Residue: A True Crime Podcast

This episode explores the life, rise, and tragic downfall of Chris Farley, one of comedy’s most unforgettable performers. From his breakthrough on Saturday Night Live to beloved movies like Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, Farley brought enormous energy and laughter to audiences everywhere. But behind his success, he struggled with addiction and personal challenges that ultimately cut his life and career short. We look at the man behind the laughter, the struggles he faced, and the lasting legacy he left behind.

Sources:

Dark Side Of Comedy

I Am Chris Farley

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In 1983, Cheryl Araújo became the center of a highly publicized criminal case in New Bedford, Massachusetts. What began as a night out quickly became a case that drew national attention and raised difficult questions about the justice system, the treatment of survivors, and the role of witnesses. The trial attracted intense media coverage, and the way Cheryl's story was presented and discussed publicly became an important part of the case itself. 

Five years later, the case inspired The Accused, a 1988 film directed by Jonathan Kaplan and starring Jodie Foster and Kelly McGillis. The film is a fictionalized story, not a direct retelling of Cheryl's life. Foster plays Sarah Tobias, while McGillis portrays prosecutor Kathryn Murphy. The Accused brought many of the issues raised by the case to a much wider audience, while also becoming an award-winning film, with Foster receiving the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Sources:

Trial By Media: The Truth Behind the Crimes

https://apnews.com/article/348f4ce7d6d08d260c7cc15b8718b48d

https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a32585426/cheryl-araujo-trial-by-media-true-story/

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-accused-1988

https://web.archive.org/web/20200524153635/https://www.heraldnews.com/article/20091026/News/310269264

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Gary Coleman became one of the most recognizable child stars in television history almost overnight. As Arnold Jackson on Diff’rent Strokes, he captured audiences with his humor, his timing, and the unforgettable line, “What’chu talkin’ ’bout, Willis?” But behind the laughter was a much more complicated life.

The 2024 Peacock documentary Gary, directed by Robin Dashwood, looks beyond the famous child star and focuses on the person behind the image. Through archival footage and interviews with people who knew Coleman (including Todd Bridges, his parents, former managers, friends, and ex-wife Shannon Price) the film traces his rise to fame, his struggles with money and health, his complicated relationships, and his final years living in Utah. 

Sources:

Gary

https://people.com/gary-coleman-death-what-to-know-11984979

https://people.com/dana-plato-diffrent-strokes-child-star-death-11824697

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In 1987, the murder of 19-year-old Kathy Bonney set off a case that would eventually inspire a book and a made-for-TV movie of the week, Deadly Whispers starring Tony Danza. The case was unusual because of the defense surrounding Kathy's father, Tom Bonney, and questions about his alleged mental states at the time of the crime.

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Ted Slauson was a devoted fan of The Price Is Right who spent years studying the show's prizes and prices. In 2008, his remarkable knowledge became part of one of the show's most famous controversies.

Ted attracted widespread attention and raised questions about whether the game had been compromised. For Slauson, the story had an especially bittersweet ending. His extraordinary dedication to a show he loved helped create a moment of television history, but it also became connected to one of The Price Is Right's most controversial episodes.

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What happens when a $175 car turns into a $21,000 fight?

This is the remarkable true story of Amanda Ogle, who was living in her 1991 Toyota Camry when it was stolen, recovered and then towed. Unable to afford the fees to get it back, Amanda found herself in a yearlong battle against a towing company and a system with far more power and resources than she had.

Her fight eventually inspired the film Tow, starring Rose Byrne. Behind the movie is a very real story about resilience.

Sources:

https://www.law.uw.edu/news-events/discovery/season-8/tow

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/a-towing-outrage-made-amanda-ogle-a-seattle-celebrity-heres-the-twist/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzw9PFp1gqA&t=26s

Tow 

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Christina Grimmie was a talented singer-songwriter who first gained attention through her Youtube covers before rising to national fame on The Voice. Christina built a career that inspired millions while remaining grounded.

On June 10th, 2016, Christina was performing at The Plaza Live in Orlando, Florida. She had a meet and greet with fans in the lobby when a man approached her and fatally shot her before taking his own life. She was only 22 years old.

https://christinagrimmiefoundation.org/

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In this episode, we’re taking a look at Lifetime’s Bad Romance: The Vicky White Story and the unbelievable true story behind it.

Vicky White was a longtime corrections officer living a quiet, ordinary life when she developed a relationship with inmate Casey White. What began as a connection behind prison walls eventually became something much deeper, and Vicky found herself willing to risk everything for the man she believed she loved.

In April 2022, Vicky helped Casey leave the detention center, and the two disappeared together. Their time on the run lasted eleven days before authorities found them, bringing their story to a tragic end.

But the biggest question remains: Was it really love?

Sources:

Jailbreak: Love on the Run

https://people.com/what-happened-to-casey-white-vicky-white-11960466

https://www.alabamas42.com/digital-exclusive/bad-romance-infamous-2022-alabama-jail-escape-involving-vicky-white-and-casey-white-turned-into-lifetime-movie/

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/08/us/connie-ridgeway-killing-casey-white

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In 2009, Jasmine Fiore was a model whose life became tragically intertwined with reality TV. Her husband, Ryan Jenkins, had recently appeared on VH-1's show Megan Wants A Millionaire, a show built on around wealthy bachelors competing for love. But, when Jasmine was murdered, Ryan became the prime suspect, setting off a chain of events that would bring the entire production crashing down.

Sources:

See No Evil: Season 7, Episode 8

https://www.vice.com/en/article/vh1-had-to-cancel-this-reality-show-after-a-contestant-was-charged-with-murder/

https://abc7news.com/archive/6981491/

Wiki

https://abcnews.com/Entertainment/story?id=8380205

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The Ryan White Story a 1989 Made-For-TV movie that tells the true story of Ryan White, an Indiana teenager who was diagnosed with AIDS in the 80s after contracting HIV through a contaminated blood treatment. At a time when little was understood about HIV/AIDS and fear and misinformation were widespread, Ryan faced discrimination and was prevented from attending school because of his diagnosis. Despite these challenges, Ryan and his family fought for his right to an education and worked to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. His courage and determination helped change public attitudes toward people living with HIV and made him an important figure in the history of the AIDS epidemic.

Sources:

https://www.pbs.org/video/retro-report-on-pbs-season-1-episode-8-forgotten-history-aids/

https://ryanwhite.hrsa.gov/about/ryan-white

https://www.wrtv.com/lifestyle/history/throwback-in-1989-abc-airs-the-ryan-white-story

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-01-16-ca-299-story.html

https://www.childrensmuseum.org/stories/just-a-normal-kid-10-facts-about-ryan-white

https://www.afmc.org/blog/ryan-white

This Week in Queer History 

https://web.archive.org/web/20071012032359/http://www.ryanwhite.com/pages/timeline.html

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/one-teenager-s-battle-attend-school-and-tells-us-framing-disease

https://time.com/6340507/ryan-white-world-aids-day/

https://docs.google.com/document/d/16HV4n5nBHvPqnmvK1jYvg-RDY6BL2sBZKR1dhL7ZkJQ/edit?tab=t.0

Follow RESIDUE on IG @residuepodcast / FB & TT at Residue: A True Crime Podcast

Cover Art by Tricia Cappelli

Theme Song titled Full Moon by Andrew Greacen

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