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What Was That Like - True Stories. Real People.

Storytelling Podcasts

A storytelling podcast, with first-hand amazing stories presented by Scott Johnson and Meredith Hackwith Edwards. Each storyteller tells their own personal true story, with all the details of what happened. Animal attacks, plane crashes, mass shootings, and more – you'll hear what happened directly from the person who experienced it, and the inspirational outcome of how they came out on the other side.

Location:

United States

Description:

A storytelling podcast, with first-hand amazing stories presented by Scott Johnson and Meredith Hackwith Edwards. Each storyteller tells their own personal true story, with all the details of what happened. Animal attacks, plane crashes, mass shootings, and more – you'll hear what happened directly from the person who experienced it, and the inspirational outcome of how they came out on the other side.

Twitter:

@WWTLpodcast

Language:

English

Contact:

7272549078


Episodes
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TQ41: What movie traumatized you as a kid?

7/8/2025
Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What movie traumatized you as a kid? Links for this episode: Costco figs: https://www.costcobusinessdelivery.com/sunny-fruit-organic-sun-dried-figs%2C-40-oz.product.100362726.html Blade Runner: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/ The Billings murders in Pensacola: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Byrd_and_Melanie_Billings Gulf Coast Confidential podcast with Mollye Barrows: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gulf-coast-confidential-with-mollye-barrows/id1648822523 The Wizard of Oz movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032138/ Return to Oz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_to_Oz The Exorcist: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070047/ Andrew Gold documentary about witnessing an “exorcism” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l78hW8qVIWI Mary Queen of Scots: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2328900/ Hannibal: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0212985/ Arachnophobia: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099052/ Scott’s recommendation: https://netflix-codes.com Meredith’s garlic peeler: https://www.amazon.com/Remover-Twister-Silicone-Odorfree-Internal/dp/B07WNPT8GD?th=1 Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert: https://MeredithForReal.com To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: If you’re 21 or older, get 25% OFF your first order + free shipping @IndaCloud with code [WHATWAS] at https://inda.shop/[WHATWAS]! #indacloudpod Go to ThriveMarket.com/WHATWAS to get 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift just for signing up. Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:31:33

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STAS 5: Amanda Eller

7/4/2025
Amanda just wanted to go for a short trail run. Life had something else in store for her. Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:15:15

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221: Brandon is a 911 dispatcher

6/27/2025
What do heart attacks, car accidents, and murder usually have in common? Most of the time, when any of these things happen, someone calls 911. It’s one of the most reliable things we have – whenever there’s any kind of emergency, here in the US, we know we can just pick up any phone and dial 911 and get help. Even if it’s a phone that has no service. This is an episode where I talk with someone who has an unusual job. My guest today is Brandon, and he’s been a 911 dispatcher in Nashville, Tennessee for 25 years. After taking emergency calls for all that time, he’s heard just about everything. And today we’ll get the inside scoop on what this job is really like. Also, a content warning – one of the things discussed during our conversation is when calls come in from people who are suicidal. So please, enjoy my conversation with Brandon. If you’d like to contact Brandon or check out his podcast: https://musiccity911.com/ Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/221 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:19:29

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TQ40: What did you throw away that you wish you had kept?

6/24/2025
Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What did you throw away that you wish you had kept? Links for this episode: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering-Organizing/dp/1607747308/ref=sr_1_1 The Mortified Podcast: https://getmortified.com/audio/podcast/ TQ39: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/tq39 Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert: https://MeredithForReal.com To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:24:04

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Listen now: Liberty Lost

6/23/2025
In Evangelical homes across the United States, sex outside of marriage is a sin against God. So, when Abbi becomes pregnant at 16, her devout parents hide her away at the Liberty Godparent Home, a little-known facility for pregnant teens on the campus of Liberty University. The Home says it helps girls decide what comes next – whether that’s parenting their babies or placing them for adoption. But inside the facility, the girls hear a different message: God wants their babies to go to more “deserving” Christian couples. Some girls will find the strength to fight back. Others will have no choice but to give in. And some, like Abbi, will turn their grief into resistance – and take a stand against the system before more mothers lose their children to adoptions they never wanted. From Wondery, host and reporter T. J. Raphael tells a startling true story of young love, coercion, and defiance – and the dangerous resurgence of maternity homes in post-Roe America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:06:07

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220: Dan is a pre-prison consultant

6/20/2025
There was a time in his life when Dan was in a pretty difficult situation. He was facing something that most people don’t ever have to go through. Even though he was not a violent person, and he certainly was not any kind of career criminal, he made a bad decision and accepted a job that, looking back, he never should have taken. But he did. And that lead him to the tough spot he found himself in. Dan was headed to prison. His plea deal meant he could get up to 60 months. 5 years of his life. One of the things he found to be the most stressful was that he had no idea what to expect. Now we fast forward to today, and Dan is at a very different place in his life. A much better, happier place. He runs a very successful business, working as a Prison Consultant. When non-violent, first-time offenders are suddenly faced with the fact that they’re going to do time in prison, they are desperate for answers and guidance. What to expect, how to prepare, how to get your time reduced, how to interact with the other inmates, and Dan helps with all of that. In our conversation, Dan told me all about his own experience – what he did that earned him that prison time, what his first day was like (which is actually a pretty hilarious story in itself), and how he shortened his own time. And he told me how he helps people today. Imagine if you’ve never even been arrested before, but you make a stupid decision, or you drive drunk and kill someone, or whatever – and you’re headed to prison. Dan knows exactly how you feel, and he has the answers you’re looking for. Also – this is a Flashback episode. Dan came on the podcast back in 2020, and I recently had a conversation with him, which you’ll hear at the end of this episode. Since his original episode, he’s been through some stuff that I never would have predicted. If you’d like to contact Dan, his website is RDAPDAN.com, and this is his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RDAPDAN1 Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/220 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:46:38

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219: Maggie saved her dog

6/13/2025
When you live up north, where the winters are really cold, one of the best times of the year is the day when you feel spring coming. That first hint of warmer temperatures. With the time change, there’s longer sunlight at the end of each day, the birds start chirping, and everyone starts thinking about what they’re going to do with this warmer weather. And the lakes that have been frozen over solid for a few months? That ice starts to melt. And there’s a danger in walking out on the ice, because you can’t always tell if your next step will be the one where your foot goes right through. And then you’re in ice-cold water – and it’s not that easy to get out on your own. My guest today is Maggie. She lives on a big lake, and one day recently when the ice was getting thin, she was thrown into a situation where she had to do an ice rescue. And within minutes, Maggie herself needed to be rescued. If you want to contact Maggie – Social Media: www.MaggieAndersonAuthor.com https://www.instagram.com/margaret.g.anderson/ https://www.facebook.com/MGAnderson321/ https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMaggieGAnderson https://twitter.com/MaggieGAnderson And the socks that kept her feet safe - Bridgedale Socks - https://www.bridgedale.com/ Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/219 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:20:50

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TQ39: What's the most amazing coincidence you've experienced?

6/10/2025
Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What's the most amazing coincidence you've experienced? Links for this episode: YouTube channel Dating Beyond Borders: https://www.youtube.com/@DatingBeyondBorders Tim O’Brien: https://timobrien.net/ Tig Notaro: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tig_Notaro Tig Notaro podcast, “Handsome” – with Fortune Feimster and Mae Martin - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/handsome/id1702258458 Jack Vale YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsDl6A77CrbkSJLtxQFVDGw Meredith’s episode 294 – Is giving up our privacy inevitable? https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/7e42a23e/ep-294-is-giving-up-our-privacy-inevitable-social-media-search-engines-and-nest-cams Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert: https://MeredithForReal.com To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:35:51

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218: When children scare parents

6/6/2025
If there’s one thing children are good at, it’s their ability to give their parents a good scare. When our son David was about 2 years old, we were at home, just a regular day, not much going on. At some point, either my wife or I, I don’t remember which one of us saw it – but we noticed he had some kind of liquid all around his mouth. Like he had been drinking a smoothie or something. But there were no smoothies sitting around. So what was it? Then we saw the open bottle nearby – it was calamine lotion. You know, the stuff you put on itchy skin for some relief. And it’s for external use only. So of course we had no idea how dangerous this was. And back then, there was no Google or WebMD to get answers immediately. We called 911 – and oh wouldn’t I love to hear the audio of that call today. The 911 dispatcher either called Poison Control, or connected us to them. And they told us, thankfully, that calamine lotion is generally non-toxic. So it wasn’t a big deal. But for a few minutes, to two scared parents, it was a very big deal. Recently in the Facebook group, one of our Tuesday questions was this: Parents – what was the scariest moment with your child? And you should see all those stories in the comments. And I thought – hey, this should be a podcast episode. So I asked some of the commenters there to just give a short version of their story by audio, and that’s what we have here today. And this is the kind of thing we talk about in the Facebook group all the time. At the moment there are 8,862 What Was That Like listeners in that group – and we’d love to have you come over and join us in the conversations. WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook And now – some stories of when children gave their parents a big scare. Full show notes and transcript for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/218 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:43:11

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Raw Audio 50

6/6/2025
Raw Audio 50 is now live! In this episode: 1. A courthouse shooting 2. A father calls 911 for his son 3. Non-emergency calls I really appreciate your support of the show! Scott Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:14:05

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217: Cesar was attacked

5/30/2025
Have you ever had something bad happen, while you were actually trying to do something good? It’s kind of that old phrase – no good deed goes unpunished. There was a thread about this online. This is what one person wrote: “I ran in the middle of a busy road to rescue a kitten. I went door to door until I finally found the owner. The first thing she did when she saw me holding her kitten was accuse me of stealing it. Every single animal I've ever rescued I've either been ignored or yelled at for trying to return. One guy yelled at me to get off his property despite the fact I was holding his lost cat.” When something like this happens, it just doesn’t seem fair. You go out of your way to do something nice, and somehow you’re the bad guy. My guest today is Cesar. Cesar is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. But there was this one time when he was trying to help someone. And he almost lost his life because of it. If you’d like to contact Cesar, his website is: https://CesarCardona.com Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/217 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:22:08

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TQ38: What did you say that caused you to think “I never thought I would say that”?

5/27/2025
Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What did you say that caused you to think “I never thought I would say that”? Links for this episode: The music for the Benny Hill show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK6TXMsvgQg Financial Peace University: https://www.ramseysolutions.com/ramseyplus/financial-peace Meredith for Real episode 214 – What are the rules of monogamy? https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/7b9f6b51/ep-214-or-what-are-the-rules-of-monogamy-the-psychologist-swinger Meredith for Real episode 123 – How are sex scenes not (kinda) real? https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/752a40e9/ep-123-or-how-are-sex-scenes-not-kinda-real-pilates-balls-yoga-mats-and-traffic-lights Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert: https://MeredithForReal.com To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:32:32

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STAS4: Rachel Hoffman

5/23/2025
To the Tallahassee Police, Rachel Hoffman was just a pawn to be used in their war on drugs. Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:17:39

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216: Rachel rescued her children

5/16/2025
Many years ago, I had a small pickup truck. It was kind of a junker. Mostly, I just used it for when I had some stuff to haul to the town dump. It wasn’t pretty but it mostly served my purposes. But this little truck had a problem. It would constantly overheat. Even in the cold Maine winter, I would have to keep an eye on that temperature gauge to be aware of when the engine got too hot. And sometimes when it showed that it was getting really hot, I’d have to just pull over, let it cool down, and then maybe add some coolant to the radiator – once it was cooled down enough for me to remove the cap. It was an inconvenience sometimes, but I never felt like I was in danger with it. My guest today is Rachel. And she experienced something similar. Except in her case, she was on a bridge with no breakdown lane. And her two babies were with her. And her car did way more than just overheat. Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/216 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:55:43

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TQ37

5/13/2025
Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What’s it like to have a panic attack? Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert: https://MeredithForReal.com To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:26:45

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215: Amy's office exploded

5/9/2025
On the morning of April 19, 1995, a former US Army soldier parked a rented Ryder truck in front of the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building, located in downtown Oklahoma City. Inside the truck was everything he needed to carry out his plan of terrorism and mass murder. He had a large bomb, which he created using agricultural fertilizer and some chemicals, including diesel fuel. After parking the car, he got out and walked toward his getaway car, a yellow Mercury Marquis. He ignited a timed fuse, and a second fuse as backup. Inside the building, in one of the office conference rooms, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board had just begun a 9 am meeting. The blast effect was equivalent to over 5000 pounds of TNT, and could be heard and felt 55 miles away. The blast either destroyed or damaged 324 buildings within a 4-block radius. 86 cars were either burned or destroyed, and a large section of the Federal building had been reduced to rubble. News crews were shocked when they first viewed the damage from their helicopter. Inside the building, 163 people were killed. Additional casualties were one person in the nearby Athenian building, one woman in a parking lot across the street, two people in the Oklahoma Water Resources building, and a rescue worker who was struck on the head by falling debris. In total, 168 people died that day. 19 of those were children. Almost 700 other people were injured. My guest today, Amy, was in the Federal Building that morning. She worked on the third floor, at the Federal Employees Credit Union. You’re about to hear her talk about what happened to her that day. But just as amazing is what has happened to her SINCE that day. And on top of that – this is a Flashback episode. Amy told this story on the podcast about 5 years ago. So at the end you’ll hear a conversation I had with her just recently about what she’s up to recently. I’ll just say this – she’s retired now, but she’s definitely not relaxing. If you’d like to contact Amy, you can do that through her website: AmyDowns.org Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/215 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:35:05

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214: Scott was an undercover FBI agent

5/2/2025
Hey, this is Scott and you’re listening to What Was That Like. And the name of the podcast, What Was That Like, was chosen very specifically – because that’s what I ask people who are guests on the show. They’ve just been through something really unusual, like being attacked by a monkey, or saving the life of a stranger, or some other crazy situation. And I ask them to tell all of us – what was that like. All the details. So that’s what we do here, every other Friday. But sometimes I like to find someone who has a really unusual job, and ask them the same question. Today I’m talking to Scott Payne. For many years, he worked for the FBI as an undercover agent. He would pretend to be a criminal, in order to join white supremacist groups or biker gangs – including the notorious Outlaws group. As you can imagine, this guy has some stories. I asked him lots of questions about this job, and then he answered a few questions from What Was That Like listeners. He’s an open book, and I learned some things, and I hope you do too. Please enjoy this conversation with undercover FBI agent, Scott Payne. Scott socials: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/scottpaynebigcountry/ X – https://x.com/Scott_D_Payne Scott’s book – Code Name: Pale Horse: How I Went Undercover to Expose America’s Nazis https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668032902 Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/214 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:21:30

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TQ36: What's a common social etiquette rule that makes no sense?

4/29/2025
Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What's a common social etiquette rule that makes no sense? Links for this episode: Meredith’s foot fetish episode: https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/7cc267d5/ep-274-whats-up-with-foot-fetishes Euphemisms for farting: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/different-words-for-fart_b_3498191 Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert: https://MeredithForReal.com To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook. Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Go to bluenile.com to shop Blue Nile, the original online jeweler since 1999! Follow “MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark and Mysterious Stories” on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/WHATWAS and get on your way to being your best self. To get 15% off your next gift, go to UNCOMMONGOODS.com/WHATWAS Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:39:23

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STAS3: George Pickering

4/25/2025
George Pickering Sr heard his son’s medical prognosis, but he wasn’t ready to accept it. Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Go to bluenile.com to shop Blue Nile, the original online jeweler since 1999! Follow “MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark and Mysterious Stories” on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/WHATWAS and get on your way to being your best self. To get 15% off your next gift, go to UNCOMMONGOODS.com/WHATWAS Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:14:09

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213: Gwen's grandma fired one shot

4/18/2025
When you hear the word “grandparents”, what comes into your mind? For me, it’s someone who loves their grandchildren unconditionally. And they just want to GIVE all the time. There’s some truth to the phrase “If Mom and Dad say no, go ask Grandma!”. “Grandma” brings up an image of an older woman, in the kitchen baking cookies. “Grandpa” means the old man out in the garage, tinkering with the lawn mower and having me “help” by handing him a wrench or a screwdriver. But those are just stereotypes. And sometimes real life doesn’t match up with the way we commonly think of how grandparents are supposed to be. As a little girl, Gwen saw her grandparents all the time. And she knew her grandpa could sometimes be a not very nice person. Then one day, Gwen’s grandma decided she’d had enough. Content warning: this episode includes discussion of gun violence. If you’d like to contact Gwen, she’s in the WWTL Facebook group: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/213 Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai. Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well) Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS. Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Go to bluenile.com to shop Blue Nile, the original online jeweler since 1999! Follow “MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark and Mysterious Stories” on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/WHATWAS and get on your way to being your best self. To get 15% off your next gift, go to UNCOMMONGOODS.com/WHATWAS Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week. Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month. Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:03:03