Now Fear This! with Becky & Merie

Sauces are sketchy, too! Fearing some crimes intrigue & some induce sleep

We’re taking a break but NOT consciously uncoupling. For the next little while, your pod-coasts will be taking a breather from new episodes.

But this episode STILL has the trademark snark, cursing and dishing on MURDER you have come to expect. So when NFT! comes back, you can look forward to these and more getting the Now Fear This! treatment:

Brendan Dassey. Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow. NXIVM and India Oxenberg. Heaven’s Gate. The Lake Waco murders. Darlie Routier. Candy Montgomery. Kenneth Allen McDuff. Golden State Killer. Not to mention: Brainwashing. Cutls. False confessions.

And, what will you NOT hear your podcoasts talk about? We’re (not) looking at you, bored and completely uninterested: Jodi Arias, Casey Anthony, and David Koresh.

And don’t forget those burning questions you didn’t know you had, like: IS there a Superbad vortex? When you start your doomsday sex cult, would you do that in…Idaho? Does the gorgeous and talented Tamryn Hall listen to our show? No, seriously. Could someone tell her to please listen? We ❤️ her. How come Merie doesn’t think the Staircase guy is guilty?! Can Becky stop insulting Chip and Jojo JUST FOR ONE DAMNED EPISODE?! Read the brilliant I’ll be Gone In the Dark. Do it now.

See you soon!!!!!!

Is orange the new pink? Fearing that it’s murder plotting amateur hour

In this week’s podcast episode, Becky and Merie take on murder plots: real and imagined, online and face-to-face, “successful” and unsuccessful. Ted and Corey Shaughnessy, John Michael Musbach, Wanda Holloway, and Dalia Dippolito get the NFT! treatment. Along the way, your hosts address burning questions you didn’t know you had, like:

Who is it that spoke good English and was beautifully attired? And is she 5000% sure she wants to kill someone? Wanna go with your podcoasts to a drug cartel hangout just because they’ve got good tequila? If your hit man doesn’t follow through, do you ask for a refund? Why do stupid murder plots give Becky hope for humanity’s future? Is that cheesecake or cocaine? Do you bring your dayplanner to your pre-med murder along with a sticky note of who hired you to do it? If you want to hire the Boats and Hos Prestige Worldwide Sicilian International Hitwomen, either “Pm us” (?) or slide into our DMs.

Come for the Dark Nordstrom. Stay for Merie’s failed attempt at starting a drug ring with Oxycontin.

Sources for this episode include: The Austin-American Statesman. CBS Austin. Info Security Magazine.

Does “om” invite a demon? Fearing the Satanic panic of the 80’s, 90’s & today

This week’s podcast episode finds Becky and Merie exploring the phenomenon called Satanic Panic, its victims (Yoga; the West Memphis 3; McMartin Preschool workers, not the children; yoga; Ouija boards; rock music; Dungeons & Dragons…), and its connection to QAnon and conspiracy theories of today. Along the way they address the burning questions you didn’t know you had, like:

How would Merie’s hairstyle have caused her to be the first suspect if somebody had been murdered at her church? If you said you were flushed down a toilet and came out the other side, would the police believe you? Whose weekend plans include a car wash, a game of “naked movie star” AND a hot air balloon ride? Does Becky’s repeated use of a name accidentally summon Satan? What word does Merie repeat so much that Becky tries ASMR to get her to stop? If you play this episode backwards, what secret messages do you get?

Come for the spiritual dinners. Stay for the fart threats.

Bonus points for whoever catches Becky’s unattributed “Friends” quoting.

Sources for this episode include: The Austin-American Statesman. CBS News. ABC 7 Chicago. Texas Monthly and Texas Monthly.

“Are you having, like, a Texas seizure?” Fearing real-life babysitting horror stories

This week’s podcast episode finds Becky and Merie trading babysitting & housesitting horror stories, including murder that is both solved (Cassie Stoddart) and unsolved (Janett Christman). Along the way they address the burning questions you didn’t know you had, like: 

Where does babysitting land on Now Fear This’s Fear-o-meter? Who has read the book version of Eyes Wide Shut? If you’re not answering Merie’s texts, are you in jail? And, what kind of grade will you get on that speech? How did Merie survive her older sister’s babysitting? Is our new theme song going to be, “I hate you because you’re so shitty” and who will write the melody? Before murdering someone, should you ask yourself if you’re too dumb to do it? (Hint: yes!)

Don’t be scared if Merie asks how you would cover up the perfect murder. She’s asking for a friend.

Video of the 2 murderers can be found here. Sources for this episode include the following:

Medium.com. thecriminaljournal.com.

Yacht rock coulda saved Thanksgiving! Fearing road rage-fueled murder

In this week’s podcast episode, Becky and Merie discuss the terrifying and sometimes deadly phenomenon known as road rage. Along the way, they address the burning questions you didn’t know you had, like:

How did Merie’s margarita needs not only ruin Thanksgiving, but also get her featured on the evening news? Why is Merie going to go into her safe room and never come out? How DO you talk to your kitty cats about gun safety? Does 10 years in prison for road rage murder teach you a lesson? (or…Florida?) Don’t you feel like yelling “I gotta be me!” when someone is stopping you from being…kind? Come for the spontaneous Hall & Oates karaoke. Stay for the shopping cart rules. Please go to Big Waves and read about the Bigelow family’s story and gun locks.

Becky’s piece on road rage can be found on www.veraciousvoyager.com.

“I’m not insulting Lifetime movies!” Fearing sexual assault & misogony but NOT A Promising Young Woman

***Trigger alert/content warning: This episode includes graphic descriptions of sexual assault, especially related to college and  parties and acquaintance rape. Please visit the NSVRC.org for help, information, resources, and support.

As April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, this week’s podcast episode finds Becky and Merie diving headlong into the world of college parties, alcohol, consent, rape, and revenge, with the Oscar-nominated movie Promising Young Woman taking center stage. Along the way they address the burning questions you didn’t know you had, like:

Can a sports bra cause you to injure one of your lats? Also, what is the exact location of a lat and how could anyone possibly know that?

Why does Merie keep trying to give Becky a stroke?  Why is Becky finally inspired to reference her blog, veraciousvoyager.com? Is the state legislature of Minnesota ever going to come to its senses about this issue? And same goes for Hollywood…

Do people really go to the laundry room and NOT expect to be molested? (hint: YES, you moron.) What pickup line makes Becky want to commit a Promising Young Woman-type act? What is Merie threatening to draw on Becky’s face the next time she’s passed out? What are the verrrrrry explicit directions Becky gives to one particular writer from the National Review as for what he can do to himself? Come for the ladies’ athletic wear terror. Stay for the ways that you, too, can stop yourself from raping someone. (hint: don’t do it.)

Sources for this episode include: 

Becky’s Veracious Voyager blogs like this one on rape prevention. 9gag.com’s Rape prevention checklist for dudes. Washington Post.

Rockin’ out in the Catacombs: Fearing when faith & crime violently collide

In this week’s podcast episode, Becky and Merie discuss some Netflix religious-based crime documentaries, featuring (the what-in-the-actual-fuck , mind-melting) Abducted in Plain Sight and A Murder Among Mormons. Along the way, they address burning questions you didn’t know you had, like:

Should I skip the first 5 minutes if I am really fucking tired of these 2 women talking about losing weight? (hint: YES!) In what way is Merie’s husband like a pimp? And why didn’t she order him to tell someone that she doesn’t order him around? Should you listen to the ladies’ interpretation of the King James Bible? (And, on that note, when was it that Jesus drop the mic?) Who wants first dibs on a “Team White Salamander” t-shirt? How about reverse engineering the story of the Garden of Eden? Why does Merie request that Becky make weird noises with her microphone? 

Come for Merie’s universal password. Stay for a salamander finding a Dr. Pepper in the woods.

Sources for this episode include: A Vanity Fair article. Forbes’s analysis of LDS’s connection to Abducted in Plain Sight. MSN. Grunge.com.

Authoritarian-light as a parenting strategy? Fearing Slender Man, internet lore, & IRL violence

This week’s episode finds Becky and Merie diving headlong into the confounding world of urban myths and internet lore, with Slender Man taking center stage. Along the way they address the burning questions you didn’t know you had, like: Why was Merie the only woman amongst a bunch of nerdy, sweaty guys for 2 hours? Which star of Supernatural should fear Becky’s undying devotion to him? (Hint: she’s a Dean girl!) Can you really get Merie to do pretty much anything you ask just by telling her how awesome she is? (Hint: Yes!) How many calories are burned from attempting to stab someone to death? Which one of you is on Becky’s list of people to sacrifice so she can become a proxy to Slender Man? How did Merie narrowly avoid being the Madame of a sex slavery brothel? Is Morgan & Tenille a new band whose first hit will be “Slenderman” sung to the tune of “Rocket Man?” What latex-based fetish documentary may or may not feature Becky or Merie? Which love scene in a movie might just be the sexiest non-sex scene ever? (Hint: Chris Evans & Anna Ferris!) Come for the moth talk. Stay for the love language.

The awesome show Supernatural’s #Thinman episode can be found on Netflix here. (Prepare to be creeped the F out!)

Sources on Slender Man for this episode include: Cosmo. Reuters. Vulture. Washington Post. The Sun. Info on the Mandela Effect can be found here.

 

Everyone wants their father to be the Zodiac: Fearing bad dads & BAD dads

In this week’s podcast episode, Becky and Merie talk all about fathers who commit crimes and the children who face the consequences, featuring the horrible cases of Joseph Fritzl, Steven Pladl and Joseph Kallinger. Along the way, they address burning questions you didn’t know you had, like:

Who wants to invest in their underpants-free “bottomless” bar, Cooter’s? Anyone want to apply to be the panty check person?

Whom do the girls plan to sue for adultery?

If you get invited to a wedding where someone's marrying their own father, should you just just RSVP no? (hint: yes!!!!!!)

What is that unidentifiable glop in Merie’s microwave?

What exactly do fairy elves from the woods and unicorn rainbow farts smell like?

Come for the floral chemical smell. Stay for the Cooter’s menu options.

Role playing a whispering Teletubby: Fearing true crime “ASMR” is a sign of the end times

This week’s podcast episode has Becky and Merie dealing with the Youtube craze known as ASMR. What the f**k is that, you ask?! (Becky, too! Listen to learn and laugh your ass off.) Along the way, your pod-coasts address the burning questions you didn’t know you had, like: Why is Merie threatening to take Becky to a cabin in New Mexico for a bubble bath? Just how many grams ARE there in a pint of vodka? (And how could anyone possibly know that?!) What the hell is the Bread Face Effect and why is Becky going to be dead because of it? Which of your pod-coasts will role play a whispering Teletubby? Stay to the end to hear ideas for what Merie can do with an olive focaccia loaf. (Also: Didn't we already deal with the brain orgasms?)