Who Smarted? - “What's so scary about Friday the 13th?”

Release Date: February 13, 2026
Podcast: Who Smarted?
Host/Voices: Trusty Narrator, Number 13, Friday

Main Theme

This episode of “Who Smarted?” explores the origins, history, and facts behind Friday the 13th—a date that’s famously considered unlucky. Through playful banter, interactive questions, and trivia, the episode unpacks why both the number 13 and Fridays have a reputation for bad luck, investigates international variations of “unlucky days,” and reassures listeners with some light science and statistics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Unsettling Aura of Friday the 13th

• The Narrator wakes up to realize it’s Friday the 13th, prompting anxiety and a playful internal debate about whether to be “scared of the day.”
  • [01:41] "Today is not just any Friday... today is Friday the 13th. Oh, boy, oh, boy, oh, boy." (Host)

Why is 13 Considered Unlucky?

• Guest “Number 13” and “Friday” (brought to life as characters) explain the superstition’s roots.
• [04:44] Origins include:

  • A Norwegian myth: 12 gods were having dinner, an uninvited 13th guest shows up, causing chaos and darkness.

  • The significance of the number 12 as a “complete” number (e.g., 12 months, 12 labors of Hercules), making 13 uncomfortable as it goes beyond known boundaries.

    Number 13: "I'm also sometimes considered a cursed number because I come after 12. Many people see 12 as a number that completes things, so I make them uncomfortable because I’m the unknown." [05:17]

• Sometimes 13 is lucky—like a baker's dozen, which means extra treats! [05:50]

Societal Impacts of 13

• Architects and businesses avoid the number:

  • Up to 85% of skyscrapers skip labeling a 13th floor. [06:08]
  • Airplanes often don’t have a 13th row. [06:33]
  • Some addresses and restaurants avoid 13.

• French “quatorzième” (14th guest) is sometimes hired to avoid 13 at a dinner party. [06:56]

Why is Friday Unlucky?

• “Friday” laments its undeserved reputation:
  • Some cultures, such as sailors, believed starting a voyage on Friday was unlucky. [07:21]
• Fridays should be joyful—they’re the start of the weekend!

Friday the 13th in Pop Culture

• [07:50] The pairing of Friday and 13 as "extra unlucky" is relatively recent:
  • It became widely feared after Thomas W. Lawson's 1907 bestselling novel Friday the Thirteenth.

Friday: "Wait, everyone hates us because of one book?" [08:21]

Superstitions Explained

• Defines “superstition” as the belief that something good or bad will happen, even if there’s no logical reason.
  • Examples: broken mirrors, black cats.
• It's mostly an American tradition:
  • In Spain, it’s actually Tuesday the 13th that’s unlucky. [09:40]
  • In Italy, the 17th day of the month is considered unlucky due to Roman numerals spelling “VIXI” (“my life is over” in Latin). [09:57]

The Reality Check

• No science supports anything bad actually happening more on Friday the 13th.
• [10:12] "There's zero proof or evidence that more bad things happen on any of those days." (Host)

Frequency of Friday the 13th

• Can occur up to three times a year. [10:33]

Phobia of Friday the 13th

• The fear is called Triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13).

Number 13: "I'm just a number. The same as any other number. You don't have to skip over me when you count or anything." [11:34]

The Thirteen Club

• In the late 1800s, Captain William Fowler founded the Thirteen Club to combat superstitions.
  • Monthly 13-course dinners on the 13th in room 13!
  • Four U.S. presidents (Arthur, Cleveland, Harrison, Roosevelt) were members. [16:04]
  • Ironically, FDR refused to travel or host dinners on the 13th. [16:28]

Famous Fans of 13

• Taylor Swift considers 13 her lucky number because her birthday is December 13th. [17:04]
• Studies have shown fewer accidents occur on Friday the 13th, possibly because people are more cautious. [17:16]

Reassurance for Listeners

• The hosts conclude that Friday the 13th and 13 aren’t actually scary—superstitions are just stories, not facts.
  • “You don’t have to be afraid of the number 13 or Friday, whether we’re separate or together.” (Number 13, [17:32])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [05:17] "I'm the unknown." — Number 13 on why people are wary
• [06:08] "Chances are, [the elevator] didn't have a 13th floor... the numbers just skip from the 12th floor to the 14th." — Host
• [07:21] "For a long time, sailors believed it's bad luck to start a voyage on a Friday." — Friday
• [08:21] "Wait, everyone hates us because of one book?" — Friday
• [10:12] "While some people worry about those dates on the calendar, there's zero proof or evidence that more bad things happen on any of those days." — Host
• [11:34] "Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of me, the number 13." — Number 13
• [16:04] "They ate this special dinner in room 13... and would you believe four U.S. presidents were members of the 13 Club?" — Number 13
• [17:04] "One of my biggest fans is Taylor Swift. Since her birthday is December 13th, she considers 13th her lucky number." — Number 13

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–01:41 — Host intro & realization it’s Friday the 13th
• 03:19–04:44 — Setting the scene: why are 13 and Friday speaking?
• 04:44–06:56 — Origins & superstitions surrounding the number 13
• 07:16–08:25 — Why Fridays get a bad rap; cultural associations
• 08:25–09:16 — Superstitions and their definitions
• 09:38–10:12 — International variants: Spain’s Tuesday the 13th, Italy’s 17th
• 10:30–11:34 — Frequency & phobia: triskaidekaphobia
• 15:44–16:28 — The Thirteen Club story and presidential members
• 17:04–17:32 — Taylor Swift’s lucky number and stats about Friday the 13th
• 17:43–End — Fun, upbeat conclusion and reassurance

Summary Flow & Tone

The episode keeps things energetic, humorous, and kid-friendly—often inviting listeners (“Smarty pants!”) to play along with questions and quizzes. The interplay between the narrator, personified Friday, and number 13 weaves facts and folklore together in a lighthearted way. While addressing genuine fears, it reassures listeners with evidence and statistics, fostering curiosity and critical thinking.

Overall, listeners learn:

• Friday the 13th's scary reputation is a mix of myth, superstition, and pop culture.
• Different countries have their own “unlucky” days.
• There’s no scientific reason to fear Friday the 13th or the number 13.
• Even famous people (like Taylor Swift!) embrace 13 as lucky.

Takeaway:
Superstitions make for fun stories, but there’s no reason to let Friday the 13th give you the chills!