Before Episode 5 comes out, here’s a surprise bonus episode. This mid-series break is making time for the investigation team to develop new leads that emerged after the series began.
Patch interviews Nicky, and pitches him listener questions about investigating the 2014 Midwest Furfest chemical attack. This Dogpatch Press exclusive video is 20 minutes longer than the official half hour audio edit published everywhere else. (In the extra run time, you can hear about another attempt to disrupt the con… Video transcript below).
This Furry True Crime podcast series is a lavishly produced investigation into the unsolved 2014 chemical attack on Midwest Furfest. Episodes 1 and 2 covered the crime and scene. It promised exclusive never-reported news. Here it is in episode 3. Names are named.
The 2014 chemical attack on Midwest Furfest was one of the largest in American history. 19 people were hospitalized. Nobody was charged and the case went cold. 10 years later, never-before-reported findings are here in this Furry True Crime podcast with journalist Nicky Woolf.
In the new Episode 2, Nicky visits Midwest Furfest and traces events in the 2014 police report, gaining unexpected insight. He gets immersed in furry culture with an insider guide, then introduces a complication that stalled the case. Until now.
Last week’s launch announcement had an exclusive interview for Dogpatch Press with Nicky and Patch O’Furr. A reader requested the transcript below. Come back for surprising developments in upcoming episodes.
TRANSCRIPT: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW – lightly edited for clarity from the video
Think you’ve heard everything about the 2014 chemical attack on Midwest Furfest? Wait until you hear this.
The intentional release of chlorine gas sent 19 people to the hospital. It was one of the largest chemical weapons terrorist attacks in American history.
Who did it? And… why?
The targets deserve to know, because they were lucky to survive. The weapon’s deadly potential was only avoided by fast response. The level of crime fell just behind the 2001 anthrax attacks, but strangely, nobody was ever charged for it. The story faded into underreporting, disrespect towards the community, murky rumors, and hopes that it won’t happen again. There’s pride in resilience — but 10 years later, justice wasn’t served. It’s the biggest cold case in furry fandom.
The case revived when investigation by Dogpatch Press drew journalist Nicky Woolf and Project Brazen to seek FBI records, identify suspects, and fly across America to interview sources. Nicky is a journalist who reports on internet culture, with stories in The Guardian, and his original podcast series Finding Q and The Sound: Mystery of the Havana Syndrome. Nicky and Brazen’s series Fur And Loathing delivers never-before reported findings to empower the community.
EXCLUSIVE: Nicky Woolf’s introduction for Dogpatch Press
(Patch:) Welcome to a guest article about a furry podcast that rocks!
I’m a frequent podcast listener, and almost everything I follow is scripted, not unproduced/free-form. My list has documentary, history, arts & culture, tech, journalism, interview shows, and true crime. Some have playful concepts. Timesuck has history and true crime told by a comedian. Excuse Me, That’s Illegal is a delightful snack instead of a deep dark murder show, with absurd little stories of softcore crime. Radio Rental has creepy true stories that are like the Twilight Zone with a “crytpkeeper” host.
Most furry podcasts didn’t do it for me by using unproduced style, and rarely in fursona. Then I heard Bearly Furcasting Feat. Taebyn. It’s playful yet produced, with great curation. Every show is a treat because of a different notable guest from the fandom. They have hosted two pettable guests from this site: Summercat and Moi.
On this podcast, host Fingers Malloy talks about his visit to Rocky Mountain Fur Con in Denver. It starts 20 minutes in. Thanks to Kieran for sending this.
It’s a gentle outsiders’ look. Fingers has a pastime of making fun of politics, but furries are spared overdone mockery. (“They’re not hurting anyone”, he says). He mentions past negativity and compares it to picking low-hanging fruit.
Enough Already is for pop culture and conservative politics. In fact it shares some serious connections to senators, governors, Fox News, etc.
There isn’t a big overlap with conservatives and furries. We talked on Twitter after the show, and they were curious to know why? I gave a very generic reason of demographics. There’s no politics about being a talking animal and we come in all stripes. But young and queer people tend not to be overly enamored with the right-wing or christian fundamentalists. That goes both ways.
The More You Know is a new video podcast hosted by Victor Dimitroff. Season 1 Episode 4: Media in the Furry Fandom talks to guests Pup Matthias (David) from Dogpatch Press and Makyo from [Adjective][Species]. While Victor is still in the beginnings of building his channel, I see a lot of promise in his approach to finding guests and planning notes for good conversation of interest to furries. Take a look.
This is about media by furries, not outsiders. Specifically the kind that covers what’s going on within the subculture. There’s much more than you would realize just from talking to friends. That’s why it’s so fun to start and run your own channel.
Victor comments about how Dogpatch Press seems to find endless stories to fill our regular posting schedule. So how do we find them all?
For the answer, watch Victor’s Q&A and then read our site(s). You see, it’s a bit of a secret recipe. But the foundation of everything everyone does in this fandom is about participation and loving what we do. That’s not really a secret at all.
With all the stories out there about furries deserving to be known, and all the dislike for the trashy kind in the mainstream, I take it as an informal mission to Be The Media. I am furry fandom, and so can you! (Ha). Check our About pages for how to share your story tips or guest posts. We want you.
Thanks very much to Victor, Makyo, and Pup Matthias. Everyone had in depth chat the whole time. I wish I could have been present to give more details about the site founding, mission, and investigating stories (I’ll be there in the future.)
It’s a watershed year for furry stuff, and it’s going to be fun to look back in 2017. Hope you look forward to many great stories to come.
More from The More You Know:
Episode 1: The Tech Trio (using Google Hangouts on Air.)
Episode 2: Zootopia (with guests November and Kristofur.)
Roo’s blog has a call for producers/correspondents. He wants to find a group “interested in telling stories about furry”, teach them what he knows about podcasting, hold idea meetings, divide each story between a correspondent and a producer, and be the group’s consultant to release one per month.
Let me know how much time you think you could devote in a month.
Tell me a few ideas you have for stories you’d like to pursue.
If you have already done some podcasting or writing, link me so I can see your work.
I told him it was a great idea, whose time has come. I think story content can be more “furry” than music. To be honest, furry talk podcasts I have heard seem unfocused with chat and filler, like “you have to know the hosts” to sustain interest. Let’s hear some solid storytelling!
There are some excellent storytelling podcasts that have considered animating episodes using their audio. It’s a smart way to piggyback new stuff on top of existing content. They can take a popular story and turn it into a short film for Youtube. Consider that for furry stories… a unique match of content and medium. This idea REALLY needs to happen!
Potoroo was 2014 Guest of Honor at Wild Nights in Oklahoma. See his bio there.