Robert The Doll’s Keeper Reveals The Truth - The Paranormal Podcast 905

The Paranormal Podcast

Jim Harold

Documentary, Society & Culture

4.5 • 4.9K Ratings

🗓️ 7 October 2025

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Is Robert the Doll really haunted, or something even stranger? This week on The Paranormal Podcast, Jim Harold welcomes David L. Sloan, the man who literally tends to Robert the Doll in Key West. As Robert’s longtime “doll tender,” David shares chilling firsthand encounters, new historical discoveries, and the mysterious energies surrounding the infamous artifact. OCTOBER SPECIAL: Get a 14 week free trial of Spooky Studio Plus on Apple Podcasts ONLY: Sign up on the Apple Podcasts app or go here: https://apple.co/spooky From his discovery of Robert’s origins to reports of people who mocked the doll and suffered strange consequences, Sloan reveals how Robert’s legend blends verifiable history with eerie modern experiences. You’ll hear about: -The real story behind the “permission curse” myth -Why Robert may contain multiple spirits or even a portal -The shocking experiences that nearly drove Sloan to quit paranormal research -How a trip to Germany connected Robert to ancient tree spirits and the Black Forest -What happened when famous YouTubers Sam & Colby challenged Robert Whether you think it’s folklore or genuine supernatural energy, this one will make you think twice before saying, “Robert, can I take your picture?” Learn more: https://hauntedkeywest.com David Sloan’s book: Robert the Doll: The True Biography of Key West’s Haunted Doll at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3KG8HQ0 Thanks David! --This post contains Amazon affiliate links that benefit Jim Harold Media when you make a qualifying purchase. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Say hello to the next generation of Zendesk AI agents, built to deliver resolutions for everyone.
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0:15.1	Robert the doll. We're going to talk to someone who probably knows him better than anybody.
0:20.5	Next on the paranormal podcast.
0:36.8	Welcome to the paranormal podcast. I am Jim Harold and so glad to be with you once again and we've got a great show for you today. You know, people are fascinated particularly this time of year by Robert the doll. You know, that doll down in Florida who's purported to be haunted and, you know, if you don't treat him right, bad things seem to happen.
0:59.1	Well, there's the legend, there's the lore, then there's the reality.
1:03.8	And I'm so glad that we have with us today, David L. Sloan, he is the doll tender, he says, of Robert the doll. David is an American author,
1:15.2	publisher, artist, and producer in Key West, Florida, best known for his books about the Florida Keys
1:20.3	and work in the paranormal field. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in Dallas.
1:26.0	He is named after his great, great, great grandfather,
1:29.1	whose union regiment was in charge of Key West during the Civil War. So it's kind of full circle for him.
1:34.8	He moved to Key West in 1996, and through his tours and events, David actively raises money for
1:40.6	local nonprofits. He is the president of DLS4 Productions Inc. He's also an author.
1:46.8	You see one of his books right there. Robert the doll, the true biography of Key West's Haunted
1:52.1	doll. And David, thank you for joining us. And before we start, because I know anybody watching
1:57.2	on video is going to wonder, there's somebody behind you. So is that the one
2:02.8	and only? The other shoulder. So is that the one and only Robert the doll? Who is that
2:10.2	behind you? That is not Robert the doll. But there's an interesting story. I call that Abbey the
2:15.3	doll. Last year, Robert the doll and I were the Grand
2:19.7	Marshals for the Fantasy Fest parade in Key West. And that's kind of like the Mardi Gras down there.
2:25.3	And of course, the museum takes care of the artifact and they're not going to let the real Robert
	...

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