Ep. 51 : Conjuring Up Ed & Lorraine Warren
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren left their mark on the world of spooky things, lending a hand in creepy cases across the world. Their investigations of haunted houses and demonic possessions would bleed into books and famous movie franchises you're likely streaming this Halloween. But were they really blessed with a third eye? Or were they clever fraudsters who knew a cash cow when they found one? We'll uncover the origins of Ed and Lorraine's love story, the paintings that opened the doors for their paranormal investigations and the famous hauntings that would put them on the map. As with all horror stories, not everything was as it seemed, and cracks began to form in their carefully crafted narrative. Whether the Warrens really were blessed with paranormal gifts we can't say, but we can confirm that we'll tell some super creepy ghost stories along the way. Light your candles, grab a blanket and enjoy Halee's delicious brownies covered in marshmallow cobwebs. Happy Haunting!
Ep. 49 : Midnight Massacre - The Villisca Axe Murders
On June 9, 1912, a midnight massacre would change the town of Villisca, Iowa, forever, creating harsh divides between classes, races, families and churches. After attending Sunday service, the Moore family returned home with guests Ina and Lena Stillinger, where they shared a plate of milk and cookies before retiring for the evening. An unknown assailant waited in the wings and gruesomely butchered all six of the Moores and the two Stillinger children. The killer's identity remains a mystery, but he left behind tell-tale signs of someone who'd done this before, making the string of axe murders plaguing the Midwest one of America's first serial killings. We'll look at three possible suspects and analyze the implications their guilt had on Villisca. This is not a story with a happy ending, but we'll try to bring some levity with Halee's incredible Dead Velvet Cake. Happy Haunting!
Ep. 48 : The Mystery of Dyatlov Pass
In January of 1959, a team of young Russian college students set out on an expedition deep into the Ural mountains. Their diaries and the film found in their cameras tell a story of friends exploring together, having fun and laughing along the way. 10 days into their journey, for reasons unknown, the students cut their way out of their tent in the middle of the night, and ran out into the freezing cold in various states of undress. Weeks later, when they did not return as scheduled, search parties would set out and eventually find the entire group dead. Autopsies later revealed injuries ranging from black eyes and scabbed knuckles, to shattered skulls and missing tongues. Of course there were soon rumors of mysterious lights in the sky, military conspiracies, and traces of radiation. This week on EBC, we'll dive deep into the Dyatlov Pass Incident, one of history's most enduring unsolved mysteries. We'll touch on all the weird and spooky details, and explore all the theories. Before Halee falls into a creepy obsessive abyss, Elise shares a delicious fall treat, and someone commits to getting the very first EBC fan tattoo on their ass cheek! This week is full of spookiness you won't want to miss! Happy Haunting!
Ep. 47 : Witch Hunters - The Men Behind the Madness
We’re obviously pro-witch on Easy Bake Coven, but the same can’t be said of men in the 15th century. A woman who thought for herself was a threat to the crown, the household and even penises of men everywhere. You read that right! Men feared a witch could take away his member and hide it in a box. To mitigate such travesty, men took matters into their own hands and burned some 50,000 people at the stake. Tonight we’ll unveil the monstrous witch hunters of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries and dig in to the doctrines that ruled them. We’ll laugh at the ridiculous text that is the Malleus Maleficarum, explore King James I’s Daemonologie and cringe at how small minded and creative people were back in the day. From the witch trials of Pendle Hill to the Trier Witch Trials of Germany, we’ll uncover all the horrors of Europe’s gruesome history. Halee spices things up with some brown butter toffee cookies, and we all enjoy a little banter about our favorite vampire/werewolf duo. Grab hold of your broomsticks, witches! We’re in for a ride. Happy Haunting!
Ep. 46 : The Bell Witch Haunting
Friends, something in the air is changing. It's cooler and crisper. The sun is setting earlier. Do you, dear coven, know what this means? Fall is here, and Spooky Season is officially upon us. And what better way to kick off our favorite time of year than with a witch haunting story. Yes, that's right. A haunting committed by a witch. From 1817-1820, the Bell family of Adams, Tennessee, experienced what many would consider one of the first bonafide hauntings in contemporary American history. And if legend is to be believed, the Bell family fell victim to the only murderous ghost witch...ever, maybe? This story is ooky spooky and very fun, and it's certainly something we want to believe. Elise treats us to a Canadian delicacy, and Halee provides a little life update. Make sure to light your candles, lest you start hearing the old witch knocking on your walls in the night. Happy Haunting!
Ep. 45 : The Girls Who Glowed in the Dark
Corporations don’t have your best interests at heart. Shocker. Never was the case more true than in the 1920s when radium took the world by storm. Discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie, this radioactive element was incorporated into every facet of American life. Radium infused butter? You betcha. Radium-lined glasses? Yep! You could even get your hands on radium face wash. So it raised zero red flags when young girls lined up to work for the United States Radium Corporation, painting watch faces and instrument panels with glow-in-the-dark radium powder. The radium girls became known as the Ghost Girls because they literally glowed in the dark. But the dangers of radiation were lost on the girls, who were kept in the dark about its vicious side-effects. Today, we have brave women to thank for our modern work-place safety measures, women who took a stand against vile corporations with only one interest in mind. With a half-life of 1600 years, it’s likely the effects of radiation are still on display from within the grave. This week is not your classic scary story, but it’s a tale as old as time with a horrifying ending. Halee lightens things up with some sweet chocolate chip cookies. Happy Haunting!
Ep. 44 : The Unsolved Mystery of DB Cooper
On November 24, 1971, a man wearing a trench coat and sunglasses walked into Portland International Airport carrying a black attache case, walked up to the Northwest Orient Airlines counter and slapped down cash. He gave his name as Dan Cooper and purchased a flight to Seattle, leaving that afternoon. That day would go down in infamy, as the day "DB Cooper" hijacked a flight, demanded cash and a parachute, and bailed into the middle of nowhere, never to be seen again. On this week's episode we take a deep dive into the mystery of DB Cooper and evaluate what we do know about this fascinating and confusing case. Halee gets maybe a little too into it, and considers a life in the forest looking for evidence of DB's daring jump. Elise brings her back to reality with a delicious and dangerously easy to make sweet treat! Join us on this adventure, and let us know who you think the real Dan Cooper was! Happy Haunting!
Ep. 42 : Elisa Lam & the Infamous Cecil Hotel
When the bizarrely haunting video of Elisa Lam in the elevator of the Cecil Hotel was released in 2013, folks across the country were intrigued. But the strange and tragic history of the Cecil goes back far beyond 2013, nearly 100 years to its opening in 1924. This week Halee takes us through the storied hotel's very troubling past. From unsolved murders, to serial killer tenants, to douchey ghost hunters... this hotel has seen it all. The hotel's tragic past culminated in the seemingly mysterious disappearance of Elisa Lam in 2013, which we'll try our best to get to the bottom of. Before things get too dark, Elise delights us with a delicious treat- from scratch! Happy Haunting!
Ep. 33 : Helen Duncan - The Last Witch of Scotland
The most infamous witch trials are synonymous with Salem, but the most recent happened in the UK less than 80 years ago. This week, we'll dive in to the 1944 witch trial of Helen Duncan and the leaked war time secrets that inevitably found her in court. We'll unveil her haunted past and explore the rise of Spiritualism in a country ravaged by war. Was Helen Duncan truly blessed with otherworldly powers? Or was she a clever girl who knew how to work the system? We'll explore all that and more, closing with a delicious Pavlova lovingly made by Halee. Happy Haunting!
Ep. 31 : The Disappearance of Glen & Bessie Hyde
This week we head into the backcountry with the disappearance of Glen and Bessie Hyde, last seen paddling through the turbulent waters of the Grand Canyon National Park. It's 1928 and the park is in its infancy, drawing outdoor enthusiasts and daredevils alike. The Hydes sought to break records and gain notoriety during their 600-mile paddle trip. But in December, their family reported them missing when they failed to arrive in Needles, CA. They would never been seen again - or would they? We'll dig in to their river route, possible theories and crazy legends that are likely rooted in some fact. Halee will delight us with the cutest vanilla cake that Elise is really sad to miss out on. Happy Haunting!
Ep. 24 : Charles Lindbergh’s Crime of the Century
It's always disappointing to learn that our childhood heroes aren't always who they seem. Never was there a truer example than the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh. With more than one skeleton in his closet, Lindbergh was famous for more than just flying non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean. In 1932, tragedy gripped the nation when his 20-month-old son Charles Jr. was taken through a nursery window. Thirteen ransom notes and monetary demands take us all over New York and New Jersey as we try to uncover the true kidnapper and investigate why they'd take sweet Charles. We'll unpack Lindbergh's lesser known history and reveal truths about America's "Lone Eagle" that he'd rather have left in the dark. At the close, Halee delights us with delicious Lucky Charms rice crispy treats. Happy Haunting!
Ep. 23 : The Sex Cult of the Upper West Side
It's the 60s, and free love is all around. Everything is groovy, and when you hear about some fun young people living communally on the upper west side, you think 'how bad could it be?' The answer, my friends, is very very bad. This week we learn all about a creepy New York sex cult that existed from the 60s all the way through to the early 90s! And neither of us had ever heard about it until this week?! The Sullivanians founded an 'institute' and provided 'therapy' to hundreds of people during their tenure as the reigning psychotherapeutic sex cult of the city. It's wild, it's scary, and we're just hoping it doesn't exist anymore so they won't put a hit out on us. Once we're thoroughly creeped out, Elise comes to the rescue with something lemony and sweet. Join us for this strange and paranoid adventure through the Sullivanian institute.
Ep. 21 : The Scarring Saga of Stigmata
Our podcast is old enough to drink! And you're gonna need one to make it through this roller coaster ride of an episode. Elise takes a deep dive into the Catholic religion and shares strange accounts of Stigmata. More than 300 people claim to have received the marks of Christ's crucifixion on their hands, feet, sides and heads. We'll dig into some of the most famous accounts, from the beloved St. Francis of Assisi to a 10-year-old girl diagnosed with "Easter Bleeding Syndrome." We'll hear about theories and discuss other odd phenomena surrounding Catholicism. All in all, it gets pretty metal. Halee delights us with delicious chocolate cupcakes with espresso buttercream. Happy Haunting!
Ep. 20 : The Explosive History of Spontaneous Human Combustion
Do you ever feel like life is just too easy, and there's not enough to worry about? Fear not friends, we've got you covered... This week we'll add to your baseline anxiety as we explore whether we should be afraid of bursting into flames at any given moment. Halee will take us through a long history of folks spontaneously combusting, from as early as 1470, all the way up to modern times. Halee's on-again off-again boyfriend Joe Nickell, of the Skeptical Inquirer, says it's all made up. Find out our *hot* takes on the matter and decide what you think! Pop some bottles alongside us as we celebrate our 20th episode and Elise cooks up some criminally delicious bite-sized cinnamon rolls. Make sure you light your candle, but don't sit too close this week! Happy Haunting!
Ep 15 : A Haunting History of the Crescent Hotel
This week we go back in time to explore the very mysterious history of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Situated in the Ozark Mountains and built around a natural spring, the town grew from a (likely fictional) legend of a Sioux princess who lost her sight, only to have her eyes healed by the spring water. Eventually the spring was discovered by white settlers, which of course led immediately to the monetization of the water's magical properties. This tale takes a lot of sharp twists and turns as we follow the construction of a luxurious hotel for all the tourists flocking to get in on the magic, and learn about the many functions of the hotel over the years. From a women's college, to a phony cancer center (complete with a morgue!), we'll find out about the ghostly residents whose spirits are still roaming the halls of the building over a century later. We end the episode with some delicious sugar cookies made by Elise! Happy Haunting!
Ep. 8: A Not So Merry Krampus Christmas
We can't believe it's almost Christmas, so in the spirit of the season, we've decided to scare the hell out of you (or into you!) This week, Elise takes us past the peaks of the jagged Eastern Alps and into valleys full of tradition and intrigue. We'll dig deep into the history of Krampus and his band of spooky specters, all while St. Nicholas and his weeping bones stand by to make sure we're being nice, not naughty. For the latter, Krampus is ready with his whips and chains to drag us straight to hell, where all bad children go. Krampus isn't the only ghoul around on Christmas - we'll uncover the Perchten, Bloody Thomas, Wild Barbaras and even Werewolves. In the spirit of tradition, we'll imbibe with pink festive drinks from Elise's past and enjoy a delicious chocolate chip cookie dough cake straight from our Easy Bake Oven. If you're searching for the spooky side of this cheerful holiday, this is the episode for you. Happy Haunting!
Ep 6: The Ghosts of the Red Onion Saloon
Many Gold Rush towns are full of history, trauma and plenty of great ghost stories, but perhaps the most notorious of these is Skagway, Alaska. In a time when gunslingers and outlaws made the rules, Skagway's streets were flooded with "women of negotiable affection" and the brothels that housed them. The most desirable was the Red Onion Saloon. Today, the Saloon welcomes visitors from all over the world, providing drinks, food and tours of the upstairs brothel museum. Elise and Halee chat with museum curator Cori Giacomazzi about her ghostly encounters from within the brothel's walls, and hear spine-tinging details about a ghost who won't be named. We'll hear about Elise's summer spent as a tour guide and learn how the brothel's most notorious ghost Lydia perished. This week's episode is full of ghostly goodness, and we highly recommend you listen in the dark - if you dare. Happy Haunting!