Horror Humor Hunger

Is a humanoid robot human at all? Should the dead stay dead? If you bring someone back mechanically, what fills the void?

These are the kinds of questions my special guest and I will grapple with as we discuss the inspiration behind and meaning of my short story featured in episode 1, “Grandma Ruth’s U.P. Truck Stop.”

If you want to listen to some creepy animatronics reprogrammed to play classic songs, you can find those videos here:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b90Cf6ARscc
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izvpXE1IDok

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
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- Twitter: @HHHPodwithViggy
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Welcome back for Season 3! This season will focus on my short story “Grandma Ruth’s U.P. Truck Stop.” In this story, graduating University of Michigan engineering student Rachel Regal gets a letter from her hometown letting her know her uncle has passed. However, when she returns home for the funeral, there’s something off about the small town she knows so well--but at least she has Grandma Ruth, town matriarch, to help her get through everything…right?

If you’d prefer to read the story, you can do so here: https://medium.com/@vmp22/grandma-ruths-u-p-truck-stop-e1b0a8203ec5

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
- Instagram: @horrorhumorhungerpodcast
- Viggy's Instagram: @viggyparrhampton
- Twitter: @HHHPodwithViggy
- Sign up for Viggy's monthly newsletter at www.viggyhampton.com

For Season 3, we’re back to our regularly scheduled programming--meaning this season is all about another one of my original short stories. This particular story, which was inspired by The Stepford Wives, is called Grandma Ruth’s U.P. Truck Stop--U.P. as in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It’s creepy, it’s atmospheric, and, I hope, it will make you think.

Mark your calendars for October 3--I hope to see you there!

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
- Instagram: @horrorhumorhungerpodcast
- Viggy's Instagram: @viggyparrhampton
- Twitter: @HHHPodwithViggy
- Sign up for Viggy's monthly newsletter at www.viggyhampton.com

When you hear ‘alien,' you probably think of a little green man with giant black eyes flying around in a saucer-shaped UFO--but what if aliens really exist, and they’ve visited this planet before? What if they live among us right now?

In this episode, we’ll talk to two special guests who have very different opinions about the possibility of alien life and its connection to humans here on Earth.

After listening to this episode, you deserve a treat! Today’s alien-inspired recipe is a delicious Homemade Moon Pie. You can find the recipe here: https://cookingbride.com/desserts/homemade-moon-pies/

Want more information about the Drake Equation? Here’s a good primer (and you can even put in custom parameters to make your very own estimation of the probability of communicative alien life in the universe!): https://www.pbs.org/lifebeyondearth/listening/drake.html

See you in October for Season 3!

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
- Instagram: @horrorhumorhungerpodcast
- Viggy's Instagram: @viggyparrhampton
- Twitter: @HHHPodwithViggy
- Sign up for Viggy's monthly newsletter at www.viggyhampton.com

“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” --Cesar A. Cruz

Art holds a very important place in our society--it can disturb, it can comfort, it can intrigue, it can horrify--and everything in between. Join me and my two special guests, who are both accomplished artists, as we break down the intersection of art and horror.

You can see a selection of my paintings here: https://viggyhampton.com/art/

You can see Nikole’s art here: https://nikolehampton.com

Check out my article featuring Nikole’s Pennywise illustration here: https://medium.com/slackjaw/pennywise-the-clown-what-i-eat-in-a-day-351d0f61e43c?sk=5969e20a3cf670ddc903a59b7795cea2

Check out my article featuring Nikole’s Evolution of Horror illustration here: https://medium.com/illumination/america-will-eat-itself-alive-the-future-of-horror-in-the-2020s-edef2addb9af?sk=e4e11f1799b87e92e4fb19def79abf06

Find Casa Refined here: https://casarefined.com

You can see my bookmark here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqIVWEeLB_L/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MTI1ZDU5ODQ3Yw==

…And here’s the recipe for this episode!

“It’s Alive!” Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcake

• 1 box white or vanilla cake mix (I use GF)
• Whatever ingredients the cake mix box calls for
• Red raspberry jam

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, prepare the cupcake mix according to the instructions on the box.
3. Fill cupcake wells and bake cupcakes according to instructions on box. Let cool completely.
4. When cool, cut a small core out of each cupcake and fill with about 1/2 tsp-1 tsp red raspberry jam.
5. Frosting: Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or you may use an electric mixer) and beat until creamy, well-combined, and lump-free. Add vanilla extract and salt and stir well to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined.
6. Frost with cream cheese frosting.
7. Enjoy!

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
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- Twitter: @HHHPodwithViggy
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A home is usually the biggest purchase any of us will ever make, so it can be terrifying when things go wrong. In this episode, my friend Katherine Vantosh and I break down the horror and humor of all things home--from haunted houses to bad flips to considerations for renovations.

You can find the Paradox of Choice TED Talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO6XEQIsCoM

Want to learn more about the Winchester Mystery House? Click here: https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/

You can see a list and pictures of creepy things people found in their new homes here: https://www.buzzfeed.com/mikespohr/creepy-things-found-hidden-in-new-homes

Finally, here’s a (very loose) recipe for the ‘French Meal’:

• Any meat you like (salami, ham, deli turkey, sliced roast beef all work well)
• Hummus
• Any cheese you like (Brie, Boursin, blue, Manchego, etc.)
• Fruit (grapes, oranges, apples, pears, nectarines, etc.)
• Vegetables for dipping (cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, radishes, celery, etc.)
• Nuts
• Any other spreads you might like, such as jam, chutney, honey

Put it all on a plate and enjoy!

If you want to try that DIY graham cracker haunted house, you can find it here: https://www.homemadefoodjunkie.com/diy-graham-cracker-haunted-houses/

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
- Instagram: @horrorhumorhungerpodcast
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- Twitter: @HHHPodwithViggy
- Sign up for Viggy's monthly newsletter at www.viggyhampton.com

Camping is a national pastime; there’s something about marshmallows roasting over an open fire after a long day of hiking that just hits the spot, right? Well… not always. Not everyone can be a happy camper. In this episode, we’ll hear from two very special guests who have had markedly different experiences while camping. Ranging from the adventurous to the hilarious to the terrifying, these stories are sure to make you laugh and gasp in equal measure.

The recipe for this episode is a delicious mini s’more cheesecake--see below!

No S’More Camping Mini-Cheesecakes

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 3 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews (soaked overnight)
• 1 large lemon (juiced)
• 1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)
• 2/3 scant cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup maple syrup

Topping

• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
• Additional graham cracker crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter and mix until everything is moist. Evenly distribute the mixture between all 12 liners and press down.
3. Bake at 325°F for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Turn off the oven.
4. Add all filling ingredients to a blender and mix until very smooth.
5. Divide filling evenly among the muffin tins. Tap a few times to release any air bubbles, then top with chocolate chips, marshmallows, and graham cracker crumbs. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until hard – about 4-6 hours (or refrigerate overnight).
6. Keep in the freezer for up to 1-2 weeks. Allow to come to room temperature before enjoying!

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
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It’s safe to say dating today is very different compared to dating a few decades ago. The introduction of smartphones and dating apps has radically changed how we meet people--and not always for the better. Today’s special guest, Dr. Camille Holiner, and I both met our husbands on dating apps, and we’re here to discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of the dating process. We also have a bonus mystery guest who shares some hilarious, horrifying, spicy stories from his dating app experience!

If you want to read The Tinder Chronicles, you can find the stories on Medium: https://medium.com/search?q=the+tinder+chronicles

If you want to read the Root Beer Guy story Camille mentions, you can find that here: https://psiloveyou.xyz/the-tinder-chronicles-the-guy-who-felt-like-root-beer-8d47be2d0a5e?sk=47cabebef8b4dc5dbb29a9c9307cf50a

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
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Horror isn’t confined to books and movies--there’s also the in-between space, where audio and visual elements combine to make something new and interesting. That’s exactly what today’s special guests, Winslow Swan and Crimson McKenzie, set out to explore with their audiovisual horror offering, Doorway to Nightmare. While Doorway to Nightmare started out as a passion project just for them, it has blossomed into a popular YouTube channel with a full cast of talented actors. Join us as we discuss their inspiration, their process, and the evolution of horror media!

The recipe for this episode is a guest suggestion: Nightmare Ghoul-ash!

I used this recipe and added some bell pepper--it is absolutely delicious, and the perfect meal to eat while watching an episode of Doorway to Nightmare!

You can find Doorway to Nightmare on their website, their YouTube channel, or on Instagram @‌doorwaytonightmare.

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
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For this episode, I want to take you to the movies! But not just any movies--we’re here to talk all about turkeys, which are those movies that are so bad they’re delightfully good. I’m joined by two special guests, Movie Miss and Drive-In Dave, the wonderful co-hosts of the ‘Let’s Talk Turkeys' podcast, who share their wealth of expertise about these fabulous films.

As you listen (or maybe watch a few turkeys on your own), I suggest you nosh on the recipe for this episode, which is….

THE ULTIMATE TURKEY PANINI

Ingredients

• Your favorite sandwich bread
• Fig jam
• Spicy mustard
• Mayonnaise
• A few slices of cheddar cheese
• Sliced turkey

Directions

1. Slather your bread with fig jam, then add the spicy mustard mixed with mayo.
2. Put a piece of cheddar cheese on both slices of bread, then layer the turkey in the middle.
3. Panini press that sandwich! If you don’t have a panini press, you can grill your sandwich between two heavy pans, or use a pan and a brick wrapped in aluminum foil to press the sandwich down.
4. Enjoy with a side of buttery popcorn!

You can find ‘Let’s Talk Turkeys' on all quality podcast platforms, including Apple, Spotify, and Google. Have a movie suggestion? Reach out on Instagram to Movie Miss @‌Movie_Miss or the show @‌LetsTalkTurkeys 🦃

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
- Instagram: @horrorhumorhungerpodcast
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- Twitter: @HHHPodwithViggy
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