Mail-wag: W.C. Fields and What Not To Do On Acid

📮🍸🎩 It’s back to the WagBag we go again! This time Paul and Stephen relay a heartfelt letter from listener ERIC about his father Jim, a devout fan of W.C. Fields. As it turns out, Paul’s a huge fan too and wants to bring back the W.C. Fields fan club (or the W.C. Fritos mascot - anyone remember that?). But we’re getting ahead of ourselves! The letter recounts Eric’s unusual upbringing with a spiritually-inclined dad who was a paranormal-enthusiast with a vast collection of W.C. Fields memorabilia (including a very special martini shaker). There were imaginative attempts at conjuring spirits using Ouija boards and bathroom mirrors, and more than a few illicit calls from a coven of witches. In fact, Jim prepared his son with a secret code to perhaps contact him in the afterlife. What a childhood! Paul and Stephen then delve into different parenting styles and their effect on children’s openness to fringe beliefs. The Chinwag continues as our hosts reminisce about W.C. Fields’ comedic genius, his contemporary parallels with TikTok, the golden age of early cinema, the Satanic Bible, and Anton LaVey, alchemy, and the Renaissance. Chin-word of the week: THE NECROMONICON Paul Giamatti is an award-winning actor and producer, and the self-proclaimed Emperor of Neptune. Stephen Asma is a professor and author specializing in the philosophy of science, religion, and art. He also is the acting Minister of Triton for the Chinwag. 📮🍸🎩 ========= Make sure to follow us @chinwagpod 👉🏼 - IG: https://www.instagram.com/chinwagpod/ - Tik: https://www.tiktok.com/@chinwagpod - Website: http://chinwagpod.fm - YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@chinwagpod Send your stories, Qs, or thoughts to 📧 questions [at] chinwagpod [dot] fm =========