Episode 232 - Brace yourselves. We talk politics.
Squaring the Strange
Need I even write a summary here? Maybe for listeners who have been in a coma for the past two weeks? Trump was shot at, and conspiracy theories surfaced faster than he could put on his shoes. What are Project 2025 and Agenda 47? What is Trump's appeal, really, and why is it so misunderstood by his opponents? And, with late-breaking news on Biden dropping out of the race, what have we seen on the memescape about Kamala Harris? There are media literacy lessons to review, and many opportunities to apply skepticism in this election cycle.
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Episode 231 - Monster Hunts, then and now, with Daniel Loxton
Squaring the Strange
First we discuss how the term “Gish gallop” has entered the common vernacular thanks to the recent Presidential debate. Then Ben ponders why conspiracy buffs don’t care about the admitted, real Boeing conspiracy, or why psychics can’t offer up explanations for the Rust killing. Celestia gets excited about folklore in pop culture: namely, “The Crooked Man” in a new Hellboy movie. For our main segment, we are rejoined by skeptical author and illustrator Daniel Loxton, to talk about MONSTER HUNTS!—that is, serious expeditions to find cryptids or other mysterious creatures. From...
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Episode 230 - Pseudoarchaeology and Misinformation in Chicano Studies, with Kurly Tlapoyawa
Squaring the Strange
First, Ben and Celestia discuss the epidemiology of extreme heat, mysterious mololiths redux, the latest Real Water lawsuit, and the origins of a 50-year-old rumor about Mama Cass. Then Pascual joins us to interview Kurly Tlapoyawa -- stunt man, filmmaker, archaeologist, and cohost of "Tales from Azlantis." He tells us about cutting through jungles in Belize to do "ground-truthing" with LiDAR, the strange origin of the "Hunab Ku" image, tour guides, Olmec heads, and "The Four Disagreements." Kurly and Pascual also trade stories and see who they know in common from their Hollywood days, from...
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Episode 229 - Skepticamp, Spiders, and the West Palm Beach Killer Clown Case
Squaring the Strange
We start with a recap of SkeptiCamp New Mexico, then move on to a laundry list of creepy, crawly creatures: Alex Jones, flying Joro spiders, bug zappers, opposite snakes and Sasquatch Sunset. Our main topic is an update to one of the cases in Ben's "Bad Clowns" book. The West Palm Beach Killer Clown case involves a love triangle, a clown costume, and a pile of circumstantial evidence. It sat with no arrests for nearly 30 years, until Sheila Keen-Warren was arrested in 2017. Among the developments as prosecutors and defense lawyers prepared for trial was a so-called "clown sighting file," with...
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Episode 228 - The Science of Weird Sh!t, with Chris French
Squaring the Strange
Celestia and Ben have a lengthy A-segment, between discussing the almost-here SkeptiCamp, Ben's recent folklore convention, and what mischief TV psychic Allison DuBois has been up to. We have thoughts on the recently deceased Morgan Spurlock's legacy, and then talk about two interesting developments from the Catholic Church this week. Professor Chris French joins us to discuss his new book, "The Science of Weird Sh!t: Why Our Minds Conjure the Paranormal." Chris has a vast background in, well, weird sh!t, and shares his thoughts on how it has gained legitimacy in the academic world -- as well...
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Episode 227 - Book bans, then and now
Squaring the Strange
Ben and Celestia roll out an abbreviated history of book bans and the psychology behind them. What sorts of fears manifest into the desire to keep information away from people? And which people? Is the current rash of book challenges a panic, or is the fear of such bans a panic? We start this episode with a solid opinion, then find ways to knock that opinion around a bit. Calls for book bans have come from the right and left, for different reasons. The freedom of speech gets complicated in matters of obscenity, "dangerous knowledge" or children's books containing racial slurs. From "The...
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Episode 226 - Dim Mak "the death touch" with Peter Huston
Squaring the Strange
Can a human being be killed with one well-timed blow? Without question, yes. But is the secret to this fighting style held by ancient Chinese monks, or a flamboyant guy named Count Dante who advertises in the back of comic books? We look at real situations where one punch (or slap, or chiropractic adjustment) can kill a person, either immediately or after a delay. Then we bring in author, EMT and martial artist Peter Huston to discuss the legend of Dim Mak and how propaganda, marketing, Chinese culture, the allure of the ancient, Kung Fu movies and suburban American kids fit into the creation...
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Episode 225 - The folklore of Scooby Doo, with Mark Norman
Squaring the Strange
We have a surprise visit from Scooby fan Kenny Biddle, then speak with Mark Norman, folklorist and author of the upcoming "Zoinks!: The Spooky Folklore of Scooby Doo." The show is beloved by skeptics, and for good reason. But did you know the show owes its existence to a panic in the 1960s about violence in kids' shows? Between guest stars like the Harlem Globetrotters and Vincent Price, Scooby Doo also introduced kids to a wide array of cryptids, ghosts, witches and folkloric concepts like curses, mysterious mirrors, and of course haunted houses. The show itself has also become the subject of...
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Episode 224.5 - Bonus episode! Our 6th anniversary!
Squaring the Strange
This freebie bonus is us shooting the breeze, thanking folks who deserve kudos, asking some questions about skepticism today, and generally having a good time.
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Episode 224 - A Grab Bag of Springtime Skepticism
Squaring the Strange
We chat about several topics in the news recently, from a bright streak of burning space junk over Los Angeles to a very realistic crucifixion reenactment in the Philippines. Ben unravels a weeping Madonna story in the tabloids that also casts some shade on a prominent Italian skeptic, then he gives us his review of "Late Night with the Devil," set in the 1970s and complete with a nod to the late Amazing Randi. Pascual and Celestia talk about DEI's increasing role as a boogeyman, and try to figure out how some legislators seem to believe it brought down the Francis Scott Key Bridge. And we...
info_outlineAfter some discussion on a recent shooting in Las Vegas, Alex Jones being let back onto Twitter/X, and Napoleon's height, we dive into a look back at Absinthe. This exotic liquor has a surprisingly rich history filled with danger, exaggeration, fraud and propaganda. From it's supposed creativity-enhancing powers to its effect of bringing about madness and hallucinations, we go for a strange little journey into the evolution of the green fairy.