Shows / Profoundly Pointless
Profoundly Pointless
A podcast for the curious. Interviews on Society, Sex, Science and Sports. From CERN Particle Physicists and Professional Casino Cheats to Erotic Hypnotists and Olympic Athletes, every week host Nick VinZant sits down with a guest from a different walk of life. The story is never the same but the goal always is, to truly learn something new. Signal Award winner for Best Interview Podcast.
Episodes
Profoundly PointlessThe Pattern Behind UFO Sightings with Christian Stepien of the National UFO Reporting Center
Have you ever seen something in the sky you couldn't explain. Well, you are not alone. And if you ask Christian Stepien of the UFO Reporting Center, neither…
Profoundly PointlessHow Sex Toys are Made with Sex Toy Designer Mike Blacksmith
Mike Blacksmith has been designing sex toys for nearly twenty years. In that time he's created everything from vibrators and paddles to rings and plugs for…
Profoundly PointlessPolitical Kinks with Political Humiliation Dominatrix Krystal
Krystal is a dominatrix who caters to a very specific type of clientele, people who want to be humiliated because of how they voted. In this episode of…
Profoundly PointlessMysteries of the Deep Sea with Deep Sea Explorer Alan Jamieson
Explorer Alan Jamieson has gone on more than 70 expeditions to the deepest parts of the ocean. From the Mariana Trench to the abyssal plains, he says the deep…
Profoundly PointlessFinding Stole Art with Fine Art Detective Richard Ellis
For more than 50 years Fine Art Detective Richard Ellis has traveled the world in search of stolen art. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore the…
Profoundly PointlessThe Occult and You: How the Occult Influenced America with Occult Historian Dr. Brian Regal
You might not know it. You might now believe it. But occult practices are all around you. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore how the occult…
Profoundly PointlessWhy We Feel Fear and How to Control It with Fear Researcher Dr. Kerry Ressler
Fear is one of our most powerful emotions. It keeps us safe but it can also take over every aspect of our lives. Fear Researcher Dr. Kerry Ressler says there…
Profoundly PointlessThe Scary Business of Haunted Houses with Haunted House Designer John Denley
Haunted House Designer John Denley has spent the last 30 years creating some of the world’s scariest Haunted Houses. He says there’s one thing that makes a…
Profoundly PointlessHow People are Manipulating Prediction Markets with Prediction Market Researcher Dr. Joshua Mitts
Sometimes it’s inside information, sometimes it’s changing perceptions with huge amounts of cash, sometimes it’s holding a hair dryer to a weather gage…
Profoundly PointlessThe Future of Prediction Markets with Prediction Market Researcher Dr. Koleman Strumpf
Right now Prediction Markets are exploding in popularity and controversy. Going from a niche hobby to a market with billions of dollars in trades. In this…
Profoundly PointlessHow Animals Get Cast in Movies with Hollywood Animal Agent Joel Norton
In Hollywood casting is everything. Movie Producers and Casting Agents have to find just the right person to make movies and TV shows come to life. Even if…
Profoundly PointlessWords You Just Don't Say with Language Taboo Linguist Professor Randall Eggert
In every language there are words you just don’t say. They can be about sex, religion, food or even your mother-in-law. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless…
Profoundly PointlessThe History and Meaning of Swear Words with Linguist Professor Randall Eggert
We all know what the big swear words are, but where did they come from, what do they really mean and what do they say about the things we hold sacred. Linguist…
Profoundly PointlessWhy We Cuss with Cuss Word Researcher Dr. Richard Stephens
Why do we cuss? And what happens when we do. Psychologist and Curse Word Researcher Dr. Richard Stephens has spent decades trying to answer those two…
Profoundly PointlessHow Languages Change with Research Linguist Daniel Hieber
Every word and every language has an origin story. What originally started out as a way to describe a specific type of tree, is now what we call a book. In…
Profoundly PointlessFinding Buried Treasure with Treasure Hunter Brent Brisben
Treasure Hunter Brent Brisben has found over $4.5 million dollars worth of buried treasure, now he's on the hunt for more. But what does it take to be one of…
Profoundly PointlessHow Drone Shows are Made with Drone Show Designer Grant Reichardt
Designing and piloting a drone show is no easy task. It takes hundreds of hours of preparation to control thousands of drones that all need to move in pattern…
Profoundly PointlessThe Art and Science of Creating Fireworks Shows with Pyrotechnician Steve Yoss
The fireworks explode in an instant of blinding light and thunderous sound. But designing a fireworks show takes months of preparation and years of training…
Profoundly PointlessThe Songs of Summer with Summer Song Researcher Devon Powers
What makes the perfect song of the summer? Professor Devon Powers studies summer songs. She says every great summer songs usually has three things: a memorable…
Profoundly PointlessI'm Attracted to Water with Aquaphiliac Raven Lynette
As an Aquaphiliac Raven Lynette loves the water. But this isn't about just swimming around. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore Aquaphilia. We…
Profoundly PointlessThe Universe's Oldest Stars with Stellar Archaeologist Dr. Anna Frebel
They were born more than 13 billion years ago but ancient stars are still shaping our Universe today. And without them, we wouldn’t be here. Astrophysicist and…
Profoundly PointlessThe New Soccer Hooligans with Soccer Violence Researcher Dr. Linus Peitz
Sociologist Dr. Linuz Peitz studies the psychology that drives Soccer (Football) Hooligans. He says the rising tide of soccer violence is all about one thing…
Profoundly PointlessSecrets of Sorority Rush with Rush Consultant Trisha Addicks
What does it take to get into the United States’ best sororities. And why would you want to. As the world’s first Rush Consultant, Trisha Addicks literally…
Profoundly PointlessThe Business of the World Cup with Sports Economist Dr. Victor Matheson
The World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world. But the action on the pitch still pales in comparison to the business going on behind the scenes…
Profoundly PointlessHow to Tell if Someone is Lying with Lie Detection Researcher Vincent Denault
How can you tell if someone is lying? Criminology Professor and Lie Detection Researcher Vincent Denault says that while lies are complicated, there's one…
Profoundly PointlessCelebrities and Cults with Celebrity Cult Expert Cassie Marie
From Tom Cruise and Jared Leto to Allison Mack and Gwyneth Paltrow, Celebrity Cult Expert Cassie Marie says celebrities have a long association with cults and…
Profoundly PointlessThe Science and Meaning of Deja Vu
What is Deja Vu, where does it come from and why do we get it? Deja Vu researchers Dr. Christopher Moulin and Dr. Akira O'Connor have spent their lives trying…
Profoundly PointlessHow the NFL Draft Really Works with NFL Scout Dan Hatman
An an NFL Scout, Dan Hatman's job is to predict the future. He's got to sort through hundreds of players and thousands of hours of games because when it comes…
Profoundly PointlessThe Life of An NFL Agent with NFL Agent Evan Brennan
The NFL Draft is fast approaching and for NFL Agent Evan Brennan that means cloak and dagger storytelling, secretive negotiations and truly odd demands, all in…
Profoundly PointlessOil and Gas Industry Expert Dr. Carole Nakhle
Oil runs the world. And right now the oil and gas industry is going through a major disruption because of the war in Iran. Oil prices are rising and there’s no…
Profoundly PointlessHow Memory Works with Memory Researcher Dr. Akira O'Connor and Dr. Christopher Moulin
How do we remember? Why do we forget? What’s making our memories change over time? Memory Researchers Dr. Akira O’Connor and Dr. Christopher Moulin have spent…
Profoundly PointlessScience and the Afterlife with Afterlife Communications Researcher Dr. Kim Penberthy
Have you ever had a brush with death? Whether it's a near-death experience, a message from a deceased love one or simply feeling a presence when you walk into…
Profoundly PointlessThe Science of Boredom with Boredom Researcher Dr. James Danckert
Why do we get bored? Boredom Researcher Dr. James Danckert says boredom is a search for meaning. Our brains' way of telling us we need to find something new…
Profoundly PointlessConsciousness Researcher Dr. Ned Block
What is consciousness and where does it come from? These are two questions Consciousness Researcher Dr. Ned Block has spent his entire life trying to answers…
Profoundly PointlessOlympic Bobsleigh Pilot Chris Spring
Rocketing down the track at more than 100mph, Olympic Bobsleigh Pilot Chris Spring knows that the difference between winning Gold and crashing is measured in…
Profoundly PointlessOlympic Ski Jumper Kevin Bickner
In Ski Jumping every little detail matters. And no American has flown farther than 3x Olympian Kevin Bickner. We talk what really happens on a Ski Jump, the…
Profoundly PointlessCurling Olympians Ben Richardson and Korey Dropkin
Olympic Curling is all about precision. It’s a sport where less than half and inch can mean the difference between winning a Gold Medal and getting last place…
Profoundly PointlessSki Mountaineering with Olympian Cam Smith
Ski Mountaineering is the only new sport at the 2026 Winter Olympics and Team USA Olympian Cam Smith has a chance to win the sports first Gold Medal. We talk…
Profoundly PointlessAI Slop and the End of Social Media with Jeremy Carrasco
AI Slop is taking over the internet. But how can you tell what’s real and what’s AI. AI Media Expert Jeremy Carrasco joins us to talk sorting through AI Slop…
Profoundly PointlessAI and the Future of Work with Futurist Adam Dorr
When will AI (artificial intelligence) take our jobs. Technology Futurist and AI Employment Researcher Adam Dorr says it might be much sooner than you think…
Profoundly PointlessHallmark Christmas Movie Screenwriter Rick Garman
From “Christmas on Cherry Lane” to “Oy! to the World”, Screenwriter Rick Garman has written more than 40 Christmas movies. We talk writing a Christmas movie…
Profoundly PointlessI'm Attracted to Santa Claus: Santaphilia with Sofia Somer
Sofia Somer has a thing for Santa Claus. Ever since she first discovered her sexuality, Sofia has been attracted to Santa (Santaphilia). We talk Santa…
Profoundly PointlessThe History of Christmas Rituals with Dr. Katherine Walker
From Santa and gingerbread cookies to Christmas trees and the colors of red and green, Dr. Katherine Walker studies the history of our favorite Christmas…
Profoundly PointlessThanksgiving Special
It's time for our annual Thanksgiving Special. We talk waiting, the decline of Thanksgiving and countdown the Top 5 Worst Christmas Songs. We hope you and…
Profoundly PointlessMovie Pyrotechnician Anthony Simonaitis
From Terminator and Superman to Sicario and Face/Off, Movie Pyrotechnician and Stunt Coordinator has been blowing stuff up in movies for more than 30 years. We…
Profoundly PointlessConspiracy Theory Researcher Dr. Daniel Jolley
From Jeffrey Epstein and faking the moon landing, to chemtrails and who really killed JFK, Social Psychologist Dr. Daniel Jolley has spent his life studying…
Profoundly PointlessSecret Societies Researcher Dr. Rick Spence
The Illuminati, Freemasons, the Bilderberg Group, Historian Dr. Rick Spence has spent decades studying secret societies. We talk how secret societies have…
Profoundly PointlessHorror Author Paul Tremblay
As the Author of A Head Full of Ghosts, The Cabin at the End of the World and Horror Movie, horror writer Paul Tremblay knows what scares people. We talk the…
Profoundly PointlessUnexplained Researcher Colin Dickey
Ghosts, Monsters, Alien Abductions, Secret Societies, New York Times Bestselling Author Colin Dickey studies them all. His goal is to discover why we’re so…
Profoundly PointlessSerial Killer Researcher Dr. Katherine Ramsland
From Ed Gein and Ted Bundy, to BTK and Jeffrey Dahmer, Criminologist Dr. Katherine Ramsland has spent the last 30 years studying serial killers - trying to…
Profoundly PointlessCave Diver Jonathan Bird
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Profoundly PointlessPolitical Humiliation Dominatrix Krystal
They want her to humiliate them, embarrass them and make them feel small, all because they’re a Republican. Krystal is a dominatrix who specializes in…
Profoundly PointlessMoney Laundering and Scam Expert Moyara Ruehsen
Between money laundering scams, pig butchering cons and ransomware attacks, Professor Moyara Ruehsen says we are in the middle of an epidemic of scams. Scams…
Profoundly PointlessAccent Coach Erik Singer
Everyone has an accent. Yes, even you. And your accent says so much more than simply where you are from. It's a window into who you really are. Erik Singer…
Profoundly PointlessPsychedelics Advocate Zach Leary
As the son of Timothy Leary, Zach Leary has spent his life at the forefront of the psychedelics movement. We talk the growing legalization of psychedelics, the…
Profoundly PointlessHandedness Researcher Dr. Sebastian Ocklenburg
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Profoundly PointlessFootball Sideline Reporter Amanda Guerra
Football is back! And for College Football Sideline Reporter Amanda Guerra, that means the craziness is about to begin. We talk what really happens on the…
Profoundly PointlessNIL Researcher Dr. Thilo Kunkel
College Football is back. But it will never be the same. NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) Researcher Dr. Thio Kunkel reveals how a massive influx of new money is…
Profoundly PointlessRiley Special
There are no words so there is no description. Besides of course this description, which is a description. But not like, a description, description. Learn more…
Profoundly PointlessSummer Special
It might not be summer yet but it's still time for our first ever Summer Special. We talk city names, unveil a new Candle of the Month and countdown the Top 5…