Wondery Presents The Apology Line

Hillbilly Horror Stories Paranormal Podcast

Jerry Paulley

Religion & Spirituality, Science, Natural Sciences, History

4.7 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 19 January 2021

⏱️ 7 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

If you could call a number and say you’re sorry, and no one would know…what would you apologize for? For fifteen years, you could call a number in Manhattan and do just that. This is the story of the line, and the man at the other end who became consumed by his own creation. He was known as “Mr. Apology.” As thousands of callers flooded the line, confessing to everything from shoplifting to infidelity, drug dealing to murder, Mr. Apology realized he couldn’t just listen. He had to do something, even if it meant risking everything. From Wondery the makers of Dr. Death and The Shrink Next Door, comes a story about empathy, deception and obsession. Marissa Bridge, who knew Mr. Apology better than anyone, hosts this six episode series.

Listen today at wondery.fm/AL_HillbillyHorror

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hey guys, it's Jerry here with Hillbilly Horror Stories, and our friends over at Wondry have done it again.
0:06.1	And I've got a little sneak preview of their new podcast for you to check out.
0:10.1	Wondry's new true crime podcast, The Apology Line, begins with Allen Bridge posting flyers around New York City, asking people to anonymously apologize for their crimes.
0:20.0	Not to God, not to the police, but to his
0:23.6	answering machine. Within hours, the calls start coming in. People apologizing for stealing,
0:29.3	infidelity, lying, and even murder. Alan got dozens of calls from people claiming to be
0:34.8	murderers, but one man stood out, Richie. He was deliberate,
0:39.7	measured, and his calls would leave thousands wondering if he really was the serial killer
0:44.5	he claimed to be. That is, until Richie offered to provide proof of his crimes. I'm about to
0:50.5	play for your preview of the apology line, but while you're listening, make sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, or you can listen early and add free by joining Wondry Plus in the Wondry app.
1:01.0	Wondry, fill the story.
1:02.9	The following contains descriptions of violence, including sexual violence, and may not be suitable for all listeners.
1:09.4	Please be advised.
1:21.3	It was early 1981, and I was with a group of friends at a loft in New York City.
1:28.3	It was a dinner party with, I think, about six, maybe eight of us around the big table. Doug Welch was there too.
1:30.3	Through the huge windows, we could see the lights of the Empire State Building.
1:34.3	Rosary candles flickered on a curved bookcase that separated the living room from the bedroom.
1:39.3	These gatherings always went late.
1:42.3	We were all artists, so we talked about our work, politics, and how
1:46.6	we were surviving in the city. The host was a man named Alan. Toward the end of the dinner,
1:52.6	as it was wrapping up, Alan just sort of casually said, would anyone like to hear the latest
1:59.4	that came in today from Apology?
	...

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