It seems that every theater that hosts live performances is home to at least one ghost story. But what about movie theaters? What about old movie theaters that became live performance venues? What can the ghosts that haunt these places tell us about how we connect our present with the past? In this episode, Matt talks about three theaters in his ho…

In the episode, Matt continues his talk with Dr. Michele Hanks and Dr. Liberty Stanavage about the ghost stories associated with Dr. Hank's alma mater, Mount Holyoke Colege. Ghost stories, campus rituals, and goofy comments ensue.Par The Ghosthropologist

In the episode, Matt talks with Dr. Michele Hanks and Dr. Liberty Stanavage about the ghost stories associated with Dr. Hank's alma mater, Mount Holyoke Colege. Ghost stories, campus rituals, and goofy comments ensue.Instagram: @kmma_mediaFacebook: www.facebook.com/ghosthropologyPast episodes: kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcast/…

Matt speaks with Sharon Hill about the Stone Tape Theory, a common explanation for ghosts in paranormal circles. Matt and Sharon discuss the history of the concept, its plausibility, and how it is often applied to locations that don't actually meet the conditions required for it to work.Sharon A. HIll is an independent researcher, geologist, author…

The Big Yellow House in Summerland is reputed to be one of the most haunted houses in California, but Matt thinks this claim is a bit overblown. In this episode, he discusses how the fading of cultural memory can lend credence to stories that are otherwise unremarkable.Instagram: @kmma_mediaFacebook: www.facebook.com/ghosthropologyPast episodes: ht…

Mudhouse Mansion is one of the better known haunted houses in Ohio. From a historically dubious story about slavery to a deeply creepy story about a woman staring out of a window for ten days straight, Mudhouse Mansion provides a range of ways to think about ghost stories.Instagram: @kmma_mediaFacebook: www.facebook.com/ghosthropologyPast episodes …

Far to the north and deep in the woods, there is a ghost town… but unlike some ghost towns, this is a place where the mysteries of the forest and the supernatural converge. Matthew takes us to Alaska to unravel the facts from the fiction and to find out what Bigfoot has to do with this spooky place. Instagram: @kmma_mediaFacebook: www.facebook.com/…

Matthew takes a quick look at some odds and ends… little bits of interesting stuff that doesn’t quite fit anywhere else. From who is in on the joke, what Freud has to do with folklore, and even a very famous private part, this episode has a tiny bit of everything.Instagram: @kmma_mediaFacebook: www.facebook.com/ghosthropologyPast episodes and sourc…

Communities of paranormal enthusiasts have long been in dialogue with communities of skeptics, therefore understanding the skeptics movement is relevant to understanding how paranormal beliefs develop and function. In this episode, Matt discusses the history of the skeptics community, as well as his own experiences as a former member in order to il…

The White Lady is a common ghost story motif, and the city of Santa Cruz, California, is home to a classic example. She wanders in a place that is at the edge between urban and rural in a small canyon that gets dark before the sun has even set. If you aren’t careful, you might just find an axe flying towards your head…or not. In this episode, Matt …

In this episode, Matt speaks with podcaster Jim Harold who has been the host of The Paranormal Podcast since 2005 and Jim Harold's Campfire since 2007. The Paranormal Podcast has allowed listeners to hear both believer and skeptic voices on paranormal subjects. At the same time, the Campfire Podcast has been a venue for listeners to share their own…

In this episode, Matt talks with Rob Hawthorn, who creates and leads ghost tours in Mendocino County, California. They discuss the process of gathering stories, putting them together, and leading a ghost tour as well as how ghost stories represent the community from which they come.Special Guest Rob Hawthorn: a writer, history buff, paranormal enth…

The Moss Beach Distillery, located just north of Half Moon Bay on California’s coast, is reputed to be haunted by a number of ghosts, most notably a 1920s flapper garbed in a blue dress. In this episode, Matt discusses ghost stories, historical research, commerce, tourism, and technological trickeryFind us on Facebook: facebook.com/ghosthropologyOr…

In this episode, Matt discusses three different ghost stories associated with three different water sources: Isla De Las Munecas in Mexico, Okiku’s Well at Himeji Castle in Japan, and the ghost of the Central Park Canal in Bakersfield, California. The stories are quite different from each other but should provide some chills to listeners.Find us on…

Are you afraid of encountering human skeletons where they should not be? Are you afraid of deep water, sharks, and crushing pressures? Well, this episode is for you. Come with Matt as he discusses Chuuk Lagoon, a haunted naval battleground in the Pacific Ocean. Previous episodes, sources, show notes, and more: kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-…

Shadow people are an enigmatic paranormal phenomenon, possibly an indication that beings from some alternate dimension are attempting to intrude into our world… or they’re just odd tricks of human perception that people have made a lot of assumptions about. In this episode, Matt discusses the history of shadow people as a phenomenon and what they m…

If you spend much time reading academic research on ghost stories and ghost tourism, you will inevitably come across the term “Hauntology” which, despite its name, is more related to politics than ghosts. However, the term is useful in understanding the social meaning and purpose of many ghost stories. In this episode, Matt explains the concept and…

In this episode, Matt speaks with archaeologist Dr. April Beisaw about the connection between archaeology and ghost hunting, as well as what academics might learn from ghost hunters in terms of communicating with the public.Dr. April M. Beisaw is a professor of anthropology at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY. There she teaches courses on archaeo…

In honor of the tradition of sharing spooky stories during midwinter, Matt revisits four scary stories. Commentary can be found in their previous episodes (49: Dudleytown, 35: Poveglia Island, 55: Shanghai Tunnels, 18: Himuro Mansion) Until 2024...Par The Ghosthropologist

La Llorona is a story that many of us have heard, but it has a history and a meaning that goes beyond the surface. In this episode, Matthew gets into the politics, art, and history of the weeping white lady looking for her children.Previous episodes, sources, show notes, and more: kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcastFind us on Facebook: fa…

In this episode, Matt speaks with folklorist Trevor Blank about digital folklore, including creepypasta, and its role in shaping how creepy subjects are discussed. Matt and Trevor also discuss why folklorists were slow to accept that online folklore is, in fact, folklore. Along the way, there are detours into prison folklore, Slender Man, and Blood…

The Myrtles Plantation, claimed by many to be one of the most haunted places in the United States, is famed primarily for the ghost of a young enslaved woman named Chloe. In this episode, Matt provides a few different perspectives on how the ghost stories of the Myrtles developed and what they mean to visitors. Previous episodes, sources, show note…

In this episode, Kaylia joins Matt to discuss something more ghost-adjacent than ghostly: the vampire. Much of what is generally thought of as vampire folklore is actually the result of 19th-century fiction, but Matt and Kaylia get into even earlier actual folklore from Europe.Previous episodes, sources, show notes, and more: kmmamedia.com/podcasts…

Matt and his old friend Liberty Stanavage talk about the ghosts rumored to haunt their alma mater, the University of California Santa Cruz. Along the way, they discuss how these ghost stories reflect both student life on campus and the way that the faculty and student body of the university view themselves. Previous episodes, sources, show notes, a…

In this episode, Matt talks with Dr. Justin Sledge, an expert on esoteric and occult traditions in philosophy and religion. They discuss the transition from priests to necromancers in Medieval Europe as well as the influence of the Protestant Reformation on beliefs about ghosts.Esoterica: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEsotericaChannel/about Previous …

The Brookdale Lodge in the Santa Cruz Mountains is both a large resort hotel and a local haunted house. In this episode, Matt shares the local lore, talks with two people who had eerie encounters at the Brookdale Lodge, and shares his own experiences there. He also discusses the inherently social nature of the stories that surround this place and h…

Ghost stories are often associated with campfires, and common perception is that Scout camps are a prime place to learn ghost stories. But the logistics of camp, and of the counselor's need to keep control over campers, makes that situation a bit more complicated. In this episode, Matt is joined by his old friend, and former Girl Scout camp counsel…

Colleges and universities attract spooky stories like nobody's business. The sharing of creepy tales and urban legends is a common part of student life on many campuses. But New York University is somewhat unusual in that it seems to obtain its creepy folklore as part of real estate transactions. In this episode, NYU faculty member Dr. Michele Hank…

In this episode, Matt revisits the story of Robert Johnson and his supposed deal with the Devil at the crossroads. Along the way we discuss the history of Blues music, Jim Crow-era racism, and how the culture of the 1980s led to the story of the bluesman who sold his soul becoming permanently affixed to Johnson.Previous episodes, sources, show note…

You have likely heard, especially if you have ever been a pre-teen girl, that if you stand in front of a mirror in a dark room and perform a specific ritual, you will summon a ghost, or demon, or witch or some other such being. It’s dangerous, thrilling, and, for many, a rite of passage. In this episode, Matt discusses one of the most widespread gh…

The Cannon Beach and Seaside areas of Oregon’s coast are home to an unusual spirit - the Bandage Man. Part ghost, part mummy, part reanimated corpse, this creature is the central character of a local urban legend and serves as something of a local mascot. Join Matt for a discussion of this weirdly delightful story. Previous episodes, sources, show …

No, Matt is not going to turn this into a podcast on gnomes and other fairy folk…but there are more connections between fairies, gnomes, and ghosts than one might think. In this episode, Matt talks about a scary gnome that might be a demon, as well as a man who died and came back as a ghost that appears to resemble a gnome or brownie.Previous episo…

Mission La Purisima in California’s Santa Barbara County is one of the few remaining structures that attest to the Spanish colonization of California. While it is no surprise that these places are said to be haunted, the ghost stories about the Mission, both in what they include and what they surprisingly exclude, tell us quite a bit about how mode…

In this special episode, Matt talks with his Good Lady Wife / Producer and their Daughter about the spooky and not-so-spooky happenings in their home... and beyond!Previous episodes: kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcastSupport us on Patreon: patreon.com/ghosthropologyFind us on Facebook: facebook.com/ghosthropologyThis podcast is a part of…

If you have an interest in the history of Portland, Oregon, the odds are that you have heard of the Shanghai Tunnels. If you are interested in the paranormal, then odds are that you have heard they are haunted. In this episode, Matt talks about how commerce, tall tales, and xenophobia collide with notions of innocence and victimization in developin…

Perched on a tree-covered riverbank in the coastal town of Capitola, California there is a once-glorious mansion. Built by Henry Rispin, this “haunted house” has been abandoned for decades and now lurks in the shade just outside of easy view. In this episode, Matt discusses the history of the mansion, the ghosts who are said to haunt it, and its ro…

In this episode, the second in an occasional series on what has been learned writing this podcast, Matt pontificates on the relationship between ghost stories and history. He discusses how ghost stories both enhance and warp our understanding of the past. The relationship between historic understanding and the paranormal is complex and fascinating,…

Using an Ouija board may put you in contact with all manner of spirits and other entities. You may gain occult knowledge, you may learn entertaining facts, or you may have your life destroyed and your soul endangered by an encounter with a demon known as Zozo. Assuming, of course, that Zozo is real.Full sources, show notes, and previous episodes: w…

Dr. Michele Hanks, an anthropologist who does ethnographic work with paranormal investigation groups, joins Matt to discuss the role of doubt in paranormal investigation. Full sources, show notes, and previous episodes: kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcastSupport us on Patreon: patreon.com/ghosthropologyFind us on Facebook: facebook.com/gh…

In this episode, Matt wraps up the last Ghosthropology episode of 2022 by telling the audience how they can go to Hell, if they feel so inclined. We’re talking gateways to damnation, and they are in the unlikeliest of places. This episode is a bit light on analysis, but heavy on fun. However, remember, most of these locations are either unsafe or o…

Dudleytown is often described as one of the strangest and most haunted places in North America. In this episode, Matt tells the tale, then is a total killjoy and destroys the tale, and then discusses how the folklore surrounding Dudleytown came to be. Full sources, show notes, and previous episodes: kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcastSupp…

In this episode, Matt talks with Dr. Alena Pirok about her recently published book The Spirit of Colonial Williamsburg, which covers the intersection of belief in ghosts, public perception of history, and ghost tourism.Full sources, show notes, and previous episodes: kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcastSupport us on Patreon: patreon.com/gh…

In this special crossover episode, Kaylia (Pages and Popcorn) and Matt (Ghosthropology) talk about that 1970s classic: The Exorcist. We discuss the “true story” that inspired the novel, the novel that inspired the movie, and the movie that has inspired fear for almost 50 years. KMMA Media online: www.kmmamedia.com KMMA_Media on Instagram:@kmma_medi…

In this episode, Matt begins what will be an intermittent and ongoing effort to summarize what he has learned from the time he has spent collecting stories and talking with others about them. He starts by defining the term “ghost story”, which is more slippery than you might think, and then talks about ghost stories as entertainment and as stories …

If you have spent much time on the web looking into paranormal lore, you likely have heard of the Curse of the Crying Boy Painting. In this episode, Matt discusses how the story developed and what we can learn about both folklore and our own beliefs from studying the tale. Full sources and show notes at kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcast…

In this episode, James Tyner returns to speak with Matt about his time as a monk and, more specifically, about an exorcism that he witnessed, group sleep paralysis at the monastery, and a few other strange things worth talking about.Full sources and show notes at kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcastSupport us on Patreon: patreon.com/ghosth…

Women driving on the back roads of Madera County, near the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in California, have reported seeing a strange specter - a man who appears on the roads and who requires that drivers take care to avoid hitting him, but then he vanishes. In this episode, Matt discusses the uncertain origin and possible meaning of this particu…

One of the most frightening modern ghost stories, the Slender Man is a known work of fiction…except to those who believe in him… which may be nobody…or not. In this episode, Matt discusses the line between fiction vs folklore and the difficulty in telling people’s real beliefs from stories told for fun.Full sources and show notes at kmmamedia.com/p…

In another special supplemental episode, recorded near the beginning of the year, Matt returns to Monterey in search of the ghost of the Chinese Fisherman featured in Episode 15. Along the way, he talks about how our views of history can be both reflected and distorted by the landscape as we walk through it. Full sources and show notes at kmmamedia…

In this episode, Matt has the opportunity to speak with Dr. Irving Finkel, curator in the Department of the Middle East at the British Museum, and author of The First Ghosts. Dr. Finkel was kind enough to discuss ghost/demon beliefs in ancient Mesopotamia and how those beliefs reflect a lineage of such beliefs that continues through to the present …