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We have had many media panics about swarms and hordes, about infestations and plagues of dangerous insects and arachnids that promise to rain destruction down on the defenseless American public. My guest today is comedian Akilah Hughes, host of the podcast How Is This Better? We are talking about our American fear around sensationalized bugs, from killer bees to infected mosquitos to floating spiders to the kissing bug. We’ll discuss what these panics can tell us about the language of our politics and the way mass hysteria can create monstrous problems from perceived threats, no matter how tiny.
Get more of Akilah's work:
Website / How Is This Better? / YouTube / Instagram
Become a Patron to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content
Or subscribe to American Hysteria on Apple Podcasts
Get some of our new merch at americanhysteria.com, all profits go to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group who are on the ground in Gaza delivering food and supplies to displaced families.
Leave us a message on the Urban Legends Hotline
Thank You To Our Sponsor: Go to https://surfshark.com/chelsey or use code CHELSEY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!
Producer and Editor: Miranda Zickler
Associate Producer: Riley Swedelius-Smith
Additional editing by Kaylee Jasperson
Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
By chelsey weber-smith4.3
32933,293 ratings
We have had many media panics about swarms and hordes, about infestations and plagues of dangerous insects and arachnids that promise to rain destruction down on the defenseless American public. My guest today is comedian Akilah Hughes, host of the podcast How Is This Better? We are talking about our American fear around sensationalized bugs, from killer bees to infected mosquitos to floating spiders to the kissing bug. We’ll discuss what these panics can tell us about the language of our politics and the way mass hysteria can create monstrous problems from perceived threats, no matter how tiny.
Get more of Akilah's work:
Website / How Is This Better? / YouTube / Instagram
Become a Patron to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content
Or subscribe to American Hysteria on Apple Podcasts
Get some of our new merch at americanhysteria.com, all profits go to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group who are on the ground in Gaza delivering food and supplies to displaced families.
Leave us a message on the Urban Legends Hotline
Thank You To Our Sponsor: Go to https://surfshark.com/chelsey or use code CHELSEY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!
Producer and Editor: Miranda Zickler
Associate Producer: Riley Swedelius-Smith
Additional editing by Kaylee Jasperson
Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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