Brutal Wisconsin

Join hosts Evan and C.J. (formerly also Chris) as they take a look behind the mask of "Midwest-Nice" to reveal the true, brutal, face of Wisconsin. Through exploring everything from the strange to politics, we'll learn with a few laughs!

Harry Houdini V. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 05/23/2025

Harry Houdini V. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle This week Kent and C.J. discuss upcoming cuts to BadgerCare, a death in the Milwaukee County Jail, and the online community that helped sow the seeds of the ALCS shooting. For the main topic, they discuss the beginnings of the feud between Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini over Spiritualism. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/36683970

Hannah Dugan and Civil Disobedience 05/16/2025

Hannah Dugan and Civil Disobedience This week Kent and C.J. discuss the evils of the Trump administration, alongside a pair of palate cleansing paranormal tales. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/36587890

Harry Houdini Part IV: Houdini and Spiritualism 04/25/2025

Harry Houdini Part IV: Houdini and Spiritualism This week C.J. and Kent discuss the practice of police in rural Wisconsin of dropping unhoused people off in cities with no support and Aaron Jones’ return to the City of Green Bay for the NFL draft. For the main topic they discuss an article Harry Houdini wrote about his debunking of Spiritualist séances. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/36302365

Harry Houdini Part Three 04/18/2025

Harry Houdini Part Three /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/36215855

Harry Houdini Part Two 03/28/2025

Harry Houdini Part Two /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/35899395

Harry Houdini Part One 03/21/2025

Harry Houdini Part One This week C.J. and Kent talk about the lack of transparency in police misconduct as well as Robin Vos considering holding off deciding on the budget until after a court case about an Evers veto. For the main Topic they discuss a brief overview of the life of Harry Houdini. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/35801340

GOAT and Mothman 03/14/2025

GOAT and Mothman This week C.J. and Kent discuss GOAT, the Wisconsin version of DOGE, the Supreme Court election, and some tales of Mothman. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/35680730

Surrealism in Wisconsin: Art as Subversion 02/28/2025

Surrealism in Wisconsin: Art as Subversion This week Kent and C.J. discuss an anti-trans bill and the lies of a $5k check from DOGE. They also discuss Surrealism and the ways in which art can be a form of resistance. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/35475770

Surrealists of Wisconsin Part Two: Lorine Niedecker 02/21/2025

Surrealists of Wisconsin Part Two: Lorine Niedecker /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/35372955

Surrealism in Wisconsin Part One 02/14/2025

Surrealism in Wisconsin Part One This week C.J. and Kent discuss bipartisan support for atomic energy as well as the upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court election. For the main Topic, they discuss Surrealism and its impact on Wisconsin. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/35280280

Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s Perspective on New Thought 02/07/2025

Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s Perspective on New Thought /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/35185840

A Surreal Update 01/16/2025

A Surreal Update This week C.J. talks about the next few episodes for Brutal Wisconsin, as well as new episodes for Historaholics, and nonfiction on Substack at Syntax & Sorcery. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/34888200

The Poems of Ella Wheeler Wilcox 01/11/2025

The Poems of Ella Wheeler Wilcox This week, C.J. reads a few of Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s poems and shares his thoughts. Next week, the boys will be back with a regular episode! /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/34816805

Ella Wheeler Wilcox Part II: Perspectives on New Thought 12/20/2024

Ella Wheeler Wilcox Part II: Perspectives on New Thought This week Kent and C.J. discuss the other Ron Johnson, the kayaker who faked his own death, and the first confirmed case of H5N1 Bird Flu in Wisconsin. For the main topic, they discuss Ella Wheeler Wilcox and the belief system she propagated, New Thought. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/34542340

Ella Wheeler Wilcox Part One 12/06/2024

Ella Wheeler Wilcox Part One This week, C.J. and Kent return to discuss the overturning of Act 10 and the results of this year's deer season. The main topic they discuss is the Wisconsin-born poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/34310395

Election Results and Two Stories About Mothman 11/08/2024

Election Results and Two Stories About Mothman This week C.J. and Kent discuss the election results and then cleanse their palates with two tales of the Mothman. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/33842982

Halloween and the Horror of the Coming Election 11/01/2024

Halloween and the Horror of the Coming Election This week Kent and C.J. discuss the upcoming election through the lens of the most recent Marquette University poll and the differences between Trump and Kamala’s crowd sizes in Wisconsin. For the main topic they get a bit outside Wisconsin and discuss the witchcraft allegations leveled against Mary Staples in Connecticut. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/33716167

What Makes a Reliable Source? 10/25/2024

What Makes a Reliable Source? /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/33606947

The Badger State: Electoral Battleground 10/03/2024

The Badger State: Electoral Battleground This week C.J. and Kent talk about the recent election-related news affecting our state, including an update about the Wausau ballot drop box removal, a recent visit from Trump to Waunakee, an upcoming visit from Harris, and the most recent Marquette poll. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/33322872

The Assault on Our Democracy 09/27/2024

The Assault on Our Democracy This week C.J. and Kent discuss some election related news including the removal of a Wausau ballot drop box by the mayor, the referendum about noncitizen voting, and the duplicate absentee ballots accidentally sent out. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/33227152

The Worst Midwife 09/20/2024

The Worst Midwife This week C.J. and Kent discuss RFK Jr.’s appeal to be removed from the ballot, our state's poor infrastructure, and a terrible midwife. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/33132897

Sidney Gottlieb: UW graduate & Poisoner in Chief 09/13/2024

Sidney Gottlieb: UW graduate & Poisoner in Chief This week, C.J. and Kent discuss the most recent Marquette poll and the rise of race-baiting in Wisconsin. Then, for the main topic, they discuss UW Madison graduate Sidney Gottlieb and his role in the CIA’s research into mind control: MK ULTRA. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/33030567

Let’s Get Spooky: Wisconsin Ghost Stories Part Ten or Something 09/06/2024

Let’s Get Spooky: Wisconsin Ghost Stories Part Ten or Something This week, Kent and C.J. get spooky and talk about some ghost stories from Wisconsin. For the news, they discuss Biden’s plans to fund green energy in rural Wisconsin, as well as what caused the recent drop in gas prices, RFK Jr.’s lawsuit to have himself removed from the ballot to aid Trump, as well as the push by our state’s indigenous people for the legalization of medical cannabis. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/32937702

The Consolidation of Capital and the Labor Movement in Wisconsin 08/30/2024

The Consolidation of Capital and the Labor Movement in Wisconsin This week, Kent and C.J. discuss the rise in police violence in Wisconsin as well as J.D. Vance, noted weirdo, visiting De Pere. The main topic they discuss is the rise of capitalism in Wisconsin as well as the rise of the labor movement. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/32804167

Jazzed as Hell 08/23/2024

Jazzed as Hell This week C.J. and Kent talk about Governor Evers’ speech at the DNC as well as Kamala Harris and Tim Walz making an appearance in Milwaukee. For the main topic, they discuss some more hidden headlines from Wisconsin’s weird history. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/32707147

A Hopeful Moment in Wisconsin Politics 08/16/2024

A Hopeful Moment in Wisconsin Politics /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/32601137

Coconut-Pilled 07/26/2024

Coconut-Pilled This week C.J. and Kent talk about the recent closures of hospitals in Western Wisconsin, the first statue of a person of color in the state capitol building, and Kamala Harris’ candidacy and recent Milwaukee speech. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/32303917

The RNC 07/18/2024

The RNC This week C.J. and Kent discuss the Republican National Convention taking place in Milwaukee. Specifically, they discuss their misleading statements on immigration, exploitation of Gold Star Families, and the fashion craze of wearing bandages on their ears. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/32208067

The Hermit & Hauntings of Holy Hill 07/11/2024

The Hermit & Hauntings of Holy Hill In this intriguing episode of Brutal Wisconsin, C.J. and Kent journey to Holy Hill, a mysterious and sacred site in Washington County, Wisconsin. We unravel the rich history of the hill, which has been a pilgrimage destination since the 1860s and has garnered a reputation for spiritual upliftment and miraculous healings. Discover the fascinating tale of Francois Soubrio, the enigmatic hermit whose story of atonement and miraculous recovery has left an indelible mark on Holy Hill. From ghostly apparitions in the Carmelite Cemetery to the eerie mists that seem to harbor the hermit's spirit, we delve into the supernatural legends that shroud this historic landmark. Join us as we explore the spiritual and spectral mysteries of Holy Hill, where the past and the paranormal intersect. /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/32106052

Ho-Chunk Code Talkers and News of the Week 06/27/2024

Ho-Chunk Code Talkers and News of the Week /episode/index/show/cozyhorse/id/31907377

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