Mythology, Folklore, Urban Legends
Podcast episodes on mythology, folklore, and urban legends, discussed by two tipsy history nerds. Every episode, co-hosts Julia and Amanda mix a drink and discuss a new story or character from a wide range of places, eras, and cultures. Learn brand-new stories and enjoy re-tellings of your favorite myths, served over ice every two weeks, on Spirits.
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Transcripts are available for every new episode. We're working our way through the back catalog at a rate of 2-3 episodes per week (oldest transcribed episode is currently #69). Just click the episode title to read the transcript!
This Passover, Eric Silver joins us to tell the story of the Jewish holiday and leads us through the Seder with all its mandatory cups of wine. He explains why Moses was clearly the first telling of the Hero’s Journey, sings “When You Believe” like an angel, and doesn’t forget to serve the ghost.
Read MoreWe’re getting meta in this episode, featuring Internet Linguist, Gretchen McCulloch. We talk about the ways names are important not only in mythology and folklore, but in our own lives and online as well. Also featuring the Amanda Sins Podcast, a podcast within a podcast, so many throwbacks to the 90s, and what kind of kids did the Bloody Mary thing at sleepovers.
Read MoreThe story of La Llorona is so much more than that trailer you keep seeing with Linda Cardellini. We invited podcast critic Elena Fernández-Collins to tell us a little bit about La Llorona, the historical figure that might have inspired the tale, and her own personal experiences with the spirit growing up in Puerto Rico. We also talk about the strange rules to get into heaven, government influence on the stories we tell, and why you should never yeet your children.
Read MoreOur good friend Andrea is BACK, this time to lead us through a history of cross-dressing in mythology and folklore. We tackle stories from ancient Greece, Norse mythology, Chinese poetry, and beyond! We also chat about disaster bis, make too many puns and portmanteaus, and debate how best to cut a bagel. And remember: Never Sleep.
Read MoreWe’ve got our good friend Lisette on to talk about what the living tradition of witchcraft means to them! Bonus points as we talk about how witchcraft varies around the world, how we all want to fight Zak Bagans in the parking lot of Spaghetti Warehouse, and how we can all better serve our communities!
Read MoreToday may be Halloween, but it’s also another special day - the first day of Día de los Muertos! We’re joined by special guest, Trina Espinoza, who tells us about the history of the holiday, the different ways it’s celebrated across the Americas, and her own personal experiences with The Day of the Dead growing up!
Read MoreSometimes, you just want to sit down and have your friends tell you scary stories. Luckily, we have Paul Bae of The Big Loop and The Black Tapes to tell us some of his best stories. Featuring Mr. Bae’s “Hour of Horror”, a haunted Toys R Us, and many stories that remind us why we will never go into the woods on our own again.
Read MoreWe are joined this week by David Rheinstrom, who helps us parse through the history of fakelore in the USA! How do we feel about Paul Bunyan being invented to sell lumber? Does it make him any more or less a part of American folklore? Also featuring amazing accents, Olsen Twin movies, and just wayyyy too many puns!
Not only do we have listener stories, we have the tale of Tim the Yowie Man! This episode features big cat stories, Mirror Boys, and elementary school blood magic. Then we switch to an interview with Tim, chatting about how he became a cryptonaturalist, his first encounter with the Yowie, and his love for finding mystery in the world.
Read MoreIt’s Shark Week, but we’re not here for shots of Great Whites (mostly because we’re an audio medium). We’re joined by Melissa Marquez, who specializes in the intersection of shark folklore and conservation. We chat about making scientific education accessible, human infested beaches, and what a shark-filled Big Brother house would look like!
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