Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of the many facets of Fool Killer lore. FOR PART ONE, INCLUDING THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT IN THE 1850s, CLICK HERE.
PART 79 – As always, it’s fascinating to read the over 100-year-old opinions of James Larkin Pearson (and by extension his Fool Killer), including the opinions that one doesn’t agree with. Here are some of the Fool Killer’s targets in November 1915.
*** Christians who called for America to enter the World War on the side of the Allied Powers, depicting them as pious hypocrites who wanted to go to war for the benefit of the wealthy and powerful.
*** President Woodrow Wilson, depicting him as neglecting all national problems while paying far more attention to his romance with Edith Bolling Galt, like himself widowed. The two would marry in December 1915.
*** Tycoon – or plutocrat as Pearson and his Fool Killer called the wealthy – John D. Rockefeller II, who assumed the reins of his father’s corporate empire. “Johndee the 2nd” was depicted using phony charm in contrast to the open contempt that his father had shown to the working class. They especially targeted John II’s P.R. stunt of visiting miners for some photo opportunities.
*** Imperial Japan for intimidating and browbeating China.
*** People who opposed voting rights for women.
*** The Anglo-French Committee, who came to America wanting a Half-Billion-Dollar loan to keep fighting the war. Continue reading
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER ONE – In NCAA Division Three the number 2 WHEATON COLLEGE THUNDER (John Belushi’s alma mater) visited the top ranked NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE CARDINALS. Defense dominated the 1st Half as a Thunder Safety was the only score. The Cardinals went up 3-2 in the 3rd Quarter, but Wheaton College won out in the 4th 13-10. 
TOPPLING NUMBER THREE – Up in the NAIA the 10th ranked MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS hosted the number 3 team in the country – the INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS. The Knights put Indiana Wesleyan on Upset Alert with their 17-14 edge at Halftime. Going into the 4th Quarter Marian University led 24-21 and held on for a 30-28 victory. 
MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS Vol 1 #28 (Feb 1942) 
COLMA, CALIFORNIA – It’s called the City of the Dead, the City that Always Sleeps, etc. There are roughly one point five million people buried in the many cemeteries which make up Colma. 
Colma is near San Francisco. Fresh graves in San Francisco cemeteries in the 1800s expanded those graveyards so much that around the turn of the century the city banned any additional cemetery space. The overflow began filling what is now Colma. 
Okay, so it wasn’t an actual crossover, but Balladeer’s Blog still finds it pretty hilarious. Back in 2012, the Icelandic television station Channel Two aired an episode of the children’s show Teletubbies but accidentally attached the subtitles track from an episode of the adult-oriented, swearing and violence driven gangster series The Sopranos. 
And ... 
As Halloween Month rolls along, I will take a movie-by-movie look at the opening season of Elvira’s show Movie Macabre (1981-1986). Her massive success kicked off an even greater proliferation of Movie Hosts and Hostesses in the 1980s. I covered 
GRAVE OF THE VAMPIRE (1972) – Psychotronic icons Michael Pataki and William Smith starred in this twisted flick about a vampire (Pataki) who rapes a woman (Lyn Peters) who subsequently gives birth to an abnormal infant. The baby will drink only blood and grows up to be James Eastman (Smith). James goes on a quest to kill his father for the pain he brought into his mother’s life. Ultimately he does, but becomes a full vampire himself. (Just go with it.) Aired Sep 26th, 1981.
THE ROOM IN THE TOWER (1912) – This story was written by E.F. Benson. The British narrator has a recurring nightmare in which he visits his friend John Clinton at his family manor. The other family members, including his mother Mrs. Stone, are cold and grim toward him. 
