Don’t fear the Reaper! Ep. 510 is all about this entity! There is a pretty standard description of the Grim Reaper. Generally speaking, people envision a cloaked skeleton carrying a scythe. But there is so much more to this figure that has become the personification of death. On this episode, we are going to explore the centuries of mythology around the embodiment of death and explore whether this is an actual entity. And is this someone or something that we should fear? The Moment in Oddity features a soldier carrying his eyeball and This Month in History features The Gateway Arch.
https://sites.libsyn.com/58064/ep-510-legend-of-the-grim-reaper
Category Archives: Urban Legend
Vast areas of the oceans have never been explored, but there are also places on the earth that have been left untouched. Particularly the mountains. Some are so high, men can only dream of scaling them. Others are so thick with vegetation, it is impossible to penetrate deeply. Fathomless mysteries are hidden within them. Several of these mountains have legends connected to them, making them mystical. The irony of many of these mystical peaks is that although they rise high above the horizon, their roots go deep, many ushering an entrance to the underworld. Join us as we share some of the world’s mystic mountains! The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Chelsea Flowers and features Skin Furniture and This Month in History features Betty Boop makes her debut.
https://sites.libsyn.com/58064/ep-500-mystic-mountains
Vampire-like creatures have been a part of folklore for centuries. Much of what we believe about vampires has come from fictional works, but is it possible that undead entities that subsist on blood are real? There are several historical figures that either have connections to vampire lore or are cited as possible vampires. Could anyone who consumes blood be considered a vampire? Join us as we explore the origins of vampire lore and examine stories of reputed vampires! The Moment in Oddity features a large floating violin and This Month in History features the completion of Mount Rushmore.
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Werewolf lore has been a part of human history for centuries and some of the best horror movies feature werewolves. We’ve covered the hysteria that surrounded the witch hunts and trials in Europe and America. Not many people realize that there was a similar hysteria when it came to reports of werewolves. It is possible that 100,000 people were executed for being suspected werewolves in Europe from the 14th to the 17th centuries. On this episode, we are going to explore some of the legends of werewolves throughout the world. The Moment in Oddity was suggested by John Michaels and features death By giant umbrellas and This Month in History features the opening of the Sydney Opera House. Our topic was suggested by Wes Hawkins.
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One legendary person in history that has been fascinating to us is the Count of St. Germain. This was a man who not only claimed to be hundreds of years old, seemingly finding the secret to eternal youth via alchemy, but sightings and stories about him throughout the centuries seem to indicate that he may have been telling the truth. Who was this man? Was he even a Count? Could he have been a time traveler? Was he a vampire and that is why he never seemed to age? Join us as we explore the legend of the Count of St. Germain. The Moment in Oddity features The Iceman Curse and This Month in History features Mary, Queen of Scots beheaded.
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Creepy people like us love skulls. Many of us include them in our home decor. The Bone Daddy, Jack Skellington, is one of our favorite characters. Skulls are pretty special. Screaming skulls are supposed to be even more special. And while many people have relegated these craniums to legend and lore, there are several that are believed to have really existed and may still be around. Perhaps even a few still have their spirits connected to them. Join us as we share the legend of screaming skulls. The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Mindy Hull and features Juliane Koepcke, Sole Survivor, and This Month in History features the Los Angeles Times bombed.
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We’ve covered quite a few music related topics on the podcast. HGB has featured Ernestine and Hazel’s Juke Joint, Bobby Mackey’s Music World and the Cincinnati Music Hall and we’ve talked about the life and afterlife of Patsy Cline, John Lennon and Elvis Presley. Bonus episodes have featured haunted instruments, Gram Parsons and the Devil’s Chord. We thought it would be interesting to do an episode on haunted music as a whole. This obviously won’t be exhaustive, but we are going to delve into haunted radio stations, recording studios, buses and jukeboxes. We’ll also look at the elements of music that lead to hauntings and curses. And wow, does music have some curses! The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Darren Koch and features Paris’ open-air urinals helping to defeat the Nazis and This Month in History features the birth of Chris Cornell.
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Our lives are touched nearly everyday by the four elements. We breathe air, drink water, eat things fed by the Earth and cook or warm ourselves with fire. There are stories of ancient creatures that are one with these elements and we have come to know them as Elementals. Elementals show up in a variety of places from books to comics to legends of old. Is there any possibility that these mythic beings did actually or could actually exist? On this episode, we explore the history, stories and possibilities of Elementals. The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Jenny Raines and features Crown Shyness and This Month in History features Cicero beheaded.
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Roadside apparitions have been witnessed by thousands of motorists and there seems to be a legend of a hitchhiking ghost in every state in America. Many countries around the world have these hitchhiking ghost tales as well. These tales are haunting and tragic. They usually involve a young woman standing on the side of the road, appearing to be in distress or in need of a ride and after being noticed or picked up in a vehicle, she disappears. There is a level of trust and intimacy in giving someone a ride in your car, particularly a stranger. In our modern era, it just isn’t save to be either the driver or the hitchhiker. And maybe that is why these types of tales are so prevalent. There already is a basic level of fear involved in the act of hitchhiking. This episode can’t possibly cover every single legend out there involving hitchhiking ghosts, but we will touch on several that include tales from across America and from several countries. Join me on the roadside as we search out the legend of the hitchhiking ghost. Moment in Oddity features Pumpkin Races and This Month in History features the calliope is patented.
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Sabah is one of two Malaysian states located at the northern tip of Borneo. The island is shared with Brunei, Indonesia (Kalimantan), and the second Malaysian state, Sarawak. This is home to over forty different ethnic groups. Beaufort is a town located in Sabah and this is where our guests join us from. They attend SMKBeaufort and it is one of the oldest in town. There are many legends of ghouls, ghosts and creatures in Malaysia. Some of these are similar to ones discussed in our Legends of Indonesia episode. We are joined on this episode by our listener Courtney Weaver and her students Siti Nur Waheedah Binti Mat Lazim, Ainur Nadiah Binti Jaafar, Ila Afirah Binti Rozland and Ifi Aleeya Binti Rozland. These ladies will share these legends and some of their own paranormal experiences. The Moment in Oddity features the Flathead Lake Monster and This Month in History was suggested by listener Lori Gunter in honor of National Diabetes Awareness Month and features the invention of Insulin.
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