Podcast
American Hysteria
Hosted by chelsey weber-smith · EN
American Hysteria explores how fantastical thinking has shaped our culture – moral panics, urban legends, hoaxes, crazes, fringe beliefs, and national misunderstandings. Poet-turned-podcaster Chelsey Weber-Smith tells the strangest stories from American history and examines the forces that create the reality we share, and sometimes, the reality we don't.
32episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Playing Indian with Rebecca Nagle
4d ago01:11:55Tap to summarizeAs we endure surreal celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the United States, we hear the same Disneyfied history being told over and over again. Rebecca Nagle is a citizen of Cherokee Nation and the host of the podcast This Land as well as a new investigative series called First America, a show that unveils how the treatment of Indigenous nations and the Native resistance that followed shaped US democracy in profound and surprising ways. For this episode, Rebecca tells us about the history of white colonizers "Playing Indian," from the costumes of the Boston Tea Party, to the Victorian-era summer camps, the symbolic 19th century political cartoons, the names and logos of sports mascots, and even a new mascot of a recent insurrection. We talk about what the history of both indigenous peoples themselves as well as colonizers' idea of Indigenous peoples has to do with American identity, freedom, and envy, and how we can look to the past not just to find the roots of the present, but also to learn about potential paths to resistance. Listen to Rebecca's new podcast First America: Apple / Spotify / Website Check out more of Rebecca's work here Become a Patron to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on Apple Podcasts Get some of our new merch at americanhysteria.com, all profits this month go to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group. Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline at americanhysteria.com Producer and Editor: Miranda Zickler Associate Producer: Riley Swedelius-Smith Additional editing by Kaylee Jasperson Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →In Defense of Queer Villains with BJ Colangelo
2w ago01:04:35Tap to summarizeHave you ever noticed that many of the most iconic evil-doers in movies seem, well, pretty gay? Think Scar from the Lion King, Jafar from Aladdin, Ursula from The Little Mermaid, Miss Trunchbull from Matilda, Hannibal Lecter from Silence of the Lambs. We have often regarded this as a problem to fix, a literal villainization that has hurt the queer community's public image. For this Pride episode, however, entertainment journalist and co-host of the podcast This Ends at Prom, BJ Colangelo, explains to us that there may be a more interesting way to look at it. Listen to This Ends at Prom wherever you get your podcasts Check out BJ's website for more of her work Follow @BJColangelo on TikTok and Instagram Become a Patron to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on Apple Podcasts Get some of our new merch at americanhysteria.com, all profits this month go to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group. Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline at americanhysteria.com Producer and Editor: Miranda Zickler Associate Producer: Riley Swedelius-Smith Additional editing by Kaylee Jasperson Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →DATING APPS
3w ago01:06:46Tap to summarizeIn the early 1990s, match.com debuted as the first major dating app on the world wide web, but it was far from the earliest way that people used technology to meet other hopeful singles. For this episode, we’ll look at what came before the apps we know today, the video dating of the 1980s as well as the original computer dating of the 1960s, and we’ll learn about the way that “dating” itself came to exist in the Victorian era when swiping left or right was done with proto-speed dating and analog opening lines. Then we’ll look at the ways that the dating apps we know today have come under control of major corporations that seek to siphon our money away by manipulating our emotions, and potentially, to use our data for far more nefarious means. Become a Patron to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on Apple Podcasts Follow us on instagram @americanhysteriapodcast to see the videos that go along with this episode Get some of our new merch at americanhysteria.com, all profits this month go to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group. Leave us a message on our Urban Legends Hotline at americanhysteria.com Producer and Editor: Miranda Zickler Sound Designer and Associate Producer: Riley Swedelius-Smith Voice Actor: Will Rogers Written, Produced, and Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →THE GAY AGENDA (Pride Rewind)
4w ago00:37:40Tap to summarizeThis is a rerelase with a new introduction! The purse-carrying, tutu-wearing purple Teletubby Tinky Winky was outed as a homosexual in 1999, capping off a decade of conspiratorial anti-gay writings and videos that influenced politics straight up to supreme court. Accused of using kids shows and public schools to influence impressionable minds and recruit new young homosexuals, the gay militants were secretly powerful agents of a massive conspiracy to bring down traditional American values and take over the country. The creation of the Gay Agenda theory borrowed from a long history of devastating misinformation and a concerted effort to rid America of this apparent moral disease without mercy, a process that began as the first puritans encountered tribal communities with ways shockingly different than their own, and began their own anti-gay crusade that has lasted centuries. Become a Patron to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on Apple Podcasts Get some of our new merch at americanhysteria.com, all profits go to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group who are on the ground in Gaza delivering food and supplies to displaced families. American Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Produced and edited by Clear Commo Studios Voice Acting by Will Rogers and Lily Orrey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Our 300th Episode with Sarah Marshall
May 2501:28:59Tap to summarizeWe are celebrating our (estimated) 300th episode of American Hysteria with a little Chelsey Weber-Smith Q&A session hosted by Sarah Marshall of You’re Wrong About. It’s been a strange journey, and to celebrate, I’m answering questions provided by our beloved Patrons, so join us to learn more about the show and more about my own weird life, my unceasing fears, my hopes, my dreams, and how I feel about all of you special eccentrics out there. Become a Patron to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on Apple Podcasts Get some of our new merch at americanhysteria.com, all profits go to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group who are on the ground in Gaza delivering food and supplies to displaced families. Leave us a message on the Urban Legends Hotline Producer and Editor: Miranda Zickler Associate Producer: Riley Swedelius-Smith Additional editing by Kaylee Jasperson Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →The Voyager Golden Record with Riley Swedelius-Smith and Miranda Zickler
May 1801:25:34Tap to summarizeDuring the 1970s, a ragtag group led by American astronomer Carl Sagan set out to create and then launch into deep space an audio time capsule of sounds, songs, and messages that would represent the Earth to any intelligent alien life that might come in contact with the crafts they called Voyager I and Voyager 2. For this American Hysteria team episode, assistant producer and sound designer (and my brother) Riley Swedelius-Smith tells producer Miranda Zickler and I about the fascinating process of creating the Voyager Golden Record, how they made the choices they did, and what they felt was important enough, understandable enough to share with hypothetical beings we probably cannot even comprehend. Become a Patron to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on Apple Podcasts Get some of our new merch at americanhysteria.com, all profits go to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group who are on the ground in Gaza delivering food and supplies to displaced families. Leave us a message on the Urban Legends Hotline Producer and Editor: Miranda Zickler Associate Producer: Riley Swedelius-Smith Additional editing by Kaylee Jasperson Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →The Disturbing World of Cute Cat AI with Panic World
May 1101:21:26Tap to summarizeWarning! Extremely weird episode! In a world where AI creations are taking over social media, we are seeing more and more bafflingly bizarre content overwhelm apps like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, including what has come to be known as Cute Cat AI. These seemingly kid-friendly, uncanny, Elsagate-esque humanoid cat videos include gore, gross-out scenes, sexual themes, and just the weirdest stuff you can imagine. For this collaboration, Ryan Broderick and Grant Irving of the podcast Panic World join me to explore these disturbing Cute Cat AI videos as well as another classic story of online cat content taking a turn for the worse, the early internet’s Bonsai Kittens Hoax. Cat lovers, do not fear, the real cats are alright, but the people? Maybe not so much. Listen to Panic World wherever you get your podcasts or watch this episode complete with the Cute Cat AI videos on their YouTube channel @panicworldpod Become a Patron to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on Apple Podcasts Get some of our new merch at americanhysteria.com, all profits go to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group who are on the ground in Gaza delivering food and supplies to displaced families. Leave us a message on the Urban Legends Hotline Producer and Editor: Miranda Zickler Associate Producer: Riley Swedelius-Smith Additional editing by Kaylee Jasperson Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →
Introducing: No Such Thing
May 700:12:29Tap to summarizeWe’re excited to share a preview of a new podcast we think you’d enjoy: No Such Thing. No Such Thing is a show where three best friends and journalists settle their dumb arguments — and yours — by actually doing the research. Hosts Manny Fidel, Noah Friedman, and Devan Joseph start each episode with an argument using just their gut feelings. Then they go out into the world, investigate, talk to experts, and conduct some experiments. Finally, the guys bring their findings back to the group to see if they can change minds, enlighten each other, and move past their emotional truths. Find No Such Thing on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts. New episodes out Wednesdays Listen here: No Such Thing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →THE BENNINGTON TRIANGLE pt. 2 with Sarah Marshall
May 401:26:02Tap to summarizeWhen the Bennington Five disappeared in Southwest Vermont between 1945 and 1950, the local refrain became: Don't go into the woods while wearing the color red. For part two of our series, former Bennington College student Sarah Marshall of You’re Wrong About joins me again as I explain four more disappearances and their alleged paranormal explanations: UFOs, forest monsters, and bizarre structures hidden in the mountains. Then we'll look at how the popular legend of the Bennington Triangle actually formed over the last 70 years. Become a Patron to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on Apple Podcasts Get some of our new merch at americanhysteria.com, all profits go to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group who are on the ground in Gaza delivering food and supplies to displaced families. Leave us a message on the Urban Legends Hotline Producer and Editor: Miranda Zickler Associate Producer: Riley Swedelius-Smith Additional editing by Kaylee Jasperson Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →THE BENNINGTON TRIANGLE pt. 1 with Sarah Marshall
Apr 2701:28:42Tap to summarizeAt Bennington College in southwest Vermont, tales of a curse have been passed around for 75 years. Known as the Bennington Triangle, the nearby mountains and forests were the sites of five mysterious disappearances from the late 1940s and early 1950s, disappearances that some have blamed on paranormal forces. Former Bennington student Sarah Marshall of You’re Wrong About joins me for this two part series, and for part one, I’ll tell her the story of the most famous and confounding of these disappearances that would help inspire one of our favorite novels of all time, The Secret History by Donna Tartt. For part two, we'll get into the other disappearances as well as the tales of UFOs, forest monsters, and strange structures in the woods, all of which have been floated as the true reason the Bennington Five vanished without a trace. Become a Patron to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on Apple Podcasts Get some of our new merch at americanhysteria.com, all profits go to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group who are on the ground in Gaza delivering food and supplies to displaced families. Leave us a message on the Urban Legends Hotline Producer and Editor: Miranda Zickler Associate Producer: Riley Swedelius-Smith Additional editing by Kaylee Jasperson Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →