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American Hysteria podcast

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American Hysteria

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  chelsey weber-smith  

American Hysteria explores how fantastical thinking has shaped our culture – moral panics, urban legends, hoaxes, crazes, fringe beliefs, and national misunderstandings. Poet-turned-podcaster Chelsey Weber-Smith tells the strangest stories from American history and examines the forces that create the reality we share, and sometimes, the reality we don't.

American Hysteria explores how fantastical thinking has shaped our culture – moral panics, urban legends, hoaxes, crazes, fringe beliefs, and national misunderstandings. Poet-turned-podcaster Chelsey Weber-Smith tells the strangest stories from American history and examines the forces that create the reality we share, and sometimes, the reality we don't.

 

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#225

Context Clues: All the World Loves a Parade

This episode will give some context for our upcoming episode about the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, its unbelievable chaotic origins and its totally out of control early days. Excerpts will be included from our War on Christmas Special, Haunted Attractions, Early Drag Queens pt. 1, and Toy Riots. Get tickets for A MASSIVE SEANCE Live Show with You're Wrong About: [linktr.ee/amassiveseance] (https://linktr.ee/amassiveseance) Full episodes to check out: War on Christmas Special (2019) Haunted Attractions (2021) Early Drag Queens pt. 1 (2023) Toy Riots (2019) [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Sound design and Production by [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Edited by [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster/) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

18 Nov 2024

47 MINS

47:01

18 Nov 2024

#224

Artificial Unintelligence with Perry Carpenter

Perry Carpenter is the author of the new book FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions. For this episode, we are discussing what it means to live in a world where artificial intelligence is altering our reality more and more, how we can navigate a deeply uncertain digital future, and what it all has to do with human nature and the nature of folklore. Check out Perry book FAIK [here] (https://thisbookisfaik.com/%20%20%20) Find The FAIK Files podcast on [Apple] (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-faik-files-decoding-ai-deception/id1771521321) and [Spotify] (https://open.spotify.com/show/7CGEktxUQAbgwQaWB922Ip?si=9-NazIazRgKCDXudoGwAdQ&nd=1&dlsi=40f0009fcd094a46) Find the Digital Folklore Podcast [here] (%20https://DigitalFolklore.fm) Find Perry Carpenter on [LinkedIn] (https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrycarpenter/) , [Twitter] (https://x.com/perrycarpenter) , and [8th Layer Media] (https://www.8thlayermedia.com/) Check out Perry's [new op-ed] (https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/4973250-deepfakes-truth-disinformation-election/) with The Hill about our post-truth era Get tickets to our live show called [A Massive Seance] (https://linktr.ee/amassiveseance) with You're Wrong About [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Find us on Instagram [@americanhysteriapodcast] (https://www.instagram.com/americanhysteriapodcast) Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline or get your mitts on some merch at [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster) Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

11 Nov 2024

1 HR 22 MINS

1:22:06

11 Nov 2024

#223

Falling for Fascism (re-release)

This episode was originally released right before the 2020 presidential election and is even more relevant as we face the 2024 election. Political philosopher Jason Stanley, author of the book How Fascism Works, helps us understand how countries slide into authoritarian systems through conspiracy theories, demonization of others, the systematic erosion of truth, and the manipulation of anxieties around race and gender. Check out How Fascism Works by Jason Stanley as well as his new book Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

04 Nov 2024

30 MINS

30:24

04 Nov 2024

#222

Buried Alive!

In the 19th century, America and Europe experienced a panic over premature burial, believing that anyone could be accidentally declared dead and entombed before their time was really up. Led by a movement of quacky Spiritualists, the panic culminated in the creation of safety coffins with mechanisms that promised to save anyone who awoke six feet underground. Mere decades later, burial artists began performing all over America as a part of advertising gimmicks. They spent months underground in decked-out coffins, and the public could pay a dime to look down a viewing chute and see these "living corpses." For this Halloween special, we'll look at the panic-turned-spectacle of the American fear of being buried alive. Get tickets for A MASSIVE SEANCE Live Show with You're Wrong About: [linktr.ee/amassiveseance] (https://linktr.ee/amassiveseance) [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline or get your mitts on some merch at [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) Sound Designer and Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster) Voice Actor: [Will Rogers] (http://www.talkbomb.com/) Written, Produced, and Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

28 Oct 2024

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:36

28 Oct 2024

#221

Presenting: “Candyman: The True Story Behind the Bathroom Mirror Murder”

This is a preview for "Candyman: The True Story Behind the Bathroom Mirror Murder." On April 22, 1987, 52-year-old Ruthie Mae McCoy called 911 to report that someone was trying to enter her Chicago housing project apartment through the bathroom medicine cabinet. Police thought she was imagining things, but when authorities finally checked on McCoy two days later, they found her dead with four gunshot wounds. From “48 Hours”, “Candyman: The True Story Behind the Bathroom Mirror Murder,” revisits the real-life account of McCoy's strange death – one of the inspirations for the Candyman horror film – and the broader systemic issues surrounding the tragic event. Hosted by journalist and Chicago native Dometi Pongo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

27 Oct 2024

07 MINS

07:55

27 Oct 2024

#220

Context Clues: Grave Mistakes

'Buried Alive,' our upcoming Halloween special, looks at the American fear and fascination with premature burial. We'll explore the panic that swept the nation in the 1800s, leading to the creation of safety coffins for those potentially entombed too soon, and the spectacles drummed up by eccentric performers who competed to see who could stay buried alive the longest. This episode provides more historical context through excerpts from our previous episodes, Death, The 12 Foot Skeleton, and Quackery. Get tickets for A MASSIVE SEANCE Live Show with You're Wrong About: [linktr.ee/amassiveseance] (https://linktr.ee/amassiveseance) Full episodes to check out: Death The 12 Foot Skeleton Quackery [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Sound design and Production by [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Edited by [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster/) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

21 Oct 2024

50 MINS

50:29

21 Oct 2024

#219

A MASSIVE SEANCE Live Show Tour with YOU'RE WRONG ABOUT

What could possibly go wrong when two skeptical podcasters try to summon a ghost? Join Sarah Marshall of You're Wrong About and Chelsey Weber-Smith of American Hysteria for a historical, theatrical, ecstatic spectacular for the living and dead. Hold hands with your favorite disembodied voices for a spiritualist séance* featuring fireside conversation, mystifying tricks, special guests, and music from The Little Lies – the only Fleetwood Mac tribute band that may actually be ghosts. This winter, we will release the phantoms of the past year and make room for the spirit of the new. Get your tickets here: [https://linktr.ee/amassiveseance] (https://linktr.ee/amassiveseance)   DEC 3 + 4 | PORTLAND, OR  DEC 11 | SEATTLE, WA  JAN 11 | SAN FRANCISCO, CA JAN 24 | LOS ANGELES, CA Produced in collaboration with Woody Shticks + Miranda Zickler *May contain exorcisms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

18 Oct 2024

01 MINS

01:43

18 Oct 2024

#218

I Was a Teenage Poltergeist with Sarah Marshall of 'You're Wrong About'

Today Sarah Marshall transports us to the old world of British Hysteria to reveal the mysterious story of the Enfield Poltergeist and joins me at the seance table to discuss the great unknown and the ghosts we know. Donate to help those affected by the recent hurricanes: [Mutual Aid Disaster Relief] (https://mutualaiddisasterrelief.org/) [BelovedAsheville] (https://www.belovedasheville.com/) [Central Florida Mutual Aid] (https://givebutter.com/cflma) Listen to You're Wrong About and You Are Good wherever you get your podcasts [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Find us on Instagram [@americanhysteriapodcast] (https://www.instagram.com/americanhysteriapodcast) Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline or get your mitts on some merch at [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster) Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

14 Oct 2024

1 HR 38 MINS

1:38:56

14 Oct 2024

#217

Skibidi Toilet

Generation Alpha has made the uncanny, creepy, and chaotic YouTube series 'Skibidi Toilet' into a viral YouTube sensation, so much so that a famous director may soon be taking it to the big screen, despite the fact that the phenomenon has been called both brainrot and dangerous to the youth. On this episode, we will explain what Skibidi Toilet is, hear about similar internet videos enjoyed by Millennials and Gen X, and learn about famous art movements like net.art, Dadaism, and Surrealism to see if we can fit the seemingly meaningless Skibidi Toilet into an important artistic lineage. Watch some Skibidi Toilet now on our Instagram [@americanhysteriapodcast] (https://www.instagram.com/americanhysteriapodcast/) Check out [DaFuq!?Boom!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSsgPaZ2GSmO6il8Cb5iGA) 's YouTube channel [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline or get your mitts on some merch at [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) Sound Designer and Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster) Voice Actor: [Will Rogers] (http://www.talkbomb.com/) Written, Produced, and Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

07 Oct 2024

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:40

07 Oct 2024

#216

Listen Now: MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries

The human body is a miracle. But when it’s not working, it can be the stuff of nightmares. On this new series from master storyteller MrBallen, they’re sharing medical horror stories and diagnostic mysteries that are surgically calibrated to make your blood run cold. From bizarre, unheard-of diseases and miraculous recoveries to strange medical mishaps and unexplainable deaths — you’ll never hear the phrase “heart-stopping” in the same way again. MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between MrBallen and Wondery, the award- winning company behind Dr. Death. Listen to MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries wherever you get your podcasts: [Wondery.fm/MBMM_AH_] (https://wondery.com/links/mrballens-medical-mysteries/?ol=am) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

07 Oct 2024

32 MINS

32:40

07 Oct 2024

#215

Context Clues: Brr Skibidi Dop Dop Dop Yes Yes

Our upcoming episode is about the massively successful and deeply uncanny YouTube series Skibidi Toilet, the first content that Generation Alpha's influence has made into a world-wide sensation. Billions of views on YouTube and TikTok are attributed to the original videos and the innumerable fan videos that followed, and soon we may see this bizarro phenomenon on the big screen with a famous director attached. Skibidi Toilet has been called both brainrot and dangerous to the youth, and in this Context Clues episode we will explore transgressive creations of previous generations as well as some other online content that has inspired moral panics. Head to our Instagram [@americanhysteriapodcast] (https://www.instagram.com/americanhysteriapodcast/) to see some Skibidi Toilet videos so you can know wtf we are talking about Full episodes to check out: #Elsagate The Momo Challenge Jackass Rotten.com [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Sound design and Production by [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Edited by [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster/) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

30 Sep 2024

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:36

30 Sep 2024

#214

The Untold History of the NYPD with Chenjerai Kumanyika of Empire City

Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika is a Peabody Award-winning audio journalist and an assistant professor of journalism at New York University. His latest podcast, Empire City: The Untold Origin Story of the NYPD “takes listeners on a journey to uncover the hidden history of the largest police force in the world – from its roots in slavery, to rival police gangs battling across the city, to everyday people who resisted every step of the way.” With the national spotlight yet again on the corruption and escalating violence of this increasingly militarized police force, it is necessary to understand the true roots of the NYPD, and see that even after close to 200 years, so much remains the same.  Listen to [Empire City: The Untold Origin Story of the NYPD] (https://crooked.com/podcast-series/empirecity/) [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Find us on Instagram [@americanhysteriapodcast] (https://www.instagram.com/americanhysteriapodcast) Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline or get your mitts on some merch at [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster) Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

23 Sep 2024

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:32

23 Sep 2024

#213

Taylor Swift Decoded with Pop Music Journalist Brittany Spanos

Brittany Spanos is a senior writer for Rolling Stone Magazine who has taught a course at NYU called Topics in Recorded Music: Taylor Swift, which analyzes "the culture and politics of teen girlhood in pop music, fandom, media studies, whiteness and power as it relates to her image." Today we are talking about conspiracy theories that come from within the hardcore Swiftie fanbase, and the ones that come from outside, often via the right wing media. Follow Brittany Spanos on [Twitter] (https://x.com/ohheybrittany?lang=en) and [Instagram] (https://www.instagram.com/brittanyspanos/) [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Find us on Instagram [@americanhysteriapodcast] (https://www.instagram.com/americanhysteriapodcast) Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline or get your mitts on some merch at [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster) Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

09 Sep 2024

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:38

09 Sep 2024

#212

Elvis is Alive!

The life of the conspiracy theory that claims Elvis Presley faked his death is an almost unbelievable journey through gimmick-crazy hucksters and true blue believers, the tales turning the king of rock and roll into something more like a cryptid than a superstar, evidence caught in blurry photographs and in secret messages, all covered up by shadowy forces. This zany story shows how conspiracies theories are born, how they transform, and how they never seem to die, no matter what, much like Elvis himself, allegedly. [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Find us on Instagram [@americanhysteriapodcast] (https://www.instagram.com/americanhysteriapodcast) Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline or get your mitts on some merch at [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) Sound Designer and Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster) Voice Actor: [Will Rogers] (http://www.talkbomb.com/) Written, Produced, and Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

02 Sep 2024

1 HR 11 MINS

1:11:37

02 Sep 2024

#211

Context Clues: The King is Dead Probably

The idea that Elvis Presley did not die in August of 1977, that he instead faked his death, has become one of the most famous and enduring conspiracy theories of all time, essentially elevating the former superstar to the status of a cryptid. For this context clues episode, we are revisiting our 2022 episode called Fangirls which covers the rise of music fandom, including Elvis'. Next week we will explore the bizarre, fantastical creation of the Elvis is Alive movement and the many strange players that brought this tale into the conspiracy theory hall of fame. [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Sound design and Production by [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Edited by [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster/) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

26 Aug 2024

55 MINS

55:28

26 Aug 2024

#210

The Disney Gimmick That Conjured a Ghost with Jim Perry of Euphomet

Our paranormal correspondent Jim Perry is back to tell us about his recent ghost hunt inside the Queen Mary ship, where he discovered that Walt Disney had installed some ghostly gimmicks decades ago, inadvertently creating a haunting that continued on long after Disney sold the vessel. We discuss what happens when horror entertainment influences our consciousness and helps to create our modern relationship to the paranormal. Listen to [Euphomet] (https://www.euphomet.com/) wherever you get your podcasts Check out [SpectreVision's] (https://www.spectrevision.com/podcasts) other podcasts [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Find us on Instagram [@americanhysteriapodcast] (https://www.instagram.com/americanhysteriapodcast) Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline or get your mitts on some merch at [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster) Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

12 Aug 2024

58 MINS

58:14

12 Aug 2024

#209

Tarantism: Dancing Mania pt. 2 with Sarah Marshall of 'You're Wrong About'

For part two of our series, we are returning to the phenomenon called 'Tarantism' that began in the Middle Ages in southern Italy where the bite of a local spider caused bizarre and contagious symptoms almost like that of demonic possession and the only antidote was trance-like, vigorous dancing. Today we look at all the theories about what caused this dancing mania: Was it all truly a reaction to the venom? A religious possession? A full-blown hysteria? A feminist revolt? Or an archaic cult’s secret rituals? Sarah and I explore these ideas and add a few unorthodox ones of our own. Listen to You're Wrong About and You Are Good wherever you get your podcasts [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Find us on Instagram [@americanhysteriapodcast] (https://www.instagram.com/americanhysteriapodcast) Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline or get your mitts on some merch at [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster) Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

05 Aug 2024

1 HR 22 MINS

1:22:26

05 Aug 2024

#208

Tarantism: Dancing Mania pt. 1 with Sarah Marshall of 'You're Wrong About'

The phenomenon called 'Tarantism' began in the Middle Ages in southern Italy where the bite of a local spider caused bizarre symptoms almost like that of demonic possession. The only cure was to dance vigorously for hours or days with the dance itself seeming to become contagious. Was it all truly a reaction to the venom? A religious possession? A full-blown hysteria? A feminist revolt? Or an archaic cult’s secret rituals? Sarah and I try to figure it out over this two part series. [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Find us on Instagram [@americanhysteriapodcast] (https://www.instagram.com/americanhysteriapodcast) Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline or get your mitts on some merch at [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster) Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

29 Jul 2024

1 HR 05 MINS

1:05:16

29 Jul 2024

#207

Spider Slander: Confronting the Myths with Expert Rod Crawford

Rod Crawford is the curator of the arachnids and related research collections at Seattle’s Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. His website called Spider Myths debunks the many misconceptions about spiders, and for this episode, he joins me to discuss some of these urban legends and bogus facts. Many of them may surprise you! Check out Rod Crawford's website [Spider Myths] (https://www.burkemuseum.org/collections-and-research/biology/arachnology-and-entomology/spider-myths) [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Find us on Instagram [@americanhysteriapodcast] (https://www.instagram.com/americanhysteriapodcast) Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline or get your mitts on some merch at [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster) Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

22 Jul 2024

46 MINS

46:08

22 Jul 2024

#206

The Average Person Swallows Eight Spiders a Year in Their Sleep

For this Urban Legends Hotline episode, we are dissecting the myth that the average person swallows a certain number of spiders in their sleep by following this false fact's bizarre and mysterious trail on the early internet, looking at other spider-related urban legends, searching for pop culture references to spiders in mouths, as well as old newspaper articles about the alleged dangers of swallowing spiders, and analyzing the surprising theories behind American's fear of these eight-legged freaks. Thanks to listener Rebekah for her submission! [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Find us on Instagram [@americanhysteriapodcast] (https://www.instagram.com/americanhysteriapodcast) Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline or get your mitts on some merch at [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) Sound Designer and Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster) Voice Actor: [Will Rogers] (http://www.talkbomb.com/) Written, Produced, and Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

15 Jul 2024

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:47

15 Jul 2024

#205

Rewind: Believing in the Blair Witch (Updated!)

This is an update on the new developments surrounding one of my favorite movies of all time, The Blair Witch Project, paired with our 2019 minisode. When news broke that the film's production company Lionsgate will be reviving the franchise with genre giant Blumhouse, the three original actors took to social media with a serious bone to pick. The Blair Witch Project masqueraded as real found footage of three college students who went missing in the woods while recording a documentary on the local legend. The story of the missing students and the lore of the Blair Witch were both widely believed during its monumental release, and we are covering just how the directors and marketing team were able to pull off one of the greatest hoaxes in American history, creating an original urban legend and facilitating its spread while also using a truly unorthodox method of filming, essentially becoming the Blair Witch, that encouraged true fear out of the actors. [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Find us on Instagram [@americanhysteriapodcast] (https://www.instagram.com/americanhysteriapodcast) Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline or get your mitts on some merch at [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

24 Jun 2024

24 MINS

24:44

24 Jun 2024

#204

Pretendians: Indigenous Identity Fraud with Robert Jago and Angel Ellis

For this episode, the hosts of the new podcast Pretendians, Robert Jago and Angel Ellis, explain Indigenous Identity Fraud, the phenomenon of scam artists pretending to be indigenous in order to receive certain kinds of benefits. We talk about the motivations of these Pretendians, how they get away with it, the effects these charlatans have on the indigenous peoples they attempt to emulate, and how these living caricatures overshadow the true identities of various indigenous communities. Listen to [Pretendians] (https://www.canadaland.com/shows/pretendians/) wherever you get your podcasts! [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Head to [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) to get merch and leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.kuinkatheband.com/) Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

17 Jun 2024

53 MINS

53:58

17 Jun 2024

#203

A Terrorist Attack on the Furries with Nicky Woolf

Fur and Loathing is a new investigative podcast from Nicky Woolf about an unsolved 2014 chlorine gas attack on the world’s largest Furry convention, an assumed safe place for those who create animal avatars using elaborate costumes. Nicky takes me through the case, shares his experience at a recent convention, discusses misconceptions and urban legends about the Furry community, and explains a dark subculture that lurks in the fringes of this otherwise inclusive and colorful world. Subscribe to Fur and Loathing wherever you get your podcasts! [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Head to [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) to get merch and leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.kuinkatheband.com/) Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

10 Jun 2024

52 MINS

52:54

10 Jun 2024

#202

Long Live the Ray Cat with Emperor X and Matt Kielty

Reporter and Radiolab producer Matthew Kielty and musician Chad Matheny (AKA Emperor X) were both part of a 2014 episode of the 99% Invisible podcast called Ten Thousand Years that asked the same question we did in our Talking to the Future episode: how do we communicate warnings about nuclear waste to humans ten thousand years in the future when language, symbols, and familiar technologies have all fallen away? Matt was a contributor to the episode, helping bring the strange story to a much larger audience while Emperor X created a folk song containing lore about the Ray Cat (that biologically edited feline who would turn colors when getting too close to radiation). Could a catchy earworm stay stuck in the collective American head for ten thousand years to help warn future generations? We’ll discuss their experiences with nuclear semiotics, the rise of the Ray Cat and the associated public response, as well as how these thought experiments can be vital to imagining and creating a more hopeful future. Follow [@EmperorX] (https://www.instagram.com/emperorx/) on Instagram or check out his [website] (http://emperorx.net/) Follow Matthew Kielty on Twitter [@Matt_Kielty] (https://twitter.com/matt_kielty) Check out [Ten Thousand Years] (https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/ten-thousand-years/) from 99% Invisible [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Head to [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) to get merch and leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.kuinkatheband.com/) Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

20 May 2024

58 MINS

58:29

20 May 2024

#201

Talking to the Future: Nuclear Semiotics

How do we warn people 10,000 years in the future about nuclear waste sites that will remain extremely dangerous for longer than human civilization has existed? When language, symbols, and technologies are lost to time, how can we get our message across? Atomic Priesthoods, Radiation Cats, Forests of Thorns, manufactured folklore, these are just a few of the unorthodox ideas of government-sponsored academics trying to answer this baffling puzzle. [Become a Patron] (https://www.patreon.com/americanhysteria) to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on [Apple Podcasts] (https://apple.co/3R9xBJe) Find us on Instagram [@americanhysteriapodcast] (https://www.instagram.com/americanhysteriapodcast) Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline or get your mitts on some merch at [americanhysteria.com] (https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria) Sound Designer and Associate Producer: [Riley Swedelius-Smith] (https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96) Producer and Editor: [Miranda Zickler] (https://www.instagram.com/mirandatheswampmonster) Voice Actor: [Will Rogers] (http://www.talkbomb.com/) and his daughter Zoe Written, Produced, and Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

13 May 2024

1 HR 07 MINS

1:07:11

13 May 2024