Ghoul on Ghoul

Amanda and Sadie are back with a banger covering a true crime queen and vengeful percussionist. Amanda recounts the life and times of author Ann Rule, including her fateful friendship with would-be serial killer Ted Bundy. Sadie heads to 15th-century England for the Drummer of Tedworth, the earliest recorded poltergeist episode in the country. Other subjects covered include pants-hungry genitalia, a new hit show, and a little mouse guy. Recommendations: Amanda recommends the true crime book Bitter Blood.  Sources: Wikipedia/Drummer of Tedworth Encyclopedia.com (Drummer Of Tedworth) Burials and Beyond "New light on the ‘Drummer of Tedworth': conflicting narratives of witchcraft in Restoration England" by Michael Hunter The Guardian (Best-selling true crime writer Ann Rule, author of 33 books, dies at age 83) Grunge (The Untold Truth of Ann Rule) The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule CNN (Jan. 12, 1999 interview transcript) Washington Post (The twisted friendship of crime writer Ann Rule and serial killer Ted Bundy) The New Yorker (Too Close to Ted Bundy) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Originally posted as Episode 11 on July 19, 2018.  It's all about spiritualism on this week's episode as Amanda and Sarah discuss two women associated with the movement. Sarah channels an unusual story about famed spiritualist medium Florence Cook and her "spirit control," Katie King, who was said to be the deceased daughter of a Welsh pirate. Amanda gives a creepy history lesson on the tragic life of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and her shifty spirit minister Charles J. Colchester. Other subjects covered include big ol' Instagram daddies, donkey facts, and the joy of pretending to be drunk. Sources: "Spirited Sexuality: Sex, Marriage, and Victorian Spiritualism" by Marlene Tromp for Victorian Literature and Culture "Victorian Women and the Theatre of Trance: Mediums, Spiritualists, and Mesmerists in Performance" by Amy Lehman MysteriousPeople.com (lol): Katie King Smithsonian Magazine ("The Spiritualist Who Warned Lincoln Was Also Booth's Drinking Buddy") Wikipedia: Mary Todd Lincoln Recommendations: Sarah recommends you read "Affinity" by Sarah Waters. Amanda recommends you read "Assassination Vacation" by Sarah Vowell and "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" by Seth Grahame-Smith (the latter only kinda). For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Twitter and Instagram. 

Look to the skies, ghouls, because Amanda and Sarah have an extraterrestrial-filled episode just for you. Sarah presents a very special alien version of Ass-trology, while Amanda delves into the phenomenon of people claiming to have sex with otherworldly beings. Other subjects covered include unimpressive octopi, parts of the boot, and dead social media.  Sources: Listverse (10 People Who Claimed To Have Sexual Encounters With Aliens) Vice (This Guy Paints the Sex He Allegedly Has with Aliens) The Harvard Gazette (Alien abduction claims examined: Signs of trauma found) Huffington Post (Meet the Chinese Lumberjack Who Slept With an Alien) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah get down and dirty with a series of OG ghost stories and one of the worst movies ever made. Sarah covers the Byland Abbey ghost stories, a set of tales collected by a curious monk. Amanda heads to Italy for the making of, and disastrous release of the 1979 period film Caligula. Other subjects covered include alien updates, bad passwords, and arsenic myths.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the Giallo film Tenebrae and the new horror release Talk to Me.  Sources: Byland Abbey ghost stories: a guide to medieval ghosts Anselm Classics-Byland Abbey Ghost Stories Project “Repentant Soul or Walking Corpse? Debatable Apparitions in Medieval England” by Jacqueline Simpson. Folklore, Dec., 2003, Vol. 114, No. 3 Collider (The Infamous 'Caligula': Is It Really As Bad As They Say?) Penthouse, May 1980 The Guardian (Malcolm McDowell on Peter O'Toole: Caligula, catacombs and chicken gizzards) The Writer Who Disowned the Movie-Gore Vidal Leonardo DiCaprio channelled Caligula for Wolf of Wall Street Variety (‘Caligula' Director Tinto Brass Slams ‘Caligula – The Ultimate Cut' Screening in Cannes, Says He Is Taking Legal Action Against Penthouse Films) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Originally posted as Episode 91 on Feb. 20, 2020.  Amanda and Sarah say screw it and try to scare the crap out of each other by tapping into their deepest fearscinations. Sarah gets into Amanda's frog/toad phobia with a look at the Loveland Frog and similar accounts from Ohio and other places. Amanda scoured Reddit and other sites for the creepiest, most disturbing, user-submitted doppelganger encounters. Other subjects covered include SWEET POTATO SKINS, horror daddies, and another ghoulish musical. Recommendations: Sarah recommends the latest season of the show Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and does not recommend the indie horror film, Pyewacket. Amanda adds her vote for watching the HBO show The Outsider. Sources: The Weiser Field Guide to Cryptozoology: Werewolves, Dragons, Skyfish, Lizard Men, and Other Fascinating Creatures Real and Mysterious Paperback by Deena West Budd The Singular Fortean Society (The Loveland Frogmen) Exemplore (The Loveland Frog: Monster, Alien, or Escaped Pet?) Wikipedia/Joint-eater Snopes (‘Loveland Frogman' Spotted Again?) CINCY Weekend (Everything You Need To Know About The Loveland Frog, Cincy's Wildest Urban Legend) Cincinnati.com True Horror Stories of Texas (Doppelganger) Ranker (People Share Creepy Stories Of Encounters With Doppelgangers) Mysterious Universe (Sinister Encounters with Evil Doppelgängers) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Amanda and Sarah get their heads in the summer vacation game with spooky travel stories and beer. Amanda vets a few tales about real people dealing with haunted Airbnbs, roadside killers, and more. Sarah goes deep into the possible lore surrounding Miller High Life's "Girl in the Moon" mascot and her possible connection with early women brewers. Other subjects include a tough furry polycule, a sleep interrupted, and a fratty Amanda.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the Grady Hendrix book How to Sell a Haunted House and the new movie Evil Dead Rise. Sarah recommends the 1971 cult horror film Blood on Satan's Claw.  Sources:  Mashed (Who Inspired Miller High Life's Girl In The Moon Logo?) Beer and Beyond (Here's what we know about the Miller High Life lady) https://dannwoellertthefoodetymologist.wordpress.com/2023/04/02/decoding-the-miller-high-life-girl-in-the-moon/ Smithsonian Magazine (Why Did Women Stop Dominating the Beer Industry?) Forbes (No, That Halloween Witch (Probably) Does Not Represent A Persecuted Beer Brewer) AAA (Haunted Hotel Stories from AAA Inspectors) Airbnb Community Cafe (Haunted and Spooky Airbnb Stories!) Washington Post (12 chilling travel tales, as told by readers)   For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah are joined by Ben, Gregg, and Lance of Neon Brainiacs for a special fifth-anniversary show! Hear a spooky house party story, followed by a rousing, time travel-inspired game. Other subjects covered include Amanda's illustrious film career, The Shining conspiracies, and Woodstock '99. For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah head to historic New England and back to California for two wild cases. Sarah covers Elizabeth Knapp, a 17th-century teen girl believed to be demonically possessed. Amanda reveals part two of the Clara Phillips fiasco. Other subjects covered include fighting in front of the cheese dip, classic Hollywood monologuing, and buying too much unreturnable Target merch.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the 1951 sci-fi film 'The Thing from Another World.' Sources: “The Use of Transference in Seventeenth-Century Massachusetts,” by Michael Fass for American Studies, Vol. 36, No. 2 (Fall, 1995)  “The Terrifying Demonic Possession of 16 Year Old Elizabeth Knapp,” Hit the Lights Podcast, November 2020 Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England by John Demos Wikipedia/Clara Phillips LA Magazine (How Murderess Clara Phillips Became “Tiger Girl”) New York Times (' Clara Phillips' Tries Honduras Jail Break; 15 Students Whose Aid She Sought Are Seized) New York Post (Inside the deranged mind of Clara Phillips, Hollywood's first female psychopath) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah go goblin mode for this episode about another little fucker and a Hollywood true crime case. Sarah talks about the connection between the Ebu Gogo and the Homo floresiensis on the Indonesian island of Flores. Amanda heads back to the flapper era with the first of a two-part series about Clara Phillips, aka the Tiger Woman. Other subjects covered include quitting coffee, being nude under a trench coat, and roasting America's Next Top Model.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends (kind of) the graphic novel The Low, Low Woods and the 1978 medical thriller Coma.  Sources: The University of Alberta (Are hobbits real?) New Scientist (The Little Troublemaker - June 18, 2005) Wikipedia/Ebu Gogo Live Science (Human 'hobbit' ancestor may be hiding in Indonesia, new controversial book claims) FAR WEIRDER THAN HOBBITS by Marek Kohn “Images of the Wildman Inside and Outside Europe,” Gregory Forth. Folklore, Vol. 118, No. 3 (Dec., 2007). https://www.jstor.org/stable/30035439 New York Post (Inside the deranged mind of Clara Phillips, Hollywood's first female psychopath) LA Mag (How Murderess Clara Phillips Became “Tiger Girl”)  CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE (L.A. murderess Clara Phillips "Tiger Woman", July 15, 1922) LA Times (Clara Phillips was never one to mask...) Wikipedia/Clara Phillips For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah choose a neutral color palette for two stories about a folkloric crone and mysterious light. Sarah goes all witchy again with the legend of Black Annis, a cannibalistic witch-like figure from Leicester, England. Amanda heads to North Carolina for the history of the Brown Mountain Lights. Other subjects covered include a spooky survey, a fictional clothing line, and a new pet camera.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the Dario Argento film Deep Red.  Sources: White Dragon (Black Annis - Leicester Legend or Widespread Myths?) Witches by T.C. Lethbridge “Four Doubled Figures in the Origins of English Folk Theatre.” Stephen D. Malin, Theatre Journal, Vol. 33  Wikipedia/Black Annis Charlotte Observer (Burke County's Mysterious Light Still Baffles Investigators) Blue Ridge County (Brown Mountain Lights: The Mystery Continues (and Maybe Even Deepens) WBTV (Mystery of the Brown Mountain Lights fueled by new pictures) PBS (Brown Mountain Lights) GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 646 (Origin of the Brown Mountain Light in North Carolina) Blue Ridge Mountains Travel Guide (The Mysterious Brown Mountain Lights of Morganton NC) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah revisit an episode from back when they were still figuring out this whole podcasting thing and didn't have a decent mixer. It still slaps. Originally posted as Episode 39 on Feb. 14, 2019.  Amanda and Sarah look at the house hiders phenomenon, or, as they like to call it, Hinterkaifeck Syndrome™. Sarah covers the stalking case of Michelle Fredenburg-Onion and the delightful misadventures of Jeffrey Allen Manchester, AKA The Roofman. Amanda returns to Daniel LaPlante and keeps it local with a Pittsburgh tale before going into the super creepy story of the Spider Man of Denver. Other subjects covered include Buckcherry, bad Ghostbusters hygiene, and hard-partying squirrels.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the arty, sexy, spooky Kristen Stewart vehicle Personal Shopper.  Sarah recommends the 1989 horror film Pet Sematary, the Accidental Room episode of 99% Invisible, and the Hinterkaifeck episode of Stuff You Missed In History Class.  Sources: Urbo.com (Creepy People Who Were Found Living In A Stranger's Home) WIS News (Stalker hides under woman's bed for two days) Listverse (10 Creepy Stories Of Intruders Hiding In People's Homes) Ranker (Jeffrey Manchester) KDKA (Caught On Camera: Man Sneaks Into Neighbor's Attic) Ranker (Theodore Coneys) Denver Public Library (Denver Spider Man) Prison Museum (The Spider Man) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Amanda and Sarah explore some unusual lore and a California cryptid. Sarah says no to drugs with a look at connections between cannabis-related superstitions/urban legends and the history of cautionary tales. Amanda takes listeners to the West Coast with a rundown of the Fresno Nightcrawler. Other subjects covered include taste-testing Peep-flavored Pepsi, thirsting for Steve Guttenberg, and cooking babies.  Recommendations: Sarah doubles down on Amanda's previous rec of the 2022 horror film Men.  Sources: SYFY Wire (THE DARK HISTORY BEHIND HANSEL AND GRETEL) Snopes (The Microwaved Baby) Snopes (Did Several Musicians Die with White BIC Lighters in Their Pockets?) Wikipedia/Molly Whuppie The Business Journal (MORE THAN FRESNO FAMOUS: HOW THE NIGHTCRAWLER CAPTURED THE WORLD'S IMAGINATION) Your Central Valley (Fresno Nightcrawler: Hoax or real? Mystery remains years later) Yosemite National Park (Yosemite: The Weird and the Wonderful) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah sprinkle some spooky potpourri and film facts all over this episode. Sarah samples various Black Dog stories along with a Pittsburgh urban legend known as Slag Pile Annie. Amanda meets at the intersection of comedy and horror with a look at the history and legacy of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein. Other subjects covered include a weird email, a ghost encounter, and a terrifying orgasm.  Recommendations: Amanda doesn't recommend Scream VI but does recommend the 1976 mystery thriller Obsession. Sources: Arcadia Publishing (Slag Pile Annie: A Story from the Steel Mill)  Shuckland Neatorama (The Story of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein) Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein By Ron Palumbo Diabolique Magazine (LAUGHING, SCREAMING, HOWLING: REVISITING A MONSTER KID'S DELIGHT, ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN) Collider (Horror Comedy Movies Owe a Great Debt to Abbott and Costello) Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter and Billy The Kid vs. Dracula (1965) New York Times (ABBOTT, COSTELLO SPLIT - July 15, 1957) See Sarah in What's Your Sign? An Astrology Improv Show Arcade Comedy Theater  Sat. April 1, 7:30 p.m. showclix.com/event/whatsyoursign2304    

Amanda and Sarah meet at the intersection of sex and crime with two very different stories. Amanda celebrates Women's History Month with the story of Jane Toppan, a nurse/serial killer believed to derive pleasure from drugging her patients to death. Sarah investigates the historical connections between execution by hanging, the mandrake root, and erotic asphyxiation. Other subjects covered include the masculine urge to send bad gifs, chore preferences, and bunny decor.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the films Remember My Name and Cruising. Sarah recommends the book How to Keep House While Drowning. Sources: “Autoerotic Deaths,” Practical Forensic and Investigative Perspectives Wikipedia/Erotic asphyxiation Wikipedia/Death erection BBC News (The plant that can kill and cure) "Myths and mandrakes" by Anthony John Carter Botanical.com (Mandrake) Wikipedia/Jane Toppan New England Historical Society (JOLLY JANE TOPPAN, THE KILLER NURSE OBSESSED WITH DEATH) NY Daily News (Killer Boston nurse finally went too far when she poisoned entire family in 1901) Find A Grave (Jane Toppan) Radford University (Jane Toppan “Jolly Jane”) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Get out your charts, ghouls, cos Amanda and Sarah have an episode chock full of hot zodiac takes, including double the Ass-trology. Other subjects covered include sex rags, reality TV, sisterly tampon pressure, and a gruesome Mario Bros. character.  For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah explore a questionable haunting and even more questionable condition. Sarah provides updates on The Demon of Brownsville Road (originally covered in Episode 37), a Pittsburgh-area case of a family terrorized by a supernatural presence in their home. Amanda investigates penis-snatching, a phenomenon where men believe their genitalia was stolen through magic.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the film Men and the third installment of Shudder's documentary series In Search of Darkness.  Sources:  CNN (7 killed in Ghana over 'penis-snatching' episodes) Vice (Witches Allegedly Stole Penises and Kept Them as Pets in the Middle Ages) Harper's Magazine (A Mind Dismembered) Pacific Standard (Africa's genital-stealing crime wave hits the countryside) Reuters (Penis theft hits city) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah take a dose of true crime with a case about a con artist and a locked-room mystery. Amanda goes to Arkansas for the story of how Norman Baker lured victims into the famous Crescent Hotel with fake cancer treatments. Sarah investigates the unsolved 1931 murder of Julia Wallace, who was found beaten to death in her Liverpool home. Other subjects covered include a creepy country ballad, an Alex Jones Chili-Gate explainer, and a Richard Attenborough love fest.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the films Brighton Rock and 10 Rillington Place. Sarah recommends Skinamarink.  Sources:  Shedunnit Podcast (The Telephone Call) Echo (Unsolved 'locked room' murder that's puzzled detectives for 88 years) The Crime Wire (The Unsolved Murder of Julia Wallace) The Julia Wallace Murder Foundation Arkansas Times (Graphic nonfiction illuminates a dark story from Crescent Hotel's past) Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Glass bottles found behind 'haunted' Arkansas hotel date to 1938 cancer elixir) Crescent Hotel History Atlas Obscura (Found: A Quack's Medicine Bottles, Buried Behind a Haunted Hotel) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah welcome guest Genevieve Barbee-Turner, a professional tarot illustrator with multiple custom decks to her name. Genevieve discusses her theories on tarot and its uses, and how her decks serve to tell stories with a social justice angle. She recently launched a Kickstarter for her next project HAUNTED: An Appalachian Tarot Deck, described as being inspired "by Appalachian folklore and urban legends from Southwestern PA, West Virginia, and Eastern Ohio." Find her work at Killerpancake Illustration: https://killerpancakeillustration.com/ And the HAUNTED Kickstarter at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/killerpancake/haunted-an-appalachian-tarot-deck Recommendations: Amanda recommends the movies M3GAN and Hellbender. Sarah recommends the Britcom Chewing Gum.  For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Sorry, ghouls, no new episode. We'll see you in two weeks. 

Amanda and Sarah revisit an episode from back when they were still figuring out this whole podcasting thing and didn't have a decent mixer. It still slaps. Originally posted as Episode 43 on March 14, 2019.  Just a warning: This episode contains references to sexual violence, bodily trauma, and some disturbing, gory details about pregnancy. Listener discretion advised.  Amanda and Sarah give birth to instances of pregnancy horror for this episode. Sarah goes way back to the 1700s for the harrowing story of Mary Toft, an English woman who became a sensation when she started giving birth to rabbits. Amanda heads back to present day for the case of Sanju Bhagat and the medical oddity known as fetus in fetu. Other subjects covered include a Bootleg Bart bully and a fun cyst story. Recommendations: Sarah recommends X-Files episode "Humbug" and the music video about the beloved late polar bear, Knut. Sarah and Amanda DO NOT RECOMMEND the Selkie-inspired book Sealskin by Su Bristow. Sources:  Wikipedia/Mary Toft What Mary Toft Felt: Women's Voices, Pain, Power and the Body by Karen Harvey The Paris Review (An Extraordinary Delivery of Rabbits) The Public Domain Review (Mary Toft and Her Extraordinary Delivery of Rabbits) ABC News (Bearing Your Own Twin) Cracked (The 7 Most Horrifying Things Ever Discovered in a Human Body)   For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Amanda and Sarah head to Italy to dance with the puppets and cry blood with the saints. Amanda becomes a real girl with a dive into the disturbing, cautionary, pre-Disney origins of Pinocchio. Sarah prays to St. Lucy/Lucia, whose reputation for gouging out her own eyes has inspired traditions and desserts in Italy and Sweden. Other subjects covered include never buying a new car, making up Olivia Newton-John lore, and hating Elf on the Shelf.  Recommendations: Sarah recommends (so far) the Netflix show 1889. Amanda recommends (kinda) the Amazon Prime series Three Pines.  Sources: Norwegian American (On the darkest day, a tale of two “Lucys”) Wyrd Designs (Glad Lussinatt) Tradition in Action (The Feast of St. Lucy Inspires Charming Customs) Slow Italy (Santa Lucia celebration in Italy) Wikipedia/Saint Lucy NBC News (Pinocchio's Real Roots Mapped) Smithsonian Magazine (The Real Story of Pinocchio Tells No Lies) The New Yorker (What the Original “Pinocchio” Really Says About Lying/The Transformations of Pinocchio) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah serve up multiple helpings of a Fuck-Marry-Kill game with different famous cannibals. Other subjects covered include proper mac n' cheese settings, penial speculums, and the fluidity of Leatherface.  For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah head back to the farm to finish up a two-parter and take down a viral rumor. Sarah finishes up her retelling of the Caledonia Mills haunting in Nova Scotia. Amanda examines the belief among TikTok users that U.S. national parks are infested with feral cannibals. Other subjects covered include loving on lettuces, hating on Thanksgiving, and not buying bad movie jewelry.  Sources: Fire Spook, the Mysterious Nova Scotia Haunting by Monica Graham. Nimbus Publishing Limited, 2013 The Lineup (A Haunting at Caledonia Mills: The Chilling Case of the Mary Ellen Spook Farm) "My Experiences at the MacDonald Homestead" by H. B. Whidden For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah do Halloween right with a festive true crime case and a harrowing haunting. Amanda fills your candy bag up with the story of Peter Fabiano, aka the Trick or Treat Murder. Sarah unveils part one of a two-parter about the Mary Ellen Spook Farm of Caledonia Mills. Other subjects covered include impersonating Jennifer Coolidge, slipping into Scorpio season, and inventing a new milk.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the new Unsolved Mysteries season on Netflix, and the Netflix anthology series Cabinet of Curiosities. Sarah does not recommend the movie Antlers.  Sources: Fire Spook, the Mysterious Nova Scotia Haunting by Monica Grahaham. Nimbus Publishing Limited, 2013 The Lineup (A Haunting at Caledonia Mills: The Chilling Case of the Mary Ellen Spook Farm) "My Experiences at the MacDonald Homestead" by H. B. Whidden Daily News (The Trick or Treat Murder) Vice (The Bizarre Lesbian Murder Scandal That Rocked 1950s LA) Newspapers.com (Lansing State Journal) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah finally go ghost hunting! Guests Carrie and Katie discuss their paranormal investigation into a presumably haunted Pittsburgh spot, and they have the audio to prove it. Katie also goes into her years-long love of ghost hunting, explains the culture, and provides tips on how to do your own investigations. Other subjects covered include ranking the best personal Halloween costumes, lusting after characters from spooky TV shows, and singing to your chickens.   You can find Carrie on her own podcast What I Love About Myself. For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah revisit an episode from back when they were still figuring out this whole podcasting thing and didn't have a decent mixer. It still slaps. Originally posted as Episode 23 on Oct. 11, 2018.  Because there are no rules and everything is chaos, this episode is a grab bag! Amanda talks about the real-life strength ministry Power Team and scarecrow lore. Sarah gets behind osculum infame (or the Kiss of Shame), a supposed ritual where people greeted the Devil by kissing his butt. Other subjects covered include justifiably blaming stuff on your period, a funny spousal dream, and dirty fighting with Amazon purchases. Recommendations: Sarah recommends the very academic but very rewarding book "Caliban and the Witch: Women, The Body And Primitive Accumulation" by Silvia Federici and "The Kiss in History" by Karen Harvey. Amanda does not recommend watching the new Netflix film, Hold the Dark.  Sources: Vice (The Power Team Was the Bloody, Evangelical Freakshow That Ruled the 80s) ThoughtCo (Scarecrow Folklore and Magic) This tweet from @LoreCurious "Caliban and the Witch: Women, The Body And Primitive Accumulation" by Silvia Federici "The Osculum Infame: Heresy, Secular Culture and the Image of the Witches' Sabbath" by Jonathan Durrant "The Kiss in History" by Karen Harvey For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah get real loopy in this extra-long episode about warding and winged cryptids. Sarah explains the origins of the cornicello, the evil eye, and the Roman obsessions with dicks. Amanda gets inspired by her recent trip to the Pacific Northwest with a tale about the Batsquatch of Mount St. Helens. Other subjects covered include little Caboodles, dog clothes for humans, and messy adventures aboard Viking River cruises.  Recommendations: Sarah recommends (not really) the horror films A House on the Bayou and An American Werewolf in London. Amanda recommends the 1987 thriller Suspect.  Sources: Wikipedia/Fascinus Wikipedia/Cornicello Top 7 Things to Know about Malocchio or the Italian Evil Eye Atlas Obscura (Romans Used to Ward Off Sickness With Flying Penis Amulets) Spooked - Episode 211: Holy Ghost LA Times (Ancient Deities Dwelt in Cascades' ‘Black Snow' : Mythology: Native American legends give life to volcanic activity. Stories parallel actual events, including the creation of Crater Lake and eruption of Mt. Shasta) Atlas Obscura (Is the Earth Actually Hollow?) The Oregonian (‘Batsquatch of Mount St. Helens' explores NW legend) Brewbound (Rogue's Monsters of IPA Campaign is Back) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah touch on two wronged women of history with a U.K. case and a famous princess. Sarah takes on Bessie Dunlop, a 16th-century Scottish farmer's wife whose strange encounters with fae folk got her into big trouble. Amanda covers Juana of Castile, a supposedly troubled noblewoman beset by awful, power-hungry men. Other subjects covered include the perils of poison ivy, the many armpits of the body, and the tragic consequences of royal inbreeding.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the 1983 folk horror film Eyes of Fire.  Sources: “Witch, Fairy and Folktale Narratives in the Trial of Bessie Dunlop” In Fantastical Imaginations: The Supernatural in Scottish History and Culture , ed. Lizanne Henderson “The Cult of the Seely Wights in Scotland” Author(s): Julian Goodare Source: Folklore, Vol. 123, No. 2 (August 2012) https://www.jstor.org/stable/41721541 Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft, by Walter Scott, [1830] Wikipedia/Bessie Dunlop THE LIFE AND DEATH OF BESSIE DUNLOP, THE WITCH OF LYNN The Sunday Post (For Bessie: Ayrshire community unites to remember Dalry woman executed in Scotland's witch trials) Britannica (Joan, queen of Castile and Aragon) Town & Country (What Was Catherine of Aragon's Sister, Juana la Loca, Really Like?) Esquire (The Tragic Story of the Mad Queen of Castile Who Slept Next to Her Husband's Corpse) The Mary Sue (The Spanish Princess Tackled One of Spain's Most Infamous Female Monarchs) The Spectator (Sad, not mad)   For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah welcome guest Chauncey Johnston, a Pittsburgh hairstylist extraordinaire with a few stories about her haunted encounters working at the Buhl Mansion Guesthouse & Spa in Sharon, Pa. Other subjects covered include dislodging your diva cup, masturbating at work, and living near an ice cream cone factory.  For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah focus more on sex for their 169th episode. Sarah wades into the rusalka, a type of Slavic water spirit with a taste for singing, hair styling, and luring men to their deaths. Amanda goes Dutch with the incredible story of the Oversteegen sisters, who used the power of seduction to take down Nazis. Other topics covered include scat humor, hentai, and traumatizing Amanda with frogman art. Recommendations: Amanda recommends seeing the new horror film Nope.  Sources: JStor (Russian Peasant Beliefs Concerning the Unclean Dead and Drought, Within the Context of the Agricultural Year” by Elizabeth A. Warner, Folklore, Vol. 122, No. 2 (August 2011), pp. 155-175 Wikipedia/Rusulka  Washington Post (Freddie Oversteegen, Dutch resistance fighter who killed Nazis through seduction, dies at 92) Vice (This 90-Year-Old Lady Seduced and Killed Nazis as a Teenager) New York Times (Freddie Oversteegen, Gritty Dutch Resistance Fighter, Dies at 92) This episode is sponsored by the Mattress Factory museum and its Urban Garden Party: ZODIAC taking place on Friday, August 12. Experience one of the most anticipated events in Pittsburgh, returning after a two-year hiatus to delight you with astrology and occult-themed activities, as well as cocktails, food, live music, dancing, and more. For more info, visit mattress.org/events. For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah sweat it out during an episode about creepy wall stuff and yet another Black Widow. Sarah tears down immurement, AKA the practice of trapping people or animals in walls for superstitious, religious, or punitive purposes. Amanda heads to Chicago for the tale of Tillie Klimek, a woman believed to have poisoned, many times fatally, around 20 people. Other subjects include ball sack enthusiasts, deadly spider inventions, and too many animal skeletons.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the 1982 mystery thriller Still of the Night and the 1998 film Hush.  Sources: ATI (Immurement: A History Of Walled In Terror And Cruelty) WNEP (Family Makes Shocking Discovery Behind Walls During Home Renovations) "The Walled-In Woman in Medieval and Early Modern Spain” by Anne J. Cruz Wikipedia/Immurement SYFY Wire (CHICAGO'S 'MRS. BLUEBEARD,' TILLIE KLIMEK) Chicago Sun-Times (This week in history: Chicago serial killer Tillie Klimek dies in prison) Find a Grave (Ottilie “Tillie” Gburek Klimek) This episode is sponsored by the Mattress Factory museum and its Urban Garden Party: ZODIAC taking place on Friday, August 12. Experience one of the most anticipated events in Pittsburgh, returning after a two-year hiatus to delight you with astrology and occult-themed activities, as well as cocktails, food, live music, dancing, and more. For more info, visit mattress.org/events. For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah surprise each other with a shocking song origin and morbid fashion trend. Amanda reports on the connections between an assault on TV newsman Dan Rather, a random murder, and a hit by the band R.E.M. Sarah once again revisits the French Revolution for a look at how the major event inspired a wave of hairstyles and clothing. Other subjects covered include a radical feminist monster truck, plus bird facts, and Soviet chic. Sources:  The Transcript (Coiffure à la victime: The Urban Legend of the Guillotine Haircuts) Timeline (The protest haircut that defied the guillotine during the French Revolution) Wikipedia/Incroyables and merveilleuses Minniemuse (GALLIANO'S MUSLIN DISEASE) Rolling Stone (Flashback: Dan Rather's ‘Kenneth, What Is the Frequency?' Assault Inspires R.E.M., Game Theory) New York Times (Belatedly, the Riddle of an Attack on Rather Is Solved) Playbill (Dan Rather Attack Controversy Plays Out on Stage in Kenneth — What is the Frequency?) LA Times (Guilty Plea Ends NBC Shooting Case) "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" - R.E.M. This episode is sponsored by the Mattress Factory museum and its Urban Garden Party: ZODIAC taking place on Friday, August 12. Experience one of the most anticipated events in Pittsburgh, returning after a two-year hiatus to delight you with astrology and occult-themed activities, as well as cocktails, food, live music, dancing, and more. For more info, visit mattress.org/events. For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah go all-natural with deadly water features and weird animals. Sarah looks at the fascinating and sometimes dangerous appeal of waterfalls and the "lovers' leap" phenomenon. Amanda goes wild with stories about creepy critters like snakes, rats, and eels, as well as emus. Other subjects covered include a sleepwalking incident, a Bigfoot festival rundown, and another panty discussion.  Recommendations:  Amanda recommends the 1974 horror film Deathdream. Sources:  Historical Marker Database (The Legend of Lovers Leap) New England Historical Society (Six Lovers Leaps in New England) Blue Ridge Outdoors (Lovers' Leaps) Icy Sedgwick (Wonderful Waterfall Folklore, Myths & Legends) Snap Judgment Presents: Spooked - Dismal Falls Daily Mail (Beware the 'rat king'!) Mental Floss (An (Almost) Comprehensive History of Rat Kings) ABC News ('Snake House': Family Home in Idaho Turns Out to Be 'Satan's Lair' of Serpents) Scientific American (The Great Emu War: In which some large, flightless birds unwittingly foiled the Australian Army) Atlas Obscura (In 1932, Australia Started an ‘Emu War'—And Lost) Buzzfeed (Eel Pit Day Will Go Down In TikTok History, And Eel Pit Guy Told Us He Was As Amped About It As We Were) Toronto Star (Why this ‘eel daddy' TikToker built an eel pit inside his home) This episode is sponsored by the Mattress Factory museum and its Urban Garden Party: ZODIAC taking place on Friday, August 12. Experience one of the most anticipated events in Pittsburgh, returning after a two-year hiatus to delight you with astrology and occult-themed activities, as well as cocktails, food, live music, dancing, and more. For more info, visit mattress.org/events. For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah settle on cases with dubious details in this episode. Amanda heads to New England for a look at the Freetown-Fall River State Forest, an area in Massachusetts with a bizarre reputation. Sarah delves into some weird corners of the internet to get to the bottom of a New Orleans vampire "legend." Other subjects covered include an unsexy butt discussion, a breakfast-based sitcom, and a possible emu attack. Recommendations: Sarak kind of recommends the Netflix series Archive 81. Amanda recommends the 1981 Wes Craven film Deadly Blessing.  This episode is sponsored by the Mattress Factory museum and its Urban Garden Party: ZODIAC taking place on Friday, August 12. Experience one of the most anticipated events in Pittsburgh, returning after a two-year hiatus to delight you with astrology and occult-themed activities, as well as cocktails, food, live music, dancing, and more. For more info, visit mattress.org/events. For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah head to completely different parts of the world for stories about a mysterious sleep illness and a Black Widow. Sarah explains the inspiration behind a horror franchise with a look at Laotian beliefs and the connection to the Sudden Unexpected Nocturnal Death Syndrome among Hmong refugees. Amanda takes on the case of the Merry Widow of Windy Nook. Other subjects covered include deep-fried Doritos, British sitcoms, and greased pigs.  This episode is sponsored by the Mattress Factory museum and its Urban Garden Party: ZODIAC taking place on Friday, August 12. Experience one of the most anticipated events in Pittsburgh, returning after a two-year hiatus to delight you with astrology and occult-themed activities, as well as cocktails, food, live music, dancing, and more. Become a host committee member now and enjoy a number of exclusive perks, including early admission, access to the VIP lounge, and more. For more info, visit mattress.org/events. Recommendations: Amanda recommends the 1990 film The Reflecting Skin, the documentary series Deep End, and the 2021 Candyman sequel/reboot.  Sources: The Atlantic (The Dark Side of the Placebo Effect: When Intense Belief Kills) “I Am a Shaman: A Hmong Life Story with Ethnographic Commentary,” by Dwight Coflquergood, ethnographer and Paja Thao, shaman “Terror in Transition: Hmong Folk Belief in America” by Shelley R. Adler Sudden Unexpected Nocturnal Death Syndrome among Hmong Immigrants: Examining the Role of the "Nightmare" Author(s): Shelley R. Adler Sleep Paralysis: Night-mares, Nocebos, and the Mind-Body Connection by Shelly Adler Wikipedia/Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome Mirror (Last Brit sentenced to hang: The gran who murdered three husbands and a lover in two-year killing spree) Daily Mail ('You can keep the sandwiches for the funeral') Sunday Sun (Cops have last laugh) Wikipedia/Mary Elizabeth Wilson For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah take on a spooky western Pa. legend and an internet-era cult. Sarah goes into Betty Knox and her ox, a story familiar to the Dunbar Mountains area between Ohiopyle and Dunbar in Pennsylvania's Fayette County. Amanda traces the origins and demise of Amy Carlson and her Love Has Won cult. Other subjects covered include growing an arm phallus, vibing with Florida, and following the enlightened path of Golden Corral.  This episode is sponsored by the Mattress Factory museum and its Urban Garden Party: ZODIAC taking place on Friday, August 12. Experience one of the most anticipated events in Pittsburgh, returning after a two-year hiatus to delight you with astrology and occult-themed activities, as well as cocktails, food, live music, dancing, and more. Become a host committee member now and enjoy a number of exclusive perks, including early admission, access to the VIP lounge, and more. For more info, visit mattress.org/events. Sources: Pittsburgh Haunts and Histories (The Legend of Betty Knox) Facebook (Betty Knox, Dunbar Pa) Connellsville Ghost Stories (Legend of Betty Knox) Marie Claire (Love Has Lost) BBC (Love Has Won: Family's grief at death of mummified cult leader) The Independent (Love Has Won: What we know about the cult whose leader was found mummified in Colorado) Vice (Watch Our New Documentary About 'Love Has Won', a Group Former Members Call a Cult) Rolling Stone (From ‘Mother God' to Mummified Corpse: Inside the Fringe Spiritual Sect ‘Love Has Won') For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah celebrate four years of podcasting with a special anniversary episode about summer horror and hotties. Go down a list covering camping, drive-ins, beaches, and more, all while looking at everything that could go right or wrong when enjoying warm-weather activities. Other subjects covered include omitted Quidditch, creepy kayaking, and radio hits on weed.  Recommendations: Amanda and Sarah discuss two new movies, The Northman and X. For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah welcome artist Stew Frick of Forlorn Moon for a rousing conversation about cryptid clothes, snipe searches, and dickish ducks, as well as a supernatural-inspired game of EBFM/FMBE that goes into some very unexpected places. Hear about the new clothing line Stew painted in collaboration with Highway Robbery Vintage. Find Stew's work at forlornmoon.com and follow them on Instagram.  For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah realize that the kids aren't alright with two stories about supernatural sightings. Sarah covers the famous Cottingley Fairies photo hoax, and how it affected the lives of the two young girls behind it. Amanda heads to the Isle of Wight for the absolutely bonkers case of the Sandown Clown, a mysterious being that may have visited two children. Other subjects covered include being khaki crazy, fangirling on Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and dreading Aries season. Recommendations: Amanda recommends the first episode of Atlanta season three and the film The Green Knight. Sources:  Wikipedia/Cottingley Fairies "'Borderland Forms': Arthur Conan Doyle, Albion's Daughters, and the Politics of the Cottingley Fairies" by Alex Owen. History Workshop, 1994, No. 38 (1994) "Where Have All the Fairies Gone?" by Gwyneth Evans "Twentieth-Century Victorian: Arthur Conan Doyle and the Strand Magazine, 1891-1930" by Jonathan Cranfield BUFORA Journal, Volume 6, No. 5, Jan.-Feb. 1978 Mysterious Universe (The Incredibly Bizarre Story of Sandown Sam) BBC (UFOs over the Isle of Wight) BBC (Isle of Wight monolith: 'Magical' structure appears on beach) Isle of Wight County Press (UFO question as unidentifiable objects appear over Isle of Wight) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah go all Law and Order: SVU with a RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES-filled episode. Sarah covers the recently viral story of Sessho-seki, a cracked open rock in Japan believed to have held the spirit of Tamamo-no-Mae. Amanda takes a few absolutely wild and tragic twists and turns with the murder of Joleen Cummings. Other subjects covered include adults plays for kids, Cary Grant facts, and NPR voices. Recommendations: Amanda recommends the Hulu body horror movie Fresh, Sarah does not.  For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. Sources: PDF Source with all the great Japanese nine-tailed fox spirit stories The Guardian  Wikipedia "The Evolution of a Legend--A Comparison of the Character of Tamamo no mae Portrayed in Muromachi Period Otogizōshi and in the Late-Edo Vendetta Tale, Itoguruma kyūbi no kitsune (The Spinning Wheel and the Nine-Tailed Fox)" Mythus Fandom.com

Amanda and Sarah call up some more phone terror and head straight for the Moon. Amanda covers the harassing, often terrifying phone calls that plagued three Washington state families in the early aughts. Sarah explains the origins and misunderstandings that led to people believing the Moon is made out of cheese. Other subjects covered included bad burrito ingredients, hateful puns, and Reddit story reveals. Recommendations: Amanda recommends (kind of) the series Servant on Apple+.  Sources: The Lineup (Restricted: A Cell Phone Stalker's Relentless Reign of Terror) ABC News (Cell Phone Stalkers Harass Washington Family) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah are calling up phone terror, doubles, and more. Amanda covers the case of L'Enfant, an especially egregious case of harassing phone calls that terrorized a Washington, DC restaurant for over a decade. Sarah dips into her fearscination again with a look at the Irish fetch, the Finnish Etiäinen, and other doppelganger-like figures from folklore. Other topics covered include a Reddit horror story, a Skyrim misunderstanding, and a new sexy term of endearment.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the 1982 cult comedy Eating Raoul. Sarah recommends the 2013 experimental horror film Enemy.  Sources: Wikipedia/Fetch (folklore) Wikipedia/Etiäinen Wikipedia/Haltija  Wikipedia/Fylgja Reddit (u/BossesWife - Doppelganger) The Bookshelf (The Folklore of the Irish Fetch by Lewis Spence 1920) Astonishing Legends-The Fetch Washington Post (The Reliable Source: Trouble in Marrakesh) LA Times (A Chain of Terror : For Nearly 10 Years, a D.C. Restaurateur Has Lived in Fear, Harassed by Anonymous Calls He Thinks Are Linked to His ‘74 Abduction in Beirut) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah take tons of listener-submitted discussion topics and questions about ghost fashion, most haunted Pittsburgh neighborhoods, most ghoulish celebs, Halloween costumes, horror movies, and more.  For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon.   

Amanda and Sarah accidentally hit on the same theme with two true crime stories. Sarah covers the confounding ordeal of Frankie Stewart Silver, a North Carolina woman in the 1800s put on trial for her husband's ax murder. Amanda tackles a famous case from Pittsburgh history with the story of Kate Soffel and the Biddle Brothers. Other subjects covered include unmarked COVID testing vans, haunted sites, and bad terms for screwing around.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the hit Showtime series Yellowjackets.  For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah deliver a hearty helping of meat to start 2022 off right. Sarah kicks things off with a primer on Herne the Hunter, an English folkloric character/god whose fascinating history has connections to Shakespeare. Amanda takes the stage for a look at Carrie: The Musical, the disastrous horror-inspired production considered one of Broadway's biggest flops. Other subjects covered include the wild world of dating apps, farm romance, and Riverdale vs. Sabrina. Recommendations: Sarah recommends the 1987 film Witches of Eastwick and the new release The Bloodhound. Amanda recommends the 1971 film Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? and the new Ben Wheatley film In the Earth.  Sources:  “From Ghoul to Godhead” by John Callow, Hellebore No. 4 Yuletide Special 2020, pp 29-37. JSTOR ("The Wild Hunt and the Witches' Sabbath" by Ronald Hutton, "Seeking the Lore of the Land" by Jacqueline Simpson, "The Palms of Jezebel" by L. J. A. Loewenthal) Herne the Hunter/Wikipedia Cernunnos/Wikipedia Mythopedia (Herne the Hunter) Timeless Myths (Herne the Hunter: The English Ghost With Antlers) Youtube - Wait in the Wings, "The Broadway Show that Closed in 3 DAYS: The History of Carrie the Musical" Wikipedia/Carrie: The Musical The Nerdist (A BRIEF HISTORY OF CARRIE: THE MUSICAL, THE DISASTROUS PRODUCTION THAT INSPIRED RIVERDALE) The New York Times (Review/Theater; The Telekinetic 'Carrie,' With Music, Frank Rich, May 13, 1988) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah stay true to their dynamic with a look at an antique affliction and a road trip gone wrong. Sarah explains Glass Delusion, a mostly medieval-era condition where the sufferer believes their bones. body parts or surroundings are made of glass. Amanda heads back to Australia for the mystery of the Tromp family disappearance. Other topics covered include smoke-free bars, regional pizzas, and audio-only Friends.  Recommendations: Sarah kind of recommends the EPIX horror series Chapelwaite. Amanda kind of recommends the 1977 horror film The Hills Have Eyes, and definitely recommends the 1978 movie The Shout and the YouTube channel Shrouded Hand.  Sources: JSTOR (The French King Who Believed He Was Made of Glass) History Channel (The Delusion That Made Nobles Think Their Bodies Were Made of Glass) Psychology Today (The Glass Delusion of Early Modern Europe) History of Psychiatry, Sage Publishing, "An odd kind of melancholy: reflections on the glass delusion in Europe (1440-1680)" by Gill Speak BBC News (The people who think they are made of glass) BBC Culture (The princess who thought she was made of glass) Daily Mail (Eerie photos of the Tromps' abandoned home) Daily Mail (EXCLUSIVE - As if NOTHING had ever happened: Tromp family are all back working on the family farm) BBC News (Tromp family: The mystery of a tech-free road trip gone wrong) news.com.au (Riana Tromp speaks about bizarre roadtrip in first interview) Buzzfeed (This Is The Story Behind The Bizarre Road Trip Of A Missing Family) Buzzfeed Unsolved: The Bizarre Road Trip Of A Missing Family - YouTube For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

After weeks of recuperating from bad colds, Amanda and Sarah decide to riff it for this extra special meatless episode. Subjects covered include theater flubs, early crushes, monkey balls, torso murders, and so much more.  Recommendations: Amanda offhandedly recommends the 1997 comedy Fierce Creatures. Sarah probably recommended something too. For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah cover a misunderstood murderess and a fairytale with multiple versions. Amanda heads to late-1800s New York City for the story of Maria Barbella, an Italian immigrant woman who famously took the law into her own hands. Sarah looks at the possible origins and many varied takes on Rapunzel from throughout history. Other subjects covered include heartburn hassles, Pier One memories, and courtroom knives.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends two 80s slasher films, Edge of the Axe and He Knows You're Alone.  Sources:  New York Times (MARIA BARBELLA TO DIE; Sentenced to be Executed at Sing Sing in the Week of Aug. 19) New York Times (An American Tragedy) NY Daily News (Old World revenge -- 'Only a pig would marry you,' Domenico Cataldo says to Maria Barbella) Chicago Tribune (MARIA BARBELLA AND HER DATE WITH THE ELECTRIC CHAIR) "Maidens and Their Guardians: Reinterpreting the 'Rapunzel' Tale," by Laura J. Getty from Mosaic, An Interdisciplinary Critical Journal, June 1997, Vol. 30, No. 2  Wikipedia (Petrosinella, Persinette, Rapunzel) Charlotte Henley Babb (Charlotte-Rose: Writer of Rapunzel) History Collection (The Real Rapunzel was Locked in a Tower and Beheaded By Her Dad) Tor.com (Forbidden Desire and Locked Doors: The Origins of “Rapunzel”) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Happy 150th episode, ghouls! Amanda and Sarah celebrate this milestone with a major heavy hitter. Celebrities submitted by listeners are put through their paces during a rousing game of EBFM/FMBE before they shift gears into a look at Skinwalker Ranch. Sarah goes into the lore and misconceptions surrounding the Skinwalker, and its cultural importance to Indigenous groups. Amanda saddles up for a trip to Skinwalker Ranch, considered a paranormal hotspot lousy with UFO activity, strange creatures, and more. Other subjects covered include cellphone hotties, prairie newspapers, and fuckboy billionaires.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the new V/H/S/94 horror anthology on Shudder.  Sources:  Sarah's sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CiJlXpryL-cJGT-JJ7aFOavw9EU-IOtI5bzlftcUNZc/edit Skinwalker Ranch website The Sun-Advocate History (How Skinwalker Ranch Became a Hotbed of Paranormal Activity) The Deseret News, Sept. 4, 1978 Vice (This Is the Real Estate Magnate Who Bought Skinwalker Ranch, a UFO Hotspot) KLSA-TV (Skinwalker Ranch, UFOs, and life after death discussed in exclusive interview with Robert Bigelow) YouTube (Bedtime Stories - Tales From Skinwalker Ranch) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah welcome guests Ben and temporary co-host Lance from fellow Pittsburgh podcast Neon Brainiacs. Ben tells a matrimonial urban legend inspired by his latest film project Bergeron Brothers: Wedding Videographers. Lance recounts a few creepy ghost encounter from his hometown of Ebensburg, PA, and talks about his recently released horror film The Boonies. Other subjects covered include spiritualist feet pics, hard bellies, and piss goats.  Recommendations: Amanda and Ben recommend the film The Eyes of Laura Mars. Amanda and Sarah recommend the limited Netflix series Midnight Mass. Amanda also recommends the anime The Promised Neverland, and Lance recommends the stop motion animated feature Paranorman.  For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah go classic cryptid with primers on newer Bigfoot encounters and older vampires. Amanda covers 21st century Bigfoot sightings across the U.S. Sarah covers the medieval English undead beings known as Revenants and how they connect with modern vampire lore. Other subjects covered include off-brand Caboodles, bad stage makeup, and affirmational death metal.  Recommendations: Sarah and Amanda both rec and don't rec the new horror movie Malignant.  Sources: The Conversation (Older than Dracula: in search of the English vampire) Fordham University (William of Newburgh:  Book Five) Independent (Scientists uncover medieval remains of the first English 'living dead') The Guardian (Medieval villagers mutilated the dead to stop them rising, study finds) “Repentant Soul or Walking Corpse? Debatable Apparitions in Medieval Englandl" by Jacqueline Simpson, Folklore, Dec., 2003, Vol. 114 KDAK (Mysterious Footprints On Pa. Property Lead Couple To Call ‘Godfather' Of Bigfoot Hunters) BFRO (Recent encounter behind Warehouse 24 Gym on the outskirts of Ashland) Richland Source (Bigfoot? Woman reports sasquatch encounter outside gym in Ashland) Bangor Daily News (Bigfoot in Maine? 10-foot-tall ‘wild man' was killed in 1886, newspapers reported/Mainers' frightening encounters with Bigfoot highlighted in new book and film) Youtube (Provo Canyon Bigfoot Encounter? by Beard Card) Fox 13 Salt Lake City (VIDEO: A Bigfoot sighting in Provo Canyon?) Denver Post (Pa. man says he caught image of Bigfoot) The Sun (BEAST IS BACK ‘Best Bigfoot sighting ever' as bizarre footage captures mysterious figure moving through a US forest) The Guardian (‘I am now truly afraid of the woods': behind the hunt for Sasquatch) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon.