Pop Mystery Pod

Though this case has since been dismissed, the allegations made by plaintiff ashley Parham are chilling. One line in her complaint says it all: “Plaintiff would pay for her statement regarding Tupac.” In this unnerving text from an assault case filed against Sean Diddy Combs, legal representatives for Ashley Parham, an alleged victim’s of Sean Combs synopsize what is a shocking and brutal claim of sexual assault by Combs. Parham’s story is deeply disturbing. It also provides telling insight into Comb’s alleged network of trafficking and coercion…and seems to point to figures still hiding in the darkness. Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker. Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d. Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A jury has found Duane Davis guilty of killing Tupac Shakur. It has officially taken longer to convict a killer in this case than Tupac himself actually lived. Can we consider this justice served? Tess has insights from inside the court room, and some analysis into how the DA was able to land a guilty verdict despite having any corroborating evidence in their case. Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The prosecution has rested their case against Duane Davis…but is it really time to call it? Tess gives an update from the Vegas court room and some thoughts on the prosecution’s tactics as we head toward a verdict. Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s almost exactly thirty years since Tupac Shakur was gunned down in Las Vegas. Finally, someone is being charged with the rap legend’s murder. Is convicting defendant Duane Davis really bringing about justice for Tupac, though? Already, testimony and opening statements in this case reveal new questions about whether the death of Tupac Shakur was a carefully orchestrated event. Tess is in person in the courtroom in Vegas, and bringing you an update on where things stand so far. Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Since hard launching with Elon Musk at the Met Gala in 2018, recording artist Grimes has been a mysterious and divisive figure. Who is Grimes as an artist, and what could she have been had Musk not interceeded in her strange little indie career? Joining Tess for a deep dive on this mid aughts trance diva is Steven Ray Morris @stevenraymorris , host of “ See Jurassic Right ,” who has produced shows like “ My Favorite Murder ”, “Keenan and Lakin Give You Deja Vu” and “Jordan Jesse Go.” Listen to “The Daily’s” episode on Elon Musk Read “ Star Tribune” Houseboat Article Watch Grimes’ “Pitchfork” interview Listen to “Girl in Stem” Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jared Leto started his career as a 23 year old teen heartthrob on “My So Called Life.” He then went on to achieve the nearly impossible: dual careers as both a rock star and a critically acclaimed actor. Recent bombshell reporting from the BBC has revealed that over decades, as he’s enjoyed wild success, Leto has allegedly assaulted a staggering number of teenaged girls. Oh, and also he appears to have started a cult. Joining Tess to talk through Leto’s apparent history of predatory behavior is podcaster Shannon McNamara @fluentlyforward , host of the Fluently Forward podcast. Listen to “Who’s the Clown?” By Audrey Hobert Read Read the NY Post article “Hey Leto Girl: Leto Shows He’s a Teen Player.” Read the Air Mail article “The Cult of Leto” Watch the BBC’s “Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Darkest Open Secret” Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“America’s Next Top Model” is a stunning piece of television. For over a decade, svelte contestants ostensibly vied for a chance at modeling success. What they were also seemingly fighting for, however, is their mental well-being. What actually went down behind the scenes of this singular juggernaut of a show? Is the recent backlash against Tyra warranted? What exactly is she claiming in her lawsuit against Netflix? Perhaps most importantly wtf is hit ice cream? Joining Tess to walk the runway is comic, actor, and writer Jackie Johnson (@ jackiemichellejohnson ) Natch Beat; How to Get a Second Husband. See Jackie’s show “How to Get a Second Husband” here! Watch “Mr. Jambo” by Kyle Gordon Watch “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model” Listen to “Curse of: America’s Next Top Model” Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thelma Todd seemed to be living the life of classic Hollywood dreams. She had a busy career, an active social life, and she owned a restaurant at arguably the most beautiful corner of southern California coastline. Then, one cold LA Christmas season, she died, alone in her own garage. The official ruling was that her death had been accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. A slough of suspicious characters surrounding Thelma and her death cast doubt on this theory, though. Investigating this 90 year old mystery with Tess is Babs Gray (@babsdgray) of Lady to Lady, Comedy Central, Vice. Read Michelle Morgan’s “The Ice Cream Blonde” Read Thelma’s LA Times Obituary Watch Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly in their comedy shorts Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, we revisit a classic American story. For better or worse, “The Jerry Springer Show” changed television as we know it. Were the guests on this trainwreck real? Or fakers? Investigative journalists Tess Barker parses through Jerry Springer’s improbable life for clues as to how genuine the guests on his show were. Tess is joined by comics Doug Stanhope @dougstanhop e and Terrence Newman @mayorofechopark , who have wild first-hand insights into the veracity of this iconic show. Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker. Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d. Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

One of the most divisive figures in television history is not a person, but a box. One that was kept under lock and key for most of its owner’s life: The Laff Box. This tool, which generated fake laughter on countless of television comedies, has an improbable start, and a wild history. Joining Tess to talk through the fascinating life and death of the laugh track is comic and podcaster Holly Brown @hollybrowncomedy ( Everyone Knows But Me .) Read Charles Douglass obituary in the LA Times Read NY Times “Lives They Lived Making Us Laugh” Read BBC article “The History of Laugh Track.” Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pop history is full of notable independence days. If the red, white, and blue isn’t doing it for you, this year, here are some iconic moments of libration to celebrate instead. Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Titanic is one of the most famous and chilling disasters of all time. The movie “Titanic.” could have also been a lesson in hubris. It was helmed by James Cameron, whose reportedly maniacal behavior may have been the impetus for a bizarre and mysterious food poisoning. There is so much to say about this strange and unlikely megahit. Joining Tess to explore “Titanic’s” wreckage is Caitlin Durante @caitlindurante ( The Bechdel Cast) . Read “The Futurist,” by Rebecca Keegan Read the Time article “Glub, Glub, Glub,” by Kim Masters Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You don’t have to be a sports fan to appreciate the wild and jaw dropping tale of a sports reporter and a head coach whose affair may have changed the direction of the entire football league. Joining Tess to talk VrabelGate is Megan Gaiiley @ bettermegaingailey Sports Bitches , The Roasts of Tom Brady and Kevin Hart) Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nearly thirty years after the killing of Tupac Shakur, Duane Davis is set to face murder charges in a Nevada court. Additionally, Davis has been named in a civil complaint filed by Tupac’s step brother Mopreme Shakur. If Davis was contracted to kill Tupac Shakur, why is he the only guy facing trial? Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When TMZ reports on a tragedy in Los Angeles, chances are, it’s true. How does this tabloid source its seedy confidential information, and why do TMZ and its founder Harvey Levin remain such powerful forces in the land of pop journalism? Joining Tess to talk TMZ sleaze is comic and journalist Lauren Vino @boxedvino (Playboy, GQ, Mel Magazine, Black Out Diaries) Read “The Digital Dirt” by Nicholas Schmidle Read the LA Times Coverage of the fallout from Mel Gibson’s arrest Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After Tess learns about a shocking method of filling live studio audiences, she is sent on a long journey to get to the bottom of a clandestine and widespread practice. In her search for the truth, Tess talks with comics Allen Strickland Williams (@allenstricklandwilliams) and Julia Hladkowicz (@juliacomedy). Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker. Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d. Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is dark money hiding in plain sight. Tess revisits the twisted reality of those strange ads the in one of her favorite vault episodes. There’s something unsettling about those “Pass It On” billboards that feature celebrities like Dolly Parton, Whoopi Goldberg, and William Shatner. These ads don’t seem to be selling anything except abstractly positive concepts like perseverance and resilience. But what’s really going on here? Investigative journalist and pop culture junkie uncovers the dark truth behind these seemingly banal signs. Featuring Judd Legum of the Popular Information newsletter. Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker. Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d. Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Few commercials were as ubiquitous in the early aughts as the ones for the video series “Girls Gone Wild.” The premise of these videos was so dumb it seemed funny: girls being treated as zoo animals as they flashed the camera. A deeply disturbing truth permeated this cultural phenomena, however. Joining Tess to talk through her own first hand experience with the franchise is comic, writer, and podcaster Courtney Kocak ( Private Parts Unown) . Read Courtney Kocak’s memoir “Girl Gone Wild” Watch “Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story” Read Scaachi Koul’s “From Girls Gone Wild to Your Body, My Choice.” Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Blake Lively’s case against Justin Baldoni has settled. Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman has been doing a media tour in an attempt to frame this as a “victory.” Yet, for all Freedman has been talking, he doesn’t seem to be giving us the full story. Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For decades, the street artist Banksy was one of the most famous anonymous people in the world. Like most street artists, Banksy used anonymity for cover, but also as a means of generating mystique. A recent expose in Reuters, however, seems to have gotten to the bottom of this icon’s identity. But did they truly blow up Banksy’s spot? Joining Tess to talk all things Banksy is comic and podcaster Chris Fairbanks @chris_fairbanks ( Do You Need a Ride? ) Read Reuters’ “In Search of Banksy” Watch “Exit Through the Gift Shop” Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker . Produced by Tyler Hill. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d . Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods. Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.