Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m outgoing, midwestern-grown, and on the brink of turning thirty, fueled by a love for adventure and drawn to tales reminiscent of Indiana Jones and The Jungle Book. Whether it’s hiking, snorkeling, or exploring the diverse culinary scene of Los Angeles, I’m always seeking new experiences. My fascination with the outdoors and diverse cultures led me to stumble upon a mysterious disappearance in the Indian Himalayas. Justin Alexander, a nomadic traveler and survival expert, vanished in 2016. His last known journey, accompanied by a self-proclaimed holy man, was announced to social media with a cryptic message: ‘I should return mid-September or so. If I’m not back by then, don’t look for me.’ Thus began my four-year investigation, chronicled in my podcast, ‘Status: Untraced,’ delving into the enigma of Justin Alexander’s disappearance.

What’s the first podcast you ever listened to?

To be honest, I can’t recall the very first podcast I ever listened to. However, the first docu-series podcast that truly grabbed my attention was Serial. Prior to that, I indulged in a variety of podcasts spanning self-help, news, and comedy genres, such as School of Greatness, The Daily, and This Past Weekend.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

I decided to start podcasting because of a fortuitous encounter with Alex Vespestad in 2020. As we became acquainted, he shared Justin Alexander’s story with me. Alex, being a well-established creator of true-crime podcasts, extended an offer to collaborate on a podcast about Justin. Upon delving into Justin’s story, I found myself captivated by his character; he essentially was my imaginary childhood hero – brought to life. The enigmatic circumstances surrounding his disappearance – a suspect found hanged in jail, cryptic messages, and swirling rumors – only fueled my intrigue. Thus, seizing the chance, I eagerly embraced the opportunity to delve into his story through podcasting.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I draw a lot of inspiration from my initial exposure to Alex’s work alongside Neil Strauss, in the podcast, To Live and Die In LA. From the moment I started listening, I was immediately hooked and managed to binge the entire first season in less than 24 hours. Shout out to Spotify Wrapped for quantifying my obsession.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

As a podcaster, I’ve learned that the journey is full of unexpected twists and turns. From navigating interviews and writing scripts to overcoming hurdles like securing international visas during a global pandemic and even getting a car stuck on a Mexican beach, every step has tested me in new ways. I’ve come to appreciate that life rarely unfolds exactly as planned, but therein lies its beauty. So my biggest lesson has been to trust in myself, my team (Alex truly is a genius; I couldn’t have done this without him), and the timing of the process itself.

Oh, and I’ve also managed to slow my speaking pace, albeit just a little.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

It’s wild to look back on now, but readers can listen to the origin story of my aspirations and career, in addition to the growth of my philosophy on life, by tuning into Status: Untraced. “Check it out on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts…” Sorry, the new podcaster inside of me took over for a second.

As far as any future work goes, we’ll see just have to see what happens! But if you’re curious to stay updated, you’ll find me fairly active on Instagram.

The post Liam Luxon steps into True Crime with Status: Untraced appeared first on POD BIBLE.

You can see why: people still love true crime, scammers and freaky horror-thrillers about creepy people, and it’s very handy for TV producers and commissioners that podcasters have done some of the legwork for them. But there’s something about the intimacy of podcasting as a medium that can make the whole thing more satisfying to listen to. Often, interviewees on podcasts are talking about their experiences publicly for the first time, and there’s an immediacy and vulnerability to that, which makes it compelling listening. Podcasters get all the time they need to luxuriate in nuance and detail, and give the story they’re telling the space it needs to be told. So, we’ve pulled together seven of the best podcasts that have been adapted for TV right here.

Limetown

This scripted fiction pod was made into a show starring Stanley Tucci and Jessica Biel, which was perhaps unfairly cancelled after a single season, so if you want the full, creepy, atmospheric story of what’s going on at a neuroscience research centre in Tennessee. A 911 call draws police to the gates, but the facility stays locked – until three days later, when a pyre and a dead body are found, and 300 people are missing. Investigative reporter Lia Haddock goes on the hunt for clues. Listen now >>

Dr Death

The first series of this one was a proper blockbuster that told the story of Christopher Duntsch, a doctor who presented himself as a wunderkind of neurosurgery but who injured 31 people and killed two with his procedures. Later series looked at a chemotherapy-mad oncologist and a fraudulent thoracic surgeon who kept experimenting with synthetic tracheas. It’s properly nightmarish stuff, explored with a level of creeping dread and alarm which will stay with you. Listen now >>

Dirty John

If Dr Death was a blockbuster, the LA Times’ Dirty John was the Star Wars to its Jaws, the Avengers: Endgame to its Titanic. Debra Newell met John Michael Meehan on an online dating website, and he seemed like a catch: charming, good looking, had his life together. But Meehan was not the man he appeared to be. To say too much would ruin the whole thing, but it’s a twisty, deeply unpredictable story which reaches a wild climax which, depending on your view, will feel either like just desserts or a frustrating chance at justice missed. Listen now >>

Song Exploder

For a podcast that felt like the kind of thing only podcasting could do justice to – musicians breaking down the process of writing and recording their biggest hits, stripping down a song to its bare bones before putting it back together again – the TV version that turned up on Netflix did it great justice. Whereas the Netflix series has two seasons, pretty much everyone’s been on the podcast over more than 250 podcast episodes, from Foo Fighters to Sampha and Paramore to New Order. Listen now >>

Lore

Another one that tickles whatever part of your brain it is that likes sitting around a campfire listening to spooky stories, Lore tells true tales which lean toward the unsettling, the inexplicable and the mordaunt. There’s a delicacy and strange power to host Aaron Mahnke’s coolly underplayed narration, which makes the stranger-than-fiction stories all the more bone-chilling. The Amazon Prime series based on it looked at lobotomies, werewolves and haunted houses. Listen now >>

The Shrink Next Door

Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd and Kathryn Hahn all starred in the Apple TV+ adaptation of this psychological thriller of a true story about a psychiatrist who manages to inveigle his way into his clients’ lives and help himself to anything he likes. The tone isn’t quite true crime; it’s more like a relationship drama, with celebrity shrink ‘Ike’ Herschkopf and his biddable subject Marty Markowitz becoming bound tighter and tighter together over years of manipulation. Listen now >>

Can I Tell You a Secret?

Netflix has just announced an adaptation of Sirin Kale’s investigation into a mystery that gripped Northwich in the mid-noughties. Over a decade, dozens of apparently random women were sent the same message: “can I tell you a secret?” This mysterious person would then spread rumours of infidelities, which spiralled into real life fights and fall-outs. Kale tries to find the cyberstalker at the centre of it all, and speaks to the women whose lives he made a misery. In the end, things are far more complicated than they seem. Listen now >>

The post 7 of the best podcasts adapted for television appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Before the show, I managed to chat with producer Annie Brown about the process of making the live show and what they wanted to achieve. “Listeners had such strong feelings about the evidence it was hard to just leave it as it was.” She shared that the overwhelmingly positive reception to the podcast made it obvious they had to involve the audience and give them the chance to play the jury in real time. “It’s just fun to be able to interact and engage with the people that gave the show such life.”

The show was split into three acts:

• Act 1 – A podcast recap with host Elizabeth Day with enough context and details for audience members that might not have listened to the whole podcast. Bonus behind the scenes audio outtakes and pictures of Tristan and Annie’s process kept it freshtoo.
• Act 2 – Feyther on trial. A stern telling off from detectives Jackie Malton and Hamish Campbell to focus on the evidence; a live reenactment of a suspicious phone call from the police file; an animated floor plan of the sequence of events from the night of the murder; and audience voting using a virtual polling app.
• Act 3 – A live Q&A for audience members to ask their questions to Tristan, Annie and Kate Dancy directly.

So what worked? Firstly, Elizabeth Day was the best person to host this show. When I asked Annie why they chose Elizabeth, she said “She’s an amazing stand-in for an enthusiastic audience member. She’s such a deep listener, a deep thinker and pokes and prods at the story as our audience members have been.” That’s exactly what she did on stage, guiding the evening and reminding us of all details we’d overlooked.

The visual elements were helpful too. I have to admit that at times, listening to the podcast was confusing because of the multiple versions of events and the sheer number of important details. The animations of the house and the chain of events were the perfect illustration – even if it did feel a bit like VAR with the audience playing the referee.

I wasn’t a fan of the live voting. Although I understand the intention, I think phones and theatres aren’t compatible. The light, the risk of technical error (of which there was only one, thankfully), and people checking their notifications instantly sucks you out of the world that’s been carefully built around you.

Finally, the story. Ghost Story is so successful because there’s something for everyone: hauntings, murder mystery, true crime, family drama. But at the heart of it is a tragedy. Whether it was a murder-suicide or a double homicide, these deaths are personal to the Dancy family. Ghost Story is not unscathed from criticism of sensationalising a personal family trauma, most vocally by one member of the Dancy family, Tash Cutts. Her open letter condemning the show was handed out outside the theatre. This criticism fits into a wider conversation in the podcast industry about the ethics of seeking out, dramatising and profiting from vulnerable individuals and their stories.

True crime makes great content because you have the thrill of someone’s messy and exciting reality while watching from a distance. But at what cost?

Ghost Story Live was made for the fans who loved the story, loved the characters and those who wanted to dive into the details together. The newly shared pictures and testimonials, particularly of Naomi Dancy, were a wonderful addition to an already vivid podcast, and served as a reminder of the central themes of legacy and reckoning with reality. Even after seven episodes, a bonus episode and a live show, I was still debating who could have committed the crimes! So, as we drop the final curtain on season 1, the ghosts of Feyther, Naomi and Maurice certainly live on…and I’m confident the legacy of Ghost Story will remain with us for a long time.

Listen to Ghost Story on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other popular podcast apps >>

—

Katie Stokes is a freelance writer, editor and podcast producer. Her work explores mental health, social relationships and identity. She is the host of Re:Mind the Podcast, unpacking how small behaviours have a big impact on our mental health. She is also an educator, creating audio and video resources for migrants looking to learn English.

The post REVIEW // Ghost Story – Live appeared first on POD BIBLE.

PB: TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR SHOW! WHAT’S YOUR PODCAST ELEVATOR PITCH?

RH: RedHanded is the ultimate true crime podcast for people who want more than crime. We aim to cover all sorts of cases, the obvious ones like Chris Watts and Casey Anthony to ones that other true crime podcasts don’t – like the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khasgohhi and the evolution of the satanic panic into modern day QAnon. RedHanded is for people who want all the facts, along with thoughtful analysis, but delivered like they are just down the pub with their mates.

WHY PODCASTING? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE FORMAT THAT APPEALED TO YOU INITIALLY?

The incredibly low barriers to entry! Podcasting is fantastic because it allows anyone with anything to say, a place to say it! We had no background whatsoever in broadcasting, journalism, scripting, editing – anything relevant to podcasting – and so we knew it was going to have to be grassroots. Podcasting is the ultimate format because you don’t need someone in the industry to give you the greenlight to make it work.

THE TRUE CRIME GENRE IS HUGELY POPULAR IN PODCASTING. WHY DO YOU THINK LISTENERS FIND IT SO ENGAGING?

True crime has always, and we mean always, been a hugely popular genre. The Victorians were making Penny Dreadfuls and chasing Jack the Ripper around; it’s nothing new. We have always been obsessed with the extremes of human behaviour, and what’s more extreme that murder? I think that true crime combines all of the ingredients that appeal most to us as human beings: extreme behaviour, mystery and fear.

True crime offers us the opportunity to explore – in a safe way – the very addictive emotion of fear. Fear is hardwired into us and it’s why we go on roller coasters and watch Leatherface chopping teenagers up – but with true crime, the stakes are even higher, and therefore more alluring, because it’s all real.

AS A PODCAST WITH NEARLY 250 EPISODES, HOW DO YOU KEEP ENGAGED WITH THE GENRE YOURSELVES?

We genuinely love true crime. We live, eat and breathe true crime. We both have a truly deep and obsessive curiosity about it. And thanks to our listeners we’ve had the opportunity to explore increasingly different types of cases. This helps us stay excited, curious and constantly learning – all of which means we can still put out great content week after week!

WHICH EPISODE OR EPISODES OF YOUR PODCAST HAVE YOU FOUND THE MOST REWARDING TO PRODUCE?

SURUTHI: It changes often, but for me the two parter on ISIS, Shamima Begum and the Bethnal Green Girls, was a really important story to tell. I hadn’t seen a true crime podcast cover that case and we really wanted to do it justice, which we think we did!

HANNAH: The two-parter we did on Scientology was probably the one for me. Again, we just tried to approach it in a different way to how we’d seen that story told before – as it was such a massive case to tackle we were nervous; so it was very rewarding to see peoples’ positive reactions!

YOU’VE ACHIEVED GREAT SUCCESS WITH YOUR SPIN OFF PATREON, ALLOWRING LISTENERS TO SUBSCRIBE FOR BONUS CONTENT. WHAT’S THE SECRET TO BUILDING SUCH A STRONG COMMUNITY?

Content, content, content. Stay focussed on creating great content – give it your full attention and the people will reward you!

FINALLY, WHAT ARE YOUR GO TO PODCASTS WHEN YOU’RE LOOKING FOR LIGHT RELIEF FROM THE WORLD OF TRUE CRIME?

SURUTHI: I don’t think I do light relief all that well!!! I love Conflicted, which is a fantastic geopolitics podcast!

HANNAH: I’m actually currently re-listening to The Black Tapes – which if you like spooky shit is perfect, and I also love a bit of Desert Island Discs.

Listen to Redhanded on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

Find more interviews with your favourite podcasters in the Pod Bible Magazine >>

The post THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO… RedHanded appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Behind The Yellow Tape, or BTYTPodcast, is an independent show sharing short stories of serious crimes, as well as interviews with people involved in the Criminal Justice System. The host and creator, J.A. Lovelock, is a Barrister-at-Law, an academic lawyer, lecturing examining and training in legal education. Her background adjudicating in the Criminal Justice System gives the show an authority, but not at the expense of the storytelling (a recent episode took the theme of ‘evil step mothers’ to consider four real-life cases.) And despite the heavy content, the episodes are kept to short, digestible narrations.

We asked the J.A. Lovelock to tell us more about the show.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

My podcast BTYTPodcast – Behind The Yellow Tape – is a twice-monthly podcast covering crime and criminality, which I created, produce and host. It is a podcast for those interested in serious crime and the solving of it. We hear from the people who have had a relationship with the Criminal Justice System in some way and those in-between. And particularly hear from those who caused the yellow tape to be erected in the first place. The episodes consist of both interviews and the narration of legal cases and due to its oftentimes controversial outcome, these cases will interest, fascinate, and perhaps even shock the listener.

The podcast has had great response. For example, Will Hanrahan, award winning broadcaster and documentary film maker of crime, said he loved my podcast. That I ‘hold a story well and my natural warmth shines.’ He also said my ‘voice is smashing and [my] style refreshing.’ I’ll take that, thanks!

In addition, when Lee Cornell, CEO/Founder of leecornellmediaUSA/UK/International, was asked in an interview by Dave Charles, Canadian journalist, to name those podcasts he would recommend, my Behind The Yellow Tape podcast was one of the few he selected.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

I would say the first podcast I ever heard was, Have you Heard George’s Podcast? This was on BBC Radio 4, a couple of years ago. Up until that point, I had never even heard the word ‘podcast’. At the end of the programme I googled ‘Have you Heard…’ and that got me thinking…

But the first real podcast I listened to was Everything is Alive, where the guests are inanimate objects. Totally brilliant concept and loved it. I wish I’d thought of that one!

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

I had been a radio (and television) presenter and after 10 years out of it, I was really looking to get back into radio. For whatever reason, that didn’t work out. Then I thought there could be another way into audio. That’s when I started thinking maybe I could start a podcast. But what kind of podcast, I asked myself. Crime, almost immediately came to mind, bearing in mind my background, I suppose.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

You would think I listen to a lot of crime podcasts. I have done in the past just to see what’s out there and what’s not, then I do my thing as I am not trying to emulate anyone else’s style. I am likely to listen to podcasts that uplift and inspire and I like the Dutty Sink Drama podcast and the issues it covers. Meaningful.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

I have had some great guests so far. I have a profound interest in miscarriages of justice and the innocents who were incarcerated for crimes they did not commit and is then released after many years. So, I would like to interview any one of these (usually Black) men to hear about their experiences from start to finish. Another dream guest would be Byan Stevenson. He is a lawyer who works with cases like these. Another dream guest would be Clive Stafford-Smith. Gosh! How many dream guests can I have? Many years ago, I watched a documentary 14 Days in May about an American Black man sentenced to death for a murder he said he did not commit. Clive Stafford-Smith was the attorney trying to save his life. Sadly, to no avail. I would like to interview Mr Stafford-Smith about that experience as well as the producer and director of that documentary, Paul Hamann.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

It’s hard work! Especially flying solo. The solo podcasting road is not laid with tarmac and many times I have wanted to give up. I have physically walked away from my desk when working on it, saying, that’s it. I’ve had enough. I can’t do this anymore. And then I think no-one’s even listening, so what’s the point. Then I randomly see an article with my podcast being mentioned as one to listen to, and I soldier on again. The thing is if you really believe in what you are doing and you really love it, as I do producing my podcast, then keep at it and don’t give up. The other thing I’ve learnt is that the people I reach out to for interviews – are nice!

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

That’s a tough one. Start anywhere. They are all just as good as the other!

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

btytpodcast.com

letmetellyou.co.uk

Or you can follow me @JALovelock1 on Twitter.

Listen to Behind The Yellow Tape on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

The post Behind The Yellow Tape: Crime and criminality appeared first on POD BIBLE.

We sent Bethanne a few questions to find out how she got involved in the project.

When did you get involved in Missing Pages, and what drew you to this project?

I’ve been looking to do a podcast for years now, but I knew I didn’t want to do one by myself, and I didn’t want to do one without great professional support. I waited, and I’m glad I did, because when Jeff Umbro (CEO of The Podglomerate) approached me to host Missing Pages he not only had a good knowledge of my background, he had a great idea for this show becoming the company’s first original podcast series. Jeff and his team are not only seasoned audio professionals (representing chart-topping podcast clients like PBS, Hubspot and NPR stations), they’re also book lovers: Jeff and a few others have backgrounds in the publishing industry. I knew they’d listen to my ideas but also keep things focused for this podcast on book publishing.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

Marc Maron’s! And it was so exciting to me that someone could hold a one-sided conversation and also hold a listener’s attention. He’s smart and droll and endlessly curious. I think that’s something all great podcasters share (and please note, I am NOT including myself in that “great podcasters” company!): real curiosity about other people and engagement with the wider world. Maron’s is just one voice, but he’s rarely solipsistic.

Another podcast I loved early on and still love is The New Yorker Fiction podcast. It’s totally different, totally literary, but the genius there is in hearing one author breathe another author’s story to your ear. I mean, Roddy Doyle reading Lorrie Moore? Tell me you won’t walk away from that with a new understanding of Moore’s work! And Tim Parks reading Peter Stamm. . . ::shiver::

Why is podcasting the right medium for this project?

Missing Pages might be hosted by me but it rests on a deep foundation of research and interviews we conduct with our episode protagonists, their colleagues and sometimes even their antagonists. Including those voices and threading them consistently and intriguingly through our narratives might be possible in longform journalism, but really comes alive in the podcast medium. Not to mention we’re able to include pop-culture teases in the form of songs, sounds and news clips.

Someone recently mentioned to me that podcasts might soon become a sort of extension of audiobooks. . . I’m not going to jump up and start that business, but I just want to say that podcasts do offer a time-honored way (radio drama, anyone? It’s still huge in the UK!) to shape and tell stories.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

– Marlon and Jake Read Dead People. I adore Marlon James and his editor at Riverhead Books Jake Morrissey. The way they look at classics and the backlist reminds me that no one’s take on any book is the final one.

– Normal Gossip. I talk about this one all the time now because its hilarious way of unspooling the kind of stories we all tell each other all the time – about friends and family and colleagues and neighbors and strangers – is irresistible.

– Scam Goddess. All hail Laci Mosley, the Patron Saint of Grifter News! She’s funny, she’s fresh, she’s factual. She also isn’t afraid to talk about the little real-life scams, like a first-grader trying to con a teacher, because after all, tiny hustlers into big-time hustlers grow.

– Hidden Brain. My memoir, Life B, comes out next May from Counterpoint Press; it’s all about depression, family, and – surprise! – a late-life diagnosis and healing. This long-running podcast addresses so many different aspects of psychology, neurology and psychiatry. Catnip!

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

That things change, even when you think you’ve fixed on something, and that’s absolutely fine. This is audio, not a major-motion picture or a big coffee-table book; things can be corrected, or expanded, or eliminated! Learning to go with that flow has been a great lesson, not just for my time as a podcaster, but for life overall. I think there should be a “Meditations for Podcasters” book. LOL.

Where can readers find out more about you?

In addition to the podcast, I’m a book critic and literary insider with monthly columns/reviews for NPR, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and The Boston Globe have moved hundreds of thousands of copies. Check your shelves: chances are you own a book (or three) with a Bethanne blurb on the cover. I’m also in the social media book realm as @TheBookMaven, and I started the #FridayReads hashtag on Twitter.

Listen to Missing Pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

The post Bethanne Patrick from Missing Pages: Reopening “literary cold cases” appeared first on POD BIBLE.

For those of you who missed Root of Evil, this 2019 hit saw hosts and sisters Rasha Pecoraro and Yvette Gentile unravel their own family secrets. They set about exploring their grandfather Dr George Hodel’s involvement in the 1947 Elizabeth Short case, The Black Dahlia Murder. And now Pecoraro and Gentile are back with Facing Evil, delving into a different case each week with a touching affinity to families also hit by tragedy.

This podcast starts as an ode to Hawaii, where the hosts are from. And this is where the first case takes place. Lisa Au left her boyfriend’s sister’s house in Honolulu one night in 1982, and no spoilers, but it did not end well for her.

Pecoraro and Gentile go through the various suspects (it’s always the boyfriend, right?) and discuss the chilling possibility that it was someone posing as a police officer who pulled her over to the side of the road that night.

Episode 2 covers the 1998 murder of 21-year-old gay student Matthew Shepard. He was approached by two men at a bar and inexplicably left with them. He was found the next day tied to a fence, and died six days later as a result of his injuries.

Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson were caught and charged, and this case brought hate crimes to the forefront of the public’s mind. The suspects even used homophobic slurs during their testimonies to the police.

Pecoraro is gay. Gentile is clearly an ally. Pecoraro came out at 30 (she is now 43), and says she would have come out sooner if not for this murder, which took place while she was in high school. The direct impact of this murder on these sisters is tangible.

The first two cases addressed by Facing Evil led to changes in US legislation. In the Lisa Au case, police officers are no longer allowed to use blue lights on top of civilian-appearing cars, because it is too easy to impersonate. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was introduced and signed into law by President Barack Obama. It aims to protect people from hate crimes at any time, and not just while partaking in protected activities like voting or going to school. Byrd was also murdered in 1998 and dragged for three miles behind a pickup truck because he was black.

This podcast series carries a higher message of promoting a better understanding on gender, race and homosexuality. This may be a bit intense at times – there is none of the light relief you get from a true crime comedy podcast such as Wine & Crime or Murder Most Irish – but remember, they are coming from a country that has just overturned abortion rights, and they’re coming for the gays next. And while there are still people out there scared to come out, or preferring to be dead, keeping these topics in the public eye is super important. Pecoraro and Gentile embody this message with sympathetic treatment of victims and stories and without being too preachy.

Listen to Facing Evil on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

Diana Safieh hosts We Knew The Moon podcast, on all things empath, spiritual, witchy, unexplained, creepy and spooky. She is a co-founder of The Goddess Temple, Twickenham, which holds guided meditations and workshops, like Tea & Tarot. And Make Your Own Smudge Sticks. She hosts a monthly webinar series on the situation in Palestine/Israel for The Balfour Project charity.

The post REVIEW // Facing Evil with Rasha Pecoraro and Yvette Gentile appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Why podcasting? What is it about podcasts that appeals to you?

Taylor: I mean…Drunk Women is the most fun I’ve ever had at work. Only a podcast could allow for this kind of format, and we are in charge of our content completely. That’s what’s exhilarating about podcasts vs other mediums. I love that with so many pods there is also the live show element.

Catie: It’s virtually gatekeeper free, so all your energy goes on making your show as great as you can, rather than trying to convince someone you’ve had a great idea.

If you could go back to before you started your show and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Taylor: I was so nervous hosting the first episode with Katherine Ryan, and for some reason I told Catie and Hannah we shouldn’t laugh too much or it’d be annoying for listeners! It’s still a great episode but I should have relaxed and had more fun rather than trying to get it “right.”

Hannah: Don’t get too smashed at live shows. Haha. The mix of adrenaline and just having a great time means there’s been some pretty breath-taking hangovers.

What makes a great podcast host?

Hannah: I like hosts who are just completely themselves. I think it was Seinfeld who said the closer you are to yourself on stage the funnier
you’ll be.

Taylor: They should be American. Joking. Or am I?

What about a great podcast guest?

Hannah: Someone who’s up for joining in, but who is also good at sharing the space. Whenever we talk over each other on the podcast we always apologise profusely followed by us all singing ‘Female workplace!’ Which still makes me laugh no matter how many times we do it.

Catie: Comedy chops. People who have honed their craft and have brilliant instincts elevate everything.

Taylor: Enthusiasm and willingness to go with the flow of the format. And being themselves.

What’s been your worst podcast moment so far?

Taylor: Felicity Montagu walked in on me while I was on the toilet after we recorded our episode and, how shall I put this, I was in a delicate female situation at the time? She really got an eyeful.

Hannah: Aside from the aforementioned hangovers, when we recorded our first episode at Taylor’s house I put a pizza on after the  recording and worried all night that I hadn’t turned the oven off and had burnt her house down. Reader, I hadn’t.

Is there anything your found frustrating as a podcast listener but understand now you make your own?

Catie: Too many references to previous episodes that I haven’t listened to, with assumed knowledge I don’t have. I always try and give quick extra info to explain, if ever this happens on ours. It can be tricky when there’s listeners who will already know, mixed with those who won’t.

Taylor: I’m not a fan of hosts going way off piste topic wise, I think we rein ourselves in but it’s so tempting to veer into side convos especially when you’re tipsy.

Which episode of your podcast means the most to you?

Taylor: Probably our first live recording with Jenny Eclair. We were so fortunate to land her as a first live guest and despite the nerves about whether it would work, Jenny was an absolute gem and kicked off our live shows in the best possible way. Wow I’m quite the name dropper aren’t I? Amanda Abbington loved that about me.

Catie: I was a bit star struck when we had Louise Wener from Sleeper as a guest. My 15-year-old self would have exploded at this information (once I’d explained about podcasts and the internet etc). She was so nice and a fantastic guest.

Hannah: We recorded one episode where about an hour before the recording I received some news that was of huge personal relief to
me. I can hear it in my voice when I listen back. It was a weird moment of podcast life and real life colliding, and a lovely moment to spend
drinking and laughing with my friends.

Which podcasts, or podcast hosts do you take inspiration from??

Taylor: Ah my current fave is Jonathan Goldstein of Heavyweight and This American Life. He’s got a great balance of humour balanced with compassion and empathy.

Catie: I love the hosts of The Irish Passport Naomi O’Leary and Tim McInerney because they are so well informed and clever, but also quite patiently explain everything so that everyone listening can be up to speed. They have a brilliant mix of humour and insight, and  I like how they are friends having fun, as well as being serious.

Hannah: I love Samira Ahmed on her podcast How I Found My Voice. I also recently met her and she complimented my dress so I guess we’re best friends now.

Finally, what are your current favourite podcasts?

Hannah: I love Helen Bauer & Rosie Jones’ pod Daddy Look at Me they have a great rapport and great guests! I also love Hatty Ashdown’s Funny Mummies and I’m not even a parent.

Catie: I love Girl Chaat by Uma Nayer, which is all about celebrating life from a British South Asian female perspective. She’s had some fascinating guests on, and covered topics from Christmas to politics, in such a funny, interesting and informative way.

Taylor: Heavyweight, I Don’t Even Own a Television, Dear Joan & Jericha, Dumb People Town, and Scriptnotes. Gosh those are overwhelmingly American AND male, I need to have a serious word with myself. Sorry.

New episodes of Drunk Women Solving Crime are released every Wednesday! For more information visit drunkwomensolvingcrime.com

@DrunkWomenPod // @CatieWilkins // @HannahMGeorge // @TaylorGlennUK

Read more Gospel According To… articles in the Pod Bible magazine, which you can read online or buy in our shop. 

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“After more than a year of remote recordings, we couldn’t be more excited to get back on stage with a live audience!” said Hannah George, who is one of the podcast’s three creator hosts along with Catie Wilkins and Taylor Glenn.

“At nearly 150 episodes and millions of downloads, we’ve managed to keep going without a break during lockdown. But there’s no substitute for the energy of a live show,” said Wilkins. “From Edinburgh to Manchester and London, and even the Isle of Wight, they’ve become the heart of the podcast.”

“We have amazing audiences, the sort of people whose ‘heckles’ are historical facts about the case we’re doing. From the darkness we’ll hear someone shout “statute of limitations!’” added Glenn. “We usually thank them before we politely tell them to be quiet.”

With an impressive roster of past guests including Ricki Lake, London Hughes, Fortune Feimster, Shappi Khorsandi and Katherine Ryan, as well as their annual Men’s Month episodes featuring James Acaster, Richard Osman, and Romesh Ranganathan, Drunk Women Solving Crime look forward to welcoming the best of the UK’s comedy circuit to the double-header shows, the first of which will be Tuesday July 20th
from 7PM.

“There’s an incredible wealth of talent in comedy right now,” said George. “And with the rest of the performance world opening back up for socially-distanced shows, you can expect some exciting names on the bill.”

Amanda Redman, a veteran producer of radio who now oversees a slate of successful podcasts including Drunk Women Solving Crime, added “We have sold out shows from the Edinburgh Fringe to Leicester Square Theatre, and we’re looking forward to recording at the more intimate Museum of Comedy, where the panel will get tipsy on a Tuesday and tackle all things crime-related.”

Show Dates/Tickets: 20th July, 31st August, 28th September, 26th October, and 23rd November at 7PM and 8:30PM.

Tickets can be purchased from www.drunkwomensolvingcrime.com

The post Drunk Women Solving Crime announce a LIVE London residency (Press Release) appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Who was the real Bernie Katz, and what events led to his untimely death? In Bernie: Who killed the Prince of Soho?, journalist Mark Edmonds speaks to Bernie’s closest friends and the celebrities who knew him to better understand how Bernie became ‘The Prince of Soho’ as well as the demons he left behind.

I sat down with Pete Donaldson, who’s the Creative Director here at Stak, to talk a bit about stepping into true crime podcasts…

What was the process behind getting this podcast made?

Pete: I knew Bernie for a long time as I lived in Soho for six or seven years. He was one of the people that really made it feel like a community. Then we brought Mark Edmonds on board and he breathed life into the project with some wonderful writing. And Sami El-Nany’s sound design was instrumental as well – if you’ll forgive the pun.

What goes into producing a true-crime series as opposed to any other podcast?

P: By design, this podcast was a celebration of Bernie and his life. I loved him dearly, and every single one of my friends did too. Like Richard Bacon said in the show, I think losing Bernie means we lost a moment in time – he represented a period of our lives where we had fewer responsibilities, had more legendary nights out – and he was a man who understood Soho like so few others. More than anything else, he cared about people and he made the place come alive.

This project may have led us to pull at some difficult threads, but that wasn’t what we set out to do. As we interviewed more and more people and heard more and more audio, stories of his final weeks started to take a more complex and difficult turn. If listeners are enthralled by Bernie’s unspeakably sad end, it’s because the testimonials of our guests are so vivid and loving. The man was seriously that important to so many.

Without giving too much away, what surprised you most about Bernie’s story?

P: His funeral was a very public affair. The great, the good, the rich and the famous all rolling around Soho for an afternoon, pieces on BBC London about the sad loss of one of Soho’s greatest characters, but actually very few, save for a couple of pretty close friends, knew what the final weeks of his life were like. And, for someone who knew him but really didn’t know him well enough, I found the interviews rather shocking and wish that I’d been closer to him.

You can listen to all three instalments of Bernie: Who killed the Prince of Soho? via your favourite podcast player. Our writer and presenter is Mark Edmonds who can be found on Twitter @MEdmondsLondon, and sound design is by Sami El-Enany, @SamiElEnany on Twitter.

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This article was produced by Stak as part of a paid advertising package. To enquire about advertising with Pod Bible email info@podbiblemag.com.

The post Bernie: Who killed the Prince of Soho? // Stak’s first step into True Crime podcasting appeared first on POD BIBLE.

The Team at Pod Bible have been looking through the magazine back catalogue with more than a hint of nostalgia. With so many great articles and interviews, we thought it was time to make our archive accessible by sharing them here on the website. Here is a For The Love of Pod article from Issue #007 of the Pod Bible magazine.

Which podcast do our favourite celebrities listen to?  We asked actor and comedian Tez Ilyas for the 5 podcasts he could not live without. 

THE ARGUMENT

The New York Times podcast sees a liberal, a centrist and a conservative have an engaging, articulate and balanced debate on two of the big US news stories of the week. It’s massively informative and leaves you feeling optimistic about our ability to engage with each other despite our differences. A must listen. Listen now on Spotify >>>

QUOTAS FULL

In a medium that lacks diversity, I present to you Quotas Full. A brilliant no-holds-barred pod, that sees a group of comedians (who are good friends) get together to discuss everything from racial injustice to wedding etiquette in a hilarious way, completely infiltered. Bonus: I’m on it occasionally! Listen now on Spotify >>>

IN THE DARK

My favourite true crime pod. and that’s saying something because I love that genre! The second season in particular is spectacular and leave you in awe of just how corrupt the American justice system is, but also how amazing investigative journalism can be. Listen now on Spotify >>>

SLEEP WITH ME

Okay… so this one is specifically for insomniacs, or anyone who has trouble sleeping for any reason. It sees our narrator drone on in the most monotonous of voices for about an hour. I rarely get past 15 mins before I’m asleep. It works! Listen now on Spotify >>>

TEZ TALKS

Ok, this one is mine. It’s my BBC Radio 4 stand-up show. Am I biased? Yes. But… it’s bloody good. There’s sixteen 15-min episodes, split over 3 series and I couldn’t be more proud of them. I satirise and poke fun at a range of different subjects and everyone who’s heard it raves about it. Let me know what you think! Listen now on Spotify >>>

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We hope you enjoy these podcasts recommended by Tez Ilyas. Read more For The Love of Pod articles in the Pod Bible magazine, which you can read online or buy in our shop.

The post Tez Ilyas’ Top 5 Podcasts appeared first on POD BIBLE.

POD BIBLE: Why did you feel it was important to revisit this story in podcast form?
MOBEEN AZHAR: Podcasts encourage a more intimate kind of story telling in my view.  I wanted to tell the story of what I found whilst investigating the death of Yaqub and the story of what happened when I reported my findings. The podcast is about drugs, relationships, family hierarchy, police, honour and shame. When Hometown (the TV series) came out, what unfolded was like a soap opera. It involved backlash, threats and drama. The podcast allows that story to be told as well as the more pressing story of ultra-violence and drugs gangs.

PB: “True Crime” is a podcast genre often populated with programmes seen as more entertainment than investigative journalism. What is it like creating a podcast like Hometown that is so deeply personal, but still falls into the True Crime genre?
MA: I am not a snob about things being entertaining. I am a snob about stories being told well and with authenticity. Drama for the sake of drama is no good if it’s not real. There were just so many narratives and competing strands, so we wanted to find a way to build a flow whilst maintaining the reality of what unfolded. The making of the series was a story in itself and so we stuck to the real-life chronology of what unfolded. All the twists and turns make it genuinely jaw dropping in moments. It is entertaining but never strays from an exploration of true crime.

PB: How important was your relationship with your producer/editor during the making of Hometown?
MA: I loved working with the very talented Pete Sale. He produced the podcast along with the brilliant team at Forest. These relationships are crucial, especially with a project that is so personal. If you can’t tell your producer a story, how are you going to share it with the rest of the world?

I have a background in radio and television production so I tend to have an opinion on everything. The team at Forest is all about collaboration so it was a mutually beneficial relationship with the emphasis always on elevating the story telling and making something that we are all really proud of.

PB: How has exploring and expanding on the story told in your documentary through an audio-only formatted impacted your work? Did it present new or unique challenges?
MA: There are most definitely challenges, primarily because Hometown was such a visual story. The drug dealers, kingpins and whistle blowers who spoke to me with their identities concealed provided a view into a world in which speaking out can get you hurt – or worse. We could express that visually for the TV series, so we had to develop a shorthand to adequately express that in the podcast. That came with very specific challenges, for example, if you distort a contributors voice to keep them safe but you can’t use subtitles, how does the audience know what they are saying?

These are all nice problems to have and ultimately the strength of the material carried us through. For this reason, I also think anyone that had seen the series will probably enjoy the podcast and vise versa. There is enough space between them to warrant your attention.

PB: Are you interested in doing more work in the podcast space in the future?
MA: This was the second full length podcast series I’ve made. In 2019, I was part of the team that made the 10 part Fatwa, about the Rushdie affair, for BBC Sounds. Prior to that I’ve always loved telling stories on more traditional radio strands like Radio 4’s Crossing Continents or Assignment from the World Service.

Podcast is just a more intimate mode, I guess. I remember when we set out to make the Hometown TV series for BBC Three, we said “what if we make a TV series with podcast sensibilities?” So it’s almost poetic that the material has ended up in podcast form.

I plan on making more podcast content.  I genuinely love the form and it feels that we are just getting started in terms of how we can tell stories in this medium.

Hometown: A Killing is available on BBC Sounds and everywhere you get your podcasts. You can follow Mobeen on Twitter.

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