Make Me A Nerd with Mandy Kaplan

Is "The Exorcist" just a scary movie, or is it a cultural artifact, a theological debate wrapped in celluloid? Mandy Kaplan confesses her way into the abyss with Lester Ryan Clark and Kynan Dias, the minds behind "The Exorcist Minute," a podcast dissecting the film minute by agonizing minute.

Why does the film open in Iraq? Is it a pro-Catholic screed, or something far more subversive? What does the film say about feminism? And what does it mean that the scariest voice in the movie comes from Mercedes McCambridge?

Prepare to have assumptions challenged as they unearth the hidden layers of a film that continues to haunt and fascinate decades after its release. Was Linda Blair robbed of an Oscar? Is Burke Dennings a secret gay icon? And could Captain Howdy be less interested in possessing a child and more in sowing discord maybe?

So join Mandy for an exploration of faith, fear, and the enduring power of a story that asks us to confront the darkness within ourselves... but you know... doing all that really nerdily.

Links & Notes

What is Make Me A Nerd with Mandy Kaplan?

Hey folks. Mandy Kaplan here. I’d like to share a bit about my intentions and mission for MMAN if you’ll indulge me. You will? Huzzah!

Look, I am a lot of things. I’m a writer, actress, mother, and lover of musicals and cats, but NOT Cats, The Musical. Give me a little bit of credit, would ya? So...throughout my life, I’ve been surrounded (and intrigued) by all things nerd. A sister who plays D&D, a Star Wars-obsessed husband, friends who love anime, comic books, video games, and...well, you get the picture. Somehow, I have always held it all at arm's length. Not to get too deep, but maybe I never thought I was smart enough to follow it. Or maybe I have control issues and have never been able to embrace fantastical things like dragons and time travel. Until now!

So, with an open mind and heart, I am ready to join this massive (and beautifully inclusive) club and GEEK THE #%$ OUT! It’s time for all my wonderfully strange friends to baptize me into NERD-DOM. Please join me on this journey. Who knows? Maybe you’ll discover or remember a side of yourself along the way. Or at least make fun of me as I try!