DragonKing Dark: The 1972 Olympics

My 100 darkest moments in pop culture history series on DragonKing Dark continues as I examine the terrorist assault and murder of eleven Israeli athletes during the 1972 Olympic games in Munich, Germany. 

Germany, wanting to put the stain of the past behind them, had strongly pushed the “smiling Olympics” and despite warnings, failed to take precautions against a terrorist attack. Then, to make matters worse, they totally botched the response resulting in multiple deaths.

I delve into all of it on this week’s DragonKing Dark.

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DragonKing Dark: The Lindbergh baby kidnapping & murder

On March 1, 1932, one of most sensational crimes ever to grip America occurred: the Lindbergh baby kidnapping and murder. 

The son of famous aviator Charles Lindbergh, aged 20 months, disappeared from his crib and was, apparently, held for ransom, which was paid. However, just over two months later, the child’s body was discovered in the woods near the home. 

What happened? Why? Who did it? It was America’s first truly big true crime story and I examine it all on this week’s DragonKing Dark.

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DragonKing Dark: The tragic death of pro baseball player Ray Chapman

The only Major League Baseball player to be killed during a game was Ray Chapman and it happened in 1920. 

The story is tragic, even beyond what was likely an accident. “Likely” because, well, the player who threw the pitch had a reputation for hitting batters, on purpose. And after hitting Chapman with the fatal pitch, he did himself no favors by continuing to be a pretty unlikable fellow. 

And that’s not all.

Chapman’s wife was pregnant at the time and neither she, nor her child, make it out of this story alive. 

Truly one of the saddest sports deaths ever finds its home in one of our 100 darkest moments in pop culture history series.

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DragonKing Dark: The 2022 Halloween special

It’s time for the 2022 DragonKing Dark Halloween special, hosted by Dirty Dawg Darsie. 

On this 90-minute episode, the Dawg is joined by Kid Zombie & The Desert Rat of When It Was Cool, and Joe Drilling & Eric Allen of On The Stick to talk all things spooky!

Wrestling Halloween stories, UFO encounters, a Roanoke Dogman encounter on the These Woods Are Haunted TV show, clips of the 2001 Ghost to Ghost AM with Art Bell, and so much more. 

Happy Halloween!

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DragonKing Dark: 1988’s Beetlejuice

It’s the ghost with the most!

This week on DragonKing Dark, we continue our month-long celebration of Halloween as Tonya and I take a look back at the 1988 horror comedy Beetlejuice.

An all-star cast battles with the afterlife in this late 1980s classic, fun for everyone on your Halloween playlist that has actually aged pretty well.

Just don’t say the title three times!

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DragonKing Dark: 1982’s Poltergeist

We continue celebrating Halloween all month long and this week, myself and Tonya from WhenItWasCool.com discuss the classic 1982 horror movie Poltergeist.

Into the pop culture lexicon entered the eerie phrase: “They’re here!” And beyond the storyline itself, the movie was followed by the tragic death of its young star.

Poltergeist gave birth to multiple sequels and remains a staple of must-see horror Halloween classics.

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DragonKing Dark: Reviewing the Jeffrey Dahmer Netflix show ‘Monster’

On this week’s DragonKing Dark, we take a look at a real-life monster.

A new and controversial Netflix series called Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is currently one of the most popular streaming series of the year. 

Myself and Tonya from When It Was Cool have watched it and this week’s show is our review. We understand there is a lot of negative feelings toward this series, so we try to address those as honestly as possible.

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DragonKing Dark: 1984’s ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’

I interrupt our 100 darkest moments in pop culture history series for the month of October as we are celebrating Halloween all month long.

For this kickoff, I am joined by my wife, Tonya, from When It Was Cool to discuss one of the most iconic horror movies ever: 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street. The movie gave us a young Johnny Depp and one of the greatest monster horror characters ever in Freddy Krueger. 

One…two…Freddy’s coming for you on the latest DragonKing Dark.

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DragonKing Dark: The Fatty Arbuckle scandal

Who was Fatty Arbuckle?

Besides having a hilarious name, he was the center of the first big Hollywood scandal. Yes, the sad tale of Arbuckle is a cautionary tale for the movie industry still to this very day. 

He was a silent movie era star until his career was destroyed by an allegation that he raped and killed a Hollywood actress. It took three trials with wildly varying verdicts to finally proclaim him not guilty with a written apology from the jury as well. 

On this week’s look at the top 100 darkest moments in pop culture history, we look at the tragic story of Fatty Arbuckle.

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DragonKing Dark: The Jackie Coogan Law

You know your life has taken a bad turn if the government has to name a law after you.

That’s exactly what it was for child actor Jackie Coogan, who, after gaining huge success in various Charlie Chaplin films, went on to even greater notoriety as Uncle Fester from The Addams Family. 

So, what is so dark about Coogan? It is a cautionary tale for all child actors, Hollywood, and human nature.

We continuing our 100 darkest moments in pop culture history with a look at the life of Jackie Coogan.

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DragonKing Dark: The Little Rascals/Our Gang curse

I continue our series of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history by taking a look at the supposed curse of The Little Rascals/Our Gang group of actors. 

Did many of them meet an untimely demise? We will discuss. One thing is certain, however: Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer’s story does not end well. 

On this week’s DragonKing Dark, I take a look at the facts surrounding the supposed curse of the Rascals and sad end for Switzer.

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DragonKing Dark: The death of INXS’ Michael Hutchence

My ongoing look at the 100 darkest moments in pop culture continues.

Michael Hutchence of INXS was found dead in his hotel room in 1997 and you may think you know the reason why. But did you know that most of what you think you know about his death is probably wrong and taken out of context? 

On this week’s show, we’ll discuss how one interview, taken out of context, provided the narrative of Hutchence’s death — one that the coroner’s inquest revealed had no basis in fact or evidence.

Let’s explore on this week’s DragonKing Dark:

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DragonKing Dark: The death of George Michael

We continue our series of 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history by taking a look at the death of one of the greatest vocalist of the 1980s-2000s, George Michael. 

Starting his career with the duo Wham!, Michael rose to even greater success as a solo pop star during the late 1980s into the 1990s with a string of mega-popular albums and MTV video hits. Sadly, he passed away at the age of 53. 

On this week’s Dragon King Dark, I tell his story.

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DragonKing Dark: The death of Prince

I continue the DragonKingDark look at 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history with the death of pop music legend, Prince. 

He died just over six years ago of a fentanyl overdose. Since then, fentanyl has been a scourge in American society, responsible for numerous overdose deaths. He was one of the most talented musicians of all-time and his death at the age of 57 was one of pop cultures darkest moments.

Join me as I look at this moment in pop culture history.

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DragonKing Dark: The death of Chris Cornell

The series continues: 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history, as we follow up on the story about Chester Bennington with the death of Soundgarden, Audioslave, and Temple of the Dog frontman Chris Cornell.

The stories have a lot of similarities. Both battled depression, both were of the same era and musical genre. What was going on that so tragically impacted so many stars of this era? Today we look at the life and death of Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell.

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