Astrological syzygy. The Fresno Nightcrawler. Aleister Crowley. These are just a few topics you can expect to hear in the rollicking, conversational style of Uncle Bob’s Magic Cabinet, this year’s winner for City Paper’s Best of PGH podcast category.
Helmed by mother and daughter duo Lori Lazar and Leigh Morrissey and produced by “Fact Check Jake,” Uncle Bob’s Magic Cabinet (or UBMC for short) is a Pittsburgh-based weekly podcast featuring accessible bites of paranormal pop culture with a chummy chat-forward approach. The title is an allusion for fans of the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, evoking the name of the mystical shop where Buffy and her crew would hang out.
The podcast is a high-spirited giggle fest from a parent and child who seem to genuinely appreciate each other, their interests converging to cover topics ranging from plant medicine to cryptids and plenty in between. If you thrive on podcasts with friendly, authentic dynamics that keep you company during long commutes, UBMC is worth a listen.
“We're all about authenticity, openness, and lighthearted humor,” the co-hosts tell City Paper via email. “We take our research and topics seriously, but we're not afraid to be silly. As a little family that loves learning about weird things and sharing our discoveries, we try to make intimidating topics approachable and provide a safe space to laugh and learn.”
Just ask their hefty Instagram and TikTok followings. On the latter platform, you can find viral posts about ‘90s pop culture witches, meme reactions to famous horror movie scenes, and a lot of Matthew Lillard love. Packaged for short snippets of info on social, UBMC is more diffuse on their podcast, with plenty of chitchat up top before diving into the episodes’ ever-evolving spooky subjects.
Over 150 episodes in and counting, the pair began the podcast in May of 2020, and like so many projects started that year, it was in direct response to COVID. “After the pandemic disrupted our previous business, an online apothecary we poured our hearts into, we needed a way to stay connected with the fantastic community we'd built.”
That sense of community is truly evident in how the hosts speak to each other and their listeners. Beyond just information, UBMC delivers a kind of companionable intimacy that people crave. “Every week, we hear from folks who tell us that our show brought smiles and laughter when they needed it most or reignited their spark of curiosity when they felt uninspired,” says UBMC.
Listening to Uncle Bob’s Magic Cabinet feels like chatting with your spookiest aunt and cousin at a family gathering, a dishrag slung over your shoulder, the sound of the TV in the next room. The podcast is full of small but vital moments of magic, like one in episode 154 where Leigh (the daughter) stops Lori (the mom) mid-sentence to gush: “I know some of this … but you’re giving it to me in a new light,” before pausing for a moment to say, with total enthusiasm and sincerity, “I love you.”
Uncle Bob's Magic Cabinet. unclebobsmagiccabinet.com
