Scandal Water

‘Stranger Things’: A Nostalgic Love Letter to the 80’s

Eleven. Justice for Barb. The Upside Down. Bob. “Running Up That Hill.” Eddie.
Recognize these references? Then you are probably one of the millions of fans who just celebrated “Stranger Things Day” on November 6th (the day in 1983 that Will Byers went missing)Join us as we discuss this “love letter to 80s cult classic movies” and one of the most popular series of all time, tracing it from its beginnings through the recently released season 4.
How did the Duffer brothers find their amazing cast of child actors? Which 80s movies inspired key scenes from the series? What original ending was planned for season 1? How was Bob supposed to die, according to the early scripts? What do we know about the 5th and final season? 
Grab your Walkman, throw on those legwarmers, and join us for this “Stranger Things” episode. It’s totally gnarly!#StrangerThings #TheDufferBrothers #StrangerThingsDay #WillByers #SeanAstin 

Edgar Bergen Was No Dummy

While many today might know Edgar Bergen only as father to actress Candice Bergen, who starred in Murphy Brown, at one time this famous ventriloquist was a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment field. 
With Charlie McCarthy, his beloved ventriloquist dummy, at his side, Edgar starred in radio programs, television shows, Vegas acts, and a comic strip, among other things. He also dated Ava Gardner and socialized with the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Roger Moore. 
But did Edgar’s partnership with Charlie take an odd turn? 
In this episode Candy and Ashley not only discuss the life of this ground-breaking comedian, but also the circumstances that led daughter Candice Bergen to comment upon the difficulty of being the younger sister to a dummy, and the pain of learning that it was Charlie McCarthy–not she– who was remembered in her father’s will. #Cornucopia #EdgarBergen #CharlieMcCarthy #CandiceBergen

A Grave Episode: Candy and Ashley Visit the Cemetery

While visiting a graveyard might seem reminiscent of a scene from a scary movie, cemetery tourism is actually a booming industry. Whether it’s to honor loved ones,  learn about history, reflect in a picturesque, peaceful environment, or, yes, enjoy the tingling unease that can result from a nighttime graveyard visit, people are drawn to cemeteries.
In this final Spooktober episode, you will experience a ‘Scandal Water’ first… a cemetery field trip! But no fear warning is necessary; the focus is to explore the lives of some interesting people who went before us. 
Using an interview-style format, Candy and Ashley share their respective gravesite visits with each other, honoring a handful of notable figures from the entertainment world, including Muhammad Ali, Johnny Mercer, and Rose Monroe, better known as Rosie the Riveter. 
Listen to the podcast episode AND/OR go to the Scandal Water Podcast youtube channel where you can not only watch the interview but also see the visuals and gravesite pictures that help tell the story of these intriguing individuals.#Spooktober #October #Bonadventure #CaveHill 

No Bones About It: The Body Farm Changed Forensics

Imagine peering through the slats of a fence only to spot a handful of corpses, in varying states of decay, littered across the ground. 
That’s exactly how one unsuspecting construction worker learned about the infamous Body Farm, more formally known as the University of Tennessee’s Anthropological Research Facility. 
Join Candy and Ashley as they trace the fascinating history of the Body Farm, the brainchild of Dr. Bill Bass and a featured element of a best-selling Patricia Cornwell thriller, and discuss how this innovative approach has helped revolutionize criminal investigation. 
You’ll also hear details from intriguing– and in some cases, notorious– criminal cases that Dr. Bass helped solve through his skills as a forensic anthropologist. 
This Spooktober episode is one you won’t want to miss, no bones about it!Note: Break Music "Ghost Town" composed by Rafael Krux and purchased on FreePD.com#Spooktober #BillBass #TheBodyFarm #PatriciaCornwell

Historian Adam Selzer on H. H. Holmes and His Murder Castle: Separating Fact from Fiction

Keanu Reeves’ recent exit from the “The Devil in the White City” project has added to the long list of problems plaguing the upcoming Hulu miniseries based on serial killer H. H. Holmes. But what’s the true story behind Holmes, his killings, and the notorious Murder Castle? 
That’s the focus of this lively interview with Adam Selzer, Chicago historian, author of H. H. Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil, blogger, podcaster, and tour guide extraordinaire!
How many murders did Holmes actually commit, and what was his motivation? Is there any credence to the “Holmes Curse”? What behind-the-scenes insights does Adam share from his experience on the show “American Ripper”? And what was the Murder Castle really like?
Be sure to catch this fascinating interview to hear all this and so much more!
Adam Selzer, author of H. H. Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil and other books/projects can be found at www.mysteriouschicago.comNote: Break Music "Ghost Town" composed by Rafael Krux and purchased on FreePD.com#Chicago #HHHolmes #MysteriousChicago #MurderCastle #JacktheRipper #ScandalWaterPodcast #TuesdayTea #Spooktober

A Look Inside “The Most Terrifying Building in America,” Waverly Hills Sanitorium

Called “one of the most haunted places in the United States” and “the most terrifying building in America,” Louisville’s Waverly Hills Sanitorium is legendary in paranormal circles. It’s been featured in a number of shows, from A&E’s “Ghost Hunters” to the Travel Channel’s “Kindred Spirits.”
But how did this sprawling, gothic-style building come to be the site of so many deaths? What was the original purpose of that infamous dark tunnel known as “the body chute”? And what supernatural stories are widely circulated related to encounters with the child ghost ‘Timmy’ and the nurse who met tragedy in room 502? 
History meets suspense in this fun Spooktober episode that is sure to send chills up your spine!
Special thanks to Josh Martin for opening our new season with a shout-out! Be sure to check out his music on Spotify, or anywhere fine music is heard! Note: Break Music "Ghost Town" composed by Rafael Krux and purchased on FreePD.com#WaverlyHills #Spooktober #ScandalWaterPodcast #JoshMartin #GhostHunters #KindredSpirits 

September Rewind: May I Help You Improve Your Home?

Special thanks to the Be Kind Sisters, Raegan and Rylyn, for providing the guest intro for this repeat episode.Episode Tie-In: Community volunteers in LaGrange, Kentucky, have continued the work started by the “Home Town Kickstart” crew. Come visit to check out the mural and AlleyLoop!If you’re like most Americans, you’ve not only completed a home improvement project since the start of the pandemic, but you’ve also received some inspiration from shows like Fixer Upper or Flip or Flop. 
While HGTV is now a huge television network, with the stars of its most popular home improvement shows launched to celebrity status, HGTV didn’t even exist until December of 1994. 
So how did HGTV start? What show predated HGTV and is widely considered to be the very first home improvement show? What’s the real story behind those home makeover shows? And how was the quaint town of LaGrange, Kentucky, selected for a Home Town Kickstart? Candy and Ashley discuss these questions and more as they explore the topic ‘May I Help You Improve Your Home?”

September Rewind: Marilyn: The Blonde Bombshell’s Mysterious Death

Special thanks to Jefferson Moore, independent filmmaker, for providing the guest intro for this repeat episode.Episode Tie-In: The film “Blonde,” which is the subject of controversy due to its NC17 rating and graphic nature, airs on Netflix on September 23. For more details on the controversy, listen to our SW update episode posted on August 30th.CW: Adult themes/descriptions of violence; listener discretion is advised.Although often stereotyped as the ‘dumb blonde’ character, Marilyn Monroe was actually a complicated woman who overcame a traumatic childhood, studied acting with Lee Strasberg, co-founded her own production company, and formed relationships with a number of high-profile, powerful men. 
Sadly, Marilyn’s promising career was cut short in 1962 when she was found dead, nude in her bed with a telephone receiver in hand, the victim of an apparent overdose. She was only 36. 
But was Marilyn’s death really the result of an overdose and ‘probable suicide,’ as the coroner declared at that time? Or was Marilyn intentionally silenced, as many did and still believe, including her close friend Frank Sinatra?

September Rewind: In the Pit with ”Cobra Kai”

Special thanks to Austin, a middle school principal, for providing the guest intro for this repeat episode.Episode Tie-In:  "Cobra Kai" Season 5 premiered on Netflix on September 9th.Candy introduces Ashley to the cultural phenomenon Cobra Kai. Calling on interviews with actors and producers of the hit show, Candy pulls back the curtain to share callbacks, Easter Eggs, and intentional choices made by the Cobra Kai show creators to satisfy both die-hard Karate Kid fans and also newer viewers.  
Warning: This episode contains spoilers.

September Rewind: ”JAWS” Part 1 & 2

Special thanks to Ross, creator of The Daily Jaws, the world's largest online “Jaws” fan community, for providing the guest intro for this repeat episode. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, and at TheDailyJaws.com. 
Episode Tie-In: “Jaws” was released on IMAX and in RealD 3D beginning September 2 in the US.
Jaws Part 1: “The Shark Isn’t Working!” 
Widely known today as the first summer blockbuster and the movie that sparked shark-phobia in the hearts of many, back in the summer of 1974, 26-year-old “Jaws” director Steven Spielberg lived in constant fear of being fired, his dreams for the film crushed. 
Part 1 of this two-part episode focuses on the filming and casting challenges behind the movie “Jaws.” From the 3 malfunctioning mechanical sharks –collectively called Bruce, after Spielberg’s lawyer– to the tensions between Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss, to the sinking of the Orca boat, Candy and Ashley explore the challenges that caused a scheduled 55-day shoot to extend to 159 days and led some in the crew to start calling the production “Flaws.”
Jaws Part 2: Alcoholism, Script Rewrites, and the Lady in the Dunes
CW: Adult themes/descriptions of violence; listener discretion is advised.
Three weeks before the filming of “Jaws” was scheduled to start, Steven Spielberg still had no working script. Desperate, he asked his friend, writer Carl Gottlieb, to “eviscerate it.” And that’s exactly what Carl did, desperately writing most nights to stay ahead of the next day’s filming.  
This Part 2 episode delves into the many screen rewrites, character changes, and plot shifts that occurred throughout the filming of “Jaws.” 
From Quint’s USS Indianapolis monologue that had to be reshot due to Robert Shaw’s drunkenness, to the situation that saved a main character’s life, Candy and Ashley discuss these and many other behind-the-scenes stories. The two also touch on the famous “Lady in the Dunes” cold case speculated by Joe Hill– writer and son of Stephen King– to have a “Jaws” connection.