The Alarmist

Who’s to blame for the Lizzie Borden Murders?

On this week's REWIND, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) keeps it all in the family with Producer Clayton Early and Fact Checker Chris Smith to discuss the grizzly Lizzie Borden Murders. Could the Fashion Industry possibly take the fall for this one? Up on the board: Female Oppression, Family Inheritance and Roommate Tension!

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New Mailbag! You read that right. It’s October and we’re way behind on the mail. So, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith), Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early are taking a little Fall break to catch up with the Alarmy and share some recent reviews. We’ve got letters from multiple Emily’s, multiple countries and multiple new listeners! Tune in and hear what’s been on listeners' minds lately. Don’t forget to check us ...

Who’s to blame for the delayed burial of Eva Peron? 

This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) discusses the legacy of Eva Peron, aka Evita, and the controversial circumstances surrounding her burial which wouldn’t take place until well over 20 years after her untimely death. How could the First Lady of Argentina’s remains be unaccounted for for such a long period of time? Was this the result of a political coup? Did her...

New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with author and internationally exhibited fine artist Chris Semtner about the mysterious life and death of legendary poet Edgar Allen Poe. Curator of the Edgar Allen Poe Museum in Richmond, VA, Chris is full of thoughtful anecdotes about Poe’s life and shares some fascinating new details about Cooping and how Poe might have been mixed up in it. Afterward, Patreon subscriber...

Who’s to blame for the death of Edgar Allen Poe?

This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) tackles the mysterious death of famed author and poet Edgar Allen Poe. Known for his fascination with the macabre and for telling tales of mystery and psychological terror, did Poe manifest a similar mysterious fate for himself? Perhaps he was jumped by a group of ruffians put off by his alcoholic tendencies and notorious foul attitude. ...

New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Professor Amani Roberts about the 30 year long (and going!) feud sparked by the 1998 Billboard Top 100 hit The Boy Is Mine by Brandy & Monica. Amani is a renowned DJ, international keynote speaker and author who shares some poignant details about the genre breaking legacy of the song, the feud and these two incredibly talented female artists. Afterward, Patreon sub...

Who’s to blame for Brandy & Monica’s "The Boy Is Mine" Feud? 

This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) revisits the epic feud between 90’s female pop icons Brandy and Monica. The Boy Is Mine. Was it real? Was it a publicity stunt? We may never know the entire story. But, we do know the fans loved it. And they still do…to this very day. Hence Brandy & Monica’s 2025 reunion titled after the hit songs namesake. Was ...

New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca revisits the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami with Dr. Elizabeth Vanacore. Liz is an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Geology, Puerto Rico Seismic Network at the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez and is widely considered an expert on tsunami and earthquake research. She shares a healthy dose of data and sound tsunami advice. Afterward, Patreon subscribe...

Who’s to blame for the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami?

This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) discusses the massive earthquake that rocked the floor of the Indian Ocean in 2004 and triggered deadly tsunamis which raced across the ocean and wiped out entire villages and took the lives of people living and vacationing hundreds of miles away. Could an official warning system have prevented such a massive loss of li...

New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks to medical historian John Waller about the Dancing Plague of 1518. Author of A Time to Dance, a Time to Die: The Extraordinary Story of the Dancing Plague of 1518, John shares fascinating new details about the culture, economics and spirituality of the time which really illuminate how truly different the past was from our present day lives. Afterward, Patreon subscribers ca...

Who’s to blame for the Dancing Plague of 1518?

This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) is searching for the cause of the Dancing Plague of 1518 in the city of Strasbourg. What possessed a woman named Frau Troffea to start dancing unstopped for 6 six days straight? And why did hundreds of others join in, some dancing themselves to literal death? Did “laughing veins” have something to do with it? Perhaps economic struggles dur...

New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with literary scholar Milan Terlunen about the 1985 camp classic CLUE. Milan gets into the history of the plot twist and how difficult they can be to execute in modern day films. He also reflects on the question that in a film like this, born out of the woes of capitalism, do we really need to care whodunit? Afterward, Patreon subscribers can revisit the board with Fact Che...

Who’s to blame for the murders in the 1985 cinema classic CLUE?

This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes fellow podcaster Nichole Hill, host of Our Ancestors Were Messy, to discuss the iconic movie based on a boardgame: CLUE. As the dead bodies pile up, and with multiple endings to choose from, who’s really to blame for this mess? Was it Miss Scarlett in the Library with a revolver? Was it Wadsworth playing his butle...

New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca revisits the voyage of the Endurance with maritime archeologist Mensun Bound. Having rediscovered the sunken Endurance and sailed the Antarctic himself, Mensun offers incredible insight into the lived experience and state of mind Shackleton must have endured. Afterward, Patreon subscribers can revisit the board with Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early to see if the...

Who’s to blame for Voyage of The Endurance?

This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes Sebastian Major, host of the Our Fake History podcast, to discuss the harrowing Antarctic voyage of The Endurance. Miraculously, everyone survived! But, should they have tempted this dangerous journey to begin with? Who was Ernest Shackleton and what drove him to be the first to cross the Antarctic? Did the allure of adventure blind ...

New Guest Experts! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with the utterly charming couple Clare Campbell and Christy Campbell who co-authored Bonzo's War: Animals Under Fire 1939-45 and Dogs of Courage: When Britain's Pets Went to War 1939-45. Their invaluable insight on the British Pet Massacre will both warm and wrench your heart. Afterward, Patreon subscribers can revisit the board with Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer C...

Who’s to blame for the British Pet Massacre?

This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes Alex Steed, co-host of the You Are Good Podcast, to discuss the tragic yet seemingly avoidable British Pet Massacre. Did PTSD wartime efforts lead to sort of blind patriotism? Did a scarcity mindset overwhelm collective reason and lead to large scale misplaced anxiety? Or perhaps a NARPAC Pamphlet with reckless advertising had somet...

New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Professor Michael Doyle about the rise and fall of the Oneida Community. Author of The Minister’s War: John W. Mears, the Oneida Community and the Crusade for Public Morality, Mike shares some pertinent new information about one of the key figures in the Oneida community's downfall. Afterward, Patreon subscribers can listen to the post-interview breakdown with Fact Che...

Who’s to blame for the Rise & Fall of the Onedia Community?

This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes back writer Jane Borden, author of Cults Like Us: Why Doomsday Thinking Drives America, to discuss the rise and fall of the Oneida Community. It’s highly likely you’ve eaten a meal with a set of Oneida silverware. But, are you familiar with their cult origins and problematic sex practices like “Sticky Love” or “Co...