Absolutely gripping show. Listening to this guys father completely ruin his life by being totally unhinged is hilarious.

My heart breaks for your family. Bring to light each family members struggle, their honesty and pain to the world is so brave. Thank you for sharing the journey.

Interesting reporting and well presented.

Very tawdry, very tacky. Too personal to try to spin into a political story, it’s gross and sad and bummed me out

Please please please do an end of year review for 2025.

Thoroughly researched and compelling. In particular, the season “Tested,” about the history of sex testing in sports, is phenomenal. I learned a lot and highly recommend.

This is so powerful, and I appreciate this family for their willingness to share with all of us.

I don’t binge podcasts. I binged this one. Zack, your reporting is impeccable, important, timely, relevant, and relatable. Thank you for sharing your family’s story with all of us, heartbreaking as it is for you and the country at large.

I have really been trying to understand the crazy. Thank you so much for bravely sharing your perspective.

What an incredible story. Thank you for sharing this fascinating story with such vulnerability and insight. You tried so hard to get through to your dad with so much love, patience and compassion. It’s so hard to understand such fixed beliefs at the threat of losing loved ones. It explains so much about the mindset of so many right now. Thank you for giving so much clarity on a confusing situation.

Quietly gut -wrenching piece that made me lose what little hope I have for a return to sanity in the US.

Thank you for sharing your story.

So sorry this is the state of our country. Zach, great job on this. I just had a good cry.

Thank you for sharing your story Zak Mack, it’s fascinating and so well told.

I could feel your hopelessness in the last episode and wanted to hug you both.

Zach, my heart goes out to you and your family; including your Dad. I don’t understand how our generation has gotten here, to believing in the things that your Dad does. My only hope is that your generation and the generation thereafter will be more civic minded and ground in reality, science, and humanity. So sorry about your family.

Despite his sickeningly sweet and pridefully gentle voice Dad is actually a jerk.

I actually listened to parts of this twice, especially the host’s interviews with experts (which I wish would have been longer and more in-depth). Like many, I have loved ones who have gone way too far down the rabbit hole and I don’t think a day goes by where I don’t wonder: why? I found myself getting quite angry at the father. He kept calling them his ‘beliefs.’ But somebody can believe in Santa Claus and it doesn’t make him any more real. At some point, facts beat beliefs, or they should in a rational world. I am glad both the daughter and the mother parted ways from the father because I think that kind of tough love is one of the only answers we have. Kudos to the host for his bravery. This must’ve been incredibly painful for him at times (which is apparent when he breaks down into tears in the final episode). We all need to be talking about this situation we find ourselves in these days because I can tell you this: they are not going to change. It is a hardened cult-like mindset at times.

It’s so sad that our country is being divided. I cried listening to your story and I see this same story happening in so many families. I was hoping so badly that you found a way through this.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for shining a light on the complexities of conspiracy theorists within our families and the destruction created by these individuals’ unwillingness to acknowledge facts and reality. You are so gentle with your father and your conversations remind me of the last ones I engaged my mother in before I made the painful but necessary decision to go no-contact with her. That was 4 years ago, unfortunately. She’s reportedly still engulfed in her alternate reality and has forfeited her family, including her grandkids, to embrace bizarre conspiracy theories and move the goalposts when her beliefs are not confirmed (much like your father). Wishing you the best as you continue to navigate these waters with your father.

Thank you for making this podcast. This is a masterpiece, congratulations!

I suppose the whole point is to pull the listener into the pain. These three brief episodes covering one year of failure is unsatisfying. I want someone to point out the difference between belief and behavior. But I do see that that’s not the point. The point is he loves his dad and he’s hurting.

This podcast is going to hit so many people on so many levels. Painful to listen to delusional theories and prophecies, knowing there is not much that can be done to dig our family members out of this hole. I haven’t finished this series yet but I have a good idea that when the prophecies don’t come true it’s going to do nothing to make him question his beliefs.

This was a difficult but compelling listen. It was so infuriating and heartbreaking to hear to the dad just refusing to accept reality, willing to lose his family over a bunch of right wing hate and lies. I went through this same thing with my now ex-husband and two cousins. It’s so incredibly hard to love someone so dearly but know you have to cut contact for your own sake. If everyone in your life is worried about you and telling you you’re wrong with evidence to back it up, listen to them!

I really enjoyed your story; however, with your interest in facts and fact checking, I truly wish you’d fact check some of your grammar. When people use improper grammar, it makes them appear stupid and less valid in the eyes of smart people. For example, it should be “my sister and me” not “my sister and I” when it comes after the predicate in a sentence. You wouldn’t say “before my parents had I,” when it comes after the verb, would you? Additionally, it is not “mom and I’s delight.” The correct way to phase this is “mom’s and my delight.” You wouldn’t say “much to I’s delight.” I don’t know why conjunctions confuse so many of you people. I’m sorry you weren’t educated properly. Keep in mind that it’s only a conspiracy theory until it isn’t. Your father was right about Zuck, and there is some truth to many of his beliefs—he’s just taking them too far.

As much as it pains me to think others are experiencing this bizarre controversy within their families, listening to this show brought me solace to know I’m not the only one traversing this challenging journey. Very well done. Engaging and emotionally authentic- every person here felt present and available. A unique recipe for podcast perfection. Thank you making it. Wish it was longer.

This series is a heartfelt, courageous, and timely story of a family in crisis…much like many American families today. I found solace and solidarity in the openness, hope, and pain that was expressed here. I hope we can learn how to pull people like Dad back from the edge, so that we can all heal.

Love the relevancy of the topics and the sensitivity of the hosts

A great binge. Touching yet sad. Can’t help but love the dad , but so badly wanted to yell “but you’re asking your daughter to suppress who she is!!!”

This was a moving series. Would love more episodes on this topic especially from the experts they consulted digging into the psychology and research behind those who believe conspiracy theories.

In a similar boat and ripping the bandages off versus the death by 1000 paper cuts. Dad is vet, disability, social security and cannot grasp the magnitude of his choices. He votes and goes against everything he has and the reality of his life doesn’t seem to align with his own life. Interesting series.

In conclusion, what is the diagnosis of your father? Is he delusional? Is he mentally ill? I am dealing with a long time, (40 years) friend who can’t answer why he voted for a criminal, a sexual predator a convicted felon, and a madman, except to parrot the line, “I voted for his policies,” which he can’t name or defend. Are we supposed to just accept those who live in fantasy worlds while they screw up our Country and our democracy, or is it best to walk away and stop trying to understand? Hope you do a follow up to the three episodes.

I was almost in tears at the end of the series. I see the same sort of thing happening all around me. Friendships lost, families hurt, and confused by the unexpected deep seated different beliefs. Each side, believing they have the truth. I pray that the light will come to us all and make us whole again. But I fear that it will not.

I loved this show. I am a Christian and do not believe, at all, the things dad does. The prophets in the past were to call people to repentance and tell of Messiah coming. Thank you for this great podcast into other realities. Excellent podcast.

This podcast series hit home for us, especially regarding our father. It's both comforting and upsetting to hear that your family, like many others, is dealing with widespread misinformation. I hope your family finds peace. We avoid discussing controversial topics for our peace. I disagree with the review saying your family won't accept your father's beliefs. This is more like dealing with alcoholism - you can't just accept it and let it harm everyone. Thank you for this thought-provoking podcast. I've shared it with friends my age dealing with boomer parents. I hope, like you, that as predicted events fail to happen, it might help conspiracy believers reconsider and mend relationships.

I was blow away by this season. It hit home. Thank you

Although your dad accepted the three of you, none of you could accept him and what he believed. As wrong as he may have been, you still could’ve accepted his belief. He didn’t ask any of you to come along.

This is the journalism we all need in our lives. Alternate Realities is another gem amongst the treasure, thank you so much for such a quality podcast

Wild to feel your parent is having a mental breakdown and to use that as content. Kind of gross.

This podcast gutted me. Son interviews his dad, deep into far-right conspiracies, losing everything. It's painfully familiar to my own family's struggles. The dad's conviction, despite reality, is chilling. Son's attempts to bring his dad back to center are met with resistance. The podcast highlights the isolation these beliefs create. It's a raw, intimate look at a family fracturing. Leaves you feeling helpless, but more understanding.

The power of misinformation, the power of becoming entrenched in beliefs, the devastation of a family. Really good store - highly recommend.

The series on alternate realities wrecked me. It’s heartbreaking to hear how Zach’s family is torn asunder by his dad effectively joining a cult of conspiracy theorists. Is there any way to profile someone who came out of their rabbit hole? How did it happen? Is there hope? These folks are driving real policies now and creating broader social damage. Is there any way to reprogram them? What strategies actually work? Help us understand.

So a right wing dad made pretty far-fetched claims that didn’t come true…who cares? I guarantee the results would be the same if the sanctimonious journalist or anyone else (left or right) really into politics. Remember when Trump was about to start WW3 in like 2018? Or how supposed experts such as Timothy Snyder warned there might be no more elections after Trump took office in 2017? Or how the lab leak was a conspiracy? People (including experts) are bad at predicting the future (see Philip Tetlock’s book Expert Political Judgment). I would have respected the journalist far more if he would have tried to make his own prediction list, then maybe both of them could be humbled a bit.

It was both interesting and frustrating to hear the father continue to act like his own bizarre beliefs were somehow comparable to the rest of his family and friends’. He’s adopted hateful dogma and bought in to seriously ridiculous ideas and uses bigotry that he wraps in religion to justify hurting his daughter. Until the right wing is held liable for brainwashing millions of Americans, this will continue to ruin families and lives. Great show, sad reality.

I just listed to Alternate Realities on This American Life, and I look forward to listening to the unabridged version on this podcast. But man did it leave me feeling really bad for our country! This was an incredible story, filled with many moments of hope. But in the end, the hope was unmerited and it left me incredibly sad. Usually I just get angry listening to conspiracy theories, but here the story spread out over a year and the terrible pain of the family involved went from bad to worse. If this father, who obviously loves his family, has decided that the conspiracies are more import to him than his wife and kids, then what hope is there for the 50% of the country who continue to accept the crazy lies that fall from trump’s mouth and continue to be lapped up by his followers as if Trump was their lord and savior. I’m really afraid for the future of our country. It’s amazing that people have completely accepted everything that he says and are willing to give up our democracy based on complete lies and the incredible meanness promulgated by leaders on the right. And now they have connected it all to Christianity, which simply imbeds their ideas even deeper. Very, very sad

Trump said to “peacefully and patriotically” march to the capital. And it takes two seconds to fact check that. I started to listen to “A Good Guy” thinking maybe, for once, NPR was going to do an honest take. That’s as far as I got before stopping. Just a few minutes in the slant and lies were so over the top I couldn’t stomach anymore as you tried to say you “couldn’t hear” what Trump said. You can’t fact check? Sick. This dishonesty is why he won! And why NPR is funded by the government to lie to the people with our money is a question I hope will be answered! You’ve lost credibility and I hope you lose funding.

Very interesting to hear directly from a Jan 6 participant and his side. There are 2 sides to a coin. When should someone in a similar situation be given a second chance? Where should a line be drawn? At what point should a person be allowed to make decisions for oneself, but the consequences and impact of those decisions to one’s family, employer, and friends? Is everything black and white as far as Jan 6 is concerned, or is there any gray area? Life is complicated.

I listen to a lot of podcasts, and several of them are longform new stories. The killing list, from Embedded is probably the best and most compelling new story I have ever heard in this format. The research was extensive and the interviews we’re both chilling and awe inspiring. You can’t listen to the story without getting emotionally involved in it. every episode leaves, you haunted and filled with anticipation for the next episode. It will forever change your perspective of the Pakistani government and military.

Abates excuses for attending and participating in the Jan 6th, insurrection is disgusting. He’s an extremist not a Marine! Willing and active participant. Blames Fox News for his actions- ridiculous! Marines elite fighting force taking orders from an ousted angry ex- President. Abate is a disgrace. My family proudly served in both Navy and Marines. Oath and Country. Abate is an extremist not a Marine. Abate needs to stop with the lies and own it!

This podcast is great, really good stories that are informative, interesting, and get you thinking. When you’re bored at home, just listen to embedded, it has so many seasons that are interesting, great podcast, keep up on the interesting stories