Coulrophobia is no laughing matter. Although the actual phobia is somewhat rare, most people agree that clowns are creepy. Clowns as pranksters, jesters, jokers, harlequins, and mythologized tricksters have been around for ages, but when did they turn into the sinister beings that haunt our nightmares? This inherent creepiness was taken to an extreme with the idea of the ‘killer clown.” And some people believe this started with the arrest of infamous serial killer-John Wayne Gacy. Also known as "The Killer Clown", Gacy murdered 33 young men before burying them in his crawl space. 

Sources:

-https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-history-and-psychology-of-clowns-being-scary-20394516/

-https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20161019-a-surprising-history-of-the-bad-clown

-https://www.businessinsider.com/why-people-are-scared-of-clowns-2013-8#in-1986-stephen-king-wrote-it-a-horror-novel-where-a-demon-attacks-children-disguised-as-a-clown-it-was-so-popular-that-it-was-turned-into-a-tv-miniseries-in-1990-since-then-clowns-have-become-a-common-horror-trope-in-movies-like-saw-funnyman-and-clownhouse-9

-https://owlcation.com/humanities/History-of-the-Medieval-Jester

-https://historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/disability-history/1485-1660/disability-in-the-tudor-court/

-https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/john-wayne-gacys-childhood

-https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/john-wayne-gacy-death

This week we sit down to discuss the not so Chinese origins of Disney's Mulan. Speaking of sitting down, we almost had to name this episode "Mulan & The Virgin Wheelchair" which goes to show just how scary this story actually is. We then bring you a very dark case of Lavena Johnson, a female soldier in the U.S Army who died under mysterious circumstances (to say the least). We hope you're ready to be uncomfortable. 

Sources:

-https://www.vox.com/culture/21412785/mulan-history-original-chinese-ballad-disney

-https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/article-movie-real-story-of-mulan.htm

-https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1596/mulan-the-legend-through-history/

-https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/why-footbinding-persisted-china-millennium-180953971/

-https://www.history.com/news/8-things-you-might-not-know-about-attila-the-hun

-http://lavenajohnson.com/about/

-https://unresolved.me/pfc-lavena-johnson

-https://thehueandcry.com/lavena-johnson

-https://unresolved.me/pfc-lavena-johnson

-https://www.donaldwatkins.com/post/the-murder-of-pfc-lavena-johnson-part-1

-https://web.archive.org/web/20081015063957/http://newpittsburghcourieronline.com/articlelive/articles/40956/1/Who-killed-Private-First-Class-LaVena-L-Johnson/Page1.html

-mulan-the-legend-through-history

Arguably one of the most popular figures from Greek mythology, Hercules is a story that most of us are familiar with. Disney released their version in 1997, and the world came to know this demigod as a hero with supernatural strength who saved the world from his crazy uncle. As per usual, we are here to cover what Disney didn't (most likely couldn't) tell you. We also discuss a recent true crime case out of India, where a serial killer named Hercules took Bangladesh's rape crisis into his own hands. Hey, we're not mad about...

Thank you so much to Pretzel Pete's for sponsoring this week's snack break. Check them out at https://pretzelpete.com or follow them on IG at @pretzelpetesnacks. 

Sources:

-https://www.worldhistory.org/article/733/the-life-of-hercules-in-myth--legend/

-https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2020/10/26/survivors-of-bangladeshs-rape-epidemic

-https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/2/5/hercules-vigilante-kills-suspected-rapists-in-bangladesh

-https://www.voxspace.in/2019/02/05/hercules-serial-killer/real-life-vigilantes

-https://allthatsinteresting.com/marianne-bachmeier

This week we are bringing you the creepy origins of Valentine's Day. Although it is said to be a time of love and romance, the history of this holiday is actually quite dark. Like, really dark. And in 2007, February 14th was forever blemished by the brutal murder of loving mother and wife, Tara Lynn Grant. Reported missing on Valentine's Day, the investigation would lead police to a grizzly discovery that changed the life of her family forever. 

Sources:

-https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2

-https://time.com/5527259/valentines-day-lupercalia/

-https://www.themidwestcrimefiles.com/post/the-murder-of-tara-lynn-grant

-https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna23409987

-https://www.history.com/news/historys-oldest-known-valentine-was-written-in-prison

Welcome back! This should be a spooky spot that everyone is familiar with considering that most states have multiple "cry baby bridges." But where did this legend come from and why is it so prolific? Listen to find out. 

Sources:

-https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/van-sant-crybaby-bridge

-https://www.hyattsvillewire.com/2021/02/23/goatman-prince-georges-county/

-https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/the-terrifying-goatman-who-haunts-maryland-4885f3814fca

-https://creepycincinnati.com/2011/11/08/the-screaming-bridge-of-maud-hughes-road/

-http://www.kentuckymonthly.com/lifestyle/kentucky-s-sleepy-hollow/

-http://weekinweird.com/2011/09/03/troubled-waterways-origins-crybaby-bridge-legend/

Happy New Year! We are so excited to have Hannah back and to celebrate we thought we'd go back to our bread and butter. There are few fairy tales more classic (and scary) than Little Red Riding Hood. Her story originates from around the world with each retelling becoming more creepy than the last. Then Lacie brings you possibly one of the most horrific true crime stories to date. Albert Fish was a despicable human being who went buy many names: The Grey Man, The Brooklyn Vampire, and The Werewolf of Wysteria. You've heard what they say, watch out for a wolf in sheep's clothing. 

Sources:

-https://www.science.org/content/article/evolution-little-red-riding-hood

-https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/10/05/the-earlier-versions-of-little-red-riding-hood-were-violent-and-grotesque/

-http://scihi.org/peter-stumpp-werewolf/

-https://modernfarmer.com/2013/08/peter-stubbethe-werewolf-of-bedburg/

-https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/serial-killers/albert-fish/

Pour yourself a glass of eggnog and settle in by the fire because this week Chase and Lacie bring you the story of A Christmas Carol. Charles Dickens was inspired by the travesties of Victorian England, and the result was a classic tale that embodies the spirt of Christmas. To ruin the merriment, Lacie brings you a true crime story that rocked the London community in 1849. It was so gruesome that Charles Dickens himself wrote about the trials and subsequent executions. Merry Christmas and we hope you enjoy. 

Sources:

-Dickens-Charles.html

-https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/ragged-schools

-https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/the-origins-of-a-christmas-carol

-https://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/mannings.html

-https://headstuff.org/culture/history/terrible-people-from-history/fred-maria-manning-victorian-murderers/

Bigfoot, Yeti, Sasquatch...this week we are discussing a creature so legendary that people from around the globe have spent their entire lives trying to prove its existence. Despite the lack of scientific evidence, hardcore fans can not be deterred from keeping the conspiracy alive. Guest hosts Chase and Cody will break down the sightings and theories behind this elusive "wild-man" as Lacie connects it to a murder mystery from the wilderness. 

Sources:

-https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/why-bigfoot-and-abominable-snowman-loom-large-human-imagination-180975365/

-https://www.history.com/news/bigfoot-legend-newspaper

-https://www.livescience.com/25072-yeti-abominable-snowman.html

-https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/books-media/man-who-created-bigfoot/

-https://theweek.com/articles/833273/enduring-legend-bigfoot

-https://www.farandwide.com/s/things-to-do-national-parks-a54b7df1bd0b4503

-the-murders-of-julie-williams-and-lollie-winans

-https://www.strangeoutdoors.com/true-crime-in-the-outdoors/2020/1shenandoah-national-park-murders

-https://historycollection.com/the-hairy-history-of-bigfoot-in-20-intriguing-events/4/

-https://www.theguardian.com/science/grrlscientist/2014/jul/02/genetics-evolution-dna-analysis-yeti-sasquatch-bigfoot-zoology-primates

-https://wakingbear.org/is-bigfoot-the-lost-gigantopithecus/

-11-crazy-bigfoot-conspiracy-theories

-https://www.masslive.com/news/worcester/2015/10/is_bigfoot_an_extraterrestrial.html

Shout out to special guest, Whitney, for bringing us the story of La Llorona this week! Beware the wailing woman who lurks by water at night to drown her unsuspecting victims. Sadly, there is a true crime case with unfortunate parallels to the legend of the “wailing woman.” In 2001, Andrea Yates made headlines for drowning all 5 of her children in the bathtub.

Sources:

-https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/04/la-llorona-real-mexican-legend-curse-of-la-llorona-movie

-https://allthatsinteresting.com/la-llorona

-https://www.oprah.com/omagazine/andrea-yates-a-cry-in-the-dark

-https://www.cnn.com/2013/03/25/us/andrea-yates-fast-facts/index.html

-https://allthatsinteresting.com/andrea-yates

-https://murderpedia.org/female.Y/y/yates-andrea.htm

-There Was A Woman: La Llorona from Folklore to Popular Culture by Domino Renee Perez

This week Chase fills in for Hannah to discuss the origins of one of the most popular nursery rhymes, Humpty Dumpty. It turns out that ole egg man has historical ties that date back to the 1400s. As you could guess, it's going to get a little dark. Fast forward to 1942 when 47 patients at The Oregon State Hospital unknowingly ate their last meal. Breakfast for dinner...

Sources:

-https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/02/28/humpty-dumpty/

-https://timalderman.com/2020/02/13/the-origin-of-humpty-dumpty/

-874550001

-https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2017/11/18/oregon-state-hospital-poison-causes-47-deaths-1942/874550001/

-http://www.offbeatoregon.com/1211c-asylum-kitchen-mixup-killed-hundreds-with-scrambled-eggs.html

-https://www.salemreporter.com/posts/5175/staffers-at-oregon-state-hospital-endure-violence-long-hours-despite-promises-of-improvements