Award-winning horror writer Hailey Hudson joins Maximilian Schmidt and Herbert to explore childhood fear, imagination, creative courage, and why horror is one of the last communal rituals we share. From Spirited Away nightmares to cannibalism lore, Creepypasta origins, and the psychology of terror, Haley reveals how fear shapes storytelling — and why reclaiming your inner child is the key to great art.

We explore:
• The first moment she ever felt fear
• Why kids experience terror so intensely
• How imagination becomes a survival tool
• Rediscovering creativity through acting and creature work
• Writing horror scripts like Everything Eater and Call of the Cougar
• Creepypasta, found footage, cannibalism lore, and the internet’s impact on horror
• Why you don’t need anyone to greenlight your creativity

If you love horror, psychology, storytelling, or the weirdness of the human condition — this is your episode.

04:10 The First Time She Truly Felt Fear

10:20 Stuck in the In-Between: Fear, Silence & Not Asking for Help
14:30 Childhood as Cosmic Horror
19:45 Courage the Cowardly Dog, Closets & Hellmouths
24:30 Are We More Afraid as Kids or Adults?
30:10 Goosebumps, Spirited Away & Early Horror Imprints
36:00 Why Horror Grabs Us for Life
42:30 Reawakening the Inner Child: Acting, Creatures & Play
49:00 Everything Eater: Domestic Horror & Trapped Relationships
55:30 Call of the Cougar: Cannibalism, Hubris & Frontier Terror
1:02:30 Religion, Algorithms & the Internet as New God
1:09:30 Creepypasta, Let’s Plays & Horror as Community
1:16:30 Fear as Play & Why We Love Being Scared Together
1:21:30 You Don’t Need a Greenlight: Haley’s Advice to Creators

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