Episode 218 - Reliving the Absolute Stupidest Parts of "Michelle Remembers"
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In this April Fools' Day episode of Black Mass Appeal, hosts Tabitha and Daniel dive into the absurdity of *Michelle Remembers*, the infamous 1980 satanic panic memoir co-written by psychiatrist Dr. Lawrence Pazder and his patient Michelle Smith (real name Michelle Proby). The episode unfolds as a satirical game of 'Sheep or Goat'—a twisted version of true or false—where the hosts and guest Rachel must guess whether wild, grotesque claims from the book are real or fabricated. What follows is a relentless dissection of one of the most bizarre, self-contradictory, and ethically bankrupt works in modern occult history. From a woman being 'pointed' like a compass in a satanic ritual to a haunted bench that demands a 13-piece exorcism, the book’s fabrications are so over-the-top they border on performance art. The episode exposes not just the book’s stupidity, but the dangerous collusion between a power-hungry psychiatrist and a suggestible patient, all while using the book as a mirror to reflect the enduring cultural obsession with scapegoating Satan for real-world failures. The final revelation? The book ends not with a bang, but with a five-year-old girl telling her therapist, 'I don’t have any more to say.' It’s a chilling, hilarious, and deeply disturbing look at how trauma, ego, and bad faith can be packaged as truth.
The cover of *Michelle Remembers* was designed to look like a lurid affair, not a trauma memoir, with a woman peeking over a man’s shoulder—implying a secret relationship.
Dr. Pazder described himself as 'lithe' twice in the book, a detail so self-aggrandizing it undermines his credibility as a psychiatrist.
The book claims the Church of Satan is over 2,000 years old—though it was founded just 14 years before publication.
Michelle allegedly screamed for 25 minutes straight during therapy, a claim so extreme it defies medical and psychological reality.
The book includes a satanic ritual where a woman is 'pointed' in directions like a compass, a detail so absurd it’s clearly fabricated.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Welcome to Black Mass Appeal: April Fools' Edition
The hosts kick off the episode with a playful, self-aware tone, introducing the April Fools' theme and teasing the absurdity of revisiting *Michelle Remembers*. They set the stage for a satirical game of 'Sheep or Goat'—a twisted version of true or false—where the goal is to distinguish real claims from outright fabrications in the book.
The Duggar Family and the Scapegoating of Satan
The hosts briefly pivot to the Duggar family’s recent legal troubles, mocking their claim that Satan was behind their downfall. They argue this is a textbook case of denial and projection, especially given the family’s history of abuse and purity culture extremism.
Introducing 'Sheep or Goat': The Game Begins
The hosts introduce the main game format: 'Sheep or Goat', a satirical challenge where they must determine whether a bizarre claim from *Michelle Remembers* is real or made up. Rachel, the guest, enters the game with no prior knowledge, adding to the comedic effect.
The Book’s Cover and the Illusion of Credibility
The hosts dissect the book’s cover, which features a man and a woman in a suggestive pose, implying an affair. They highlight how the cover was designed to mislead readers into thinking it was a romance novel, not a trauma memoir.
The Pope Quote and the Framing of Authority
The hosts reveal that the book opens with a quote from Pope Paul VI, falsely framed as endorsing the book. This is a masterstroke of manipulation, using religious authority to lend credibility to a work that is, in reality, pure fiction.
“I don’t have any more to say. Hmm? Dr. Pazder was startled. That’s all there is. Michelle’s voice was calm, her tone final. And that was all.”
“The bench was carved with their eight designs. His heart skipped a beat. They were precisely the symbols Michelle had described sewn on the cloaks of the cultists.”
“It looks more like the headless horseman than it does to Mary. I'd be much more excited about that apparition.”
Hosts
Guest
Tabitha
person
Daniel
person
Dr. Lawrence Pazder
person
Rachel
person
Michelle Smith
person
Satanic Bay Area
organization
Duggar family
organization
Father Guy
person
Rosa Robata
person
Sadie
person
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