MonsterTalk

In this episode, I talk about why I don't believe in Bigfoot and the core of my basis of doubt. This is part of a new intermittent series wherein we'll be looking at why a lot of monster stories fall apart when you attack them with Occam's Razor and other similarly sharp tools. The clip in the intro is from In Search Of... Season 1, Episode 5. If you want to hear A LOT more about that episode, che...

This week on MonsterTalk, Blake and Karen are joined by Matthew Baxter to revisit Karen’s classic investigation book  Haunting America   — newly re-released in paperback just in time for Halloween 🎃. Together they discuss how the book began as a project for the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF), the fieldwork behind its famous cases, and the updated edition’s new conclusion and color phot...

UAPs, “Disclosure,” and the Influence Machine 🔦🛰️ This episode looks at the latest UAP theater around Rep. Eric Burlison’s congressional presentation of the “Hellfire vs. orb” video, how it intersects with long-running media and funding networks (Skinwalker Ranch/NIDS/Las Vegas circle), and why skepticism and provenance still matter. We discuss the hearing, witness line-up, and the ecosystem that...

This week Blake Smith and Karen Stollznow are joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Brian A. Sharpless, author of Monsters on the Couch , to discuss cannibalism—what it is, why humans have done it, and how the taboo shows up in archaeology, medicine, psychology, and horror cinema. They cover definitions (endocannibalism vs. survival cannibalism), prion diseases such as Kuru, criminal and paraphilic...

🎙 MonsterTalk — The Cult of Moloch Show Notes · Hosts: Blake Smith & Karen Stollznow In this episode, Blake Smith and Karen Stollznow explore the history, mythology, and propaganda surrounding the idea of the Cult of Moloch—a figure long associated with child sacrifice and moral panic. They trace Moloch’s biblical origins in Leviticus and Kings, the contested archaeological claims from Carthag...

We finish up Season 4 of MonsterTalk, not with a bang - but a chuckle, as we welcome Science Comedian Brian Malow to talk about using humor and science to entertain.  https://sciencecomedian.com/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support . Some product links may be affiliated with Amazon revenue sharing.

We discuss the sketchy "science by press release" of Colossal Biosciences and the controversies lurking in the history of its lead scientist. Have they resurrected dire wolves? No. Definitely not. If only overblown celebrity endorsed hype was the only problem… Did they make a Dire Wolf? (Spoiler: NOT EVEN REMOTELY CLOSE) George Church's explanation of Epstein ties James Arthur Ray - Guru of Death?...

We take a look at a fascinating slice of paranormal history in the form of a 1975 BBC documentary The Ghost Hunters. How much has changed in paranormal research since 1975? Not much, after a fashion…  Anybody know something about these plastic pub barrels from the 1970s? Show Notes: Benson Herbert - ghost hunter Andrew Green - the Spectre Inspector John Cutten (SPR, Inventor) Watch this masterpiec...

Blake catches Karen up on his current research projects: The four-wall tour dates of the PGF, and a contextual look at the Van Meter Visitor. Neither of these projects are finished but he is excited to share what he's been working on. Dolemite is mentioned favorably. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support . Some product links may be affili...

Blake is joined by regular contributor Matt Baxter, and special guest Kara Van Hoose from the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife to discuss the (not that mysterious) outbreak of "tentacle bunnies" in Colorado this summer.   News reports of "rabbits with tentacles" Deer wasting disease (zombie deer) "Colorado Cannibal" Alfred Packer Colorado Parks & Wildlife  Colorado Parks & Wildlif...

Karen and Matt are back from their book tour in the UK and they got to have some real MonsterTalk moments! Loch Ness, Boleskine House and more plus Blake wrestles with gremlins! More photos will be available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/137274189?pr=true&cr=true  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support . Some product links...

It's Hollow Earth, UFOs, the birth of Sci-Fi, and more wierdshit than you can believe as we present a super-cut of our 2-part interview with Jerry Drake and Jeb Card about one of the foundational stories of "weirdshitology" in a new ginormous single episode.  And there's a little bit of reading if you want to follow us down the rabbit hole...  EXTENSIVE show notes freely viewable at Patreon. Becom...

Karen and Matt check in from the UK! Karen is on tour promoting her new book Bitch: The Journey of a Word.  (affiliate link) Islands are engines of language diversity Borley Rectory Mentioned for future coverage (but touched on before): The Black Monk of Pontefract Episodes covering Enfield and Poltergeists Boleskine House Some Nessie & Scotland coverage Become a supporter of this podcast: htt...

A fascinating chat about Australian Magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen) with Dr. Grainne Cleary in which we talk about the role of stories in creating monsters, the role of citizen science, and lots of cool biology facts about these birds. Not everything about Magpies is black and white, it turns out. Why do birds do that? (affiliate link) Your Backyard Birds (booktopia - Australian bookshop) And remembe...

Blake recounts his recent visit to see Robert the Doll, and his findings after a deep dive into newspapers and other literature.   Patrons get follow-up info from the girl who was the subject of the "true doll haunting" from episode #114!  Karen's latest book:  Bitch: The Journey of a Word Recent death "associated" with demonic doll Annabelle Official website of the museum hosting Robert the Doll...

Flashback to October 2016! Updated content on Robert coming soon. In this week’s episode of MonsterTalk, we talk about demonic or evil dolls, and look into the history of one of America’s most famous creepy playthings:  Robert the Doll . Our interview is with Dr. Cori Convertito, Curator of the Key West Art and Historical Society, which oversees the  Fort East Martello Museum , home of Robert the...

Flashback to January 2018: In this episode of MonsterTalk, we return to discussion of the Ultraterrestrial Hypothesis (UTH) and what seems to be its growing influence in paranormal circles. It’s been used to explain UFOs, mothman, bigfoot, fairies, dogman, ghosts and many other phenomena which defy scientific demonstrability. Now it crops up again in a new film event titled  Alien Intrusion  which...

FLASHBACK to December 2013: A FAMILIAR VOICE returns to  MonsterTalk  as Dr. Karen Stollznow joins us to discuss her (then new) book,  God Bless America . Items of Interest Haunting America on Amazon More information on the case of Anneliese Michel Wade Davis’s book on Haitian zombies — The Serpent and the Rainbow More reading on the Satanic Panic —  In Pursuit of Satan: The Police and the Occult...

Flashback to May 2015: IS THERE A LOST CITY somewhere that formed the basis of the legend of Atlantis? Dr. Kenny Feder returns, not to praise Atlantis, but to bury it. Kenny Feder: Selected Works The Past in Perspective Frauds, Myths and Mysteries Linking to the Past Related Links Atlantis by Donovan Podcast — Archeology Fantasies In Search Of… Atlantis Music Monstertalk Theme: Monster by Peach St...

We will be playing some episodes from our archives for a few weeks this Summer - let's kick it off with this classic from October 2013! THE WARREN OMISSION.WAS THE STORY OF The Conjuring the true story of how Ed and Lorraine Warren fought demonic forces in Rhode Island? In this special episode of MonsterTalk, we hear a different side to the story of America’s first family of ghost hunting. Feature...

We're joined by Erik Davis to discuss his book High Weirdness - a history of psychedelics and counterculture as a triptych embodied with three prominent figures: Terrence McKenna, Philip K. Dick, and Robert Anton Wilson. From Blade Runner to the Illuminati to Magic Mushrooms these three laid down foundational blocks decades ago that underpin (or perhaps undermine?) our present.  Terrence McKenna P...

We’re joined by Matt Baxter to discuss what we thought was a horror film but turned out to be something quite different. Warning: This film and episode deal with suicide, murder, abortion, politics, religion, and pretty much most of the hot potato topics we generally try to eschew. Hopefully we do a decent job of discussing it. Nefarious (streaming) – Affiliate Link More on Blaze Media Some review...

Matt Baxter returns to join Karen and Blake in a discussion of allegedly haunted “bothies” in the remote hiking regions of the UK. This episode contains some discussion of guns, suicide, and cannibalism. Links to further reading/listening: What is a “bothy?” Mountain Bothy Association BBC’s Uncanny episodes we mention: Don’t Sleep in this House – December 2021 Return to Luibeilt Christmas Special...

Jerry Drake returns to discuss his new book: Hazel was a Good Girl: The Murder that Inspired Twin Peaks Jerry has been with quite a few times to discuss Grimoires , Jack Parsons , The Hollow Earth , Internet Mysteries and Ghost Lights and we're excited to see what he makes of this real life unsolved murder with ties to one of the most influential shows to ever air on TV. This episode does discuss...

We're back with part two of our 2-part coverage of the 1976 episode of The Six Million Dollar Man that introduced a generation of kids to Bigfoot, and the idea that the creature might be interconnected with space aliens living inside a California mountain. Related Links: The Bionic Book by Herbie Pilato (affiliate link) Operation Plowshare The Six Million Dollar Man series (DVD) Become a supporter...