In this episode, amateur anthropologists Josh and Chuck discuss urban legends, from how they're defined to some classic examples you've probably heard yourself.
AI Summary
In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck dive into the fascinating world of urban legends, exploring why these modern folk tales spread like wildfire and what makes them so believable. They examine classic stories like the Vegas kidney theft, the hook-handed killer, and various campus legends, while revealing the common patterns and warning signs that help identify these fictional narratives. The hosts also discuss how urban legends reflect our cultural fears and values, and they share some surprising cases where these supposedly fake stories actually turned out to be true.
Dead Man on Campus
1998
1h 36m
★ 5.4
"forms the premise of one of the greatest Zach Morris movies of all time. What's that? Dead Man on Campus. — Josh references this movie when discussing the urban legend that you get straight A's if your roommate commits suicide."
— Josh
Good Will Hunting
1997
2h 7m
★ 8.2
"the movie Goodwill Hunting, remember? They tell the story about the guy who gets pulled over by the cop — Josh explains how the movie includes an urban legend about someone accidentally driving home in a police car after being drunk."
— Josh
Saved by the Bell
1989
★ 7.8
"Which, I have to say, forms the premise of one of the greatest Zach Morris movies of all time... Who's Zach Morris? Saved by the Bell. — Chuck asks who Zach Morris is and Josh explains he's from Saved by the Bell."
— Josh
"The Simpsons. Which one? You know how you always hear the story about a mouse in a Coke bottle? — Josh mentions The Simpsons when discussing how urban legends appear in pop culture, specifically referencing a scene at the Duff Brewery."
— Josh
The Six Million Dollar Man
1973
1h 14m
★ 6.7
"The crew for the $6 million man was filming an episode, and they needed a Fun House. — Josh tells the true story of how the TV show crew discovered a real mummified corpse being used as a prop in a funhouse."
— Josh
The Warriors
1979
1h 34m
★ 7.7
"all of the gangs around the United States get together and come up with a clever plan to murder unwitting and innocent people. So the Crips and the Bloods get together, one imagines with the Mongols and the Hells Angels and the Warriors. — Josh mentions The Warriors as an example of gangs when describing a fake National Gang Week urban legend."
— Josh
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