Left of Skeptic

Happy Spooky Wednesdays!We are back for Part 2 of the Bloody Benders, and this week, we're getting to know a little bit about their victims as well as their MO. Does Kate continue to be the darling of the bunch? Do we know what the trap door is for? Wait, what about Little House on the Prairie??Answers to that and more!

Happy Spooky Wednesday, friends! Coming in hot in this new year, Brittany brings us the story of The Bloody Benders, America's first serial killing family. As the US expands to the West, an odd family takes up residence in a small corner of Southeastern Kansas. Shortly after, suspicious (and downright horror movie-inspiring!) things start to happen. Then... folks start going missing.However, there is much more to this story; this is only Part 1. So listen, enjoy, and then come back next week for Part 2!

Happy Spooky Wednesday, everyone! And welcome to the last episode of 2025! We’re ending the year with one of the most haunted forests in the world, the Hoia-Baciu Forest. These woods, located near Cluj-Napoca are known as the "Bermuda Triangle of Romania" due to their bizarrely twisted trees, unexplained disappearances, UFO sightings, and reports of physical ailments, anxiety, and ghostly encounters. Believers claim it is a hotspot for paranormal activity and strange phenomena. Skeptics say the trees grow weird, and people are too obsessed with them. Would you stay overnight here? Be careful, you might not return until years later… if you return at all.

Happy Spooky Wednesday, friends!

Happy Spooky Wednesday, friends!

Happy Spooky Wednesday! This week, we are joined by our friends The Prophecy Girls for a very special AITA: Paranormal Edition! Listen and let us know... are our posters manipulative monsters with a flair for the theatrical, or just regular ol' folks speaking their truths?

Happy Spooky-Funny Wednesday, folks! Why spooky-funny? Because this week we’re talking about two queens of comedy! Lucille Ball is beloved in the entertainment industry, and so is her mentor Carole Lombard. They paved the way for women in media, and their legacy has lived on for generations. And apparently, so have their spirits! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the thought that these two titans may still be gracing us with their presence years after they’ve passed.

Happy Spooky Wednesday, friends! Brittany is ready to tell us all about the haunted Los Coches Adobe in Soledad, California. What was once a home, hotel, post office and (maybe?) a brothel, is now a California Historical Landmark. Over the years it has developed a reputation for supernatural happenings. We may never know for sure what goes on here, but it’s gained quite the reputation as a paranormal hot spot. Listen to the tale and decide for yourself.

Happy Spooky Wednesday! This week, Kala heads all the way up to Alaska to discuss the haunting of Mary E. Hart. Mary claimed she had been haunted by a ghost in Nome over a decade before and admitted was too afraid to visit the northland ever again. Her fascinating story shows how even the most adventurous spirits can be overwhelmed by the power from the other side.

Happy Spooky Wednesday, Friends! This week Brittany is going local with the Forepaugh’s Restaurant in St. Paul, MN. While it is now known for fine dining, it was once the residence of a wealthy family. After having an affair with Mr. Forepaugh, the maid ended her life in the house. She now haunts the restaurant, messing with the lights and kitchenware. And Mr. Forepaugh has been seen hanging around as well. Sounds like this relationship drama has continued even in the afterlife.

Happy Spooky Wednesday, everyone! Does your local town have a haunted location that sounds strangely familiar? Like you’ve heard of it somewhere else? Is it possibly… a haunted bridge? Maybe a crybaby bridge? It turns out these haunted bridges are all over the U.S. While the origins may vary, the end results are usually the same. A bridge where locals go to chase the ghosts of children or their mothers who met a tragic fate. Ohio has one in every county! So listen to our tales and tell us: have you ever visited a Crybaby Bridge?

Happy Spooky Wednesday, everyone, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN! For our final episode of 2025 Urban Legends October, we are joined by Adam Herman! Kala tells us all about The Thumb Game. The object of the Thumb Game is to find the missing left thumb of a murdered young woman. If you find it, your wish will be granted. Magical and weird, right? We want to say that's the most bizarre part of this episode, but when Kala, Brittany, and Adam get chatting in a room, you know the conversation is only going to get stranger. 

Happy Spooky Wednesday!It's the 4th week of Urban Legends October and we are here to bring you: Creepypastas!

Happy Spooky Wednesday, Friends! We continue our Urban Legends October with tales of Canada! First, we've got the Dungarvon Whooper, a murdered lumber camp cook whose spirit haunts the forest, making loud, chilling "whooping" noises. Speaking of things that make strange noises in the dark, we're also talking about the Screaming Tunnel where a woman's disembodied voice can be heard shrieking for help. And finally, we've got the Blue Ghost Tunnel, where you could possibly encounter ghosts of workers who passed when their train derailed. Oh, Canada, indeed.

Happy Spooky Wednesday, Folks! It is the second week of Urban Legends October, and Brittany is taking us all the way to Guatemala with the legend of El Sombrerón. This short boogeyman works his magic with a really big hat and a really shiny guitar to hypnotize young women. If you fall under his spell, would you have the strength to resist his siren song, or would you need your very own Pedro Pascal to rescue you?

Happy Spooky Wednesday, friends! And welcome to the first week of Urban Legends October! We've got two legends that serve as warnings for children to listen to their parents and be home by dark. First up, Brittany tells us all about the Lafayette Vampire! This mid-century urban legend began when Colorado youth were told by their parents that a vampire was buried in the Lafayette Cemetery, and if they didn't get home by dark, the vampire would get them. The person they were referencing was Teodor Glava, who died in 1918. Side note: no one can seem to agree on how to pronounce his name. Rumors even persist to this day that residents from the local area see a mysterious figure walking around late at night. But is there really a vampire? Or just the grave of an immigrant that got caught up in local lore? And Kala talks about Cropsey, the Staten Island urban legend about a homicidal maniac who kidnapped and murdered children. While it's well established that this story is just a myth, it is based on two horrifying true stories from the area. So parents, after listening to these stories, are you gonna let your children run around once the street lights come on?

Happy Spooky Wednesday, everyone! We’re heading across the world this week to talk about one of the most haunted skyscrapers: Sunshine 60 in downtown Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo, Japan! Built on the site of the former Sugamo Prison, where World War II war criminals and other prisoners were held and executed. Reports of ghostly sightings, floating fireballs, strange noises, and accidents have circulated since the building's construction in the mid-1970s. It’s even said that this morbid history is the reason they gave it such a bright and shiny name! But a name alone can’t erase this land’s history, and it can’t hide the ghosts prowling the grounds.

Happy Spooky Wednesday, everyone! We’ve covered a lot of water cryptids in the past, but never one we’ve given a new name. It’s time to talk about Glossy. This is the Gloucester Sea Serpent, reportedly seen off the coast of the Cape Ann area in Massachusetts. Seamen started reporting their sightings in the 1800s, and the most recent sighting was as recent as 1980! It’s one of the most well-documented sea cryptids in history, so why hasn’t it been as well-reported as popular creatures like Nessie or Champ? Because it doesn’t have a catchy name! JUSTICE FOR GLOSSY!

Happy Spooky Wednesday! This week Kala is inspired by her recent vacation, and she is talking about haunted locations around Lake George in Upstate New York. First is the historic Sagamore Resort, located on an island on the lake. Guests have fallen in love with this vacation spot for over a century, and it seems that they love it so much they stay even after death. Next is the Fort William Henry museum, located on land that was a key figure during the French and Indian War. Soldiers lost their lives here, a lot of them has stuck around. Additional locations include the Old Warren County Courthouse, Caldwell Cemetery, and a haunted island campsite! It seems like no matter where you go in this little tourist town, your chances of running into a spirit are pretty high!

Happy Spooky Wednesday, listeners!This week, Brittany tells us the curious tale of Sergei Ponomarenko - a man who claimed to have been born in 1932 Kyiv, Ukraine, only to show up in 2006 looking not a day over 25. The skeptics believe that there is proof that Sergei's story isn't true... but what do you think?