The Spooky Side of Pokémon with Guide to the Unknown

The Spooky Side of Pokémon with Guide to the Unknown

From American Hysteria by chelsey weber-smith

March 16, 2026 · 1h 26m

About this episode

This episode explores the creepy side of Pokémon with guests from the Guide to the Unknown podcast.

The extended media universe of Pokémon has been an obsession for young people since the late 1990s, and for this goofball episode my friends from the Guide to the Unknown podcast are here to dive into the creepier side of this unparalleled cultural phenomenon. Together with our voice actor Will Rogers and his sister, my pal Kristen Rogers-Anderson, we bring you the weirdest tales from Pokemon history, from the unnerving aspects of the video games, to the supposed mass medical events caused by the show, to the many ridiculous moral panics and sometimes gruesome urban legends it inspired. Will even brings us an original Pokemon gameshow that you’re not gonna wanna miss. Subscribe to Guide to the Unknown on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts Become a Patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get some of our new merch at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠americanhysteria.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, all profits go to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group who are on the ground in Gaza delivering food and supplies to displaced families…

People in this episode

Host: Chelsey Weber-Smith

Guests: Will Rogers, Kristen Rogers-Anderson

Topics covered

  • Pokémon
  • urban legends
  • cultural phenomenon
  • creepy stories
  • moral panics
  • video games

Keywords

  • Pokémon
  • creepy
  • urban legends
  • cultural phenomenon
  • video games
  • moral panics
  • Guide to the Unknown

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Guide to the Unknown, American Hysteria, The Sameer Project

More episodes of American Hysteria

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the American Hysteria podcast page.