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E raC e d WI T H CJ H U N T

For hundreds of years, European explorers and archeologists have crafted racial and genealogical myths that all tell one speci c kind of story. Worming their way into the public psyche, these outrageous tall tales are still alive and well today — seen in widespread hoaxes, pop culture, and TikTok videos lled with hot takes and deep fakes. From the myth that aliens built the pyramids to everything surrounding Bigfoot, there’s one common thread that runs through all of these stories…

The totally bunk theory of WHITE EXCEPTIONALISM: The phenomenon of white people creating fantastic explanations to erase the talents and achievements of non-white people.

I N TH IS N EW M I N D-BOGG LI NG ADVE NTU RE SE RI ES, WE’RE ON A M ISSION TO U N EARTH TH E RACIALI Z E D MYTHS THAT HAVE BU I LT TH E MODE RN WORLD. From denying the amazing architectural achievements of the Mayan empire to the total invention of a master race called “Aryans,” these fantastical stories are pretending to be archeology or science when, in reality, they’re something else entirely… As our host crisscrosses the globe, he’ll uncover the astonishing accomplishments of cultures who – thanks to a little white supremacy and a lot of imagination – have been ERACED. It’s time to debunk these outlandish stories and expose the bizarre connections between conspiracy theories, otherworldly creatures, ancient history, and straight-up bigotry. And there’s only one person up for the task: comedian and bunk history connoisseur, CJ HUNT.

MEET OUR HOST

CJ H UNT

CJ Hunt is a comedian and director fascinated by race and comedy’s ability to say what we can’t. He is a regular host of The Moth and has served as a eld producer for The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and BET’s The Rundown with Robin Thede. He is also the director of The Neutral Ground, a documentary about America’s toxic romance with confederate monuments. Nominated for a Critic’s Choice award and winner of “Best Documentary” at the American Black Film Fest, CJ’s lm exempli es his obsession with the fantastic stories we tell to avoid facing our past.

Now, he’s ready to dig into other mind-boggling fantasies that white people have invented the wonders that built the modern world. Luckily, the trail is endless and he’s got frequent yer miles to burn.

Th e SHOW In each hour-long episode, there will be: ONE OUTRAGEOUS MYTH & ADVENTURE Traveling by boat, dune buggy, or whatever means necessary, CJ will go to the ends of the earth to follow a lead and get to the bottom of a story. From chasing down pieces of the “missing link” myth on the banks of the Tarra River in Colombia to the peaks of Mount Everest, his journey will span continents. Where did these ludicrous myths start and how are they persisting today? What is being done to reclaim the real narratives? In addition to stylized b-roll, we’ll use high-end graphics and animation to bring a treasure trove of archival footage to life. FASCINATING & FUNNY CONVERSATIONS CJ will meet with diverse experts who have dedicated their lives to studying these issues and discover the remarkable legacies built by people of color. It’s time to dust off the global and historical conspiracies meant to erase their stories. By drawing connections between ancient history, racial justice, pop science ction, and more, these myths will be completely ipped upside down. COMPELLING & BIZARRE HISTORICAL EVIDENCE Throughout his adventures, CJ will also come face-to-face with incredible images and physical proof which debunks these claims.

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE. NOW, LET’S GO HUNT SOME MYTHS.

SAM PLE E PISODES

E pisode 1

Ali e ns, pyram i ds & chariotS of th e gods Why are we so obsessed with this idea that aliens built the pyramids?! On this adventure, CJ investigates the most popular theory of White Exceptionalism: the outlandish claim that the world’s ancient wonders MUST have been built by aliens — because people of color couldn’t have been capable of it. Nothing against aliens, but it’s time to give credit where credit is due. CJ’s journey starts in Switzerland, the home of Jungfrau Park (aka Mystery Land). From a 30foot “giant” skeleton to a model of Stonehenge complete with a laser and light show, Erich Von Däniken, author of Chariots of the Gods, designed this park to showcase his theories. Front and center is the idea that the technologies and religions of ancient civilizations were created by “ancient astronauts.” CJ investigates the man behind the book and reveals how the book’s rise in popularity was tied to the Nazis.

ERICH VON DÄ

NIKEN

Next, CJ is off to the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt to see the physical evidence that debunks this ridiculous pseudoscience theory. While he explores the dark subterranean passageways of the catacombs, CJ relies on the guidance of Egyptian Egyptologists, who show him how the ancient Egyptians gured out how to build these wonders, and comes face to face with proof that these structures were built by Egyptians and not “ancient astronauts.” As CJ rides a camel into the sunset of his rst myth hunt, one thing is clear: the mystery isn’t how the Egyptians built the pyramids; it’s how this ever came to be a question.

E pisode 1 CONTI N UE D

E pisode 2

Bigfoot, mt. Eve rest & euge n ics Where does Bigfoot come from? On this adventure, CJ discovers the answer is neither the forest nor, as many suspect, the impact of meth on people who spend their time in the forest. Instead, CJ uncovers how the myth of Bigfoot comes from the dark world of eugenics and bunk race science. A race “science” designed to prove that different ethnicities are in fact different species of humans. This episode opens in a remote location west of Mount Everest. CJ has come here to the frigid winds and waisthigh snow of the Menlung Glacier, to answer one question: is his $800 North Face Parka really worth the money? (because honestly it really did feel like the guy at the North Face store was overselling it.) He has also come here to ask: is there any truth behind the iconic Yeti footprint photographed on this glacier by explorer Eric Shipton? CJ is joined by scientist Christina Lindqvist, who explains how she and her team debunked this photograph by sequencing the DNA of “Yeti” samples. Turns out, the samples all belonged to a group of wild Himalayan wild bears. CJ is shocked and beside himself: why did people believe the photo, and why didn’t you just tell me this over zoom? This parka is non-refundable, Christina!

E pisode 2 CONTI n UE D CJ’s next stop is Battle Creek, Michigan, where there’s a center dedicated to John Harvey Kellogg, the inventor of Corn Flakes and vocal eugenicist. Grab a box of cereal and get ready to discover how 20thcentury eugenics — a racist movement supported by prominent gures President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill — is connected to the myth of Bigfoot and Yeti. An expert shows CJ some of Kellogg’s bizarre inventions and breaks down the prominent theories from his National Conferences for Race Betterment.

For more insight, CJ also dives into the proli c list of lms and shows that add fuel to the re by sensationalizing these creatures — often depicting them with violence and aggression. From King Kong to the controversial LeBron James Vogue cover, we’ll explore the lasting effect of “the missing links” on pop culture.

JOHN HARVEY KELLOGG

E pisode 3

SANSkRiT, SWASTI KAS & TH E MYTH ICAL ARYAN RACE Where does the Aryan race come from? Much to the chagrin of David Duke, the answer is: India. On this adventure, CJ excavates the strange story of how a sloppy translation built the most powerful racial myth in modern history: that Aryan people are white. CJ begins the episode in the unexpected home of the swastika: India. He’s joined by an expert and guide who can help him unpack the history and navigate the architecturally stunning temples. CJ sees how Sanskrit, the rst written language dating back to 1500 BC, was misunderstood and co-opted by European academics. These historical posers created all sorts of bizarre theories to prove that Indian writings — some of the oldest in the world — were actually written by ancient Europeans. So begins the invention of the Aryan Race: the outlandish claim that a mythical race of Aryans, were actually the ones who created Sanskrit and therefore fathered all modern languages.

E pisode 3 CONTI n ue d To debunk this claim, CJ is off to explore the ruins of Mohenjo-Daro, one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. He runs his ngers along the familiar and chilling design as it appears on the walls of the ruins. Why does this symbol made infamous by the Nazis appear in the ancient religious sites of a people the Nazis surely would not have been into?

CJ enlists an expert to help him connect the dots between these ruins and the Third Reich’s appropriation and abuse of the swastika.

E pisode 4

TH E LON DON TH EORY How are vampires created? According to Hollywood, vampires are created when a person gets bitten by a vampire. Or drinks their blood. Or has passionate sex with a vampire and is drained of some but not all of their blood. Really, it’s pretty confusing. But Hollywood leaves out the one element most responsible for creating vampire stories: xenophobia. CJ begins this episode in the real Transylvania in Romania, home of the modern-day vampire myth and several discovered “vampire graves.” For protection, CJ has begun to use garlic suppositories. To be honest, he started using these a long time ago because they’re energizing and feel so…smooth. Anyway, he is shocked to learn the residents of Transylvania actually used to drive stakes into the hearts of convicts they feared would rise from the dead. Wait, so fear over vampires actually drove public policy at one point?

E pisode 4 CONti n ue d For a closer look at how vampire panic gripped real European cities, CJ travels the eerie cobblestone alleys of London, England. He enlists an expert to take him on a tour to explain how politicians responded to the murderous rampage of Jack the Ripper by blaming these unsolved killings on Jewish immigrants. We see how the press, and soon pop culture, began characterizing Jews as monsters intent on sucking blood and tantalizing unsatis ed Victorian-era wives.

With the help of a horror historian, CJ explores how vampire stories become the terrain where the entire world worked out its anxieties around racial purity, queerness, female sexual autonomy, and the undeniably threatening magnetism of Wesley Snipes.

VI KI NGS & TH E ALT-RIGHT We need to talk about what the Vikings did. Not just all the raping and pillaging (#notallvikings), but in this episode, CJ tries to get to the bottom of why American white supremacists are so into crediting the Vikings as our original forefathers? Wasn’t Thomas Jefferson white enough? (#presidentssowhite) The rst stop on CJ’s journey is the Great Serpent Mound in Adams County, Ohio. From a helicopter, CJ looks down on the 1,300-foot expanse of ancient mounds in the shape of a snake. Back on the ground, he walks among the mounds with an expert, who explains how gures Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, promoted the myth that these indígenas mounds were in fact created by the Vikings. Andrew Jackson even went as far as claiming that there was a Pre-Columbian Genocide, during which white people had their “homeland” stolen from them by Native Americans. A convenient myth when forcibly removing those Native Americans. CJ dives into the proof and methods that the ancient Indian cultures of Ohio (between 800 BCE and 400 CE) used to build this remarkable National Historic Landmark. fi

E pisode 5

E pisode 5 conti n ue d Next, he heads to Greenland to uncover the history of the Viking voyages throughout the coasts of North America. The real history is that the Viking civilizations were actually multicultural, NOT monolithic or isolated as a pure white race. To continue breaking down this myth, CJ visits the fjords of the southwest coast, where there are still ruins of a known Viking outpost. He’ll also turn to experts who have done immense research on how far-right groups have co-opted Viking symbols and imagery. They’ll discuss how the myth has continued to be upheld by irresponsible academia, journalism, media, and pop culture.

Than ks to colon ialism, th is globe-trotti ng myth-busti ng se ri es is e n dless. From the dusty remains of the Alamo to the sunken ruins of slave ships, CJ is off to dig up the long-erased stories that built the modern world and expose how many of our greatest mysteries were never mysteries at all.

E raC e d WI T H CJ H U N T