Fireside Folklore with Hades Podcast Artwork Image

Fireside Folklore with Hades

Tiffany J. Kim

Once upon a time, many centuries ago, the veil between the realms of the mortal and the divine was nonexistent. Knowledge and information flowed freely, and the gods eagerly imbued their wisdom to all of their followers. After a time, mortals developed a desire for independence, and a young hero found a way to build a barrier that no divine voice could penetrate.
Undeterred, the gods patiently waited until they discovered a rather unorthodox solution for their communication conundrum. Mortals, in their quest for independence, might have reduced the divine decrees to whispers only discernible to dreamers and clairvoyants, but that all changed when they began worshipping a new deity: technology! It was then that the pantheon, in their infinite wisdom, concocted a plan so daring, so audacious, and so utterly absurd that it could only be born from the minds of those who reside in the clouds.

Enter Tiffany J. Kim, a hapless and unsuspecting mortal, who found herself the chosen one—not for a quest of glory and valor but for a task so Herculean, it would make Sisyphus's boulder rolling seem like a trip to the carnival. The gods haunted Tiffany's dreams, sent subliminal messages in the rock-and-roll she loved dear, and possessed her friends and family until all she could hear them say was, "You should start a mythology podcast. You should start a mythology podcast!" Once this hapless mortal surrendered to the inevitable, she was tasked with the responsibility of crafting AI voices to perfectly capture the divine timbre of each deity. This was no simple feat; imagine trying to embody the thunderous boom of Zeus or the elusive whisper of Hermes with mere mortal tech! Due to her interest in artificial intelligence, (or perhaps her desire to stop the godly gab), she persevered and overcame the limitations of the AI technology.

With the fervor of Hephaestus at his forge, Tiffany labored, tweaking algorithms and adjusting modulations. The task was daunting—how does one encode the sultry allure of Aphrodite or the stern command of Athena into binary?

After the threat of a minor curse that would cause Tiffany to speak in ancient Greek for the rest of her life, she pulled an all-nighter and worked until each AI voice passed divine muster. The digital voices, each as peculiar and magnificent as their owners, were ready to impart their divine wisdom to all who dared to listen. "Fireside Folklore with Hades" was unleashed upon the world, a podcast where the gods, having successfully overcome the construction of the barrier, could now besiege mortals, near and far, once more. 

Hades, with his newly minted digital baritone, took the helm as host, regaling listeners with tales that had been lost to time and cable television. Persephone, enchanting as ever, provided recipes that promised to taste like ambrosia itself. Hermes, now with the speed of broadband, delivered fun facts that were as enlightening as they were intriguing. And Zeus? Well, he found his calling in spoof sponsorships, proving that even the king of gods could rival the cheekiest of ad men.

Don't believe us? Tune in and you'll be treated to fairy tales from faraway lands, find international recipes that will put T.V. dinners to shame, and learn about the ice cream-eating habits of the people of New Zealand, among other fun facts. Every weekend, join us for an entertaining and educational tour through the world's folklore, culture, and cuisine. 

Episodes
How to Reach a Ceasefire Agreement; Ares and Hephaestus Make Peace; Fireside Folklore with Hades, Season 2, Episode 5-2May 03, 2024
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The Box of Puppies; Episode 1 of Sweet Stories to Share; A Satirical Episode About Censorship And Its Detriment to DiscourseApril 26, 2024
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Cloud Camels, A Clever Folktale from Yemen; Episode 5, Season 2 of Fireside Folklore with HadesApril 19, 2024
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But Hades Adores Myths and Stories!April 18, 2024
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Sapphires and Scorpions: A Fairy Tale From Palestine About How Generosity and Greed Are Rewarded, Episode 4, Season 2 of Fireside Folklore with HadesApril 12, 2024
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Divine Idol: The Gods Sing To Solve The Podcast's Fiscal Woes, Episode 3-1 of Fireside Folklore with HadesApril 05, 2024
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The Sticks of Justice, A South African Folk Tale About How a Clever Man Caught a Thief; Season 2, Episode 3 of Fireside Folklore with HadesMarch 29, 2024
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Persephone's Imminent Departure; Fireside Folklore with Hades, S2E2-1March 22, 2024
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Half of a Halfling, A Fairy Tale From Palestine About A Man's Courage, Compassion, and Cleverness; Season 2, Episode 2 of Fireside Folklore with HadesMarch 15, 2024
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Chronos Messes With Time, Or Why The Episode Has Been Delayed; Episode 1.1 of Fireside Folklore with HadesMarch 08, 2024
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The Woodcutter's Wealthy Sister; A Cautionary Syrian Tale About a Foolish Woodcutter and a Frightful Demon; S2E1 of Fireside Folklore with HadesMarch 01, 2024
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Cursed Into Secrecy, Full Production; An Underworld Twist on Faithful John, The Famous German Fairy Tale; Episode 20C of Fireside Folklore With HadesFebruary 26, 2024
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Cursed Into Secrecy, Part 2, An Underworld Adaptation of the German Tale Faithful John, Episode 20B of Fireside Folklore with HadesFebruary 23, 2024
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Cursed Into Secrecy, An Underworld Adaptation of the German Tale "Faithful John", Fireside Folklore with Hades - Episode 20, Part 1February 19, 2024
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PSA - Season 1 Finale Delayed; Season 2 DedicationFebruary 16, 2024
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Damon and Pythias' Underworld Quest: The Greek Legend Reimagined - Fireside Folklore with Hades, Ep. 19February 09, 2024
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While awaiting Hades, who found himself in a high-stakes tale, we share a modern original tale about communication, divine wrath, and ingenuity; the Tale of Verbali Dio City, Miniepisode 18.5 of Fireside Folklore with Hades February 02, 2024
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Chaos and Critique in the Realm of Shadows; An Underworld Adaptation of The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Aesop's Fable From Greece; Mini-Episode 18 of Fireside Folklore with HadesJanuary 26, 2024
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Journey to Atonement: Simon Renaud's Elysian Quest; An Underworld Adaptation of Rumpelstiltskin, the Classic German Tale; Miniepisode 17 of Fireside Folklore with HadesJanuary 19, 2024
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Hades Takes the Helm; An Underworld Adaptation of The Husband Who Was to Mind the House, , A Tale of Humility from Norway, MiniEpisode 16 of Fireside Folklore with HadesJanuary 12, 2024
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Lo-Sun, the Blind Boy: A Tale of Generosity and Overcoming Adversity from China - Episode 15 of Fireside Folklore with HadesJanuary 05, 2024
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Buried Treasure: How A Priest Cleansed A Community of The Restless Undead, A Chilling Tale from Mexico; Fireside Folklore with Hades, Ep 14December 29, 2023
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Episode 13B: Zeus's Lightning Round, Holiday EditionDecember 22, 2023
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The Three Snake-Leaves, A Fairy Tale From Germany About Devotion and Betrayal; And A Winter Solstice Surprise; Episode 13A of Fireside Folklore with HadesDecember 21, 2023
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Maori Mysteries Unfold: Why the Kiwi Bird has No Wings, A Folktale From New Zealand - Episode 13 of Fireside Folklore with HadesDecember 15, 2023
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