Chasing the White Whale with Joe Matheny and Leah Prime

Chasing the White Whale with Joe Matheny and Leah Prime

The AP Strange Show This week’s show is a journey aboard the virtual Pequod as Joe Matheny and returning guest Leah Prime join AP in a discussion about the Herman … Continue reading Chasing the White Whale with Joe Matheny and Leah Prime

Ong’s Hat: The NJ Ghost Town That Invented Alternate Reality Games

Ong’s Hat: The NJ Ghost Town That Invented Alternate Reality Games

Explore Ong’s Hat, the real Pine Barrens ghost town behind the legendary 1980s–90s interdimensional cult myth and Joseph Matheny’s groundbreaking Incunabula/ARG that blurred fact and fiction, inspired The Blair Witch … Continue reading Ong’s Hat: The NJ Ghost Town That Invented Alternate Reality Games

Lambertville Halloween Film Festival

in the footsteps of giants

@jeffreykoval has written a very flattering piece that covers my virtual appearance at the LHFF, which I very much enjoyed, so it’s satisfying to know the attendees got a lot … Continue reading in the footsteps of giants

Actor and podcast host of Hi, Strangeness Don't Worry Darling, Tag, The Good Place, Bob's Burgers, Drunk History, Idiotsitter, Adventure Time

Joseph Matheny Starving for Story

Hi there, friends! This week, back on the show, is the brilliant, Joseph Matheny! Joseph and I have a granular look into UFO, “the phenomena”, starving for original stories, being … Continue reading Joseph Matheny Starving for Story

he Mauve Zone #014 - Tucker Carlson’s satanic panic,and the Collapse of Counterculture Resistance

Visions of Future Heavens and Hells

Some memories and anticipations and a new Mauve Zone The Mauve Zone #014 – Tucker Carlson’s Satanic Panic, and the Collapse of Counterculture Resistance Full Substack at https://josephmatheny.substack.com/p/visions-of-future-heavens-and-hells ***Begin transmission Joseph … Continue reading Visions of Future Heavens and Hells

One of several "ghost towns" in the New Jersey pine barrens

Tales of perpetual fire, demons and ghosts haunt these creepy US towns

It’s that time of the year again! Every Samhain, the Internet lights up (or darkens?) with spooky stories and inevitably, Ong’s Hat gets thrown into the mix. Here’s an entry … Continue reading Tales of perpetual fire, demons and ghosts haunt these creepy US towns

Lambertville Halloween Film Festival

Making a virtual appearance at Lambertville Halloween Film Festival

I’ll be making a virtual appearance at the Lambertville Halloween Film Festival on Sunday. October 19th @ 4:30pm Easternwww.acmescreeningroom.org/lhff Slides from the presentation

Ong's Hat: COMPLEAT

Ong’s Hat: Compleat

Where to get it PDF only on Google Reviews If you’re looking for a book, this is not for you.This is an experiential experimental ride through counterculture.And, just like any … Continue reading Ong’s Hat: Compleat

Consensus Unreality

Unfolding Alternate Realities, Ong’s Hat, Synchronicity and more with Joseph Matheny

I am happy to present my appearance on one of my favorite podcasts. If you like this one, consider joining their Patreon and gaining access to their Discord as a … Continue reading Unfolding Alternate Realities, Ong’s Hat, Synchronicity and more with Joseph Matheny

The Mauve Zone #013 - Jesus trapped in an LLM, Evil Dating and Dusty Magickal Orders

The Mauve Zone #013 – Jesus trapped in an LLM, Evil Dating and Dusty Magickal Orders

***Begin transmission Joseph Matheny, Willow Truman and Ken Eakins send you transmissions from the Mauve Zone. ‘AI’ is rotting our brains, are Magickal Orders preservation societies now, and dating is … Continue reading The Mauve Zone #013 – Jesus trapped in an LLM, Evil Dating and Dusty Magickal Orders

LEAKED Portal Experiments in New Jersey?

LEAKED Portal Experiments in New Jersey?

*LOUD AUDIBLE SIGH* “Ong’s Hat” might be the most bizarre early internet story that’s ever existed. It’s a mystery named after a ghost town called Ong’s Hat in New Jersey—a … Continue reading LEAKED Portal Experiments in New Jersey?

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries

Ong’s Hat: How did the First ARG Spiral out of Control?

For a long time, Ong’s Hat, an abandoned ghost town in New Jersey, has been the subject of many urban legends and local folk tales, but it was also the … Continue reading Ong’s Hat: How did the First ARG Spiral out of Control?

Ong's Hat on TVTropes

Ong’s Hat on TVTropes

A wonderfully comprehensive entry on Ong’s Hat at TVTropes. Whoever did this entry was very inclusive.  LINK: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ARG/OngsHat

Ong's Hat episode of Historicon (not in English)

Ong’s Hat episode of Historicon (not in English)- Η πρώτη θεωρία συνωμοσίας (Guest Storyteller Elena Strouthou)

Η πρώτη θεωρία συνωμοσίας (Guest Storyteller Elena Strouthou) H φίλη και host του “Breaking the 20%” έρχεται στο στούντιο για να μας μιλήσει για την πρώτη θεωρία συνομωσίας του ιντερνετ! … Continue reading Ong’s Hat episode of Historicon (not in English)- Η πρώτη θεωρία συνωμοσίας (Guest Storyteller Elena Strouthou)

Ong’s Hat: The Internet Myth That Became a Reality

Ong’s Hat: The Internet Myth That Became a Reality

The strange saga of Ong’s Hat is one of the earliest and most enduring legends of the internet — an elaborate blend of fact, fiction, and possibility. Born in the … Continue reading Ong’s Hat: The Internet Myth That Became a Reality

EarMobPodcast

EarMobPodcast Ep. 27 I Read It On The Internet So It Must Be True w. Joseph Matheny

p. 27 I Read It On The Internet So It Must Be True w. Joseph Matheny. Joseph joins us to discuss Ong’s Hat, and how the Internet caused his social … Continue reading EarMobPodcast Ep. 27 I Read It On The Internet So It Must Be True w. Joseph Matheny

Ongs Hat Compleat - Official Soundtrack

Ongs Hat Compleat – Official Soundtrack

LINK: https://polypores.bandcamp.com/album/ongs-hat-compleat-official-soundtrack Also, a great write-up of this project: https://moonbuilding.substack.com/p/issue-73-1-august-2025 The soundtrack to the audiobook version of Ong’s Hat: Compleat New addition: Hat Complete soundtrack! The dl now includes a … Continue reading Ongs Hat Compleat – Official Soundtrack

Interview mit Joseph Matheny - Ongs Hat, Nekronomikon, Randonautica, UAPs, KI, Dimensionen, Künstler

Interview mit Joseph Matheny – Ongs Hat, Nekronomikon, Randonautica, UAPs, KI, Dimensionen, Künstler

Heute die Vollversion vom Interview mit Joseph Matheny. Wir reden über Ongs Hat, Lovecraft und das Nekronomikon, Wandern und andere spirituelle oder psychedelische Reisen, das Künstlerdasein, die App Randonautica und … Continue reading Interview mit Joseph Matheny – Ongs Hat, Nekronomikon, Randonautica, UAPs, KI, Dimensionen, Künstler

Joseph Matheny's Substack

Keeping up to date

If you subscribe to this site via email or something like WP Reader, I wanted to let you know that I only update it with major announcements. Those would be … Continue reading Keeping up to date

This Is Not A Game one of the top series of the year.

This Is Not a Game with Marc Fennell (Ong’s Hat History)

This Is Not a Game is the award-winning, extraordinary, untold story of the internet’s first conspiracy theory, the legend of Ong’s Hat. Marc Fennell will dive deep into a previously … Continue reading This Is Not a Game with Marc Fennell (Ong’s Hat History)

The Mauve Zone #012 - The Great Media Brain Drain, Insight Roles, and Canadian Conspiracies

The Mauve Zone #012 – The Great Media Brain Drain, Insight Roles, and Canadian Conspiracies

***Begin transmission Joseph Matheny, David Metcalfe, Willow Truman and Ken Eakins send you transmissions from the Mauve Zone. How idiots became ‘intellectuals’, The Queen of Canada’s Conspiracy scene, how to … Continue reading The Mauve Zone #012 – The Great Media Brain Drain, Insight Roles, and Canadian Conspiracies

Exploring Ong's Hat

A bibliographic archeology of game-like conspiracy narratives: examining the Ong’s Hat Incunabula catalog

James A. Hodges (School of Information, San Jose State University, San Jose, California, USA) Journal of Documentation ISSN: 0022-0418 Article publication date: 21 April 2025  Abstract Purpose This paper aims to reframe contemporary research on … Continue reading A bibliographic archeology of game-like conspiracy narratives: examining the Ong’s Hat Incunabula catalog

The Mysterious Egg in Ong's Hat - The First ARG

The Mysterious Egg in Ong’s Hat – The First ARG

Ong’s Hat is a real place.  But the stories about it aren’t.  That didn’t stop tales about a dimension hopping, scientific, transcendentalist, sadomasochistic cult from spreading across the early internet.  … Continue reading The Mysterious Egg in Ong’s Hat – The First ARG

Ong's Hat: The Beginning (Authorized Version)

Ong’s Hat: The Beginning (Authorized Version)

Ong’s Hat: The Beginning (Authorized Version) Reissued, authorized, and final version, 2021.  Available as Kindle, Print, and Audiobook  Free versions at Archive.org  ONG’S HAT FAQ REVIEWS “…a bizarre Internet phenomenon: … Continue reading Ong’s Hat: The Beginning (Authorized Version)

Getting out of the way with Joseph Matheny

The Cosmic Salon This is such an incredible conversation with a truly lovely soul and fellow journeyman — Joseph is behind many things in this reality that folks may not … Continue reading Getting out of the way with Joseph Matheny