The Alarmist

New Guest Expert! On this week’ Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Dr. Michelle Martinez about the 1984 film Gremlins. A Professor of Film Studies at Arizona State University, with a focus on the intersection of culture and media, Dr. Martinez masterfully articulates the historical context in which the film was released and the cultural significance of the themes touched on throughout the movie. Afterward, Patreon subscribers can revisit the board with Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early to see if the verdict made the cut. Not on Patreon? Join the family below!

Who’s to blame for the Gremlins?

This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes back Mary Grill to discuss the horrifyingly funny 1980’s holiday classic, Gremlins. It’s cute, it’s campy, it’s cringe. Heck, it’s Christmas! Could being too cute be deadly? Are Gremlins just a manifestation of the ugliness that’s inside all of us?  And why is everyone so completely blinded by their capitalistic ways that they don’t recognize the extreme danger right in front of them? Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early join this horrifically holiday conversation. 

New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Professor Scott W. Berg about the unique set of circumstances leading up to The Great Chicago Fire. Author of, “The Burning of the World: The Great Chicago Fire and the War for a City’s Soul” Scott lends some much needed context to the hustle and bustle of Chicago life at the time as well as the socioeconomic dynamics at play. Afterword, Patreon subscribers can listen as Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early revisit the verdict with Rebecca to see if it holds up. Not on Patreon yet?! Click below and join us!

Who’s to blame for The Great Chicago Fire?

This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes comedian Benny Blue to discuss the unfortunate circumstances that led to Chicago’s biggest and deadliest fire and the nasty rumors about its origins which circulated the country for decades afterwards. They’re joined by Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early. Could an overworked Fire Department be to blame? Did a group of neighbors partying in Mrs. O’Learys barn mistakenly start the blaze? Perhaps it was simply the perfect storm waiting to happen!

Mailbag Alert! Hey Alarmy. The mailbag is turning into a bit of a mailroom…So, Rebecca, Clayton and Chris are heading on over to the mailroom to check in with you. We’ve got some exciting new episode suggestions to look forward to and a fascinating listener revelation about the year 1919. Plus, we’re reading our way through our next book club selection over on Patreon. Foster by Claire Keegan. Get your copy now if you haven’t already. And a friendly Alarmist reminder to stay alarmed as you make your way through the rest of this holiday season. We’re grateful for you and we want you around for the future “Who’s to blame…” ahead of us.