Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017
The release of documents in the Kennedy assassination provided more grist for the conspiracy theory mill. Mike Collins looks at how conspiracy theories became a part of culture, then hears about horror stories and folklores from the creator of the "Lore" podcast.
PART ONE
Newly-released files on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy have failed to turn up the kind of bombshells that might prove long-held suspicions of a conspiracy.
More than a half-century after the shooting and despite countless investigations and books dissecting the events in Dallas, we’re still not satisfied with the conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. A survey this month found that more than 60 percent of those polled believe the assassination was the result of a conspiracy.
The assassination is just one of the major events in American history that have attracted conspiracy theories. Some firmly believe the moon landing was a hoax. The 9/11 attacks have also elicited skeptics doubting the official version of events.
![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ac5d89e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/640x428+0+0/resize/880x589!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwfae%2Ffiles%2F201710%2F4613268345_077b6322c1_z.jpg)
How do these theories get started? Why do we believe in them?
GUESTS
David Bollinger, UNC Wilmington, professor of communication studies
Marshall Brain, founder of How Stuff Works; director of NC State's Engineering Entreprenuers Program (@marshallbrain)
SHOW LINKS
"How Conspiracy Theories Work" by Marshall Brain
"Most People Believe in JFK Conspiracy Theories" (FiveThirtyEight.com)
"What Aren't They Telling Us?" Chapman University Survey of American Fears
PART TWO
![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/49f4bf0/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1368x912+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwfae%2Ffiles%2F201710%2Fmahnke-headshot.jpg)
Aaron Mahnke knows that truth is often stranger – and scarier – than fiction.
His hit podcast, "Lore," uncovers how horror stories and folklore full of dark figures, such as vampires, witches, and werewolves, are actually rooted in real-life events. A little bit history, and a little bit campfire storytelling, the award-winning podcast has found quite a following. The program has been so popular that Amazon has picked it up as a television series.
Just in time for Halloween, and ahead of his visit to Charlotte, Aaron Mahnke talks with WFAE's Sarah Delia about the world of "Lore."
![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/489b7e8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/900x900+0+0/resize/880x880!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwfae%2Ffiles%2F201710%2Flore-logo-light.png)
GUEST
Aaron Mahnke, Creator, producer, and host of the podcast Lore, Executive Producer of the Lore television show on Amazon, and author of The World of Lore book series (@amahnke)
EVENT INFO
The "Lore Live" tour comes to CPCC's Dale Halton Theater on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 8 p.m with musical guest Chad Lawson. More details: www.lorepodcast.com/tour17