Fake Ritual: The Podcast

"Lost in the Sauce" | Lucas is joined by artist, musician and occultist Bat St. Chip to talk the unforgettable television experience that is Twin Peaks as well as explore some of the reality-bending theories put forth in co-writer Mark Frost's epistolary novel 'The Secret History of Twin Peaks'. Pour yourself a cup of good, hot, black coffee and tune in as they investigate atom bombs and aliens alike! You may even catch a David Lynch impression (or two). In other words: Fakers walk with me!

Lucas welcomes back Fake Ritual alumns Albert C. Hall & Caleb Pass for a movie recommendation two-fer. Listen in as they talk the survival-horror gem Rituals (1977) & the heavenly comedy-drama Static (1985).

"Frasier Crane's Wife" | Lucas Sloppy welcomes to the show filmmaker and fellow podcaster Lance Parkin (Neon Brainiacs) to talk the teenage-trauma mecha-drama that is Neon Genesis Evangelion. They take a stab at breaking down the anime into its core parts before meeting some of the more memorable monsters from the show's angelic catalogue. Suit up, plug in and go BERSERK!

Kate Sweeney returns to discover the many magical creatures lurking in Finland's countryside and rate them on sheer brutality (or lack thereof).

"Ding Dong Doodily Do" | Lucas sits down with returning guest Kate Sweeney to talk Adult Swim's blacker-than-the-blackest-black-times-infinity death-metal-centric animated series, Metalocalypse. They band together to dissect the show's characters and music while also unearthing a plot that's about as brain-dead as the members of Dethklok, themselves. Brutal enough for ya? There's only one way to find out...

"Edgelord Art" | Longtime friend of the show Caleb Pass returns to talk the many video game interations of that fiery underworld we know and love so much. He and host Lucas Sloppy pit together two well-known condemned classics in a Hell-off to make the devil proud before unearthing some dishonorable mentions, each featuring their own torturous netherrealms. Go to Hell! We'll see you there.

"Me Hoy Minoy" | Lucas Sloppy welcomes to the show fellow podcaster Gregg Harrington (Neon Brainiacs) to dive deep into the nautical nonsense that is Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants. Together they absorb some of the series' more obscure fan theories before dredging up a few of Bikini Bottom's most notable monsters, mutants and myths. Are ya ready, kids? I can't hear you!

Emily Burnett is back to see if she can handle the soul-sucking nothingness that is the Void! Lucas does his best not to lose his mind as he probes the Void's slimy depths to bring forth a number of silly little questions.

"Bumpology" | Toddy Tondera (THRIFTY Podcast, Brick Body Kids Vintage) returns to the show to talk the juggernaut of childhood fright that is the Goosebumps franchise. Lucas picks his brain over some of the series' most spine-tingling covers, monsters and plot twists before settling in to dissect a few commercials from a boo-gone era. Faker Beware, You're in for a Scare!

"It Ain't Worm Town" | Lucas welcomes back longtime friend of the show Emily Burnett to talk the Tremors film franchise and those pesky Graboids we know and love so much. Tread lightly as they sift through many a ground-breaking sequel before turning an occult eye to the sandworms themselves and testing Emily's knowledge of other subterranean wigglers. Can you dig it?

Lucas is once again joined by Albert C. Hall and Caleb Pass to test their knowledge of television-dwelling extraterrestrials and the planets that spawned them.

"Feet Ritual" | Lucas welcomes back fellow podcasters Toddy Tondera (THRIFTY) and Sarah Hamm (Ghoul on Ghoul) to share in the the spook-tacular bounty Halloween has to offer. Join them as they go head-to-head in a game of 'Wouldst Thou Like To?' before dusting off their drama chops for a Fake Ritual Theatre presentation of 'Hocus Pocus'! Trick or treat? How about BOTH!

Host Lucas Sloppy is joined by returning guests Albert C. Hall and Caleb Pass to discuss four of their favorite scary movies to watch this time of year. Featuring such spooky flicks as Martin (1977), TerrorVision (1986), Ghoulies (1985) and Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice (1992). Join us before the credits roll!

"What An Odd Citizen" | Lucas Sloppy is joined by fellow Pittsburgh podcaster Eanna Isabel (Queens of NC-17) to talk the one and only Elvira, Mistress of the Dark! They chat about what makes this Queen of Halloween such a timeless icon of schlock, from her big hair to her even bigger - ahem - fanbase, before Eanna takes a stab at a Movie Macabre edition of Whose Tagline is it Anyway? Unpleasant dreams await, darlings...

Artist & horticulturist Michael Burch returns for yet another round of Questions From the Void! Host Lucas Sloppy is careful to avoid giving shape to unknown terrors as he reaches his hand into slimy nothingness and brings forth a horde of inquiries beyond your wildest imaginings.

Bananas Fantasy | Lucas Sloppy sits down with baker, musician, shopkeeper, and Gemini Indigo Baloch to talk animator-extraordinaire Hayao Miyazaki. They take their time exploring what makes his films so timeless before sharing some of their favorite flicks and testing Indigo's knowledge of the very mythical creatures Miyazaki-san is so fond of!

Lucas is once again joined by educator, mother and witch Maggie Lynn Negrete to talk four of their favorite folk-horror features. Listen close as they DELIGHT in our collective FRIGHT of those olden things that go bump in the NIGHT.

More Woo-Woo | Fake Ritual welcomes artist, musician and horticulturalist Michael Burch for another long-awaited installment of Fake Talk! Together, he and host Lucas Sloppy enjoy a casual converastion concerning age-inappropriate animation, woefully melancholic weirdos and exhaustingly Catholic contradictions. The Talk may be Fake, but the Fun is all-too-Real!

Illustrator, educator, astrologer, and mother Maggie Lynn Negrete returns to the show to help referee the ultimate maternal showdown, pitting the BEST supernaturnal-horror-movie moms against the absolute WORST. Will good triumph over evil? Or will bad parenting prevail? Enter the ring and find out!

"I LUV SOW" | Lucas is joined by fellow podcaster Ande Strega (Queens of NC-17) to discuss the most evil film ever made, 1973's The Exorcist. The power of Christ compels them as they confront horrifying babysitters, pottymouthed children and quote the devil himself in a game of Demon Says. Pea soup, anyone?

Educator and painter Kenneth Nicholson returns to talk director David Cronenberg's recently-released return-to-form, Crimes of the Future. Together, he and host Lucas Sloppy dissect the film's inner-workings and take a mechanized scalpal to their own pre-conceived notions of pain, pleasure and junk food (literally).

Christina Conway returns to the show to talk Furby knock-offs and the mysteries surrounding these unfortunate creatures.

Returning guest Krispy the Patchouli Charmer sits down with Lucas Sloppy to gaze deep into the endless nothingness that is the Void! Will its questions melt their minds? Listen to find out!

Longtime friend of the show Caleb Pass returns to talk about the devilish, dopamine-dumping dungeon-crawler that is Diablo. He and host Lucas sloppy hack and slash their way through the video game's lore, testing Caleb's knowledge of the series' first installment and making many an infernal friend along the way. Dante: eat your heart out!

Lucas Sloppy chats with folk-chaos witch, Krispy the Patchouli Charmer, about the ground-breaking, heart-staking, ritual-faking tv series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Together they conjure up what makes Buffy such a magical milestone, play a spell-laden game of Fake Ritual's Fake Rituals, and commune with the series' resident nerd/witch/fashion icon, Willow Rosenberg. The sun is falling fast! So grab your crossbow and stake a listen.

Lucas Sloppy is once again joined by Appalachian Oddities co-founder Kate Sweeney to explore a Simpsons-themed tarot deck and interpret twelve of the Major Arcana therein.

Returning guest Caleb Pass sits down with host Lucas Sloppy to talk the do-it-yourself genre that is shot-on-video horror. Together they delve into the mysteries of this good/bad artform, play a game of Whose Tagline Is It Anyway? and break down the SOV trashterpiece that is 1986's The Abomination. ((Music, in part, by Johnny Arlett))

Lucas Sloppy welcomes back fellow podcast hosts Sarah Hamm and Amanda Waltz (Ghoul on Ghoul) to discuss the Irish infant-swapping folklore of changelings. Myth and reality merge as they sort through four films involving some seriously sinister switcheroos. Can you separate real from Fake? Listen to find out!

Lucas Sloppy welcomes back DJ Stephanie Tsong to talk ten listener-submitted vampire flicks! Together they sink their teeth into what makes these nocturnal creatures so compelling and whether or not Nosferatu's nightlife is for them. Invite us into your ears, won't you?

Lucas Sloppy sits down with painter and educator Kenneth Nicholson to talk the body-horror mutant-maestro that is David Cronenberg. Two minds become one as they delve into the visionary director's philosophy of fear and break down a couple of his more-beloved freak-fables. Be Fake, be very Fake. ((Music by Johnny Arlett))

Host Lucas Sloppy sits down with Appalachian Oddities co-founder Kate Sweeney to talk longtime television stalwart, The Simpsons. It gets otherworldly as they explore the infamous Treehouse of Horror and expand their minds for some fabulously facetious fan theories. ((Music by Johnny Arlett))

Host Lucas Sloppy is joined once again by fellow podcasters Amanda Waltz and Sarah Hamm (Ghoul on Ghoul) to test their knowledge of British Isles faery folk and discover a hidden world teeming with the most mischievous ghoulies, ghosties and long-legged beasties.

That Boy Ain't Right | In celebration of spooky season, returning guest Albert C. Hall joins host Lucas Sloppy to discuss their shared love for the saddest slasher of all, Jason Voorhees. Together they watch the recently-released Friday the 13th fan-film, Jason Rising, before getting to the pulsating heart of what makes Mr. Voorhees more than just a mutilated man in a mask. CAST IT, MOMMY! CAST IT! I will, Jason. I will.

Pull up a chair as your host, Lucas Sloppy, crafts a seasonal Creepypasta dish that's absolutely to DIE for. Together you'll journey to an oddly foggy town full of tricks, treats and a tantalizingly convoluted plot. Keep your Halloween costumes on or you may very well end up the next victim of...the...Soulless...!

He Was Born an Old, Weird Baby | Lucas Sloppy is joined by fellow podcasters Amanda Waltz (Episode 25) and Sarah Hamm (Episode 29), known collectively as Ghoul on Ghoul, to talk 1980's prestige-horror classic The Changeling. Rolling red balls and rickety runaway wheelchairs abound in an episode deeply haunted by ghosts, giggles and George C. Scott's grimacing countenance. IT'S AN EXPERIENCE IN TOTAL FEAR...sorta.

Tune in for three chilling tales from the classic kids horror series Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark...IF YOU DARE! Turn the lights down low as Lucas Sloppy introduces you to a cast of undead doppelgangers, would-be vampires and railroaded witches. Scared yet? Good!

Returning guest Albert C. Hall (Episode 2) offers up a movie recommendation in the form of 1993's silly sideshow flop, Freaked. Join host Lucas Sloppy and a cast of comedic curiosities as they glimpse what life is like behind the circus tent.

Host Lucas Sloppy sits down with Pittsburgh DJ Stephanie Tsong (Jellyfish) to talk Chinese black magic and folklore. Stephanie sheds light on the supernatural tendencies of China's ghost stories before exploring some lesser-known magical horror flicks from the other side of the world.

Host Lucas Sloppy and returning guest Sarah Hamm (Episode 28) sit down for another round of Questions From The Void! What queries are lurking within the vastness of its bottomless depths? Will they bring sorrow? Fear perhaps? Or maybe just giggles? Find out before it swallows them whole!

Host Lucas Sloppy chats with fellow Pittsburgh-podcaster Sarah Hamm (Ghoul on Ghoul) about supernatural canines and the ominous tricks they play. She shares her personal thoughts on these psychopompic "black dogs" before recounting her ghostly tour-guide past and settling in for a game of Guess That Hellhound. ARF ARF ARF!

After last week's choose-your-own-adventure double-feature, mini-host Lucas Sloppy reads his pick of R. L. Stine's Give Yourself Goosebumps game books, Little Comic Shop of Horrors. Join guests Toddy Tondera & Prin as they do their best to navigate a secret maze of choices, where bug-eating tween-age-werewolves might be lurking just around the corner. GLOMPF!

This week, host Lucas Sloppy sits down with returning guest Toddy Tondera (Episode 21) and his new friend Prin to take a stab at two of R.L. Stine's Give Yourself Goosebumps game books. Tune in as our adventurers go toe-to-toe with a cast of magical mommas, spectral siblings and sassy, sh*t-talking grannies. Will they survive? Or is this the end? Faker Beware...WE CHOOSE THE SCARE!

Join host Lucas Sloppy as he sits down with long-time friends and returning guests Nick Duarte (Episode 3) and Albert C. Hall (Episode 2) to talk last year's not-so-family-oriented flick, Psycho Goreman. Together they sift through the gore and guts to uncover an intergalactic treasure trove that'll warm your heart (right before it explodes). "Is that fear I smell?" No, it's Fake Ritual!

Join host Lucas Sloppy as he chats with Pittsburgh-based artist and designer Dave Watt about Marvel Comics' team of misfit-mutant superheroes, the X-Men. Listen close as they X-amine who has the coolest powers, what a mutant Pope would look like, and whether dating Dracula is really all that bad. ((In Stereo))

Join host Lucas Sloppy on the beaches of Los Angeles County as he talks with returning guest Emily Burnett (Episode 22) about one of the most iconic tv dramas of the 1990s: Baywatch. Together they sift through the sands of three occult-laden episodes, discovering reincarnated dogs, astrological phenomena & a ghost whose tongue-talents are out of this world. Jump on in, the water's Fake!

Join host Lucas Sloppy as he sits down with journalist and fellow podcaster, Amanda Waltz (Ghoul on Ghoul), to talk gothic horror as well as famed (and possibly-psychic) author V.C. Andrews. How frightening are mirrors? Are talking bears missing from classic cinema? And exactly what Flowers were in the Attic? Answer these questions and more in a Ghoulishly gothic episode you won't want to miss!

In this blood-drenched minisode, host Lucas Sloppy sits down with artist, musician and returning guest Johnny Arlett (Episode 6) to talk this year's highly anticipated reboot of the Mortal Kombat film-series. Join two of Earth's nerdiest warriors as they discuss the good, the bad and the hangry in an episode that's out of this realm. GET OVER HERE (and have a listen)!

Join mini-host Lucas Sloppy as he sits down with returning guest Shannon Rose (Episode 20) to talk Disney's failed fantasy flick, The Black Cauldron. Laughs abound in a conversation boiling-over with oracular swine, sock-clad villains and a very horny witch. Crunchings and munchings await!

On this week's episode, host Lucas Sloppy is joined by hip hop artist, hedge witch and co-founder of Arts & Crafts: Botanica & Occult Shop, Dr. Amber Epps. Together they discuss recent esoteric trends, pop portrayals of witchcraft and whether or not Bigfoot has a hygiene problem. Come on in! Fake Ritual is open for business.

In this not-so-mini-sode, Lucas Sloppy reunites with vintage curator Toddy Tondera (Episode 21) and tries his hand at one of R. L. Stine's Give Yourself Goosebumps game books. Together, Lucas and Toddy spend a Night In Werewolf Woods, avoiding bullies, bat-cyclones & frozen lycanthropes along the way. Surprises abound in this page-turning episode you won't want to miss. Faker Beware: YOU choose the Scare!

This week, host Lucas Sloppy chats with jeweler Maggie Cirillo (Chronic Chain) about the dubious distraction known as reality TV. Gossip abounds in an episode brimming with 90 day fiancés, ghost-filled children and iron-willed yinzers. Set your DVR before you miss something!