Listen Live
Donate
 on air
Schedule

KCRW

Read & Explore

  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Food
  • Culture
  • Events

Listen

  • Live Radio
  • Music
  • Podcasts
  • Full Schedule

Information

  • About
  • Careers
  • Help / FAQ
  • Newsletters
  • Contact

Support

  • Become a Member
  • Become a VIP
  • Ways to Give
  • Shop
  • Member Perks

Become a Member

Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

DonateGive Monthly

Copyright 2025 KCRW. All rights reserved.

Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
Cookie Policy
|FCC Public Files

Back to UnFictional

UnFictional

The Unreal Made Real

The unreal somehow takes form. An unseen hand cures illness, and a secret society of laundry dryer astronauts is created by accident.

  • rss
Download MP3
  • Share
By Eleanor McDowall • Apr 29, 2014 • 28m Listen

First... Poet Ross Sutherland remembers the time he thought he discovered a secret of society of daredevils who took late night spins in nearby laundromat dryers. Sensing a great feature story, he goes in search of one of the members of this group. When the search turns up empty, he comes up with a plan to nudge the process forward and start the group himself.

Produced by Eleanor Mcdowall of Falling Tree Productions, for the BBC's Short Cuts series. You can podcast past episodes of this highly recommended series here.

The handwritten sign that launched a secret society

Courtesy of Ross Sutherland

Ross Sutherland at 19

Courtesy of Ross Sutherland

Then... David Blackshire Key had a form of brain cancer that caused him to suffer from an extreme sensitivity to light called "photophobia." Even after doctors removed the tumor, his painful sensitivity continued. So he turned to his faith, looking for healing from a supernatural force.

Produced by Bridge Burnquist for the strange and wonderful Here Be Monsters, an independent podcast produced by Jeff Emtman. They've just begun their third season of stories "about the unknown."

David Blackshire Key

Courtesy of Jeff Emtman

Banner Image: Visitor7

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Eleanor McDowall

    Falling Tree Productions

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Bridge Burnquist

    Independent Producer

    CultureArts
Back to UnFictional