Re-Release Rissa from Tea & Smoke - The Ouija Board Stories

In this spine-tingling episode, host John Radtke is joined once again by Rissa from Tea & Smoke for an in-depth journey into one of the most infamous paranormal tools of all time — the Ouija Board. From its eerie Victorian origins to its pop culture legacy, they trace how a “toy” became one of the world’s most feared gateways to the unknown.

👻 Episode Summary

What started as a parlor game during the Spiritualist movement of the 1800s soon transformed into a cultural phenomenon. Rissa walks us through the dark, tragic, and surprisingly entrepreneurial history of the Ouija board — from its creation by businessmen in Baltimore to the spooky myths and moral panics that followed. You’ll learn how a locket, a séance, and a clever marketing plan birthed a legend that refuses to die.

Together, John and Rissa explore:

The Fox Sisters and the birth of American spiritualism

How Helen Peters named the Ouija board — and how it betrayed her

Why Hasbro now owns one of the world’s most “haunted” brands

The Exorcist effect that turned a game into a demonic symbol

The Satanic Panic years — and how fear fueled sales

Modern science’s explanation: the ideomotor effect

And whether Ouija boards are truly dangerous… or just misunderstood

💀 Highlights