Winning the lottery is supposed to change your life for the better, but for some jackpot winners, sudden wealth has brought bankruptcy, betrayal, addiction, lawsuits, murder, and the uncomfortable realization that money can solve plenty of problems while creating entirely new ones.

In this episode of Cursed...ish, Daniel and Angela investigate the so-called lottery curse. From the British tabloid sensation who promised to “spend, spend, spend” to Powerball and lottery winners targeted by relatives, scammers, spouses, and strangers, they examine the true stories that turned instant millionaires into cautionary tales.

But do most lottery winners really lose everything? Is the infamous claim that 70 percent of winners go bankrupt even true? The hosts explore hedonic adaptation, financial self-destruction, media selection bias, and research suggesting that most winners actually become more satisfied with their lives.

Then Daniel unveils his extremely sensible and only mildly unhinged 13-step Lottery Curse Avoidance Plan, featuring lawyers, anonymity via Ghostface mask, and a Never-Be-Poor-Again Fund.

Maybe winning the lottery is cursed. Maybe money simply amplifies whatever was already waiting underneath. Either way, check your numbers twice.

Questions, comments, or your own accursed tales to share? Send us a hex at uhoh@cursedish.com.

The hosts of Cursed...ish are not responsible for any misfortunes that may befall you while listening to this podcast. By listening to Cursed...ish, you assume all risk of bad luck, ill omens, and unexplained catastrophes.

*Terms and conditions may be upheld by unknown forces.

What happens when some of the most brilliant musicians in history all seem to meet the same tragic end?

In this episode of Cursed...ish, Angela and Daniel dig into the legend of the 27 Club: the eerie cultural grouping of famous artists who died at just 27 years old. From Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones to Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, and Amy Winehouse, the so-called “Big Six” of the 27 Club left behind music that changed the world, and deaths that made people wonder whether fame, addiction, tragedy, and coincidence had formed something darker.

Along the way, we explore Woodstock, death by misadventure, the white lighter myth, the toxic machinery of celebrity, the haunting legacy of artists gone too soon, and why 27 became the age people started whispering about as cursed.

Was the 27 Club really a supernatural pattern, or is the true curse something much more human, like fame, substance abuse, mental health struggles, and an industry that burns through young talent?

We’re not here to tell you curses are real. But when Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, and Amy Winehouse all wind up in the same tragic mythology, we are absolutely here to ask why the story still refuses to die.

Questions, comments, or your own accursed tales to share? Send us a hex at uhoh@cursedish.com.

The hosts of Cursed...ish are not responsible for any misfortunes that may befall you while listening to this podcast. By listening to Cursed...ish, you assume all risk of bad luck, ill omens, and unexplained catastrophes.

*Terms and conditions may be upheld by unknown forces.

For decades, American families gathered in their backyards to throw giant metal spikes through the air and called it wholesome fun. What could possibly go wrong?

In this episode of Cursed...ish, Daniel and Angela trace the astonishing history of lawn darts, better known by the popular brand name Jarts. Beginning with a 1957 patent for a projectile that combined an indoor dart with a javelin, lawn darts were marketed as cheerful outdoor entertainment for the entire family. Millions of sets were sold, even as the supposedly harmless backyard game caused devastating head injuries, permanent disabilities, and the deaths of children.

Along the way, they examine the classic Saturday Night Live “Bag O’ Glass” sketch, the cheerful vintage advertising that described Jarts as a “missile game,” early attempts by the FDA to regulate them, and the manufacturers who insisted that consumers simply needed to play more carefully. Then they tell the heartbreaking story of seven-year-old and her father whose tireless campaign finally pushed the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Congress to ban sharp-pointed lawn darts decades after they first landed on the market and began their reign of terror..

Were lawn darts a cursed object, or simply the inevitable result of reckless design, corporate self-interest, weak regulation, and an American marketplace willing to sell almost anything?

Maybe cursed. Maybe not. Definitely a terrible idea.

Questions, comments, or your own accursed tales to share? Send us a hex at uhoh@cursedish.com.

The hosts of Cursed...ish are not responsible for any misfortunes that may befall you while listening to this podcast. By listening to Cursed...ish, you assume all risk of bad luck, ill omens, and unexplained catastrophes.

*Terms and conditions may be upheld by unknown forces.