New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Dr. James Francis Jr. about the 1990s miniseries IT and the cultural and psychological impact it had on a generation of viewers. Talk about generational trauma! Dr. Francis is a Professor of English at Texas A&M and helps us dig deeper into the loss of childhood playfulness, collective irrational fears and the terror of the uncanny. Afterward, Patreon subscribers can revisit the board with Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer C...
Nov 04, 2025•34 min
Who’s to blame for IT (1990 miniseries)? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) revisits the 1990 miniseries classic IT to decide once and for all who’s to blame for the murderous killing spree of young children in Derry, Maine. Is it supernatural? Is it mythological? Is it pathological? Perhaps a combination of all three! Is this what happens when we forget our history? Join Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early as they get to the bottom of IT. Up on the board: The Adults...
Oct 28, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 321
On this week’s Aftermath REWIND, Rebecca speaks with Cara Robertson about the Lizzie Borden murders. Author of The Trial of Lizzie Borden , Cara shares plenty of new insights about this infamous moment in Fall River, MA. Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith stop by to discuss. One thing remains clear, family and roommate tensions are no laughing matter! Join our Patreon! Tell us who you think is to blame at http://thealarmistpodcast.com Email us at thealarmistpodcast@gmail.com Fol...
Oct 21, 2025•43 min•Season 1Ep. 320
Who’s to blame for the Lizzie Borden Murders? On this week's REWIND, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) keeps it all in the family with Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith to discuss the grizzly Lizzie Borden Murders. Could the Fashion Industry possibly take the fall for this one? Up on the board: Female Oppression, Family Inheritance and Roommate Tension! Join our Patreon! Tell us who you think is to blame at http://thealarmistpodcast.com Email us at thealarmistpodcast@gmail.c...
Oct 14, 2025•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 320
New Mailbag! You read that right. It’s October and we’re way behind on the mail. So, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith), Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early are taking a little Fall break to catch up with the Alarmy and share some recent reviews. We’ve got letters from multiple Emily’s, multiple countries and multiple new listeners! Tune in and hear what’s been on listeners' minds lately. Don’t forget to check us out on Patreon, and if you haven’t already, here’s your reminder ...
Oct 07, 2025•44 min
Who’s to blame for the delayed burial of Eva Peron? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) discusses the legacy of Eva Peron, aka Evita, and the controversial circumstances surrounding her burial which wouldn’t take place until well over 20 years after her untimely death. How could the First Lady of Argentina’s remains be unaccounted for for such a long period of time? Was this the result of a political coup? Did her celebrity status have something to do with it? What makes an icon and ...
Sep 30, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 319
New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with author and internationally exhibited fine artist Chris Semtner about the mysterious life and death of legendary poet Edgar Allen Poe. Curator of the Edgar Allen Poe Museum in Richmond, VA, Chris is full of thoughtful anecdotes about Poe’s life and shares some fascinating new details about Cooping and how Poe might have been mixed up in it. Afterward, Patreon subscribers can revisit the board with Fact Checker Chris Smith and Produce...
Sep 23, 2025•40 min
Who’s to blame for the death of Edgar Allen Poe? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) tackles the mysterious death of famed author and poet Edgar Allen Poe. Known for his fascination with the macabre and for telling tales of mystery and psychological terror, did Poe manifest a similar mysterious fate for himself? Perhaps he was jumped by a group of ruffians put off by his alcoholic tendencies and notorious foul attitude. Or maybe it was something as simple as Tuberculosis, a common ki...
Sep 16, 2025•54 min•Season 1Ep. 318
New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Professor Amani Roberts about the 30 year long (and going!) feud sparked by the 1998 Billboard Top 100 hit The Boy Is Mine by Brandy & Monica. Amani is a renowned DJ, international keynote speaker and author who shares some poignant details about the genre breaking legacy of the song, the feud and these two incredibly talented female artists. Afterward, Patreon subscribers can hear the post-interview breakdown with Rebecca and P...
Sep 09, 2025•25 min
Who’s to blame for Brandy & Monica’s "The Boy Is Mine" Feud? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) revisits the epic feud between 90’s female pop icons Brandy and Monica. The Boy Is Mine. Was it real? Was it a publicity stunt? We may never know the entire story. But, we do know the fans loved it. And they still do…to this very day. Hence Brandy & Monica’s 2025 reunion titled after the hit songs namesake. Was this manufactured by the music industry or were the fans to blame for ...
Sep 02, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 317
New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca revisits the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami with Dr. Elizabeth Vanacore. Liz is an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Geology, Puerto Rico Seismic Network at the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez and is widely considered an expert on tsunami and earthquake research. She shares a healthy dose of data and sound tsunami advice. Afterward, Patreon subscribers can hear the post-interview breakdown with Fact Checker Chris ...
Aug 26, 2025•30 min
Who’s to blame for the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) discusses the massive earthquake that rocked the floor of the Indian Ocean in 2004 and triggered deadly tsunamis which raced across the ocean and wiped out entire villages and took the lives of people living and vacationing hundreds of miles away. Could an official warning system have prevented such a massive loss of life? Did a lack of public awareness about tsunamis in this region...
Aug 19, 2025•59 min•Season 1Ep. 316
New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks to medical historian John Waller about the Dancing Plague of 1518. Author of A Time to Dance, a Time to Die: The Extraordinary Story of the Dancing Plague of 1518 , John shares fascinating new details about the culture, economics and spirituality of the time which really illuminate how truly different the past was from our present day lives. Afterward, Patreon subscribers can listen to the post-interview breakdown with Fact Checker Chris...
Aug 12, 2025•29 min
Who’s to blame for the Dancing Plague of 1518? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) is searching for the cause of the Dancing Plague of 1518 in the city of Strasbourg. What possessed a woman named Frau Troffea to start dancing unstopped for 6 six days straight? And why did hundreds of others join in, some dancing themselves to literal death? Did “laughing veins” have something to do with it? Perhaps economic struggles during mystical times were the cause. Or maybe this had something t...
Aug 05, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 315
New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with literary scholar Milan Terlunen about the 1985 camp classic CLUE. Milan gets into the history of the plot twist and how difficult they can be to execute in modern day films. He also reflects on the question that in a film like this, born out of the woes of capitalism, do we really need to care whodunit? Afterward, Patreon subscribers can revisit the board with Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early to see if the initial...
Jul 31, 2025•29 min
Who’s to blame for the murders in the 1985 cinema classic CLUE? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes fellow podcaster Nichole Hill, host of Our Ancestors Were Messy , to discuss the iconic movie based on a boardgame: CLUE. As the dead bodies pile up, and with multiple endings to choose from, who’s really to blame for this mess? Was it Miss Scarlett in the Library with a revolver? Was it Wadsworth playing his butler in order to blackmail in the most theatrical of ways? Or is t...
Jul 29, 2025•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 314
New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca revisits the voyage of the Endurance with maritime archeologist Mensun Bound. Having rediscovered the sunken Endurance and sailed the Antarctic himself, Mensun offers incredible insight into the lived experience and state of mind Shackleton must have endured. Afterward, Patreon subscribers can revisit the board with Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early to see if the verdict holds up. Not a member of our Patreon family yet?! Click...
Jul 24, 2025•39 min
Who’s to blame for Voyage of The Endurance? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes Sebastian Major, host of the Our Fake History podcast, to discuss the harrowing Antarctic voyage of The Endurance. Miraculously, everyone survived! But, should they have tempted this dangerous journey to begin with? Who was Ernest Shackleton and what drove him to be the first to cross the Antarctic? Did the allure of adventure blind him from the perils of the task at hand? Did competitive explora...
Jul 22, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 313
New Guest Experts! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with the utterly charming couple Clare Campbell and Christy Campbell who co-authored Bonzo's War: Animals Under Fire 1939-45 and Dogs of Courage: When Britain's Pets Went to War 1939-45 . Their invaluable insight on the British Pet Massacre will both warm and wrench your heart. Afterward, Patreon subscribers can revisit the board with Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early to see how the verdicts changed. Not on Patreon yet...
Jul 17, 2025•30 min
Who’s to blame for the British Pet Massacre? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes Alex Steed, co-host of the You Are Good Podcast, to discuss the tragic yet seemingly avoidable British Pet Massacre. Did PTSD wartime efforts lead to sort of blind patriotism? Did a scarcity mindset overwhelm collective reason and lead to large scale misplaced anxiety? Or perhaps a NARPAC Pamphlet with reckless advertising had something to do with it? Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayto...
Jul 15, 2025•55 min•Season 1Ep. 312
New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Professor Michael Doyle about the rise and fall of the Oneida Community. Author of The Minister’s War: John W. Mears, the Oneida Community and the Crusade for Public Morality , Mike shares some pertinent new information about one of the key figures in the Oneida community's downfall. Afterward, Patreon subscribers can listen to the post-interview breakdown with Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early to see if the verdic...
Jul 10, 2025•28 min
Who’s to blame for the Rise & Fall of the Onedia Community? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes back writer Jane Borden, author of Cults Like Us: Why Doomsday Thinking Drives America , to discuss the rise and fall of the Oneida Community. It’s highly likely you’ve eaten a meal with a set of Oneida silverware. But, are you familiar with their cult origins and problematic sex practices like “Sticky Love” or “Complex Marriage?” Were cults like these, which were very popular...
Jul 08, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 311
New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Professor Serena Zabin about the series of chaotic events leading up to what is now called The Boston Massacre. Professor Zabin reiterates that the narratives spun on either side after the event may have been worlds apart, but the lives of the colonists and the troops were perhaps more closely intertwined than we thought. Afterwards, Patreon subscribers can hear the post-interview breakdown with Producer Clayton Early and Fact Check...
Jul 03, 2025•34 min
Who’s to blame for The Boston Massacre? On this week's REWIND, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes back actor Bayne Gibby to discuss who’s ultimately to blame for the lives lost in The Boston Massacre. They’re joined by Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early. Ever wonder where the phrase reading someone the “riot act” came from? Remember the importance that wigs once played in British society? And could a simple receipt have avoided the conflict entirely? Take a trip back ...
Jul 01, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 310
New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca revisits the 1980 New Mexico Prison Uprising with Dr. Robert Chase of Stony Brook University. Robert is a Professor of History and the author of We Are Not Slaves: State Violence, Coerced Labor, and Prisoners Rights in Postwar America and Caging Borders and Carceral States: Incarcerations, Migration Detention, and Resistance . His insight on the context and culture in which this uprising unfolds is invaluable and haunting. Afterward, Patreon su...
Jun 26, 2025•40 min
Who’s to blame for the 1980 New Mexico Prison Riot? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes Kate Downey, host of the CRAMPED podcast, to discuss the 1980 Prison Riot in New Mexico. They’re joined by Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early. Did a Snitching System, designed for inmates to rat out fellow inmates for contraband, and abused by the guards lead to an even more hostile environment? Pair that with deplorable living conditions and ongoing cruel and unusual pun...
Jun 24, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 309
New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with author and documentarian Idanna Pucci about the case against Maria Barbella and the efforts to overturn her death sentence by Electric Chair. Not only has Idanna written extensively about the case, her great-grandmother Cora Slocomb was the woman who led the campaign to overturn Maria’s death sentence! Afterward, Patreon subscribers can revisit the board with Rebecca and Producer Clayton Early to see how the initial verdict held up....
Jun 19, 2025•37 min
Who’s to blame for the Case of Maria Barbella? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes comedian Mo Fry Pasic, host of the podcast Worse Than You , to discuss the troubling case of Maria Barbella. She may have escaped the electric chair, but her story electrified the world. Did Maria’s status as a non-english speaking Italian immigrant and her unbiased, all male jury of “peers” create any difficulties for the initial verdict? Did Lazy Translating during the trail have something t...
Jun 17, 2025•55 min•Season 1Ep. 308
New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Dr. William Hal Gorby about the 1907 Monongah Mining Disaster in West Virginia. Dr. Goby is a Professor of History at West Virginia University and received an Emmy nomination for his work on the PBS documentary The Mine Wars . His interview gives critical insight into the culture of mining at large and the predatory practices of the Fairmont Mining Company. Afterward, Patreon subscribers and hear the post interview breakdown with Fa...
Jun 12, 2025•34 min
Who’s to blame for the Monongah Mining Disaster? This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) speaks with comedian Connor Ratliff about the 1907 Monongah Mining Disaster in West Virginia which claimed the lives of over 360 men and left over 1000 children without fathers. A very tragic origin story for what we know now as Father’s Day. Is this yet another story of Profit Over People? Did a pattern of exploitative hiring practices lead to dangerous working conditions? And who is Grace Golden Cl...
Jun 10, 2025•56 min•Season 1Ep. 307
