This week on Wait — What Do You Do Again? we close out Spooky Season with historian Dr. Mikki Brock, whose research explores the supernatural and religious beliefs and identities in early modern Scotland and speaks widely on topics including demonology, witchcraft, and British history.

From witch hunts and the rise of groupthink to the cultural obsession with “unnatural women,” Dr. Brock unpacks how these patterns echo through history and still shape our world today.

It’s a smart, unnerving, and deeply human conversation about what beliefs reveal about fear, power, and control, who we blame, and the invisible forces still shaping us.

You can learn more about Dr. Brock's work and her books at https://www.mdbrock.com/

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This week on Wait — What Do You Do Again?, we meet Dr. Cailin Murray, anthropologist and professor at Ball State University, whose research explores Native American folklore, haunted landscapes, and the anthropology of the supernatural.

From Sasquatch sightings in the Pacific Northwest to Native ghost stories and haunted burial grounds, Dr. Murray unpacks how tales of spirits and monsters reveal America’s haunted history of colonization, loss, and persistence. We also dig into how pop culture, especially The Twilight Saga, has distorted and commercialized Indigenous stories, and how the real Quileute Nation has reclaimed its voice in powerful ways.

Dr. Murray shares her own haunting experiences, the surprising connection between Karl Marx and ghosts, and why she believes the line between the living and the dead is thinner than we think.

If you love Halloween, folklore, Indigenous studies, or stories that blur the line between fact and faith, this episode will linger long after you turn off the lights.

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This week on Wait — What Do You Do Again?, we meet Dr. Bernice Murphy, Professor of Popular Literature at Trinity College Dublin and one of the world’s leading experts on Gothic and horror fiction. From Shirley Jackson’s chilling works (including The Lottery, which is still haunting Meghan 30 years after she first read it), to the haunted houses and haunted hearts of the modern Gothic, Dr. Murphy unpacks why these unsettling tales endure and what they reveal about us.

Murphy explores Jackson’s wit, feminism, and deep insight into community and conformity, the reaction The Lottery garnered, and how horror helps us process real-world fears, from postwar trauma to social media “stonings.” The conversation spans Stephen King, suburban Gothic, cancel culture, and why being scared might actually be good for us.

If you love spooky season, literary history, or just want to understand why we can’t look away from the macabre, this episode is for you.

You can purchase Dr. Murphy's books here and follow her on Bluesky.

Dr. Imani Cheers, commentator, cultural curator, and professor at The George Washington University, explores why Thriller remains a timeless cultural touchstone more than 40 years later. From Quincy Jones’ genius as a boundary-breaking producer to Michael Jackson’s creative evolution, Dr. Cheers unpacks how collaboration and storytelling can transcend genre, race, and time.

Our conversation widens to today’s media landscape: what it means to be media literate, how algorithms shape our worldview, and why community and optimism are acts of resistance. Dr. Cheers also shares her global upbringing, lessons from her father’s work with Ebony and Jet, and her upcoming books Framing Fatherhood and Sacred Sisterhoods. You can learn more about and purchase her books here.

If you love music, culture, or smart storytelling, this one’s for you.

You can follow Dr. Cheers at https://www.thecheersreport.com/

What do haunted houses, hidden cemeteries, and the rich blues history of Mississippi have in common? Storyteller and historian Shannon Evans is here to tell us. As the creator of the hit podcast Tombigbee Tales, Shannon blends deep historical research, oral tradition, and a flair for the supernatural to uncover the myths, scandals, and forgotten figures of the American South. In this episode, she shares the story behind her podcast's name, her work cataloging Black cemeteries across Mississippi, and the ways folklore, ghosts, and even cryptids reflect the South’s complicated past. From antebellum mansions to juke joints, from ghost hunts to courthouse scandals, Shannon reminds us that history is never just black and white; it’s living, layered, and often stranger than fiction.

You can hear more from Shannon at: https://tombigbeetales.com/

Her books, Wisteria Place: A House of History and Haunting and Riverview: A Monument to Greek Revival Architecture, will be available starting November 1st through Amazon and Barnes & Noble online

In this episode, we meet John David Graham, author of Running As Fast As I Can and founder of Good Samaritan Home, a nonprofit that has provided housing and mentorship to more than 2,500 men and women rebuilding their lives after prison or homelessness. John shares how losing his job as a minister became the catalyst for creating a community of 21 homes dedicated to second chances.

From the simple act of making your bed to overcoming recidivism, John reflects on leadership, faith in action, and why compassion and accountability can change lives. This powerful conversation explores the realities of reentry, homelessness, and the importance of community in helping people start again.

You can learn more about John, Good Samaritan Home and his book at: https://johndavidgraham.com/

Full video available on YouTube

What happens when a 30-year corporate veteran pivots at age 51 to become a professional male escort? Meet Australian companion George Goulburn, who left his corporate career to provide intimacy, companionship, and empowerment for women aged 30 to 80.

George shares how he navigates stigma, boundaries, and safety in his work, why so many women struggle to ask for what they want in intimacy, and what he’s learned about communication, confidence, and connection along the way. Whether it’s holding someone’s hand for the first time in over a decade or sharing a trip abroad, George offers his insight about connection, empowerment, and our universal need for touch.

If you’ve ever wondered how women can feel safer and more confident in expressing their desires, or what it really means to create authentic connection, this episode is for you. Sex is acknowledged and discussed in this conversation, please use discernment or headphones when listening.

You can find George at: https://www.georgegoulburn.com/

Watch on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@megdefordyoutube/playlists

Eating disorders are the second most deadly mental health condition after opioid addiction, yet so often, disordered eating is hidden in plain sight, even praised in our culture. In this powerful episode, therapist Janelle Coolidge joins to unpack the difference between eating disorders and disordered eating, how trauma and chronic illness shape our relationship with our bodies, and why no single body type defines health.

Janelle shares practical ways to recognize the signs, how to talk with loved ones who may be struggling, and why body gratitude and self-compassion are essential tools for healing. Together, we explore diet culture, social media’s influence, and the everyday comments we make that can unintentionally do harm.

If you’ve ever wondered what an eating disorder is, how disordered eating shows up in everyday life, or how to support yourself or someone you love, this conversation offers insight, clarity, and hope.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The difference between eating disorders and disordered eating

• Why eating disorders affect people of every size, race, and background

• How trauma and chronic illness intersect with body image

• Practical signs to watch for and how to respond with care

• The role of diet culture, “clean eating,” and social media in shaping our views

Matt returns for a meandering conversation about dating, including a recent dalliance with a colorful fellow, maintaining friendships as we age (and as the single person of the group), Matt tries to sing his way out of the male loneliness crisis, and some Britney Spears. This episode is equal parts laughter, real talk, and reminders that friendship and connection evolve right alongside us.

Catch the unedited version on YouTube

At 82, author Gerry Wilson became a first-time novelist. Her debut historical novel, That Pinson Girl, set in World War I-era Mississippi, draws from family stories, myth, and the complicated legacy of the South. In this conversation, Gerry shares what it means to pursue creativity “late” in life, how historical fiction helps us understand the present, and the resilience it takes to keep writing through rejection. We talk about her grandmother’s influence, the realities of race and culture in Mississippi, and how artifacts like a century-old ledger and wartime letters inspired her characters. This is a conversation about persistence, place, and the power of stories to bridge generations.

You can learn more about Gerry at: https://gerrygwilson.com/

Regal House Publishing: https://regal-house-publishing.mybigcommerce.com/that-pinson-girl/