Episode 18: Memory and the Mandela Effect

Episode 21: Anatomy of a murder crime scene – Part 3

In Episode 21 of Fool Me Twice, Bradford Oakes and Steve Van Aperen return to their ongoing “anatomy of a murder” scenario, using a fictional targeted shooting in a Melbourne laneway to explain how homicide investigations really unfold. They begin by recapping listener questions from the previous episode, including the old detective advice to keep your hands in your pockets at a crime scene. Steve explains Locard’s exchange principle: every contact leaves a trace, whether fingerprints, fibres, DNA, or material carried away on shoes. From there, they discuss why preserving a scene “in situ” matters, using examples of contamination and misplaced evidence. The conversation also revisits “thrill kills,” which Steve defines as killings motivated by the pleasure of killing rather than revenge, greed, anger, or another conventional motive. He contrasts these with targeted murders, noting that random, pleasure-driven crimes can be much harder to solve because there may be no link between victim and offender. They then return to the fictional case: a 27-year-old man with possible organised-crime connections is found shot dead beside a roller door in an inner-city laneway. Steve explains how detectives would assess his clothing, possessions, damaged phone, missing wallet, blood patterns, cartridge cases, tyre marks, cigarette butts, drink containers, footwear impressions, and an unlatched security gate. Bradford regularly tests assumptions, while Steve cautions that each clue may be important, irrelevant, or misleading until supported by evidence. A major theme is that homicide scenes are rarely neat. Steve describes how investigators would secure CCTV, photograph and video the scene, preserve evidence, remove the body only after forensic approval, attend the autopsy for continuity, and later analyse clothing, biological traces, ballistics, toxicology, and gunshot residue. He also explains how cartridge cases can indicate a semi-automatic weapon, while projectiles may help link a firearm to a shooting. The episode balances grim investigative detail with Bradford’s humour, including jokes about crime-show clichés, police language, courtroom rituals, and his own youthful court appearance. It ends with the pair acknowledging that they have only covered the initial crime-scene actions. The next episode will move into associates, motives, and the investigative matrix. LINKS Book Steve Van Aperen as your next keynote speaker: Click here [https://www.stevevanaperen.com/] Get coached in stand-up comedy with Brad Oakes: Click here [https://hardknockknocks.com/] Learn more about Fool Me Twice by visiting www.foolmetwice.com.au [https://foolmetwice.com.au/] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode 20: Anatomy of a murder crime scene - Part 2

In this episode of Fool Me Twice, Brad Oakes and Steve Van Aperen return to their “anatomy of a murder” exercise, using a fictional Collingwood laneway shooting to unpack how real homicide investigators think. Steve begins by answering listener questions from the previous episode, including why an old detective once told him to keep his hands in his pockets at a crime scene. His explanation centres on Locard’s theory of transfer: every contact leaves a trace, whether it is fingerprints, fibres, hair, DNA, coffee cup residue or carpet particles carried away on a shoe. Brad keeps the discussion lively, testing Steve’s expertise with the sorts of questions an ordinary listener might ask. Could a criminal really wipe away fingerprints? Why does “in situ” matter? What exactly is a thrill kill? Steve explains that crime scenes must be preserved in their original state, because even an object that looks out of place may have an innocent explanation. He also describes thrill killings as murders committed for pleasure rather than a more obvious motive such as revenge, greed or anger. The pair then return to the imagined murder case. A 27 year old man, possibly linked to organised crime circles, is found shot dead near a roller door in a Melbourne laneway. There is no weapon, no obvious robbery, a damaged phone, cash, keys, cartridge cases, tyre marks, cigarette butts, drink containers and possible footwear impressions. Steve walks through each detail carefully, stressing that evidence can be significant, irrelevant or misleading until it is tested against the broader investigation. The episode also covers ballistics, gunshot residue, defensive wounds, blood patterns, CCTV, police running sheets and the importance of autopsies. Steve makes it clear that homicide work is not neat or quick. Investigators must preserve continuity, photograph and video evidence, attend the post-mortem, collect clothing for forensic testing and build a case piece by piece. Brad balances the grim subject matter with humour, including riffs on police jargon, court language and an unfortunate borrowed suit worn to court. By the end, Steve has only finished explaining the initial crime scene response. The next stage, he says, will involve known associates, possible motives and an investigative matrix. LINKS Book Steve Van Aperen as your next keynote speaker: Click here [https://www.stevevanaperen.com/] Get coached in stand-up comedy with Brad Oakes: Click here [https://hardknockknocks.com/] Learn more about Fool Me Twice by visiting www.foolmetwice.com.au [https://foolmetwice.com.au/] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Bonus Episode - Meet Fool Me Twice producer, Morry Morgan

In this bonus episode of Fool Me Twice [https://foolmetwice.com.au/], host Steve Van Aperen swaps the usual format for a behind-the-glass conversation with Morry Morgan, the show’s producer. With co-host Bradford Oakes away, Steve and Morry use the opportunity to revisit how the podcast began, how they first met, and the strange chain of events that eventually led to Fool Me Twice. Steve traces his journey from detective work at Flemington to training with the FBI’s Behavioural Sciences Unit, where his interest in profiling evolved into a fascination with cognitive and behavioural engineering. That path led to public speaking, international training, book opportunities, media work, and even a connection with Jennifer Lopez’s production company. Morry then takes the story back to 2007, when he and Steve first crossed paths through mutual friend Chris Mooney, who skippered a sailboat trip on Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay. At the time, Morry was working in China and looking at bringing Steve, along with lateral-thinking expert Dr Michael Hewitt-Gleeson [https://schoolofthinking.org/who-dr-michael-hewitt-gleeson/], over for speaking engagements. Michael eventually toured China, but Steve’s plans were interrupted by the global financial crisis. The conversation then turns to Morry’s other major project: Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School [https://hardknockknocks.com/]. Morry explains how the school inspired a six-part comedy-drama called Is This Thing On? [https://www.youtube.com/c/isthisthingon], developed with Stig Wemyss of Mezzanine Films [https://mezzaninefilms.com.au/]. Stig encouraged Morry to add more emotional depth to the series, suggesting a psychological “B story” that would explore why ordinary people were willing to put themselves through the fear of stand-up comedy. Morry immediately thought of Steve, whose expertise helped the participants manage self-doubt, stage fright and performance anxiety. Steve reflects on how fear is often created internally, and how many of the aspiring comedians had to overcome their own assumptions before stepping on stage. The pair discuss the difference between being funny among friends and becoming a stand-up comedian, where truth is often only the starting point for a joke. Finally, Morry explains the origin of Fool Me Twice: a podcast about lying from two perspectives. Steve uncovers lies through his professional expertise, while Bradford Oakes, as a comedian, creates playful lies to make people laugh. That contrast became the heart of the show. LINKS Book Steve Van Aperen as your next keynote speaker: Click here [https://www.stevevanaperen.com/] Get coached in stand-up comedy with Brad Oakes: Click here [https://hardknockknocks.com/] Learn stand-up comedy with Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here [https://hardknockknocks.com/] Watch "Is This Thing On?" comedy-drama: Click here [https://www.youtube.com/c/isthisthingon] Learn more about Fool Me Twice by visiting www.foolmetwice.com.au [https://foolmetwice.com.au/] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode 19: Anatomy of a murder crime scene - Part 1

Episode 19 of Fool Me Twice features Bradford Oakes and Steve Van Aperen exploring what they call “the anatomy of a murder”, a detailed walkthrough of how detectives and forensic investigators approach a homicide scene. The episode combines serious crime analysis with humour and storytelling, giving listeners an insight into investigative thinking and police procedure. Bradford Oakes opens the discussion by introducing a fictional murder scenario set in Melbourne’s inner-city laneways around Collingwood and Fitzroy. The victim is described as a well-dressed young man with possible links to organised crime, found dead beside a roller door with multiple gunshot wounds and scattered cartridge casings nearby. Steve Van Aperen, drawing on his years of investigative experience, explains how detectives avoid making assumptions too early and instead focus on collecting evidence methodically. Throughout the episode, Steve stresses the importance of observation and curiosity in police work. He explains that good investigators do not simply accept what they see at face value. Instead, they ask questions, examine inconsistencies and avoid fitting evidence to preconceived theories. The pair discuss how forensic teams analyse blood spatter, bullet trajectories, gunshot residue, mobile phones and witness accounts to reconstruct what happened at a crime scene. Bradford Oakes often plays the role of the eager but inexperienced observer, jumping to conclusions that Steve quickly challenges. This creates an engaging dynamic where listeners learn how easily assumptions can derail an investigation. Steve explains that even details like the position of a body, a half-removed shoe or a damaged mobile phone may reveal crucial information about a struggle, the shooter’s movements or the victim’s final moments. The episode also touches on the psychological side of violent crime. Steve Van Aperen discusses how rage, jealousy and adrenaline can affect memory and behaviour, including situations where offenders genuinely cannot remember how many shots they fired or wounds they inflicted. LINKS Book Steve Van Aperen as your next keynote speaker: Click here [https://www.stevevanaperen.com/] Get coached in stand-up comedy with Brad Oakes: Click here [https://hardknockknocks.com/] Learn more about Fool Me Twice by visiting www.foolmetwice.com.au [https://foolmetwice.com.au/] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode 18: Memory and the Mandela Effect

In this episode of Fool Me Twice, the conversation centres on the Mandela Effect and the unreliability of memory. Stephen and Bradford explore how people can confidently remember events, sayings and details that are completely incorrect, and why memory can be influenced by suggestion, repetition and personal interpretation. The discussion begins with some listener clarifications from previous episodes, including what the MCG is for international listeners. They explain that the Melbourne Cricket Ground is Australia’s largest sporting stadium, capable of holding more than 100,000 people, and is used for cricket, Australian rules football and concerts. The pair joke about golf drives, seating sizes and fitness tests from police academy days before moving into the main topic. Bradford shares stories from his policing career to explain how memory can be unreliable. He recalls attending an armed robbery where three witnesses each described a completely different getaway car, despite genuinely believing their recollections were accurate. This leads into a broader conversation about eyewitness testimony and the dangers of relying solely on memory in criminal investigations. Stephen and Bradford discuss how police separate witnesses to avoid contamination of evidence and how strong personalities can unintentionally influence the memories of others. The pair examine famous examples of the Mandela Effect, including people falsely remembering Nelson Mandela dying in prison, the Monopoly mascot wearing a monocle and misquoted movie lines such as “Luke, I am your father” and “Mirror, mirror on the wall”. They also discuss “mondegreens”, where song lyrics are commonly misheard, leading to humorous misunderstandings that can persist for years. The episode also explores deception detection technology, particularly the differences between traditional polygraph testing and newer infrared eye-scanning systems known as EyeDetect. Bradford explains how the technology measures blink rate, pupil dilation and response latency to identify signs of deception, while also discussing the ways people attempt to manipulate the results. LINKS Book Steve Van Aperen as your next keynote speaker: Click here [https://www.stevevanaperen.com/] Get coached in stand-up comedy with Brad Oakes: Click here [https://hardknockknocks.com/] Learn more about Fool Me Twice by visiting www.foolmetwice.com.au [https://foolmetwice.com.au/] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.