Welcome to a very special episode of The Weirdest Thing Podcast! Burlesque performer and producer Frisky Business joins Amelia and Scotty to talk about the upcoming New Mexico Burlesque Festival (February 12-14 a the historic Kimo Theatre in Albuquerque). Frisky talks about the history of burlesque, discusses their own journey from being a fan to becoming performer, and the three cover topics like inclusivity, rebelliousness, and imagination in this unique art form.

Follow Frisky on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/friskybusinessxo/

For more information on the New Mexico Burlesque festival--including workshops and the lineup--go to https://nmbfproductions.com

Follow the New Mexico Burlesque festival on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/nmburlesquefestival/

For more information on the history of burlesque, check out the Burlesque Hall of Fame at https://burlesquehall.com

Check out Cleveland based performer/burlesque educator Bella Sin at http://www.bellasincle.com

Netflix's new limited series "His & Hers"--starring Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal and based on the 2020 novel by Alice Feeney--is one of the hottest things on streaming right now. It seems like everyone is talking about it (those twists!). But the series has divided critics and viewers alike: is this "quality" TV (taut suspense, powerful performances, an eye toward social issues), or is this just...well, "trash"?

Or could it possibly be both? Amelia and Scotty weigh in.

What happens if you discover something so diabolical, so terrifying, and so frankly preposterous that it cannot possibly be true? What if nobody--not your friends, not your family, not the press, not even the entire nation--believes you? Are you simply crazy? Do you need professional help? Maybe even involuntary commitment?

What happens when you're proven to be right?

This is what happened to Martha Mitchell. She was the wife of John Mitchell, former attorney general under Richard Nixon. This week Scotty tells Amelia about "the Martha Mitchell effect," i.e. what happens when a person's seemingly outlandish "delusions" are revealed to be true. Aside from Martha's tale, they look at fictional examples--particularly the works of writer Ira Levin ("Rosemary's Baby," "The Stepford Wives")--and the harrowing true story of a would-be police whistleblower in New York City.

Sometimes they really are out to get you.

WARNING: This episode contains spoilers for both "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Stepford Wives."

Check out the "Slow Burn" podcast on Spotify for more about the Watergate coverup: https://open.spotify.com/show/2ON0PNRRNs9zWEAy2YPeAc?si=7b41733260ca4044

Watch the trailer for "The Martha Mitchell Effect" documentary on Netflix: https://youtu.be/0SYWxQ62AUM?si=mPnlW9feiwNMjHAh

Watch the trailer for the series "Gaslit" on Starz: https://youtu.be/5SxnbpGngtI?si=nsZeJdKBeWRlrmZi

Listen to the "This American Life" episode "Right to Remain Silent," about Adrian Schoolcraft: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/414/right-to-remain-silent

Check out Ira Levin's books on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8050.Ira_Levin/

From a celebrated "Star Wars" series to some true-crime documentaries, Scotty and Amelia use this Pocket Size episode to touch on a few of the pop-culture items they didn't manage to get to in their 2025 wrap-up.

Filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner were more than just another Hollywood couple--they were passionate activists and progressive power brokers. In this episode, Scotty and Amelia celebrate their lives, their work, and their considerable influence. They also delve into two of Rob's most popular films: 1984's "This is Spinal Tap" and 1995's "The American President."

Their loss is a terrible tragedy, but hopefully this episode is a small reminder of just some of the joy that they provided.

We're closing out another year at The Weirdest Thing Podcast, so Scotty and Amelia are here with a look back at some of their most significant pop-cultural events of 2025. There are TV shows like "Dying for Sex" (Hulu) and "Death By Lightning" (Netflix), movies like "28 Years Later" and "Wicked Part 2," ruminations on Leonardo DiCaprio's squinty face, new possibilities for superhero movies, and more!

Note: Scotty and Amelia recorded this episode before the tragic death of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. They will return after the New Year with a tribute to the legendary filmmaker and activist.

On this (admittedly beefy) Pocket Size episode, Amelia and Scotty present a bit of a companion piece to their earlier "Teenage Hijinks!" episode with another entry in their ongoing series about Movies They Just Don't Make Anymore, by looking at the uniquely 80s subgenre of "Kids on Adventures!" flicks.

To that end, they consider three specific entries: 1985's "Goonies" (directed by Richard Donner), 1987's "Monster Squad" (directed by Fred Dekker), and -- perhaps the greatest of them all -- 1986's "Stand By Me" (directed by Rob Reiner). And, of course, no discussion of this particular grouping of movies would be complete without a few words on Steven Spielberg's 1982 classic "E.T.: The Extraterrestrial."