Wondery Presents: The Apology Line

The Conspirators Podcast

History, Society & Culture

4.8 • 1.2K 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 http://wondery.fm/AL_TheConspirators Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Wonder's new true crime podcast, The Apology Line, begins with Alan Bridge, posting flyers around New York City asking people to anonymously apologize for their crimes.
0:09.0	Not to God, not to the police, but to his answering machine.
0:14.0	Within hours the calls started coming in.
0:17.0	People apologizing for stealing, infidelity, lying, and even murder.
0:23.1	Alan got dozens of calls from people claiming to be murderers but one man stood out,
0:27.8	Ritchie.
0:28.8	He was deliberate, measured, and his calls would leave thousands wondering if he really was the Syria killer he claimed to be.
0:37.2	That is until Ritchie offered to provide proof of his crimes.
0:41.2	I'm about to play you a preview of the apology line, but while you're listening, make sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts.
0:47.0	Or you can listen early and add free by joining Wundery Plus in the Wundery App.
0:51.0	Wondery. Wundery.
0:53.0	Deal the story.
0:54.0	The following contains descriptions of violence, including sexual violence,
0:58.0	and may not be suitable for all listeners.
1:00.0	Please be advised. It was early 1981, and I was with a group of friends at a loft in New York City.
1:12.0	It was a dinner party with I think about... group of friends at a loft in New York City.
1:12.6	It was a dinner party with, I think, about six,
1:15.8	maybe eight of us around the big table.
1:19.0	Doug Welch was there, too.
1:21.1	Through the huge windows, we could see the lights of the Empire State Building.
1:25.4	Rosary candles flickered on a curved bookcase that separated the living room from the bedroom.
1:30.6	These gatherings always went late. We were all artists, so we talked about our work,
	...

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