“COULD UFOS BE TULPAS?” and More Freaky True Stories! #WeirdDarkness and More Freaky True Stories! #WeirdDarkness

A young woman institutionalized for disagreeing with her parents, a 12-year-old boy punished for daydreaming, even a Kennedy daughter silenced to protect her brother's political career – all lobotomized. These people and five others went into surgery as individuals with hopes, dreams, and personalities — and came out as complete strangers to themselves. CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open 00:02:12.814 = The Man Who Could Make Dead Fish Talk 00:08:48.284 = *** They Murdered Their Mothers 00:21:37.851 = The Ghostly Handprint of Francis Leavy 00:26:41.319 = *** Victims of Lobotomies 00:37:09.950 = Listener submitted story from Michael Emmanuel Omokhuvie 00:41:47.332 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break SOURCES and RESOURCES:“The Man Who Could Make Dead Fish Talk” by Sarah Murden for Georgian Era:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2nte76b6 “The Ghostly Handprint of Francis Leavy” by Prince Petropia for Paranorms: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/53xwm2wd, and by Adam for Mysterious Chicago: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yxcvw3td “They Murdered Their Mothers” by Jessika M. Thomas for Ranker: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/kxprwkyk “The Victims of Lobotomies” by Jacob Shelton for Ranker: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3kuhpcxf=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: May 18, 2021 EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/lobotomized ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all things strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold cases, conspiracy theories, and more. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “20 Best Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a blend of “Coast to Coast AM”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Unsolved Mysteries”, and “In Search Of”.DISCLAIMER: Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised. #WeirdDarkness, #Lobotomy, #RosemaryKennedy, #MedicalHistory, #DarkHistory, #TrueStories, #DisturbingHistory, #MedicalHorror, #KennedyFamily, #DrWalterFreeman

After taking an online personality assessment, I discovered I exhibit very high traits associated with autism — not a formal diagnosis, but an explanation for patterns I've lived with my entire life. The results helped make sense of why I thrive during structured performances like stand-up comedy, stage acting, radio broadcasting, and podcasting, yet feel completely drained by unstructured social interaction afterward. I recount how remote broadcasts and convention appearances left me counting the minutes until I could escape to solitude, and how my favorite parts of traveling in the Weird Darkness Beast were always the quiet hours alone on the road or in hotel rooms — not the events themselves.The assessment also shed light on smaller quirks, like my tendency to let my beard grow wild before trimming it all at once (efficiency over daily maintenance), and deeper emotional patterns, like processing my father's death without tears or visible sadness. A medical professional once reassured me that being naturally stoic is simply a different way of experiencing life, not a sign that something is missing.I reflect on my earlier depression diagnosis and wonder whether some of what was treated might have been the cumulative effect of decades spent not understanding how my own brain operates. Ultimately, the experience gave me context rather than a label — a quiet recognition of why certain things drain me and others restore me. I encourage you to examine your own patterns and see if perhaps you can learn something new about yourself - or explain some of your own personality quirks.

A 25-year-old Lake City man allegedly proved that you don't need pockets to pull off a robbery — just a face covering, a weapon, and zero shame - along with zero clothes. READ or SHARE: https://weirddarkness.com/NakedMeatRobbery WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness. #WeirdDarkness #WeirdDarkNEWS #FloridaMan #TrueCrime #StrangeNews #BizarreCrime #WeirdNews #DumbCriminals #FloridaCrime #NakedRobbery

In 1903, a man arrived at Leavenworth Prison claiming he'd never been there before — but the staff found his exact double already serving a life sentence inside. READ MY DEEP-DIVE ARTICLE ON THIS STORY: https://weirddarkness.com/williamwest/ In May 1903, a convict named Will West arrived at Leavenworth Prison in Kansas. The intake clerk was certain he'd seen this man before — and a search of prison records turned up a card for William West, a convicted murderer whose measurements and photograph were a near-perfect match. The problem? William West was already locked up inside Leavenworth, serving a life sentence. The two men had never met, weren't related, and had no idea the other existed. Their extraordinary resemblance would expose a fatal flaw in the world's leading criminal identification system — and help launch the forensic technique we still rely on today. IN THIS EPISODE: How do you convince people you are innocent of a crime committed by someone who looks exactly like you and even shares your name? It’s the strange story of William West and… William West. (Will The Real William West Please Step Forward) *** In November 1638, Dorothy Talby killed her three-year-old daughter. She admitted so when first arrested. But then she refused to say anything when brought before a judge. But then, what would you expect from a woman, which we all know is more easily persuaded by Satan to sin – and women were much more likely to be seduced by witchcraft. At least, that’s what people believed in the 17th century. (The Case of Dorothy Talbye) *** It’s understood and agreed to by most that while it is a lot of fun to think about, time travel is simply not possible – and will probably never be seeing as we’ve never met any time travelers. Or… maybe we have? (True Time-Travel Moments) *** Stories of shapeshifters seem to be told worldwide – and the Celtic nations are no different. We’ll look at a few shape-changing creatures from Ireland, Wales and Scotland. (Shape-Shifters Of The Celts) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = The Leavenworth Lookalikes 00:01:59.171 = Show Intro 00:04:01.126 = Two Strangers, One Face: Will The Real William West Please Step Forward 00:18:16.969 = ***A Mother, A Murder, A Mental Illness, and Justice in 17th-Century New England 00:25:32.536 = Who Sent Messages Dated Decades Ahead of Time? And How Did They Send Them? 00:35:00.004 = Cold Hands 00:39:21.083 = *** When Gods Became Beasts: Shapeshifting in Celtic Myth 00:47:59.748 = Show Close *** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break SOURCES and RESOURCES – and/or --- PRINT VERSION to READ or SHARE: “Will The Real William West Please Step Forward?” by Dean Jobb for Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5y8wybsa), Martin Chalakoski for The Vintage News (https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/th4ujesh), and Lee Ferran for ABC News (https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/sa66vcwf) “A Mother, A Murder, A Mental Illness, and Justice in 17th-Century New England” by Romeo Vitelli for Providentia: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yu54cyn8 “Who Sent Messages Dated Decades Ahead of Time? And How Did They Send Them?” posted at Earth-Chronicles.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/hh8tbwcr “When Gods Became Beasts: Shapeshifting in Celtic Myth” by Zteve T....

A Moscow corporate party turned into a medical emergency when a celebrity chef's flashy "cryo-show" cocktail expanded inside a man's stomach like an internal airbag, rupturing the organ and sending him to the ICU — and he's far from the only victim. READ or SHARE: https://weirddarkness.com/liquid-nitrogen-cocktails WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness. #WeirdDarkness, #LiquidNitrogen, #DangerousDrinks, #StomachRupture, #DragonBreath, #FoodSafety, #ViralTrends, #TrueCrime, #BizarreStories, #DontTryThis