Scandal Water

The Ghosts of Christmas Past

What says Christmas more than murder and blood? Yes, you read that correctly!
In our first episode of the December series, “Hooray for Holidays,” Candy and Ashley explore the custom of telling ghost stories at Christmastime-- a practice that originated long, long ago, but was popularized again during the Victorian era, primarily thanks to Charles Dickens. 
As Jerome K. Jerome wrote in 1891, “Whenever five or six English-speaking people meet round a fire on Christmas Eve, they start telling each other ghost stories...It is a genial, festive season, and we love to muse upon graves, and dead bodies, and murders, and blood.”
So grab a cup of hot chocolate and snuggle in while Candy and Ashley dig into the grave tradition of telling scary Christmas stories. And as an added bonus, you’ll get to hear Ashley read a short excerpt from a spooky Victorian tale!

December Promo: Hooray for Holidays!

'Tis the season for some Holiday cheer! Join Candy and Ashley as they delve into the best and most peculiar stories the holidays have to offer, including victorian tales of murder, blood, and specters; the origin story of the most famous reindeer of all; and how "the greatest song ever written" (according to its composer Irving Berlin) became a beloved Holiday classic. "It's the most wonderful time of the year!" 
 

It Doesn‘t Take WandaVision to Spot a Classic

Top 3 signs you’ve achieved classic sitcom status: 
The language and storylines still resonate 60 years after the premiere
     2. The famous and talented lead actors are still best-known for the roles they played in            this sitcom
Marvel decides to mirror one of the most well-known sitcom episodes in WandaVision!
You don’t want to miss this episode where Candy and Ashley discuss the classic The Dick Van Dyke Show, featuring one of Ashley’s all-time favorite actors in the starring role.

Turkey‘s Away!

What says Thanksgiving more than chucking live turkeys out of a helicopter? 
Well, that’s exactly what happened in the classic television episode of WKRP in Cincinnati called “Turkeys Away.” If you know the show, you know the famous punch-line. But did you ALSO know that the plot was loosely based on a REAL event? Listen in as Candy and Ashley discuss why “Turkeys Away” is still considered one of television’s all-time best Thanksgiving episodes, even after 40+ years.

I‘ll Take Quiz Shows for $25,000

The term ‘scandal water’ earns its name this week as the two ladies delve into the great quiz show scandals of the 1950s. Listeners will hear about the rise of the quiz show phenomenon, the chain of events that led whistle-blower Herb Stempel to expose the corruption on Twenty-One, and the impact this had on the TV quiz show genre.

In the Pit with Cobra Kai

In episode 7 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.

An Episode You Can Sink Your Teeth Into

*PLEASE NOTE: This episode and "Staging a Murder" (Episode 1) were the first two episodes recorded on January 2, 2021. They were recorded back to back and we didn't realize the issue with the quality of the audio until after the recording was complete! We decided not to re-record in order to keep the spontaneity of the conversation true. However, we cleaned it up to the best of our ability and hope you enjoy it!! In episode 6 Candy and Ashley give you something to sink your teeth into when they explore the popular expression “Jumping the Shark.” The two not only discuss the origin and evolution of this well-known phrase, first coined by a group of college buddies but also take a deep dive into the episode of the popular TV series Happy Days that inspired this toothsome term. The episode ends with a discussion of other shows the two believe to have jumped the shark. Special thank you to John S. Badger from the Mercury Theatre Podcast for being our very first "Listener Testimonial!" Find out more at: mercurytheatrepodcast.com/

Thankful for Television - November Promo

Join us Tuesday, November 2nd for our first of FIVE episodes celebrating the world of television in our series, "Thankful for Television!" Candy and Ashley dive into a classic show that gave rise to a pop culture saying, a film that has become an instant modern television classic, a scandal that paved the way for westerns, a doomed turkey, and a beloved sitcom that has withstood the test of time. 

War of the Worlds: The Original Fake News

Long before podcasts, and even before TV, there was the golden age of radio. Episode 5 of Scandal Water focuses on what is arguably the most well-known radio event of all time, the broadcast of “War of the Worlds” on October 30, 1938, that sparked widespread panic. But was it as horrific and extensive as reports indicated? And why were those Americans so quick to believe their world was being invaded? Candy and Ashley explore these questions in their Armchair Psychologist segment. 

You‘re Not Crazy, You‘re Being Gaslighted

‘Gaslighting’ is a term widely used--and unfortunately, also highly visible-- in our society today. It is a form of psychological abuse wherein the abuser causes the victim to question his/her sanity, memories, or perception of reality. But where did the term originate? Listen in as Candy and Ashley not only share how the 1938 play “Gas Light” (also known as "Angel Street") by Patrick Hamilton gave rise to the popular term, but also warning signs to look for if you suspect you’re being gaslighted, and possible steps you might take to gather proof.