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Megan
I need you to know I got this beautiful console table from Wayfair and it looks so expensive and fancy and it's not, it was not expensive. I look like a grown up. Like I went and bought this, you know, at some high end estate sale or something. But no, it was Wayfair and I
Katie
need to tell you I bought a cobblestone electric fireplace. Well, well, well, you know, I want in my witchy cottage, I needed a cobblestone, nice dark wood mantel on top, electric fireplace. Now it feels like I'm just, I'm hiding from all the villagers with my potions. It's very wonderful. Thank you Wayfair.
Megan
Man, we are living the life. Wayfair makes it simple to narrow down exactly what works for your style and budget. If your style is like Rainy Potion Cottage, you know, then like you've got that. If your vibe is like oh, this old thing, I got it at an estate sale but it's actually not haunted for once then that's kind of more my style. But yeah, it's really easy. It's it. They have so many different options and vibes and, and aesthetics to choose from and it's so much easier than just traditional furniture shopping in my opinion.
Katie
Me too. Fine furniture, decor and essentials that fit into your unique style and budget. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. That's W A Y-F-A-I-R.com Wayfair, every style, every home.
Megan
Y' all already know how we feel about no cd. It is a great sponsor. We are so honored to have them as one of our sponsors. Um, as someone who has suffered from debilitating ocd, not even realizing what it was and getting all the way here, where a sponsor that I use to help me get through some of my darker days is now, it's just very full circle moment. Um, and OCD is really, really can be scary and isolating and hard to understand. And that's why NOCD is here to save the day.
Katie
Not every therapist understands OCD or is qualified to treat it effectively, which can make it difficult to find the right help. But it does not have to be that way. OCD is highly treatable with a specialized type of therapy called erp, or Exposure and Response Prevention. And with no cd, you can do live virtual ERP therapy with licensed therapists who specialize in OCD and nocd. Also, their therapists are highly trained, so they really understand OCD and won't judge you no matter what your thoughts are about.
Megan
No CD therapy is covered by insurance for over 155 million Americans. I think that is just amazing. And they're doing great work out there. So if you think you or someone you know might be struggling with OCD, please don't wait to get help. Go to nocd.com and book a free call with their team to learn more.
Katie
That's nocd.com to schedule a free call and learn more.
Megan
Hello and welcome to and that's why We Drink. We are here today to discuss all the things that make us imbibe.
Katie
That's right. Yes. Today I'm imbibing on a raspberry lemonade. A raslum, as you know, as a.
Megan
As all the really hip people call it. Sure.
Katie
It's just one of those little powders. It gets me going every time I take a sip. I apologize to the YouTubers because you'll see me roll my eyes into the back of my head every time I sip it. It's so delicious.
Megan
Oh, it's apologies. I would like an apology just for myself. Also, while we're here, just.
Katie
You can look away. You just look over there. Right over.
Megan
Just close my eyes.
Katie
It's. Yeah, I'm not kidding this. Like I'm trying. I have to stifle my. The sounds that come out of me when I'm drinking. I'm like, it is so delicious. Oh, you know what? You'll. You'll see. They'll all say, do you have any?
Megan
Do you have any? First of all, calm down. Second of all, I don't know that I want to see. Third of all, do you have any Taurus in your chart? Because you're really getting. You're giving me some Taurus vibes.
Katie
And you.
Megan
As you know, I've been studying my astrology, and I'm just like, you know, a lot of sensory. You're very into, like, tastes and feeling. Feels of like.
Katie
Well, thank you. I take that as a compliment. I don't know. I really, other than my big three, don't know anything. Just I don't know.
Megan
You'll see. You'll all see.
Katie
I'll see. I'm telling you. What about you? Do you have any Taurus in your chart?
Megan
I do. My mercury is in Taurus. Isn't that fun? I think I didn't realize that, and I learned that and I thought, that's strange. It doesn't fit me. And then I kind of thought about it and I was like, I guess it sort of does. It's like direct communication. Like, kind of like straight to the point. Like, very like grounded communication. But I'm also like, I don't know. I'm kind of a total airhead, so I feel like most of my conversations are far from grounded. So I'm kind of reconciling with Taurus. But you have Gemini. I mean, not to just know your chart, but you have Gemini Mercury. Yeah.
Katie
Interesting.
Megan
Yeah. So that makes sense for you as
Katie
I'm pulling the hair.
Megan
Gemini energy.
Katie
Yeah.
Megan
But I don't know what the Taurus about me says, but, well, that's exciting. I'm glad you got your eyes rolling to the back of your head over that gross looking water bottle.
Katie
It does look gross. I. Every time I see someone with a water bottle and there's something not clear in it, I'm like, different color is going on.
Megan
Same.
Katie
What is.
Megan
Oh, my God. I took a sip of Blaze's water bottle. He didn't know this. And I was like, what the. It wasn't like gin, but it was like some Raslam situation. And I almost, like, vomited. I was like, I didn't. I don't like that. It's a mystery liquid in this water bottle. Like, a water bottle is for water.
Katie
That's.
Megan
I know a lot of people disagree with that, but it. For me, I'm like, I have my cups for powder stuff, and I Have my cups for water.
Katie
I have my. I have that same feeling. Well, I have the anxiety of that happening every time I go to a restaurant and get iced tea. Because I'm like, what is your version of this? I don't want it.
Megan
Could be anything. Could be anything.
Katie
I ordered it, but I don't want it. I would prefer safety read the room.
Megan
Yeah.
Katie
Because some people are like, like, there's one mirrors where there's a restaurant down the street where we're like, oh, can we get nice tea? And they're like, oh, do you want the. What's it called? Like the Fiesta tea? And I'm like, I don't want that at all. That sounds like hell. Please just give me some dirty ground dirt tea water, please.
Megan
It sounds like hell. Yeah. Oh, boy. So. So you drink your Razzlemen. Okay. Well, do you have a reason why you drink this week?
Katie
Not an interesting one. It's just. It's so effing hot. The summer has come. I don't like it. I was really last. Last week, two days ago, I went to the dog park and I went with a blanket wrapped around me and it was like nice and chilly and like everyone was cozy. All of a sudden, hottest experience of my life.
Megan
Roasting, sweating.
Katie
Like then yesterday, then I went to the dog park within. It was a 24 hour period yesterday when everyone was like, the dog gets 20 minutes and then we're all going home. It's like two.
Megan
Oh my God. We've got a passionate. I mean. And like, that's when I see the raslan come out and I'm like, I get it. Because sometimes you really need like a hydration supplement and like the vessel is going to be a clear water bottle. And it's just how it is today because it's just summertime. Get over it.
Katie
I mean, is that your catchphrase now?
Megan
This is my Mercury in Taurus. Maybe it's cut. It's coming into its own.
Katie
Get over it.
Megan
Get over it. Close the door and kick a rock or two.
Katie
You where you try to Jersey Shore that for a second and then forgot halfway through. Probably open the door and realize it.
Megan
Realize it. Step through it. Kick a rock or two and get with the program and fly the kite
Katie
while you're at it.
Megan
So fly a kite up your own ass if you will.
Katie
Oh, my. You know, and all I said was, they'll all see. And that was crazy for you.
Megan
Wow. And that sent me into a tizzy. But you know what? It was also inspiring.
Katie
Thank you. You know what? I miss wake up and smell the coffee.
Megan
Now that's good.
Katie
Now that was a good one.
Megan
That's really good. That's really good. Remember that weird Folgers commercial where, like, the brother and sister, like, were, like, making out? You made a face like you didn't know, and then you said, yeah, they banged, and I went, oh, thank God we're on the same page here. Yeah, I mean, it's for sure.
Katie
Like, the banging part is certainly not on camera, but it's before and after.
Megan
Read the room. Boo. Buddy, if you don't mind.
Katie
They should be kicking rocks in, like, separate rooms.
Megan
Like, oh, they should be separated for sure. They should open the door and then close it between them.
Katie
What's this? They say, like, oh, my Christmas gift is you. I did. I. I dare you. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. I dare you. For Christmas. It's around the corner. I want you to.
Megan
Just don't say that.
Katie
I just need you to put a bow on your stupid head and walk over to Sandy.
Megan
If you don't think that we have already played this joke on our own family. Like, listen, when that came out, we were both. I think it was like, we were in high school or something, and it was the worst possible time for everyone to make. Be making, like, sibling incest jokes, and we were like, this is not funny. But for a while there, it was the joke. And I think probably Renee spearheaded that campaign. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, yeah, you're on to something. And I don't necessarily look forward to the reboot, but it might have to happen for the views.
Katie
You're telling me you don't want to throw a bow on Zandy's head and say, you're my gift this year?
Megan
Yeah. Read the room, people. It's. The vibe has shifted.
Katie
God, I'd pay so much. I would pay so much to see that.
Megan
It would be, you see, sibling incest.
Katie
Okay, well, no, just the bow part.
Megan
Okay. Just the. Just the bit.
Katie
Just, like, the bit I just want to see.
Megan
Got it.
Katie
Just the one liner and the reaction and then fade to black. That's all I want.
Megan
Okay, well, we'll. I'll make sure to put a crossfade in there just for the fade to black. And I'll put credits at the end with your name on it just to give you the kind of. Kind of credit.
Katie
Thank you. I appreciate it. Now, other than the very specific vision I just put in your head, why do you drink?
Megan
Well, certainly that's now top of the list. There are so many reasons, you know, it's like, every day I'm, like, finding a new reason to just have an existential crisis. But I think we're all in the same boat, right? And then today I woke up and I thought, I'm going to post a tarot reading on TikTok. What? Who's that? I don't know. I'm a Taurus. My Mercury's in Taurus, so nobody knows what that means. And so I am sort of trying to, you know, find out. And so I posted this video, and I'm kind of freaking out because I'm like, what am I doing? You know, that, like, imposter syndrome. Because I don't know. I do a lot of tarot, but I do it, like, at home by myself or with, like, Blaze or my brother or my mother, and that's about it. Or Leona, but she usually just ignores me. But so I'm, like, used to doing it, but then I'm like, oh, it's so. It's odd to, like, have people, like, watch it, you know?
Katie
Well. Cause you, like, who's gonna mansplain it to you in some way? Tarot story.
Megan
It's like, putting yourself out there, you know, a little bit in a new way. And so it's fun, but I'm just expl. And then also I drink, because speaking of exploring, I've been trying new things, kind of like you. Like, I've. I've been practicing watercolor for fun, like I mentioned, and I'm actually today, and I'm literally, my. I'm gonna just poop my pants. I'm so nervous. I'm going to Blaze's Jiu Jitsu gym later to do.
Katie
To watch him.
Megan
To do a class. Okay, I know.
Katie
That's fine.
Megan
Help.
Katie
Why are you scared just because you don't want to. It's performance anxiety.
Megan
I'm. Yeah, I guess. And I'm just like. I don't know. I've never been to his gym before.
Katie
Like, okay, are you worried he's gonna see?
Megan
I'm, like, worried he's gonna see and also not see. I'm like, I'm worried he's gonna be there, and then I'm worried he's not.
Katie
Like, are you worried his friends are gonna say something?
Megan
Yeah. Well, no. Okay, so his friends are the ones who are. So. Okay, so Blaze has been going to gym for a while, and I. I've been. We're very blazing. I are very independent in our own ways. Like, we're very close. Like, very close when we're together. But then, like, we have like, you and Allison, right? Like very separate. Like, we do our own hobbies and then we like, reconvene, discuss. And so he's been doing Jiu Jitsu for years now and he teaches a foundations course. And by the way, shout out to their gym because it's lovely. It's called Bendu and it's in Northside Cincinnati. And they are so welcoming. And that's why I'm going, because I'm just proving to myself, like, hey, Blaze. And his friend Blaine, by the way, shout out to Blaine and Blaze.
Katie
Like, actually, that's like, don't even anime get me.
Megan
Thank you. Don't even get me started. Okay, so Skyla also teaches. Shout to Skyla. She teaches the women's class. And I'm excited and terrified. And they have kids classes. It's just a very welcoming environment. And they built it, Blaine built it out of like, a place that they were before that was not quite such a welcoming environment, let's say. So today I'm finally joining the women's class for the first time. And Blaze is like, excited. I'm excited and I just am nervous. But yeah, if anybody wants to. And apparently it's very low key, like Blaze said, just, you know, it's just more about technique. There's no like, crazy training or like, exercising. It's like very just kind of focused on like the basics of Jiu jitsu. And I have no clue what I'm doing, but I'm really in this era of figuring out what the fuck is going on with, you know, the world. So I figured, why not? Fuck it.
Katie
That's very cool. I think you'll be really good at it.
Megan
Thank you. I don't think so, but it's fun. And it also looks a little bit like I'm like, everyone's just like rolling around with each other on the floor. It feels a little bit like, no, hey, gay. And Blaze said, I mean, soon be
Katie
able to roll around together. I don't know.
Megan
Oh, for the first time.
Katie
First time. I, I, no, I have a friend not out here, but she came to visit and she does Jiu jitsu. And she was like, let me just show you. And then kablam. I was on the ground, on the floor and she's itty bitty and oh, that's not. And she, that's. I mean, that's like the whole thing. It's like, it's not about. Anyway, I, I was k owed before I was even aware what was happening.
Megan
I know. And like, that Happened to me when I was little. I was like 13. And my. I had this cousin, or I do have this cousin Magda, and she's like just one of my faves. No offense to all my other cousins, but Magda is just like one of those people where you're like, oh, my God. And she would take me under her wing for the best and for the worst. And one time. So she won this. Like, she won, like, the Austrian. I'm probably misquoting this, but, like, the Austrian judo champions, like, that's incredible. Yeah. At like, age 20 or so. I don't know. Something like that. And one day I. I kind of, like, jokingly was like, I could beat you up. Literally. I don't remember. I just suddenly couldn't breathe. And I was looking at the little
Katie
tweety birds circling around you 100%.
Megan
And I was just like, I couldn't breathe. I'd like. The wind was knocked out of me and I was like, cool. Yeah. Never, never making that joke again.
Katie
But how cool if you get. Not even really good, just a little good, and all of a sudden you just go, oh, by the way, Magda, I think I could kick your ass again. And then.
Megan
I love to kick her ass. She, you know, she would destroy me. She coaches, like, the national. No, she doesn't coach the national. Women's soccer. She coaches some sort of high up coat women's soccer. She probably still kicked my ass, but, man, I want to try it.
Katie
I mean, I really do think you would be very good at it. I don't know. What. There's something in your spirit. Must be that Taurus and Mercury or some. Can you imagine if after your first, like, big spar or, I don't know, battle, whatever they call it.
Megan
Yeah, yeah.
Katie
Imag. Imagine you throw some girl on the ground and they go, sorry, I'm a Taurus in Mercury. You wouldn't understand.
Megan
Oh, my God. And she'd be like, oh, my God, me too.
Katie
I love girlhood. I love girls.
Megan
That's why I'm excited. I'm like, and Leona's gonna come because they're gonna pick me up. And then I take Leona home and Blaze teaches his class. And I'm like, oh, my God. We're, like, all going to the same gym. And I'm so scared and so excited.
Katie
Is Leona in class?
Megan
She's not yet, but I think, like, in the next couple years, she's gonna start. She really wants to.
Katie
Yeah, no, I. I always told Allison that I don't give A shit if our, like, what hobbies our kid has. Like, I'm not gonna force them into like a quote, common sport. Like my only non negotiable. Especially, Especially if we have a daughter. Would be self defense. You just have to know it.
Megan
Yeah. I just think at this point, like if you're gonna pick a hobby, like,
Katie
let's might as well protect you.
Megan
Let's do that one. Let's do that one. Yeah. And then watercoloring and poetry also for the softer side, you know, to cut with a knife. But like, like psychiatrically. Yeah, that sounds bad. Sounds bad.
Katie
But it's just be philosophical and try to talk things out and be interested
Megan
in your feelings with words, you know?
Katie
Yeah.
Megan
I'm an air sign. I don't know if you know that about me.
Katie
Okay. I'm very proud of you. I. How long does it take for someone to like, get like. I'm such an asshole. I was gonna call it a ribbon. What's the belt? Go over to blaze and be like, oh my God, your ribbons are so.
Megan
Oh my God. Can I tie it in a bow? Can I tie it in a French knot? Can I braid it? I know. It's like. Well, I get. I don't know. I don't know anything.
Katie
For the dopamine spike though, like, how often are you getting them, you know, like. So I've been taking guitar.
Megan
Oh, right. Oh, wow.
Katie
Yeah. Fun fact.
Megan
Did not know. How is that going? Are you singing too or just playing bad? Do you get a metal. A ribbon for that?
Katie
Well, so they go by like. It's literally. I go to a little kid's guitar place.
Megan
Good lit.
Katie
And I told them, I need you to. I'm. This is not a moment where you get to like act all cool and you know chords and I. I need you to treat me like I just got my brain.
Megan
Yeah.
Katie
And if you think what you're about to say might be technically complex at all for like, make it dumber.
Megan
Dumber.
Katie
And one of the things they do at this like, meant for children guitar place is that they go by like the one of them. Jujitsu, karate, whatever. They go by the same belt system, but they use.
Megan
Oh. Oh.
Katie
So I'm currently a white pick. But then. Oh my God, after you like learn a certain amount with them, then you get like. You have to. There's a whole ceremony of the swap with a different color. I don't. I think it's purple. I don't know.
Megan
Wow. But.
Katie
Oh, there's a bug. I'll kill it. Later. Anyway, I. Wow. It was a gnat.
Megan
We're fine, Mr. Miyagi.
Katie
That'd be crazy if I just picked it up and just went, oh. Anyway, I'll get that later.
Megan
Anyway, good luck with your martial arts. Okay. I'll be at the guitar with my black belt.
Katie
Anyway, I. But so they. That's the closest.
Megan
I can't wait till you're a black belt in the guitar and I'm a black belt in jiu jitsu.
Katie
That would be sick. And I'll play all your theme songs when you walk out.
Megan
Oh, my God.
Katie
Yeah.
Megan
It's gonna be like nothing anyone's ever
Katie
seen, by the way, when you get your black pick, there's, like, literally, like, you get your name on the wall. I know.
Megan
I cannot wait for that day memorialized forever.
Katie
So, anyway, I'm glad. Anyway, I'm very proud of you, and I. I hope you stick with it long enough to get one belt, because then I just know in the magic that is ADHD is all of a sudden, you'll be a black belt very quickly.
Megan
It's just, you know, it's like the slippery slope that we love and hate.
Katie
You need a. You need a reward, a fun little treat. And if the fun little tree is something you can also wear. Are you kidding me?
Megan
Exactly. And it comes in colors. Oh, my God. I just want to beat up a boy so bad.
Katie
I get it.
Megan
Okay, I want to say one more thing before we get into the episode. This part is, like, awkward and uncomfortable, but we have to discuss it because we want to be as transparent with you as always. We're discussing ad placement today very briefly. We. First of all, if you're like, ads all the way, I get it. Go to Patreon. Ad free episodes. Took us a while to get there because it took a lot of logistics, but Megan and Jack are kicking ass making ad free episodes on Patreon. Go to Patreon if you are like, no ads for me. That being said, the episodes here, obviously are still free as always. Still long as f. But we do want to give you a heads up. We are tweaking the ad placement a bit. And I know that, like, unsettles some people's routine and way of listening, so we want to make sure you know that before it happens. Unless we've already put an ad in this episode, in which case, surprise. But just so you know, we are shifting the ad breaks to basically keep up with industry standards. And we've done this. We've held back from this for a long time. But we're going to give you the. The reasoning behind it and the explanation of what's happening. Our network Q code, one of the reasons that we even signed on with them, also known as Daylight, is because they have this very ethical, collaborative sales model. They're. The way they do ads is meant to sustain. They're called commercial islands. They're meant to really sustain, especially smaller shows, independent shows, small businesses like ours, where we have other shows on the network. All of our podcasts on parapods are already doing these commercial islands. But we wanted to let you all know first before we, like, made that transition, because we don't want to just, like, upset the Apple cart. Right. So it's not going to affect any, like, distribution platform ads we don't have control over. If, like, Spotify and Apple are, like, harassing you on their own terms. Right.
Katie
We apologize in advance for that.
Megan
Yeah, that's not. That's not us. If you hear a cut, like in the middle of one of our sentences and it goes to an ad, that is not us, we did not do that. Jack is a very good editor, and he knows extremely well when to place the ads because he also gets all this feedback from listeners. Right. So he was actually the one who really helped work out this plan for us. We do these commercial islands now. The format, the pre roll is going to be the same. There's going to be a first ad island after the intro dialogue, a second ad island halfway through M story, third and fourth between our stories, and then a potential fifth island during my story. If. If one is. Yeah, it depends. Some episodes there will be, some won't be. So we just want to let you know that we know you're, like, not here for ads or ad talk, but we don't want you to feel like we pulled the rug out from under you and, you know, taking a break from. And all this is, you know, ads are what kind of keep the podcast alive. And we don't want to bother you with them, but we at least try to make them fun. Like, we do have fun with the ads and we. We do care about our sponsors a lot. So if you don't, if you really hate them, I'm sorry. You know, I know that it's kind of a pain, but you can fast forward if possible. I know on my AirPods you can do, like, the skip forward. Sometimes I do that if I'm, like, doing dishes or whatever. But anyway, we just wanted to keep you posted. And we're trying to do this really as mindfully as Possible, but it's kind of like we've reached a point where we just to adapt to the standard that our network has and that our other shows have and uphold. Then we want it to be the most like, easy listening experience. Like, we don't want this to be like a huge pack of ads all in one that you have to skip like minutes over. And that's kind of the whole idea. So all that to say sorry for the blabbing. We won't talk about it again. But I just wanted to make sure I really familiarize myself with all this before bringing it to you all so that you can know what we know behind the scenes. And please know we're trying. We're going to hear your feedback, we're going to listen and do what's best. But we just love you and we always want you to be part of the conversation. Oh, that is called a Mercury in Taurus.
Katie
You really locked in. You went, I'm on it. And don't worry, I had a lot
Megan
of fun with that.
Katie
Oh, good. Well, great. Okay. Would you like a story?
Megan
Please.
Katie
This podcast is sponsored by Squarespace. If you have ever looked us up and clicked onto our website. And that's why drink.com that is thankfully because of Squarespace. We have been using them since the day the podcast started. And Squarespace gives you everything you need to offer services and get paid all in one, from consultations to events and experiences. You can showcase your offerings with a customizable website, which we have done, designed to attract clients and grow your business. And you also get discovered fast with integrated Squarespace SEO tools. It is a kind of a one stop shop, shop to all your website needs. It is super, super helpful. We really, we would have not been able to make a website as fast as we did if it weren't for Squarespace. I think Christine was able to pull that together seemingly overnight. It just was built and we have Squarespace to thank for that. So check out squarespace.com drink for a free trial. And when you're ready to launch, use offer code drink to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Oh, Cupid's arrived. It's Valentine's Day, apparently year round with Christine's heart shaped glasses.
Megan
Little old me yesterday I went therapy. I know, Yay, me. And I walked in and she went, where did you get those glasses? I was like, I've got a promo code for that. Okay, don't even worry about it. And she's like, well, do they do prescriptions? I said, of course they do prescriptions now. I said, I don't need them because my vision right now is 2020. But they do offer that, and they do offer RFID blocking, whatever that is. So I got that. And then blue light lenses and then also transitions lenses. I mean, whatever the hell you want. It's so cool.
Katie
I mean, there's nothing I love more than a statement piece. And if you ever go on Zenny, it feels like every single glasses that they offer is a statement pie. Just, like, cute, very sweet. And also the prescription glasses or sunglasses or blue light lenses, they all start at under $30. So you can just go to zenny.com and you pick a frame, you upload your prescription, if you even want to put in a prescription, and they ship it to your door. There's no appointment, there's no store, no upsell at the counter. It's just, look at this really cute thing I want on my face. And then like, you guys, it's on
Megan
your face, and then people compliment it and it's like, my life is so much better already. If your glasses are overdue for a refresh, now is the time. Go to zenny.com podcast and use code podcast15 for 15% off your first order. The style sell out, so don't sit on it.
Katie
Z-E-N-N-I.com podcast promo code podcast15I. Let's see if you recall this is a part two.
Megan
I do recall.
Katie
Oh, okay. That would have been real silly if I went. Anyway, here's a random topic and you had to call me out. That would have been.
Megan
You've never had to call me because neither of us ever remembered the three times I failed at bringing up a second part of a story that I was meant to. So don't worry about that. I do remember it's a part two, because before every episode now I ask myself if it's a part two for myself because I have to. Otherwise I will forget.
Katie
You know what? You do what you have to do.
Megan
That's okay. Thanks.
Katie
Do you remember what the part two. What the part one was?
Megan
It was the Egyptian theater. Holy.
Katie
Okay. Memory really just going nuts today with the brain, huh?
Megan
Funny is I didn't remember and then you asked me and I said, I don't, but let me take a wild guess, and it just kind of came back.
Katie
I feel like I just saw, like, the. All the synapses in your brain, like, really go into overdrive to find it. Yeah.
Megan
Yep. The file folder. Yeah, Found it real quick. And. Yeah. So I do remember it's the Egyptian theater, but it's not the Idaho one. It's the other one.
Katie
Oh, my God. Okay.
Megan
I forget where that is. Iowa.
Katie
Illinois. Wow.
Megan
Fuck. I'll see myself out.
Katie
I'm. Why don't you just do the notes at this point? Like, you really just killed it. You just. Every single little beat there. You. Okay, well, whatever.
Megan
Thank you so much. Listen, what can I say? There is no rhymery reason for any of it.
Katie
Well, you're right. This is the Egyptian theater, but this one is not in Boise, Idaho. This is in DeKalb, Illinois.
Megan
Okay. I feel like I've heard that.
Katie
I. I think I've. Nope. I don't know. I know it's near Chicago.
Megan
Okay, sure.
Katie
So once you hear the word Chicago, all the other ones feel smaller because
Megan
Chicago sort of feel like just a suburb.
Katie
Yeah. So. And remember, the reason that this even came to be, this story, was because I thought I was covering one Egyptian theater. And then the information kept sounding just a little off. And so I kept going, what the fuck is going on? And then I ended up finding out I was covering two topics by accident at once. And I told you that that information, when I say it was just a little off, everything was only off by like one or two years. The same reasonings for things, the same chronology was like, all of it just was a little too close that it took me a while to realize maybe it's not the same place. So. So I will try to rush through the history of this, because I already did it last week, basically.
Megan
Right.
Katie
But this theater was open in 1929 versus 1927 at the other one. And this is also on the National Registry of Historic Places, which it happened in the 70s, just like the last place. And again, this was designed as an Egypt with an Egyptian theme after the United States Egyptian craze in the twenties, when King Tut's tomb was discovered covered. At one point I mentioned this last time, but at one point there was around like a hundred Egyptian theaters. And in my mind, I would think, just make this a franchise at this point.
Megan
Yeah. Like, it's just crazy because you would
Katie
think, oh, these are all clearly one of the same thing, but they were all different. And everyone just thought they had the original idea.
Megan
I mean, I guess back then you don't have like, godaddy to check if the domain is taken. So, like, they're already kind of like Egyptian theater, but nobody knows that there's 100.
Katie
I'd be tripping if I worked on an Egyptian Theater and then traveled somewhere and saw another Egyptian theater. And I'd be like, prove this. Oh.
Megan
Like, same pillars or columns and like, same decor. I'd be like, what the is going on? Yeah.
Katie
So apparently they were all just individual theaters. Just all with the same idea. And now there's only seven left in the country. There's la, Boise, this one, and then there's one in Colorado, one in Oregon, two when you turn Utah.
Megan
Okay, fun fact.
Katie
So the cost for the total design of this place was a quarter million dollars, which today is about $5 million.
Megan
Jesus. Yeah.
Katie
And the original plan, which the other one did not have, the original plan was that this was going to be kind of the beginning of a mega complex in the 20s, where, like, a hotel was going to be attached to it, restaurants were going to be attached to it. It was just going to be one
Megan
of multiple Margaritaville and resort, if you will.
Katie
Yes. I think.
Megan
Yeah.
Katie
You get it. You see?
Megan
I do.
Katie
Why did I even. I can't believe I was going to give you an example. That's so embarrassing.
Megan
Ridiculous.
Katie
So it was going to be essentially a bit of a resort kind of thing, but then the stock market crashed. Whoopsie daisy. And the whole plan was canceled. But this theater was allowed to finish its building because it was literally in the middle of being built when the
Megan
stocks market crashed and they're spending $5 million on it. It's like you kind of sunk cost here. Like, what are you gonna do? You gotta keep going, I guess.
Katie
Exactly. It's like, well, let's. Let's see what happens.
Megan
You do? Yeah.
Katie
So, yeah. So the. The stock market crashed, and they were like, well, let's just keep building. I guess it was originally supposed to be. Although it was a theater, you would think movie theater. It was supposed to be both vaudeville and a movie theater.
Megan
Okay, okay.
Katie
And not just both vaudeville and movies, but in the movie realm. It was gonna be both silent and the talkies.
Megan
Ooh. That.
Katie
The talkies, which was the first theater that was going to be doing that around here, so.
Megan
Oh, exciting. Exciting. Big news.
Katie
Big deal. Not just motion picture, but motion and sound pictures.
Megan
Love that.
Katie
And another fun fact for you. The opening day admission was a quarter or 50 cents, based on if you were an adult or child.
Megan
Oh, okay. It was like, based on what? Exactly.
Katie
Okay, fair enough.
Megan
That's fair. That's fair.
Katie
But yeah, 50 cents for a movie. Incredible. Incredible.
Megan
Yeah. Wow.
Katie
That being said, within a couple years, like, literally two years, they realized that the vaudeville thing wasn't working. And I Mean, once you've got the talkies, you're really pushing. Like, vaudeville is just old, old, old. No one wants that anymore. They want the talkies.
Megan
It's funny, those kids aren't coming for vaudeville anymore. Not with the talkies. No.
Katie
They even tried for a second to make it where, like, vaudeville would be the act in between the movies while they were, like, putting in the new reel.
Megan
Oh.
Katie
And then that way.
Megan
So embarrassing.
Katie
Yeah. But it's like, oh, so now you're just like the jester on stage in
Megan
between bits, and you're like. It's like, awkward. You're like the vamp guy, you know, you're like. Yeah.
Katie
You're like the MC or something.
Megan
Vamping. Yeah. And like, everyone's like, when's the movie start? Oh, that sucks.
Katie
Yeah. Yes, exactly. Right? And I feel like it was probably maybe they were really excited that, like, nobody does vaudeville anymore. This is my big break to bring it back. And they were like, oh, we're gonna
Megan
actually, like, I'll finally prove it. Yeah.
Katie
Well, well. So it went straight to just begin a movie theater. The first movie was a horse racing comedy. I would say the name, but apparently it is a now racist term.
Megan
No.
Katie
Yep. But it was a horse racing comedy where I guess. What the. It's hard to understand what the movie was about, but it sounds like it was some guy who happened to share the same name as a famous jockey. But this guy doesn't like horses, he's horrified of horses, and he ends up rescuing someone who's, like, on a horse by accident. And because of his name, which is the name of, like, a famous jockey in the area, they thought he was the jockey. And he was like, I think, trying to impress a girl. And so he pretended to be the jockey, and then he ended up being, like, signing up to impress her for, like, a horse competition.
Megan
And then like, every Disney Channel original movie, literally.
Katie
Because I'm assuming that the real jockey was also there being like, what the hell are you doing here? Signing up for me, you know?
Megan
Oh, my word. Oh, my word. It sounds hilarious. What can I say?
Katie
I do say. I can't tell you everything about this movie. I'm, like, really guessing a lot of that plot because it is Lost footage. Oh, so all we have is, like, the description of what it was.
Megan
Do you know what's so weird is that I have a whole bit. Not a bit, but like, a segment on my a story today about Lost footage.
Katie
Fun.
Megan
Weird.
Katie
Love that. One thing that was not lost was the movie poster. And let me Tell you, the tagline, the gasps of an earthquake, the yells of a mirthquake. It just sounds like something hopefully someone says about us. I don't know.
Megan
Not mirthquake.
Katie
There's also on IMDb two fake reviews about this movie.
Megan
Movie cool.
Katie
Which I did think in the to and it is an homage to issue Sandy. I thought I would read the reviews to you, but.
Megan
Yay.
Katie
But the reviews were not actually that good. Like you're not like not fun.
Megan
Yeah.
Katie
Which I'm sure you've run into all the time. So the two reviews seem to be like. One was more informational about like anything we can find on this movie.
Megan
Great.
Katie
The other one was funny in that it rated the movie a 5 out of 10. Having obviously never seen it it.
Megan
Right.
Katie
Because the movie was lost a hundred years ago. So anyone who was alive to see it certainly isn't operating IMDb. So it's definitely.
Megan
Well, you don't know that. It could be a very tech savvy 104 year old.
Katie
You're right. As a toddler you were totally right.
Megan
I, I remembers it to this very day like it was yesterday.
Katie
He's like, I gotta get on that IMDb and talk about this movie.
Megan
What if he just ended up bitching about the vaudeville act in the middle? Like if they got rid of that vaudeville, I would have been able to enjoy the movie.
Katie
All he did was juggle the cane. Took forever to get out.
Megan
So embarrassing. Like get rid of this guy.
Katie
So yeah, fun fact. Somewhere between the 40s and 50s the film was destroyed because it was like contaminated. But then like do you know in that moment, like this is the only copy forever.
Megan
Do you care?
Katie
Do you care? Like all that money, like Warner Brothers themselves destroyed. Enjoyed it.
Megan
Wow. It's just. Why did they just. What do you mean? It was what, what was wrong with it?
Katie
I guess the film negatives were deteriorating.
Megan
Oh, so it's just like busted. It's not like, it's not like they
Katie
were just like this movie.
Megan
Oh wow, that's just pretty wild.
Katie
But you would think they wouldn't they have had.
Megan
Okay, no. So what they did apparently because at least for my story today, what, what I talk about is television shows. But they used to just tape over them or throw them out. Like once the footage got deteriorated enough, they would just toss it and they would record over things. So you would never get like a hard copy of anything until you were able to record them at home. Because the net, the, the studios would just like re tape over them. Which Is why so much I don't know about movies, but for TV shows, a lot of shows are lost because they would just tape over them.
Katie
So there was just no ability to make a second copy.
Megan
They just didn't. You. They just didn't.
Katie
That's so weird to me that that wasn't anybody's first thought.
Megan
I think it's like they just thought like, oh, this is kind of like temporary media. Sort of like nobody thought. Thought, that's crazy. Save it. I know, True.
Katie
Especially like all that money into it. Like, you don't want this to be.
Megan
It's just so bizarre. I guess, like, once you lose the original and your copy is deteriorating, what are you gonna do? I don't know.
Katie
Well, one of the, I guess solutions was a fun fact about this movie, which the only reason I brought it up is because it's the first movie that played in this theater. And I thought it would be some nice banter, but fun fact, I guess they could tell the. The negatives were deteriorating. I'm guessing on that. But before it ever became lost footage or before they ever decided to throw it away, in 1938, they remade the movie.
Megan
Oh.
Katie
But under a completely different name with completely different cast and completely different character names.
Megan
Was it like shot for shot or was just like totally different movie?
Katie
I think it was a different movie because even like the characters names are totally different.
Megan
So they basically were like, fuck this movie. I know you said they weren't like that, but like, in some ways they were kind of like, this movie. We'll just redo it.
Katie
I wonder. They were like, I always wanted it to end differently and then they just decided to redo it. But they also, they cast bigger people. Like, they had like Louis Armstrong and like Ronald Reagan when he was an actor in it.
Megan
Like, oh, my word.
Katie
In this new version. So anyway, if you want to watch the remake, it's called going places from 1938. Okay. As I mentioned earlier, the theater was opening was in the middle of construction as the stock market crashed. So there were a lot of budgetary cuts. I need everybody to hear this because the gasp that came out of me was just gobsmacked. So for one to cut out of their budget, they had the ceilings lowered so it wasn't taller and more grand.
Megan
Lower the ceilings.
Katie
We don't have enough drywall to keep going.
Megan
Like, just duck. It's fine. We'll duck. They'll duck the.
Katie
No balcony for us. Just.
Megan
Yeah, they're gonna be sitting anyway. Who cares? Stairs. Crawl to your seat.
Katie
There was, there was. They originally planned to have like these really fancy. I think it was like marble floors, but then they couldn't afford the marble and so they literally went to other construction sites around the area and collected the scrap tile and then like had to mosaic it all together on the floor.
Megan
Oh my God.
Katie
Which it ends up actually looking very beautiful now. But like imagine thinking, oh, I'm just gonna throw one slab of marble on the ground and call it a day.
Megan
That's literally out of one of those shows. And now it's like you actually do it.
Katie
Puzzle.
Megan
Yeah, that's. But that's what out of one of Those fucking whack TV shows from the 90s or early 2000s where they're like, Sandra took tissue paper and made this lamp out of it for. Because one time 10 year old Tanya did a school project about lamps and now her room is called the lamp room. And we've made it all out of tissue paper and it'll probably set fire the moment leave.
Katie
I know exactly what show you're talking about.
Megan
Right? Like that show A T. Talking sense or something. Sense with C E N T S. Yes, it's. It's like so making sense to what?
Katie
Maybe talking sense was it. But I know exactly what you're talking about. Where it was like everything was unnecessary
Megan
and you're just like. Are you just like. It's like stapling curtains to the wall. Like, it's like how I behave and I'm like, who paid for these people to go into other people's homes and behave this and like behave this way.
Katie
You know what? I hope you write a letter to them and go, how do you behave this, this way? How.
Megan
Who let you do this? Because I'd like to do this and I don't. I haven't been given this kind of budget or. Go ahead.
Katie
Yeah.
Megan
How. Who greenlit this and can I take over? Thanks.
Katie
So the other, the thing that really floored me and only for personal reasons was that the other big cut that they did was they got rid of the ac. Oh my God. Like just bulldoze the building.
Megan
I mean they've got those tile floors, em. And if you're already crawling, you could, you could just put your face down,
Katie
rub your belly on the cold mosaic tile. No, they, they. But I. First of all, AC in 1929, that's blows me away. Didn't know that was even an option.
Megan
Good one.
Katie
But now I, I'm finding out here's the thing that really made me guffaw is that I want you to tell me because this, the theater still stands. It's still a theater. I want you to guess what year AC was finally put in after being cut in 1929, 22.
Megan
1988, 2000.
Katie
I don't know, like six years ago. I'm not kidding. Six years ago I was like, are you telling me in 2019 that people were volunteering to be here and it, there was no ac?
Megan
I mean, I feel like that's not that weird, is it?
Katie
I promise you in my brain, it's the weirdest thing one could do.
Megan
Okay, I guess that's fair. I mean Chicago is notoriously pretty cold, but I guess that's true.
Katie
Like imagine being. It's the summer you're there, not in
Megan
a packed in a theater.
Katie
Yeah, they do concerts there.
Megan
You got to read 1 star reviews from pre 2020to see like what the, what the deal was. Like if it was hellish or if it was like manageable somehow.
Katie
I wonder if the shows were just so worth it. I don't know.
Megan
Yeah, I don't know.
Katie
Remember that one time we had a live show and the AC went out sort of the LA show where like we were already super delayed. But like it was like, oh, everything was going wrong.
Megan
Oh my God.
Katie
It was like. That was also the bathroom situation was at that theater.
Megan
By the way, someday we gotta have Tales from the Road because there is so much. I think my Mercury in Taurus is really like finally reaching a point where I'm like, oh, I can just say out loud. So I'm like, let us just tell you. Someday we gotta tell you about that ass day and the time that we almost. There was a rat. We didn't get a bathroom.
Katie
Oh yeah. Well, that was enough.
Megan
Another.
Katie
Yep, that was crazy.
Megan
That was terrible. And it wasn't. The show was great, but the, oh, and then remember, I don't know if you remember this because it was, it was a rough day. I on my way out tripped over like a metal thing and I was holding a bunch of stuff and I face planted and like my whole face and I was in front of the Uber and I remember so vividly, it was such a bad like fall and smack that somebody else got out of their car and ran over and I thought it was my Uber driver and he was like, no, I, I just parked my car in the middle of the road.
Katie
I gotta be honest, I didn't see that.
Megan
I, I, I, you guys left before me. Nobody saw it except for the entire downtown Los Angeles area. And then I wiped out face first. And then I just started to cry because I was like, this would happen. And I was like smiling and crying and laughing like a buffoon. And then my Uber driver came and I realized he was pretending like he didn't see me fall. Cuz like he like, looked away and I was like, oh my God, this is the most miserable. And the next morning we got onto that train to San Diego.
Katie
That was that. I remember there was something about, well, they can get into that later.
Megan
I was, hey, we could do a yappy hour about all our bitching. Does anyone want to pay for extra bitching? Yappy hour details.
Katie
I remember specifically. But the ac, didn't they say, like, the only way we could. Like, it was like something. The AC broke the night before.
Megan
We had to reschedule.
Katie
We had to reschedule because they were also saying, like, the only way it's. It could happen. Weren't they trying to say something like, oh, well, we could have the show if we could fix it today and you help us pay out of pocket or something?
Megan
And it was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. They were like, you can do the show. It'll be 118 degrees inside. And we were like, yeah. And I was like, and kill everyone. Okay.
Katie
Crazy.
Megan
Yeah, sure. No.
Katie
Anyway, I imagine that's what this theater felt like, even though it was not Los Angeles post climate hell. But whatever, whatever. This theater had no AC until 2019, so it was hot at least once in there.
Megan
It didn't even have a marble floor. Okay. It didn't have any of the essentials.
Katie
The only reason this theater ended up doing well, by the way, I already mentioned this earlier, but because it was the Great Depression, nobody could afford to go to the movie theaters. And if they did, they wanted like a class A experience. And so because this was the only place that had the talkies, it was like the only theater that survived in the area, I think from during the Depression.
Megan
Wow.
Katie
Even so, the theater eventually, of course, got into bad shape, was already without ac. I'll tell you that. It was going to close down, but then the town rallied together like it's Stars Hollow. And it eventually was able to get renovated similar to the last case I did. Case theater I did. It was right around the same time too, where the whole town got together and renovated it. So.
Megan
Mm. Hallmark style.
Katie
Before I get into the ghosts, I will tell you some fun facts. This is still the town's biggest movie screen.
Megan
Oh, wait, that's pretty. That's pretty impressive.
Katie
It's also the town's biggest auditorium.
Megan
Okay, it is.
Katie
Oh, just like how AC didn't exist until 2019. I've talked about that enough. The original chairs from 1929 were also there up until very recently, and they only recently replaced them except for one one, which I'll talk about in a second. And it's still in use. They do all sorts of events there to do like proms and graduations and weddings and history tours and all this stuff, so. And actually for a while it had a haunted house attraction during Halloween, but then that went away. I'm not totally sure why. And then I don't know if they still do this, but I thought this was so cute. During Christmas, they would often play It's a Wonderful Life and at the end have snowfall from the sea ceiling.
Megan
That's cute. It's just asbestos from the old, old ceiling tiles.
Katie
It's actually because there was no ac. They needed something cold to drench on
Megan
you, so I just dumped dump frozen water.
Katie
Please let it snow in here.
Megan
It's nice.
Katie
So, okay, now on to the ghost. It's most popular for their ghost tours or the investigations that they let people do. They're known today.
Megan
Do you think they ever had a clue when they were building this place? And they're like, oh, it's most successful purpose in 100 years is gonna be all of us on ghost tours. Yeah. With you guys dead inside. Oh, my God.
Katie
I do wonder. I did see like a post online recently though. It's like, how come there aren't. They don't make houses anymore that are worth haunting. Like, they don't look glamorous enough.
Megan
I mean, truly.
Katie
And part of me is like, maybe that's why so many theaters and old places are haunted. It's because they were so beautiful. Why would you want to leave?
Megan
It's like glamorous. Hell, yeah.
Katie
Now if, like I just had like a farmhouse style bungalow like the one I live in now, I'd be like, I'm not haunting this fucking thing. That's just not happening.
Megan
Well, yeah. And it's like, if I've got this big white dress, if I'm a lady. Yes. What am I gonna do? Haunt like the suburbs? No, I mean, maybe for fun every now and then just to scare the kiddos, but like, I belong on a grand staircase.
Katie
And you know what? Keep that energy. That's exactly right.
Megan
Thank you so much.
Katie
It's known as one of the most haunted theaters in all of Illinois. There are several ghosts here, many sources. Before I traveled on over to YouTube. Many sources said that they. That is, there are six very popular ghosts here. And then when I went to YouTube and I saw, I watched like a bunch of people do investigations. Every single one of them said there's only two main ghosts here, so. Oh, I don't know if I did my notes wrong again. I don't know.
Megan
No, maybe it's that thing again where it's like they get mixed up and stories cross over.
Katie
And I feel like there are six ghosts there, but two of them really steal the show. No pun intended. Intended.
Megan
Okay, so it's sort of like these are the two main characters. Yeah. Okay.
Katie
One of them is named Irv Comerfeld.
Megan
Yes. Well, no wonder he's a main character.
Katie
Of course, Irv and his wife Barbara are from the 1980s. They were a power couple here at the time. The wife was like some fancy director. She was a suit of the theater.
Megan
Wow.
Katie
And he also, he was always there. He loved volunteering there. And together they started the non profit that actually restored the theater.
Megan
So they're like patrons of the theater?
Katie
Patrons of the theater, yes. They're part of like the Silver Society or whatever they'd call very chic.
Megan
The Mad Hatters. No, red hats. Mad Hatters. Never mind.
Katie
So one night after a show. Fun fact. It was west side Story, in case you care.
Megan
I do.
Katie
One night after a show, Irv was in his seat, his favorite seat there. And he got up, walked into the aisle, had a massive heart attack as well. People were clearing out of the show.
Megan
Oh, shit.
Katie
And he died where he'd been watching the. The show. And so now people.
Megan
Yeah, he's gonna haunt it.
Katie
So people see him constantly walking up and down the aisle right where he passed.
Megan
I wonder in that case, because it's such a direct link. Like, we know he died there. I wonder if that is residual of that day or do you think that's like it's residual of just his entire energy in the place? Does that make sense?
Katie
It does. I. And I kind of have an for you because I don't know if that one specifically is like from the day he died or because he was constantly at every show walking up and down the aisles.
Megan
Right.
Katie
But one thing that seems to be more generally residual of his is that after he passed, people see a lot of shadow figures standing in the doorway at the back of the theater. And on his shifts when he was volunteering there, he would regularly try to sneak in and look through the door to watch a show. So.
Megan
Okay, okay.
Katie
So that feels more like the general one and the aisle is maybe of the day he died.
Megan
I mean, it's kind of amazing to think, because we never really think about that, that a ghost could have like multiple ways of expressing itself in one place. Like a residual haunting, but then also, or I guess they're both residual, but then like doing different things. I don't know, it's kind of cool. It makes sense, I guess.
Katie
Or for all we know, both of them, like I, I'm not this.
Megan
Or it's the same, right? True.
Katie
They could be both intelligent. They could be from different timelines. In which case like, oh my God, ghosts can haunt, haunting themselves or.
Megan
Well, I think you already know that. You already know that I know psychic. My time travel theory and your time travel interests, like you already know. That's the thing.
Katie
But thank you. The fact that I'm already haunting myself is crazy every time.
Megan
But it's like such not a surprise to any of us.
Katie
Like literally if I trip and I feel someone catch me, I know that was me going get up like.
Megan
And you know who else? It was you who tripped you too, probably.
Katie
You know what? Just for the attention. I could see that.
Megan
Yeah, it's like you doing a three person like stooge act. But it's just like you and your future.
Katie
It's just me, my past self and my future.
Megan
And then like I, I future me comes along with the vaudeville hook. Just gets all three of you out of there.
Katie
Vicky, just drag an organ out and go or something.
Megan
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's do a little nickelodeon action.
Katie
So he is the one who has the special seat where all but one have been replaced since 1929. His seat that he used to sit in is the 1929 seat.
Megan
That's pretty special.
Katie
And I don't know if it's like cause he died there or if it's just like that was his favorite seat and he was a good guy and a patron.
Megan
I feel like that happens like at theaters. Someone has been like involved for so long and they pass not necessarily next to this.
Katie
That's just a double whammy.
Megan
I feel like they were like, okay, we gotta like plate this. Yeah, exactly. But yeah, I feel like they theaters do that. Right. Like even if it's not happens in
Katie
house, he has also. I only saw this on one source and I didn't hear about it anywhere else. But I thought it was interesting that he apparently had a desk when he worked worked here. And after his death there seemed to be a lot of energy around the desk. Oh, People would still find, like, cigarette butts on the desk, and they would find, like, things in the desk had been moved around and stuff. And then when they moved the desk down to the basement, I guess all that activity either ended or ended up. Started happening. It started happening in the basement. Something like that.
Megan
He's like, why the. Did you move me my office downstairs? Yeah.
Katie
Now I'm in the boiler room.
Megan
What the hell is that lot?
Katie
Sometimes people also smell smoke, and they assume that's attributed to, like, the cigarette butts. But some other people argued, like, this. This was before things were smoking free. Like, oh, the theater probably just reeked of cigarettes at one point.
Megan
True. Yeah. Probably everyone is smoking.
Katie
Yeah. So it probably has nothing to do with, like, him specifically. And it's just. Well, that's what the theater.
Megan
The era. Yeah.
Katie
Okay, so he is one of the main characters. The other main character that everyone talks about is the lady. Lady in Guess a color. It's not red, finally. Or white.
Megan
Is. Is it. Is it aquamarine?
Katie
Can you imagine? Can you imagine the lady in lavender? No, it's.
Megan
Oh, she's such a. I mean, she needs so much attention.
Katie
She's in green. This one's in green.
Megan
Okay. Okay. Well, you know, she could have been aquamarine, but she chose. She chose a simpler. I appreciate that.
Katie
You know, we have yet to meet a lady in yellow or a lady in orange. I feel like those are the only two left.
Megan
What about pink? Have we done that?
Katie
Pink, Purple? Have we done lady in purple?
Megan
F. Maybe not. Brown, red, white, gold.
Katie
I feel like. I feel like we've found the lady in gray, lady in black, lady in white, lady in blue, lady in red. Now lady in green.
Megan
And, you know, the beautiful thing is we've got so much ahead of us. Polka dots, gingham, you know, a lady in flannel.
Katie
Now, that's the one I want to meet, for obvious reasons. Okay.
Megan
A lady in moomoon.
Katie
I already have one of those in my farmhouse, Allison. So lady in green. She has no name. And people have even asked, what's your name? And she just won't tell you, but she's apparently very happy. She's seen a long green dress. She's seen in the balcony of the theater a lot of especially, like, workers in the morning when they go and do, like, checks on the building, they'll see her just sitting there in the audience, and they think, like, she is early for a matinee or something. Something.
Megan
And imagine, though, like, seeing someone in a dress, too. Like a beautiful green Dress. It's like, what are you doing here at 8 in the morning? Or whatever time the workers show up.
Katie
And as someone who is often a. A non fancy patron of the theater.
Megan
Yeah.
Katie
The way that attire has changed over the years. Like the way like people wear like athleisure to the theater. That's crazy.
Megan
And like for a matinee or eight in the morning especially, like you wouldn't see somebody typically in like a gown, you know.
Katie
No. But like she like do at the theater. And so sure, that would really blow me away if I saw someone dressed like you and me sitting in the theater. Sadly, in 2026, that would be less shocking. I'm sure someone in vaudeville would be like, what the are you wearing?
Megan
Yeah, I mean, I'm literally wearing like underwear as pants right now. So I. I think that like they would be pretty understandably upset. Yeah.
Katie
But shockingly, that would be less for me to swallow. I'd be like, oh, someone's just sitting and observing me working.
Megan
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Or they're. They. They got in here somehow. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Katie
But so anyway, they think someone either snuck in or is confused about showtimes. She seems to be very chatty. She's very often intelligently responding to people's requests when they go on investigations.
Megan
Except not her name.
Katie
Except her name. She doesn't. She keeps some things to herself.
Megan
I like it. I like it.
Katie
Performers have even seen her during rehearsals and shows. They see someone watching who like stands out because she is dressed for Broadway, which is crazy.
Megan
Yeah.
Katie
I keep saying Broadway. Just theater. Sorry, It's.
Megan
It's Chicago Broadway.
Katie
Yeah, yeah. And also people also see her smoking one of those very long Cruella De Vil cigarettes, which like, she's so out of place. But yet she's in her world. She's so in place.
Megan
She's like in her element. Like, wow, that is just stunning.
Katie
Everyone else probably looks so off to her. In fact, there is, but I love
Megan
that she just doesn't even mind.
Katie
There's one story later that I tell. I'll just say it now that there's one ghost there. I wonder if it's Irv. But there's a guy who is dressed old timey and he's leaning against one of the columns and he just looks at the stage, watching you. Especially if you're investigating. People have said that they see a man watching them while they're. And they've found out through spirit box sessions or EVP sessions or whatever it is that he is very curious about people's Clothing. And part of me is like, because they're from another time or because they are just so embarrassing in a theater dressed like that.
Megan
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Is it like because. Because like, what is wrong with you people? Or is it like, oh, you look like a futuristic.
Katie
Right.
Megan
Robot. Yeah.
Katie
I mean, imagine, you know, back in like when people were for the first time on commercial airplanes and they would dress like their Sunday's best. Imagine you just showed up in like your gym shorts and a hoodie, like we all do now. They would be disgusted with the look and like.
Megan
And like your whole duvet. You know how some people bring like an entire duvet and like six stuff. Squishmallows. And you're like, did you find.
Katie
Yeah.
Megan
And they're barefoot. Exactly. They'd be. They'd probably. But you're right. Like, like, it's like you look like a different being entirely.
Katie
Yes.
Megan
And you look like a little bit. Okay. Wow.
Katie
Wow.
Megan
A little extra like.
Katie
Okay. I'm very clearly have different cultural interests.
Megan
We. Yeah. Cultural interest is a nice. Yeah, sure.
Katie
Yeah. So she's very friendly and. And is like. I think she kind of. I like to think she loves the bit of being a ghost because there have been times. I saw it in YouTube videos last time night that as soon as you. The. The guide will bring them up to where people see her and he starts talking about her. The lights only in her section turn off by themselves. H. She's like, and what, darling?
Megan
Showtime. Smokes the cigarette. Yeah. There's just. Oh, my God, I love her.
Katie
So those are the two main ones, but these are the others that people on other sources said that there's the ensemble cast. Well done. Yeah, absolutely. That's. What. Why didn't I just say that? Okay. God, sometimes you just have the words.
Megan
I'm channeling you.
Katie
Thank you.
Megan
Yeah.
Katie
There's apparently a little girl that haunts the theater, but it's because her family used to actually live on the property before it was a theater.
Megan
Oh. So she must be confused.
Katie
She must be. So she's like, where is the couch?
Megan
And also like, where is my marble floor? I was promised.
Katie
And where is my mom?
Megan
Oh, God. And where. Where and where.
Katie
Where are my shoes? Where are my clothes?
Megan
Where am I? Where's the potty?
Katie
Where am I?
Megan
Oh, my God.
Katie
People have said that they've seen this little girl singing and playing in the lobby and. But they only see her during the summer because I guess when they lived on the property, it was a summer house. So people only see her when she would have been there. There's also apparently the ghost of a little boy. I don't know if he has anything to do with the little girl.
Megan
I love that people can still summer in the afterlife. Yeah, like what? She's summering in the afterlife? Like, she gets to go to her summer home.
Katie
What the fuck was that sound?
Megan
Probably like somebody's souped up vehicle because they have a huge penis.
Katie
That was crazy. That from the other side of the country. I heard their tiny penis drive by.
Megan
I didn't think you'd be able to hear that, but it must have been like, at the exact right register. Sorry about that.
Katie
No, but that's a great point that you can summer even in the afterlife.
Megan
But it feels like some people can't, doesn't it? Like, it feels like sometimes people are just stuck somewhere or residual or whatever. But then, like, you hear about this and it's like, oh, she's only there sometimes because it's her summer home. And I'm like, what?
Katie
And where the does she go?
Megan
Where exactly.
Katie
Yeah. I wonder if there's what the privilege hierarchy is in ghost world. Because if some people are stuck, but someone else gets to travel, it's like, that has to be a ghost that you don't care for because you're a little butthurt about it. Right?
Megan
But who's deciding that?
Katie
I don't know. I don't know the politics. I don't.
Megan
Someday we will.
Katie
Yeah. And yet we won't be able to tell anyone.
Megan
We'll find out.
Katie
So annoying. Yeah, they'll see. They'll all see.
Megan
I'll see.
Katie
So there's a little boy there. I don't think he has any relation to the little girl, but I hope that they see each other and play.
Megan
I do too.
Katie
He's been seen wandering the theater. He was first scene. This is so creepy. When the building was doing Halloween jump scare attractions, and people thought he was a lost kid and were wondering where his parents were.
Megan
Oh, God.
Katie
And then the real. The real scare is that he was never there. Babe.
Megan
That's like the world's best haunted house, though.
Katie
Truly. Like, you. And you pay all of these teenagers to do some. Some spooky, scary work when, like, the main character was like, all do it for free.
Megan
Yeah, sure. Like, step aside.
Katie
He's apparently often seen in the costuming dressing room area. And so they wonder if he was ever a vaudeville actor here. Oh, the fifth ghost here is. There's a janitor and blue coveralls. A lot of people see on the stage, sweeping. And I guess he's become known as Charlie.
Megan
Okay.
Katie
There's also a lot of blue orbs that float around in the theater. And so maybe that's Charlie. I'm not sure. And then the sixth one is certainly the most horrifying and somehow neglected a lot in the YouTubes that I watched the YouTubes on my mom. But in one of the bathrooms downstairs, there is this haunting female spirit who actively tries to keep people away. Like, is wants you to be scared of her. People say that they feel someone glaring at her. I actually saw someone, saw this one investigation where they were like, we were just trying to be girls. Girls. We were gonna go hang out with her and be like, it's not that bad, babe. It's fine. Because apparently it's a woman, and it's always happening in the woman's bathroom.
Megan
And they're like, it's like moaning myrtle.
Katie
Yeah. And they were like, let's just go hang out with her and show her. Like, it ain't that bad. But as soon as they got to the stairs, where they would have gone down to the bathroom, they felt something so hateful that they were like, okay, noted. We won't go.
Megan
Oh, my God. To go from the energy of let's go, like, early pop, swap lip gloss in the bathroom to like, okay, the dread is physically blocking me from walking further. Yeah. There's probably something that doesn't want you down there.
Katie
Well, apparently people who have gone down there anyway, they have experienced the bathroom stalls. The doors will slam, slam, shut. And then if you even try to close one of them, there is a pounding on the stalls, and you hear a woman scream, crying.
Megan
Oh, God.
Katie
She's like, she is. She wants you out of there.
Megan
She is like moaning myrtle. I mean, really?
Katie
Well, some mediums have said that. I mean, she's clearly going through it, but the mediums have said, like, she feels like a poison to society. Whoa.
Megan
What the.
Katie
Like, she's. She hates herself, and she's trying to scare you off so that you're nowhere near her. It's almost like she's trying to, like, save you from herself.
Megan
Right. So she's like, self sad.
Katie
She's.
Megan
Okay. This is a very psychoanalytical interpretation of a ghost.
Katie
But you were about to say self sabotage. That's exactly right. Where it's like, you would. You could have friends in the afterlife if you're not so damn scary.
Megan
You can borrow my lip gloss.
Katie
Yes. This, like, we. We're trying to help you, but maybe
Megan
she doesn't you know, she's got to help herself, man.
Katie
Now you said it.
Megan
Period. And that's on.
Katie
Period.
Megan
Oh, God.
Katie
Okay, so I'm just gonna give you a quick rundown of some of the other things that ghosts do. I know. I'm going over time. I'm so sorry. So.
Megan
No, go. Please go. I want to hear the ghosts.
Katie
Many shadowy figures darting around, many apparitions of people watching the shows. People have straight up just seen a man standing on the stage that they think, is there not a different man?
Megan
Oh, okay.
Katie
There's one apparition that has talked to investigators, saying that he's curious about their clothing. This was a show, I guess the host is named Sarah because it's called Sarah Normal. I think that's hysterical.
Megan
I love that.
Katie
And they responded by saying, like, oh, our clothing. It's because we're from 2025. And then their phones died, as if, like, their exact words were like, he clearly crashed out, that it was 2020.
Megan
Say they fucking lost it. Yeah, yeah.
Katie
He was like, well, I can't stand this.
Megan
That's enough of that.
Katie
There's footsteps, faint voices, sounds of applause, feeling touch. Door slam right next to you. There was one video I watched where literally, as they're walking by, like, the door just slams. Like, it's just. And. And then the. The tour guide was like, yep, there they go.
Megan
Like, that shouldn't be normal. Don't normalize doors slamming on their own.
Katie
I like the normalization of, like, them being mysterious about it, where a door slams in a room that you're not in, but they clear. Clearly don't give a. They were like, here's the door. Bam.
Megan
When it slams right in your face, and you're like, yep, another day at work. It's like, I don't think so.
Katie
And maybe they were being mischievous, but without context. It just feels threatening.
Megan
Like, it's not. Yeah, yeah. You know, read the room.
Katie
Yeah, please. You know I'm gonna be scared now.
Megan
Yeah. Quit fucking around.
Katie
Objects move. There are clear photos of, like, misty bodies sitting in seats. Motion activation equipment trips up. Batteries and cameras die. And then if you, like, mention it, then more batteries and cameras. Cameras die on stage. People hear. This is a common one. People will hear crinkling paper around them, like, what the am I hearing? And then when they think back on it, it sounds like a script was being flipped through. And right when they rehearsing and right when they give up trying to find the sound, bam. Right next to them, they'll hear whatever it was. Maybe the script or a book getting thrown onto the ground right next to them. And Jesus, I should have kept the clip ready to show you. But there. Someone did get it on camera where they're like, do you hear that? Do you hear that? And it's clearly like, rust papers. And then at the very end, you just hear, like, bam. And it's like slams right on the ground next to her, as if he's like, what do you mean my scene got cut? Bam. Or something like that.
Megan
I feel he's not off book yet.
Katie
Not off book.
Megan
He's not off book, and he's got to fucking get off book.
Katie
One of the most common things that people experience here are the most success investigators get is through spirit box sessions. These ghosts love a spirit box.
Megan
I love ghosts who love a spirit box.
Katie
I love the Chatties, Chatty Cathy's.
Megan
So I wonder why.
Katie
Here is a collection of multiple. I just put them all in bullets. So. So these are from multiple investigations. But when talking to the lady in green, they said, were you a singer? The spirit box says, singer. And then everyone went, oh, my God. It said singer. And then the spirit box went, that's right. Yeah.
Megan
It's like, well, yeah, it did, because
Katie
you asked another one. When people try to approach that bathroom where, like, there's, like, the meat. Mean ghost, the spirit box will say, stop here.
Megan
Oh, geez. Yeah, I will. I will.
Katie
The REM pod, which, as you know, it has, like, different lights on the top of it in different colors. They were using a REM pod, and they asked if they could. If the ghost could change the REM pod's colors. And the spirit box said, four. Which there are four colors on top. And so.
Megan
I know.
Katie
So they said. The investigators went, yeah, there are four colors. And the spirit box said, the dots. Dots, right. As a full sentence. The dots. Right.
Megan
That's super cool.
Katie
That one freaks me out. That one actually just never the dots, right?
Megan
Oh, my God. It's like.
Katie
Because it's literally four colorful dots. It's so creepy.
Megan
Creepy.
Katie
Then they were talking to Irv, and they said, do we feel you go up and down aisle one? And the spirit box said, yes, it's me. Then they said, what's your wife's name? And the spirit box said, barb.
Megan
Whoa.
Katie
And they said, thanks, Herb, for talking to us. And the spirit box said, thanks.
Megan
Holy. Hey. Is like, active. Yeah, he's there.
Katie
Another time they were saying, are you the one making this machine light up? And the spirit box said, probably yes. Then they said, did I see you walking around just now? And the spirit box said, maybe.
Megan
It's like, I don't know. Did you see me? I don't know.
Katie
Everyone hears a sound, and then they said, are you moving chairs? Because I guess the chairs nearby, and they thought they heard it shift. They said, are you moving the chairs? And the spirit box says, it will was me. Ooh. They said, do you want to keep talking to us? And the spirit box said, no.
Megan
Okay. That's a dangerous question.
Katie
They're about to. Investigators are about to head out, and they say, we'll leave now. But then they get a voice saying, wait. And when they ask, who's on the stairs, they get a voice that says, Freddy. And they. It's a clear Freddy. It's like this. It's like, freddy.
Megan
Is Freddy someone we know or.
Katie
No, no, just.
Megan
Okay, the name.
Katie
And, I mean, think of how many people have been in and out of that theater, either working there or visiting. And.
Megan
Yeah, someone's just going to the bathroom real quick. And then, yeah, some futuristic person's like, what's your name?
Katie
Freddie. Well, there was. They go into the dressing room that has all these vanity mirrors, and they say they're talking about, oh, mirrors are supposed to be a portal for spirits. And the spirit box said, that's right.
Megan
Oh, no. Confirmed.
Katie
That freaks me out.
Megan
Breaking news. I mean, we all knew the witches were right.
Katie
Everybody.
Megan
Of course they were. That's distressing.
Katie
One time they asked, how many of you are here? The spirit box said, a lot. Are you right by me? The spirit box said, indeed. What are you doing here? The spirit box said, fate.
Megan
Oh, that's heavy.
Katie
One thing I thought was also cool, also involving the REM pods is, as you know, I just said, colorful lights everywhere. They had it on. And the spirit box immediately said, game ready. As if, like, oh, my God, we're gonna play a game. I'm ready. Oh, my God. Because it looks like an arcade game. Like, it's.
Megan
It looks like you're about to play. It's. It's like the one where you have to land on the.
Katie
Yes. Colorama.
Megan
That's right.
Katie
But so they said, oh, you think it's a game? Maybe because of the lights. And then the REM pod goes off. Like, they went to go, like, point at the lights and be like, this
Megan
is why I think it's. You think it's a game, you idiot.
Katie
Another time, the spirit box said, grab. When they said, what are you gonna grab? Then the REM pod went off as if, like, someone grabbed the rem pod. Oh, and then can you give us a sign? The spirit box said cannot. I mean, there's so many. So I'm just gonna end on the creepiest thing that happened, which is there was one team that was there, and they were all standing on the stage, and they had a camera on a tripod facing the stage in case anything happened that night. Nothing ever happened at. Except when any of them, especially this one guy on the team was on the stage, the tripod and camera would move itself the whole time they were on stage.
Megan
And what.
Katie
And as if they ever left, the tripod would stand still. And it wasn't like it was on the stage or they were accidentally knocking it by stepping around and everything. It was like, on the other side of the theater, and it was like something was trying to, like, adjust the frame and to get them in the. And then they left, and the camera stayed still for the rest of the night. They went back and were on stage for, like, 15 minutes, cleaning up their equipment, and the whole time, the camera was shaking by itself.
Megan
Very strange. Very strange.
Katie
I wonder if that was like, an old theater tech being like, okay, let me get the shot right.
Megan
Well, you're not doing a very good job if you're shaking it around the
Katie
whole time for 15 minutes.
Megan
I feel like it's that child.
Katie
Oh, yeah. Just playing with the equipment.
Megan
I mean, that's what I would do as a child. Yeah.
Katie
It's like, I can see you on this thing.
Megan
Unattended video camera. Yeah.
Katie
Anyway, okay. That is the Egyptian theater.
Megan
That was awesome. I really liked. I. I mean, I like both of them, but this one, I don't know. I really. That one. There's so many characters in this one, you know, like, characters. Irv and all this. Jeez. I feel like this one feels, like, the energy, even with the lady in the basement. Like, I think I. I'd rather spend the night at this place than the other one.
Katie
Yeah, I agree.
Megan
I don't know that I barely remember the last episode, but I feel like the vibes here are better.
Katie
I feel the same way.
Megan
Like, okay, good, good, good.
Katie
And, yeah, as long as I avoid that one bathroom. It seems like everyone else is, like, pretty jazzed to just talk.
Megan
I feel like what I would do with the bathroom is just not even being facetious. I'm serious. I would probably, like, if we were investigating, I'd probably just, like, toss a tampon down, toss some chocolate. I don't know.
Katie
What are you on the rag? Is it what you.
Megan
I mean, no, I know it sounds like that, but like, I know you mean I would be like, what can I offer you that doesn't involve human interaction?
Katie
You know, like, like there's a candy bar, babe, like, or something.
Megan
Yeah. Or do you want like me to move you to the light? I don't know, like, what's going on here? Cuz I'm. I'm about to get all intellectual on psychoanalyze you ghost. You know, I'm about to. Otherwise, like, just tell me, tell me you're. You have cramps and I can get you a Midol. I don't know.
Katie
You know what I would do? First of all, I agree. I would absolutely be. And like, what does that say about us, the people pleasers that like, I'd be gifting her anything to not be mad at me?
Megan
Well, I'm just like, concerned really. I'm sort of like, I don't even want evidence from you. I just kind of want to make sure like, you're not in like hell and can't escape. And I'm supposed to like, help you out with. I don't know, this.
Katie
That's a lot nicer than. I would still be trying to get evidence, but I, I think I would do it the way.
Megan
If I get evidence, that's great, right? But like, also I'm a little scared and I'd rather she just kind of make her way to the. To the afterlife if that's her plan.
Katie
If I were to get evidence though, I still would not go down there. I think I would do the Zach Bagans move of like putting a microphone on a huge boom pole and just slowly weaving it down there and just be like, if you want to genuinely
Megan
thought you were going to say do the thing. Zach B. Doesn't send you or, or Eva down there. And I was like, thanks a lot.
Katie
Like a camera on a stick and just like kind of fish it over and just.
Megan
You and I would literally tie a GoPro onto a tampon and like roll it down there and be like any, anything. We're not trying to bother you. We just want to help. But also like, will you do us a solid and say hi? Yeah, that's where we'd land.
Katie
I think I. I understand. I would. I. I'm glad that we would both at least do something. Even if it's not good stuff.
Megan
I think we have to interact with her. I'd be like, what is the deal? Yeah, what's the deal?
Katie
Let me hear your ears, babe.
Megan
Spend me, spend me. Spin me a tail.
Katie
Spin me a Tail. Oh, that one needs to come back too.
Megan
Yeah, yeah. I need to learn how to say it first, but then we can definitely bring it back.
Katie
Sure. Just like how before my story, Christine had an announcement. I also have an announcement.
Megan
Yes, yes.
Katie
It's okay that I put it here.
Megan
Please. That's perfect. That's actually way better, I think.
Katie
So we had a listener reach out named Sydney, who has a best friend, Mali. I think that's how it's pronounced. Mali's also been a listener for a long time, but recently got some news that her kidneys are failing and she needs a training transplant. And because of her blood type, doctors told her that it could take like six to eight years to receive a kidney through the standard wait list. So it was just devastating. So Sydney reached out and was saying that Mali's best chance is finding a living donor. And Sydney actually wanted to donate herself but wasn't eligible. So we're just reaching out to the community to see if this moves anybody to go find out, you know, for Mali or even for somebody in your own life to see if you're a match. And you don't have to be a direct match, by the way, for to help. Yale's kidney exchange program can match incompatible donors within a larger network. So that can also help Mali receive a transplant. So don't count yourself out just because you think you might not be a match. But if you're 21 or older and you are interested at all, again for Mali or again somebody else in your own life, if you're curious about organization, donation and being a living donor, you can visit Yale New Haven's Living donor program@ynh.org Oregon donation and you can also call the center for Living organ donors at 866-9-25-3897. All the donor related medical costs are handled by the hospital and obviously there's zero pressure here. But we just wanted to help Sydney reach out to the masses. She's trying to do a really good thing for her friend. And Mali, if you're listening, we hope that you're doing okay with all this. And yeah, if you are a match or if you know somebody who might be or is interested, how would you know if you're a match? But if you know someone who's interested in finding out, if they are, then, then please reach out through those sources.
Megan
Yeah, that's awesome. Thank you for putting that, putting that so coherently to you and Katie who've kind of like were in contact with her. So yeah, that's really. That's really scary. And I hope. I hope somebody. I hope this moves somebody or, you know, at least gets. Gets the word out. And lots of love to both of you.
Katie
Yeah, I. It's. You know, we're. Thank you, Sydney, for also reaching out and being a real homie and trying to help out your friend. But I. I'm sure that the two of you are not the only dynamic going through this right now that listens. So it's just a general PSA to anybody who might need it.
Megan
Yes. Yes. I love that. Love that.
Katie
That.
Megan
Well put. So there's always a reason to be angry, right? Just like a little angry. And this episode is brought to you by Angry Orchard Hardsider. And Angry Orchard doesn't want you to be angry about the little things. It's hard. Don't get angry that you accidentally forgot to do part two for the third time on your own podcast. Don't get angry that, like, the WI fi is lagging. Maybe it's just meant to be.
Katie
Felt like a targeted attack about my WI fi, but I felt targeted, but
Megan
just like slight targeted.
Katie
I'm telling you. You are very valid because there's nothing that I crash out more about than this Internet and so during myself. Don't get angry. Gotta get Orchard.
Megan
Get Orchard. Dude. Angry Orchard hard cider is made with two real apples. You can actually taste it. It's delicious in every cider, which is why it has that real fresh apple flavor instead of being overly sugary. It's a hard cider with other natural flavors. It's not a beer, and it delivers. I have a lot of friends who drink just Angry Orchard, no beer. You know, that's just their vibe. And I. I get it.
Katie
And Angry Orchard is the number one hard cider in the country. So you and your friends do not stand alone. They clearly know what they're doing when it comes to crafting cider. So don't get angry. Get Orchard near you. Visit angry orchard.com and use the cider loc to find Acre Orchard near you.
Megan
Angry Orchard Cider Company, LLC. Angry Orchard is a hard cider with other natural flavors. Please drink responsibly.
Katie
Here we are again, talking about Reddit. Somehow, I don't know how we became enemies to lovers, but it happened.
Megan
It happened. And I knew it was gonna happen because every time I get on that Reddit by gone it. Is that a word? I don't know. I find I found out something new that I didn't even realize I was interested in. Or I get to practice my intuition you know how much I love my intuition, practice, subreddit, even just, like, the homepage where they just, like, recommend stuff. I'm like, okay, fine, I get it. You understand my soul. Okay, Reddit, fine, take it.
Katie
I feel like there's quite a lot of subreddits that I was not letting myself love for quite some time.
Megan
And you just gotta lean in.
Katie
These days, I'm falling asleep. Because it's. It's. Instead of reading books, I read Reddit, and I've been diving deep into this one called what is this? And basically, people take a picture of something, they don't know what it is.
Megan
I love that subreddit. I love that subreddit.
Katie
And it's like a gasket. And I'm like. Like, that changed.
Megan
And you just scroll.
Katie
I'm so glad.
Megan
And, like, you find, like, wisdom and humor in the comments and you're like, what's hap. What book is this? I forget what book I'm reading. It's. Yeah, I know what it's like. It's really fun. That's why we turn to our favorite subreddits. Whether that's the intuition practice or. What is this?
Katie
Whatever question you're dealing with, whatever problem you're stuck on, Reddit always has the answers. Download the Reddit app and get answers on what this is.
Megan
What is this?
Katie
Download the Reddit app today.
Megan
Today. Okay, so I'm going to tell you a story now. This is the story of Athelia Poncel Linsley and her brutal murder.
Katie
Good.
Megan
Yeah, great. Good times. This one's a weird one. It's a doozy. Okay, so Athalia, first of all, love the name Athalia.
Katie
It's just something ethereal.
Megan
Very ethereal. Athalia was born Marianne Fetter on July 25, 1917, in good old Toledo, Ohio. Her father was a wealthy utilities magnate. So she grew up in money. Like, she was wealthy. She lived in a wealthy family. They actually were so wealthy that they lived in something called a marble palace. So, okay, speaking of, like, the marble floor of the Egyptian theater that was. And that ended up being dumpster tiles.
Katie
Right.
Megan
Mod podge together. This one was actually a marble palace on the Isle of Pines, south of Cuba. Like, this is the. Yeah, of course. Natural.
Katie
So is mine.
Megan
So, yeah, same, same.
Katie
Also, like, first of all, you never hear Magnate anymore. I would love someone to just be honest and tell us who they are. And they're like, I'm a magnet.
Megan
Sexy. It's a sexy word, I think. Magnate.
Katie
Oh, which magnet? Oh, the one in the marble palace.
Megan
Oh, my God. I thought you said a witch magnate. And I went, yes, I. That. It's that. I want that. A witch mag.
Katie
I. I would like there to be a magnet involved in magnets. A magnet magnet.
Megan
A magnet magnet.
Katie
That'd be very funny.
Megan
Stupid.
Katie
Okay.
Megan
Sorry. I'm the heir of the magnet magnate fortune. I mean, it's just ridiculous. Yeah. So her father was a utilities magnate. Boring. Um, but they lived in a marble palace, of course, on the Isle of Pines, south of Cuba, and grew up in this environment. She was tall. She was described as willowy, beautiful, attended private schools, was raised very creme de la creme. She moved to Jacksonville, Florida, as a young girl and ultimately ended up in New York City becoming something called a Powers moment model. And I guess what I want to say here is, like, this was. I don't know how else to put it, except that she was very much hated. Like, it reminds me of someone divisive today. Like, someone successful and divisive. Like.
Katie
Like using their powers for evil.
Megan
No, more just like some people are like, go, girl. And some people are, like, hateful. I don't know the right way. She was. She was.
Katie
She was interested in making friends.
Megan
Yes. Thank you. Thank you. That is so well put. Okay. I knew you'd have the language for it. So she became a Powers model. And at the time, a Powers model was, like, quite an elite thing. This guy, John Robert Powers, was an American actor, and he founded a modeling agency in New York City and a modeling school. And so those who wanted to be successful, successful in Hollywood would often attend his sort of training programs. Okay. And his Wikipedia is interesting rabbit hole. And definitely has, like, quite a bit of controversy in and of itself. Like, so if you want to go down that rabbit hole, I definitely recommend it. But I'm just kind of giving you an idea of her backstory here. During World War II, she played bit parts in Broadway musicals. She was a chorus line dancer. Yep. And then her probably most prominent role. And this is where we get into that. Found. I almost said found. Footage that lost footage. Hopefully someday found. Yeah, footage. Because she actually was a television personality for a while.
Katie
Get out.
Megan
I know. And she was on the show, a game show called Winner Take all, hosted by Bud Collier.
Katie
I think it's Bud Collier.
Megan
Bud Collier, Yeah. Obviously.
Katie
Sorry, I just surround myself with magnates, and that's how they say it.
Megan
So you're a game show magnate. I mean, you of all people would know how to pronounce, like, old, old,
Katie
gay and Maybe it is Collier, but in his transatlantic accent, I think it was bod Collier.
Megan
That's definitely it. Then let's go with that. Okay, so thank you for that correction. During. So during this time, she was sort of like a support role. Unfortunately, we can't know for sure because there's no footage of it, because the studios would just tape over all the. All their shows. And once the tapes degraded enough, they tossed them. It was just like they saw TV and stuff as, like, disposable, I guess. And it was like, why would we save this? And now it's just like, has people on the Internet ripping their hair out, like, desperate for their thesis statement or their dissertation to find something. Like, I mean, I found forums where people were like, I'm writing my thesis on this person. This was in 2022. Somebody was posting that, like, they couldn't find the footage of this and wanted to. And were writing about her murder and wanted to find this footage. And I was like, me too.
Katie
I mean, without knowing anything, it, like, it just immediately feels suspicious that she is a murder victim and lost footage of her is missing. It just. It feels like it's intentional. And I know they're probably two completely separate situations, but it just feels odd.
Megan
They are definitely separate. And you'll see why I believe. I think unless there's something like, way deeper underfoot, which I'll always entertain. I think in this case it is just a coincidence, but it is kind of an ominous one.
Katie
Okay.
Megan
You know, it's just a little.
Katie
I mean, yes.
Megan
That there's no footage of it anywhere,
Katie
but just feels like missing evidence all of a sudden.
Megan
It does. And. And the show, winner take all is. I guess I don't. I didn't know the show. I mean, it sounds familiar, but it's also like a phrase. So I don't know if I knew the show. Essentially, it's one of the earliest televised game shows ever. It paved the way for a lot of other game shows, even though it was, like, very simple. And like I said, there's known surviving footage of the show. So we don't really know unless you're 105 and watched it in your toddler program or whatever.
Katie
We said, wouldn't it be crazy if it was like. Like it filmed over the. The movie I was talking about. Now they're both missing.
Megan
Oh, my God.
Katie
Just a constant recycled film of lost footage.
Megan
Talk about, like a haunting. Like, that feels haunted.
Katie
There's got to be a haunted movie reel somewhere.
Megan
Footage. Yeah, definitely.
Katie
Yeah. Oh, my God.
Megan
Definitely. I don't. I don't doubt that for a second. Okay, so this is kind of Athalia's whole deal, right? She was also reportedly a friend of the Boston Kennedys, and she wintered with them in Palm beach, which is why I was kind of earlier when you said, like, oh, this was the child ghost summer home. I was like, really? We can do that in the afterlife. So she's wintering with the Kennedys. She actually dated Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. And rumors suggested they were engaged, but then he died in that plane crash during World War II. Now we kind of fast forward at this point. You kind of know what you need to know about, like, her backstory. She had been married and divorced twice before. She moved to St. Augustine, Florida, in 1971. And in 1973, she married a man named James Jinx Lindsley, a successful real estate agent and former mayor of St. Augustine, Florida.
Katie
I'm sorry, but you just know his tagline is, like, we won't jinx you.
Megan
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't. Don't jinx it. Vote for Jinx. Yeah.
Katie
Brad Corb in my town would hate Jinx Lindsley.
Megan
Now, that would be a fake fanfic.
Katie
That would be the.
Megan
For the ages.
Katie
That would be incredible. It's like Brad started again, but Jinx isn't a jinx.
Megan
Jinxed it all. Wow.
Katie
Something like that. Someone else in the comments. Someone smarter than me. Have fun.
Megan
He was gonna win it all.
Katie
There's your prompt.
Megan
His. His. His latest win was jinxed by.
Katie
There's something there.
Megan
We'll work on it. Okay.
Katie
It's like how. It's like how in Orange county, their car dealership is, like, in Orange, we're not a lemon. Something like that.
Megan
You know, it's just like that.
Katie
It's just like that.
Megan
It's the same thing. Yeah. So Jinx. And, like, I've had this conversation on this podcast with you before, but it never fails to amuse me when rich people have ridiculous nicknames like Jinx Lindsley. And then we've got, you know, I knew a Pants.
Katie
His name was Pants.
Megan
Her name was Pants.
Katie
Her name was Pants. Okay.
Megan
I knew a Jock. Oh, she's married to Jock. And then there's, like, Bunny. You know, like the kind of, like, nickname. Like the kind of, like, country club nicknames. And so Jinx just kind of reeks it. That to me. I mean, it's a fun nickname, but, like, just in the time period, knowing he's also, like, a real estate agent and the Mayor. So it just kind of like, you
Katie
know, I mean, Mayor Jenks, I'm sorry. There's just so much good promo you could do with that.
Megan
It's. It writes itself. It really does. I mean, apparently not because you and I cannot fucking write it.
Katie
But, like, give me more than 30 fucking seconds, you know, on the spot.
Megan
On the spot. You're right. This isn't the game show Winner Take All. Okay. Okay. So she moves to St. Augustine. She's on her third marriage. I say that to just say, like, she's kind of like done around with a lot of things in her life. Like you really well put earlier. She's not here to make friends, okay? She's newly married. Aelia and Jinx live in separate houses. Some people make a big deal of this. I don't think it's really that odd because they're wealthy and like, married and in this the 70. I don't know. I don't think it's that odd. But make with. Make of that what you will. But Athalia herself lived at 124 Marine street and this was a residence that was valued at about $75,000 at the time, which today is around 600k. It was a Spanish style residence. Meanwhile, her husband Jinx lived at the historic Linsley House, which, again, just to remind you, is his last name.
Katie
So, I mean, it's kind of like Schultz Swarth Manor. It's like.
Megan
Yeah, right.
Katie
Jinx Lindsley. I know you. We see each other. You know what I mean?
Megan
Except, like, I think. No offense, M, but I think his is more like. That's actually what the place is like.
Katie
Well, he is also a real estate person. I think he found ways to make it official. Mine's just.
Megan
You make a very good point. But he also was the mayor, so.
Katie
See, he was just. He had more power than I did.
Megan
That's all. That's what I'm saying. I think he just kind of had a bit little. A little more right to the throne. And I don't say that like. I say that with.
Katie
Let's not forget, I'm gonna be mayor. You'll see.
Megan
Okay.
Katie
All right. And you're gonna feel real silly by saying hi.
Megan
I will. I will vote for you.
Katie
Thank you. You're not in my district, I don't think. But that's okay.
Megan
I will.
Katie
I'm gonna collab with Mayor Max and
Megan
then that'll for you in my heart.
Katie
Mayor Max is a little nearby, by the way. Oh, I almost texted Mayor Max yesterday. I to have told you about mayor texted. Yeah, I, I told you a while ago. Mayor Max.
Megan
Oh, yeah.
Katie
Oh, I, I, oh, I recall the golden retriever.
Megan
I didn't know he has a phone, though.
Katie
He. Mayor Max is a golden retriever. He is the honorary mayor of a town nearby, and him and I now have each other's phone numbers.
Megan
Oh, yeah.
Katie
And I was trying to text RJ's wife, May, and so I asked my phone, hey, text Mayor. Mayor. And it said, what do you want to say to Mayor Max? And I went, so many things. Put it away. So many things. I can't do it right now.
Megan
Don't get me started.
Katie
Anyway, Mayor Max, if you're.
Megan
I haven't come to issue 2.3. What do you want to say to Mayor Max? That's hilarious.
Katie
I don't have the time anyway.
Megan
Oh, my God, I hate when my phone does that. What do you want to say to your old college professor? Why the would I be texting my old. Like, come on.
Katie
I know.
Megan
Okay. Anyway, way, let's get back to the story. So. So Jinx lives at the historic linsley House on St George street, while Athalia lives on Marine Street. She was described at the time as feisty, outspoken, and abrasive. So to give you the idea of, like, you know, she wasn't necessarily well liked among those who, who liked a mild mannered woman.
Katie
Yeah. If you're looking for a warm woman, it ain't her.
Megan
Yeah, people didn't like her very much. So in the Orlando Sentinel, she was described as, quote, a sharp tongued, aggressive woman who would not have won any popularity contests.
Katie
Damn. And she probably knew that about herself. And she was fine with that.
Megan
Big time. You have to know, if the newspaper is publishing it about you, you better know it.
Katie
Someone's telling you. Maybe not because you're friends, but whatever.
Megan
Yeah. Open the door and read the room. Read the newspaper, Take a rock, drink
Katie
some coffee, fly a kite. Yeah.
Megan
Wow, that was harsh. So in 1970, she actually made an unsuccessful bid for state senator, and she was planning to run for the St. John's County Commission. But in the meantime, she got very involved with her community. Unfortunately, that was often in a very abrasive way. And so she would show up at these weekly county commission meetings and she would just, like, denounce local officials. Officials, obviously, mostly men. And so specifically, one particular neighbor she had a problem with was called Alan Stanford, and he was the county manager and county engineer of St. Augustine. And the feud that the two of them had began over Athalia's pets because like any rough around the edges and slightly unlikable woman, she had a menagerie of rain, rescue animals and she had a goat. She had six or seven rescue dogs. And like, for a wealthy woman to be kind of collecting animals like this, the neighbor was really pissed. And Alan basically said the barking is incessant.
Katie
Say the sound, the smell.
Megan
The sound, the smell. It's like, you know, he's thinking, I pay for like a house here, yada yada. And so they get into this feud and like, she is not going to back down. Right, Right. So neighbors had actually like not just him, but other neighbors, including a Colonel McCormick, had actually filed noise complaints already and nuisance warrants because of these animals. She had whoopsies. Athalia would then retaliate by kind of being a little erratic. She would like cut the limbs off their trees, typically over the property line. But like, she was kind of antagonizing them, right?
Katie
Sure.
Megan
Whether she like knew it or not or whether it was warranted or not is not for me to say. But like, she was definitely not calming the fire. She was fanning the flames. Okay. She planted 10 foot tall bamboo to obstruct Alan's view. So she's just like, with the guy,
Katie
she really is saying like, just, she's just. It's a clear boundary. She's like, I just, yeah, I just want to separate myself from you. Deal with it.
Megan
Yeah. But also kind of to piss him off. Yeah. Kind of poking it, poking the bear, you know, like, she didn't need to block his view to like make a point. You know what I mean? Like, she's kind of, she's kind of antagonizing him. And she, for example, goes to, you know, county meetings and is like, he's not fit to run. Like, she's really taking it personally. Like she's, she's not engaging in healthy boundary setting, let's put it that way. From my humble opinion, I think she's. Maybe she's antagonizing him a little bit, which, like, fair. You can do that. It's just unfortunately in this case, it did not end well. Yeah, it's rough. So, you know, they have this feud going. I mean, it's like out of a sitcom. Right. Like, you build a really tall fence to. With your neighbor and then they get mad so you cut their tree down. I mean, it's like the classic just neighbor stuff. So I'm not trying to like victim blame.
Katie
No, it feels like, like for now, a bit of it could Be a buddy comedy so far.
Megan
Exactly. Exactly. And it's like, I wish it had just stopped there. Like, she's got a goat, right? He's pissed about the pet goat. I mean, it again, it's like out of a. Out of a movie. So the tension just escalated, though, because Athalia then made a report, a public report, claiming that Allen lacked the requisite certification to be the county engineer. So now she's like, coming for the man man's job.
Katie
Okay.
Megan
Alan reportedly told Athalia in her driveway, you're a vicious and evil woman, and one day, I'm going to fix you.
Katie
Fix you is crazy.
Megan
That's just beyond.
Katie
Fix you is crazy. I mean, really, there's some real vitriol in that last half.
Megan
Oh, it's alarming. It's alarming. At a county meeting in October 1973, Athalia basically told the commission, this man threatened my life. And. And like, it's not cool. So the date of the murder was January 23, 1974. And it was the first day of the Chinese New Year. It was Year of the Tiger, in case you're wondering, and I know you were.
Katie
I was.
Megan
Athelia and Jinx traveled to Jacksonville to buy frozen vegetables for a, quote, home cooked Chinese dinner.
Katie
Sick.
Megan
You know. You know, pretty exciting stuff. Aalia reportedly joked that it was considered unlucky that day to use a sharp instrument, especially. Especially a knife. But, oh well, they cut up vegetables and made dinner anyway.
Katie
Okay.
Megan
It's also unlucky to cut your hair on Chinese New Year. Is it? Yep. And you know how I found out?
Katie
Because you did it.
Megan
No. My brother had a haircut appointment and it got canceled last minute. And then the friend we were with was like, oh, you know, it's actually unlucky to get your hair cut on Chinese New Year. And we were like, what? So, you know, he was spared, but. But fun fact. So she jokes like, haha, we shouldn't even be using a knife on Chinese New Year. It just is a little bit too foreshadowing. I mean, too on the nose foreshadowing.
Katie
Hank, I feel like every time I'm telling you about this sweet little puppy of mine, it's that he has a new best friend. I mean, he's a Gemini, so it makes sense. He's got a new best friend named Kahlua. Kahlua loves tennis balls. And just chewing the fuzz right off. And swallowing.
Megan
Eating it. Yeah, yeah.
Katie
Hank has picked this up. Isn't that cute? I thought we evaded this, but now he's just taken big old gulps at the dog park of things he should not be gulping. And now I'm like, oh, when is hospital time? I'm nervous about that.
Megan
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Katie
Sadly, I have to say when, not if that time comes. There is ASPCA pet health insurance for me.
Megan
If you've ever found yourself at the dog park, wondering, when will this neon green fluff come out of my dog and will it have lasting consequences is, you know, you don't need the added stress of money on top of that and the fees and the costs. When you enroll in an ASPCA health insurance plan, you could get a 25Amazon gift card too. It's a little treat for you. While you're doing something great for your
Katie
pet, you can tailor your plan to fit your budget, your lifestyle, and your pet's particular quirks, like eating everything. Thank you, Kahlua. And to explore coverage, you just visit aspcapetinsurance.com drink. That's ASPCA pet insurance.com drink.
Megan
The program offers customizable accident and illness plans, making it easier to get your pet the care they may need. Eligibility restrictions apply. Visit aspcapetinsurance.com Amazon terms for more info.
Katie
This is a paid advertisement. Insurance is underwritten by either Independence American Insurance Company or United States Fire Insurance Company and produced by PTZ Insurance Agency Ltd. The ASPCA is not an insurer and is not engaged in the business of insurance.
Megan
The couple returned to St. Augustine. Jinx went to his home on Anastasia Island. Athelia went to her home on Marine street, and according to reports, she decided. Decided to take her pet on a walk. And what pet was it, you may ask? It was, of course, and I quote, her quote, crippled pet, blue jay, Clementine. Hmm. Okay, now, Clementine for a walk. For a walk.
Katie
Was the, the disability that he can't fly? It's a bird.
Megan
I. I'll be honest, I don't know. All I do know is that she carried him around in a cage, so I'm assuming. So I was like, walking.
Katie
A bird's fucking insane. That's just, I mean, jail to a bird.
Megan
Look at her. She's like walking around with a. I know, right? You're like, haha, look at what you.
Katie
Haha. You're on a leash when you could do so much faster.
Megan
I mean, I've seen that when you have like a. A bird that needs the. Needs that rehab or something. Rehab or like needs that sort of outdoor time. But like, yeah, this is not that this is certainly not that. And this is also Florida. And this is also rich people in Florida. So like it does feel like something
Katie
only a rich person would do. It's like I'm gonna go walk my
Megan
blue jay, my crippled blue jay in a cage. I mean. And like it's very Tiger King, all this. Like it's, it's, it's Florida. Okay. It's these rich politician people in Florida who all are selling real estate and like just naming things after themselves and like walking their pet birds and like screaming at the neighbors and like gossiping. I mean it's just a, like, like it could have been a reality show and I would have absolutely watched it, you know, understood. Unfortunately it ended up like in a much worse place. But as of like up to now, you're right, buddy. Comedy, like walking a pair, like walking up. What was it?
Katie
It just feels like something Jim Carrey would do. It's like.
Megan
Yes. Yeah, it's like a little bit like quirky, eccentric, offbeat. So, okay, she goes to walk her pet blue jay, Clementine. And as she exits the home sometime between 5:30pm and 6:00pm a middle aged man in a white dress shirt and dark dress pants quickly approach to Thalia, pulled out a machete and began to hack her to death.
Katie
Holy. And it. So it wasn't our, our main character. It's probably a hired situation since they're. We.
Megan
I'm just going to say right now, we have no idea.
Katie
Okay.
Megan
So this man in the white dress shirt and dark pants approaches, begins to hack at her with a machete. She was struck not nine times with this thing and sustained defensive wounds on her arms. One finger was severed. And when police arrived, they described her body as nearly decapitated.
Katie
Oh my God.
Megan
It was an extremely brutal and bloody murder. It was in public on her doorstep, just really shocking. Her blue and white dress was hiked up. When they found her, her shoe was lost, her pearls were scattered on the, the sidewalk. Clementine's bird cage was smashed and the bird was never seen again.
Katie
So someone stole Clementine or like those
Megan
like it flew away or, or. Yeah, who knows? Yeah, no clue.
Katie
So also you learn in that that they weren't robbing her because her pearls are everywhere.
Megan
Right.
Katie
Does feel like if it were a hired hit, it was not done well. I don't know. I was gonna say it wasn't done well because it was in broad daylight, but maybe they wanted it to, to
Megan
be a spectacle of like could, could very well be. And you know, that's where this Case starts to get really twisty turny is because you're thinking, well would they? That's what they would want you to think. But that's what they would want you to think, you know, and it kind of goes in that cycle. So you're definitely on to something. Unfortunately there was, well, fortunately there was a witness, but unfortunately was an 18 year old boy named Locke McCormick who lived next door. And he heard what he described as a peculiar slapping noise. While he was just reading a magazine. He looked out the window and saw a man swinging his arm downward and walking away toward neighbor Allen's property. So Locke ran inside and told his mother and grandmother, And I quote, Mr. Stanford is hitting Mrs. Poncel because from his perspective, yeah, you wouldn't think saw me has a machete with a machete hitting that person and walking toward Mr. Stanford's house. So he's like Mr. Sanford was just hitting her. But he didn't really understand. The McCormicks found a Thalia. They went over there and they found her in a pool of blood, just the worst possible scenario. And called the police, of course. And a trail of blood led from the body toward the driveway at the south side of Athalia's home, right near neighbor Allen's house. There was no weapon found at the scene. And In February of 1974, a county mechanic named Dewey Lee searched a marsh miles away to claim a 500 reward. And he did because he found a package in the marsh containing a blood stained white shirt, dark blue trousers, a belt, a purple tie and a wristwatch. And near this packet was a rusty machete. And when they traced the wristwatch watch back by its serial number, it went straight to neighbor Allan.
Katie
Oh, that'll do it.
Megan
The shirt and pants were also identified as having been purchased by Allen's wife. And his name was written in some of them. But this is when you start to get into the theory of is it too obvious she has a public feud with the this guy. Did someone else want her dead? And like say, well this is easy. Her neighbor hates her and says he's going to kill her. And then she went to the county, whatever, and said my neighbor says he's going to kill me. But then again, you know, you look at every other pattern and guess what? A man says he's going to kill you. He just might.
Katie
So, I mean, is it. So it could have been him. It could have. I mean, could it have been like a stalker who like was obsessed with her on TV or something? Like, I don't, I know it's like
Megan
random, but I think it was more an act of.
Katie
I mean, all the clothes say his name, you know, never mind.
Megan
I mean, yeah, it was definitely like an act of some sort of. But the alternate theory being like, maybe it was the new husband or somebody who wanted her out of the picture and found the neighbor to be an easy scapegoat. Do you know what I mean?
Katie
It feels too easy to me.
Megan
It feels too easy. But then I'm also like, but men have done worse for. Not worse, but like, men have done shit like this for like lesser insults or like, you know what I mean? So I'm like, it could very well just be he had no. He wasn't in control of his fucking.
Katie
I mean, I guess he, like, you have to have a very specific level of rage to not think twice. At least do it in a place where nobody's gonna see. Yeah, he makes you want Red to do that and think, I'm gonna get away with this, or I don't even think about getting away with it.
Megan
Right, exactly. My thoughts exactly. It's sort of like either he was so pissed that he, like lost any semblance of, I've gotta cover this up because I have an important job I want to keep and he just totally threw that out the window, or it was somebody like kind of pointing it to him.
Katie
So, like trying to peg it on him.
Megan
Yeah, yeah, I agree, because I just found strange. But, you know, sometimes it is just the simplest answer. So anyway, we'll get to it. So we get now back to the investigation. Allan, after finding. After this package was found and like that too, you know, people have pointed to like, oh, a packet with his clothes that have his name on it. Like, doesn't that feel a little obvious? But it's also like, well, yeah, if you have clothes you killed someone in, you would. You would hide them, you know, in the woods or something. Something. So I. I go back and forth either way. He's arrested because, of course. And indicted for first degree murder four weeks into the investigation. At the trial, defense attorney Edward Booth argued that the sheriff's office had planted the evidence to frame Allen. Which is like a huge claim to say that the sheriff's office planted this. But that's because they had this sort of alternate theory they were presenting to the the jury. Booth suggested that the mechanic who had found the clothes and stuff, Dewey Lee, could have committed the crime and then planted them to get the reward. He also claimed, like, maybe it was her, somebody else, because, you know, she's so Unlikable, Right? Like enemies. Yeah, anybody. Exactly. He actually characterized her as an obnoxious, strange and vicious woman with men, many enemies. And the neighbor, when they brought him up, Locke, under cross examination, he actually recanted that it was Mr. Stanford. And he said the kid, the killer he saw was actually heavier with more hair. So it's like, unclear whether resemble the guy. Like, which guy?
Katie
Sorry, that. So it does. That's.
Megan
So he's basically saying he's. He was panting, right?
Katie
But he wasn't the Mr. Stanford or what's his name?
Megan
Yeah, Alan Stanford. He's saying, oh, this guy was way heavier and had more hair than Alan Stanford. Couldn't have been him. And it was further complicated because the sheriff had actually had him interviewed under hypnosis. So now one's arguing, like, well, is his story now true or is it like, less true? It's just unclear. Like, he's changing his story. So that kind of makes it more confusing. Confusing. Witnesses provided an alibi stating that Allen was actually in his office at the time of the murder. And so whether these people were telling the truth or were part of some other plan, the jury deliberated for only two to two and a half hours. And interestingly enough, side note, during deliberations, the jurors were served a, quote, dinner on the. The county.
Katie
That's bribery, babe.
Megan
Yeah, like, the guy works for the county. The guy who's get on trial for murder, like, lest we forget.
Katie
I feel like. I feel like it could have been him. And even though the neighbor is saying, oh, well, I don't think it was him because he was heavier or whatever. I mean, I know what my neighbors look like. And.
Megan
And the sheriff, like, made him go under hypnosis to, like. It's just the whole thing reeks of something weird. If.
Katie
If I saw. If I looked out the window and I saw someone hitting or stabbing my neighbor, I would know pretty immediately if who it was, like, for him to so quickly go, oh, it was. It was Allan. And then like, oh, well, he's heavier and like that. Like, he also could have looked heavier because he was hunched over stabbing a dead woman.
Megan
Like, yeah, but then you wonder, like, he just maybe assumed it was him and never saw his face. Do you know what I mean? Like.
Katie
Like, maybe it was like, I guess so.
Megan
I.
Katie
Maybe I'm like, reading too much into, like, what I would do, but, like, if I saw someone, I. I would.
Megan
You're right. You're right.
Katie
I'd be like, who is that? Who is doing that?
Megan
You Wouldn't just say, that must be Alan. Like, you're like, if someone were attacking someone, even if it was on their front step, you wouldn't assume it's the next door neighbor. You'd be like, who's attacking my next door neighbor?
Katie
Especially if they're in a small town, everybody knows everybody and this guy is like a major player that everyone knows, knows you don't.
Megan
And they've got beef. And you know that he's two doors down from you. I mean, and one of the sources I saw him say, like that the stature or the walk reminded him of him. And I'm like, well, then I think maybe we can trust.
Katie
I think he was just a kid and he was scared of like accusing someone who has power and lives two doors down.
Megan
Yeah, yeah, I agree.
Katie
I'm sure he was threatened. If this guy is paying the the jury or giving the jury all this really nice meal to like shut them up or sweet talk them in some way. I' sure he also bribed or secretly threatened this 18 year old kid who was like, your mom and your grandma live here and like some bl. And you know what I'm capable of, blah, blah, blah. Like he could have said anything or like, who knows?
Megan
Or even the sheriff said, you can't with, you can't with the count, like he's on the county. You can't. You have to do this or that. Like, what are you going to do, you know, if the sheriff tells you? Yeah. So I agree. It's definitely shady.
Katie
This feels like a closed case to me.
Megan
I mean, it's like once you put it out all out like that, it feels pretty obvious. So they of course paint her as having lots of enemies and it could be, could be anyone. And then like, you know, two hours of deliberation while they eat dinner on his dime. He's found not guilty. So share. The sheriff says he refuses to pursue anyone else. He says he believed he had the right, the right man when he did. And now it's just. Everybody's just gonna move on. So you think that's the end? Oh, it's not.
Katie
Okay.
Megan
So of course you can imagine that this murder stirred up some drama in town and stirred up a lot of talk. This woman was already divisive. She was well known. She'd been on, she'd been a television personality. She was married to the former mayor. Like she's, this is a big, big deal. She was murdered to death with a machete on her front step. Like, this is big news. So when reporters are going around like, talking to those who knew her. One of her friends, Francis Bemis was her name. She was like a friend who lived nearby. And she was like, you know what? I'm actually like, writing. She did have a lot of people that didn't like her very much. And I'm actually writing a book about this case on my friend's murder because I'm like, trying to get to the bottom, bottom of it. She was a 76 year old PR specialist, newspaper writer and fashion director. So she was very much, like, high up for a woman of that time, like in the career world, you know. And so she was like, I'm gonna write about this. And she was very open about that. She was gathering material for a book about Athelia's death. She claimed she had information pertinent to the case. But she told people, like, I am not afraid. Afraid of this beautiful community we have. I'm still gonna go on my daily walks. She actually even insisted that she had taken a walk the night Athalia was killed. And I was like, okay, I love
Katie
your commitment to the bet.
Megan
But like, yeah, it's a little bit like, that's not really a nice thing to say, but okay, yeah, sure. So anyway, she goes on these daily walks and she insists that, like, the community's still safe. And we fast forward 10 months. November 3, 1974. Francis goes for her nightly walk and disappears.
Katie
It's this guy. Like, what are you talking about?
Megan
It's this guy. Okay. Her body is found the next day in a vacant lot near the corner of Bridge and Marine streets. Her skull had been crushed with a concrete block.
Katie
Yeah, that's as violent as getting stabbed with a machete until you're almost decapitated. It's the same guy. Yeah.
Megan
And her body was partly burned to destroy evidence, but, like, it didn't work. So they just left everything there. Oh, my God. And like, remember, she's a PR specialist and a professional writer and was reportedly gay, gathering evidence about this murder and was going to write a book about it. And she went on her daily routine walk, like, and talked about it in the newspaper. I mean, it's just horrifying. So, like, of course the story immediately became like, oh, my God, Francis knew something. She knew too much and she was too open about it and, you know, she wanted to reveal it and was killed to keep her quiet. Especially because she was known for being. Being so outspoken and she even insinuated to friends, like, I have more information than I can even let on. Sorry, there's like teenagers outside, they sound
Katie
like they're having fun. This is their 10 minutes where they get to giggle with their crush and
Megan
scream and, like, play with each other. Backpacks. I know.
Katie
Karma. We were the same.
Megan
I get it. I do.
Katie
Someone's probably stealing a boy's baseball hat right now.
Megan
Yes. And, like, where. Oh my God, you're so right. And then someone's just, like, longingly, like, jealous.
Katie
That was me. Every time.
Megan
That was me too. Okay, so her murder occurred on November 3, 1974. I know I said this already, but it's important because roughly 10 months after Aelia's death is when this took place. And this was also while preparations were being made for the trial of Alan Stanford. So don't you think maybe she would have been somebody that was called upon to testify if she did have some intention?
Katie
Surely do.
Megan
So the killer had ripped off her clothes and attempted to burn the body to destroy evidence, but failed. But there was no evidence of sexual assault. So that, like, further pointed to this motive of, you know, trying to silence her. Despite the high profile nature of this crime and like, the compounding effect of the first crime, the initial investigation was described as flawed and basically yielded no suspects, no leads. Like, just fizzled out beyond me. Just Beyond. So the St. Augustine Police Department actually reopened the case in 2012 because they wanted to apply more modern DNA testing to the evidence, but they actually were not able to really get much. And so both cases to this day remain unsolved.
Katie
Like, that's the stupidest one to be unsolved. It's.
Megan
Isn't that, like, infuriating? And it's just the story of, like, a successful woman that everyone hates, hated, like, and the men.
Katie
Or like, a powerful man who gets away with it.
Megan
Got away with it just because of their feelings were hurt or what. There was a goat outside. I know. That's simplifying it. I know. Okay, guys, but like, come on.
Katie
It's crazy.
Megan
I'm just sick of this.
Katie
It just. It just feels so obvious to me.
Megan
Yes, it's so obvious. It's like we have a. We finally have a. Like a fun character with a bird and it has a TV show. And like, you know, it started so silly, right? Like, it was like a buddy comedy for a minute and then you had to go and it all up. Pisses me off.
Katie
Well, what are the odds that we're bummed again?
Megan
Well, my stomach just turned because now I have to go to Jiu Jitsu and I'm terrified.
Katie
Take a Clonapin. Like, A little. No.
Megan
Then I'm gonna just fall asleep.
Katie
Oh, right, right, right. I was thinking more like of a. Like a propranolol situation where, like, it just makes you a little less nervous, but I understand.
Megan
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe I'll. Maybe I'll just. Just do a breathing exercise. I don't know.
Katie
Well, you're gonna do great.
Megan
So. So why am I so nervous? I think it's because, like, Blaze's friends and stuff and like.
Katie
Yeah, you want to impress them.
Megan
Crowd and I just. I just don't even want to impress them. I just want to, like, be normal.
Katie
I would want to impress them. Or maybe it's not impressed. It's like I don't want to embarrass myself.
Megan
Exactly. Like, I just don't want to do something really, really dumb. Like I don't think anybody's judging me, but it's like, I don't. I just want to make sure. Sure I'm like a good representation of myself today, you know?
Katie
And that's why I got propranolol.
Megan
Yeah, I get it.
Katie
The stage fright of it all. Well, you're going to do great.
Megan
Thank you. Thank you. Maybe I do have some left. I'll go look.
Katie
Yeah, propanol never hurt anyone. It's a good time.
Megan
Yeah. Don't. We're not doctors. Don't take that medical advice.
Katie
And by anyone, I mean me. All right, well, and that. That's why we drink.
Host
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Megan
Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with
Katie
a message for everyone paying Big Wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good
Megan
in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying.
Katie
No judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment anyway.
Megan
Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full terms@mintmobile.com your next chapter in healthcare starts at Carrington College's School of Nursing in Portland. Join us for our open house on Tuesday, January 13th from 4 to 7pm you'll tour our campus, see live demos, meet instructors, and learn about our Associate Degree in Nursing Program program that prepares you to become a registered nurse. Take the first step toward your nursing career. Save your spot now at Carrington. Edu Events. For information on program outcomes, visit carrington. Edu Sci Fi.
And That's Why We Drink – Episode 484
Hosts: Christine Schiefer & Em Schulz
Release Date: May 24, 2026
This episode seamlessly meshes chilling ghostly lore with a notorious unsolved true crime from 1970s Florida. Em dives deep into the haunted history of the Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois—a hotbed of spectral activity—while Christine explores the brutal, mysterious murder of socialite, model, and TV personality Athalia Ponsell Lindsley. It's a classic "Worlds Collide" installment—ghosts, scandals, and a touch of small-town politics run amok.
Ad Placement Update:
Christine addresses listeners about shifting ad breaks to "commercial islands" for improved show sustainability—reassuring fans and inviting feedback.
“We always want you to be part of the conversation. Oh, that is called a Mercury in Taurus—you really locked in.” (24:01 – Christine)
Irv Comerfeld & His Favorite Seat
The Lady in Green
Em delivers a rich, atmospheric paranormal legend that balances history and the absurd, while Christine’s true crime deep-dive exposes small-town corruption, misogyny, and one of Florida’s most chilling cold cases. Both stories shine with vivid description and pointed commentary—plus plenty of laughs to get you through the chills.
"We always want you to be part of the conversation… and that is called a Mercury in Taurus." – Christine (24:01)
"Just the story of a successful woman everyone hated… and the men got away with it." – Christine (117:00)
And that’s why we drink!