Pop Mystery Pod
Tess Barker
Show overview
Pop Mystery Pod has been publishing since 2024, and across the 2 years since has built a catalogue of 103 episodes, alongside 1 trailer or bonus episode. That works out to roughly 100 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a weekly cadence.
Episodes typically run an hour to ninety minutes — most land between 43 min and 1h 16m — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. The publisher flags most episodes as explicit, so expect adult themes or strong language throughout. It is catalogued as a EN-language Society & Culture show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 4 days ago, with 34 episodes already out so far this year. Published by Tess Barker.
From the publisher
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.
Latest Episodes
View all 103 episodesThe Tupac Murder Trial: Revelations from Inside the Courtroom
Grimes, Mother of X Æ A-12 (with Steven Ray Morris)
The Cult That Jared Leto Runs (with Shannon McNamara)
Tyra Banks Cuts Models (with Jackie Johnson)
The Ice Cream Blonde Cold Case (with Babs Gray)
Jerry Springer Fakes It (Throwback)
The Secret Life of Canned Laughter (with Holly Brown)
The Top Pop Independence Days
James Cameron’s Quest to Pester Ghosts (with Caitlin Durante)
The NFL is Bravo (with Megan Gailey)
An Alleged Tupac Assassin Stands Trial. Who Hired Him?
The TMZ Secret Sauce (with Lauren Vino)
A Literal Captive Audience
The Terrifying Face Behind Those Pass It On Billboards (from the vault)
Exposing “Girls Gone Wild” (with Courtney Kocak)
The Settlement: What Justin Baldoni’s Lawyer Doesn’t Want Us to Know
Banksy Gets His Mask Ripped Off (with Chris Fairbanks)
Nevertheless, Blake Lively Persists (with MJ Morley)
The Tom Cruise Wife Casting Couch (with Claire Lim)
Ep 89Bluntly, Afroman Prevails (with Paul Danke)
EFinally, some good news. After being sued for making music videos based on a break in of his own home, Afroman scores a big win for free speech, and, honestly, millennial stoners at large. Joining Tess to parse through the legal specifics of this case is comic and actor Paul Danke (@pauldanke). Buy some Afroman merch here! 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.