The Nonessential Podcast

Each week, Ben and Steve dole out a fresh heaping of totally random, often unbelievable, yet mostly true stories from around the world and throughout history. Each never knows what the other will bring, so join us as we expose the deepest reaches of... who am I kidding? We're not here for depth, we're here for entertainment. Welcome to The Nonessential Podcast!

Episode 263: Scribblings in the Well 09/18/2024

Episode 263: Scribblings in the Well This week, Ben reads a creepypasta that outlines why it may be a bad idea to follow clearly unhinged instructions you may come across while exploring old wells. Check out the anonymously authored 'Scribblings in the Well.' /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/33110542

Episode 262: The Bar 08/20/2024

Episode 262: The Bar Sometimes you want to get away from the place where everybody knows your name. This week, Steve reads a story about a man trapped in a kind of purgatory that... well, actually sounds pretty okay? Check out The Bar, by Alparos-Lilah. Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/32655572

Episode 261: Lost Episodes Can Be Found, Pt 2 08/06/2024

Episode 261: Lost Episodes Can Be Found, Pt 2 This week, Ben reads the exciting conclusion, or is excited to conclude, the mystery thriller creepypasta Lost Episodes Can Be Found, originally written by Hopelessnightowl. As the protagonist draws nearer to finding the disturbing verion of Aristicats that has haunted him since his youth (yes, you heard that right), the bigger picture starts to emerge. But you'll have to listen if you want to know how this story concludes. ...or, I suppose, go read the original story, sourced below. Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/32458807

Episode 260: Lost Episodes Can Be Found Again, Part 1 07/25/2024

Episode 260: Lost Episodes Can Be Found Again, Part 1 This week, Ben takes us on the first leg of a journey with more legs than one. Probably two. But perhaps three? Regardless, this is leg one, and it's the start of a tale of a traumatic version of the already traumatic Aristicats, and the narrator's quest to find out where and how it came to be. Check out Lost Episodes Can Be Found Again, part one. By HopelessNightOwl Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/32284887

Episode 259: Only Following Orders 06/25/2024

Episode 259: Only Following Orders In this installment of the Nonessential Podcast, Steve reads the story of a soldier who's past is quite literally haunting him. Check out the anonymously written Only Following Orders. /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/31887482

Episode 258: The Adventures of Hubert Wilkins 06/11/2024

Episode 258: The Adventures of Hubert Wilkins Hubert Wiliks was a man on a mission. Well, a few missions. But war metals and documenting birds couldn't compare with his plan to pilot a submarine under the north pole, using specially designed evil-villain drills and a giant reverse ice skate. Check out episode 258: The Adventures of Hubert Wilkins. Sources: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/31697897

Episode 257: Fortune Teller, The & Echoes from the Ashes 04/23/2024

Episode 257: Fortune Teller, The & Echoes from the Ashes This week, Steve reads two firey stories from Alparos-Lilah: The Fortune Teller, and Echoes from the Ashes. Both touch on the themes of fire, death, and what comes next. Sources: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/30955388

Episode 256: The Butcer Family 04/09/2024

Episode 256: The Butcer Family This week, Ben reads 'The Butcher Family' by Night Spirit. It's a tale of woe, generational curses, and the best damned meat-cubes you ever did taste. Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/30750438

Episode 255: Creepy Crawly Pasta 03/26/2024

Episode 255: Creepy Crawly Pasta After a short (medium) hiatus, we're back. And this week's show not only has legs, it has at least sixteen of them. Check out a creepy double feature as Steve reads TheBrexters 'Creepy Crawlies' and SpoopySparkle's 'The Crawly Man.' Sources: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/30549518

Episode 254: A Friend in Need 02/28/2024

Episode 254: A Friend in Need On the brink of starvation and ruin, a pastor struggles with the absolute abandonment of his congregation. But then a mysterious man-thing shows up and offers him a deal he can't refuse. This week, Ben reads the piously creepy A Friend in Need by Dylon Winfield. /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/30151863

Episode 253: Overgrowth 02/20/2024

Episode 253: Overgrowth This week's creepypasta is about a scientist who is afraid of trees. This might seem odd, but after reading 'Overgrowth' by Aphibacus192000, the real question becomes why would anybody think it's odd for this scientist to be afraid of trees? Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/30032238

Episode 252: My Wife Has Been Peeking at Me […] 02/14/2024

Episode 252: My Wife Has Been Peeking at Me […] This week, Ben puts on his Brave Boy Pants and delves into Reddit/Nosleep to retrieve a story so freightful in it's freighteningness that it took us an extra 24 hours to post. Check out 'My Wife Has Been Peeking at Me From Around Corners and Behind Furniture. It's Gone from Weird to Terrifying' by Maliagirl1314. Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/29954088

Episode 251: The Blackbird of Chernobyl 01/30/2024

Episode 251: The Blackbird of Chernobyl This week, Steve (eventually) discusses one of the raddest (or radiated'est) cryptids (un)known to man: The Blackbird of Chernobyl. Is this creature a prohpet of doom, or does it cause it? Is it related to that Mothman fellow, or is it one in the same? Leave it to us to not get tot he bottom of any of those pressing questions. Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/29719363

Episode 250: The Curse of the Ninth 01/22/2024

Episode 250: The Curse of the Ninth This week, Ben brings a supernatural tale so super it's natural to tell. A hit musician, locked alone in a cabin deep in the woods. Desperate to write that one last perfect song. But at what cost? Check out The Curse of the Ninth by Trycksterr. Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/29599813

Episode 249: The Twist Comes at the End 01/17/2024

Episode 249: The Twist Comes at the End This week, Steve takes a look at a trio of murder-crimes with interesting twists behind the motives and methods of, well, murder-killing. Check it out. Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/29531223

Episode 248: Pasta Noir: Dames, Slugs, and the Hatchetman Part 2 12/27/2023

Episode 248: Pasta Noir: Dames, Slugs, and the Hatchetman Part 2 This week, Ben continues Pasta Noir: Dames, Slugs, and the Hatchetman, the saga started with last week's episode. In this installment, we learn more about the weirdly homophobic, yet subtuley homoerotic relationship between our hero and his young partner. Also there's a murder or something. Check it out Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/29241848

Episode 247: Pasta Noir: Dames, Slugs, and the Hatchetman Part 1 12/19/2023

Episode 247: Pasta Noir: Dames, Slugs, and the Hatchetman Part 1 This week, Steve reads the wonderfuly (pasta) noir, Pasta Noir: Dames, Slugs, and the Hatchetman by BlackNumber1. Or, more specifically, he reads part 1 of the above-mentioned story because there's 11 parts, and to read all of them would be too much. Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/29147303

Episode 246: The Good Doctor Locklear by Madam Macabre 12/13/2023

Episode 246: The Good Doctor Locklear by Madam Macabre This week's episode brings you the story of a doctor who is willing to do anything it takes to do good. This, of course, means bad things. Ben read's The Good Doctor Locklear, written by Madam Macabre Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/29056783

Episode 245: Crime Scene 12/05/2023

Episode 245: Crime Scene What happens when the friend you're expecting to meet turns up dead? A bunch of surprisingly non-chalant conversations, and an inexplicably shocking reveal, apparently. This week, Steve jumps off the supernatural horror train, and then gets run over by the crime horror train. Check out 'Crime Scene' by Triololo. Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/28945238

Episode 244: Mr Trenchfoot - A double dose 11/21/2023

Episode 244: Mr Trenchfoot - A double dose This week, Ben decorates our metaphorical refridgerator with MacaroniArtZombeh's Mr Trenchfoot, immediately followed by the thrilling prequel, In the Trenches. That's right, it's a double-dose of Trenchfoot. Trenchfeet? Unbutton your pants (so you have room for the extra serving, not for pervy reasons), sit down, and enjoy. Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/28742418

Episode 243: Happy Sun Daycare 11/14/2023

Episode 243: Happy Sun Daycare An (amateur?) investigative journalist inexplicably digs into what appears to be a randomly chosen, derilict former daycare. What their overly cooperative interviewees reveal is a bizzare cover-up of paranormal proportions. This week, Steve bites off more than he can chew with Happy Sun Daycare by Chelsea.adams.524. Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/28639548

Episode 242: A Tear in the Wallpaper 10/31/2023

Episode 242: A Tear in the Wallpaper To celebrate Halloween, this week we're doing the thing we do about 75% of the time already! Ben reads the creepiest of pastas that's ever been written regarding wallpaper blemishes, with A Tear in the Wallpaper by Umbrello. Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/28475561

Episode 241: The Beef Bandit 10/24/2023

Episode 241: The Beef Bandit They say you should never meet your heroes. This week, Steve reads 'The Beef Bandit' by Levi Athens, and proves once and for all that at least in this one specific fictional situation, that saying is correct. Check out episode 241 before you steal your next slab of beef. ...Or maybe while you're stealing that sweet red meat? Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/28408385

Episode 240: Eric Floc's Sad Men 10/03/2023

Episode 240: Eric Floc's Sad Men This week, Ben pulls a random story out of his hat, and hits the creepypasta jackpot with the superbly written 'Eric Floc's Sad Men,' by CynicalSloth. And for once, we're not being sarcastic when we say this is truly a great work of fiction. Or non-fiction? Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/28199342

Episode 239: (Some of) The Legends of Idaho 09/26/2023

Episode 239: (Some of) The Legends of Idaho This week, Steve takes a look at a few of the local lore and legends of Idaho. These tales feature killer mountain dwarves, demonic fish-babies, and a plethora—yes, an entire plethora—of lake monsters. Sadly, they do not contain a single potato. Sources: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/28145861

Episode 238: Honor, Duels, and Billiard Balls 09/19/2023

Episode 238: Honor, Duels, and Billiard Balls This week, Ben takes a look at a handful of histories more unique duels. A decades-long feud between Gen. Francois Fournier and Pierre Dupont, the gentlewomanly disagreement between Lady Almeria and Mrs Elphinstone, and the pub-game gone bad between Melfant and Lenfant: These pairs took their arguments to the extreme (in oft hilarious ways.) Check it out. Source: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/28067892

Episode 237: Issei Sagawa, the Kobe Cannable 09/12/2023

Episode 237: Issei Sagawa, the Kobe Cannable This week, Steve sits down to dissect the story of Issei Sagawa, the Japanese man who became well known for his obsession with cannibalism, which oddly, is a better thing to be known for than some of his other interests. Sources: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/28001220

Episode 236: Suicidemouse.avi & Club 33: A Dark Secret 09/05/2023

Episode 236: Suicidemouse.avi & Club 33: A Dark Secret This week, Ben brings a pair of anonymously-written creepypasta featuring the dark secrets of Walt Disney and co. The first story is Suicidemouse.avi, the tale of lost animation clip that drives viewers to suicidal insanity. Then, there's the story of Club 33. Walt's biggest secret that also is only losely guarded but then viciously snuffed out. Sources: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/27944568

Episode 235: Karl Denke's Skinless Pickled Pork 08/28/2023

Episode 235: Karl Denke's Skinless Pickled Pork Karl Denke was a quiet, if troubled, kid who never seemed to let life get him down. As an adult, he became a successful butcher and leather goodsman, and a well liked member of the comunity. If that was that, Steve wouldn't be talking about him on this week's show. If you want to hear about Karl's dark side, grab your favorite brand of skinless pickled pork and settle in. Sources: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/27868923

Episode 234: Michael Dowd 08/22/2023

Episode 234: Michael Dowd A gifted kid raised in Brooklyn during the 1960's. Despite opportunities in more academic fields, Michael decided to pursue his dream of working in law enforcement. Once he made it on the NYPD, he realized he had a new dream, which seemed to contradict his original dream, unless you've ever heard anything about the NYPD. Check out episode 234. Sources: /episode/index/show/thenonessential/id/27818574

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