Four different actors from the 1980s horror franchise Poltergeist died within a 6-year span. Dominique Dunne was murdered. Julian Beck succumbed to stomach cancer. Will Sampson suffered from a degenerative disease. And Heather O’Rourke’s death at the age of 12, was deemed “distinctly unusual.” Was it an eerie coincidence...or something more sinister? This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including descriptions of domestic violence and graphic descriptions of viol...
Oct 21, 2024•47 min•Ep 203•Transcript available on Metacast Robert Johnson didn’t just play the blues. He embodied them. He drank and womanized his way through the South, New York, and Chicago in the 1930s, until he finally met the devil at the crossroads for a little trade. So the legend goes, anyway. With the same soul he supposedly sold to the devil, Robert Johnson belted lightning blues that captured trouble in 12 bars. But the trouble he touted would eventually trickle into his own life, one bottle of poison at a time. This episode contains themes t...
Oct 18, 2024•49 min•Ep 113•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake wonders if every disgraceful story covered in Disgraceland is mere child's play when compared to the latest Diddy allegations. We hear from you and get your thoughts on the greatest rock n' roll bands of all time. As we prepare for next week's episode on the cursed film "Poltergeist," we we want to know: Which movies scared the hell out of you when you were a kid? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod. For more...
Oct 17, 2024•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Cramps, led by the husband and wife team of Lux Interior and Poison Ivy Rorschach, had one one mission: To save rock n' roll from the corporate monsters who threatened its destruction. The band blended rockabilly, blues, garage rock and the aesthetic of 1950s B-movies into a wholly unique and singular rock and roll concoction that set them apart from their punk contemporaries. But as they began their climb up the music industry's ladder of success, they encountered hordes of brainless zombie...
Oct 14, 2024•53 min•Ep 202•Transcript available on Metacast Ozzy Osbourne, along with his bandmates in Black Sabbath, invented heavy metal, and throughout Ozzy’s post-Sabbath solo career he would invent new, self-destructive forms of sabotage. Arrested at an early age for breaking and entering, Ozzy Osbourne refused to conform to societal norms and common decency. He would go on to be arrested numerous times and escape too many near-death experiences to recount, including a plane crashing into his tour bus that would ultimately kill a dear friend and ban...
Oct 12, 2024•50 min•Ep 56•Transcript available on Metacast Black Sabbath are solely responsible for conjuring the diabolical power of heavy metal. When guitarist Tony Iommi lost his fingertips as a teenager, he turned to a less painful style of playing— a style that produced a new, genre-defining type of gloom and heaviness. The band climbed through the seven circles of British podunk hell to international rock star success, but the lore of their dark imagery compelled the freaks to flood out of the woodwork and to their shows. Despite composing songs t...
Oct 11, 2024•51 min•Ep 89•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake hears from you on which artists were taken from us too soon, and continues to dive into the latest scuttlebutt on Sean Combs. As Jake gets ready for Hurricane Milton and we prepare for next week's episode on the great rock n' roll band The Cramps, we we want to know: Which rock n' roll band is the greatest of all time? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod. For more great Disgraceland episodes, dive into our ex...
Oct 10, 2024•49 min•Ep 201•Transcript available on Metacast Haunted by the legacy of his superstar father and by an old family curse, Brandon Lee tried to outrun the past. But the past came after him all the same. It was said that his father, Bruce Lee, was taken by that family curse at just 32 years old, and that it then followed Brandon to the set of The Crow, a cross between a superhero blockbuster and a brooding art film that was all goth. The shoot was plagued by injury, electrocution, storms, fires, and car crashes – and culminated in tragedy when ...
Oct 07, 2024•41 min•Ep 201•Transcript available on Metacast In the 1980s, AC/DC’s biggest fan was a notorious serial killer. The band was an international best-selling hit machine, and members like the late Bon Scott and die-hard Angus Young became rock icons. But when the press caught wind of the disturbing fandom of the serial killer Richard “The Night Stalker” Ramirez, the news quickly dragged the world’s most fun, pure rock ‘n’ roll band straight down the highway to hell and into the center of a media firestorm around Satanic Panic and the inspiratio...
Oct 04, 2024•46 min•Ep 118•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake weighs in on the latest development in the explosive Diddy saga: the 120 alleged victims being represented by Texas attorney Tony Buzbee, the man who previously represented the victims of the Astroworld tragedy. As we prepare for next week's episode on the late actor Brandon Lee, we're reminded of the Billy Joel song "Only the Good Die Young" and we want to know: Which artists, musicians, actors, or athletes died too young ? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgr...
Oct 03, 2024•54 min•Ep 200•Transcript available on Metacast Travis Scott’s 2021 Astroworld music festival turned out to be a deadly disaster. Was it greed? Satanism? Or was something even more mysterious and evil behind the events that took the lives of ten concertgoers and injured and traumatized many others? To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. The Astroworld tragedy has Jake thinking about other terrible events in music history - in your opinion, what was music's darkest day? Let us know at 617-906-6638,...
Oct 01, 2024•45 min•Ep 200•Transcript available on Metacast Part two of the N.W.A story finds the group dead center in America’s crosshairs, due in part to their own violent behavior, and at a crossroads creatively. Death Row’s Suge Knight, Public Enemy’s Chuck D., and a young hustler from the east coast all ride shotgun to Dre, E, Cube, Yella and Ren as the group finds itself having predicted yet another one of America’s darkest moments. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. This episode was originally publ...
Sep 28, 2024•46 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast N.W.A, the self proclaimed “most dangerous group in America,” were seen as violent, thuggish, profanity-spewing criminals, but they had nothing on those who were sworn to serve and protect them in South Central Los Angeles. The group’s hard hitting beats and reality rhymes launched a “gangsta rap” trend in music that still thrives today, and their album Straight Outta Compton predicted one of the most notoriously violent events in American history. To see the full list of contributors, see the s...
Sep 27, 2024•47 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake takes a closer look at the Diddy indictment and gets your recommendations on sci fi. Spooky Season is just around the corner – as we prepare for next week's episode on the horror that was Travis Scott's Astroworld, we want to know: What was the darkest event in music history? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod. For more great Disgraceland episodes, dive into our extensive archive, including such episodes as:...
Sep 26, 2024•51 min•Ep 198•Transcript available on Metacast In classic ‘80s films like Ghostbusters and Aliens, Sigourney Weaver battled demons and beasts. But to one particular inmate on death row in Georgia, she battled those demons and beasts in real life as well. To Alexander Williams, a convicted murderer, Sigourney Weaver was a goddess – a divine being sent to this earth to do battle with evil. He worshiped her from the floor of his prison cell. And as his day of reckoning drew closer, he waited for a glimmer of hope that the goddess would interven...
Sep 24, 2024•42 min•Ep 198•Transcript available on Metacast Cardi B is one of the biggest artists on the planet and one of the most successful female hip hop artists of all time. She is accused of two counts of felony assault stemming from a fight in a Queens strip club. Her public brawl with rival Nicki Minaj is well documented as is her rise from the Bronx to superstardom via strip clubs and reality television. It’s the stuff of legend, as is her big personality and unique form of feminism. Her trial looms, but has Cardi B already committed and admitte...
Sep 20, 2024•40 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake gets into the latest news on the indictment and arrest of Sean "Diddy" Combs, the greatest television shows of all time, and of course, your emails, DMs, texts, and voicemails. As we prepare for next week's episode on Sigourney Weaver, Jake is looking for your recommendations on the best space/alien themed movies –let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod. For more great Disgraceland episodes, dive into our extensi...
Sep 19, 2024•44 min•Ep 197•Transcript available on Metacast Friends star Matthew Perry battled addiction through the white-hot glare of fame while having the number one show on television and the number one movie in theaters at the same time while dating the biggest movie star on the planet. He was a celebrity who experienced unimaginable popularity and crushing loneliness, a dichotomy that drove his addiction, an addiction that caused him to suffer through a coma, various stints in rehab, nine surgeries, broken teeth, broken ribs, and ultimately forced ...
Sep 17, 2024•56 min•Ep 197•Transcript available on Metacast Grunge, grief, the Grateful Dead and a “teenage whore.” Part 2 of the Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love story picks up with Courtney’s ascent and the couple’s heroin-hazed pregnancy. An escape from rehab and a punk as f*ck group hug for Gen X. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including suicide. If you’re thinking about suicide or are worried about a friend or loved one, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. To see a full list of contributors, vis...
Sep 14, 2024•41 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast Kurt Cobain is a celebrated and defiant icon of Generation X. His wife, Courtney Love, was once the most hated woman in America. Courtney, like Kurt, was unapologetic, fierce, determined, ambitious, authentic, and a total hypocrite. They were both totally in love and for a minute shined brighter than most. They challenged gender norms and the music industry patriarchy and reluctantly played the roles of their generation’s John and Yoko by way of Sid and Nancy all while making great music, but on...
Sep 13, 2024•48 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake looks back at the fateful night of October 31, 1993, when River Phoenix collapsed and died at the Viper Room in Los Angeles. We announce a special Disgraceland Live Stream event coming on October 9th, plus, we hear from listeners on the greatest actors of the 1990s and more. As we prepare for next week's episode on Matthew Perry, we want to know: What do you think is the greatest television show of all time? Why? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@g...
Sep 12, 2024•42 min•Ep 196•Transcript available on Metacast River Phoenix was a once in a generation actor. His death shocked Hollywood and is still hard for many to accept. His deadly drug overdose has never been fully explained, but his back story—born into a religious cult, steeped in immersive movie role research, constantly toying with his famous identity—does explain the big talent he brought to the screen and the big heart he brought into the world. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including child sexual abuse...
Sep 10, 2024•44 min•Ep 196•Transcript available on Metacast Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil totaled his Ford Pantera on a beer run, and in the process took the life of his friend Razzle Dingley, drummer for Hanoi Rocks. Bassist Nikki Sixx survived multiple heroin overdoses. Guitarist Mick Mars walked away from a blackout drunk drowning and drummer Tommy Lee lived through his own Caligula-like Sunset Strip sexcapades. Mötley Crüe, a degenerate band of death-cheating rock gods has us asking, “how are these dudes still alive?” Maybe they’re the undead. To s...
Sep 06, 2024•38 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake talks about gambling and its role in his family. Plus, listeners weigh in on disgraceful athletes, Lana Del Rey songs, and Courtney Love. As we prepare for next week's episode on River Phoenix, we want to know: Who is the greatest actor of that most glorious decade, the 1990s? Why? What Leonardo DiCaprio roles would've gone to River Phoenix had he lived? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod. For more great Dis...
Sep 05, 2024•45 min•Ep 195•Transcript available on Metacast The image of the National Football League is one of integrity. It’s a squeaky clean brand that NFL commissioners have gone to great lengths to protect. This episode tells the story of a different NFL; the mystery of a dead team owner, gambling, mob-adjacent hall of fame league founders, and murdered bagmen are all part of the history of America’s pastime. There's more about the dark origins of the NFL coming to your feed on Thursday in the After Party bonus episode. We want to know: Which athlet...
Sep 03, 2024•47 min•Ep 195•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake wrestles wonders why certain artists, especially female artists, have a harder time with the critics and the press. Plus, Jake gets your takes on if the 90s really were "peak life." As we prepare for next week's episode on the sordid criminal history of the National Football League we want to know: Who is the most disgraceful athlete of all time? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod. To hear an extended versio...
Aug 29, 2024•50 min•Ep 194•Transcript available on Metacast Illicit romance. An abduction. An international manhunt. Starlets, sex appeal, and psychopaths. Sexual liberation and a scandalous story that’s almost too scandalous to talk about. These are some of the dark stories inspired by Lana Del Rey, an artist who doesn’t fit into a box, and whose music and image are as evocative and compelling as the myth she’s built around herself. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including child sexual abuse and domestic violence....
Aug 27, 2024•48 min•Ep 194•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake wrestles with the works of problematic genius Alfred Hitchcock and gets your take the dilemma presented by such artists. And as we prepare for next week's episode on the unique artistry of the oft-maligned Lana Del Rey, we want to know: Which entertainers do you think have been unfairly treated by the media? Which artists do you think get a bum rap from the press and from critics? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgrace...
Aug 22, 2024•53 min•Ep 192•Transcript available on Metacast Alfred Hitchcock grew up on murder. He was the OG crime junkie; obsessed with true stories of stranglers, bodysnatchers, necrophiliacs, and serial killers. He was also afraid – not so much with these ghoulish figures, but of authority, the dark, crowds, and of being alone. He channeled his obsessions and his fears into some of the greatest movies of all time. And he abused his power as a controlling auteur by having his way with an actress who he assumed to be powerless. That actress, Tippi Hedr...
Aug 20, 2024•45 min•Ep 192•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake looks at Brittany Murphy's mysterious death and the history of bad moms in Hollywood and crime. As we prepare for next week's episode on the brilliant yet problematic Alfred Hitchcock, we want to know: Which films can you not go without despite the horrific behavior of their creators? How do you handle the dilemma presented by these creators? Join the party at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod. To cop some new merch, head t...
Aug 15, 2024•38 min•Ep 191•Transcript available on Metacast