Podcast
Pod Candy - Cults, Crimes & Killers
Hosted by Dr. John Mayer · EN
Stacey Flaster and Dori Goldman are two ladies obsessed with cults and true crime. Join them as they take us into the depths of some of the most notorious cults, crimes, and killers that the world has ever known. They consume content and ask deep dark questions that only a certified expert can answer... enter Dr. John Mayer. Dr. John is an internationally known Forensic Psychologist and expert on violent behavior and crime prevention, with 35 years of experience consulting to law enforcement and testifying in hundreds of court cases as an expert witness. He is the "Real Deal" and will help Stacey and Dori get to the bottom of of their curious criminal minds.
16episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Heinous Hollywood Hustler
Mar 1701:01:52Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Pod Candy, Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John Mayer break down Hollywood Hustler: Glitz, Glam & Scam, the jaw-dropping documentary about Zach Horowitz, the aspiring actor who built a Hollywood fantasy so convincing that friends, investors, and insiders handed over millions. What started as promises of exclusive film distribution deals with major studios and streamers unraveled into one of Hollywood’s most shocking Ponzi schemes. As they unpack the layers of deception, Stacey and Dori dig into the power of image, access, and manipulation in an industry where perception can easily outweigh reality. They debate whether the people closest to Horowitz truly had no idea, or whether some ignored the red flags because the lifestyle was just too good to question. Dr. John joins the conversation to explore the psychology behind grifting, sociopathic behavior, enabling, and how charm and confidence can keep even the smartest people hooked.It’s a wild conversation about greed, illusion, loyalty, and the danger of believing the story someone wants you to see.Source Documentary: "Hollywood Hustler: Glitz, Glam & Scam" on Prime Video
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The Devil Inside Andrea Yates
Mar 301:02:08Tap to summarizeIn this deeply unsettling episode of Pod Candy, Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John Mayer unpack HBO Max’s The Cult Behind The Killer: The Andrea Yates Story—and the disturbing web of severe mental illness, postpartum psychosis, religious extremism, and coercive influence surrounding one of the most devastating crimes in modern American history. Rather than reducing the Andrea Yates case to a headline, the conversation digs into the warning signs, the role of Michael Woroniecki’s radical teachings, and the broader systems that failed Andrea and her children. Listen as we examine how cult-like ideology, fear-based religious messaging, and untreated psychological crisis can collide with horrifying consequences. They also explore the unsettling parallels raised in the documentary, including the normalization of child abuse, the emotional fallout for survivors like Moses Storm, and the lingering questions about accountability that still remain today. This is one of Pod Candy’s heaviest episodes—thoughtful, emotional, and unflinching in its search for context beneath this horrific crime.
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The Best Of Our Episodes About Killers
Feb 1701:06:00Tap to summarizeIn this very, very cool Pod Candy bonus episode we're giving you a best-of “killers” mashup featuring highlights from past episodes, stitched together into one dark, bingeable ride. In this compilation, Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John Mayer revisit four infamous cases—pulling the most jaw-dropping moments, sharpest psychological insights, and most heated “wait…WHAT?!” reactions.
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Corey Feldman vs Angels and His Demons
Feb 301:01:36Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Pod Candy, Stacey and Dori dive into Corey Feldman Versus the World—a YouTube documentary filmed around 2016 that tracks Corey Feldman during a turbulent stretch of touring, isolation, and relentless public scrutiny. What starts as “wait…what am I watching?” quickly turns into something darker: the documentary’s “angels” era—young women recruited into Feldman’s orbit—raises unsettling questions about control, power, and cult-like dynamics, including reports of strict rules and basic-needs restrictions while on the road. Joining them, Dr. John zooms out from the spectacle and into the psychology—connecting paranoia, “dark media” conspiracies, and the “love and light” self-mythology to a broader pattern of delusion and grievance. Stacey and Doris’ minds are blown when Dr. John drops his most provocative comparison: parallels to Charles Manson—the entourage structure, the messiah framing, and the obsession with being recognized as a “real” artist. Find out what happens when childhood fame, unresolved trauma, and the need to control the narrative collide… and who gets hurt along the way.Content warning: This episode discusses childhood trauma, abuse and mental health struggles.Source Documentary: "Cory Feldman vs The World" on Youtube TV
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Evil Influencer with Deadly Connextions
Jan 2001:05:39Tap to summarizeIn this chilling episode of Pod Candy, Stacey and Dori unpack Netflix’s documentary “Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story” a real-world case of charisma turned coercion, where a Utah therapist-turned–“life coach” allegedly leveraged religion, fear, and authority to control families and justify horrific abuse. The trio digs into how Hildebrandt built an “empire” through her “Connextions” program—pushing rigid “truth vs. distortion” rhetoric, encouraging no-contact separations, and draining families financially—while allegedly isolating partners and turning spouses against each other. They also explore the explosive crossover with YouTube mom Ruby Franke, and the harrowing details that emerged after one of Franke’s children escaped for help, exposing evidence of extreme neglect and torture. Joining them, Dr. John Mayer adds clinical insight into the psychology of manipulation—why vulnerable communities can fall into moral panic, how “authority” becomes a weapon, and why it’s crucial to verify a therapist’s credentials. Especially when someone rebrands as a “coach” to dodge accountability. The conversation is equal parts furious, heartbroken, and laser-focused on the bigger takeaway: when “family values” become a shield for control, the harm can be devastating.Source Documentary: "Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hilderbrandt Story" on Netflix
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Amy Bradley Is Missing
Oct 14Tap to summarizeIn 1998, 23-year-old Amy Lynn Bradley vanished without a trace from a Caribbean cruise ship — and her story has haunted the world ever since. In this episode, Stacey, Dori, and Dr. John unpack one of the most chilling disappearances in modern history: Was Amy the victim of foul play, suicide, or something even darker like human trafficking?From the baffling eyewitness sightings to the disturbing photos that surfaced years later, the hosts dive deep into every theory — mixing compassion, shock, and their trademark dark humor. Join the Pod Candy crew as they sift through the evidence, question the cruise line’s actions, and confront the eerie possibility that Amy Bradley might still be alive.
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