Abu Ghraib Prison Fantasy Camp

image Something like this was inevitable, I suppose. It's the Abu Ghraib Iraqi Prison Fantasy Camp, situated in scenic Mountain Home, Idaho. I'm assuming this was inspired by Rush Limbaugh's recent comments about the torture scandal. According to the website: "Just want to 'blow off some steam' (as Rush Limbaugh so correctly put it)? Abu Ghraib Fantasy Camp is here for you! (actual opening date set for Summer '04). At Abu Ghraib Fantasy Camp... you'll find dozens of 'Iraqi prisoners' you'll be able to 'discipline.' Don't worry, they (and you) will be perfectly safe. Unlike in Iraq, we've taken every precaution to protect your safety."

Update: It turns out, according to Wonkette, that the Abu Ghraib Fantasy Prison Camp is the creation of Bob Pagani, aka Cranky Media Guy. Bob is quite well known to us here at the Museum of Hoaxes. I think you'll find a few of his other creations in the Gallery of Hoax Websites, such as Tom's Girl. Congratulations, Bob. This was a good one. Very weird. But good.

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Posted on Tue May 11, 2004


Comments

Don't ask how I know but this guy is supposed to be a guest on Mancow's show thsi morning, Wednesday. That should be good, Mancow will work him over.
Posted by Jimmy  on  Wed May 12, 2004  at  03:10 AM
I didn't get to hear the whole thing this morning on Mancow, but the guy who is doing this "fantasy camp" thing sounds like a maniac. He's charging $500 a weekend (if it's even real) and $1500 for the week.
Basically Mancow told him "you're a friggin idiot and why would anyone want to go to Idaho to beat the crap out of some people that are dressed up like Iraqis?"
If it is real, I hope this guy pays a LOT to the students he is hiring to be prisoners.
Posted by Kristen  on  Wed May 12, 2004  at  01:46 PM
I figured this whole thing was a joke at Rush Limbaugh's expense, i.e. satire. I'm surprised to hear that the guy who dreamed it up is actually sticking to his story in radio interviews... unless he's remaining in character as part of the joke. But I'm pretty sure this fantasy camp will never see the light of day.
Posted by Alex Boese  on  Wed May 12, 2004  at  01:52 PM
I live in Boise...about 40 miles from Mountain Home and have relatives living there so I go there a lot.
That picture of the movie screen behind the guy? That's really in Mountain Home...so the picture is really a guy in Mountain Home.
I bet it's one of the Airmen at the Airforce Base out there...but hope it isn't...it's too creepy.
Posted by Gee...  on  Thu May 13, 2004  at  03:14 PM
I was alerted to your site by a colleague of mine. I am a friend of "The Warden" who is building the Iraqi Prison Fantasy Camp in Mountain Home, Idaho. I am also an investor in this project.

I do not know who this "Pagani" is but I can only assume he is trying to denigrate the work we are doing in building the Camp.

The writers below are correct. The Warden HAS appeared on the Mancow show and the photo IS of him and was really taken in Mountain Home, Idaho. I was the photographer.

I'm at a loss to understand why someone would want to imply that HE has something to do with this noble project when he does not. The fact that he is using the photo of The Warden as himself and that he admits he is a hoaxer on that Australian interview site is proof that he is a fraud.

I can only assume that this is an attempt to hurt this project. It will not succeed.
Posted by Dr. Robert Porter  on  Thu May 13, 2004  at  04:48 PM
Most of the U.S. (and the world) thinks of us up here in Idaho as a bunch of nut-jobs...though most of us are not. It seems that the nut-jobs here (and in good ole Montana next door) are just SO MUCH nuttier than the nut-jobs in other states that we get a bad rep. and it probably isn't too hard for people to believe that a nut-job like that lives here.
So much weird stuff has happened here that we'll believe almost anything.
Posted by Gee...  on  Thu May 13, 2004  at  05:25 PM
Speaking of Idaho and nut-jobs, what about that old rumor that Idaho doesn't exist?
Posted by Alex Boese  on  Thu May 13, 2004  at  05:46 PM
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