In this episode of pplpod, we plug in the amps to explore the life of Saul Hudson, better known to the world as Slash. We trace his journey from a childhood in London and Stoke-on-Trent to the streets of Los Angeles, where a pivot from BMX riding to guitar playing launched one of rock's most iconic careers,,.

Tune in as we discuss:

• The Rise of a Titan: How Slash joined Guns N' Roses in 1985, crafting the legendary riffs for hits like "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Sweet Child o' Mine," and helping Appetite for Destruction become the bestselling debut album in U.S. history,,.

• The Look and the Sound: The origin story of his trademark top hat and his devotion to the Gibson Les Paul and Marshall amplifiers that defined his tone,,.

• Conflict and Reinvention: The internal tensions with Axl Rose that led to his departure from GN'R in 1996, and his subsequent re-emergence with Slash’s Snakepit and the supergroup Velvet Revolver,,.

• Survival and Return: Slash’s battle with cardiomyopathy following years of substance abuse, his commitment to sobriety since 2006, and his massive 2016 reunion with Guns N' Roses for the "Not in This Lifetime..." tour,.

Join us for a look at the man Time magazine named one of the 10 best electric guitar players of all time.

In this episode of pplpod, we break down the sensational and complex case of Gypsy-Rose Blanchard, who captured global attention following her release from prison on December 28, 2023. We explore the shocking timeline of events, beginning with her childhood in Louisiana and Missouri, where her mother, Clauddine "Dee Dee" Blanchard, forced her to pretend to be disabled and terminally ill, subjecting her to unnecessary medical treatments like a feeding tube and shaving her head to mimic the effects of chemotherapy,,.

We discuss the secret online relationship Gypsy-Rose formed with Nicholas Godejohn and their conspiracy to murder Dee Dee in June 2015, a crime Gypsy-Rose believed was her only escape,. The episode also covers the stunning police discovery that Gypsy-Rose could walk and was never actually sick, leading to her second-degree murder conviction and ten-year sentence,. Finally, we look at her life today, including her divorce from Ryan Anderson, her reality series Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up, and her transformation into a pop culture figure,.

In this episode of pplpod, we examine the strange and tragic odyssey of Bonnie Nettles and Marshall Applewhite, the pair known as "Ti" and "Do" who founded the UFO religion Heaven’s Gate. We trace their journey back to their fateful meeting in 1972, where Applewhite, a music professor and son of a Presbyterian minister, met Nettles, a nurse with a deep interest in theosophy and the occult. Together, they concluded they were the "Two Witnesses" described in the Book of Revelation and left their families to travel the country recruiting a "crew" for the "Next Level".

We explore the evolution of their theology, from their early days camping in tents to the pivotal death of Nettles from cancer in 1985. Discover how her death shifted the group's belief system, leading them to view the human body as a mere "vehicle" or "container" for the soul. Finally, we cover the group's isolation in a Rancho Santa Fe mansion and the 1997 mass suicide of 39 members who believed they were exiting their earthly vehicles to board a spacecraft trailing Comet Hale–Bopp.

In this episode of pplpod, we investigate the disturbing rise and collapse of NXIVM, the Albany-based "self-help" organization that operated as a criminal racketeering enterprise and sex cult,. We profile the group’s founder, Keith Raniere—known to followers as "Vanguard"—tracing his history from early multi-level marketing schemes like Consumers' Buyline to his ultimate conviction for sex trafficking, forced labor, and fraud,,.

Join us as we peel back the layers of this high-control group, covering:

• The Facade: How NXIVM’s "Executive Success Programs" recruited wealthy and influential figures, including Seagram heiresses Clare and Sara Bronfman and Smallville actress Allison Mack,.

• The Secret Sorority: The terrifying reality of "DOS," a secret society within NXIVM where women were recruited as "slaves," forced to provide damaging "collateral" (blackmail), and branded with Raniere’s initials,,.

• Systemic Abuse: The methods used to control members, including sleep deprivation, extreme calorie restriction, and pseudo-scientific experiments conducted by unlicensed doctors,.

• The Takedown: How whistleblowers and investigative reporting exposed the group in 2017, leading to Raniere’s arrest in Mexico and his 2020 sentencing to 120 years in federal prison,,.

Tune in to understand how a man who claimed to be the "most ethical" person in the world built an empire based on coercion and abuse,.

In this episode of pplpod, we dive into the chaotic life of L. Ron Hubbard, the prolific science fiction author who transformed a self-help system into the Church of Scientology. We trace his journey from his early days writing hundreds of stories for pulp magazines to his disastrous World War II naval career, where he was relieved of command twice and unwittingly fired upon Mexican territory. We also explore his post-war involvement in occult "sex magic" rituals with rocket engineer Jack Parsons, where they attempted to summon a goddess.

Join us as we discuss the 1950 explosion of Dianetics, the subsequent pivot to Scientology, and the formation of the "Sea Org," a private paramilitary fleet where Hubbard punished crew members by throwing them overboard. We break down the esoteric "OT III" scriptures regarding the galactic ruler Xenu, the massive government espionage campaign known as "Operation Snow White," and Hubbard’s final years spent in hiding.

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the dramatic life and career of actress Leah Remini. Best known for her iconic role as Carrie Heffernan on the long-running CBS sitcom The King of Queens, Remini has since transformed into a vocal activist and author. We discuss her childhood entry into the Church of Scientology—including signing a billion-year contract with the Sea Org at age 13—and her high-profile exit in 2013 following questions regarding the whereabouts of leader David Miscavige's wife, Shelly.

We also cover her acclaimed docuseries Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, her public feud with Sharon Osbourne after being fired from The Talk, and her return to the Catholic faith. Finally, catch up on her recent personal milestones, including finalizing her divorce from Angelo Pagán in 2024 and earning an associate degree from NYU.

In this episode, we dive into the history and controversy surrounding Scientology, the movement founded by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard in the 1950s,. We explore how Hubbard reframed his "Dianetics" therapy into a religion that claims to lead followers up the "Bridge to Total Freedom" toward the state of "Operating Thetan",.

Tune in as we discuss:

• Beliefs and Space Opera: The concept of the "thetan" (immortal spirit), the use of E-meters in "auditing" sessions, and the secretive "Space Opera" myths regarding Xenu and a galactic genocide 75 million years ago,,.

• The Business of Belief: The high cost of participation—potentially exceeding $400,000—and the debate over whether the organization is a genuine religion, a transnational corporation, or a "cult of greed and power",,.

• Tactics and Controversies: The church's aggressive "Fair Game" policy against critics, its "war" on psychiatry, and criminal conspiracies like "Operation Snow White," which involved infiltrating the U.S. government,,.

• The Inner Circle: Life inside the paramilitary "Sea Org," allegations of abuse and forced labor in the Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF), and the church’s strategic use of celebrities like Tom Cruise,,.

Join us for a comprehensive look at one of the world's most litigious and secretive movements, from its "Free Zone" defectors to its decline in membership,.

What actually separates a "cult" from a legitimate religion? In this episode of pplpod, we dive into the contentious history of a word that is derived from the Latin term for "worship" but has morphed into a shapeshifting insult used to dehumanize groups with unusual beliefs. We examine how early sociologists like Max Weber used the term to describe groups led by charismatic authorities that exist in high tension with mainstream culture, contrasting them with established churches and sects.

Listeners will learn why many academics abandoned the "cult" label in the late 1970s in favor of "new religious movements," even as secular anti-cult activists began accusing these groups of practicing brainwashing and mind control. We break down the frightening categories of "destructive cults," which are defined by their exploitation of members, and "doomsday cults" that predict—or attempt to bring about—the end of the world. Finally, we explore how legal systems handle these controversies, from the U.S. courts rejecting "brainwashing" as a scientific theory to the Chinese government’s strict suppression of "evil cults".

In the early hours of August 8, 1963, a gang of men stopped a Royal Mail train in Buckinghamshire and vanished with £2.61 million, an event that became known as the Great Train Robbery. In this episode of pplpod, we dissect the "Crime of the Century," masterminded by Bruce Reynolds and executed by a composite group including the South West Gang and the South Coast Raiders,.

We break down the audacious plan involving tampered railway signals at Sears Crossing and the violent assault on train driver Jack Mills, who never fully recovered from his injuries,. Discover how a hideout at Leatherslade Farm—and a game of Monopoly played with real money—provided the fingerprints that allowed Scotland Yard's Flying Squad to identify the crew,.

Finally, we track the dramatic aftermath, from the heavy 30-year sentences handed down at Aylesbury to the sensational prison escapes of Charlie Wilson and Ronnie Biggs,,. Join us as we explore the mystery of the inside informant known only as "The Ulsterman" and the fate of the millions that were never recovered,.

In this episode of pplpod, we break down the mechanics of the Ponzi scheme, a devastating financial fraud where returns for earlier investors are paid using funds from new victims rather than actual profit. While the scheme is named after the charismatic 1920s con artist Charles Ponzi, we uncover its deeper roots, ranging from the "Ladies' Deposit" of the 1880s to the novels of Charles Dickens.

Join us as we discuss:

• The Illusion of Success: How scammers maintain the façade of a sustainable business by promising high, consistent returns with little to no risk.

• Critical Red Flags: Key warning signs identified by the SEC, such as unlicensed sellers, unregistered investments, and difficulty receiving payments.

• Modern "Smart Ponzis": How the fraud has evolved into the digital age through cryptocurrency and Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), including the collapse of TerraUSD.

• Know the Difference: Why a Ponzi scheme is distinct from a Pyramid scheme and an economic bubble.

Finally, we explain why these schemes are destined to fail—whether through an operator's disappearance, a liquidity crisis, or external economic forces. Tune in to learn how to spot the scam before it unravels.