MonsterTalk
Episodes
Monstrous Medicine: Disease
23 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What is a disease? We’re joined by science writer Mike McRae, author of Unwell: What Makes a Disease a Disease? to discuss the history of the whole...
Skinwalker Ranch Dressing
30 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This is Patreon Bonus content edited slightly for the regular MonsterTalk feed. (Expect more of this content thanks to the generous support of our...
Teaching with Monsters
29 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In episode 182 of MonsterTalk, we are delighted to introduce Dr. Thor Hansen to listeners. For several years he’s been teaching a course at Western ...
The Monkey’s Paw
25 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
For the Annual MonsterTalk Christmas Special, Blake Smith reads The Monkey’s Paw by W.W. Jacobs. Read the episode notesBecome a supporter of this po...
La Corriveau
25 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, we’re joined by historian Joseph Gagne to discuss the many legends and interesting facts about one of Quebec’s mos...
Ghosts, Gears, Gadgets and Golems
18 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Bebergal studied religion and culture at Harvard Divinity School, and is the author of the new book Strange Frequencies, which chronicles many o...
Monsters and Folklore of the Balkans
30 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, we are joined by Christopher Klimovitz in a wide-ranging discussion of the history and monstrous folklore of the Balka...
The Bunyip Seal of Approval
26 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we go down to the billabong to look for a monster indigenous to Australian folklore and myth — but perhaps with a foot (-er flipper...
Appalachian Monsters
12 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Asher Elbein and Tiffany Turrill join us to talk about monsters and folklore of Appalachia. Their new project about fictional witch Anna O’Brien dra...
Big Footprints, Big Voice — Wild Thing
30 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Bigfoot nests, the Patterson-Gimlin film, DNA testing — it’s all new to journalist and former NPR producer Laura Krantz. She’s digging into the ...
MT/AF Cross-Over 3: Attack of the Killer Tangents
29 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Our third annual cross-over event with the Archy Fantasies Podcast features our combined efforts to find movies which highlight a theme familiar to li...
The Appeal of Yurei
17 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Chris Harding is a lecturer on Asian History at the University of Edinburgh. He has focused on Indian and Japanese history in his academic work, ...
Smalltown Monsters
10 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Since 2015, Seth Breedlove has been producing documentaries about cryptozoology and the impact that a cluster of monster sightings can have on a small...
Jurassic Snark
03 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This weekend (Oct 6 & 7, 2018) Darren Naish is hosting TetZoo Con #5. It’s also been 25 years since the release of Jurassic Park. To celebrate, ...
Long and Drawn Out: Bigfoot Pictographs
02 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with archaeologist Ken Feder (see numerous other episodes including Giants and Atlantis) about the Tule River reservation Mayak Datat (“...
To Sleep, Perchance to Scream
26 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Blake and Karen interview Jeffrey Reddick, a Hollywood screenwriter, producer, and director (perhaps best known for penning Final Destination) about h...
Seneca Legends
24 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Karen and Blake interview David Shango from the Seneca Nation Museum (in Salamanca, NY) about the legends and monsters of the Seneca people. This is t...
Guns & Goblins: CryptidCon 2018
12 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Blake Smith and Jeb Card (Spooky Archaeology) discuss CryptidCon 2018 and Blake’s continuing research into the Kelly-Hopkinsville Goblins Case. (See...
Werewolves and Change
04 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When did full moons become required in werewolf lore? Could the beast of Gevaudan have been a Hyena? Why does silver have such power in folklore? Can ...
Chained Heir: Gothic Horror in Glamis Castle
29 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Glamis Castle has secrets—and one of them is monstrous. Mike Dash (Spring Heeled Jack) joins us to talk about his research into the dark folklore ar...
Jail Ghost Round Table
24 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Blake and Karen are joined again by Hayley Stevens (The Spooktator Podcast) to talk about haunted jails and prisons. Hayley previously appeared on Mon...
Here Come The PERSONS In Black
31 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Karen and Blake discuss the early history of Men in Black lore going back to some primary sources. Stories of mysterious strangers questioning and int...
The Toll of A. Bell
25 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
MonsterTalk host Blake Smith looks back at the career and impact of radio-host Art Bell who passed away on April 13, 2018 at the age of 72. Bell’s i...
Krampus in July
17 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
On a hot Summer day it’s nice to cool off and contemplate the hairy, horned winter monster of the Alps known as The Krampus. In MonsterTalk # 162, B...
The Call of Tut-Thulhu
12 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Archaeologist and author Jeb Card joins Blake Smith to discuss his new book Spooky Archaeology. The book is about many weird, spooky topics which are ...
The Meg
27 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Does a giant prehistoric shark lurk deep in the waters of the ocean, surviving against all odds to surprise us by occasionally biting a giant whale in...
Nessie Unloched
20 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We interview Professor Neil Gemmell (@ProfGemmell) who is currently conducting eDNA research into various lake monsters of Scotland, especially Nessie...
An interview with Richard Hatem (Part II)
06 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, we present part two of Blake’s interview with screenwriter Richard Hatem about his work adapting John Keel’s The M...
An interview with Richard Hatem (Part I)
30 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, Blake interviews screenwriter Richard Hatem about his work adapting John Keel’s The Mothman Prophecies for the 2002 ...
Magic: Sex, Drugs and Rocket Propulsion
23 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The history of magic and science converged in the explosive life of Jack Parsons. By day he was a pioneer in the field of rocket propulsion whose work...
The Greyfriars Kirkyard Ghost
16 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Since the late 1990s people have been reporting strange incidents and injuries when touring the graveyard known as the Greyfriars Kirkyard. Some call ...
The Chicago Mothman — Site Seeing
01 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Allison Jornlin is a paranormal researcher and host of The Otherside podcast. She’s been diligently researching the recent (2017–present) Chicago ...
Spouting off about Gargoyles
18 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We’re getting our minds in the gutter this week but hopefully won’t leave you drained as we climb into the nooks and crevices of Yale University’...
Rampage: A Huge Croc
28 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In the new movie Rampage, a giant mutant crocodile joins up with a giant ape and a giant wolf to destroy Chicago. But this is not the first giant cro...
The Great Beast 666
14 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, we complete our discussion about Western Esotericism with John L. Crow. In this final part we talk about the life o...
Magic: Spiritualism and Theosophy, Part II
28 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, we continue our discussion about Western Esotericism with John L. Crow. In part two, we talk about the origins of Theo...
Winchester’s Cathedral
14 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Winchester Mystery House is a sprawling Victorian mansion in San Jose, California. It is a famous piece of American architectural history, yet nea...
Magic: Spiritualism and Theosophy
30 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The 19th century saw the rise of a variety of secret and secretive movements. Free Masons, Spiritualists, Theosophy and Esoteric Orders give rise to a...
Alien Intrusion and the Ultraterrestrial Hypothesis
17 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, we return to discussion of the Ultraterrestrial Hypothesis (UTH) and what seems to be its growing influence in paranor...
The Tail of the Lizard Man
03 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, we creep narratively into the swamps of South Carolina as we talk of the strange lizard man who is alleged to live in ...
Christmas Special # 5: The Open Window
24 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
For the Annual MonsterTalk Christmas Special, Blake Smith reads The Open Window by H. H. Munro (Saki). READ episode notesBecome a supporter of this po...
Fermi to Know and UFO to Find Out
20 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
MonsterTalk interviews Seth Shostak, chief astronomer for the SETI Institute, and host of their podcast and radio show, Big Picture Science. Our inter...
UFOs, Chemtrails, and Aliens
06 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, we welcome back alum Don Prothero (Episode 22, Episode 43, Episode 68) and first time guest Timothy Callahan to discus...
Grimoires—Part II
29 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
MonsterTalk continues its series on Magic with Part II of its coverage of Grimoires. We continue our interview with researcher Jerry Drake, and focus ...
Grimoires—Part I
22 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode MonsterTalk continues its special series on Magic as it examines the history of Grimoires in Western culture. State Department Archivi...
The Crypto-Kid
14 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, we interview cryptozoology enthusiast Colin Schneider, a young and enthusiastic researcher of Fortean and paranormal t...
Haunted Objects
30 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Happy Halloween! In this special bonus episode (no charge for our Patreon supporters) we join the Archeology Fantasies podcast crew (Sarah Head, Jeb C...
Witches, Pleas
30 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Just in time for Halloween, we begin our multi-episode coverage of "magic" by taking a look at the witch in Western European culture with the edito...
American Goblins — Part 3
18 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Our final part of our three-part look at the Kentucky Goblins case of 1955 concludes with an interview with the hosts of Astonishing Legends, Scott Ph...
American Goblins — Part 2
11 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk — The Science Show About Monsters, we continue our examination of the case of the Kentucky Goblins. Blake is joined b...
American Goblins — Part 1
04 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In August of 1955, a farm family in Kentucky found their home under attack by strange goblin-like monsters. In the years since the attack, the case ha...
The Tracks We Left At DragonCon and CryptidCon
20 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, Karen and Blake discuss MonsterTalk’s presence at Dragon*Con and CryptidCon 2017. Blake got to travel to Kentucky fo...
The Science Behind Monsters
30 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, we take a look at the convergence of science and monsters, as Blake Smith prepares to talk at 2017’s CryptidCon in F...
Dropbears
16 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Australia is home to monsters both real and legendary. In a country where a tiny octopus is toxic enough to kill 20 adults, where huge spiders can cat...
The Life and Extraordinary Afterlife of H. P. Lovecraft
26 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Author Scott Poole (previously with us for Vampira and Monsters in America) joins us to talk about his new biography on American horror writer H. P. L...
Naming Monsters
12 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What’s in a name? More than you might imagine, if you’re a scientist trying to officially name a new species. In this episode of MonsterTalk, we t...
England's Most Haunted Village
28 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Is the little village of Pluckley truly the most haunted village in England? We interview skeptical ghost hunter Hayley Stevens (The Spooktater) about...
Minions, Mobs & Myrmidons
21 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
From ancient Greece to modern movies, monsters and villains often get their assistance from mindless mobs of maleficent minions. Are they simply plot ...
Spooky Geology
16 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, MonsterTalk welcomes back notable skeptic, scientist, researcher and author (and now Podcaster) Sharon Hill. Sharon’s got a new pod...
Monster Trek
02 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk Blake Smith interviews Joe Gisondi, author of Monster Trek: The Obsessive Search for Bigfoot. A journalist professor ta...
The Enfield Poltergeist (Part 2)
12 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Part 2 of our look at the Enfield Poltergeist brings together interviews with Chris French (@ChrisCFrench), Joe Nickell (@RealJoeNickell) and Deborah ...
Man's Best Fiend
04 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, we are joined by folklorist and author Mark Norman to discuss legends of black hounds. Mark is the author of Black Dog...
Crush, Crumble and Chomp
29 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This MonsterTalk is another special literary/pop-culture episode as we take on the biggest topic in monsters: Giant City-Destroying Kaiju! Guests are ...
The Enfield Poltergeist
08 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk we present an interview with Guy Lyon Playfair, one of the original investigators into perhaps the most famous British ...
Psychic Soldiers and Imperilled Silverware
08 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this MonsterTalk, we’re pleased to bring you an interview with psychologist Ray Hyman, a long time skeptical activist and educator, a founding me...
One Rogue Planet: A Star Warrior's Story
11 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, we continue with Part 2 of our coverage of Zecharia Sitchin and “Planet-X” aka “Nibiru” by talking with astron...
Christmas Special # 4: The Thing in the Cellar
30 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Blake Smith reads a story titled The Thing in the Cellar as 2016’s annual Christmas special. MonsterTalk will return to normal science and skepticis...
Bitchin' 'bout Sitchin
21 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Ancient Aliens theorists seem to love the work of Zecharia Sitchin (The 12th Planet). Sitchin proposed that mysterious space beings called Anunnaki vi...
Achievement Unloched — Morar Ness
14 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Writer and researcher Mike Dash (Spring Heeled Jack) returns to talk about the less famous Scottish lake monster alleged to live in Loch Morar. While ...
Science and Sea Monster
30 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What do you get when you combine a love for statistics, a love for biological maritime mysteries and a relentless curiosity? Dr. Charles Paxton has a...
Fairies! An ArchyFantasies Crossover
31 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The cast of archaeologists from the Archaeological Fantasies podcast join Blake and Karen to talk about fairies, how they’ve evolved culturally, an...
Yetipalooza
25 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s episode of MonsterTalk, Eugenie Scott, Brian Regal, and Daniel Loxton join Karen Stollznow and Blake Smith to discuss The Yeti. This ...
MonsterTalk Meets The Lovecraft Geek
19 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
A special for the Halloween Season, Robert Price returns to MonsterTalk to give us a raw dripping sample of his podcast The Lovecraft Geek, a kind of...
Demon Dolls
12 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s episode of MonsterTalk, we talk about demonic or evil dolls, and look into the history of one of America’s most famous creepy playt...
Frauds, Hoaxes and Splendor in the Past
28 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Ken Feder returns to talk about his new book Ancient America: Fifty Archaeological Sites to See for Yourself, which is available for pre-order now on ...
Folklore and Urban Legends
14 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
We are joined by Heather Joseph-Witham, Associate Professor in the Liberal Arts and Sciences Department at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angel...
The Best Laid Plans
31 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, Karen and Blake thank listeners for their amazing support, and discuss upcoming episodes in the works. Read the episod...
Tell Me Strange Things
16 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
MonsterTalk explores the life of author and research Montague Summers, a researcher of dogged determination whose own life is shrouded in mystery and ...
Broadcasting for a Spell
02 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
James “The Amazing” Randi joins us to discuss his work on the Long John Nebel “Party Line,” a late-night AM radio show from New York’s WOR t...
Skeptics Talking About Monsters
20 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, we talk with Deborah Hyde, editor of the British magazine The Skeptic. Deborah is deeply interested in folklore, anthr...
The Episode They Don’t Want You To Know About
06 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Rob Brotherton is the author of Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories. Rob has a doctorate in the psychology of conspiracy theories, an...
What the Fouke? The Beast of Boggy Creek
08 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Lyle Blackburn is a musician, actor, and cryptid researcher who explores the US in search of creatures in swamplands and backwoods. He is the author o...
Bigfoot Skepticism
24 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Eugenie Scott is an anthropologist but is probably most well known for her work fighting against Creationism in the American public education system a...
Bad UFOs
04 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Have you learned most of your UFO stories from The History Channel and motion pictures? Chances are these glossy presentations of aliens and mysteriou...
A Serpent's Tale
19 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Tales of enormous snakes have been a part of folklore for thousands of years. From myths to legends, to eyewitness testimony and photographs, these st...
Skepticism 101
13 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What is a Skeptic anyway? Are they just naysayers? Are they cynics? Do they just automatically say “that’s not real” to anything exciting and my...
Hunting Monsters
09 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, paleontologist Dr. Darren Naish (@TetZoo) returns to discuss his newest book, an overview of the field of cryptozoolog...
Christmas Special # 3: Pickman's Model
30 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
In this MonsterTalk Christmas Special episode, Blake Smith reads aloud Pickman’s Model, a story by H.P. Lovecraft and gives a brief update about the...
Conclusions (Episode 100)
15 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
In the 100th episode of MonsterTalk: The Science Show About Monsters, DNA researcher and author Bryan Sykes discusses the research behind his landmark...
Let's Get This Off Our Chest
03 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
There are legends from around the world of a creature that comes to you at night and sits on your chest, sucking away your life force. The incubus, th...
Doctor Atlantis
20 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve heard the legend of Atlantis. But have you ever heard the facts behind the legend? Dr. Kenny Feder returns to talk about the true story of At...
Shame on the Lizard People
15 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Is the world secretly being controlled by a dark, shadowy cabal? Are many of the world’s leaders actually blood-drinking, child-abusing lizard peopl...
Fear Itself
18 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we fear? What is fear? The Ressler Lab is located in the Yerkes Primate Research Center in Atlanta, and the studies they’re conducting seek t...
El D20ablo — The Satanic Panic & Role-Playing Games
04 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The late 1970s and 1980s saw the rise of a new kind of game. Dungeons & Dragons and its many competitors captivated many high-school and college s...
A Fear of Spiders
28 Jan 2015
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most common fears in the world is the fear of spiders. But what does a rationalist do when gripped by an irrational fear? MonsterTalk inter...
Christmas Special #002: An Inhabitant of Carcosa
02 Jan 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Blake Smith reads aloud An Inhabitant of Carcosa, a story by Ambrose Bierce. The story itself is brief, but its impact on American horror literature i...
Fangs That Go Bump in the Night
22 Oct 2014
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all seen the vampires of cinema and pop culture. Caped aristocrats, sparkling teens, monstrous revenants—which of these best corresponds to ...
Demon Purrsession: Tales of Demonically Possessed Cats
15 Oct 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Can a domesticated cat be a monster? What if it can talk, fly, predict the future and grow to enormous size? Get ready for some of the strangest lore ...
The Robot Apocalypse
08 Oct 2014
Contributed by Lukas
When the robots take over, will we all be forced to speak bocce? Author and robotics engineer Daniel H. Wilson visits MonsterTalk to discuss the natur...
Vampira
24 Sep 2014
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MonsterTalk, Blake conducts a pop-culture interview with historian Scott Poole on the first monstrous horror movie host, Vampira (M...