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D&D, Satanic Panic & The Untold Origins of Geek Culture
Manage episode 492993649 series 3675999
Original Geek Origins: D&D, Satanic Panic, and Growing Up Nerdy
Before geeks ruled pop culture, we were the weird kids in the basement rolling dice—and getting blamed for Satanism. We go back to the roots of geekdom with Dungeons & Dragons, Atari, comic shops, and the culture wars that made being a nerd a liability. This is the untold origin story of Original Geek.
In Episode 1 of Original Geek, Steve Scarfo and Jeff Shaw roll back time to explore the secret lives of Gen X geeks who survived the satanic panic, comic book bans, and parental paranoia—all for the love of Dungeons & Dragons.
🎲 Was D&D really satanic?
📼 What was it like to roll dice in hiding?
🧙♂️ Why did comic books and RPGs feel like contraband in the ‘80s?
From underground campaigns and Monster Manual shame to Dragon Magazine hacks and awkward multi-class geek identities—we go deep into what it meant to be an Original Geek.
Whether you’re a lifelong DM or a recovering stealth geek, this episode is a celebration of resilience, imagination, and the roots of modern fandom.
🗣 Got a geek confession or D&D war story? Hit us up at [email protected] or visit OriginalGeekPodcast.com
#OriginalGeek #DnDPodcast #SatanicPanic #GeekCulture #GenXGeek #DungeonsAndDragons #DragonMagazine #CriticalRole #StrangerThings #NerdHumor #BasementTreasure #RollForInitiative #RetroRPG
Welcome to Original Geek—the podcast for anyone who rolled their first d20 on shag carpet, waited hours for a comic book JPEG to load on dial-up, and wore the label “geek” back when it got you mocked, not monetized.
Hosted by stand-up comic Steve Scarfo and Forever DM Jeff Shaw, we dive deep into what it meant to be a geek in the '70s and '80s—and how that underground culture became the mainstream multiverse we live in today.
🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, comic book chaos, geek court debates, and critical hits from your childhood basement.
👾 Follow us @OriginalGeekPodcast on socials and visit OriginalGeekPodcast.com for merch, extras, and to send us your own geeky tales.
If you ever hid a Monster Manual like it was porn, you’re not alone. You’re an Original Geek. Welcome home.
Chapters
1. Intro Theme (00:00:00)
2. Welcome to the Show (00:00:19)
3. Todays Topic: Dungeons & Dragons & an Introduction (00:00:49)
4. Geek Flashback (00:10:32)
5. Geek Court (00:18:46)
6. Basement Treasures (00:25:04)
7. Geek Evolution (00:31:27)
8. Geek Rant (00:37:44)
9. Critical Hits & Epic Fails (00:42:30)
10. Ask an O.G. (00:48:43)
11. Outro (00:50:05)
9 episodes
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