American Hysteria

American Hysteria explores how fantastical thinking has shaped our culture – moral panics, urban legends, hoaxes, crazes, fringe beliefs, and national misunderstandings. Poet-turned-podcaster Chelsey Weber-Smith tells the strangest stories from American history and examines the forces that create the reality we share, and sometimes, the reality we don't.

Society & Culture
76
Tarantism: Dancing Mania pt. 2 with Sarah Marsh...
75 min
77
Tarantism: Dancing Mania pt. 1 with Sarah Marsh...
58 min
78
Spider Slander: Confronting the Myths with Expe...
39 min
79
THE AVERAGE PERSON SWALLOWS EIGHT SPIDERS A YEA...
55 min
80
Rewind: BELIEVING IN THE BLAIR WITCH (Updated!)
22 min
81
Pretendians: Indigenous Identity Fraud with Rob...
51 min
82
A Terrorist Attack on the Furries with Nicky Wo...
50 min
83
Long Live the Ray Cat with Emperor X and Matt K...
55 min
84
TALKING TO THE FUTURE: NUCLEAR SEMIOTICS
64 min
85
Context Clues: Going Nuclear
40 min
86
Magical Overthinking with Amanda Montell
63 min
87
Francine and the Wolves of Wall Street with Sar...
75 min
88
THE SOCIETY FOR INDECENCY TO NAKED ANIMALS
63 min
89
When Conspiracies Aren't Just Theories with Jou...
74 min
90
Bigfoot's Big Adventure with Author John O'Connor
51 min
91
GANG INITIATIONS (part two)
51 min
92
GANG INITIATIONS (part one)
58 min
93
Context Clues: Ganging Up
35 min
94
Alligators in the Sewer with 'You're Wrong Abou...
71 min
95
The Paranormal Entertainment Industry with Sapp...
53 min
96
The Indiana Cyclone: America's First Munchause...
72 min
97
We Are All Pro Wrestlers with Entertainment Jou...
71 min
98
Talking Crap with Historian Wendy Woloson
68 min
99
SEA MONKEYS
56 min
100
Hallmark Christmas Movies [rewind]
57 min