Happy Spooky Wednesday, everyone! Have you ever heard a local legend that grows so wildly over time that no one knows its origins? That's what we're talking about this week with the legend of Char Man in the Ojai Valley in California. While most of the origin stories seem to be born from the horrific 1948 wildfire, the story of why Char Man exists varies from tale to tale. The one thing they can seem to agree on is that there is the ghost of a strange man who chases the locals away from his brid...
Mar 05, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, folks! We’re discussing The Olde Pink House in Savannah, GA this week. This extremely popular restaurant exists in a building that has been around for over 250 years. And it’s collected some ghosts along the way, most of which seem to be the family that lived there even before the American Revolution. Who will you encounter if you decide to pop in for an evening of enjoyment? The Revolutionary War soldier? The bitter woman who wants you to get out of her bathroom? The chi...
Feb 26, 2025•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, everybody! Thank you very much to Kortenie for the listener request this week! Kala's going to tell you all about Devil's Island in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Some say that Casper Henneberry, a resident of Devils Island, saw the Devil in the form of a halibut. Yup. You read that right... Devil Fish. The next day, he was found drowned. There have also been reports of ghostly apparitions, strange fires, and other unexplained phenomena. It turns out this isn't the onl...
Feb 19, 2025•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, folks! Are you ready for a story that’s sure to shiver your timbers? We hope so! Because Brittany is about to tell you all about the Battersea Poltergeist. In the 1950s, a family in Battersea, London began experiencing strange noises, flying objects, and unexplained fires. Yeah. That’s right. More fires. This ghost (who the family named Donald) became BIG NEWS in the UK and was even discussed in Parliament. But was it real? Or the imaginings of a teenage girl? Considering...
Feb 12, 2025•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday! Thank you for celebrating our 4-year pod-iversary with us! This is our first episode with our new format, and Kala is talking all about haunted roads in Wisconsin. One of the most famous legends is that of The Phantom Hitchhiker of Hwy 12 in Baraboo. He's been seen many times by drivers late at night. No one knows who he is or why he's there. And if you see him once, you'll likely see him again just a few miles down the road. Other spooky stretches of pavement...
Feb 05, 2025•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, folks! We're wrapping up 2025 True Crime January with Jack the Ripper, one of the biggest unknowns in the genre. And we've got a special guest joining us for the occasion: Sean Moria! That's right, Kala's husband hopped in the studio to discuss the unidentified serial killer who terrorized the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. Considered one of the greatest mysteries of the past, Jack the Ripper has inspired many shows, movies, and music in pop cultu...
Jan 29, 2025•2 hr 36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday! We're continuing our True Crime January with the location known as Fox Hollow Farm, formerly owned by the infamous serial killer Herb Baumeister. Baumeister, despite appearing to be an average family-minded businessman, murdered several men and disposed of their bodies right in the yard where his children played. When it seemed he was going to be caught, he left and took his own life. The tragedies he inflicted have left people to believe that the land he owned is now...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday! We’re in our third week of True Crime January, and we’re covering the Los Feliz Murder House. In 1959, a doctor murdered his wife, attacked his child, and then took his own life. And the house has been cursed ever since! Or has it? Decades of the home sitting seemingly unused has led to urban legends and ghost stories. But is there any truth behind these tales? Or is it just the wild imagination of a community still unable to understand the tragedy? For more information, ...
Jan 15, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, everyone! For our second week of True Crime January, we are covering one of the most infamous murder cases in United States history. The Borden Murders of 1892 resulted in the notorious trial of Lizzie Borden. Even though she was acquitted of the crimes, a nursery rhyme asserting that she killed her father and stepmother followed her for the rest of her life and decades after her passing. And it seems like this infamy may be feeding the haunting in not one, but TWO locati...
Jan 08, 2025•1 hr 24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spook Wednesday, everyone! And Happy True Crime January! This week, we are talking about The Cecil Hotel, which has... let's say... not the best history when it comes to the folks who have stayed there. But is it HAUNTED? A certain ghost TV show host by the name of Bagans-Liar-Liar-Pants-On-Fire certainly thinks it is, but let's see what Kala has to say about it. Editor's Note: The John Cusack movie is 1408, not 1308. I knew it sounded off...
Jan 01, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Holiday Wednesday, dear friends! We’ve got a Christmas spectacular for you this year! Kala talks about Mari Lwyd. This is essentially a creepy hobby horse used for drunken caroling. It’s every ex goth kid’s Christmas dream! Then Brittany tells the tale of Père Fouettard. This French Anti-Santa travels along with Old Saint Nick punishing naughty children. He basically looks like Santa, but kinda dirty and in black instead of red. An ex-goth kid’s Christmas dream. And we end the whole...
Dec 25, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, everyone! We’ve got some classic Brittany and Kala stories for you this week! First, Kala brings on the ghostly transportation! The Phantom Train of Marshall Pass in Colorado hasn’t been seen in over 100 years, but it’s one spooky story you don’t want to miss. And the Silver Train of Stockholm may be more weird than scary, but it’s definitely interesting. Then Brittany does a call back to one of her absolute favorite subjects... Past Lives! While there is no earthly reaso...
Dec 18, 2024•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday! We’re starting out this week with a listener request about a very interesting museum: The Iceland Phallological Museum. You read that right. It’s a museum all about penises. One exhibit focuses on the “units” of different cryptids and folklore creatures. Now our question isn’t, “Are these creatures real?” Our question has become, “Are these weenies real?” And Brittany talks about the supposedly most haunted home in Jamaica, The Rose Hall Great House. According to legend A...
Dec 11, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday! We are celebrating our 200th episode this week with special guests Kara Babcock and Stephanie Chow of Prophecy Girls: A Buffy Rewatch Podcast ! In case you missed it, they joined us for our 100th episode, where we talked all about vampires. What goes best with vampires? Werewolves. These shapeshifting creatures look human by day, but on the nights where a full moon shines, their animal side takes over! These cryptids have been discussed for years, and the lore varies from...
Dec 04, 2024•2 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, folks! We're going classic this week with a haunted university and hospital. Kala talks about the University of Portland in Oregon, which has several spooky locations on campus. If you head to the oldest building, you might run into the teenage ghost who drowned in the river. If performing arts are more your thing, you may run into the specter of a young girl who likes to hang out in the theater. If you go for a walk on the grounds, be prepared to hear the footsteps of an...
Nov 27, 2024•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, dears! We’ve got extraterrestrials and the Wild Wild West for you this week. Kala talks about former United States President Jimmy Carter’s UFO experience, as well as the stories from past US presidents. Is the government really hiding something? If so, they don’t seem to be hiding it very well. Then Brittany covers Big Nose Kate’s Saloon in Tombstone, Arizona. Neither host is particularly thrilled about the description Kate has been given, but we both agree that Kate has...
Nov 20, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, everyone! This week we’ve got two stories that will leave you wondering, "Are humans cursed or blessed?" Kala starts by discussing Anthropodermic bibliopegy—the practice of binding books in human skin. At its peak during the Victorian era, many of these volumes still exist in museums, colleges, and private collections today. How to handle these books, though, has been a matter of debate for years, and it doesn’t seem like the debate is going to end anytime soon. Then Brit...
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, sweet listeners! This week, we’re back to our regularly scheduled programming with two salty little tales. Kala talks about The Saltair near Salt Lake City in Utah. This concert venue has been rebuilt twice after the previous buildings were destroyed by fire and dilapidation. Oddly enough the ghosts seem to be the result of its more recent life, and not the spirits of the building in its heyday. Then Brittany discusses the Molly Brown House in Denver, Colorado. Molly Brow...
Nov 06, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Content warning: Kala’s story this week includes some discussion of suicide. If you wish to skip this topic, jump to Brittany’s story at 42:08. Happy Spooky Wednesday and HAPPY HALLOWEEN, EVERYONE! It's our final week of Urban Legends October, and we have two stories to get you into the holiday mood. First, Kala talks about Lavender Town Syndrome. According to urban legend, this level in the first two Pokémon GameBoy games led over 200 people to commit suicide. Was it the music or the sad conten...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, dear listeners! We’ve got a treat for you! The return of special guest, Adam Herman! He joins us for Spooky Game week of Urban Legends October, where we discuss The Midnight Game. While other cursed games we’ve talked about in the past have various rewards, this game only has one prize if you win: your life. Which has us all wondering why you’d ever play in the first place? Apparently the lack of a proper trophy has never stopped people from trying it in the past. So the ...
Oct 23, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday! We are at the midpoint of our 4th Urban Legends October, and we have some creepypastas sure to keep you up at night! Unless you’re like us, these stories will help you sleep like a baby. First up, Kala talks about the internet legend known as Eyeless Jack. This creature in a hoodie, mask, and deep voids for eyes is coming to steal your internal organs! While the original creepypasta may not have been particularly well written, that hasn’t stopped his legend from spreading...
Oct 16, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, ghouls and zombies! We are in our second week of Urban Legends October and this week we are featuring legends from Scotland! First up, Kala talks about the myths known as Selkies and Kelpies. They are both shapeshifting creatures known for haunting the waters, but have very different temperaments. While stories of the Selkies portray them as sweet creatures who encounter tragic circumstances, Kelpies are malevolent creatures who create tragic circumstances. And Brittany t...
Oct 09, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, and Happy Urban Legends October, everyone! We’ve got two stories that are perfect for putting you in the mood for the Halloween season. Kala tells the tale of Stingy Jack, the origin story for Jack O’ Lanterns. When Jack ticked off the Devil by tricking him one too many times, he was forced to wander the afterlife for eternity, never entering Heaven or Hell, with only the light of a fire inside a turnip to light his way. How in the heck does this become the spooky carved ...
Oct 02, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, everyone! We have an iconic episode this week, because we’re covering two absolute icons. First up, Kala talks about Joan Crawford, who may have been haunted and/or haunted others. There is no denying her impact in Hollywood, but has she remained past her death? When her estranged daughter’s classic movie “Mommie Dearest” was filmed, the set was plagued with strange activity, especially around the actress who was set to play Crawford in the film. But it turns out the para...
Sep 25, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, Folks! Kala’s got two locations for you this week, which are often discussed at the same time. The Tennessee State Prison and the Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary are located about an hour and a half away from each other, and both are plagued by paranormal activity brought on by years of overcrowding, violence, and general ill-treatment. While the TSP was basically demolished by a tornado in 2020, Brushy is still available for tours. Will you encounter the ghost who is ...
Sep 18, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, friends! We went a bit off the rails this week, so prepare for a giggle. First up, Kala discusses The Mammoth Cave system in Kentucky. Mummies, ghosts, and getting lost in deep dark caves. It’s straight up out of a horror film. And Brittany tells us all about Gef the talking mongoose… which is exactly as ridiculous as it sounds. For years, a family lived with this spirit in the form of a mongoose inside of their house’s walls. Was it really a spirit? Or something more sin...
Sep 11, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday! As summer fades and fall peeks it’s head around the corner, we’re always keeping it creepy here. First Kala discusses the cryptid known as the Chupacabra. A fairly new creature by most cryptid standards, this weird animal escapes any common description. Is it a coyote with glowing red eyes? Is it a kangaroo with bat like wings? The only thing people can seem to agree on is that it’s creepy and it’s killing livestock! But is it real? Or is there a scientific explanation be...
Sep 04, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, everyone! We are getting close to the end of summer, so we've got some stories this week that just scream "vacation time". First up, Kala talks about Captain Tony's Saloon in Key West, Florida. This bar features tropical drinks, an 'old school Key West' atmosphere, a hanging tree growing inside, some gravestones, bras on the ceiling, and ghosts! What a wide variety of items to create such a unique atmosphere. When you're out partying, just re...
Aug 28, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, dear listeners! We’ve got two Midwest stories this week all inspired my music… kinda. First Kala talks about a location in the hometown of one of her favorite bands Hawthorne Heights: Dayton, Ohio! The Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is a massive, old cemetery filled with gorgeous trees, beautiful structures, amazing mausoleums, and ghosts! Will you see the little girl in the white sneakers? Or the little boy forever playing with his dog? Or the dancing Russian ballerina?...
Aug 21, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Spooky Wednesday, everyone! It's Brittany's Birthday Spooky Spectacular! The birthday girl starts us off with the tale of the Goat Man of Prince George's County. This half-goat, half-man creature has been well known in Maryland since the 1970s. With an appetite for puppies and humans alike, this is definitely not a cryptid you want to stumble upon. And then as a present for Brittany, Kala has scoured Reddit threads to find people's creepiest experiences. Some are paranormal...
Aug 14, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
