We're joined by host of https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conspiracy-skeptic/id267806750, Karl Mamer. Karl's working on a new book in his series of skeptically themed books of lists (https://amzn.to/4qRm28P, https://amzn.to/4qSxTDt) and has been looking into the origins of demons & devils in https://amzn.to/43pLo3E Further Reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deities_%26_Demigods https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26328105 https://www.rpgstudies.net/stackpole/pulling_report.html The composite D&D title card is based on the work of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_C._Sutherland_III

In this episode, I talk about why I don't believe in Bigfoot and the core of my basis of doubt. This is part of a new intermittent series wherein we'll be looking at why a lot of monster stories fall apart when you attack them with Occam's Razor and other similarly sharp tools. The clip in the intro is from In Search Of... Season 1, Episode 5. If you want to hear A LOT more about that episode, https://www.patreon.com/posts/s01e05-bigfoot-31436508https://www.patreon.com/posts/s01e05-bigfoot-31436508https://www.patreon.com/posts/s01e05-bigfoot-31436508

This week on MonsterTalk, Blake and Karen are joined by Matthew Baxter to revisit Karen’s classic investigation book https://amzn.to/47rNfWEhttps://amzn.to/47rNfWE— newly re-released in paperback just in time for Halloween 🎃. Together they discuss how the book began as a project for the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF), the fieldwork behind its famous cases, and the updated edition’s new conclusion and color photos.👻 Topics discussed: • Origins of https://amzn.to/47rNfWEhttps://amzn.to/47rNfWE— conceived at the JREF as a skeptical investigation anthology. • Behind-the-scenes stories from Karen and Matt’s fieldwork across the U.S. • Visits to legendary “haunted” sites including:   🏠 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrtles_Plantation — tracing the truth behind the tale of “Chloe.”   🏥 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waverly_Hills_Sanatorium — separating tuberculosis history from ghost folklore.   🔫 https://skepticalinquirer.org/2024/08/skepticism-saves-the-mystery-house/ — examining Sarah Winchester’s real story vs. myth. • Working with the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Randi_Educational_Foundation and Tim Farley (“http://whatstheharm.net/”) on skeptical outreach. • Revisiting historic ghost claims through the historical method rather than gadgets and TV tropes. • Comparing early 2000s ghost hunting culture with modern media portrayals. • The enduring folklore vs. fact tension in places like the Stanley Hotel, Amityville, and Lizzie Borden House. • The value of myth-busting as a form of respect for real history and real people.🕯️ About the new edition: • Now in paperback with color photographs and updated research. • Includes follow-up findings on the Myrtles Plantation and San Antonio Railroad “ghost tracks.” • Adds a new concluding chapter reflecting on skepticism and folklore after a decade of investigations.

UAPs, “Disclosure,” and the Influence Machine 🔦🛰️ This episode looks at the latest UAP theater around Rep. Eric Burlison’s congressional presentation of the “Hellfire vs. orb” video, how it intersects with long-running media and funding networks (Skinwalker Ranch/NIDS/Las Vegas circle), and why skepticism and provenance still matter. We discuss the hearing, witness line-up, and the ecosystem that amplifies these claims—along with grounded, testable explanations where available. With Matt Baxter. 🎥 Primary Items from the Episode • Eric Burlison’s https://www.google.com/url?q=https://youtu.be/yxMeKdqkLlk?si%3DfOcSfuJMvNkrXf8q&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563273655&usg=AOvVaw2PULZVS5xnpI4MQ6Fydj4d • Eric Burlison’s https://www.google.com/url?q=https://burlison.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-burlison-introduces-uap-disclosure-act-2025-amendment-ndaa&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563274099&usg=AOvVaw07R_UPBJ7fmp2yaDRNxWV6 🧪 Skeptical Takes & Analysis • Mick West’s take — https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DFY4aRfx17vQ&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563274434&usg=AOvVaw1KhtbSQaSE9Ywo1DVtc7-z • Hank Green’s take — https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3D64zlyzojpPM%26t%3D1s&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563274758&usg=AOvVaw1r0hOQq1_hk4MTSMzE6FcG 🎧 Related Listening from the Episode • https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.grimandmild.com/strangearrivals&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563274984&usg=AOvVaw1GEUWOzF7EnlRFBynx59nw https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.grimandmild.com/strangearrivals&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563275085&usg=AOvVaw0yzr-Gy96LA8A36RQ6QTNz • Toby Ball’s https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.monstertalk.org/?s%3DToby%2BBall&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563275304&usg=AOvVaw3TYC3zQQuGff4fF07xm9rU 📚 Books & Authors Mentioned • Sarah Scoles — https://www.google.com/url?q=https://amzn.to/470aR5Q&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563275555&usg=AOvVaw0oAfPhlhx9E4McrX2_4vRC • Sarah’s https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.monstertalk.org/221-they-are-already-here-with-sarah-scoles/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563275805&usg=AOvVaw275YTep0cIqod8fnTZblpm 🧩 Quick Reference: Acronyms, Players, and Context • AATIP — Pentagon program often associated with https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/search?q%3DLuis%2BElizondo%26stick%3DH4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LVT9c3NEwzTkoyLsk2UoJyc1PMC41yc7SUM8qt9JPzc3JSk0sy8_P084vSE_MyqxJBnGKrnNTElNSiRay8PqWZxQquOZlV-Xkp-TtYGQHTpSNnWAAAAA%26sa%3DX%26ved%3D2ahUKEwjjjNSC7qjtAhXG2qQKHaT2DPIQmxMoATAOegQIEhAD&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563276499&usg=AOvVaw0j2LIO-Y686duMvshtmaIm • TTSA — To The Stars Academy (Tom DeLonge, Hal Puthoff): https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_the_Stars_(company)&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563276744&usg=AOvVaw2hTVRyw-iYNPuBBQxjVzwq, https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_DeLonge&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563277016&usg=AOvVaw09rZVt2ELzV2z8X3xIswUF, https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_E._Puthoff&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563277208&usg=AOvVaw1A5Ufxx9cNsyFgKiIkTBhc • UAP — Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (newer terminology): https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.space.com/unidentified-aerial-phenomena-scientific-scrutiny&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563277519&usg=AOvVaw311GdddU0hw8vP0MNC-MBT • UFO — Unidentified Flying Object (classic term with cultural baggage): https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unidentified_flying_object&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563277983&usg=AOvVaw1HI5J7-GeFzRFdso_bfvTi • Robert Bigelow — hotelier, space entrepreneur, longtime funder in the anomaly space: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bigelow&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563278724&usg=AOvVaw1VSc08FOhll87HxjXfHDaT 📰 Key Reporting That Shifted the Conversation • The New York Times story that broke AATIP publicly: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/us/politics/pentagon-program-ufo-harry-reid.html&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563279099&usg=AOvVaw2VKmCLFJgVsYE7LfT5Ccid • The 2020 follow-up from two of the authors (Kean & Blumenthal): https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/insider/UFO-reporting.html&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761014563279388&usg=AOvVaw2v0tb7S36ykFygitcm42Sg

This week Blake Smith and Karen Stollznow are joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Brian A. Sharpless, author of https://amzn.to/4ojAvZa, to discuss cannibalism—what it is, why humans have done it, and how the taboo shows up in archaeology, medicine, psychology, and horror cinema. They cover definitions (endocannibalism vs. survival cannibalism), prion diseases such as Kuru, criminal and paraphilic cases, and pop-culture touchpoints from Ravenous to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, plus legend-tripping at Lovelock Cave and the “giants” folklore around the Mound Builder myth. Don't forget to grab Karen's latest: https://amzn.to/4h6Xx35 🔎 Quick Links & References • Cannibalism (overview) — Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannibalism • Kuru & prion diseases — https://www.britannica.com/science/kuru • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prion • Survival cannibalism cases — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donner_Party • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uruguayan_Air_Force_Flight_571 • Medicinal cannibalism — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mummia • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_of_Glory • Criminal/forensic examples — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Fish • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Dahmer • Paraphilias mentioned — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vorarephilia • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-cannibalism • Films discussed — https://amzn.to/4n2SAtw • https://amzn.to/4n04fZM • https://amzn.to/4q5s59r • https://amzn.to/3J4FopU • https://amzn.to/3J4FyO2 • https://amzn.to/3KMIQ95 • Legends & sites — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovelock_Cave • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paiute • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mound_Builder_myth • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendigo🧾 Episode Breakdown • 🍽️ What counts as cannibalism? Clear definition limited to consumption of human flesh; distinctions from blood drinking and other bodily materials. • 🗺️ How widespread is it? Cross-cultural evidence, past debates in anthropology, and the modern scholarly consensus that it occurred in multiple contexts (ritual, survival, criminal, etc.). See the overview above. • 📚 Ten motives framework (from Dr. Sharpless’s work): survival, ritual/endocannibalism, exocannibalism, benign/unwitting, criminal/cover-up, gastronomic preference, medicinal, and more—with historical examples. (See https://amzn.to/4ojAvZa) • 🧪 Prions & Kuru: funerary cannibalism among the Fore in Papua New Guinea, transmission via neural tissue, and broader prion disease context. See links above. • 💊 “Medicinal” cannibalism in early‑modern Europe: mummy powders, fat, and other preparations; “hand of glory” magical lore. Folger Shakespeare Library https://www.folger.edu/blogs/collation/corpse-medicine/. • ⚖️ Forensic & clinical angles: overlap with antisocial personality disorder, psychosis in some cases, and how/when behaviors rise to diagnosable paraphilias. • 🎥 Horror on screen: from Ravenous and The Hills Have Eyes to Texas Chain Saw Massacre, plus genre riffs on “taking the victim’s traits.” • 🧸 Vorarephilia & internet subcultures: “hard” vs. “soft” vore, online communities, and clinical caution about distress/impairment. • 🗿 Lovelock Cave & the “giants” stories: local legend‑tripping, Paiute lore about cannibal enemies, and a skeptical look at Mound Builder/“Smithsonian cover‑up” narratives. • 📖 Reading & viewing: Dr. Sharpless’s https://amzn.to/4ojAvZa; films noted above; folklore touchpoints like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendigo. • 📖 Bob Burns Disambiguation: Texas Chainsaw Bob (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_A._Burns) and Tracy the Gorilla Bob (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Burns_III)📚 Books Mentioned • Brian A. Sharpless, https://amzn.to/4ojAvZa • Richard J. Dewhurst, https://amzn.to/43hKmGD (decidedly NOT skeptical) • Jason Colavito, https://amzn.to/4ojCSew Affiliate disclosure: Some links above are affiliate links that may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps support the show’s production. Thank you!

🎙 MonsterTalk — The Cult of Moloch Show Notes · Hosts: Blake Smith & Karen Stollznow In this episode, Blake Smith and Karen Stollznow explore the history, mythology, and propaganda surrounding the idea of the Cult of Moloch—a figure long associated with child sacrifice and moral panic. They trace Moloch’s biblical origins in Leviticus and Kings, the contested archaeological claims from Carthage’s Tophet, and Roman accusations against rivals such as the Celts and Druids. The discussion moves through how child-sacrifice narratives have been weaponized across history—from Rome’s propaganda and medieval blood libel to the Satanic Panic and modern conspiracy culture—while separating those myths from documented, contemporary abuse scandals. Topics in this episode: 🔥 https://file///home/blake/PodcastWorkshop/MTS05E01-Moloch/Spreaker-Show-Notes.html#moloch ⚱️ https://file///home/blake/PodcastWorkshop/MTS05E01-Moloch/Spreaker-Show-Notes.html#tophet 🪵 https://file///home/blake/PodcastWorkshop/MTS05E01-Moloch/Spreaker-Show-Notes.html#druids 🎃 https://file///home/blake/PodcastWorkshop/MTS05E01-Moloch/Spreaker-Show-Notes.html#halloween 🗡 https://file///home/blake/PodcastWorkshop/MTS05E01-Moloch/Spreaker-Show-Notes.html#propaganda 😈 https://file///home/blake/PodcastWorkshop/MTS05E01-Moloch/Spreaker-Show-Notes.html#panics ⚖️ https://file///home/blake/PodcastWorkshop/MTS05E01-Moloch/Spreaker-Show-Notes.html#real 🧠 https://file///home/blake/PodcastWorkshop/MTS05E01-Moloch/Spreaker-Show-Notes.html#critical ⚠️ Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of child sacrifice, infanticide, sexual abuse, religious violence, and moral panics. While handled through a skeptical and historical lens, some material may be distressing to listeners. Parental discretion is advised. 🔥 Moloch in Scripture and History • Hebrew Bible: Leviticus 18:21; 20:2–5; 2 Kings 23:10. • Further reading: — https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/molech/3B593F51E87D5CC7345E1F41C1A4485A — https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/molech ⚱️ Archaeology of Carthage & the Tophet Debate • https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003598X00101109 • https://www.baslibrary.org/biblical-archaeology-review/10/1/1 🪵 Celts, Druids & the Wicker Man • https://amzn.to/48KtgET • https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/british_prehistory/druids_01.shtml 🎃 Samhain, Halloween & Sacrificial Myths • https://amzn.to/48KtgET • https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/samhain 🗡 Accusations as Propaganda • https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/blood-libel • https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0301.htm 😈 Satanic Panic & Modern Moral Panics • https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/the-return-of-the-satanic-panic/ • https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=137454 ⚖️ Real Scandals & Institutional Abuse • https://www.rotherham.gov.uk/news/article/227/alexis-jay-report-2014 • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36811893 • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49423047 • https://www.bishop-accountability.org/reports/2004_02_27_JohnJay_revised/2004_02_27_John_Jay_Main_Report_Optimized.pdf 🧠 Critical Thinking & Evidence • https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/161698/the-demon-haunted-world-by-carl-sagan/ • https://www.criticalthinking.org/ 📚 Bonus: https://amzn.to/4nXykdm

We finish up Season 4 of MonsterTalk, not with a bang - but a chuckle, as we welcome https://sciencecomedian.com/ to talk about using humor and science to entertain.  https://sciencecomedian.com/

We discuss the sketchy "science by press release" of Colossal Biosciences and the controversies lurking in the history of its lead scientist. Have they resurrected dire wolves? No. Definitely not. If only overblown celebrity endorsed hype was the only problem… https://www.reddit.com/r/pleistocene/comments/1jtl6zm/colossal_bioscience_genetically_modifies_modern/ https://www.statnews.com/2019/08/05/citing-nerd-tunnel-vision-biologist-george-church-apologizes-for-contacts-with-jeffrey-epstein/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Arthur_Ray https://www.gq.com.au/culture/entertainment/punishing-followers-and-preying-on-the-vulnerable-a-timeline-of-the-tony-robbins-investigation/news-story/84017f8d0f25072e927c24d03975297b (more fromhttps://www.quora.com/Is-Tony-Robbins-a-scam-or-con-artist/answer/John-Gerard-7 andhttps://www.reddit.com/r/TonyRobbins/comments/w8s4cw/tony_a_fraud/) http://archive.today/7PwGR http://archive.today/HllbO For a more… salacious take on this, check out the 2-part "Behind the Bastards" coverage of this topic.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/part-one-dire-wolves-dr-george-church-the-de/id1373812661?i=1000710986888 andhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/part-two-dire-wolves-dr-george-church-the-de/id1373812661?i=1000711447586 --- on a more positive note --- https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2024/06/stanford-explainer-crispr-gene-editing-and-beyond?

We take a look at a fascinating slice of paranormal history in the form of a 1975 BBC documentary The Ghost Hunters. How much has changed in paranormal research since 1975? Not much, after a fashion…  Anybody know something about these plastic pub barrels from the 1970s? Show Notes: https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/benson-herbert https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/andrew-green https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/cutten-john-hector https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTqtPtCy-NY Yes - https://www.ebay.com/itm/136137186700?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28&google_free_listing_action=view_item https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHJFwP7LLjQ https://www.threehorseshoes.uk.com/menu

Blake catches Karen up on his current research projects: The four-wall tour dates of the PGF, and a contextual look at the Van Meter Visitor. Neither of these projects are finished but he is excited to share what he's been working on. https://www.netflix.com/title/80182014 is mentioned favorably.

Blake is joined by regular contributor Matt Baxter, and special guest Kara Van Hoose from the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife to discuss the (not that mysterious) outbreak of "tentacle bunnies" in Colorado this summer.   https://www.newsweek.com/colorado-rabbits-growing-tentacles-sparks-warning-2112809 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronic_wasting_disease https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Packer https://cpw.state.co.us/ https://cpw.state.co.us/https://karlshuker.blogspot.com/2013/09/horned-hares-potted-or-should-that-be.html https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/tale-of-the-jackalope/transcript/1000/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Drug

Karen and Matt are back from their book tour in the UK and they got to have some real MonsterTalk moments! Loch Ness, Boleskine House and more plus Blake wrestles with gremlins! More photos will be available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/137274189?pr=true&cr=true