In this episode of The Roller Coaster Podcast, I sat down with Billy McFarland, yes, that Billy, the mastermind behind the Fyre Festival. But this isn’t a story of excuses or spin. It’s an unfiltered, emotional conversation about ambition, delusion, and the high cost of chasing validation at any cost.

Billy opens up about the exact moment he lied to an investor, the deep regret that still keeps him awake at night, and what it felt like to lose everything, freedom, reputation, and trust. We talk about solitary confinement, broken relationships, redemption, and the hard lessons learned inside federal prison.

But we also talk about what’s next. Billy’s stepping into a new chapter, owning his past, paying restitution, and building a product focused on what he does best: getting attention.

This episode isn’t about defending a scandal. It’s about humanising the person behind it, and what happens when the world watches you fall. If you’ve ever made a mistake, felt the weight of your choices, or wondered what true redemption looks like, this one’s for you.

Listen now.

Key Moments:

0:00 The Call That Changed Everything

2:49 The Moral Weight of Betrayal

5:48 The Lies That Made It Worse

10:21 The Arrest Timeline

16:54 His Take on the Netflix Doc

20:57 Clearing Up the Bahamas Rumour

24:01 Prison Surprises

30:00 The Darkest Days Behind Bars

34:02 Who Stayed, Who Left

37:36 COVID in Prison: Ice Cubes & Strip Searches

40:15 Redemption, Responsibility & Rebuilding Trust

Guest Info:

IG: @pyrtbilly (https://www.instagram.com/pyrtbilly/?hl=en)

X: @pyrtbilly (https://x.com/pyrtbilly?lang=en)