In January 1947, the mutilated body of 22-year old Elizabeth Short was found, literally cut in half, in a vacant lot in Los Angeles. Even though hundreds of suspects were investigated and dozens of confessions were made, her murder remains unsolved to this day. In the years since, the case has gotten warm and cold again. Speculation into motive and method has been endless. And the deeper you look, the murkier the case becomes. It’s a case populated by drunks and junkies, syphilitic ex-cons and petty thieves, kingpins of organized crime, and the most corrupt police officers to ever wear a badge – and it still continues to this day. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com/badlands. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including graphic descriptions of violence. This episode originally aired on April 13 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Long before he raised the People’s Eyebrow, dropped the People’s Elbow, and laid the smackdown on the candyass world of Hollywood, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson ran a jewelry theft ring in Waikiki. He and his peers worked the posh shopping district, snatching and grabbing whatever they could get their hands on and then pawning their haul for cold, hard cash. As a result, he was arrested nearly ten times before he turned 17 years old. But perhaps the only thing more insane than that story is the tale of how Dwayne Johnson transcended a life of petty street crime to become one of the biggest cultural icons of the 21st century. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com/badlands. This episode was originally published on October 5 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before he was headed to infinity and beyond, Tim Allen was headed to life in prison for a low-level drug deal in Michigan. This is the story about how his first career ended in a life-changing bust, and what he had to do in order to survive and find a way out. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com/badlands. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including discussions about 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. This episode was originally published on March 29, 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He was a professional killer. A warrior trained from birth. A member of the deadliest squad of assassins in The Association. But that was before he tried to go solo. And before they tried to kill him. They made one mistake though – they didn’t finish the job. Now the Black Mamba is back and he won’t stop until he’s got his hands on the ultimate prize – the assassin’s ring – and his revenge on the ex-partner and boss who double crossed him. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including sexual assault. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - GET THE NEWSLETTER Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: Instagram YouTube X (formerly Twitter)  Facebook Fan Group TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pete Rose was the biggest winner in baseball history. He played more games. He had more hits. The numbers prove he was, unequivocally, the best. But his desire to win became an all-consuming compulsion both on and off the baseball diamond. When he could no longer rack up wins on the field as a player, he sought out other ways to feel like a winner. This led to bets placed with gangsters, debts owed to vengeful bookies, and a web of secrets and lies that would ultimately prove his undoing. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com/badlands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before Patty Hearst appeared as an actress in John Waters' movies, she captivated America on the silver screen as a hostage terrorized by the Symbionese Liberation Army. When the newspaper heiress was kidnapped by the radical organization in 1974, the country sympathized with her plight. But after just a few months, the SLA’s guns weren’t pointing at Patty anymore; suddenly, Patty was firing her own weapons during fistfights and bank robberies as a member of the same terrorist group that once kept her locked in a closet. In court, Patty claimed she was brainwashed and that she played along for her own safety. It’s true that Patty Hearst gave the performance of a lifetime — but we still don’t know which part of her life was the performance. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including graphic depictions of violence. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com/badlands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Namath was the Elvis and the Beatles of the gridiron at a time when the NFL was full of players with flat personalities. He was the catalyst that turned athletes into leaders, steering the cultural zeitgeist. Blonde bombshells drove onto the field in Cadillacs to pick him up. He intercepted women from Mick Jagger in New York nightclubs. He wore mink coats and sunglasses on the sidelines during preseason games he didn’t play in. He drank, he gambled, he smoked, and he grew his hair long - and people noticed. The mafia. The feds. The media. Even crazed fans…who wanted him dead. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com/badlands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As captivating as actress Lana Turner was on screen, her personal life off screen was more dramatic than any movie could hope to be. Her father, turning up dead over a poker pot. Her co-star, Sean Connery, throwing down with pre-Bond panache when her boyfriend threatened to beat her up. And that same boyfriend, Johnny Stompanato, winding up dead in her Hollywood home after another of their infamous arguments. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com/badlands. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including domestic violence and child sexual assault. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sonny Liston transcended a life of petty crime, police busts, and prison time to become the heavyweight champion of the world. He was so feared as a fighter, however, that he made it to the big time with the financial backing of a rogue’s gallery of infamous underworld figures. That dubious association would win him some fights, lose him some fights, and ultimately, lead to more than a few suspicious asterisks next to his boxing record. And it may have even killed him. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com/badlands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hustling on the streets of New York. Wagering with a U.S. president over who could sleep with more women. Knocking back beers with Elvis. Waving his gun around at the funeral of Jay Sebring, one of the victims of Charles Manson’s murderous family. The same family that had their sights now set on the King of Cool, Steve McQueen, who needed the speed of a Mustang or the power of a Magnum to keep Charlie’s crazy cult at bay. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Trejo holds the record for most on-screen deaths by an actor. His go-to role is the bad guy – the baddest guy. The guy you do not mess with. And for the first 25 years of his life, he was that guy for real. He led a life of violence and drugs that landed him in just about every hardcore prison in California, including Folsom and San Quentin. On the inside, he ran the gym, the drugs, and protection rackets. And then one day, the tables turned and Danny Trejo was the one who needed protection. After the dust settled on a bloody prison riot, Trejo found himself staring down the death penalty. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com/badlands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Dean’s co-star in Rebel Without a Cause was an early trailblazer for the LGBTQ+ community in Hollywood. Over the years he was harassed, heckled, and had his life threatened – just for being himself. When he was mysteriously murdered at the age of 37, the 15-month investigation exposed just how deep intolerance ran in the hearts and minds of many, despite Sal’s efforts to the contrary. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com/badlands. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including sexual assault. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthony Bourdain had a lust for life. He went all in on adventure, indulgence, food, romance – including the romance of a heroin addiction that he chased through the restaurant kitchens and grimy rock clubs of 1980s Manhattan. For years he was a struggling cook and writer, but his first book, published when he was 43 years old, was an overnight success. He parlayed success as a writer into success as a TV host, traveling all over the world, dining with rockstars, presidents, and everyone in between. He dodged bullets, the real and the figurative kind, the figurative kind from the tabloids having the most impact. But in the end, he was unable to dodge the truth, which to a romantic like Anthony Bourdain, was hard to come to terms with. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including sexual assault and 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. Enter the new DISGRACELAND contest to win exclusive prizes and unlock rewards. Visit DISGRACELANDCONTEST.COM Hurry, the contest ends on March 6th, 2024! Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - GET THE NEWSLETTER Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: Instagram YouTube X (formerly Twitter)  Facebook Fan Group TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to DISGRACELAND in 2024. Jake Brennan will continue to bring you the most insane stories about rock stars getting away with murder and behaving very badly ... and will also tell other stories about icons from beyond the world of music who possess dangerously compelling rock 'n roll hearts. Like Anthony Bourdain. Andy Warhol. Hunter S. Thompson. Kobe Bryant. Garth Brooks. Public Enemy. Van Halen. And so many more. Get the scoop on the exciting 2024 we have planned for you, the biggest and most iconic year in DISGRACELAND history. Rocka rolla. Listen and subscribe to DISGRACELAND wherever you get podcasts. For more information, visit disgracelandpod.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Newman didn’t race cars to outrun his demons. His past was easily kept at bay, like the World War II memories he didn’t want to think about. But like many actors of his generation, the Brando generation, Paul Newman wanted to act like he wasn’t acting. And to do that, he had to tap into real emotions. Forgotten memories. Demons and all. Or so said the Method school of acting. So he dug deep and faced his demons–but not before one of those fast cars of his drove him through a hedgerow, a red light, and an altercation with a cop that nearly sent his career off the road before it really began. To see the complete list of contributors, visit disgracelandpod.com/badlands. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - GET THE NEWSLETTER Support our Advertising Partners: Prize Picks: Prizepicks.com/badlands Code: Badlands Factor: factormeals.com/badlands50 Code: Badlands50 Nutrisense :nutrisense.com/badlands Rocket Money: rocketmoney.com/badlands Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: Instagram YouTube X (formerly Twitter)  Facebook Fan Group TikTok   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NBA star Lorenzen Wright went from signing million-dollar contracts to being almost entirely broke in just a few years. He was questioned by the FBI about his connection to a Mexican drug cartel. He was the victim in a murder case that went unsolved for almost a decade. During that time, cops and the feds chased down dead ends and bad leads, all while new details slowly leaked out. Details that, when they finally fell into place, revealed a shocking picture of incredible betrayal. To see the complete list of contributors, visit disgracelandpod.com/badlands. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - GET THE NEWSLETTER Support our Advertising Partners: Prize Picks: Prizepicks.com/badlands Code: Badlands Factor: factormeals.com/badlands50 Code: Badlands50 Nutrisense :nutrisense.com/badlands Rocket Money: rocketmoney.com/badlands Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: Instagram YouTube X (formerly Twitter)  Facebook Fan Group TikTok   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a single year, Sharon Stone was nominated for awards for both Best Actress and Worst Actress – for the same role. She launched a million sexual awakenings with one quick display in Basic Instinct. Her performance in that film was so vivid that it inspired stalkers to track her down. It may have even served as the inspiration for one fan to commit murder, cannibalism, and necrophilia. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including graphic depictions of violence. To see the complete list of contributors, visit disgracelandpod.com/badlands. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - GET THE NEWSLETTER Support our Advertising Partners: Prize Picks: Prizepicks.com/badlands Code: Badlands Factor: factormeals.com/badlands50 Code: Badlands50 Nutrisense :nutrisense.com/badlands Rocket Money: rocketmoney.com/badlands Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: Instagram YouTube X (formerly Twitter)  Facebook Fan Group TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Jake talks Harrison Ford, Anthony Bourdain, and the future of the feeds. What do you think about combining the DISGRACELAND and BADLANDS feeds? Thoughts on the Harrison Ford ep? What's your favorite movie from him? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638 or on socials @disgracelandpod - and come join the Wrap Party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If someone had told Harrison Ford the odds early on, about his chances of making it as an actor in Hollywood, he may have given up. But he wasn’t an odds kinda guy. He was a guy who did what he had to do to make it. Sometimes that meant swinging a hammer and working as a carpenter on the houses of James Caan and Joan Didion. Other times he found work touring with the Doors as the band’s photographer. He even dealt a little weed on the side to people like Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas. But whether he was pulling focus on an elusive Jim Morrison, tearing ass through Petaluma in an old Chevy, or navigating a hunk of junk through an asteroid field, never tell him the odds. Harrison Ford made his own luck. To see the complete list of contributors, visit disgracelandpod.com/badlands. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - GET THE NEWSLETTER Support our Advertising Partners: Prize Picks: Prizepicks.com/badlands Code: Badlands Factor: factormeals.com/badlands50 Code: Badlands50 Nutrisense :nutrisense.com/badlands Rocket Money: rocketmoney.com/badlands Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: Instagram YouTube X (formerly Twitter)  Facebook Fan Group TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1960s London, for young guitar enthusiasts, believing that “Clapton is God” was practically the 11th Commandment. In 1970 he lent his big, sticky tone to yet another band: Derek and the Dominos. The group’s white-hot blues burned bright for barely more than a year, but their impact was massive. Guided by drug, alcohol and heartbreak free-fall, Eric Clapton created one of rock’s most recognizable guitar riffs, while drummer Jim Gordon contributed God’s great piano coda. Except Gordon was guided by something far more sinister — something that started with incessant voices in his head, and ended with a hammer, a butcher knife, and a dead mother. To see the full list of contributors see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices