Ep 190: Ouija
“People have told me 'Betty, Facebook is a great way to keep in touch with old friends...' At my age, if I wanted to keep in touch with old friends, I'd need a Ouija board.”
– Betty White
Description:
Most of us are familiar with the name and iconic image of the magical Ouija board. Many have dared to test it, either seeking answers from the great beyond or for spooky entertainment or both. The Ouija board has always been advertised as a family-friendly game. However, for about the last 50 years, Ouija became associated with the forbidden, a taboo tool of the occult. But has it always had this reputation for unleashing evil, and when did this shift in perception occur? Is it a variation of an ancient scrying device or portal for speaking with the dead, or is it a more modern amusement? How could such a pop culture symbol that is so pervasive have such a mysterious background? It seems the board's manufacturers have intentionally kept the details shadowed from the start, adding to the marketing appeal and popularity. Although the practice of attempting communication with the spirit world is as old as philosophy, the board we recognize today had its beginnings with the Spiritualist Movement of the nineteenth century in America. Yet in that era and into the first part of the twentieth century, using the board to contact spirits was seen as wholesome family fun and nothing to fear or shun. Why did the Ouija board take a turn for the dark side, and what is its real story? As we search for clues, tonight's guest will shed more light on its history and cultural relevance. Brandon Hodge is one of the world's foremost researchers and historians of spirit communication devices. His website, mysteriousplanchette.com, is a wealth of information on these instruments, and his Austin-based collection houses an astounding display of planchettes, "talking boards," dial plates, and psychographs, everything an adventurous Victorian soul searcher might use. Please join us to discuss why a simple board with printed letters, numbers, and a pointer managed to inspire such enduring wonder and apprehension with its mystical nature.
Reference Links:
Ouija and Talking Board collector, historian, and expert Robert Murch’s website, RobertMurch.com
Robert Murch’s website on the Ouija board and William Fuld, WilliamFuld.com
“Detailed History of William Fuld and the Ouija Board” on WilliamFuld.com
Danzinger & Company’s ad for the Ouija board, from the Pittsburg Dispatch, February 01, 1891
Brandon Hodge’s shops in Austin, Texas
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CREDITS:
Episode 190: Ouija. Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess; Audio Editing by Sarah Vorhees Wendel. Sound Design by Ryan McCullough; Tess Pfeifle, Producer, and Lead Researcher; Research Support from the astonishing League of Astonishing Researchers, a.k.a. The Astonishing Research Corps, or "A.R.C." for short. Copyright 2020 Astonishing Legends Productions, LLC. All Rights Reserved.