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PODCAST

Your Weirdest Fears

What’s your weirdest fear? If it happened, how would you survive? This lighthearted, weekly series explores fears both rational and irrational: from being stalked by subway rats to a phobia of beards. Wanna share your fear? Email the host Larry Mullins at YourWeirdestFears@Audacy.com

society & culture

All Episodes

8:53

Fear of peeing in public

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2023/03/08

Going to the bathroom isn't a big deal to most people but for those who suffer from paruresis, peeing in public can cause major anxiety. In this episode, we break down the disorder, how it interferes with major life activities like work and dating, and offer tips to get over it.Guests: Dan Rocker, President of the International Paruresis Association and licensed therapist Credits: Host: Larry Mullins Producers: Dempsey Pillot and Jill Webb Audio Engineer: Anddy Egan-Thorpe Managing Producer of

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10:12

Being afraid of eating green vegetables

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2023/02/16

Elijah doesn't mind the color green, but he goes out of his way to avoid eating green foods - especially vegetables. He's scared that one day he will bite into a salad and it'll "poison" him. Is his fear rooted in truth though? On this week's episode of "Your Weirdest Fears," host Larry Mullins sits down with food phobia specialist Felix Economakis to find out! You can learn more about Felix, the TV show he currently consults on and all his other work here. Host: Larry Mullins Producers: Jill Webb

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9:09

The fear of buttons?!?!

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2023/02/09

Molly is mortified by buttons. She tells us that when she was a little girl she nearly choked on one. Ever since the incident, she's gone out of her way to avoid the small items. Surprisingly, she's not alone. On this week's episode of "Your Weirdest Fears," host Larry Mullins chats with author and journalist Kate Summerscale. Having just written a book about phobias - and the fear of buttons specifically - she offers her insight. Listen as she breaks down what the fear really indicates and how to

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4:25

Imagine looking into the toilet and seeing a rat!

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2023/02/02

Heather says her biggest fear is a snake slithering up the sewage system and biting her while she’s sitting on a toilet. While she’s yet to experience that specific situation, she did encounter a rat in her toilet a few years ago. This only amplified her terror. How common is it for any creature to make its way into your toilet bowl? On this episode of Your Weirdest Fears, host Larry Mullins sits down with pest control expert Eddie Marco to find out. With over two decades of experience, and having

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8:10

Seahorses: Assassins of the sea

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2023/01/26

Anna is afraid of seahorses. She says it all started during a normal visit to the aquarium. The mere site of the mini creatures made her freeze. Ever since then, she can't even think about them without going numb. Does she see something in seahorses that no one else can? On this week's episode of "Your Weirdest Fears," host Larry Mullins sits down with marine biologist and seahorse expert Dr. Lucy Woodhall to find out if these underwater animals are really as harmless as they seem. You can learn

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11:19

Gregg Giannotti wants to know: can a volcano end...

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2023/01/19

Gregg Giannotti, AKA Gio, is the co-host of one of the most popular sport radio shows in the nation, Boomer and Gio. And while Gio isn't afraid to go head to head with anyone in the studio - he's deathly afraid of volcanoes. He worries that the dormant super-volcano at Yellowstone National Park will erupt at any moment and send civilization into an apocalyptic "volcanic winter." This week we sit down with Gio and avid adventurer George Kourounis. George has spent a lot of time in volcanoes so he's

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8:13

Balloon phobia is a real thing!

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2023/01/12

Jessenia has always been afraid of latex balloons. As a mom, she says it's difficult to take her kids to birthday parties because she knows that they'll be waiting for her. And it's more than their texture, or that sound they make when they rub against another surface. Instead, it's the small possibility of one popping and that anxiety-inducing blast that happens as a result. While Jessenia's fear sounds unique, it's actually quite common. It's called globophobia. On this week's episode of "Your

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7:26

Can you die by spontaneous combustion?

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2023/01/05

Christine is scared she'll spontaneously combust. While most might think it's a fictional concept, there are some real-life documented cases of it happening... But what are the odds of it happening to you? On this week's episode, host Larry Mullins sits down with writer, investigator, and self-proclaimed skeptic Benjamin Radford to illuminate the truth about spontaneous human combustion. You can read more about Benjamin and his work here. Host: Larry Mullins Producers: Jill Webb and Dempsey

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8:48

Afraid of tall buildings and statues? You’re not alone.

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2022/12/22

HB is afraid of giant statues. He says that lately has fear has become so bad that is has manifested it in his dreams. Once of the more vivid dreams he's had involved him being left alone in a dark cavern with nothing but a flashlight, where he's forced to find those dark-faced figures all alone. He knows it's silly, but surprisingly he's not alone. On this episode of Your Weirdest Fears, host Larry Mullins sits down with Dr. Kevin Chapman. A licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Chapman has dealt

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8:08

Can pigeons blind you with their beaks?

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2022/12/15

Yadariselt hates pigeons. She hates their feathers, their beaks, and most importantly she hates their unpredictability. As a New York native, however, they’re hard to avoid. But how dangerous are they really? On this episode of Your Weirdest Fears, host Larry Mullins sits down with phobia expert Christopher Paul Jones. Throughout the years he’s cured people of arachnophobia, claustrophobia, and even ornithophobia which fear of pigeons falls under. Chris helps Larry understand how common the fear is,

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8:45

The Grinch: Fun or Frightening?

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2022/12/08

Peter is mortified by The Grinch. Yes, the green and gross menace from Dr. Seuss' book "How The Grinch Stole Christmas." He says that, as a child, he would have vivid dreams of the character eating him. Despite having a change of heart and a happy ending at the end of his story, he still fears that the character will somehow come to life, find him and kidnap him now as an adult. But what about this character makes him so terrifying? On this week's episode of "Your Weirdest Fears," host Larry Mullins

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10:50

Fear of cat-human hybrids, extreme surgery, and...

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2022/12/01

Mike is absolutely terrified of cat-human hybrids. It all began with a trip to see the Broadway musical "Cats" in the 6th grade. What should have been a joyous memory became a lifelong nightmare. Now, he acknowledges that these creatures are purely fictional; however, he is also aware that some people modify themselves to look like animals and he still worries he may bump into one on the street. On this episode of "Your Weirdest Fears," listen as host Larry Mullins sits down with Erik Sprague a.k.a

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8:41

Finding your pet unexpectedly dead

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2022/11/24

Lee is terrified of coming home after a long day of work and finding their pet cat dead. It has nothing to do with the fact that they wouldn’t know how to dispose of the animal, but rather the idea that their cat may have been suffering all alone in its final moments and they couldn’t do anything to help. It’s probably something every pet owner fears, or at least thinks about from time to time. But how often does it actually happen? Are there signs you should look for in your pet to make sure they

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9:56

Being called a “Karen” is one woman’s greatest fear!

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2022/11/17

Sharon is afraid of being called a “Karen.” She’s so afraid of this that she doesn’t even ask for the manager when she experiences bad service. And she’s not alone! In this episode, we connect with author and sociologist Dr. Jessie Daniels. Dr. Daniels is an expert on the internet’s manifestation of racism. She wrote a book about being called a “Karen” titled “Nice White Ladies.” She breaks down the history of the name, the stigma surrounding it, and what fear of the name says about society’s

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7:42

Killer whales: Are they the serial killers of the sea?

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2022/11/10

Joe says that they love whales. They even have a tattoo of one of their arm. However, there’s one member of the species that absolutely terrifies them: orcas (also known as killer whales). In fact, they tell us that if they had to choose between being in the water with an orca or a great white shark, they’d pick the shark. But are killer whales as deadly as their name implies? On this episode of "Your Weirdest Fears," host Larry Mullins sits down with orca expert Dr. Deborah Giles to find out

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8:47

Scaffolding: Is walking underneath like a Final...

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2022/11/03

Some people avoid walking under scaffolding because they are afraid it could come crashing down without any warning. On this episode, we meet with safety expert John Newquist to find out just how realistic this fear is. With over 30 years of experience at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), he has an abundance of stories to share about scaffolding - and even more tips to offer about what to do should you ever find yourself caught under one that might collapse. For more safety

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8:29

Afraid of demonic possession? You're not alone.

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2022/10/27

Jane says her biggest fear is demonic possession. It’s not because she was exposed to The Exorcist too early in life, but rather because she grew up in a Russian Orthodox household. She was taught to believe that possession was possible. She even received two exorcisms as a kid. But is the concept of demonic possession as scary as the movies make it seem? What does a real exorcism entail? On this episode of Your Weirdest Fears, host Larry Mullins sits down with parapsychologist Helané Wahbeh to find

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10:04

A fear of cutting your eyeball: Why horror movies may...

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2022/10/20

Dan Travis says his biggest fear is getting a paper cut on his eyeball. Working in the film industry, he says there are paper signs everywhere and that he’s just bracing for the moment it happens and ocular fluid leaks everywhere. Ironically, eyeballs have always played an important role in cinema. Not just because we need our eyes to see movies, but because they have even been subjected to numerous slashings and gougings since its birth. On this episode of Your Weirdest Fears, host Larry Mullins

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9:32

A fear of vomit: Why some people can't even eat...

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2022/10/13

Alex Manning says that they are absolutely scared of vomit. The noise. The look. The “splash”. In fact, they avoid the subways late at night to avoid any drunk people who might inevitably hurl and refuse to sit near pits at concerts for the same reason. Now, although most people don’t like vomit, the degree to which Alex fears vomit actually has a name. It’s called emetophobia. On this episode of Your Weirdest Fears, host Larry Mullins sits down with psychotherapist Anna Christie to discuss her own

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10:09

Chopping off your fingers while cutting veggies: Can...

Your Weirdest Fears ·

2022/10/13

Aubrey says her biggest fear is accidentally chopping her finger off with a knife while cooking in the kitchen. Unlike some other fears we’ve covered, hers is statistically possible - and common. But how do we prevent knife-related accidents from happening when knives are the most essential tool in our lives? On this episode of Your Weirdest Fears, host Larry Mullins sits down with knife expert Jay Fisher to find out. With over two decades of experience as a cutler, he’s as sharp as a knife

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