Paul Giamatti’s CHINWAG with Stephen Asma
Spiritualism, Seance, Ouija, and Ectoplasm
Feb 14, 2024
Join Paul and Stephen as they chat with Lisa Morton about the history of spiritualism, mediums, ouija boards, and more. From seances at the Stanley Hotel to regurgitated ectoplasm, they cover it all. Learn about famous mediums, surrealism, and how wars trigger paranormal beliefs.
58:34
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Quick takeaways
- The Fox sisters popularized the use of letters during seances, leading to the creation of the Ouija board as a parlor game.
- Magicians debunked ectoplasmic manifestations produced by mediums, blurring the line between reality and illusion.
Deep dives
Origins of the Ouija Board and Spiritualism
The Ouija board originated from the use of letters during seances by the Fox sisters, later patented as a parlor game. Spiritualism became popular post-World War I, offering closure to those who lost loved ones. Christianity had mixed views on spirits and even debunkers like magicians confronted mediums.
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