There is an island off the coast of Italy that is said to be so cursed, no one dares to visit. In another part of the world, there is an island inhabited by people who have not come in contact with the outside world in hundreds of years. Anyone who dares to visit is met with a gruesome death. In the south Atlantic, an island covered in ice held a mysterious life boat that seems to have vanished without a trace. And, off the coast of Mexico, an entire island itself vanished off the face of the Earth. What's up with these mysterious islands? Join Chris, Johnny and Carter as they delve into this week's strange topic on History Creeps!
The curse has struck again!!!! This week, Chris drops a special "curse edition" of History Creeps, welcoming Tate Suplex (pronounced sue-play) of The Dusty Finish podcast. Together, they take a look at the tragic story of pro wrestling's legendary Von Erich family. A product of patriarch Fritz Von Erich, World Class Championship Wrestling helped launch many careers and shape the face of pro wrestling during the 70s and 80s. The stars of his show were his sons, Kevin, David, Mike, Kerry and Chris. By the time the promotion shut down production in 1990, four of the five Von Erich boys would be dead, leading many to speculate: Was the family cursed? Check out this episode of History Creeps and decide for yourself.
Video games and arcades have been a staple in American culture since the 1970s. Pouring quarters into machines to hopefully defeat the game of the month and get your initials on the high score screen was every kid's dream. But sometimes, achieving that dream comes with a cost. And, during the days when pirates sailed the high seas, one man evoked fear unlike any other. Commanding an army of some of the worst scallywags known to man, this pirate went to extreme lengths to hold control of his ship. Even if it meant setting his beard afire. Join Chris and Johnny as they explore the odder side of history in this new episode of That's Odd!
This week, the guys return with another Urban Legends episode. In this fourth installment, Chris presents three stories that find their basis in reality. The babysitter and the killer calling from within the house left much of America in fear of answering the phone. Also, libraries are meant to be a quiet place to study and read, but what happens when it's better to break that silence? And, the United States is full of local urban legends. One such tale of a boogeyman known as Cropsey haunts the residents of Staten Island to this day.
The White House is one of the most famous structures in America. The home of the country's presidents has long been rumored to hold an uneasy spirit or two. However, it is the ghost of one of the country's greatest presidents that has most guests and employees questioning their sanity. And, Halloween night has always been associated with creepy terrors that lurk within every shadow. But sometimes, the real monsters are as normal looking as you or me. You never know just who is waiting to introduce you to the Grim Reaper. Check out this special edition of That's Odd, just in time for one of the scariest nights of the year!
Long before the term 'flying saucer' entered the lexicon, people have reported seeing strange objects in the sky. Many ancient alien believers point to pieces of art through the ages that seemingly depict classic flying saucers. In the late 1800s, a rash of mysterious "airship" sightings were being reported worldwide. These ships differed from the later descriptions of "UFOs" in that they resembled dirigibles that would go on to become the blimps we know today. Also, human-like pilots could be seen steering the ships, sometimes calling out to those who spotted them. Though, they did claim to come from Mars. Join Carter, Johnny and Chris as they try to find out just what these ships were and where they came from on this episode of History Creeps!
During what was known as the "Year Without Summer" in 1816, poet Percy Shelley and his young lover Mary visited famed poet Lord Byron at a villa near Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Because of the unusually cold and wet weather during their stay, the three friends entertained themselves by reading ghost stories. After one evening of spooky tales, Lord Byron suggested they each try to write their own. Little did they know, this would produce one of literature's greatest monsters ever created. And, since the middle ages curses have been placed on manuscripts and books to thwart vandals and thieves. Is it possible that one such curse was attached to a movie script in the 1970s? Would you believe it if you learned that each actor who read for and agreed to take the lead role would end up dead before production could be competed, and in some instances before production could even begin? Listen as Johnny and Chris delve into a couple of stories about some very creepy manuscripts and the odd events surrounding them on this new installment of That's Odd!
There was a time when professional wrestling was thought to be real. The larger than life figures battling it out inside the squared circle captured the hearts and imaginations of many across the country. Most of the time, it was with fondness and adoration. Other times, the infatuation could prove deadly. And, since the beginning of time, man has dared to scale the highest peaks on the planet. Mount Everest has long been the symbol of the utmost achievement in such feats. But, sometimes with great accomplishments comes great sacrifice. Join Johnny and Chris as they delve deeper into the odder side of history on this new episode of That's Odd.
Since the days when man first dared to venture out onto the open seas, the threat of monsters lurking under the surface of the water was very real. For centuries, reports of unknown creatures have been told as more and more men took to the seas. In this first in a series sea monster episodes, the guys explore the stories of monsters reported by Sir Humphrey Gilbert - the half-brother of Sir Walter Raliegh, the Apostle of Greenland Hans Poulsen Hedge, and the Soay Island Sea Monster of 1959. And you thought Jaws made you afraid to go back in the water?
A young woman develops a strange skin disorder in her mid-twenties, baffling doctors and scientists around the world. She seems to be the only person to ever be afflicted by this mutation. The story of Shanyna Isom sounds like something right out of an issue of Uncanny X-Men, but unfortunately for her, it's all too real. And, in the mid 90s, a woman entered an emergency room due to complications from cervical cancer. Hours later, she would be dead. During the hours she was being attended to, a number of nurses and doctors began to experience strange symptoms. Dizziness, nausea, and loss of consciousness affected over 23 workers in the ER that night, hospitalizing 5 of them. Just what happened to Gloria Ramirez after she was wheeled into Riverside General Hospital in 1994? Find out in this new installment of That's Odd!
In the late 1800s, London's East End was one of the poorest, most crime ridden areas in what was at the time one of the world's greatest cities. Homelessness, prostitution, and violence were every day occurrences. However, an even darker shadow would soon befall the area, and the citizens of the East End would live in terror of walking the streets at night for fear they may run into one of history's most notorious serial killers. Join Chris, Johnny and Carter in this History Creeps round table discussion of the Whitechapel Murderer himself, Jack the Ripper.
Peter the Great was one of Russia's greatest leaders, however, few people know of his troubled love life and the lengths at which he went to save face when things didn't go as planned. Octavia Smith was a woman from Pikeville, Kentucky, who would marry the man she loved, only to die by his hands... Sort of. See, the problem was, he thought she was already dead. Want to know more? Check out this episode of That's Odd as Chris and Johnny explore two very different stories of love and loss.
What's up with all these ranches having weird stuff happen on or around them? Remember Skinwalker Ranch? Well, there's another one, with a little bit of an odder story to go with it. On this episode of History Creeps, Chris, Johnny and Carter take a look at the Stardust Ranch and the self-proclaimed alien-slaying owner, John Edmonds. His story has everything - cattle mutilation, ominous strangers bearing messages of doom, alien death by sword, mysterious deaths, and missing evidence. Intrigued? You should be.
On this week's episode of That's Odd, Johnny and Chris take a look at two stories that hail from the Lone Star State. First, a few years before Jack the Ripper terrorized the streets of London and almost a decade before H. H. Holmes shocked the nation during the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, Austin, Texas was the location of a string of horrific murders that would come to be known as the Servant Girl Murders. Also, there are many people throughout history who have cheated death and gone on to live rich, fulfilling lives. The idea that death will follow and eventually claim the lives of those who escaped their fates sounds more like the plot of a horror movie rather than real life, right? Think again. You know what they say... Everything is Odder in Texas!
In this episode, Johnny, Chris, and Carter have a round table discussion about the documentary Extraordinary: The Stan Romanek Story. Arguably one of the most controversial figures in the UFO community, Stan Romanek has made a name for himself by claiming to be a magnet for UFOs and extraterrestrial contact. Claims of alien abductions, encounters with E.T.s, and run-ins with the infamous Men in Black are just a small portion of the experiences Romanek recounts in this documentary. Using testimony from friends, family and professionals, along with a treasure trove of footage recorded by Romanek himself, the film dares to ask: Could all of this really have happened? Listen as the guys give their thoughts on Stan Romanek and his creepy encounters on this week's History Creeps!
Do you believe in curses? That's the question Johnny and Chris pose in the latest episode of That's Odd as they explore two cases that may leave you questioning whether curses really do exist. First, the WWI British K-class submarines were some of the most impressive vessels of their time. Unfortunately, they were among the most unlucky as well. And, popular culture has long held a fascination with ancient curses and mummies since the turn of the century. But do such things have any relevance in modern times? The discovery of a frozen mummy in early 1990s just may prove the age old belief that curses follow all who disturb the dead.
This week, Chris and Johnny battle the History Creeps Curse to bring you a new installment in their Urban Legends series. This episode features three creepy tales about dead bodies that truly have direct ties to actual events. A couple realizes the smell in their hotel room isn't just the filthy remnants of previous occupant; a town mistakes a real hanging corpse for a Halloween decoration; and, the star attraction of a traveling carnival's spook house is a dummy of a dead body... or is it? Check out this weeks episode of History Creeps to find out!
Ever wonder why and how the dairy industry arrived at the decision to place expiration dates on milk bottles? Would you be surprised to learn one of America's most notorious gangsters had a hand in it? Also, must one live a pious and moral life to achieve sainthood? Is revenge looked down upon by the Catholic church? Johnny and Chris address all these questions and more on the latest installment of That's Odd. Check it out today!
On January 7, 1948, the Kentucky Air National Guard ordered four planes to approach an unidentified flying object. Among the four pilots was Captain Thomas F. Mantell, an experienced, highly decorated WWII pilot. Over the next hour, the pilots would attempt to chase the object until they each began to turn back due to low fuel or lack of oxygen. All, except Captain Mantell. When his plane crashed to the earth, Mantell would become the first known casualty in history attributed to a UFO. Exactly what did those pilots see in the sky that day? Join Johnny, Carter and Chris as they explore what would become known as the Mantell UFO Incident.
On this episode of That's Odd, Chris and Johnny explore a strange incident from the early 1800s involving the shooting of a "ghost" and the future effects it would have on the laws of the land. And, as World War II came to a close and Japan surrendered to the Allies, one man refused to give up. It took over thirty years to convince the officer the war was over. How does one shoot a ghost? And, what does a panda or the Abominable Snowman have to do with any of these stories? Listen and find out!
