Notorious Narratives

As if pulled from the silver screen the legend of The Red Ghost once struck fear in the citizens of the Arizona territory. The bleeding demon that trampled the helpless to death was a legend that went as wild as a brush fire. In this episode, Jen asks to grab a seat by the campfire as she tells you a tale that is almost unbelievable, except that its all true.

No matter what you think, there are documented stories of catastrophe each time that Halley's Comet has come whizzing by. In this episode, Robin tells you the history of this visitor and the panic it caused the good citizens of Earth in 1910. 

Mother's Day, a day to give cards, flowers and breakfasts in bed, to celebrate your mother. But few now how this holiday came to be. In this episode, Robin tells you the tale of the "inventor" of the American Mother's Day, Anna Jarvis, who in the end found the holiday to be not so happy. 

In the second part of the tale, we join this infamous duo of Victorian Resurrectionists and find them in the midst of a murder spree that used the anatomy theaters of The University of Edinburgh as their dumping grounds. In this episode, Jen will tell you how this grisly group was finally brought to justice. But don't worry, if you find yourself missing Burke when we are done you can always visit him....listen to find out where!

This is a tale of supply and demand at it's darkest. As medical knowledge grew so did the field of anatomy. Courses in anatomy that offered students the opportunity to study real human specimens were highly sought after in the 19th century and were considered the highest form of medical training. But where does one procure human specimens?  In this episode, Jen will introduce to the Victorian era's most sinister duo, Burke and Hare, who met the demand for bodies by any means necessary. 

We have all seen the photo. You know the one. The one where the smiling tourist appears to be holding up or being crushed by The Leaning Tower of Pisa. But why does the tower lean? Will it ever just fall? In this episode, Robin teaches you the history of its notorious construction and the beautiful mistake that made it famous. 

If you have ever set foot on the beautiful island of Jamaica you may have heard of the White Witch. Steeped in history, legend, voodoo and slave rebellion this tale has it all. In this episode, Jen takes you on spooky island tour that is like no other. 

Prohibition was supposed to lead to an era of morality and a resurgence of American family values. But what happens when people do not comply, how do you punish an entire culture? In this episode, Robin will tell you the story of how the American government set to punish its rebellious citizens.

They say that money does't buy happiness and for The Lemp Family this saying was certainly true. Though blessed with health, wealth and success, generations of this family never found happiness. Plagued with divorce and suicide, members of the family and the media began rumors of a family curse. In this episode, Robin tells the tale of the cursed Lemp Family of St. Louis.

For every scar there is a story, and for Major Henry Rathbone the deep scar that ran along his arm told a tale of a night that changed his life forever. Rathbone and his wife, Clara, were part of DC's elite and were guests in a very infamous box at Ford's Theatre on the one of the worst nights in American history. In this episode, Jen tells the story of a life turned tragic and a story that is the loose basis for The Shining. 

Sometimes a story is so unbelievable that it must be true. That is the case for the legend of Mike Malloy. Times were tough in NYC during The Great Depression and people thought of all sorts of schemes to make money, even murder. In this episode, Jen introduces you to a band of hapless criminals and one tough Irishman who became known as The Rasputin of the Bronx.

The Dust Bowl is one of the worst manmade ecologic disasters in human history. As the Depression took hold, many Americans began fleeing the overcrowded cities of the east coast looking for a lucrative future in farming. The American Dream. But what awaited them was far more sinister. In this episode, Robin takes a look at the decade that literally changed the American landscape: The Dirty Thirties.

Today we know that it is necessary to wash your hands. Most of us know what a disease carrier is. But in the early 20th century these concepts were high science and for one Irish immigrant cook they were impossible to understand. It this episode, Jen tells you how peach ice cream became a killer dessert.

Most of us have seen the beautiful pink facades of the city of Petra. One of the new seven wonders of the world the ancient city of Petra is Jordans most popular tourist destinations but few know the true story of it's past, present and future. In this episode, Robin takes us through the winding canyons of this mysterious ancient location.

You may not know who the most kissed woman in history is, and it may surprise you to hear that she is a corpse. In this special Valentine's Day episode Jen will change the way you think about what it means to be kissed.

Frankenstein, the amazing novel by Mary Shelley was published over 200 years ago and it changed the world. But many of the ideas in her novel were inspired by real science, and her novel also managed to inspire scientific experimentation for years to come. In this episode, Jen explains the scientific experimentation that can be linked directly to Frankenstein.

We can learn a lot about how a civilization lived by how they treat their dead. From pyramids, to sky burials to being buried in a ship, there are so many different ways we can leave this Earth. In this episode, Robin digs her way through centuries of tales of how the Viking civilization buried their dead.

What do masturbation and enemas have to do with Corn Flakes? Well, in this episode Jen will tell you about the health craze that inspired the sanitarium system and the fight that started in Battle Creek and ended on your breakfast table. 

For most of us the thought of human sacrifice does one of two things, either you cringe or you think of Indiana Jones. We clearly think about Indiana Jones. In this episode, Robin explores the reasons, process and necessity of human sacrifice in the Maya culture. 

Of all the things to fear in this world you may have overlooked the diabolical villain that sits quietly upon your pantry shelf: molasses. Well the people of Boston will never forget. On this day exactly one hundred years ago a sticky wall of molasses travelled at speeds of up to 35 mph, killing 21 and injuring 150. In this episode, Robin tells the legendary tale of this sticky situation.