Columbia College Chicago Professor Stephen Asma reaches new audiences through his YouTube series “Professor Asma’s Guide to Unusual Knowledge,” extending classroom conversations to a wider audience.

Stephen Asma, PhD, a professor in the School of Communication and Culture at Columbia College Chicago, has always had an eye for the extraordinary and out-of-the-ordinary. Whether he’s teaching a class on monsterology, co-hosting a podcast with Paul Giamatti on aliens, or unpacking humanity’s fascination with witchcraft and magic, Asma thrives on exploring life’s wildest mysteries. 

Today, he’s reaching new audiences through his YouTube series “Professor Asma’s Guide to Unusual Knowledge,” which has attracted nearly 11,000 subscribers. The channel, he says, is his way of extending classroom conversations to a wider world. 

“I’ve always believed education should reach as many people as possible,” Asma says. “YouTube lets me share ideas about philosophy, psychology, and culture with anyone who’s curious, not just people who read books.” 

 
“Chinwag” and the Classroom 

Before launching his YouTube channel, Asma co-created and co-hosted the popular podcast “Chinwag” with Oscar-nominated actor Paul Giamatti, where the pair interviewed thinkers, historians, and entertainers on topics ranging from philosophy to the paranormal. Over two years, they recorded more than 120 episodes, featuring guests like Bill Hader, Natasha Lyonne, and William Shatner. 

“Paul and I wanted to make a show about ideas,” Asma says. “Not celebrity gossip, but conversations that combined humor, curiosity, and the humanities.” 

Though “Chinwag” is currently on hiatus as both Asma and Giamatti pursue major projects — Asma has a new HarperCollins book deal — the two remain close collaborators and hope to produce some live events inspired by their earlier podcast chemistry. 

At Columbia, Asma teaches several courses that mirror his creative work: Storytelling, Curiosity in the City: Marvels, Museums, and Monsters, and Monsterology, a class based on his book “On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears.” 

‘The Golden Thread’ 

Asma’s next major book, “The Golden Thread” (coming in 2026), traces the history and resurgence of esoteric spirituality — a subject he says resonates deeply with today’s students. 

“A lot of young people identify as ‘nones,’ meaning they don’t belong to organized religion,” he explains. “But they’re still searching for meaning. They’re exploring witchcraft, tarot, manifestation — all of these esoteric traditions that offer a kind of hope and purpose.” 

The book, written for a general audience, blends history, psychology, and storytelling to show how ancient mystical practices connect to modern self-understanding. Asma’s research explores figures from the Renaissance to the 20th century — from magicians and mystics to philosophers and artists who blurred the boundaries between science, faith, and imagination. 

Monsters, Magic, and Meaning 

Asma’s fascination with the strange began early, with a childhood love of science fiction and curiosity about the hidden worlds behind museum displays. That curiosity evolved into a lifelong study of how humans use myths, monsters, and mysteries to make sense of their fears. 

“Monsters and the supernatural have always reflected who we are,” Asma says. “They’re not just scary, they’re mirrors of our imagination and our culture.” 

Whether in the classroom or online, Asma’s goal remains the same: to make big ideas accessible and alive. 

“Education should spark wonder,” he says. “Whether it’s philosophy, storytelling, or monsters, it’s all part of trying to understand what it means to be human.” 

Subscribe to “Professor Asma’s Guide to Unusual Knowledge.” 

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