“I Knew Something Was Wrong”: 45 Times People Gut Warned Them About Something Horrible

To be clear, Florida is NOT some clown world hellhole where only weird things happen, and every resident is unhinged. It would be ridiculous to suggest that. Real-life is always much more nuanced and less stereotypical.

Like any other place, Florida has its specific culture and fair share of upsides and downsides. And in a state with a population of 23 million people, of course, there are going to be many odd, negative, wild, newsworthy events.

But in terms of its reputation on the internet, in the news, and on social media, the Sunshine State is notorious for its bizarre happenings and odd residents. This can lead to some biased opinions about life in the state based on memes and clickbait headlines. In short, if all you ever do is look at Florida memes, you're bound to think it's a strange place.

The New York Times, reporting on the Sunshine State’s “endemic absurdity,” featured in Craig Pittman’s book ‘Oh, Florida! How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country,’ argues that you will “never” be able to “fully capture” what Florida is all about.

The state is unique, ever-changing, and paradoxical. Capturing its essence is nigh-impossible.

“Florida exists hypothetically, in the future-­continuous tense. Florida will be a personal paradise, yours to own as soon as we fill in this hellish swamp. Florida will be growing in perpetuity, so long as we keep persuading suckers to move here. Florida will be underwater soon — let’s just hope it’s not as soon as experts predict,” Kent Russell writes.

As Russell stresses in his NYT review of Pittman’s book, the "deal" with Florida is “the charlatans and lunatics and Snapchat-famous plastic surgeons. It is the Ponzi schemes, the byzantine corruption, the evangelical fervor and the consenting-adult depravity. It is the seasonless climate. The lack of historical consciousness. The way in which this nation’s unctuous elements tend to trickle down as if Florida were the grease trap under America’s George Foreman grill. It is all of the above, and then some, and then more on top of that.”

Despite the headlines and memes, it is not true that crime is supposedly happening on every corner in the Sunshine State.

According to USA Facts, based on 2024 data, violent and property crime rates in Florida were actually lower than the United States average.

That year, the Sunshine State had a violent crime rate of 267 for every 100,000 people, and a property crime rate of 1,420 per 100,000 people. This was 25.6% and 19.3% lower than the average in the US, respectively. In other words, in terms of violent crime, Florida ranked 31st among all states in 2024, and 35th for property crime rates.

Furthermore, the overall crime rate in the Sunshine State went down by 6.4% between 2023 and 2024. During that same time period, the average overall crime rate decreased by 8.4% in all US states.

Bored Panda previously interviewed Florida native, writer, and journalist Cathy Salustri, the author of ‘Florida Spectacular: Extraordinary Places and Exceptional Lives,’ who shared a bit more nuance about the state and how it is perceived by outsiders.

She explained to us earlier that she disapproves of the popular ‘Florida Man’ headlines that keep making the news.

"The media that pushes this narrative are irresponsible journalists. People like to think Florida is something irregular or more unusual. The reality is that we're like the rest of y'all, only with better weather, a more chill attitude, and a lot more saltwater," Salustri stressed.

From Salustri’s perspective, ‘Florida Man’ headlines are not an ethical form of journalism. Furthermore, many individuals featured in these news stories may be struggling with mental illness. What’s more, journalists should not be making fun of or ‘punching down’ on these individuals.

“These memes and stories also minimize the astounding beauty and wonders of our state. There's so much to celebrate in Florida, and it's a waste to sell all that out for cheap jokes,” she told Bored Panda earlier.

According to Salustri, there are a couple of potential reasons for the vast number of ‘Florida Man’ style stories in the media. “As Florida writer Craig Pittman is quick to point out, Florida has public records laws that make it relatively easy for anyone to access arrest reports and other documents," she stressed.

"Additionally, Florida has promoted itself as a place where anyone can escape and reinvent themselves, but the reality is you are who you are. If you're a train wreck in Michigan, you're going to be a train wreck here, too. The palm trees and sand are magic, but their power is limited," she told Bored Panda earlier.

Meanwhile, Salustri noted that there are many positive stories about the Sunshine State. Of course, you have to be willing to look to find them.

She said that one of them is about “the Seminole Indian who escaped her captors along the Voyage of Tears and walked 400 miles home, barefoot, at night, with a few other women. They're a huge part of why the Seminole Tribe of Florida has been able to achieve as much as it has—something like 25% of the Tribe can trace its origins to her.

Another positive story is about “the Florida Man, who's the face of the group working to create a wildlife corridor through the state."

Which of these Sunshine State headlines and wild moments made you do a double-take? What are the weirdest Florida news stories that you’ve ever heard of?

Meanwhile, if you're a Florida native reading this, we’d love your opinion on everything. What are the biggest upsides of living in the state that you think the internet, news, and social media miss? Just how common are odd events?

If you were speaking to someone who has never visited the Sunshine State, what would you recommend they visit and do? Let us know!