Pod Candy - Cults, Crimes & Killers

In this episode of Pod Candy, Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John Mayer dive into the bizarre and unsettling story behind Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult, the HBO docuseries about Frederick von Mierers and his doomsday cult, Eternal Values. The hosts unpack how charisma, confidence, vulnerability, beauty, fame, and manipulation created the perfect conditions for people to follow a man whose beliefs bec...

Grab a snack (maybe not frozen yogurt).  Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John are back to break down HBO Max's The Yogurt Shop Murders . It's a heavy one, but leave it to these three to find the heart, the outrage, and a few laughs along the way. Underneath the banter is a real conversation about coerced confessions, a justice system that failed almost everyone it touched, and how much compassion we owe the...

In this episode of Pod Candy: Cults, Crimes and Killers , Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John Mayer take on the chilling Gilgo Beach murders and Peacock’s docuseries The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets . The team dives into the disturbing case of Rex Heuermann, the Long Island architect who pleaded guilty to murdering eight women over a span of 17 years. The hosts examine the shocking contrast between...

This week on Pod Candy: Cults, Crimes and Killers , Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John Mayer break down Netflix’s Trust Me: The False Prophet , the disturbing four-part documentary about Samuel Bateman and the splintered FLDS community he manipulated after Warren Jeffs was sent to prison. Bateman claimed to be the new prophet, convinced followers that Warren Jeffs was speaking through him, and used faith,...

In this episode of Pod Candy: Cults, Crimes and Killers, Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John Mayer pull back the curtain on one of television’s most beloved figures: Bob Barker. For decades, The Price Is Right projected bright lights, big prizes, and wholesome Americana — but behind the scenes, former models and staff described a workplace marked by control, sexism, racism, lawsuits, and unchecked power. O...

You sign up for yoga hoping for clarity, healing, maybe even a little enlightenment. But what happens when that search for peace leads straight into control, coercion, and something much darker? In this episode of Pod Candy , Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John dive into Twisted Yoga , the Apple TV+ documentary about controversial spiritual leader Gregorian Bivolaru and the international yoga movement that...

In this episode of Pod Candy , Stacey and Dori dive into the disturbing case of Jared Fogle, the former Subway spokesman whose wholesome public image hid a far darker reality. As they revisit the documentary Jared From Subway: Catching a Monster , they break down how an American success story unraveled into a horrifying criminal case involving child exploitation, undercover recordings, and years o...

In this episode of Pod Candy, we unpack HBO Max’s Murder in Glitter Ball City, a shocking true crime story set in Louisville’s flashy nightlife scene, where sex, drugs, and a brutal murder collide. Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John break down the twisted relationships, the toxic dynamics, and the courtroom chaos behind a case that feels almost too bizarre to be real. Listener discretion is advised for ex...

In this episode of Pod Candy , Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John Mayer break down Hollywood Hustler: Glitz, Glam & Scam , the jaw-dropping documentary about Zach Horowitz, the aspiring actor who built a Hollywood fantasy so convincing that friends, investors, and insiders handed over millions. What started as promises of exclusive film distribution deals with major studios and streamers unraveled int...

In this deeply unsettling episode of Pod Candy , Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John Mayer unpack HBO Max’s The Cult Behind The Killer: The Andrea Yates Story —and the disturbing web of severe mental illness, postpartum psychosis, religious extremism, and coercive influence surrounding one of the most devastating crimes in modern American history. Rather than reducing the Andrea Yates case to a headline, t...

In this very, very cool Pod Candy bonus episode we're giving you a best-of “killers” mashup featuring highlights from past episodes, stitched together into one dark, bingeable ride.  In this compilation, Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John Mayer revisit four infamous cases—pulling the most jaw-dropping moments, sharpest psychological insights, and most heated “wait…WHAT?!” reactions.

In this episode of Pod Candy, Stacey and Dori dive into Corey Feldman Versus the World—a YouTube documentary filmed around 2016 that tracks Corey Feldman during a turbulent stretch of touring, isolation, and relentless public scrutiny.  What starts as “wait…what am I watching?” quickly turns into something darker: the documentary’s “angels” era—young women recruited into Feldman’s orbit—raises uns...

In this chilling episode of Pod Candy , Stacey and Dori unpack Netflix’s documentary “Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story” a real-world case of charisma turned coercion, where a Utah therapist-turned–“life coach” allegedly leveraged religion, fear, and authority to control families and justify horrific abuse. The trio digs into how Hildebrandt built an “empire” through her “ Connextions” p...

In this episode of Pod Candy, Stacey and Dori dive into a raw, emotionally charged conversation sparked by Netflix’s The Perfect Neighbor. They focus on the bigger questions the documentary raises—about boundaries, neighbor conflicts, police response, fear, and how everyday tensions can spiral into irreversible tragedy  Their discussion moves candidly between empathy and accountability as Stacey a...

In this gripping episode of Pod Candy , Stacey and Dori dive deep into the tragic, turbulent, and endlessly controversial life of Eileen Wuornos —one of America’s most infamous female serial killers, and the subject of Netflix’s newest true-crime documentary. Through raw discussion, personal reflection, and expert insight from forensic psychologist Dr. John Mayer , the hosts unpack the layers behi...

In this gripping episode of Pod Candy, Stacey, Dori, and forensic psychologist Dr. John Mayer break down the shocking world revealed in Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, the documentary exposing the Fundamentalist LDS and its infamous prophet, Warren Jeffs. Pulling directly from survivor accounts and documentary footage, the hosts unpack how obedience, isolation, and religious manipulation were weaponize...

In this chilling episode of Pod Candy: Cults, Crimes & Killers, Stacey Flaster and Dori Goldman unpack Netflix’s shocking true-crime documentary Unknown Number: The High School Catfish. What begins as a disturbing case of anonymous harassment among Michigan teens quickly spirals into one of the most jaw-dropping catfishing stories ever told. Joined by forensic psychologist Dr. John Mayer, the...

Netflix may be shining a new spotlight on one of America’s most disturbing figures with Monster: The Ed Gein Story , but Pod Candy was there first. In this chilling mashup episode, hosts Stacey and Dr. John Mayer revisit their most fascinating and unnerving conversations about the real-life “Butcher of Plainfield.” With commentary from Dori , filmmaker Alex Flaster (who produced the A&E Biogra...

In 1998, 23-year-old Amy Lynn Bradley vanished without a trace from a Caribbean cruise ship — and her story has haunted the world ever since. In this episode, Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John unpack one of the most chilling disappearances in modern history: Was Amy the victim of foul play, suicide, or something even darker like human trafficking? From the baffling eyewitness sightings to the disturbing...

Stacey and Dori turn their attention to Teal Swan, a spiritual influencer whose teachings on healing and suicide have made her both magnetic and deeply controversial. Drawing from the docuseries The Deep End, the hosts unpack how Swan shapes her image, the unsettling dynamics within her inner circle, and why so many vulnerable people are drawn into her orbit. With Dr. John weighing in, the convers...

In this episode of Pod Candy, Stacey and Dori dive into Betting on Zero and expose the dark underbelly of Herbalife—a company accused of preying on vulnerable communities under the guise of opportunity. Joined by Dr. John, they peel back the layers of manipulation, exploitation, and broken promises that define multi-level marketing. In a groundbreaking moment, the hosts identify a new cult categor...

In this powerful episode of Pod Candy , Stacey and Dori dive into Surviving Ohio State , the documentary exposing one of the largest sexual abuse scandals in U.S. history. They discuss the decades of abuse committed by Dr. Richard Strauss, the silence of Ohio State University, and the devastating toll on more than 300 male athletes whose voices went unheard for far too long. Joined by Dr. John May...

This week on PodCandy , Stacey and Dori dive into the disturbing case of Keith Hunter Jespersen—infamously known as the Happy Face Killer. A seemingly average long-haul trucker turned serial murderer, Jespersen left a trail of victims across the country while signing his confessions with a chilling smiley face. Dr. John helps to dissect Jespersen’s psychology, exploring his need for control, lack...

In this powerful and disturbing episode, Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John take a deep dive into Shiny Happy People , the chilling docuseries exposing the Duggar family and their ties to the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), a fundamentalist Christian organization led by the controversial Bill Gothard. What lies beneath the surface of big smiles and modesty? Abuse, control, and a dangerous cultu...

In this powerful and emotional episode of PodCandy , Stacey, Dori and Dr. John dive deep into the harrowing yet inspiring story of Chavie Weisberger, a brave woman who escaped the confines of an ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish sect—led by her own grandfather. From forced marriage and suppressed sexuality to a traumatic custody battle, Chavie’s journey reveals the dark side of religious extremism and...