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•44 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•45 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•48 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•46 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•51 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•44 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•37 min•Ep 191•Transcript available on Metacast When actress Brittany Murphy died of pneumonia at the age of just 32 years old, it seemed that all of Hollywood had questions about her death. All but her husband, who did not find his wife’s death suspicious in the slightest. Then, shortly after, Brittany Murphy’s husband died of the same highly suspect cause of death, pneumonia, and then, things really got weird. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get acces...
Aug 13, 2024•47 min•Ep 191•Transcript available on Metacast On April 15th, 1989, 95 men, women, and children were crushed to death during a soccer match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest – two additional victims would later die of their injuries. The Hillsborough Disaster ruined lives and communities. But Hillsborough wasn’t just a disaster. It was a fight for justice. It was a war between the establishment and the people, and a cover-up on the largest scale – one that exploited hooligan culture in order to assassinate the character of thousands. A...
Aug 09, 2024•43 min•Ep 190•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake looks at Metallica's rise from the vanguard of a niche sub-genre of Heavy Metal to become one of the most successful bands of all time. And in preparation for next week's episode on Brittany Murphy, we want to know: Which celebrity deaths seem suspicious to you? Which explanations of celebrity death just don't hold water with you? Join the party at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod. To cop some new merch, head to disgracela...
Aug 08, 2024•45 min•Ep 189•Transcript available on Metacast In the early days of Metallica, their bass player carried a hammer on tour and had a gun that shot knives – or so the story goes. Their former lead guitarist was a drug dealer who kept two pitbulls for protection. They were blamed when a teenager, high on LSD, murdered a man in cold blood and quoted the band’s lyrics. And in 1986, long before they became a household name, they suffered a sudden and horrific tragedy just as their thrash metal music was entering the mainstream. To see the full lis...
Aug 06, 2024•43 min•Ep 189•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake dives into your thoughts on the greatest actors of the 1970s and ponders the road not taken by Al Pacino in this week's episode. Plus, another tale of juvenile delinquency from Jake's past! And we're getting ready for next week's episode on Metallica and the late, great Cliff Burton - we want to know: Which artist or musician affects you so deeply that you couldn't bear to lose them? Who can't you live without? Join the party at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gm...
Aug 01, 2024•36 min•Ep 188•Transcript available on Metacast The death of a neighborhood friend, an attempted robbery that almost went horribly wrong, good vs. evil, and the road not taken: this is the Al Pacino origin story. It all culminates in the role of a lifetime. Not Michael Corleone. Not a role on stage or screen. The most important role of Al Pacino’s young life played out in front of a couple of detectives and a district attorney. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. To listen to Disgraceland ad fr...
Jul 30, 2024•40 min•Ep 188•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake has the 1970s on his mind as he prepares for next week's episode on Al Pacino. We want to know: Who is the greatest actor of the 1970s? What films and performances from the 70s do you continually revisit? Plus, the conversation about great female singers of the 21st century continues - join the party at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod. To cop some new merch, head to disgracelandpod.com/merch now! To hear an extended versi...
Jul 25, 2024•41 min•Ep 186•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake talks about how his sixteen-year-old self influenced who he is today. We want to know: What were you listening to when you were a teenager? Whose poster was on your wall? How did your cultural obsessions when you were a teen shape who you are today? Jake takes your emails, texts, and voicemails and gets into your takes on who the greatest female singer of the 21st century is. Plus, Jake tackles your suggestions for future episode subjects. Get in touch with Jak...
Jul 23, 2024•34 min•Ep 186•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake talks about the artists who have faced challenges to their mental health and wonders if they actually have a truer perception of reality beyond what the rest of us can see. Jake takes your emails, texts, and voicemails, and explains the origins of his unique accent. Plus, we want to know: who is your favorite female singer from the 21st century, and what makes her great? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod, a...
Jul 18, 2024•33 min•Ep 186•Transcript available on Metacast Donny Hathaway was a singer, songwriter, and performer so inspiring that he compelled Stevie Wonder to change the way he sang, got Amy Winehouse to name-check him in her lyrics, and made musical giants like Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin stand up and take notice. But he was as troubled as he was talented. He suffered from hallucinations and paranoia, and was haunted in the recording studio just hours before his mysterious death at the age of 33. This episode contains themes that may be disturbi...
Jul 16, 2024•43 min•Ep 186•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake talks about the unique social conditions that created the vibrant 1970s NYC music scene that birthed Talking Heads, the subject of this week's episode. Crime, grime, sanitation strikes, baseball, blackouts - Jake covers it all, plus your emails texts, and voicemails. What are the best books and films about 1970s New York? Where were you when the lights went out? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod, and come j...
Jul 11, 2024•37 min•Ep 185•Transcript available on Metacast From 1976 to 1977, unsuspecting young people in New York City were snuck up on in the darkness and shot in cold blood. Six dead, murdered by David Berkowitz, AKA the Son of Sam, a serial killer who held all five boroughs in the grip of fear for one year. A year in which punk rock and new wave took hold, the Yankees went on a tear, a garbage strike left trash rotting in the heat, a blackout plunged millions into terror and violence…and the singer of a new band called Talking Heads got to work cha...
Jul 09, 2024•46 min•Ep 185•Transcript available on Metacast Gianni Versace was a runway iconoclast who outfitted the likes of Madonna, Demi Moore, Prince, Sylvester Stallone, and Don Johnson. He lived like Louis XIV and counted Princess Di and Elton John among his friends. He was plagued by rumors of ties to the Calabrian mafia and a secret health diagnosis. Those rumors continued to persist long after he was gunned down by a serial killer who had been on the lam after murdering four other men in three states. This episode contains themes that may be dis...
Jul 02, 2024•48 min•Ep 184•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake talks different music scenes, balancing points of view, this week's DISGRACELAND episode on Bobby Brown, and of course your emails, texts, DMs, and voicemails. What is the greatest music scene of all time? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod, and come join the After Party. To cop some new merch, head to disgracelandpod.com/merch now! To hear an extended version of the After Party with a story about a young Bo...
Jun 27, 2024•30 min•Ep 182•Transcript available on Metacast Bobby Brown thrusted and gyrated his way to the top of the charts with Don’t Be Cruel, one of the biggest records of the late 1980s and an album that brought hip-hop’s hard-knock sensibilities to R&B. But fame did not change the Boston bad boy. At the height of his superstardom, Bobby Brown was arrested onstage for violating a lewd act law. He claimed to have a sexual encounter with a ghost at his lavish Atlanta mansion. And his party-hard ways may have been the reason why Mike Tyson shockingly ...
Jun 25, 2024•42 min•Ep 182•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake talks boring versus exciting news, charitable organizations, this week's DISGRACELAND episode on OJ Simpson, and of course your emails, texts, DMs, and voicemails. What charitable organization benefiting victims of drunk driving should Jake donate to? Which three disgraced athletes would you team up with for your fantasy charity golf tournament? Where were you when OJ Simpson was leading police on a chase in his white Bronco? Drop a line at 617-906-6638, disgra...
Jun 20, 2024•26 min•Ep 181•Transcript available on Metacast This is not the O.J. Simpson story you were expecting. This is the story of what happened after the former running back was acquitted of the murder of his ex-wife and her friend. It’s an insane story that involves sports memorabilia, ex-cons, a gun, a simple plan gone horribly wrong, and one of the most unbelievable armed robberies in Las Vegas’s sordid history. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including domestic violence and graphic depictions of violence. ...
Jun 18, 2024•42 min•Ep 181•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake talks the super-fame of José Canseco, the exploits of Dock Ellis, performance... altering? drugs, this week's DISGRACELAND episode on José Canseco, and of course your emails, texts, DMs, and voicemails. What athletes embody the rock star vibe? Get in touch at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod, and come join the After Party. To hear an extended version of the After Party with stories about José Canseco's legendary trolling, ...
Jun 13, 2024•30 min•Ep 180•Transcript available on Metacast Jose Canseco was a big league slugger who gave the people what they wanted. Not just massive home runs and a whole lot of stolen bases. He provided entertainment. And his audience, not just baseball fans but the world, ate it up. The private encounter with Madonna in her apartment that nearly cost him a spot on the roster. The obsession with performance enhancing drugs that made him the self-proclaimed godfather of steroids. But entertaining quickly spun out of control. Car crashes. SWAT teams. ...
Jun 11, 2024•43 min•Ep 180•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake talks the nefarious nature of social media, the public's denial of obvious horrors, this week's DISGRACELAND episode on R. Kelly, and of course your emails, texts, DMs, and voicemails. Is R. Kelly the most evil villain in music history? Drop a line at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod, and come join the After Party. To hear an extended version of the After Party with a story about R. Kelly attempting to bribe his brother in...
Jun 06, 2024•28 min•Ep 179•Transcript available on Metacast R. Kelly openly groomed teenage victims while on trial for child pornography – a trial based on sex tapes that were once sold at Tower Records. He wrote a song designed to help Michael Jackson turn attention away from his own troubling allegations, and he wrote that song while he was illegally married to a 15-year old. That marriage eventually brought about his downfall. But not before R. Kelly went on a 20-year reign of terror – all conducted in plain sight while he was one of the biggest R&B a...
Jun 04, 2024•42 min•Ep 179•Transcript available on Metacast This week in the After Party, Jake talks trusting our institutions, myths and conspiracies, the new Disgo Book Club, this week's DISGRACELAND episode on Bob Dylan, and of course your emails, texts, DMs, and voicemails. What story from pop culture do you call BS on? Get in touch at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod, and come join the After Party. To hear an extended version of the After Party with a story about yet another motorcycle accident in Bob Dylan's v...
May 30, 2024•26 min•Ep 178•Transcript available on Metacast 
