In a recent incident during a high school basketball game, Connor, a well-known student athlete, found himself in the middle of a controversy. It all started when the opposing team's mascot, known as Pht, was entertaining the crowd during a timeout. Pht, a colorful and energetic character, was dancing and engaging with the spectators as usual. However, a series of unfortunate events unfolded when Connor, who was sitting on the sidelines, got caught up in the moment. As Pht approached him, Connor decided to play along and engage with the mascot. He started jokingly mimicking Pht's dance moves, much to the amusement of the spectators.

Prepare To Be Scared By 'Amish Witches'

Halloweekend is coming up, and that means you're going to need something seriously spooky to watch for your frightening TV marathon or to get you prepared for whatever other festivities you have planned for the holiday. Well, does Lifetime have the movie for you! The network will be premiering the film Amish Witches: The True Story of Holmes County on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. ET. But is Amish Witches a true story, as its title suggests?

That's actually kind of a tricky question to answer. Yes, the words "true story" are in the title of the movie and a preview clip says it's "based on real events," but there doesn't seem to be any evidence that anything similar to what will happen in the film actually occurred in real life. Here's the synopsis of the movie via Lifetime's website:

When a reality TV crew comes to Holmes County, Ohio to document the lives of an isolated sect of Amish, production is halted by the death of a Brauchau [an Amish witch]. Following her unconsecrated funeral, a small group of young Amish women solicit the TV crew's help in attempting to document the inexplicable events plaguing them. But as everyone soon discovers, the powerful malevolent force haunting them has deadly intentions.

So this description of the movie then made me think, as one blogger on Amish365.com has also pointed out, that Amish Witches: The True Story of Holmes County is actually the title of the fake reality TV show featured in the film, so what happens in the show is the "true story," not what the movie is based upon. It kind of seems like this film could be in the tradition of found footage horror movies, such as The Blair Witch Project or Paranormal Activity , where it's made to look like a documentary but is really just pure fiction.

Reading the synopsis of Amish Witches, of course, made me immediately think of all of those reality shows featuring the Amish that have come out in the past few years, particularly Breaking Amish since it not only documented young men and women in the Amish community but also featured witchcraft as a major topic of conversation among the cast members. In Season 1 in New York, Kate was accused of being a witch, and in Season 2 in Los Angeles, Betsy openly practiced witchcraft and even claimed she put a hex on her castmates.

While all of this was going down during their respective seasons, most of the Breaking Amish cast members stated that witchcraft is not generally accepted by the Amish people, who practice a very strict form of Christianity. However, witchcraft has still been linked to the Amish in a sense in brauche or powwowing, a spiritual healing practice, according to anthropologist David W. Kriebel. It has been practiced by the Amish ever since the first German-speaking Protestant settlers arrived in Pennsylvania in the 18th century.

There has been one popular legend of an Amish witch known as the Chesterville Witch. As the story goes, there's a grave in Chesterville, Illinois said to belong to a young woman who was thought to be a witch and was banished by her Amish community, according to the book Weird Illinois . She disappeared, and her body was later found in a farmer's field. She was buried in Chesterville Cemetery, and a tree was planted on her gravesite in an effort to trap her spirit. Some people believe that if the tree ever dies or is removed, the witch's spirit will escape and wreak havoc on the town. There have also been reported sightings of the Chesterville Witch at the gravesite. It's unclear if there's any truth to this tale, but this story certainly does give you the chills.

So clearly, Amish Witches is rooted in a lot of history and folklore. But even if you didn't know about all of that, you would still probably have a scary good time watching this film.

Image: Lifetime

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Unfinished Business

As a person who likes to finish what he starts, it’s pretty unusual for me to walk out of a movie. When I say “walk out” I really mean “click away,” since streaming is how we watch movies these days. Since I’ve been writing and publishing on horror movies and religion, I try to watch what I can without breaking the bank (which is pretty fragile these days with inflation and whatnot). There have been, however, three movies, or television series converted to movies, that I have walked out in the last couple of months, all of them free. I want credit for watching them, but sometimes I just can’t claim it. The first one was for health reasons. Amish Witches: The True Story of Holmes County is not a true story, but a television movie cashing in on current interest in isolationist religious movements. I had to stop watching because the hand-held camera movement was making me extremely nauseous and time off work is too precious to waste being sick. It wasn’t that good anyway.

Then some weeks later I started to watch Legends of Sleepy Hollow. If you’re a regular reader you know that I’ve been on a Sleepy Hollow kick lately. This series, about which the internet is mostly silent, is an Amazon Prime original. It may be set in the upstate New York region around Tarrytown, but the vignettes I made it through had nothing to do with Sleepy Hollow and were thoroughly depressing rather than scary. I decided this series, formatted somewhat like a movie, was something I just couldn’t finish. I don’t have time for watching things that aren’t what they seem to be.

In addition to Sleepy Hollow, I’ve also been interested in holiday horror. This is the theme of my forthcoming Wicker Man book, and I’d toyed with the idea of writing a book on the topic in general. I knew there was a movie called Happy Horror Days, which I felt compelled to watch for any scrap of academic respectability. (If a title tells you it’s directly on your topic, well, you investigate.) I managed to make it to the Fourth of July before this truly execrable film just clearly became a waste of time. The stories feel incomplete and the racist undertones (which may have been an attempt at social commentary) or that final episode left such a bad taste in my mouth that I had to walk away. I’m not such a horror fan that I’ll watch just anything, but I don’t like to read spoilers before I watch movies. It’s a dilemma, but to make good use of limited time I may start walking out more often. Especially if it’s free.

He started jokingly mimicking Pht's dance moves, much to the amusement of the spectators. However, things took an unexpected turn when, in an attempt to imitate one of Pht's signature moves, Connor accidentally knocked Pht off balance. The mascot stumbled and fell, causing a mixture of gasps and laughter to erupt from the crowd.

Immediately realizing his mistake, Connor rushed to help Pht up and apologized profusely. Pht, being a professional and understanding performer, quickly recovered and laughed off the mishap. They both shared a light-hearted moment, with Pht playfully shaking his head and giving Connor a thumbs up. Despite Connor's genuine remorse and the lighthearted nature of the incident, it quickly became a hot topic among the spectators and the wider community. Some saw the incident as a harmless mistake, highlighting that accidents can happen even in the midst of fun and lighthearted moments. On the other hand, a small faction of individuals criticized Connor's actions, arguing that he had crossed a line by physically interacting with the mascot. They argued that such actions undermine the importance of mascots in maintaining the spirit and enthusiasm of sports events. As the incident gained popularity on social media platforms, the school administration decided to address the issue. They reminded students about the importance of respecting and appreciating mascots as an integral part of school and community spirit. At the same time, they recognized that Connor's actions were unintended and were more a result of enthusiasm rather than malice. Ultimately, Connor's incident with the Pht mascot highlighted the fine line between harmless fun and crossing boundaries. It served as a reminder for students and spectators alike to be mindful of their actions and to treat mascots with the respect they deserve..

Reviews for "Connor's Unapologetic Stand: The Aftermath of the Pht Mascot Incident"

1. Emma - 1 star

I found "Connor Knocks PHT Mascot" to be incredibly disappointing and offensive. The humor was tasteless and relied heavily on demeaning and mocking the mascot character. As a fan of comedy, I appreciate clever and intelligent humor, but this short film failed to deliver on both fronts. It felt like a cheap attempt at getting cheap laughs by resorting to bullying and belittling the mascot. Overall, I would not recommend watching "Connor Knocks PHT Mascot" if you're looking for quality comedy.

2. Michael - 2 stars

"Connor Knocks PHT Mascot" fell flat for me. The comedic timing was off, and the jokes felt forced. I didn't find the situation amusing and, although intended as a light-hearted comedy, it came across as mean-spirited. The film lacked substance and failed to connect with the audience. I wanted to enjoy it, but ultimately, it left me feeling disappointed and underwhelmed. There are plenty of better comedy options out there, so I would suggest giving this one a miss.

3. Sarah - 1 star

I was thoroughly unimpressed with "Connor Knocks PHT Mascot." The storyline was weak and predictable, relying on tired clichés rather than offering anything fresh or original. The lack of character development made it difficult to feel invested in the story or the outcome. Additionally, the humor was juvenile and bordering on offensive. The film missed the mark for me, and I wouldn't recommend wasting your time watching it. There are far better comedy options available that are worth your attention.

Connor's Renegade Act: Examining the Motivation Behind the Mascot Knock