American Hysteria

If you want to learn more about the topics covered on American Hysteria, subscribe to our Patreon talk show with myself and producer Miranda Zickler in which we gossip about all the juicy stuff left out of the episodes, share our own experiences with the content, and chat about what else we've been interested in this month. Today we reveal a little more about McKamey Manor and Russ McKamey, talk more on the institution of the haunted house and our own experiences with fear, give you our thoughts on the Elizabeth Holmes trial, and of course, much more.Head to patreon.com/americanhysteria Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we talk to the wonderful Shar Mayer, a 45-year veteran of Scare Acting known in the haunt community as "The Mother of Monsters".Become a Patron, 'Hysteria Home Companion' starts MondayLearn more about Shar MayerWatch Haunters: The Art of the ScareCheck out Web Crawlers hereAmerican Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-SmithSound design by Clear Commo StudiosProduced by Miranda ZicklerFollow American Hysteria on social media:Twitter: @AmerHysteriaInstagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcastFind our merch at americanhysteria.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we'll be talking about the fake-blood-covered history of Haunted Attractions, their raucous origins wrangling violent pranksters, the gory charity haunts that once ruled the scene, and the extreme iterations that still scandalize and fascinate the nation. We ask the burning question: Why do some of us love to be scared?Become a Patron! 'Hysteria Home Companion' talk show coming this month!American Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-SmithSound design by Clear Commo StudiosProduced by Miranda ZicklerFollow American Hysteria on social media:Twitter: @AmerHysteriaInstagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcastFind our merch at americanhysteria.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This ghostly re-release (with a new introduction) is here to help us fit next week's brand-new episode 'Haunted House Attractions' into a larger American haunted history. Re-listen or listen for the first time, you might be surprised by what the "other side" has to say.Become a Patron and support our show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us October 18th for our spooky season premiere on Haunted House Attractions and learn a little more our show's new structure. Click here to become a Patron!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2017, YouTube Kids was embroiled in a major scandal when it was discovered that a dark underbelly of inappropriate cartoons, computer animations, and live action videos were lurking just under the surface of the supposedly safeguarded app. With themes of injections, sexuality, violence, scatology, and much more, we will explore these bizarre, uncanny valley videos made by mysterious content creators using low-budget methods and popular characters like Elsa, Spiderman, Peppa Pig, and Shrek in order to generate clicks. But is that their only goal? Some believe in a larger conspiracy to harm our children, but one thing is for sure: our algorithms are out of control.Become a Patron to get access to Chelsey's other podcast Walk with MeAmerican Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-SmithSound design by Clear Commo StudiosResearch by Riley SmithProduced by Miranda ZicklerFollow American Hysteria on social media:Twitter: @AmerHysteriaInstagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcastFind our merch at americanhysteria.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In preparation for our upcoming *Weirdest Episode of All Time*, we are rereleasing this minisode on a mysterious phenomenon where large numbers of people remember an event or cultural detail differently than it really was. From the spelling of 'Berenstain Bears' to the funeral procession of Nelson Mandela, people have explored these cognitive discrepancies through the lens of both mass psychology and of course, the multiverse theory. We'll see how the internet expanded these odd mis-memories into an enormous world all their own. Next week, we'll look at the #Elsagate controversy of 2017, when scores of uncanny valley-esque hauntingly inappropriate videos were discovered on YouTube Kids. We'll try to get to the bottom of whether it is a mass conspiracy to hypnotically groom children or the result of an algorithm we no longer control. That's next Monday!Become a Patron to get access to Chelsey's other podcast Walk with MeAmerican Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-SmithSound design by Clear Commo StudiosProduced by Miranda ZicklerFollow American Hysteria on social media:Twitter: @AmerHysteriaInstagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcastFind our merch at americanhysteria.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(Make sure you listen to part one first!) Today, Chris shares his experience becoming a sudden villain in the fringe conspiratorial zeitgeist, and then we move gracefully on to sharing the value we have found in talking to strangers, him as a podcaster who has conversations on an anonymous hotline, and myself as a former hitchhiker. Chris hosts the podcast Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People, stars in a new stand-up special Half My Life, and is the author of Weird New York.Watch Chris Gethard: Half my Life Listen to Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People Become a Patron to get access to Chelsey's other podcast Walk with Me American Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-SmithSound design by Clear Commo StudiosProduced by Miranda ZicklerFollow American Hysteria on social media: Twitter: @AmerHysteriaInstagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcastFind our merch at americanhysteria.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Gethard is a stand-up comedian, podcaster, actor, filmmaker and author of Weird New York as well as an editor at Weird New Jersey and Weird US, all of which cover local ghost stories, urban legends, and roadside attractions. Over the next two episodes we will be discussing the most dangerous waterpark in history, the last vestiges of American tourist traps, the outrageous 1980s and 90s childhood experience, what urban legends can tell us about cultural clashes, and much more of all that we hold dear. Part two is out next week.Watch Chris Gethard: Half my Life Listen to Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People Become a Patron to get access to Chelsey's other podcast Walk with MeAmerican Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-SmithSound design by Clear Commo StudiosProduced by Miranda ZicklerFollow American Hysteria on social media:Twitter: @AmerHysteriaInstagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcastFind our merch at americanhysteria.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Susan Styker is the author of Transgender History: The Roots of Today’s Revolution as well as a filmmaker, distinguished professor, and longtime activist for the LGBTQ community. She began transitioning in the late 1980s, a very different era for gender nonconformity than the one we find ourselves in today. In this episode we discuss fragmentation within the wide rainbow umbrella, issues between feminists and transgender women, and how to deal with the generational and ideological gaps that have long broken up our potential solidarity.Become a Patron to get access to Chelsey's other podcast Walk with MeGo to brickhousesleep.com and get 15% off your first order at checkout with promo code HYSTERIAAmerican Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-SmithSound design by Clear Commo StudiosProduced by Miranda ZicklerFollow American Hysteria on social media:Twitter: @AmerHysteriaInstagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcastFind our merch at americanhysteria.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices