Hoaxes.

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Sigmund

Waiting in Uber.
Jan 3, 2010
13,979
44,046
In your mirror.
Good evening.

I have always been intrigued by people who perpetrate hoaxes. The human mind boggles me.

Of the many hoaxes I have researched the one committed by Vicki Johnson is absolutely rife with pathology. She claimed to be the adoptive mother of a young boy, Anthony Godby Johnson, horribly abused and dying of AIDS. The boy wrote a memoir A Rock and a Hard Place: One Boy's Triumphant Story. (The publisher was also duped.)

Armistead Maupin, an author and radio show host was completely taken in by the boy and his story. They had a long distance telephone relationship for years.

Mr. Maupin wrote a book titled The Night Listener and a movie (by the same name) was made based on the book.

There was no child.

Fascinating.

If you have any hoaxes in which you were captivated please share.

Peace.
 

Grandpa

Well-Known Member
Mar 2, 2014
9,724
53,642
Colorado
The Piltdown Man, which had the paleoanthropological world in somewhat of a turmoil for four decades. The claimed "finder" had mixed human and orangutang skull parts in a gravel pit in England. A sobering science lesson, although to their credit, some scientists very early on dismissed it or the fraud that it was.
 

HollyGolightly

Well-Known Member
Sep 6, 2013
9,660
74,320
54
Heart of the South
Good evening.

I have always been intrigued by people who perpetrate hoaxes. The human mind boggles me.

Of the many hoaxes I have researched the one committed by Vicki Johnson is absolutely rife with pathology. She claimed to be the adoptive mother of a young boy, Anthony Godby Johnson, horribly abused and dying of AIDS. The boy wrote a memoir A Rock and a Hard Place: One Boy's Triumphant Story. (The publisher was also duped.)

Armistead Maupin, an author and radio show host was completely taken in by the boy and his story. They had a long distance telephone relationship for years.

Mr. Maupin wrote a book titled The Night Listener and a movie (by the same name) was made based on the book.

There was no child.

Fascinating.

If you have any hoaxes in which you were captivated please share.

Peace.
Wow - I didn't know any of that, but I do remember the movie. How strange!
I immediately thought of the family who staged the boy taking off in a homemade balloon -remember that one? I thought they were just farking weird. I think those desperate cries for attention are some kind of crazy. Kind of like most reality TV. Reality TV is so contrived, it's all a hoax.
 

EMARX

Well-Known Member
Feb 27, 2009
2,970
15,757
My husband still watches wrestling. It drives me nuts. I just don't get it. For him it's totally a Memphis/Jerry Lawler/going to WMCTV station when he was kid nostalgic kind of thing that he can't let go of. Kind of like the ridiculous 70s owl candle in the bathroom.
First it was Santa Claus, then the Easter Bunny. All of my hopes crushed, but at least there's still Roller Derby.
 
M

mjs9153

Guest
You mean to say it wasn't real??
uh oh..shoulda spoilered that one..though I still do like George The Animal Steele..
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