If you enjoy the stories told in The Dark Side Of, check out this episode from our series Female Criminals: All her life, Lisa Nowak dreamt of becoming an astronaut. She worked tirelessly in pursuit of this goal. And then in 2003, when space flight was just within her grasp, Lisa met fellow astronaut, Bill Oefelein. She had no idea that her relationship with Bill would soon make her risk everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 13, 2020•50 min•Ep. 48
As World War II drew to a close, the U.S. military began a covert process of trying to extricate Germany's most studious Nazi scientists—in order to bring them to America for contracts on our own nuclear projects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 06, 2020•49 min•Ep. 47
When Apollo 11 reached the moon in 1969, the Space Race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union was over. But what were the real motivations behind this arbitrary competition? And who actually reached those first milestones? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 30, 2020•48 min•Ep. 46
Due to the unfortunate spread of COVID-19, Parcast has decided to halt recording for the time-being. This is a precautionary measure taken to ensure the safety of our hosts and staff. In the meantime, we're excited to share one of our classic episodes that we know you'll enjoy! By 1932, budding Hollywood starlet Peg Entwistle had everything: money, a successful Broadway career, accolades, and undeniable charm. But none of that stopped her from throwing herself off the Hollywood sign, and plummet...
Mar 23, 2020•58 min•Ep. 45
Love’s demise is inevitable. Death, divorce, or a nasty breakup comes to us all—bringing with it a world of pain, no matter which side you’re on. And for some, this loss can be deadly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 16, 2020•45 min•Ep. 44
Though weddings can often be seen as the final leap on the quest for love, the slew of expectations that come with throwing such a celebration often forces couples to forgo their own needs to please family and friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 09, 2020•50 min•Ep. 43
It has existed for as long as human history, and yet it remains taboo. From government fines to public humiliation to murder—wandering outside your relationship has always been fraught with danger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 02, 2020•50 min•Ep. 42
From Bonnie and Clyde to more modern iterations, the past century has seen a plethora of corrupt duos—pulling off stunts that range from stupid to lethal. For some lovers, the slogan “us against the world" gets taken to a whole new level. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feb 24, 2020•45 min•Ep. 41
On the last Sunday of every month, Parcast Rewind replays a classic episode of The Dark Side Of that you might have missed! Once envisioned as a Christian utopia, the land of Hollywood quickly evolved into a place of crime and debauchery. When the film industry infiltrated the quiet community in the early 1900s, it brought with it a world of chaos and anarchy—wild enough that its impact would change our cultural history forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice...
Feb 23, 2020•47 min
As of 2011, it’s estimated that one out of every six women in the United States has been a victim of stalking. It’s a chilling behavior that can follow both casual dates and long term relationships alike. And stalkers don’t just terrorize victims—they wreak havoc on their families too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feb 17, 2020•48 min•Ep. 40
It’s a date steeped in erotic history and obligatory mating rituals. For many it induces feelings of panic or loneliness. You can try to ignore it, but come February 14th, love will be in the air. Or sometimes, revenge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feb 10, 2020•45 min•Ep. 39
From emotional fraud to financial ruin, romance has a long relationship with deceit. Nothing has made this pairing stronger than modern technological developments—making the innocent search for love chock-full of swindlers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feb 03, 2020•47 min•Ep. 38
Since their inception in the 1960s, dating game shows have enthralled millions of viewers. And as the stakes have risen over the years with bigger and better trips and prizes, it’s no wonder we’ve remained hooked—despite the fact that they rarely lead to happily ever after. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jan 27, 2020•53 min•Ep. 37
Methods for finding your "perfect match" have become far more efficient in the 21st century with the invention of internet dating. While the rise of online matchmaking and app culture has opened up numerous doors for singles, it's also unleashed a minefield of unexpected pitfalls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jan 20, 2020•49 min•Ep. 36
Dating is celebrated as the natural and necessary path toward love, stability, and family—all things that humanity has held dear for centuries. Complaints about a bad first date are usually tempered by the knowledge that it’s all worth it in the end...but the search for "the one" can have terrible consequences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jan 13, 2020•42 min•Ep. 35
Starting as an ominous warning from technology experts, public concern around the Y2K bug soon outstripped the initial predictions and grew into full-blown hysteria. Some even claimed that New Years Eve of 1999 would be the end of civilization. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 30, 2019•50 min•Ep. 33
The goat-like demon known as Krampus embodies the dark, unspoken truth of the year’s most cheerful holiday—that children will only be rewarded with candy and treats if they are good. Otherwise…they will be punished. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 23, 2019•45 min•Ep. 32
Christmas - a time for carols, presents, mistletoe and...animal sacrifice? This week, we explore the ancient pagan festival that led to many Christmas traditions we hold dear - and others that are best forgotten. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 16, 2019•48 min•Ep. 31
There is much more to the story of Hanukkah than eight nights of celebration and prayer. The actual history of the Maccabee rebellion and the creation of Hanukkah is a tale of war between Greeks and Jews, ending with thousands dead on both sides. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 09, 2019•45 min•Ep. 30
On Christmas Eve in 1913, miners and their families were having a massive party in an Italian cultural hall in Michigan. Everything was fine until someone shouted, "fire!" Panic took hold, and in the end, a cruel ruse was discovered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 02, 2019•48 min•Ep. 29
The day after Thanksgiving, millions of shoppers flock to malls and department stores to get discounts on all kinds of hot items. It’s the height of capitalism. While retailers make billions of dollars in sales, customers have been trampled, stabbed, pepper-sprayed or shot, all in the name of getting the best deals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 25, 2019•46 min•Ep. 28
On Thanksgiving Day, 2009, 35-year-old Paul Merhige opened fire during a family gathering. He killed four people and injured two more in what’s come to be known by many as “The Merhige Family Slaughter.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 18, 2019•44 min•Ep. 27
The history of the most American of all holidays is much like the country it is founded on: rustic, optimistic… and built on centuries of bloodshed. In reality, this mythologized 1621 meal was a harvest celebration that took place in between two horrible periods of callous genocide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 11, 2019•52 min•Ep. 26
Most agree that we should respect those who have served in war. But few remember a time when the goal of November 11th was to prevent war altogether. Armistice Day, the original Veterans Day, has been twisted from a day honoring peace to one that glorifies fighting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 04, 2019•52 min•Ep. 25
Despite the dangers that lurk on Halloween, we send our children out to ask for candy from strangers. Unknowns who could have thoughts of mischief, or worse, on their minds... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 28, 2019•47 min•Ep. 24
Many know of Halloween’s ancient pagan origins, but few know the details. Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival, featured familiar traditions such as carving and costumes. But there was a potentially darker aspect—one that included human sacrifice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 21, 2019•54 min•Ep. 23
Christmas. Valentine’s Day. National Dessert Day? The idea that consumerism drives the holiday season is nothing new, but the extent of the connection may run deeper than we realize. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 14, 2019•49 min•Ep. 22
Though our favorite celebrations throughout the year are supposed to be a time of joy and love, they are often anything but. The pressures to travel, spend money, and take time off can have deadly consequences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 07, 2019•47 min•Ep. 21
We are excited to announce our next season of The Dark Side Of will aim to uncover the most dastardly stories associated with the winter holiday season. Halloween candy tampering, psychological stress, overspending, and more will be covered this season on The Dark Side Of, starting Monday, October 7. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 04, 2019•2 min
In 1933, Hungarian composer Rezso Seress and lyricist Laszlo Javor released "Gloomy Sunday," which soon came to be known as The Hungarian Suicide Song thanks to the 200 cases of suicide that were linked to the tune's release. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 30, 2019•44 min•Ep. 20
