And That's Why We Drink – Episode 449: Emotionally Damaged Water Bottles and Ghost Marriage Fights (feat. Creeps and Crimes)

Release Date: September 14, 2025
Hosts: Christine Schiefer, Em Schulz
Guests: Taylor and Morgan (Creeps and Crimes)
Theme: Chilling ghost stories, true crime tales, and hilarious collaborative chaos

Main Theme & Purpose

This lively episode embarks on a full-circle collaboration: "And That's Why We Drink" welcomes Taylor and Morgan from "Creeps and Crimes" to celebrate their joining the Parapods family. The episode is a two-part crossover: it covers the first half of a chilling paranormal case (The Smurl Family Haunting) and the first half of a brutal true crime (the Zantop murders). The second parts will be featured on Creeps and Crimes. The recording is marked by both professional admiration between the podcasters and an abundance of hilarious chaos, misadventures, and tangents on everything from emotional support water bottles to haunted studio setups.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Intro and Podcasting Chaos

• [03:17] – [07:02]

• Taylor and Morgan recount the mayhem of pre-show tech issues.
• The hosts and guests bond over the personality types it takes to run co-host podcasts.
• Morgan: “I need you to go be Bob the Builder, I’m not even close to ready right now.” [03:25]

2. Full-Circle Fangirling

• [05:46] – [06:23]

• Taylor and Morgan explain their podcast started because they were super-fans of “And That’s Why We Drink,” making this collab a dream come true.

3. Collaborative Collab Structure

• [06:42] – [07:55]

• Break-down of the crossover: first halves of paranormal and crime stories are on ATWWD, second halves will continue on C&C.

4. Why We Drink Segment

• [08:07] – [36:40]

• Classic round-table: everyone shares why and what they’re drinking (from cider to water to iced tea).
• Tangents include:
  • [09:03] Morgan’s “emotional support” water bottle that lost its magic due to a dent
  • [10:11] DIY studio chaos—building studios themselves and mishaps like breaking drywall hours before recording
  • [19:00+] The saga of being “attacked” on Instagram by cross-country runners for an offhand comment, leading to a discussion of online negativity and resilience as content creators
  • [23:45] The hosts riff about trends like Labubu dolls and Sunny Angels
  • [32:21] Eva confesses to walking a dog marathon to win herself—and the dog—a literal medal

Notable Quotes

• “She’s so unbothered.” – Christine, on Morgan’s Zen energy amid chaos [04:53]
• “That is the best episode we’ve ever recorded because we used to be an audience member.” – Eva [36:34]
• “We talk about ourselves a lot on this show!” – Eva [01:33]

5. Podcast Background and Studios

• [15:24] – [17:18]

• All hosts marvel at the chaos, perseverance, and ultimate aesthetic victories of their self-made studios.
• Christine: “Em and I, when we’re chaotic, we end up with a plunger and Blues Clues furniture.” [16:58]

6. “Let’s Get Creepy” — Smurl Family Haunting (Part 1)

• [43:46] – [90:10]

• Taylor brings a highly detailed, chilling retelling of the Smurl Family Haunting in Pennsylvania, the real incident inspiring the next (possibly last) “Conjuring” movie.
• It covers:
  • The family’s move due to a historic flood (1972)
  • Early “old house quirks,” escalating to poltergeist-like terror: stains that won’t go away, tools vanishing, mysterious noises, foul smells, and electrical fires
  • Gradual, then violent paranormal escalation (scratches, throws, mimic voices, attacks)
  • The family’s Catholic background and how the haunting targeted all members, especially the women and even their dog, Simon
  • The family’s eventual turn to famed paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren
• Hints at the controversies and “demonology” coming in Part 2 on Creeps and Crimes.

Notable Quotes

• “We’re just going to leave the white hole in the wall and fix it later. Seven months later, I took my makeup to it. And that is why we drink.” – Morgan [14:43]
• “I also want to hear your cult story…” – Christine, on religious backgrounds and trauma [59:52]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [53:05] – The “mystery” of the Smurl family twins and newspaper mistakes
• [61:31] – Paranormal activity ramps up after the in-laws move next door
• [78:42] – False voices, winged sounds, and ghostly apparitions
• [85:40] – The haunting becomes violent and sexual, leading to desperate intervention

7. True Crime Segment — The Zantop Murders (Part 1)

• [94:10] – [156:27]

• Morgan tells the story of HALP and Suzanne Zantop, beloved Dartmouth professors brutally murdered in 2001.
• Delivers a cozy New England setting and a wholesome pre-murder portrait: their Saturday tea ritual, cookouts (complete with academic intimidation and accidental flip-flops), and their respected status.
• Roxanna, a family friend, discovers the bloody scene; police realize it’s a targeted attack.
• Investigation details:
  • Use of rare military-style knives (SOG Seal 2000) and knife sheaths
  • Meticulous footprints and evidence gathering—praise for the investigators’ tight-lipped, thorough work
  • Trails go cold until the discovery that the murder weapons were bought by 16-year-old James Parker in neighboring Vermont only weeks before
• Christine will cover the shocking conclusion (including the full motive, teenage killers, etc.) in Part 2 on C&C.

Notable Quotes

• “The only thing missing from this home was Haff’s wallet, with $320 inside. Yet the place was filled with incredibly valuable pieces of art, jewelry, books…” – Morgan [137:47]
• “Still though, the company handed over a list of any and all shops that carried these knives; this left them with a list of 5,000 sales in the area.” – Morgan [153:38]
• “The owner was like, ‘I had only sold 84…’ As they’re scanning the list, one of the sales stands out—16-year-old James Parker…” [156:15]

8. Community, Camaraderie, and Self-reflection

• [105:08] – [109:24]

• Hilarious and relatable asides about feeling like the “jester” at fancy academic parties, being out-of-place among high-achieving friends, and the value of bringing personality to any group.
• “Everyone needs a town crier. I’m here to tell you the gossip.” – Eva [105:08]

9. Outro Logistics & Crossover Hype

• [156:27] – [162:27]

• Christine and the group tease the two-part format—listeners must catch the case conclusions on Creeps and Crimes.
• Sign-off is a flurry of bloopers (tech hiccups, TikTok Hunger Games algorithm jokes, logistics), with collective nostalgia about seeing one’s heroes become friends and eventual collaborators.

Notable Quotes

• “To all the listeners out there, this could be you one day. Look at me.” – Morgan [162:10]

Memorable Moments / Quotes

• [19:56] Taylor: “Two girls that peaked in high school now have a mic in their hands.” (re: Instagram backlash)
• [22:57] Eva: “Let me say it again. I’m walking a marathon. …To keep him alive and healthy, I need a medal. Sue me.”
• [60:52] Christine: “The comeback of three-pronged scratches… like, that’s when it gets real.”
• [70:21] Taylor: “…I used to have a flipper, fake teeth, and his cousin is like, I’ll give you $50 if you eat that watermelon rind… Both of my front teeth snapped off at the beach.”
• [105:08] Eva: “I have friends who are lawyers and forensic pathologists. And I’m like, anyway, the ghost that I saw the other day…”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:51 Christine introduces Creeps and Crimes, establishing partnership and podcast admiration
• 08:06 First “Why We Drink” roundtable
• 09:59 Studio self-makeovers, DIY chaos, water bottle woes
• 19:00+ Instagram drama about running and resiliency on the Internet
• 43:46 Paranormal story: The Smurl Family Haunting (Taylor)
• 61:31 Mom-in-law moves in, ghost activity intensifies
• 78:42 Strange voices, mimics, escalation of haunting
• 85:40 Assaults, dog violence, and the arrival of the Warrens
• 94:12 True Crime: Zantop Professors murder case (Morgan)
• 110:42 Professorial couple’s dinner parties, life in Aetna, New Hampshire
• 118:27 Roxanna discovers the crime scene
• 125:09 Crime scene forensics, murder weapon clues
• 156:27 Episode transition—where Part 2 will continue on Creeps and Crimes

Tone & Language

The episode balances hilarious, candid chaos (think derailed conversations on TikTok, ADHD medal quests, emotional water bottles, and cult upbringings) with expert, immersive storytelling on both the paranormal and true crime sides. Hosts and guests swerve from self-deprecating and raunchy (“are you my dick right now?” [131:44]) to empathetic and thoughtful, maintaining signature energy and warmth.

For New Listeners: Why This Episode Is a Must-Listen

• Showcases the best of both podcasts: uproarious personality and deeply-researched, chilling storytelling
• Tons of funny, highly-relatable banter among friends and fellow podcasters
• Unique “two-halves” structure for each case—teasing but rewarding for listeners willing to follow both feeds
• Candid insight on podcasting, creative process, online haters, and the fun/disasters of building something from scratch

To hear the conclusions:

• The Smurl Family Haunting—catch Part 2 (the Warren investigation!) on Creeps and Crimes
• The Zantop Murders—Christine wraps up the shocking case in Part 2 on Creeps and Crimes

Creeps and Crimes listeners:
Get ready for more raucous collab energy, and see which podcast’s chaos code reigns supreme.
ATWWD audience:
Don’t miss this celebration of community, crossovers, and the purest “fan-to-friend” podcast magic.

That’s why we drink!