Exposing Satan's Underground

'The Geraldo Rivera Specials'

NBC / October 25th, 1989 c.e. / 2 Hours
Guests: Zeena LaVey {pre-estrangement}, Michael Aquino, Fr. James LeBarr {Catholic Priest & "Exorcist"}, Ted Gunderson {Retired FBI agent}, King Diamond, Ozzy Osbourne, Sean Sellers {convicted devil-worshipping murderer turned Christian}, Pete Roland, Tom Wedge {author of 'The Satan Hunter'}, Maury Terry {author of 'The Ultimate Evil'}.

First off, a dire WARNING arrays the screen.

... "this program deals with devil-worship & Satanism... occult practices... parental discretion is advised... "

So right away, this assures that all eyes are glued. Like those stimulating "warning labels" on CD's. Indeed, the 80's Satanophobic hysteria culminated with this program. Speakers explode with "Looks That Kill" from Motley Crue's "Shout At The Devil" album.

From out of mist, a nebulous pentagram forms on the screen, cracked soil reveals layers of molten colors beneath. In a trumpet-laden fanfare, the words, "Exposing Satan's Underground" form. Looking closer, however, one notices that this is a reversed Baphomet, Geraldo's attempt at blaspheming the Satanic Religion, no doubt. Either that, or someone on staff was really stupid, not able to recognize the head of the Goat of Mendes within the pentagram. Whether human error or out of antgonism, the attempts are pathetic.

As always, Rivera's introductions are dramatic, & often misinformed. Perhaps not wanting to compromise the shock effect for factual accuracy. We wouldn't want to have actual Journalism, now would we?

Rivera does not much better in this presentation as he did with his attempted unearthment of Al Capone's "Vaults", which turned out to be a resounding embarrassment. He only succeeds in granting air-time to those who truly recognize what true Satanism is all about. I must say, for one rejected & dejected from The Church of Satan, Aquino had his facts straight on this one.

Zeena spoke little, barely outlining the basics, but the manner in which she was dressed, she was the personafication of The Satanic Witch. She no doubt caused many E.C.I.'s that night!

The especially produced segments were obviously designed as nerve-tappers, antagonizing the alreadly unstable perceptions of the audience members, & the millions of viewers experiencing eustress at home. This was better than any horror-movie. Here, you had real practitioners. A Setian & a.....Satanist? Two distinct species, of course.

What was the audience expecting? What Rivera attempted to portray. That is, blood & guts rituals. Instead, Zeena & Aquino presented a codified philosophy devoid of the expected trappings. As a matter of fact, Aquino sounded more like a spokesperson for the Church than he did for his own temple.

So, there were the ubiquitous heavy metal groups, using theatrics to push their image & sell records, & the pathetic losers carving into themselves, with lopsided tatoos & high on drugs.

A King Diamond interview & performance was briefly shown, but Rivera cut it short to deliver his predictable low-blows & defametory comments. Twisting the words of anyone who deviated from the horror image that sells good copy.

Others portrayed & mentioned were Motley Crue, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, W.A.S.P. {"We Are Sexual Perverts", "Worship At Satan's Palace" what have you}, AC/DC {"Antichrist / Devil's Children", blah blah blah; & Richard Ramirez's influence from this band that contributed to his murders}, Slayer, Ozzy, & Venom - none of them Satanists.
He quoted from Venom's "Possessed" album:

"I drink the vomit of the priests, make love to the dying whore.....I spit at the virgin you worship, & sit at Lord Satan's left hand."

Album covers assaulted the screen, horror art flashed, accompanied by the hard-driving strains of guitars & the pounding of furious drums. All this was to get the audience going. When their gaze was sufficiently arrested, the "interviews", or shall we say, accusations began. Ozzy was live from England, speaking in his customary drawl, with a lovely backdrop of the London skyline. Rivera disallowed for guests to fully explain their views, however, cutting them short & interrupting rudely.

Again & again, Rivera attempted to bait the panel into revealing some diabolical secret, some confession of sinister deeds. He was visibly frustrated when his attempts were thwarted at every turn. It was obvious he knew of the contention between Aquino & LaVey, as he mentioned "written by Zeena's father", this & that by Zeena's father. Aquino looked disturbed, fluttering his eyes throughout the show.

He also poked & prodded with questions about Aquino's involvement in child molestation at the Presidio Army Base where he was stationed, where these acts allegedly occured. For the record, Aquino was vindicated of those charges. More details of this case can be found in Carl Raschke's book, "Painted Black."

In the second hour, scenes from 'Satanis' were displayed, & a scene from LaVey on the Johnny Carson Show, stating, "Satanists are responsible people, moral people... Satanists come from every walk of life" & "We believe hate is neccessary just as much as love is necessary". Well, which did you think Rivera focused on? Not the balanced natural emotions We Satanists express, no, but the criminalities of those in no way connected with us. Among the mighty sounds of "Hail Satan!" Rivera stated "Hail a belief-system dedicated to hate & cruelty...", with scenes of mutilated corpses intermingled with scenes from LaVey performing a Satanic Wedding. This was the undercurrent the whole program long. Ignorantly lumping the activities of murderers using Satanism as an excuse for their homicidal proclivities, with the officially recognized institution of The Church of Satan. It was infuriating & disgusting.

Rivera was just promoting his ratings, irrespective of those who actually practice Sorcery - alluding, manipulating, presuming.

Some convicted idiot named Charles Yervais, or whatever, attempted to parrot Aquino as Aquino parroted LaVey. Yervais had murdered someone to receive the power of "10,000 souls in Hell." When asked if he used Satanism to receive a life-sentence instead of the death penalty, he answered "Yes".

Sean Sellers was live from Oklahoma State Prison, sitting next to Tom Wedge, author of "The Satan Hunter", another sensationalistic tome who "evidence" of "satanic crime" was entirely based upon the immature & drunken exploits of rebellios teenagers & new-age occultniks. He & Sellers told the story of Sellers killing a convenience store clerk, then his mother & step-father, after "worshipping" at the altar, all in order to break all "Ten Commandments", the last, being murder. Black Sheep alert!

Then there was the story of Tommy Sullivan, a troubled & parentally-harassed teenager who wrote a pact with "Satan", that he would appease the dark & hoary Lord of the Underworld by "sacrificing" his own mother & then committing suicide. All of which he did - with his boyscout knife, no less!

Another young incarcerated killer, Pete Roland, was interviewed by Rivera in prison, who quoted some lyrics from a Slayer song {"...ripping apart, severing flesh, gouging eyes, tearing limb from limb...!"}, & blaming Heavy Metal music & 'the Devil' with influencing him & his cohorts into killing Steve Newberry, the school fool, by coaxing him into the woods, then ganging up on him with baseball bats. When the victim asked "Why?" The answer was, "Because it's fun, Steve." Some of Roland's notebook scribbles were shown, including a dualistic depiction of "good" & "evil" / "God" & "the Devil" / "Heaven" & "Hell". The typical christian mythological portrayals.

Also in the program, excerpts from Rivera's visit with Charles Manson at San Quentin Pentitentiary. This interview was originally aired in full on a previous 'Geraldo Rivera Special' called simply "Murder", with a graphic of the word imposed upon the image of the United States. Manson characteristically jumped & joked about flailing his arms & making faces - generally creating a theatre for his guests. He resembles an organ-grinders monkey during these performances. Still, he always manages to say that he is, after all, just "playing the game", acting as a mirror to society, reflecting the inner image of their fears. Apparently, this sits just fine with the media, as they are always assured of a good show. But are they playing him, or is he playing them?

Nicholas Schreck {Setian / Order of The Werewolf; & now husband to "un-daughter" Zeena Schreck} spoke briefly about his own meetings with the sinister gimp, stating his admiration for the man, & keeping a lock of his hair in a glass case, like some "holy relic," as Rivera described it.

Father James LeBarr of the Roman Catholic Church {who also appeared with Karla LaVey on "The Ron Reagan Show"} spoke a bit on his literal experiences as an 'exorcist', stating the usual "Satan is the father of lies" cant. He claimed that "the Church of Satan people" are redefining Satanism. Actually, we already have DEFINED Satanism. Better defined by actual Satanists, than propagandizing Christian novelists!

There were bloody scenes of Voodoo rituals, beheaded chickens & goats, & paranoid christians proclaiming their faith in "god", but still determined to keep a shotgun by their bedsides, in case those nasty cultists come around their fields to drain their animals of their vital organs & fluids. No mention of U.F.O.'s, as that was not the fad yet.

By far, the most disturbing stories related herein were those of the torture & abuse of children & animals at the hands of devil-worshippers, who are just nuts masquerading as religionists. The parents of the McMartin school children who were allegedly abused were interviewed, as well as "survivors" of S.R.A. {Satanic Ritual Abuse}, & there was some discussion about a "worldwide Satanic Conspiracy", which Ted Gunderson, a retired FBI official, actually supported, despite the FBI's findings that such groups in fact do not exist, & are ultimately, an urban legend. One woman was so far gone, she could only speak in childish sentences, relating a story about cultists "skinning babies", & such. I believe it's actually their Psychologists & Psychiatrists who should be sued, for insinuating such fabrications, & abusing their patients by interjecting such nightmarish scenarios.

Towards the end, Sean Sellers explained why it's okay to be considered a "jesus freak", & so forth. Finally, Rivera begins to barely scrape the surface, as he states, pointing to Zeena & Aquino, "THEY practice 'mysticism'", then "others practice EVIL in the Devil's name."

The program concludes with quotes from Pete Roland's mother, which may be the most poignant of the whole show, decrying Heavy Metal music for its "evil" influences, & giving advice to other parents whose children may be experimenting with 'The Occult'. {...ohhh, those 'poor kids' who can't think for themselves! - bad genes - stratification takes effect}, amidst a scene of the high fences & barbed wire of a prison.

This presentation is virtually impossible to find on video, or even in transcript form - I suppose you just had to be there.