In the early 18th century, a mysterious man arrived in London claiming to be the first native of Formosa (now Taiwan) to ever visit Europe. He spoke a bizarre, invented language, ate raw meat with strange spices, and detailed horrifying cultural rituals—including human sacrifice and cannibalism. He completely captivated British high society, Oxford scholars, and the Church of England. There was only one problem: he was entirely European, and the island he described was a complete fabrication. ​In this mesmerizing episode of The Dark Show Horror, your host Ben Comore uncovers the unsettling history of George Psalmanazar, The Man From Formosa. We dive deep into one of the greatest psychological and historical deceptions in human history. How did a Frenchman successfully rewrite the geography, language, and religious horrors of a foreign land to trick the greatest minds of the Enlightenment? And what drove a man to live a complete lie wrapped in tales of blood and sacrifice? ​Inside This Episode:

• ​The Arrival of the Stranger: How Psalmanazar constructed his bizarre alien persona to charm London's elite.
• ​The Book of Lies: A look into his infamous 1704 book detailing the fictional, violent rituals of Formosa.
• ​The Dark Metamorphosis: How the forgery was eventually exposed and the psychological fallout that followed.
• ​Horror in Deception: The darker side of historical gaslighting and the power of mass manipulation.

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Host Note:

• "The terrifying truth about monsters is that they don't always hide in the dark. Sometimes, they look just like us, speaking a language we want to believe." —

Ben Comore

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Category:

• Horror History | Historical Impostors | Psychological Mysteries

Host:

• Ben Comore

Podcast:

• The Dark Show Horror