Long before the Wendigo found its way into mainstream pop culture appearing in movies and TV shows, it lived in stories of indigenous communities as a warning about what happens when a person loses their humanity. Its origins are rooted in real places and real fears. It is often described as a towering, skeletal figure with skin stretched tight over bone and the stench of death.

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Episode Sources:

“Wendigo (folklore)” by Richard Sheposh, 2023, EBSCO

“Wendigo (Algonkian mythology)” by Rene Ostberg, Britannica Editors, Encyclopaedia Britannica

“The Wendigo Legend: Real Stories, Native Folklore, and Hauntings” from American Ghost Walks

“The Mythology and Misrepresentation of the Windigo” by Elizabeth McCauley, November 23, 2016, Backstory

“More Than Monsters: The Deeper Significance of Wendigo Stories” by Kaitlin Smith, November 30, 2021, Facing History & Ourselves

“What Is The Wendigo? Meet The Cannibalistic Cryptid Of Your Nightmares” by Jaclyn Anglis, Edited by John Kuroski, March 31, 2026, All That’s Interesting

“Legend of the Wendigo” by Maria Mohsin, February 14, 2020, last modified October 31, 2024, The Business Standard

“Wendigo – Flesheater of the Forests” from Legends of America

“The Wendigo: A Terrifying Legend from North American Folklore” by D.S. Murphy, Urban Epics

“American Horror Story: Indigenous Folklore and Contemporary Issues in Wendigo Stories” by Rebecca L. Willoughby, March 8, 2025, Horror Homeroom

“The Tragedy of Jack Fiddler: The Shaman and the Ultimate Foe of the Wendigo” by Sarah J. Blake, August 4, 2025, HushedUpHistory

Creeptastic theme music by:

Nicholas Davio - nicholasdavio.com, @mr.nick.davio, @huron_coast

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Elliott Smith’s music felt extremely personal, like he was saying things that most people couldn’t quite put into words. His rise from Portland’s indie scene to an Oscar-nominated songwriter brought him into a spotlight he never seemed fully comfortable with. Behind the songs was a complicated life and a death that still leaves questions without clear answers.

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Episode Sources:

“The Disturbing Story Of Elliott Smith’s Death — And The Questions That Remain To This Day” by Austin Harvey, Edited by Kaleena Fraga, Published November 13, 2025, Updated November 16, 2025, All That’s Interesting

“The Puzzling Death of Elliott Smith” by Cherry Rose, January 13, 2020, Medium

“The Lingering Beauty of Elliott Smith” by Jamie Fisher, March 30, 2023, The New Yorker

“Keep the Things You Forgot: An Elliott Smith Oral History by Jayson Greene, October 21, 2013, Pitchfork

“The mysterious death of Mr. Misery” by Alexis Petridis, March 18, 2004, The Guardian

“Elliott Smith: All Things Must Pass” by Jonathan Valania, additional reporting by Cory duBrowa, January 28, 2005, Magnet Magazine

“A Death in the Family: Musicians Remember Elliott Smith” by Matt Fink, February 1, 2004, Paste Magazine

“Smith’s girlfriend won’t collect” by Leslie Simmons, October 17, 2007, The Hollywood Reporter

Creeptastic theme music by:

Nicholas Davio - nicholasdavio.com, @mr.nick.davio, @huron_coast

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Misfits! It's been a minute since our last Misfit Monday, but we're back! We're reading stories written by YOU about things you've experienced. Today's tales have been brought to you by Tammy T., Gloria via Chelsea, Deedee, Erin Carlson and Alice. We've got a floating lady in white, a lady in lavender (such colorful ladies), a strange guy in a pickup truck who might or might not have a gun, communication from the afterlife, and night terrors.

Keep sending us your stories!

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Join our Patreon:

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Creeptastic theme music by:

Nicholas Davio - nicholasdavio.com, @mr.nick.davio, @huron_coast

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