Smosh Reads Reddit Stories

Readers Beware... | Reading Reddit Stories

October 25, 2025

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  • The hosts of Smosh Reads Reddit Stories kicked off their spooky episode by discussing the merits of 'pumpkin times' before diving into unsettling real-life stories from Reddit. 
  • The first story detailed a series of paranormal-seeming events, including voices and gnomes, which were ultimately explained by the discovery of a male squatter living in an adjoining property. 
  • The second and third stories highlighted extreme real-life horror, involving a girlfriend systematically sabotaging her partner's employment and a brother-in-law writing an obsessive, thriller novel about his sister's sibling. 
  • The discussion highlights that professional boundaries are severely breached when a psychiatrist suggests moving in with a patient and makes inappropriate comments about miscarriages, necessitating reporting and switching providers. 
  • The hosts emphasize that non-consensual physical actions, such as curling someone's hair while they sleep, are serious violations of respect and autonomy, regardless of how 'quirky' the act might seem. 
  • The conversation underscores the importance of establishing baseline expectations and seeking second opinions, especially from authority figures like therapists, because past trauma can create blind spots regarding what is considered unacceptable behavior. 

Segments

Episode Intro and Trigger Warning
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(00:00:43)
  • Key Takeaway: The Smosh Reads Reddit Stories episode ‘Readers Beware… | Reading Reddit Stories’ includes a trigger warning for intense themes due to its scary content.
  • Summary: The episode begins with sponsor reads for California Closets and Mercedes-Benz SUVs. Shayne Topp introduces the episode as a spooky one, joined by Damien Haas and Angela Giarratana. A clear trigger warning is issued for intense themes covered in the stories.
Holiday Banter and Pumpkin Times
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(00:01:05)
  • Key Takeaway: Shayne Topp prefers Halloween over Thanksgiving, defining October as ‘pumpkin times,’ a personal theme month for scary media consumption.
  • Summary: The hosts engage in lighthearted debate about favorite holidays, with Shayne claiming to be a ‘Thanksgiving guy’ but later clarifying his preference for the ‘vibe’ of October. Shayne calls his personal October theme ‘pumpkin times,’ similar to how others observe traditions like ‘Campbell nights.’ He expresses excitement for Halloween decorations appearing early in stores.
Gnome Haunting and Skepticism
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(00:04:37)
  • Key Takeaway: The first Reddit story involved a homeowner hearing their absent husband’s voice and later seeing a literal gnome run under the bed, prompting a discussion on belief vs. skepticism.
  • Summary: The first story details a woman hearing her husband call her name while he was driving to the airport, followed by the claim of seeing a gnome run under the bed. The hosts debate the reliability of human perception, with Shayne emphasizing skepticism toward eyewitness accounts, even while acknowledging the possibility of the unknown.
Updates on Gnome Story
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(00:07:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Updates to the gnome story revealed that the phenomena escalated to include moaning, whistling, and missing items, eventually leading to the discovery of a male squatter in the adjoining property’s loft.
  • Summary: Subsequent updates confirmed the haunting continued with missing underwear and jewelry, moaning sounds when the husband was home alone, and evidence of a person living in the adjoining house’s loft. Police involvement confirmed the presence of used condoms, men’s clothes, and bottles of urine, suggesting the initial ‘gnome’ was a human intruder.
Girlfriend Sabotaging Jobs
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(00:28:45)
  • Key Takeaway: The second story revealed a girlfriend systematically sabotaging her partner’s employment across multiple jobs using fake complaints and online reviews, driven by a potential Munchausen by proxy dynamic.
  • Summary: A 24-year-old man suspected his 29-year-old girlfriend, Janice, of causing him to lose multiple jobs through fake complaints and online reviews. The OP discovered a spreadsheet detailing all his personal information, passwords, and work contacts, which his ex used to execute the sabotage efficiently. The OP left the relationship, involving his father, police, and a lawyer to handle the severe breach of trust and abuse.
Brother-in-Law’s Creepy Novel
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(00:46:28)
  • Key Takeaway: The third story involved the OP being asked by his sister’s husband—whom he previously dated—to read a domestic thriller novel detailing an obsession with the OP.
  • Summary: The OP dated his sister’s husband in high school, and the relationship has been strained since the marriage. The brother-in-law wrote a ‘Gone Girl’-esque novel about a man obsessed with his sister-in-law (the OP), which contained unsettling details from the OP’s past. The OP is conflicted about telling his sister, fearing she will blame him or that the husband will lie about his intentions.
Sister’s Husband Novel Fallout
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(00:50:31)
  • Key Takeaway: Confronting a situation involving a creepy novel written by a sister’s husband requires giving the sister the evidence to make her own informed decision about the severity.
  • Summary: The difficulty in these situations is that the sister is collateral damage, and the OP must present the evidence (the book) to her, allowing her to decide if she believes the threat is serious. If the sister does not support the OP, the OP must leave the relationship regardless. The act of writing a calculated book about someone suggests a deeply serious and potentially dangerous situation.
Psychiatrist Asks to Move In
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(00:55:46)
  • Key Takeaway: A psychiatrist suggesting to rent a room in the patient’s newly purchased home, especially after making inappropriate comments about miscarriages, constitutes a massive professional boundary violation.
  • Summary: The psychiatrist’s behavior, including blaming miscarriages on the patient’s unhappiness or lack of home ownership, is wildly inappropriate and not based in science. Listeners are advised that seeking second opinions from other professionals is always smart when authority figures make such claims. The OP ultimately decided to report the psychiatrist and switch providers due to the unprofessional conduct.
Importance of Establishing Baselines
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(00:59:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Fundamental concepts, like basic math or relationship etiquette, must be continually established because missed foundational knowledge leads to accepting atrocious behavior later in life.
  • Summary: Just as missing basic math concepts in childhood causes issues later, early relationship experiences can teach individuals that unacceptable treatment is normal. People often fail to recognize egregious behavior because they learned somewhere along the line that it was acceptable, creating significant blind spots. Establishing the baseline repeatedly is crucial for self-protection and recognizing abuse.
Boyfriend Curls Hair While Sleeping
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(01:08:05)
  • Key Takeaway: A boyfriend secretly curling his girlfriend’s hair while she sleeps, especially after becoming agitated when confronted, indicates a severe lack of respect and potential for further non-consensual actions.
  • Summary: This behavior is a clear violation of bodily autonomy, as the act occurs without consent while the victim is vulnerable. The boyfriend’s agitation upon initial confrontation confirms he knows the action is wrong but continues it secretly. The consensus is that this relationship must end immediately due to the fundamental lack of respect demonstrated.
Horny 21-Year-Old’s Soul Stolen
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(01:12:22)
  • Key Takeaway: Having sex with a woman on top of hundreds of her personal photographs, including family Christmas cards, may constitute a ritualistic act intended to steal the partner’s soul or curse them.
  • Summary: The OP engaged in sex in a room where the partner had laid out numerous pictures of herself, which friends suggested was a spell or soul-stealing ritual. Following the encounter, the woman stalked the OP at his workplace for months until he banned her, indicating intense, obsessive behavior. The story concludes with the OP having not seen her for years, though listeners speculate the curse might still be active.