Spectacle: True Crime
Spectacle is a series that analyzes the cultural and societal implications of your guilty pleasures. From reality TV to true crime, Spectacle simultaneously celebrates and critiques the media, people and places that define us. For advertising opportunities, contact podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. SEASON 3: This season of Spectacle delves into the history of true crime -- from the cases that shook us to our core, to its passionate audience, and what narratives and stereotypes it reinforces in our culture. From Sony Music Entertainment. Spectacle: True Crime is available June 23rd. SEASON 2: Las Vegas It's a city that has defined popular culture. An...
Trailer · Tue, October 10, 2023
Introducing: RESCUE
A podcast series that marvels at the sheer magnitude of the human spirit and the lengths we will go to preserve the most sacred of things – life. Join primitive survival expert and United States Marine Corps Veteran, Donny Dust, as he hosts the brand-new series from Sony Music Entertainment, Rescue. This 20-part weekly podcast series explores the stories behind incredible rescue missions from all over the globe. While some of the accounts have previously made headlines, this podcast unearths several new and original stories. Many of the interviewees have never shared their stories before now. In each episode, Donny guides the listener through stirring and life-affirming accounts of both collective and individual acts of heroism. From experienced first responders to everyday civilian heroes rising to the occasion, Rescue is a celebration of those who refuse to surrender, even in the face of impossible odds. A Sony Music Entertainment Production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Trailer · Tue, August 01, 2023
The Dark Secrets of the "White Devil" - Witness Smoke Screen: Betrayal on the Bayou
Betrayal on the Bayou is a podcast about a former DEA agent Chad Scott, who for almost two decades, stopped at nothing to put drug dealers behind bars. He controlled a web of snitches and played people like pawns. His successes earned him awards from his superiors, but his willingness to bend the rules made enemies of his fellow agents and gave him a terrifying reputation on the streets. He was the Golden Boy; Big Dog; The White Devil. But then Chad is betrayed by a presumed ally, and his life is overturned. Investigators go over his career with a fine-toothed comb, asking the question: Is Chad Scott the greatest DEA agent in the South, or is he a criminal? From Neon Hum and Sony Music Entertainment listen and follow Smoke Screen: Betrayal on the Bayou wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Trailer · Tue, July 11, 2023
Unmasking the Spectacle: Draptomaniax Reveals Untold Stories of Black History
From Dean of Black Twitter, Michael Harriot, comes a Black history podcast like you've never heard before. Using a recipe that includes detailed research, barbershop humor and a little seasoned salt, a parade of cookout-certified celebrity guests helps Michael Harriot serve up a compelling, hilarious, and more accurate version of Black history that was conveniently whitewashed from your social studies book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Trailer · Thu, June 01, 2023
Step into the Dark Side of Hollywood: Experience Death on The Lot
This season, we’re getting into 1950s Hollywood, ground zero for a cultural transformation that would upend every aspect of Americans’ lives. A movie theater in every city, a TV in every living room, and a Post-war America determined to be happy at any cost. Also, during this period… a slew of untimely Hollywood deaths. The rules of the road for the next seventy years were being written in real-time, and not everyone would make it out alive. This is the story of how Hollywood sold us on a new American Dream, and left a few unlucky stars holding the bag. Hosted by Adam McKay (The Big Short, Vice, Succession), DEATH ON THE LOT arrives June 1st. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Trailer · Wed, February 01, 2023
Introducing Smoke Screen: Deadly Cure
Smoke Screen: Deadly Cure is a podcast about a family on the fringe who convinced tens of thousands of people across the globe to buy a miracle liquid made of poison, the international conspiracy they ignited, and the people who fought to take them down. Smoke Screen: Deadly Cure is a Neon Hum Media, Bloomberg & Sony Music Entertainment production. Want the full story? Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen: Deadly Cure, ad-free right now by subscribing to The Binge — All Episodes. All at Once. Plus, you’ll unlock brand new stories, dropping every month - that’s all episodes, all at once, all ad-free. Just click ‘Subscribe’ on the top of the Smoke Screen: Deadly Cure show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you listen. Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Trailer · Fri, September 23, 2022
Introducing: Death of an Artist
Sharing a preview of a new Sony Music Entertainment and Pushkin podcast, Death of the Artist. For more than 35 years, accusations of murder shrouded one of the art world’s most storied couples: Was the famous sculptor Carl Andre involved in the death of his up-and-coming artist wife Ana Mendieta? Host Helen Molesworth revisits Mendieta’s death, taking a closer look at how she might have fallen out of the window of Carl’s 34th floor New York apartment, and the following trial which has divided the art world since 1985. Hear more from Death of an Artist at https://link.chtbl.com/chameleonartist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S3 E12 · Thu, September 08, 2022
True Crime | 12. True Crime, Glass of Wine, Bed by 9 -- A White Lady Obsession
True crime podcasts have developed a devoted female following. It’s made fun of in SNL skits and coined cutesy phrases on t-shirts like “true crime, glass of wine, bed by nine.” The thing is, some of the most popular true crime podcasts are largely led by white women and focused on white victims. And that white lens... well it impacts how they view violent crime, policing and what justice looks like. And that’s what this episode is about – what happens when those voices and those stories are the loudest in the room? Featuring interviews with writer P.E. Moskowitz and Associate Professor of Law Lindsey Webb. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visitmegaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S3 E11 · Thu, September 01, 2022
True Crime | 11. Forensic Files, CSI and the Peddling of Junk Science
This week on Spectacle, forensic sciences. Shows like CSI or Forensic Files make us believe that fingerprints, bite marks or tool marks can close the case. But in reality, aside from DNA, none of it is legit. In fact, it’s been publicly called out by the National Academy of Sciences for lacking scientific merit but regardless, it’s still used in criminal cases around the country – leading to misleading testimony and worse, wrongful convictions. Featuring interviews with The Intercept’s Jordan Smith and Chris Fabricant of The Innocence Project. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visitmegaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S3 E10 · Thu, August 25, 2022
True Crime | 10. Is Prestige True Crime Sensationalizing Real Pain?
If you’re turned on any streaming channel, from Netflix to Hulu to HBO Max, true crime dominates. As of late, what’s especially popular are shows and movies that give true crime the arthouse movie treatment. There's killer cinematography, an A-list cast and a gripping story. The thing is... these stories are often based on tragic events in the recent past. The victims, the families of the victims and the perpetrators are often still alive and aren’t involved. In this episode of Spectacle, we dig into what it means when real tragedies become true crime fodder, featuring interviews with Buzzfeed’s Stephanie McNeal and Margie Ratliff, a participant in The Staircase documentary series. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visitmegaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S3 E9 · Thu, August 18, 2022
True Crime | 9. The Feminist Fantasy of Law & Order: SVU
It's not often that cases get the justice they deserve, unfortunately. But in the Law & Order: SVU universe, victims always get justice delivered by a certain superwoman detective. In this week’s episode, Host Mariah Smith looks into how this popular crime procedural show serves as a feminist fantasy -- led by its hero Olivia Benson -- and how the show has set up an unrealistic perception of policing in America. Featuring interviews with ICYMI podcast co-host Rachelle Hampton, and Laurie Ouellette, professor of media and cultural studies at the University of Minnesota. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visitmegaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Trailer · Mon, August 15, 2022
Introducing The Sunshine Place
Once called “the miracle on the beach,” Synanon began in the 1960s as an experimental rehab facility in Santa Monica, California with a radical claim: It could cure heroin addiction. Before long, it would make an even bolder claim: It could cure any of your problems. All you had to do was move in. What started in a house on the beach, soon spread to compounds across the country. The man who made the miracle happen, Charles E. Dederich, aka “Chuck,” would be the one to destroy it all, along with the lives of many of his followers and millions of dollars in assets. The Sunshine Place tells the mind-blowing, true-story of Synanon - one of America’s most cutting edge social experiments, turned into one of its most dangerous and violent cults - as it’s never been told before: by the people who lived it. Executive Produced by Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, and Emily Barclay Ford for Team Downey and C13Originals, together with Josh McLaughlin for Wink Pictures and written, produced, and directed by Peabody-nominated C13Originals, a Cadence13 Studio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S3 E8 · Thu, August 11, 2022
True Crime | 8. Soledad O'Brien Highlighting 'Black & Missing' Women
On this week’s episode of Spectacle, our obsession with certain missing women. When Gabby Petito disappeared in September 2021, the world went crazy. It was covered on the news regularly and ordinary folks joined in the investigation as well, scouring her Instagram for digital clues. But why do women like Gabby get so much attention... while others, especially Black women, get little to none? We talk to HBO’s Black & Missing EP Soledad O’Brien and Natalie and Derrica Wilson of the Black & Missing Foundation. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visitmegaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S3 E7 · Thu, August 04, 2022
True Crime | 7. From Dirty John to Anna ‘Delvey’ -- why we love a good con
From tech bro scammers to fake heiresses, there’s a scammer story for everyone... nearly everywhere. In this week’s episode, Host Mariah Smith digs into our fascination with conartists with the podcast that kicked off the latest craze... Dirty John. Featuring interviews with Los Angeles Times Reporter Chris Goffard and Huffpost Reporter Caroline Bologna. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visitmegaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S3 E6 · Thu, July 28, 2022
True Crime | 6. Citizen Sleuthing Gone Good… and Bad
In this week’s episode, host Mariah Smith digs into the phenomenon of citizen sleuths. It’s nothing new but with the internet, it’s exploded in the last few years… most notably in 2021 with the disappearance of Gabby Petito. We’ll dig into how citizen sleuths work and the impact this work has on them with Don’t F**k with Cats’ Deanna Thompson. And ICYMI co-host Rachelle Hampton tells us the good and the bad of sleuthing in the internet age. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visitmegaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S3 E5 · Thu, July 21, 2022
True Crime | 5. If It Bleeds, It Leads
When you turn on the nightly news, what usually leads? Often… It’s violence. A shooting. A 5-car pileup. The portrait of a missing girl. Sometimes it’s not even local. It’s 300 miles away. But the salacious details… they hook you. Host Mariah Smith digs into how violent headlines shape our views on culture and crime. And it doesn’t just hurt the people consuming these stories. It hurts the people making them too. Like the late Christine Chubbuck, a news reporter who killed herself on live TV in the 70s. Featuring interviews with journalist Soledad O’Brien and filmmaker Craig Shilowich. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visitmegaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S3 E4 · Thu, July 14, 2022
True Crime | 4. Keith Morrison on How Dateline Cracked the True Crime Code
In its 30 years and counting, the news magazine show Dateline has created an unbeatable formula for true crime. Its mysteries are stranger than fiction. Keith Morrison gently probes. Questioning if what we know… is really what we know. It’s a template that’s so reliable, it’s comforting. In this episode, host Mariah Smith digs into how the news magazine show set the template for true crime, including interviews with Morrison and LA Times TV critic Lorraine Ali. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visitmegaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S3 E3 · Thu, July 07, 2022
True Crime | 3. How Televised Trials Of The 90s Turned Crime Into a Spectacle
In the 1990s, a true crime phenomenon took over our lives – the televised trial. For the first time, we weren’t just getting snippets with takes from journalists and pundits. We were watching gavel-to-gavel coverage. Certain cases stuck with us, such as the 1994 trial of the Menendez Brothers and 1995 trial of OJ Simpson. In this episode, host Mariah Smith will dig into how these cases brought us into the courtroom, turning us into the 13th juror – featuring You’re Wrong About podcast host Sarah Marshall and Court TV’s Vinnie Politan. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S3 E2 · Thu, June 30, 2022
True Crime | 2. "Hot Ted Bundy"
In this week’s episode, we’ll dissect our problematic sexualization of serial killers. Yeah, it’s kinda sick that #HotTedBundy is a thing. We’ll talk to criminologist Dawn Cecil and Vox culture reporter Alissa Wilkinson on the fascination around Bundy, the Netflix film that broke Twitter and how we can do better in telling these stories. You won’t want to miss it. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visitmegaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S3 E1 · Thu, June 23, 2022
True Crime | 1. In Cold Blood to Serial & true crime tropes
Host Mariah Smith is back for season 3 to dissect a messy obsession. This is Spectacle: True Crime. In our pilot episode, we look at how the 2014 podcast Serial changed the true crime game. And how it’s a callback to an OG in the genre, the 1965 true crime novel In Cold Blood. We’ll dissect how Truman Capote got a wee bit too close with killer Perry Smith and how good Phillip Seymour Hoffman was in the 2005 film Capote. Plus, you’ll hear from true crime experts Jean Murley and Sarah Weinman. You won’t want to miss it. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visitmegaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Trailer · Thu, June 09, 2022
Introducing Spectacle: True Crime
Why is it that after a long, hard day of work we want to unwind with a glass of wine and… murder? From In Cold Blood to Serial, America is obsessed with true crime. The genre has simultaneously stoked our most primal fears, reaffirmed our safety, and transformed us into armchair prosecutors. As a culture we pay close attention, both to piece together the puzzle but also to understand the twisted humanity…What leads someone to commit a crime? And could we be the next victim? In this season of Spectacle, we’ll delve into the history of true crime -- from the cases that shook us to our core, to its passionate audience… and what narratives and stereotypes it reinforces in our culture. This is Spectacle Season 3: True Crime. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Coming June 23rd. Listen & follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S2 E12 · Thu, April 28, 2022
Las Vegas | 12. True Crime in Sin City: Mobsters, Murders and Thieves
Host Brent Holmes brings S1 host Mariah Smith on to talk true crime. In this episode, the two dish on three outrageous true crime stories to come out of Las Vegas. They'll dig into Heather Tallchief’s $3.1 million dollar casino heist, the problematic valorizing of LV casino legend and alleged murderer Benny Binion, and the serial killer you probably have never heard of: Samuel Little. Plus, we get a sneak peak of what’s to come in season three. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S2 E11 · Thu, April 21, 2022
Las Vegas | 11. From Celine to Britney, The Revival of the Las Vegas Residency
The Las Vegas residency hasn’t always had the best reputation. Cher, a resident singer herself, once told a journalist that Las Vegas was an “elephant graveyard, where talent goes to die.” But Cher and others have proven that’s not the case. Celine Dion went to Vegas when her career wasn’t exactly peaking and she broke records as the highest grossing resident artist of all time. And then in 2013, pop star Britney Spears took the residency to a whole new level. That's what this episode is about: the revival of the Las Vegas residency. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S2 E10 · Thu, April 14, 2022
Las Vegas | 10. Caesar's Palace & Holyfield's Ear in Boxing’s World Capital
In Vegas, during a fight weekend, everyone in town knows why you’re there. There’s a camaraderie. It's like no other city in the world. But how did Las Vegas become a boxing mecca to rival New York or Chicago? In this episode, host Brent Holmes talks to Fight Town author Tim Dahlberg and GQ contributor Alex Pappademas on the evolution of Vegas as the boxing epicenter of the country, and the larger than life personas that put it on the map. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S2 E9 · Fri, April 08, 2022
Las Vegas | 9. Ocean's 11 and Beating The House
Films like Ocean’s 11 fulfill this fantasy of beating the house. But in reality, it’s a lot more complex. Because casinos are well-oiled machines. They’re watching everything. Not only that, they’re designed to subconsciously guide you where they want you to go – from the carpet design to the shape of a chair to the decibel level of the slot machine. It’s all carefully curated to keep you there and keep you spending money. Before you know it, you’ve been sitting in the casino all day, feeding it your money without really even thinking about it. Nobody really beats the house. Host Brent Holmes is joined by film critic Christopher Lawrence, and anthropologist and media professor Natasha Dow Schull. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S2 E8 · Thu, March 31, 2022
Las Vegas | 8. The Hangover & Vegas For The Male Gaze
“What Happens Here, Stays Here” became the motto of Las Vegas in 2003. But for many, the 2009 movie The Hangover solidified that slogan. The guys in the film have a bachelor party replete with trashed hotel rooms, tigers in bathrooms and blackout nuptials. There’s a lot of toxic bro tropes – homophobic slurs, objectifying women. In this episode, media scholar Patricia Ventura and journalist and ex-cocktail server Brittany Bronson tell us how both the film and the city itself are really catered to the male gaze. And what happens there, does stay there for the people who live and work there. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S2 E7 · Thu, March 24, 2022
Las Vegas | 7. Heidi Fleiss, sex work, Vegas
Las Vegas, for many, is a place where you can play by your own rules and get away with it too. And for Hollywood Madame, Heidi Fleiss, Nevada was the place where her dreams of creating an all-male brothel could come true, but it wasn’t that easy. Even though brothels are legal in parts of the state, its relationship with sex is still fraught. Las Vegas, "Sin City," thrives on selling a certain type of sex but criminalizes others. In this episode, Host Brent Holmes speaks to podcaster Molly Lambert, sex workers Quinn Rain and Alice Little and sex educator Amanda Morgan on Nevada's nuanced relationship with sex. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S2 E6 · Thu, March 17, 2022
Las Vegas | 6. Verhoeven's Showgirls and what it got right about Vegas
Director Paul Verhoeven was considered kind of an auteur in the ‘90s. Basic Instinct got critical acclaim. So by 1995, when he announced his new film Showgirls, people were excited. It was intended to be a gritty expose on the legendary Vegas performers. But it wasn’t. At all. In this episode, Host Brent Holmes talks to former showgirls, learning that the life of the showgirl was more nuanced, that they had to fight for equity and respect on the stage. And, he’s joined by drag performer Peaches Christ, who helped solidify the film as a cult classic. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S2 E5 · Thu, March 10, 2022
Las Vegas | 5. Is Hunter S. Thompson "The Bad Art Friend"?
By the late 60s, that Vegas “anything goes” philosphy was fully solidified. And look no further than Hunter S. Thompson’s drug-fueled literary romp, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, to see this on full display. In making his surreal, snide and colorful portrait of Las Vegas – Thompson would later be accused of erasing the identity of the man who helped tell the tale. And that’s what this episode is about, how Thompson capitalized on a fantastical version of Vegas, and his friend – Chicano journalist Oscar Acosta – to promote the enduring representation of Las Vegas as “Sin City.” So what did he leave out? And what do people continue to leave out to espouse this fever dream fantasy of Vegas as a vice vacation? Host Brent Holmes digs into it with filmmaker Phillip Rodriguez and writers Zach Baron, Abby Aguirre and Scott Dickensheets. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S2 E4 · Thu, March 03, 2022
Las Vegas | 4. The Bold Legacy of Moulin Rouge, the First Integrated Casino in Vegas
Las Vegas has a way of forgetting its history. Like many cities across America, Vegas was segregated. From the ‘40s through integration, The Strip welcomed whites only, forcing Black people to live on the other side of the tracks. On the Westside. But they made it home, with hotels, restaurants and bars of their own. This week, Brent dives into the brief yet brilliant history of the first integrated casino, the Moulin Rouge, exploring what integration actually looked like for Black performers. And now, how the residents of the Historic Westside have recently taken its future into their own hands, breeding hope for a second renaissance, maybe one even better than the last. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S2 E3 · Thu, February 24, 2022
Las Vegas | 3. Scorsese's Casino and the Mob in Vegas
Las Vegas, through the eyes of Martin Scorsese, is where you went to be legit. It's where a criminal could operate out in the open. Dark alleys and dimly lit rooms were traded for c-suite offices. In Vegas, you could make real money. Casino was the perfect vehicle to show how the mobster went mainstream – in Vegas – and in our culture. In this episode, we’ll dive into the tropes of the film. And how, to this day, the problematic backstory of Vegas is celebrated – even though, you know, it came through stealing tax dollars and, you know, murder. Host Brent Holmes will explore what our romance with mobsters says about us. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S2 E2 · Thu, February 17, 2022
Las Vegas | 2. The Capital of Fast Love
In the final scene of Viva Las Vegas, Elvis and Ann Margaret stand in front of a wood-framed chapel, happily married, running out into the street as the credits roll. Nearly 60 years later, you can get married at that very same church -- by Elvis. Well, a fake Elvis. Numerous spur of the moment nuptials would solidify Las Vegas as the capital of fast love. Known for the quickie wedding and... the quickie divorce. Did you know Ria Gable (Clark Gable's ex) escaped to a Nevada divorce ranch? Or that divorce ranches were even a thing? That's what this episode is all about: How Vegas revolutionized marriage and – in the process – launched a two billion dollar industry. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S2 E1 · Thu, February 10, 2022
Las Vegas | 1. The American Sideshow
Spectacle is back with a new season and this time the spectacle isn’t reality TV it's a place. it’s had many names over the years: Sin City, City of Lights, Glitter Gulch. In this season of Spectacle, we’re going to dive deep into all there is to know about the fabulous, the incorrigible… Las Vegas. In our first episode, Host Brent Holmes connects with magician and Vegas headliner, Penn Jillette. Performing off Broadway in NYC, Penn thought of the desert city as a place entertainers went to die. But after an encounter with Dean Martin, Penn had his ass kicked “artistically" -- and never looked back. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Trailer · Fri, January 28, 2022
Introducing Spectacle: Las Vegas
It's a city that has defined popular culture. An oasis in the desert, a mirage — it’s a city of buzzing neon, world-class performers, and fortunes made and lost. A city that invites you to explore your deepest desires: a playground for adults replete with casinos, showgirls, and all-you-can-eat buffets. But how did Vegas become “Sin City”? A place that promotes a fantasy of adult freedoms: a vacation from boundaries, rules, accountability? A place where people from all over the world visit to be their wildest, most uninhibited selves, even if it’s just for just a couple nights? We’re going to dive deep into all things Las Vegas. From the genesis of shotgun weddings, to film portrayals of the mob-era, to the social engineering behind mega-casinos...this is Spectacle Season 2: Las Vegas, what Sin City tells us about American culture. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Coming February 10th. Listen & follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bonus · Tue, October 26, 2021
Introducing: The Sellout
From Neon Hum Media and L.A. Taco, this is Smoke Screen: The Sellout, a podcast about a politician dogged by allegations of corruption, harassment and pathological pettiness. It’s about the residents who fought gentrification even as their neighborhoods were auctioned off to the highest bidder. And it’s about a community that feels the pain of betrayal – from one of their own. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bonus · Tue, June 22, 2021
Introducing: I Am Rama
Rama was a spiritual teacher in the 80s and 90s who inspired many of his students while helming what many of his detractors would describe as a cult. He defied society’s archetypal vision of a New Age leader, eschewing minimalism for wealth and celebrity. He was also a man ahead of his time, encouraging his students to develop careers in computer science before that was mainstream. For some, following Rama's lead worked out spiritually, and financially too. But for others, Rama's actions contradicted his cool persona; some eventually came forward with accusations of abuse, others vanished, whistleblowers went to the media, and the group began to shrink and splinter. In this 10-part investigative series, Jonathan Hirsch explores the life, death and impact of Rama. "I Am Rama" drops June 22. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bonus · Mon, April 12, 2021
Introducing: Mouthing Off with Olivia Caridi
Olivia Caridi, star of season 20 of “The Bachelor” and an avid watcher of all sorts of television, is known for her smart, quick-witted mouth in more ways than one. On her new weekly podcast "Mouthing Off with Olivia," she'll interview reality stars, actors and actresses, influencers and YouTube stars to get the latest in entertainment. Expect some major gossip, as Olivia will give each of her guests their own time to "Mouth Off" and deliver rants of epic proportions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S1 E10 · Wed, April 07, 2021
Reality TV | 10. The Circle & the future of reality TV
In 2021, it’s not enough to just become famous. To really capitalize on your 15 minutes, you need to tell a story and be authentic. The Circle perfectly captures this shift. It’s like the Real World but ...dystopian? Host Mariah Smith talks to S1 US cast member Chris Sapphire and journalist Etan Smallman about how the show demonstrates we can form real connections -- even through a screen. She also brings back scholar Racquel Gates and her producer Joanna Clay to discuss where reality TV is headed. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 E9 · Wed, March 31, 2021
Reality TV | 9. The subversive sweetness of the Great British Baking Show
All the winner of the Great British Baking Show gets is a cake stand. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a nail biter. In fact, we argue it’s one of the most anxiety-producing shows on TV and that it subverts the competition show paradigm. The Great British Baking Show doesn't need villains, a cash prize or crazy stakes. It's ...nice? Host Mariah Smith talks to 2019 winner David Atherton, journalist Scott Bryan and scholar Elizabeth Nathanson about how kinder, more earnest television can be just as captivating as its cutthroat counterparts. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 E8 · Wed, March 24, 2021
Reality TV | 8. 90 Day Fiance, the delusion of love
90 Day Fiancé is the trainwreck TV show we can’t stop watching. The secret sauce could be the romance. The tricky tropes. The desperation. I think it's desperation, actually. In this episode, we’re going to get into why 90 Days is so compelling as a social experiment. What do these chaotic relationships teach us? And what does the backdrop of the K1 visa process say about the immigrant stories we tell? Join host Mariah Smith as she dissects the franchise with comedians Marcy Jarreau and Nicole Byer and journalists Alexis Soloski and Shamira Ibrahim. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 E7 · Wed, March 17, 2021
Reality TV | 7. Queer Eye, a master class in male vulnerability
Queer Eye for The Straight Guy was an instant hit in 2003. Oprah, Jay Leno, even President George W. Bush were talking about the Fab Five. They were promoted as gay superheroes, who came in and made over a straight man’s life – but we never really got to know them. The Netflix reboot, out in 2018, changed all that. Today's Fab Five shares their struggles and opt for “make better” over “makeover.” In his episode, host Mariah Smith talks to OG culture guy Jai Rodriguez, interior design guy Bobby Berk and superfan Tobin Low. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 E6 · Wed, March 10, 2021
Reality TV | 6. Keeping up with the Kardashian empire
From Kim’s sex tape scandal to Kourtney pulling her baby out during labor, to the scary Paris robbery -- the Kardashian sisters have shared it all over the past 20 seasons. That’s what this episode is all about. How Keeping Up with the Kardashians created TMI television. Nothing is off limits. This week, host Mariah Smith talks to New York Times writer-at-large Amy Chozick and KUWTK expert Professor Laurie Ouellette. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 E5 · Wed, March 03, 2021
Reality TV | 5. Behind the gates with the ‘Real’ housewives
It's easy to get distracted by the glamorous trappings of the Real Housewives. The fancy cars, the McMansions, the Botox. But the franchise remains compelling because the women share what they are going through from evictions, postpartum depression and run-ins with the law. They’re real women with real problems -- that they allow the whole world to see. No two iterations are alike, but there’s something for everyone in the 10 Housewives shows from Orange County and Atlanta to New York and Potomac. In this episode, Mariah Smith talks to Housewives Historian Brian Moylan, reality TV scholar Racquel Gates and former RHOC cast member Peggy Tanous. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 E4 · Wed, February 24, 2021
Reality TV | 4. The Bachelor/Bachelorette, our problematic fave
The Bachelor and the Bachelorette have been on the air for nearly 20 years. Millions of people watch every episode. But have you ever wondered why it's still must-see TV -- given its problematic gender dynamics, its heteronormativity and its lack of diversity? In this episode, we dive into this problematic fave with people who know it well -- S2 Bachelor Aaron Buerge, S3 Bachelorette Jen Schefft Waterman and Bachelor Nation experts Claire Fallon and Emma Gray. You won't want to miss it. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 E3 · Wed, February 17, 2021
Reality TV | 3. How Survivor revealed America’s tribalism
When Survivor premiered in 2000, there was nothing like it. It was like Lord of Flies meets Castaway. That first season enthralled audiences as contestants backstabbed all for a chance to win $1 million dollars. Ultimately, the show also became a microcosm of greater society. With some seasons segregating by race or class, it emulated the divisions we see on the mainland. What does Survivor tell us about ourselves? In this episode, we talk to Survivor cast member Max Dawson and aficionados Andy Dehnart, Mike Bloom and Racquel Gates. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 E2 · Wed, February 10, 2021
Reality TV | 2. Manufacturing The Real World
More than 25 years ago, MTV debuted The Real World. The cast of 7 artists had no idea what they were getting into when they moved into a Soho loft together. They had been told the show was a documentary following their lives. But they weren't prepared for how producers stirred up drama and cast for conflict. Looking back, the first season is surprisingly timely. A lot of it hinges on whether or not Julie - a young white woman - is racist. In this episode, we talk to cast and critics about how The Real World created a formula for quick, cheap, insatiable television. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 E1 · Wed, February 10, 2021
Reality TV | 1. An American Family
In the first episode of season 1 of Spectacle, we'll go back to the show that started it all -- An American Family. Most probably haven't heard of the 1973 PBS docuseries but many argue it inspired reality TV. The series that followed the Loud family of Santa Barbara became part of the cultural moment -- spoofed on SNL and by Albert Brooks. Host Mariah Smith gets behind-the-scenes details from filmmakers and finds out why the show can't be streamed, anywhere, anymore. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Trailer · Thu, January 28, 2021
Spectacle: An Unscripted History of Reality TV Trailer
Reality TV is dismissed as guilty pleasure, low brow... even trash. But whether you want to admit it or not, you probably have heard of Snooki, Lisa Vanderpump or Kim Kardashian. Over the past 30 years, reality TV has become a place to see the social and political moment play out in real time -- from racial tensions on The Real World New York to gender dynamics on The Bachelor. On this season, join host Mariah Smith as she dissects the history of the genre one show at a time, revealing how it's shaped our culture and how our culture shaped it. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Coming February 10th. Listen & follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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