Jeff Belanger

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Hometown Ghost Stories: Jeff Belanger Interview
News, Views, & Interviews

Hometown Ghost Stories: Overnight at the Driskill Hotel ft. Jeff Belanger

Austin, Texas, is a city with a haunted location on just about every corner, but the most haunted building in town is the infamous Driskill Hotel. Looming tall on the corner of 6th and Brazos, this 19th century Romanesque hotel is home to countless spirits; and we had a chance to visit in person and stay on the most haunted floor to see if we could connect with the dead. Jeff Belanger joins the Hometown Ghost Stories team to talk about the Driskill, ghosts, and hauntings. You can watch the full interview here:

New England Legends Zombie Prom 2023 - Photo by Tim Rice.
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New England Legends Presents Zombie Prom 2024: A Night of Dancing with the Dead for a Worthy Cause

Milford, Massachusetts – January 29, 2024 – New England Legends, the creators of the popular New England Legends podcast, are thrilled to announce the return of their much-anticipated Zombie Prom fundraiser on Saturday, February 17th, 2024 at 7pm. The ghoulishly delightful event will take place at the DoubleTree Hotel in Milford, Massachusetts, promising attendees an unforgettable night of dancing, games, raffle prizes, and a pizza party—all in the spirit of raising funds for a charitable cause. Hosted by Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger, the minds behind the New England Legends podcast, the Zombie Prom has become a cherished alternative celebration for those looking to escape the clichés of Valentine’s Day. Uniting undead enthusiasts and those with a taste for the macabre, this event offers a unique, entertaining and light-hearted experience for attendees to revel in the delight of the unconventional. Event Details: Date: Saturday, February 17th, 2024 Time: 7:00 PM Location: DoubleTree Hotel, Milford, Massachusetts A Night of Fun and Philanthropy: The Zombie Prom is not just about dancing with the dead; it’s also about giving back to the community. This year’s fundraising recipient is the Community Harvest Project, a non-profit farm based in Grafton, MA. The organization engages volunteers to grow fruits and vegetables for hunger relief, working towards the vision of creating connected communities that ensure access to healthy food for all. Dress Your Worst or Be a “Victim”: Attendees are encouraged to embrace the spirit of the night by dressing in their most dreadful attire or by coming as “victims” without costumes. The more creative and gruesome, the better!  Best costumes will be crowned King and Queen of the Undead! Entertainment Highlights: – Dance the night away to the beats of DJ Neto. – Engage in games and activities throughout the evening. – Stand a chance to win exciting raffle prizes. – Indulge in a delicious pizza party to satisfy your undead appetite. Ticket Information: Ticket information for Zombie Prom 2024 can be found in the event section of www.facebook.com/newenglandlegends.  They are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Purchase your tickets ahead of time by Venmoing Community Harvest Project at https://account.venmo.com/u/chpinc. BE SURE TO PUT “Zombie Prom 2024” in the comments. Join the New England Legends Facebook Group for more information and updates. For media inquiries, please contact: Ray Auger raywmrc@gmail.com 617-851-7542 About New England Legends: New England Legends is on a mission to chronicle every legend in New England one story at a time. We’re doing this through our award-winning weekly podcast which has garnered over 4 million downloads in 91 different countries, our award-winning, Emmy-nominated television series on PBS and Amazon Prime, and through our super-secret Facebook group. Come in and join the movement!  About Community Harvest Project: Community Harvest Project is a non-profit farm that harnesses the power of community volunteers to grow fresh fruits and vegetables for hunger relief, fostering connected communities with access to healthy food.

GBH's All Things Considered Radio Program.
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All Things Considered: Folklore expert explores the legend of Krampus and holiday monsters in The Fright Before Christmas

Jeff Belanger joined GBH’s All Things Considered host Arun Rath on the radio to discuss the weird. Hallmark cards and Coca-Cola ads tend to dwell on the happy and cheerful side of Christmas. But there’s always been a dark side. The fear of St. Nick putting coal in stockings for misbehaving and even creepier, the old man watching you day and night, tracking your misdeeds. If you dig deeper into tradition, it’s darker still. The original St. Nick had an enforcer to take care of the bad kids: Krampus, a terrifying horned Christmas devil who whips misbehaving children before carrying them off to hell. And that’s not the only creepy holiday tradition out there. GBH’s All Things Considered host Arun Rath spoke with local author and folklore expert Jeff Belanger, who dives into the legend of Krampus and other frightening Christmas characters in his newest book, “The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters.” You can listen to the segment and read the transcript here: https://www.wgbh.org/culture/books/2023-12-22/folklore-expert-explores-the-legend-of-krampus-and-holiday-monsters-in-the-fright-before-christmas

Talk is Jericho with Chris Jericho: The Fright Before Christmas with Jeff Belanger.
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Talk is Jericho: The Fright Before Christmas with Jeff Belanger

AEW wrestler, Fozzy front man, and actor Chris Jericho welcomes Jeff back to his Talk is Jericho podcast to discuss the creepy holidays! Episode description: Jeff Belanger returns to celebrate the scariest, most violent, and dangerous holiday – Christmas! His new book, “The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters, Witches, and Ghosts,” details the real reasons we put up trees, hang stockings, string up lights, and exchange gifts this time of year, and it actually has nothing to do with Santa Claus or even religion. He discusses how monsters, goblins, ogres, and witches from other cultures around the world morphed into the merry festivities of the season today. And he shares the stories and legends behind Krampus, the elf-like TomTen, Karakoncolas, the Gryla, and the Yule Cat! Naughty children, beware! You can listen to the episode here: https://www.webisjericho.com/talk-is-jericho-the-fright-before-christmas/

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Mike Hsu from 100FM The Pike Talks Fright Before Christmas with Jeff Belanger

Mike Hsu from 100FM The Pike Jeff Belanger is the host of the podcast new England Legends and the show on Amazon Prime. He is an expert on all things creepy and paranormal. His new book, “A Fright Before Christmas” explores the myths and legends from past centuries that eventually formed what we know as Christmas today. Listen to the interview here. Or listen below:

Room 2008 Podcast
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Room 2008 Podcast Ep. 67 – The Fright Before Christmas with Jeff Belanger

Delve into the chilling depths of Christmas folklore with our special guest Jeff Belanger, author of the captivating book “The Fright Before Christmas.” In this episode, we’ll embark on a journey alongside Belanger as he unveils the dark underbelly of the holiday season. We’ll go over the ancient pagans who celebrated the winter solstice with wild abandon and how these traditions bled into the modern holiday, the symbolism behind Christmas decorations, monsters like Krampus and the Yule Lads who kept good behavior in check. So enter Room 2008 and grab a mug of something strong, light a few candles (maybe not made of animal fat, like the Yule Lads prefer), and settle in for a journey through the shadows of Christmas. We’ll uncover the secrets hidden in plain sight, reminding you that the holidays aren’t all about sugarplums and snowflakes. There’s a darker side to Christmas waiting to be discovered. Listen to the episode here. Or watch the interview below: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2009194997

That Witch Life Podcast
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That Witch Life Podcast Episode 220: Krampus And Other Yuletide Monsters With Jeff Belanger

The ladies of That Witch Life podcast talk about holiday trials and tribulations of the past and rituals for the solstice season. They then welcome Jeff Belanger to talk about all things Krampus and other Yuletide monsters! You can hear the episode below: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-220-krampus-and-other-yuletide-monsters-with/id1460743150?i=1000638895801

Monte Belmonte and Kaliis Smith host the Fabulous 413 Radio on New England Public Media
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The Fabulous 413 – New England Public Media Radio Interview – Christmas with Jeff Belanger

Monte Belmonte and Kaliis Smith host The Fabulous 413 Radio on New England Public Media. Podcast version description: We hear about the White House Holiday Party from someone who got to go: Law Professor Jen Taub, We discover the yuletide things that go jingle in the night with folklorist Jeff Belanger, and Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy discusses the recently announced Solid Sound lineup. You can listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/december-18-2023-extra-excitement/id1669577464?i=1000639139436

News, Views, & Interviews

Den of Geek’s Talking Strange Podcast – The Fright Before Christmas: Krampus & Christmas Creatures with Jeff Belanger

Seasons Greetings, or rather Season’s Screamings because today we’re talking about the ghouls, monsters, and creepy creatures of Christmas covered in the new book The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus an other Yuletide Monsters, by Jeff Belanger. Den of Geek‘s Talking Strange Podcast host Aaron Sagers talks holiday monsters and frights. Listen to the podcast here. Or watch the interview below:

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