Edgar Allan Poe has been remembered as one of America's greatest authors and poets. However, many are less familiar with is career as a hoaxer. In the 1830's and 1840's Poe made a name for himself orchestrating elaborate newspaper hoaxes, and debunking hoaxes attempted by others. Poe specialized in deceptions that dealt with the frontiers of science ... Show More
Jun 17
Episode #230- Why President McKinley? (Part I)
The 25th President of the United States, William McKinley, has recently been in the news. In the 2025 inaugural address it was announced that Alaska's highest peak would once again be known as Mt. McKinley to honour the former President, who was apparently a "great businessman" w ... Show More
1h 27m
Jun 10
Bonus Episode- Selkies, Spectacles, and Satire
In this Bonus Episode Sebastian takes questions about his recent exploration of mermaid mythology. He gets into the difference between Selkies and Mermaids, and wades into the murky waters of Scottish oral tradition. There is also some discussion of the 2012 hoax documentary Merm ... Show More
34m 40s
Dec 2024
Goatman: Exploring Regional Cryptid Legends
GET EVERY EPISODE AND BONUS CONTENT AT: www.patreon.com/crackpotpodcast From Texas to Kentucky, tales of mysterious “goatmen” have haunted the shadows of local lore. In this episode, we dive into the eerie stories of cryptids like the Lake Worth Monster, the Pop ... Show More
40m 43s
Nov 2024
Paul Reads H.P. Lovecraft Part 3
🌌☄️☠️
In this third and final installment, Paul reads aloud the eerie saga of The Colour Out of Space, one of his favorite stories from the master of cosmic horror, H.P. Lovecraft.
So far in our reading, we felt the creeping dread as the Gardner farm transformed under the influ ... Show More
52m 15s
Sep 2023
It's All A Show with Derek DelGaudio
🪄🪄🪄Paul and Stephen are fascinated by magic and the art of deception and they’re thrilled to take this extraordinary ride into the wondrous mind of master illusionist Derek DelGaudio.Listen in as they explore themes of reality, deception, imagination, morality, manipulation, a ... Show More
1h 6m
Apr 29
The power and the pitfalls of narrative | Matthew Beaumont, Ruth Padel, and Theodore Dalrymple
Lost in storiesIs life a story or a sequence of events?Our narratives enable us to make sense of the complex, often confusing, world that we live in. And yet there is a risk that rather than helping us to truly understand this world, narratives can hide reality from us, providing ... Show More
42m 34s