-interest. Conspiracy theories are also being used as a tool to justify actions that are unpopular or destructive. From USAID to Fort Knox to anything "deep state," are these false conspiracy theories deliberately fabricated as misinformation or are they the convictions of True Believers?

    Opus Dei: A Real Conspiracy (with Gareth Gore) - Part Two

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2025 21:25 Transcription Available


    We continue with Gareth Gore, author of: Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church. Opus Dei has worked behind the scenes for decades to build up political influence and power in the U.S., bankrolling many right-wing causes.

    Opus Dei: A Real Conspiracy (with Gareth Gore) - Part One

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 25:11 Transcription Available


    Opus Dei is a secretive, ultra-conservative Catholic sect. Gareth Gore uncovered how it pushed its radical agenda within the Church and around the globe, using billions of dollars siphoned from one of the world’s largest banks. His book is: Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church.

    Encore Presentation: The Deepest State (with Mark Zaid)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2025 28:23 Transcription Available


    D.C. lawyer Mark Zaid is in the news this week, having been specifically targeted by Trump for representing a whistleblower involved with Trump's first impeachment. As such, we're revisiting this episode from last year in which Mark Zaid talks about the cases he's taken over the years and the fictional concept of The Deep State. As someone recently blueskyed, "If there really was a 'Deep State' it would have shut this s**t show down already!"

    Trae Crowder, The Liberal Redneck

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025 42:17 Transcription Available


    Comedian Trae Crowder is from a tiny town in Tennessee, so he has a unique point of view on conservative, liberals, MAGA and especially J.D. Vance… what’s the deal with that guy?? Well, Trae knows a thing or two.

    The Cult of Trump (with Steven Hassan)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2025 36:04 Transcription Available


    Steven Hassan was once sucked into The Moonies. He broke free and has devoted the subsequent 50 years to becoming and expert on mind control and cults and then using that knowledge to help others escape cults and rejoin their lives. Cults take many forms, but their tactics are very similar. Which brings us to MAGA. Does it fit the definition of a cult? If so, how are people indoctrinated and how can they be supported in leaving?

    How Easy Is It for Our Government to Pull off More Conspiracies (with Tim Weiner)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2025 27:44 Transcription Available


    Previously, we talked with Tim Weiner about an actual U.S. government conspiracy, The Iran Contra Affair, and a conspiracy theory, the Iranian hostages October Surprise. It was almost kept undetected, and plenty of people escaped accountability. In a continuation of that conversation, we look at the many routes to our executive branch pulling off similar actions in secrecy. Specifically, the INCOMING executive branch, which seems to be being designed for it. And if it’s that doable, there must be so many that remain undiscovered.

    Did CIA Kill JFK? (with Gus Russo)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025 33:51 Transcription Available


    Gus Russo’s research into the Kennedy Assassination is second only to The Warren Commission. He’s been to primary sources. He’s seen documents few ever have. And he’s ready to address the question of whether CIA was involved in the assassination. Here’s his answer: No. So why DO people still suspect CIA? And who else WAS involved? He’s got answers to that too. Also, why the government shouldn’t release the JFK files.

    The JFK Assassination: A New Clue, Never Before Revealed (with David Reuben)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2025 38:32 Transcription Available


    In our first live (sort of) episode, a former investigator for the Chicago District Attorney shares a connected story about Jack Ruby that has never been heard before. John & Jerry & Jon and their guest review the prevailing theories in the first of our occassional search for a conclusion to the biggest conspiracy theory of all time.

    Codes & Ciphers & Puzzles (with A.J. Jacobs)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2025 35:23 Transcription Available


    A.J. Jacobs (host of The Puzzler podcast and author of The Puzzler book) swaps tales of secret messages in the world of spycraft. But A.J. is an expert on many things, and another one of those areas is The U.S. Constitution (he's the author of the new-ish books The Year of Living Constitutionally). What are the conspiracy theories behind and about The Constitution? He also wrote The Year of Living Biblically, so there's stuff about that too. Long story short, it's a fascinating, multi-disciplinary adventure of an episode.

    The Iran-Contra Affair: An Actual, Real Government Conspiracy (with Tim Weiner)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2025 28:12 Transcription Available


    We often talk about government conspiracy THEORIES, but under Ronald Reagan, there was a bona-fide CONSPIRACY involving illegally selling arms to Iran in exchange for hostages, and then using that money to fund guerillas in South America. So… pretty complicated. If you don’t remember, the hearings captivated the country and almost got Reagan impeached. There’s also the theory that Reagan made a deal with Iran before his election to withold releasing the hostages to hurt Carter. Real Mission Implausible kind of stuff.

    More Religion and Conspiracy Theories (with Drew McCoy)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2025 33:41 Transcription Available


    "Exvangelical" Drew McCoy (aka The Genetically Modified Skeptic) continue to explore how religion and conspiracies overlap. Are non-believers playing followers? What's Drew's personal journey to becoming the atheist and conspiracy buster he is now?

    Religion and Conspiracy Theories (with Drew McCoy) - Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2024 33:15 Transcription Available


    Drew McCoy, aka Genetically Modified Skeptic, is a fundamentalist Evangelical Christian turned agnostic/atheist. With John, Jerry and Adam, they explore the position of conspiracy theories throughout religion in general.

    ENCORE: The Simpsons: Does the CIA Tell Them How to Predict the Future? The Answer May Surprise You!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2024 40:28 Transcription Available


    ENCORE PRESENTATION -- Two Simpsons legends explore the theory that The Simpsons either predicts the future or causes the future, perhaps in cahoots with the CIA. Then they ask John & Jerry inside-CIA questions they always wanted to know. (with Bill Oakley & David Silverman)

    Syria / Havana Syndrome

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2024 13:06 Transcription Available


    Adam, John & Jerry look at what's happening right now in Syria in terms of journalism and intelligence. They also update us on the newest development with Havana Syndrome.

    Our National Intelligence

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2024 23:27 Transcription Available


    Jerry and John, with Adam, doommonger about the future of our national security if Tulsi Gabbard becomes the Director of National Intelligence and Kash Patel becomes the FBI Director. What happens when someone unqualified and inexperienced and unable to pass a background check get put in the leadership of an enormous department that they don't trust?

    Can We Trust the Experts? (with Tom Nichols)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2024 29:14 Transcription Available


    Journalist Tom Nichols (The Atlantic) explains how discrediting expertise is used as a weapon in order to control (mis)information.

    Can We Trust the Government? (with Adam Conover)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2024 39:54 Transcription Available


    Comedian and all-around expert Adam Conover (Adam Ruins Everything,  Factually!) made a series about the government with Barack Obama called “T G Word.” How does he feel about its reliabilty? Why are people suspicious of it?

    Shenanigans at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue (with Zach Everson)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2024 34:15 Transcription Available


    Forbes journalist Zach Everson spent much of Trump's previous presidency embedded in Trump Hotel in DC. John and Jerry learn more about The Emoluments Clause and all the ways that foreign power brokers were able to channel payments to Trump through his hotels... and could again.

    How the Election Affects the CIA

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2024 25:14 Transcription Available


    Adam and John and Jerry do what everyone else in America is doing... try to game out what the election will mean. In this case, for the intelligence agencies, international cooperation and overall national security. So, like, not one of the super-light episodes. But still worth listening to!

    Is Trump a Russian Agent? - Part Two (with Peter Strzok)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2024 43:27 Transcription Available


    How are the Russians getting Trump to do what they want? There are many theories, but we've reached our own conclusion.

    The Lincoln Project (with Rick Wilson)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2024 43:01 Transcription Available


    The Lincoln Project is an American political action committee (PAC) founded in December 2019 by moderate conservatives and former Republican Party members who oppose U.S. President Donald Trump and Trumpism. In the midst of the 2024 election, having run over 700 different ads, co-founder Rick Wilson offers one-of-a-kind insight into the American electorate.

    Is Trump a Russian Agent? - Part One (with Philip Auerswald and Peter Strzok)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2024 36:51 Transcription Available


    37 years ago, Trump returned from a trip to Moscow obsessed that America wasn't getting paid enough for protecting its allies, that our leaders weren't tough enough, and that America's economy was destined to self-destruct within the next four years. And he never stopped. Why would a self-obsessed New York real estate developer suddenly care about America's international politics?

    Embedded with The Proud Boys on January 6th (with Nick Quested)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2024 25:55 Transcription Available


    Documentary filmmaker Nick Quested called up the leader of The Proud Boys and got an invite to tag along to The Insurrection with his cameras. Quested's eye-witness footage was part of the Congressional January 6th Committee evidence and now part of Jack Smith's case against Trump. Quested shares his insights and his predictions about what will go down this November.

    Everyone Controls the Weather But No One Does Anything About It

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2024 12:38 Transcription Available


    Jerry and John -- and Adam! -- think about the current hurricanes and the dangerous conspiracy theories that weaponize them. As always, they view the larger context of false weather beliefs.

    America the Hellhole? Russian Disinformation Today (with Michael Weiss)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2024 33:56 Transcription Available


    Certain American are repeating Russian propaganda and might not even realize where it came from. Russia is pushing the narrative that America is a disaster, and Trump has picked up the thread. How does Russia feed their message into U.S. conversations and how do they benefit from it? It's the end of our trilogy of Michael Weiss' illuminating interview.

    Russian Disinformation Part Two: The Last Three Weeks (with Michael Weiss)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2024 33:36 Transcription Available


    Would you take $100,000 per week to parrot Russian propaganda on your podcast? Well, some guys did, and are now indicted.

    Russian Disinformation (with Michael Weiss)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 37:19 Transcription Available


    How did the Russians get so good at the disinformation game, how do they do it, and who's doing it for them?

    The Private Life of a Spy (with Jen Banbury)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2024 50:52 Transcription Available


    Adam's wife has a lot of personal CIA questions for John & Jerry.

    Does the CIA Control the Media? (with Philip Mudd)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2024 43:43 Transcription Available


    If not the CIA, then maybe the FBI? How about both? Philip Mudd worked for both agencies and then resigned and he has the answers. Including whether RFK Jr.'s suspicions about Operation Mockingbird are valid.

    Honeytraps

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2024 33:20


    Jerry and John reflect on how intelligence services employ honey traps — snaring assets using sex.

    How the Brain Is Built for Conspiracies (with David Eagleman)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024 36:27 Transcription Available


    Are our brains wired to believe in conspiracy theories? Brain expert David Eagleman (“Inner Cosmos”) tells John & Jerry how, and how to break through.

    The Trump Loyalty Test (with Tim Miller)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2024 37:01 Transcription Available


    Former Republican National Committee spokesman Tim Miller tells John & Jerry what it's like trying to meet the requirements of membership of today's Republican party.

    Patrick Ewing and the Frozen Envelope (with Chris Ballard)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2024 32:46 Transcription Available


    The 1985 NBA Draft was one of the most controversial in NBA history. How did The New York Knicks land first pick and get Patrick Ewing? Was it rigged? Sports Illustrated writer Chris Ballard might know the answer. 

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