The ODDentity Podcast

S6 Ep. 11: Fright and Delight

This week, with Halloween fast approaching, I dug through the archive of listener submitted stories and came up with some real doozies. Some contributors have asked I not use their real names and some names have been omitted from the stories you’re about to hear to conceal the identity of those involved as there was no way to get permission from them. I hope you enjoy the compiled spooky stories and I hope your Halloween will be full of fright and delight.
Before we get started, I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to submit their personal experiences to me. It’s hard to come forward with this type of information because there is so much doubt surrounding paranormal experiences and I appreciate the courage it took to let me share these with the podcast community.
Episode 12 is fast approaching and features an unforgettable interview with Michelle Belanger. It was all I could do to fangirl my way through this interview and Michelle was such a gracious and wonderful interviewee. This interview will bring Season 6 to a close. Next season will be shorter, 6 episodes, and episodes will drop bi-weekly,  but the podcast format will remain the same. 12 episodes per season can be a little stressful, particularly when I tackle complex topics like Jack the Ripper that require 3 episodes to touch on everything. Rest assured you’ll still be able to get your spooky on with The ODDentity Podcast. I hope to continue making videos featuring my odd collection as well, so stay tuned for those.
I’d also like to let you all know how much I appreciate your support and continued subscription to this podcast. You’ve got a lot of choices in terms of the spooky and weird and you choose to listen to me wax poetic about all things odd and macabre. I appreciate your continued support.
Tune in November 9th for more tales of the creepy, weird, and paranormal. Until next time, Stay Spooky!
The ODDentity Podcast is brought to you on a weekly basis by host Janine Mercer.
The podcast is written, produced, and edited by Janine Mercer (unless otherwise stated), and the music is provided by Garage Band.
Find the odd pod on Twitter and Instagram @oddentitypod and Facebook as The Oddentity Podcast. You are welcome to email suggestions for future episodes to theoddentitypodcast@gmail.com and if you’d like a transcript of this episode, one will be available at theoddentitypodcast.wordpress.com.
Please take a moment to leave a 5* review on iTunes and, if you haven’t already, please make sure to mash that Subscribe button to be sure you’re in the know when a new episode drops. Sincerest thanks to those who have promoted The ODDentity Podcast to their family, friends, and coworkers. Every little bit helps!
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S6 Ep. 10: Interview: Melinda Mitchell

Hello dear listeners, and welcome back to another episode of The ODDentity Podcast on the PodMoth Media Network, your weekly foray into the weird, wonky, and sometimes downright spooky.
I know I usually only do one interview per season, but I took in the Milwaukee Paranormal Conference last weekend and was wowed by a member on their panel.
Melinda Mitchell is an oddball like me who enjoys the weird and macabre side of life and we hit it off. She was gracious enough to give me an hour of her time to chat about the Victorian Era (one of my favorite topics), the romanticism surrounding death at that point in time, myths that persist about Victorian funerary customs, and about her awesome museum to be! The audio on this one is a little odd at times so I did the best I could to clean it up.
Before we get started this week, I wanted to give a shout out to all the awesome pods on the PodMoth Media Network. With Halloween fast approaching, the pods on the network have been producing some awesome content that is sure to delight and terrify! Pop on over to podmoth.network for more information and download links. Also, rest assured that episode 12 (the last episode of the season) will be an interview, as is my custom. Enjoy and, as always, Stay Spooky!
Show Notes:
Patreon for Museum of Mortality: https://www.gofundme.com/f/5wsps-museum-of-mortality-501c3-notforprofit-kickoff?utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all
Website: http://museumofmortality.weebly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MuseumOfMortality/
 
Madame Cora’s: https://www.madamcorasemporium.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madamcorasemporium/
 
The ODDentity Podcast is brought to you on a weekly basis by host Janine Mercer.
The podcast is written, produced, and edited by Janine Mercer (unless otherwise stated), and the music is provided by Garage Band.
Find the odd pod on Twitter and Instagram @oddentitypod and on Facebook as The Oddentity Podcast. You are welcome to email suggestions for future episodes to theoddentitypodcast@gmail.com and if you’d like a transcript of this episode, one will be available at theoddentitypodcast.wordpress.com.
Please take a moment to leave a 5* review on iTunes and, if you haven’t already, please make sure to mash that Subscribe button to be sure you’re in the know when a new episode drops. Sincerest thanks to those who have promoted The ODDentity Podcast to their family, friends, and coworkers. Every little bit helps!
The ODDentity Podcast is a member of PodMoth podcast network.
https://podmoth.network
 

S6 Ep. 9: Home

Hello dear listeners, and welcome back to another episode of The ODDentity Podcast on the PodMoth Media Network, your weekly foray into the weird, wonky, and sometimes downright spooky.
This week, I’ll introduce you to Daniel Dunglas Home, a Scottish physical medium with the ability to levitate, speak with the dead, and produce rapping and knocks in houses at will. His biographer Peter Lamont stated that he was one of the most famous men of his era.Harry Houdini described him as "one of the most conspicuous and lauded of his type and generation" and "the forerunner of the mediums whose forte is fleecing by presuming on the credulity of the public." Home conducted hundreds of séances, which were attended by many eminent Victorians and was considered to be the foremost authority in the practice of mediumship.
I’d also like to take a moment to give a shout out to the other podcasts on the PodMoth Network. Supernatural Sisters, a spooky podcast with lots of interesting topics produced by two sisters, The Real Facts Podcast, a pod that uncovers the real truth about the real world, Leave the Lights On, a true crime/paranormal podcast, and The Lost Signal, a pod that features original audio plays of the pulp and macabre, and Watchers Movie Podcast, a pod that brings you spooky listener stories, and horror movie reviews! Links to these great podcasts can be found at podmoth.network.
 
Sources
http://www.telelib.com/authors/B/BrowningRobert/verse/dramatispersonae/mrsludge.html
Joseph McCabe, Is Spiritualism Based On Fraud? The Evidence Given by Sir A. C. Doyle and Others Drastically Examined.
Daniel Dunglas Home, Incidents In My Life
Sherrie Lynne Lyons. (2010). Species, Serpents, Spirits, and Skulls: Science at the Margins in the Victorian Age
 
UNICO NUTRITION
Save $20 on your purchase at WWW.UNICONUTRITION.COM if you use code ODDENTITY at checkout!
 
LUME
Visit https://bit.ly/2BTUUSL and be entered every week to win a FREE Lume product! Orders over $20 get FREE first-class shipping.
 
Merch!
Shop.spreadshirt.com/oddpodmerch
15% off until Sept. 25th, 2020!
 
The ODDentity Podcast is brought to you on a weekly basis by host Janine Mercer.
The podcast is written, produced, and edited by Janine Mercer (unless otherwise stated), and the music is provided by Garage Band.
Find the odd pod on Twitter and Instagram @oddentitypod and on Facebook as The Oddentity Podcast. You are welcome to email suggestions for future episodes to theoddentitypodcast@gmail.com and if you’d like a transcript of this episode, one will be available at theoddentitypodcast.wordpress.com.
Please take a moment to leave a 5* review on iTunes and, if you haven’t already, please make sure to mash that Subscribe button to be sure you’re in the know when a new episode drops. Sincerest thanks to those who have promoted The ODDentity Podcast to their family, friends, and coworkers. Every little bit helps!
The ODDentity Podcast is a member of PodMoth podcast network.
https://podmoth.network

S6 Ep.8: Ripping (Part 3)

Hello dear listeners, and welcome back to another episode of The ODDentity Podcast on the PodMoth Media Network, your weekly foray into the weird, wonky, and sometimes downright spooky.
After completing the research on Jack the Ripper last week, I came to the realization that this topic is so large that it actually needs a part 3. So, this week I’ll tackle the last 2 canonical Ripper victims and also discuss the top 5 suspects for Jack the Ripper as well as take a look at more recent suspicions of who the Ripper may have been. I was going to incorporate all of the remaining information into a second episode but felt that the victims of Jack the Ripper deserved the extra airtime. If you’ve not yet listened to part 1 or part 2 of the Jack the Ripper series, please do so before listening to part 3.
I’ve been podcasting since 2017 and I thought it was about time I created some merch. I know, I know, it’s way past due. Merch is now available at Shop.spreadshirt.com/oddpodmerch. There are a few to choose from and I think you’ll like them. There are also lots of options from mousepads and buttons to tees and hats. From now until September 25th, all orders are 15% off! Show off your weird side and support your favorite podcast!
Before we proceed further, please note that the information in this episode may be distressing to some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.
The ODDentity Podcast is brought to you on a weekly basis by host Janine Mercer.
The podcast is written, produced, and edited by Janine Mercer (unless otherwise stated), and the music is provided by Garage Band.
Find the odd pod on Twitter and Instagram @oddentitypod and Facebook as The Oddentity Podcast. You are welcome to email suggestions for future episodes to theoddentitypodcast@gmail.com and if you’d like a transcript of this episode, one will be available at theoddentitypodcast.wordpress.com.
Please take a moment to leave a 5* review on iTunes and, if you haven’t already, please make sure to mash that Subscribe button to be sure you’re in the know when a new episode drops. Sincerest thanks to those who have promoted The ODDentity Podcast to their family, friends, and coworkers. Every little bit helps!
 
UNICO NUTRITION
Save $20 on your purchase at WWW.UNICONUTRITION.COM if you use code ODDENTITY at checkout!
LUME
Visit https://bit.ly/2BTUUSL and be entered every week to win a FREE Lume product! Orders over $20 get FREE first-class shipping.
Merch!
Shop.spreadshirt.com/oddpodmerch
15% off until Sept. 25th, 2020!
 
Sources
Medical report in Coroner's Inquests, no. 135, Corporation of London Records, quoted in Evans and Skinner, pp. 205–207 and Fido, pp. 70–74
Medical report in Coroner's Inquests, no. 135, Corporation of London Records, quoted in Evans and Skinner, pp. 204–205 and Fido, pp. 46–47
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Eddowes#:~:text=Catherine%20Eddowes%20(14%20April%201842,from%20late%20August%20to%20early
https://strawberrytours.com/london/blog/the-5-most-likely-jack-the-ripper-suspects-and-the-facts-against-them
The song Mary Jane Kelly was heard singing the night of her death. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yyBAB8usQI&has_verified=1
Mary Jane Kelley obit The Daily Telegraph, 19 November 1888, page 3; 20 November 1888, page 3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Jane_Kelly#cite_note-77
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Maybrick

S6 Ep. 7: Ripping (Part 2)

Hello dear listeners and welcome back to another episode The ODDentity Podcast on the PodMoth Media Network. This week we tackle the second installment of the Jack the Ripper series, delving into the list of victims and the communications the Ripper sent to police. Upon finishing this week’s script, I realized that the two-part series will actually be a 3-part series. There’s just no way to fit everything into part 2. Therefore, I’ll cover the final 2 canonical Ripper victims and the list of suspects next week along with the newest information about Jack the Ripper’s possible identity. If you haven’t listened to part 1, I’d suggest going back to listen to that episode before you tackle this one.
I’d also like to take a moment to welcome Kudzu Killers: Homicide and Sweet Tea to the PodMoth Network. Kudzu Killers is a true crime podcast featuring a couple of honest-to-goodness southern gals discussing compelling tales of southern style homicide. Be sure to listen, subscribe, and leave them a 5* review on iTunes. For a list of great podcasts, look no further than podmoth.network.
The ODDentity Podcast is brought to you on a weekly basis by host Janine Mercer.
The podcast is written, produced, and edited by Janine Mercer (unless otherwise stated), and the music is provided by Garage Band.
Find the odd pod on Twitter and Instagram @oddentitypod and Facebook as The Oddentity Podcast. You are welcome to email suggestions for future episodes to theoddentitypodcast@gmail.com and if you’d like a transcript of this episode, one will be available at theoddentitypodcast.wordpress.com.
Please take a moment to leave a 5* review on iTunes and, if you haven’t already, please make sure to mash that Subscribe button to be sure you’re in the know when a new episode drops. Sincerest thanks to those who have promoted The ODDentity Podcast to their family, friends, and coworkers. Every little bit helps!
UNICO NUTRITION
Save $20 on your purchase at WWW.UNICONUTRITION.COM if you use code ODDENTITY at checkout!
LUME
Visit https://bit.ly/2BTUUSL and be entered every week to win a FREE Lume product! Orders over $20 get FREE first-class shipping.

S6 Ep. 6: Ripping (Part 1)

Hello dear listeners, and welcome back to another episode of The ODDentity Podcast on the PodMoth Media Network, your weekly foray into the weird, wonky, and sometimes downright spooky.
This week I’ve decided to tackle the tale of Jack the Ripper, the vicious killer who stalked the darkened alleyways of London in 1888. Jack began his killing spree in August of that year and spared no violence against his victims. This is the first of two episodes on the Ripper. There’s far too much information here for one episode.
The ODDentity Podcast is brought to you on a weekly basis by host Janine Mercer.
The podcast is written, produced, and edited by Janine Mercer (unless otherwise stated), and the music is provided by Garage Band.
Find the odd pod on Twitter and Instagram @oddentitypod and on Facebook as The Oddentity Podcast. You are welcome to email suggestions for future episodes to theoddentitypodcast@gmail.com and if you’d like a transcript of this episode, one will be available at theoddentitypodcast.wordpress.com.
Please take a moment to leave a 5* review on iTunes and, if you haven’t already, please make sure to mash that Subscribe button to be sure you’re in the know when a new episode drops. Sincerest thanks to those who have promoted The ODDentity Podcast to their family, friends, and coworkers. Every little bit helps!
The ODDentity Podcast is a member of PodMoth Media Network.
https://podmoth.network
UNICO NUTRITION
Save $20 on your purchase at WWW.UNICONUTRITION.COM if you use code ODDENTITY at checkout!
LUME
Visit https://bit.ly/2BTUUSL and be entered every week to win a FREE Lume product! Orders over $20 get FREE first-class shipping.
Sources
https://whitechapeljack.com/the-ripper-letters/
https://www.jack-the-ripper.org/
https://whitechapeljack.com/the-whitechapel-murders/mary-ann-nichols/
https://www.lifedeathprizes.com/spooky-stuff/londons-victorian-slums-63294
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Abberline
https://www.jack-the-ripper.org/abberline.htm
https://www.jack-the-ripper.org/suspects.htm
https://www.lifedeathprizes.com/spooky-stuff/londons-victorian-slums-63294
https://whitechapeljack.com/jack-the-ripper-investigation/

S6 Ep. 5: Talking Board

This week, we’ll take a look at the mysterious talking board that has horrified and titillated users since 1891. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t had an experience with this particular novelty and surprised to find that there are individuals who have large collections of the boards sitting in their basements. They come in every shape and size, some made from old tabletop and others of pressboard. In this episode, we’ll also look at some of the most highly collectible Ouija artifacts and examine why these boards are still so popular today. We might even venture into the Odd Pod email for a few listener experiences.
The ODDentity Podcast is brought to you on a weekly basis by host Janine Mercer.
The podcast is written, produced, and edited by Janine Mercer (unless otherwise stated), and the music is provided by Garage Band.
Find the odd pod on Twitter and Instagram @oddentitypod and on Facebook as The Oddentity Podcast. You are welcome to email suggestions for future episodes to theoddentitypodcast@gmail.com and if you’d like a transcript of this episode, one will be available at theoddentitypodcast.wordpress.com.
Please take a moment to leave a 5* review on iTunes and, if you haven’t already, please make sure to mash that Subscribe button to be sure you’re in the know when a new episode drops. Sincerest thanks to those who have promoted The ODDentity Podcast to their family, friends, and coworkers. Every little bit helps!
 
Sources:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-strange-and-mysterious-history-of-the-ouija-board-5860627/
https://patents.google.com/patent/US446054A/en
https://www.messynessychic.com/2016/03/29/all-the-different-ouija-board-you-never-knew-existed/
https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/next/the-worlds-foremost-collector-of-ouija-boards-lives-in-colorado/486418715
 
The ODDentity Podcast is part of the PodMoth Network. https://podmoth.network

S6 Ep. 4: Monstrous

This week, I’ll introduce you to Mary Toft, an English woman from Godalming, Surrey, who in 1726 became the subject of considerable controversy when she seemingly gave birth to rabbits.
 
Shout out to Ed from Ontario for suggesting this one. Apologies that it’s taken so long.
 
Next episode will drop on August 24.
 
The ODDentity Podcast is brought to you on a weekly basis by host Janine Mercer.
The podcast is written, produced, and edited by Janine Mercer (unless otherwise stated), and the music is provided by Garage Band.
 
Find the odd pod on Twitter and Instagram @oddentitypod and Facebook as The Oddentity Podcast. You are welcome to email suggestions for future episodes to theoddentitypodcast@gmail.com and if you’d like a transcript of this episode, one will be available at theoddentitypodcast.wordpress.com.
 
Please take a moment to leave a 5* review on iTunes and, if you haven’t already, please make sure to mash that Subscribe button to be sure you’re in the know when a new episode drops. Sincerest thanks to those who have promoted The ODDentity Podcast to their family, friends, and coworkers. Every little bit helps!
 
UNICO NUTRITION
Save $20 on your purchase at WWW.UNICONUTRITION.COM if you use code ODDENTITY at checkout!
 
LUME
Visit https://bit.ly/2BTUUSL and be entered every week to win a FREE Lume product! Orders over $20 get FREE first-class shipping.
 
Sources:
Book: Delivery of Rabbets https://www.gutenberg.org/files/62720/62720-h/62720-h.htm
https://archive.org/details/shortnarrativeof00sain
https://www.npr.org/2019/11/21/781209908/mary-toft-or-the-rabbit-queen-asks-big-questions-about-small-animals
https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/mary-toft-and-her-extraordinary-delivery-of-rabbits
https://www.vice.com/sv/article/5gkvnz/woman-gives-birth-to-snake-203
https://books.google.com/books?id=O7wQAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA197#v=onepage&q=mary%20toft&f=false
https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/phantom-pregnancy#symptoms
https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/library/files/special/exhibns/month/aug2009.html
http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/2429/1/uk_bl_ethos_548708.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Toft