Episodes

  • Mid-Hiatus Bonus: A Door in the Fourth Wall

    Mid-Hiatus Bonus: A Door in the Fourth Wall
    Aug 26 2026
    Episode 218 will drop at the end of our summer break on September 9, 2026. Today, enjoy this recent audio extra, originally released for members of the Weird Studies Patreon. In the intro, JF announces two important Weirdosphere events: a talk on language in the age of AI by Emma Stamm, and a new six-week course on the idea of truth in horror cinema and literature. To learn more and enroll, visit Weirdosphere. The musical piece following the intro is "Hypnagogic," from PY Martel's recent album Weird Studies Vol. 3. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • Episode 217 – Books, Spirits, and Hysteria, with Asti Hustvedt

    Episode 217 – Books, Spirits, and Hysteria, with Asti Hustvedt
    Aug 5 2026
    Researcher Asti Hustvedt joins Phil and JF to discuss a talk she gave at the Lily Dale Symposium this year entitled "Bibliophantoms." The question: What does it mean to "get lost" in a book? Asti's answer, drawing on her research in nineteenth-century neuroscience and spirit mediumship, amounts to a genuine weirding of the act of reading. Asti Hustvedt is an independent scholar and writer with a PhD in French literature. Her work examines the entangled histories of science, psychology, literature, and the occult, with a particular focus on hysteria and Spiritualism. She is the author of Medical Muses: Hysteria in Nineteenth-Century Paris, named an Editors' Choice by the New York Times and a Book of the Year by The Independent, and the editor of The Decadent Reader: Fiction, Fantasy and Perversion in Fin-de-Siècle France. She is currently writing a book on hysteria and the supernatural that examines how Eusapia Palladino and other mediums challenged—and helped shape—the emerging sciences of the mind. New Course! To learn more on JF's upcoming online course on truth in horror literature and cinema, visit Weirdosphere. Image: Detail of The Reader by Jacques-Émile Blanche (1861-1942) Music: "L'Esprit d'escalier" from Weird Studies vol. 3, and "Distant Early Warning" from Weird Studies vol 2. REFERENCES Asti Hustvedt, Medical Muses Jean-Martin Charcot, French physician Pierre Janet, French physician Lon Milo DuQuette, It’s All in Your Head Saint Catherine of Siena, Italian mystic Saint Augustine, Confessions Paul Auster, American writer Julia Kristeva, Bulgarian French philosopher Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights Lionel Snell, Introduction to Freya Aswynn’s Power and Principles of the Runes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • Episode 216 – Artworks Are People Too

    Episode 216 – Artworks Are People Too
    Jul 22 2026
    "Now and then, a mysterious life and potency will flicker out of an artwork and confront you." So began "Artworks Are People Too," a talk Phil presented at the Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute earlier this summer. In this episode, JF and Phil discuss the implications of this idea that some artworks break the mould of the inanimate and act as persons in the world. Are artworks mere creations, or creatures too? To enroll in Questionable Cinema, our live summer series happening in August 2026, visit Weirdosphere. Music: "Hypnagogic," from Weird Studies Vol. 3. References Henri Corbin, Alone with the Alone Alfred Hallowell, "Ojibwa Ontology, Behavior, and Worldview" Martin Buber, I and Thou Charles Taylor, A Secular Age Rainer Maria Rilke, “Archaic Torso of Apollo” Peter Sloterdijk, You Must Change Your Life Carl Jung, “On the Relation of Analytical Psychology to Poetry” Alejandro Jodorowsky, Pyschomagic Dan Sperber, “The Causal Chains of Culture” Paul Stoller, In Sorcery’s Shadow Paul Bowles, The Sheltering Sky Ishmael Reed, Mumbo Jumbo Holly Cusack-McVeigh, Stories Find You Jonathan Haidt, The Righteous Mind Ikea lamp commercial Sam Raimi (dir.), Evil Dead II Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 34 mins
  • Special Episode: Make Art!

    Special Episode: Make Art!
    Jul 8 2026
    Owing to circumstances preventing us from releasing a new show this week, we are offering you one from the archives. This episode was originally released on our Patreon in March 2026. In it, we discuss the splendour and squalor of Victorian London, kung-fu bobbies, the (mis)alignment of society and technology, post-apocalyptic optimism, the emancipating genius of tabletop roleplaying games, the human after AI, and a reason for creating works of art. A new episode of Weird Studies will drop on July 22. For more information on Questionable Cinema, Phil and JF's upcoming online course, visit Weirdosphere. To listen to more tracks from Weird Studies Vol. 3 and purchase the download or LP, visit Pierre-Yves Martel's Bandcamp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    41 mins
  • Episode 215 – Where No One Can Hear You Scream: On Ridley Scott's 'Alien'

    Episode 215 – Where No One Can Hear You Scream: On Ridley Scott's 'Alien'
    Jun 24 2026
    In this episode, JF and Phil discuss Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi/horror blockbuster Alien. Together, they wipe off the patina of familiarity that beclouds the film, restoring it to its original weirdness. What is the organism that terrorizes the Nostromo? What's its relation to technology, evolution, industry? How does it differ from the monsters of older horror classics? How does one interpret without explaining away? Music in this episode: "Hypnagogic," from Pierre-Yves Martel's Weird Studies Vol. 3. Events Shannon Taggart's Lily Dale Symposium (July 23-25, 2026Transcendence in the Age of AI, a Weirdosphere chat with Michael Garfield and JF Martel, hosted by Joel Gunz - June 25, 2026 Kickstarter campaign for Artist as Astronaut: The Otherworldly Art of Ionel Talpazan from Strange Attractor Press. The campaign closes June 27! References Ionel Talpazan, Romanian experiencer and artist Ridley Scott (dir.), Alien Peter Bebergal, All Our Famous Monsters (forthcoming) Malachi Martin, Hostage to the Devil Vilhelm Hammershøi, Danish painter H. R. Giger, Swiss artist Simon-Max, French entertainer Eric Wargo, Passion of the Space Jockey Weird Studies, Episode 213 on “Eric” Mel Brooks (dir.), Spaceballs Howard and Emerson, “Hello, Ma Baby” Beowulf Eugene Thacker, In the Dust of This Planet Graham Harman, Weird Reality Pierre Schaeffer, French musician Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 29 mins
  • Episode 214 – Fortune's Fools: On Gordon White's Philosophy of Fortune-Telling

    Episode 214 – Fortune's Fools: On Gordon White's Philosophy of Fortune-Telling
    Jun 10 2026
    It was with heavy hearts that Phil and JF learned of Gordon White's passing. Gordon was a force to be reckoned with: as an author and podcaster on all things occult, he offered unique perspectives and provocative interpretations at every turn. In this episode, your hosts discuss Gordon's thoughts on divination—or fortune-telling, as he preferred to call it... Click here to purchase tickets to the 2026 edition of the Lily Dale Symposium (July 23-25), organized by Shannon Taggart and closing this year with a live recording of Weird Studies. References Rune Soup Fortune’s Fools Oracle Deck Duns Scotus, Scottish priest Marshall Sahlins, The New Science of the Enchanted Universe Henri Bergson, Time and Free Will Ithell Colquhoun, Taro as Colour Lord Dunsany, The Gods of Pegana Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • Episode 213 – Comics, Surf Rock, and the Weirdness of Time: On Tom Manning's 'Eric'

    Episode 213 – Comics, Surf Rock, and the Weirdness of Time: On Tom Manning's 'Eric'
    May 27 2026
    Tom Manning's 2018 graphic novel Eric is that rarest of gems: the self-published masterpiece. Available only on the author's website, it's the story of a washed-up surf rocker who stumbles into a cosmic conspiracy involving elite cultists, post-apocalyptic cowboys, renegade magicians, and three-eyed djinn. In this episode, Manning's work serves as a shining example of what makes comics such a unique and potent art form. There's no need to have read the book before listening—but know that you'll probably want to do when you're done. You're welcome. Visit the Weirdosphere website to sign up for the Weird Studies Vol. 3 listening party on May 30, 2026. Join the Weird Studies Patreon and support the show. References Tom Manning, ERIC Leslie Stevens, “So So Surreal” “Beach Bum #1” Mike Relm, “Change the Channel” Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, What is Philosophy? Sarah Heston, “Magical Los Angeles: An Interview with Tom Manning” Scott McCloud, Understanding Comics David Mamet, On Directing Film Richard J. Lewis (dir.), Whale Music Joel and Ethan Coen, The Big Lebowski Darren Aronovsky (dir.), The Wrestler Jorge Luis Borges, “The Garden of Forking Paths” Marcel Proust, In Search of Lost Time Jean-Paul Sartre, Nausea Jean-Paul Sartre, The Transcendence of the Ego David Lynch, Twin Peaks: The Return Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Episode 212 – Beyond Music and Back Again: On Glenn Gould

    Episode 212 – Beyond Music and Back Again: On Glenn Gould
    May 13 2026
    The pianist, composer and sound artist Glenn Gould once wrote: "Art on its loftiest mission is scarcely human at all." What becomes of art and humanity when they are allowed to vary independently of one another? Which serves which, and to what end? In this episode, JF and Phil discuss Glenn Gould's style and vision of music through the lens of François Girard's memorable 1993 film, Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould. For details on the upcoming Weird Studies Volume 3 listening party, and to register for the event, go to the event page on the Weirdosphere website. The album will be released on May 22, 2026, on Pierre-Yves Martel's Bandcamp page. ⁠Click here⁠ to support Weird Studies on Patreon. REFERENCES Francois Girard (dir.), Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould Rob Reiner, This is Spinal Tap Weird Studies, Episode 31 on Gould’s “Prospects of Recording” "The Shining Recut" "Glenn Gould Interviews Glenn Gould About Glenn Gould" Phil Ford, Dig: Sound and Music in Hip Culture Glenn Gould, "The Idea of North" Weird Studies, Episode 124 with Duncan Barford Francois Girard, Production of Wagner’s Parsifal Richard Wagner, Parsifal (clip from performance conducted by Reginald Goodall) Spear of Longinus Header image by Ana Pismel, via Wikimedia Commons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 24 mins