Weird: A Podcast of Curiosities

In which a former elementary school is transformed into a creative hub, but not all things from the past were laid to rest. @TheWeirdPod

Cindy James was a beloved nurse with a passion for helping children with learning difficulties. She exuded warmth and kindness, taking pleasure in tending her garden as she did the patients under her care. On October 7, 1982, Cindy's life would change forever when a faceless and nameless attacker would commence a reign of terror on Cindy. For seven years she endured stalking, torture, harassment, and threats until, one day, it all ended. What happened to Cindy James? Find out more on Episode 18 of Weird. Follow me on Twitter and Facebook: @TheWeirdPod www.TheWeirdPod.com

1978: Five men stop at a store for snacks, little did anyone know it would be the last time any of them would be seen alive. Often referred to as the “American Dyatlov Pass”, the Yuba County Five is Part II in a two-part series: Unknown Compelling Force. Please rate/subscribe/review the podcast on your podcast provider, and follow me on Facebook at Twitter @TheWeirdPod. 

Ten hikers departed for an expedition through the Ural Mountains, and only one returned alive. Their campsite and corpses have forged greater questions than answers - questions that baffle arm chair detectives, investigators, and story tellers alike. The tale of Dyatlov Pass is a captivating mystery that may or may not involve the KGB, Yetis, UFOs, and other Unknown Compelling Forces, a mystery that to this day remains unsolved. Please rate/subscribe/review the podcast on your podcast provider, and if it suits you, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @TheWeirdPod.

California in the late sixties may have been known for its summer of love, hippie communes, and the age of aquarius but by 1970 the picturesque coastal region of Santa Cruz was embroiled in an era punctuated by fear, paranoia, and violence. Thanks to two serial killers and a mass murderer operating in such close proximity to each other, it's no wonder that the once peaceful coastal community soon became known as the Murder Capital of the World. Into the Redwoods is a three part series that investigates the individuals who earned Santa Cruz its macabre reputation: John Linley Frazier, Herbert Mullen, and Edmund Kemper, and explores the social, political, and psychological factors that may have influenced their journeys. Don't forget to rate/subscribe and review the podcast, and follow the podcast on Twitter/Facebook and Instagram @TheWeirdPod.

In which a small Alberta town is caught between a rock and a hard place; things heat up at an Edmonton B&B; and a Calgary pub reports some serious monkeying around. If you're enjoying Weird: A Podcast of Curiosities, please take a moment to rate/subscribe/review the podcast. You can find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @TheWeirdPod.

California in the late sixties may have been known for its summer of love, hippie communes, and the age of aquarius but by 1970 the picturesque coastal region of Santa Cruz was embroiled in an era punctuated by fear, paranoia, and violence. Thanks to two serial killers and a mass murderer operating in such close proximity to each other, it's no wonder that the once peaceful coastal community soon became known as the Murder Capital of the World.  Into the Redwoods is a three part series that investigates the individuals who earned Santa Cruz its macabre reputation: John Linley Frazier, Herbert Mullen, and Edmund Kemper, and explores the social, political, and psychological factors that may have influenced their journeys. 

California in the late sixties may have been known for its summer of love, hippie communes, and the age of acquarius but by 1970 the picturesque coastal region of Santa Cruz was embroiled in an era punctuated by fear, paranoia, and violence. With two serial killers and a mass murderer operating in such close proximity to each other, it's no wonder that the once peaceful coastal community soon became known as the Murder Capital of the World.  Into the Redwoods is a three part series that investigates the individuals who earned Santa Cruz its macabre reputation: John Linley Frazier, Herbert Mullin, and Edmund Kemper, and explores the social, political, and psychological factors that may have influenced their journeys.  In episode one we remember The Ohta family, Dorothy Cadwallader, and the friends and family impacted by these horrific losses. Instead of the regular What's Weird this Week segment, these episodes will encourage listeners to engage in local mental health agencies and to reduce the stigma surrounding psychiatric concerns. 

The history of the Ouija Board is intertwined with some of America's most infamous tragedies. Its use was accepted and often encouraged in many instances, until one singular event in the seventies changed the public's perception of the device forever. Psychology, science and spirituality all come into play as we examine the history and functionality of Spiritualism's most notorious device.

In which a restaurant is haunted by the grieving wife of a veterinarian in Calgary, Alberta, and a museum in Fort Saskatchewan is haunted by the spirit of the only woman in Alberta to be hanged.

Christmas Eve, 1945   A house fire burns the home of The Sodder Family to the ground. Five of the children remain trapped inside while the four remaining children and parents escape.   No remains were ever found in the ashes.   Join me as we talk about this shocking case that continues to baffle investigators to this day.   And on What's Weird This Week? Cannibalism. That is all.

Episode 10 is dedicated to one of history’s most enigmatic characters: Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin. A man thoroughly integrated with myth, viewed as a monk, a healer, a mad man, a holy man, a con man or perhaps a strange combination of all these things. Set against the backdrop of the Russian Revolution, the tale weaves mysticism, seduction, betrayal, and murder together forming a narrative that has fascinated historians and story tellers alike for over a century. 

An investigation into the disappearance of one man from the Mexican town of Matamoros revealed a greater and darker nemesis than authorities dared comprehend, leading them into a labyrinth of drug abuse, trafficking, and human sacrifice.

The Salem Witch Trials were more than what happened between 1692-1693, they were the result of a full spectrum of spiritual, social, economic, and cultural factors that would culminate in a year of paranoia, tragedy, and dark superstition. Discover the history, the theories, and the truth behind this tragic event in American History, as well as its surprising tie to your host. On What's Weird This Week: Science says you can be your own twin, find out how that's possible in this week's edition of WWTW.

The final days of the Romanov Dynasty is the culmination of centuries of political, social, and civil upheaval. This is a story that has spawned books, movies, cartoons, conspiracy theories, and of course, podcasts. Exactly 100 years after the massacre, interest in what happened that fateful night has not waned, and has even, perhaps, intensified. A story of poverty, resistance, assassinations, mysticism, and so much more - this is a tale that has, and will continue to be, told for generations.   *EDIT/Correction: At one point in the podcast I refer to nine lives being lost. The actual number was eleven. 

When the ghostly apparition of a long lost ancestor revealed to Carl Tanzler the appearance of his soul mate, he spent his life searching for what he believed would be his one true love. The fairy tale ending, however, was not to be as one man's love grew into a sinister obsession that even death couldn't contain.

We're journeying into the dark world of serial killers for episode 5 as we examine the life, the crimes, and the capture of Richard Ramirez - the Night Stalker. What's Weird this Week? Find out why some Canadian police forces have been going down the toilet.

Centuries of Jewish lore nurtured this famous legend of a box that is haunted by a malicious spirit, allegedly responsible for the entirety of the Second World War. Dive into the fascinating realm of Jewish mysticism, ancient folklore, and the crazy world of paranormal eBay buyers as we chat about the Dybbuk Box. What's Weird this Week? A couple in search of paradise city winds up in parasite city and some unfortunate hitchhikers from the Dominican Republic.

With decades of suicides, murders, and serial killer residents infusing its rooms, The Cecil Hotel remains one of the most notorious hotels in the world, occasionally referred to as simply, "The Suicide". Once home to not one but two infamous serial killers, it's no wonder that American Horror Story found it to be such a bountiful source of grim inspiration. Also in this episode I debute a brand new segment - What's Weird This Week? Here's a hint: This internet craze takes washing your mouth out with soap to a whole new level.

This week on Weird, a story of vengeance, sabotage, and vigilante justice - forever etched into Canadian history: The legend of The Black Donnellys.

With no less than 94 arrests in his adult life, Clifford Olson terrorized the Greater Vancouver Area with his harrowing crimes. Dive into the sordid details in the opening episode of Weird.