During the Halloween season, many kids and adults alike enjoy dressing up as their favorite monsters. Those from older generations may gravitate toward traditional monsters, such as the Wolfman or Dracula. Those from Generation X may have a connection to Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees, as they fondly remember sneaking off with their friends when they were younger to watch the latest <\/span>Nightmare on Elm Street<\/span><\/i> or <\/span>Friday the 13<\/span><\/i>th<\/span><\/i> movie. And just about anyone of any age can recognize Michael Myers, since he seems to somehow remain alive to terrorize us in a new <\/span>Halloween<\/span><\/i> movie every decade since the 70s.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, though, monsters of reality are a lot scarier than those in film. Worse yet, this particular type of evil tends to hit not just in the darkness of Halloween night, but 365 days a year.<\/span><\/p>\n

No one understands that better than a law-enforcement family, which includes the hosts of <\/span>Paradise After Dark<\/span><\/i>, Lauren and Ken. Lauren was a police officer in the Navy. Ken is the son of a K9 cop, and his experience as such spiked his interest in crime from early childhood well into adulthood.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lauren and Ken live in Southwest Florida, an area that the media often portrays as paradise. Yet considering the crimes that take place there after the sun goes down, the truth is, the region is anything but.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The couple wanted to bring more attention to many of their local, monstrous cases. Thus, in March 2018, the <\/span>Paradise After Dark<\/span><\/i> podcast was born.<\/span><\/p>\n

Podcast Magazine<\/span><\/i>\u00ae caught up with these co-hosts earlier this year at CrimeCon. The first question may seem obvious; it revolved around their choice of title, which could land the podcast in a number of different genres: True Crime, Horror, and S&M.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe get that all the time,\u201d<\/span><\/i> laughs Ken.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe actually get the question,<\/span><\/i> \u2018Is your podcast about sex?\u2019\u201d chimes in Lauren.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The pair is happy that the name and the logo get attention and spark conversation, though. Ken\u2019s go-to response to anyone who asks is to quickly point out that it is NOT about sex. Then, if available, he\u2019ll point to the podcast logo and say, <\/span>\u201cDo you see the giant hatchet?!\u201d <\/span><\/i>But more on that later.<\/span><\/p>\n

As is the case with many podcasts, <\/span>Paradise After Dark<\/span><\/i> started as a hobby.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe area where we live in Southwest Florida is a very high-end, wealthy, retirement type of area,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Lauren shares. <\/span>\u201cBut the thing is, stuff happens here. There’s crime; there are murders; there’s all that. But the papers don\u2019t really cover it.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cIt may be on page seven or nine,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Ken adds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lauren gives an example:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI remember a lawyer who was murdered in his office. Someone just walked in and shot him. To this day, I can\u2019t find any information on it other than this little blurb that basically said,<\/span><\/i> \u2018So-and-so was murdered.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite being advertised as \u201cparadise,\u201d Lauren and Ken can\u2019t help but question what happens after dark.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll never hear about it during the day. It all happens at night,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Ken continues. <\/span>\u201cThis is the reality of what happens in paradise after dark, and that\u2019s how we came up with the name.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Lauren can not only take credit for choosing the name, but also for coercing her husband into doing the podcast with her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLauren forced me to get into podcasting,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Ken laughs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m sorry that we are now sitting here getting an interview with <\/span><\/i>Podcast Magazine<\/span>!\u201d <\/span><\/i>Lauren replied in a half-joking, half-snarky manner.<\/span><\/p>\n

Truth is, Ken quickly became a willing participant in what is now a quality and popular show. When they published their first episode, it garnered 80 downloads the first week.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were like,<\/span><\/i> \u201880 downloads!\u2019\u201d Lauren laughs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether 79 of those 80 listeners initially thought it was a sex podcast or not, Ken was <\/span>\u201conboard.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n

\u201cAll of a sudden, it took off,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Ken explains. <\/span>\u201cWe have listeners who started with the first episode and have not stopped. That\u2019s really cool. We still get messages from our original listeners.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

When it comes to a fascination with True Crime, Lauren goes back to her childhood, too. <\/span>\u201cI\u2019ve always been a true-crime junkie,\u201d<\/span><\/i> she confesses. <\/span>\u201cI read<\/span><\/i> Mindhunter <\/span>when I was about 14, and I started watching<\/span><\/i> Forensic Files <\/span>when I was about 12. My goal in life was to be in the FBI\u2019s behavioral science unit. That\u2019s why I joined the military as a cop. But, life happens.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The FBI\u2019s loss is the True Crime Category\u2019s gain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ken had a similar fascination with watching shows like <\/span>Forensic Files<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Unsolved Mysteries<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>America\u2019s Most Wanted<\/span><\/i>, and the like as a child, alongside his father. So, when Ken met Lauren, they immediately recognized each other as kindred spirits. <\/span>\u201cWe would watch<\/span><\/i> Forensic Files <\/span>before we went to bed<\/span><\/i>,\u201d Lauren shares.<\/span><\/p>\n

Their mutual fascination eventually led to a podcast that offers a buffet of case coverage any true-crime enthusiast would find appetizing, including murder, unsolved mysteries, missing people, and urban legends. While they certainly have some fun with the urban legends, given their background, they are very aware that they need to treat the true-crime cases they cover with care.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re doing true crime, you have to be really careful how you approach it and what you say,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Ken explains. <\/span>\u201cYou don’t want to be disrespectful to the family or the victim. You also don’t want to suggest anyone is guilty when they\u2019re not.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lauren gravitates toward unsolved mysteries. <\/span>\u201cI like to cover unsolved cases and missing people,\u201d<\/span><\/i> she admits. <\/span>\u201cI like to think that maybe, we\u2019re helping.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This intention speaks to a common theme in these articles now going back over two years\u2014the True Crime Category is about more than entertainment. It serves as a service to society, keeping cases alive that deserve to stay alive in the public eye and educating people about them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe speak to a lot of family members,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Lauren continues. <\/span>\u201cSometimes, we have them on the show. They are always so grateful that we\u2019re taking the time to help their loved one and keep putting the word out.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Ken tends to lean more toward the urban legends. They admit that, as deep as they dive into some of the true-crime cases, the myths\u2014especially the craziest ones\u2014tend to provide some much-needed comic relief. <\/span>\u201cUrban legends are different. You don\u2019t have to be as serious,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Ken points out. <\/span>\u201cWith those, I\u2019m ready to rock and roll.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Which brings us back to the bloody hatchet in the podcast logo. <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s a funny story,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Lauren begins.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Apparently, Lauren made the first attempt at a logo by drawing it on her phone. It was a \u201csquallie,\u201d which, in essence, is a pig person. It was also the subject of their initial episode. Fortunately, it didn\u2019t become the podcast\u2019s permanent logo. However, fans can still go to the store on the <\/span>Paradise After Dark<\/span><\/i> website and buy shirts featuring that very drawing (just search for <\/span>\u201cSquallie Buff\u201d <\/span><\/i>or \u201c<\/span>Short-Sleeve Unisex Squallie T-Shirt\u201d).<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Fortunately, a listener who is also an artist unintentionally came to the rescue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe said,<\/span><\/i> \u2018When I listen to your show, this is what I imagine,\u2019\u201d Ken reveals.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis was early on, and we just loved it. We asked her if we could use it, and she said yes,\u201d <\/span><\/i>Lauren adds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another listener actually named the hatchet a <\/span>\u201cpalmahawk,\u201d <\/span><\/i>as it\u2019s a cross between a tomahawk and a palm tree.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Needless to say, Lauren (and probably Ken, as well) are much better podcast hosts than they are artists. Fans of <\/span>Paradise After Dark<\/span><\/i> need to thank that artist for the vast improvement to their logo.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a world of unsolved mysteries, missing persons, and plenty of crime, the real myth may be that there is a paradise anywhere on Earth. We don\u2019t need Freddy Kruger, Jason Voorhees, or Michael Myers to be real this Halloween. We have plenty of real monsters running around after dark.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Just ask Lauren and Ken, who will tell you all about the ones in Florida alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

October 2022 Issue<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

During the Halloween season, many kids and adults alike enjoy dressing up as their favorite monsters. Those from older generations may gravitate toward traditional monsters, such as the Wolfman or Dracula. Those from Generation X may have a connection to Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees, as they fondly remember sneaking off with their friends when they were younger to watch the latest Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th movie. And just about anyone of any age can recognize Michael Myers, since he seems to somehow remain alive to terrorize us in a new Halloween movie every decade since<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":13481,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[606,3400,4012,4013,4011,4008,4009,4010,216],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n