The Alarmist

On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with guest expert Janine Krippner about the Tangiwai Train Disaster. A Physical Volcanologist from New Zealand, Janine hosts the podcast Popular Volcanics and worked as a Contract Scientist for the Smithsonian Institutions Volcanologist Program. Needless to say, she has a wealth of knowledge to share about Volcanoes. Not to mention the newest natural phenom...

This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes back old friend and Down Under “specialist” Billy Scafuri to talk about the Tangiwai Train Disaster. Are rivers simply nature’s gutters? And does being a second class passenger equal a higher mortality rate?  They’re joined by Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith to discuss. Up on the board: Lahar, Lack of Risk Assessment...

All New 2022 Mailbag! Fresh off the holiday season, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith), Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith usher in 2022 with an all new Mailbag. Voicemails, emails, Alarmy reviews: it’s a mailbag extravaganza! Find out who’s on a fitness journey in the new year and who is recovering from Covid (ack!). Look out 2022, The Alarmist is back!  We have merch! Joi...

This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) speaks with writer Mackenzie Fegan about the unfortunate events surrounding Typhoid Mary. As Senior Editor at Bon Appetit, Mackenzie is well versed in foodborne illness and proper sanitation practices. They’re joined by Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early. Was Mary the ultimate villain the press portrayed her to be or was she really t...

A very special holiday re-release!  This week, we’re taking a little break and revisiting one of our favorite holiday themed episodes, Home Alone. Grab a cup of hot cocoa and join us. Before hitting play, Rebecca stops by with Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith for a little season’s greetings. Wishing everyone in The Alarmy a very safe and happy holiday! We have merch! Join o...

Who’s to blame for Mariah Carey’s 2016 NYE Performance? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) talks with Chelsea Phillips Reid about Mariah Carey’s disastrous 2016 New Years Eve performance. A seasoned performer herself, Chelsea has some unique insider information to contribute. They’re joined by Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith. Was this a Diva moment or an elaborate...

On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Professor Emeritus Harold W. Attridge of the Yale Divinity School. A leading scholar of Jewish and Greek Literature related to the New Testament and Early Christianity, Harold lends new insight to the human condition of the time. After, Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith stop by to discuss whether or not the original verdict holds up!...

Who’s to blame for the chaotic birth of Baby Jesus? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes back good friend, new mom, and OG Alarmist Producer Amanda Lund to discuss the birth of Baby Jesus. They’re joined by Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith. Was it time for Bethlehems Innkeepers to add more rooms to the Inn or was God just trying to keep Baby Jesus humble? Up...

New Mailbag Episode! This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith), Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith are back in the mailroom catching up on some new Alarmy messages and episode ideas. Chris’s lack of holiday cheer is considered and a lively debate on just how many years it would take to reach 1 million episodes ensues. The Alarmists are going to be busy! Can you guess how lon...

Who is the blame for the Andes Flight Disaster? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) speaks with colleague and fellow comedian Oscar Lemus about the inspiration for the movie Alive; the Andes Flight Disaster. They’re joined by Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith. Could flying a plane nicknamed the “Lead Sled” have something to do with it?! Or could poor pilot training be...

On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca welcomes back guest expert and big time poison fan, Deborah Blum. After suggesting the subject on her first guest appearance, Deborah returns to talk about her favorite female poisoner, Mary Ann Cotton. Her passionate discussion around Arsenic begs the question: Do you have a favorite poison? Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early stop by to discuss.&...

Who’s to blame for the Mary Ann Cotton Murders? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) speaks with actor Aubrey Dollar about the Mary Ann Cotton poisonings. Will Mary take the fall for this one or was there something greater at play? Also, is special guest Aubrey destined to portray Mary Ann Cotton in a future film project? Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith join in the c...

On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca revisits the Radium Girls legacy with New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Radium Girls , Kate Moore. Kate further highlights the many atrocities of this tragedy while also sharing some of the inspiring good that has come from this episode in history. After, Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early stop by to reflect. What do The Radiu...

Who’s to blame for the demise of the Radium Girls? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) speaks with author and journalist Jane Borden about the Radium Girls and the untimely death of numerous dial painters of the 1920’s. They’re joined by Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early. Is this another classic case of greed, sexism, or good old fashioned Capitalism? Tune in to see w...

NEW Mailbag Episode! This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith), Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith catch up on some listener emails in a good old fashioned holiday mailbag. We get an update from the Alarmist Jail facility and some wonderful new episode suggestions from the Alarmy. Afterwards, Rebecca, Clayton and Chris take some time to share what they’re thankful for. HAPPY...

Who is to blame for the Erfurt Latrine Disaster? This Week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) speaks with comedian Jackie Kashian about the horrors of the Erfurt Latrine Disaster. They’re joined by Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith. Could these Noblemen have survived if they had spent more time feuding over better toilets instead of land? One thing’s certain, the Medieval Time...

On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Elise Castle and Mike Jensen about the botched Carrie and Big wedding. Elise and Mike co-host a Sex and the City podcast called “We Couldn’t Help But Wonder” and have plenty to say about this epic wedding fail. Afterward, Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early stop by to reflect on their own inner Carrie Bradshaw. Tune in to see if the ver...

Who’s to blame for Carrie and Big’s wedding fail? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) chats with comedian John Milhiser about who’s to blame for Carrie and Big’s failed wedding attempt. They’re joined by Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early. And as they talked, they wondered: In a city nicknamed The Big Apple, could Big himself be to blame? Or did they both bear some res...

On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with veteran Washington journalist Jefferson Morley about the assassination of JFK. As editor of the JFK Facts website, Jefferson has a wealth of knowledge about this mysterious historical tragedy. Will we ever truly know what happened without the release of these secret JFK assassination records? Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early join in...

Who’s to blame for the assassination of JFK? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) speaks with longtime friend Seth Kanor about the infamous JFK assassination. Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early join in the conversation. Could continued bad weather have possibly saved his life? Or was Lee Harvery Oswald part of a darker plot? Up on the board: The CIA, The Mafia and The K...

On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Professor Susan Doran, author and British historian who recently edited the catalog of a major exhibition at the British Library called Elizabeth and Mary: Royal Cousins, Rival Queens. With rich new insights from Susan, there’s much to reconsider when Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith stop by. Tune in for an Alarmist Aftermath first!...

Who’s to blame for the Feud between Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) chats with guest Kate Duffy about the infamous royal feud between Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. They’re joined by Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith. Could this be Mean Girls the Monarchy Edition or did poor communication have something to d...

On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with expert Joel Best about the hysteria around poisoned Halloween candy. Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice at the University of Delaware and author of “The Razor Blade in the Apple: The Social Construction of Urban Legends,” Joel has been researching reports of Halloween candy tampering since 1985. Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Ea...

Who’s To Blame for Poisoned Halloween Candy Hysteria? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) speaks with Shelly Slocum about the historical and cultural hysteria around poisoned Halloween candy. Long time friend and mother of 2, Shelly knows her way around Halloween candy. And POISON! They’re joined by Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith. Could the media be to blame?! Don’...

On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Cara Robertson about the Lizzie Borden murders. Author of The Trial of Lizzie Borden , Cara shares plenty of new insights about this infamous moment in Fall River, MA. Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith stop by to discuss. One thing remains clear, family and roommate tensions are no laughing matter! We have merch! Join our Discord! Tel...