High Strangeness

Tony H.

High Strangeness seeks to be a platform where some of the world’s strangest events or experiences can be discussed with a lay persons perspective. Looking at & considering a wide spectrum of things that may help to illuminate a tapestry in reality that suggests possible commonalities for the origins of strangeness. This podcast will seek to review events through history, current events & even bring in opportunities for co- host, round table discussions & interviews.

  1. 22h ago

    Forbidden Places: Six Sites You’re Not Supposed to See

    Tony and Bill explore six forbidden or highly restricted places, from the Vatican Apostolic Archive and Snake Island to Fort Knox, Area 51, Dugway Proving Ground, Cheyenne Mountain, and the secret Coca-Cola vault. They examine what makes these locations off-limits—secrecy, security, danger, preservation, or the possibility that something inside could challenge what we believe. The episode explores isolated peoples, military secrecy, underground facilities, and corporate mysteries, including speculation about what might be hidden at Fort Knox and Dugway. 01:34 - The Vatican archive goes back centuries 05:42 - Why hidden archives may contain disputed religious texts 07:17 - Are secrets protected for preservation or control? 10:42 - Tony introduces Snake Island off Brazil 12:38 - Why the island is off-limits to tourists 16:47 - Fort Knox and its extreme security 18:37 - What else might be stored at Fort Knox 20:39 - North Sentinel Island and the Sentinelese 22:24 - The missionary who was killed trying to contact them 27:05 - Do UFOs behave the same way with humanity? 28:32 - Gold reserves and the scale of Fort Knox 31:09 - Coca-Cola’s secret vault and the recipe 39:07 - Coke as an American wartime staple 43:39 - Area 51, Bob Lazar, and the U-2 origin story 44:44 - Dugway Proving Ground as Utah’s hidden military site 50:41 - Cheyenne Mountain Complex and NORAD Website: https://highstrangeness202.wixsite.com/mysite

  2. Oct 26

    Bathory: The Real Story Behind The World's Deadliest Countess (#152)

    Bathory: The Real Story Behind The World's Deadliest Countess The Countess, a Novel of the Notorious Elizabeth Bathory with Rebecca Johns Tony welcomes author Rebecca Johns to talk about her novel The Countess and the real historical figure behind it, Elizabeth Bathory. The conversation explores how myth turned Bathory into a vampire legend, what the historical record actually suggests, and why women who commit violence are so enduringly fascinating in fiction and culture.Rebecca Johns shares how she researched the book, why she chose a first person, letter style narrative, and how family dynamics, power, and historical distortion shaped the story. Key topics In this episode, Tony and Rebecca Johns discuss Elizabeth Bathory, often remembered as the “Countess Dracula,” and whether the legend of a blood bathing vampire matches the historical evidence. (0:00) Elizabeth Bathory and the vampire legend (1:09) Why Rebecca was drawn to women who commit terrible crimes (2:48) The Susan Smith case and the psychology of evil (5:06) Discovering Bathory as the right story to tell (6:54) Whole life novels and unreliable narrators (8:15) Researching Hungary without strong English language sources (10:09) Why ordinary life details are hardest to reconstruct (13:33) Wealth, nobility, and the mindset of inherited power (14:34) Film and TV portrayals of Elizabeth Bathory (17:32) New nonfiction and competing interpretations (19:48) What Bathory is actually known for (21:14) How the 650 victims myth spread (23:32) Why the legend became larger than life (25:13) Writing Bathory as a damaged but human narrator (26:28) Motherhood, Lolita, and the letter structure (30:17) The early scene that shaped Bathory’s voice (32:26) What turned out not to be true in the research (35:02) Why myths outlast the historical record (37:24) Adapting old stories by making them new (39:16) Bathory, her husband, and punishment culture (45:43) Hungary’s debt, war, and political motives (48:58) Why Bathory became the enduring female villain (52:32) Anti Enlightenment politics and serfdom in Hungary (55:41) What Rebecca would ask Bathory if she could (60:05) What readers get from The Countess (62:30) Rebecca’s new novel project and TV pilot (65:51) Social media, Substack, and where to find Rebecca

  3. Oct 20

    HIGH STRANGENESS NEWS DESK- 10/20/26

    HIGH STRANGENESS NEWS DESK WEEK 10 — October 12, 2026 to October 18, 2026 Website: https://highstrangeness202.wixsite.com/mysite Youtube: https://youtu.be/X0O53ENPLJw

  4. Oct 19

    The Truth About Black Hills Paranormal Investigations. (#151)

    Black Hills Paranormal Investigation: Evidence, ethics, and what the team has learned after years in the field Tony talks with Maurice “Mo” Miller, Zek, LeAnn, Casey, and Nan of Black Hills Paranormal Investigations in South Dakota about how their team works, what they look for during a case, and why they avoid the entertainment-first approach to ghost hunting. They also share several memorable investigations from Deadwood and the Black Hills, including full-body apparitions, unusual tech failures, and evidence that made clients feel heard and validated.In this episode, the team breaks down how they separate normal causes from paranormal claims, why cross-checking evidence matters, and how trauma, history, and location may all play a role in what people experience. Timestamps 00:00 - Welcome to Black Hills Paranormal Investigations 02:25 - How the team formed and who does what 12:49 - Why they investigate like field researchers, not entertainers 18:32 - Helping clients feel heard before jumping to conclusions 19:43 - Mo’s early life-changing apparition in Deadwood 22:11 - Casey’s full-body sighting at the Adams House 27:44 - Why the Black Hills may amplify paranormal reports 31:42 - Zek’s first dousing rod investigation 35:08 - Why equipment can help but cannot replace judgment 40:12 - Tech failures, drained batteries, and strange equipment behavior 43:49 - Why demon talk is often overblown 47:00 - Casey’s room-level energy reaction and sudden nausea 51:39 - What counts as a successful investigation 57:45 - Historical sites versus private homes 59:00 - Ley lines, portals, and how spirits might move 65:20 - New tools, old tools, and the challenge of AI 74:28 - The Adams House photo that seemed to capture a man and child 77:15 - Rapid fire: underrated tool, overrated tool, favorite location 81:35 - Creepiest case and where the line gets blurry 83:42 - EVP versus visual evidence 86:27 - The biggest paranormal mystery they want solved 90:38 - Spirits, interdimensional beings, or both? 93:20 - Where to find Black Hills Paranormal online and what’s coming up

  5. Oct 13

    HIGH STRANGENESS NEWS DESK- 10/13/26

    HIGH STRANGENESS NEWS DESK WEEK 8 — October 5, 2026 to October 11, 2026 Website: https://highstrangeness202.wixsite.com/mysite Youtube: https://youtu.be/i3kY_MdHwk0

  6. Oct 12

    Chasing the Headless Horseman in Sleepy Hollow (#150)

    Chasing the Headless Horseman: The History, Hijinks, and Halloween of the Real Sleepy Hollow Tony talks with J.W. Ocker about his book Chasing the Headless Horseman and why Sleepy Hollow is more than just a Halloween story setting. J.W. explains how the real village, the folklore, and the seasonal mythology all overlap to create a place that feels inseparable from Halloween itself. They also dig into the book’s reporting, the many adaptations of Sleepy Hollow across film and TV, and the real-world tension between preserving a spooky identity and managing tourism, development, and local life. Key topics: J.W. Ocker explains why the Headless Horseman feels more tied to Halloween than almost any other monster Sleepy Hollow is not just fictional - it is a real place in the Hudson Valley, about 20 miles from Manhattan Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is deeply rooted in actual landmarks that still exist today The town changed its name from North Tarrytown to Sleepy Hollow in 1996, which helped cement its Halloween identity J.W. describes visiting Sleepy Hollow during Halloween events, including seeing the Horseman on a live horse The book covers the many versions of Sleepy Hollow in pop culture, from early cartoons to the Tim Burton film J.W. interviewed a wide range of people for the book, including local officials, residents, business owners, and Adam Savage He also explores how Washington Irving influenced not just Halloween culture but Christmas traditions in America A major theme in the book is the tension between spooky tourism and the realities of a working town facing development and rising costs J.W. says the book is meant to help readers understand why Sleepy Hollow matters, whether they visit in person or experience it through the page. 00:00 - Why the Headless Horseman is the perfect Halloween monster 01:23 - Why Sleepy Hollow only really works in fall 03:35 - A live Headless Horseman experience in a historic Utah setting 04:20 - Seeing the Horseman on a real horse in Sleepy Hollow 06:19 - Chasing the Horseman on a haunted hayride 07:13 - What Sleepy Hollow is and where it is 08:07 - Washington Irving, the story, and the real landmarks 08:36 - The town officially becomes Sleepy Hollow in 1996 09:05 - Why Sleepy Hollow became a Halloween destination 10:19 - How close Sleepy Hollow is to New York City 11:18 - The many Sleepy Hollow films and shows 12:38 - The two iconic adaptations: Disney and Tim Burton 13:31 - Sleepy Hollow memorabilia and costumes on display in a local store 14:35 - How J.W. structured the book chapter by chapter 15:58 - Interviews with locals, officials, and Adam Savage 16:27 - Other Sleepy Hollow locations across the United States 17:20 - Washington Irving’s unexpected influence on Christmas 18:47 - Why researching the book made J.W. even more obsessed 19:36 - Who the book is for and what readers can expect 21:14 - The economic shift from auto industry to tourism 22:39 - The friction between spooky tourism and development 24:31 - Why preserving Sleepy Hollow’s identity matters 25:42 - J.W.’s upcoming horror novel, Our Monster Who Art in Heaven 26:55 - Where to find J.W. Ocker’s books and writing Chasing the Headless Horseman: The History, Hijinks, and Halloween of the Real Sleepy Hollow Tony talks with J.W. Ocker about his book Chasing the Headless Horseman and why Sleepy Hollow is more than just a Halloween story setting. J.W. explains how the real village, the folklore, and the seasonal mythology all overlap to create a place that feels inseparable from Halloween itself. They also dig into the book’s reporting, the many adaptations of Sleepy Hollow across film and TV, and the real-world tension between preserving a spooky identity and managing tourism, development, and local life. Key topics: J.W. Ocker explains why the Headless Horseman feels more tied to Halloween than almost any other monster Sleepy Hollow is not just fictional - it is a real place in the Hudson Valley, about 20 miles from Manhattan Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is deeply rooted in actual landmarks that still exist today The town changed its name from North Tarrytown to Sleepy Hollow in 1996, which helped cement its Halloween identity J.W. describes visiting Sleepy Hollow during Halloween events, including seeing the Horseman on a live horse The book covers the many versions of Sleepy Hollow in pop culture, from early cartoons to the Tim Burton film J.W. interviewed a wide range of people for the book, including local officials, residents, business owners, and Adam Savage He also explores how Washington Irving influenced not just Halloween culture but Christmas traditions in America A major theme in the book is the tension between spooky tourism and the realities of a working town facing development and rising costs J.W. says the book is meant to help readers understand why Sleepy Hollow matters, whether they visit in person or experience it through the page. 00:00 - Why the Headless Horseman is the perfect Halloween monster 01:23 - Why Sleepy Hollow only really works in fall 03:35 - A live Headless Horseman experience in a historic Utah setting 04:20 - Seeing the Horseman on a real horse in Sleepy Hollow 06:19 - Chasing the Horseman on a haunted hayride 07:13 - What Sleepy Hollow is and where it is 08:07 - Washington Irving, the story, and the real landmarks 08:36 - The town officially becomes Sleepy Hollow in 1996 09:05 - Why Sleepy Hollow became a Halloween destination 10:19 - How close Sleepy Hollow is to New York City 11:18 - The many Sleepy Hollow films and shows 12:38 - The two iconic adaptations: Disney and Tim Burton 13:31 - Sleepy Hollow memorabilia and costumes on display in a local store 14:35 - How J.W. structured the book chapter by chapter 15:58 - Interviews with locals, officials, and Adam Savage 16:27 - Other Sleepy Hollow locations across the United States 17:20 - Washington Irving’s unexpected influence on Christmas 18:47 - Why researching the book made J.W. even more obsessed 19:36 - Who the book is for and what readers can expect 21:14 - The economic shift from auto industry to tourism 22:39 - The friction between spooky tourism and development 24:31 - Why preserving Sleepy Hollow’s identity matters 25:42 - J.W.’s upcoming horror novel, Our Monster Who Art in Heaven 26:55 - Where to find J.W. Ocker’s books and writing Website: https://highstrangeness202.wixsite.com/mysite

  7. Oct 6

    HIGH STRANGENESS NEWS DESK- 10/6/26

    HIGH STRANGENESS NEWS DESK WEEK 8 — September 29– October 6, 2026 Website: https://highstrangeness202.wixsite.com/mysite Youtube: https://youtu.be/3kdVUneoCjs

  8. Oct 5

    Only 1% Know the Real Halloween / Samhain Lore. (#149)

    Samhain and the Roots of Halloween with Luke Eastwood The host of High Strangeness interviews Irish author Luke Eastwood from County Kerry about his book Samhain: The Roots of Halloween, discussing Samhain as an ancient Irish festival meaning “end of summer,” with archaeological evidence at the Hill of Ward (associated with the goddess Clíodhna/Clucta) dating celebrations to at least 1500 BCE. Eastwood explains debates over Celtic fire festivals versus eight seasonal festivals, beliefs about a thinning veil between worlds, ancestor veneration, and how the Catholic Church attempted to suppress or reframe Samhain through All Saints/All Souls, yet many customs persisted and evolved into modern Halloween (lanterns from turnips to pumpkins, costumes, trick-or-treating, and party games rooted in divination). He warns against careless spirit-contact practices like Ouija boards, citing experiences with ghosts, demonic entities, curses, and poltergeists, and notes ethical distinctions in magical practice. Eastwood also previews his upcoming novel The Hereafter and shares where to follow his work. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:34 Life in County Kerry 02:09 Weather and Climate Shifts 05:37 Setting Up Samhain Talk 06:23 What Samhain Really Means 10:07 Ancient Festivals Calendar 14:05 Thin Veil and Otherworld 20:04 Ghost Stories and Rituals 24:44 Ouija Boards and Warnings 36:07 Helping with Hauntings 38:50 Black Magic and Ethics 41:15 Ethical Magic Defense 42:00 Training and Intentions 45:09 Clucta and Samhain Origins 48:23 Christianization into Halloween 50:37 Costumes Lanterns and Trick or Treat 54:59 If Ancestors Saw Halloween 57:13 Reconnecting with Samhain 59:22 Rapid Fire Folklore 01:04:13 Book Takeaways and Myth Movies 01:08:15 New Novel The Hereafter 01:10:52 Where to Follow and Closing

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About

High Strangeness seeks to be a platform where some of the world’s strangest events or experiences can be discussed with a lay persons perspective. Looking at & considering a wide spectrum of things that may help to illuminate a tapestry in reality that suggests possible commonalities for the origins of strangeness. This podcast will seek to review events through history, current events & even bring in opportunities for co- host, round table discussions & interviews.

Information

  • Creator
    Tony H.
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    215
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 High Strangeness
  • Show Website
    High Strangeness

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