Podcast Summary: DISGRACELAND

Episode: The Exorcist: Demonic Possession, Mass Hysteria, and NYC’s Unsolved Murders

Host: Jake Brennan
Release Date: October 28, 2025

Overview

This gripping installment of DISGRACELAND draws a chilling line from the real-life exorcism that inspired “The Exorcist”—one of the most legendary horror novels and films of all time—through the phenomenon of mass hysteria and urban fear that followed its release, all the way to a shocking true crime case tied directly to the film’s production. Host Jake Brennan weaves together stories of alleged possession, religious rituals, cursed film sets, and gruesome New York City murders to explore the deeper intersection of evil—real and imagined—and popular culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Exorcism and the Real Inspiration Behind “The Exorcist”

Timestamps: 04:18 — 14:57

• Exorcism Defined:
  Brennan introduces the Catholic Church’s official stance and mechanics of exorcism, distinguishing between possession, infestation, obsession, and vexation.
• The Case of Ronnie Hunkler (Roland Doe):
  • The foundational story: A 14-year-old boy in 1949, grieving and attempting to contact a deceased aunt, becomes the center of supernatural disturbances.
  • Multiple failed attempts to treat the phenomenon by doctors and Lutherans lead to a Catholic exorcism, described in harrowing, visceral detail.
  • Notably, Ronnie’s ordeal includes physical manifestations (scratches spelling “hell” and “Louis”), bouts of violence, and alleged demonic speech.
  • The ordeal ends with the exorcism’s success and Ronnie’s reported vision of St. Michael defeating Satan.
• The Aftermath:
  • The true identity of “Roland Doe” was protected for decades. Only as Ronald Hunkler did he spend a life fearing exposure, with annual anxiety spikes at Halloween due to the fame of “The Exorcist.”

"He could still remember how he told the priest of the vision he had... of St. Michael himself riding atop a mighty steed, charging directly up to Satan and smiting the devil down with one stroke of his sword.” — Jake Brennan (14:06)

2. From Urban Legend to Cultural Phenomenon

Timestamps: 21:02 — 29:55

• William Peter Blatty’s Novel:
  • Brennan narrates how the Georgetown alumnus, haunted by the local exorcism case, turns it into a bestselling novel only after a stroke of luck—filling in for an incapacitated Robert Shaw on The Dick Cavett Show.
  • The cultural moment: Post-Altamont, post-Manson, America is primed for a story that “scared the shit out of it.”
• The Film’s Disturbing Realism:
  • Director William Friedkin’s mission: Make the film frighteningly real. He recruits hardened documentarians, obsesses over practical effects, and literally inflicts pain on actors for authenticity.
  • Infamous incidents: Ellen Burstyn’s real spinal injury; Friedkin slapping Father O’Malley for a genuine final scene.
• Uncanny On-Set Casting:
  • Not just actors: Paul Bateson, a real NYU radiology tech, appears in a now-infamous hospital scene. His later life becomes entangled with real-life horror.

"Friedkin's attention to detail didn't come without a little pain… The scream that comes from Ellen Burstyn at that moment in the film is very real." — Jake Brennan (26:49)

3. The Curse and Mass Hysteria of “The Exorcist”

Timestamps: 30:26 — 32:25

• Urban Legends & Danger:
  • “Nine people connected to the movie died during or shortly after production… one of the movie sets mysteriously burned to the ground,” Brennan recounts.
  • The film’s power: Audience members faint, vomit, or flee in terror, then return for more—mirroring the growing urban mythos of the film's curse.
• Religious Outrage:
  • Catholic communities condemn the film’s blasphemy (notably the crucifix scene), while younger audiences flock to confront cinematic evil head-on.

4. Real Evil: The Bag Murders & Paul Bateson

Timestamps: 32:25 — 38:55

• Spillover into True Crime:
  • NYC in the mid-1970s was haunted by unsolved gay murders—dismembered bodies in bags, the shadowy killer dubbed as responsible for the “Bag Murders.”
  • Paul Bateson, featured in “The Exorcist,” murders Addison Verrall, a Variety journalist, after a night of clubbing and drugs. The murder is recounted in haunting, granular detail.

"Paul felt like Addison wasn’t into it, like he was just going through the motions. Paul's mood suddenly swung... he began to move his body. He stood up from the bed and walked out to the kitchen... There he picked up a heavy frying pan and then he returned to the bedroom." — Jake Brennan (37:33)

• Media & Identity:
  • Bateson is identified after anonymously confessing to Village Voice journalist Arthur Bell.
  • Though suspected, Bateson is convicted solely for Verrall’s murder. He’s later quietly released; his ultimate fate is uncertain, his name drifting back into obscurity.

5. The Final Twist: What Was Real?

Timestamps: 40:26 — End

• Late-Life Confession:
  • In 2020, Ronald Hunkler, the original boy behind “The Exorcist,” reportedly confesses to a companion that the legendary story of his possession was fabricated:

    “Supposedly he just made it all up. ‘Why? I was a bad boy.’ That was a quote attributed to Ronald, according to his 29 year old companion…” (41:59)

  • Hunkler dies as a priest, unbidden, arrives to deliver last rites—mirroring the film’s famous conclusion.
• Enduring Legacy:
  • Evil—real or imagined—outlives its human vessels, fading into new vessels and stories.

"Paul Bateson’s life was finite. Evil, on the other hand, never really goes away. It just quietly moves on when no one’s watching." — Jake Brennan (39:54)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Mass Hysteria:

  “People literally went into hysterics right in the theater in the middle of the movie. They collapsed, they fainted, they vomited. They left halfway through the film, falling to the floor of the lobby, hyperventilating, only to return the next day… to see if they could make it through to the end this time.” — Jake Brennan (31:15)

• On Exorcism’s Reality:

  “He’s watched people levitate. He’s seen their eyes roll into the backs of their heads, the guttural noises, the foaming at the mouth, the unspeakable odors... When the time comes to perform an exorcism… one must be strong in the presence of pure evil.” — Jake Brennan (05:50)

• On Friedkin's Grit:

  "Friedkin created the gritty, propulsive, almost documentary feel of New York City, in part by hiring a camera operator who shot the Cuban Revolution right alongside Fidel Castro. That’s 100% true." — Jake Brennan (24:14)

• On Urban Nightmares:

  “But New York City could never be rid of all its nightmares. The Bag Murders killer, for one, was still out there… if the cops were to be believed.” — Jake Brennan (32:54)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Intro to Exorcism and Possession: 04:18
• The Possession and Exorcism of Ronnie Hunkler: 06:34
• William Peter Blatty’s Break & The Novel’s Success: 21:02
• Making "The Exorcist" Real—Director Friedkin’s Methods: 24:50
• The Film’s “Curse” and Audience Reactions: 30:26
• Paul Bateson and the NYC Bag Murders: 32:25
• The Revelation of Hunkler’s Secret: 40:26

Tone & Style

Brennan’s narration is edge-of-your seat, vivid, and laced with dark humor and reverence for true crime and music history. The atmosphere is often chilling, emphasizing anecdote and mood over strict reportage. Irony and tragic symmetry run through the episode, culminating in the final lines on evil vanishing into the shadows yet always lingering.

For Further Listening

• The Wild Story Behind “The Exorcist” Soundtrack: Exclusive mini-episode for Disgraceland All Access Members.
• Gimme Danger: Monthly Disgraceland video variety show (featured in this episode’s outro).

If you want to know just how deep the roots of horror and myth go—from a Maryland boy’s alleged possession to real murders in the shadow of "The Exorcist"—this episode delivers the chills, the social history, and the true criminal darkness behind pop culture’s most iconic scares.