WikiSleep
By Adrien Sala
WikiSleepJan 10, 2022
Episode 165: The Magic of Chadwick Boseman
HEADS UP: YOU CAN NOW GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP!
Chadwick Boseman was an American actor, writer, director, activist and philanthropist who is most famous for his portrayal of T'Challa in the film Black Panther. Extremely driven and active in promoting increasing roles for people of colour, Boseman's two-decade long career was filled with accolades that continue even after his untimely death at just 43 years old. #WikiSleep #Sleep #SleepStories #BlackPanther #Wakanda #ChadwickBoseman #MentalHealth
BONUS EPISODE: The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe
HEADS UP: YOU CAN NOW GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP!
The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe was first published in 1842 and tells the tale of a prince who believed he could hide from the menace of death by locking himself away with courtiers and indulging in splendour... #WikiSleep #Sleep #ScaryStories #Halloween #Spooky #GhostStory #MentalHealth
Episode 163: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
HEADS UP: A FULL, TWO-HOUR VERSION OF THIS EPISODE IS AVAILABLE ON THE WIKISLEEP APP COMPLETELY FREE. JUST HEAD TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO ACCESS IT.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow tells the story of the hapless teacher, Ichabod Crane. Enamoured by ghost stories and tales of misadventure, Ichabod finds himself deploying his own charms in an attempt to seduce and bewitch, while drifting deeper into the unknown in the woods that surround him. First published in 1820, the story has fuelled Halloween themes for nearly 200 years... #WikiSleep #GhostStories #Sleep #MentalHealth #Spooky #SleepyHollow
Episode 162: The Magnificent Harry Houdini
HEADS UP: YOU CAN NOW GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP!
Harry Houdini is perhaps one of the most famous figures of the 20th century, a showman, escape artist and magician who was a master of promotion and feats of amazement. In his lifetime he helped create one of the most enduring magic societies and blow the minds of fans around the world. #WikiSleep #Sleep #Houdini #SleepStories
Episode 161: A Careless Whisper of George Michael
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP! George Michael was an English singer, songwriter, and record producer who is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the MTV generation. Starting out as one-half of Wham!, he launched into a solo career that made hime one of the best-selling musicians of all time, with sales of over 120 million records worldwide. #WikiSleep #Sleep #GeorgeMichael #MentalHealth
Episode 160: The Sleepiest Story Ever Told
Tonight's episode is a little different than most. Really, I'm just here to let you know that the WikiSleep App is now available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. In this episode, I tell you a little bit about myself, why I created WikiSleep in the first place and how to find the app so you can carry WikiSleep with you wherever you go. I very much appreciate all your support and will have more podcast episodes coming soon. #WikiSleep #WikiSleepApp #Sleep #SleepApp #SleepStories
Episode 159: The Brief Life of Alexander the Great
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP! Alexander the Great was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon who succeeded to the throne at just 20 years old. He spent most of his ruling years on an unprecedented military campaign through western Asia and northeast Africa—and by the age of thirty, he'd created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from Greece to northwestern India. He was undefeated in battle and is widely considered to be one of the most successful military commanders in history, yet he died when he was just 32 years old. #WikiSleep #Sleep #AlexandertheGreat #SleepStories #History #MentalHealth
Episode 158: Sherlock Holmes—A Scandal in Bohemia
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP! Sir Arthur Conan Doyle made Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson famous for solving confounding crimes in late 19th century. Holme's, a drug addled obsessive whose passions included cocaine and conundrums, struggled throughout these tales to relate to human emotions. In this first chapter, though, we learn that there was one woman with which he was obsessed... #WikiSleep #Sleep #SleepStories #MentalHealth #SherlockHolmes
Episode 157: The Sad Story of Anne Boleyn read by Britt Buntain
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP! More than 500 years after her death, Anne Boleyn remains a divisive character in the history of England. Was she adulterous and cruel—or was she the victim of a tyrant whose ability to remain faithful to any single woman caused him to fabricate treasonous stories that would guarantee his freedom to bed whomever he wanted while she met her end? #WikiSleep #AnneBoleyn #Sleep #MentalHealth
Episode 156: The Life & Career of Patrick Swayze
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP! Patrick Swayze was an American actor, dancer and singer known for playing lead roles, particularly as romantic, tough and comedic characters. His appearances in iconic films like The Outsiders, Ghost and, most famously, Dirty Dancing made him a huge star in his relatively short life. #WikiSleep #Sleep #Swayze #DirtyDancing #MentalHealth
Episode 155: Coco Chanel ready by Britt Buntain
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP!
For tonight's story, Britt Buntain reads about fashion designer, Coco Chanel. Chanel's story is fascinating, not only because of her astounding success and connections to the highest echelons of European power—but also because of the dark side of her life. A known Nazi sympathizer, Chanel pulled some pretty shitty moves in the years leading up to and during WWII. Yet despite this, after the war she went on to enjoy decades of further success…
Episode 154: The Real-Life Witch Hunter, Matthew Hopkins
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP! Tonight’s story is about a real-life witch hunter, Matthew Hopkins, who exploited the fears and hysteria that surrounded the occult during the 17th century in England to satisfy his own perverse views on so-called sinners. Self-proclaimed "WitchFinder General," he and his associates were responsible for more people being hanged for witchcraft than had been in all the previous 100 years combined. #WikiSleep #WitchHunter #Sleep #ScaryStory #Witchcraft #MentalHealth
Episode 153: The Scoundrel Bernie Madoff
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP! Bernie Madoff was an American scoundrel, fraudster and financier who ran the largest Ponzi scheme in history, worth an estimated $64.8 billion. The ruin of many people, with some losing fortunes that would have kept their families housed, fed and free for generations, Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison—where he died alone during the pandemic. #WikiSleep #Sleep #Madoff #Ponzi #MentalHealth
Episode 152: Sir Isaac Newton
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP!
Sir Isaac Newton was an English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, theologian and author who is widely recognized as one of the most influential scientists of all time—and a key figure in the scientific revolution. Famous for his work on gravity, he also explored the properties of light, invented calculus, served as Master of the Royal Mint and was deeply into alchemy. #WikiSleep #Sleep #IsaacNewton #MentalHealth #SleepStories
Episode 151: The Magic & Tragic Life of Whitney Houston
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP! One of the best-selling recording artists of all time, Whitney Houston released several record-breaking albums, singles and soundtracks during her life. Passionate and supportive of several foundations and different causes globally, her life was sadly cut short after battling addiction, yet her influence continues to open doors for women of colour in music and film.
Episode 150: The Greek Myth of Paris & Oenone read by Britt Buntain
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP! In this Greek myth, Paris, the abandoned son of the king Priam and the queen Hecuba, falls in love with the mountain nymph Oenone while living as a shepherd on the slopes of Mount Ida. The couple marry and have one son, but then the meddlesome gods emerge to drive a wedge into their idyllic life—a wedge that eventually leads to the fall of Troy in later tales. #WikiSleep #Sleep #GreekMyth #MentalHealth #SleepStories
Episode 149: The Not-So Great Chicago Fire
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP! The Great Chicago Fire was a massive blaze that burned between October 8th and October 10th, 1871. An estimated 300 people perished, while the inferno destroyed roughly 3.3 square miles of the city and left more than 100,000 residents homeless. While undeniably devastating, the Great Fire led to new safety standards and practices that helped prevent more fires in the future. #WikiSleep #Sleep #ChicagoFire #Inferno
Episode 148: A Brief History of the Roman Colosseum
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP!
The Roman Colosseum has stood for more than 2,000 years and been host to everything from gladiatorial battles, public executions by wild animals, apartments, games, concerts and more. The largest free-standing amphitheatre ever built, its history is a fascinating and often gruesome look into the shifting tastes of humans as we moved through the centuries.
Episode 147: Bob Ross, le parrain du calme
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP!
Connu sous le nom de Happy Painter, Bob Ross était un peintre américain, professeur d'art et animateur de télévision, ainsi que le créateur de The Joy of Painting. Sa manière calme et apaisante l'a aidé à attirer un public international qui aimait regarder son processus, tout en embrassant les "petits accidents heureux" en cours de route.
Episode 146: La grande attaque ferroviaire de 1963
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP!
La grande attaque ferroviaire (The Great Train Robbery) est l’histoire vraie d’un braquage qui s’est déroulé au Royaume-Uni en 1963, et qui a fait sensation en tenant en haleine la nation anglaise tout entière. Une bande de 15 voleurs réussit à dérober 73 millions de dollars à bord d’un train postal. La majeure partie de l’argent ne fut jamais retrouvée, et bien que personne ne fut tué pendant le braquage, les sentences pour certains voleurs capturés furent exceptionnellement sévères.
Episode 145: The Wright Brothers read by Britt Buntain
The Wright brothers were two American aviation pioneers generally credited with inventing, building, and flying the world's first successful motor-operated airplane. With unwavering passion in the face of danger and doubt, their innovations help change the course of human history. #Sleep #WikiSleep #WrightBrothers #Aviation #MentalHealth
Episode 144: Sleepy Penguin Meditation
Episode 143: The Gambino Crime Family
The Gambino Crime Family is an Italian-American Mafia family and one of the "Five Families" that have dominated organized crime in New York City for generations. With infamous leaders including John Gotti, Paul Castellano and John Gambino, the family operated a brutal regime for decades before declining into a shadow of its former self. #WikiSleep #Sleep #Gambino #Mafia
Episode 142: The Great Library of Alexandria
The Great Library of Alexandria was one of the largest and most significant libraries of the ancient world—and a center for intellectual exploration so free that it would make most universities of today collapse with envy. Housed on the Mediterranean shores of Egypt, the library lasted for hundreds of years before disappearing completely. #WikiSleep #AncientEgypt #Sleep
Episode 141: Country Hero, Dolly Parton
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP!
Dolly Parton is an American singer-songwriter, actor and businessperson, known primarily for her work in country music and philanthropy, especially around literacy. Possibly the most famous country musician in history, her fierce intelligence and talent have helped her endure in a career that is nearly seven decades long. #WikiSleep #DollyParton #Sleep #CountryMusic
Episode 139: Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter
Steve Irwin, also known as The Crocodile Hunter, was an Australian zookeeper, conservationist, television personality and wildlife expert. Famous for his enthusiasm, he was stung in the chest by a stingray off the coast of Australia in what many have called a one-in-a-million strike that pierced his heart. Initially believing it was simply a pierced lung, he died before reaching shore. #WikiSleep #SteveIrwin #CrocodileHunter
Episode 138: Typhoid Mary read by Britt Buntain
Typhoid Mary was an Irish-born American cook believed to have been an asymptomatic carrier of the bacteria that caused Typhoid fever. Defiant of public health orders, she persisted in working as a cook and thereby exposed others to the fever. As a result, she was condemned to forced quarantine for nearly three decades of her life. #WikiSleep #Sleep #TyphoidMary
Episode 137: Hunter S. Thompson
Journalist, author and founder the Gonzo journalism movement, Hunter S. Thompson is best known for his book, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, in which he grapples with the implications of what he considered the failure of the 1960s counterculture movement. Often unhinged but endlessly brilliant, his work continues to inspire writers around the world. #WikiSleep #Sleep #Gonzo #HunterSThompson
Episode 136: A Simple Sleep Meditation w/ Kyla Gagnon
I was busy recording frogs on the west coast of Vancouver Island last night (for real), so for tonight's episode, I'm sharing a sleep meditation from breath worker, Kyla Gagnon, that will appear on the forthcoming WikiSleep app. I recommend going to wikisleep.com and signing up for early and extended free access to the app...which will be very cool and is coming very soon. #WikiSleep #Sleep #SleepMeditation #BodyScan
Episode 135: The Museum of Bad Art
The Museum of Bad Art is a privately owned museum whose motto is "Art too bad to be ignored." Made up of pieces mostly discarded and then rediscovered, many of the artists display an intensity or emotion that they are unable to reconcile with their level of skill—yet are earnest in their intention. #WikiSleep #Sleep #MOBA
BONUS EPISODE! Beach Meditation with Kyla Gagnon
As part of the forthcoming WikiSleep App, we'll be including meditations and visual journeys that will help deliver more options for sleep. If you'd like early access to the app, please visit WikiSleep.com. Today's episode comes to us from Kyla Gagnon, a breathworker who takes us on a soothing and warm meditation under the sun... #WikiSleep
Episode 133: The Dutch Tulip Hysteria of 1634
Tulip-o-mania was a period during the Dutch Golden Age when contract prices for some bulbs of the recently introduced and fashionable tulip reached extraordinarily high levels, with the major acceleration starting in 1634 and then collapsing in February 1637. It is generally considered to have been the first recorded speculative financial bubble in history—and countless people lost entire fortunes speculating on the pretty little flower. #WikiSleep #TulipMania #Sleep #MassHysteria #Dutch
Episode 132: Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain has often been referred to as the reluctant voice of alternative rock, grunge and Generation X. A person who struggled to reconcile the enormous success of his band, Nirvana, with his underground punk rock ethos, he often fought back against mainstream media and expectations from the music industry. Battling heroin addiction and depression, the musician's life was sadly cut short when was just 27 years old. #WikiSleep #Sleep #Cobain #KurtCobain #Nirvana #MentalHealth
Episode 131: Robin Williams
Easily one of the most recognizable entertainers and comedians of the 20th century, Robin Williams was known for his impressions, astonishingly quick wit, improvisations and seemingly boundless energy. An actor, stand-up and stage performer, he was also a generous and kind man who quietly battled a degenerative brain disease that may have led to his untimely death. #WikiSleep #Sleep #RobinWilliams #SleepStories #MentalHealth
BONUS EPISODE: Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie, Part Two
As you may be aware, this podcast is becoming an app (and I encourage you to go to WikiSleep.com to sign-up for early and extended free access). While that is being built, I thought I'd read a story. So here's part two of one of my favourite mystery novels, written by the best selling fiction author of all time, Agatha Christie. #WikiSleep #Sleep #AgathaChristie
Episode 129: Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie (Part One)
Agatha Christie is the best-selling fiction author in history and Murder on the Links is one of her most popular novels. Published in 1923, it follows Hercule Poirot and his companion as they travel from England to France at the behest of a wealthy mystery man. Can you guess who the murderer is? This is part one in an ongoing series for this book that will be released over the next month... #WikiSleep #Sleep #Poirot #AgathaChristie #SleepStory
Episode 128: Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter known for her portraits, self-portraits and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Raw and fiercely proud of her country, she challenged questions of identity, gender, class and race within Mexican society—and she is considered by many to be one of the most important artists of the 20th century. #WikiSleep #Sleep #FridaKahlo #Frida
Episode 127: Mac Miller
Mac Miller was an American hip-hop artist and rapper who was primarily based in Philadelphia. His introspective, often raw lyrics about his challenges with mental health and addiction brought him wide respect from fans and other artists around the world. Known for his smooth, casual style, his career was skyrocketing before it was cut short by an accidental overdose. #WikiSleep #MacMiller #Sleep #MentalHealth
Episode 126: Mexican Beach Sleep
This episode is a simple 60-minute relaxation of a Mexican beach sunset with a subtle undertone of bedtime brainwaves. As a reminder, I am working on very cool app that will have all the same great content as the podcast, plus much, much more. To learn more about what's in store, please visit www.wikisleep.com, where you can sign up for for early and free access. We'll return soon with some fresh episodes but keep in mind that once the app is available, it will be the only place to find #WikiSleep stories. #Sleep #Ambient
Episode 125: Florence Nightingale read by Britt Buntain
A rebel, pioneer and all-around badass, Florence Nightingale changed the way nursing is practiced world-wide. Forgoing a life of privilege, she is directly responsible for a significant increase in life expectancy and created a system of care that is still studied and taught to this day. #WikiSleep #FlorenceNightingale #Nursing #Sleep
Episode 124: The Brief & Wonderful Life of Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger was one of Hollywood's biggest rising stars before his death. From humble beginnings on television in Australia to leading roles and Oscar nominations, his talent and magnetism drew audiences toward him unlike any other actor during his era. A life cut short just as it was truly taking off. #WikiSleep #Sleep #HeathLedger #MentalHealth #TheJoker #SleepStories
Episode 123: Otis Redding
Otis Redding's distinct voice and talent for music and business made him an icon of soul in the 1960s. Despite dying tragically young, his legacy has endured and he continues to be billed as the "King of Soul." #WikiSleep #OtisRedding #SleepStories #SoulMusic #Sleep #MentalHealth
Episode 122: Mr. Rogers
Fred Rogers, also known as Mr. Rogers, was the beloved host and creator of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, a PBS show that emphasized young children's social and emotional needs. Quiet and informal, yet focusing on important issues, the show was so popular that at its peak, it was watched in 1.8 million homes every day. #WikiSleep #Sleep #MrRogers #FredRogers #SleepStories
Episode 121: The Amazing Life of Marco Polo
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP!
A Venetian merchant, explorer, storyteller and emissary to Kublai Khan, Marco Polo travelled throughout Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. On the road for 24 years, he returned home in the midst of a war and was soon taken prisoner. While imprisoned, he detailed his adventures into what became The Travels of Marco Polo, a book that described to Europeans the then mysterious culture and inner workings of the Eastern world. #WikiSleep #Sleep #MarcoPolo #SleepStories #Travel
Episode 120: A Very Brief History of Whisky
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP!
Whisky has been around for nearly a thousand years and is among the first spirits to reach North America. Whether it was the Scots or Irish that distilled it first isn't entirely clear, but it was almost certainly a Celt in that region who was probably a monk experimenting with recipes for aqua vitae. Regardless, whisky is now produced all over the world, with some of the best coming from Canada, the U.S. and Japan. #whisky #WikiSleep #Sleep #whiskey #WhiskyHistory
Episode 119: Catherine II de Russie lu par Samia McFee en français
HEADS UP: YOU CAN GO TO WIKISLEEP.COM TO GET THE APP!
Catherine the Great, read by Samia McFee en français. We'll be releasing several French and Spanish episodes as the WikiSleep app is getting finalized, with more on the app itself once its released. For now, here's a bonus episode for all my French speaking pals and family. #WikiSleep #Sleep #French #French #histoirefrançaise #sommeil
Episode 118: Betty White
Betty White was a cultural icon whose record-breaking career spanned over nine decades. While most people know her today as Rose from The Golden Girls and other contemporary roles, her work in the first half of her career was unparalleled and she broke barriers for both women and African-Americans in television in the 1950s and '60s. #WikiSleep #Sleep #BettyWhite #MentalHealth
Episode 117: James Dean, read by Britt Buntain
The embodiment of "live fast, die young," James Dean was a cultural icon and actor famous for his rebel image, who died just as career was taking off. As a result, his persona has been frozen in time and endured for nearly seven decades. #WikiSleep #JamesDean #Sleep #SleepStory #Hollywood #MentalHealth
Episode 116: A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
In stave one of A Christmas Carol, we meet Ebenezer Scrooge, the penny-pinching humbug who'd rather freeze than spend a penny on coal. It's here that we get our image of him: grumpy, anti-social, old and sad. He is visited by his old business partner's ghost who forewarns him of the three that will visit him after... #WikiSleep #SleepStory #AChristmasCarol #Scrooge #Dickens
Episode 115: Outlaw Jesse James
Often portrayed as something of a Robin Hood outlaw, Jesse James was in fact a cold-blooded bandit with deep ties to the Confederates fighting against abolition. His path of death and destruction culminated in a betrayal from within, yet turned him into a heroic symbol of the South. #WikiSleep #Sleep #JesseJames #Outlaw #SleepStories