American Hysteria
chelsey weber-smithAmerican Hysteria explores how fantastical thinking has shaped our culture – moral panics, urban legends, hoaxes, crazes, fringe beliefs, and national misunderstandings. Poet-turned-podcaster Chelsey Weber-Smith tells the strangest stories from American history and examines the forces that create the reality we share, and sometimes, the reality we don't.
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 316 | Founded | 8 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Society & CultureHistory | |||
Listen to this Podcast
Latest Episodes
In 1859, a powerful solar storm known as the Carrington Event hit the world, disrupting early technology in a shocking way. Our guest today is Ben Bradford, host of the podcast Are We Doomed? A show that investigates the greatest risks facing our soc... more
At the height of their popularity, the 1920s era Ku Klux Klux counted millions of Americans as part of their secret society, and as we covered in part one, became a kind of pop culture phenomenon using a PR team, family-friendly events, and region-b... more
We often think of the Ku Klux Klan as anonymous, masked vigilante terrorists, but for several years of the 1920s, joining their ranks was a mass pop cultural craze, leading to millions signing up and millions more supporting them. For part one of thi... more
As a companion to our upcoming two part series, the topic of which we are not yet revealing, please enjoy this rerelease (2020) of one of our favorite episodes and one that is particularly meaningful to me.
For this episode we are dissecting the arc... more
Key Facts
Similar Podcasts
People also subscribe to these shows.
Recent Guests
Host
Reviews
- Wiernermobile
I love this show. I love the oooh doggie ad and you can’t change my mind. I think there should be an episode ABOUT that ad. Anyway, my one other important and valid suggestion is that there needs to be an episode about the Wienermobile. Thanks!
Apple Podcasts5DW’s Glasses
United Statesa month ago - Ridiculous vocal fry
I couldn’t get past the bad narration. So put on. Sounds like an amateur trying to sound “pro”.
Faux newscaster vibe.
Apple Podcasts2Durst98United Statesa month ago - Awful presentation
The content is interesting but the presentation is often unlistenable. The episode on 90s angels was just awful. Don’t get me started on the woman who kept giggling and saying ‘like totally’!
Apple Podcasts1treskell
Australia2 months ago - Great show
I love Chelsea’s ads, they make me laugh so much. It’s already a great show but these are highlights!
Apple Podcasts5SyntheticgUnited States2 months ago - Love the show, HATE the Quince ad
I love the research and the way Chelsey presents each issue. I sometimes skip the episodes where she chats with a guest.
I apologize that this is petty, but I almost wanted to skip the show because of how much I hate the “OOOOOOOHH DOGGIE!” Quince ad. I know ads are necessary to drive revenue and keep the podcast free for listening…but that particular ad is so off putting that it makes me angry every time, and it’s in every single episode. 🤣
Apple Podcasts5jessica20142018United States2 months ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #237 | United States/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #234 |  Canada/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #119 |  Finland/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #191 |  Poland/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #219 |  Ukraine/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #227 |  Netherlands/Society & Culture |
Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
| Listeners per Episode | |
|---|---|
| Gender Skew | |
| Location | |
| Interests | |
| Professions | |
| Age Range | |
| Household Income | |
| Social Media Reach |
Frequently Asked Questions About American Hysteria
What is American Hysteria about and what kind of topics does it cover?
This show presents deeply researched histories of American myths, panics, hoaxes, and fringe ideas, told with sharp storytelling and cultural critique. Episodes thread together how fear, fantasy, and misinformation reshape society, from 19th-century media to modern digital scare stories, often featuring expert guests who illuminate historical context and contemporary relevance. A standout quality is the host's blend of rigorous research, dry wit, and candid commentary, plus a willingness to tackle provocative topics with nuance. The format often pairs clean narrative history with provocative cultural analysis, making it informative yet entertaining for listeners who enjoy learning why societies fear the things they fear—and how these myths ... more
Where can I find podcast stats for American Hysteria?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for American Hysteria. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to American Hysteria and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does American Hysteria get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for American Hysteria, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.
What are the audience demographics for American Hysteria?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for American Hysteria, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.
How many subscribers and views does American Hysteria have?
To see how many followers or subscribers American Hysteria has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.
Which podcasts are similar to American Hysteria?
These podcasts share a similar audience with American Hysteria:
1. You're Wrong About
2. You Are Good
3. Maintenance Phase
4. If Books Could Kill
5. What to Carry, What to Burn
How many episodes of American Hysteria are there?
American Hysteria launched 8 years ago and published 316 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
How do I contact American Hysteria?
Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.
Where can I see ratings and reviews for American Hysteria?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for American Hysteria from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.
View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.
How do I access podcast episode transcripts for American Hysteria?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of American Hysteria. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.
What guests have appeared on American Hysteria?
Recent guests on American Hysteria include:
1. Ben Bradford
2. Harrison Hill
3. Michael Blanding
4. Rebecca Nagle
5. Ryan Broderick
6. Grant Irving
7. AJ Jacobs
8. Tyler McBrien
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.