After a long absence, I am back with a brand new episode for my listeners. I was joined by journalists John Duffy and Ray Nowosielski. We discussed their new podcast series “After the Uprising: The Death of Danyé Dion Jones,” which takes on the mysterious death of Danyé, a young black activist, who was found hanging from a tree outside of his home in St Louis, Missouri. Danyé’s death was ruled a suicide by St Louis county. However, his mother Melissa McKinnies, a prominent activist in Missouri, believed that this was a lynching connected to her activist work. We discussed the circumstances surrounding the death, touching on many suspicious aspects that were overlooked by the police and the coroner’s office. We discussed key evidence that was overlooked, such as two DNA samples found on the noose. We also explored the circumstances leading up to Danyé’s death. We talked about the targeting of other black activists by the local police. We also touched on the lead detective on the case and issues of internalized racism within the police. We finished off the conversation by discussing the true crime genre and its serious blind spots when it comes to the murder of non-white individuals.
Pearse Redmond joins Themes & Memes as a return guest. The Covid19 quarantine classic, Tiger King documentary, is the topic of discussion. A variety of issues such as high control groups, media analysis, and politics are discussed on this different kind of review.
Today I am joined by old friend Pearse Redmond to review and discuss the Netflix TV series American Vandal, a mockumentary that satirises the true crime genre. Pete Maldonado is a student at a high school in California who starts making a documentary about a fellow student, Dylan Maxwell, who was expelled for graffitti-ing dicks on 27 teachers cars. He soon finds that Dylan is probably innocent, and he and his co-producer Sam set out to find the true culprits and figure out what is really going on. In our discussion Pearse and I get into some of our favourite moments and characters, the style which shifts throughout the series from comedy to drama, the lessons for amateur detectives and the role of social media. We also touch on why true crime is popular and ask whether it merely provides a vicarious thrill or whether it inspires people to become hobby investigators.
Host of Porkins Policy Radio, Pearse Redmond is the guest on this episode of Uncle (the podcast). Here he reviews Modelo Especial, and explains why he knows that OJ Simpson is indeed innocent of murdering his wife and Ronald Goldman. Other less dark things are discussed as well, so be sure to listen to this podcast.
Topics include: Pearse Redmond, Porkins Policy Radio, American Freedom Radio, podcasting, The CIA and Hollywood, beer interview, Modelo Especial, lime in Mexican beer, fish fry, Ochelli Effect, Opperman Report, live radio, internet radio, cursing on air, white Bronco, OJ Simpson case, Stephen Singular, evidence, racism, drugs, cocaine, 9pm eye drop session, conjunctivitis, mafia, Pat McKenna interview, true crime, conspiracy, Making a Murderer, if the glove fits you must acquit, media problems, Twitter, Top Gun 2
Stephen and Joyce Singular join me in the first hour for a discussion of the genre bending documentary Casting JonBenet. Produced by Netflix and directed by Kitty Green, the film employs a novel approach to true crime documentaries: using an open casting call Green interviews Boulder area actors as they prepare for the roles of John and Patsy Ramesy and other major figures in the case, interspersed with some reenactments, and their own theories as to who committed the crime. We begin by discussing our overall feelings of the film and the merits and disappointments of this unique approach. Joyce and Stephen talk about the fact that this is the first major film to come out on the JonBenet case that actually tackles the topic of child porn rings in Boulder. We also focus on the fact that this film is also the first that actually attempts to humanize John and Patsy Ramsey. The three of us talk about several key scenes in the film in which the actors talk about their own personal experiences (some very similar to this case) where they were presented with serious moral dilemmas. We talk about their own responses to these events and how this offers insight into the actions and emotions of the Ramsey family. Joyce and Stephen also talk about the terrify reality that children are presented with on a daily basis, and why JonBenet continues to be exploited to this day. We also touch on pedophile John Mark Karr’s false confession, the culture of child pageants, and the ways in which the media continues to hide the true of what took place 20 years ago. We close out the first hour by briefly talking about OJ Simpson’s upcoming parole hearing.
In the second hour I break down some of the most recent developments in the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislane legal saga. I address the rumors and allegations that Virginia Giuffre is about to settle her defamation case and why I think it may be bogus. I also explore the other allegations put forth by Conchita Sarnoff that Ghislane Maxwell’s lawyers have no idea where she is. Next I move onto Sarnoff’s recent defense of US attorney and Epstein protector Alex Acosta, and why Sanroff continues to act as the conduit for all important Epstein related news. Later I talk about Epstein’s newest high profile team of lawyers, why he is aligning himself with his employee Lesley Groff, and what this all means moving forward. I finish off by presenting several possibilities for what this all means and if Epstein and company might actually be severed up some real justice. I also announce who my special guest will be next week.
Note: Stephen and Joyce are also working on a new book and documentary dealing with police violence and PTSD. You can find out more about this by visiting StephenSingular.com
Frequent guest Brian Heiss joins me for an in depth discussion of the current state of the media, and their continued legacy of manipulation and deception. We begin our conversation by dissecting the bogus news story that OJ Simpson is set to make a reality TV show with Casey Anthony. Brian and I discuss now the genesis of this story is a TMZ article that determined that an OJ reality show was actually impossible to make at this current time. Brian describes how this TMZ article became the source for numerous mainstream media articles making the false claim that the reality show indeed happening. We dive into how this fake news became a viral and is now entirely accepted as fact. Brian and I then move onto how the OJ trial built the foundation for this trend in media. We talk about several lies about the trial that have become accepted fact because of peoples emotional desires to believe something that fits their world view. We discuss productions such as The People vs OJ Simpson and OJ: Made in America and how they have continued to exploit lies in order to craft their own version of the truth.
In the second hour we expand out on this topic and look at the ways in which the media manipulates crime both here and abroad to fuel ratings and revenue. Brian and I use the OJ trial and the false allegations by people such as Jill Shivley as an analogy for the current push for war in Syria. We examine how emotions and not evidence drive both the public’s opinions about OJ and Bashar al Assad. Brian and I also look at the increased number of true crime documentaries that knowingly manipulate our emotions with lies and how this is affecting our entire criminal justice system. We speak about this rush to judgment and trial by media circus and it’s relationship to events such as the recent chemical attack in Syria.
Porkins Policy Review 