Transcript

Introducing Haunt Weekly podcast with Jonathan and Crystal

[0:24] Hello, everyone. I'm Jonathan. I'm Crystal and this is Haunt Weekly a weekly podcast the under detraction on entertainment community Whether you're an actor owner or just playing a fishy not we aim to be a podcast for you And we return to you this week in the sweet November rain quite literally It's sprinkling outside as we talk and it is November.
So that makes it November rain.
Okay, I win Absolutely.
It's a fact. Oh truth. Oh told oh Yes But I got the eye roll before we went live so you had to repeat it for everybody I wanted the I wanted the universal eye roll.
I wanted to feel like everyone was deeply disappointed It's not enough just to disappoint you I do that all the time apparently not So you've said I'm not enough for you. I understand.
Oh, Jesus Christ. Well, whatever rails we have we're off now.
So anyways Fuck Are we talking but anyways it is episode 416 that is means it is time to do The news and we actually have a whole hell of a lot to go over this week plus a few other things But first things first if you don't want to listen to the news, I understand.

[1:35] Check out other things we do.
We're at home weekly calm home quickly on Twitter. I'm sorry X Hot weekly on facebook youtube.com slash hot weekly.
We're also wherever you get your podcast from Pay special attention to the Facebook page. We do intend to start resuming live broadcasts soon.
We just have to finally get a day to fuck off to do some things.

[1:57] We do have a personal note, though, before we begin the podcast.
We're calling it in the notes a housekeeping note, but it really is a personal note.
Go ahead. We just want to send congratulations to Maximus Christian Bryant, aka pumpkin smasher from Denton Schoolhouse and his new wife Carly McCarthy Bryant on their wedding.
And the Mad Bastards decided to be Haunters and get married in November.
Yes, early November. And this seems to be a thing I've learned is that Haunters are getting married either in October or November. You mad bastards all of you.
Yes, we have a local friend Haley who works at a local haunted house who also.
Yes. Got married in October. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What the fuck?
We're haunters. We're not supposed to have lives for like one quarter of the year. It's the favorite time of year though.
So I mean, if, if I were ever to do the numptials thing, that's probably what I'd pick too.
Actually is what I did pick before we had a haunt. Yeah. Yeah.
Before we had a haunt though. And when we were.

[3:02] That was like 20 years ago now. Jesus Christ.
I say that and I just don't realize how long ago that was. Yeah, that's a whole different crystal.
Yeah, this one's much better. A whole different us, a whole different everything. Yeah.

Teardown of the light display and talk of Christmas display

[3:17] Yeah, you're much better with haunting than without. We've established that.

[3:22] Speaking of haunting, we did do some work with 4slash4 and we finished Teardown of the light display.
Yes. It is completely empty. The yard is totally down. We have not measured and cut poles yet to make sure all the correct length.
And we have not... we've started some talk about the possibility of doing a Christmas display, but nothing definite yet.
Yeah, I'm not sure how that's gonna pan out.
Yeah, well part of my problem is like in previous years that we've done a Christmas display, something really inspired us.
Like one year it was making Ellie the Rare Exports box. Right.
That was really cool. That really, really inspired us and we could not wait to do it.
We just don't have anything we feel that strongly about this year.
No. So that kind of puts us in the, yeah, we can do this, we can do that, but nothing inspirational.
So we'll let you know next week what, if anything, we decided to do.
We are coming up on the Thanksgiving holiday.
That means some time away, time off.
Well, for most sane people. Yeah, I know.
That is one of the problems with a new job is that I do not have the time off that I would have had at the other.
That's... Well, the time off you will likely have next year.
Right. When you have more vacation days you can yeet.
Right. Because that's the problem right now. You haven't earned any vacation days yet. No, I think I have seven hours.
So not even a full day's worth. No.

[4:50] So yeah, that's and that's gonna come back up again in just a little bit.
Yeah, just a warning We're actually gonna be mentioning that exact problem very shortly But first things first every week we ask a question a week and last one was a good one We asked basically what actor surprised you?

[5:08] During just technically we meant it like whenever but, Basically, Chris Gay came in They said one of their sponsors a middle-aged business person who, never really shown much interest in it Apparently just one day showed up and decided to work the scarecrow and the shock wasn't that he did it or that he was Okay, or good at it. It was just how much fun the dude had.
Yeah, I not say that to a lot of people There's a lot of people out there I think would really love haunting if they could just give it a try and I think that's one of the things we need That's one of the reasons we need home hunters a is to give people that in Yeah, to sort of do a low-risk trial, to see if they like it only invest a few hours here and there, But people there a lot of people I think would be surprised how much they love it.
Well, I'm glad that you know they've got a business owner, Interested in haunting cuz that's gonna be helpful because they run a charity haunt up there Yeah, and we have seen what happens when the business hand of a haunt and the creative hand of the haunt don't really, Mesh at all.
We've been involved in that. It is ugly. So I'm glad that's not the case here Yeah, right.
Sam Farrell said we had a guy this year in a quote-unquote poop room.

[6:24] No script came up with the line My mommy said to clean my mess, but I can only eat so much and it absolutely killed You know, I'm not a fan of a poop room in general.
No, I guess I just don't find poop scary. Sorry But some people do and I don't understand.
Some people do and I don't get it either, but you know and it's funny that we He shared this like the same day I was learning about like apparently poop transplants and poop pills people eat so apparently eating poop is medicinal in some circumstances, Yeah, seems weird to me, but whatever but no that is a great line though.
That is straight fire It's just a great line. So you get somebody who likes licorice and say I've got to take my medicine Yeah, otherwise this is gonna happen again.
Yeah, and just sit there any black licorice in front of the guest Yeah Okay, So the 16 year old actress who rarely spoke rarely was a participant with the groups and things like that.

[7:24] And Worked very non customer facing spots for two years running for the first two years decided to give actual haunt acting a try and and ended up writing a whole load of creepy dialogue that turned a quote-unquote dry area into one of the top scares in the Haunt.
Once again, you know, some people just have to get over that hurdle and give it a try.
That's all it is. It really is all it is for some people Okay, and this week's question week goes along with some of the stories upcoming unfortunately.
I know what the fuck guys Um, but have you had anything stolen or vandalized at your haunt or your yard display or whatever?

Question of the week: Has anything been stolen or vandalized at your haunt?

[8:01] Let us know hauntweekly.com hauntweekly on twitter hauntweekly on facebook and youtube.com slash hauntweekly We are lucky.
We have not been victims of that There was an attempted theft of the donation money once or twice, a couple times of that actually.
Yeah. But as far as like props, skeletons, anything, no, we haven't had anything to my knowledge stolen.
It'd be very difficult for anyone to steal something inside the haunt, the way our haunt is structured.
Yeah. We've had people try to purposefully tear it, tear things, but that was a long time ago. and also quickly stopped. Yeah. Yeah.

[8:43] So yeah, we have we've been lucky. We haven't had anything stolen and only a few mediocre vandalism attempts.
So we've been very, very fortunate. And after this week's news, after this news episode, we're going to be even more grateful.
Yes. Well, on that note, everyone, it is an even number episode.
We're trying to get back into our rhythm. So it's time to do conference reminders and Crystal. Why don't you kick us off this week?
It's okay December 2nd quote the Raven forevermore.
This is a benefit for Jim Warfield at Ravens Grand Inn That's going to be happening in Mount Carroll, Illinois.
It will take place Details are still forthcoming follow the Lost Soul Chicago Haunted Bus Tour.
And Haunted House Chicago, the two places that really put out the info.
Is where they're they're promoting it most.

[9:39] Yeah, we were hoping we'd be able to make it.
Yeah. But, well, now we're back to the callback.
You don't have any time off and honestly there's just no real hope of us getting there. Right. But we are going to try to support in other ways.
More details on that soon. Yes, stay tuned.
We will have more deets and definitely watch our Facebook page this week I know it's Thanksgiving week, but you may want to see if about turning tuning in on Sunday Yeah, so we got some stuff going on here.
We've got some big stuff But yeah, we won't be able to make an in-person appearance.
I'm sorry. That was a sort of an outside Hope we knew it was not like that's why we never mentioned it. Yeah.

[10:26] Yeah, I really want to go.
I'm really upset that we can't, but it's just not practical because of the job change.
All right. After that, January 23rd through the 25th in Las Vegas, Nevada, it's the Halloween and Party Expo at the Mirage Hotel.
Hundreds of vendors. You must have a qualified business license to appear.
This is not open to the public, but HalloweenPartyExpo.com.

[10:53] For more details. Right, HauntCon 2024 is going to be February 9th through February 11th in Daytona Beach, Florida, at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront.
There will be a costume ball dinner and show, 3,000 HauntCash giveaway.
HauntCon.com for more info. All right, and finally after that, the show that everyone knows, the Boo's Stew of Transworld's Haunted Halloween and Attraction Show March 7th through the 10th in St.
Louis, Missouri at the America Center, features a pre-show bus tour party at the City Museum, and also hosts the Christmas Show. Learn more at the Ha! Show, haashow.com.

[11:39] I touched all of the conferences this week and updated the conference reminders.

Two Shows Cancelled for 2024, Hope to Return in 2025

[11:45] I want to make a quick note that there was a disturbing trend, a worrisome trend here, And that two of the shows have already announced their 2024 cancellation.
Yeah those two shows for the record are the Southeast Hollows at Haunt Convention and The West Coast Halloween Convention have both announced.
They will not be running in 2024 They both have said they hope to come back in 2025.
But yeah that has me unnerved a little bit I got to be honest with you Well, all right, as we discussed at the very beginning, it is an episode of Visible at Five Four, so that means we do the news.
And we're starting with a doozy. Yeah.

[12:30] This, I'm sure most of you, this is not the first you've heard of this.
No, you may have heard of it last week here. When we mentioned it, you may have heard it like the billion other places it came out.
But the Tennessee Attorney General is looking into claims against the quote unquote and Super quote-unquote here, extreme haunted attraction, McCamey Manor.
The version we are at is by Sierra Rains at WKRN.
But basically the Tennessee Attorney General sent a letter to Russ McCamey raising serious questions about the quote-unquote business practices.

[13:02] And once again, I cannot quote-unquote hard enough. Yes.
They said, the letter said they intend to investigate if consumer protection laws are violated. This follows the recent Hulu documentary.
The concerns were in two main areas, it seems like.
One was not complying with safe words and not, you know, adhering to, basically assaulting customers is what it comes down to.
And the second was investigating claims that the $20,000 prize either does not exist or is impossible to win. Spoiler, it is.
Yeah, I think that that's been...
Both are true. It does not exist and is impossible to win. Yes both.
Yes I think it's impossible to win because it doesn't exist and it's made that way and it was set up that way and Yeah, yeah Reckless bin did a brief live stream about it Yeah, but they are but basically the attorney AG is requesting additional documents and information for us. Okay me.

Prioritizing shutting down Reckless Ben for the haunt industry

[14:01] Good Yeah, good that that summarizes pretty much my entire commentary good I would like to remind the court that Al Capone was brought down on tax fraud.
Yeah. And, yeah, I know that after watching that last Reckless Ben video, the last long one he did, and seeing some of the people from back in his California days, especially, that he did traumatize, that he did hurt, he did scar, I know that's not very satisfying to those people who were hurt by him.
I understand that. But honestly as a haunt industry guy, but the priority one is getting him shut down I'm getting him out of the fucking business Quote-unquote, business because he's not in the business.
He just lies and pretends he is So honestly good good is all I have investigated investigate more go harder, That's all I that's all I can really say because yeah, I mean I Like I have so much I want to say about it, but we've said it We said it during the Reckless Ben video, and I'm sure we'll do a follow-up once Reckless Ben posts the next video.
We'll probably recap the previous two because they seem to go together.
I do want to talk more about it, but basically, yeah, if it ends up being the fact that $20,000 cash prize is non-existent is what brings Russ McCamey down?

[15:25] Don't care. Yeah, the important thing is he stopped, you know, we can go talk about what punishment he should receive for past misdeeds later, But let's basically stop the burning, right Crystal got the Joe got the reference like immediately. That's me.
Okay, so we got to tell the story now I.

[15:48] Was in a mandatory first aid type class.
Health slash first aid, yeah. Yeah, in college and the teacher asked, Jonathan was visiting.
Yeah, I was I was in the classroom when this happened. I was visiting.
Yes, this is one of our first meetings.
I think it might have been our first actually, or a second. Yeah, way way back. Yeah, you just followed me around to class. Like a little puppy dog.
Well, I mean there wasn't anything else in the town Do basically you could go and say oh these classes are way less, you know Informative than the ones I'm at.
You know what they were about the exact fucking same is what they were That not I mean that okay that one the health class was bullshit But that was but you know the fact that everybody had to take it was also bullshit.
Anyway, the the teacher asked um What's the first thing you do?
If you've got... You see someone actively being burned.
Yeah, you see someone actively being burned.
And like, nobody said anything.
And then the guy writes on the board, stop the burning, and like big letters.
And then the part that blows my mind is people had questions. Yeah.

[17:06] Okay, yeah, stop the burning that makes sense remove the burning then you start treating the burn that makes perfect Wait, why are their hands up?
Yeah, you know, yeah Like honestly like to me if you had not gotten it.
I think you would have assumed that would be the first step Yeah, you're talking about the first step like that. You might not know.
Yeah, right Well, it was also there were also a lot of questions in that class, um about the It's not the fall that kills the sudden stop.
Yeah Yeah, because that was I think that was a rough day to visit that class.
Yeah, and then the thing then and point out like people like stuntmen jump on air pads all the time because they're not stopping so suddenly, they have a slower deceleration and they're fine.
You can jump out of an airplane with a parachute and live because you slow your fall. Yeah, it's not the fall that kills you, it's the bottom.
Yeah. Anyway, but no, the point is I just primarily want him shut down and out of our hair as an industry and I agree he needs to pay for what he has done to some people, but that is going to have to be a secondary thing.
I'm sorry, it's just the order of operations now because right now he's actively hurting people possibly.
I mean, I don't know. Apparently all he's doing is shitty calisthenics in the front yard, so I have no idea.

[18:25] No. you know so anyways

Controversy over racial connotations in Halloween decorations

[18:28] um I'm glad I'm glad someone seriously is investigating I hope that they get everything they need and I hope that action is taken yeah me too next story all right this is from ABC News 4 in South Carolina this Huh?
Yeah, Wagner Terrace, South Carolina is the town. Wagner Terrace.
And Halloween decorations have stirred up controversy in Wagner Terrace over alleged racial connotations.

[19:07] Yeah. Yeah. So community members have raised concerns.
Obviously this was an October story, late October, about hanging body decorations at a home. The woman who pointed out the decorations also sent a letter to the NAACP.
The decorations featured trash bag bodies hanging upside down for a Halloween party and they were visible from the road. Yeah.
The person who put them up did remove them immediately after the complaint. Yes.
Yeah. This, this is a lot.
So this sent me down a rabbit hole of how many stories could I find like this and there are a lot out there.
I didn't, we only included this one because this is the one we found organically.
But yeah, I mean... And these are the traditional homemade trash bags that are stuffed with the duct tape.
Yeah, and hung by the feet specifically. Yeah.

[20:22] And we had always been careful with our work to never try to try and avoid anything that could be seen as a lynching scene.
Correct. We've been very, very careful about that.
But this year in our haunt, we did feature a mummy room, a hanging mummy room.
Because if you know the story of the haunt we had, the villain was making mummia out of customers.
So they were literally mummifying, and so then we had them wrapped in white burlap, like mummies. Yeah, and they were hung by the feet like and they were not on public display Now I'm wondering if even that was not enough.
Yeah, so now We probably are not going to be doing body bags.
Yeah, we'll think of something else Yeah, and and previously on the show.
I know I'd said if you want to end the connotation Meat hooks are great.
Yeah, but but by some I don't know if that's the answer either now.
I I don't either. I don't really know if there is an easy answer, and it's not like any one person, it's not like anybody's fault, it's just it's such a fraught image that any connection with it at all, no matter how tangential it seems.

[21:41] I will say that with the decorations in this new story, it was a black trash bag and it was hanging from public trees.
So okay, I can see that a little more but I saw some of the reactions We got to our body bags and that's not the reaction we wanted, right?
Some people loved them and thought it was great thought it was just the right amount of creepy and whatever a lot of people actually Said that but I also saw some people really react way more strongly than we wanted We were just trying to look for a sightline break between the fourth and fifth rooms Mm-hmm, and a way to slow down people who are running because that's what too often happens is people get to that exit hallway And they're just gone and they don't see anything in those last two rooms, We were trying to prevent that we're gonna have to think of something else And we are doing a reorg of a haunt on that side.
Yeah, it's gonna be a significant rebuild on that side, But yeah, yeah, it's just gonna be taken out of my my quick go-to.

[22:44] Decorating yeah because that it was that was one of the reasons we chose it too was because it was fast and we were behind yeah but we also chose it because it did fit the theme it did no it perfectly fit the story and honestly we needed mummies somewhere in the fucking haunt you know and that's just the truth right? No.
So yeah, I honestly to me, I don't know.
I don't think that that we're the people to weigh in on it. No, I know we're not. Yeah.
It's absolutely true. But the point I was going to say is...

[23:20] It doesn't really matter what I think people should or what I intended.
What matters is how people reacted Exactly, and I have no control over that, But I know the reaction I want that wasn't the reaction I wanted so I'm gonna change what I do I'm not going to sit here and go.
Oh, that's not what I intended and Waggle my finger or something.
It's gonna be no we have to change what we do to get the reaction We want exact we have to adapt we have to change we have to grow we can't try to enforce any viewpoint we have, Because we can sit here and talk the whole time about how I was mummies You know which they were But we can talk about that But that doesn't fucking matter if it still hits the wrong buttons on the people visiting it hits the wrong buttons We need to change.
It's that simple So I think that's where I sit too.
It's like, you know, I I know we we were trying to be very careful, extremely careful even But that doesn't mean we got it, right Yeah, and I think that's kind of where we are and I'm creative enough to come up with something else to hang close together You know, honestly can't get through I'm remembering.

Considering a Whiteout Room for Next Year's Move

[24:32] From the year.
We went to another world right before they moved the white sheet room You could do that without the road and it'd be very disorienting.
You don't need to make that Disorienting so it's something like that could be our next move I don't know We're gonna think about it because a whiteout room like that could be interesting and it'd be very gobsmacking of that dark back hallway Yeah, it would be um, I have plans. I'm already planning next year.
Yeah, of course we are but no We're gonna do something different But I don't we haven't fully nailed down what so yeah, we're rethinking our shit And honestly, I would encourage everyone else to do the same I don't know if there isn't an amount of care that guarantees no issues is what I'm saying, with this particular decoration or scare.
I don't think there is, you know what I mean, an amount of care.
Because I always thought if you put enough care and smarts into it and think about all the angles, you can do it and make it clear it's not a lynching, it's not racially connected.
I don't know. I think that image is just too seared. Yeah, I think so.
And I think that the sheer number of stories I was able to find in a very few minutes backs that up.

[25:49] I am a little sad, because we're really good at making this.
But yeah, I think it's going to be something we retire. Well, let's move on.

[26:03] To what is oddly a theme this week. Yeah, um the headline is props stolen from Fresno haunted attraction.
This is a YouTube video by CBS 47 in Fresno, California a home haunt named the Walker maze, Basically they are a home haunted attraction they apparently run through the month of October though, But they are specifically designed and catering to kids with sensory or other issues that may prevent them from going to another haunt Maybe they're too scared.
Maybe they have sensory issues. Whatever.
That's nice. It's very nice. It's very wonderful One group of adults requested to go and on a no scare tour, which means they walked through the attraction alone And then when they went to reset for another group that did want the scares They noticed a lot of the props were stolen, That is just as you call it a Richard relocation.
Yes to say dick move Yes, You know, and I'm going to say this repeatedly over the next few minutes, so just buckle up.
I don't understand stealing Halloween decorations at all.
I don't either, and I mean, I know that we had a no-scare group come through.

Recording Kids Breaking the Rules

[27:21] That they were probably old enough to be scared, but they were recording on their phone, Yeah, which is against the rules. Yes.

Halloween Decorations: Need vs. Stealing for Fun

[27:33] So I I think that that's why they asked for the no scares so that they could video I bet was I mean Yeah, honestly, I mean it was Halloween night.
Yeah, honestly Halloween night were fairly permissive because it's gonna be over next year Yeah, that's spoiling it for anyone.
No No to me But stealing Halloween decorations.
Mm-hmm It it's okay cuz like there there's two reasons people steal there people who steal because of need They need something they need food They need money they need they have any and there are people who steal just because they're dicks and this is how they get their Jollies, yeah stealing Halloween decorations always falls in the ladder to me.
Yeah Because there's no street value to it You can't go to the local drug dealer and exchange, you know an animatronic for some for some heroin or whatever.
Trust me, they don't look at you like you're a fucking idiot. I don't know.

[28:29] But I mean and a lot of the things they described being stolen were things like prop weapons and things like that Yeah, so it's just like like costume type pieces So there's no street value to it. You don't need it to live.
You're not stealing bread No It's just you're stealing because you're a dick, um, honestly And now to sort of give the story its conclusion Um, they interviewed the owner and the operator they are continuing they did continue They didn't mention if they had changed any policies or any approaches, but I have a feeling they probably did I wouldn't yeah They probably did the no scares similar to what we do, which is ever all actors in place Mm-hmm, but just not scaring.
Yeah, which honestly is you're just doing super light Scares, you know, yeah, I'm like that.

[29:19] Yeah, and basically with a This one it looks like a very cool haunt.
It looks like this in the entirety.
They're very large front yard It looks pretty kick-ass, but they're continuing to the attraction, but they were asking for community help and sort of restocking and rebuilding.
Yeah next one All right more Halloween props went missing from popular Comstock Park attack Attraction.

Community Help Needed for Stolen Halloween Props

[29:44] This is an article by Fox 17 news and this was in Michigan The operator of Storybrooke Hollow reported that perhaps disappeared Tuesday night and Wednesday morning after Halloween yeah, And we've actually reported on this before this haunt because they do handcrafted.

[30:08] Oh yeah, they were the people that did the... everything's handcrafted and super nuts. Everything's handcrafted. I remember this now.
They're more of an art walk than they are a haunted house. Yeah, I remember these guys. All the wood carvings and things.
Yeah, it's all story... Yeah, story... Fables.
Fables and things. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember this now. I had forgotten that.
Jeez, but I remember that video.
I remember seeing it and being very impressed. Yeah, they...
I think last time we reported on them, they had won an award for their display.
Not a shock. No, it's not.
So it's sad to hear that they, you know, that they were victims of having things taken.
They've asked for the props to just be returned.
They won't ask any questions. They just, they want their stuff back because it takes a long time to make that.
Yeah. And once again, there's no street value.
No, you're not going to be able to resell it.
You're not gonna be able to display it anywhere either because people are gonna know because they have a very distinct style story Oh Carlo has a very distinctive style that you aren't gonna be able to see and that's I guess what pisses me off The most is like people that steal Halloween decorations nine times out of ten at least those decorations end up in the trash Yeah, cuz you can't display them as you just said you can't resell them What the fuck are you gonna do?
You're probably gonna throw them out after you realize you can't do anything Yeah, and that's just horrible Speaking of which.

[31:37] This is an article by Matthias Abril at WINK, or Wink, Wink News.
Anyways, Halloween animatronics stolen from beloved Port Charlotte Haunted House.
In Port Charlotte, Florida, homeowner and home haunter, Josh Walkash, posted on social media saying that two of his animatronics were stolen, including a three-headed wolf and a six-foot tall cloud.
Both have his initials carved into the bottoms, which that's something I hadn't thought of. No Gotta be honest.
I mean you used to do it with our toys and shit all the time as kids Yeah, exactly.
I think that's like one that like it was in Toy Story like Andy carved his name on It's like well, yeah, because we all did that or some variation of it Yeah, I used to carve JB into everything until I realized there's like six people with him.
She's JB So that I needed to find a better strategies while I was saying They are asking anyone with information to call local Crime Stoppers or just let the police know What the fuck once again?

[32:40] These decorations are these amateur eyes are gonna be returned or they're going to be destroyed almost guaranteed.
Mm-hmm Yeah, and what are you gonna do take them to Facebook marketplace?
Craig's list them in November.

[32:55] I don't know. What's the plan? Well, what's the plan here, guys?
You're just stealing because you're a dick.
That's all it is. Yeah. And that's really sad, really frustrating, and unfortunately, apparently fairly common.
Like I said, I'm super glad we've not had issues with theft.
And part of it, I think, is that we've done a good job discouraging it the way our light display is, and it's going to be even better next year in this capacity.
We've done a really good job discouraging people from like getting too close to the skeletons, getting too close to the stuff where they can steal it.
We make sure everything's out of arm's reach.
And the reason, honestly, isn't to prevent theft. It's to prevent stupid kids.

[33:36] Well, it's to prevent people from tripping and falling and hurting themselves.
Well, yeah, well, hey, yeah, obviously we're trying to prevent people from hurting themselves.
But the reason we move the skeletons a certain distance away from the rope is because we don't want kids reaching over trying to touch or shake their hand or anything right and kids will and that's not I've seen it that's just kids it's not the same thing bad not send their bad kids that's just kids do that and so we put them about three feet in to make sure and then also discourages the adults I'm just like trying to reach over it also doesn't help that everything is staked into the ground in such a way you'd have to be really fucking strong to get it up clean yeah but anyways uh yeah i just i don't get it moving on next story crystal okay next up um.

[34:26] Sorry, I lost my place This is from Des Moines Register and articles by Paris, betters, uh, I was uh Yeah, there was one of the other Paris. I'm sorry. Yes.

Marlon Lynn's Impressive 39-Year Haunted House Legacy

[34:41] Sorry This is about Marlon Lynn Who has operated his haunted house Merlin Lynn.
Sorry, that's a typo in that one. It's my name's Merlin Lynn.
Okay Emma, go ahead. Sorry. Lin.
We know it's Lin. Yes. Lin is 85 and he's operated his house in Highland Park, Des Moines for 39 years, which is pretty impressive.
Yeah. Even though he is now 85. He is now 85.
It is in the basement of the supermarket that he owns and works during the day.
Or used to own, rather. Yeah. Used to own.
Where he would work during the And then at night, which is just fucking awesome.
I'm sorry. I got I got no notes. That's just fucking awesome I mean his meat displays were very realistic.

[35:35] You know the thing about the story I noticed pretty quickly though was he's 85 now I started on 30 inch that means he started this when he was 46 Yeah, so if you're sitting out there thinking that you're too old to start a haunted house.
You're not Yeah. Just get started.
The best day to have started a haunted house was like 20, 30 years ago.
The second best day is this season. Yeah.

A Small Town Haunted House with a Long Legacy

[36:03] So, yeah, it opened in 1984, leased the supermarket to new owners in 2016, and then sold it out right in 2020. I can't imagine why.
Yeah, but the haunt has continued. The agreement still basically means that haunt is ongoing. It has only opened a few nights per year from what I can tell.
But yeah, this is such a cool story of what looks to be like a small town haunted house that's been run by the same person for damn near four decades now.
Just really, really impressed by it and congratulations, Lynn.
This is amazing. It sounds amazing and keep trucking. I don't know.
You're not done. You got to at least get to 40. I mean, come on, right?
All right. Now, this is just a frustrating story. It is. It's entitled.
This is from NPR. It's Bill Chappell at NPR.
I'll just read the headline. No candy for you.

[37:01] Some towns ban older kids from trick-or-treating on Halloween.
What the fuck? Yeah. Let's just start with that.
What the fuck? But apparently, several towns in the US have passed or are considering bans that prohibit teens and older kids from trick-or-treating.
For example, in Chesapeake Bay, they had a law that would punish teens caught trick-or-treating with six months in fucking jail.
That's ridiculous. That is fucking nuts. There is no justification for that.
Now that law was repealed, but by repeal, I mean, they just made it like a super misdemeanor so it can still be prosecuted.

[37:38] That's insane. And meanwhile, sorry, go ahead.
Why are they taking away, you know, the adults giving out the candies decision making?
Like, yeah, I don't understand this. Yeah, Jacksonville, Illinois, and Rain, Louisiana. By the way, we've actually spent the night in Rain.
I've spent some time there, yeah.
Both have barred kids 13 or older from trick-or-treating.
And other towns now have cut-off times for trick-or-treating, which some set it to 7-fucking-30!

Polar Bears and Trick-or-Treating Regulations

[38:16] It only makes sense if you're, you know, in a place where it gets really cold and really dark and really dangerous to... Are you in a place with polar bears?
Just asking. Are polar bears an actual threat? If so, I might understand it.
Well, I think polar bears don't, you know, just sleep during the day.
I think that they're awake during the day, too. That's true.
But some have also said that eight or nine... You know, here's the thing.
Every time, I know locally, I can only speak of our experience in New Orleans, but every time they've tried to pass some kind of city ordinance about trick-or-treating, it has failed.
Abject, total failure. I remember one year they tried to enforce trick-or-treating on a Saturday.
So we had, what that meant for us is we had to set up the fucking trick-or-treat table two days.
And we did. And you know how many motherfuckers showed up on Saturday for trick-or-treating? No one!
The only people who trick-or-treated on that Saturday were surprised haunt goers that were shocked to see a trick-or-treating. Yes.
That was it! You fuckers! Yeah, never again.
Not making that mistake again. No fucking way. Learned our lesson.
Here's the other thing. Of all the things teens could be doing on Halloween.
Trick-or-treating is the least horrible.

Teenagers and Trick-or-Treating: The Debate

[39:44] I mean, because here's the thing, here's the thing, Chesapeake, Virginia, and other towns that have the rules, you do realize passing an ordinance that bars 13 and up from trick-or-treating does, not mean teenagers poof, disappear until November 1st.

[40:03] They're still going to do stuff. They're going to do things.
It's just now you've made it so they can't do the safe, legal, fun activity that they may still enjoy.
So now they're going to do God knows what.
It could be mayhem that hurts them more. It could be mayhem that actually harms the town more.
But it definitely will not be as innocent or as good for everyone as trick-or-treating.
Yeah, and I take the attitude people in the article talked about look if you show up in costume I'm giving you candy. You know what?
Your point if you're obviously out trick-or-treating and your mate putting in the effort to go trick-or-treating in costume and participate in the experience I'll give you candy.
I don't care if you're in your fucking 40s or 50s, man I don't care if you're taking your kid if you want candy you get candy.
Yeah Yeah, as long as someone in the group is costumed I feel like someone should be costumed But as long as someone in the group is costumed and obviously this is a participating in trick-or-treating thing candy, for everyone Don't care Yeah And honestly with the amount we usually overbuy like I thought we had under bought this year and we still wound up with three Unopened bags.
Yeah, so you gotta figure something to do with those.
Yeah, why don't I give it to everybody?
I have no issue with anyone at any age who wants to go trick-or-treating In fact, I wish we could normalize adult trick-or-treating where.

[41:25] Instead of getting candy You got like maybe airplane bottles of booze or you got they do that in the in Algiers point Yeah, you can give airplane bottles of booze.
You could give I don't know What'd be good little giveaways for adults here though?
If the ones that don't drink a coffee you could give away a little coffee pods, you know, I mean, yeah You could give away other things is what I'm saying.
I think it would be great I honestly would like everyone, all ages, to feel like they can trick-or-treat if they so want.

[41:57] And those that don't want to trick-or-treat can come to the haunted house.
Yeah. All right, moving on though.

Edinburgh Manor: From Courthouse to Haunted Attraction

[42:04] All right. Oh yeah, this was an interesting story.
Yeah. About a place called Edinburgh Manor. Sorry, I'm stepping on you. No, no, no, it's fine.
This is from the Gazette, articles by Bailey Session. Session, I think it's Session, yeah.
At the Gazette, I already said that part.
Curious Iowa, how did Edinburgh Manor become a haunted attraction?

[42:29] And as you said, It's an interesting history of the building.
It's in Scotch Grove, Iowa, and it's a massive building, and that's why it was dubbed the Manor, Edinburgh Manor.
Yeah, even though it never really was a manor.
No, originally it was supposed to be a courthouse. Courthouse slash town hall type city center.
Yeah, but the town never happened.
It was never built. This was back when people would just go, I'm founding a town somewhere the fuck over there, Yeah, and they build a building and then they expect the town to come in this time. It didn't.
Yeah, then instead it became a farm Specifically a poor farm.
Yeah, which is I had never heard that term. I had to look it up.
No, basically like a poor house But basically in a poor farm Everyone provides labor and in exchange for the labor they get a place to sleep and food to eat and things like that It's like a homeless shelter, but the farming. Yeah, And it served as until 2001 and served as a counting home until 2001 then it was run by a nonprofit and Then after that it basically kind of fell by the wayside.

[43:38] So, yeah, and basically it now is a haunted attraction it is in terrible shape the photos in the article dummy worth checking out But it is in terrible shape, but it actually adds a lot to the ambiance and the spookiness of it as long as it's safe Yeah, as long as the bones are good, then, you know, it looks like it's decorative.
It's like the paint's peeling and shit like that. And I don't think it's lead-based paint. I hope not. Yeah.
I didn't think of that one. I literally just had that thought flash in my head.
When was this built again?
Last painted? When was the last painted is the important question.
But yeah, no, this was a very interesting story and a great example of how haunted attractions can help preserve buildings that may not get love in any other way.

[44:23] And that's one of the things I do love is when I see a haunted attraction opening in a historic building, I know that building is being cared for too. It makes me very happy.

The Making of the Home Depot 12-Foot Skeleton

[44:33] Yeah. And I think our last story this week... Okay. I think we're going to end it on this one because this is actually a really fun story.
It's by Ana Diaz at Polygon, and the headline just reads Home Depot made hundreds of skeletons before perfecting his 12-foot star Skelly.
And basically it's a look at how the Home Depot 12-foot skeleton came about.
I really, really love this one. It was a very interesting story, and basically they interviewed the designers Lance Allen and Rachel Little, who were like the two people who headed the project, and they talk about how they came up with the idea for the 12-foot Okay, because they wanted to make a taller skeleton than others. And so one said, well, what about a 10-foot skeleton?
We have five footers. All of our skeletons are five footers.
We have a 10-footer and they both just kind of went, no, that's not tall enough.
Yeah, because everyone knows what a basketball hoop is. Yeah, everyone stood underneath the basketball hoop and it's gonna be the exact height of a basketball hoop.
So they decided to go for a 12-foot skeleton.
I just love that attitude. Nah, 10 feet's not tall enough. It's only double the height and the literal image they had in their head was two six-foot tall people like me Basically, like me standing on my own head, up into the sky.
We would be exactly as tall as Skelly.

[45:48] But they had a shitload of problems in doing it. It turned out not to be easy.
The problem was they needed to get it to the correct height, but also make it affordable and structurally sound.
Yeah, because, I mean, I'm thinking about it now because I've built some big monsters. Yeah, we've built 10-12 foot stuff before.
Yeah, but it's always had like solid bases and it wasn't skeleton.
It wasn't like Skinny little pieces that have to be able to stand on their own when put together Yeah, and look somewhat convincing especially even at a distance.
Yeah. Yeah. No, I I'm genuinely blown away and like they had like one of the issues they had was I Love what camera hole wasn't the article when the designer said you don't realize how long your neck is until you have to put it On a 12-foot skeleton.
Yeah, basically. So what they had to do was for structural purposes.
They had to shorten the neck They removed several vertebrae.
So the neck is shorter, A, to make it look better because according to them it looked like a giraffe skeleton with an organic number of...
But also it was structurally not sound.
This reduces the torque on the neck and the head. It makes it much more stable.
I'm thinking about the 12-foot skeletons as I was reading this.
I'm like, yeah, I never noticed the neck was shorter.

The 12-foot Skeleton: An Affordable Halloween Icon

[47:04] Whatever they did, they didn't do it so much that my brain went, that's wrong.
Yeah. No, I never had that moment. No. So they had to remove, they had to make it less anatomically correct in multiple places, including like removing vertebrae from its neck, shorting some of the limbs.
I think the rib count was different, things like that.
Because like I said, the goal was to make it an affordable price, because even though it's expensive, $300 is still approachable to a lot of people.
Yes. Where... Just go on to the 12-foot skeleton Group on Facebook and you'll see yeah, I think the biggest limitation to getting the 12-foot skeleton is not the price is the availability.

[47:42] Yes We have never not bought one and we've pretty much decided we're not going to buy one No If I want a giant monster, I will make it and then we'd like to and we prefer to make our own if we're gonna go Big like that.
Yeah, but however, I do find it interesting.
They talked about the cottage industry around Skelly Yeah Because you can go on various places right now and find people who have made clothes for Skelly.
Uh-huh have made props for Skelly have made full like reconfig for Skelly to turn them into other things right and, Basically just like anything you can think of that you could do to a 12-foot skeleton There is someone on Etsy that'll sell you the kid to do it right now Yeah, I can pretty much guarantee you and Home Depot's actually I wouldn't say encouraged that but deliberately permitted it.

[48:27] That's fair. Because it helps them sell more 12-foot skeletons.
They're selling more 3 and a foot skeletons. Yeah, I mean...
So you're putting clothes on him. Yeah, so what exactly I mean There's no reason for them to and then they're not making the clothes.
No, but no, it was very interesting They talked about how they actually have a taller Jack Skellington, which they do but they said that he's really lanky and doesn't look as strong.
Yeah agree with it I mean, yeah, okay Jack skeletons a lanky character.
It's accurate to the character I get it, but it also isn't nearly as impressive as the 12-foot skeleton because of that Right, and I will say that the 12-foot, skeleton versus the 7-foot skeleton at Walmart.
Oh yeah, oh God. Go with the 12-foot if you're gonna get one of them.
Yeah, I'd forgotten about that ugly motherfucker. Yeah, reading this you could tell that they put a lot more time and thought into the skelly.
I remember the first time we saw the 7 or 8-foot, I don't remember, but it's in that range because they had it like hunched right over the entrance to the Halloween section and I remember looking on the.

[49:33] Exactly like it like it Like that's the thing about Skelly the 12-footer is that it looks like the regular skeleton, but bigger.
Yeah Yeah, it grows up like with with the Walmart one it looked like they made a mutant It was it was not good. It's not good.
It just was not good It looked very much bad good for corpsing and stuff Like if you're gonna change it anyway, it doesn't matter and it wasn't that much money I don't remember how much it was but it wasn't that much.
I remember thinking it's not a bad price But yeah, it did not look good.
It would need some Haunter TLC to make it acceptable Yeah in my mind, but hey, that's why you guys are for your honors You can give it the TLC, but it was a very interesting article I never thought about how much went into developing something like this.
Mm-hmm I never really put much thought into it and this article did a great job.

[50:28] Illustrating just how much thought design apparently they did hundreds of iterations, which I'm not shocked about No, not really So anyways, I noticed you were searching for something.
I was trying to buy you a little time No, no, this is this is for after the podcast But we're just still on the podcast.
All right, so on that note everyone we're gonna wrap it up here We have a few other stories.
We might kick some of them to next month, but none of the others were very urgent, But on that note, everyone, thank you very much for spending the past 50 odd minutes with us. Greatly appreciate you taking the time.
Please check out other things we do. We're at hauntweekly.com or hauntweekly, on X, hauntweekly on Facebook, and youtube.com slash hauntweekly is the YouTube channel where all the previous episodes are available for easy access. Yes.
But until next time, I'm Jonathan. I'm Crystal. And we'll see you all next week.
We're hoping that it will be a live episode. We have a tentative idea.
But if not, we'll be back with a just a regular good old-fashioned episode of Haunt Weekly. We'll see you then.