Just Jess

In this episode, Jess takes listeners on a deeper, fuller journey into queerness — what it means, where it comes from, how language has evolved, and how community shapes identity. From pansexual to ace, from trans masc to nonbinary, Jess breaks down the words we use with clarity, compassion, and a whole lot of personal experience.

This episode explores queer history, the movements that paved the way, and the importance of chosen family. Jess also shares their own story: growing up without language for who they were, finding queerness later in life, and learning how to raise the next generation with openness, love, and truth.

Alongside the personal storytelling, Jess offers a curated set of LGBTQIA+ resources, support networks, and educational tools — both national and Pittsburgh-based — to help listeners better understand themselves or support the queer people they love.

This is an episode about identity, honesty, and belonging.

It’s educational, heartfelt, messy in all the right ways, and rooted in queer joy.

It’s Jess — louder, prouder, and more themselves than ever.

In this episode, Jess explores the flavor, language, and grit of Pittsburgh — from the Steel City’s immigrant roots to the diner counters and hospital halls that still define it today. Featuring stories from the Glassport Diner, deep dives into local food staples like Primanti Bros. and Turner’s Tea, and reflections on resilience, healing, and finding home in a city that never stops rebuilding.

Visit Pittsburgh – Official city tourism board for events, attractions, and local guides.

https://www.visitpittsburgh.com

Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation – Preserving and documenting Pittsburgh’s architectural and industrial heritage.

https://phlf.org

Heinz History Center (Smithsonian Affiliate) – A detailed look at Pittsburgh’s cultural, sports, and industrial history.

https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org

Pittsburghese Dictionary (Carnegie Mellon Project) – A linguistic deep dive into the region’s most famous accent.

http://pittsburghese.com

Primanti Bros. (Est. 1933) – Home of the original Pittsburgh sandwich, born in the Strip District during the Great Depression.

https://primantibros.com/our-story

Turner Dairy Farms / Turner’s Premium Tea (Est. 1930) – The local dairy that created Pittsburgh’s beloved orange-and-white iced tea carton.

https://drinkturners.com

Mancini’s Bread Co. (Est. 1926) – Family bakery in McKees Rocks, known for its signature twist bread and century-long tradition.

https://mancinisbakery.com

Woley’s Fish Market (Strip District) – Historic fish market supplying fresh seafood to Pittsburgh homes and restaurants for decades.

https://woleys.com

Eat’n Park Restaurants – A Pittsburgh staple for family dining and home of the iconic smiley cookie.

https://www.eatnpark.com

Bombay to Burgh – Beloved Indian restaurant offering a Sunday buffet experience that has become a local favorite.

https://bombaytoburgh.com

Pascual’s Pizza (Glassport) – A community favorite known for classic pies and local flavor.

https://www.facebook.com/pascualspizza

Mama Pepino’s (Clairton & Elizabeth) – Family-owned pizzeria serving traditional pizza and Italian comfort food.

https://www.mamapepinos.com

Bottoms Up Grill & Bar (Glassport) – Neighborhood bar famous for its buffalo chicken pizza and laid-back vibe.

https://www.facebook.com/BottomsUpGlassport

La Gourmandine Bakery & Pastry Shop – Authentic French bakery offering pastries, croissants, and artisan bread across Pittsburgh.

https://lagourmandinebakery.com

Hazelwood Café – Cozy community café serving locally roasted coffee and seasonal fare in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood.

https://hazelwoodcafe.com

UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) – One of the nation’s leading healthcare systems, headquartered in Pittsburgh.

https://www.upmc.com

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine – Academic partner to UPMC and a hub for groundbreaking medical research.

https://www.medschool.pitt.edu

October was heavy — chemo, Wig Out, grief, and growth. In this episode, Jess sits down in the quiet after the chaos to talk about what comes next: healing, exhaustion, and finding light in the aftermath. This is Jess's FIRST video episode of Just Jess.

Trigger Warning: Murder, sexual violence, and death.

In this haunting Halloween episode of Just Jess, I explore the stories that linger — the souls we remember, and the darkness we refuse to glorify. From infamous true crimes to the invisible scars they leave behind, this episode asks what it really means to live among ghosts — both the ones we’ve lost and the ones that still walk beside us. It’s not about shock value. It’s about remembrance, empathy, and confronting the ways violence reshapes us.

Resources & Support

If you or someone you love is missing, or if you want to help bring names back to the nameless, these are the people doing the work:

• The Doe Network — doenetwork.org: a volunteer-run database of missing and unidentified persons.
  

• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) — missingkids.org: resources for families and investigations.
  

• The DNA Doe Project — dnadoeproject.org: using genetic genealogy to identify the unidentified.
  

• NamUs — namus.gov: the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.
  

• VictimConnect Resource Center — victimconnect.org: a free, confidential helpline for victims of crime.
  

• The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Task Force — justice.gov/mmiw: focused on justice for Indigenous victims.
  

 Listener Warning:

This episode contains discussions of violence, serial murder, mental illness, and true crime. Listener discretion is advised. These stories are told to educate, not to glorify.

In this episode, Jess Faulkner explores the darkness beneath our fascination with true crime and serial killers. From Bundy and Dahmer to the dramatizations of Ryan Murphy and the performances of actors like Evan Peters and Charlie Hunnam, Jess looks at how killers become cultural myths—and why our obsession with them reveals something unsettling about human nature.

Through the lens of psychology, sociology, and systemic failure, she dissects how untreated mental illness, childhood trauma, and social neglect can turn pain into pathology. But this isn’t about fear—it’s about understanding the systems that breed violence and the lives that are lost in its shadow. Because monsters aren’t born in nightmares—they’re built in plain sight.

Resources & Further Reading:

• FBI Behavioral Science Unit – FBI.gov/BSU

• Center for Homicide Research – homicideresearch.org

• Murder Accountability Project – murderdata.org

• Radford/FGCU Serial Killer Database (Aamodt, 2023) – radford.edu/serialkillerdatabase

• “Drowning the Smiley Face Murder Theory” – Center for Homicide Research

• Newsweek: States Ranked by Serial Killers (2024)

• Interviews and archival footage from Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix), Monster: The Ed Gein Story (Ryan Murphy Productions, 2025), and FBI archives on Bundy, Dahmer, and Gacy.

In this haunting deep dive, Jess Faulkner unpacks the true story behind one of America’s most infamous killers—and the myths that Hollywood built around him. Through fact, psychology, and dramatized storytelling, Jess explores Ed Gein’s fractured mind, Ryan Murphy’s chilling reinterpretation, and Charlie Hunnam’s descent into the role. But beyond the horror lies a harder truth: real monsters aren’t born in the dark—they’re made in plain sight. This episode examines how isolation, untreated mental illness, and silence can twist grief into something unrecognizable. Part true-crime study, part human-psyche reflection, The Real Monster asks not how evil begins, but how it’s ignored until it’s too late.

Content Warning: This episode includes detailed discussion of murder, grave desecration, and psychological trauma. Listener discretion is advised.

Whispers ripple through Pittsburgh’s bars and bridges: a serial killer hiding in plain sight, leaving a smile behind. In this haunting, research-driven episode, Jess Faulkner traces the origins of the Smiley Face Murder Theory—from the 1990s detectives who first connected mysterious drownings to the modern folklore that refuses to fade.

Along the way, she dives into Pennsylvania’s own history of real-world predators, the psychology of serial killers, and the blurred line between coincidence and conspiracy. Between true-crime facts and cinematic storytelling, this episode asks why we crave monsters, what fear does to memory, and how rivers can hold both evidence and ghosts.

Trigger warning: discussion of death, violence, and missing-person cases.

Next week: Monster — The Ed Gein Story.

In this episode, we explored the structural and human dimensions of the foster care system — the challenges youth face when entering and aging out of care, how trauma and identity shape their experiences, and what support systems (or gaps) exist for foster youth, caregivers, and agencies. We also discussed “what works” approaches: trauma-informed practices, culturally responsive supports, and community-based interventions.

• National Foster Parent Association — nfpaonline.org

• FosterClub (Youth Support & Advocacy) — fosterclub.com

• Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline — Call or text 1-800-422-4453

In this special episode of Just Jess, I open up about suicide, survival, and the stories that shaped me. I talk about my friend Dennis, whose struggle with opioids and alcohol ended in tragedy, and my own darkest moments—including a major suicide attempt in 2006 and the times I sat in a closet with a gun in my mouth.

This isn’t just about pain—it’s about awareness, connection, and survival. I share real statistics, risk factors, and protective factors, along with resources that could save a life. You’ll also hear grounding exercises, coping tools, and a guided mantra moment to carry with you when things get heavy.

If you’ve ever felt alone in your struggle, this episode is for you. You are not broken, you are not alone, and you are worth tomorrow.

In this episode of Just Jess, I dive into Netflix’s shocking documentary Unknown Number: The High School Catfish. What starts as a terrifying case of anonymous harassment against two teenagers unravels into one of the most twisted betrayals imaginable — a mother tormenting her own daughter. I break down the story, the fallout, and the mental illness behind it: Munchausen by Proxy. Along the way, I connect it to my own experiences with betrayal, and share resources for anyone who has lived through similar trauma. This isn’t just a true-crime recap — it’s a raw look at family, trust, and survival.