Podcasts · Society & Culture · Comedy

Flightless Bird

David Farrier

219 episodes · Explicit

Flightless Bird follows journalist David Farrier as he learns about what makes America special from his unique perspective as a Kiwi accidentally marooned in the Land of the Free. Infinitely curious but never judgmental, each week, David (along with cohost and American Rob) seeks to understand what makes America so unique, strange, and wonderful.

Episodes page 1 of 5

  1. Scary Clowns

    · 57 min · Explicit

    In this week’s spooky Flightless Bird episode (you know, Halloween and that) we look at one of the scariest motifs known to man: Clowns. Rob and David are joined in the studio by Guilford Adams, director of the…

  2. Bigfoot Day

    · 1 h 06 min · Explicit

    The Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot film is as iconic as the moon landing and footage of the JFK assassination. But was it real? In today’s episode, we have the final, conclusive answer to this question. If you missed the…

  3. Nest Session: Yvette Young on Internet Stalkers

    · 1 h 13 min · Explicit

    In this month’s Nest Session, David and Rob are joined in the studio by Yvette Young, frontwoman of math rock band Covet, and an incredible guitarist who ended up on a Rolling Stone list of greatest guitarists of all…

  4. Margaret Cho

    · 1 h 16 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob are joined in the studio by legendary comedian Margaret Cho to check in on how she feels about the USA here in 2026. We (Rosabel, me and Rob) are all giant fans of…

  5. Mormonism

    · 1 h 23 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David looks at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - AKA Mormons - AKA “The American Religion”. Mormons are the quintessential American religion, created by a New Yorker in…

  6. Kratom & 7-OH Pt II

    · 1 h 20 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, we revisit what the heck is going on with the banning of Kratom and 7-OH after the DEA got involved. We talk to a major manufacturer of these so-called “gas station drugs” to get his…

  7. Canada Pt II with Liz Plank

    · 1 h 13 min · Explicit

    In this week's Flightless Bird, David takes a long hard look at himself, and in doing so, takes a long hard look at Canada. To help Farrier on his journey into understanding more about Canada - the Flightless Bird team…

  8. Nest Sessions: Medium Build on Being a Sperm Donor Kid

    · 53 min · Explicit

    Rob and David are joined in the studio by Medium Build, AKA US singer songwriter Nicholas Carpenter. Medium Build have been incredibly busy over the last few years, touring heavily and playing festivals like Coachella,…

  9. Canada

    · 1 h 14 min · Explicit

    In this week's Flightless Bird - still reeling in the fact Donald Trump just renamed Lake Ontario to Lake America, David decides to investigate the wonderful country of Canada, encountering bagged milk, clowns, and an…

  10. Ranch

    · 1 h 06 min · Explicit

    In this week's Flightless Bird, David investigates ranch dressing, one of America’s favourite things! Over 40% of Americans list ranch as their favourite dressing - and is particularly popular in the midwest. David…

  11. Timeshares

    · 1 h 13 min · Explicit

    In this week's Flightless Bird, David investigates America's obsession with timeshares - going undercover at a timeshare sales session, where he feels his sanity slowly slipping away as the hours pass by. More on…

  12. Wisconsin Dells

    · 54 min · Explicit

    In this week's Flightless Bird, David heads to Wisconsin Dells, America's "waterpark capital" - discovering a chaotic holiday spot that's like Las Vegas for kids, all high on sugar and waterslides. He then turns his…

  13. Nest Sessions: Armor for Sleep on Youth Invention Competitions

    · 52 min · Explicit

    Ben Jorgensen of Armor for Sleep joins Rob & David for this month’s Nest Session, where he talks about the themes of their seminal work “What to Do When You Are Dead,” before sharing a truly unhinged American meal with…

  14. Life After ICE

    · 1 h 13 min · Explicit

    In this week’s episode, David travels to Wisconsin to meet up with Everlee Wihongi, the New Zealander kidnapped by ICE at LAX, released after 73 days in prison. She and her mother Betty reflect on what it was like the…

  15. Chili's

    · 57 min · Explicit

    Rob takes David out to the iconic American chain Chilis to eat some baby back baby back baby back ribs. David discovers how the first ever Chilis was a post office on Greenville Avenue in Dallas that closed down in the…

  16. YouTube for Kids

    · 1 h 47 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob are joined by “Meekah,” AKA Kaitlin Becker - the much loved children educator known for her work with the likes of Blippi and Ms Rachel. She talks about how she got into…

  17. Live in Dallas: Colossal Labs, Rosabel, & the JFK Assassination

    · 1 h 39 min · Explicit

    This week’s Flightless Bird comes to you live from Dallas, Texas, where David and Rob explore the city and interview a range of guests to dig deeper into what Dallas is all about! On the couch is Stefano Daza Arango…

  18. Kratom & 7-OH

    · 1 h 05 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob look into the proliferation of gas station drugs like kratom and the more powerful 7-OH. What are these drugs, who is using them, and why? And how are these opioid…

  19. Video Games with Rahul Kohli

    · 1 h 41 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob are joined on the couch by actor Rahul Kohli. Originally from London, Rahul moved to LA where he ended up being cast in some of David’s favourite shows including iZombie…

  20. New York Trash

    · 1 h 02 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David looks into the state of trash in the USA, through the eyes of a New Yorker who’s made it her mission to clean up all the trash on the Brooklyn bridge. New Yorkers produce more than…

  21. Nest Sessions: Matthew Logan Vasquez on Botched Vasectomies

    · 57 min · Explicit

    In this month’s Nest Session, David and Rob sit down with musician Matthew Logan Vasquez, best-known as the co-founder and frontman for Delta Spirit. Vasquez has a rich history with Flightless Bird, scoring the early…

  22. Live in Austin: Bats, Lizardman, Rosabel, & The Yogurt Shop Murders

    · 1 h 29 min · Explicit

    This week’s Flightless Bird comes to you live from Austin, where David and Rob explore the city before interviewing a range of guests to dig deeper into what Austin, TX is all about! They meet Merlin Tuttle, the legend…

  23. The OC with Rachel Bilson

    · 1 h 13 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob have the pleasure of being joined on the couch by actor Rachel Bilson, to talk about the American juggernaut of pop-culture: The OC. Feedback: flightlessbirdchat@gmail.com…

  24. Boy Throb

    · 1 h 02 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David travels to New York to the debut live show of America’s newest boyband, Boy Throb. Formed in October of last year, the three American members of Boy Throb are attempting to get an…

  25. Titanic Panic

    · 55 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David looks into a small but dedicated group of Americans who are still obsessed with the (alleged) sinking of the Titanic. They find it terrifying, they find it moving, they find it all…

  26. Nest Sessions: Tim Kasher on Game Shows

    · 1 h 01 min · Explicit

    In this month’s Nest Session, David and Rob sit down with Tim Kasher, the frontman of Cursive. Hailing from Omaha, Nebraska, Tim and his wife are borderline obsessed with American gameshows. Not only have they both…

  27. Lifespring Cult

    · 1 h 05 min · Explicit

    In this week’s episode of Flightless Bird, David looks into the bonkers world of the Human Potential Movement and Large Group Awareness Training - viewed through the lens of a child whose mother got sucked into the…

  28. Live in Salt Lake City: Skinwalker Ranch, Caving, & Weiner Dog Races

    · 1 h 50 min · Explicit

    Flightless Bird comes to you live from Salt Lake City, Utah. In a jam packed show, Rob and David share their experiences visiting The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Gilgal Sculpture Garden, before…

  29. Anna Konkle on Pen15 & the Sane One

    · 1 h 28 min · Explicit

    David and Rob are joined in the studio by Anna Konkle, the co-creator and star of PEN15, one of their favourite shows of all time - looking at the trials and tribulations of being a seventh grader in the United States.…

  30. Wisconsin: Supper Clubs

    · 56 min · Explicit

    In this week’s episode, as part of his “Wisconsin” series, David investigates the world of Supper Clubs in Madison. What the hell is a supper club, and why is this state obsessed with them? What is a Friday Fish Fry,…

  31. Nest Sessions: Nick Thorburn on Underground Comics

    · 52 min · Explicit

    In this month’s Nest Session, David and Rob are joined in the studio by musician Nick Thorburn (Islands, the Unicorns, Mister Heavenly, The Creem) to discuss his love of underground comics and fulfilling his dream of…

  32. ICE Detention Center Visit

    · 57 min · Explicit

    In this week’s episode, David and Rob head to the Adelanto ICE Detention Centre in which is imprisoning New Zealand woman Everlee Wihongi, who holds a valid green card. Rob goes inside and spends an hour with Everlee,…

  33. ICE Kidnaps A Kiwi

    · 1 h 04 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird we tell the story of Everlee Wihongi, a 36-year-old New Zealander on a green card, snatched by ICE at LAX airport. We talk to her mother Betty, trying to figure out why her daughter got…

  34. Wisconsin: Cheeseheads

    · 57 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier travels to Madison, Wisconsin, to investigate the World Championship Cheese Contest. With 3375 entries and 150 classes, we are talking a lot of cheese. Hosted by the…

  35. Pro Puzzler

    · 1 h 09 min · Explicit

    On this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob discover that doing jigsaw puzzles is not just a hobby - it’s a sport! They talk to US speed puzzler Karen Kavett - AKA Karen Puzzles - who’s about to head off to the 2026…

  36. Parasocial Listener II

    · 54 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, we return to Nick from last year’s Parasocial Listener Episode. Nick had been diagnosed with a rare kind of brain tumor - rare in that you can remove it, but it keeps coming back. In…

  37. Nest Sessions: Genevieve Schatz on being clairvoyant

    · 1 h 03 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Nest Session, David and Rob are joined by Genevieve Schatz, frontperson of Chicago indie band Company of Thieves. Schatz has been on quite the journey since fronting that band - which includes delving…

  38. Goosebumps

    · 53 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob talk iconic series Goosebumps - discussing their favourite books in the series, the joy of the Scholastic Book Fair, and how Goosebumps have managed to sell over 400…

  39. Food Trucks with Roy Choi

    · 1 h 56 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David and Rob have Korean-American chef Roy Choi in the studio to talk food trucks. The creator of legendary Korean-Mexican taco truck “Kogi”, Roy talks about his influences growing up,…

  40. Train Crashes

    · 1 h 11 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David talks to a woman who’s been working at a law firm for over a decade that represents motorists who get hit by trains. How is this a full time job? Well, there are around 1300 train…

  41. Jehovah's Witnesses

    · 58 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David talks to two former members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses religion in the USA, to find out what it’s really like inside. Can members really not pledge their allegiance to the American…

  42. Nest Sessions: The Format on Fan Clubs & Being Birthed

    · 54 min · Explicit

    In this month's Nest Session, David and Rob are joined on the couch by The Format's Nate Ruess and Sam Means, who met as teenagers at a Weezer concert while Sam was running the band's fan club. The two reflect on what…

  43. Schizophrenia Simulator

    · 1 h 19 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David talks to someone who has schizophrenia. Christopher Grant talks about what it was like to grow up seeing the world a little differently than others, his growing struggles with…

  44. Child Stars with Mara Wilson

    · 1 h 21 min · Explicit

    In this weeks Flightless Bird, David and Rob talk to Mara Wilson about being a child star in films like Mrs Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Street and - of course - the titular character in Matilda. Wilson has had time to…

  45. 90's Nickelodeon

    · 1 h 23 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, Rob schools David on Nickelodeon, the American TV channel launched on April 1, 1979, when David was just three years old. Nickelodeon gave us Rugrats, Doug, and SpongeBob SquarePants -…

  46. Hooters

    · 1 h 11 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, Rosabel muses on the fallout from her episode a few weeks ago, before David and Rob set off for Hooters - absolutely terrified to their core that they will be cancelled in the process by…

  47. Nest Sessions: Peter Matthew Bauer on Growing up in a Meditation Cult

    · 57 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Nest Session, we’re joined by Peter Matthew Bauer of The Walkmen, who brings in a fresh Kentucky Southern Casserole for David and Rob to sample. Peter shares some pie, as well as what it was like growing…

  48. Milky Bar Kid (AKA Falling in Love)

    · 59 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David meets Doretta, an American who met and fell in love with a New Zealander - a man who happened to be one of NZ’s most well known celebrities: The Milky Bar Kid. Sort of. Back in the…

  49. Dungeons & Dragons

    · 1 h 21 min · Explicit

    In this week’s Flightless Bird, David meets Phil - a man who’s been playing the same Dungeons and Dragons campaign since D&D was first released in 1974. Phil explains what’s so important about the game, and the friends…

  50. Rosabel

    · 1 h 14 min · Explicit

    On this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier temporarily halts his New Zealand holiday to bring you the guest to end all guests: Rosabel. If you've listened to Flightless Bird for awhile, you will be familiar with the…

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