Making Friends Podcast

A veteran haunter of nearly 15 years, Flintsy the Clown is now retired from haunting to spend more time being a dad. He sits down with Jake and Maisy to talk about his long career in haunting all across New England, how he created his Flintsy character, and how that character metamorphosed from a super creepy haunt clown dripping with blood and boils into his modern tramp clown character who breathes fire for kids' camps and events.

If you fell in love with Flintsy like we did, you can check out his podcast, Flintsy's Curiosity Circus, or follow him online @Flintsy_the_Clown on Instagram or TikTok.

Music:

• Intro: Friends (Instrumental) - Whodini + Forgotten Castle - Ludvig Moulin
• Outro: Friends (Instrumental) - Whodini + Haunted Mansions - Stationary Sign

Clips:

• Trick 'r Treat (2007)
• Hell Fest (2018)
• House on Haunted Hill (1958)

Jake and Maisy interview Nether, a seasoned haunt actor and horror lover who has been haunting for five seasons now. He tells us all about the life of a haunt actor, what kinds of training he goes through, and the fun and not-so-fun aspects of getting to scare people every night for a month. Nether has also been a makeup artist for his haunt for several seasons, helping other actors with their makeup and honing his horror cosplay skills. We also have some great conversations on how welcoming the haunt community is to queer and trans people and the encroachment of AI into the haunt industry.

If you fell in love with Nether like we did and want to see more of their work, you can check out his cosplays and artwork on Instagram.

Music:

• Intro: Friends (Instrumental) - Whodini + Forgotten Castle - Ludvig Moulin
• Outro: Friends (Instrumental) - Whodini + Haunted Mansions - Stationary Sign

Clips:

• Trick 'r Treat (2007)
• Hell Fest (2018)
• House on Haunted Hill (1958)

This week is a very special episode: Jake and Maisy sit down with Kane Watkins, Haunt Manager at Alabama's must-see haunted attraction, Arx Mortis. One of two haunt managers for this massive attraction, Kane talks about what his job entails, his haunted house career, and the huge network of friends and family he's built through the haunt. He also has tons of fun haunt stories to share, so strap in! This is a fun one.

Arx Mortis is a massive 50,000 square foot haunted attraction and one of the scariest in Alabama, having won numerous awards over the years. Located in Killen, AL, Arx Mortis is open every weekend in October, plus Thursdays and Sundays during the last two weeks of the month. If you're excited about the haunt and close enough to visit, Making Friends is giving away 4 VIP tickets over on Instagram! Giveaway from October 1 - 8, winners announced October 9.

Music:

• Intro: Friends (Instrumental) - Whodini + Forgotten Castle - Ludvig Moulin
• Outro: Friends (Instrumental) - Whodini + Haunted Mansions - Stationary Sign

Clips:

• Trick 'r Treat (2007)
• Hell Fest (2018)
• House on Haunted Hill (1958)

This week is a very special haunted house interview episode! Lynn Kent, Jordan's mom, has been running a home haunt in Lakeland, Georgia for several decades now, and we interview her all about it: how she got the idea, how it's grown, and why she loves haunting so much. River Road Haunted House has turned into a beloved community fixture that brings people from all over the Southeast. It's a labor of love that Lynn takes on with a hardworking group of locals every year, bringing joy to adults and children alike. It's a legacy that she's building for herself and her community with no plans of stopping.

Music:

• Intro: Friends (Instrumental) - Whodini + Forgotten Castle - Ludvig Moulin
• Outro: Friends (Instrumental) - Whodini + Haunted Mansions - Stationary Sign

Clips:

• Trick 'r Treat (2007)
• Hell Fest (2018)
• House on Haunted Hill (1958)

It's our very first spooky season community spotlight: haunted attractions! This episode will give you the background on haunted house history, haunt organizations, and how haunted houses help build community and give back to the communities they’re in - probably in your state or town, even if you don’t realize it. Starting this week and going through the entire month of October, we'll be releasing weekly episodes interviewing haunt owners, operators, and actors about their haunt experiences and what goes into their work, as well as how they feel haunting can bring people together.

Music:

• Intro: Friends (Instrumental) - Whodini + Forgotten Castle - Ludvig Moulin
• Outro: Friends (Instrumental) - Whodini + Haunted Mansions - Stationary Sign

Clips:

• Trick 'r Treat (2007)
• Hell Fest (2018)
• House on Haunted Hill (1958)

In our twentieth episode, Jake and Jordan sit down with their long-time friend and one of Jordan's closest friends, Rudy Salazar. Rudy is open, vulnerable, and honest, discussing his struggles with addiction, opening up about his feelings, and learning how to be a good husband and father when he didn't have the best role models. Overall, this episode is bro-y, funny, raw, and touching: a great depiction of healthy, positive masculinity. Also, we talk a lot about the early 2000s hardcore scene in South Georgia, and you get to hear some gems Rudy dug up for us. We hope you enjoy!

CW: Pornography, addiction, racism, depression, alcohol, cheating

This week, we interview Jamie Jackson, someone who grew up with Jake in the same small town. Today, Jamie works in a mental health hospital and is a wife and mother of two boys. She talks with Jake and Maisy about her passion for mental healthcare, how she's doing her best to raise her boys to be well-rounded, compassionate men, and her struggles with making and maintaining friendships as an adult with a busy life.

Jamie also pulls no punches discussing Jake's past and their time growing up together, the way he behaved when he was younger, and how much he's grown. It's a great interview with a truly wonderful, strong, funny, and passionate woman - you're going to fall in love with Jamie.

CW: Self harm/suicide, mental health, loss of a child, slut shaming, gaslighting, emotional abuse

Music: Friends (Instrumental) - Whodini

Clips:

• May 1, 1969: Fred Rogers testifies before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications
• The Thing (1982)
• Ms. Rachel - "Learn About Emotions and Feelings"

Chris "Possum" Joyce sits down with Jake and Maisy to talk about the origin of his nickname, his absent father, his time in the military, and the connections he's made through gaming and Magic the Gathering. We talk a lot about mental health, skills he's learned through therapy, and how he learned how to be chill and accepting of everyone.

TW: Self harm/suicide, mental health, alcoholism, addiction

Music: Friends (Instrumental) - Whodini

Clips:

• May 1, 1969: Fred Rogers testifies before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications
• The Thing (1982)
• Ms. Rachel - "Learn About Emotions and Feelings"

Returning to our regularly scheduled programming, Jake and Maisy sit down with one of Jake's friends from law school, Paresh Maharaj.

They chat about all sorts of things from growing up brown during 9/11 to learning life lessons from anime. Get ready to hear about Dungeons and Dragons, karaoke, strip clubs, and the struggles of scheduling hang-outs with groups of busy adults.

This is such a fun interview; it's a great episode to get you back used to our regular interview style. We hope you enjoy!

TW: Racism, mental health, misogyny

If you fell in love with Paresh, here's where you can find and support him:

https://www.instagram.com/pmaharaj92/

https://bustedlimes.podbean.com/

Music: Friends (Instrumental) - Whodini

Clips:

• May 1, 1969: Fred Rogers testifies before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications
• The Thing (1982)
• Ms. Rachel - "Learn About Emotions and Feelings"

Jake and Maisy sit down with Alaina Calliope Lucille, a clown and drag performer who takes us through her 15-year journey with clowning, from locking herself in the bathroom to learn makeup as a kid; through clown college in her early twenties; marriage, family, and transition; and up to her current career as a drag clown. We chat about the intersection between clowning and drag, how gender affects clowning, and how Calliope has found her home in the clown community.

If you fell in love with Calliope like we did, here's where you can find and support her:

@alainacalliopelucille

Music: Friends (Instrumental) - Whodini

Clips:

• May 1, 1969: Fred Rogers testifies before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications
• The Thing (1982)
• Ms. Rachel - "Learn About Emotions and Feelings"