Meet Tarrare, the man whose endless appetite turned him into a walking legend—and a living nightmare for everyone around him.
*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*
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IN THIS EPISODE: Tarrare, an 18th-century French showman, could eat enough to feed 15 people and swallow cats whole — but his stomach was never satisfied, even to the point, he was rumored, to consume human flesh. (Tarrare, The Insatiable Glutton) *** A sickly-sweet smell and then burning sensations, nausea, and partial paralysis. It began with one, then many in a small town in Illinois. It was a gas attack – but who was the culprit? Or even stranger – was it in everyone’s imaginations? (Who Was The Mad Gasser of Mattoon?) *** A baby begins screaming when her mother moves them into a new apartment. (Mother’s Helper) *** “Momo” may sound like a funny name – but it was no laughing matter to Missouri residents trying to track down the huge, black, hairy monster. (The Missouri Monster) *** A veteran claims a pastor was an alien involved in a conspiracy here on Earth, with members of congress, to enslave all humans – and that’s why he shot him in the head. (Aliens and Attempted Murder) *** Attention in Puerto Rico has recently turned to a recurring horror – a real life gargoyle attacking and sucking the blood from their chickens. (The Gargoyle of Puerto Rico) *** A hunter suddenly became the hunted of a mysterious creature in Wyoming. (I Faced A Wendigo) *** A man and his family experience strange and terrifying events in their home located next to a meteor crater. (I’ve Never Told My Story) *** Part bat. Part bigfoot. What has been unfortunately named “Batsquatch” sounds like a B-list villain in a DC comic taking on the Caped Crusader, but for some who live in Washington state near Mt. St. Helens, it’s not imaginary at all. (Bizarre Encounters With Batsquatch) *** If you mention gnomes to someone, most think of those tiny ceramic or concrete figurines people place in gardens or on their front doorstep to greet visitors. But in a certain portion of England, if you mention gnomes – you get the real thing. (The Mysterious Gnomes of Wollaton Park) *** We go back to a normal, sunny Tuesday morning in 2001 – when the world changed forever after a terrorist attack on the U.S., left families in despair, a country in fear, and spirits of those lost still wandering ground zero to this day. (The Ghosts of 9-11)
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding
00:01:42.348 = Show Open
00:04:49.156 = Tarrare, The Insatiable Glutton
00:14:15.859 = The Gargoyle of Puerto Rico
00:18:40.965 = Mother’s Helper
00:20:52.942 = The Missouri Monsters ***
00:32:02.097 = I Faced a Wendigo
00:37:55.963 = Who Was The Mad Gasser of Mattoon ***
00:44:12.232 = Aliens And Attempted Murder
00:49:14.766 = The Ghosts of 9-11
01:00:22.918 = The Mysterious Gnomes of Wollaton Park
01:10:05.817 = I’ve Never Told My Story ***
01:39:09.739 = Bizarre Encounters With The Batsquatch ***
01:53:06.854 = Show Close
01:55:12.239 = Batsquatch Song*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
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SOURCES and RESOURCES:“Who Was The Mad Gasser of Mattoon” by Doug MacGowan for Historic Mysteries: https://tinyurl.com/tgrhkfz
“Aliens and Attempted Murder” posted at Aliens UFO Sightings: https://tinyurl.com/w55wfab
“Mother’s Helper” by an unknown author, originally posted at GhostsNGhouls.com: (website no longer exists)
“Tarrare, The Insatiable Glutton” by Mark Oliver for All That’s Interesting: https://tinyurl.com/yjcnulhr
“The Missouri Monster” by Troy Taylor: https://tinyurl.com/usyejwz
“I Faced A Wendigo” by Artesthesia, posted at YourGhostStories.com: https://tinyurl.com/ulurwdl
“The Gargoyle of Puerto Rico” by Paul Seaburn for Mysterious Universe: https://tinyurl.com/y9xw7n3y
“The Ghosts of 9-11” by Charlotte Ikonen for the UK’s “Daily Star”: https://tinyurl.com/wby285j
“The Mysterious Gnomes of Wollaton Park” by Brent Swancer for Mysterious Universe: https://tinyurl.com/t7bsg4f
“I’ve Never Told My Story” by John Smoker, submitted directly to Weird Darkness.com
“Bizarre Encounters With The Batsquatch” by Brent Swancer for Mysterious Universe: https://tinyurl.com/ww4qlcf=====
(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.)
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"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
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Originally aired: September 10, 2018
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/tarrare
ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: #WeirdDarkness 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.