214: Scott was an undercover FBI agent

214: Scott was an undercover FBI agent

Author: Scott Johnson & Glassbox Media. May 2, 2025 Duration: 1:17:30
Hey, this is Scott and you’re listening to What Was That Like.   And the name of the podcast, What Was That Like, was chosen very specifically – because that’s what I ask people who are guests on the show. They’ve just been through something really unusual, like being attacked by a monkey, or saving the life of a stranger, or some other crazy situation. And I ask them to tell all of us – what was that like. All the details. So that’s what we do here, every other Friday.   But sometimes I like to find someone who has a really unusual job, and ask them the same question.   Today I’m talking to Scott Payne. For many years, he worked for the FBI as an undercover agent. He would pretend to be a criminal, in order to join white supremacist groups or biker gangs – including the notorious Outlaws group. As you can imagine, this guy has some stories.   I asked him lots of questions about this job, and then he answered a few questions from What Was That Like listeners. He’s an open book, and I learned some things, and I hope you do too. Please enjoy this conversation with undercover FBI agent, Scott Payne.     Scott socials: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/scottpaynebigcountry/ X – https://x.com/Scott_D_Payne   Scott’s book – Code Name: Pale Horse: How I Went Undercover to Expose America’s Nazis https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668032902     Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/214   Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai.   Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS.   Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app   Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase. Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a moment in many lives when everything changes in an instant-a sudden encounter, a split-second decision, a catastrophic event. What Was That Like-True Stories. Real People. is built entirely around those moments. Host Scott Johnson, alongside Meredith Hackwith Edwards, steps back to let people narrate their own extraordinary experiences in their own words. This isn’t a narrated documentary or a dramatized re-enactment; it’s raw, first-person testimony. You’ll hear the intricate details of surviving a grizzly bear attack, the chilling silence after an engine fails mid-flight, or the profound disorientation of being caught in a public tragedy. Each conversation delves deep, not just into the event itself, but into the emotional and psychological journey that followed. The focus is on the human spirit’s resilience, exploring how individuals process trauma, find courage they never knew they had, and ultimately rebuild. This podcast sits at a compelling intersection of personal journal, societal study, and true human drama, offering an intimate window into realities most of us can scarcely imagine. By listening, you’re granted a privileged seat at a kitchen table conversation where someone is finally ready to share the full, unvarnished truth of what they endured and how it shaped them.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

What Was That Like - True Stories. Real People.
Podcast Episodes
224: Naseem was run over 3 times [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:11
If you have children, you’ve probably thought at some point, “Am I a good parent?” It’s natural to question our own abilities sometimes. Do I spend enough time with my kids? Do they feel safe? Do they feel loved? Are the…
TQ42: What crazy thing have you seen happen at a wedding? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:12
Every other Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What crazy thing have you seen…
223: Ross was shot while sleeping [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:37:08
In an ideal world, children should be able to trust their parents. After all, it’s the grown-ups in the family who are responsible for the kids. No child should ever have to worry about safety when mom and dad are around…
222: Scott was locked up in a foreign jail [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:43:19
As human beings, we are often very protective of our own sense of personal justice – and injustice. When I was a child, I had a teacher who – to me – seemed very unfair. If one of the kids in the class did something like…
TQ41: What movie traumatized you as a kid? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:33
Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What movie traumatized you as a kid?…
STAS 5: Amanda Eller [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:15
Amanda just wanted to go for a short trail run. Life had something else in store for her. Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That…
221: Brandon is a 911 dispatcher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:29
What do heart attacks, car accidents, and murder usually have in common? Most of the time, when any of these things happen, someone calls 911. It’s one of the most reliable things we have – whenever there’s any kind of e…
TQ40: What did you throw away that you wish you had kept? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:04
Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners. The question for this episode: What did you throw away that you wis…
220: Dan is a pre-prison consultant [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:42:38
There was a time in his life when Dan was in a pretty difficult situation. He was facing something that most people don’t ever have to go through. Even though he was not a violent person, and he certainly was not any kin…
219: Maggie saved her dog [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:50
When you live up north, where the winters are really cold, one of the best times of the year is the day when you feel spring coming. That first hint of warmer temperatures. With the time change, there’s longer sunlight a…