The Box of Oddities

Inbox of Oddities: Holiday Hauntings, Freak Flags & Fiery Volcanoes In this festive Inbox of Oddities, Kat and JG unwrap a sleigh-load of eerie encounters, laugh-out-loud listener mishaps, and heartwarming Freak Fam moments just in time for the holidays. From a funeral home organ that plays itself long after burial (yes, really) to a mysterious roadside prophet who triggers a time-slip radio broadcast in the desert, this episode is packed with true stories that are as strange as they are unforgettable. Listeners share everything from a ghost calmly straightening sheet music hours after her service, to hot-coffee courtroom déjà vu, to the world's most enthusiastic quilter recommending alien-language movies. We've also got community favorites: what your Spotify Wrapped reveals about your listening obsession, how kids describe the hosts' voices (“nice on my ears”), and how one Freak Fam member accidentally taught her child to shout “butthole water” in a grocery store. You'll hear about chicken prosthetic arms gifted for the holidays, a listener's pivotal tip that made its way to the RCMP, and touching tributes to beloved pets who helped their humans through hard times. Plus: live-volcano videos from Hawaii, a cave that stores Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, and tales of freak flags waving proudly at 11:11. Whether it's paranormal activity, bizarre coincidences, unlikely emotional support from podcasts, or stories that push Kat to cry and JG to consider wearing a cardigan and pipe on Christmas Eve, this episode celebrates everything weird, wonderful, heartfelt, and Freak-Fam-approved. This Box contains the following ingredients: True paranormal stories, funeral-home ghost encounters, eerie organ music, bizarre coincidences, listener-submitted mysteries, UFO-friendly anecdotes, holiday oddities, emotional pet tributes, viral Spotify Wrapped stats, and heartwarming Freak Fam messages. Perfect for fans of strange phenomena, supernatural stories, weird history, spooky listener emails, and comedy-meets-creepy storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this festive but delightfully off-kilter edition of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro return from an impromptu cruise with a pocketful of overheard conversations, a temporarily abandoned “walking rock,” and the kind of people-watching moments that make you wonder if Thin Mints are actually the glue holding society together. Then Jethro descends—figuratively—into the chilling depths of Sweden's historic Falun copper mine to uncover the true story of Fat Mats, the perfectly preserved miner whose body was found in 1719 after vanishing four decades earlier. Why did he look freshly deceased after 40 years? Why were his legs missing? And how did a simple silver coin become a family heirloom that still survives today? Kat follows with a world-tour of wonderfully unsettling holiday traditions: a rhyming duel with a Welsh dead horse named Mari Lwyd, a frog-eating, piggyback-demanding winter demon lurking in the Balkans, and Frau Perchta—an Alpine holiday enforcer who rewards the tidy and industrious while punishing the lazy with… well, creatively aggressive disembowelment. It's a globe-spanning celebration of strange seasonal folklore, preserved miners, questionable cruise-ship conversations, and precisely the kind of merry madness you've come to expect from The Box of Oddities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A buried bone pit filled with dismembered skeletons. Glowing underpants. Flying squirrels that light up like neon signs. Welcome back to The Box of Oddities, where Kat and Jethro dive into the wonderfully disturbing corners of archaeology, biology, and… their own questionable childhood traditions. In this episode, JG uncovers the shocking truth behind Pottery Mound, a quiet rise of earth outside Albuquerque that revealed one of the most unsettling archaeological finds in the Southwest. When excavators cracked open what they assumed was an ordinary pit, they found instead a layered mass of dismembered human remains—meticulously cut, sorted, painted, burned, and arranged over generations. Thanks to modern forensic anthropology, the truth of this centuries-old ritual practice is finally coming into focus. Was it violence? Worship? A conversation with the dead? Jethro explains how new scanning technology has rewritten what we know about Puebloan mortuary traditions. Then Kat swoops in with something equally strange but significantly furrier—bioluminescent animals hiding in plain sight. From glow-in-the-dark fox squirrel bones to flying squirrels that fluoresce bubblegum pink, we explore the weird, luminous world seen only under ultraviolet light. Throw in scorpions, platypuses, sharks, frogs, and one unforgettable pair of glowing Haunted Mansion underpants, and you've got yourself classic BOO chaos. Plus:– The gateway dangers of sniffing blueberry-scented markers– Why ancient vending machines dispensed holy water– The mystery of “vomit/popcorn bowls– And the latest inductees into the Order of Freaks If you love unsettling archaeology, strange science, fluorescent wildlife, and the occasional underwear confession, this episode is for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inbox of Oddities: When Pigeons Gossip, Alexa Gets Emotional, and Black Ice Attacks In this Inbox of Oddities, the Freak Fam delivers one of the strangest collections of BOO Effects and real-life weirdness yet. A Milwaukee listener befriends a strangely insightful pigeon who may—or may not—be delivering messages from Mom. An Orlando vacationer steps into an Uber only to be ambushed by two Black Ice air fresheners after hearing Kat and Jethro rant about their toxic power... proving the BOO Effect stops for no one, not even on family trips to the Mouse. Then: an Alexa suddenly confesses, “I miss your grandmother,” unprompted. A Rockville festival fanatic discovers she accidentally witnessed the infamous “Brass Against incident” long before hearing it on the show. A listener bingeing hundreds of episodes finds herself unintentionally neighbors with Kat and Jethro. And from corporate dropouts to Dutch cyclists, you'll hear confessions, synchronicities, strange tech glitches, and enthusiastic fact-checks on Santa, hot coffee lawsuits, Hermetic philosophy, and why TikTok may be the new occult library. Plus—EVPs with Jack the Ripper vibes, mysterious bottle caps, mummified funhouse props, suspicious air fresheners, The Kybalion, and a pair of loyal listeners whose “aureolas are exploding” for reasons we probably shouldn't ask about. This episode is full of eerie coincidences, hilarious freak-outs, paranormal glitches, and heartfelt Freak Family moments that make the Inbox one of our favorite corners of the BOO universe. This Box Contains The Following Ingredients: Box of Oddities, BOO Effect, paranormal stories, listener submissions, synchronicity, creepy tech moments, Alexa weird response, Black Ice air freshener, pigeon synchronicity, Rockville festival story, EVPs, Hermetic philosophy, The Kybalion, Santa Claus Coca-Cola history, McDonald's hot coffee case facts, true weird stories, comedy podcasts, Freak Fam. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this unforgettable episode of The Box of Oddities, JG and Kat swing wildly from accidental lizard rescues to one of the most astonishing near-death survival stories in medical history. First, Kat confesses a very unexpected moral crisis involving her patio plants, gnat traps, and several surprisingly curious lizards. Then the pair shift into the gripping true account of radiologist Anna Bågenholm, the Norwegian skier who survived being trapped under the ice for 80 minutes without a heartbeat—and lived to tell the story. Through a cinematic retelling backed by medical reports and firsthand accounts, JG explores how Anna slipped into a freezing mountain stream, found a tiny air pocket, remained conscious for 40 minutes, and later entered deep hypothermic cardiac arrest with a body temperature of 56.7°F… only to be revived hours later by a medical team who refused to give up. Her strange sensations, out-of-body perspective, and quiet detachment blur the line between physiology and the extraordinary. Then it's Kat's turn with a delightfully bizarre deep-dive into America's government cheese caves—the multi-million-pound dairy stockpile the U.S. accidentally created, stored in massive underground limestone caverns, and quietly funneled into fast-food menus through a network of embedded “dairy scientists.” From the Reagan-era giveaways to the cheesy innovations of Taco Bell and Domino's, learn how policy, politics, and processed cheddar shaped American eating habits. Plus: hidden Beatles audio Easter eggs, mysterious backward messages, and the conspiracies that still won't die. If you love true survival stories, strange government programs, and the gloriously weird overlaps of science, history, and pop culture, this episode hits every craving. This Box Contains The Following Ingredients: Anna Bågenholm, near-death experience, hypothermia survival, trapped under ice, government cheese caves, SubTropolis, Missouri, dairy surplus history, Got Milk campaign, Taco Bell cheese innovations, Beatles backward messages, Paul is dead conspiracy, weird history podcast, Box of Oddities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Jethro and Kat dive deep into the mind-bending story of Michel Siffre, the French researcher who willingly descended into total darkness—twice—to learn what happens when humans are cut off from time itself. With no sunlight, no clocks, and no sense of day or night, Siffre's body drifted into bizarre 30- to 48-hour “days,” entire memories vanished, and even astronauts later admitted they'd felt the same disorienting effects in space. His experiments reshaped our understanding of circadian rhythms, aging, mental endurance, and the mysterious internal clocks that tick inside us all. Then, the show shifts from inner space to inner hauntings with the chilling tale of the Joy Hotel's haunted electric player piano in Pittsburg, Kansas. This wasn't your typical whispered-once urban legend—its eerie late-night melodies were documented in the 1930s by the WPA Folklore Project and confirmed by hotel employees who watched its keys move with no power and no player roll turning. Desk clerks, housekeepers, and even the handyman swore they saw it come alive…sometimes humming along…always cheerful at the worst possible moments. A piano that played only when it wanted to—and stopped the moment someone got too close. It's isolation, time distortion, ghostly ragtime, and the unsettling reminder that the world gets weirdest when nobody's watching. If you love psychological mysteries, paranormal folklore, and the beautifully bizarre, this one's a can't-miss. human circadian rhythm experiment, Michel Siffre cave study, internal clocks, time perception research, astronauts' sleep cycles, haunted player piano, Pittsburg, Kansas ghost stories, Joy Hotel haunting, WPA folklore ghost accounts, paranormal piano story, Box of Oddities episode This Box Contains The following Ingredients: human circadian rhythm experiment, Michel Siffre cave study, internal clocks, time perception research, astronauts' sleep cycles, haunted player piano, Pittsburg, Kansas ghost stories, Joy Hotel haunting, WPA folklore ghost accounts, paranormal piano story, Box of Oddities episode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The feast continues! Volume 2 of our Thanksgiving Cannibal Special delivers another helping of the most jaw-dropping, unsettling, and weirdly compelling cannibal stories we've ever told on The Box of Oddities. In this second collection, Kat and Jethro unwrap: Infamous cannibal crimes that shook entire communities Documented anthropological cases of ritual cannibalism Stranger-than-fiction historical accounts from explorers, shipwreck survivors, and medical archives Bizarre cravings, peculiar diets, and legendary “man-eaters” The unexpected parallels between cannibal folklore and modern psychology This dark, hilarious, and highly bingeable curated special is perfect for listeners who love weird history, true crime oddities, and the most unbelievable stories human behavior has ever produced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Thanksgiving, The Box of Oddities serves up the strangest feast imaginable: a curated collection of our wildest, weirdest, and most unbelievable stories involving real cannibals, bizarre survival tales, and historical accounts that are far too dark for the dinner table—but perfect for Freak Family listening. In Volume 1, Kat and Jethro revisit fan-favorite episodes featuring: True stories of cannibalism throughout history Shocking cases of survival cannibalism in the world's most unforgiving places Macabre cultural lore that blurs the line between myth and horrifying reality Odd historical figures whose appetites landed them in the pages of medical journals The psychology of cannibals and what makes these cases so deeply fascinating Expect dark humor, unbelievable facts, and the signature BOO blend of horror, history, and hilarity. Whether you're prepping a turkey or hiding from your relatives, this specially curated Thanksgiving collection is the perfect way to indulge in something truly twisted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this mind-bending episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro dive into two stories that push the boundaries of communication, perception, and the very nature of time itself. First, Jethro unpacks the extraordinary modern effort to build the world's first dolphin chatbot—a real AI project inspired by a quirky 1960s SETI club called The Order of the Dolphin. From Carl Sagan and Frank Drake's early theories to Google DeepMind's modern neural networks decoding dolphin whistles, this segment explores how scientists hope communication with dolphins may become the training wheels for future alien contact. With signature humor and scientific wonder, we explore dolphin intelligence, their complex acoustic “language,” and what the first dolphin-to-human conversation might actually sound like. Then Kat takes us into the freezing darkness of the Scarassin Abyss, where French speleologist Michel Siffre spent 63 days isolated from all clocks, sunlight, and human contact to study how humans perceive time. As his internal world unraveled, Siffre made discoveries that reshaped chronobiology—and revealed how fragile our sense of reality truly is. From hallucinations to distorted time cycles to the stunning moment he emerged believing he still had a month left underground, Kat tells the story in vivid detail with plenty of Oddity-level dread and fascination. Plus: bizarre YouTube ads, Thanksgiving confusion, and a rapid-fire tour of wild historical events—from Einstein's famous paper to a meteor that turned night into day. It's science, strangeness, humor, and existential questions—all in one episode.Keep flying that freak flag, you beautiful freak. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special interview episode of The Box of Oddities, Jethro sits down with acclaimed science journalist Becky Ferreira—author of the new book First Contact: The Story of Our Obsession with Aliens. Together they explore humanity's oldest question: Are we alone? Ferreira, whose work has appeared in The New York Times, WIRED, Popular Science, MIT Technology Review, and NPR's Science Friday, guides us through the deep history of alien speculation—from ancient Greek and Roman philosophers to Hopi star-people traditions to the modern UAP debate. Jethro taps into his inner UFO enthusiast as they dive into:• Why ancient cultures believed the sky itself was communicating with them• The earliest “alien life” theories from Christian and Muslim scholars• The Fermi Paradox, Drake Equation, and what science gets wrong about “Where is everybody?”• Water worlds like Europa and Enceladus, and why alien life may be hiding inside dark interior oceans• Whether interdimensional phenomena at places like Skinwalker Ranch could explain UAP encounters• How humans might emotionally—and chaotically—respond if we picked up an alien signal• The surprising ways religion is preparing for extraterrestrial discovery• Whether we'll make contact in our lifetime… and what form it might take Ferreira's insights blend cutting-edge astronomy with anthropology, psychology, and the strange human tendency to project our own fears and hopes onto the stars. Equal parts science, myth, and cosmic mystery, this conversation asks why the idea of alien life has been with us since the beginning—and why we can't stop looking up. Becky Ferreira's book First Contact is available now in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook wherever books are sold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What lies beneath the Great Sphinx of Giza—and why does it continue to fuel global obsession? In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Jethro uncovers the strange history, disputed radar scans, ancient legends, and modern controversies surrounding the Sphinx. From Edgar Cayce's “Hall of Records” prophecy to seismic anomalies beneath the limestone, this deep dive explores why some experts insist it's just geology while others believe an untouched vault—or even a lost city—still waits beneath those ancient paws. Then, Kat flips the script on the animal kingdom with a celebration of Earth's rule-breakers—creatures that defy everything we expect from their species. Meet the herbivorous jumping spider, the underwater-breathing diving bell spider, mudskippers that drown in water, axolotls that never grow up, the egg-laying electrified platypus, the “Jesus Christ” lizard that walks on water, the immortal jellyfish, and more. These misfit marvels prove evolution has a wonderfully weird sense of humor. If you love ancient mysteries, bizarre biology, strange science, and the delightfully unexpected, this episode delivers maximum oddity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Box of Oddities, JG resurrects one of America's strangest carnival legends: the so-called “Mummy of John Wilkes Booth.” What begins with a mysterious deathbed confession unravels into a 60-year sideshow tour involving embalmed drifters, Civil War conspiracy theories, broken limbs, arsenic preservation, and a carnival circuit that cashed in on America's morbid curiosity. Was the assassin of Abraham Lincoln secretly living under an alias in Texas? Or was his mummified “corpse” just another brilliant piece of ballyhoo? JG digs into eyewitness accounts, bizarre examinations by 1930s physicians, and the odd legacy of Memphis lawyer Finis L. Bates—whose obsession might have created the blueprint for modern macabre tourism. Then, Kat travels to Bern, Switzerland, to explore one of Europe's most unsettling—and surprisingly misunderstood—public monuments: the 16th-century Kindlifresserbrunnen, the “Child-Eater of Bern.” Is this towering baby-devouring ogre a warning rooted in antisemitism? A Renaissance reinterpretation of the Greek titan Cronus? Or simply a nightmare-inducing way to keep children from misbehaving? Kat dives into competing theories, Renaissance symbolism, and the long, strange history of fear-based folklore carved into stone. Stick around for weird Google search stats, existential cat-judgment queries, and why Icelandair may be your gateway to ogre-themed tourism. It's history, horror, hilarity, and human oddness—exactly what you come here for. This Box contains the following ingredients: John Wilkes Booth mummy, Finis L. Bates, David E. George, carnival sideshow history, American oddities, Kindlifresserbrunnen, Child-Eater of Bern, Swiss folklore, Cronus statue, Renaissance sculpture, weird history podcast, bizarre monuments, true oddities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's Inbox of Oddities brings a rapid-fire mix of weirdness, heartfelt moments, and full-blown BoO Effects. A listener questions whether Kat's chicken-arm pistol props make a rooster “half-cocked,” another finds community through the story of activist Brownie Mary, and someone offers a critical PSA about the flavor of gummy anatomy. We get a dream-driven BoO Effect involving an unsolicited testicle donation, a listener who spots cosmic parallels between Robert Temple and The Kybalion, and a powerful message from someone who found comfort in the show on the day her father passed. Plus, a musician shares a chilling paranormal encounter in a Salt Lake City apartment filled with sentient breezes, phantom smells, and one final eerie goodbye. Short, strange, heartfelt, and perfectly Freak Fam. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this chilling and hilarious episode of The Box of Oddities, Jethro unwraps the eerie legend of Albuquerque's haunted KiMo Theatre and its resident ghost—a little boy named Bobby whose tragic death in a 1951 boiler explosion left more than scorch marks behind. From phantom footsteps to mysteriously vanishing donuts, discover why local performers never dare take the stage without leaving sweets for Bobby. Then, Kat dives headfirst into one of pop culture's most persistent conspiracies: Is Elvis Presley really dead? From DEA badges and bathroom mysteries to witness protection plots and alien abduction theories, this deep dive separates fact from fever dream. Join The Box of Oddities for an unforgettable mix of history, hauntings, and hilarity, where the paranormal meets pop culture. This Box contains the following ingredients:KiMo Theatre ghost story, Albuquerque haunted theater, Bobby KiMo ghost, Elvis Presley conspiracy, Elvis is alive theory, haunted theaters, ghost legends, paranormal podcast, The Box of Oddities, Jethro and Kat Tabor, ghost stories, pop culture mysteries, Elvis death theories, weird history podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this mind-bending episode of The Box of Oddities, Jethro dives into Robert Temple's electrifying theory that the universe might actually be alive—and trying to talk to us. Could plasma—the same substance that fills stars, powers lightning, and glows in neon lights—be a living intelligence? Temple suggests that the mysterious orbs, pillars of fire, and UFO-like lights seen throughout history might all be manifestations of the same cosmic consciousness reaching out across the galaxy. Kat and Jethro explore the parallels between deep-space structures and the human brain, the eerie beauty of ball lightning, and how ancient prophets may have witnessed plasma phenomena long before science had a name for it. Then, Kat switches gears to set fire to your curiosity—literally—by investigating the latest in fire science. From sound-wave extinguishers to DARPA's plasma-bending experiments, she reveals how modern tech is rethinking the way we fight flames. Plus, we discover what happens when your upstairs neighbor doubles as a weight-lifting thunder god, why Kat owns a crystal vase for questionable reasons, and how chickens got arms for Christmas. This Box contains the following ingredients: Robert Temple, plasma intelligence, ball lightning, crop circles, afterlife physics, intelligent universe, sound-wave fire extinguisher, DARPA fire suppression, Box of Oddities podcast, Kat and Jethro, paranormal science, weird science, cosmic consciousness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Poltergeist burritos, haunted pants, divine toast, and a skeleton named Orge — it's another delightfully deranged Inbox of Oddities! From Tucson to Milwaukee, the Freak Family shares spine-tingling tales and wonderfully weird coincidences. One listener's burrito unrolls itself in a supernatural act of culinary shame, and another's Alexa picks fights with vintage corduroys. There's also a toast that channels either Jesus or Kenny Loggins (jury's still out), battery-free toys that come to life, and a heartwarming letter from a medium who first saw a ghost in bright blue coveralls at age ten. Plus, we learn about Kat's evolving Chambord cocktails, Brian's possibly undead venison, and a listener's lifelong confusion about the Poconos being tropical. It's proof that the Freak Family never disappoints — from supernatural snacks to spectral fashion choices, this Inbox is packed with laughter, goosebumps, and glorious absurdity. This Box contains the following ingredients: paranormal stories, listener submissions, Box of Oddities podcast, ghost encounters, funny paranormal podcast, spooky listener stories, BOO effect, haunted objects, and weird coincidences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to listen to The Box of Oddities ad-free and early? ⁠Become a patron ⁠by joining The Order of Freaks! Episode 750: The Man Who's Older Than Time & The Babies Born Without Bits In this mind-bending episode of The Box of Oddities, JG delves into the incredible genetic history of one man whose lineage stretches back further than anyone else alive—revealing what ancient proteins can tell us about humanity's earliest roots. Meanwhile, Kat explores a strange evolutionary twist: the modern baby body parts that are quietly disappearing! From prehistoric proteins to future humans, this episode connects the oldest of us to the newest in ways that are both hilarious and humbling. This Box contains: Ancient DNA, human evolution, disappearing body parts, vestigial traits, genetic ancestry, proteins, evolution of humans, bizarre science, the box of oddities podcast, Kat and Jethro, weird facts, human adaptation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this darkly fascinating episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro explore the bizarre world of Victorian starvation contests and the tragic tales of the Starving Brides of Blackpool—young women who became public spectacles in a disturbing blend of endurance, showmanship, and societal obsession with purity. Then, Jethro takes us back to 17th-century England for the unsettling trials of Thomas Hogg and George Spencer, where superstition and Puritanical paranoia turned alleged sin into criminal conviction. Were these men victims of early witch-hunt hysteria—or living symbols of a community's moral panic? Expect laughter in the darkness, uncomfortable truths, and that signature Box of Oddities blend of macabre history, weird culture, and unexpected humor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Box of Oddities: 8th Annual Halloween Special Step into the shadows for our 8th Annual Halloween Special—where the veil thins, the lights flicker, and the stories come straight from you, the Freak Family. This year, listeners share their most chilling real-life encounters: a music box that plays from beyond the grave, a midnight sprint through a haunted cemetery, a towering white figure that defies explanation, a windowless room hiding something unspeakable, and a Tucson hotel room that fights back. From eerie coincidences to full-blown paranormal panic, these tales remind us why October is our favorite time of year—and why some things are better left unexplained. Lock the doors, dim the lights, and prepare for a night of true listener-told horror—because in this episode, you are the Box of Oddities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Halloween week gets weirder than ever on The Box of Oddities as Kat and Jethro dive into the chilling mystery of electronic voice phenomena (EVPs) — and why some recordings might not come from the past… but from the future.

INBOX OF ODDITIES 062: Meat Popsicles & Zombie Squirrels In this edition of the Inbox, the Freak Fam checks in with existential snack food, sasquatch fashion dilemmas, and a parrot who might be possessed by a 1960s sketch comedian. A Tampa household has now fully adopted the worldview that we are all just anxious meat popsicles waiting for a mysterious demise. Christine experiences a full-blown BOO Effect and urgently requires a ruling on whether her new sweatshirt is for Sasquatches or designed by them. (Either way, Bigfoot has impeccable taste.) Brett sends photographic proof that Atlanta is teeming with new Freak Fam friends—some of them stuffed. We hear from someone who met a foul-mouthed African Gray who may or may not be Artie Johnson reincarnated (very interesting…). A listener in Iceland regrets missing the infamous Penis Museum (the ultimate tourist trap), while another fears Northern California's new menace: an aggressive alpha squirrel that might be the patient zero of the rodent zombie apocalypse. Meanwhile, early-episode pug snortles lead to film history, someone swears off chicken for 36 whole hours after Mike the Headless Chicken, and a beloved friend is found again—this time as a museum skeleton exhibit. There's Exploding Head Syndrome, cursed libraries, punk-band names that are too spicy for polite company, emotional support sandwiches, and sincerely enthusiastic reports of Kat physically picking up audience members. All this oddness and more—proof that the Freak Fam is thriving, terrified of birds, and proudly flying their freak flags wherever they go. Never change.Stay curious. Stay weird. Stay away from angry squirrels. Tickets And Live Show Information Here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The undead are real. They just have antlers. This episode uncovers the terrifying rise of Zombie Deer Disease—a real-life, prion-fueled plague turning deer into vacant-eyed, drooling husks. It's spreading fast. It's nearly indestructible. And experts say it might jump to humans. Then: a nudist cult leader who worshipped coconuts, lived naked on a tropical island, and tried to save humanity with fruit. Spoiler: it didn't work.

Last Chance to The Box of Oddities Live! Click Here! In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro return from the road with fresh tales that will absolutely ruin your lake plans. First, we dive into the haunted beauty of Lake Natron, Tanzania's blood-red, bird-mummifying wonder. Is it a cursed portal to the afterlife? A hellish mirror that turns animals to stone? Or just a volcano's extremely weird science experiment gone rogue? Then, things get… floppy. Meet the Atlantic Sea Hare—a gentle, squishy marine slug with the defensive capabilities of a goth ink-jet printer. It has no shell, 80 million babies, and it might be smarter than your ex. Along the way, Kat and Jethro ponder reflective death traps, romantic slug chains, and the perils of communal candy bowls. Plus: a live tour recap, hot glue burns, and a moment of deep appreciation for dappling. Whether you're a long-time listener or just sea slug curious, this episode will glue your brain to your skull (not literally). Click play, embrace the bizarre, and let's get weird. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This time on The Box of Oddities, JG takes a bite out of the dark world of clinical vampirism, exploring the psychology and strange obsessions of those who crave more than just metaphorical blood. Then, Kat ventures into the chilling shadows of Spain to unravel the mysterious Vallecas Case, where the unexplained death of Estefanía Gutiérrez Lázaro left more questions than answers—and a trail of terrifying phenomena that still haunts investigators today. From real-life bloodlust to ghostly disturbances, this episode delivers the kind of macabre intrigue only the Box of Oddities can serve. LIVE SHOW TICKETS HERE! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's eerie episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat dives into the scandalous life of 17th-century Parisian fortune teller to the elite, La Voisin—witch, poisoner, and all-around dark delight. From secret rituals to deadly intrigues, La Voisin's tale is as twisted as the streets of old Paris themselves. Then, brace yourself as the story takes a chilling turn to Cheeseman Park, where secrets lurk beneath the earth… and corpses aren't just a metaphor. Jethro and Kat navigate the macabre mysteries, bizarre coincidences, and shocking revelations that make history stranger than fiction. Tune in if you dare—and maybe don't wander alone through the park tonight. LIVE SHOW TICKETS AND INFORMATION HERE! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EPISODE 742: (with Christine Schiefer of "And That's Why We Drink) This Halloween, something spooky this way swaps. In this very special Paraween Host Snatchers edition of The Box of Oddities, Kat is joined by the delightfully haunted Christine Schiefer of And That's Why We Drink—because JG has mysteriously vanished (probably abducted by science or a mothman, TBD). Together, Kat and Christine unpack the glowing enigma of the Brown Mountain Lights—the unexplained orbs that have haunted Appalachia for over a century. Are they ghosts? Aliens? Passive-aggressive lovers stuck in a centuries-long spat? Or just bioluminescent squirrels playing god? We explore all the theories—ball lightning, swamp gas, folklore, fungal rave dust—and somehow make room for 1913 dental ads and an impromptu John Denver roast. Whether you're a fan of high strangeness, ghost lore, or just want to hear Christine and Kat lose it over the phrase “globular form,” this crossover episode is a Halloween-season must-listen.

Live Show Tickets And Information Here! Inbox of Oddities: Episode 61 – “Ghost Rides and Haunted Reflections” In this spine-tingling edition of The Inbox of Oddities, the Freak Family delivers another batch of strange, heartfelt, and hilariously unsettling tales straight from the beyond (and beyond belief). A listener from Austin swears his late uncle moonlights as an Uber driver—and somehow still knows all the family secrets. Connie from Philadelphia writes to thank Kat and JG for keeping the weird wonderfully normal while sharing stories from her psychic, braille‑tarot‑reading mother (and her dining‑room coffin). Lola from Chicago's apartment keeps playing one lonely piano note at 11 p.m. sharp—every night. Meanwhile, a haunted library book in Rochester seems desperate for attention, and one unlucky thrift shopper finds a mirror that insists on celebrating “Alex's” birthday. There's also a touching tribute to Cheese the pug, who lived his best, most fashion‑forward life—and might still be gobbling from the other side. And Madam Kitty of the Lakes (Christy, if you're nasty) sends cloud photos, cemetery encounters, and lake‑town weirdness from Minnesota. It's a wild, heartwarming ride through spectral Ubers, stylish ghost dogs, and paranormal home décor—all lovingly wrapped in gratitude, laughter, and the peculiar magic that only the Freak Family can bring.

Or: How to Dismantle a UFO Cult and Melt Your Hairbrush at the Same Time Before Kat and Jethro usher in a spooky new host-swap adventure for Paraween, they're here to crack open a box full of unhinged history and semi-combustible materials.

Vote Box of Oddities For People's Choice Award Here! Live Show Info And Tickets Here! What do ancient Egyptians, Romanian grandmas, and angry Pac-Man ghosts have in common? They all want a bite to eat—from beyond the grave. This episode of The Box of Oddities serves up a global smorgasbord of traditions where feeding the dead isn't just a metaphor—it's a full-course afterlife buffet. From wine funnels into Roman tombs to a perfectly seasoned rotisserie chicken in New Orleans, we explore the bizarre and touching ways humanity has kept its ghostly loved ones well-fed. Then things get... heated. We dive deep into the strange world of arousal non-concordance—when your body throws a party your brain didn't RSVP to. You'll meet people who climax during ab workouts, from brushing their teeth, or from reading a particularly spicy footnote. It's not consent. It's just neurology being weird again. Two tales. One episode. Ancient snacks, ghost etiquette, and involuntary fireworks. You'll laugh, cringe, and maybe never look at funeral biscuits or fitness routines the same way again.

Vote Box of Oddities For People's Choice Award Here! Live Show Info And Tickets Here! Real emails. Unreal stories. Welcome to the Inbox of Oddities, where the freaks write in and the universe delivers receipts. Inside Kat & Jethro's inbox, the stories are weirder than fiction and more human than a wax museum marriage meltdown. Listeners write in with tales of time capsules that issue ominous relationship advice, McDonald's orders that align perfectly with the Boo Effect, and ghosts that wait until just after the photo op to let the camera work. This is where:

Vote Box of Oddities For People's Choice Award Here! Live Show Info And Tickets Here! Why does the Peoria Public Library seem to come with a return policy on souls? And what chilling new clues have surfaced in the decades-old vanishing of the Martin family in Oregon? In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro dig deep into two mysteries that refuse to stay buried. First, explore the haunted stacks of one of America's eeriest libraries—where more than just overdue books linger in the shadows. Then, journey into the Pacific Northwest as fresh evidence reopens the haunting cold case of a family that seemingly vanished into thin air over 70 years ago. Ghosts, disappearances, and just enough dark humor to make your spine giggle—this episode has it all. Tune in for tales that are spooky, bizarre, and 100% alphabetized for your paranormal convenience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are up for a Listener's Choice Award! Vote Here! What happens when you dig up Charlie Chaplin 11 weeks after his death? In this episode, Kat and Jethro wade into the bizarre tale of Chaplin's posthumous kidnapping—complete with a ransom plot and a phone call that started with, “We have Charlie.” Spoiler: It's not a prank if the coffin is real. Then, ever looked at your fingers and thought, “Why... these?” We crack open the secrets of evolutionary biology to uncover the latest strange DNA findings about how human fingers evolved—and why fish might deserve credit for your ability to do jazz hands. A corpse goes on tour and your thumbs have a fishy backstory. It's another day in the Oddiverse. Tickets and Info on The Box of Oddities Live Tour Here! #BoxOfOddities #CharlieChaplin #GraveRobbery #TrueWeird #EvolutionFacts #ScienceIsWeird #ComedyPodcast #HumanEvolution #JazzHandsFromFish #WeirdHistory #OddlyFascinating #BonesAndBuffoonery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

REM Sleep, Clock Curses, and Alien Heat Lightning Vote Box of Oddities For People's Choice Award Here! Live Show Info And Tickets Here! In this listener-powered episode of The Box of Oddities, JG and Kat crack open the inbox and out pour... auditory hallucinations, ghost clocks, spontaneous astral projection, and the shocking truth about “heat lightning.” (Spoiler: it's probably aliens.) First, a listener shares how her dreams are so vivid and reality-bending due to Narcolepsy that she's genuinely not sure which world is real—relatable, terrifying, and yes, somehow still funny. Then, a cursed wall clock starts ticking every time someone dies. No batteries. No mercy. Just 12 minutes of tick-tock you're next. Meanwhile, someone else swears that a strange sky phenomenon isn't just distant thunder—it's the government covering up UFO joyrides. (Can't argue with that logic.) You'll also hear about a haunted hallway birth involving Richard Simmons, dolphin-whale linguistics, astral projection lessons, and what happens when massage therapists listen to BoO during bodywork sessions (spoiler: they cry, and so do you). Whether it's clock-based death omens or the weirdly uplifting side of functional neurological disorders, this Inbox delivers what your brain craves: weird, real, and unreal tales from the wonderfully odd corners of the BoO family. Listen now... or risk becoming the sixth tick of the clock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vote Box of Oddities For People's Choice Award Here! Live Show Info And Tickets Here! What do a 100-million-year-old hammer and the equator's midlife crisis all have in common? This episode, obviously. JG takes a swing at the London Hammer—a tool encased in ancient rock that either proves time travel, or that geology just likes messing with us. Then, Kat walks us through the wild world of misplaced landmarks, where entire places are technically in the wrong spot thanks to 18th-century surveyors eyeballing things like “latitude” and “reason.” We also visit the equator... and then shift 179 feet to the left because, oops, science did it again. It's an episode full of mislocated facts, ancient anomalies, and the sobering realization that the Earth is bad at geometry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Click To Learn More About The Box of Oddities Fall Tour Now Underway! Imagine remembering every single day of your life in crystal-clear detail — sounds like a superpower, right? Well, in this episode of The Box of Oddities, we dive headfirst into the rare and unsettling condition known as hyperthymesia, where the human brain refuses to forget anything. (Spoiler: it's not as fun as it sounds — birthdays, bad haircuts, and all). Then, buckle up for a trip into the wild world of the Bush dog — a pint-sized predator that looks like an otter, smells like vinegar, and leaves biologists scratching their heads. Why does nature keep inventing creatures that seem like inside jokes? Tune in for laughter, weird science, and the kind of trivia that will make you both the life of the party and a little unsettling to sit next to. #WeirdFacts #StrangeAnimals #PodcastDiscovery #TheBoxOfOddities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tickets for our live show here! INBOX OF ODDITIES: The Cat, the Cursed Doll & the Powerline PhallusNow streaming: A listener episode so delightfully bizarre it made our cat salute an old war photo.

LIVE SHOW TIX HERE Imagine taking a wrong turn and winding up in a version of your hometown that doesn't—and maybe never did—exist. That's exactly what happened to Carol Chase McElheney when she stumbled into a bizarre time slip in Riverside, California—a place both familiar and terrifyingly wrong. Was it a glitch in the matrix, a parallel universe, or just an exceptionally creepy case of bad directions? Meanwhile, in Anchorage, Alaska, a completely different kind of magic was at work: Linny Pacillo and the Anchorage Parking Fairies. Armed with wings, tutus, and a sense of rebellion, these whimsical enforcers fought parking meters with glitter and sass. From cosmic slip-ups to tutu-clad protest, this episode of The Box of Oddities Podcast dives into the weird, wonderful, and wildly unexpected. Buckle up—it's a ride through the absurd that only Box of Oddities can deliver. #TimeSlip #UrbanLegends #WeirdHistory #PodcastLife #BoxOfOddities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DEAD GUY TALKS Against all odds (and several known laws of biology), Thomas Morelli, who died in a car crash in the late 1970s, joins us in the Box to chat about the minor inconvenience of being deceased. Yes, he died. But he got better. Tune in for a jaw-droppingly bizarre tale of life after death and why being pronounced dead isn't always the end of your public speaking career. The Box of Oddities. Where dying is just a plot twist. #BoxOfOddities #WeirdPodcast #LifeAfterDeath #ParanormalHumor #GhostGuest #DeadButChatty #TrueWeird #OddityOfTheDay Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Step right up, oddity enthusiasts! In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro unpack a carnival curiosity, an uncontacted tribe, and maybe—just maybe—aliens. First, meet Schlitzie the Pinhead, the sideshow legend whose life was stranger and more poignant than the posters ever revealed. Then, we sail (metaphorically, of course) to the forbidden shores of North Sentinel Island, home to the Sentinelese people—an isolated tribe whose fierce independence has baffled explorers for centuries. And finally, we peer into the cosmos to ask: are those weird signals really signs of extraterrestrial life, or just our toaster acting up again? Equal parts bizarre, fascinating, and hilarious, this episode will have you marveling at humanity, mystery, and the universe itself. Tickets to the live fall tour here! #WeirdHistory #TrueCrimeAdjacent #PodcastLife #AlienLife #CarnivalHistory #UnexplainedMysteries #BoxOfOddities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're on our way to opening night for our live fall tour. It all kicks off in Seattle on Wednesday Night at Emerald City Comedy Club. Tickets and all location info available here! Step into the strange corridors of history, science, and the downright unsettling in this episode of The Box of Oddities. We begin with chilling first-hand accounts of modern-day psych wards—stories so bizarre you'll wonder if they belong in a horror film rather than medical records. Then, travel to Japan, where researchers once tried to create a mouse-human hybrid (spoiler: nature was not impressed). Finally, dig into the dirt—literally—as we uncover the weird and unsettling artifacts unearthed beside the old London Hospital, where history refuses to stay buried. Equal parts creepy, hilarious, and fascinating, this episode is a perfect storm of the macabre, the curious, and the completely inexplicable. Buckle up—because reality is much stranger than fiction, and we're handing you the shovel. #WeirdHistory #StrangeScience #OdditiesPodcast #MouseHumanHybrid #CreepyDiscoveries #PsychWardHorrors #TheBoxOfOddities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tickets and info for our live fall tour here! In this gloriously chaotic edition of The Inbox of Oddities, Kat and Jethro dive face-first into the mailbag, where listeners spill the weirdest tea — from traumatic boardwalk entrapments to unsettling yardwork sexism. You'll hear tales of:

n this episode, Kat and Jethro sprint headfirst into the shadows—twice. First, they investigate the chilling legend of the Black Flash of Provincetown—a mysterious, caped figure that terrorized the streets of Cape Cod in the late 1930s. Was it a prankster in a leotard or a supernatural harbinger of doom? Why did it smell like ammonia and make jumps that defied Newtonian physics? And most importantly: who keeps giving cryptids Olympic-level track abilities? Then, they shift into far darker territory with the haunting story of Lonnie Franklin Jr., better known as the Grim Sleeper. For decades, he preyed upon the vulnerable and voiceless in Los Angeles, slipping under the radar due to chilling indifference and systemic failure. How did one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history go unnoticed for so long—and what finally led to his capture? From shadowy specters to real-life horrors, this episode explores the thin, fraying line between folklore and fear, myth and monster. Listen now—if you dare. Get tickets and information for our live shows here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We Did a Live Show and Nobody Stopped Us (Part II)” The chaos continues. This is Part Two of our very first live Box of Oddities show, recorded at the iconic Zanies Comedy Club in Nashville—and it only gets weirder from here. In this half of the show, we answer burning questions like:

Step right up, Freaks—our fall tour is upon us! To celebrate the fast-approaching Opening Night on September 10th in Seattle, we're cracking open the dusty crypt of our very first live show ever, recorded at the legendary Zanies Comedy Club in Nashville. This is Part One of that historic, slightly unhinged evening—complete with spontaneous crowd reactions, bizarre true tales, and the kind of peculiar energy that can only come from telling weird stories into a microphone in front of a room full of strangers who voluntarily came to hear them. (What were they thinking?) Part Two drops Monday, but for now, consider this your exclusive backstage pass into the traveling circus of the Box of Oddities Live Tour. And yes—we're coming to a city near(ish) you:

The Box Of Oddities Live Fall Tour. Get your Tickets Here! Deep in northern Maine, the Hainsville Woods hold more than just trees—they harbor chilling tales of phantom hitchhikers, eerie roadside encounters, and a legend that makes even seasoned locals uneasy. But that's only half the weirdness. This episode of The Box of Oddities also dives into the surprisingly destructive world of stone stacking in national parks. Sure, it looks “Zen” on Instagram, but it's wreaking havoc on delicate ecosystems and confusing wildlife who didn't sign up for your rock art project. From haunted highways to misguided cairn enthusiasts, this episode proves once again that the world is stranger (and funnier) than you think.

Our Live Fall Tour Starts on September 10th! More Info Here! The Circus of Lost Children & The Drunken Battle of Karansebes Step right up for one of the strangest rides in history—this episode of The Box of Oddities brings you the hauntingly peculiar tale of the Circus of the Lost Children, a traveling show with mysteries darker than the big top shadows themselves. Were these wandering performers guardians of misfits, or something far more unsettling? Then, hold onto your bayonets (and maybe your Schnapps ®) as we march straight into the Battle of Karansebes—arguably the most disastrously hilarious military blunder ever recorded, where an army accidentally defeated itself before the enemy even arrived. From eerie carnival lore to slapstick battlefield chaos, this episode proves truth really is stranger than fiction. Tune in, laugh, shiver, and marvel at the oddities history tried to sweep under the rug. New episodes twice a week—subscribe to The Box of Oddities wherever you get your podcasts! #WeirdHistory #Oddities #PodcastComedy #CircusOfTheLostChildren #BattleOfKaransebes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fall Tour Info And Tickets Here! Inbox of Oddities: Shopping Cart Poltergeists, Boo Fuel & Other Listener Oddventures In this listener-fueled episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro wade waist-deep into the beautifully bizarre world of freaks, phantoms, and fuel price coincidences. A rogue shopping cart with a vendetta. A gas station receipt that channels numerological energy. A haunted laundry hamper that eats only left socks. Oh, and someone may or may not be living with a phantom roommate obsessed with dish duty. We also hear from a listener who nearly lost their lunch to Kat's discussion of PUS, meet a comedy-loving ghost lurking near a lady-part sculpture, and discover that “Box of Oddititties” might be the next big merch drop. Plus: hot booze from Alaska, an invitation to drink in Salisbury, and urgent metaphysical questions about what happens if you fall through the center of the Earth (spoiler: you bounce). It's an entire spectrum of listener weirdness—from haunted carts to heartfelt duck farts—all lovingly unboxed by your fellow freaks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Box of Oddities Live Fall Tour Info And Tickets Here Step into the delightfully strange with this episode of The Box of Oddities Podcast, where death and dessert collide in the most unexpected ways. First, explore the eerie world of Victorian funeral mourning practices—a time when grief wasn't just worn on your sleeve but woven into jet-black dresses, elaborate rituals, and some downright unsettling traditions. Some even killed the mourners. Then, discover how tuberculosis and other infectious diseases didn't just change medicine—they helped give birth to the ice cream cone. Yes, you read that right: deadly epidemics paved the way for your favorite summer snack. It's a journey from sorrow to sprinkles, as Kat and Jethro unwrap history's weirdest intersections of mortality and milkfat. Perfect for fans of bizarre history, dark humor, and unexpected origin stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Details for the Live Box of Oddities Fall Tour Here! What separates a stroke of brilliance from a spectacularly bad idea? In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro dive headfirst into history's most baffling tightrope walk between genius and ridiculousness—where “visionary” and “what were they thinking?” become disturbingly interchangeable. Then, things get even weirder: scientists are turning spinach leaves into functioning human hearts through tissue engineering. Yes, the same greens in your salad could one day pump blood through your veins. From questionable intentions to leafy life support, this episode blends the bizarre with the groundbreaking in ways only The Box of Oddities can. Tune in for strange science, hilarious commentary, and stories that prove reality is stranger than fiction. #WeirdScience #TissueEngineering #OdditiesPodcast #GeniusOrMadness #TheBoxOfOddities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices