Weird Appalachia

Imagine you had your very own, brand spankin’ new time machine. What would you do? Where would you go? What would you change if that is possible at all? For the season finale I posed one simple question… “What would you do if you could time travel?”. Aaaand let me tell you, it went from light hearted, to trippy, to heavy to light hearted again a few times! Don’t miss this one, guys!

In the Episode:

Time Travel: WTF even happens?

Crazy pop culture moments

A potential existential crisis?

Ancient Aliens? IT WAS ALIENS! IT WAS!

Artists are rebels by nature, but few have left a lasting impact on all media like Salvador Dali! Film, fashion, furniture… this man did it all! And did so with some very questionable behavior so HEADS UP, GUYS!!! This one gets NSFW, because you can’t talk about Dali without mentioning his antics. Nothing about this guy was mild mannered, to say the least!

In the Episode:

Surrealism, Freud, and the Human Mind

A lobster phone?

An amazing interaction between Dali and Andy Warhol

Dali’s outlandish publicity stunts

Episode Sources: [Link 1] [Link 2] [Link 3]

IT’S ALMOST HALLOWEEN! We are celebrating Weird Appalachia style - telling ghost stories in a dark creepy attic AND sharing YOUR submitted listener stories. It’s a creepy good time! We had so many amazing story submissions! There was no way we could fit them all in this episode, so be sure to visit weirdappalachia.com in the coming days until Halloween for all of them!

In the Episode:

Erin’s upbringing in a haunted house

No, Wisey… NO OUIJA BOARD!

A spooky story passed down from Jess’ granny

An underground seance in a Baptist church!?

Appalachia - land of many tales and quirks. Our home is full of lore and specific customs, especially when it comes to death. Out-of-towners might just think we are a little weird, but we are very set in our ways when it comes to our death rituals. Kentucky Funeral Director Tommy Campbell is our special guest!

In the Episode:

Superstitions and “signs” that a death is coming

Appalachian Death Crowns

Strange customs

Playing hide and seek in the funeral home!?

Episode Resources:

http://www.appalachiantalk.org/2019/01/23/death-crowns-in-appalachian-folklore-creepy-or-comforting/

https://blindpigandtheacorn.com/death-superstitions-and-traditions-in-appalachia/

What happens when you get 3 Kentucky childhood best friends together? You get a slightly NSFW episode of Weird Appalachia! Landline singing competitions, creepy old houses, teaching each other about the birds and the bees, terrorizing our teachers… when you’ve known each other as long as we have, you’ve got PLENTY of crazy stories to share! And, listen, y’all - there ain’t nothing in the world like talking with old friends to bring out your STRONG ACCENT!

My special guests Danielle (Danno) and Kayla (Tater K) are raising a little hell with me and reliving the glory days.

In the Episode:

Growing up: getting into “meanness”, as our Mammaws would probably say

Landlines with 3-way calling!?

A Kentucky girl living in Seoul, South Korea

COUNTRY ROADS! TAKE ME HOME!

It’s time for a little R & R, y’all! Redneck Reputations! Comedian Justin Darnell joins me in an all-new podcast episode where we are really going there when it comes to Appalachian stereotypes.

For better or worse, our area is riddled with ideas about who and what we are. Whether it’s the media painting us in a negative light, or delightfully fun (but still inaccurate) films and shows portraying us dumb, barefoot hillbillies, there are loads of stereotypes and misconceptions about us Appalachians.

Our humor may be a little crude at times, but it is all said with love. And if you can’t laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?

In The Episode:

Common Appalachian Stereotypes: the good, the bad, and the ugly

You must LOVE Kentucky Fried Chicken!

Our thoughts and a little (somewhat credible) history lesson on the opioids crisis

The entrepreneurial spirit of Appalachian millennials

Artists, musicians, writers, chefs… humans have this drive to CREATE! Where does it come from? Why do we make the things we make? In all new episode, Erin, Jess, and Wisey are hashing it all out.

In the Episode:

Why do we create? Need for beauty? Narcissim?

Wisey’s Magical Butter

The darker side of why WE create

IT'S OUR 40TH EPISODE!! Kentucky sure can throw an art shindig! Join Erin and Jess as we share all the details about the truly unique art culture in our small, rural towns! Find all the art we talk about on weirdappalachia.com!

In The Episode:

Our favorite galleries: a hillbilly artist’s dream come true!

Being an artist in a small town & pricing work

The eclectic bunch of Kentuckians making AMAZING ART!

FESTIVALS!!

"Is you is, or is you ain't my constituents?" 

The Coen Brother’s classic O Brother, Where Art Thou? is an absolute classic that not only spins a tale of a hillbilly version of The Odyssey, it also represents the American South in funny (not insulting) way. Morehead State University Instructor, Chirstopher Merritt guests as we discuss the magic of this film and why it is so beloved in our area.

In the Episode:

The portrayal of southern people: inspiring younger generations to explore our culture

A masterpiece soundtrack featuring Dr. Ralph Stanley and Alison Krauss

Hilarious movie moments and symbolism

Merritt’s extensive knowledge on all things O Brother

“How many years has it taken people to realize that we are all brothers and sisters and human beings in the human race?” - Marsha P. Johnson

Appalachia has a diverse and beautiful LGBTQ+ community! Last year, Pikeville, KY held their first ever PRIDE, an event celebrating love and acceptance full of talented, all local performers. This year they are at it again with even more big plans! We had the pleasure of talking with Autumn Parker, Tonya Jones, & Gina Bryant with the Pikeville PRIDE Planning Commitee. So what happens when you crash a planning meeting and record a podcast in a gas station lobby? Hit play to find out!

The opinions expressed in this episode are that of the individuals and are not reflective of the group as a whole. 

In the Episode:

Our PRIDE experiences

The first PRIDE: love, drag queens, and protestors

PRIDE PROM!

The importance of LGBTQ+ events and representation