My Latest Fixation

My Latest Fixation
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Society & Culture

My Latest Fixation is a curious, eerie, and human-centered podcast about the strange beliefs, systems, stories, and obsessions that shape our lives. Host Joshua follows each rabbit hole wherever it leads: from folklore and superstition to AI, community, games, weird history, digital culture, and the uncomfortable edges of modern life. Expect thoughtful research, conversational deep dives, and a little darkness around the edges—because the things that don’t quite make sense often tell us the most about ourselves. So settle in, get comfortable… and let’s see where this one takes us. Mylastestfixation.com

  1. Oct 14

    What Are the Origins of Halloween? Samhain, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! What are the origins of Halloween—and how did Samhain, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day become tangled together? In this episode of My Latest Fixation, Joshua untangles the real history behind Halloween’s complicated family tree. We look at what we actually know about the Gaelic festival of Samhain, how All Hallows’ Eve became connected to All Saints’ Day, why All Souls’ Day matters, and how souling and guising helped shape modern trick-or-treating. Along the way, we separate popular Halloween myths from the messier historical evidence, explore why the “thin veil between worlds” story became so widespread, and explain why Día de los Muertos is not simply “Mexican Halloween.” In this episode: What Samhain was—and what we do and do not know about its ancient customsWhy Halloween is literally All Hallows’ EveThe difference between All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ DayHow soul cakes, souling, and guising relate to trick-or-treatingWhy “trick or treat” was first recorded in 1927How Irish and Scottish immigration shaped Halloween in North AmericaWhy Día de los Muertos and Guy Fawkes Night share the season without sharing Halloween’s storyA cozy, spooky, and thoroughly researched history episode for anyone who has ever wondered why we carve pumpkins, wear costumes, and knock on doors for candy. My Latest Fixation is a history, folklore, culture, and curiosity podcast for people who enjoy following a strange question much farther than expected If you enjoyed this episode, follow or subscribe, leave a rating or review if your listening app allows it, and share the show with someone who would appreciate a spooky little story. Visit mylatestfixation.com for merch, the story behind the show, and more. Spend $50 or more for free shipping. Links & Resources: Stay Connected: mylatestfixation.com Listen & Subscribe: RSS.com Music: Halloween by Pixelbay

    What Are the Origins of Halloween? Samhain, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day

  2. Oct 7

    Why Do We Carve Pumpkins? | The Story of Stingy Jack

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Content note: This episode includes non-graphic discussion of death, the Devil, Heaven and Hell, and alcohol references. Why do we carve pumpkins on Halloween, and what does Stingy Jack have to do with jack-o’-lanterns? In this episode of My Latest Fixation, I explore how Irish turnip-lantern traditions helped shape Halloween pumpkin carving—and tell the folktale of the man who tricked the Devil twice. I follow Jack’s story into the history of Halloween jack-o’-lanterns, from frightening carved turnips in Ireland to glowing pumpkins on American porches. Along the way, I explore the National Museum of Ireland’s “ghost turnip,” the role of Irish immigrant traditions, and why pumpkins became a much more cooperative choice for carving. Expect spooky storytelling, strange history, Disney Channel Halloween nostalgia, and a surprisingly human lesson about generosity. Jack spent his life giving tricks. I think his story reminds us to offer a few more treats. More Halloween history next week I’m continuing my Halloween history series with All Hallows’ Eve, Samhain, All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day, and the tangled traditions behind a holiday associated with both the dead and individually wrapped chocolate. A note on my storytelling: Stingy Jack’s legend exists in multiple versions. I follow one retelling, adding imagined dialogue and atmospheric details while distinguishing the folklore from the documented lantern tradition. My Latest Fixation is a history, folklore, culture, and curiosity podcast for people who enjoy following a strange question much farther than expected If you enjoyed this episode, follow or subscribe, leave a rating or review if your listening app allows it, and share the show with someone who would appreciate a spooky little story. Visit mylatestfixation.com for merch, the story behind the show, and more. Spend $50 or more for free shipping. Links & Resources: Stay Connected: mylatestfixation.com Listen & Subscribe: RSS.com Music: Lofi Music by Pixelbay

    Why Do We Carve Pumpkins? | The Story of Stingy Jack

  3. Sep 30

    Who Looked at a Cow and Thought “I Want to Milk That?” | The History of Dairy

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Who was the first person to milk a cow—and why did anyone decide it was a good idea? In this episode of My Latest Fixation, we follow the strange, surprisingly important history of ancient dairy farming. We talk about the wild aurochs that became modern cattle, whether humans first used cow, sheep, or goat milk, and how archaeologists identify dairy fats in Neolithic pottery nearly 9,000 years later. From sour milk and fermentation to ancient cheese strainers in Poland, this is the story of how people turned an extremely perishable liquid into yogurt-like foods, butter, clarified butter, and cheese. We also get into the lactose question: why early humans used dairy long before many adults could digest fresh milk easily, how fermentation and cheesemaking reduced lactose, and why famine and infectious disease may have helped drive the evolution of lactase persistence in Europe. Plus: Gregory, the entirely fictional and increasingly overburdened prehistoric dairyman; ancient dental plaque; and the ongoing mystery of where the cashew’s teats are. In this episode: ancient dairy farming, aurochs, Neolithic pottery, the earliest evidence of cheesemaking, fermentation, lactose intolerance, lactase persistence, famine, disease, and the history of milk. My Latest Fixation is a history, folklore, culture, and curiosity podcast for people who enjoy following a strange question much farther than expected If you enjoyed this episode, follow or subscribe, leave a rating or review if your listening app allows it, and share the show with someone who would appreciate a spooky little story. Visit mylatestfixation.com for merch, the story behind the show, and more. Spend $50 or more for free shipping. Links & Resources: Stay Connected: mylatestfixation.com Listen & Subscribe: RSS.com Music: “Morning Mood” by Edvard Grieg, performed by JuliusH via Pixabay.

    Who Looked at a Cow and Thought “I Want to Milk That?” | The History of Dairy

  4. Sep 21

    Why Did Labor Day Become a Federal Holiday? | The Pullman Strike and Its Unfinished Legacy — Part 2

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Labor Day is supposed to mean cookouts, road trips, sales, and one last long weekend before summer slips away. But the holiday became federal in 1894 in the shadow of the Pullman Strike—a brutal conflict over wage cuts, company-owned housing, railroad power, and whether workers could demand a meaningful voice in their own lives. In Part Two of this two-part My Latest Fixation story, Joshua follows the Pullman Strike from a company town outside Chicago into a national railway boycott, federal courtrooms, and the arrival of U.S. troops. Along the way, we meet Eugene V. Debs, the American Railway Union, President Grover Cleveland, and a holiday that became a genuine victory for workers without ending the fight that made it necessary. Then we follow Labor Day from marches and union picnics to cookouts, sales, “no white after Labor Day,” and the modern question at the heart of it all: who actually gets the day off? Because Labor Day still depends on people working—at hospitals, airports, restaurants, stores, hotels, warehouses, transit systems, and everywhere else that keeps the country moving while someone else is at the grill. If you enjoyed this episode, follow or subscribe, leave a rating or review if your listening app allows it, and share the show with someone who would appreciate a strange, complicated story about railroads, worker power, federal troops, cookouts, and why a “Now Hiring” sign does not always mean a company is actually hiring. Visit mylatestfixation.com for merch, the story behind the show, and more. Spend $50 or more for free shipping. Links & Resources: Stay Connected: mylatestfixation.com Listen & Subscribe: RSS.com Historical resources: U.S. Department of Labor, National Park Service Pullman National Historical Park, Federal Judicial Center, Library of Congress, Smithsonian National Museum of American History, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Pullman State Historic Site, Illinois Labor History Society, and contemporary labor newspapers. Keywords: Labor Day history, Labor Day federal holiday, why Labor Day became a federal holiday, Pullman Strike, Pullman Strike of 1894, Eugene V. Debs, American Railway Union, George Pullman, Pullman company town, company towns, company housing, railroad boycott, federal troops Chicago, Grover Cleveland Labor Day, labor movement history, American union history, workers’ rights history, Gilded Age labor, Labor Day parade, Labor Day traditions, Labor Day cookouts, no white after Labor Day, paid holidays, working on Labor Day, employer ghosting, job search ghosting, American labor history, dark history podcast, weird history podcast, labor history podcast, My Latest Fixation.

    Why Did Labor Day Become a Federal Holiday? | The Pullman Strike and Its Unfinished Legacy — Part 2

  5. Sep 14

    How Did Labor Day Start? | The Workers’ Parade That Changed America — Part 1

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Labor Day is supposed to mean cookouts, road trips, sales, and one last long weekend before summer slips away. But behind the holiday is a stranger, sharper story: workers who risked their wages to take over the streets of New York, a fight over who gets to own your time, and a dream of industrial progress that slowly revealed something much darker underneath. In Part One of this two-part My Latest Fixation story, Joshua follows Labor Day back to its uneasy beginnings—from the first workers’ parade to a near-perfect company town outside Chicago. It is a story of long hours, big promises, labor unrest, railroads, and the dangerous question at the heart of it all: what happens when the people who own your job also begin to own the rest of your life? If you enjoyed this episode, follow or subscribe, leave a rating or review if your listening app allows it, and share the show with someone who would appreciate a spooky little story about labor, railroads, and the dangers of corporate utopias. Visit mylatestfixation.com for merch, the story behind the show, and more. Spend $50 or more for free shipping. Links & Resources: Stay Connected: mylatestfixation.com Listen & Subscribe: RSS.com Historical resources: U.S. Department of Labor, National Park Service Pullman National Historical Park, Library of Congress, Pullman State Historic Site, Illinois Labor History Society, and contemporary labor newspapers. Keywords: Labor Day history, Labor Day origins, first Labor Day parade, 1882 Labor Day parade, New York City labor history, Peter J. McGuire, Matthew Maguire, Central Labor Union, eight-hour workday, labor movement history, American union history, Gilded Age labor, Pullman company town, Pullman Illinois history, George Pullman, Pullman Palace Car Company, Pullman Strike, Panic of 1893, company town history, Eugene V. Debs, railroad strike history, federal Labor Day holiday, American holiday history, dark history podcast, weird history podcast, labor history podcast, My Latest Fixation..

    How Did Labor Day Start? | The Workers’ Parade That Changed America — Part 1

  6. Sep 5

    Did Andrew Jackson’s Parrot Curse at His Funeral?

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Andrew Jackson’s parrot Poll may have been the most unexpected guest at a presidential funeral—a real household bird whose alleged profanity became one of the strangest stories connected to the Hermitage. In this darkly whimsical history episode, Joshua explores Poll’s purchase as a gift for Rachel Jackson, Andrew Jackson’s letters asking about “poor Poll” after Rachel’s death, and William Donelson’s unforgettable description of the bird as “fat and saucy as ever.” He also looks at Andrew Jackson’s duels, his failed assassination attempt, the legendary 1,400-pound wheel of White House cheese, and the complicated legacy of the man behind the myth. This is a story about a parrot, a funeral, a historic Tennessee home, and a minister who remembered a “wicked parrot” swearing so loudly that someone had to carry it from the house. It is also a story about grief, memory, slavery, Indian Removal, the Trail of Tears, presidential coins, and the strange details that keep history from becoming too polished. Did Andrew Jackson’s parrot really curse at his funeral? The story comes from Reverend William Menefee Norment’s recollection, written down decades after the 1845 funeral. Norment did not name the bird as Poll, and no known contemporary account confirms the incident—but Poll was real, and she was part of the Jackson household for nearly two decades. Were you convinced by the story, or are you on Team Poll or Justice for Poll? Share your thoughts, feedback, or favorite strange historical animal story with My Latest Fixation. If you enjoyed this episode, follow or subscribe, leave a rating or review if your listening app allows it, and share the show with someone who would appreciate a possibly foul-mouthed presidential parrot. Visit mylatestfixation.com for merch, the story behind the show, and more. Spend $50 or more for free shipping. Links & Resources: Stay Connected: mylatestfixation.com Listen & Subscribe: RSS.com Historical resources: The Papers of Andrew Jackson, the Library of Congress Andrew Jackson Papers, The Hermitage, the National Park Service, and the United States Mint. Music by Tunetank from Pixabay Keywords: Andrew Jackson parrot, Poll the parrot, Andrew Jackson funeral, Andrew Jackson swearing parrot, wicked parrot, Reverend William Menefee Norment, Andrew Jackson history, Rachel Jackson, Andrew Jackson letters, Andrew Jackson Hermitage, The Hermitage Tennessee, Andrew Jackson plantation, Indian Removal Act, Trail of Tears, Andrew Jackson giant cheese, Andrew Jackson assassination attempt, Andrew Jackson Presidential Dollar, presidential pets, strange animal history, funny history podcast, weird history podcast, dark history podcast, folklore podcast, My Latest Fixation.

    Did Andrew Jackson’s Parrot Curse at His Funeral?

  7. Aug 27

    Rhinestones, Red Lips, and Superpowers: A tribute to Dolly Parton, Tim Curry, and Hayden Panettiere

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! A tribute to Dolly Parton, Tim Curry, and Hayden Panettiere—three unforgettable performers whose work changed music, horror, film, television, and the lives of the people who found themselves in their stories. In this darkly whimsical memorial episode, Joshua remembers Dolly Parton’s legendary songwriting, 9 to 5, Rockstar, Dollywood, and the worldwide impact of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library; Tim Curry’s transformation from Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show to Pennywise in Stephen King’s It, Wadsworth in Clue, Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island, and Nigel Thornberry; and Hayden Panettiere’s unforgettable roles in Heroes, Scream, Until Dawn, and Nashville. This is a story about rhinestones, red lips, and superpowers—but also about legacy, creative courage, mental-health honesty, childhood literacy, queer cult cinema, horror icons, and the strange little pieces of art that help us survive. What is your favorite Dolly Parton song, Tim Curry performance, or Hayden Panettiere role? Share your memory with My Latest Fixation and help keep their stories moving through the world. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, share, and visit mylatestfixation.com for merch, the story behind the show, and more. Spend $50 or more for free shipping. Links & Resources: Stay Connected: Mylatestfixation.comListen & Subscribe: Now available on RSS.com. Music by Tunetank from Pixabay Keywords: Dolly Parton tribute Dolly Parton legacy Dolly Parton songs Dolly Parton 9 to 5 Dolly Parton Rockstar Dolly Parton Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Dolly Parton Grammy Awards Dolly Parton Oscars Dollywood history Dollywood jobs economic impact Dolly Parton Imagination Library Dolly Parton books for children Tim Curry tribute Tim Curry legacy Tim Curry Rocky Horror Picture Show Dr. Frank-N-Furter Tim Curry Pennywise Tim Curry It 1990 Tim Curry Clue Tim Curry Wadsworth Tim Curry Legend Tim Curry Muppet Treasure Island Tim Curry Nigel Thornberry Tim Curry stroke Hayden Panettiere tribute Hayden Panettiere legacy Hayden Panettiere Heroes Claire Bennet Save the cheerleader save the world Hayden Panettiere Scream Kirby Reed Hayden Panettiere Until Dawn Sam Giddings Hayden Panettiere Nashville Juliette Barnes Hayden Panettiere postpartum depression Hayden Panettiere memoir celebrity memorial episode pop culture tribute podcast horror movie podcast folklore and pop culture podcast

    Rhinestones, Red Lips, and Superpowers: A tribute to Dolly Parton, Tim Curry, and Hayden Panettiere

  8. Aug 20

    Cincinnati Chili History: Skyline, Gold Star, and the Empress Burlesque Theatre

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Skyline Chili may be Cincinnati’s most recognizable food icon—but it did not invent Cincinnati chili. In this episode of My Latest Fixation, I try Skyline Chili for the first time, confront the local Skyline vs. Gold Star rivalry, and investigates why Cincinnati puts its famously spice-forward chili on spaghetti. Along the way, I trace the story back to Empress Chili, the original Cincinnati chili parlor opened by the Kiradjieff brothers in 1922 beside the Empress Burlesque Theatre in downtown Cincinnati.cincinnati+1 I explore the immigrant roots of Cincinnati-style chili; cheese coneys, three-, four-, and five-ways; Skyline’s 1949 arrival in Price Hill; Gold Star’s beginnings in Mount Washington; and the very theatrical, very late-night world of the Empress Burlesque Theatre.skylinechili+1 Plus: Nashville chili expectations, Grandpa’s mandatory spaghetti-with-chili rule, and why a food can be objectively confusing but still mean “home” to an entire city. In this episode: My first—and deeply conflicted—Skyline Chili experienceSkyline Chili vs. Gold Star ChiliWhat makes Cincinnati chili different from Texas-style chiliWhat a three-way, four-way, five-way, and cheese coney actually areThe Kiradjieff brothers and the origin of Empress ChiliThe Empress Burlesque Theatre at Ninth and VineHow the original Cincinnati chili recipe and its “Ways” evolvedWhy Skyline did not invent Cincinnati chiliA listener challenge: try Skyline, Gold Star, and Empress Chili in Alexandria, KentuckyPlaces and foods mentioned: Skyline ChiliGold StarEmpress Chili, Alexandria, KentuckyEmpress Burlesque TheatreCincinnati chiliCheese coneysThree-ways, four-ways, and five-waysListen if you like: regional food history, Cincinnati history, immigrant food traditions, strange local customs, diner lore, burlesque history, and passionate arguments about shredded cheese. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, share, and visit mylatestfixation.com for merch, the story behind the show, and more. Spend $50 or more for free shipping. Links & Resources: Stay Connected: Mylatestfixation.comListen & Subscribe: Now available on RSS.com. Music by Tunetank from Pixabay

    Cincinnati Chili History: Skyline, Gold Star, and the Empress Burlesque Theatre
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

My Latest Fixation is a curious, eerie, and human-centered podcast about the strange beliefs, systems, stories, and obsessions that shape our lives. Host Joshua follows each rabbit hole wherever it leads: from folklore and superstition to AI, community, games, weird history, digital culture, and the uncomfortable edges of modern life. Expect thoughtful research, conversational deep dives, and a little darkness around the edges—because the things that don’t quite make sense often tell us the most about ourselves. So settle in, get comfortable… and let’s see where this one takes us. Mylastestfixation.com

Information

  • Creator
    My Latest Fixation
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © My Latest Fixation Podcast 2026
  • Show Website
    My Latest Fixation