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Pop Mystery Pod

Tess Barker

Investigative journalist and pop culture junkie Tess Barker, dives into the pop culture moments that have puzzled her for years. This addictive, informative and revelatory show dives features the deep research and first person reporting that helped her launch the #FreeBritney movement while co-hosting Britney's Gram. Each episode unpacks a moment in celebrity news that was misunderstood or intentionally covered up at the time. Part true crime, part comedy, part deconstructing pop culture trivia, the show shines light on the dark corners in the entertainment capital of the world.

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31 episodes
weekly
Avg 56 min
English

Episodes 31

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#117
October 8 · 1 hr 9 min
Grab Yo Glocks When You See Tupac (Chapter Two)
Suge Knight has said in interviews that the killing of Tupac Shakur was done “for money.” Suge, like many insiders, has also insinuated that the murder of Tupac Shakur was made possible by way of a group of people conspiring to work together. So what actually happened the night of September 7, 1996 in Las Vegas, and why? Tess has analyzed the entirety of Keefe D’s trial. She pored extensively through multiple accounts. She now has a theory.
#116
September 24 · 1 hr 5 min
Tupac Shakur: If I Die Tonight (Chapter One)
Prosecutors alleged in their case against Duane Davis aka Keefe D that Tupac’s 1996 murder was essentially an act of gang violence. The witness testimony in Davis’ case, however. points to a much bigger conspiracy at play.
#115
September 19 · 45 min
Bedside Man: The Diddy Files Chapter Five
A fixer. A security guard. A real estate investor. Fahim Muhammed played key roles in both Sean Diddy Comb’s and Michael Jackson’s lives. Is it just a coincidence that similar players appear in the grisly behind the scenes of both of these music tales?
#114
September 18 · 41 min
Mo Money Less Problems: The Diddy Files Chapter Four
To unravel the business of Sean Combs is to see the ways in which his vast empire is connected to the music industry at large.
#113
September 17 · 37 min
Girl Meets Bad Boy For Life: The Diddy Files Chapter Three
It’s hard to think about Sean DIddy Combs without thinking about the mysterious death of Kim Porter.
#112
September 16 · 42 min
What the Security Cameras Caught: The Diddy Files Chapter Two
Though Sean Diddy Combs ultimately was found guilty of some of the lesser charges brought against him by the federal government, it can’t be argued that Diddy’s reputation has been irrevocably changed.
#111
September 10 · 44 min
A Gruesome Celebrity Encounter: The Diddy Files Chapter One
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.”
#110
September 3 · 30 min
The Tupac Verdict: What It Was Like in the Court Room
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?
#109
August 27 · 26 min
The Prosecution Rests: Updates from the Tupac Murder Trial
The prosecution has rested their case against Duane Davis…but is it really time to call it?
#108
August 20 · 9 min
The Tupac Murder Trial: Revelations from Inside the Courtroom
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.
#107
August 13 · 1 hr 28 min
Grimes, Mother of X Æ A-12 (with Steven Ray Morris)
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?
#106
August 6 · 1 hr 22 min
The Cult That Jared Leto Runs (with Shannon McNamara)
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.
#105
July 30 · 1 hr 23 min
Tyra Banks Cuts Models (with Jackie Johnson)
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
#104
July 23 · 1 hr 20 min
The Ice Cream Blonde Cold Case (with Babs Gray)
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.
#103
July 16 · 44 min
Jerry Springer Fakes It (Throwback)
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?
#102
July 9 · 1 hr 16 min
The Secret Life of Canned Laughter (with Holly Brown)
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.
#101
July 2 · 9 min
The Top Pop Independence Days
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.
#100
June 25 · 1 hr 33 min
James Cameron’s Quest to Pester Ghosts (with Caitlin Durante)
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.
#99
June 18 · 1 hr 8 min
The NFL is Bravo (with Megan Gailey)
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.
#98
June 11 · 11 min
An Alleged Tupac Assassin Stands Trial. Who Hired Him?
Nearly thirty years after the killing of Tupac Shakur, Duane Davis is set to face murder charges in a Nevada court.

Showing 1–20 of 31 episodes