Spoilers ahead!
On Wednesday, September 14th, the much anticipated sixth season of American Horror Story premiered on FX. This season's theme was kept top secret by creators and all those involved with the show. The secretive nature of season six had fans on the edge of their seats until the big reveal in the first episode mysteriously titled "Chapter One". Just moments into the episode, the viewer sees text stating "The following story is inspired by true events". A spooked audience quickly flocked to Twitter posting statements that they were "shook" that AHS was based on a true story. However, what most people do not know is that American Horror Story has been using real-life American horror stories since the show began in 2011. Here are six real events and people that have inspired American Horror Story's plots from Murder House to My Roanoke Nightmare:
Season One: Columbine High School Massacre
In American Horror Story: Murder House viewers were introduced to Tate Langdon. Tate's character, played by Evan Peters, is responsible for the Westfield High Massacre. Tate is supposedly based on Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the two teens responsible for the Columbine High School Massacre. These events, both real and fictional, are linked by the same number of 15 deaths. They are also linked in that both fictional Tate Langdon and real-life Eric Harris ask the same question before shooting victims; "Do you believe in God?". Both victims, real and fictional, replied "yes". It is also to be noted that the majority of killings took place within libraries.
Season Two: Ed Gein AKA Bloody Face
In American Horror Story: Asylum Dr. Oliver Thredson played by Zachary Quinto is Bloody Face. Bloody Face is an American murder and body snatcher who existed in real life under the title "The Mad Butcher" AKA Ed Gein. Edward Theodore Gein confessed to murdering two women and stealing bodies from graveyards. He kept the bodies' skins and bones and turned them into keepsakes for himself, much like Dr. Thredson. One particular item appears both in AHS and in the list of items found in Gein's home; a lampshade made of human skin. It is said that Gein often robbed the bodies of recently buried middle-aged women who he thought resembled his mother. Clearly Gein and Dr. Thredson have similar "mommy issues".
Season Three: Madame Lalaurie
In American Horror Story: Coven Kathy Bates plays the infamous Madame Lalaurie, a real life slave owner in New Orleans during the 1800s. She was responsible for the torturing and deaths of several slaves. There are several websites advertising her home that has become a popular tourist attraction since Cover. One site even refers to her as "The Meanest Bitch in New Orleans".
Season Four: Pogo The Clown AKA Twisty
In American Horror Story: Freakshow the horrifying murderous clown, Twisty, is based on a real-life serial killer clown known as "Pogo" in the 1970s. John Wayne Gacy was responsible for 33 murders of young men. He was also known as "The Killer Clown" and made jokes until he was put to death by lethal injection.
Season Five: HH Holmes AKA James March
In American Horror Story: Hotel Mr. March played by Evan Peters is supposedly based on America's first serial killer, HH Holmes. Both men, real and fictional, purchased large amounts of land at a young age and built huge hotels; The Cortez Hotel and The World's Fair Hotel. Both hotels were designed with secret, soundproof rooms and other fancy furnishings. Plus they both have creepy mustaches so that counts as a similarity, right?
Season Six: My Roanoke Nightmare
American Horror Story: My Roanoke Nightmare is the most recent season and already has its viewers begging for more. Though the entire season is supposedly based on "The Missing Colony" there has not been enough screen time to determine what theory AHS is hinting towards.
