Press

Joseph Laycock has been interviewed for several documentaries as well as Geraldo at Large, The Colbert Report, Coast to Coast AM, Mysteries Decoded, NPR, The Texas Standard, The Jenny McCarthy Show, and Armchair Experts with Dax Shepard.

2024

• Mainstreet MS with Jeff Douglas, "Joseph Laycock on the Devil's comings and goings, and how he's used across time and cultures," CBC.ca (May 16, 2024).

• Aleja Hertzler-McCain and Claire Giangravé, "Vatican to weigh in on the supernatural, Marian apparitions," Religion News Service (May 16, 2024).

• Tyler Kingkade, "As conservatives put religion in schools, Satanists want in, too," NBCnews.com (May 16, 2024).

• Ben Riggs, "The Religious Work of D&D," Reading D&D Aloud (May 13, 2024).

• David Barer and Avery Travis, "At least 20 allegations of abuse against former Austin pastor," KXAN.com (May 10, 2023).

• Victoria Soliz, "The New Satanic Panic," UrbanPlains.com (April 21, 2024).

• "The Exorcist Effect – Ian Punnett Tribute – The Paranormal Podcast 814" (January 3, 2024).

2023

• Marc Rivers, "The obsession with demonic possession on screen," NPR (December 23, 2023).

• "The Exorcist Effect parts I&II," MonsterTalk S03E10-11 (December 3-10, 2023).

• Michael O'Laughlin, "Keeping an eye on the devil: How should today’s Catholics think about the prince of darkness?," America: The Jesuit Review (October 12, 2023).  

• Helen Lewis, "A Satanic Rebellion: Social Justice Collides with the Satanic Temple," The Atlantic (October 1, 2023).

• "Donjons & Dragons : dans la « panique morale » des années 1980, les ferments de QAnon," Le Monde  (August 3, 2023).

• "Panic Attack Part 1: How the Satanic Panic of the 1980s Made Us Monstrous with Joseph Laycock," Beast & Bible podcast (July 10, 2023).

• "Truth is on the chopping block.  But why?" DailyKos (July 3, 2023).

• Pam Belluck, "Religious Freedom Arguments Underpin Wave of Challenges to Abortion Bans," New York Times (June 28, 2023).

• "Dangerous Games (with Joseph Laycock) Ep.60", The Grognard Files (February 28, 2023).

• "Atlantis and the Apocalypse: The World of Fringe Archaeology," CBC Radio (February 24, 2023).

2022

• Danae King, "The Catholic church still practices exorcism. 7 things to know about the ancient practice," The Columbus Dispatch (October 28, 2022).

• Sarah Lemire, "Are Vampires Real? Facts, History and Where to Find Them," Yahoo.com (October 26, 2022).

• Mary Hynes, "How religion helped shape Dungeons & Dragons," Tapestry, CBC Radio (October 24, 2022).

• "#16 Dr. Joseph Laycock," ParaPeculiar Podcast (October 6, 2022).

• Rohan Salmond, "How Harry Potter and Dungeons and Dragons brought 'satanic panic' into the suburbs," Soul Search (October 1, 2022).

• Ethan Doyle White, "MODERN VAMPIRES, BAYSIDER CATHOLICS, D&D, AND THE SATANIC TEMPLE An Interview with Professor Joseph P. Laycock," World Religion and Spirituality Project (August 13, 2022).

• Thad Moore, "Return of the Lizard Man: Bishopville’s journey to reclaim a South Carolina monster," The Post and Courier (July 28, 2022).

• Erica Hernandez, "Man who accused father of sex assault, satanic worship now seeks his exoneration 30 years later," KSAT.com (June 17, 2022).

• "The road to sainthood: who’s on it and how did they get there?" The Colin McEnroe Show (March 31, 2022).

• John Fea, "The Penguin Book of Exorcisms," Current (March 22, 2022).

• James Butler, "Thou Foul Serpent!," London Review of Books 44: 5 (March 10, 2022).

• Carsen Holaday, "SASQUATCH SIGHTING I found mysterious 14inch long footprints in the woods after hearing screams – I’m convinced it’s proof of ‘Big Foot’," The Sun (March 9, 2022).

• Bill Kirby, "Monday Mystery: What stalked the woods and left large footprints in 1977?," Augusta Chronicle (March 7, 2022).

• Tressie McMillan Cottom, "Crypto and the Power of Folk Economics," The New York Times (February 7, 2022).

• Charlotte Kilpatrick, "The Satanic Temple is fighting for abortion rights in Texas," The New Statesman (January 5, 2022).

2021

• Diana Kruzman, "How Ohio's Indigenous Sacred Sites Became a Religious Flashpoint," Religion News Service (December 21, 2001).

• "Episode 23: Exorcism and Religious Studies with Joseph Laycock," Big Ideas TXST (December 6, 2021).

• Azi Paybarah and Isabelle Niu, "China’s Latest Craze: Scripted Murders, With Real Tears and Piracy," The New York Times (October 16, 2021).

• "When Harvard Held a Black Mass," SpookyEvenings (October 6, 2021).

• Joshua Bote, "A little-known Satanic rally, held in '80s San Francisco, foretold 2021's obsession with conspiracy." SFGate (July 26, 2021).

• New Books in Secularism, "Dangerous Games," (July 26, 2021).

• WGVU News, "Dr. Laycock--The Satanic Temple pt. II" (June 14, 2021).

• WGVU News "Dr. Laycock--The Satanic Temple" (June 7, 2021).

• Religion, Race, and Democracy Lab, University of Virginia, "The Devil's Advocates," Sacred and Profane Se3, ep. 3 (June 6, 2021).

• Kevin Dolack, "'I Was Doing Something To Appease The Devil': The 'Son Of Sam' Killings And The Satanic Panic," Oxygen.com (May 7, 2021).

• Molly Olmstead, "The Wisconsin Priest Performing Exorcisms Against Election Fraud," Slate (January 28, 2021).

• Hard to Believe, "Episode 22 - Speak of the Devil with Joseph Laycock," (January 10, 2021).

2020

• The Vampire Historian, "Interview with Joseph Laycock" (October 31, 2020).

• Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, "Ep. 259: Joseph Laycock" (October 29, 2020).

• The Jenny McCarthy Show  "The Penguin Book of Exorcisms" (October 27, 2020).

• Emily Alford, "Thank the Satanic Panic for Beetlejuice, The Addams Family, and the Golden Age of Creepy Kids' Shit," Jezebel  (October 27, 2020).

• WGN Radio (Chicago) "Pinch Hitters: Exploring exorcisms with professor Joseph Laycock and his 'Penguin Book of Exorcisms'" (October 2, 2020).

• The Paranormal Podcast, "E654: Exorcism and Possession," (September 22, 2020).

• Radio Canada, "Dérive: Le Rituel de Sudation," (September 15, 2020).

• Coast to Coast AM, "Exorcism Across Cultures" (September 7, 2020).

• Will Pieschel, "Plague Comforts: Dungeons & Dragons Is the Real World Now," Mother Jones (August 28, 2020).

• Jon Glover, "This Is Not a Game: Conspiracy theorizing as alternate-reality game," Real Life  (July 23, 2020).

• The UnXplained, "S2 E7: Vampires and Werewolves," (April 18, 2020).

2019

• Jean Hopfensperger, "Exorcisms make a 21st century comeback in Minnesota, U.S.," The Minneapolis Star (November 11, 2019).

• Mysteries Decoded, "S1 E8: Vampires of New Orleans," (October 31, 2019).

• Becky Garrison, "Will the US Naval Academy Grant The Satanic Temple Equal Rites?," Religion Dispatches (October 28, 2019).

• Ranger College, Stephenville Fright Fest, (October 25-26, 2019).

• Erica Evans, "Sundance is showing a film about Satanists. What does it have to do with religious liberty?" Deseret News (January 30, 2019).

2018

• Henry Zebrowksi and Ben Kissel, "Possession 101: An Interview with Joseph Laycock," The Last Podcast on the Left (December 19, 2018).

• Jack Matircko, Naked Dinner, ep. 128 (November 12, 2018).

• Nathan Dickey, "The Satanic Panic, Fantasy Games, and Religion (w/ Joseph Laycock, PhD)," A Leap of Doubt #32 (October 31, 2018).

• Susan Hogan, "Pray and Pray Hard: When 100,000 waited to see the Virgin Mary on a Wisconsin Farm," The Washington Post (August 27, 2018).

• Olivia Aldridge, "30 Years Later, the the Legend of the Lizard Man Lives on in Bishopville," South Carolina Public Radio (June 16, 2018).

• Livia Gershon, "How America Embraced Yoga," JSTORDaily (March 14, 2018).

• "Alien Intrusion and the Ultraterrestrial Hypnothesis," Monstertalk ep 147 (January 17, 2018).

2017

• Jack Matirko, "Satanism and Forbidden Knowledge," For Infernal Use Only (December 13, 2017).

• The Trail of Dracula (October 20, 2017).

• Eric Harrelson, "The Intertwined Web of Religious Cults and Satanic Panic in American Pop Culture," Otherworldsaustin.com (October 14, 2017).

• Sharon A. Hill, "The case of the hairy arm that didn’t actually reach into the car," sharonahill.com (September 15, 2017).

• Gwynne Watkins, "The Religion of 'Star Wars': Why People of All Faiths Embrace the Force," Yahoo News (May 25, 2017).

• Radio Wolfgang, "The Exorgasm" (February 20, 2017).

2016

• "Demon Possession and Exorcism" Coast to Coast AM (2016)

• "A Ouija Board Expert Explains How the Fun Loving Family Game Became a Horror Movie Staple," Yahoo News (October 25, 2016).

• "Why the Growing Belief in UFOs?"  The Matt Townsend Show (August 5, 2016).

• "Exorcism is making a comeback — and big news — worldwide," News.com.au (March 30, 2016).

• "Dungeons and Dragons is a lot like Religion." Wired.com (January 16, 2016).

2015

• "Teaching Islam In Public Schools: Why Fear Of Religious Education Underscores The Need For It," International Business Times (November 6, 2015).

• "Dracula on the Couch: The Psychiatry of Vampires," Psychology Today (October 29, 2015).

• "The Necronomicon and the Misappropriation of Ancient Texts," Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (October 27, 2015).

• "Meet The New-Age Vampires - They Call Themselves Sanguinarians And 'Need' To Drink Human Blood," India Times (October 24, 2015).

• "The People Who Drink Human Blood," BBC.com (October 22, 2015).

• "New Study Confirms Existence of Real Life Vampires," Men's Health (October 9, 2015).

• "Public schools shouldn’t preach. But they should teach kids about religion," Washington Post (September 8, 2015).

• "Make a Religion Check," BLVSinger Blog (August 4, 2015).

• "Real-Life Vampires: We ‘Feed’ During Sex," The Daily Beast (August 4, 2015).

• "Review: The Seer of Bayside," American Religious History Blog (July 31, 2015).

• "Is 'vampire' a genuine identity? A look at the surprising world of 'alternate identities'," Christian Science Monitor (July 9, 2015).

• LA Review of Books, Marginalia: Dangerous Games (June 23, 2015).

• "When Fandom Goes Wrong: The Dark Tale of the 'Final Fantasy VII' House," Vice (June 18, 2015).

• "Review: The Seer of Bayside," TheMacinator Blog (June 7, 2015).

• "Back to the 80s Because We Never Left them," Slacktivist Blog (May 28, 2015).

• "Review: Dangerous Games," Times Higher Education (May 14, 2015).

• "TEXAS PROFESSOR SAYS WORLD RELIGION NEEDS TO BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOL," World Religion News (April 20, 2015).

• "This professor makes a case for religious education in school," Deseret News (April 15, 2015).

• Blake Smith, "Satanic Ritual Abuse," Skeptoid Podcast (April 14, 2015).

• "Review: The Seer of Bayside," Times Higher Education (April 2, 2015).

• "The Battle of Bayside, Queens: A Q&A," Oxford University Press Blog (March 29, 2015).

• "Review: Dangerous Games," The Chronicle of Higher Education Weekly Book List (March 27, 2015).

• "My Childhood Hobby was Satanic, or so they told me," Religion Dispatches (March 26, 2015).

• "El D20abl0––The Satanic Panic and Role-Playing Games," MonsterTalk (March 24, 2015).

• "From the Virgin Mary to a Housewife in Queens: Inside The Seer of Bayside." Religion Dispatches (January 26, 2015).

• New Books in Religion: The Seer of Bayside (January 19, 2015).

2014

• "Review: The Seer of Bayside," The New Yorker (December 15, 2014).

• "Review: The Seer of Bayside," Library Journal (December 15, 2014).

• "Kristian Petersen talks with Joseph Laycock, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Texas State University, about approaching the  paranormal within Religious Studies." LA Review of Books, Marginalia: Directions in the Study of Religion (December 9, 2014).

• "What can you learn about The Seer of Bayside just from reading page 99?" The Page 99 Test (November 19, 2014).

• "Review: The Seer of Bayside," First Things (September 8, 2014).

• with Natasha L. Mikles, "Slenderman and Tulpas," MonsterTalk (August 3, 2014).

• Audio interview about Harvard's "black mass., "State of Belief (May 15, 2014).

2012

• Jason Pitzl-Waters, "Those Dark Satanic Mills: The Moral Panic that Won't Die," The Wild Hunt (August 4, 2012).

• "Looking for Unicorns," The Chronicle of Higher Education (February 16, 2012).

2011

• John W. Morehead, "Mysticism, Paranormal, and the Super-Story," Take & Read (November 7, 2011).

• "An Interview with Joe Laycock on Real Life Vampires," Top Secret Writers (2011).

2010

• "Christ's evil twin? The vampire's religious roots," Salt Lake Tribune (Nov 5, 2010).

• "Vampires 101," Tufts Journal (Oct 18, 2010).

• The Real Vampire Files (September 7, 2010).

• "Vampires!" Whitley Strieber's Dreamland (July 10, 2010).

• "At Twilight, Interview with a Vampire … Expert." BU Today (2010) 

• "Modern Vampires: Your Neighbors and Spouses." Religion Dispatches (April 12, 2010).

2009

• "Marketers Sink Teeth Into New Moon," NPR (November 17, 2009).

• "Vampires seek tolerance, understanding from others," Atlanta Journal Constitution (November 16, 2009).

• "Vampire mania: Thousands throughout world proclaim themselves vampires," Monterey Herald (November 13, 2009).

• "Real-life vampires come out of the Twilight zone," Sydney Morning Herald (November 13, 2009).

• "Real Life Vampire Come Out of the Twilight Zone," The Age (November 13, 2009).

• "The De-Evilution of the Vampire," Ocala Star (October 27, 2009).

• KAPS Paranormal Radio (October 11, 2009).

• Nightwatch Paranormal Radio (October 6, 2009).

• "Vampires Today" Theofantastique (August 25, 2009).

• "Exclusive Interview with Joseph Laycock, author of Vampires Today." Vampire Film Festival (2009).

2008

• Self-Described Vampires Come Out of the Dark to See 'Twilight," Washington Post (November 24, 2008).