Unspookable
Unspookable is a family friendly look at the histories and mysteries behind your favorite scary stories, myths and urban legends. Each week host Elise Parisian digs into the history, brain science, and power dynamics behind such topics as Bloody Mary, Charlie Charlie, and Ouija Boards to find the stories behind the scares. (Recommended for ages 8+) Unspookable has been called one of the "Best podcasts for kids of all ages" by Time Out New York, one of the “7 Podcasts Big Kids Will Love” by The New York Times, one of the "5 Spooky Podcasts to Check Out Right Now" by Vulture, one of the "10 Best Podcasts for Children" by the Irish Examiner, and is an official Common Sense Media Selection. The show has appeared multiple times across Canada on CBC Radio's Podcast Playlist, on NPR station WHYY's Kid's Listening Hour, has been featured by Apple Podcasts, Romper, The AV Club, Fast Company, The Week Jr, Podcast Magazine, and more
Episodes
April 16, 2024 • 15 mins
Last fall it felt like every other email, review, or topic recommendation we received mentioned a YouTube series that had captured the imaginations of our listeners and literally BILLIONS of young people around the world. If you haven't heard about these giant, singing, war mongering toilets with human heads, you're in for a huge surprise. We're talking Skibidi Toilets on this episode of Unspookable.
Host: Elise Parisian
Written, ...
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February 21, 2024 • 17 mins
We get a lot of amazing suggestions from our listeners of topics to cover on the show, but there's one topic that topples the competition: Video Games. Whether it's Five Nights at Freddy's, Doors, Hello Neighbor, Garten of Banban, or Poppy Playtime, there are tons of first person horror games that you want us to cover. Elise talks to gaming writer Melissa Sarnowski about one of your favorites and the horror genre's enduring appeal ...
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February 2, 2024 • 31 mins
What would you do if you woke up one day and giant portals in the sky brought about a monster apocalypse that left your hometown without any rules, grownups, or homework? Well if you’re Jack Sullivan, you’d move into your foster brother's treehouse, play video games and eat junk food, while teaming up with some former classmates to stop these monsters from taking over what is left of your world.
If any of that sounds familiar, the...
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January 2, 2024 • 24 mins
Have you ever heard of The Backrooms? Maybe you've come across this strange never-ending series of liminal spaces on TikTok or on YouTube or maybe some games that you've played. The Backrooms are one of our most frequently requested topics and we were curious to explore why their flickering fluorescent lights, yellow walls, and endless mazes have captured your imaginations. That and more on this episode of Unspookable.
Host: Eli...
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December 23, 2023 • 13 mins
The month of December brings a whole host of traditions for people all across the world. For us on Unspookable, this time of year brings some of the strangest creepy creatures we get to see. After all – it wouldn’t be the holidays for us if we didn’t get to throw in something spooky. So consider it your gift to us to countdown some of the weirdest, witchiest holiday traditions we could scare up on this special holiday episode of Un...
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December 22, 2023 • 7 mins
For those of us who have been good all year the holidays are a time for celebration and gifts... but, for for those of us who have been naughty, we may have a half goat, half demon visitor waiting to steal us away. What's that, cheery soul? Not familiar? Well then, let's tell you a little more about Krampus...
Host: Elise Parisian
Written by: Ellenor Riley-Condit
Created, Produced, Edited by: Nate DuFort
Music Direction and Compos...
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November 21, 2023 • 24 mins
SCP may be one of our most requested topics ever due to its presence on ROBLOX, but many of us don't know much about this strange foundation and their mission to Serve, Contain, and Protect. We were thrilled to talk to an expert, podcast producer Pacific S. Obadiah, about all things SCP including its origins and enduring popularity in it's over 7,000 entires. That and more on today's episode of Unspookable.
Host: Elise Parisian wi...
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November 14, 2023 • 25 mins
Today, we are excited to present a new project from some friends of the show. In this pilot episode of Ghost Tour, meet 15-year-olds Vern and Lee as they lead a ghost tour in Jepson, North Carolina, and meet their first real-life ghost.
Writer: C. Quintana
Voice-Over Artists: Darrell Brown, Whitney Dorr, Triya Leong, Imani Russell, David Shatraw, and Maura Vincent
Sound Design: Chad Chenail
Show Runner: Rebecca Cunningham
Theme So...
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November 7, 2023 • 31 mins
On this special encore presentation of Unspookable we are looking back at one of our favorite episodes: Whether you find them cute or creepy, it's hard not to have a strong feeling about this week's topic...Spiders. Why are so many of us afraid of these arachnids? And what does it say about us as humans that something so small can be so terrifying? We'll unravel this web and more on this episode of Unspookable.
Host: Elise Paris...
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October 31, 2023 • 25 mins
Where do our fears come from? For some of us, it’s past experiences… others, maybe a fear of the unknown… but if you're anything like the team at Unspookable, there is one man responsible for many of the characters, illustrations, and creatures, be it Cartoon Cat, Anxious Dogs, Long Horse, or Siren Head, that give us the shivers. We’re of course talking about writer and illustrator Trevor Henderson who sits down with Unspookable pr...
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October 24, 2023 • 17 mins
Do you celebrate Halloween? If so, what are some of your annual traditions? Maybe you dress up in costumes, carve a Jack-o'-lantern, go trick-or-treating? But have you ever wondered why we do these things? Or that they may be tied to rituals over 3,000 years old? We're discussing the unexpected origins of Halloween and the barrier between our world and beyond on this episode of Unspookable.
Host: Elise Parisian
Written by: Ellenor...
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October 17, 2023 • 19 mins
Join us as we delve into the enigmatic sleepover ritual "Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board" with the brilliant Dr. Elizabeth (Libby) Tucker, Distinguished Service Professor of English, Binghamton University. We'll uncover the ritual's intriguing history, learn its eerie chant, and discuss why rituals like this stand the test of time. That and more on this episode of Unspookable.
Host: Elise Parisian with Ellenor Riley-Condit an...
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October 10, 2023 • 21 mins
Today is another special episode of the show as we learn even more about ghosts, rituals, and beyond with the author of the new book Chilling with Ghosts: A Totally Factual Field Guide to the Supernatural , the amazing Insha Fitzpatrick, on this episode of Unspookable.
Host: Elise Parisian with Ellenor Riley-Condit and Nate DuFort
Created, Produced, Edited by: Nate DuFort
Music Direction and Composition: Jesse Case
Logo by: Natal...
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October 3, 2023 • 21 mins
Do you believe in ghosts? That's a question most of us have asked or have been asked before. How do you respond? Is it something you may have seen? Something you may have felt? Or has the presence of ghosts in popular culture and on YouTube or TikTok convinced you that they might just exist? Well, however you answer these questions, we think it's time to set aside a few minutes to discuss the possibility that there just may be some...
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September 26, 2023 • 22 mins
On this special encore presentation of Unspookable we are looking back at one of our favorite episodes: Friday the 13th. Do you believe in luck? Do you think you're lucky or unlucky? Do you believe that there are certain days that are more prone to unlucky occurrences? In this episode we explore the origins, history, and superstition surrounding Friday the 13th.
Host: Elise Parisian
Written by: Ellenor Riley-Condit
Created, Produc...
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September 12, 2023 • 22 mins
Today is another special episode of the show as we talk to the owner, creator, and curator of the popular social channels Horror4Kids, Rainier Croft, on this episode of Unspookable.
Host: Elise Parisian
Created, Produced, Edited by: Nate DuFort
Music Direction and Composition: Jesse Case
Logo by: Natalie Khuen
You can find Unspookable on Twitter and Instagram at:
https://twitter.com/ImUnspookable
https://www.instagram.com/unspook...
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August 29, 2023 • 21 mins
On this special encore presentation of Unspookable we are looking back at one of our most requested topics: Momo. Why did this creepy sculpture go viral? What is the responsibility of the media in reporting these viral scares? And how can we protect ourselves from falling victim to these hoaxes? For media literacy resources for the whole family, please see our links below.
Host: Elise Parisian
Written by: Ellenor Riley-Condit
Crea...
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August 15, 2023 • 16 mins
Today is another special episode of the show as we look at women rulers of ancient Egypt, what Vampires can tell us about the immigrant experience, and more with the author of the new book Snot Goblins and Other Tasteless Tales, Rob Kutner, on this episode of Unspookable.
Host: Elise Parisian
Created, Produced, Edited by: Nate DuFort
Music Direction and Composition: Jesse Case
Logo by: Natalie Khuen
You can find Unspookable on Tw...
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August 1, 2023 • 19 mins
What do you think of when you hear the word "psychic"? Maybe a fortune teller in a dimly lit tent? A mind reader using their powers to cause chaos? Or a superhero who can bend the laws of space and time? The mysteries of the human mind have been studied by history's greatest thinkers since the beginning of time and we will look at all of these psychic powers and more on this episode of Unspookable.
Host: Elise Parisian
Written by...
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July 17, 2023 • 49 mins
This week is a special episode with one of our favorite podcast creators. Chelsey Weber-Smith of American Hysteria sits down with the Unspookable team to revisit a late 90s toy that I think most of you will remember, one that is making headlines once again as it hits the department store shelves of July 2023. Join us as we look at the urban legends, conspiracy theories, and freaky stories that enchanted the Furbies of yore, and wha...
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