Ridiculous History — "The Spiritualism Movement Was Utterly Ridiculous, Part Two: Con Artists, Skeptics, and Ghosts"

iHeartPodcasts | March 10, 2026
Hosts: Ben Bowlin & Noel Brown
Guest: Jonathan Strickland (a.k.a. The Quister)
Super Producer: Dylan "the Fox Brother" Fagan

Episode Overview

In this rich and often hilarious deep dive, Ben and Noel—joined by guest Jonathan Strickland—continue their exploration of the Spiritualism movement that captivated the English-speaking world in the 19th and early 20th centuries. After setting the stage in Part One with the Fox sisters and spiritualism’s explosive growth, Part Two exposes the movement’s underbelly: grief-driven gullibility, rampant con artistry, escalating spectacle, righteous skeptics, and the eventual public downfall. Both tragic and ridiculous, the episode also explores spiritualism's surprising ties to progressive causes, landmark exposures of fraud, and the enduring tension between hope, belief, and evidence.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Power of Grief & Spiritualism’s Rise

• Grief as a Gateway (06:00–08:50)
  • Jonathan references the quote from WandaVision: “What is grief but love persevering?” and highlights how spiritualism exploited persistent love in times of intense loss, especially post-Civil War.

    "It is such an incredible opportunity if you are of the unethical or amoral sort." – Jonathan [06:50]

  • Ben connects spiritualism’s boom to collective tragedy:

    “Families on both sides of that war encountered heartbreaking losses... So people want this explanation. We're desperately clinging to the idea that our loved ones are not really gone.” – Ben [08:33]

Spiritualism’s Sociopolitical Ties & Democratization

• Tied to Progressive Causes (10:16–11:47)

  • Spiritualism was unusually entwined with abolition and early suffrage, offering women a platform for public influence.

    “Spiritualism is inherently tied to progressive causes... giving female identifying people the right to vote.” – Ben [10:43]

• From Salons to Stage Shows (11:47–16:27)

  • Mediums multiplied and became celebrities, with competition breeding increasingly elaborate or sensational acts for legitimacy and financial gain.
  • Cora Hatch/Scott’s story highlights sexism and incredulity-face:

    “They said, oh, well, the only explanation is... spirits are real and the smart guys are speaking through this beautiful dumb person.” – Ben [13:18]

  • The spiritualism boom was compared (jokingly and insightfully) to the podcast boom during the pandemic.

Fraud, Criticism, and the Marketplace for Mediums

• Flood of Mediums and Escalating Spectacle (19:26–21:59)

  • The field became oversaturated, forcing mediums to invent new tricks (e.g., rapping, spirit writing, producing “ectoplasm”).

    “You are walking down the street... and you're saying, well, I've got $2. Why should I go see this one lady who just knocks on stuff and raps like her ghosts communicate through counting? Next Tuesday, there's another medium in town, and her ghost actually writes stuff down on little cards.” – Ben [19:58]

• Unmasking Fraud (21:59–23:20)

  • Investigators like the Sabert Commission (UPenn, 1884–87) found “provable evidence of fraud in every single case.”

    “They found evidence, provable evidence of fraud in every single case they examined.” – Ben [23:14]

Spectacular Skeptics and Bitter Fallout

• The Houdini–Doyle Rift (27:31–32:45)

  • Harry Houdini (staunch skeptic) and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (believer, Sherlock Holmes creator) suffered personal tragedy and turned to spiritualism for comfort—with opposite effects on their friendship.

    “Houdini read what was written, supposedly by his mother... His mother was not very fluent in English, but the message was written in perfect English.” – Jonathan [29:24]

  • The friendship ended when Houdini publicly denounced mediums (and Doyle’s wife), and later even called for criminalizing fortune telling:

    “He said we should criminalize fortune telling for hire... they are either deluded or they are grifters.” – Ben [31:34]

• Magicians as the Best Debunkers (33:17–34:56)

  • Magicians like James Randi are especially effective at exposing fraud because “science... does not anticipate that what you’re studying is trying to fool you.” – Jonathan [33:44]

The Fox Sisters’ Confession: The Death Knell

• A Public Unmasking (35:01–39:40)

  • In 1888, the Fox sisters confessed on stage that their “spirit rapping” was performed by cracking their joints—then partially recanted due to pressure.

    “This leads to the public declaration that I would argue ultimately sinks the movement.” – Ben [36:00] “We find out that spiritualism isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.” – Jonathan [37:28]

• Why Recant?

  • The sisters flip-flopped, pressured by both threats and their own financial hardships, showing the human complexities within large social movements.

The Aftermath and Legacy

• Movement’s Collapse & Enduring Influence (39:52–42:15)

  • After the confession, the organized spiritualist movement waned, though psychics and mediums persist, “never quite achieving their previous fame.”
  • Ghost stories and the appeal of the supernatural endure, despite lack of empirical evidence.

• Positive Legacy Amidst the Ridiculous (43:00–44:13)

  • Many women leveraged spiritualism for social advocacy, using their “platform” to promote abolition and suffrage under a mystical pretext.

    “Some of the most notable figures... used their fame to advocate for genuine social [change]... So they had a path to power by saying, look, it's not me because you guys hate women. It's the spirits...” – Ben [43:38]

  • The hosts reflect on the complicated legacy, acknowledging that despite wide fraud, spiritualism pushed some positive messages and opened a “path to power” for marginalized voices.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “What is grief but love persisting?” – Jonathan citing WandaVision [06:13]
• “Spectacle became an anticipated and expected element of a medium session. Right?” – Jonathan [21:26]
• “They found evidence, provable evidence of fraud in every single case they examined.” – Ben [23:14]
• “This is where we find out that spiritualism isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.” – Jonathan [37:28, after Fox sisters’ confession]
• “Aren't you already a ghost and your body is just a house you haunt?” – Ben [42:06]

Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Topic | |------------|-----------------------------------| | 06:00–08:50| Grief as key to spiritualism’s rise & Civil War context | 10:16–11:47| Spiritualism's ties to progressive causes | 13:18–14:49| Cora Hatch exemplifies sexism in spiritualism | 19:26–21:59| Marketplace for mediums & theatrical competition | 21:59–23:20| Investigations unmasking fraud: Sabert Commission | 27:31–32:45| Houdini & Doyle’s friendship and bitter split | 33:17–34:56| Magicians as best investigators of spiritualist tricks | 35:01–39:40| The Fox sisters’ confession and recantation | 43:00–44:13| Reflecting on spiritualism’s positive sociopolitical impact

The Quister Segment (50:01–62:49)

Jonathan Strickland returns as "The Quister", delivering a four-part trivia challenge themed on skepticism and debunking. Ben and Noel debate, get tricked by a sly question about Jules Verne, and close the episode in fittingly ridiculous fashion.

Final Thoughts

The episode deftly balances comedy, skepticism, and empathy, exploring how a movement born of longing for connection became a hotbed for both progress and exploitation. Spiritualism’s story is a cautionary tale—about the dangers of unchecked belief, but also about the resilience of hope and the unexpected routes to social change.

Whether you’re a skeptic, a believer, or just a fan of bizarre history, this conversation brings both heart and humor, making the story of spiritualism as entertaining as it is thought-provoking.