American Psyop – 90s Edition (The Long Island Lolita Hoax)

I’ve decided to post summaries on what I consider to be the Top 10 hoaxes of the 90s. This absurd and lurid tale came in at #10. The follow-up at #9 will be the Olympic Park Bombing.

In the summer of 1992, Long Island – a land known for big hair and even bigger attitudes – became ground zero for a love triangle so absurd it felt like an R-rated after-school special gone wrong – an intricate mix of media hysteria, suburban drama, and one too many perms.  Enter Amy Fisher, a semi-fictional 17-year-old femme fatale/high schooler whose hobbies included wielding a .25-caliber handgun and teasing middle-aged men – when she wasn’t busy teasing her hair. 

Continue reading “American Psyop – 90s Edition (The Long Island Lolita Hoax)”

Deserve’s Got Nothing to Do with It

The title comes from a memorable line in Unforgiven, spoken by Clint Eastwood’s character in response to Gene Hackman’s Little Bill, who, in his final moments, protests, “I don’t deserve this. To die like this.”

In a tragic real-life parallel, Hackman’s lifeless body was discovered in the foyer of his home, partially decomposed. Data from his pacemaker revealed that his heart had stopped nine days earlier. At 95 years old, there was no question of a staged disappearance—only the stark reality of time catching up. Yet, no one deserves to be left undiscovered for weeks, a poignant reminder of life’s quiet, often unceremonious endings.

Continue reading “Deserve’s Got Nothing to Do with It”

Immaculate Deception?

So, I recently dove into the rabbit hole of a Pittsburgh sporting event so drenched in numerology it practically came with a conspiracy theorist starter kit. The saga starts with the suspiciously early death of Bob Moose, the “goat” of the infamous Pirates game on 10/11/72. Flip that date around and—voilà—you’ve got 9/11/01. Coincidence? Maybe. Suspicious? Definitely.

Fast forward two months to 12/23/72, and the city of Pittsburgh seemingly cashes in its cosmic chips for what NFL Films would later anoint as “The Immaculate Reception.” This wasn’t just a football play; it was a miracle with cleats—a Hail Mary that flipped the Steelers’ fortunes faster than you can say “sports dynasty.” After four decades of mediocrity, Pittsburgh snagged its first-ever playoff win, setting the stage for four Super Bowl titles before the decade’s end.

Continue reading “Immaculate Deception?”