Ghoul On Ghoul

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 Thi

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) T

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

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

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

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

Amanda and Sarah drop some knowledge on misunderstood murderers and pagan festivals. Amanda heads to Charleston for the story of Lavinia Fisher, a woman believed to have been one of the country's first female serial killers. Sarah explores the mythic beliefs and magical traditions behind the Wheel of the Year. Other topics covered include moon cheese, bovine erotica, and apartment haunts. Recommendations: Sarah recommends - to some extent - the new horror movies Candyman and The Night House. Sources: The Magickal Year by Diana Ferguson SyFy Wire (LAVINIA FISHER, AMERICA'S 'FIRST FEMALE SERIAL KILLER' THAT WASN'T) Wikipedia/Lavinia Fiser The Lineup (The Couple that Kills Together, Stays Together) Charleston City Paper (Bruce Orr lets John and Lavinia Fisher’s skeletons out of the closet) For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah talk parasites and headless prospectors for this episode. Sarah reveals the fascinatingly freaky side of nature with a look at zombies ants, toxoplasmosis, and the Braconid wasp. Amanda heads north to Canada for a look at the terrifying history of the Nahanni Valley. Other subjects covered include chain restaurant rankings, stripper wells, and vodka sodas. Recommendations: Amanda recommends the films Let's Scare Jessica to Death and The Boys From Brazil.  Sources:  The Atlantic (How Your Cat Is Making You Crazy/Do Cats Control My Mind/How the Zombie Fungus Takes Over Ants' Bodies) Live Science (Can a cat parasite control your mind?) Galveston County Master Gardeners (Braconid wasp) Fodor's Travel (The Haunting History of This Canadian National Park) Maclean's (Valley of Mystery, March 15, 1947) Wikipedia/Nahanni National Park Reserve CBC (Families call for case of mysterious 2005 deaths to be reopened) TIME (Canada: NORTHWEST TERRITORIES: Home of Devils?, Jan. 20, 1947) Ten Rivers: Adventure

Amanda and Sarah take on two haunted places that influenced famous horror films. Amanda takes a cue from her recent trip to Colorado with a history of the Stanley Hotel, the place that gave author Stephen King the idea for The Shining. Sarah stays on the East Coast for a look at the Seaford haunting that originated some major paranormal theories and may have been the inspiration for Poltergeist. Other subjects covered include powerful potpourris, elk sightings, and mall non-hauls. Recommendations: Amanda recommends the new Netflix documentary Misha and the Wolves. Sources: “House of Flying Objects,” Robert Wallace, LIFE Magazine, 17 Mar 1958 “The Science of Ghosts: Searching for Spirits of the Dead” By Joe Nickell “A Home’s Bad Vibrations,” David Kahn, Newsday Real Fear: The Truth Behind the Movies Long Island Pulse (The Herrmann House)  Travel + Leisure (What It's Like to Spend the Night at the 'Shining' Hotel) The Gazette (Colorado's Stanley Hotel offers plenty of haunted tales) Amuse - Vice (Redrum | Insi

Amanda and Sarah cover tales old (very old) and new with an  Arthurian legend and scary social media. Sarah gives everyone a primer for the new film The Green Knight with the story of the knight Gawain and his quest to find the titular figure. Amanda scrolls Twitter and TikTok for examples of how people post their way through a horror narrative. Other subjects include school clothes shopping, roommate rating, and masturbating.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the Shudder anthology series Creepshow and the true-crime book Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs. Sarah recommends the podcast Wicked Words and the film The Green Knight.  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 listener questions, give advice, and get quizzed by an internet meme. Recommendations: Sarah recommends the 2019 horror film The Vigil. For updates on future episodes and other fun stuff, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out our Patreon. 

Amanda and Sarah can't drive 55 for this episode about cases connected to highways and bi-ways. Amanda indulges her twin fearsination with the story of Ursula and Sabina Eriksson, identical Swedish sisters who pulled a shocking folis a deux on the M6 motorway in England. Sarah pulls to the side of the road for a look at phantom hitchhikers. Other topics include bad improv, pre-teen coffee, and clear plastic kink.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the Netflix true-crime series Sophie: A Murder In West Cork and the movie Dead Ringers.  Sources: The Vanishing Hitchhiker at Fifty-Five by Gillian Bennett Source: Western Folklore, Winter, 1998, Vol. 57 The Vanishing Hitchhiker by Richard K. Beardsley and Rosalie Hankey Source: California Folklore Quarterly , Oct., 1942, Vol. 1 Wikipedia/The Suffolk Miracle The Skeptic (Have we seen the last of the vanishing phantom hitchhiker?) Mary Hallberg (The vanishing hitchhiker legend) North Carolina Ghosts (Lydia, The Phantom Hitchhiker) West Hawaii Today (Madame Pele’s s

Amanda and Sarah assign each other heavy-hitters for this episode. Amanda looks into the origins of Ed and Lorraine Warren and what led to them becoming two of the world's most famous paranormal investigators. Sarah heads to France for the Beast of Gévaudan, a legendary lycanthrope that terrorized a provincial region from 1764 and 1767. Other subjects covered include pool trauma, bad acne products, and impressive pants.  Recommendations: Sarah recommends the horror movie Saint Maud. Amanda recommends the new Netflix fantasy series Sweet Tooth.  Sources: The Beast of the Forest, by Tom Griffiths, RCC Perspectives No. 1, The Edges of Environmental History   Monsters of the Gévaudan: The Making of a Beast by Jay M. Smith   Pubic Domain Review-The Beast of Gévaudan (1764–1767)   Smithsonian Magazine (When the Beast of Gévaudan Terrorized France)   History.com (What Was the Beast of Gévaudan?)   Stuff You Missed in History Class (Beast of Gevaudan, October 22, 2014)   The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of

Amanda and Sarah offer dives into celebrity conspiracy theories and a London ghoul supreme. Amanda spreads some hot goss about famous people thought to be vamps, fakes, or murderers. Sarah goes full WHO IS SHE on Jinney (Jenny, or Jennie) Bingham, a 1600s folkloric figure and possible witch. Other subjects covered include duping makeover shows, avoiding ticks, and being horny for Tony Danza.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the Aussie horror film Next of Kin and the book The Return by Rachel Harrison. She does not recommend the new film The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. Sources: The Adaptation of Folklore and Tradition (Folklorismus) Author(s): Venetia J. Newall Source: Folklore , 1987, Vol. 98, No. 2 (1987), pp. 131-151 Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Folklore Enterprises, Ltd. Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1259975 One and One-Half Unrecorded References to Macbeth in 1676-1678 Author(s): Richard Levin Source: Shakespeare Quarterly , Winter, 1998, Vol. 49, No. 4 (Win

Sarah and Amanda get lyrical with magical Nords and spooky hits. Sarah looks at the Kalevala, Finland's national epic composed of traditional folk songs, including one about the "hero" Lemminkäinen. Amanda lists off pop songs with low-key creepy lyrics and/or origins. Other subjects covered include poorly costumed porn, belated anniversary wishes, and horse dreams.  Recommendations: Amanda recommends the Netlfix true crime series The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness. Sarah recommends the 1991 fantasy noir Cast a Deadly Spell.  Sources:  “Lönnrot's Brainchildren: The Representation of Women in Finland's ‘Kalevala’,” by Patricia E. Sawin. Journal of Folklore Research Vol. 25, No. 3, Special Issue: Feminist Revisions in Folklore Studies, Sep. - Dec., 1988 “Kalevala. The National Epic of Finland” by Wilfrid Bonser. Folklore, Winter, 1965, Vol. 76, No. 4, Winter, 1965 Wikipedia/Kalevala Wikipedia/Cantos of the Kalevala Finnish Music Quarterly (Rune-singing, the musical vernacular) Ancient Origins (Lemminkäin