428: The Devil on Trial

Let us paint a picture: The weirdest bank robbery in history, a collar-bomb, a cane-gun, three dead men, and two homes so hoard-ey they required hazmat suits. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you “Evil Genius.” In 2003 in Erie, Pennsylvania, a robbery gone wrong and a terrifying public murder capture the nation's attention, and a bizarre collection of Midwestern hoarders, outcasts, and lawbreakers play cat-and-mouse with the FBI. Eventually, a middle-aged mastermind named Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong -- once a town beauty, now a woman grappling with mental illness -- is arrested. But 15 years later, this documentary proves there’s more to the conspiracy and murders than was ever thought. Looking for more TCO? Check out our bonus episodes on Patreon! We covered "Serial" episode-by-episode and capped the series off with an interview with Rabia Chaudry--Adnan's friend who brought his story to Sarah Koenig. Up next: our episode-by-episode coverage of "The Staircase." We also have extended outtakes for our episodes and two other full bonus episodes--ALL COMMERCIAL FREE! Join here!

10 Juli 20181h 5min

There are no two ways about it, Harvey Milk looked great in a T-Shirt.  Happy Pride, everyone! Let's talk about some gay stuff! (don't worry, this one is super true-crimey too.). In 1978, Harvey Milk became one of the first openly gay elected officials in the US when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. 11 months later Milk and Mayor George Moscone were gunned down in their offices by Dan White, another of the city's Supervisors. This doc tells the story of Milk's rise to prominence and circumstances that led to the double assassination. This one is full of the gayest gays (Hey Girls!), The smartest lesbians (Hey Girls!), a FABULOUS pair of seashell earrings, and a union guy who, just trust us on this, gets a pass on calling Harvey Milk a "Fruit." Oh AND this case gives us "The Twinkie Defense," which is exactly as bullshit as it sounds.  Looking for more TCO? We're on Patreon! And we're covering "Serial" episode-by-episode--we're currently up to episode 10 and it's bonkers.  After "Serial," we're diving into "The Staircase" episode-by-episode. In addition, hear our two other full bonus episodes, extended outtakes from our episodes, and 8 mini-episodes (which are basically funny stories about everything from the time Patrick's kid went missing in the middle of the night to Gillian and Patrick's misadventures at CrimieCon). Check it all out here!

26 Juni 201859min

Happy Pride Month, Everyone! Now let's talk about a gay club kid who was super mean to people, became addicted to drugs, and murdered AND DISMEMBERED a fellow club-goer, shall we? Did I mention that he stuffed the body in a box LIVED WITH IT IN HIS APARTMENT FOR A WEEK, and then threw it into the Hudson River? No? Ugh, we'll get to it.  Glory Daze follows the rise and fall of club kid Michael Alig. From his humble beginnings as busboy in 1984 to his eventual reign as King of New York City nightlife, to his (sweet deal of a) prison sentence for murder. And as if that wasn't enough, get ready for some bonkers cameos from Patricia Field, Michael Musto, and Amanda Lepore (In A Limo! For No Apparent Reason!) Looking for more TCO? We're on Patreon! And we're covering "Serial" episode-by-episode--we're currently up to episode 9 and it's bonkers. In addition, hear our two other full bonus episodes, extended outtakes from our episodes, and 8 mini-episodes (which are basically funny stories about everything from the time Patrick's kid went missing in the middle of the night to Gillian and Patrick's misadventures at CrimieCon). Check it all out here!

19 Juni 201855min

You Guys, I Swear to God this is what this movie is about…. In 2004, John Wood had his left leg amputated after a single-engine plane crash that left him badly injured. He somehow convinced the doctors to let him keep the leg (!!!!!), he mummified it—yes MUMMIFIED IT—and eventually put it in a storage locker. In 2007 Shannon Whisnant unwittingly bought the leg when he purchased the contents of John’s storage locker after months of unpaid rent. Shannon—who should have been horrified—saw the leg as a money-making opportunity. He branded himself “The Leg Man” and tried to turn the leg into a tourist attraction. After learning what had become of his leg (HIS LEG, YOU GUYS), John decided to try to get it back. And the most ridiculous and disgusting custody battle the world has ever known was born. Looking for more TCO? We're on Patreon! And we're covering "Serial" episode-by-episode--we're currently up to episode 9 and it's bonkers. In addition, hear our two other full bonus episodes, extended outtakes from our episodes, and 8 mini-episodes (which are basically funny stories about everything from the time Patrick's kid went missing in the middle of the night to Gillian and Patrick's misadventures at CrimieCon). Check it all out here!

12 Juni 20181h 3min

You guys, Gillian HATED this one, so, you know, buckle up this one is frikin' great.  Meet the White family--the most notorious pill popping, gun slinging, bad-tattoo-giving-while-hammered-in-the-kitchen, clan in all of West Virginia. For one year, the hot dummies behind MTV's "Jackass" followed them around with cameras to see what would happen. And Guess What Happens???!!!......really nothing. But somehow it's awesome. Drugs are done, dances are tapped (which should be super gay and fabulous, but definitely isn't), kids are removed by child protective services (thank God), attempted murders are admitted to, people go to jail, and one pair of sisters have an EPIC EXPERIENCE at the Taco Bell drive thru. This one is not to be missed. ALSO! Check out our Patreon for our weekly bonus content! We're covering "Serial" episode-by-episode. We're currently up to Episode 7 and honestly we're pretty over Sarah Koenig and her self righteous nonsense. But in this episode, we meet Diedre Enright of The Innocence Project AND THERE'S FINALLY AN ADULT IN THE ROOM. Via our Patreon feed, you can also check out our weekly extended outtakes (the ones from this week are epic), as well as our other Full Bonus Episodes, and mini-episodes. Subscribe right now and immediately get like 22 new episodes in your Patreon podcast feed.

29 Maj 20181h 5min

In June of 2003, college basketball star Patrick Dennehy vanished. For weeks leading up to the disappearance, Patrick had complained to friends, family, and teammates that he was in danger, but he was vague about the details. The FBI was called in to investigate and what they uncovered not only shocked Patrick's tight knight group of friends, but also threatened to upend the institution of college basketball at Baylor University by exposing the corruption at it's core. This one is bonkers, you guys.

22 Maj 201854min

Meet the dirtiest cop in New York City history. In the 1980s, Michael Dowd patrolled the mean streets of one of the toughest precincts in Brooklyn. He also headed a ruthless criminal network that stole money and drugs, ultimately resulting in the city's biggest ever corruption scandal. In this explosive true crime saga, Dowd tells all as he relives his days as a criminal with a badge. The story that unfolds is a riveting real-life thriller full of larger-than-life personalities, stunning double crosses, and epic downfalls.  Also, Gillian explains Queens to us, we get all the Queenss-related accents and impersonations, and Patrick is just a Kueen.  Don't forget to check out all of our Patreon bonus content! We're covering Serial episode-by-episode! Subscribe now and instantly get access to 7 full bonus episodes, 7 mini-episodes, and the extended outtakes from this episode and the previous 4! Click here for access!

15 Maj 20181h 2min

In 2000, the novel “Sarah” was published. It was written by a homeless teenaged hustler named JT LeRoy. Nobody had ever met him—his only correspondence with press and publishers was over the phone or fax machine—and still he became the literary sensation of the time. He was dubbed a ‘wunderkind,’ an ‘it boy’ and ‘the literary voice of his generation.’ He became a best-selling author and sold the film rights to his books. The only thing was, he didn’t actually exist. On January 9, 2006 The New York Times sent shockwaves through the literary world when it unmasked JT LeRoy, whose tough prose about a sordid childhood had captivated icons and luminaries internationally. It turned out that he was the creative expression of 40-year-old San Francisco former phone-sex operator turned housewife, Laura Albert. Author: The JT LeRoy Story takes us down the infinitely fascinating rabbit hole of how Laura Albert--like a Cyrano de Bergerac on steroids--breathed not only words, but life, into her avatar for a decade. Albert's epic and entertaining account plunges us into a glittery world of rock shows, fashion events, and the Cannes red carpet where LeRoy becomes a mysterious sensation. Also, our best friend Courtney Love (call us, girl!) Is back in a big, cocaine-infused way. Oh, how we’ve missed her. You Guys! We're creating WEEKLY FULL BONUS EPISODES via our Patreon feed. We're currently covering "Serial" season 1 episode-by-episode. The firs 4 episode of "Serial" plus 2 full bonus episodes (covering "The Queen of Versailles" and "Madonna: Truth or Dare") are now available. NEXT WEEK'S EPISODE:  The Seven Five. Check out the Trailer here!

8 Maj 201859min