Enthusiasts 2022 Podcast Episode Guide
Enthusiasts 2022 Podcast Episode Guide
Every episode of the show from 2022, available wherever you get your podcasts and at the links below!
Ep. 44: Reality TV
A condensed history of the most bizarre and concerning reality shows of all time, reality television's rise, and the reasons why reality TV stars gained a permanent spot in the world of pop culture.
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Ep. 43: Elvis
An overview of what goes on at the world's largest Elvis festival, the conspiracy theories surrounding Elvis's death, the rumors that Elvis worked for the FBI, and why the intrigue surrounding and the love for Elvis prevail to this day.
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Ep. 49: American Girl
This episode summarizes the origin story of American Girl and explores the sociocultural and economic factors that have shaped the brand’s evolution and lasting relevancy.
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Ep. 53: American Girl’s Historical Characters
Allison Horrocks, a trained historian and co-host of the American Girls podcast (now called Dolls of Our Lives), joins Hope to break down the ways perspectives on the American Girl books change with age, how the American Girl historical characters effectively get people interested in history, how much the American Girl brand really has or has not changed since Mattel’s acquisition, the importance of learning history, and much more!
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Ep. 54: Harry Styles
A conversation with Professor Louie Dean Valencia, who created and is set to teach a course on Harry Styles next semester at Texas State University! He explains what to expect from the course, different lenses through which to view Harry Styles' discography, the ways Harry's music relates to today's society and vice versa, and more!
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Ep. 50: D.B. Cooper
D.B. Cooper, who committed the only unsolved hijacking in commercial airline history, has become something akin to a folk legend among citizen sleuths. “Cooperites” and other true-crime enthusiasts still pour over theories and potential suspects to this day, both in online forums and at in-person meet-ups like CooperCon. Part of the enduring fascination with D.B. Cooper’s story is the amount of unknowns: did he survive his jump off the airplane? Was his bomb real? Did he act alone? What suspects seem the most and least likely? Why do so many people suspect they know “the REAL D.B. Cooper”? And how is the emotional investment in his daring mission still prevalent nearly fifty years after he pulled it off? Hope talks with Darren Schaefer, host of The Cooper Vortex, to find out.
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Ep. 45: Kelly Weill on the All Things Conspiracy Theories
A conversation with Kelly Weill, a reporter for The Daily Beast, co-host of the Fever Dreams podcast, and author of the book OFF THE EDGE: Flat Earthers, Conspiracy Culture, and Why People Will Believe Anything. Her and Hope discuss the history of the Flat Earth Movement, the overlap among conspiracy theory groups online, the implications of de-platforming misinformation-spreaders, ways to bring conspiracy theorists out of an alternate reality, and much more.
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Ep. 55: The History of “Satanic Panic” (Ch. 1)
Go Ask Alice told the harrowing story of a teenage girl’s spiral into drug addiction. Jay’s Journal told the story of a young boy’s fixation on satanic rituals and dark magic. VOICES told four stories about teenagers experiencing their own identity and mental health crises. What fierce critics and passionate fans of these books alike did not know: they were all fiction. The “real diaries” and case files of which these books consisted were all from the mind of one woman: Beatrice Sparks, a fame-hungry author who used genuine concerns to perpetuate conspiracy theories about dark influences on teens. This series of episodes covers the impact of Sparks’ books and other media on the American psyche. Sparks’ books triggered a ripple effect of paranoia in parents, but so did many other pieces of pop culture without even trying, from Dungeons & Dragons to rock music. The story of the “Satanic Panic” is one of how both innocent creators got swept up in conspiratorial allegations and how bad actors used this moment of mass hysteria to exploit parental concerns and confusion about “kids these days.” The “Satanic Panic” speaks volumes about how certain people can get away with bald-faced lies and conspiratorial beliefs for so long, how the power of suggestion can lead parents to genuinely believe satanic forces are to blame for teens’ crises, and how just a few books can redefine popular opinion.
Part one: Sparks’ upbringing, the true elements of Go Ask Alice and Jay’s Journal, and the early days of censorship campaigns.
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Part two: how so many innocent people were deemed “satanists” and had their lives turned upside-down because of it, how Beatrice Sparks’ books were able to keep their credibility despite her growing brazenness about lying in them, and how the “Satanic Panic” still impacts society today.
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Part three: a conversation with Rick Emerson about Unmask Alice: LSD, Satanic Panic, and the Imposter Behind the World's Most Notorious Diaries. His book covers the life of Beatrice Sparks and the roles her books, particularly Go Ask Alice and Jay's Journal, played in furthering the “Satanic Panic.”
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Ep. 52: Famous Disappearances
This episode covers true stories of celebrities disappearing, the efforts - and sometimes lack thereof - to find them, and what the public’s response to high-profile mysteries says about how stars are remembered by both conspiracy theorists and genuine fans.
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Ep. 51: Scammer Stories
A man created a fake restaurant that topped Tripadvisor’s list of the best restaurants in London. A woman repeatedly took on a new identity and fled town as soon as her bills - both financial and metaphorical - came due. An influencer was caught using her supporters to launder money. A chef sold a questionably edible product to her followers. Do stories like these, of stars misleading or outright betraying the public, make a notable dent in their popularity, or is all quickly forgiven? What does it take to completely end fans’ trust in an idol? Where do fans draw the line at supporting deceptive people? This episode does not just cover many examples of times celebrities were accused of scamming their admirers, but also the aftermaths of some of the alleged scams. Beneath the surface of these fascinating true stories lies an even more interesting story about the nature of celebrity, fan loyalty, and the limitations of both.
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Ep. 58: Twitter and Tech Bros
The first part of this episode recaps all the major changes to Twitter since Elon Musk bought it and dives into the now-public text exchanges Musk had with famous friends in the lead-up to the acquisition. The second part looks at the backstories of the Silicon Valley types who have Musk's ear, what they believe, and how their views and goals might be shaping Musk's own. Lastly, this episode explains what "longtermism" is all about, a popular mentality among Musk's acquaintances that explains some of their more peculiar fixations. Understanding Elon's inner circle and filter bubble help answer the question on many people's minds lately: what is Elon thinking?!
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Ep. 46: Elon Musk (Part 1)
This two-part episode seeks to make sense of who Elon Musk is, who the "Musketeers" are, and why Musk has consistently been present in the public conversation, both online and in the "real world." After a quick overview of Musk's past and current business endeavors, a comprehensive timeline lays out Musk's social media history, personal and professional lives, career highlights and lowlights, and other moments that are key to understanding why, like it or not, Musk's popularity and level of influence come as no surprise.
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Ep. 47: Elon Musk (Part 2)
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Ep. 48: Celebrity Trials
Those who closely follow celebrity trials fall into two main categories: diehard fans of the person on trial and opportunists who seek to make social media posts and/or merchandise using content from the proceedings. This episode looks at examples of how both types of spectators have made a scene outside of courtrooms, gained money and/or fame from their public support of stars on trial, and have overall shaped public narratives more than many realize. A wide variety of celebrity cases (and the superfans and grifters involved in them) are covered, including those of Elizabeth Holmes, Anna Delvey, Lori Loughlin, and TikTok star Cameron Herrin. Later on, particular attention is paid to the immense amount of social media content made in response to the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial, the reasons why the trial was livestreamed in the first place, and future implications of both the verdict and the social media activity surrounding the story.
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The Year in Review
In addition to summarizing every episode of Enthusiasts that came out in 2022, this episode includes status updates on previously-covered stories and not-yet-told stories related to these episode topics!
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Read about and stream older episodes of Enthusiasts here!
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