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The Box of Oddities — Comedy
The Box of Oddities

The Webby Award-winning “Box of Oddities” is a podcast that delves into the strange and mysterious aspects of our world, exploring topics ranging from bizarre medical conditions to unsolved mysteries, and from paranormal phenomena to strange cultural practices from around the world. With a focus on oddities, curiosities, and the macabre, each episode is a journey into the unknown, where hosts Kat and Jethro Gilligan Toth share their love for unusual stories and inject their humor and commentary. From the strange history of medical practices to chilling true crime stories, to natural (and unnatural) events, “The Box of Oddities” satisfies your thirst for the weird and the unusual, offering an informative and entertaining look into the dark and mysterious corners of our world.
JIMMY KIMMEL, ABC-TV says, “Should you be the type who has an interest in weird stuff, this is a fun thing to allow in your head!”

“Truth is stranger than fiction, and the Box of Oddities is the strangest of all!” -SLUGGO, SIRIUS XM LITHIUM

“Kat & Jethro wring humor from bizarre, macabre and perplexing places.” -BOSTON MAGAZINE

Copyright: © 2023 Eleven Eleven llc

Latest Episodes:

Cemeteries, Stilts And Pigeon Poop Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

Are cemeteries really the end of the story… or just the beginning?

In this unsettling episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro wander into places where the boundary between the living and the dead feels dangerously thin. From Kansas’ infamous Stull Cemetery—rumored to conceal a sealed staircase to somewhere no one should go—to Massachusetts’ eerie Spider Gate, where paths seem to pull you inward, this episode explores real locations tied to chilling legends of portals, watchers, and something waiting just beyond the veil.

Along the way, you’ll hear accounts of ghostly figures, missing time, red eyes in the dark, and the unsettling idea that some gates don’t just keep things out… they may be holding something in. Is it folklore? Psychology? Or something far stranger?

Then, things take a sharp turn into the bizarre history of hair restoration—from cow licks and pigeon poop to ancient Egyptian remedies that will make you question everything you thought you knew about baldness.

Plus, Kat shares a fascinating (and slightly terrifying) look at Caribbean Moko Jumbies—towering stilt walkers rooted in West African spiritual traditions, believed to protect communities from unseen forces… whether your nervous system agrees or not.

Dark, strange, funny, and just a little unsettling—this episode reminds us that some places aren’t just remembered… they remember back.

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Inbox Of Oddities #80 Apr 03, 2026

Show notes

Listener stories that blur the line between coincidence, memory, and something far stranger…

In this chilling installment of Inbox of Oddities, the Freak Family delivers a collection of real-life encounters that range from quietly unsettling to downright inexplicable. A dog refuses to enter a room where something may—or may not—be pacing at night. A childhood imaginary friend resurfaces through an eerie detail no one can quite explain. And one listener experiences what feels like a sudden, disorienting slip into another time… before snapping back to the present.

Elsewhere, a mysterious book arrives unprompted—about a topic the recipient had only researched in private. A neighbor faithfully greets someone who doesn’t appear to exist. And a late-night “BOO Effect” coincidence leaves one listener questioning reality itself.

Balancing the uncanny with the oddly human, this episode also includes a passionate (and hilarious) correction about the plural of LEGO, an unforgettable parenting moment involving a five-year-old and a very public anatomy lesson, and a heartfelt dispatch from Antarctica—complete with penguins, polar plunges, and whispers of ghost stories on the ice.

These are the stories you don’t forget… even when you wish you could.

Welcome to the Inbox of Oddities.

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The Buga Sphere: A Hoax, or Something Else? Apr 01, 2026

Show notes

A mysterious metallic orb, impossible physics, and inventions that should never exist.

A mysterious metallic sphere falls from the sky… and what happens next only deepens the mystery.

In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro explore the chilling and controversial story of the Buga Sphere—a strange, seamless metallic orb reportedly seen zigzagging through the sky before crashing to Earth in March 2025. Witnesses describe impossible movement, unnatural coldness, and a landing that defied physics. Even more unsettling? The ground beneath it began to die, and those who handled it reported physical symptoms shortly after.

Was it advanced human technology… an elaborate art piece… or something not of this world? As researchers, skeptics, and internet speculation collide, this story becomes a perfect case study in the blurry line between observation, belief, and proof.

Then, in a sharp turn from cosmic mystery to human absurdity, the episode dives into the bizarre world of Chindogu—intentionally “un-useless” inventions that solve everyday problems in the most ridiculous ways possible. From baby mop onesies to umbrella ties and butter glue sticks, these creations challenge our obsession with convenience and ask an unexpected question: just because we can solve a problem… should we?

Along the way, you’ll hear about:

The strange claims surrounding the Buga Sphere’s internal structure and alleged abilities
Why scientists remain skeptical despite viral fascination
The philosophy behind Chindogu and its roots in 1980s Japan
The fine line between innovation, satire, and total nonsense
And why not every solution actually improves our lives

From unexplained aerial phenomena to hilariously impractical inventions, this episode delivers the perfect blend of eerie curiosity and absurd human creativity.

Is the truth out there… or are we just really good at confusing ourselves?

🎧 The Box of Oddities—where the strange is explored, the bizarre is celebrated, and nothing is ever quite what it seems.

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The “Ball Cutter” Is Real (And It’s Worse Than You Think) Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

What if the most terrifying creature in the water… isn’t hunting you—it’s just making a terrible mistake?

In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat returns from a sun-soaked (and slightly overcooked) girls cruise, only to dive straight into a story that’s equal parts cryptid legend and biological nightmare. Along the murky banks of Papua New Guinea’s Sepik River, villagers whisper about a mysterious attacker known only as *“The Ball Cutter.”* Men wade into the water… and emerge in agony—or not at all. The bite marks? Disturbingly human. The attacks? Precise. Targeted. Unnervingly consistent.

But what begins as folklore takes a sharp turn into reality when researchers uncover the truth behind the legend: a powerful, invasive fish with human-like teeth and a taste for… well… unfortunate confusion. It’s a story of ecology gone sideways, mistaken identity, and why you might want to think twice before taking a dip in unfamiliar waters.

Then, in true Box of Oddities fashion, things take a turn—from terrifying to wildly hilarious—as Kat’s cruise companion Erica joins us for a Thing in the Middle you won’t forget. From bird-induced near-death hikes to dog-hunting in the Dominican Republic and a near-mutiny during a shark excursion, it’s a chaotic highlight reel of “Most Kat Things Ever.”

And if that’s not enough, Kat brings us a jaw-dropping historical tale from the Caribbean: a hurricane, an earthquake, and a tsunami that literally picked up a U.S. naval warship and dropped it 300 feet inland. The unbelievable true story of the USS Monongahela and the 1867 disaster that reshaped an island—and possibly altered the course of U.S. history.

*In this episode:*

* The horrifying truth behind the “Ball Cutter” river attacks

* A fish with human teeth and a very unfortunate diet

* Cruise chaos, shark swims, and peak Kat behavior

* The 1867 Caribbean tsunami that stranded a warship on land

* History, humor, and just enough nightmare fuel to keep you out of the water

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The Atomic Priesthood Problem Mar 27, 2026

Show notes

Freak Family Favorites: The Nuclear Warning That Must Survive 10,000 Years

What message would you leave for humans who don’t exist yet?

In this Freak Family Favorites bonus episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro revisit one of the most haunting questions ever asked: how do we warn future generations about deadly nuclear waste… when language itself may not survive?

From radioactive materials with lifespans longer than civilization to eerie “do not enter” messages designed to last 24,000 years, this episode dives into the bizarre world of nuclear semiotics—where science meets psychology, fear, and a little existential dread.

Because here’s the problem: humans forget. Fast. And what looks like a warning today… might look like buried treasure tomorrow.

Also in this episode:
For centuries, explorers, missionaries, and locals have described Mokele-Mbembe—a massive, long-necked creature said to roam remote rivers and swamps. A living dinosaur? A cultural legend? Or something stranger? Despite dozens of expeditions, no proof has ever been found… but the stories refuse to die.

A listener-requested favorite returns… if you can survive the message.

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A Message Hidden for 120 Years Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

A library receives a small, unremarkable package… but inside is a book that’s more than a century overdue—and a message that was never meant to be read in its own time.

In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro unravel the eerie true story of a Victorian-era library book returned over 120 years late, complete with a handwritten note from the original borrower… written with the quiet certainty they would never return it themselves. What follows is a strange, deeply human moment—one that feels less like a forgotten object and more like a message sent forward through time.

Who was the borrower? What stopped them from returning the book? And why does their apology still feel so immediate, even now?

Then—because balance is important—we pivot hard into something completely different: the wildly real, deeply bizarre world of competitive outhouse racing. Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Human-powered toilets. Snow tracks. Championship titles like “gold throne.” You’ll never look at plumbing—or Midwestern ingenuity—the same way again.

From haunting historical oddities to delightfully ridiculous human traditions, this episode delivers the full Box of Oddities experience: curious, hilarious, and just a little unsettling.

Because sometimes… the past doesn’t just stay buried. It waits.

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Voices Inside the Ice & America’s Strangest Relic Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

What if the Earth itself could sing—and early explorers thought they were hearing voices beneath the ice? In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro unravel the eerie mystery of Antarctica’s “frozen choir,” a haunting phenomenon reported for over a century by polar expeditions who swore the ice was alive with sound.

Then, a bizarre journey through history reveals an unexpected relic: actual strands of George Washington’s hair, preserved, traded, and even sold for thousands. Along the way, discover the strange truth about Washington’s iconic hairstyle—and why it wasn’t a wig at all.

From singing ice shelves to collectible presidential hair, this episode dives into bizarre history, strange science, and the wonderfully weird details that make the world far more unusual than it seems.

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Inbox Of Oddities #79 Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

Listener stories that blur the line between coincidence and the unexplained take center stage in this eerie and hilarious installment of the Inbox of Oddities. From a respiratory therapist’s chilling encounter with a phantom gurney in a forgotten hospital wing to bizarre ‘Boo Effect’ moments that connect real life with podcast episodes in uncanny ways, this episode dives deep into strange experiences that refuse to be explained. Along the way, Kat and Jethro explore odd family histories, cryptid what-ifs (would Mothman take a selfie?), mysterious artifacts that shouldn’t exist, and the wonderfully weird thoughts that keep us all up at night. Equal parts unsettling and laugh-out-loud funny, this collection of listener-submitted oddities is a reminder that the strangest stories are often true.

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Frozen Minds & Goat Bladders Mar 18, 2026

Show notes

One man falls asleep in the early 1920s… and wakes up to a world on the brink of the moon landing. In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro explore the chilling true story behind encephalitis lethargica—the mysterious neurological epidemic that left thousands frozen in time. Through the haunting experience of Leonard, a patient who remained aware for decades inside his own unmoving body, we dive into questions of consciousness, time, and what it means to truly be alive.

Then, in a wildly unexpected turn, the conversation shifts to the strange, shocking, and sometimes downright dangerous history of birth control—from ancient Egyptian remedies and medieval amulets to Lysol douches and goat bladder condoms. It’s bizarre history, unsettling medical mysteries, and laugh-out-loud moments you won’t believe are real.

Perfect for fans of weird facts, strange history, and the wonderfully unsettling—this episode delivers curiosity, humor, and a reminder that humans have always been… creative.

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The Body Beneath The Gas Station Mar 16, 2026

Show notes

Sometimes history hides its secrets in the strangest places… like the bottom of a forgotten well. In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro uncover the chilling real-life mystery of the Woman in the Well—a century-old murder discovered when construction workers in Saskatoon accidentally unearthed human remains buried in a barrel deep beneath the earth. Using modern DNA technology and genetic genealogy, investigators finally revealed the victim's identity after more than 100 years, connecting a name to a long-lost story. Then the conversation turns to one of the strangest forms of human spectacle: the bizarre history of people being buried alive as endurance stunts, from carnival-era “human moles” to modern performers testing the limits of the human body. It’s a journey through bizarre history, unsolved mysteries, and the unsettling lengths people go for fame, faith, or curiosity.

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