In this bonus episode, Ali, one of my longtime Patreon supporters, reached out after listening to the Cancer Sympathy Machine series.

Ali talks openly about her past with addiction, stigma, Hep C treatment and why some people hide the truth about what they’re really going through.

I’m also sharing two listener stories about friends, classmates, and loved ones who faked cancer.

Thanks to everyone who’s reached out, shared stories, and supported the show. And if you’ve got something you want to talk about, send it my way: [email protected]

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Why would anyone fake cancer?

Money? Sure.

Attention? Definitely.

But as I learned in this episode… the motives are a lot darker, messier, and more human than you might expect.

In Part 2 of The Cancer Sympathy Machine, we go beyond the headline-grabbing scams and into the emotional machinery behind these lies. With the help of cancer-survivor-turned-researcher Bill Petrich, we break down the categories of cancer fakers — from those seeking sympathy to those hiding crimes, escaping abuse, or covering up addictions.

We revisit the infamous cases you’ve heard about: Belle Gibson, Scamanda, and Jennifer Cataldo.

To learn more about Bill Petrich’s work documenting these cases, check out his TikTok: @faking.cancer.expert:

https://www.tiktok.com/@faking.cancer.expert

Listen to eLIESabeth podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/2nlxXhewsTRAyJhvyvaQbb?si=5de4d34489f549e9

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Some people fake cancer for sympathy. Others do it for money. But the truth is darker than most of us want to believe.

In this episode, we break down the tactics, behaviors, and mindsets of some of the most convincing cancer fakers out there. From Madison Russo’s botched medical props to Elizabeth Teckenbrock’s alleged search history...“Is it illegal to fake cancer?” Um, yeah.

Bill Petrich, a real cancer survivor who now investigates fake cases, helps us understand the psychology behind the deception.

We also take a look at the biggest cancer cons in recent history: Scamanda, Belle Gibson, Jennifer Flynn Cataldo and how these scams went from emotional manipulation to full-on fraud.

To learn more about Bill Petrich’s work documenting these cases, check out his TikTok: @faking.cancer.expert:

https://www.tiktok.com/@faking.cancer.expert

Listen to eLIESabeth podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/2nlxXhewsTRAyJhvyvaQbb?si=5de4d34489f549e9

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On PRETEND, we tell stories about people who build false identities and hide the truth in plain sight. This week, we are featuring a case that fits right into that world. It is the newest season of Dakota Spotlight, titled “Meanwhile in Mankato.”

In 1965, an 18-year-old gas station attendant named Ray Dahm was murdered during an overnight shift at a rural Minnesota truck stop. The person who killed him was a clean-cut 17-year-old who looked harmless, the kind of kid no one would ever suspect. On the surface, it seemed simple. A robbery. A terrible act of violence. Case closed.

But that was only the beginning. Reporter James Wolner later uncovered that the killer did not stay locked away for long. Within a few years, he was quietly back in the community, working around teenage girls who had no idea they were interacting with a convicted murderer. His past had been buried, ignored, or conveniently forgotten.

“Meanwhile in Mankato” is a story about manipulation, vanished accountability, and the people who were left to carry the fallout of one man’s lies. It is exactly the kind of story we look at on PRETEND, because it shows how someone can reinvent themselves while everyone else looks the other way.

If you follow PRETEND, you will want to hear this one. It is sharp reporting, unsettling truth, and a reminder that the most dangerous story is often the one no one bothered to check.

Subscribe to Dakota Spotlight on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZqpK6FfXIvS35TUYjckd6?si=fe79cf9a61264247

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Smallville's Allison Mack is out of prison, and she's finally talking.

What was NXIVM, and how did Allison Mack become a high-ranking member?
NXIVM was a self-help organization that sold leadership training and personal development courses. Beneath the surface, it operated as a coercive group led by Keith Raniere, using control tactics like starvation diets, sleep deprivation, emotional manipulation, and eventually a secret “master-slave” subgroup called DOS.

Who is Allison Mack?
Allison Mack, best known from Smallville, joined NXIVM in the mid-2000s. She rose quickly inside the group and later played a major role in recruiting and controlling women within DOS. Mack pled guilty to racketeering and served three years in federal prison for her crimes. She was released in 2023.

What is this episode about?
In this conversation, journalist Natalie Robehmed — host of the new CBC podcast Allison After NXIVM — explains how Allison Mack describes her journey from devoted follower to active perpetrator. We break down the psychological mechanics that made NXIVM work: obedience training, emotional conditioning, sexual manipulation, and why even smart people get pulled into systems like this.

We also revisit Allison’s early life as a child actor, her abusive relationship before NXIVM, and how these patterns help explain the control she eventually exerted over others.

After you listen, check out:
👉 Allison After NXIVM from Uncover (CBC + Campsite Media) — Episode 1 is out now.

https://open.spotify.com/show/5asD2sDYXsiUCtYi7VUO49?si=0325705c159b4f54

👉 Comic Book Central’s 2016 interview with Allison Mack — recorded before NXIVM collapsed, offering an eerie look at who she was then.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1VXZyFrQGrzwHzgU1D1Cih?si=dd94dae2332a493e

20% off all NordStellar Plans (valid until December 10th, 2025)

 Link: nordstellar.com/pretend 

Coupon code is: blackfriday20 

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This bonus episode is a chance to step back and make sense of everything that just unfolded in Cracks in the Fandom. If you listened to the series, you saw how an Instagram unfollow spiraled into harassment, infighting, and full-on chaos inside the SVU fandom. This series was petty, confusing , and pretty revealing about how people form attachments online.

I wanted to understand why this happens. Why someone can feel personally betrayed by an actor they don't even know. So I reached out to Bradley J. Bond, a professor at the University of San Diego who studies parasocial relationships for a living. He breaks down what these one-sided bonds actually are, why they feel real, and how they can slide from harmless to unhealthy faster than we think.

Copyright Takedown Update:
My attorney has already filed a counterclaim. Patreon will let me put the episodes back up after the standard 10-business-day window. And Spotify is working on restoring the episodes promptly. I’ll keep you updated.

Thank you for supporting the show. Without you, I couldn't fight these frivolous legal challenges.

Javier

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Alien abductions.
Hundreds of people say it’s happened to them.
They’re not looking for fame or attention.
Some keep it a secret...haunted by memories they can’t explain.

In Day 3 of PRETEND’s Halloween Marathon, we meet Dr. John Mack, a Pulitzer Prize–winning Harvard psychiatrist who risked his reputation to study these so-called abductees. Using hypnosis and relaxation techniques, Mack tried to uncover whether these encounters were dreams, delusions, or something far stranger.

Why would a man of science devote his life to stories most people laugh off? And what if the people he studied weren’t crazy at all?

This episode is part of a larger series I produced on hypnosis.

Check out the rest of the series. Season 8 of PRETEND:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/05forE4OuW9zgsI9OZ7XHy?si=71eca84e0f5843ba

Listen ad-free on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/collection/1813212

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It’s Day 2 of my Halloween Marathon, and today we’re diving into The Haunted Tourist.

I’m joined by Brandon Schexnayder, host of Southern Gothic and Fear Daily—two shows that live and breathe ghost stories. Together, we pull back the curtain on haunted tourism: the ghost tours, the myths, and the money that fuels them.

From fake cemeteries built for tourists to real tragedies twisted into folklore, Brandon and I explore what’s real, what’s exaggerated, and why we want to believe.

If you love a good ghost story—but also like to know what’s behind it—this one’s for you.

Southern Gothic: https://open.spotify.com/show/6s2eCUQgs76SLGEwiBwYOn?si=b9edd693f49b4e41

Fear Daily: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RrG0f6Yd7WNqSmuebfRMJ?si=d99660cd2e8c4a42

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Hey, it’s Javier. Quick update: Meghan Walsh, the subject of my Cracks in the Fandom series, has filed copyright complaints on every major platform. As a result, Spotify and Patreon have temporarily taken down the series. My attorneys are already on it, and we expect everything to be restored soon.

In the meantime, it’s Halloween weekend — so let’s have some fun. I’m bringing back some of my favorite spooky episodes from the PRETEND archives. Today’s story? Real Vampires. Yeah, real ones. It’s one of my all-time favorites, and honestly, there’s no better time of year to revisit it.

Stick around... I’ll be dropping more eerie episodes all weekend long. For now, let’s press play on The Real Vampires.

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Important Update on “Cracks in the Fandom”
Meghan Walsh, the subject of my latest series, filed a copyright infringement claim with all major podcast platforms. As a result, Patreon and Spotify have temporarily removed the episodes pending review.
The good news? You can still listen to the entire series on Apple Podcasts.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pretend-radio/id1245307962?mt=2

__________

In the Law & Order: SVU community, Meghan Walsh says she’s been stalked for years. She even claims Mariska Hargitay is somehow involved. Her alleged tormentor, Michelle Ivey, tells a very different story.

Accusations of swatting, online impersonation, and defamation swirl around this fandom feud. The evidence is messy, and just when you think you know where it’s heading... there’s a twist you won’t see coming.

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