In 1999, the United States government faced a terrifying new national security threat.

A Furby.

Yes, THAT Furby.

Welcome to The Rumor Mill, a special November edition of the Average Joe Nerdcast! While Mondays are dedicated to the wild world of internet conspiracy theories with CTRL + ALT + DELUSION, Thursdays are taking us back to the playgrounds, computer labs, and chain emails of the '90s and early 2000s to investigate the ridiculous rumors we all somehow heard growing up.

And we're starting with a doozy.

In the late '90s, Furby mania swept the nation. Millions of kids wanted one, parents fought to find them, and the National Security Agency reportedly banned the fuzzy little creatures from its facilities over concerns they could record classified conversations.

Because apparently, America's greatest security vulnerability was available at Toys "R" Us.

So dust off your Tamagotchi, fire up that dial-up modem, and prepare to revisit the Great Furby Menace of 1999.

Join the conversation!

Did you own a Furby? And what's the wildest playground rumor you remember hearing growing up?

Join us in The Lobby on Discord, share your stories, and help us decide which rumor to investigate next.

Link to Discord: https://discord.gg/mhxUD67Yp

Follow Average Joe Nerdcast on your favorite podcast platform, and like and subscribe on YouTube to help our little corner of the internet grow.

Stay Gold, Nerd Bold.

© 2026 Average Joe Nerdcast. All rights reserved.

The Lobby's always open.

#Furby #90sNostalgia #TheRumorMill #AverageJoeNerdcast #90sKids #UrbanLegends #NSA #90sToys #Podcast

Thanksgiving is coming. Uncle Gary has been doing his own research. And the Average Joe Nerdcast is here to make sure you're prepared.

CTRL + ALT + DELUSION IS BACK!

We're kicking off an entire month of conspiracy theories, internet rabbit holes, and spectacularly questionable claims with one of the strangest historical conspiracies floating around online: TARTARIA.

According to the theory, an advanced civilization once spanned enormous portions of the world, harnessed mysterious free-energy technology, and constructed magnificent buildings before being wiped from the historical record.

The evidence? Old maps, historic architecture, world's fairs, and apparently... basement windows.

Yeah. Basement windows.

But here's where things get interesting: Tartary really did appear on historical maps. So, what was it? Why did the name disappear? And how did a genuine piece of history become the foundation of an elaborate worldwide conspiracy?

Join Nate, your resident Average Joe, as we investigate the real history, unravel the claims, and attempt to maintain some semblance of professionalism.

And this time, Player 2 has officially tagged in to keep Nate's cynicism in check.

Good luck with that!

Plus, we're introducing the official Uncle Gary Threat Level, rating just how badly each conspiracy could derail your Thanksgiving dinner.

Grab your coffee, keep an open mind, and prepare to question everything.

Except maybe the basement windows.

Stay Gold, Nerd Bold.

Join the conversation in The Lobby, our Average Joe Nerdcast Discord community!

Link To Discord: https://discord.gg/mhxUD67Yp

Disclaimer: This episode examines conspiracy theories for entertainment, historical discussion, and critical analysis. Unsupported claims are discussed as claims, not established facts.

© 2026 Average Joe Nerdcast. All rights reserved.

#Tartaria #CtrlAltDelusion #AverageJoeNerdcast #ConspiracyTheories #MudFlood #TartarianEmpire #LostCivilizations #HistoricalMysteries #ConspiracyDebunked #InternetMysteries #Podcast

After traveling the world in search of terrifying folklore, the Average Joe Nerdcast is bringing Nerdoween 2026 back to Kentucky!

First, we're heading to 1955 for one of the strangest encounters in American UFO history: the Hopkinsville Goblins. What really happened when a Kentucky family claimed their farmhouse was surrounded by mysterious little creatures?

Then we're visiting Octagon Hall, a historic Kentucky landmark with a reputation for paranormal activity. And this time, Nate has a story of his own to tell from a ghost-hunting adventure with friends back in 2008.

Two Kentucky mysteries. One final campfire. And a heartfelt goodbye to Nerdoween 2026.

A quick note: The final boss of Nerdoween turned out to be a nasty head cold. This episode was recorded while Nate was under the weather, so forgive the occasional congestion and rough edges. But we weren't letting a little plague stop us from bringing the World Tour home!

Enjoyed the episode? Like, subscribe, and share!

Got a hometown ghost story? Join us in The Lobby: https://discord.gg/4Cx7FZw3Q

Stay Gold. Nerd Bold.

© 2026 Average Joe Nerdcast. All rights reserved.

#AverageJoeNerdcast #Nerdoween2026 #HopkinsvilleGoblins #OctagonHall #KentuckyGhostStories #ParanormalPodcast #KentuckyFolklore #GhostStories #Halloween2026 #PassportToTheParanormal

Our Passport to the Paranormal World Tour continues as Nate travels to Latin America for two terrifying tales from Mexico and Venezuela.

First, we meet La Llorona, the Weeping Woman, whose cries echo along the riverbanks as she searches for the children she lost.

Then we head to the Venezuelan plains to meet El Silbón, the Whistler, a wandering spirit whose eerie whistle might mean he's much closer than you think.

Along the way, we explore the folklore behind these legends, their cultural roots, and what happens when a Kentucky boy attempts to pronounce Spanish words in front of a microphone.

Grab a blanket, dim the lights, and pull up a chair.

The fire's burning.

And we've got stories to tell.

Enjoyed the episode? Hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and share it with somebody who loves a good ghost story!

Got a creepy hometown legend or an unexplained experience? Join us in The Lobby, our Average Joe Nerdcast Discord community!

Join The Lobby:

https://discord.gg/4Cx7FZw3Q

Stay Gold. Nerd Bold.

© 2026 Average Joe Nerdcast. All rights reserved.

Original narration, commentary, scripting, and podcast production are the property of Average Joe Nerdcast. Historical events and traditional folklore are presented for storytelling and cultural exploration. Dramatic reconstructions are not claims of verified supernatural events.

Third-party music, sound effects, and artwork remain the property of their respective owners and are used subject to applicable permissions and licenses.

#AverageJoeNerdcast #Nerdoween2026 #LaLlorona #ElSilbon #GhostStories #LatinAmericanFolklore #PassportToTheParanormal #Halloween2026 #ParanormalPodcast #SpookySeason

Some actors play a character. Others become the character.

And then there's Raúl freaking Juliá.

In this Nerdoween 2026 Checkpoint Thursday, Nate celebrates the gloriously unhinged, hopelessly romantic, sword-wielding madman who made Gomez Addams absolutely unforgettable.

From his incredible chemistry with Anjelica Huston's Morticia to his theatrical charm, impeccable comedic timing, and genuine heart, Juliá didn't just play Gomez Addams. He made the role his own.

We're revisiting 1991's The Addams Family and 1993's Addams Family Values, celebrating one of the most iconic performances of our childhoods, and remembering an extraordinary actor we lost far too soon.

No disrespect to the other actors who've worn the pinstripes, but for this Average Joe, Raúl Juliá will ALWAYS be Gomez Addams.

Like, subscribe, and share with a fellow Addams Family fan!

Join The Lobby: https://discord.gg/4Cx7FZw3Q

Stay Gold, Nerd Bold.

#RaulJulia #GomezAddams #TheAddamsFamily #AddamsFamilyValues #Nerdoween2026 #90sNostalgia #HalloweenMovies #AverageJoeNerdcast #MovieNostalgia #ChristopherLloyd

Copyright Disclaimer: Average Joe Nerdcast is an independent commentary and entertainment podcast. The Addams Family, its characters, and related film properties belong to their respective copyright holders. Any referenced third-party material is used for commentary, criticism, and appreciation where permitted by applicable law. No affiliation with or endorsement by the rights holders is implied.

© 2026 Average Joe Nerdcast. Original commentary and podcast content. All rights reserved.

Welcome back to the Average Joe Nerdcast, Average Joes!

Our Passport to the Paranormal World Tour continues as Nate takes us across Europe for two chilling tales rooted in centuries of folklore.

Plus, Nate catches everyone up on his family's Universal Orlando adventure, explains the new storytelling-focused Nerdoween format, and teases a collection of upcoming YouTube-exclusive Quick Saves!

Grab a blanket, dim the lights, and pull up a chair.

The fire's burning.

And we've got stories to tell.

Enjoyed tonight's stories? Hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and share this episode with somebody who loves a good ghost story!

Got a creepy hometown legend or a paranormal experience of your own? Come hang out in The Lobby, our Average Joe Nerdcast Discord community, and tell us about it!

🎮 Join The Lobby:

https://discord.gg/4Cx7FZw3Q

And don't forget, we've got more YouTube-exclusive Quick Saves coming your way, including plenty of stories from House Freeman's Universal Orlando adventure!

Stay Gold. Nerd Bold.

© 2026 Average Joe Nerdcast. All rights reserved.

Original narration, commentary, scripting, and podcast production are the property of Average Joe Nerdcast. Historical events, traditional folklore, and public-domain source material remain with their respective rights holders or are in the public domain as applicable.

This episode contains dramatized retellings of historical accounts and folklore for entertainment and educational purposes. Supernatural claims are presented as elements of tradition, not established fact.

Third-party music, sound effects, artwork, and other licensed materials remain the property of their respective owners and are used subject to applicable licenses and permissions.

#AverageJoeNerdcast #Nerdoween2026 #PassportToTheParanormal #BlackShuck #Banshee #GhostStories #IrishFolklore #EnglishFolklore #ParanormalPodcast #Halloween2026 #SpookySeason #HorrorStories

Happy Halloween, Average Joes!

Nerdoween 2026 continues, and after our first stop on the Passport to the Paranormal World Tour, we're heading back to the '90s to dig up something buried deep in the dusty corners of our childhood:

Bone Chillers.

Before we had streaming libraries full of horror at our fingertips, the '90s were an absolute golden age of spooky stuff made specifically for kids. Goosebumps. Are You Afraid of the Dark? Eerie, Indiana.

And somewhere in the middle of all of it was Bone Chillers, a series that somehow gave us 23 books, an ABC Saturday-morning TV show, Edgar Allan Poe High School, giant frog teachers, Linda freaking Cardellini...

and, of course...

FRANKENTURKEY.

So where did Bone Chillers come from?

How big did this thing actually get?

And if it was big enough to make the jump to network television...

why the hell did so many of us forget about it?

Grab your Scholastic book order and come dig through the second shelf of '90s nostalgia with me.

🎃 NERDOWEEN SCHEDULING NOTE

Week 2 of Nerdoween may look a little different than originally planned.

I'm currently on vacation with my family, and some unexpected circumstances back home changed the amount of time I had to get everything finished and scheduled before we left.

Nerdoween isn't going anywhere, we may just shuffle the release schedule around a little bit.

Thanks for bearing with me, Average Joes. We've still got plenty of spooky stuff ahead of us.

IN MEMORY OF TROOPER HAYDEN PHILLIPS

At the end of this episode, I take a moment to remember Kentucky State Police Trooper Hayden Phillips, Unit 369, who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty on September 28, 2026.

Trooper Phillips leaves behind a family now facing the unimaginable.

The Kentucky State Police Foundation is accepting donations to support his family. According to the Foundation, 100% of donations designated through its giving page will go directly to Trooper Phillips' family to assist with meals, household bills, and other everyday necessities.

Money can never replace the husband, father, son, friend, and fellow officer they lost. But if you're able and feel moved to help, maybe together we can take one small piece of weight off their shoulders while they navigate what comes next.

Support Trooper Hayden Phillips' family through the official Kentucky State Police Foundation:

https://kspfoundation.org/

Rest easy, Trooper.

End of Watch: September 28, 2026.

Come hang out with us in The Lobby, the official Average Joe Nerdcast Discord, and tell us what forgotten piece of '90s horror we need to dig up next.

Link to Discord: https://discord.gg/4Cx7FZw3Q

Stay Gold. Nerd Bold.

#AverageJoeNerdcast #Nerdoween #BoneChillers #90sKids #90sNostalgia #90sHorror #KidsHorror #Halloween #HalloweenNostalgia #BetsyHaynes #SaturdayMorningTV #RetroTV #RetroHorror #Podcast #Nerdoween2026

© 2026 Average Joe Nerdcast. All rights reserved.

Average Joe Nerdcast, Nerdoween, and associated original audio, commentary, graphics, branding, and written material are the property of Average Joe Nerdcast unless otherwise noted.

All third-party names, titles, characters, trademarks, images, clips, and other referenced properties remain the property of their respective copyright and trademark holders. Their use in this program is for purposes of commentary, criticism, discussion, education, and review.

Average Joe Nerdcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by the creators, publishers, broadcasters, rights holders, or other entities associated with Bone Chillers.

Nerdoween is back. And this year, we're leaving home.

Welcome to Nerdoween 2026: Passport to the Paranormal, a four-week journey around the world chasing the stories people tell when the lights go out.

Our first stop: Japan.

We begin aboard a train in January 2004, where a person posting online as Hasumi claims their familiar ride home suddenly stopped being familiar at all, eventually leaving them alone at a station nobody could seem to find:

Kisaragi Station.

But that's only where tonight begins.

Around our first international campfire, we're traveling from the haunted well of Okiku at Himeji Castle to the late-'70s panic surrounding Kuchisake-onna, the Slit-Mouthed Woman. Then we're passing the flashlight to people who claim they've had their own unexplained encounters in Japan before returning to Kisaragi Station to discover what happened after Hasumi stepped off that train.

Finally, we'll turn the lights back on and explore how Halloween found a home in modern Japan, from early celebrations in Harajuku to Shibuya and the absolute insanity of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Japan.

Welcome to Nerdoween 2026.

GOT A PARANORMAL STORY OF YOUR OWN?

Send it to averagejoenerdcast@gmail.com or join The Lobby and drop it in the Nerdoween channel. Your story might make it around the fire before October is over.

Link to Discord: https://discord.gg/4Cx7FZw3Q

A QUICK NERDOWEEN SCHEDULE NOTE:

Week Two of Nerdoween may look a little different from our normal release schedule. Everything's okay on the AJN side, we're just giving a little room to something important happening outside the show.

Stay tuned for Thursday's episode for a brief explanation and an update on what to expect next week.

Thanks for bearing with us, Average Joes. The Passport to the Paranormal isn't finished yet.

Stay Gold. Nerd Bold.

© 2026 Average Joe Nerdcast. All rights reserved.

#Nerdoween #AverageJoeNerdcast #PassportToTheParanormal #KisaragiStation #JapaneseGhostStories #JapaneseFolklore #KuchisakeOnna #OkikusWell #UrbanLegends #GhostStories #Paranormal #Halloween #Halloween2026 #HorrorPodcast #NerdCulture