Kicking off the spooky autumn season and making their highly-anticipated grand appearance in San Francisco is the beloved talents of Em Schulz and Christine Schiefer of the incredibly eerie and entertaining "And That's Why We Drink" podcast. This dynamic duo will find home at our stunning Palace of Fine Arts on Saturday September 10 as part of their riveting “Here For the Boos” Tour to discuss all things paranormal and true crime.
See also: The Most Essential San Francisco Bay Area Podcasts To Listen To
View this post on Instagram
First launched in 2017, the masterful commentary and amusingly quick-witted banters of Em Schulz and Christine Schiefer quickly skyrocketed them to now becoming the #29 Comedy podcast on Spotify USA. Futher accolades to their impressively supernatural platform include effortlessly winning the People’s Voice “Webby” award for Best Comedy Podcast in 2019, 2021, and 2022, as well as performing at completely sold out shows nationwide in 2018 and 2019.
![Haunted_Road_Cover_FInal[2].jpeg](/get/files/image/galleries/Haunted_Road_Cover_FInal[2].jpeg)
With the 2020 COVID lockdown, the paranormal pair delivered equally brilliant virtual events that donated proceeds from ticket sales to the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, since then they have been unstoppable, strongly entering the return of live activities and gatherings with not only an encore of their tour for their 5-year anniversary, but also with their debut New York Times bestseller book, “A Haunted Road Atlas.”
View this post on Instagram
This additional tour is set to be even more brimming with chilling ghost stories, macabre history, and cryptid marvels, and we kindly had the chance to speak with the iconic hosts on all about their legendary tour, their connections to true crime and contemporary activism, and what it meant to be in the famously mystifying city of San Francisco.
Hi Em and Christine, thank you so much for chatting! I'd love to first know, coming to San Francisco, what are your favorite aspects our city's notoriously spine-chilling paranormal history and vibrantly storied mythos?
San Francisco has so many wonderful haunted locations. You have the Haskell House, the Curran Theater, Neptune Society Columbarium… We don’t want to sound like total tourists, but we really, really love Alcatraz. It’s always been in our top 10 favorite haunted locations.
Alcatraz is definitely up there as a classic for both spooky enthusiasts and visitors alike! Do you have any personal favorite sites or places to grab food and drinks that you enjoy and recommend here?
We love the Seward Street Slides, Paxton Gate, the Anti-Saloon League, Crown & Crumpet, and the Church of 8 Wheels!
See also: Paxton Gate Is A Delightful Must-Visit Oddities Boutique In The Mission District
View this post on Instagram
Now, what can audiences look forward to at the upcoming “Here For the Boos” live shows?
Without spoiling any secret on-stage content, we are currently doing our encore shows of “Here for the Boos,” so this will be the last chance for people to come see us tell some particularly scary stories. We have been told in several cities that this show turned some skeptics into believers!
View this post on Instagram
I would also love to know, having donated to the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and more, how important is it to you as a media platform to remind your fans of ongoing marginalization/
With such a large platform, it’s our responsibility to make sure we are being a respectful voice for all stories. We are aware of the impact we have on listeners, and always aim to spread appreciation and respect.
Our audience also comes together to bring attention to important topics through our annual charity auction, Cryptids Unscripted, which is a cryptid-themed poetry slam that has raised thousands of dollars so far and we’re very proud of it.
What are your perspectives towards discussing true crime and the comedic approach you take while not undermining their severity or sociocultural/political relevance?
We both strive to be as respectful as possible to those whose stories we cover. The humor really comes from us poking fun at each other or a concept removed from the actual story. We try to avoid gallows humor as much as possible, there’s no reason to be insensitive to someone’s experience for a cheap laugh on a podcast.
View this post on Instagram
Lastly, what are your thoughts on the increased contemporary interest and mainstream proliferation towards true crime and the morbid, and why do you believe it's important to keep these stories alive for next generations?
People are interested because of their morbid curiosity or their interest in problem-solving, and wanting to understand the mind of a criminal or the clues to a mystery. Some of these reasons are exactly why cases should be told and remembered: to help people process their own stories, to educate people on how to protect themselves, and to know what to expect from the justice system.
Thank you so much for the thoughtful answers and we can't wait to see you (and hopefully any ghostly SF audience members) at the Palace of Fine Arts!
View this post on Instagram
Tickets for their “Here For the Boos” Tour are available here, and more information can be found at their official website.
See also: 7 Fascinatingly Niche And Off-The-Beaten-Path San Francisco Museums
This interview has been edited and condensed.
Photography by: Hailey Simone
