American Hysteria

Latest Episodes:

Postcolonial Astrology with Alice Sparkly Kat Jul 05, 2022

Show notes

Alice Sparkly Kat (who goes by Ace) is an astrologer and the author of the book ‘Postcolonial Astrology: Reading the Planets through Capital, Power, and Labor’. Today they share with us their perspective on the power of the practice and how it has served those in power and those looking for empowerment in different ways.

Get a copy of Postcolonial Astrology!

@alicesparklykat on twitter

@alicesparklykat on instagram

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Follow American Hysteria on social media:

Twitter: @AmerHysteria

Instagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcast

Find our merch at americanhysteria.com

American Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith

Produced by Miranda Zickler

Sound design by Clear Commo Studios

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THE PLANETARY PROPAGANDA OF THE ANTI-NAZI ASTROLOGER Jun 27, 2022

Show notes

In 1941, hundreds of British secret agents were sent to the United States to spread creative anti-Nazi propaganda with the hopes of convincing the American people to support military intervention. This included a flamboyant astrologer sent to give false predictions about the imminent downfall of Adolf Hitler.

Head to choice.crd.co to get involved/find resources in respond to the overturning of Roe V. Wade

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Follow American Hysteria on social media:

Twitter: @AmerHysteria

Instagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcast

Find our merch at americanhysteria.com

American Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith

Produced by Miranda Zickler

Research by Riley Smith

Sound design by Clear Commo Studios

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The Supernatural Imaginary of the Third Reich with Historian Eric Kurlander Jun 20, 2022

Show notes

Dr. Eric Kurlander is the author of Hitler’s Monsters: A Supernatural History of the Third Reich which details the occult practices and pseudosciences that many high ranking Nazis investigated at length. This episode will explore the 'supernatural imaginary' the early Nazi party was able to cultivate through a mash-up of esoteric beliefs, astrology, eastern and western religion, and pseudoscience, World Ice Theory, and sensational conspiracy theories. Listen carefully and you will start to hear some things that sound eerily similar to the fringe beliefs becoming normalized in modern America.

Read Eric's book

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Follow American Hysteria on social media:

Twitter: @AmerHysteria

Instagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcast

Find our merch at americanhysteria.com

American Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith

Produced by Miranda Zickler

Sound design by Clear Commo Studios

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ASTROLOGY Jun 13, 2022

Show notes

This episode is not about debunking astrology, it’s about something far more interesting: the role that star-gazing soothsaying advisors have played in American politics, and the secret history of how first ladies, presidents, and other politicians have been influenced by those swearing that they can see the future.

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Follow American Hysteria on social media:

Twitter: @AmerHysteria

Instagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcast

Find our merch at americanhysteria.com

American Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith

Sound design by Clear Commo Studios

Researched and edited Riley Smith

Produced and editing by Miranda Zickler

Voice Acting by Will Rogers

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All the Other Snuff with Sarah Marshall of 'You're Wrong About' May 23, 2022

Show notes

*CW: Brief description of animal abuse, some brief descriptions of death*

Sarah Marshall is the host of our sibling podcasts You’re Wrong About and You Are Good, and is also an expert on satanic panic in all its myriad forms. Today we discuss the decade that produced snuff urban legends, the other horror movies that added to the lore, and learn about the way this tale continues to express itself on the shadowy dark web.

Make sure you listen to You’re Wrong About and You Are Good

Become a Patron and support our show!

Follow American Hysteria on social media:

Twitter: @AmerHysteria

Instagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcast

Find our merch at americanhysteria.com

American Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith

Produced by Miranda Zickler

Sound design by Clear Commo Studios

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ROTTEN.COM May 16, 2022

Show notes

Rotten.com was a shock website from the late 90s and early 2000s that collected the most gruesome and explicit photos on the early internet. After a series of outrages pushed it into the public eye, the site would become an unlikely voice in the battle for online free speech at a time when the government was first attempting to censor the net.

Become a Patron and support our show!

Follow American Hysteria on social media:

Twitter: @AmerHysteria

Instagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcast

Find our merch at americanhysteria.com

American Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith

Sound design by Clear Commo Studios

Researched and edited Riley Smith

Produced and editing by Miranda Zickler

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SNUFF FILMS May 09, 2022

Show notes

Snuff films are alleged murders filmed for the purpose of distribution, an urban legend that has been circulating since the porn wars of the 1970s. We'll explore the Manson Family rumor that first sparked the story, the hoax film that led to feminist protests, the Christian organization that laid the foundation, and a mysterious home movie found tied to a cluster of balloons. We'll also see what it all has to do with Winnie the Pooh as well as what it can teach us about how false stories can be used in a variety of ways by groups with different agendas.

Become a Patron and support our show!

Follow American Hysteria on social media:

Twitter: @AmerHysteria

Instagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcast

Find our merch at americanhysteria.com

American Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith

Sound design by Clear Commo Studios

Researched and edited Riley Smith

Produced and editing by Miranda Zickler

Voice Acting by Will Rogers

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Context Clues: Pornography May 02, 2022

Show notes

This rerelease will give some context for next week's new episode called Snuff Films.

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Follow American Hysteria on social media:

Twitter: @AmerHysteria

Instagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcast

Find our merch at americanhysteria.com

American Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith

Sound design by Clear Commo Studios

Research and co-writing by Riley Smith

Co-produced and edited by Miranda Zickler

Voice Acting by Will Rogers

and by Lily Orrey

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Hear ye! Hear ye! Extra extra hear all about it! Apr 04, 2022

Show notes

Just a handful of little announcements as we take a few weeks off (back in late April).

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The Séance of Selena with Poet Melissa Lozada-Oliva Mar 28, 2022

Show notes

Melissa Lozada-Oliva is a Guatemalan-Colombian-American poet, screenwriter, and educator, and co-host of the podcast Say More. She is the author of a novel in verse called Dreaming of You, about bringing 90s Mexican-American pop star Selena back to life through a séance and the disastrous consequences that follow. Along with our producer Miranda, we talk about the life and death of Selena who was murdered by a 'crazed fan', about the power of poetry and lyrics, and our favorite karaoke songs.

Find Melissa on Twitter @ellomelissa and on Instagram @ellomelissa

Order Dreaming of You and check out more of her work here

Become a Patron and support our show!

Follow American Hysteria on social media:

Twitter: @AmerHysteria

Instagram: @AmericanHysteriaPodcast

Find our merch at americanhysteria.com

American Hysteria is written, produced, and hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith

Produced by Miranda Zickler

Sound design by Clear Commo Studios

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices