Spirits: Mythology, Legends, & Folklore

We are joined by Adal Rifai of the amazing Hello From the Magic Tavern podcast to chat about improv, Dungeons & Dragons, talking badgers, hungry ghosts, manticores, and more! We also cover creepy grandma vocab, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, deer man, and the Hog King & Queen, and make about a hundred jokes along the way.  Guest Adal Rifai is an improviser with Whirled News Tonigh...

Summer is finally here, which means one thing: BEACH BABES TIME! We’re celebrating with a roundup of the best mermaids and fish folk the world has to offer. From buff mermaid moms to outcast mermaid communities to the types of mermaids that prevent disease and bring long life, we’ve got it all! Also featuring reflections on human sacrifice, crushing on wrestlers, and our favorite moments from Alan...

You send them, we read them, everyone gets scared! This week we dive into stories about creepy kids, kids being creeped on, young blood, full ghost names, and-- what’s that? A THIRD SPAGHETTI CHALLENGER HAS APPEARED? Mostly, we’re starting to wonder… is spaghetti haunted? Sponsor Skillshare is an online learning community where you can learn—and teach—just about anything. Visit skillshare.com/spir...

That’s right, we’re heading BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES! We chat about creation myths, supreme deities, and more importantly, the badass women goddesses of Tagalog religion. Amanda creates a brand new dance move that is sweeping the nation, Julia gushes over her love of etymologists, and Amanda admits her late-in-life cloud revelations.  Julia’s cocktail this week was inspired by the Ocean Mist....

Happy Pride! We’ve invited our friend Andrea back to do a revamp of our FlameCon panel from last year, discussing myths and legends from around the world that subvert gender norms! We chat about how you should never trust your Trickster God to make a business deal, being invested in snakes’ love lives, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and #myfavoritearse.  Guest Andrea Lam is a writer, publicist an...

Take a moment and picture this: You’re hanging out, minding your own business, when suddenly the sky opens and a Dark and Mysterious Woman emerges riding a flaming phoenix. Yeah, we’re also super impressed. Which is why we love the story of Jiutian Xuannü! We dive into the stories of the goddess, what our wrestling personas would be, crave some Cinnabon, plan a zoo trip, and have a lot of fun with...

A hell dimension was opened, and once again, we go off the rails in this week’s Your Urban Legends! We battle over who deserves the title King of Crawdads, discuss the misleading aspects of the Air Bud franchise, debate which version of the Grinch is scariest, and attempt to save Editor Eric from a bad case of the beer sweats. Also, there’s some creepy stories in there. Just wait until you hear ab...

We’re joined this week by Finnish podcaster, Elena, who shares the story of Kalevala - an epic tale of magic, trickery, heroes, and just… a lot of failed marriages. We talk about the ultimate Finnish Fanfiction, singing as magic, the Devil’s Zoo, magical saunas, and how sometimes you have to take one for the team if it means world peace.  Guest You can follow Elena on Twitter @elena_varg , an...

We love a Bigfoot story, but we’re going across the world for this one! The Australian Yowie has a lot of great stories; from backwards feet, ancient wars, and just wanting a beer from your garage, we bring you through the ins-and-outs of one of Australia’s most popular cryptids. Also featuring some Star Wars fact-checking, Victorian naturalist slamming, and our newest friend, Tim the Yowie Man.&n...

Welcome to Fake or Folklore, the game show sensation that’s SWEEPING the nation! Hosted by Charles the Gamesman, aka Eric Silver of Join the Party , Amanda and Julia are put to the test to see if they can parse actual folklore from a morass of weird stuff from Eric’s brain, the internet, and beyond! The best part is, you can play along at home—download your scorecard on our Patreon . The Scientolo...

It’s GRANDMAS GRANDMAS GRANDMAS. All the grandmas! From demon grandmas in Texas, motivational ghosts (You Only Ghost Always), to helpful anti-murder spirits. We also debate the habitat for Ghost Charizards, ask if you have to pay finders’ fees for ghosts, and enjoy some Ohio color commentary from Editor Eric. Then we all cried over Amigo, the Stone Dog. #stonedoggo This week’s recommendation corne...

This week, we get excited about religious traditions and physics, which is… on-brand for us. Julia teaches Amanda about the Orishas of the Yoruba tradition with the help of liminal spaces, our Ocean Mom, your own personal deity, and reflections on third culture kids.  Sponsor Talis Clothing makes gorgeous shirts inspired by astrology, divination, and psychic protection. Get 15% off your order...

We thought we knew all about Tolkien and Middle Earth. We were WRONG. Guest Emma Sherr-Ziarko ( Wolf 359 , Pairing Podcast ) schools us on the creation of the world, the Silmarillion, and all its intricacies. We talk about how eagles are apparently better than wolves, the goddess of empathy and sorrow, the reason music is so legit, silver fox elves, and sooooooo much more. Seriously, this is a buc...

This week, we cover things that Amanda loves: angels, organization, and of course, so many eyes. Just. All the eyes. We wax poetic about how the Fast and Furious franchise is clearly an act of God, comment on how Latin is nearly always better untranslated, and ask what the deal is with sceptres, really? Sponsor RXBAR: Get 25% off your first order at RXBAR.com/spirits by entering promo code “spirit...

Your stories this week were buck WILD. From fires and the mafia, to demon hunting internships, and secret government projects with some secret cannibalism, we are on a wild ride this episode. Julia wants to adopt a heck pupper. Eric decides he definitely doesn’t want to have a creepy kid. Amanda believes that electricity is caused by demons. All this and more in Your Urban Legends.  Sponsor T...

We know how numbers work - we embrace the sex number, talk about succu-kisses, sleep paralysis, demon chinchillas, and where to draw the line when it comes to bird claws. Amanda gives in to the demon offering her shrimp, while Julia plans on how her demon form would trap men in her web.  Sponsor Talis Clothing makes gorgeous shirts inspired by astrology, divination, and psychic protection. Ge...

Hollywood: Stars and Glamor, but also murder and curses? It’s more likely than you think. We’re joined by audio drama creator, James Oliva, to do a deep dive into the urban legends and spooky happenstances of Hollywood and the movie industry. Featuring William Shatner as the virtuous hero(???), why an incubus should be called a dudeubus, and the story of James Dean, Lesbian Icon.  Content war...

This week, we break down the Maya creation story, as told by the Popol Vuh and learn that actually, the fourth time's the charm. Amanda asks the important questions, like why did the gods create humans, and would you still love her if half her skin was gone? Julia has an existential crisis about babies and marriage, and tries to come up with some ideas for monkey sociology. Sponsor - RXBAR: Get 25...

YULE LADS, ASSEMBLE! It’s time for some ridiculous and spooky tales that you, our listeners, have sent to us. Amanda asks you to adopt a phantom feline, Julia tries to explain away questionable Girl Scout trips, and Eric discovers that there is a lot of licking in Icelandic folklore. Find Us Online If you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Instagram...

Take a journey down to the underworld with us and our new favorite goddess, Inanna. Listen to how the Queen of Heaven got her start, got a man, got killed... then came back. Also featuring incorrect Shakespeare quotes, the androgynous demon aesthetic, and SO MUCH MUSIC FROM OKLAHOMA.  Hear Amanda’s cover of “The Raven” on the Our Fair City tumblr . Find Us Online If you like Spirits, help us...

We are joined by the amazing Vanessa Zoltan of Harry Potter and the Sacred Text to talk about personal mythos, secular sacred reading, and of course, wives in attics. Enter Spoiler Alert Central with us as we dive into the nitty gritty of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel, learn why a short engagement is ALWAYS a red flag, hear about the weirdest scene in all of literature, and tell you why beeswax...

WARNING: Don’t listen to this episode while hungry, because these stories are utterly delicious. We travel the world in this roundup, giving you stories of how Capitalism ruins everything, how not to serve your guests by vomiting, our favorite corn recipes, and just what positions we would play in Quidditch.  Find Us Online If you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us on...

This has gone on long enough. We’re getting our Eric back! Featuring Kristen DeMercurio as the Spagghost. Series written by Eric Silver . Find Us Online If you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , YouTube , & Goodreads , and review us on Apple Podcasts to help new listeners find the show. You can support us on Patreon to unlock bonus a...

We reach out to a secret contact in Akron, Ohio—Amanda’s cousin Chad. Featuring David Rheinstrom as Chad. Written by Eric Silver . Find Us Online If you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , YouTube , & Goodreads , and review us on Apple Podcasts to help new listeners find the show. You can support us on Patreon to unlock bonus audio co...

We are on the road to Ohio, so we cut together some of your spooky experiences inside the spaghetti-belly of the beast. Featuring Sara , Mike Schubert , Jake Song , Wil WIlliams , Paul M., Chris P., Alex Brown , Lucille Valentine & Mani, and James Oliva .  Written and edited by Eric Silver . Find Us Online If you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us on Twitter , Fac...