Hero or Dick
Welcome to Hero or Dick — the podcast where Kate and KJ dig into the strange, funny, and unforgettable corners of history, pop culture, and everything in between. Each episode, we take on famous (and infamous) figures, events, and ideas, breaking them down with humor, insight, and just enough irreverence to ask the question that matters: hero…or dick?
From legendary icons to the odd stories behind movies, music, and everyday life, we pull the threads that make people and moments extraordinary. Along the way, you’ll get Kate’s infamous Fast Five lists (and KJ forgetting his), personal anecdotes, and plenty of chances to weigh in with your own takes.
Ever wondered if a celebrated artist was secretly a scoundrel? Or if a movie villain actually had a point? We live in those gray areas — the messy, funny, human places where the line between hero and dick isn’t so clear.
Join us bi-weekly for deep dives, playful banter, and the kind of conversations that leave you laughing, thinking, and maybe a little surprised. Whether you’re here for the history, the pop culture, or just to see if Kate finally got her car back, Hero or Dick is your go-to podcast for stories that entertain as much as they reveal.
Write in with your suggestions, stories, or just a friendly hello at heroordick2023@gmail.com.
Subscribe today — because life, like our podcast, is never just black and white.
Thanks!
~ Kate & KJ
Hero or Dick
Hero or Dick - S3., Ep. 13 - Bloody Mary, Melon Heads, and Hitchhikers
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Greetings, Dear Listeners!
Ever wonder why we can't stop sharing stories about hook-handed killers, vanishing hitchhikers, or creatures lurking in the woods?
Join us for this exploration of storytelling traditions that continue to thrive today.
Thanks!
~ Kate & KJ
Catching Up: Cassidy's Broken Ankle
Speaker 1okay , um hi everybody are we on ?
Speaker 2yeah , we're good , turn it on to go oh , you didn't even tell me welcome to your order yeah , we're just catching up . Yeah , kate , you haven't we had um I don't know what happened delay gas at a broker and oh , yeah , yeah so that was two weeks ago yesterday . So we were supposed to meet and we couldn't because , being the good mom that you are , I am , so I've been going back and forth to gaylord helping her out yes , that's nice .
Speaker 2Yeah , yep , and she got her cast on yesterday . She's good for four weeks and at the end of four weeks they'll reevaluate . It's a clean break . So it's a break . It's like not sticking out or anything . It's like right on top of where it needs to meld back in gotcha . Gotta love those and the doctor said at the end of four weeks the bones will be sticky and we're like oh so then they're good to go and you go . She'll be in a boot for a couple of weeks . The boot , the boot .
Speaker 1What are you talking about ?
Speaker 2And then she'll be good to go .
Speaker 1Awesome . Well , Cassidy , we're wishing you well .
Speaker 2Yes , we are , she's fine , and it's made me very thankful , not that she broke her ankle , but that she , you know , going back and forth and helping her out doing stuff for her . It's a fixable problem . It's not , like , you know , she has a major disease or anything like that , and so I'm not thankful that she has a broken ankle , but I am thankful that she has just a broken ankle . Yeah , a fixable problem .
Speaker 2There are folks that have unfixable problems , and that's got to be so stressful , because it's stressful having this fixable problem . There are folks that have unfixable problems , yeah , and that's got to be so stressful , because it's stressful having this fixable problem .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , a couple things , yeah . First one is Keith and Mel came and visited the cottage . Oh , so that was nice to see them . They brought the kids out .
Speaker 2What's his wife's name ?
Speaker 1Melanie .
Speaker 2Do they listen to the show ?
Speaker 1No , oh , I sent him the link . Finally , you can say hi to them . Hi , keith , they're not going to listen , we won't but it was nice catching up with them , seeing the kids .
Speaker 2How old are their kids ? He says he's his brother .
Speaker 1Yeah , baby brother Addison has graduated and gone to college . She's what ? Just 18 , maybe 17 , 18 . And then the other one , ellery , is about Joby's age . She just started driving . And then Oliver I don't know Oliver's little yeah , he's a little guy , I don't know , he must be 8 or 10 . Sorry everybody , but it was good catching up . But of course we got into telling old stories about the old days in front of the kids . I got a little carried away telling stories .
Speaker 2I don't know too much .
Speaker 1Well , they learned stuff they probably shouldn't have learned .
Speaker 2I told my kids when I'm old , just remember that I probably have dementia and half of what I say is not going to be true .
Speaker 1Well , I think we can say that for the podcast too . Right both of us .
Speaker 2This is just all bs , yeah , and when I spout out stuff when I'm old , it doesn't mean it's right and true but
Old Friends and New Listeners
Speaker 2she will think it's true um what's your second thing ?
Speaker 1I probably got lots it's been a month it has been .
Speaker 2And I just want to say welcome to Doug , our newest listener .
Speaker 1Is it D-U-G or D-O-U-G ?
Speaker 2I think he's got an O in there . It's not Doug like the dog's name .
Speaker 1Were you all soliciting ?
Speaker 2Yeah , I was out telling people to listen .
Speaker 1Well , welcome Doug , you're with us three , right now we got three brooke , cassidy and doug yeah , um , damn it , kate . There was something else . Hold on , it's in there . Oh uh , I'll self-whore myself a little bit . The book , the book got a really nice review from . It's a very great lakes review . Sarah hailstone , the editor over there what was the ?
Speaker 2there was a terminology she used that I really liked .
Speaker 1Now I gotta , I gotta look who I sent it to and then sandra seaton , who um was a former professor of mine at central michigan university and who very lyrical name there you go Sandra Seaton . She is a playwright , she's pretty well known and she's even won the Mark Twain Award . Wow , and she . It's weird talking about yourself , but she said that I'm a voice of our time , not here , but for the writing . So yeah , it's riding high on that .
Speaker 2Okay In the review , in the Great Lakes review I liked where she said that you peeled back the language .
Speaker 1I do that .
Speaker 2I like that .
Speaker 1I don't like many words . You peel it back . Peel it right back .
Speaker 2Peel it back .
Speaker 1So anyway , that was good .
Speaker 2Actually she said language , peeled back , feel it back , so anyway , that was good . Actually she said language .
Speaker 1Feel it back and it is available on Amazoncom , BarnesandNoblecom .
Speaker 2I'm looking at our texts and you sent me a picture of Cherry , the toy chair from Pee Wee's Playground .
Speaker 1Oh yeah , we haven't seen each other . I know it's been a long time . Where did they go ? Yeah , that's a good question . It's a chair . Oh the great .
Speaker 2It's a toy chair . Grand , the actual chair .
Speaker 1Right Grand Rapids Public Museum .
Speaker 2Oh , that's a wonderful .
Speaker 1It really is . They've got like a whale mounted inside on the ceiling .
Speaker 2Jenna got married there in the planetarium .
Speaker 1In the planetarium .
Speaker 2Yep on the second floor . It was very nice , and then the reception was downstairs and we ate dinner under the whale .
Speaker 1What .
Speaker 2What life are you living ? Pretty good , I'm happy .
Speaker 1I made hamburgers last night . Speaking of eating , you know , it was just my son , julian Jovi , who might be popping in here by the way , and then me .
Speaker 1My wife went to the cottage to have some brook time , which she just came back , so I'm gonna go have some kj time , but anyhow , I make six burgers . There's three of us . I tell them this is so tomorrow I have lunch . Julian , you'll have them for lunch . Jo , jovi , you can have one later . Whenever Julian goes after dinner to go work out , I come back . He's laying practically naked on our recliner you know , he's all sweaty , just in his shorts with the whole container of hamburgers and he's just chewing . I'm like dude . I'm like hey , hey , animal , don't chew with your mouth closed , first of all , and he laughs and then I said did you just eat three burgers laying there ? Oh yeah , I'm like kind of Dang it , dude , he's just a chowing machine .
Speaker 1Well , he's an active person , yeah yeah , yeah , I mean , I eat the same , I'm not active .
Speaker 2He's not even active .
Speaker 1I don't know . Our food bill is going to be a lot cheaper in a few weeks here when he returns . Yeah , and he's actually looking forward to going back because he loves the food there . It's like a buffet , you know .
Speaker 2Uh-huh .
Speaker 1Cruising the Great Lakes .
Speaker 2Is he going back to ?
Speaker 1Northwood ? I hope so . No , yeah he is . Yep . No , I'm proud of him , except for him eating all the hamburgers . And then Joby was going to stop by and possibly promote the Water Street Commons and Blue Blends .
Speaker 2Okay , well , hopefully she shows up , and it's only 12.15 .
Speaker 1And then you and I had a visitor just a few minutes ago .
Speaker 2Who was that Spectrum ?
Speaker 1It was the Christian Coalition . They don't like the name Hero or Dick , and they also don't like our political leanings .
Speaker 2I would say to them too , fucking bad .
Speaker 1That's what I kind of said , but anyway . No , actually it was Greg from Spectrum Business , Greg Russman . He's the business account executive . He was a very nice fellow . Stop by . I told him we don't need internet . However , if you're looking for Spectrum business account here in Alpena Michigan , maybe give Greg a call .
Speaker 2I will take that , because I'm going to cancel our Spectrum .
Speaker 1That wasn't the intent here , but yeah .
Speaker 2And just get internet .
Speaker 1Okay .
Speaker 2And we have a business .
Speaker 1What's Greg's number right there ? Greg's number 989-414-0741 there you go .
Speaker 2Greg don't , don't even know . You met you for five seconds and yeah , why not greg ? He's hope . Did you tell him to listen to the podcast ?
Speaker 1no , I'll call him . We got his number um you gotta shout out the last thing , I guess , because I've been rambling for 15 minutes um how's the building doing over there ?
Speaker 2well , good , um , mike is actually over there . Well good , Mike is actually over there cleaning it right now and the Lifelong Learners are going to tour it on Friday , so I'm a little nervous about having those people there , because God bless them all and it's a great organization .
Speaker 2You don't have to be older to be in it , but most of the people are older people , retired people , let's that's what are they learning there well , they're gonna learn a lot of history , but there's a lot of stairs and I'm just kind of nervous having all those people up down the stairs .
Speaker 1Are you teaching them ?
Speaker 2no , I'm not gonna go , I don't know who's teaching them what's going on .
Speaker 1Mike's gonna be what's he teaching him ?
Speaker 2he's giving him the history oh , okay , of the building .
Speaker 1I've been seeing those things pop up in these renovation shows , another one called who's Afraid of a Cheap Old House on Prime Video . It's a really cool show . They actually go around and find really cheap old houses or buildings and people renovate them and they get them super cheap . There was an Odd Fellows building in New York and it was super cool . That's yours .
Speaker 2There are some cool ones . There's a lot that have just gone , you know , unnoticed . Sure Like people don't even know . They're Odd Fellows . Now there's a couple that are redone , there's one that's redone and I'm going to forget where it is Ludington .
Speaker 1Ludington .
Speaker 2In Ludington , michigan , you can rent it and it's upstairs . Ludington , in Ludington Michigan , you can rent it and it's upstairs . There's like a storefront downstairs and then you rent the upstairs and it used to be the Adfellows Hall . Yeah , so it is really cool . The guy's name
Urban Legends: What They Are
Speaker 2is Ryan something .
Speaker 1Jankowitz .
Speaker 2I don't think that was it . I don't think it is either .
Speaker 1It just seems like I don't remember .
Speaker 2But anyway , it was a really cool building , very cool . So what's our topic today ?
Speaker 1Our topic today is the Christian Coalition . Oh no , it's not no , I studied the wrong thing . That's why I think it is Urban Legends yes , which is fitting because right now at Sanctuary Cinema here in Alpena , michigan , I know what you did last summer .
Speaker 2Yeah , see , there's an urban legend right there .
Speaker 1Several are in the yard .
Speaker 2There's a video on the way here and it is . I don't know if it's an urban legend , but it is kind of an urban legend . If you drink your liquor with diet soda instead of regular soda , you'll get drunker quicker .
Speaker 1Well , maybe Something to do with the sugars .
Speaker 2No , no , it's not true . How do you ?
Speaker 1know , you know what ? Next week you are going to sit here and drink drinks with diet and regular soda .
Speaker 2Like diet .
Speaker 1Well , with the boozy , well , that's an interesting one . Yeah , well , you know urban legends ? I think they are . Typically this is what I've learned they begin with a real event .
Speaker 2Yes .
Speaker 1Fabricated tales , yes , misinterpretation , or coincidence , or of coincidence . And then there's hoaxes , of course , and cultural and religious fears .
Speaker 2And hoaxes are almost different . They are different . They're not almost different , are they ? They're different , almost different , are they ? They're different from ? Well , I think urban legends all start with what we call at our house a shred of grandma truth , because my grandma liked to you know , know everything that was going on , and then the next person who came to grandma's would get a version of that truth .
Speaker 1I like that .
Speaker 2She interpreted it , you know . So be like how about that ? That can't be true . So , aside , parts of it were true , or the the core of it was true .
Speaker 1Sure yeah , it comes from somewhere .
Speaker 2Right , and so I think urban legends are like that .
Speaker 1It's like the telephone game .
Speaker 2Exactly .
Speaker 1And they not only come from grandmas . Drunk uncles , drunk uncles , whatever . Uh , just oral story storytelling . Hey , did you ?
Speaker 2ever see that snl skin what was it uncle ? No , oh my god , watch it , you guys youtube .
Speaker 1It is so funny good old youtube , and at one time he does sing that every kiss begins with candy .
Speaker 2Oh oh , so funny , but anyway , yeah . So what are some ?
Speaker 1Well , that's one of the ways that these start Chain emails , or YouTube , tiktok , reddit , tv movies fictionalize them . News outlets .
Speaker 2And some are just fake news . They're not urban legends , they're just fake news , lies . But I'm going to say one of the most popular urban legends is bigfoot , and I think , again , there's a shred , there's a core of truth that gets blown out . Sure , maybe somebody sees a bear and then thinks it's a man because it's walking upright and they're a long ways away .
Speaker 1I don't know . And does that come from our fear , like from long ago , encountering a big , hairy creature in the woods ? You know , maybe , I suspect so , maybe .
Speaker 2Maybe I also liked and thought this was true that most urban legends then and Bigfoot is a good example then they're melded into whatever environment you're in . If you're in the Northwest , in Oregon and Washington , they have Bigfoot out there and we have it here . I mean , we were convinced when we were kids we'd go stay in our cabin which was surrounded by woods Not surrounded by woods , but had woods around it . We were like it .
Speaker 1We were like , oh my god , yeah , bigfoot's out there do you think that is jumping ahead , because I know this is on your list . Is that our version the dog man thing ? Is that our version of big yeah , yeah , yeah , yeah okay yeah , all right .
Speaker 1Um , one thing about urban legends . Most of them are negative . You don't hear many positive ones . There's a few , Like I found there's some . The mysterious hitchhiker that disappears but leaves behind something like helpful advice or a message from the afterlife . Angels on the road , stranded drivers helped by strangers who vanish afterwards . The vanishing nurse a hospital patient saved by a nurse who later returns , turns out to have died years earlier .
Speaker 2That's the Hitchhiker too . She usually , or he sometimes . The version I read , and I remember it was in a Children's Reader's Digest book and it was the mysterious Hitchhiker named Lavender . Mysterious hitchhiker named Lavender . She was going to a dance and the guy took her to the dance and they danced all night and he went to drop her off , dropped her off and she left her sweater in his car and he went to return it the next day and she had been . Her family said she's been dead for 10 years .
Speaker 1She had a hell of a night . Coming back from the dead , he kept on dancing . Well , that's the generous spirits . I got into dancing . Get Walter for that . Well , that's the generous spirits I guess are right . So .
Speaker 2Nathan's not , so I mean he was freaked out by it , if it really happened .
Speaker 1I think it's super cool .
Speaker 2That one .
Speaker 1Just all of the niceties . I mean they're all cool , the nice ones , yeah , but yeah .
Speaker 2I liked this one . Birds are robots , come on , obviously is that a new one ?
Speaker 1think about it .
Speaker 2I haven't heard that one well that it's a urban legend that birds are robots . Yeah , what are they doing ? Collecting data , no doubt spying . It's to make you look at birds differently .
Speaker 1It is .
Speaker 2How about the poison Halloween candy ?
Speaker 1Yes .
Speaker 2Or the razor blades .
Speaker 1Well , obviously it comes from a real hat thing .
Speaker 2and then it just yeah , and then it got .
Speaker 1Yeah , Then your mom's making you dump out every piece of candy . Unramp it , look at it .
Speaker 2If there's not a ring for it , you can't eat it .
Speaker 1Dad buys a metal detector , put magnets up for the candy .
Famous Legends: Bloody Mary to Hook Man
Speaker 1I shouldn't laugh . Now Something's going to happen .
Speaker 2Evil clowns ? I don't even know . Of course they're evil , they're clowns . Those are all from Greg Hurd . Thank you , greg .
Speaker 1Thanks , greg , he's a listener . That's four . That's four greg .
Speaker 2Uh , he's a listener . That's four . That's four , bitch , should I start making ?
Speaker 1a tally well wait , I got one hook man who's hook man ?
Speaker 2is he like , um like ?
Speaker 1like , like the yeah yeah , the , that's what I know . What you did last summer is .
Speaker 2Is that what it is ?
Speaker 1Yeah , and here's the Google version , or whatever . Lovers parked in a car hear news of a hooked-handed killer . They speed off and later find a hook embedded in the door .
Speaker 2Now you know what . I heard this one when I was in probably second grade . My brother was in fourth grade and my mom and dad were chaperones on a Boy Scout camping trip , so I had to go too and they told the story . Which what the hell are they doing ? Telling these kids this about ? This guy has a horrific accident and dies , but his hand got chopped off and it kept going and choking people .
Speaker 1I've heard versions . I was terrified of that boy .
Speaker 2Still a little scared .
Speaker 1That's pretty cool . Yeah , the hook , the hook man .
Speaker 2He didn't have a hook , his hand just kept crawling Sure .
Speaker 1That's like the Addams family yeah .
Speaker 2Maybe that's he finally got a job , so he's happy .
Speaker 1That's awesome .
Speaker 2Okay , let's say that Friendly hand . I don't see him doing it . Yeah , he's helpful , he's very helpful .
Speaker 1That's all he wanted was to be understood New seasonal Wednesday coming out . It's out now .
Speaker 2Is it out today it started the other day . No , I think today , on Wednesday , they started it .
Speaker 1Oh , you're right , I'm going to watch that sucker .
Speaker 2Yeah , because Catherine Zeta-Jones is Mama Morticia .
Speaker 1Was she in the first one ?
Speaker 2I don't know A little bit , but I think now she's in more .
Speaker 1What happened to her ? Besides , now she's in Wednesday , I don't know . She did that film with Sean Connery . Sean Connery , I'll take the Rapist for $250 . Remember that on SNL , I'll take Eight Tips for $500 . Okay , what else you got ?
Speaker 2Here's another one . How about the Bloody Mary one ?
Speaker 1Yes , what do you do ? You say her name three times .
Speaker 2Three times in the mirror if you chant her name , and then what happens ? Though I couldn't get a straight answer out of anyone- you get killed . Oh no , I don't know , I don't know either , but that's kind of the whole premise of Beetlejuice .
Speaker 1Well , it is . And Candyman . Don't they say Candyman , candyman .
Speaker 2Oh , do I , I don't know Candyman .
Speaker 1It's a killer show , oh , okay .
Speaker 2Sounds like it .
Speaker 1But don't you play that . Wait , what's the one that you play running around outside when you're a kid with some Bloody Mary thing ? Oh , I don't know the tag . Maybe that was just Maple Ridge .
Speaker 2This one I didn't know either . Cassidy and Jenna mentioned it the flashing headlights . So there's a couple different variations . They say it started in the 80s . It was a gang initiation . I do remember In which you drive it at night with no headlights , like chicken . And then if someone flashes their headlights , you have to run them off the road and do a drive-by .
Speaker 1Well , that doesn't sound good , or ?
Speaker 2a similar story is you gotta hide ? Oh , these are really urban . Well , they are urban legends , but they're gang-related . Let's say , you had to hide under a parked car and then , when someone comes out to the parked car to get in , you got to slash your ankles .
Speaker 1So I'm going to say— Jesus Christ .
Speaker 2What I wrote after that was don't join a gang . Yeah , don't join a gang .
Speaker 1That's similar , then to— Don't do it . That's like the killer in the backseat one .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1Right , or drivers warned repeatedly by another motorist and it turns out to be a killer was hiding in their backseat . I , like the you know my little thing shows , like your Bloody Mary thing . The themes are vanity , fear of spirits and femininity .
Speaker 2Oh .
Speaker 1I like these little themes that they tie in .
Speaker 2Themes yeah .
Speaker 1Anyway , sorry , go ahead .
Speaker 2How about Slenderman ? What's up with him ?
Speaker 1Boy . He really effed up a lot of people's lives . A lot of kids actually took that serious .
Speaker 2Yes , all right , so fictional supernatural character that originated as a creepy internet meme .
Speaker 1Mm-hmm , look at their little webpages , creepy internet meme .
Speaker 2Look at their little webpages . Two girls stabbed their friend to impress him Like for real .
Speaker 1Right , it was a big case . I think it was Dateline .
Speaker 2It was on one of those . Yeah , that's not . No , it's Urban Legends . Hug your friend .
Speaker 1Hug your friend and buy them a smoothie . Okay , where's Joby ?
Speaker 2So here's some fun ones . The geek from the Wonder Years , the guy Paul Paul , he's Marilyn Manson .
Speaker 1No , he's not .
Speaker 2I know , but that's the Urban Legend .
Speaker 1It is , isn't it ?
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1What about the one with Marilyn Mansson ? Took out his ribs , or whatever .
Speaker 2That would be true . How about the Life Cereal Mikey ? Mikey likes it . Remember those commercials ? Yeah , no .
Speaker 1I remember .
Speaker 2He died from mixing paprox and coke .
Speaker 1I heard that one .
Speaker 2That is not true .
Speaker 1There was another one . The girl from Poltergeist died from some kind of creature inside of her intestines .
Speaker 2No , not true no .
Speaker 1Where does this come from ?
Speaker 2Kate , People are making it up . Huh , but again a little bit of fact .
Speaker 1I've never heard of the bunny man .
Speaker 2Who's a bunny man ?
Speaker 1It's a man in a bunny suit . He attacks people with an axe in Virginia . It comes from the 1970s . There was somebody trying to call me and I have . Do not disturb on , but have you seen Donnie Darko ?
Speaker 2Yes .
Speaker 1I wonder if that has anything to do with the bunny man . But the bunny man in there is not killing anybody , he's just a figment of .
Speaker 2Bunnies sometimes are in movies just to throw people off .
Speaker 1I love bunnies .
Speaker 2What's that movie with bunnies in the trunk ? And then Nicolas Cage too , Don't mess with the bunny or something about the bunny . He's got the stuffed rabbit for his daughter , Conair oh .
Speaker 1I don't think I've seen that . You've got a bunny Brooke , by the way , loved the picture that you sent . Which one Of the bunny in your room . It's the funny bunny .
Speaker 2Oh , the scary bunny . Yes .
Speaker 1Sheep are . I take it .
Speaker 2One day I'm going to take him back to that flea market .
Speaker 1Oh , keep the bunny .
Speaker 2I don't think he likes living with me , though He'll be all right , he's bored , bring him in here . All right , he might like it in here .
Speaker 1He might .
Speaker 2Here's another one . That was I remember this rumor going around the deep fried rat at KFC , like somebody went and got takeout , sure , and it was dark and they were eating and then they turned on the lights .
Speaker 1And they're eating right Wow . That didn't happen . You sure I don't know . I think that happened in Ludington .
Speaker 2I think on Ludington .
Speaker 1It's beautiful there .
Speaker 2It is really pretty .
Speaker 1It's a beautiful heart . A week there , one night .
Speaker 2At the IOOF ?
Speaker 1I don't know what I did .
Speaker 2How about the alligator or any kind of monster ?
Speaker 1In the sewer .
Speaker 2In the sewer Snakes , yeah , whenever I go to a house . I think of that , though . Could be a snake in there .
Speaker 1They're in there .
Speaker 2They're in there .
Speaker 1Yep , well , yeah , and then what ? The mouse in the Pepsi Coke bottle , or something like that ?
Speaker 2One time this is not a legend , fat Chuck with Cassidy . She was drinking . She was young , she was maybe four , and she was drinking a Faygo root beer and I think it had a screw top on it , but I'm not sure and she drank some of it because she's a kid and she was drinking it . And we looked and there was an open safety pin in it . What's wrong with people ? That was a true story . That's not urban legend .
Speaker 1Look at that .
Speaker 2And so it was like long enough ago . They didn't even have an 800 number so we couldn't call and complain . And make millions , or maybe they did have an 800 number and I remember my brother Tom . Thanks Tom . He called there . Tom's another listener Bitched him out .
Speaker 1I don't think he listens . Oh , thanks , tom , he says he does .
Speaker 2Okay , he does listen All right , but I think Jennifer does sometimes . Thanks Jennifer .
Speaker 1Five or six . Awesome Sometimes , jay and Laney , they're very busy . A pin safety .
Speaker 2There was a safety pin and he called what ?
Speaker 1kind of soda ? Was it root beer ? Was it a and w fago .
Speaker 2I'm not buying that anymore well , I didn't buy it for you . I still don't buy it . Let's like it what they make a lot of cream soda that's true , not a fan like the rock and ride .
Speaker 1Yeah , okay , we're done with fgo here .
Speaker 2But he did so . They were apologizing , and then you know what they did , though Sent us a coupon for some Faygo , and guess what ? We did not use it .
Speaker 1I mean , who do they think they are ? I don't know . That's no way to make you feel good . That's a Michigan product too , it is ? I like Faygo Moon Mist Nope . I like Faygo Moon Mist Nope . Come on , nope . A nice rock and rye ice cream float .
Speaker 2No , but I know people who love them .
Speaker 1Orange Soda .
Speaker 2I'm sorry , go on . I do like Orange Soda but I like Crush .
Speaker 1She's switched .
Speaker 2I had to . How about this ? First , I want to mention a website which was kind of fun . It was called snoopscom and it was all Urban Legends , is it ?
Speaker 1snoops or snoops , snoops .
Speaker 2I think it's snoops S-N-O-O-P-S Probably .
Speaker 1There's a snoops too . That's where you go to find out if stuff is BS Same thing .
Speaker 2I don't know . Anything is BS . Same thing . I don't know Well , anything .
Speaker 1No , snoop sounds right . Okay , I think Snoop Dogg has that on the side , snoop .
Speaker 2Snoops . His is different , his is 420 .
Speaker 1420.com Skinwalkers .
Speaker 2What are skinwalkers ? Do they peel your skin ?
Speaker 1Navajo lore Witches who shapeshift into animals . The Skinwalker Ranch in Utah is infamous for paranormal events and no shit . There's a documentary on that place Netflix . You gotta watch it . They capture shit on camera . Pretty amazing Skinwalker Ranch .
Speaker 2I will watch it . I am Netflix . I can't thank you for that Netflix . How about this one ? The ribbon on the neck . You know this one . So maybe the full lady wears various colors of a ribbon on her neck and sometimes in the story she
Michigan-Specific Legends
Speaker 2takes it off and her throat is cut .
Speaker 1Oh , I have heard about that .
Speaker 2Sometimes she takes it off and her head falls off . I don't like when that happens .
Speaker 1No .
Speaker 2Jennifer first heard it at a sleepover . She said it was super scary .
Speaker 1I bet Mm-hmm , good luck sleeping in a strange house , yeah .
Speaker 2So do you have any other ones ?
Speaker 1what ? There's some michigan specific ones , that dogman one , of course , but then we have the ada witch . I don't know the ada . Apparently a woman was killed during having an affair and now she haunts a park .
Speaker 2Uh , sademan see , no , to me the paranormal paranormal it's , I believe it , but I I think it's kind of separate from urban legend .
Speaker 1Okay . The other one I have is I don't care , there's Alding Light , there's some explained light in the woods . Again , I don't know if that's an urban legend , it just seems like there's shit in the woods and then melonheads Escaped asylum children with large heads are living in the woods . That's also in Ohio and Connecticut .
Speaker 2Well , I don't even know what to say .
Speaker 1I don't either Big-headed kids . So if I see a kid with a big head which a lot of my family members have , big-headed kids- I think it's to keep your kids out of the woods Like stay out of the woods those melon heads will get you .
Speaker 2Melon heads .
Speaker 1Melon heads , isn't that a candy ? Lemon heads , lemon heads , I like those , damn . Those are good . I had a Kit Kat bar . Speaking of urban legends , there was actually not something in it , but something missing from it . What it was ? A waferless Kit Kat , are you kidding , wasn't it perfect ? Listen to this , I ate one without anybody around . How are you going to close it ? And I was like what the ? There's no wafers in this . I'm losing my mind . And then I was unwrapping one . I said to my wife well , you know , the other day I had one of these and there was no wafer . I bit into it . Another one without a wafer .
Speaker 2Somebody wasn't doing our job .
Speaker 1Yeah , I think I got a friendly freaking clearance bin at Dollar General too , so that makes sense .
Speaker 2It's called Pitch .
Speaker 1So I wonder , what that means .
Speaker 2I don't know . You should have saved it and called them . I should have and said bitch Dad , I mean you're expecting a wafer , come on .
Speaker 1No , wafer Didn't get the crunch .
Speaker 2Oh , here's one more the dog in the microwave , or sometimes it's a baby .
Speaker 1What are you talking about ? A baby in the microwave ? Who put it there ?
Speaker 2Well , no , it depends on the story you're listening to .
Speaker 1Sometimes LSD-ridden . Well , no , it depends on the story you're listening to . Sometimes lsd ridden hippies did it why they do it kind of a drag show too .
Speaker 2Okay episode , yeah , yeah it is those damn hippies , I think they um those kids are only eating peanut butter oh yeah but uh , they might have got it from an urban legend too . And then some maybe like an old person or something and they put the poodle in the microwave .
Speaker 1On accident .
Speaker 2They thought it was a sweater .
Speaker 1They thought it was a I don't know , potato Chicken , chicken .
Speaker 2What do you mistake ?
Speaker 1a poodle for Not much . I mean , if you're going to do it , poodle I suppose , Come together .
Speaker 2What about that ?
Speaker 1By the Beatles .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1It was like trying to feed into the Paula's Dead myth .
Speaker 2Oh yeah , paula's Dead . There's a big urban legend right there . Hey , yeah , it was barefoot on abbey road . That's reading a lot into him , not wearing shoes , sure , and then he wasn't seen for a while now the fact that , well , you said that you were at culver's last week and you saw elvis .
Speaker 1That's an urban legend . Too right that he's still alive . It's the truth . I know it is sorry . He is alive and I too . Right that he's still alive .
Speaker 2It's the truth . I know it is Sorry . He is alive and I also think Jim Morrison is still alive Not really . Maybe he could be on the podcast Jim Morrison . Yeah , he's the urban legend in himself .
Speaker 1He really is .
Speaker 2So is Elvis .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2And they're both dead . Fyi he died in um , so it's elvis .
Speaker 1Yeah , and they're both dead . Fyi , he died on the toilet . Yeah , I think he had a part of the legend no , I think he died in the bathroom I don't know . The king died on the throne yeah , that's terrible , is that ?
Speaker 2was that the headline ?
Speaker 1no , but now I feel bad saying that . Um , let's see tv features like the shows like the X-Files , supernatural , unsolved Mysteries , goosebumps , lore , and they all used Urban Legends . Yes , they did , yeah , they did .
Speaker 2The book I listened to . Not the whole thing , but part of it was really good . It was called Urban Legends easy to remember , and the author was Nick Harding . Good old Nick , easy to remember , and the author was Nick Harding Good old Nick and I have the audio version and I don't know if it's Nick reading it or who , but they have a British accent and that always helps .
Speaker 1You love that shit . I do Listen . You know what you should do . The narration for my book .
Speaker 2Okay .
Speaker 1No , I'm serious . Oh you're shaking your head , no , but .
Speaker 2you're shaking your head , no , but you're saying okay , this is exactly what's happening here what else are we done ?
Speaker 1I feel bad . I think we breezed through it .
Speaker 2I don't know , there's so many you can't just in one of them .
Speaker 1No , I think I think they are cool , I think they're heroic , even though they're negative and can be kind of evil , because they feed upon what's inside of us , what we're afraid of . You know what I mean . And sometimes it's good because it helps us confront those things and it gives us ways to deal with BS that we can't explain , I guess .
Speaker 2And it's fun in that you know the scary fun To scare yourselves can be fun . So I do think they're fun and a hero , but I also think the conspiracy theory ones , like the slim man , of course .
Speaker 1Slender .
Speaker 2Slender man .
Speaker 1Got to use the right technique . You don't want to piss anyone off .
Speaker 2I don't think you can say slim anymore , that's thinner . Oh , thinner , thinner You're so funny . You can seriously see your big ones . No , sure that make you paranoid , right ? Or make you stab your friends , yeah . Or join a gang Right of your friends , or join a gang Right . Of course those are dicks , yeah , yeah . But most are heroes for their social bonding . Like you're at a bar or a campfire and you're telling stories .
Speaker 1Yeah , you know . Why do parents do that ? Why do adults tell kids that stuff around the campfire ? I know it's funny , it's fun , but you want the kids to sleep .
Speaker 2You want them to sleep at night .
Speaker 1And then you complain about them the next day because they're crabby .
Speaker 2Alright , since it's the middle of the summer , I'm sorry . We're moving on to Fast Five now .
Speaker 1Yeah , let's talk about
Movies: Summer Blockbuster Reviews
Speaker 1more stuff .
Speaker 2And it's the middle of the summer , so we're going to do summer blockbusters again .
Speaker 1What is that Movies ?
Speaker 2Yes , have you been to any movies lately ?
Speaker 1Yeah , I think so . I haven't , I wasn't .
Speaker 2I can't remember when it was I haven't , but we're going to do it .
Speaker 1You're going to name some . Oh , I went to the Superman movie .
Speaker 2Oh , okay , that's on the list . Hero or Dick ?
Speaker 1Hero .
Speaker 2Okay Hero for Superman .
Speaker 1You know , he dog .
Speaker 2The dog , yeah , the dog is like creating a sensation .
Speaker 1It's just a CGI dog , it's Superdog , it's Crypto , and then Supergirl comes in at the end . That's her dog , actually , spoiler .
Speaker 2Setting up for a sequel .
Speaker 1Oh yeah , her movie's coming out , yeah .
Speaker 2How about Thunderbolts ?
Speaker 1What is that ? I don't know . Oh , my wife saw that . Yeah , she loved it , so it must have been good . Okay , hero .
Speaker 2Okay , we'll say hero based on Brooks .
Speaker 1Yeah , brooke number . Oh , we counted her . How about she was number one ? Our anniversary is this week . Oh happy anniversary Thanks .
Speaker 2How many years ?
Speaker 117 . Good for you . Just a drop in the bucket it is .
Speaker 2It is . How about Jurassic Park Rebirth ?
Speaker 1Didn't see it . I didn't see it , I imagine it's a hero because you know it's fine Dinosaurs man Keeping them relevant .
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah . The Velapro they died out so long ago . But you know they're really carrying on their tradition or their ancestry .
Speaker 1Maybe they're in control , maybe .
Speaker 2AI , how about Fantastic ?
Speaker 1Four . I didn't see that .
Speaker 2I didn't either . The kid said it was an 80 out of 100 . I'm going to say it's a hero because Pedro's in it . Who's ?
Speaker 1Pedro , pedro . Oh , did you make us talk about him already ? Probably .
Speaker 2Yeah , we'll talk about him already Probably . Yeah , we'll talk about him every time . Hero , and I would say hero , although I didn't get to see it when Cassidy broke her ankle . I had tickets to go to see it , but I went to her house .
Speaker 1How did they do it ? You refund those tickets .
Speaker 2No , I gave them to a friend . Oh , you're so nice oh , you're so nice , so um and the last one I have is mission impossible .
Speaker 1Number 58 . Oh , I think it's hero , and I'll tell you why . It features the land rover defender oh , your car it's in there several times . I didn't see the movie , but I saw the uh trailer and I was bumping julian and you know I don't know if I'm a huge tom cruise fan , but kudos to that dude for still pumping him out , and you know he does .
Speaker 2He does a lot of this a lot of the sense I think we mentioned this before that he started that franchise when he was 30 and now he's , he's 60 something oh my god , it makes me feel so bad about myself . I kind of feel like I haven't done shit , jeez . But , he's done a lot .
Speaker 1Yeah , I think it's because he's in that group . I think if we join that group , we would be more successful .
Speaker 2The Scientologists . Yep , I mean , you can try it .
Speaker 1I don't want to .
Speaker 2I was hoping you would . You should infiltrate it for like a year and then report back , Jesse are you listening ?
Speaker 1We haven't talked about that either . We know we're not going to like it . There's a lot to talk about , though .
Speaker 2Maybe we will , Maybe we'll research it and we'll be like you know what .
Speaker 1I don't know . I watched no after I watched that lady from King of Queens .
Speaker 2Yeah , she had some interesting stories . Did you watch her show ? Yeah , on Netflix .
Speaker 1She has a book too . I don't read , Just kidding .
Speaker 2The writer . Yeah , one thing I want to mention about urban legends once I turn my page and sound a few more notes . Oh good , urban legends are usually blended into a part of the local folklore which we kind of talked about , that how they morph to wherever they're being told . The myths sometimes come up , but they're more past , past history . Urban legends are more more past . You know past history . Urban legends are more recent past , gotcha , you know .
Speaker 1Can't they be rural legends ?
Speaker 2Can they be ?
Speaker 1Why urban ?
Speaker 2I don't know why .
Speaker 1Only in the city .
Speaker 2No , they're not A lot of them . Most of them are rural . Yeah , I don't like that Scary stuff happens in the woods .
Speaker 1Most of the time .
Speaker 2It does .
Speaker 1Will you have any scary stuff happen ?
Speaker 2In the woods .
Speaker 1That wasn't like self-induced .
Speaker 2You know , we're so lucky that we have woods all around us .
Speaker 1We do .
Speaker 2And I can't imagine now . I mean , I don't go out in the woods often , but it's still nice having trees and woods available , but when we were kids , I mean we spent all the whole our whole childhood in the woods , yep , and I don't mean like you're in
Alpena County Fair Discussion
Speaker 2the woods , no , I mean , we were in the actual woods , yep . And then when you're older , you're like partying out in the woods because nobody is out there .
Speaker 1People want to be , by nature , man , the woods and water . We're very lucky .
Speaker 2We are All right .
Speaker 1Well , on that note , Okay , Well , thanks everybody for listening , or not ?
Speaker 2Thanks to those nine people .
Speaker 1The nine people that don't email us at heroordick , at .
Speaker 2No , heroordick2023 at Gmail .
Speaker 1That means we've been at this two years .
Speaker 2This is our third year .
Speaker 1Oh yeah , it's season three , isn't it ?
Speaker 2It is season three , episode 13 .
Speaker 1Oh , and the Alpena County Fair started today .
Speaker 2Oh did it .
Speaker 1Yeah , so make sure you get down there .
Speaker 2Are you going ?
Speaker 1to the fair . I am going to go check out the animal barns . Get an elephant ear . Are you going to the fair ? I am going to go check out the animal barns . Look at the animals , get an elephant ear . We were supposed to broadcast from there , were we ? I don't remember . I think I brought it up .
Speaker 2I'm a huge fan of the fair .
Speaker 1Why .
Speaker 2Say it Carnes . No , I shouldn't say that . I've known carnies andmine from there I bet you they've they work hard . Some stories man I I'm leery to go on rides now that I'm older . When I was younger I was like go on , but it's like those rides go from here to here , to here to here in the course of you know , a couple weeks yeah they break them down and put them up and I'm sure they have some safety .
Speaker 1But people are tired .
Speaker 2I just am really skittish about that , and when I'm at the top of the Ferris wheel I'm like , well , now we're going to die , but at least we have a good view .
Speaker 1And you had an elephant ear . You don't like elephant ears .
Speaker 2I'm not they . We have a good view . And you had an elephant ear . You don't like elephant ears . I know I'm not nuts about elephants .
Speaker 1They're just big pieces of dough . Okay , one last thing before we go . If you were to go to the fair and you could pick one food to order or drink , what would you get ?
Speaker 2Hmm . Well , what can you get other than an elephant ear Corn dog .
Speaker 1Corn dogs nachos , fries cotton candy . Ophineer Corn dog . Corn dogs nachos fries cotton candy .
Speaker 2You know what I did get at a fair one time . Fried candy bar and a stick it's a potato , and they cut it in a spiral and then they fry the whole thing .
Speaker 1Oh .
Speaker 2Like a giant .
Speaker 1French fry Nice .
Speaker 2Very delicious . That does sound good . Spiral potato look for .
Speaker 1I don't know if they have it at this . If not , ask for it , tell them . Kate from Hero or Dick sent you .
Speaker 2Or just get some dough , that too , with cinnamon on it .
Speaker 1I like the elephant ears .
Speaker 2All right , okay , all right , see you next time . Bye , bye .
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