Best Warped Cortex Media Podcasts (2024)

1
9: Lloyd Welch and the Disappearance of the Lyon Sisters -- Part 2 of 2 1:35:33

2M ago1:35:33

1:35:33

Allison and Jayson last left you in Part 1 with police beginning their questioning of Lloyd Lee Welch, a man who they'd initially thought a witness to the kidnapping of Katherine and Sheila Lyon at the Wheaton Plaza mall in 1975 by their original suspect, Ray Mileski. However, Welch soon takes police on a dark and murky path that leads to him becom…

1
8: Lloyd Welch and the Disappearance of the Lyon Sisters -- Part 1 of 2 1:22:21

2M ago1:22:21

1:22:21

In this joint episode with the Silver Linings Handbook podcast, Allison and Jayson tackle what is to date the oldest no-body homicide case to receive a conviction in the US. In 1975, sisters Sheila (12) and Katherine (10) Lyon were going for a slice of pizza at a popular Baltimore-area shopping mall when they disappeared without a trace. But there …

1
7: Ed Gein 43:45

3M ago43:45

43:45

In 1957, Ed Gein's gruesome crimes of murder, grave robbing, and corpse abuse shocked the the tiny town of Plainfield, Wisconsin as well as the rest of the world, giving rise to a cottage industry of horror franchises, and serving as a grim reminder of how deep isolation, illness, and an unshakable Oedipus complex can drive some to commit some of t…

1
6: Patty Hearst: From Heiress to Hostage to Outlaw 51:19

3M ago51:19

51:19

In the 50th year since the kidnapping of heiress Patricia Hearst by the Symbionese Liberation Army, and the resulting crime spree that shocked the nation, we can acknowledge the vintage pedigree of the case. But was she truly a villain? She was certainly portrayed that way throughout her saga in the mid-1970s, but two US Presidents would intervene …

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5: Patty Cannon and the Reverse Underground Railroad 1:33:41

4M ago1:33:41

1:33:41

This week, Allison and her guest Jayson Blair unravel the dark saga of Patty Cannon, a mastermind behind the Reverse Underground Railroad, whereby free Blacks were kidnapped in the north and sold to southern plantations desperate for them in the wake of the ban on imported slaves in 1807. But not only did the Cannon-Johnson gang, as it would come t…

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4: John Wilkes Booth -- Part 2: Sic Semper Tyrannis 1:26:26

4M ago1:26:26

1:26:26

In the final act of this grim tale, Allison and Jayson unravel the missteps and ultimate outcomes of John Wilkes Booth and his conspirators, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater and the attempted assassinations of Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward, to the Booth's final stand at a tobacco farm…

1
3: John Wilkes Booth -- Part 1: Setting the Stage 1:10:00

4M ago1:10:00

1:10:00

In this two-part historical odyssey, Allison and her guest Jayson Blair of the Silver Linings Handbook podcast weave through the transformative year of 1865, where the final throes of the Civil War and the ratification of the 13th Amendment are only a couple of the events that factored into John Wilkes Booth's fateful decision to murder the Preside…

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Introducing Allison's New Podcast: Vintage Villains -- Episode 1 Belle Gunness 1:10:19

5M ago1:10:19

1:10:19

That's right, Ding Dongs. The Queen is starting a SECOND podcast. It's specifically geared toward historical true crime (cases prior to 1980, and going back as far as human history itself). After a brief introduction, Allison will plunge you right into 1908 and the world of infamous Midwest female serial killer, Belle Gunness, who was reeling in an…

1
2: Vasily Blokhin and the Katyn Massacre 54:00

5M ago54:00

54:00

This week's episode is crammed with enough villains to last several lifetimes, but Vasily Blokhin gets the title spot, because he still reigns as the current Guinness World Record holder for most prolific executioner/mass murderer, with more than 7000 killings to his name. And that's only for the Katyn Massacre. As Joseph Stalin's chief executioner…

1
1: Belle Gunness 57:38

5M ago57:38

57:38

The year 1908 brought a lot of marvels and advancements, and the discovery of dozens of bodies buried on a lonely widow's pig farm in LaPorte, Indiana was certainly among the most memorable. Belle Gunness came to the United States from Norway in search of love and riches, and that's exactly what she found. And it would come at a hideous cost. Quest…

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Vintage Villains Trailer 0:45

5M ago0:45

0:45

By Warped Cortex Media

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Coming Soon: Vintage Villains -- A Historical True Crime Podcast 0:44

5M ago0:44

0:44

Coming March 1st, a historical true crime podcast hosted by the Queen Ding Dong herself, Allison Dickson.

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44: It's Time to Talk About 'Gone Girl' 1:38:56

6M ago1:38:56

1:38:56

The topic of Gone Girl was an inevitable for this show. The 2012 bestselling phenomenon by Gillian Flynn blew millions of readers away with its stunning plot twist, but it also caused one of the biggest plot twists in Allison's own life. This episode, featuring Jayson Blair of the Silver Linings Handbook, explores the dark and faceted marriage of N…

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Joining The Silver Linings Handbook: Our Fascination with Darkness 1:41:56

8M ago1:41:56

1:41:56

Recently, Allison appeared on the Silver Linings Handbook with Jayson Blair to discuss our collective fascination with darkness. Why do some of us love things like horror stories and true crime? And are we doing ourselves disservice by avoiding those things entirely? All that and more in this talk. Listen to Jayson's show here: https://silverlining…

1
43: Ding Dong Movie Time -- The Menu 1:37:13

8M ago1:37:13

1:37:13

As we prepare to hunker down to stuff our faces with delicious delights this holiday season, Allison and her trusty movie buddy Josh from Press Play and Scream bring you a rousing discussion on the diabolically epicurean 2022 masterpiece, The Menu, starring Anya Taylor Joy, Nicholas Hoult, and Ralph Fiennes.…

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42: Let's Talk About Witchcraft 1:39:10

9M ago1:39:10

1:39:10

For the ultimate Halloween celebration, it seemed an opportune time to discuss another well-known trope of the season. This week we're joined by Nathaniel Dickson, the eldest spawn of our host! Nate has dabbled in the craft for the last several years, and they're here to bring all their practical knowledge and insights into things like tarot cards,…

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41: Let's Talk About Werewolves 1:24:23

9M ago1:24:23

1:24:23

This week of spooky month, Allison and Jayson Blair of the Silver Linings Handbook podcast sit down for a thoughtful discussion on the long history and complex culture surrounding another one of our universal monsters: the werewolf. From symbolizing the harmony between person and beast in various indigenous cultures, to the fear of our own animalis…

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40: Let's Talk About Zombies 1:18:23

9M ago1:18:23

1:18:23

Last year, friend of the show Brett from The Prosecutors podcast came on to talk with Allison about ghosts and his time as a paranormal investigator. This time, they're going all in on a discussion of a different form of the restless dead: ZOMBIES, those flesh-craving ghouls that have a lot more going on with them historically and culturally than m…

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39: Let's Talk About Vampires 2:01:33

10M ago2:01:33

2:01:33

We're getting tropey with it this October, with a series of episodes on some core spooky creatures and lore. And no such event would be complete without a comprehensive discussion on everyone's favorite bloodsuckers, VAMPIRES! Josh from Press Play and Scream joins the show and together, he and Allison cover the gamut, beginning with the origins of …

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38: Bad Art, Pulp Cinema, and the Wonders of Tubi 1:29:16

10M ago1:29:16

1:29:16

This week, Allison sits down with famed author Ed Kurtz to discuss his new anthology, IN THE COLD, COLD GROUND coming soon from Cemetery Dance, but then he sticks around a little longer to open up about his love affair with cinema, and in particular the never-seen low/no budget weird wonders of yesteryear and today. What makes us love "bad art?" Wh…

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37: Ding Dong Movie Time -- The Banshees of Inisherin 1:15:51

11M ago1:15:51

1:15:51

Better late than never! Back in Episode 29, Allison and her fellow cinephile Josh Bermont discussed director Martin McDonagh's amazing debut crime film, IN BRUGES, starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. Now you can listen to the rest of that discussion, as they dig into the latest film by this legendary trio, THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, which c…

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36: Finale -- The Cult of Multi-Level Marketing Companies 49:10

12M ago49:10

49:10

In the last episode of their coverage on multi-level marketing companies, Allison and Beverly delve into the darkest of the dark side of these schemes, selecting several personal accounts found online as well as talking a little bit about one particularly gnarly company the Feds shut down back in the early seventies for deceptive trade practices, a…

1
Ding Dong Ditch: Amway is STILL a Scam, Bae 27:12

1y ago27:12

27:12

Allison and Beverly are BACK to tie up some loose ends from the original Amway episode with this first Ding Dong Ditch episode that has a guest! We dissect an interesting listener review as well as further flesh out the political influence of Amway and how it came to write the book on current laws governing the industry. Finally, we hope to clarify…

1
Ding Dong Ditch: The Pinkerton Detective Agency -- Heroes or Hired Thugs? 32:15

1y ago32:15

32:15

Recently, news reported on the raid of a YouTuber's home by the Pinkerton agency in the recovery of some potentially ill-gotten gains. Magic: The Gathering cards... yeah... Anyway, you've probably heard of the Pinkertons before. They have a history so rife with blood they should probably be called the Reddingtons. From protecting trains and stage c…

1
Joining the 80s High Podcast: 'The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults' 2:26:04

1y ago2:26:04

2:26:04

It was a billed as the biggest sensation of its time in 1986 when famed TV journalist Geraldo Rivera brought us a 2 hour live special all about the infamous Chicago gangster Al Capone and the secret tunnels and vaults discovered beneath one of his old hotels. The idea was Capone had stashed away some of his ill-gotten gains down there, and the worl…

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35: Ding Dong Movie Time -- In Bruges 1:25:21

1y ago1:25:21

1:25:21

Allison and Josh from the Press Play and Scream podcast are back yet again to jibjab about some wacky flicks! This time, they're taking on the brilliant playwright turned cinematic auteur, Martin McDonagh's brilliant 2008 bleak comedy film, In Bruges. Starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two hitmen who, after a job gone horribly wrong, are…

1
Ding Dong Ditch: The Whirlwind Life and Tragic Death of Jayne Mansfield 16:01

1y ago16:01

16:01

She was one of the last of the blonde bombshell stars of the 20th century, a singer, actress, comedian, and a cunning rival of Marilyn Monroe. Her life was cut tragically short on a late summer night in 1967, and her death left an unusual legacy that you probably encounter every day without realizing it. Additional Info: https://allthatsinteresting…

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34: Amway is a Scam, Bae: The Cult of Multi-Level Marketing Companies -- Part 2 1:33:00

1y ago1:33:00

1:33:00

In the second part of their dive into MLMs, Allison and Beverly pull two more beefy deceivers out of the hat: Amway and Primerica. Whereas a lot of MLMs set their hooks in women, particularly stay-at-home moms looking to make a quick buck, these companies tend to have a much broader net, and when it comes to Amway in particular, you'll find yoursel…

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33: Pyramid Worship: The Cult of Multi-Level Marketing Companies -- Part 1 1:20:11

1y ago1:20:11

1:20:11

In this first of a multi-part series, Allison and her pal Beverly start a journey of revelation and personal reminiscence through the shady world of multi-level marketing companies, beginning with a couple of the OGs from that world: Avon and Tupperware. These brands are highly nostalgic and carry a lot of cultural weight, but they are only the tip…

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32: Ding Dong Movie Time: Apocalypse Now and the Hearts of Darkness 2:02:29

1y ago2:02:29

2:02:29

In 1979, Francis Ford Coppola released Apocalypse Now, his stunning, surreal Vietnam war-fueled adaptation of Joseph Conrad's 1899 book, The Heart of Darkness. But even more harrowing than the events onscreen were the ones happening behind the camera as over a year of filming began to take its toll on everyone involved. Drugs, nervous breakdowns, m…

1
31: Ten Countries, Ten Mysteries: International True Crime -- Part 2 of 2 1:48:26

1+ y ago1:48:26

1:48:26

We're wrapping up our global tour of the Top 10 Ding Dong Countries by bringing you a mystery from the final five. What are they? Well... we'll leave you to listen and find out, but they do all have one thing in common: GERMANY IS EVERYWHERE. This episode is bringing you Van Gogh (murder or suicide?), a possible cryptic code to a mysterious homicid…

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30: Ten Countries, Ten Mysteries: International True Crime Part 1 of 2 1:49:46

1+ y ago1:49:46

1:49:46

As promised when we celebrated the Top 10 American listener cities by bringing you an interesting mystery from each one, Allison and Chris are back to deliver 10 mysteries from the show's top listener countries! No passport needed for this epic journey. But you may want to bring a coat. It's a little chilly in some of these locales... Additional In…

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29: Ding Dong Movie Time: The Descent 1:27:38

1+ y ago1:27:38

1:27:38

This week, Allison and Chris descend into a discussion of one of their favorite horror films of all time, the 2005 subterranean masterpiece, The Descent. But is it really a movie about a caving adventure gone horribly awry... or is it a home invasion story? Also, which ending is your favorite? So much good discussion and more, so gear up, grab your…

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28: Ten Cities, Ten Mysteries -- A True Crime Bonanza Part 2 of 2 1:24:20

1+ y ago1:24:20

1:24:20

Allison and Chris round out the shout-out to the show's most popular listener cities by bringing you some pretty heavy hitting mysteries from the Top 5! In Dallas, we bring the story of a possibly haunted landmark, the Goatman Bridge, with some chilling lore that feels true, even if it might not be. Next we travel to the Rocky Mountains of Denver, …

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27: Ten Cities, Ten Mysteries -- A True Crime Bonanza Part 1 of 2 1:24:24

1+ y ago1:24:24

1:24:24

At the end of 2022, Allison and Chris decided to craft something of a love letter to the Top 10 cities that regularly tune in to Ding Dong Darkness Time every week. So we started scouring for a mystery to highlight in what might very well be your neck of the woods! We start at a bleeding house in Atlanta before traveling to the odd little enclave o…

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26: The Cult of Teal Swan Part 2 of 2: If She's An Alien, She's Not a Very Nice One 1:27:49

1+ y ago1:27:49

1:27:49

Allison, Chris, and Beverly are back this week to wrap up their discussion on controversial cult... or spiritual influencer Teal Swan, and forewarning, it gets a little dark as we discuss topics of abuse, assault, and suicide, and all the ways Teal has been instrumental in promoting these things among her inner circle. If you are struggling with th…

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25: The Cult of Teal Swan Part 1 of 2: The Fathoms of Deceit 1:14:06

1+ y ago1:14:06

1:14:06

We're continuing our cults series by diving into what we've termed Cults 2.0, the online self-help gurus who've made it their mission to deliver spiritual wisdom and healing to the global masses via YouTube, Instagram, and other online platforms. And one particularly polarizing figure in this world is self-identified "social catalyst" Teal Swan. We…

1
Ding Dong Ditch: Let's Talk About Pain 22:08

1+ y ago22:08

22:08

Yes that's right, Ding Dongs. Allison is back after a longer than intended hiatus. In this short episode, she talks a little bit about the circumstances behind her absence, and she can't do that without talking about the scourge of chronic pain and all the damage it can do. Not only physically, but emotionally and cognitively. Additional Info: Long…

1
Ding Dong Ditch: Why True Crime? 23:16

1+ y ago23:16

23:16

For the final episode of 2022, we decided to close out the year on a reflection of why so many of us love the genre of true crime. Though it's important to get something out of the way real quick: this obsession is nothing new for humans. In fact, it goes back centuries. We've only become better at making and distributing it since the days of the g…

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24: Class of Cults - Doomsday Cults and The Order of the Solar Temple 49:24

1+ y ago49:24

49:24

Who would have guessed that the disbandment of the Knights Templar in 1309 would have led to centuries of people scrambling to lay claim to their legacy as descendants of the legendary order of Catholic knights? With a lot of mysticism borrowed from a dozen different spiritual movements, including Christianity, Rosicrucianism, and perhaps a smidge …

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Ding Dong Ditch: Three Incredible Heists You Might Not Know About 18:13

1+ y ago18:13

18:13

On this Ding Dong Ditch episode, Allison does short dives on three incredible heists that netted millions of dollars in stolen assets. The robbery of the Central Bank of Forteleza Brazil in 2005 involved digging a 300 foot long tunnel from a front business into a bank vault holding the equivalent $70 million American dollars, in a case that spanned…

1
Joining The Prosecutors Podcast: Adolfo Constanzo and the Cult of Narcosatanism 1:39:27

1+ y ago1:39:27

1:39:27

This special holiday week, let us all give thanks for the lovely Brett and Alice over on The Prosecutors, who had Allison on to talk about a particularly grisly cult that operated out of Mexico in the 1980s. Adolfo Constanzo and his followers perverted the religion of Palo Mayombe to aid in their drug dealing enterprise. Countless murders, includin…

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23: Class of Cults -- The Long Tide of the Moonies aka The Unification Church 48:44

1+ y ago48:44

48:44

If you think Reverend Sun Myoung Moon was merely interested in mass marriages in baseball stadiums, then buckle up, because there is a whole lot to learn about the vast empire built by the now late religious figure who used anti-communist sentiment and Christianity to begin a following in South Korea in the 1950s, and then gain far-reaching influen…

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Ding Dong Ditch: Skulls, Cattle, and Lightning -- The Cults of the Neolithic Era 15:52

1+ y ago15:52

15:52

Life was hard in early human history. And around 10,000 years ago during the Neolithic Period, when our interests turned to gathering in stationary settlements and manipulating the earth and animals in our favor, it became particularly challenging to hold it all together in the face of elemental forces we take for granted these days. This was ferti…

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22: Class of Cults -- The Ultimate Cult Primer Episode 2:17:22

1+ y ago2:17:22

2:17:22

If you're a psychology nerd or always wanted to be, the premier episode of Season 3: Class of Cults is all for you. Allison gathers with two of her dearest friends, Chris from 80s High, who also happens to have a psychology degree, and Dr. Bart Abplanalp, noted forensic psychologist, to discuss what cults are, what types of cults exist, and all the…

1
Ding Dong Ditch: Devil's Night and Other Halloween Hijinks 18:52

1+ y ago18:52

18:52

Halloween is a time of great traditions. Most are wholesome, but some are destructive. The concept of Mischief Nights, usually preceding Halloween by a day or two, go back to the late 1700s in England, but they eventually popped up in the United States. And in Detroit in particular, things got particularly fiery for a number of years until the city…

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21: I See Dead People: Allison and Brett Talk Ghosts 1:48:39

2y ago1:48:39

1:48:39

By popular demand, Ding Dong Darkness Time strays into the spiritual realm just in time for Halloween. Brett from The Prosecutors joins Allison to talk about his time as a paranormal researcher. Yes, that's right. Among being an amazing podcast host and hot shot lawyer guy, the man hunted ghosts, and he has brought with him some incredible insights…

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20: The Found Footage Horror Movie Fest 2:06:14

2y ago2:06:14

2:06:14

In the spirit of the Halloween season, Allison and Chris join forces to talk about their favorite subgenre of horror: found footage! And because they're a couple of oldsters, they wax about how awesome it was to experience the viral marketing campaign around The Blair Witch Project as it was coming out. But that's far from all they cover here. The …

1
Ding Dong Ditch: Bloody Mary, Toilet Spirits, and Black Mirrors 19:30

2y ago19:30

19:30

It's October, peak Ding Dong Darkness Month, and this episode gets things off with a roaring start by summoning Bloody Mary and what other toilet spirits might be lurking about. What's up with that bit of folklore anyway? Sprits in the bathroom? And can you really summon a scary woman by speaking her name 13 times into a mirror? Maybe! Get ready fo…

1
Ding Dong Ditch: The Sodder Family Mystery 29:50

2y ago29:50

29:50

Twas the night before Christmas in 1945, and the Sodder family was settling in for the night at their Fayetteville, West Virginia home. However, in the wee hours of the night, a fire broke out, and five of the nine Sodder children were never accounted for after the blaze. Over the decades, speculation raged as the family continued to believe that t…

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