Pop Mystery Pod

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!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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!   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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!   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.