Sometimes the best conversations happen when worlds collide.
That’s exactly what this episode of The Malliard Report feels like.
On paper, ShivaCon sounds like a sci-fi and fantasy convention. Star Wars guests. Klingons. Costumes. Artists. Writers. Robots roaming the halls. Paranormal investigators running overnight ghost hunts.
And honestly?
That combination shouldn’t work as smoothly as it does.
But somehow it absolutely does.
In this episode, Jim Malliard sits down with paranormal researcher and psychic medium Jenny Stewart alongside ShivaCon organizer John Simpson to talk about how the paranormal became part of one of Virginia’s long-running fan conventions.
What starts as a conversation about an event quickly turns into something much bigger: community.
That’s really the thread running through this entire interview.
Not ego.
Not fake television drama.
Not “look at me” paranormal culture.
Community.
ShivaCon wasn’t built just to sell tickets. The convention raises scholarship money for students pursuing art and creative writing careers. That changes the tone immediately. It gives the entire event a different energy than the usual convention circuit.
And that energy carries over into the paranormal side too.
Instead of treating paranormal research like some dark underground club, the convention openly mixes it with creativity, education, fandom, and family-friendly programming. Ghost Box workshops. Paranormal panels for kids. Overnight investigations. Discussions about mediumship and missing persons cases.
It’s weird.
It’s nerdy.
And honestly, it sounds like a blast.
If You Love Paranormal Conversations That Feel Human…
The Malliard Report has always lived in the overlap between curiosity and conversation. Paranormal topics, unexplained experiences, strange ideas, and the people behind them.
Not just the stories.
The people.
If you enjoy long-form conversations that mix humor, honesty, weirdness, and genuine curiosity, subscribe and stay connected.
Because independent paranormal conversations still matter — especially the ones that don’t take themselves too seriously.
One of the strongest parts of this episode is the chemistry between the guests. The conversation constantly drifts between paranormal investigation, convention planning chaos, jokes about sci-fi fandoms, and self-aware humor about “geeks” and “nerds.”
And honestly, that balance matters.
Too many paranormal discussions either become painfully serious or completely ridiculous. This episode lands somewhere in the middle. There’s enough humor to keep things fun without losing the genuine passion everyone involved clearly has for the field.
Jenny Stewart especially shines during discussions about her Ghost Box sessions and paranormal workshops. She talks openly about wanting to create safe, educational experiences for both adults and kids interested in the paranormal.
That’s important.
Because whether people want to admit it or not, younger generations are fascinated by the paranormal. Instead of mocking that curiosity, ShivaCon leans into it responsibly.
And then there’s the convention culture itself.
Klingon warship ceremonies. Costume contests. Zombie discussions. Dragon costumes built scale by scale. Paranormal investigations happening overnight in convention spaces.
It sounds chaotic in the best possible way.
But underneath all the humor and fandom talk is something surprisingly sincere: people finding spaces where they feel accepted.
That may actually be the hidden strength of conventions like ShivaCon.
People show up for Star Wars.
Or ghosts.
Or Doctor Who.
Or cosplay.
Or paranormal investigations.
But they stay because they find community.
And in today’s world, that matters more than ever.
Three Notable Quotes From the Episode
“We provide two scholarships for graduating high school seniors and first year college students going into art and creative writing.” — John Simpson
“Ghosts aren’t going to hurt them. Your closet’s not the evil place.” — Jenny Stewart
“The longer I’m awake and the later it gets… the goofier I get sometimes.” — Jenny Stewart
This episode feels like a snapshot of what paranormal culture can be when it stops trying so hard to look serious all the time.
Fun.
Curious.
Creative.
Welcoming.
A little chaotic.
And filled with people who genuinely enjoy what they do.
If that sounds like your kind of conversation, subscribe to The Malliard Report and stay connected for more interviews exploring the paranormal, the unexplained, and the communities built around them.
