Escaped Nuns from Evil Convents
In the late summer of 1834, a torch-wielding mob burned down a Boston convent for reasons that sound a lot like . . . Pizzagate. Fueled by rumors of kidnappings, papal paranoia and phony exposés, cons...
31 Okt 202420min
The Feminine Draw of Contemporary Conspiracy (Culture Study with Anne Helen Petersen)
What’s the difference between a conspiracy theory and gossip? When does joking around about Kate Middleton’s abduction turn into something much darker? Are women actually more susceptible to contempor...
24 Okt 20241h 10min
The Kamala Harris Disinfo Dossier
From cuckoo claims she’s secretly a man to attacks questioning her Blackness, Kamala Harris conspiracy theories are one of the most predictable features of the 2024 election, it turns out. Disinformat...
21 Okt 202431min
The Transvestigation of Michelle Obama
What can an obscure conspiracy theory involving Michelle Obama, Joan Rivers and the deep state tell us about the gender panicked rise of reactionary politics? Enter “transvestigation”—a brain-rot cons...
10 Okt 202443min
Did #FreeBritney Really Free Britney?
Free Britney started as fan sleuthing, which ultimately helped end Britney Spears’ conservatorship, sparked a pop cultural reckoning and galvanized a disability rights movement. Podcaster and comic Te...
3 Okt 202441min
Greta Thunberg: Climate Conspiracy's Forever Scapegoat
At just 16, Greta Thunberg led the largest climate protest in history—and became a target for right-wing conspiracy theories. Scholar Emily Ryalls dissects how Greta was recast as a hysterical pawn of...
26 Sep 202438min
Avril Lavigne's Clone Hoax That Won't Die
Who sparked the bizarre conspiracy theory that Avril Lavigne was replaced by a clone named Melissa, and why does it still persist? Snopes reporter Nur Ibrahim unravels the allure of celebrity death ho...
19 Sep 202437min
Meghan Markle's Royal Pregnancy Truthers
Why did Meghan Markle's pregnancies unleash tabloid rumors and unprecedented speculation? Royal reporter Ellie Hall unravels the community committed to exposing their “Duchess of Deception,” from clai...
12 Sep 202436min
