Podcast Summary: "Dungeons & Dragons & The Satanic Panic with Adrian Dobb"

Podcast Information:

• Title: You're Wrong About
• Host/Author: Sarah Marshall
• Episode: Dungeons & Dragons & The Satanic Panic with Adrian Dobb
• Release Date: August 20, 2024

I. Introduction

In this episode of You're Wrong About, host Sarah Marshall delves into one of the more bizarre aspects of the 1980s Satanic Panic: the fear surrounding the popular fantasy role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). Joined by Adrian Dobb, a literary scholar, professor at Stanford University, and co-host of Embed with the Right, the discussion explores how D&D became a focal point for parental anxiety and moral panic during the era.

Notable Quote:

Sarah Marshall [00:00]: "I'm going to start a panic about Clue Teaching Kids to commit murder."

II. The Satanic Panic and Dungeons & Dragons

The Satanic Panic of the 1980s was characterized by widespread fears of satanic ritual abuse and cult activities infiltrating everyday institutions like schools and daycare centers. While much of the panic centered on the insidious infiltration of daycare workers into preschools, another significant yet ludicrous target was the seemingly innocuous game, Dungeons & Dragons.

Adrian Dobb explains:

Adrian Dobb [03:58]: "It's an episode about one of the more ridiculous corners of the Satanic Panic, but it's also an episode about parents trying to understand what to do with information that they perhaps don't have a way to handle."

The crux of the panic was the belief that D&D could sever teenagers from reality, leading them into devil worship and other nefarious activities. This perception was fueled by a combination of media sensationalism, personal tragedies, and the inherent misunderstandings about the game's nature.

III. The James Dallas Egbert III Case

A pivotal event that propelled D&D into the Satanic Panic spotlight was the disappearance of James Dallas Egbert III in August 1979 from Michigan State University. Egbert, a highly intelligent 16-year-old who had graduated high school at 13, was an avid D&D player. His disappearance was sensationally linked to the game when a private investigator, Bill Deer, speculated that Egbert might have ventured into the university's steam tunnels to engage in a lone live-action role-playing (LARP) session.

Adrian Dobb [16:36]:

"So, I do think it starts with James Dallas Egbert III. I think there are earlier cases, but this is sort of really the one where it captures the imagination."

Although Egbert was later found alive, tragically, he died by suicide in August 1980. This heartbreaking outcome was misconstrued by the media and concerned parents as evidence of D&D's corrosive influence, overshadowing other factors like Egbert's personal struggles and undisclosed issues.

IV. Media Amplification: "Mazes and Monsters" and 60 Minutes

The novel "Mazes and Monsters" by Rona Jaffe and its subsequent 1982 TV movie adaptation starring Tom Hanks further entrenched the association between D&D and real-world dangers. The story portrayed a group of college friends whose intense involvement in D&D leads one of them to lose touch with reality, culminating in dangerous consequences.

Sarah Marshall [23:58]:

"And in Mazes and Monsters, we have this quartet of college friends, and I feel like one of them is kind of modeled on James Dallas Egbert III."

Additionally, a pivotal 1985 60 Minutes report spotlighted Pat Pulling, a mother who became a leading crusader against D&D after her son's suicide. Her campaign was instrumental in legitimizing fears about D&D, despite the game's minimal actual involvement in such tragedies.

Adrian Dobb [35:42]:

"So, pulling very much is sort of, as I say, drawing on the sort of TV violence sort of template in her campaign."

V. Pat Pulling and the BADD Movement

Pat Pulling emerged as one of the most vocal figures linking D&D to Satanic activities. In 1983, she founded Bothered About Dungeons & Dragons (BADD), an organization dedicated to investigating and condemning the game. Pulling's arguments often intertwined D&D with themes of witchcraft, drug use, and other societal fears, using personal tragedy as anecdotal evidence to support her claims.

Adrian Dobb [42:36]:

"Pat Pulling, I feel like, is, to me, such an interesting figure within the satanic panic, generally, because you have somebody who had, you know, a teenager who died by suicide."

Pulling's efforts were amplified by her appearances on national television, most notably the aforementioned 60 Minutes segment, which portrayed her narrative as a cautionary tale of D&D's purported dangers.

Notable Quote:

Pat Pulling in 60 Minutes [49:24]: "She says my son was cursed."

However, critical analysis reveals that D&D was more of a scapegoat than the actual cause of such incidents, with underlying issues like mental health and societal pressures often being the true culprits.

VI. The Cultural Profile of D&D Players

To bolster her campaign, Pat Pulling outlined a specific profile of the "typical" D&D player, reinforcing stereotypes and prejudices that marginalized certain groups of adolescents.

Adrian Dobb [42:30]:

"Profile of participants. First, usually very intelligent. Two, creative. Three, 95% of the players are male, with the majority being Caucasian. ... Six, physically either fairly slight build, clean cut, or possibly overweight and sloppy appearance."

This profiling often intersected with homophobic and classist biases, portraying creative and intelligent youth—especially those exploring their sexual identities—as susceptible to darker influences.

Notable Quote:

Sarah Marshall [42:55]: "This is a gay panic, right? They're like, we're going after the creative children now."

VII. D&D's Corporate Journey and Resilience

Despite the widespread panic and negative media portrayal, TSR, the company behind D&D, experienced tremendous commercial success. Revenues soared, and the game's popularity continued to climb, illustrating a classic Streisand effect where attempts to suppress or discredit the game only amplified its allure among youth.

Adrian Dobb [52:44]:

"But like this was a structural problem."

TSR's ability to continuously innovate—releasing various editions, expanding game settings, and embracing multimedia adaptations—helped D&D not only survive but thrive amidst the controversy. Furthermore, the company's engagement with corporate entities like Wizards of the Coast and later Hasbro ensured the game's enduring presence in popular culture.

Notable Quote:

Adrian Dobb [55:45]: "One counterfactual I sometimes think about is like, what if D&D had not become big business... would that have been far scarier?"

VIII. Reflections and Modern Implications

Drawing parallels between the 1980s Satanic Panic and contemporary moral panics, Sarah Marshall and Adrian Dobb discuss how fear and misunderstanding continue to target subcultures and hobbies today. The episode emphasizes the cyclical nature of moral panics—how society often scapegoats emerging cultural phenomena without substantial evidence.

Adrian Dobb [32:05]:

"But now it's like we are saying out loud, ... we're aligning Satan with like, your child having a queer teacher or like your child ever hearing about anything to do with anything, you know, gender queerness, gayness..."

This reflection underscores the importance of critical thinking and the dangers of allowing unfounded fears to dictate societal attitudes toward creative and imaginative endeavors.

IX. Conclusion

The episode wraps up with Adrian Dobb sharing his current engagements in the role-playing community and providing resources for listeners interested in exploring his work further. Sarah Marshall underscores the resilience of D&D and the lessons learned from the Satanic Panic era.

Notable Quotes:

Adrian Dobb [67:09]: "If they can figure out how to make a D&D character, they can master TurboTax."

Sarah Marshall [67:37]: "Well, what a journey this has been. And I guess. What have you been up to in D&D lately?"

Final Thoughts:

"Dungeons & Dragons & The Satanic Panic with Adrian Dobb" offers a comprehensive look into how a beloved game was entangled in one of America's most infamous moral panics. Through insightful dialogue and historical analysis, Sarah Marshall and Adrian Dobb shed light on the interplay between media, corporate interests, and societal fears, providing valuable lessons on understanding and resisting unwarranted moral panics.

Where to Find More:

• Adrian Dobb's Substack: adriendob.substack.com
• Podcasts: Embed with the Right and The Feminist Present
• Upcoming Book: Cancel Culture Panic (Release Date: September)