However improbably, my chupacabra research is quoted in a new journal article titled "The Isle is Full of Noises: Puerto Rico Strong, Hurricane Maria, and the Role of Memory in the Reimagination of a Boricua Nation." The reason is that my book is less about whether a...
Benjamin Radford
Chupacabras on ‘Inexplicable Latinoamérica’
I'm skeptical that I'll get a call from John Leguizamo wanting to interview me about the chupacabra for his series "Inexplicable Latinoamérica." My Spanish probably isn't good enough for a full interview, but at least my accent would be good! More info here:...
Squaring the Strange #150: Mysterious Masked Musicians!
The new episode of Squaring the Strange is out! Pascual leads us on a fun discussion of MYSTERY MUSICIANS! Celestia starts with the OG mystery musician, a dude who was rumored to live under the Paris opera house, and we look at some folklore and urban legends that...
See My ‘Tracking the Chupacabra’ Talk Live on June 15
Tuesday night the 15th at 5:30 MT / 7:30 ET, I will be giving a live Zoom talk for the Rio Rancho Public Library discussing my research into the famous Hispanic vampire el chupacabra and my book "Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and...
Karmas and Dogmas
A few years back I wrote a short piece on karma for the late, great, independent weekly The Alibi. There is a dark, cruel aspect to it: Everything bad that happens to you is your own fault... If you're beaten, robbed, raped, get hit by a bus or get cancer it's because...
Squaring the Strange # 148 – Steak-Umms and the 2001 Monkey Man Panic!
For this episode we are joined by a surprise guest, the critical thinker behind the Steak-Umms popular brand voice (aka Nathan Allebach), who talks to us about targeting misinformation as a PR strategy, managing viral posts, and the brand's recent dustup with Neil...
The Monkey Man Panic: 20 Years Later
Twenty years ago last month the capital of India was gripped in a panic. Early reports claimed that some mysterious monkey-like creature attacked many residents in New Delhi, leaving fear, scars, and ultimately even dead bodies in its wake. The Monkey Man, as it came...
The Woman Who Loves Giraffes: The Story of Anne Innis Dagg
The documentary The Woman Who Loves Giraffes tells the remarkable story of a remarkable Canadian woman named Anne Innis Dagg, who first became fascinated by giraffes as a young girl upon seeing them at the Chicago Zoo. Though virtually unknown—and certainly...
‘Wonder Woman’ and the Alamo Theater Publicity Stunts
Four years ago this week, 'Wonder Woman' was released and became a blockbuster hit. As part of a publicity stunt, the Alamo theater chain announced that it would hold "Women-only Wonder Woman screenings," as it did with "Clowns-only 'It' screenings." It was a hoax and...
Diversity in Devastation: Media Myths and Mass Shooter Demographics
Mass shootings are, sadly, in the news again. Across the country violence is up overall in recent months, and gun-related homicides are on the rise. From Boston to Chicago to New Orleans, as covid restrictions relax shootings increase. The...