The Char Man of Ojai w/ Jess from WTF Is That Podcast

from Spirits: Mythology, Legends, & Folklore

What happens when the very real fear of wildfires meet folklore and urban legends? You get something like The Char Man of Ojai. We’re joined by Jess from WTF Is That Podcast to talk about this prescient urban legend, why cryptids love bridges, and why shouting for help in the woods is a bad idea!Places you can donate: Mutual Aid LA Network, Fire Aid, California Federation of Labor Unions Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of fire, the California wildfires, death, ableism, grief, child death, skinning/flaying, animal attacks, climate change, natural disasters, nuclear attacks, and drowning. GuestJess is a podcaster, storyteller, and Gemini who loves a good fun fact. She hosts So That’s How That Happened, a gossipy history podcast, and co-hosts WTF Is That Podcast, a spooky true crime and paranormal show. When she’s not deep in research, she’s busy being a mom of three and sharing her journey as a working mom building a business.Housekeeping- See us LIVE! Buy a ticket to our March 23 live show in Portland at spiritspodcast.com/live. And if you live in or around NYC, RSVP to our free cocktail popup at jointhepartypod.com/popup- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Check out your local DSA chapter- Submit Your Urban Legends Audio: Call us! 617-420-2344Sponsors- BetterHelp is an online therapy service. Get 10% off your first month at https://betterhelp.com/spirits- CRAMPED, a new podcast about period pain by Kate Helen Downey. Listen in your podcast app now!Find Us Online- Website & Transcripts: spiritspodcast.com- Patreon: patreon.com/spiritspodcast- Merch: spiritspodcast.com/merch- Instagram: instagram.com/spiritspodcast- Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiritspodcast.com- Twitter: twitter.com/spiritspodcast- Tumblr: spiritspodcast.tumblr.com- Goodreads: goodreads.com/group/show/205387Cast & Crew- Co-Hosts: Julia Schifini and Amanda McLoughlin- Editor: Bren Frederick- Music: Brandon Grugle, based on "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod- Artwork: Allyson Wakeman- Multitude: multitude.productionsAbout UsSpirits is a boozy podcast about mythology, legends, and folklore. Every episode, co-hosts Julia and Amanda mix a drink and discuss a new story or character from a wide range of places, eras, and cultures. Learn brand-new stories and enjoy retellings of your favorite myths, served over ice every week, on Spirits.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What this episode covers

What happens when the very real fear of wildfires meet folklore and urban legends? You get something like The Char Man of Ojai. We’re joined by Jess from WTF Is That Podcast to talk about this prescient urban legend, why cryptids love bridges, and why shouting for help in the woods is a bad idea!Places you can donate: Mutual Aid LA Network, Fire Aid, California Federation of Labor Unions Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of fire, the California wildfires, death, ableism, grief, child death, skinning/flaying, animal attacks, climate change, natural disasters, nuclear attacks, and drowning. GuestJess is a podcaster, storyteller, and Gemini who loves a good fun fact. She hosts So That’s How That Happened, a gossipy history podcast, and co-hosts WTF Is That Podcast, a spooky true crime and paranormal show. When she’s not deep in research, she’s busy being a mom of three and sharing her journey as a working mom building a business.Housekeeping- See us LIVE! Buy a ticket to our March 23 live show in Portland at spiritspodcast.com/live. And if you live in or around NYC, RSVP to our free cocktail popup at jointhepartypod.com/popup- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Check out your local DSA chapter- Submit Your Urban Legends Audio: Call us! 617-420-2344Sponsors- BetterHelp is an online therapy service. Get 10% off your first month at https://betterhelp.com/spirits- CRAMPED, a new podcast about period pain by Kate Helen Downey. Listen in your podcast app now!Find Us Online- Website & Transcripts: spiritspodcast.com- Patreon: patreon.com/spiritspodcast- Merch: spiritspodcast.com/merch- Instagram: instagram.com/spiritspodcast- Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiritspodcast.com- Twitter: twitter.com/spiritspodcast- Tumblr: spiritspodcast.tumblr.com- Goodreads: goodreads.com/group/show/205387Cast & Crew- Co-Hosts: Julia Schifini and Amanda McLoughlin- Editor: Bren Frederick- Music: Brandon Grugle, based on "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod- Artwork: Allyson Wakeman- Multitude: multitude.productionsAbout UsSpirits is a boozy podcast about mythology, legends, and folklore. Every episode, co-hosts Julia and Amanda mix a drink and discuss a new story or character from a wide range of places, eras, and cultures. Learn brand-new stories and enjoy retellings of your favorite myths, served over ice every week, on Spirits. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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The Char Man of Ojai w/ Jess from WTF Is That Podcast

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This episode is 47 minutes long.

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This episode was published on February 26, 2025.

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