Episode 127: Non-Judgmental Orgy

Ghoul on Ghoul

Amanda and Sarah talk Hindu and holiday spirits for this episode. Amanda takes a look at the vetala, a vampire-like paranormal entity from India thought to have influenced Bram Stoker's Dracula. Sarah decks the halls with a series of trivia and in-depth history about why people are absolutely horny for Christmas. Other subjects covered include falling down the stairs, buying too many Triscuits, and mispronouncing yogurt names.

Recommendations:

Amanda recommends the true-crime works Blood & Flesh: The Reel Life & Ghastly Death of Al Adamson, Crazy, Not Insane, and Murder on Middle Beach, and the new horror-comedy Freaky. Sarah recommends Collected Ghost Stories by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman.

Sources:

• Amuse (Sex in Our Strange World | Why Christmas has Always Been About Sex)
• Bustle (9 Christmas Foods That Are Also Aphrodisiacs)
• History Today (Medieval Christmas)
• Wikipedia/Mistletoe
• iNews (When Santa was sexy: the sordid history of Father Christmas)

• Wikipedia/Vetala
• Mental Floss (8 of the Undead from Around the World)
• Atlas Obscura (One of Dracula’s Often Overlooked Inspirations Is the Indian Vetala)
• The Hindu (Meet Dracula’s Indian ancestor Vetala)
• The Hollywood Reporter (Hindu Group Accuses 'Sleepy Hollow' of "Distorting" Faith, Seeks Fox Apology)

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