Podcast Summary: BETH'S DEAD – EP8: "Deep Breath, Deep Breath"

Hosts: Monica Padman, Elizabeth Laime, Andy Rosen
Release Date: December 11, 2025

Overview

In this intense and pivotal episode, Monica, Elizabeth, and Andy finally connect with the mysterious "professor"—the individual at the heart of their catfishing true crime mystery. As they receive and respond to his emails in real time, the hosts weigh the ethics, strategy, and emotions behind confronting someone who upended their lives and podcasting careers. The episode peels back layers of planning, anticipation, and vulnerability as they prepare to face their past and demand answers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Real-Time Response: The Professor Writes Back

• Setting: The team receives an email reply from the professor during a routine Zoom meeting.
• Anticipation: Each host predicts how the professor will respond—ranging from total dismissal to a willingness to talk.
• Response Content: The professor writes:

  "I'm really reluctant to relive the darkest period of my life, so I'm begging you to not use any information that might lead to me being identified and my family being publicly humiliated. I can be available when you want." (Elizabeth reads at [03:00])

• Interpretation:
  • Monica feels sad, sensing authenticity.
  • Andy sees it as manipulative.
  • Elizabeth is skeptical but surprised at the openness.

2. Planning Next Steps: Ethics, Compassion, and Tactics

• Balancing Intentions:
  • Monica insists on respect and compassion, given their roles as both journalists and victims:

    "Victims get to handle what happened to them however they want." ([06:21], Monica)

  • Andy wants to be assertive and not let the professor control the narrative.
  • Elizabeth is cautious not to alienate him or lose their chance for a real conversation.
• Anonymity & Logistics:
  • The team agrees to protect the professor's identity, change his voice, and avoid naming him publicly.
  • Debate over whether to mention recording the conversation, with consensus to wait until establishing rapport on Zoom.

3. Urgency & Strategy: Striking While the Iron is Hot

• Immediacy:
  • Elizabeth argues for a same-day Zoom:

    "You don't want to give them time to think." ([11:06], Elizabeth)

  • Monica and Andy hesitate, wanting time to prepare but ultimately agree to move quickly.

4. Question Preparation: What Do They Need to Know?

• Areas of Focus:
  • Motive: "What were you getting out of this?" ([14:04], Monica)
  • Specific incidents: The large donation, manipulative tactics, possible use of multiple personas, whether other victims exist.
  • Psychological impact: "Does he ever feel guilt or remorse?"
  • Direct confrontation: What would he have said if Elizabeth had called the number? Has he done this before or to others?
  • Narrative control: Ensuring the story is told from their perspective, not to humiliate, but to gain insight.

5. Technical & Emotional Logistics

• Zoom Details:
  • The professor expresses concern about his WiFi, possibly as an excuse to avoid video confirmation.
  • The hosts insist a face-to-face is crucial to verify identity and set the tone for honesty.
• Elizabeth’s Involvement:
  • She considers joining the Zoom audio-only, weighing her comfort and the impact on the professor.

6. Vulnerability & The Stakes

• Raw Nerves:
  • The hosts openly share anxiety, doubt, and anticipation before the climactic call:

    "I'm so nervous." ([25:03], Monica)
    "If we're nervous, think about how he must be feeling." ([25:06], Elizabeth)

• Practical Humor:
  • Jokes about appearing like they're in "witness protection," or getting a heart attack from nerves, provide levity in a tense moment.

7. Immediate Developments: The Showdown Arrives

• Live Coordination:
  • The team scrambles to finalize questions, confirm logistics, and prepare for any surprise the professor might spring, including wild theories on his true identity.
  • As the scheduled call approaches, they commit:

    "Deep breath. Deep breath." ([28:39], Monica)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Manipulation vs. Vulnerability:

  "Oh, it feels so manipulative to me." ([03:59], Andy)
  "I'm not buying this." ([04:03], Elizabeth)
  "This email makes me very sad." ([03:43], Monica)

• On Intentions and Boundaries:

  "Our intention is to tell our story how we experienced it. It's not to humiliate anyone." ([05:24], Elizabeth)

• On Verification:

  "I would even be like, no, we really need the Zoom so we can visually confirm it's who we think it is. I'm not trusting a phone call." ([07:46], Elizabeth)

• On Getting Real Answers:

  "You're gonna get answers. Like, real answers. This person is not pretending he didn't do anything." ([05:41], Monica)

• On the Stakes:

  "This is, oh my God. It's also happening so fast." ([17:02], Monica)
  "If we're nervous, think about how he must be feeling." ([25:06], Elizabeth)

• On Emotional Weight:

  "He was so, so specifically, like, manipulative of me and my feelings during such a tender time in my life... All the sexual stuff, all the flattery, the dancing, the weight stuff. Like, it's all custom tailor made." ([18:22], Elizabeth)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:22 – Show begins, recaps prior episode, professor's initial email arrives
• 03:00 – Elizabeth reads the professor's first reply
• 04:00–06:30 – Hosts debate tone and ethics of their reply
• 10:12–13:00 – Plan for Zoom logistics, anonymity, audio, and how to approach the call
• 14:00–16:00 – Writing out top questions, with input from all hosts
• 16:03 – The professor replies quickly to the meeting request
• 18:00–21:00 – Elizabeth discusses whether to join the Zoom and how to manage her participation
• 25:00–29:00 – Final emotional prep, jokes, and the literal countdown to the crucial Zoom

Conclusion

Episode 8, "Deep Breath, Deep Breath," functions as the dramatic crescendo of the BETH’S DEAD podcast thus far. The hosts' real-time strategizing, ethical wrestling, and emotional transparency are at the forefront. They prepare themselves—and the audience—for a confrontation years in the making, with the promise of long-awaited answers just seconds away. The tension is palpable, the stakes are personal, and Monica, Andy, and Elizabeth’s candor sets the stage for a moment that could finally provide closure—or open up new wounds.