[indistinct chatter]

Aliza Hollister

you know that friend who always has the most random info and somehow makes it the most interesting thing you've heard all week? hi, that's me. i'm aliza and indistinct chatter is where we break down the news, spiral into history and conspiracies, talk pop culture, and somehow tie it all together. no fluff, no lectures. just the scoop. new episodes every tuesday.

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    Chemtrails, Bunkers, and Big Pharma: The Conspiracy Theories Taking Over Right Now

    This week on [indistinct chatter], I'm kicking things off with the news: Trump's Easter posts about Iran (yes, really), the Strait of Hormuz and what the "oil running out" panic actually means, the Supreme Court's conversion therapy ruling and why it's scarier than it sounds, the pattern I'm noticing of women being placed in high-visibility roles only to take the fall, and the Artemis II launch that genuinely made me cry. Plus Summer House drama, Coachella, and AI surveillance expanding in ways most people haven't noticed. Then we get into the main episode: the conspiracy theories that are actively circulating right now and why people believe them. I'm breaking down chemtrails vs. contrails vs. cloud seeding: what's real, what's not, and why the theory keeps spreading. I get into the secret bunker and climate cover-up theories, and why the fear behind them isn't entirely irrational. I talk space conspiracies and why the unknown will always be fertile ground for the imagination. And then Big Pharma (the one I hold the most space for) including GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, why food companies are suddenly obsessed with protein, and whether any of the "it's all connected" theories actually have merit. I always keep one hand out of the rabbit hole. But I love seeing which patterns are real and which ones we're making up. Come down the rabbit hole with me. 🐰 New episodes of [indistinct chatter] are available every Tuesday anywhere you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, sharing it is the biggest way you can support the show. Send it to a friend, post it to your stories, or tell someone about it. And if you have a minute, leaving a rating and review helps more people discover the podcast. Find me on Instagram: @indistinct.pod or @alizahollister 📲

    59 min

  2. 31 MAR

    Women Built Horror: From Mary Shelley to Modern Feminist Horror (And Why It Still Matters)

    Today’s episode of [indistinct chatter] is a little different. We’re closing out Women’s History Month, and instead of doing a general recap, I wanted to take a deep dive into something specific… and honestly, something I love: horror. Because women didn’t just contribute to horror… they built it. From Ann Radcliffe redefining fear in the 1700s, to Mary Shelley creating an entirely new kind of horror rooted in science and humanity, to Shirley Jackson turning the genre inward and making it deeply psychological. Women have been shaping horror from the very beginning. And today, that legacy continues with creators like Jennifer Kent, Ana Lily Amirpour, and Diablo Cody, who are using horror to explore grief, identity, trauma, and what it actually means to survive. In this episode, I break down how horror evolved from external monsters to internal fears and how women have used the genre to say things they weren’t always allowed to say out loud. We’re talking: The real origins of horror (and who actually shaped it) The rise of psychological and “female Gothic” horror The evolution of the “final girl” Why modern horror feels so personal (and so real) And how films like Jennifer’s Body were misunderstood… until they weren’t Plus, I’m covering some of the biggest headlines from the past week, including rising tensions with Iran, nationwide protests, and major financial and policy stories that didn’t get the attention they should have. If you’ve ever loved horror (or even just wondered why it hits the way it does) this one’s for you. 👻 New episodes of [indistinct chatter] are available every Tuesday, anywhere you listen to podcasts. Please don’t forget to rate, review, and share with a friend ⭐ it helps more than you know. And come say hi 👋on Instagram @indistinct.pod or @alizahollister

    26 min

  3. 25 MAR

    Coverture, the Pink Tax, & the Laws That Still Control Women

    This week on [indistinct chatter], we're still in Women's History Month and I'm diving into something that has genuinely been making me angry the more I researched it... the laws that have historically applied to women and not men, and the ones that still do today. I start with the news, including the ongoing escalation of the Iran conflict and what it actually means for your wallet, a meningitis outbreak in the UK worth keeping an eye on, the Bachelorette getting pulled before it even aired, and a newly designed dime that's already causing controversy. Plus a few stories I think deserved more attention than they got. Then we get into the main episode. I'm talking about coverture. The legal doctrine that erased women's identities entirely upon marriage and tracing how its logic never really went away. From women being excluded from jury duty to the Head and Master laws that let husbands sell the family home without their wives knowing, to marital rape not being a crime in all 50 states until 1993. Yes, 1993. Then we get into the stuff that's happening right now. The pink tax and the tampon tax. 18+ states still classify period products as luxury items. The gender pay gap that has actually widened for the second consecutive year. And reproductive rights, not just abortion, but the entire system of medical decision-making that has historically excluded women from clinical trials, gotten our dosages wrong, and put the people with the least personal stake in charge of the most personal decisions. Coverture may be gone. But its fingerprints are everywhere. Who are the women you think history forgot? I want to hear from you. 👂 New episodes of [indistinct chatter] are available every Tuesday anywhere you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, sharing it is the biggest way you can support the show. Send it to a friend, post it to your stories, or tell someone about it. And if you have a minute, leaving a rating and review helps more people discover the podcast. Find me on Instagram: @indistinct.pod or @alizahollister 📲

    36 min

  4. 17 MAR

    She Invented It, He Got Credit

    This week on [indistinct chatter], I'm starting with the news you might have missed. The Iran war is still escalating and while everyone's covering the big strikes, I'm talking about the "black rain" falling over Tehran that's barely getting any attention. I also get into the NIH funding situation that should be making way more noise than it is, a war between Afghanistan and Pakistan that most people here don't even know is happening, and a new TB drug that could change everything by 2030. Then I cover the fresh news breaking today: Trump's own counterterrorism chief resigning, Cuba going completely dark, and a lawsuit against xAI that I think is going to be a very important case to follow. After that, Awards Season is officially over and I have thoughts about the Oscars. The wins were great. The production? A little rough. I break down the biggest moments, the records set, and why the cast of Bridesmaids presenting the sound award while the mics were broken all night is the most cosmically ironic thing I've ever witnessed. Then we get into this week's main episode. It's still Women's History Month and I'm back with more stories of women who were robbed. I'm talking about Elizabeth Magie, who invented Monopoly as a political statement against greed and watched a man sell it as his own invention and become a millionaire. Hedy Lamarr, Hollywood star and co-inventor of the technology that laid the foundation for WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS. Mary Anderson, who invented the windshield wiper and was told it had no practical value. And Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, who figured out what stars are actually made of, was pressured to call herself wrong, and watched her advisor publish the same findings four years later and get all the credit. The Matilda Effect is real, it's a pattern, and once you see it you can't unsee it. Who's a woman you think history forgot? I want to hear about her. 👂 New episodes of [indistinct chatter] are available every Tuesday anywhere you listen to podcasts. 🎧 If you enjoyed this episode, sharing it is the biggest way you can support the show. Send it to a friend, post it to your stories, or tell someone about it. And if you have a minute, leaving a rating and review helps more people discover the podcast. ⭐ 📲 Find me on Instagram: @indistinct.pod or @alizahollister

    33 min

  5. 11 MAR

    The Matilda Effect: Rosalind Franklin, Katherine Johnson, Virginia Hall, and the Women History Forgot

    This week on [indistinct chatter], I’m starting with a few stories that might not have made it into your algorithm. I talk about the escalating conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran, what it could mean for global energy markets, and why you might have noticed gas and utility prices creeping up. I also break down a lesser-discussed vote in Congress that effectively allows the current military campaign to continue without new authorization and why some lawmakers say that raises serious questions about presidential war powers and public transparency. Then we look at a brewing fight over the proposed SAVE Act, a voter ID bill that would require documented proof of citizenship to register or update voter registration. Supporters say it’s about election security, while critics warn it could make voting significantly harder for millions of eligible Americans and put new pressure on already overworked election staff. After all that heavy news, I share a rare piece of good news: scientists are using AI to improve weather forecasting and disaster warnings. From earlier tornado alerts to better climate modeling, these tools could give communities crucial extra minutes to prepare, which is something that can literally save lives. Then for the main story, we pivot into Women’s History Month and talk about some women history forgot. I’m diving into the Matilda Effect, AKA the pattern of women’s achievements being credited to men, and telling the stories of three extraordinary women whose contributions were overlooked for decades. I talk about Rosalind Franklin, whose DNA research helped reveal the double helix but was credited to just men. Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician whose calculations helped put astronauts into orbit and bring them home safely. And Virginia Hall, the World War II spy with a prosthetic leg who built resistance networks in Nazi-occupied France and became one of the most dangerous Allied agents in Europe. Plus, I run through some everyday inventions you probably didn’t know were created by women. From windshield wipers to chocolate chip cookies to the technology that laid the groundwork for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. Who is a woman you think history forgot? I want to hear about her.👂 New episodes of [indistinct chatter] are available every Tuesday anywhere you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, sharing it is the biggest way you can support the show. Send it to a friend, post it to your stories, or tell someone about it. And if you have a minute, leaving a rating and review helps more people discover the podcast. Find me on Instagram: @indistinct.pod or @alizahollister 📲

    29 min

  6. 4 MAR

    AI Cults Are Real: From a Google Engineer's Church to the Thought Experiment That Got Elon Musk a Girlfriend

    This week on [indistinct chatter] I'm kicking things off with the 32nd Annual Actor Awards (formerly the SAGs) hosted by Kristen Bell at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. We talk red carpets, the new wave of correspondents making interviews fun again, and the night's biggest winners: Sinners, The Studio, and The Pitt. Plus, a beautiful and emotional moment for Catherine O'Hara, and a well-deserved Life Achievement Award for Harrison Ford. Then we get into the main event: AI cults. And before you roll your eyes, this is way more real, way more widespread, and way more terrifying than it sounds. I'm breaking down the general phenomenon of why people are turning to AI for spiritual meaning, and then diving into specific groups: Spiralism, the legally registered church Way of the Future founded by a former Google engineer worth hundreds of millions, the artist collective Theta Noir and their AI deity MENA, and the Zizians — a cult tied to six violent deaths, a faked drowning, a dead federal agent, and a radicalized Oxford grad who never even met their leader in person. Oh, and we talk Roko's Basilisk, the AI doomsday thought experiment that is genuinely one of the most disturbing things I've ever researched, and also the reason Elon Musk and Grimes got together. Do you think AI will eventually become something we collectively worship? Is it already happening and we just aren't calling it that yet? I want to hear from you. New episodes drop every Tuesday wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this one, sharing it is the biggest way you can support the show. Send it to a friend, post it to your stories, or just tell someone about it. And if you have a few minutes, leaving a rating and review goes a long way in helping new people find me. Find me on Instagram: @indistinct.pod or @alizahollister

    43 min

  7. 24 FEB

    Smokey Bear: The WWII Origins, Real-Life Rescue Bear, and Complicated Legacy of America's Most Famous Mascot

    This week on [indistinct chatter], I’m diving into the full, complicated, surprisingly dramatic history of Smokey Bear. You know him... the shirtless bear in a ranger hat who’s been holding Americans accountable for their campfire habits since 1944? Yeah, that guy! But this isn’t just a cute mascot origin story. I unpack Smokey’s World War II roots, wartime propaganda, Japanese fire balloons, and the women who stepped into forestry and fire lookout roles while men were overseas. I break down how a government ad campaign turned into one of the longest-running public service efforts in American history and how Congress literally passed the Smokey Bear Act to protect a fictional bear’s name and image. You’ll hear the story behind the “Smokey Bear” vs. “Smokey the Bear” debate, the 1952 song that changed everything, and the real-life cub rescued from the Capitan Gap Fire who became a living national symbol at the National Zoo complete with his own zip code (yes, you can still write to him). I also explore the complicated legacy of total fire suppression, the ecological consequences we’re still dealing with in the West, Indigenous cultural burning practices, and whether Smokey and Ember the FireSmart Fox can coexist in the era of climate change. At 81 years old, should Smokey retire? Or does he still have work to do? 🔥 Have you ever written to Smokey Bear? Did you get anything back? Tell me your story. New episodes of [indistinct chatter] are available every Tuesday wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It genuinely helps more than you know! And share it with a friend who still says “Smokey the Bear.” Come hang out with me on Instagram at @indistinct.pod and tell me what you want me to deep dive into next. Only YOU can prevent wildfires.

    24 min

  8. 17 FEB

    Red Flag Warnings, Fire Weather, and Why Colorado's Biggest Wildfires Are Usually Our Fault

    This week on [indistinct chatter], Aliza tries to pull you out of the chaos surrounding the Epstein files and somehow leads straight to the weather. Yeah, I know, it's usually boring, but this isn't your regular small-talk weather convo. With the Front Range sitting in a snow drought, temperatures running far above average, and Red Flag Warnings lighting up phones across Colorado, Aliza breaks down what “fire weather” actually means and why in this state, the biggest wildfires are usually because of humans. She walks through the real stories behind the Cameron Peak, Hayman, Marshall, and Alexander Mountain fires. How they started, how fast they moved, and how small, ordinary decisions collided with dry fuels and extreme wind to create historic destruction. From buried embers to sparking power lines to one emotional mistake in a fire ring, this episode connects the dots between conditions, accountability, and the terrifying speed of wind-driven fire. It’s about vigilance. It’s about responsibility. It’s about how fast things can change. If you liked this episode, please rate and review, share it with a friend, or leave a comment. Have you been affected by wildfire? It really helps and keeps the conversations going. New episodes of [indistinct chatter] drop every Tuesday.

    28 min
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About

you know that friend who always has the most random info and somehow makes it the most interesting thing you've heard all week? hi, that's me. i'm aliza and indistinct chatter is where we break down the news, spiral into history and conspiracies, talk pop culture, and somehow tie it all together. no fluff, no lectures. just the scoop. new episodes every tuesday.

Information

  • Creator
    Aliza Hollister
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Aliza Hollister
  • Show Website
    [indistinct chatter]