What a Creep

Margo Donohue
What a Creep

Hosts Margo and Sonia chat about Creeps. We talk about Creeps of the past and the present: It's the who's who of who's the worst. Do you have a story about one of the Creeps we covered? Email us at whatacreeppodcast@gmail.com.

  1. Harry Powers & the Inspiration for "The Night of the Hunter"

    1 NOV

    Harry Powers & the Inspiration for "The Night of the Hunter"

    What a Creep Harry Powers: The Inspiration for “The Night of the Hunter” Season 27, Episode 3 Harry Powers, often called the "Lonely Hearts Killer," was a notorious American serial killer active in the early 1930s. Born Herman Drenth in the Netherlands in 1892, he emigrated to the United States and eventually settled in West Virginia. Powers used personal ads in newspapers to target his victims, posing as a lonely, wealthy bachelor seeking companionship. He lured women, often widows or divorcées, with promises of marriage and financial security. In 1931, Powers was arrested and charged with the murders of Asta Eicher, a widow from Illinois, her three children, and another woman named Dorothy Lemke from Massachusetts. His murders were shockingly brutal; he confined his victims in a hidden room in his garage before killing them. After murdering his victims, Powers took their money and belongings. Powers' trial received extensive media coverage due to the horrific details and his manipulative use of "lonely hearts" ads. He was ultimately convicted and sentenced to death, being hanged on March 18, 1932, in Moundsville, West Virginia. His crimes have inspired books and films, solidifying his infamy as a symbol of betrayal in love and trust. Harry Powers was also a significant inspiration for the novel and subsequent film The Night of the Hunter. The novel was written by Davis Grubb in 1953 and adapted into a film in 1955. (We covered this on one of my other shows, Book Vs. Movie!) Content Warning: Murder  Sources for this episode:·         West Virginia Archives & History:·         The Hur Herald·         Wikipedia·         West Virginia University Libraries:·         Murderpedia:·         Serial Killer: The Quiet Dell Killer·         West Virginia’s Lonely Hearts Killer by Angela Fielder·         Newspapers.com: The History of Lonely-Hearts Ads·         YouTube “Well, I Never”·         YouTube “Appalachian Monsters…”·         YouTube “Scary Facts” Be sure to follow us on social media. But don’t follow us too closely … don’t be a creep about it!  Subscribe to us on Apple PodcastsTwitter: a...

    55 min
  2. The Salem Witch Trials and NON-Creep Margaret Hamilton (The "Bad" Witch)

    18 OCT

    The Salem Witch Trials and NON-Creep Margaret Hamilton (The "Bad" Witch)

    What a Creep The Salem Witch Trials Season 27, Episode 1 The Salem Witch Trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions that took place in colonial Massachusetts from February 1692 to May 1693. These trials resulted in the execution of 20 individuals, most of whom were women, who were accused of practicing witchcraft. The hysteria began in the Puritan village of Salem, which is now present-day Danvers, but the panic quickly spread to other communities in the region. In this episode, we explore what life was like in Salem Village and examine the factors that led nearly 20% of its population to believe that they or their neighbors were involved in witchcraft. Trigger Warnings: Description of executions and religious abuse. Sources for this episode: The Salem Witch Trials TEDTalk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVd8kuufBhMHistory Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wEenXmeRHgSmithsonian Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHm2vttW0QoWeird History: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSWyevQzEF8Wikipedia:Crash Course European History: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW4XFiHUQAsHistory.com: https://www.history.com/topics/colonial-america/salem-witch-trialsSalem.org: https://www.salem.org/salem-witch-trials/Penn Today: https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/possessed-salem-witch-trialsNew England Law: https://www.nesl.edu/blog/detail/a-true-legal-horror-story-the-laws-leading-to-the-salem-witch-trialsSmithsonian magazine: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-brief-history-of-the-salem-witch-trials-175162489/National Endowment for the Humanities: https://www.neh.gov/article/records-salem-witch-trials Be sure to follow us on social media. But don’t follow us too closely … don’t be a creep about it!  Subscribe to us on Apple PodcastsTwitter: https://twitter.com/CreepPod @CreepPodFacebook: Join the private group! Instagram @WhatACreepPodcastVisit our Patreon page: a href="https://www.patreon.com/whatacreep" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer...

    57 min
  3. Charlie Chaplin (Replay episode of The Little Tramp)

    11 OCT

    Charlie Chaplin (Replay episode of The Little Tramp)

    What a Creep: Season 9, Episode 8 Replay!  Charlie Chaplin Sonia & Margo replay their season nine Charlie Chaplin episode as he was one of the movie's most influential and recognizable faces. The image of the Little Tramp is a part of cultural history. It’s shorthand for classic film. Chaplin wrote, directed, produced, edited, starred in, and composed the music for most of his movies. Six of Chaplin's films have been selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress: “The Immigrant,” “The Kid,” “The Gold Rush,” “City Lights,” “Modern Times,” and “The Great Dictator.” Chaplin was also a womanizing control freak who had sex with underage girls. Sources for this episode include: Charlie Chaplin's official website“Charlie Chaplin” by Peter AckroydCharlie Chaplin: A Brief LifeThe New YorkerRankerViceBiographyWikipedia If you want to learn more about silent movie history and Chaplin’s influence, check out the documentary, “Moguls & Movies Stars: A History of Hollywood” Trigger warning: Adultery and statutory rape. Be sure to follow us on social media, but don’t follow us too closely… don’t be a creep about it! Subscribe to us on Apple PodcastsTwitter: https://twitter.com/CreepPod @CreepPodFacebook: Join the private group! Instagram @WhatACreepPodcastVisit our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/whatacreepEmail: WhatACreepPodcast@gmail.com We’ve got merch here! https://whatacreeppodcast.threadless.com/#Our website is www.whatacreeppodcast.com Our logo was created by Claudia Gomez-Rodriguez follow her on Instagram @ClaudInCloud

    41 min
  4. Roy Cohn, "The Apprentice," & his mentorship of Trump

    4 OCT

    Roy Cohn, "The Apprentice," & his mentorship of Trump

    What a Creep: Roy Cohn (Updated Intro & Replay from Season 4) Roy Cohn (1927–1986) was a prominent American lawyer known for his involvement in controversial cases. He gained national attention as chief counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy during the McCarthy hearings in the 1950s. After working with McCarthy, Cohn became a private attorney, representing clients like Donald Trump and mafia bosses. Cohn's manipulative strategies served as a foundation for Trump's later tactics in his political career. Allegations of unethical behavior marked Cohn's career, and he was disbarred in 1986 for professional misconduct. He died of AIDS-related complications shortly after.  The Apprentice (2024), directed by Ali Abbasi, is a controversial film that delves into Trump's (played by Sebastian Stan) early life, focusing on his rise in the 1970s and 1980s. The movie centers around Trump's relationship with his mentor, Cohn, played by Jeremy Strong. Sources for this episode: Roy Cohn WikipediaThe AtlanticPoliticoEsquireLife magazine (1988)"Where's My Roy Cohn" trailer (directed by Matt Tyrnauer)"Citizen Cohn" (1992) starring James WoodsThe Fixers: by Joe Palazollo & Michael RothfeldThe Apprentice (2024 trailer)Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn (2019)Be sure to follow us on social media. But don’t follow us too closely … don’t be a creep about it!  Subscribe to us on Apple PodcastsTwitter: https://twitter.com/CreepPod @CreepPodFacebook: Join the private group! Instagram @WhatACreepPodcastVisit our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/whatacreepEmail:...

    1 hr

About

Hosts Margo and Sonia chat about Creeps. We talk about Creeps of the past and the present: It's the who's who of who's the worst. Do you have a story about one of the Creeps we covered? Email us at whatacreeppodcast@gmail.com.

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