Talhotblond is a 2012 Lifetime made-for-television movie based on a shocking real-life internet love triangle that ended in murder. The film dramatizes how online anonymity, emotional insecurity, and deception spiraled into deadly violence.

The story centers on Thomas Montgomery, a middle-aged, married factory worker who is dissatisfied with his life and seeks escape through online chat rooms and poker sites. There, he reinvents himself as a younger man, claiming to be a U.S. Marine named “Tommy.” Using this false identity, he begins an online relationship with a young woman known by the screen name “talhotblond.”

Unbeknownst to Montgomery, one of his younger coworkers, Brian, is also communicating with the same girl online. Unlike Montgomery, Brian is honest about who he is, and his growing connection with “talhotblond” triggers intense jealousy in Montgomery. As the online relationships deepen, Montgomery’s lies multiply, and his emotional stability begins to unravel.

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This podcast episode explores the tragic true story of Nick Markowitz, a 15-year-old boy whose life was taken after being used as leverage in a reckless dispute that spiraled out of control.

When a conflict involving his older half-brother and a local drug dealer escalates, Nick is pulled into a situation he had no part in creating. What starts as a misguided attempt to intimidate someone quickly becomes a tragedy driven by fear, ego, and the inability of the adults involved to stop what they started.

The episode also examines how this case entered popular culture through the 2006 film Alpha Dog. While the movie brought national attention to the crime, it also raised difficult questions about storytelling, responsibility, and whose perspective gets remembered. We compare the film’s portrayal of events with the real case, including criticism from Nick’s mother, Susan Markowitz, who later wrote My Stolen Son to reclaim her child’s story from sensationalized narratives.

Sources:

My Stolen Son: The Nick Markowitz Story by Susan Markowitz w/ Jenna Glatzer

https://allthatsinteresting.com/nicholas-markowitz

Alpha Dog

https://allthatsinteresting.com/jesse-james-hollywood

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Dog

https://www.independent.com/2009/06/21/witness-rundown-hollywood-trial/

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-nov-01-me-64254-story.html

https://www.independent.com/2009/06/10/ben-markowitz-on-stand/

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In this episode, we explore the real-life case of Susan Wright, a Texas woman whose story captured national attention and later inspired the Lifetime made-for-TV movie Blue-Eyed Butcher. We walk through Susan’s background, her marriage to Jeff Wright, and how a seemingly ordinary suburban life became the center of a high-profile criminal case.

Sources:

https://www.texasmonthly.com/true-crime/susan-wright-193/

Snapped season 1, Episode 9

https://abc13.com/post/susan-wright-murder-trial-jeff-stabbed-husband-193-times/9184616/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Wright_(murderer)

https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/trending/blue-eyed-butcher-texas-woman-who-stabbed-husband-193-times-2003-released-parole/GMR2DZYQLVEIBCYYT7DPOB6IW4/

https://6abc.com/archive/7736279/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I Am Zozo is a horror film that follows a group of friends who decide to use a Ouija board out of curiosity. During their sessions, the board begins responding aggressively and identifies itself as “Zozo.” As the group continues to engage with it, the atmosphere becomes increasingly tense and unsettling, suggesting that whatever they’ve contacted grows stronger the more attention it receives. The film leaves it ambiguous whether Zozo is a real entity or a manifestation of fear, making the experience feel disturbingly realistic.

In real life, Zozo is a modern paranormal legend that gained popularity through internet forums in the early 2000s. Despite claims that it’s an ancient demon, there’s no historical evidence to support that. Many experts point to the ideomotor effect, where subconscious movements cause the planchette to move without the user realizing it. Over time, repeated stories and media portrayals turned Zozo into a widely feared figure, showing how belief and suggestion can transform an online myth into something that feels terrifyingly real.

Sources:

https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/science-mysteries/zozo-the-ouija-board-demon.html

https://allthatsinteresting.com/zozo-demon

https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2016/05/zozo_phenomenon_documented_in_new_book_paranormal_corner.html

https://darrenevansparanormal.blogspot.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Zozo

https://www.prweb.com/releases/live_extreme_halloween_paranormal_broadcast_set_for_zozo_ouija_demon_house_in_oklahoma_city_ok/prweb13767920.htm

https://blogcritics.org/exclusive-interview-tim-wood-darren-evans-on-upcoming-live-stream-of-zozo-paranormal-investigation

https://www.ranker.com/list/ouija-board-conversations-with-zozo/lowe-saddler

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode explores the true story behind Lifetime’s Husband, Father, Killer: The Alyssa Pladl Story. From adoption and reunification to manipulation, abuse, and murder.

We examine the escalation of violence, the deaths of Katie, her adoptive father, and her infant son Bennett, and how systemic failures allowed danger to go unchecked. We also separate fact from dramatization in the Lifetime movie, highlighting the real people behind the headlines.

Warning: Discussion of incest, domestic abuse, and multiple deaths, including an infant.

Sources:

https://www.mylifetime.com/movies/husband-father-killer-the-alyssa-pladl-story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bH9b8zLQF0

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/triangle-sandhills/news/2018/04/13/911-call-reveals-new-details-in-triple-murder--suicide

https://abc11.com/post/classmate-of-man-who-killed-wife-infant-in-incest-case-recalls-unusual-behavior/3338606/?userab=abc_web_player-460*variant_b_abc_dmp-1901%2Cotv_web_player-461*variant_b_otv_dmp-1903%2Cotv_web_content_rec-445*variant_b_less_popular_bias-1850%2Chp_banner-426*variant_e__tall_white-1781

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43747225

https://www.aetv.com/articles/steven-pladl-murders

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 1976, a chilling horror film hit theaters, introducing the world to Damien, the Antichrist child. But while audiences were terrified on screen, strange and deadly events were unfolding behind the scenes. The Omen didn’t just scare moviegoers, it seemed to haunt its cast and crew in real life.

Was it coincidence? Or did the dark subject matter of Satan, prophecy, and the Antichrist bring real-world consequences? In this episode, we’ll explore the chilling events, behind-the-scenes horror, and the enduring legend of The Omen curse.

Sources:

Cursed Films: The Omen

The Omen

https://www.cineworld.ie/static/en/ie/blog/the-curse-of-the-omen-facts-the-first-omen

https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/omen-movie-curse-42514085

https://screenrant.com/omen-1976-cursed-set-scarier-than-movie/

https://eosty.medium.com/the-curse-of-the-omen-real-story-1964c1c355d4

https://www.ripleys.com/stories/the-omen

https://fiveable.me/key-terms/cognitive-psychology/invisible-gorilla-experiment

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we take a closer look at the tragic abduction of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman—an event that would go on to reshape the way communities respond to missing-child emergencies. We explore the circumstances surrounding Amber’s disappearance in 1996, the investigation that gripped the nation, and how her legacy inspired the creation of the AMBER Alert system used across the United States today.

We also discuss the 2006 made-for-TV film Amber’s Story, examining how one heartbreaking case sparked a nationwide movement to protect children and mobilize communities.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we dive into the extraordinary story of actress Theresa Saldana. A rising Hollywood star whose life was nearly cut short by a brutal attack in 1982. From her disciplined childhood in Brooklyn to her breakout roles in Raging Bull and I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Theresa seemed destined for fame.

But one terrifying encounter with a delusional stalker changed everything. We explore the stabbing that almost ended her life, the bravery of the stranger who intervened, and her grueling journey through physical and emotional recovery.

Theresa’s story was so compelling it inspired the 1984 TV movie Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story, in which she bravely played herself reliving her attack and survival for the world to see. Hear how she transformed trauma into advocacy, founding Victims for Victims and becoming a pioneering voice for victims’ rights.

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdGGHTjKIRM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFIctvhD-0Q

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/09/arts/television/theresa-saldana-actress-and-attack-survivor-dies-at-61.html

https://law.justia.com/cases/california/court-of-appeal/3d/152/961.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-12-05-me-5386-story.html

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.