Last Podcast on the Left — Last Update on the Left Ep. 9: “The Bridgewater Triangle Re-Examined” (Live at Sirius XM)

Date: November 14, 2025
Hosts: Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, Ed Larson
Location: Sirius XM Live Recording
Theme: A comedic deep-dive re-examination of legends, cryptids, and crimes within Massachusetts’ Bridgewater Triangle, delivered with Last Podcast’s signature blend of dark humor, historical trivia, and absurdity.

Episode Overview

In this spirited live episode, the LPOTL crew returns to the Bridgewater Triangle—a notorious 200-square-mile stretch in southeastern Massachusetts known for its weird blend of cryptids, UFOs, murder, and general paranormal chaos. The hosts revisit key legends, share newly uncovered oddities, and riff on the Triangle’s role in both true crime and American folklore. The live format lends extra energy and off-script shenanigans, revealing how the “sausage gets made” in real-time.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Is the Bridgewater Triangle? (02:46–06:01)

• Definition and Geography:

  • A 200-square-mile “paranormal and criminal hotspot" defined by the points of Arlington, Freetown, and Rehoboth in southeastern Massachusetts.
  • Associated with “bizarre, mysterious and sinister activities,” from cryptids and UFOs to tales of satanic rites.

• Origins:

  • Marked as a triangle in 1983, but hosts note hauntings go back centuries.
  • Frequent comedic riffs on the odd, often-mispronounced Massachusetts town names (Taunton, Rehoboth).

• Cultural Framing:

  • The area is believed by some to be cursed, a remnant of conflicts such as King Philip’s War, blending colonial history and supernatural lore.
    • “Some claim a so-called Native American curse is the reason why the area is so rife with both paranormal activity and murder.” (Henry Zebrowski, 07:44)

2. Cryptids of the Triangle

A) Bigfoot Sightings (11:14–14:49)

• Local “Bigfoot”:
  • Sightings often boil down to “a large, hairy, seven-foot bipedal bear”—possibly just an actual bear.
  • The tale of Joseph DeAndre, who claimed a sighting in 1978 and has led local investigations ever since—without ever seeing Bigfoot again.
    • “Decades of goose eggs.” (Henry Zebrowski, 13:24)

B) The Mystery Cat (16:04–16:53)

• Mansfield Mystery Cat:
  • Described as “the size of a Great Dane,” but the body found (African serval) didn’t fit the bill. Police dismissed the connection.

C) Giant Birds & Pterodactyls (16:53–20:03)

• Pterodactyl Sighting:
  • Kristen Evans’ account of her car being struck by a giant egg, alleged evidence of a pterodactyl.
  • Hosts propose it’s more likely teens with emu eggs, but the legend persists.
    • “I don’t know much about birds, but I know they don’t shit out eggs while they fly…” (Ed Larson, 19:17)

D) Monkey Encounters (25:48–26:44)

• 1980 canoeists saw “orangutan-like” creatures on Lake Nip Island—believed to be “little red-haired, upright-walking” man-apes.

E) Puckwudgies (26:44–32:45)

• Mischievous, 3-foot-tall hairy hominids: can vanish, shapeshift, and lure humans to their doom.
• Their lore stems from Native American legends—originally jealous antagonists to the protective figure of Mouse Shop.
  • “Described as a hair covered 3 foot tall hominid with grey skin, large ears, and long fingers and noses…prolific arsonists, and they can sometimes lead humans to their deaths in Hamak Swamp.” (Henry Zebrowski, 29:43)
• Modern-day reported encounters — including a recurring character named Tim, whose two run-ins involved floating lights and unsettling parking-lot encounters.
  • “Tim had not one, but two encounters…but that’s all we know of him. His name was Tim.” (Henry Zebrowski, 33:45)

3. UFOs and High Strangeness (45:38–52:35)

• Historical Sightings:

  • First major report dates to 1908 (“unusually bright lantern above the skies on Halloween night”).
  • 1979 Peak Sighting: Radio broadcasters see massive, multi-lighted craft overhead, described “as wide as five 747s” [47:54]. Multiple independent accounts follow.

• Abductions:

  • 2013: Jim Andre “blacks out at computer,” wakes five hours later with a mysterious tattoo—believes aliens abducted, branded him as “a tag.”
    • “It didn’t heal like a regular tattoo. It blistered when it healed and his skin peeled like a sunburn.” (Henry Zebrowski, 51:20–51:31)

4. Satanic Panic, True Crime & Taunton State Hospital (53:06–62:54)

A) Satanic Murders & Moral Panics

• Carl Drew’s Cult:
  • Drew, a self-identifying Satanist and pimp, reportedly coerced sex workers into “ritual killings” (likely sensationalized) – infamous as the spark point for U.S. Satanic Panic.
    • “It was with these murders that the satanic panic officially began in America, making the Bridgewater Triangle its unholy birthplace.” (Henry Zebrowski, 57:07)

B) Taunton State Hospital

• Asylum Lore:

  • Built 1853, progressive for its time but later site of mass institutionalization, lobotomies, and cruel treatments.
  • Infamous resident: Jane Toppan, female serial killer (31 victims), notorious for fondling dying victims in search of their souls.
    • “Reportedly, Toppan fondled her victims as they died in an attempt to see the inner workings of their souls through their eyes.” (Marcus Parks, 60:06)

• Haunted Reputation:

  • Rumors staff conducted satanic rituals in the basement; “Smokey Man” and “Shadow Man” reported as recurring apparitions.
    • “He’s a little over 5 feet tall and consists of a smoky, hazy cloud in the shape of a man. He’s the Smokey Man. It’s all we got on.” (Henry Zebrowski, 64:44)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On The Live Show Format (08:38)

"You’re seeing all sorts of... you’re seeing, like, Hen throwing everything against the wall; you’re seeing me read everything. It feels really awkward. But it’s done. This is how the sausage is made."
— Marcus Parks

On Massachusetts Town Names (03:13)

“All of the names don’t make any sense. And they are never read as they are spelled.”
— Marcus Parks

On the Loneliness of Podcast Listening (09:01)

“Mainly you’re alone and no one’s holding you. No one’s... you’re not having sex, you’re not enjoying yourself... And so when you hear a podcast of other people laughing and having a good time in a room, you just realize how empty the room is that you’re in while you’re listening to it.”
— Marcus Parks

On Cryptozoology (15:17)

“Anywhere you see a Bigfoot, it is probably a bear with a skin disease.”
— Marcus Parks

On Puckwudgies’ Invisibility (29:43)

“The Pukwudgie is described as a hair covered 3 foot tall hominid with grey skin, large ears and long fingers and noses. Pukwudgies are mischievous little creatures who can vanish and appear at will...and they can sometimes lead humans to their deaths in Habakkuk Swamp, man.”
— Henry Zebrowski

On Satanic Panic’s Real Consequences (57:24)

“All of this dumb shit really does have wild consequences. It created a panic. It ruined hundreds of people’s lives. And it came from that shithead.”
— Marcus Parks

Major Segments & Timestamps

• [02:46] — Introduction to the Bridgewater Triangle and its cursed reputation
• [11:14] — Massachusetts “Bigfoot”: Joseph DeAndre, skepticism, and local lore
• [16:04] — The Mansfield Mystery Cat and giant bird/pterodactyl stories
• [25:48] — Monkey/ape sightings at Lake Nip
• [26:44] — Puckwudgie legend, encounters, and humorous interpretations
• [45:38] — UFO waves; 1979 broadcasters’ sighting and 2013 abduction/tattoo story
• [53:06] — Carl Drew’s “satanic cult” and the origins of satanic panic
• [58:18] — Taunton State Hospital: history, hauntings, and Jane Topan’s crimes

Tone, Style, & Standout Interactions

• Irreverent and Comedic:
  The hosts constantly riff, joke, and digress. Jabs at Massachusetts culture, mutual teasing, and absurdist asides keep things light even during macabre segments.

• Audience Integration:
  Occasional references to reactions from the live crowd (“You all giggled at Finger. You all giggled at it. I was being mature.” — Marcus Parks, 56:18)

• Meta-Commentary:
  Multiple moments where they deliberately “show how the sausage is made” (reading/writing, adjusting stories, and noting their editorial process).

• Dark Humor with Sensitivity:
  The hosts call out and reject the more exploitative sides of true crime and paranormal hysteria, contextualizing them within broader societal anxieties.

Final Thoughts & Takeaways

• The Bridgewater Triangle remains a microcosm of American weirdness: A place where cryptids, UFOs, and sensationalized crimes blur the lines between folk legend, mass hysteria, and true crime.

• Unresolved and open-ended:
  The hosts stress that the region’s strangeness both feeds on and is fed by its own myth-making—there are always more stories, because people keep looking (and sometimes, keep inventing).

• Relevance of skepticism:
  While celebrating the folklore, the episode calls out the real harm caused by sensationalism, exemplified in the satanic panic.

“It’s likely that the activity in the Bridgewater Triangle will continue for as long as people inhabit the state of Massachusetts.”
— Henry Zebrowski, [65:51]

For True Believers, Skeptics, & Laugh-Seekers Alike

If you missed this episode, you’ll laugh, cringe, and maybe even learn a little about the haunted past (and present) of one of America’s weirdest regions—while peeking behind the curtain at how LPOTL makes its magic.