Strange Origins

*A note of warning: the topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13. Would you ever climb a set of stairs you found in the woods? What do you think would happen if you got to the top?  This week I dive into the history behind this strange phenomenon and seem to come out with more questions than answers. From missing person cases to alien abductions, could t...

*A note of warning: the topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13. From magic Barbies to automatons, to dummies controlling their masters, there’s a lot of different types of creepy dolls. Join me as I describe my personal feelings towards the little devils, and research the history behind how a cute cuddly toy could transform into something so gosh darn evil....

*A note of warning: the topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13.   This week I revisit my love of the Little People, the Hidden People, the Fae. From the insane asylum of Bedlam to a titan of industry in Texas, fairies show up in more places than you might think. In this sequel episode, I discuss Victorian fairy art and the differences between Spri...

Who were you in a past life? According to a lot of people, they were someone. And they usually were someone pretty interesting. From Greek philosophers to mid-modern cocktail parties, the history of reincarnation in popular culture spans more groups than you might imagine.  For more info on me and my podcasts please visit FascinatingPodcasts.com . There you can listen to all my episodes, find...

*Please note this episode lightly discusses mature themes like cannabilism, murder, torture, and rape, and may not be suitable for children under the age of 13.  Did you hear that? I think there’s a werewolf outside. Join me as I deep dive into the history of what makes a werewolf tick. From the myth of full moons to the werewolf trials, there’s a lot about werewolves that makes the back of m...

It may have taken Clarence from It’s a Wonderful Life 200 years to earn his wings, but what about the angels with three sets of wings? Spanning across all the Abrahamic religions, angels have done a lot of work to keep the cosmos in order. And some have done a lot of work to bring about the destruction of humanity. Join me this week to learn about the history of Angels, and how sometimes, they are...

Who is Krampus and why is always scaring the children? This week I close out the year and discuss one of the more fan-favorite monsters of the season and Santa Claus’ counterpart from Hell, Krampus. From St. Nicholas’ healing bone manna to Santa Claus’ abolitionist history, you’ll be full of strange facts to share with visiting family members this year.  For more info on me and my podcasts pl...

*Please note that due to darker themes this episode may not be suitable for children under the age of 13.  When do contemporary American myths cross the border between fun and just plain strange? From hypnotism to dead cats to nosebleeds, where do The Black Eyed Children fit in and how much can they be blamed for? One piece of advice: be sure not to let them in when they knock on your front d...

From the hallowed halls of Trinity College was born The Ghost Club. After decades of lectures, research, and debunkings, where did their interest in the unexplained take them? Apparently, exploding knives, fake mediums, and a Spontaneous Psychophysical Incident Data Electronic Recorder (SPIDER).  (Sidenote: I know that I pronounce Cambridge weird. I tried to watch out for that but sometimes m...

*Please note that this episode lightly mentions child cannibalism and may not be suitable for children 13 and under.  Did you know that being called a Hag was at one point in history a compliment? Join me in my deep dive into the history of the hag, which in essence, is the history of women and the ancient Gods themselves. From Cailleach to Baba Yaga, what is it about these women that defy st...

*Please note this episode lightly mentions the subject of human sacrifice, and may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13.   What is it about a circle of stones that either inspires or frightens generations of people? With Stonehenge, the answers aren’t very clear. Still, though, the evidence remains that there’s something special about the place. From possible human sacrifice...

All Hallow’s Eve is a time for sweets, pranks, and talking to the dead. But where exactly did all of these strange and seemingly random traditions originate? From Stingy Jack to pranks that went a little too far, Halloween has more mischievous beginnings than you thought.  For more info on me and my podcasts please visit FascinatingPodcasts.com . There you can listen to all my episodes, find...

Grimm's Fairy Tales such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Rapunzel have been a large part of our childhoods. So why don’t we know anything about where they came from? From Philology to the Nazis, the Grimm's had quite the effect on the modern world. And he funny thing is, it was mostly on accident.   For more info on me and my podcasts please visit FascinatingPodcasts.com...

*A note of warning: the topic I discuss this week, which involves mention of genocide and death, which may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13. What makes Golems such strange creatures? In my opinion, it's everything. From their birth to their death, and the religious implications behind the myth, Golems are a lot less simple than you might think. For more info on me and my podcasts...

*A note of warning: the topic I discuss this week, which involves themes of sexuality and Satanism, may not be suitable for listeners younger than 13. From Scorpion Hunters to Greek Goddesses, to the Colonies, witches are either vilified or revered (depending on who you ask.) When exactly did the gap between respected and feared grow so large? Join me in my journey of witchy discovery in this week...

*A note of warning: Short portions of the topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners younger than 13, as they include descriptions of hangings.  Does Thirteen deserve the bad reputation it’s famous for or is it all just a bunch of nonsense superstition? From Norse Mythology and Christian Theology to famous composers and writers who suffer from Triskaidekaphobia, the number th...

Everyone seems to have their own story about a UFO. But how much can you relate to the people of the past with their stories of Unidentified Flying Objects? From an ancient Egyptian Papyrus to Angel Hair, to the golden age of American UFO research and coverups, I would bet you don’t know as much about Flying Saucers as you thought you did. For more info on me and my podcasts please visit Fascinati...

In San Jose, California exists one of the most strangely constructed buildings in the world, and it’s constantly being listed as one of the top ten most haunted locations in America. Join me to find out whether Sarah Winchester was a superstitious looney case with wads of cash, or if there were there other motives behind her building of the Winchester Mansion. For more info on me and my podcasts p...

*A note of warning: the topic I discuss this week, which involves acts of cannibalism and euthanasia, and may not be suitable for listeners younger than 13. Wendigos have been here for longer than most immigrants, so why aren’t they better known? Popular in comic books, video games, and tv shows, the origin of these creatures hit a little closer to reality than you might like. Join me as I delve i...

*A note of warning: the topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners younger than 13. This week I dive into the history and origin of the scaly, enchanting, and oftentimes terrifying Mermaid. From Celtic to African stories of encounters with these creatures, Mermaids seem to come in every shape and temperament. Two hard and fast rules for when dealing with mermaids Don’t be a man. A...

3*A note of warning: the topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners younger than 1. Delve into the original Haunted House stories with me this week, and learn what it is about ghosts that keep us coming back for more in film and literature. From historic estates to castles, to prisons and asylums, ghosts just keep ignoring those eviction notices. For more info on me and my podcast...

*A note of warning: the topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners younger than 13. Gargoyles: Are they protectors of sacred relics, or are they out to do harm? This week learn about gargoyles, including where that crazy name came from, the Medieval origin of the creature, and stories of their supposed sightings in Texas. Yes, you read that right. Texas.  For more info on me...

*A note of warning: the topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners younger than 13, as it mentions acts of sexual assault and murder. Whether you’re an arachnophobe or a wealthy man, Black Widows are to be feared. This week I deep dive into where the term Black Widow came from, and the history behind some of the most famous Black Widows of the past. So if you're a woman who would...

*A note of warning: the topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners younger than 13.  This week I dive into a few interesting stories concerning the history of a topic that’s a little more complicated than you might realize. From Gaelic mythology to Christian Monks, to Disney, fairies seem to be everywhere. And they’re a lot less like Tinker Bell than you might think. *Sidenot...

*Please note that this episode may not be suitable for children younger than 13.  I’ve seen the hat man. . . have you? This week I delve into the topic of shadow people, and the most famous shadow person of them all; the Hat Man. From my experiences with him at thirteen years old to my theory as to who he might be, join me in my deep dive into the origin of a creepy, evasive, and stylish shad...