This Place Scares Us - A Podcast

Katya Mickelson and Laramie Dean

Join Laramie Dean, PhD, and Katya Mickelson, NPhD (non-PhD), for each nonsequitur-filled episode of THIS PLACE SCARES US! Come find out why serial killers, movies, literature and pop culture scares you, me and everyone.

  • 1 hour 20 minutes
    The Witch Scares Us

    Hello Dear Listeners,

    We have missed you! To steal a term from one of our favorite authors (Christopher Moore) our day slave lives have been getting us down and keeping us from editing this podcast!  But fear not, we are back with a Spooktober appropriate episode.

    This episode is a throw back to one of our collective favorite movies: 2015's The Witch (or The VVitch) by Robert Eggers.  This period piece set in 1600s Puritan America has a little something for everyone.  For the devoutly religious, Puritans, for the devoutly satanic, Satan, for the devoutly feminist, Witches. Robert Eggers develops a wonderful atmosphere in which to set this exploration of female power, religiously motivated paranoia, and the truly brutal nature of life 300 years ago.

    So join us as Katya and Laramie delve into feminism, the history of witches in America, why the woods are so scary, and also hyenas.  We have just one question for you dear listeners... Wouldst thou like to live... deliciously?

    **Clinkies**

    Katya and Laramie

    8 October 2019, 3:33 am
  • 1 hour 39 minutes
    Jerry Lee Lewis Scares Us

    Hello Dear Listeners,

    We have been enjoying the wonderful summer weather and doing our best to keep cool!  Hopefully you are enjoying the summer sun and staying safe from the things that go bump in the night. And, what makes summer better than a nice song or two?

    Well this week you are in for a musical treat!  Katya and Laramie discuss the one and only Jerry Lee Lewis, AKA The Killer (really this is his nickname), and the many horrible things he has been accused of doing. If you haven't had a chance give Mr. Lewis a Google and bask in the 1960s terror that is his hairdo.

    So join us as we delve into why you should be afraid of Mr. Lewis and people like him.

    **Clinkies**

    Katya and Laramie

    23 July 2019, 5:15 am
  • 1 hour 23 minutes
    Salem's Lot Scares Us

    Hello Dear Listeners,

    Summer is in full swing and we are releasing an episode that wasn't recorded this past winter!  We hope this episode will keep you creeped out as you travel for your summer fun.  Maybe you can bring us with as you visit a ghost town or check out a haunted house.

    This week Katya and Laramie discuss Stephen King's Salem's Lot, (specifically the 1979 TV miniseries directed by Tobe Hooper).  Laramie discusses the horror of vampirism and why Salem's Lot shows us that the sexual appeal of vampires is scarier than anything.  Katya and Laramie also discuss if the events of Salem's Lot could take place today and the terrifying parallels between vampirism and drug addiction.

    Also, Katya and Laramie discuss many of Laramie's wonderful works of art, what Katya has been up to these past several months, and why language matters so much in horror and life.

    **Clinkies**

    Katya and Laramie

    30 June 2019, 6:00 pm
  • 1 hour 32 minutes
    The Cannibal Cop Scares Us

    Hello Dear Listeners,

    We hope you are having a wonderful start to summer and enjoying the warmth and sun.  Cookouts are a wonderful summer tradition and this week we decided to bring you an epicurean focused episode.

    Gilberto Valle, dubbed the "Cannibal Cop" is a former NYPD officer who was found guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping in 2013, and later had his conviction overturned in 2014.  Gilberto's charges stemmed from his behavior in online chat rooms regarding fantasy writing involving the rape, murder, and cannibalization of numerous women.  To say this case is complex is an understatement, but Katya and Laramie dig into what makes this such a scary situation.

    Also, Katya and Laramie struggle with New York geography, discuss diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5 and try to pin down where the line is between thought crimes and real crimes.  So join us for some ups and downs on this wacky episode!

    **Clinkies**

    Katya and Laramie

    17 June 2019, 4:26 am
  • 1 hour 15 minutes
    Gremlins Scares Us

    Hello Dear Listeners,

    If you haven't heard, we're back!  The winter/grad school/moving blues got us down for a bit, but we are all sorted out and ready to go. We are bringing you some Christmas in June fun and festivities with this week's topic!

    Gremlins, released on June 8 1984 and directed by Joe Dante, is this week's topic.  To say that this episode is near and dear to Laramie's heart is an understatement.  Join us to find out why camp, creep, and consumerism make this the perfect holiday movie to binge watch on your DVR or VCR.  Also, Katya drops some knowledge on the origin of the Mogwai name, and why colonialism may be the scariest part of the movie.

    We want to give a very special shout out to all of you that have stuck with us though the break in this fun little project.  We'll do better to keep the creepy goofiness coming your way!

    **Clinkies**

    Katya and Laramie

    3 June 2019, 1:01 am
  • 2 minutes 27 seconds
    We're Back Bumper!

    We're back bitches!

    Sorry for our long hiatus.  If you are curious about what's been happening in our lives give this bumper a quick listen.  We've got a new episode for you tonight too!

    **Clinkies**

    Katya and Laramie

    3 June 2019, 12:42 am
  • 1 hour 25 minutes
    The High Priestess of Blood Scares Us

    Hello Dear Listeners,

    Happy New Year, and sorry for the long delay.  As many of you know, a lot has been going on in "Scares Us Land".  But fear not because we are back and back on track!  We missed you all dearly and are sincerely sorry for our absence

    This week we are bringing and episode back from the dead!  Our lost episode on Magdalena Solis, The High Priestess of Blood has new life.  Katya and Laramie discuss the terror that is a cult, and the cult of personality that emerged in Yerba Buena in the 1960s.  

    Katya and Laramie also discuss what defines a serial killer, the ruthlessness of STDs and what is truly scary about cults.  So welcome back everyone, and we will see you again in two weeks!

    **Clinkies**

    Katya and Laramie

    21 January 2019, 1:25 am
  • 1 hour 32 minutes
    The Haunting of Hill House Scares Us

    Hello Dear Listeners,

    The week of feasts is upon us and we hope you enjoy this episode as you travel to see family, hunker down in your bunker, or enjoy basking in the glow of your retail therapy.  If you need a good read for your holiday time, This Place Scares Us suggests reading The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson.

    This week's episode is in fact about The Haunting of Hill House which has seen several screen adaptations both in movie form and now as a popular Netflix series.  Laramie shares his opinions about all of the iterations of The Haunting of Hill House and why sometimes never seeing a monster is scarier than anything.

    Katya and Laramie debate why the origin of a monster is so important and discuss at length the horror community's view on whether to show the monsters or not.  What do you think listeners: is it scarier to see the monsters, or to never see the monsters?  With that we leave you to your Thanksgiving.

    **Clinkies**

    Katya and Laramie

    20 November 2018, 1:27 am
  • 1 hour 29 minutes
    Hereditary Scares Us

    Hello Dear Listeners,

    We hope you had a spectacular Spooktober, a haunting Halloween, and an amazing All Souls Day!  We have been hard at work getting back on our recording schedule after our big life changes.  Coming at you this week is the scariest movie we have seen in a good long while.

    This week's topic is the terrifying 2018 film Hereditary by Ari Aster.  Go watch this movie before listening to this week's episode, but find a friend because this is one crazy, scary, disturbing film!  Katya and Laramie dissect all of the things that should scare you about this film and some of the things you may have missed your first time watching. 

    Also, Katya gives you a run-down of graduate school hell, and Laramie discusses surviving Trump-land Missoula.  Before we leave you this week remember: Your life does not start with choice, so why should it end with it?

    **Clinkies**

    Katya and Laramie

    5 November 2018, 12:39 am
  • 1 hour 40 minutes
    Fright Night Scares Us

    Hello Dear Listeners,

    Like a phoenix we have risen from the ashes of moving, learning new technology, and having a generally chaotic two months! But, WE ARE BACK!!  This is our first remotely recorded episode and it sounds a bit rough, but we've worked the bugs out and will have another episode out soon.

    Its Spooktober and you know what that means!? Horror movies!! In this episode Katya and Laramie discuss the 1985 classic Fright Night directed by Tom Holland (not Spiderman Tom Holland).  This movie really is a window into so many things 80s: teen angst, vampires, rape culture, and queer subtext.  Katya and Laramie posit that Fright Night may be the best metaphor for sexual predators.

    So join us as we take a walk down This Place Scares Us memory lane, discuss everything that has been happening in our lives and unpack a surprisingly complex movie from the 80s.  We've missed you and love you all so much!

    **Clinkies**

    Katya and Laramie

    22 October 2018, 2:21 am
  • 1 hour 20 minutes
    John List Scares Us

    Hello Dear Listeners,

      Like all new relationships we are shamelessly celebrating an anniversary this episode.  This was our 1 year anniversary episode and is officially episode 25 of This Place Scares Us!  We love all our listeners and once life is a bit more settled for us we want to find something other than a sticker to give out to all of you!   Now, on to the episode!  We are discussing John List who was a horrible murderer.  The term family annihilator was developed to describe this monster and we really dive into why he was so vile.  There are so many layers to this story with the true events and the Gothic themes and overtones.  Plus this story hits close to home for Katya so buckle up and enjoy!     Also in this episode Katya and Laramie deconstruct all of the outfits and shoes Catwoman was forced to wear.  Katya continues to discuss her feelings on Pandas (we love you Pu-Pu). Laramie writes an on the spot haiku and we give you all the chance to name yourselves!  Happy official begging of fall!   **Clinkies**   Katya and Laramie
    23 September 2018, 6:12 pm
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