MonsterTalk

In this episode we look at the history of the Vampire in folklore and literature with professor Nick Groom - aka "The Prof of Goth." Links related to Professor Groom: The Vampire: A New History by Nick Groom (affiliate link) Nick Groom - University of Macau faculty page - NickGroom@um.edu.mo University of Exeter faculty page - N.Groom@exeter.ac.uk Times Literary Supplement - articles by Nick Groom Author's page at Simon & Schuster Interview with The One Ring about Groom's Tolkien scholarship Articles at Literary Hub by Groom Some Vampire Links: The Vampyre - John Polidori (Full Text - 1819) The Black Vampyre: A Legend of St. Domingo (Full Text - 1819) (affiliate link) - wiki Varney the Vampire: Or the Feast of Blood (Full Text - 1847) (affiliate link) - wiki Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (Full Text - 1872) (affiliate link) - wiki Dracula by Bram Stoker (Full Text - 1897) (affiliate link) - wiki Vampire Panics (1790s - 1890s) The Ackermansion This episode brought to you by Factor Meals – use our link or code MonsterTalk50 to 50% off your first order! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

Karen and her husband Matt are back from visiting Australia and in this episode we discuss some viral ghost photos. The photos will be in the show notes, and we will cross-post a version of this on our YouTube page with image inserts. Karen's new book BITCH is on sale now. Blake's recent article about mind viruses seems to be backed up by an even more recent article confirming that clinical evidence doesn't support a "mind virus" explanation for idea spread. This episode brought to you by Factor Meals – use our link or code MonsterTalk50 to 50% off your first order! =========== Giant "humanoid" over mall in Zambia. Party scene with crying girl also hides "ghost face"2007 - Parma Gas Station "ghost" or "angel"Ghostly "shadow person" walks through trafficversion here"Cowboy ghost" at abandoned mineshows up on a lot of ghost photo sites.Irish Flax Workers and the mysterious "extra hand" Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

Part one of our two-part talk with author Adam Gorightly about his research into the very strange history of Discordianism and The Illuminati. If you have never heard of Operation Mindf*ck, get ready for a ride. LINKS: Adam Gorightly Books (affiliate) Historia Discordia (affiliate) Illuminati (wiki) INWO game (SJGAMES) and Board Game Geek review Can't Get You Out Of My Head (Youtube) JFK Movie (affiliate link) The famous Playboy Illuminati Letter Barkun - A Culture of Conspiracy 60s Counter Culture Robert Anton Wilson Kerry Thornley (wiki) Can’t Get You Out of My Head or Documenting Operation Mindf*ck - POV Magazine This episode brought to you by Factor Meals – use our link or code MonsterTalk50 to 50% off your first order! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

In this episode Blake continues his conversation with Richard Hatem (Mothman Prophecies, Titans, Under Siege 2) about his new podcast. Karen was away during this episode but will be back next week. Additional Links: Spiricom via Encyclopedia.com Spiricom – by Kenny Biddle via Skeptical Inquirer Recording of a Spiricom Session (YouTube) The Mothman Prophecies (amz affiliate link) Titans (amz affiliate link) Miracles (amz affiliate link - to DVD) This episode brought to you by Factor Meals - use our link or code MonsterTalk50 to 50% off your first order! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

In this episode Blake talks with Richard Hatem (Mothman Prophecies, Titans, Under Siege 2) about his new podcast. Additional Links: Spiricom via Encyclopedia.com Spiricom - by Kenny Biddle via Skeptical Inquirer Recording of a Spiricom Session (YouTube) This episode brought to you by Factor Meals - use our link or code MonsterTalk50 to 50% off your first order! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

Part two of a two-part discussion with paleontologist Darren Naish about the history of Dogman lore. In part two, we discuss the current state of cryptozoology. Be sure and check out Darren's Dogman article below: Darren’s Dogman Article (TetZoo) Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

Part one of a two-part discussion with paleontologist Darren Naish about the history of Dogman lore. Next week in part two, we discuss the current state of cryptozoology. Darren's Dogman Article (TetZoo) STM - Beast of Bray Road (YouTube) Drive down Bray Road on your computer (Google Maps) Linda Godfrey's Obituary Beast of Bray Road (wiki) Dogman (wiki) Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

We're delighted to welcome back Dr. Ken Feder to talk about his new YouTube series that covers many archaeological frauds & hoaxes, and explains how archaeologists know what they know. Catch his web series here. Ken's books are great - here's an affiliate link to his author's page. Catch our previous episodes with Ken. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

We're excited to bring you an interview with Dr. Emily Zarka, host of PBS's Monstrum series on the humanities web channel Storied. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

Werewolves are an ancient idea, but the meaning and beliefs around the concept have changed over time. How were they viewed in the classical world and even earlier? Find out in this week's episode as we interview Dr. Tanika Koosmen. Dr. Koosmen's thesis at Newcastle online archive The werewolf story in Satyricon Some movies mentioned: Van Helsing (2004) Deep Rising (1998) Interesting terms: Versipellis - In Roman mythology and literature, a "versipellis" is literally a "skin changer" and referred to someone who could change their skin or shape, similar to a shapeshifter. The term is derived from "versus" (changed) and "pellis" (skin). Episode art by Team Smith (my kids worked together on this one) Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

We welcome back Dr. Justin Mullis to tell us about the interesting connection he found between Cryptozoology and the Godzilla franchise. He just appeared at G-Fest in Chicago where he spoke on this topic. Justin's profile at Academia.Edu Justin visiting with Cian at The Lost World Podcast talking Kong Skull Island Justin writes for AIPT in NYC The Impossible Archive podcast Justin discussing "little people" with Cian Gill Thanks to Stephen & William Smith for this week's episode art. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

We're joined by mosquito and disease expert Dr. Louisa Messenger of the Las Vegas PARAVEC lab. It turns out that gators and snakes aren't the big danger in a swamp. And this monster isn't constrained to swamps. In fact, it's probably in your own backyard. Mosquito problem in Las Vegas How to fight Mosquitos Dr. Messenger's Lab website Additional Reading: History of antimalarial drugs Modern use of Quinine The Color Mauve History of Malaria Lyle Blackburn's Sinister Swamps (affiliate link) Theodore Sturgeon's IT! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

Karen Stollznow and Matt Baxter recount their journey to solve the mystery of the ghost lights of Silver Cliff Cemetery, in Colorado. Silver Cliff Cemetery Prisoner's Cinema History Colorado Karen's book Haunting America (Amz affiliate link) Announcing the release of Karen's latest title: bitch: The Journey of a Word Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

We answer a listener question that takes us down some interesting rabbit holes and face to face with the apparently never-ending tendrils of the Satanic Panic. Photo of Tokoloshe statue courtesy Peter Aller. Lots of show notes for this one: South Africa’s Occult Crimes Unit: How Apartheid shaped South African attitudes toward Paganism and the Occult Dr. Kobus Jonker More on "Donker" Jonker What is a Sangoma? Wikipedia: Tokoloshe A sample of The Daily Sun coverage of Tokoloshe The SAPS Occult Unit was never truly disbanded? How Apartheid shaped SA attitudes about Paganism and the Occult Article about the 666 Gangs and the Occult Task Force Frighteningly familiar SA Police web page about spotting Occult in kids 1999 article about failures of the Occult Task force Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

The US Library of Congress says the Cassowary is the world's "Most Dangerous Bird!?" But is it? We talked with biologist Steven Portugal to find out. Steven Portugal's search for the Cassowary trip Cassowary (Wiki) Darren Naish on the 2023 Cassowary Florida Relocation Event Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

Blake and Karen discuss some recent werewolf projects, and what to do with all this research material accrued since this project started in 2011. Wolf-related MonsterTalk (previous episodes) Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 Jay Smith’s historical research on hyenas and French wolf attacks. (Behind a paywall, but you may be able to get free access at your local public or university libraries. Be sure and check with a librarian.) Scott Lilienfeld (et al) book on Psychology Myths mentioned regarding full moon The Werewolf of Livonia Blake's Werewolf Bibliography Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

Friend of the show Ray Garton, author of many horror books including In a Dark Place, passed away April 21, 2024 of lung cancer. This show is largely a rebroadcast of episode #039 from 2011. Ray was one of the first and most prominent people who worked with Ed and Lorraine Warren who then went on to call them out for their duplicity. He wouldn't be the only one either, as we covered in The Warren Omission a few years later. Content Warning: Many of the alleged events that Ray wrote about for the Warrens involved sexual and physical trauma, and this episode needs the explicit tag due to discussion of that content. Ray Garton's Amazon Author page (affiliate link) Ray's Obituary Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

We take a look at the 1992 BBC Halloween tv special, Ghostwatch. Ghostwatch (streaming Affiliate Link) Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

This week we take a look at some recent news stories that fall within our bailiwick. We've got big cats, big-not-really-cats, and some UFO data to discuss. (with Matt Baxter.) Note - check out the articles for images of the "Thylacine", especially the Reddit thread and Galante's video. Tasmanian Tiger: Forrest Galante's YT Video Coverage in Newsweek Reddit readers have a go at the photos Alien Big Cat in UK BBC says DNA confirms big cat in UK Local news coverage 2023 article with similar findings UFO Hotspot Analysis Axios story about the analysis NUFORC's website Data Analyst considers this data Cool - NUFORC uses an old missile silo as HQ?? About NUFORC (Wiki) Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.