Pop Mystery Pod

The landslide of allegations against Sean Diddy Combs was started by a singular person - R&B singer Cassie Ventura. Cassie’s allegations formed the framework for the federal case against Sean Combs, which is set to kick off May 5, 2025. Tess takes a deep look into Cassie’s harrowing escape and the surprising stories Cassie’s intersects with. 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/PopMysteryPodFollow 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.

Selena Quintanilla was 23 years old, and well on her way to becoming an international megastar when she was shot and killed by Yolanda Saldivar, the president of her fan club. Though a biopic starring Jennifer Lopez paints a fairly simple picture of this tragic death, the truth appears less black and white. Only two people really know how and Selena died that day, and one of them was Selena. Joining Tess to talk through this operatic tale of a forever young pop star is hilarious comic Vanessa Gonzalez @vanessagcomedy. Watch the sourced documentary Selena and Yolanda: The Secrets Between ThemRead the sourced book: To Selena, With Love, By Chris Perez Watch the sourced biopic “Selena.” 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/PopMysteryPodFollow 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.

If there is such a thing as the typical college experience, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, the two most famous child star twins of all time, were probably never going to have it. Nevertheless, they persisted…kind of. Joining Tess to talk through the Olsen twins transition to otherworldly fashion icons is writer, actor, and comic Guy Branum. See Guy’s new one-person show “Fruitful” live in Chicago May 6th, St. Paul May 7th. And watch “Hacks,” the HBO comedy Guy just won a Golden Globe for. Read sourced article: WSJ: “Mary Kate and Ashley Olsens’ The Row Launches Menswear” NYT: “No Labels For the Olsen Twins” Vogue: “Mary Kate and Ashley Find a Home for ‘The Row’ in Paris” 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/PopMysteryPodFollow 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 Olsen twins are endlessly fascinating celebrities. They were selected for stardom before they could walk. They’re both an inspirational story and I cautionary tale. They’re just so important. Joining Tess to talk through the wild mystery that is the Olsen twins existence is writer, actor, and comic Guy Branum. See Guy’s new one-person show “Fruitful” live in Chicago May 6th, St. Paul May 7th. And watch “Hacks,” the comedy Guy just won a Golden Globe for. See the “Tiny Tycoon” TV Guide cover here. Read sourced article: Washington Post “Less is More: How the Little Stars of “Full House” Hit the Big Time Watch sourced documentary “Celebrity Profile: The Olsen Twins” 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/PopMysteryPodFollow 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.

Forget skeletons in the closet. Barbra Streisand has a mall. In her basement. Like, a real one. Joining Tess to tour this fascinating and unhinged corner of American architecture is writer, director, and podcaster Chelsea Devantez. Chelsea’s memoir “I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This, But I’m Going to Anyway,” is out now. Her podcast “Glamorous Trash” is pop perfection and a must-listen! Got 48 hours? Check out “My Name is Barbra.” Want to see more of that Malibu house? Check out “My Passion for Design.” 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/PopMysteryPodFollow 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.

Before she was proclaiming she’d invented “gay pop,” child dance phenom-turned heavily costumed try-hard helmed a junior girl group called XOMG. The group claimed to offer aspiring pop stars as young as 8 years old a line into their show biz dreams. Some claim what followed was a candy-flavored nightmare. Joining Tess to talk through Jojo’s turn as a teacher and her life as a child star, is comedian, actor, podcaster, and singer Jade Catta-Preta @jadecattapreta. To learn more about this story check out the Rolling Stone article “Jojo Siwa Promised Them Stardom. They Say They Were Thrown in the Trash.” 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/PopMysteryPodFollow 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.

“Plaintiff would pay for her statement regarding Tupac.” In this chilling line 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/PopMysteryPodFollow 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.

Cameras wrap on “It Ends With Us.” Now, the real battle begins. After Blake Lively alleges that she’s been harassed while filming this movie, her attempts at wrestling back agency stall out. Ultimately, Lively is able to get back some power…but at what cost? And who is really making her pay? Tess has sifted through the many legal filings in this case. As this story’s concludes (for now) what does it have to tell us about media and how easily we can all be manipulated by it? Read the New York Times story “‘We Can Bury Anyone:’ Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine” by Megan Twohey, Mike McIntire, and Julie Tate. 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Betrayal. Gaslighting. Things not being what they seem. These are themes in the movie “It Ends With Us,” but they could also describe the dramatic and seemingly constantly escalating conflict between actor and fashionista Blake Lively and her co-star and director Justin Baldoni. Tess has sifted through the many wordy legal filings and blurry screen grabbed texts, and a narrative seems to emerge around what actually happened behind the scenes. It may not be the narrative you expect. 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.

You don’t have to be a Swiftie to know there’s bad blood between Taylor Swift, Kanye West, and Scooter Braun. What exactly went down between these three powerful and strong personalities? Who was really in the wrong here, and how did Kanye taking the mic from Taylor at the VMAs lead to the re-recorded albums known as “Taylor’s Version?” Joining Tess to parse and explain this twisted and juicy tale is performance artist and Taylor Swift expert Amber Kenny. Read “The Many Faces of Scooter Braun” by Anna Sillman here. Watch “Taylor Swift vs Scooter Braun: Bad Blood” on Max Watch “Miss Americana” on Netflix. 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.

Few murders have rocked the music world like the untimely deaths of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur. Neither slain rapper has ever had their killer brought to justice. Recent allegations against Sean Diddy Combs, the producer who have Biggie Smalls his start, have forced questions about Diddy’s involvement in this dark and violent tale. Joining Tess to talk through Diddy’s role in the Tupac and Biggie murders is writer, podcaster, and digital strategist Wynter Mitchell Rohrbaugh @wynter. To learn more about this case check out the documentary “Murder Rap”, or read some of the Rolling Stone pieces used for research in this episode. “Bad Boy for Life: Sean Combs’ History of Violence “The Hunt For Tupac’s Killer: Confessions, Conspiracies, and Confusions.” 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.

A sweet movie about a talking pig turned a whole new generation of children into vegetarians. Those children often remained vegetarians into adulthood, and played a role in transforming the plant-based food industry. How did “Babe” make such a lasting impact on kids, and why were so many of those ‘90s babes girls? Joining Tess to talk through this phenomenon are psychologist and author Dr. Carla Manly (@drcarlamanly); author of books including “The Sexual Politics of Meat” and “Pedaling Resistance,” Carol Adams (@cja_from_dallas); and food scientist Dr. Jessica Ruiz Hallstrom @vegspice_eats. 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.

So this actually happened: one of the most unpredictable and eccentric NBA players of all time put the entire United States (and maybe the whole world) at risk when he found himself cozying up to one of the world’s most notorious dictators. Joining Tess to talk through this strange and hilarious story is writer, actor, and comedian Megan Koester (@bornferal). Read Megan’s writing here. To learn more about this story, check out the documentary “Big Bang in Pyongyang” and “The Hermit Kingdom” 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.

While we’re all lining up to see “Wicked,” Tess has some thoughts on a different upcoming Jon Chu movie musical – the Britney Spears biopic. Britney herself has said on Instagram that this movie, which was optioned from the book “A Woman in Me,” is not actually a biopic. So what is really going on 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.

There was a moment in history where it seemed like every celeb was dabbling in Kabbalah - the secretive spiritual practice that set up camp at the bottom of Beverly Hills. Madonna and her many famous friends were all wearing red bracelets and talking about awareness and balance, but for all the press Kabbalah got, Kabbalah’s darker side was pushed into the shadows. Joining Tess to talk through this very LA fad are Rachel Fisher (@childlikeempress) and Desi Jedeikin (@desijed), hosts of the Hollywood Crime Scene podcast. For more reading on Kabbalah and the IRS inquiries into it, check out this LA Times piece. 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.

Aliens: their existence seems kind of inevitable, right? So why are they such a fringe topic? They’re not, to legendary comedian Dan Aykroyd, who has spent his entire life studying alien encounters. This SNL founding member has a lot to say about extraterrestrials, and Tess brings on comedian CJ Sullivan (@cjsullivanwastaken) to sift through what Dan Aykroyd knows, and what the government is (and isn’t) telling us. 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.

Brandon Lee was supposed to have a long and successful film career. Instead, he died in a freak shooting accident on the set of his breakout film “The Crow.” He was shot by a blank. So how was that shot fatal? Tess talks with professional armorer Mike Tristano about how and why this horrific tragedy occurred. 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.

Happy Halloween! We don't talk much about the woman buried at Donald Trump's golf course, huh? This strange and alarming story has been on Tess' mind for a couple years, and the week ahead of election day seems as good a time as any to get into it. Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker Produced by Tyler Hill Theme song by Rick Wood Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Woody Harrelson is a huge movie star. His dad Charles Harrelson was a storied hit man with a fascinating life. The two Harrelsons shared a lot, including the spotlight in twisted various ways. Joining Tess to talk through this strange noir father son story is comedian River Butcher @rivbutcher Listen to the “Son of a Hitman” podcast by Jason Cavanaugh 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.

In 2001, Winona Ryder was arrested for shoplifting clothes at Saks 5th Avenue. This resulted in the creation of a wildly trendy garment - the Free Winona t-shirt. The iconic tee was designed by Billy T @yquetradingpost. Why was the Free Winona fad such a big deal? And why was Winona’s relatively petty theft treated like the crime of the century? 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.

In the ‘80s, a gaggle of pop stars pulled an all-nighter to record “We Are the World.” This fever dream of a supergroup hit changed the course of self-serious mega collaborations forever. Comic, writer, and actor Lizzy Cooperman @lizzycooperman joins host Tess Barker to unpack this beautiful and enigmatic moment. Watch “The Greatest Night in Pop” on Netflix. 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.

Special feed drop! Tess has a stand up album coming out! Brandie Posey, creator of Burn This Records and Tess’s “Lady to Lady” co-host is here with an episode of her podcast “Burn This Podcast” talking to Tess about her album and playing some tracks! “Live from My Birthday Week” is available for purchase or stream everywhere starting 10/4/24. Grab Tess’ album here! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How did leading man Richard Gere become the subject of one of the most enduring and absurd rumors of all time? Investigative journalist takes a deep and twisted dive into how and why this story spread before the internet existed? 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.

There’s something so unsettling about hearing a melody you can’t quite place. Thankfully, the internet is full of “lost media” detectives who sometimes have amazing success at identifying unknown fragments of visual and audio art. Josh Chapdelaine (@JoshChapdelaine) joins host Tess Barker to discuss the mystery at the heart of his documentary podcast “Everyone Knows That: The Search for Ulterior Motives.” 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.

Avril Lavigne is a grunge pop icon. Or is she? For years, a conspiracy theory has been circulating that the real Avril died shortly after becoming famous, and was replaced by a body double. Joining Tess Barker in this rabbit hole is podcaster Cristen Conger host of “Conspiracy, She Wrote,” and “Unladylike.” 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.

Ten years ago, Buffalo’s beloved NFL cheerleading squad disbanded abruptly. The dismantling of the Buffalo Jills has left this die-hard sports community pointing fingers. Who is really to blame for the disappearance of the Bill’s cheer squad, and why has it still not returned to Buffalo? Tess interviews former Jills cheerleaders Erin Oliver and Lonna Rich (@glitteryhippie) about the unexpected history of the Buffalo Jills’ fight for fair working conditions. 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.

Backstreet Boys. Nsync. It’s hard to overstate how larger than life these groups were in the late ‘90s and ‘00s. While millions of girls screamed over these boy bands, though, the guys in the groups were getting royally screwed by the guy who built them: Lou Pearlman. The fraud goes so deep, and gets so weird. Writer and podcaster Dave Holmes @daveholmes of the Homophilia, Who Killed the Video Star, and Waiting for Impact podcasts joins journalist and pop culture junkie Tess Barker for a dive into this strange and shocking story. Looking for video docs about Lou Pearlman? Check out “The Boy Band Con” and “Dirty Pop.” 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 better or (more likely) 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 @dougstanhope 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.

Darlings, it’s a Vanderpump mystery! Lisa Vanderpump is an OG Housewife and the ruler of her own Bravo empire. She’s also been the victim of many, many fires. Fashion designer and VPR expert Haley Solar @HaleySolar joins investigative journalist and pop culture junkie Tess Barker to chat through the house of smoke and mirrors that is Lisa Vanderpump’s restaurants. 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.

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.

Grab your can of nos, cause we’re revving things up! Journalist, comic, and pop culture junkie Tess Barker welcomes Brandie Posey @brandazzle (Lady to Lady, Burn This Records, Picture This!) to talk through the real-life soap opera that is The Rock’s feud with Vin Diesel. Beefs don’t get much beefier than this. 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.

“Cats” is a musical so ridiculous that it often drives people to anger. So why has this absurd show made so much money, and how does it keep taunting us all with its reemergence into culture? Jellicle journalist, comic, and pop culture junkie Tess Barker is on the case. Featuring interviews with actor Sara Jean Ford (On Broadway: “Phantom of the Opera; “Finian’s Rainbow;” “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying;” “Cats:” ) and musicologist and dramaturg Dr. Lynda Paul (professor, Yale University; PhD music history/ethnomusicology/performance studies). 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. Abigail Keel was a consulting producer on this episode. Special thanks to voice actors Sean Green and Babs Gray. Clearance Counsel is Dale Nelson and Jacqueline Swett at Donaldson Callif Perez, LLP 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.

Journalist, comic, and pop culture junkie Tess Barker welcomes Emma Gray @emmaladyrose (Love to See It podcast, Rich Text newsletter). How much did “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” cast member and Erika Jayne know about her husband, Tom Girardi’s alleged frauds? Tess and Erika sort through the saga of this fallen power couple. Read the LA Times invetsigative piece on Tom and Erika, written by Matt Hamilton and Harriet Ryan here. Watch the doc "The Housewife and the Hustler" on Hulu. 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.

Journalist, comic, and pop culture junkie Tess Barker unpacks a question that’s been nagging her since the ‘90s: Did someone put dirty jokes into classic Disney movies? How? And why? The search for the truth leads Tess to a place she didn't see coming. Guests include Liz Climo (“The Simpsons,” children’s book author & illustrator), Mike Hollingsworth (“Bo Jack Horseman,” “Tuca and Bertie”), Tom Sito (“The Little Mermaid,” “Who Framed Rodger Rabbit?”, “The Lion King,” “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast”), Brenda Chapman (“Brave,” “The Prince of Egypt,” “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast”). Featuring an Animation Guild oral history from Ann Guenther (“Sleeping Beauty,” “Winnie the Pooh,” “Robin Hood,” “The Rescuers.”) 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. Abigail Keel was a consulting producer on this episode. Clearance Counsel is Dale Nelson and Jacqueline Swett at Donaldson Callif Perez, LLP 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.

Journalist, comic, and pop culture junkie Tess Barker invites Danielle Perez @divadelux (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Dicks! The Musical, Spiderverse) onto the show for chat through the surprising way Lindsay Lohan’s party girl phase changed the kombucha industry forever. Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Insstagram, 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.

Journalist, comic, and pop culture junkie Tess Barker unpacks the alleged fraudulent actions behind the 2010 hit movie “The Blind Side.” Guests on this episode are Craig Vail, close friend of Michael Oher and Kellie Carter-Jackson @kcarterjackson, Historian, Award Winning Author, Chair of Africana, Wellesley College. Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Insstagram, and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker. Produced by Emma Klein. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d. Abigail Keel was a consulting producer on this episode. Clearance Counsel is Dale Nelson and Jacqueline Swett at Donaldson Callif Perez, LLP 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.

Journalist, comic, and pop culture junkie Tess Barker invites Babs Gray @babs_gray, her Britney’s Gram and Lady to Lady cohost onto the show for chat through the confounding case of Brittany Murphy’s untimely death. Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Insstagram, and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker. Produced by Emma Klein. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d. Find "What Happened, Brittant Murphy" on Max. Check out the full convo with Julianne Kaye about Britney Spears selling her house on We Need to Talk About Britney here. 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.

Journalist, comic, and pop culture junkie Tess Barker delves into the underbelly of “The Bachelor” franchise. She uncovers exclusive information about the show’s inner workings. Guests include former contestant Sydney Lotuaco @sydneylotuaco and Steve Carbone @realitysteve. Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @popmysterypod Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker. Produced by Emma Klein. Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d. Abigail Keel was a consulting producer on this episode. Clearance Counsel is Jacqueline Swett at Donaldson Callif Perez, LLP 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.

Investigative journalist and pop star advocate (#FreeBritney),Tess Barker is back on the entertainment beat. In each episode, Tess delves into the annals of pop culture history. She indulges in one of her favorite hobbies - sifting through court documents. She interviews people who actually lived through this pop culture trivia, and unpacks the details with experts. Tess's obsessevive and sometimes comedic reporting style uncovers the truth behind pop culture's most mysterious stories -- things we got wrong the first time around, and things that were intentionally hidden from us. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.