MonsterTalk

MTL010 - Cicada 3301 - with Jerry Drake

January 29, 2021 13:25 - 1 hour

Do you like puzzles? Were you captivated when you heard how England used a crossword puzzle to recruit code-breakers during WWII? Then join us on this episode of MonsterTalk Live where we talked with return-guest Dr. Jerry Drake to discuss the mystery of Cicada 3301. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MonsterTalk end of year message - 2020

December 31, 2020 18:30 - 4 minutes

We bid farewell to 2020 and hope for a better and brighter 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

223 - The Loveland Frog

December 26, 2020 15:15 - 1 hour

Ryan Haupt joins us to discuss the case of The Loveland Frog. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christmas Ghost Story #008 - The Upper Berth

December 24, 2020 23:22 - 52 minutes

Blake Smith reads the Francis Marion Crawford ghost story THE UPPER BERTH. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wild Thing 2: Space Invaders

December 14, 2020 01:32 - 52 minutes

Blake and Karen talk with Laura Krantz, host of the podcast Wild Thing, about season two of her show which deals with UFOs, SETI, and features interviews with scientists and researchers looking into these topics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

221 - They Are Already Here - with Sarah Scoles

November 29, 2020 23:18 - 50 minutes

Author Sarah Scoles joins us to discuss her amazing book They Are Already Here: UFO Culture and Why We See Saucers. It's a terrific ride through UFO culture and the fallout from the 2017 New York Times front-page article about the US Government Program to examine unidentified objects in the sky. AATIP, TTSA, UAPs plus Mac & Me! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

220 - Monster Manual

November 12, 2020 20:39 - 1 hour

Roll for initiative as Karen and Blake discuss the history of roleplaying games and the Monster Manual with Jon Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

219 - The Usborne book of Ghosts - Christopher Maynard

October 31, 2020 00:43 - 1 hour

Join us for a very Halloween themed look at a book which was deeply influential on Karen and Blake. Usborne's WORLD OF THE UNKNOWN: GHOSTS authored by our very special guest, Christopher Maynard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Introducing: On The Offensive

October 22, 2020 17:14 - 3 minutes

Karen's latest book is available at Amazon and wherever books are sold. Support MonsterTalk by using the affiliate ad link: bit dot ly forward-slash OnTheOffensive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

218 - Season of the Witch

October 19, 2020 17:41 - 1 hour

Peter Bebergal returns (previously on episode #180 with his book Strange Frequencies) to discuss magic, witchcraft, and the occult and how those things impacted the world of Rock & Roll music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

217 - The Unidentified

October 11, 2020 13:41 - 1 hour

Colin Dickey returns to MonsterTalk to discuss his new book "The Unidentified" which deals with fringe culture, paranormal beliefs, alternative religions and the landscape of the paranormal. Bigfoot, UFOs, Mt. Shasta, Atlantis and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sample: BigFootage - Night of the Demon

October 02, 2020 12:44 - 12 minutes

A sample of the Patreon bonus feature BigFootage. In episode 5 I discuss the Bigfoot slasher "video nasty" called Night of the Demon (1983). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

216 - Invasive Species

September 19, 2020 16:49 - 1 hour

A look at invasive species, focusing especially on the cane toad: its biology, its impact, and efforts to control it in Australia and the US. With Dr. Steven Johnson of UFL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New BigFootage coming soon

September 07, 2020 21:38

Patrons will be getting a new episode of BigFootage soon. I've got it in the can but have to edit it. The topic? 1970's Bigfoot. Tag-line? It breeds with ANYTHING. (Spoiler: It most certainly does not.) BigFootage is the sub-podcast for Patrons who support the show at any level wherein I watch Bigfoot-themed movies and documentaries and review them. There are more than 200 of these kinds of movies (of wildly varying quality), and I'm only getting started. Also - if you check out ...

215 - Chinese Ghosts

September 02, 2020 21:30 - 1 hour - 54.1 MB

We are joined by Ph.D. student Minwen Huang, who shares with us the history of the literary genre of Chinese Ghosts called Zhiguai, and how such beings (and literature) are viewed from ancient times to the present. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Creationists Review-Bombing "We Believe in Dinosaurs"

August 31, 2020 15:07

You may recall our recent episode on the documentary We Believe in Dinosaurs. It was pointed out to me that the Amazon reviews for the movie are being 1-star review bombed by creationists who are angry about the film as a "hit piece." Personally, I enjoyed the documentary and found it to be - if anything - more balanced towards giving the Ark Encounter folks a platform to openly state their agenda than I would have. At any rate, if you enjoyed the film and care about communicating fact...

214 - Talos Another Tale of Gods and Robots

August 20, 2020 00:48 - 1 hour - 55.8 MB

MonsterTalk Classic interviews return with a look at robots and automata of the ancient classical world. Adrienne Mayor joins us to talk about her book Gods and Robots. Greek myths, ancient science, and monsters abound. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MTL - Dr. Kiki - Aliens and Monsters

August 05, 2020 12:31 - 1 hour - 50.7 MB

A discussion of monsters and aliens of sci-fi and horror with "Dr. Kiki" Kirsten Sanford of THIS WEEK IN SCIENCE and DR KIKI'S SCIENCE HOUR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MTL - Conspiracy Theory with Ashley Landrum

July 28, 2020 02:20 - 1 hour - 75.5 MB

Ashley Landrum joins us to discuss Conspiracy Theories and why people believe them. Her work has been discussed in The Guardian and The BBC. Karen and I got to meet Ashley last year at Texas Tech, thanks to the generous support of their College of Media and Communication. That's not an advert - but we did have an amazing time there and I got to eat some amazing Mexican food and had the rare opportunity to hang out with Karen and her husband Matt (and their son). You can watch this discu...

MTL - Conspiracy Theory with Ashley Landrum (remastered)

July 28, 2020 02:20 - 1 hour

A discussion of conspiracy theory with professor Ashley Landrum of Texas Tech. QAnon and other contemporary conspiracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MonsterTalk Live - Banachek - 10 May 2020

July 21, 2020 01:37 - 54.4 MB

We got to sit down and talk with the mentalist, magician and skeptic Banachek. You may know him as the creator of Penn & Teller's famous "bullet catch" or as the expert behind the JREF's Million Dollar Challenge testing or from his amazing performances or even from his podcast (Banachek's Brain). (You can watch this video interview on YouTube)

MonsterTalk Live - Banachek - 10 May 2020

July 21, 2020 01:37

We got to sit down and talk with the mentalist, magician and skeptic Banachek. You may know him as the creator of Penn & Teller's famous "bullet catch" or as the expert behind the JREF's Million Dollar Challenge testing or from his amazing performances or even from his podcast (Banachek's Brain). (You can watch this video interview on YouTube)

MTL007 - Banacheck (remastered)

July 21, 2020 01:37 - 1 hour

We got to sit down and talk with the mentalist, magician and skeptic Banachek. You may know him as the creator of Penn & Teller's famous "bullet catch" or as the expert behind the JREF's Million Dollar Challenge testing or from his amazing performances or even from his podcast (Banachek's Brain). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MonsterTalk Live - Speak of the Devil (Joe Laycock & Natasha Mikles)

July 13, 2020 23:29 - 59 minutes - 69 MB

Speak of the Devil! No, really! Our May 3, 2020 interview with Joe Laycock and his spouse and co-conspirator Natasha Mikles is here for you. Talking about his book, Speak of the Devil. Speak of the Devil is the first book-length study of The Satanic Temple. Joseph Laycock, a scholar of new religious movements, contends that the emergence of "political Satanism" marks a significant moment in American religious history that will have a lasting impact on how Americans frame debates about rel...

MTL006 - Speak of the Devil (remastered)

July 13, 2020 23:29 - 1 hour

Our May 3, 2020 interview with Joe Laycock and his spouse and co-conspirator Natasha Mikles is here for you. Talking about his book, Speak of the Devil. Speak of the Devil is the first book-length study of The Satanic Temple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MonsterTalk Live - Sara Head

July 07, 2020 01:16 - 1 hour - 51.1 MB

Once again we welcome Sara Head from ArchyFantasies on to talk about the strange television show The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch. Is it good? (Spoilers - not if you want anything to happen in your TV shows.) But it was fun to sit down with Sara and talk again. Archaeological Fantasies Podcast (podcast link) The Archy Fantasies Blog (blog link) If you want to watch this episode on video - you can! (youtube link). Be sure to Like and Subscribe to our YouTube Channel!

MTL005 - Skinwalker Ranch TV - Sara Head (remastered)

July 07, 2020 01:16 - 1 hour

Once again we welcome Sara Head from ArchyFantasies on to talk about the strange television show The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch. Is it good? (Spoilers - not if you want anything to happen in your TV shows.) But it was fun to sit down with Sara and talk again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MonsterTalk Live - Jerry Drake

June 24, 2020 00:43 - 1 hour - 62.8 MB

We're joined by Jerry Drake to discuss "Black Eyed Kids" and some interesting timing that suggests a possible origin for the legends. Archived post from Bethel - July 30, 1997 - discussing Chaos Magick and Bloody Mary. Reposting of Bethel's original BEK post - but not the original post. His original posting was dated August 28, 1997. Jerry points out that at this time The X-Files was in its 4th season. A recurring image/concept in that show as "the black oil" virus, an alien mind-con...

MTL004 - Black Eyed Kids - with Jerry Drake (remastered)

June 24, 2020 00:43 - 1 hour

Jerry Drake returns to talk BEKs and other strangeness. A MonsterTalk Live recording. Explicit Tag. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

213 - Ghosts and Sociology

June 02, 2020 02:59 - 59 minutes - 44.9 MB

We interview Dr. David Aveline about his new project studying people who see or experience ghosts. He's just getting started, but it's a really interesting conversation about how one puts together research into such a strange and complicated topic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blake and Karen take listener questions

May 15, 2020 12:40 - 1 hour - 55.4 MB

In the March 29th episode, Karen and Blake hang out and take listener questions. This video will be available on YouTube.

MTL002 - Listener Questions

May 15, 2020 12:40 - 1 hour

In the March 29th episode, Karen and Blake hang out and take listener questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MonsterTalk Live - Douglas Tate

May 15, 2020 12:38 - 1 hour - 49.4 MB

Actor Douglas Tate joins us to talk about playing monsters in film. Douglas has played Bigfoot more than any other actor. (YouTube of this interview) (IMDB) Douglas Tait was born on December 17, 1978 in Tarzana, California, USA as Douglas J. Tait. He is known for his work on Annabelle Comes Home (2019), Hellboy (2019) and Legacies (2018).

MTL003 - Douglas Tait - acting, makeup and monsters

May 15, 2020 12:38 - 1 hour

Actor Douglas Tait joins us to talk about playing monsters in film. Douglas has played Bigfoot more than any other actor. Doug was born on December 17, 1978 in Tarzana, California. He is known for his work on Annabelle Comes Home (2019), Hellboy (2019) and Legacies (2018). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MonsterTalk Live - Brian Sharpless - 22MAR2020

May 06, 2020 00:08 - 1 hour - 60.6 MB

[EXPLICIT] Audio (podcast) feed from our MonsterTalk Live - this one with Dr. Brian Sharpless discussing the weird (real life) conditions behind lots of movies and myths. Brian previously joined us for one of my favorite interviews to discuss Sleep Paralysis. Find Brian's books and info here: http://briansharpless.com/index.html Video of this Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvlN8c-CcZo&t=131s

MonsterTalk Live - Brian Sharples - 22MAR2020

May 06, 2020 00:08 - 1 hour - 60.6 MB

[EXPLICIT] Audio (podcast) feed from our MonsterTalk Live - this one with Dr. Brian Sharpless discussing the weird (real life) conditions behind lots of movies and myths. Brian previously joined us for one of my favorite interviews to discuss Sleep Paralysis. Find Brian's books and info here: http://briansharpless.com/index.html Video of this Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvlN8c-CcZo&t=131s

MTL001 - Brian Sharpless - 22MAR2020

May 06, 2020 00:08 - 1 hour

[EXPLICIT] Audio from 22MAR2020 MonsterTalk Live with Dr. Brian Sharpless, discussing real world psychology and monsters. Remastered to reduce distortion - but still has some audio issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

212 - We Believe in Dinosaurs

April 25, 2020 22:25 - 1 hour - 59.4 MB

Karen and Blake discuss the new film We Believe in Dinosaurs with filmmaker Clayton Brown (who co-directed with Monica Long Ross) and paleontologist Dan Phelps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#211 - The Screaming Skulls

March 31, 2020 01:25 - 1 hour - 67.7 MB

Today Karen and Blake discuss "Screaming Skulls" - a surprisingly common yet particularly English kind of haunting. Karen has a new short story based on this legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Announcement: MonsterTalk Live

March 29, 2020 00:54 - 2 minutes - 3.84 MB

We're doing a live video-chat with guest Brian Sharpless. Sunday night March 29, 2020 9 pm EST The show is free - but it's being streamed via Facebook so you'll need to join the MonsterTalk Facebook Group to participate. We plan to switch to streaming via YouTube soon - but this worked well in our small trial run last week. Hopefully, you'll enjoy hanging out with some other listeners and talking monsters. The topic for this one is the psychological conditions behind popular ...

Spooktator Presents: Hellier (Haylier)

March 29, 2020 00:23 - 1 hour - 70.3 MB

It's Blake here! I made a little cameo over at Hayley Stevens' podcast The Spooktator, joining Jeb Card (In ReSearch Of) to talk about the paranormal series HELLIER (Amazon, YouTube). If you're not familiar with that show, it's an independent paranormal show that combines pretty much every kind of paranormal topic you can think of into a strange narrative about... you know what? Just check it out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

210 - Going Viral: The Covid19 Monster

March 15, 2020 13:37 - 1 hour - 73.7 MB

[Reminder: This was recorded in the early days of the pandemic of 2020. Please refer to the CDC for the latest and most accurate information about COVID19 and variants.] Discussing COVID19 with virology expert Vincent Racaniello. Best place to get up to date Covid19 Information: WHO (World Health Organization) and CDC (Center for Disease Control) sites for the latest factual information on this pandemic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

209 - Strange But True

March 11, 2020 01:20 - 52 minutes - 52 MB

We are joined by author Kathryn Hulick, author of the new book "Strange but True: 10 of the World's Greatest Mysteries Explained." The book introduces 10 weird topics covering everything from Atlantis to Zombies and meshes it all with skepticism and critical thinking. It's a great way to introduce a curious teen to the strange and unusual while arming them with the right tools to examine the questions critically. Topics include haunted houses, zombies, the mystery of Dyatlov pass and more. Le...

Introducing Life's Little Mysteries

March 02, 2020 05:01 - 11 minutes - 11.3 MB

The world can be a pretty mysterious place and we at Live Science love to ask and answer questions about mysteries big and small: about ancient civilizations, our planet and our solar system, the plants and animals that live alongside us, our bodies and how they work, and the technologies that we use every day. Join us on this exciting voyage of discovery and downright weirdness as we solve… Life’s Little Mysteries. Find Life's Little Mysteries in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audioboom, iHea...

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