Pop Mystery Pod

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 con

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? Tess gives an update from the Vegas court room and some thoughts on the prosec

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. Is convicting defendant

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

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

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

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 beauti

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?

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. This t

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 in

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, w

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 en

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. Additionally, Davis has been named in a civil complain

The TMZ Secret Sauce (with Lauren Vino)

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 Harv

A Literal Captive Audience

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. 

The Terrifying Face Behind Those Pass It On Billboards (from the vault)

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 unsettlin

Exposing “Girls Gone Wild” (with Courtney Kocak)

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

The Settlement: What Justin Baldoni’s Lawyer Doesn’t Want Us to Know

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 a

Banksy Gets His Mask Ripped Off (with Chris Fairbanks)

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 m

Nevertheless, Blake Lively Persists (with MJ Morley)

Blake Lively’s civil case is scheduled to head to trial. As the actor is set to claim retaliation against Justin Baldoni, many of her harassment claims have been tossed o