PAZUZU: The Ancient Mesopotamian Demon That “The Exorcist” Made Famous

Inn Spectre: A Cistercian Abbey, A Wine Cellar Coven, And A Husband With Plans | #RetroRadio

The Crown and Mitre Inn stands on the bones of an old abbey, and the man who bought the inn for what's buried under the cellar floor is about to find out he's not the only one who can call a ghost up the stairs. Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/OTR [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/OTR] CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Show Open 00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “The House By The Seine” (October 27, 1977) 00:48:21.264 = Sleep No More, “Waxwork Man and Snake” (January 09, 1957) ***WD 01:16:28.954 = BBC Radio 4 Spinechillers, “Figures” (February 14, 1984) 01:54:50.053 = Strange Wills, “One Shining Night” (July 20, 1946) 02:24:24.864 = Strange, “Deadman’s Reef” (1955) ***WD 02:36:29.815 = Suspense, “Life Ends at Midnight” (February 17, 1944) 03:07:07.268 = Tales of the Frightened, “Hands of Fate” (December 09, 1957) ***WD 03:11:39.865 = The Creaking Door, “Inn Spectre” (July 27, 1964) ***WD 03:37:49.809 = The Saint, “Nursemaid” (July 15, 1951) 04:06:47.629 = Theater Five, “Deedle Deedle Dumpling My Son X-1” (November 13, 1964) ***WD 04:28:40.805 = Tales From The Tomb, “A Ghost Or a Vampire” (1960s) 04:34:07.376 = 2000 Plus, “Robot Killer” (August 30, 1950) ***WD (LQ) 05:02:34.445 = Show Close (ADU) = Air Date Unknown (LQ) = Low Quality ***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing. CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0661

PAZUZU: The Ancient Mesopotamian Demon That “The Exorcist” Made Famous

Long before Pazuzu terrorized audiences in *The Exorcist*, this ancient Mesopotamian demon struck fear into the hearts of the Assyrians and Babylonians—both as a harbinger of destruction and an unlikely protector against even greater evils. EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources and full transcript): https://weirddarkness.com/pazuzu [https://weirddarkness.com/pazuzu] FEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: The Exorcist is widely regarded as one of the most influential horror movies of all time. Even now, half a century after its release, it continues to terrify audiences, in large part due to its horrifying practical effects and iconic antagonist: Pazuzu. (Pazuzu, The Demon ‘The Exorcist’ Made Famous) *** Latoya Ammons and her family claim to have experienced demonic possession that began when they moved into what became known as the “house of 200 demons” in 2011. (The Haunting on Carolina Street) *** In the eerie depths of 1920s Los Angeles, a sinister tale unfolded, shrouded in secrets and steeped in darkness. It all began with May Otis Blackburn and her daughter, Ruth, who claimed to receive divine revelations from the angels Gabriel and Michael. Thus emerged the enigmatic Blackburn Cult, a group entangled in a web of prophecies, tributes, and whispered mysteries. (The Blackburn Cult) *** 19th-century freak shows brought both the extraordinary and the macabre to captivated audiences far and wide. Among the peculiar spectacles of these exhibitions stood a man whose skeletal frame defied all norms of human anatomy… as his skeleton and skin appeared to be the only parts of his anatomy intact. (Seurat, The Living Skeleton) *** In the heat of summer in 2008, a mysterious creature washed ashore on a beach in Montauk, Long Island, sending shockwaves through the community. What began as a simple sighting by local resident soon exploded into a media frenzy, with wild theories and speculation running rampant. (Hot Montauk Summer) *** While epic Hollywood films often depict gladiators as men, the truth is far more captivating. We’ll step into the arena with the women who dared to defy convention and enter the gladiatorial games. (Gladiators Of The Fairer Sex) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding 00:01:04.902 = Show Open 00:03:56.963 = Pazuzu, The Demon ‘The Exorcist’ Made Famous 00:12:38.281 = The Blackburn Cult 00:18:05.924 = Haunting on Carolina Street 00:23:19.429 = Seurat, The Living Skeleton 00:29:34.090 = Gladiators of the Fairer Sex 00:44:04.311 = Hot Montauk Summer 00:52:59.948 = Show Close & Bloopers *** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break LISTEN ON PODCAST APPS: Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps [https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps] *No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast* SOURCES and RESOURCES: “Pazuzu, The Demon ‘The Exorcist” Made Famous” by Austin Harvey for All That’s Interesting:https://tinyurl.com/3myts9h4 [https://tinyurl.com/3myts9h4] “The Blackburn Cult” by Troy Taylor from the book “Taking Up Serpents: American Cults, Messiahs and Madmen”: https://amzn.to/4ak7SUG [https://amzn.to/4ak7SUG] “The Haunting on Carolina Street” sources: https://tinyurl.com/2cvyfu46 [https://tinyurl.com/2cvyfu46], https://tinyurl.com/bdzz467u [https://tinyurl.com/bdzz467u],https://tinyurl.com/39u7b79f [https://tinyurl.com/39u7b79f], https://tinyurl.com/35uvhbp6 [https://tinyurl.com/35uvhbp6] “Seurat, The Living Skeleton” by Kaushik Patowary for Amusing Planet: https://tinyurl.com/mr4xwp9k [https://tinyurl.com/mr4xwp9k] “Gladiators Of The Fairer Sex” by Paul Chrystal for Ancient Origins: https://tinyurl.com/ptzpv46v [https://tinyurl.com/ptzpv46v] “Hot Montauk Summer” by TheGhostInMyMachine.com: https://tinyurl.com/2b74wzpx [https://tinyurl.com/2b74wzpx] (Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.) WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness. Originally aired: March 26, 2024

“The Case of the Turkey And The Toy Box” #PumpkinPI

My new kitten, Pumpkin Marlar, gets her own podcast pilot episode — just for fun! I hope you have as much fun listening as I did putting this together.

A Barbecue To Remember | #MicroTerrors

A year after Rico's mother vanished in the Grayfall Nature Preserve, his father finally knows what really happened to her — and he's invited Lexi over for a backyard barbecue to honor her memory. But the burgers don't taste right, the hot dogs don't look right, and Mr. Alejandro has one strange instruction before the first bite: no matter what, keep it in. Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://pod.link/1655277373 [https://pod.link/1655277373] Find more family-friendly frights and creepy games to play on our website at http://MicroTerrors.com [http://microterrors.com/]! Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/microterrors [https://www.facebook.com/microterrors] Other stories, novels, and more from author Scott Donnelly: https://amzn.to/3LymHaU [https://amzn.to/3LymHaU] Other narrations, podcasts, and audiobooks from voice artist Darren Marlar: https://WeirdDarkness.com [https://weirddarkness.com/] = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Weird Darkness©, 2026 Micro Terrors: Scary Stories for Kids™, 2026#MicroTerrors #WeirdDarkness

The True Story of a Priest And a Flying Saucer

In 1959, a quiet missionary village in Papua New Guinea became the site of one of history’s most astonishing UFO encounters—where a priest and his flock not only witnessed a hovering craft but exchanged waves with the humanoid figures aboard. EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources and full transcript): https://weirddarkness.com/PriestAndUFO [https://weirddarkness.com/PriestAndUFO] FEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: The English and Americans aren’t the only ones with vampire problems – in China they have a nasty vampire that is also a master of disguise. (Jiangshi, The Vampire) *** Papua New Guinea had an avalanche of UFO sightings in the late 1950s – and one of the most infamous involved a priest and his parish. (Father William and the Flying Saucer) *** “It looked like a baby’s body with long arms and legs. It had a big head about the same size as the body, it was sort of melon shaped.” That’s how Bill Bartlet described the strange create he saw in 1977. (The Dover Demon Returns) *** Murdered in Montana in 1983, Marie Philbrick was killed in the days before DNA analysis. Bernard Pease Jr. was convicted of her murder, but was he really her killer? (The Murder Case of Marie Philbrick) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Show Open 00:01:36.878 = Father William and the Flying Saucer 00:09:16.267 = The Murder Case of Marie Philbrick *** 00:20:42.781 = The Dover Demon Returns *** 00:39:08.409 = Jiangshi, The Vampire *** 00:43:26.236 = Show Close & Bloopers *** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break LISTEN ON PODCAST APPS: Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps [https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps] *No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast* SOURCES and RESOURCES: “Jiangshi, The Vampire” by A. Sutherland for Ancient Pages: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2tvsk3n7 [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2tvsk3n7] “Father William and the Flying Saucer” from Anomalien: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2cycfdnp [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2cycfdnp] “The Murder Case of Marie Philbrick” from CrimeTraveller.org: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/aez456w [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/aez456w] “The Dover Demon Returns” by Mark Sullivan for Boston.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/tbuu3vcw [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/tbuu3vcw] and Strange New England: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/jztfkrsn [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/jztfkrsn] (Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.) WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness. Originally aired: March 05, 2023