Spooky season isn't over yet! The one and only @josephlaycock.bsky.social joins @johnbrooks.bsky.social and @kellyjbaker.bsky.social in a follow-up to our last episode where we discuss the cultural impact of THE EXORCIST Here or wherever you get podcasts!

Behold! The massive RPG Moral Panic video I've been researching and assembling for years, and why people who call the whole affair the Satanic Panic are wrong. I'm so damned happy to finally have this beast out of my system. youtu.be/OpjV-melB-c

I'm increasingly convinced that American politics does not exist between traditional left/right ideological divisions but between people who believe movies are real and those who know they aren't.

My book "The Exorcist Effect" got an honorable mention here:

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I did this interview with KPBS about ghosts . . . and also psychics . . . and also cults.

At the link below you can find a 10 minute audio sample of "The Penguin Book of Cults." It's still surreal to me to hear actors read stuff that I wrote and give it gravitas. Especially when what I wrote includes phrases like, "drinking the blood of sacrificed cats."

"To be clear, my termination is part of a broader political attack being carried out by the authoritarian far-right to crush democracy and democratic institutions in the United States in general and Texas in particular."

Somebody ought to write a book about this . . .

The Penguin Book of Cults is in the Settle Times:

We need to create a whole new "School House Rock" type series to explain what is happening in 2025.

Here's an interview I did for Some Place Under Neith.

I think this is the same strategy used by Francis. A progressive pope can soothe conservative Catholics by making the exorcists feel included.

"These are cases where people are in distress, and I don't think it helps to have a couple of people who have no training and no clinical background show up, tell you it's a demon, and walk away with book and movie contracts," Hendrix said.

My new book drops October 7: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/771266...

It's the Raelians.

"I’m scared of a scenario where no one thinks for themselves—they just defer to AI for everything—and Elon Musk gets to tell it what to say," Laycock said.

"Catholic Church Sex Abuse Scandals Push Chileans to Join Temple of Satan As Hundreds Apply for Membership" (This is not TST headquartered in Salem)

I'll be in San Antonio October 18 at the Texas Spirit Gathering to talk about a very spooky topic . . . Marian apparitions!

"🤘🏼😈🤘🏼Dive into the dark, often misunderstood world of Satan with Gary and Dr. Joseph Laycock on Splintered Spirits! This isn't your Sunday school lesson."

The headline sounds like Dead Alive: "I kick ass for the lord." He's a black belt in BJJ? Someone with even a little BJJ training should be able to restrain a 62 year-old church lady without slapping her or pulling her hair. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...