The Secret Room | True Stories

By Ben Hamm

Personal Journals Society & Culture

What's The Secret Room | True Stories about?

Join Ben Hamm on an intimate quest revealing the hidden lives of ordinary people around you. Everyone has secrets, and they share them here. Welcome to The Secret Room, a podcast about the true stories no one ever tells.

4.5

824 ratings

Download our free app to listen on your phone

LAST EPISODE

108. Border Town

02.18.2020

A woman helped cover up a horrific tragedy in a Mexican border town when she was young, and it haunts her to this day. In pictures: See Vane in her high school days posing with Efrain. They're waiting on Facebook, ...

The Secret Room | True Stories episodes:

02.18.2020 108. Border Town A woman helped cover up a horrific tragedy in a Mexican border town when she was young, and it haunts her to this day. In pictures: See Vane in her high school days posing with Efrain. They're waiting on Facebook, ...
02.04.2020 107. Gone Jan made up an enormous lie to explain how her perfect relationship ended. She even told it to her kids, her sister and the man she later met and married. In pictures: See Jan and Rick together; Jan's salon; and ...
01.21.2020 106. Rage There’s something in Larry’s past that women he dates have a right to know, but he’s kept it a secret from most of them. In pictures: See Larry on his wedding day and at the bar he used to work ...
01.07.2020 105. Father's Demise Everyone thought Holly’s dad died in an accident. Now, ten years later, she’s discovered the truth. Hear why she can't tell her family. In pictures: Holly and her dad; her grandma's ring; Paddle Pops and Dunlop Volleys. They're waiting on ...
12.25.2019 104. Underdogs We produce 26 episodes of this podcast each year. But we get hundreds of secrets. Many are shorter and just can’t fill a whole episode. And that leaves me torn, because we have all these wonderful stories, but no where ...
12.10.2019 103. Collared A woman tells us about the devastating impact spending seven years in an underground community had on her. See pictures: Rose and her partner now; her bag of tricks and her formal collar. They're waiting on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. ...
12.03.2019 102. Special Announcement We've been working on a special project for you behind the scenes. Quietly, diligently, secretly toiling for eight months. It’s involved a lot of people, and no one has spilled the beans. And now it’s ready! Today we announce a ...
11.26.2019 101. Shortcut To Success Mina's step dad saved her from a life of ruined due to scholastic failure. The first stop was an old, decaying building in Istanbul. See pictures of Mina and her beloved Heidi dog; "The School," and her creations and studio. ...
11.12.2019 100. Don't Call Me Hero A former cop doesn’t tell anyone her true feelings about receiving a lifesaving award. See pictures of Maddie's Lifesaving Award and Medal. Also her tattoo that represents the medal. They're waiting on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Search @secretroompod. VOTE NOW ...
10.29.2019 99. The Skin I'm In Nicole has a secret disease she says is kinda gross. How she hides it and the heartbreaking toll it takes on her. Here are Nicole and her husband, & the the break room her friend disinfected. They're waiting on Facebook, ...
10.15.2019 98. The Caretaker's Downfall Evan was federally investigated for something he did while caring for an autistic child. He meant no harm, but he paid a heavy, heavy toll. Evan sent pictures of him with Brian. Also a picture of evidence that brought Evan ...
10.02.2019 97. Fire Follows Me Kelly and her friends caused a horrific explosion and fled the scene. No one was ever brought to justice. Kelly describes the terrible events of that evening and the devastating blows karma has dealt her and her family. See pictures ...
09.17.2019 96. Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll A 2 a.m. phone call plunged Lindsay into a deep hole of sex and drugs. She confesses for the first time in 17 years the terrible path she traveled and the things she had to do get her fix. See ...
09.03.2019 95. Death Row Devotion Jen feels empathy for a convicted murderer she saw on a reality TV show. Find out what happens when love blossoms on Death Row, and the one thing that Todd did that devastated her. See pictures of Jenn, Todd and ...
08.20.2019 94. A Fox's Tale Bird did something terrible on her way home from work one day. It impacted a lot of lives, and she told a lie so that she wouldn’t be blamed for what she did. See pictures of Bird, David and Ethan. ...
08.07.2019 93. The Fox's Den Shelley tells us about how an invitation to a closed bar landed her in jail, and much worse. That night still haunts her eight years on. Shelley sent pictures of her at Derrick’s bar; with her "piece of shit car;” ...
07.24.2019 92. Guilt Born of Innocence “My secret is I feel ashamed about something my parents made me do when I was a kid. I'm really lucky my cousin survived it.” See Mark and his brothers a couple of years after our story on Facebook, Instagram ...
07.10.2019 91. Hidden Face A young woman tells us why she alters her appearance. Her friends, classmates, teachers and even her boyfriend don't know what she really looks like. The reason she hides her appearance will surprise you. See Jane's old and new wigs ...
06.26.2019 90. On the Lam "My name is Sarah and my secret is I went on the run from the law when I was 17; I spent some time in jail, but thanks to a twist my criminal record isn’t connected to me. Some might ...
06.11.2019 89. Grave Legacy Kendall keeps her sick ex-husband's secret from their daughter. She only knows half of it, and revealing even that could have dire consequences. Should she tell the part she knows or let him take his secret to the grave? GREEN ...
05.29.2019 88. Objectum Sexual Joey comes out to family about a sexual orientation that is unlike any other. Joey falls in romantic love with objects. BUFFY Thanks Buffy. For $20 off your Buffy comforter, visit Buffy.co and enter promo code SECRET. PICTURES See Joey ...
05.15.2019 87. My Fake Science Thomas tells us how his father's high expectations led him to pursue a demanding career he neither wanted nor was highly skilled at. At a pivotal moment at university he made a calamitous choice that undid years of study and ...
05.01.2019 86. My Catfish Wrecked Me Brie let her catfish into some dark corners of her life - at her own peril. And when she tells you her catfish’s real identity, the truth will astound you as much as it did Brie. LIVELY Thanks Lively! Get ...
04.17.2019 85. I Was a Teenage Catfish Amber catfished teenage boys for three years. But can a catfish have real feelings? And if she does, how does that work out? Amber tells us who she talked to and how she pulled it off. THE TRAIL WENT COLDHear ...
04.03.2019 84. The Only Survivor What’s the worst thing a loved one has ever done to you? Rachel tells us about two relationships that collide and the terrible things that people are capable of. Thanks to Care/of for supporting The Secret Room. For 50% off ...
03.19.2019 83. A Cut Too Deep One summer night 20 years ago, when he was just a kid, Matt’s parents had an encounter on the staircase. An encounter he blames himself for to this day. ---- Thanks Buffy. For $20 off your Buffy comforter, visit Buffy.co ...
03.06.2019 82. My Daughter's 50 Siblings How would you react if an unethical doctor's behavior gave you a huge and beloved family? In this episode June explains how it is that her daughter has 50 siblings and counting. And it's not why you think! ---- Thanks ...
02.20.2019 81. Despicable Houseguest Would you tell an over-the-top obnoxious and drunk house guest to get out? What if he was your best friend's husband? You will not believe what happened to Roxy. TEAM Production support: Susie Lark Street Secrets: Bobbi Jo Valdez Digital ...
02.06.2019 80. Once A Daughter Now A Stranger In order to manage the deep resentment she feels toward her mom, Hannah lies to her family about something very important. Production support: Susie Lark Street Secrets: Bobbi Jo Valdez PICTURES See Hannah and her mom, their faces obscured, at ...
01.23.2019 79. My Horrible Wish That Came True We explore Ashley’s complicated family dynamic and the challenges a sister faces when the brother she loves dearly has severe addictions. When Ashley reveals her secret you might wonder about its consequences and whether Ashley bears any blame for what ...
01.21.2019 78. Street Secrets In our last Sunday feed I present a look back at some of our favorite Street Secrets from 2018. Come back in just two days for our first regular Tuesday show. It's "79. My Horrible Secret That Came True." We'll ...
01.07.2019 77. I Secretly Recorded My Boyfriend Jo hopes her boyfriend never discovers that she records him. Because if she did the world she’s constructed with those recordings would collapse in an instant. Production support: Susie Lark and Dahlia Beta Street Secrets: Bobbi Jo Valdez PICTURES See ...
12.24.2018 76. Celebrity Chicken Caper Today we peek into the secret lives of the rich and famous with a story that lands at the intersection of celebrity and . . . chicken! A celebrity demands five live chickens be delivered to his New York City ...
12.10.2018 75. A YouTube Star's Confession YouTube star Brittani Louise Taylor confesses the lie she told her viewers. Today she tells Ben what she did and why she’s kept it a secret…until now. She also tells him the big way she’s coming out with her truth. ...
11.26.2018 74. When I Was a Broke and Destitute Teen Tracy tells her harrowing tale of survival when she was a broke and destitute teen. Stories her mother never knew. Stories shared here for the first time. Production support: Susie Lark. Street Secret Team: Bobbi Jo Valdez. Thanks guys. STORYWORTH: ...
11.12.2018 73. My Fascination with Death Quinn's dark preoccupation lead her to an unusual career. Today she lifts the curtains to show us what really happens to the dead as they're prepared for their final journey. Production support: Susie Lark. Street Secret Team: Bobbi Jo Valdez. ...
10.29.2018 72. My Brother from Beyond Louise’s brother Jessie was everyone’s best friend. So she had to conceal her happiness when he died. Louise tells us about their complicated relationship and the unexpected things that have happened since he passed. Production support: Susie Lark. Street Secret ...
10.15.2018 71. Sarah's Daydreams Sarah's daydreams are so vivid they've crept into her reality. We learn how they manifest in the real world; and Sarah explains why she keeps them secret. Production support: Susie Lark. Street Secret Team: Bobbi Jo Valdez. Thanks guys. AWAY ...
10.01.2018 70. I Left My Mother Homeless The story of an unbreakable spirit in which a young woman is forced to make a decision that will haunt her the rest of her life. Production support: Susie Lark. Street Secret Team: Bobbi Jo Valdez. Thanks guys. AWAY TRAVEL ...
09.17.2018 69. The Sitter and the Assailant Natalie's bizarre story of a two-pronged family betrayal and a kid who was like her brother. RAINN.org Sexual Assault Hotline (USA): 800-656-HOPE (4673). Production support by Susie Lark and Bobbi Jo Valdez AWAY TRAVEL OFFER Thanks to Away for supporting ...
09.03.2018 68. The Reverend's Other Secret Reverend Dave revealed in Ep. 53 that he had an X-Rated Tattoo. But he called Ben recently to tell him he missed an important follow up question; one that would have revealed another secret! We get to the bottom of ...
08.20.2018 67. A Murderous Bond Tai tells why she feels partially responsible for the murder committed by her best friend when they were 15. And there's a twist… Production support by Susie Lark, Caitlin Bartholomew and Elkid. AUDIBLE Thanks to Audible for supporting our podcast. ...
08.06.2018 66. A Degree of Uncertainty Brittany bluffed her way through her final thesis. Everyone thinks she graduated but Brittany's not so sure. It’s a story where both student and teacher were cheating. My guest is Brittany Ross, host of the Shortcomings Podcast, where she and ...
07.23.2018 65. Dangerous Curiosity Laura tells us how she was dramatically busted while cheating with a married man. Then she went back for more. What happened next will amaze you. SHIPSTATION Thanks ShipStation. Get one month Free and an additional month free with Shipstation.com ...
07.09.2018 64. My Daughter's Famous Father Should a young woman with incurable cancer reveal the name of her daughter’s movie star father? PICTURES See a picture Mila took of a typical Amsterdam canal house that leans to one side. She says it looks a lot like ...
06.25.2018 63. Dishonorable Discharge Why Molly received an dishonorable discharge from the military and how she's able to keep it a secret. SHIPSTATION Thanks ShipStation. Get one month Free and an additional month free with Shipstation.com promocode: Secret SUMMER SURVEY Take our Summer Survey! ...
06.11.2018 62. Decorum Today’s show explores how people behave, or shouldn’t behave, in very different situations. We hear tales of operating rooms, a vibrator and food. SHIPSTATION Thanks ShipStation. One month Free and an additional month free with Shipstation.com promocode: Secret SUMMER SURVEY ...
05.29.2018 61. One Summer Night in Kentucky The surprising consequences for an accidental criminal. And what one friend does when another makes a terrible mistake. FREE AUDIBLE DOWNLOAD: Thanks to Audible for supporting our podcast. Get a free audiobook with a free 30 day trial at audible.com/SECRETROOM ...
05.14.2018 60. My Secret Career CJ’s first step into the professional world faltered a bit. It was a misstep he had no intention of revealing, ever, until a remarkable coincidence 8 months later forced his hand. SECRET ROOM TEES ON AMAZON PRIME! See Ben sport ...
04.30.2018 59. Friendship, Betrayal and Red Stripe Beer Caitlin says she betrayed her best friend. But you might think Caitlin was the friend betrayed. It’s a tale of deception that cuts two ways. AWAY TRAVEL OFFER Thanks to Away for supporting The Secret Room. Go to awaytravel.com/secret and ...

Older episodes