Voodoo intimidation from poppet dolls in the news.

🏈 The “Super Bowl Witch” & Patrick Mahomes

During Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans, a viral video captured a woman dressed in Eagles green repeatedly stabbing a tiny Patrick Mahomes voodoo doll while sitting inside the Caesars Superdome The Times of India+10Hindustan Times+10Facebook+10. Media chatter dubbed her the “Super Bowl Witch,” with some fans joking that her “black magic” derailed Mahomes’ performance—his QBR on that day dropped to one of the lowest of his career Hindustan Times+2VICE+2The Times of India+2. Reactions online ranged from playful—“Finally found something that works against the Chiefs!!”—to concerned commentary condemning the scene as “too creepy” Reddit+10indy100+10Hindustan Times+10.

🗣️ Public reaction highlights:

A user: “Finally found something that works against the Chiefs!!”
Another: “This is disturbing… too creepy for me” Facebook+2Hindustan Times+2Yahoo+2 indy100+1Hindustan Times+1.

🏡 Pine Lawn, Missouri: Real‑World Voodoo Threat

In February, a Missouri family living in Pine Lawn discovered a voodoo doll placed on their porch, surrounded by rat poison. This was just the start of a series of frightening events: their dog was poisoned, an explosive device damaged their home, and a car was set on fire YouTube+9https://www.firstalert4.com+9WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio+9. Terrified, the family now sleeps in shifts and plans to move for safety. Investigators confirm it’s an ongoing, high-priority case. WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio+2https://www.firstalert4.com+2https://www.kltv.com+2

😄 Reverse‑Voodoo: The “Lil’ Jalen” Phenomenon

On a lighter note, a woman nicknamed “Lil’ Jalen” went viral for her “reverse‑voodoo” supporting act—nursing a Jalen Brunson doll back to health before NBA playoff games. From icing its ankles to spa sessions, her rituals were credited for energizing Brunson’s performance, including a 39‑point Game 4 explosion. Fans cheered her antics, and her videos racked up over 380,000 views New York Post.

🧠 The “Voodoo Doll Study”: Isn’t Just Folklore

A recent study, published in Scientific Reports, used digital voodoo‑doll imagery to measure aggression towards scientists. Participants clicked pins into a cartoon‑style scientist doll, revealing links between conspiracy beliefs, science cynicism, and endorsement of harassment Inside Higher Ed. The research suggests digital voodoo acts as a symbolic outlet for distrust and aggression towards perceived experts.