Time Traveler John Titor

The Jussie Smollett Incident

Jun 22, 20261h 56mSummary

In the final episode of the first season of the podcast Hoax!, the hosts, Dana and Lizzie, turn their attention to the high-profile incident involving actor Jussie Smollett. Positioned as a case study in modern media hoaxes, the episode examines the complexities of the story, the nature of public perception, and the role of the press in covering such polarized events. The hosts provide extensive context, tracing Smollett’s early life and his rise to fame on the hit television show Empire. They analyze his career trajectory, his identity as a black, queer man in Hollywood, and the intense cultural pressure he navigated during the peak of the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight for same-sex marriage. Rather than passing immediate judgment, the hosts set the stage by acknowledging the seriousness of hate crimes while exploring the inconsistencies that led many to label the incident a hoax. Throughout the discussion, they emphasize that their goal is to navigate a complicated narrative while maintaining a balanced perspective on how public figures and media narratives interact in the digital age.

Scratching Fanny of Cock Lane

Jun 8, 202651 minSummary

In this episode of Hoax!, the hosts delve into the strange 18th-century tale of the Cock Lane Ghost, an infamous haunting that captivated London in the 1760s. The story centers on William Kent, a money lender who, after being unable to marry his sister-in-law Fanny due to strict canon law, lived with her until her tragic death from smallpox. Following her passing, a series of mysterious knocks and scratching sounds began occurring in the home of a parish clerk named Richard Parsons, where Kent had previously resided. The hosts explore how Parsons used his young daughter, Elizabeth, to convince the public that the house was haunted by the ghost of Fanny, who allegedly accused Kent of poisoning her. As the rumors spread, the phenomenon evolved into a massive, ticketed tourist attraction that became a flashpoint for religious debates between Anglican traditionalists and the emerging Methodist movement. Ultimately, the hosts dissect the intersection of grief, family inheritance disputes, and public hysteria, illustrating how the episode reflects a society caught between enlightenment skepticism and a lingering, intense fascination with the supernatural.