True Crime Podcasts #7

And just like that, I have 10 more podcasts for you to check out. Whether you are driving, running, cooking, working, or sitting around and need something to occupy the silence, I got you. I’ve done this six times before, so feel free to check out my other 60 podcasts I listen to:

Let’s Talk 10 Podcasts #6 - September 2019
10 of my Favorite Singular Story Podcasts (#5) - February 2019
Up (4) Another 10 Podcasts To Check Out In 2018 - October 2018
10 Podcasts (X3) To Listen To In 2018 - February 2018
10 More Podcasts You Should Listen to Today - October 2017
Top 10 Podcasts To Listen To Today - April 2017

All of the podcasts on this blog are singular story, true crime themed podcasts. Each podcast is focused around a specific person, event, or series of murders… Each story is slightly different, but all are a little twisted in one way or another (hence the murder theme), so let’s get going with another 10 podcasts I listen to.


10. Conviction

“Manuel Gomez is a detective straight out of a detective novel. He carries a pen that’s really a knife, wears a watch that’s really a camera, adores Sherlock Holmes and Miami Vice. But the cases Gomez takes on are all too real: cases of young men in New York City who say they’ve been arrested for crimes they didn’t commit. Reporter Saki Knafo follows Gomez as he tackles the biggest case of his career—and along the way, Saki explores big questions about criminal justice in America.”

Decent podcast that follows detective Manny Gomez and some of the cases he involves himself in. It is a Gimlet podcast, so you know the production value is pretty high. Host, Saki Knafo takes us through 7 episodes that are around 40 minutes each with ads at the beginning, middle & end.

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9. Who the Hell is Hamish?

“He was born Hamish Watson, a surfie dude from Sydney - but he could morph into whatever you needed him to be. Hamish is due to be sentenced to jail in early 2019 for swindling a handful of victims out of more than $7m. But these crimes are just the final pages in a resume too thick to staple; for decades he's duped victims in the US, Canada, Britain, Hong Kong and Australia. How did he do it? How did he evade authorities around the world for so long and what's he done with all those tens of millions of dollars he stole?”

This is an Australian show that comes from the same people who made “The Teacher’s Pet” I featured on podcast blog #5. This is a 10 episode podcast, episodes ranging from 30-40 minutes, that is led by reporter Greg Bearup. He dives into the many stories from many people about a man named Hamish. It’s stories like this that make me nervous about investing money, and trusting anyone in general!

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8. To Live and Die in LA

“Our debut season takes a deep dive into the mysterious disappearance of 25-year-old Adea Shabani, an aspiring actress and model who vanished without a trace from her apartment complex near Hollywood’s famous Walk of Fame. Last seen in February of 2018, Shabani is a native of Macedonia. Like the thousands who flock to Los Angeles each year, she hoped to realize her Hollywood dream of stardom. What really happened to Adea? The full story has never been told.”

To Live and Die in LA is a 12 episode podcast that comes from Tenderfoot TV (makers of Up and Vanished) and is hosted by journalist Neil Strauss. Most episodes come in around 30 minutes, however, the last couple are over an hour long. A sad story about someone trying to make it in Hollywood only to be torn down.

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7. Murderville

“When a brutal murder rocks a small Southern town, residents and police are shocked. Could the new guy in town be the one who who did it? Yes, the cops say, he is. Case solved. But then another murder happens. And another. In the end: four bodies, two convictions, and one man in jail for a crime he likely did not commit. Welcome to Murderville, Georgia. Investigative reporters Liliana Segura and Jordan Smith uncover what happens when law enforcement locks up their first suspect, leaving another man free to kill.”

Murderville is brought to you by reporters Lilliana Segura and Jordan Smith who walk us through 8 episodes ranging from 20-35 minutes per episode. A classic true-crime type of podcast.

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6. Broken Harts

“Markis, Hannah, Devonte, Abigail, Jeremiah, and Sierra Hart—six beautiful black children, ranging in age from 12 to 19—were all adopted by Sarah and Jennifer Hart, both white. On Jen’s Facebook page, it looked as if they were the perfect blended family, even earning the nickname “Hart Tribe” from friends. Then, on March 26, 2018, the family’s GMC Yukon was found belly-up on the rocks below California’s Highway 1. The news of the murder-suicide shocked their friends and made national headlines, leaving many wondering what possibly led to the fatal crash. Could these lives have been saved?”

This was by far the saddest story and podcast of the bunch. How does what seems like a normal, caring woman turn on her spouse and adoptive children? So many unanswered questions, but a lot of potential clues to solve them. No matter how well you think you have covered your tracks, there are always breadcrumbs left behind. The season lasts 9 episodes with episodes coming in around 35 minutes each. If you want a broken heart, listen to Broken Harts.

5. Over My Dead Body

“We all have limits. And some people who are pushed beyond those limits will do unspeakable things. In “Tally,” season One of OVER MY DEAD BODY, Dan and Wendi are two good-looking attorneys whose wedding is featured in the New York Times. But when this “perfect” couple falls apart, it leads to a bad breakup, a worse divorce, and a murder case involving a menagerie of high-priced lawyers and unexpected co-conspirators. Reported by Matthew Shaer and Eric Benson, and hosted by Matthew Shaer”

This is a podcast by Wondery, which I have featured on many of these blogs. When I first started writing this blog there was only one season of Over My Dead Body, “Tally.” Seven 40 minute episodes of detective reporting by Matthew Shaer. They now have released a second season called “Joe Exotic". Season two brings us another seven 40 minute episodes, this time about a crazy zoo keeper named Joe. Joe owns and breed big cats (tigers, ligers, and more). But is he doing it in a humane way? I recommend both as they walk through each crime story, trying to find the answer to questions that often result in someone dead.

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4. Man in the Window

“In Man in the Window, Paige St. John, a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter has uncovered never before revealed details about the man who would eventually become one of California's most deadly serial killers. To an early love interest, Joe DeAngelo was energetic and worldly. Now, nearly 50 years later, he stands accused of an extended spasm of violence — home invasions, rapes, murders — in the 1970s and ’80s.”

Coming from the LA Times and Wondery, this podcast consists of eight 35-45 minute episodes through the victims’ eyes. Beautifully told by Paige St. John, she goes through and uncovers the gruesome details of the infamous Golden State Killer.

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3. The Dropout

“Money. Romance. Tragedy. Deception. The story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos is an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong. How did the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire lose it all in the blink of an eye? How did the woman once heralded as “the next Steve Jobs” find herself facing criminal charges — to which she pleaded not guilty — and up to 20 years in jail? How did her technology, meant to revolutionize healthcare, potentially put millions of patients at risk? And how did so many smart people get it so wrong along the way?”

Six episodes ranging from 35-45 minutes like all the rest. This pod is hosted by Jarvis and presented by ABC. It once again goes to show what someone can do with a little confidence, while actually having no idea what they are doing. Make that money… until you are caught… People are twisted!

2. Root of Evil

““Root of Evil” is an unflinching look at one family’s awful past and astonishing dysfunction, with one of the most famous unsolved murders in American history at the center of it.”

This podcasts has eight 45 minute episodes and is hosted by Yvette Gentile and Rasha Pecoraro, daughters of Fauna Hodel. They tell the true story of the Hodel family and all the terrors, dysfunction, and even one of the most famous unsolved murders that were brought by them. I really enjoyed how this was a first hand experience, which makes it that much more eerie, creepy & impactful. What a story!

1. Happy Face

“For Melissa Moore, 1995 was a nightmare. That’s the year the teenager learned her father, Keith Hunter Jesperson, was a serial killer. It’s also the year Melissa Moore’s doubt spiral began: When you look like your father, and you share his intelligence and charisma, how do you know you’re not a psychopath, too? Happy Face is the story of Keith Hunter Jesperson, his brutal crimes, and the cat and mouse game he played with detectives and the media. But it’s also the story of the horrific legacy he gifted his children. Join Melissa Moore as she investigates her father’s crimes, reckons with the past, and wades through her darkest fears as she hunts for a better future.”

Coming in at #1 this time around is Happy Face. Just like the podcast right before this, this podcast is hosted by the daughter of the criminal, as she tells this story first hand. Melissa Moore, daughter of the Happy Face Killer goes into details about her childhood and the terrible legacy she was left with. This podcasts has twelve episodes ranging from 35-45 minutes and I highly recommend it!

I hope you can enjoy these new 10 podcasts all about true crime & murder. And with those 10, it takes us to 70 podcasts I try to get to every week. Don’t forget to check out the other 60 I have posted about before (links at the top).

As always, you can get listen to all these podcasts for free by downloading on itunes, listening on the websites (links provided above), stream on Spotify, or use the podcast app on your phone (like me!)

And remember, sharing is caring, so if there are any podcasts that you suggest I listen to, please send them my way.

Josh

Spooky Movie Season

I own a decent amount of movies, like over 1000. So at the beginning of October, when I went through and pulled all of my spooky movies out of my collection, I asked “the people” if they thought I could get through them all. Many doubted, just a few had hope, and some said it couldn’t be done.

I spent basically all of my free time in the month of October watching over 60 of what I deem to be “spooky” movies. Some a little scary, others full of suspense, some even a little funny, but all based along the horror/scary/halloween movie genre.

Now that it is the 31st of October, 2019 aka All Hallow’s Eve, aka Halloween, I present you with this blog.

Instead of breaking down each movie as I’ve done with my actor of the month blogs in the past (Russell Crowe, Emma Stone, Jim Carrey), I’ve decided to compile a list of my top 5 best “SpOoKy” moovies and my bottom 5 worst “sPoOkY” moovies. You can see the full list of movies I watched in the image below, and make sure you let me know which spooky movies I am missing out on at the end.

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Let’s get right into it with the bottom of the barrel films.

Bottom 5 Worst “sPoOkY” moovies

#5. Disturbia (2007) - You know, I used to really like this movie and thought it was good, but it is just so cheesy and takes forever to develop. Shia LaBeouf spies on his neighbors when being on house arrest, and finds out one of them is super creepy! Decent spookiness level in the second half of the movie, but stick to the original, Hitchcock’s Rear Window (1954) instead.

 
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#4. The Crucible (1996) - The acting is pretty good with Daniel Day-Lewis as John Proctor & Winona Ryder as Abigail Williams in this movie. The story line, The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 was solid, there just wasn’t enough action for me. The book by Arthur Miller is probably a better option for this one.

 
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#3. Bedazzled (2000) - This was actually the first spooky movie of the season that Rachel and I watched. It has a somewhat similar plot to The Butterfly Effect (2004), which we watched immediately after. Anyway, it involves Brendan Fraser selling his soul to the devil, Elizabeth Hurley, in exchange for seven wishes. Although you can’t usually go wrong with Brendan Fraser, and Elizabeth Hurley is quite the good looking devil, I would have to say this film is a pass during spooky movie season.

 
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#2. Scream 3 (2000) - As if the first two movies weren’t good enough, they had to go and extend the series into a trilogy. We’ve already seen this movie with this plot, and the third proved to not be necessary as it was a movie about the movie about the first two movies. What!? Although it was great seeing where the parody Scary Movie (2000) franchise came from, I vote a no for this one.

 
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#1. Freddy vs Jason (2003) - You may have noticed that none of the other Freddy Krueger or Jason movies were on this list. I know, that was my first mistake, but for some reason, I only own this one…. I know, my bad. In this movie, the two iconic horror villains meet face to face in an often “unrealistic” battle in a race to kill as many kids as they can. Lots of teens were sacrificed in the making of this film. I would avoid this film in the franchise and watch the other versions.

 

Now that you know which spooky movies to avoid, let’s get into which movies you should be watching first!

Top 5 Best “SpOoKy” moovies

#5. Scream (1996) - Wow. I cannot believe that I had gone my whole life without seeing the original Scream. I used to dress up as the killer for Halloween back in the day. Scream lived up to its name by being the only movie that made Rachel actually scream out loud, helping edge itself into the top list. As you may know, the plot involves high school students who try to escape phone calls, stabbings, and more from a killer in the now famous scream mask. Watch it!

 
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#4. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) - The only animated movie to make the list. In this stop-motion film produced by Tim Burton, Jack Skellington of Halloweentown stumbles upon Christmastown and brings a little bit of Halloween to Christmas. Lots of sign-along songs in this classic that will get you coming back for more. This is Halloween, This is Halloween….and if you haven’t seen the movie, you need to go do that.

 
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#3. The Shining (1980) - Jack Nicholson plays Jack Torrance, the author and now caretaker of the Overlook Hotel in Colorado. He brings along his wife Wendy, and son Danny along with him to watch the hotel over the winter season, only to discover the dark secrets and haunting past to the hotel. Lots of unsettling and iconic scenes in this movie with great character development and spooky vibes. Can’t go wrong with a film directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on a Stephen King novel!

 
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#2. The Exorcist (1973) - The oldest movie on the list, and one of the spookiest. I actually had never seen this movie until I watched it and was super spooked. Although some of it may seem unrealistic now, the performance by the little girl Regan was exceptional and unnerving. A little girl becomes possessed by the devil and it is up to the priests and church to save her. They even say this is based on true events, and to think the soundtrack, acting, and storyline are nearly 50 years old makes it even better. A must watch this spooky season.

 

#1. Get Out (2017) - The newest movie on the list, and one of the most thrilling! Written & directed by Jordan Peele, this movie is based around an interracial couple and meeting your girlfriend’s family for the first time. The emotional qualities of the characters, the spooky soundtrack, and the constant plot twists and turns make this movie exceptional. It has the perfect amount of scary, jumpy moments to go along with a riveting story line that leave you with a lasting spooky impression. This is a must see and my number one SpOoKy Moovie.

 

I hope you enjoyed this spooky blog, are able to watch some spooky movies, and be sure to let me know what spooky movies I missed out on this Halloween season!


Happy Halloween!

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Josh

Let's Talk 10 Podcasts #6

Okayyyyyyy. Back at it again, with another 10 podcasts. I do too much of driving, running, cooking, working, and sitting around and I need something to occupy the silence. In case you don’t know, I’ve already done this five other times, so feel free to check out my other 50 podcasts I listen to:

10 of my Favorite Singular Story Podcasts (#5) - February 2019
Up (4) Another 10 Podcasts To Check Out In 2018 - October 2018
10 Podcasts (X3) To Listen To In 2018 - February 2018
10 More Podcasts You Should Listen to Today - October 2017
Top 10 Podcasts To Listen To Today - April 2017

All of the podcasts on this blog are talk radio podcasts. Just people sitting around a table with some microphones, so most episodes last for an hour or two… I’ve paired each podcast with a video clip of the show this time around. The topics covered vary, so let’s jump into another 10 podcasts I listen to. Here we gooooooo.


10. Beyond The Pine

“The gang gathers weekly to discuss vaping, shooting films, and their personal lives with occasional celebrity guests.”

Hosted by Steven Suptic and YouTubers Sugar Pine 7, I’ve only watched a few of their youtube videos which are pretty funny, but I enjoy their podcast. This podcast is 4 or 5 guys sitting around chatting about relevant news, YouTube drama, podcast drama and more. A weekly podcast with a pretty dope name and logo. It remind me of conversations I would have with my friends.

9. Your Mom’s House with Christina P. and Tom Segura

“Your Mom's House is a comedy podcast hosted by married comedians Tom Segura and Christina Pazsitzky. The podcast has far ranging conversations, discussing topics such as ongoing events, comedy, to the daily life of the two co-hosts.”

The married comedian duo host super long episodes which often entail comedian guests, YouTube news, funny internet videos, and other random things going on in the world. Pretty funny stuff, although you have to sift through the advertisements and lengthy episodes, some upwards of 3 hours long. I find myself laughing throughout the podcasts, I just don’t always have three hours to try and listen to it all! Your Mom’s House comes out once a week.

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8. StarTalk Radio

“StarTalk is a podcast on space, science, and popular culture hosted by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, with various comic and celebrity co-hosts and frequent guests from the worlds of science and entertainment.”

Hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson, this science podcast has awesome discussions about science and life. I have loved the episodes with guests that are interesting to me. Again, I don’t listen to every single episode, as many of the topics covered are way over my head, but there are some solid topics on this pod that will get your brain thinking. StarTalk is a weekly podcast.

7. Impaulsive

“The world's greatest, most thought-provoking, mentally stimulating podcast in the history of mankind... hosted by a bunch of idiots.”

This podcast is hosted by famous and controversial YouTuber, Logan Paul. If you don’t frequent YouTube, you might know him from the Japanese Suicide Forest video. But anyway, this podcast is Logan and a typical East Coast guy named Mike who often have on young and upcoming guests. This podcast started off a little immature in my opinion, but has become one of the better to watch and listen to podcasts out there. You just sometimes have to get through Mike talking over everyone. Check out new episodes every Monday Wednesday Friday.

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6. No Jumper

“Coolest podcast in the world.”

Podcast hosted by YouTuber Adam22 with mostly rappers, porn stars, and YouTubers as guests. His girlfriend Lena The Plug often co-hosts with him as well. Adam can be a little intimidating at first with all his tattoos, but he does a great job interviewing his guests, often while smoking weed or drinking. A little on the edgy side, but pretty professional given the guests and set up. Sometimes you get one episode a week, sometimes four. Always worth a listen. Check out his episode with Dennis Rodman below.

5. Pardon My Take

“Big Cat & PFT deliver the loudest and most correct sports takes in the history of the spoken word. Daily topics, guests, and an inability to tell what the hosts might be doing will make this your new favorite sports talk show.”

This Barstool Sports podcast headed by Big Cat and PFT is released 3 times a week. They have hilarious conversations with big named guests every episodes, often being sarcastic, but making good points. I don’t listen to every episode, but whenever I do, it is a good and funny time. Each episode they do a Mt Rushmore of “Fill in the blank” where they name their top answer to for example: Being average, farm animals, back up quarterbacks… In each episode there is also an interview or two, usually with some sort of athlete, or sports related guest. I like to think of this as “real sports radio” podcast, in the sense of your friends are just talking sports with no filter.

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4. H3 Podcast

“The H3 podcast is a division of YouTubers H3H3. Their content mostly consists of reaction videos and sketch comedy in which they satirize internet culture.”

YouTuber H3H3 (aka Ethan Klein and his wife Hila) bring in guests and discuss YouTube drama along with other internet news. They love to call out other internet stars and often mock what traditional media calls “news". This podcast comes out twice a week, and while this podcast is a bit hit or miss with me, I really enjoy the podcast episodes with YouTuber Gus Johnson or OG YouTuber, now comedian Bo Burnham. They are linked below.

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3. Call Her Daddy

“Follow along vlogger Alexandra Cooper and best friend Sofia Franklyn as the duo dives into the explicit details of their life in NYC. In their 20s, the two exploit the f*ck out of their lives, making you feel a hell of a lot better about yours.”

Another Barstool podcast on the list that has blown up lately. It is all about relationships, sex, and embarrassing stories from the female perspective. The two hosts, Alex and Sofia don’t hold back with being upfront and bold about the topics covered. And they make sure their thoughts on how women should be running the sex game and why you should “call her daddy” are known to all. A little offensive (to some) and inappropriate (to others), some of the things they say or stories they tell are so absurd, they often makes me laugh out loud, although episodes can also drag and the hosts can be a little annoying… Episodes come weekly

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2. Making Sense with Sam Harris

“Join Sam Harris—neuroscientist, philosopher, and best-selling author—as he explores some of the most important questions about the human mind, society, and current events.”

Take a big flip in the opposite direction of the last podcast, the Making Sense podcast is hosted by intellect Sam Harris and will get you thinking and using your brain. Nolan got me turned on to this one, as it used to be called, Waking Up With Sam Harris. Sam often has on other philosophical guests and discusses important topics that will make you question the life you are living. His voice is also very soothing and smooth to listen to. This podcast comes out once a week.

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1. Joe Rogan Experience

“5, 4, 3, 2, 1…… The Joe Rogan Experience is a free audio and video podcast hosted by American comedian, actor, sports commentator, martial artist and television host Joe Rogan.”

Joe Rogan is by far the greatest conversationalist. There are so many great episodes, and they come out almost daily, as he sometimes records 2 episodes a day. Depending on the guest, Joe will often drink or smoke while discussing deep topics, current events and worldwide theories. His discussions are always entertaining and he is by far the best “talk” podcast you should dive into first. Guests range from Elon Musk to Dale Earnhardt Jr to Lance Armstrong to Steve-O to Alex Jones. There are over 1300 interviews, so definitely find someone you would like to hear talk.

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I hope you enjoyed this blog about another 10 podcasts I listen to. That takes us to 60 pods I try to get to every week. Don’t forget to check out the other 50 I have posted about before (links at the top).

You can get all podcasts for free by downloading on itunes, listening on the websites (links provided above), stream on spotify, or use the podcast app on your phone.

And as always, are there any podcasts that you suggest I listen to, specifically talk radio podcasts??

Josh