E430 Opening Night Haunts and Scamaroonies - Live Show at The Brooklyn Bell House, Brooklyn, NY

Summary

Podcast Summary: And That's Why We Drink – Episode E430: "Opening Night Haunts and Scamaroonies"

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Introduction

In Episode E430 of And That's Why We Drink, hosts Christine Schiefer and Em Schulz bring their unique blend of true crime and paranormal storytelling to a live audience at The Brooklyn Bell House in Brooklyn, NY. Released on May 4, 2025, this episode delves into chilling ghost stories from Broadway theaters and explores the notorious scams of George C. Parker, New York City's most infamous con man. The lively banter between Christine and Em sets a convivial yet eerie tone, inviting listeners to grab their favorite beverages and immerse themselves in tales where murder meets the supernatural.

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Ghost Stories from Broadway

New Amsterdam Theater and the Haunting of Olive Thomas

Em begins the ghostly tales by focusing on the New Amsterdam Theater, highlighting its most active spirit, Olive Thomas. "The most active ghost on Broadway is at the New Amsterdam Theater, and her name is Olive Thomas" (06:02). Olive, a chorus girl from the 1915 Follies, tragically died after accidentally consuming her husband's mercury pills in Paris. Her restless spirit remains intertwined with the theater, often appearing during renovations and significant events.

Notable sightings include Olive wearing a green beaded dress and sash, carrying an empty blue pill bottle. "After people started seeing her everywhere, the vice president of operations put pictures of her at every entrance of the theater so that people could say hi or goodbye to her" (11:16). This ritual has helped manage her activity, ensuring her presence is acknowledged without causing fear.

Em shares various encounters, such as:

• Disembodied Footsteps and Appearances: "Sometimes a woman, or sometimes only disembodied feet climbing up the stairs" (13:16).
• Interactions with Staff: Olive is often seen interacting with male staff members, exhibiting flirtatious behavior. "Men have reported smelling perfume and hearing a woman whisper 'hi, fella' into their ears" (15:07).
• Unexplained Phenomena: From lights flickering to objects moving on their own, the theater regularly experiences eerie occurrences attributed to Olive and other spirits.

Belasco Theater and the Spirits of David Belasco

Transitioning to the Belasco Theater, Em introduces the original owner, David Belasco, known as the "Bishop of Broadway" or the "Monk." "People have heard a piano playing by itself in the middle of the night" (31:59). Belasco's spirit is described as tall with messy hair, often appearing in his monk priest outfit.

Key hauntings include:

• Apparitions and Physical Interactions: "Belasco is known to actually physically shake hands with actors, telling them they did a fine job after a performance" (35:46).
• Environmental Changes: "Candles blowing out and then melting entirely while others remain untouched" (31:49).
• Community Rituals: "If Belasco appears in the theater on opening night of a show, the show is blessed" (35:55). Conversely, his displeasure leads to chaos if a show falters.

Additional spirits, like the Blue Lady—a dancer who died by suicide—add to the theater's haunted reputation. She is often seen as a blue mist, sharing hallways with Belasco, suggesting a spectral friendship. "She appears in the stairs and in the dressing room, and people sometimes feel her sadness" (37:10).

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Scamaroonies: The Legend of George C. Parker

Shifting from the supernatural to the sinister, Christine narrates the story of George C. Parker, arguably the greatest con man in New York City's history. Born in March 1860, Parker became infamous for selling landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, and Madison Square Garden to unsuspecting victims.

Key Highlights of Parker's Cons:

• Initial Scam: "In 1883, when he was in his early 20s, the Brooklyn Bridge was completed... Parker decided on a whim to see if he could sell it to an unsuspecting tourist" (46:34).
• Expansion of Schemes: Adopting aliases such as James O'Brien and Warden Kennedy, Parker targeted immigrants at Ellis Island, convincing them they owned prestigious landmarks. "He would present himself as the proud yet overly stressed and desperate to sell owner of The Brooklyn Bridge" (51:10).
• Operational Tactics: Parker's operations were meticulous. He bribed boat workers to identify wealthy immigrants and tailored his pitches based on the victims' perceived affluence. "He accepted payment installments if his victims didn't have enough cash up front" (56:15).
• Longevity and Evasion: Despite multiple arrests, Parker managed to evade long-term imprisonment until his final conviction in 1928. "After his third conviction, on December 17, 1928, he was sentenced to life in prison at Sing Sing" (57:32).
• Cultural Impact: Parker's legacy persists, embedding phrases like "I have a bridge to sell you" into popular vernacular, symbolizing futile or absurd propositions.

Christine emphasizes the vulnerability of Parker's victims—primarily immigrants unfamiliar with American laws and enticed by promises of prosperity. Her recounting underscores the blend of charisma and manipulation that fueled Parker's deceptions.

Notable Quotes:

• Christine closes Parker's story with a poignant quote from Will Rogers: "They may call me a rube and a hick, but I'd a lot rather be the man who bought the Brooklyn Bridge than the man who sold it" (64:11).
• Em adds humorously, "Well, hearing that, it's not something you should do, but it's fascinating" (64:56).

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Conclusion

Episode E430 of And That's Why We Drink masterfully intertwines tales of hauntings and high-stakes cons, offering listeners a captivating exploration of New York City's haunted theaters and legendary scams. Christine and Em's engaging storytelling, complemented by their dynamic interactions and timely quotes, create an immersive experience. Whether recounting ghostly apparitions in historic theaters or the audacious frauds of George C. Parker, the hosts deliver a compelling narrative that underscores the city's rich and often eerie history.

Listeners are left with a chilling reminder of the past's lingering spirits and the cunning that can infiltrate even the most iconic landmarks. As always, Christine and Em invite their audience to reflect on the shadows that dance both in the spotlight and beyond the veil.

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Notable Quotes:

• Em: "When you don't want to see Olive, Olive finds you" (20:18).
• Christine: "It was technically a crime story, but it's just a fucking doozy" (46:14).
• Em: "Believe it or not, this is how it happened" (07:14).

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Timestamps:

• 00:23-03:15: Opening Banter and Drinking Game Introduction
• 05:18-20:18: Ghost Stories from New Amsterdam Theater
• 20:51-44:16: Interspersed Advertisements (Skipped in Summary)
• 44:16-66:46: Scamaroonies and George C. Parker's Story
• 66:37-66:46: Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts

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Note: Advertisements and non-content segments, particularly those featuring Eva's promotions for pillowcases and CBD gummies, have been omitted from this summary to maintain focus on the episode's primary content.

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Transcript

[Em]

What up, New York?

[Christine]

Oh, my.

[Em]

What's going on? Oh, hello.

[Christine]

This is so exciting.

[Em]

Christine, how are your arms?

[Christine]

They're so tired, but also very fucking cold.

[Em]

It's so fucking cold. What is wrong with you guys?

[Christine]

I knew there was a reason we lived in that hellhole of Los Angeles.

[Em]

When I. When I first moved to la, I was like, oh, it's going to be like the perfect weather every day. And then I got there and like, every day, all the time. It's 1,000 degrees. And I was like, what the fuck is wrong with this place? And I was like, I need a little cold in my life. And then I came here and I was like, never fucking mind.

[Christine]

No more. We. Nope. But we're here and you guys are here, so thank you for coming to us.

[Em]

Yes, thank you.

[Christine]

Means a lot.

[Em]

I like to consider New York my pseudo home. Both my parents are from New York, so I have New York blood, even though I've never lived here. So thanks for that.

[Christine]

Good one.

[Em]

Thank you. Do you guys like my anecdotes?

[Christine]

Yeah, it's really natural. We're really good at riff. Riffing.

[Em]

Riffing. Yeah. We were told to riff earlier during the sound check, and we just. We didn't know. We were like. Anyway, thank you guys for being here.

[Christine]

Yeah.

[Em]

So, so nice. We have a drinking game for you.

[Christine]

We want to warm you up a little bit before you go back outside.

[Em]

Yeah. So, yeah, warm yourself up. So it's pretty simple. You're pretty much gonna get hammered.

[Christine]

Everyone wins, especially me, so.

[Em]

Especially Christine. She brought a whole bottle, so I did catch up.

[Christine]

It's half gone already, but I'm working.

[Em]

On it, so drink once if Christine says.

[Christine]

Listen, that doesn't happen, though, very often, so don't worry about it.

[Em]

Say, oh. Oh. Drink again.

[Christine]

Don't say anything.

[Em]

Don't say anything. Sorry. Can you tell I don't know what I'm doing up here? Also, drink once if Christine gasps. Also very rare, because I make the rules and it's pretty much anything Cristine does. Drink once if Christine says, sure, sure, sure, sure, sure, sure, sure.

[Christine]

That one. That one does happen pretty often.

[Em]

Yes. But also drink if I say fun fact. Because here's the thing. The facts are never fun.

[Christine]

No.

[Em]

In fact, they're pretty fucked up.

[Christine]

Yeah.

[Em]

Also drink. Drink twice if we bring up our sweet baboo little baby Gio. So sweet.

[Christine]

Drink twice if we tell Eva what to do. That happens. That will happen very. It's happened a lot already.

[Em]

Already drank twice.

[Christine]

Just do it now. Is there Anything.

[Em]

I think we're.

[Christine]

I mean, we usually just make the rules up as we go.

[Em]

Also, for a bonus round, drink twice if I go. I honestly, it's just fucking funny.

[Christine]

I always get so happy when I think Em forgot that one.

[Em]

Are you guys so jealous that Christine gets to see me every day and I probably use it 10,000 times a day, so she drinks a lot. Yeah, it's good with that. Who wants a ghost story?

[Christine]

Good.

[Em]

You're in the right place. All right, so I wanted to figure out what I wanted to do because it's New York and it's got to be pretty wonderful, right? So you're.

[Christine]

It's your blood or whatever.

[Em]

It's. It's kind of my pseudo blood, if you will.

[Christine]

Listen, well, let me do this real quick. Oh, shit. I already did it.

[Em]

We had a show in Dallas and both of us were trying to, like, be really cool with our microphones, and then we just rip them off. The wires stop working.

[Christine]

We just share it.

[Em]

Oh, it's a fun ride when this isn't edited for you.

[Christine]

Yeah.

[Em]

So I wanted to. Yeah, I wanted to make this pretty spectacular. Let's see.

[Christine]

Don't set yourself. Don't set the bar so freaking high.

[Em]

So I thought, like, okay, well, what's quintessential New York? And so I thought, I'm going to cover as many ghosts as possible of Broadway.

[Christine]

Oh, interesting.

[Em]

I wanted to give you a variety of sorts.

[Christine]

Just don't sing, please.

[Em]

So I just.

[Christine]

No. Okay.

[Em]

They're. Wow. Every theater seems to be haunted in New York, so not surprised. Oh, fun fact.

[Christine]

Damn it.

[Em]

I also asked in advance about this theater, and it is too haunted. Ooh, ah. We'll get to that.

[Christine]

So I was like, is that it?

[Em]

You're not gonna tell it the end? I'm done. So I wanted to do as many as I could, but it seemed like there were two theaters that are more haunted than the rest. So that's the main focus. And at the end, I'm just gonna try to shove as much information I can about the other smaller theaters. So I want to first give a shout out to Playbill because apparently they actually keep track of all this. Really? Yeah.

[Christine]

Cool.

[Em]

They have a whole article of theater by theater, all the things people have seen. So most of my information came from that. That shout out Playbill. So did you like that?

[Christine]

No.

[Em]

Okay. So one thing that they actually find very interesting is that there is quite a consistency of the ghost sightings, and it is an impressive consistency. Quote. Ooh, ah.

[Christine]

It's Very impressive. Yeah.

[Em]

The first leader, I'm going to cover. And I. I like to say I'm from New York, but I don't know these theaters, so I guess I'm not very New York. But applaud anyway. The New Amsterdam Theater. Shit.

[Christine]

Holy shit. That's a ghost.

[Em]

All right.

[Christine]

It is haunted.

[Em]

So, yes, shout out to that theater because I'm about to talk about it a lot. So I also avoided the history on this. It just seemed like there was a lot of ghost stuff, so you get.

[Christine]

So quite a punch. So there's just no history?

[Em]

No, you don't need to be educated.

[Christine]

Okay, I'm ready. Let's go.

[Em]

So the most active ghost on Broadway is at the New Amsterdam Theater, and her name is Olive Thomas.

[Christine]

Aw.

[Em]

Someone chose her.

[Christine]

She's here tonight.

[Em]

Yeah. She was a chorus girl and appeared in the 1915 variety show cast of the Follies.

[Christine]

Ooh.

[Em]

Okay. Because I didn't know. I was like. I don't know if that's important.

[Christine]

You do this glance up, like, in fear.

[Em]

I like. I like affiliation.

[Christine]

I have to fill in. Oh, my God.

[Em]

Right, Right. Every now and then I'm like, look scared.

[Christine]

Fantastic.

[Em]

So she went to New York at 16 and won a contest called the most beautiful girl in New York City.

[Christine]

Oh, my God, me too.

[Em]

Oh, well, what a coincidence. Oh. So she then modeled and wound up on the COVID of the Saturday Evening Post. Oh, I guess this is a little history, huh?

[Christine]

Oh, you tricked us all.

[Em]

I lied. She was then moved from the Follies on the main stage upstairs to the roof theater for, quote, a naughtier group called the Frolics. She. Where she was painted nude.

[Christine]

She was painted nude.

[Em]

Also, I didn't write this down, but I remember it. Fun fact. So one of the people, one of the people that owns the theater then bought the nude portrait and put it in the theater, and he was like, oh, yeah, it doesn't mean anything. I'm not, like, attracted to her or anything. And then his wife saw that he had purchased the portrait, and I think they divorced because of that.

[Christine]

What? Okay, hold on. I thought you meant. I'm sorry. I shouldn't say this out loud.

[Em]

Oh, well, too late.

[Christine]

Too late. I thought you meant. So stupid. Listen, English is not my first language. Sometimes. Sometimes I get mixed up. Okay, So I thought you meant she was painted nude. Like, she was nude and they were, like, painting.

[Em]

No. So they painted a picture of her. Oh.

[Christine]

I was like, that is naughty. Wow.

[Em]

I mean, maybe. Who knows what the Frolics were Doing.

[Christine]

I get it. And then I was like, someone also painted a picture of it. This is weird. Okay. It makes a lot more sense.

[Em]

I kind of wish I didn't. I wish I went with your version because that makes it better. So she became a silent film actress and married Jack Pickford. And in 1920, Jack Pickford told her that he had syphilis.

[Christine]

Oh, no.

[Em]

Five years after being married.

[Christine]

Oh, no.

[Em]

And then said she should probably get checked out.

[Christine]

Oh.

[Em]

I hope you guys liked laughing, because now it gets sad. So.

[Christine]

So everybody be quiet.

[Em]

So official reports say that she accidentally took a lot of pills and that's how she passed on. Because she was just so grief stricken with the news of that. The pills that she took were Jack's mercury pills.

[Christine]

Oh, good.

[Em]

And she took the whole bottle.

[Christine]

Oh, God.

[Em]

Fun fact. Nope. The pills were shaped like coffins. I wrote it down. So I'm saying it. But that wasn't.

[Christine]

What the hell?

[Em]

So I don't know how one accidentally takes a whole pill bottle, but official records say that she accidentally ate all of them. So that's how she passed on. But immediately after her death, before it was even reported that she had died, people at the New Amsterdam Theater were running into her backstage. Oh, shit. So as she was. Oh, this happened in Paris, too, where she passed away. So while she passed away in Paris and before news even got back to the theater, they were running into her backstage, and they're like, oh, I thought you were in France. And then she disappears. So her ghost showed up right away. She was a very active Ghost in the 1920s, but it died down during the Depression because a lot of people weren't going to the theater. And she apparently is a social butterfly and thrives on people being in the theater. For her to show up, okay. As people started going back to the theater, she started coming around more often, and she is now more active than ever. After the 1990s when Disney bought the theater for Disney productions during renovations at this time, construction workers kept seeing a woman in the off limits areas. And they kept trying to tell her to leave, and she wouldn't. And then they would try to, like, call the manager and tell her to leave. And the manager would be like, well, she's dead, so she's. You're in more danger than her in that area. So.

[Christine]

Oh, God.

[Em]

She was described as wearing a green beaded dress, a beaded headpiece and a sash and carrying an empty blue pill bottle.

[Christine]

Oh.

[Em]

So after people started seeing her everywhere, the vice president of operations put pictures of her at every entrance of the theater so that people could say hi or goodbye to her as they leave or enter the theater.

[Christine]

She needs a lot of attention.

[Em]

Well, apparently it works. So it's now custom, if you're an employee there, that as you walk into the theater every day, you say hi, and as you leave, you say by. And it keeps activity from blooming. I don't know, going wild.

[Christine]

Yes, blooming.

[Em]

Apparently acknowledging her at the start and end of each day makes her active. She's still active, but you don't see her. And I guess that was the thing that was freaking people out the most. So in the 2000s, the roof theater was being turned into office spaces, and that was where she was a frolic.

[Christine]

She was painting.

[Em]

She was being painted.

[Christine]

Body paint.

[Em]

And I remember when, in the 2000s, they were renovating that area. People would always hear tap dancing, 1920s music, giggling, but nobody was ever there when they would check. And apparently they would also hear knocking on the floor so that you would hear it on the ceiling and it would respond to you. Super creepy. She would also sometimes speak to you. And what she said was different between people, but they always would try to do an impression of her. And I guess she had the, like. I don't know if it was the transatlantic accent. Whatever an old timey accent is.

[Christine]

Don't look at me.

[Em]

I don't know, you know about English. And they would all impersonate her exactly the same. I guess she had a certain dialect. And they all happened to do it without knowing that other people heard it like that. So people have also seen. This is where it gets weird for me. People have seen a woman, or sometimes only disembodied feet climbing up the stairs.

[Christine]

Climbing. Oh, no, no, no.

[Em]

She's also been seen walking across the stage and disappearing through solid walls.

[Christine]

Cool.

[Em]

And during the previews of Aladdin, a. Okay. A conductor who was a woman was getting ready in the dressing room, and she knew about Olive, so she said out loud in the dressing room, well, Olive, I'm here and I'm a little nervous. I just wanted to introduce myself and ask if you could please give us some good luck. I wonder what the folly girls would wonder. I wonder what the folly girls would think about a female conductor. Hey. Oh. And so the dressing room had just been fitted with brand new light bulbs that day. And they flickered on and off for several seconds and then faded back on by themselves. Which light bulbs don't do or didn't do in that room? They faded on by themselves. And then during the show, a woman in the audience asked an usher for a booster seat for her kid, and the usher waited until intermission to bring her the booster chair. But the woman already had one by that time.

[Christine]

Oh, boy.

[Em]

And when they asked how she got one, she said, oh, the lady in the back brought me one.

[Christine]

Oh, boy.

[Em]

And the venue didn't have a woman working in the back that night. And everyone who works there knows not to interrupt the middle of a show and to wait during intermission. All of the staff were questioned, and nobody had done it. And then she described the girl as having a green dress and a sash.

[Christine]

And a headband and a pill bottle.

[Em]

Right.

[Christine]

So weirdly dressed.

[Em]

And she was nude and painted crazy colors.

[Christine]

It's a very weird Disney theater.

[Em]

All of the staff. Oh, yeah. All the staff are questioned. We got there. She is most regularly seen by men, and she is very flirty. She likes to rub their backs.

[Christine]

Oh, dear.

[Em]

Men have reported smelling perfume and hearing a woman whisper hi, fella into their ears. Do you like that?

[Christine]

Yeah.

[Em]

Hi, fella. That's fun. She has shown up to the security guards in dressing rooms when they're alone. One elevator man actually saw that in one of the floors had. I'm looking up like, that's where the fucking floor is. Saw that one of the upper floors had called for an elevator. So he got in the elevator and rode it up to the floor, and nobody was there except Olive in her green dress, smiling at him and giggling and then faded away as the doors closed on him. And he was like, ugh, yikes. It said that if you see her, be calm and don't overreact so you don't scare her. And I'm like, fuck, you scare me. I'm scared. I am allowed to act however I want. Someone went, yeah, I like that. Thank you. Yeah. Solidarity.

[Christine]

Yeah.

[Em]

Naked lady, get your painted body away from me.

[Christine]

Scare her.

[Em]

She has also blown all of the lights out in the offices and likes to move set pieces.

[Christine]

Oh, dear.

[Em]

She is most active when there are so two separate things. One, when there are renovations that are being done to the building, and the second is when previous Follies performers are invited and come back to the theater for certain events so she sees her friends.

[Christine]

That's so sweet.

[Em]

When Follies alum come to the theater, the stage and the sets shake on their own, and all the lights on multiple floors will burn out simultaneously. The staff were, oh, this is a good one. Ready? I'm already there, but you don't know yet. Hang on.

[Christine]

We get Excited about our own notes. Sometimes very soon.

[Em]

Sometimes I'm like, oh, I forgot about that. Okay, so the staff was talking about an old movie called the Artist. And some said that Olive became a silent film star by that time. And another employee said that the real silent movie star was Mary Pickford. How dare he say who was also her husband, who had syphilis. Sister.

[Christine]

Oh, no.

[Em]

She's like, no, you didn't.

[Christine]

Yeah.

[Em]

And so, fella.

[Christine]

Sorry.

[Em]

So after he said that, witnesses watched a stack of DVDs fly across the room and hit the wall. And apparently at least 10 to 15 people all saw that happen and swear by it. People try hard to catch a glimpse of Olive. And they will try hiding in the theater until after closing to see her. And so security have gotten used to seeing, like, people hide in the seats until, like, thinking that they won't notice what's the matter with people? And then lock up and then leave them there to go ghost hunting.

[Christine]

Like that Muse, the movie with the zoo or there's a museum. I don't know.

[Em]

I was like, what's happening, Eva? Yes, exactly like that.

[Christine]

Delete that part.

[Em]

No, you got it. Eva, edit that out, please.

[Christine]

So I need more. Hold on. You keep going. You're doing great.

[Em]

Okay. See, I like affirmation. She knows that. So. Yeah, so since I feel like everyone's just gonna watch you and I feel. I feel jilted.

[Christine]

Don't look at me.

[Em]

Okay, so anyway, I'm just kidding. So, yeah, so there's all these little heads of people just, like, hiding in the chairs. And they think security guards are not gonna notice. So security, the security team at the theater now have a routine where they actually try. Basically do a whole look around. I don't know what the right word is. Patrol the area a little looky. I don't know, a lookaroony look, a Rooney. A lookaroonie.

[Christine]

And I'm trying to make that a thing. It doesn't work. I add Rooney to the end of it.

[Em]

Christine loves adding Rooney to anything.

[Christine]

Let's do a little parkeroony. Nope. Okay, we'll work on it.

[Em]

So the security people now do two rounds of patrolling. And the second time, they have to check everything, like, inside closets and everything to make sure that nobody's hiding out. Here's my favorite quote. So. Oh, wait, I'm not there yet. Ha, ha.

[Christine]

What a tease.

[Em]

It's coming, though. So Olive only appears when you don't want to see her, which is very fun.

[Christine]

So those people in the seats are just Screwed. Like they're just right.

[Em]

It's like you're going to sit there and be really disappointed in 12 hours. So. So, for example, she doesn't show up around Halloween or if they do a ghost tour, she doesn't show up. She only shows up right around when you kind of forget that she's there. And then you open an elevator door and she's standing there.

[Christine]

Fantastic.

[Em]

Oh. And you have to be calm because you don't want to scare the ghost.

[Christine]

She is really something.

[Em]

So here's my favorite quote. When people try to find her, they can't. You don't find Olive. Olive finds you.

[Christine]

What the fuck?

[Em]

It's a little fucked up, I think. Yeah, a little bit. So other casual things that happen in this theater are. I'm just gonna read through them real quick. Noises, knocking. Doors and cabinets. Opening lights. Flickering cold spots. Mists, Orbs and photos. Objects and furniture moving on their own. Voices in your head seeing apparitions. Distorted faces and reflections. Watching figures walk past you and feeling your arms and back spinning, being touched.

[Eva]

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[Em]

But.

[Eva]

But you know what? I don't have to worry about that because Bolen branch sheets quiet all that noise. Wrapping you in a softness so extraordinary that your body and mind effortlessly drift you to sleep. I'm not thinking about that song that I can't remember the name of. I'm not thinking about. Oh, did I? Where's my passport? Their signature sheets are made with the finest 100% organic cotton so you can spend every night in the softest feeling imaginable. And these best selling sheets feel buttery, breathable and get softer with every wash. Truly. Actually, buttery is the perfect word. Oh my God. Not only that, they have a waffle. This is not part of it. They have a waffle blanket. Like a waffle print blanket. It's divine. I don't know what it is about me and waffle print these days, but they have a waffle blanket as well. Just giving them a shout out. It's very lovely. Feel the difference. An extraordinary night's sleep can make. With Bolen branch, get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of [e-mail] drink that's Bolenbranch. B O L L A N D B r a n c-h.com drink to save 15% exclusions apply CSI for details.

[Em]

Well, that's that on that then. So that's one theater down, but we got more. Don't worry, it's not all about all of tonight.

[Christine]

So stop insulting her. If she's going to show up.

[Em]

Well, let's. Oh no, no, no. That's too live of a show where my anxiety would not be able to handle a ghost on stage. I'm already schlitting so the next one up. And again, I think this is a pretty big theater. The Belasco Theater.

[Christine]

Okay, I think it is too.

[Em]

Sources say yes. So the main spirit in this theater is the original owner, David Belasco. Wonder how we named that theater. He was once known as the Bishop of Broadway. Oh, because he used to dress like a priest.

[Christine]

Okay, no comment.

[Em]

Thanks. Priest. Yeah, no comment. And people also nicknamed him the Monk, which is like not even a priest, but whatever, it's fine. They built the theater in 1907 and it is the. Oh, fun fact. This is the sixth oldest theater in Broadway and he loved the theater so much that he actually also lived there. He just moved in.

[Christine]

What a nut job. Well, I don't want to insult him either. I feel like these people are just gonna come after me.

[Em]

Oh yeah. So while you've said that, Christina And I have realized that we have absolutely primed ourselves to think that every hotel we're staying in is either haunted or surrounded by murderers.

[Christine]

It's definitely in every ceiling of every hotel room.

[Em]

Last night there was an actual. Something happened.

[Christine]

Yes, it did tell a little.

[Em]

Tell a way.

[Christine]

Well, I was playing Pokemon and that was it.

[Em]

I just wanted her to admit that was the story.

[Christine]

And I was sitting there and I heard M, like, start coughing and, like, make, you know, the M noise, the throat clear. And I, like, chuckled because I was like, oh, God, I can hear him through the walls. And I knew that, like, the room was on the other side. So I tend. And I was like, I just heard you cough. It makes me miss you, blah, blah, blah. And then I get back, I'm downstairs, and I was like. And I did not believe you. I was like, you are so full of shit. So I ran into the hallway. I wasn't wearing pants, by the way. And I ran into the hallway. And Eva's like, comes out from the other side. And lo and behold, you were coming up from the other side of the hallway. It's very spooky.

[Em]

And then I got to sleep in that room.

[Christine]

Yeah, well. And then Em goes, I wonder if it was. What did you say? I didn't like it.

[Em]

I was like, I wonder if it knew that I wasn't in the room, so it was, like, trying to make fun of me. Or I wonder if it knew you were alone and it wanted you to hear something.

[Christine]

It wanted you to think I was there. I was like, what the fuck, Em? Anyway, I was up till 4.30am Playing Pokemon because of this. So it's been a rough night.

[Em]

But every. Every single place we have for sure thought it was either haunt.

[Christine]

Somebody just asked where we're staying. We're not gonna tell you that. I did do that at one show. I did announce where we were staying. And then I quickly.

[Em]

Well, she. She said half of it, but it was the obvious half that anyone could pick up on. And then I looked her and I was like, shut the fuck up, man.

[Christine]

And then I was like, the Westin? And I was like, no, everybody already heard.

[Em]

But yesterday. I know. So there was a ghost thing and this hotel, I don't even know yesterday's hotel. But yeah, the hotel before that Christine story was pretty wild for New Jersey. And so she was like, blocking her door in the middle of the night and, like, putting suitcases up.

[Christine]

But then I thought, what if the killer comes through the ceiling of the closet? So then I was like, well, then I would be blocked from the door. And so then I put a lot of suitcases in the closet and it.

[Em]

Was a full disaster anyway. In the middle of the night.

[Christine]

It was. No, it was not good, but I was fine. See, it worked. So, yeah.

[Em]

So anyway, there was our riffing, so. Oh, yeah, the monk priest. So he was also. So he obviously wears many hats, but he's also known as the man of the century, apparently on Playbill by himself.

[Christine]

Like, he. Oh, they called him that.

[Em]

They called him man of the century. Okay. Because he made sure that his theater was the classiest and most modern possible. So he paid what is now the equivalent of $18 million.

[Christine]

Oh, my God.

[Em]

Back then it was $750,000. Small potatoes. And the theater had Tiffany glass decor, an elevator stage, a wing and space. Oh, a wing and fly space. A special effects studio. And it had a top of the line lighting and hydraulic system that was the first of its kind and has been replicated in future theaters since.

[Christine]

Oh, God.

[Em]

So very chi Chi. He was also so detail oriented. This is like, kind of bananas. But I also really appreciate it. He was so detail oriented with his productions that he also used scent design. So if scenes took place in, like a kitchen or a coffee shop, he had certain smells go through the theater vents.

[Christine]

That is so extra.

[Em]

So you'd feel like you were there. Down with it.

[Christine]

But that means he literally was like. Because they didn't have, like, you know, Glade. So he probably had, like, spaghetti that.

[Em]

He was like, he had. So he had a separate team where in a kitchen, they were actually making the food.

[Christine]

That's insanity.

[Em]

So, like, if it was a coffee shop, he would have them brew a shitload of coffee. So it would go through the vents.

[Christine]

I like that part. I just feel like it could go wrong. It could go south.

[Em]

Inhale.

[Christine]

Caffeine could go south very quickly.

[Em]

So he died in 1931, and he began showing up pretty much right away. And Playbill gave him another title, which is one of the most alive looking theater ghosts. He's described as tall with messy hair, and he's wearing his monk priest outfit, his collar and all that good stuff. Can you tell I'm not religious? It's this thing.

[Christine]

We get it.

[Em]

Fun fact. On his 150th birthday, the cast of Dracula was performing. And after the show, they had a cake made for him and they sang Happy Birthday to him in the theater, which, like, that's adorable. Can you imagine a bunch of people dressed up like vampires singing Happy Birthday to you for your 150th. So you feel like a vampire, but.

[Christine]

There'S, like, nobody there. They're just singing to the air. This is so strange.

[Em]

I'm into it.

[Christine]

You're weird, New York.

[Em]

So here are some of the ghosts of this theater. So we start small with cold spots and room temperature changes. There are also footsteps nearby or behind you pretty much at all times. So have fun with that. People see him in the mirror behind them when they're doing their makeup, and then he disappears when you turn around. 1. I also feel like if you're doing your makeup, like, you don't want anyone staring at you whether or not they're dead. Like, if they're alive too, they really shouldn't be.

[Christine]

Like, if a man appears over my shoulder in the mirror, it's probably worse if he's alive. Like, I'd rather. I'd rather him.

[Em]

Maybe they hope he's dead. I don't know.

[Christine]

Yeah.

[Em]

So one usher was closing up the lobby one night and playfully said, oh, boy. I didn't choose playfully. I took that from Playbill. Playfully said, Good night, Mr. Belasco. And all of the outer lobby doors swung open silently together and then closed silently together.

[Christine]

Aw.

[Em]

Yeah, it's like. Aw.

[Christine]

It's peaceful, I think. I don't know.

[Em]

So an apparition of him has been showing up in dark stairways and hallways. The best places for a dark apparition to show.

[Christine]

No.

[Em]

At 4pm on the dot every day. If you have a dog, bring it to the theater and you will see a growl in an empty room where there's no one there. But apparently it happens every day at 4. Any dog in the theater just starts freaking out.

[Christine]

Aww.

[Em]

Test it yourself.

[Christine]

But don't tell anyone we told you to do that because it's probably not allowed.

[Em]

Right, right, right. So apparently, the candles. So the candelabras for one of the sets had six different chunks of candles, and one of them kept blowing out and wouldn't stay lit. And then they finally were able to keep it lit, and the entire candle melted and the others didn't. So that's supposedly. I mean, it's weird.

[Christine]

It is weird.

[Em]

So I put it in. Women have heard their bathroom doors locking and unlocking, and the bathroom glows a weird blue color at night.

[Christine]

What a pervert. I don't like that it keeps showing up while you're trying to, like, get ready.

[Em]

Well, you're not wrong. Cause apparently most of the time is when women in the dressing room bathroom.

[Christine]

Are showering okay, well, there you go. I told you.

[Em]

You nailed it. I just.

[Christine]

I get the vibe.

[Em]

I just n. So office doors will also lock and unlock themselves, which obviously frustrate the staff. And in case you didn't know the show, Hedwig and the Angry Inch actually wrote a nod to Belasco in their script.

[Christine]

Really?

[Em]

When the character says, the front door in my office suspiciously locks itself from time to time. And I know it isn't me doing it. That is apparently when they performed it at the Belasco, they were saying, stop fucking locking the doors. And although it is now sealed shut, the private elevator that used to go to Belasco's office is still heard running on its own.

[Christine]

Oh, that's creepy.

[Em]

And people have heard a man arguing. And when they follow the sound to see where it's coming from, it leads them to a portrait of Belasco.

[Eva]

Let's switch.

[Em]

Super creepy. And doors will, like I said, swing open and close. The curtains will fly open, and puffs of cigar smoke will come out of nowhere.

[Christine]

That's cool. I don't know.

[Em]

Also, Belasco loved watching shows from the balcony. So sometimes a dark figure is seen in the balcony staring at the stage.

[Christine]

That's creepy.

[Em]

Many women, you were back onto that whole shower and locked in.

[Christine]

I told you.

[Em]

Many people have reported feeling their butts being pinched in space.

[Christine]

Come on. That's just too on the nose is what that is.

[Em]

Which, like, also being your butt being whoever's pinching butts in 2019. It's just pinching is never fun at all.

[Christine]

No.

[Em]

People have, say, tsa, let's never pinch again.

[Christine]

No.

[Em]

People have heard wild parties accompanied by the 1920s. Oh, by 1920s music. Whoops. I was like, why is that period there?

[Christine]

Whoops.

[Em]

Accompanied by 1920s music. And so basically, it'll sound like there's a hundred people in a room, and then they'll go check the room to see what's going on or to make a noise complaint or something. And the whole room's empty, and no one's in there.

[Christine]

That's my audition for Broadway.

[Em]

For a ghost.

[Christine]

Yeah.

[Em]

So one actress. I did not write her name. Oops. But she's got a good quote.

[Christine]

It says, you know. You know her.

[Em]

I guess she has a friend named Kathy because she talks about Kathy in this.

[Christine]

What the fuck?

[Em]

She says when it comes. She was asked if anyone has ever seen the ghosts of Belaska that she knew of. She said Kathy saw him walk into the mirror the other day. She thinks he lives in the mirror in the wall outside of the dressing room.

[Christine]

Oh. Oh, God.

[Em]

One night I forgot my coat and I had turned out the lights in my room. I turned back to get my coat in the dark, but someone turned on the table light for me so I could see my way as I opened the door to leave. And as I was walking out, Someone closed the door behind me. I didn't touch it, but I watched it move. So spooky. Super creepy and chivalrous. Very kind.

[Christine]

There's no pinching in that one. I like that.

[Em]

This is my favorite because I. I feel like this should really. If there was, like, someone holding a camera at this exact moment, we would just have proof of ghosts. But apparently he. Belasco, is known to actually physically as a. The most real looking ghost or whatever. He is known to walk up to actors, shake their hands, and tell them they did a fine job after a performance.

[Christine]

Nice.

[Em]

And legend has it, if belasco appears in the theater on opening night of a show, the show is blessed.

[Christine]

Aww.

[Em]

But if the show doesn't go well.

[Christine]

Do you see him here tonight? I'm asking for a friend.

[Em]

If the show doesn't go well, Belasco will quote, ransack dressing rooms.

[Christine]

What an asshole.

[Em]

Furniture, decor, and personal items have been thrown against walls and across rooms after bad nights. And. Sorry, I read it again. I was like, that's wild. So as of 2010, they did another renovation, and he has been quiet for the most part. People will still sense him, but after they renovated the place, he is much more quiet than he has been. So there's another, less active spirit called called the blue lady, and she is said to have been a dancer for men.

[Christine]

Oh, all right.

[Em]

We know what that means. But she was a dancer for women. I don't.

[Christine]

Can you explain it?

[Em]

Nah. Okay. She worked in the building when it used to be a strip club, and she died by suicide in the basement.

[Christine]

Terrible.

[Em]

She is now seen as an icy cold blue mist that glows around you.

[Christine]

Oh, no.

[Em]

She appears in the stairs and in the dressing room, and people sometimes feel her sadness.

[Christine]

Oh, God.

[Em]

But she is also sometimes seen with belasco in the hallways, which means that they're friends.

[Christine]

Aw. Okay, that's good.

[Em]

And that's that on the Belasco theater.

[Christine]

Okay, nice.

[Em]

I got. Thank you. I got one more in me.

[Christine]

Yay.

[Em]

Hey. All right. This is the palace theater. All right, Cool. All right, man. So the palace was the nation's technically first vaudeville theater. It's not called that, but before vaudeville became its own thing, they were already showing vaudeville shows there. Some of the Ghosts that are. There are a cellist. I always want to say cellist, and I know that's wrong. I just got scared, and everyone watched me be like, yeah, yeah, you're good.

[Christine]

You're good.

[Em]

A cellist dressed in white in the orchestra pit. A small boy who will play with his toy trucks. A man dressed in brown who walks through the theater offices. And a little girl who's crying in the balcony.

[Christine]

Oh, that's sad.

[Em]

There is also the spirit of Judy Garland. Everyone's like, sad little girl who. Judy Garland is here. She has been seen near the door of the theater that was built especially for her.

[Christine]

Oh.

[Em]

One day we'll have our own door, Christine.

[Christine]

We will.

[Em]

Yes. Let's manifest that.

[Christine]

Sure. Vision board it so actors will see.

[Em]

Oh, oh, oh, oh. Sorry. Hang in there. Sorry. I saw Judy Garland. I got distracted. People also hear a piano playing by itself in the middle of the night. And another spirit walks past doorways at night so you can hear his footsteps in the hallways when you're the last people working.

[Christine]

Yikes.

[Em]

Sometimes people hear a voice calling out for Judy. And there's one spirit named Clyde who is known to stand up during a curtain call, bow and fade away.

[Christine]

Oh, okay, sure.

[Em]

Also, props from the set and personal items from the dressing rooms will be taken or found in random places throughout the theater. There was one instance where I guess during a play, someone had, like, a doctor coat on and all of the. Doctor. I don't. Yeah, Dr. Tools. They were supposed to always say. Yeah, they were always supposed to stay in the pocket of the jacket. And then one day, they were just all gone. And then they ended up finding them, like, in the back of a bathroom. Like they were just. You just find them in random places. One ghost to avoid is Louis Borsalino, which is the most New York name I've ever heard in my life. And so when Louis was around, he was an acrobat, but he also. He, mid performance fell to his death.

[Christine]

Oh, God, that's terrible.

[Em]

Actors will now see him walking a tightrope from the top left. I don't know how stages work north quadrant in one way. They will see him walking from one end of the stage to the other via tightrope.

[Christine]

I can follow that.

[Em]

So apparently, those who actually see his ghost die within a year. What? So you really don't want to mess with Louis Borsalino.

[Christine]

That's terrible.

[Em]

Big Louie, I don't know. So he's probably not that big.

[Christine]

Cause he's a little skinny Louie.

[Em]

So there.

[Christine]

That's more like it.

[Em]

So the staff say, when the theater is empty, his ghost can be seen swinging from the rafters.

[Christine]

Oh, dear.

[Em]

And then he lets out a blood curdling scream. And then he reenacts his nose dive to death. Not my words. That was Playbill. So. So if you see him, you might die in the next 365 days. So don't do that.

[Christine]

Just close your eyes.

[Em]

Just close your eyes for the whole show.

[Christine]

Not now. Open them.

[Em]

Not this one. Unless you want to. Then it's just a podcast all over again.

[Christine]

Oh, that's true. I guess that is sort of what you do anyway. Okay, good point.

[Em]

If anything, this is the new thing for you, listening to our voices. So those are the three main ones, but I do have a quick, quick list of the Richard Rogers Theater, Eugene O'Neill Theater, Gershwin Theatre, New Victory Theatre, and Radio City Music Hall.

[Christine]

Yay.

[Em]

They all happen to have, like a couple ghosts, but none of them had lengthy stories like that, so I'm just gonna read them off real quick. There's a ghost of a small child. This is a combination of all these, so you don't know where they are. You're just gonna have to go to every theater. There's a ghost of a small child just off stage during a show, and people think he actually snuck backstage, but he just hangs out there while you're acting. There are red lipstick smudges in the bathroom that appear on their own, and then if you wipe them away, they will reappear.

[Christine]

Oh, God.

[Em]

There are items that fall from the upstage prop shelf onto the stage, one of which, at one point during a play were gardening shears.

[Christine]

Oh, Jesus.

[Em]

Actors hear their characters names being whispered into their ears on stage, which is so distracting as an actor. Hey, fella. Hey, fella.

[Christine]

I like that better.

[Em]

People think they bump into someone behind them, but no one is there. My favorite is there was an actor who wanted to take a nap in between rehearsal and his show, and so he asked his friends to wake him up before the show.

[Christine]

That's you.

[Em]

And his friends forgot.

[Christine]

Oh, no, that's me.

[Em]

And so.

[Christine]

Oh, my God.

[Em]

Even though they forgot to wake him up, he got slapped on the bottom of his shoes. Oh. With such a force that he got shoved into the wall. And when he opened his eyes, nobody was in the room with him.

[Christine]

Oh, dear. Okay. That was Eva.

[Em]

That was Eva.

[Christine]

Wake the fuck up. So she has to do everything around here.

[Em]

Actors will see their castmate up on the catwalk and then look to their side. And the same cast me to standing right next to them. Instruments will tune themselves in locked rooms. And one time, a costumer couldn't find a bow tie in their kit, and so they were looking around for it and walked past a random storage closet, and a giant Tupperware bin flew into the air by itself, flipped over, and the bow tie was sitting on top of the bin.

[Christine]

Creepy.

[Em]

And those are all the ghosts of Broadway.

[Christine]

Oh, my God.

[Em]

Thank you.

[Christine]

Very good. Very good.

[Em]

Thank you.

[Eva]

All right, everyone, you know that I'm dealing with a lot these days. I, first of all, already have sleep issues. But on top of that, now I'm dealing with this new dog that's come into our lives. I'm still learning the ropes with him. And, you know, there's a. There's a lot of things every now and then that stress me out. And when it comes to Christine, she gets stressed out all the time. She's also got sleep problems, chronic pain, general anxiety. We both got. So if you suffer with any of these things, maybe give cornbread Hemp a try. Life's been a little crazy, and one thing that helps us unwind is cornbread Hemp CBD gummies, especially for Christine. I know she talks about them quite a lot on and off the podcast. She loves them. Cornbread Hemp CBD gummies are made to help you feel better, whether it's stress, discomfort, you know, if you have sleep issues or chronic pain, like we were saying, or just need a little relaxation. They only use the best part of the hemp plant, which is the flower for the purest and most potent cbd. And it's formulated to help relieve discomfort, stress, sleeplessness. All products are third party, lab tested and USDA organic to ensure safety and purity. So we love using it. I know Christine never shuts up about it. Anyway, give it a shot right now. And that's why we drink. Listeners can save 30% on their first order. Just head to cornbreadhemp.com drink and use code DRINK at checkout. That's cornbreadhemp.com Drink and use code drink.

[Em]

Thank you so much for indulging me. That being said, it is now Christine's turn.

[Christine]

Hey. Hey, guys. I'm so excited. Team wine. Thank you. Somebody, somebody. Okay, guys, I am pretty excited about this story. I keep giggling to myself and Em doesn't like it.

[Em]

I don't know because I don't know the stories. Like, I learned the same time you do. And so I've been with her for several days and she's like the Brooklyn story. So good. And I'm like, okay, well, I can't wait.

[Christine]

Oh, poor Em. Okay, so I want to give this a little caveat, which is that this story isn't quite like. It's not like a gory murder story. It's. It's technically a crime story, but it's just. It's a fucking doozy. So let's go for a ride. Yeah, all right. I'm going to tell.

[Em]

Someone went, all right. Or Rooney.

[Christine]

Oh, fuck yeah. Fuck yeah. Rooney. Here we go. It's gonna catch on, I swear. So this is the story. Thank you. This is the story of George C. Parker, the greatest con man in New York City history. Ooh. All right, all right, all right.

[Em]

Someone's ready.

[Christine]

I'm ready. So George C. Parker was born in New York City in March 1860. He did graduate from high school, but then quickly realized that rather than follow an ordinary career path, he had a knack for the fine art of swindling. You know, swindling, Fine art.

[Em]

It is a craft.

[Christine]

It is, yes. So he quickly adopted a variety of aliases, including James O'Brien, Warden Kennedy, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Taylor. And he started scamming people by selling the Brooklyn Bridge. I'm like, not even kidding. I was absolutely drinking wine when I wrote this. And I was like, I'm not understanding this. Right. But that's right. This is really what happened. Okay, so it started kind of as a whim. So in 1883, when he was in his early 20s, the Brooklyn. That's when the Brooklyn Bridge was completed. See, we drove over the Brooklyn Bridge, and I kept going, and I was.

[Em]

Like, oh, that makes so much sense now.

[Christine]

Yeah, I was being extremely annoyed, Being.

[Em]

Like, is this the Brooklyn Bridge?

[Christine]

It was.

[Em]

I don't fucking know.

[Christine]

I don't think it actually was the Brooklyn Bridge. But anytime we were on a bridge, I kept going, oh, the Brooklyn Bridge. And Emma was like.

[Em]

And Eva and I were like, how do you know so much about bridges? Like, we're not even from here.

[Christine]

I know absolutely nothing about bridges. So, okay, so basically, the Brooklyn Bridge was completed, and Parker decided on a whim to see if he could sell it to an unsuspecting tourist.

[Em]

Us.

[Christine]

Yeah. It turned out to be so easy that he tried it again a few days later and succeeded. He dropped all of his other cons and went into Brooklyn Bridge sales for time. This is so absurd. Okay, so believe it or not, George C. Parker is actually not the only man to have sold the Brooklyn Bridge. Another man named William McCloundy, also known as Iou O'Brien.

[Em]

Wait, really?

[Christine]

Yeah. Do you know, back then I feel like everyone just had a cool name, a nickname.

[Em]

I like that. I don't know about iou. I feel like that's like a I'm in debt kind of.

[Christine]

Well, yeah, he was a bad guy, but so his name was William. And then they call McLeod and they called him IOU O'Brien. I don't know why. I think they just wanted something to sound cool. So he was sent to Sing Sing for selling the bridge in. Yeah, Sing Sing. Love it there. I hear it's beautiful. So 1901. I'm so used to saying that because every time someone cheers for like a neighborhood, I'm like, oh, yeah, I hear it's beautiful. So I just know.

[Em]

So now. Oh yeah, it's great.

[Christine]

Cozy people there are lovely. So I found this. The thing about IOU O'Brien going to sing Sing was in a newspaper and the article next to it from like 1901 or 1902, the news article next to it, I just thought I would feature it for fun. It has nothing to do with anything, but the headline is small cop bests two 6 foot thugs with a pistol butt. And I just was like, remember when you could just like. Like the cop was small, but somehow he beat two thugs. It's like, that's not how news works. That's not how journalism works. But anyway, I had a fun time with that. So this guy went to jail, right? But then Parker is like, no, no, I'm gonna do this better. And he takes it to the next level. So his plan was super thought out, carefully executed. What he would do is he would target the immigrants coming to New York through Ellis Island. Yeah, it's actually very fucking shitty. He's not a great guy. He'd bribe the men working the boats that would ferry the immigrants to New York. And then those guys who were working on the boat would basically find like do recon and find out which of the people on the boat seemed well off and had some money or were carrying a lot of cash on them. And then they'd report back to Parker and be like, oh, these three guys like have a lot of money and they're worth targeting, right? And then so Parker would basically be waiting on the other end. So he'd be kind of just stationed at Ellis island, being like, I have a deal for you. It's wild times. And so once they landed on American soil, he would present himself as the proud yet overly stressed and desperate to sell owner of The Brooklyn Bridge.

[Em]

Oh, I see.

[Christine]

He just couldn't handle the responsibility of such a large bridge anymore.

[Em]

But I bet you can.

[Christine]

I could do that for you. Yeah. So he would then produce impressive forged. So he'd bring them back to, like, this office. Like, he had a little office space, and it said, like, owner of Brooklyn Bridge. The whole nine yards. Yeah. Just ridiculous. And then he would produce these impressive forged documents to prove that he was the owner, and then convince buyers that they could make a fortune if they bought it because they could control access to the roadway and, like, charge tolls.

[Em]

I mean, horrible, but genius also.

[Christine]

Yeah. I mean, and it worked. So, yeah. I don't know. Hats off. And it's also important to know that these people, it's, like, very up. They're extremely vulnerable victims. They were in a new land. They didn't understand the law, and basically, all they had heard a lot of times of America was like, oh, it's a land of opportunity. So who knows? You know? I mean, this guy's just very.

[Em]

Maybe someone will sell you a bridge. You can do anything there.

[Christine]

Who knows? There's a lot of bridges out here. I think so.

[Em]

Yeah.

[Christine]

I was. I was on one. I was on one earlier. Parker, I told you it was the Brooklyn Bridge. The three different bridges. I called them all that because I don't know any other one. Okay. So I think one of them was also, like, not in New York. It was, like, in New Jersey somewhere. And I was like, some.

[Em]

Or none of them could have been the Brooklyn Bridge. We just don't know.

[Christine]

So Parker knew not to play. Hold on. Rewind that. Pretend you didn't hear that. Okay. Parker knew to play not only into their gullibility, but also their vanity by convincing them that they were smart and successful enough to become a great capitalist in America and start this new business venture. And unfortunately, on. This is just crazy. On a number of occasions, the NYPD had to remove Parker's victims as they were attempting to erect toll booths on the Brooklyn Bridge.

[Em]

Oh.

[Christine]

Which they believed they now owned. And this became so common that the police were like, you don't own the bridge. And they're like, no, no. I bought it, and you don't own the bridge. It is. It's very sad. So why the Brooklyn Bridge? I hear everybody asking. Well, let me tell you why. There were several reasons. I feel like I'm giving a PowerPoint at school. Slide one, word.

[Eva]

Art.

[Christine]

Okay. So there were several reasons why he picked the Brooklyn Bridge. Its proximity to the port made it highly visible to newcomers. And the size provided opportunities to show it off from a distance so he wouldn't have to get too close, because the cops were like, somebody is telling these people, you buy the bridge.

[Em]

Someone is. They all somehow think that they own this. What's going on?

[Christine]

Yeah. So he would, like, stand far away, and he's like, look at it. I own that. And most importantly, the bridge's fame was its most famous asset. According to the New York Historical Society, the Brooklyn Bridge was one of the two best known symbols of America, the other being the Statue of Liberty, which Parker also sold.

[Em]

Oh, my God.

[Christine]

So that. So that happened to. Oh, no, I just. I. Parker sold a number of New York landscapes.

[Em]

Nope.

[Christine]

Landmarks. You know.

[Em]

You know, depending on how far away you are, it becomes a landscape.

[Christine]

Thank you. Yeah, thanks. That's what I meant. You get me.

[Em]

I know. We should start a podcast.

[Christine]

Oh, my God. I don't know. I don't think that's a good idea. Okay, so Parker sold a number of New York landmarks, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Grant's Tomb, and Madison Square Garden. He also successfully sold several shows and plays that he had obviously no legal ownership of. But he'd be like, you can buy this play. You can buy Cats on Broadway.

[Em]

Oh, my God.

[Christine]

I don't know the music man. Listen, I'm not from.

[Em]

Gosh.

[Christine]

Okay, so he had a different. So he would have these, like, different aliases and cons set up, depending on what he was trying to say sell. So, for example, when he sold Grant's tomb, he would pose as General Grant's grandson, and he would set up a fake office to handle his real estate swindles. He produced documents as evidence to suggest that he was the legal owner of the tomb because his grandfather had bestowed it to him in his will. I don't know. And he would, like, cry and be like, well, it's so sad that I can't take care of grandfather's tomb, but you can do it, grandpapa. So he had, like, all these different cons set up, and they were working. And it sounds like, obviously ridiculous and hokey, but he was not fucking around. He actually sold the Brooklyn Bridge twice a week for several years. Some say up to 30 years. Is like the guesstimate. As for the selling price, I hear you all asking me that. Yes. It varied from person to person. So he would kind of, like, gauge where they were and try to, like, sell it at a certain price point. And that would be anywhere from 50 to $50,000.

[Em]

Oh, wow. That's a lot of money.

[Christine]

$50,000 back then. Yeah. So I absolutely did not Google how much that is. It's probably like $900 million if my inflation calculator is correct. Okay. Anyway, so he would. It was basically dependent on how wealthy the person looked and seemed. And like the. The intel that he got from the people working on the boat. His forte was talking you into basically spending every single penny you owned by saying, like, you'll make this back tenfold, you know, and he was very good at it. He talked, I don't know how many people to times a week for 30 days. Enough people into spending every penny that they had, which is just fucked up. He even accepted payment installments if his victim didn't have enough cash up front. And some of his victims actually paid him regularly for months before realizing they'd been duped. I guess they just went to the. Set their toll booth up finally and.

[Em]

Right.

[Christine]

Nasty surprise. So these people have just moved to America, taken for all they had. Pretty messed up. Amazingly, though, Parker stayed in business from 1883 to 1928, which is. Oh, I wrote. I used calculator. So that's how you know that this is correct. 45 years.

[Em]

You had to trust yourself. You're like, no, no, no, you're good to say this, Christina.

[Christine]

You can say this. You used a calculator. Don't worry. 45 years is what that is. What does that say? Oh, okay, I'll tell you. It says. However, Parker's scam was not perfect. He was arrested three different times for fraud. After one arrest around 1908, though, he managed to escape by walking out of the courthouse wearing a coat and a hat that a sheriff had just set down after. After coming in from the cold. So he just waltzed right out. And then they were like, oh, drats. Or whatever they.

[Em]

Drats.

[Christine]

Whatever they said back then.

[Em]

Right, Right.

[Christine]

Oh, darn it.

[Em]

I don't know what they would say.

[Christine]

I don't know. You're fired. To that man who put down his coat. After Parker's third conviction, on December 17, 1928, he was sentenced to life in prison at Sing Sing, our favorite place. Yeah, they love it there. I don't know what that says about you, but he was 58 years old. @ this point, I found another newspaper clipping that describes his arrest. Quote, the man who sold the Brooklyn Bridge to a small butter and egg man from Indiana received. What does that mean? I don't know.

[Em]

Did he sell butter and eggs like.

[Christine]

A butter and eggman? Maybe.

[Em]

I don't know.

[Christine]

To a small butter and egg man from Indiana, received a present today of three meals a day and a roof over his head for the rest of his life.

[Em]

Oh, it's so fucked up. Oh, my God.

[Christine]

They had a good time back then. You just do whatever the hell you.

[Em]

Wanted, apparently, and just wear someone else's clothes and waltz right out of jail.

[Christine]

Oh, boy. So the article goes on to call him an amazing rascal, which I guess that's one way of putting it. But that's a story for a different day, I guess. At Sing Sing, believe it or not, Parker, you know about it. Parker was extremely popular among both the guards and his fellow inmates, who loved hearing about his exploits. I kind of like, picture it as, like, the sleepover where they're all kind of like this, and they're like, tell us again. Tell us again about Madison Square Garden. So they would basically all gather at his cell and, like, listen to him tell tales of selling the Brooklyn Bridge, Madison Square garden, et cetera, etc. Etc. Etc. Up until the 1920s, people actually were still trying to sell the Brooklyn Bridge. This was apparently a very popular scam. But it became more difficult. Immigrants had become much more knowledgeable about the US and around the time that the processors at Ellis island began handing out cards or booklet, little booklets that said, you can't buy public buildings or streets.

[Em]

At least someone spread finally telling them.

[Christine]

Right, Such terrible, you can't buy Brooklyn Bridge. It's just not possible. So this is why historians believe the Brooklyn Bridge in particularly was associated with swindles, as opposed to any other New York bridges. Because by the time the newer bridges were built, the scam was no longer as widespread, and people, like, they were kind of cracking down on it. So Parker's methods have. This is very strange. I just put this in here. We'll see what happens. Parker's methods have passed into popular culture, giving rise to idioms such as, see, I didn't know this. I'm not also from this nation. This fine nation. I mean, I am, but I like to say that I'm not. This is an idiom, I suppose. It says, and if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you. Okay? Everyone seems to know it except me. Do you know that phrase? Oh, okay, good. That makes me feel better.

[Em]

I'm sure other people do. I just.

[Christine]

We don't. Yeah, we get it. We get it. You're smart. Geez. So that's a popular way of expressing. So that's probably us.

[Em]

Yeah.

[Christine]

Like, we could literally be the victim of this idiom. Yeah, no, because we don't even get it. Okay.

[Em]

A thousand percent.

[Christine]

Anyway, I'm understanding this all now. It turns out that after all these years, the con still apparently lives on via the Internet. According to the New York Times, there's a website called Scamorama.

[Em]

Oh, my God.

[Christine]

Dot com. Scammer Rooney. Thank you. Trademark Somebody Eva. Buy that. Buy that domain, please. I went there and I was like, I probably. My computer will probably die.

[Em]

Now your FBI agent is like, what is going on?

[Christine]

My NSA guy is like, come on, we've talked about this. So I went to scamarooni.com and there was no virus. Thank God. The slogan of their website is, why should scammers have all the fun? Like, what? I guess. I guess so. I don't know. Basically, this website is stories of people trolling all the scammers and then, like, posting screenshots of the conversations. So it's kind of like if you get a. An email, people will, like, respond and, like, play along and then, like, mess with the other person. I don't know. People have a lot of time on their hands. They have a book, in case you're interested. They sell it at Barnes and Noble. It's called Turning the Tables on Email Scammers. All right, anyway, okay, My point is that someone posted on the site a few years back when they received an email from a scammer named Genevieve, whose riches had gotten tied up after a coup in Liberia. Oh, man. Number of times that's happened to me. All she needed, of course, was just a little bit of money to free her assets, and then she would repay him in massive amounts of wealth. So the person who received this email did his best to gain the swindler's trust, then turn the tables by offering shares in the Brooklyn Bridge. The scammer's interest was piqued, and they asked for more details as to how they could go through with the sale. As the ruse went on, though, the scammer finally realized they were being messed with and bailed. But it goes to show that this game actually still works. So just be careful out there. Apparently, I've been doing spam emails wrong my whole life.

[Em]

It just makes me think of the office of Scott.

[Christine]

Yeah. Nigerian prince.

[Em]

Yeah. If he contacts you directly, you answer him.

[Christine]

Oh, boy. So today, George C. Parker is remembered as one of the most successful con men in the history of the United States, as well as one of history's most talented hoaxers. He died in prison in 1936. But his twisted legacy I Hate that I wrote this. His twisted legacy lives on. Okay. God, I was very proud of that.

[Em]

I'm sure mid like drinking wine while you did your notes. You're like, that one's gonna fucking rock.

[Christine]

I even put a dot, dot, dot. That's how you know. Yikes. Yikearoonies. See, it works a little bit. No? Okay, I'm going to end on a quote from vaudeville performer and humorist Will Rogers. They may call me a rube and a hick, but I'd a lot rather be the man who bought the Brooklyn Bridge than the man who sold it. And that is the story of New York City's George C. Parker. All right, thank you, guys. Thank you. Thank you. I just had. I just thought that was the most absurd thing I've literally ever heard.

[Em]

No, that was bananas. I didn't know you could. Not that you should, but I didn't know you could do that. Interesting.

[Christine]

No, I guess you can do just about anything. Okay. That's my wisdom for the day. Somebody write that down. Okay.

[Em]

Oh, good.

[Christine]

I also brought a little horoscope of George for you guys. Now, for those of you who don't. So for those of you here who were dragged here by and you're unwilling and you don't know what you're doing here, this is a part in which I give unsolicited astrological advice to people who are already dead and can't use it anyway.

[Em]

People in Dallas, like the Texans, were like, astrology get.

[Christine]

Yeah. They were like, we don't do that here. I'm back. I'm back with my.

[Em]

Sometimes it lands, sometimes it doesn't.

[Christine]

No. So George was a Pisces. Oh. So are the Sing Sing people.

[Em]

Okay, cool.

[Christine]

So is Eva. So here we go. Eva, listen up. This is for you. Pisces. This week, you may feel you have to perform to make the money trickle in faster.

[Em]

Ooh.

[Christine]

You're better off keeping your cards close to the chest. No one wants to hear that they're responsible for their own downfall. Even if they are, they'll figure it out sooner or later without help from you. The end of the week finds you a master of communication, whether you're leading a meeting, giving a talk, or persuading innocent people to buy the Statue of Liberty. I added that. That's not actually in there, but you get the idea. And. And that for the Pisces and for everyone else, is finally the story of Dorothy Parker. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[Em]

Thank you, everyone. Thank you, New York.

[Christine]

We're so happy to be here.

[Em]

Thank you guys so, so, so much.

[Christine]

J.K. brooklyn, we love.