Boo! It’s Halloween! Throughout October, HollywoodLife is running The Sound Of Halloween, where some of your favorite fiends of music, movies, television, and pop culture pick songs that should be on your Halloween 2022 playlist. As we enjoy the last full week before Halloween, we’re doubling your joy by adding a full-size treat of TSOH. Two scream queens – Steffany Strange and Blair Bathory – hand out some terrifying treats.
Starting in 2018, The Something Scary Podcast sees Steffany and Blair tell a different group of scary tales – ghosts stories, urban legends, tales of the paranormal, and beyond – to bring a bit of campfire creepiness to your daily commute. October 2022’s shows have featured “Sacrificial Lambs,” “Killer In Plain Sight,” and “Creatures of the Night.” The show has also built quite a community of like-minded fiends, with 80% of the stories featured on Something Scary coming from the podcast’s audience.
“What I love about Something Scary audiences is that it ranges from teenagers to adults,” Steffany Strange tells HollywoodLife. “And what I found through meeting these fans, who have been around since the beginning of the show, is that they appreciate diversity and inclusivity, love learning about culture and lore, and of course, appreciate scary stories. It’s especially a lot of strong women who are looking to find representation in their own cultures and identities, and I think that’s very special about the show, alongside the talent of the animators.
Proving that the future of horror is female, Blair founded the film production company FEAR HAUS, which promotes inclusivity and diversity in the horror genre. Steffany was also featured in YouTube Shorts’ “Latinx YouTubers To Watch” series and will be part of The CW’s Mysteries Decoded Halloween special.
“Anyone that loves a good story should tune into Something Scary!” Blair tells HollywoodLife. “We have an incredible team of writers and creatives working every week to not only create original content but recognize and share the tremendous amount of cultural folklore and tales from around the world – I think that makes our podcasts and videos extra special. We are inclusive in that way and as we should be! Fear is a universal language we’re all familiar with, and I think, albeit morbid, that commonality connects us all.”
Before listening to the newest episode of Something Scary (found on your favorite podcast app), check out Blair and Steffany’s picks for The Sound of Halloween, learn why nostalgia reigns supreme at Halloween, and what’s next for these two.
Blair Bathory & Steffany Stranger’s Halloween Playlist Picks
Donovan, “Season Of The Witch”
Warren Zevon, “Werewolves Of London”
Blair Bathory: I’m partial to classic rock, so “Season of the Witch” by Donovan and “Werewolves Of London” by Warren Zevon is always on my essential Halloween playlist.
Lana Del Rey, “Season Of The Witch”
Michael Jackson, “Thriller”
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, “Bloody Finger”
Rob Zombie, “Living Dead Girl”
Steffany Strange: “Season of the witch” Lana Del Rey, for all my witches! Also, the perfect soundtrack is from the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark movie, which is nostalgic on its own. “Thriller” by Michael Jackson has the king of pop and king of horror, Vincent Price‘s voice on it. Also, “Thriller” has this touch of storytelling that is spooky on its own. Rob Zombie’s “Living Dead Girl” is another great nostalgic throwback song alongside The Bride of Chucky movie. Rob Zombie has so many spooky-themed songs.
HollywoodLife: What is your most prominent Halloween memory?
Blair Bathory: I was lucky enough to grow up in the most enthusiastic neighborhood when it came to celebrating holidays – my tiny oceanside town may not be the first place you’d associate with Halloween, but every year each house was decked out with the most unique decorations and spooky decor. I can vividly remember the excitement I’d have as a little girl when October would arrive. I think a lot of the things I still love today are directly correlated to those early years of trick-or-treating with my parents and the other kids.
Steffany Strange: When I think of Halloween, I think about how there’s so many important significance to this time of year, but also a time where people can come together and overcome fears [to] tap into spirituality. Halloween is also a time to really bring out yourself, whether it’s through costumes, through Creative outlets, or spirituality, and in ways, I don’t think any other holiday can bring out.
For me, it’s also my birthday in the month of October, so I celebrate through hosting costume birthday parties or murder mystery parties. It’s also the time of year when I have attended amazing séance sessions with my mentor and friends.
What do you think will be the most popular Halloween costume this year? And What SHOULD it be?
Blair Bathory: Every year, the most popular Halloween costume is a current pop culture reference – and that’s too easy! I always appreciate creativity, and when I see someone wear an obscure reference or clever gender-bent character. Think outside the pumpkin!
Steffany Strange: This is a hard one! I think this year has had an amazing break out with movies and shows. Also, the Chucky television show series is amazing – and Chucky has always been a nostalgic one, especially during Halloween. We also have amazing costume and character designs with Rings of Power and the House of Dragon shows. And, last but not least, Hocus Pocus 2. We have so much nostalgia this year.
Do you have any particular October/Halloween traditions?
Blair Bathory: Now, my traditions are to visit locations all over the world that have a connection to Halloween in some way – Salem, New Orleans, and Ireland to name a few.
Steffany Strange: I don’t think I have a set tradition, but one thing I’ve always done is attend or host seances and throw a murder mystery party
What horror movie would you star in if given a budget and a chance to do whatever you want, You can remake any film of the past or create your own.
Blair Bathory: For me, the real question is, what horror movie would I direct if I had an unlimited budget? That’s a simple answer – any of the many screenplays I’ve written! I don’t want any more remakes, but rather, would love to see more original stories in the genre.
Steffany Strange: I think I would love to be in any Stephen King movie, even as a background character! However, if I had the budget to come up with my own movie production idea, I would love to do a psychological horror thriller inspired by the Fox sisters. If you don’t know who they are, they were famous during the spiritualist movement in the 1800s. And although it was confirmed that they were a hoax (though they tried to refute that they weren’t), people still believe that they were more than just that and that they really did talk to the dead.
What’s on tap for October for you — and the rest of the year?
Blair Bathory: Currently, I’m on the second half of a month-long trip throughout Europe exploring spooky sites and filming documentaries on what I find. One of my favorite experiences so far was climbing into a cave that is historically considered the “birthplace of Halloween” – the cave of cats in Roscommon, Ireland.
Steffany Strange: I just got done promoting the Halloween special on The CW that I co-starred with two other amazing paranormal investigators, called Mysteries Decoded. Also, YouTube posted a picture of me on their billboard at the YouTube Theater this month, as I was featured in their creator spotlight series “Latinx YouTubers to Watch” by YouTube Shorts. Thank you, YouTube!
I will be posting a horror Halloween special video/podcast with a special guest, on my socials, revolving around the theme of “what made horror movies so great through the decades.” I will also be hosting a seance at a haunted location for the month of October; and the rest of the year, I’ll be planning out thematic spooky stories on both Something Scary and my socials.