The Exorcist Explained: How a “True Story” cursed America

Remember when priests became celebrities, horror became religion, and America decided to collectively believe Satan was real?  Yeah—that was The Exorcist’s fault.
Join us as we dig into the 1940s “possession” hoax that inspired the film, the novelist who sold it as truth, and the church that cashed in on the chaos.
This is how one movie turned fear into faith—and jump-started fifty years of Satanic Panic!
Got blasphemous thoughts, hot takes, or questions we should ruin with research? Email us:  satanismysuperhero@gmail.com 
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“The Exorcist didn’t just scare people—it converted them.” 

Sauces: Sources used for every Satan Is My Superhero episode are plentiful—ask nicely and we’ll send the scrolls. 

Transcript

00 [ANNOUNCER, ‘Over the next three episodes we’re pulling apart one of our first season episodes, putting it back together with dozens of new jokes and unashamedly admitting, we don’t think it was all that good, first time round. Please enjoy, The Exorcist Redux!’]

In this episode we look at the 1970s novel, film and cultural phenomenon The Exorcist.

[JUDE, ‘As long as we don't look too closely. I scare easily.’]

If this is your fist time….

[JUDE, ‘Brace for penetration!’]

Nope. We like to make fun of those Jesus believers who want ALL of us to go along with their LARP like one might at a toddler’s tea party.

01 [DAD,’ There’s no fucking tea! These cups are empty you dumb bitch!’] 

Now, WE don’t believe in Satan. But we like to point the finger at those who pretend they do.

02 [SFX LITTLE GIRL SOBBING

DAD, ‘The devil made me say it! I’m actually a really good person.’

(BEAT)

DAD, ‘But seriously. There is no tea in these cups.’

ILIWYPYFT INTRO

If you agree with our mission here, why not checkout…

DEMON, ‘Go to patreon.com/satanismysuperhero.’

We don’t have sponsors. We have demons. Support the pod if you want them to stay fed.

AUDREY II, ‘Feed me Seymour!’]

Author of The Exorcist, William Peter Blatty was born in 1928, in New York to Lebanese immigrants. When he grew up he joined the U.S. Airforce and worked in the Embassy in Beirut.

03 [SFX PHONE RINGS 

BLATTY, ‘Hello, you've reached the US Embassy, Beirut.’

(BEAT)

DEMON BLATTY, ‘You're mother sucks cocks in Hell!’

(BEAT)

BLATTY, ‘Lieutenant Blatty speaking. How can I help you today?’]

After finishing his service Blatty moved to Los Angeles and came to the attention of Hollywood by spending a year impersonating a Saudi Arabian prince.

04 [REPORTER, ‘Excuse me King Saud, is one of your son's living in California right now?’

SAUD, ‘I've got like 30 kids. So maybe?’]

In the 1958, Blatty wrote a series of articles for the Saturday Evening Post telling his story of posing as a son of King Saud. 

[JUDE, ‘And all it took was a pair of sunglasses and a tea towel. What? They're the racists. Not me.’]

Blatty swanned about Beverley Hills high society accompanied by a friend who posed as an FBI agent tasked with protecting the Saudi royal.

[JUDE, 'Imagine what a shit time THAT guy had.']

04 [BEVERLY, ‘It must be so exciting protecting royalty.’

FBI, ‘It's not.’

BEVERLY, ‘He's so exotic.’ 

FBI, ‘He's not.’

BEVERLY, ‘Did you get the job because you speak Arabic?’

FBI, ‘No.’

BEVERLY, ‘Do you have a gun?’

FBI, ‘N... yeeees I use it to shoot infidels.'

BEVERLY, ‘Good! I hate people who cheat on their partners.'

(BEAT)

BEVERLEY, 'Unless they're an arsehole like my husband. Then if a woman meets a mysterious FBI agent at a Beverley Hills party, well whatever happens happens. Am I right?']

In 1960 Blatty wrote the book, WHICH WAY TO MECCA, JACK? From Brooklyn to Beirut: The adventures of an American Sheik.

[JUDE, ‘When you said 'American Sheik', I thought you meant a milkshake, in a bucket.’

(BEAT)

JUDE, ‘You know, coz Americans like things to be big.’]

In 1961 Blatty appeared as the Saudi Prince on You Bet Your Life, a TV quiz show hosted by Groucho Marx.

05 [MARX, ‘One morning I shot an elephant in my pyjamas. How he got into my pyjamas I'll never know.’

SFX Laugh Track]

Blatty won $10 000 on the show. Which is equivalent to $105 283 in today’s money. 

[JUDE, ‘Have you seen the inflation figures? 105 grand TODAY isn't worth 105 grand in today's money!’]

According to his 1973 memoir I’ll Tell Them I Remember You, he used that money to quit working for the man and become a full-time writer.

06 [MANAGER, ‘What are you crying about?’

BOSS, ‘Blatty just quit.’

MANAGER, ‘The Janitor?’

BOSS, ‘Yep.’

MANAGER, ‘He wasn't even very good.’

BOSS, ‘I know. But he wrote best god damned resignation letter I've ever read.’]

Financed by Groucho Marx money, he became a successful Hollywood screenwriter throughout the 60s. Working on predominantly comedies with the likes of Blake Edwards, Danny Kaye, Rock Hudson, Warren Beatty and Julie Andrews.

07 [DEMON JULIE ANDREWS, ‘The hills are alive with the sound of Demons.’] 

Then in 1971 Blatty released his most successful novel, The Exorcist. 

[JUDE, ‘Makes you wonder if the Exorcist was actually a rejected comedy script?’]

08 [BLATTY, 'It's not like laugh out loud funny. It's more like SMILE humour.']

Whatever it was, it was a commercial and critical hit. Hollywood turned it into a film two years later.

09 [PRODUCER, ‘We’ve always exploited existing I.P.’]

The story revolves around the demonic possession of the 12 year old girl, Regan MacNeil and the two priests tasked with performing her exorcism. 

[JUDE, ‘1973 was such a different time. Two Catholic Priests hanging out with a 12 year old girl in her bedroom and somehow the demon was the bad guy.’]

Regan played by Linda Blair in the film, had gotten herself possessed by playing with an Ouija Board.

10 [REGAN, ‘Should I have that last piece of chocolate cake in the fridge?’

(BEAT)

REGAN, ‘Yes! Oujia Board! You're so naughty!’]

She is possessed by the ancient Sumerian god, Pazuzu. However, she refers to this entity as her imaginary friend Captain Howdy. 

REPLAY OG: [AMANDA, ‘Demonic Name Registration, Amanda speaking. How can I help you today?’

PAZUZU, ‘I’d like to change my name.’

AMANDA, ‘Certainly. Can I have your current name please?’

PAZUZU, ‘Pazuzu.’

AMANDA, ‘Oh I see. Is that even how it’s pronounced?’

PAZUZU, ‘No.’

AMANDA, ‘They’ve been calling you Pizza haven’t they?’

PAZUZU CRYING, ‘Yes.’]

I’m sure you’ve heard of the many strange occurrences around this movie. TV Evangelist Billy Graham thought the film itself was cursed and said,

11 [GRAHAM, ‘There is a power of evil in the film, in the fabric of the film itself.’]

[SATAN, ‘It's true! Every frame has our watermark on it. Ironically our watermark IS Billy Graham's face!’

(BEAT)

SATAN, ‘So, this is awkward.’

COA, ‘Awkward!’]

Years later Director William Friedkin would agree with Billy Graham. Here is a litany of the alleged bad luck events surrounding this film,

12 [JAZZY, ‘Oh yeah baby it's a list.’

SEXY LADY, ‘Oh yeah.’

JAZZY, ‘List me baby.’

SEXY LADY, ‘You can't handle the list.’]

The film went over time and over budget. 

[JUDE, ‘Really? That’s on the list? So every film ever made is cursed then. Great list.’]

The set burned down when a pigeon flew into a circuit box. 

13 [PIGEON, ‘Cool coo call the fire department. Cough!’]

After the set was re-built production was further delayed because the sprinkler system broke down.

14 [SFX SPRINKLER

PEOPLE COMPLAINING 

ELECTRICIAN, ‘Sorry! That's my fault. I set it to detect pigeons.’ 

PIGEON, ‘Coo, coo.’]

At one point a bronze statue of Pazuzu was accidentally sent to Hong Kong, also delaying production. 

REPLAY OG: [CUSTOMER, ‘Oh mate! There’s been a huge f%@k up. I ordered a pizza!’]

Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn were both injured on set. 

15 [BLAIR, ‘God damn it! I've tripped on a pigeon!’

PIGEON, ‘Coo, coo.’]

Actor’s Jack MacGowran and Vasiliki Maliaros both died during post production. 

16 [PIGEON, ‘Coo, coo.’

EVIL PIGEON LAUGH]

Linda Blair’s grandfather died during production. Max Von Sydow’s brother died on Max’s first day of shooting. 

17 [VON SYDOW, ‘I never liked him anyway.’]

Allegedly, according to the interwebs, a set carpenter cut off his thumb and a lighting technician lost a toe. 

REPLAY OG: [TECHNICIAN, ‘Knock. Knock. Hi sorry to bother you, I’m just looking for my toe.’

ACTRESS, ‘Where did you last have it?’

TECHNICIAN, ‘On my foot.’]

It is claimed there were 9 deaths of people associated with this film’s production. I could not confirm all of these deaths or half the injuries and accidents I just listed. But facts are not what make legends. 

18 [JAZZY, ‘The facts aren't fun.’]

Even if all these stories are true, a Hollywood film involves hundreds of people over at least a couple of years. Statistically, within that group, there will be a few deaths and some horrible injuries.

19 [JAZZY, ‘Statistics aren't fun.’]

Allegedly, although it reeks of publicity stunt, things got so bad they asked the technical advisors, Father Thomas Bermingham and Father John Nicola to perform an exorcism on the set.

REPLAY OG: [PRODUCER, ‘Thanks for coming Padre. We need to perform an exorcism on the set. How much is that going to cost?’

EXORCIST, ‘Oh well if you truly believe evil lingers on the set then we must vanquish it. A donation of any amount will suffice.’

PRODUCER, ‘Okay let’s say fifty bucks. Now, for another fifty, can you pray for a big opening weekend?’]

There were reports all around the world of cinema goers having seizures during the movie. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases reported 4 confirmed cases of ‘cinematic neurosis’ caused by the film.

[JUDE, ‘The exact same thing happened at Big Momma's House II. Except all 4 times it was Martin Lawrence.’]

[CHOIR OF DEMONS, ‘CHOIR, ‘You have be Xerox machines and a single landline phone in the hallway old to understand that one.’]

20 [LAWRENCE, ‘I was just very dehydrated!’]

There were protests from concerned Christian groups and Linda Blair received so many death threats the studio hired bodyguards for her for 6 months.

REPLAY OG: [OFFICER, ‘I’ve gone through your record. 4 tours in Nam. Impressive! Glad to have you on board. Any questions?’

RECRUIT, ‘Yeah actually. The guns, we’ve been issued with water pistols?’

OFFICER, ‘Not water pistols! HOLY water pistols.’

RECRUIT, ‘Yeah, what’s that all about?’

OFFICER, ‘Don’t you know who we’re guarding?’

RECRUIT, ‘Isn’t it Linda Blair, the Hollywood actress and star of that exorcist movie?’

OFFICER, ‘Movie?’]

The film was the most successful horror movie up until that time and perhaps not surprisingly it’s claimed exorcisms in the US increased by 50% that decade. 

REPLAY OG: [MUM, ‘Get your sandals on Moonbeam, we’re going to get you an exorcism.’

MOONBEAM, ‘What? Why?’

MUM, ‘Oh get hip man. Everyone’s doing them now.’]

[JUDE, ‘What can we take away from This Exorcist Redux?’]

While the mythology surrounding this movie may be embellished and outright invented in places, there is something legendary at the core. This film was based on a strange, subversive novel, written by a strange subversive dude. And we salute that here at Satan is my Superhero. 

21 [SGT, ‘Squad prepare for 21 gun salute. Present arms. Aim. Fire!’

SFX MULTIPLE GUNSHOTS

SGT, ‘Ow! That really hurt guys!’]

With that in mind it's only fitting to leave the final word to Captain Howdy aka Pazuzu. 

[DEMON, ‘Stick yo BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP cker.’]

And THAT’S why Satan is my Superhero.

POST OUTRO

That was a short episode so we thought we’d give you a little bonus from the Patreon. Here’s an episode of The Diary of John of Patmos. 

[DoJoP 01]