Infamous America - Introducing "In God We Lust" from Wondery

Episode Date: April 20, 2021

A woman named Becki is lounging by the pool at the Fontainebleau Hotel when she decides to proposition a strapping pool attendant. Go on a date with her...and her husband. What begins as an unconventional proposition will soon throw them all into the international spotlight. And that’s because the couple is none other than Jerry Falwell Jr. and his wife Becki, two of the most powerful figures in Evangelical America. Wondery presents In God We Lust, hosted by Brooke Siffrin and Aricia Skidmore-Williams of Even the Rich. A story of an alluring sex scandal, power, money and a very public fall from grace. When word of their affair fell into the wrong hands it led to political extortion and a public outing that brought Jerry Falwell Jr.’s empire crashing down. Listen at http://wondery.fm/IGWL_Infamous Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A woman named Becky is lounging by the pool at the Fountain Blue Hotel when a good-looking pool attendant catches her eye. She asks him if he'd like to go on a date. But there's a catch. Her husband wants in on the action too. What begins as an unconventional proposition will soon throw them all into the international spotlight. And that's because the couple is none other than Jerry Falwell Jr. and his wife Becky, two of the most powerful figures in evangelical America. But as their forbidden fling blossomed into a full-fledged relationship, the Falwells did much more than break their own rules. Wondry presents, in God we lust,

a story of an alluring sex scandal, power, money, and a very public fall from grace. While running Liberty University, a school that strictly enforced abstinence, there's even a rule against prolonged eye contact with the opposite sex, the Falwell's lord Giancarlo Grande into a love triangle that lasted years. They promised him the world, paying for a new apartment, treating him to lavish vacations, and brokering meetings with the likes of Donald Trump.

But when word of their relationship fell into the wrong hands, it led to political extortion and international headlines that brought Jerry Falwell Jr.'s empire crashing down. You're about to hear a preview of In God We Lust. When you're listening, subscribe to Ingodly Lust on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or listen early and ad free by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app. So, Eresha, I want you to picture a pool at a luxury hotel on Miami Beach. Oh, this is perfect. I need a vacation.

Well, it's not just any hotel. It's the luxurious, historic fountain blue. Back in the 50s, you could catch legends like Frank Sinatra or Judy Garland lounging cool side or walking through its giant marble lobby. They actually once had to put arm guards at the door just to keep out screaming fans. Those were the days drinking Manhattons with old blue eyes. Yeah, I forgot you were a founding member of the Rat Pack. I don't like to brag. On this day in March 2012, 20-year-old Jean-Carlo Grande is working as a pool attendant at the Fountain Blue. Jean-Carlo's handsome and fit. He recently kicked a bad video game habit and got himself in great shape. And lately, he's been working this hourly job, dutifully bringing towels and cold beverages

to hotel guests. It's a lot of work, sweating it out in the Miami humidity. But today, something unusual catches Jean-Carlow's eye among all the beautiful people sunbathing by the pool. There's one guest in particular, and he's noticing how she's noticing him. She's checking him out, like really obviously checking him out. We don't know exactly. how the next moment goes down, but Giancarlo walks over to the woman. I imagine he casually asks her if she needs a fresh towel or a fresh drink. She's older than him. He's guessing she's in her 40s. And he thinks she's cute, Burnett, great body, friendly smile, and she keeps flirting with him. At one point, she even takes a picture of Giancarlo with her phone. Wow, thirsty much? Definitely.

After some chit-chat, the woman tells him her name, name is Becky. She asks him for his number and he gives it to her. And then she asks him if he wants to meet at her hotel room. Okay, this is getting interesting. Yes, but we're not done. Because according to Jean Carlo, she adds one more request. My husband, she says, he likes to watch.

Whoa, was not expecting that. After Giancarlo finishes the shift at the pool, he gets a call from a blocked number. The caller asks him to go to a hotel near the fountain blue. When he gets there, Becky's sitting at the bar. She's nervous. Yeah, I think I'd need a drink too. They both have a whiskey to calm the old nerves. Then they upstairs together.

When they get to the hotel room, there's Becky's husband, lying on the bed. Just boom, lying on the bed? Yep. He's tall, gray-haired, pretty handsome, maybe a little doughy around the middle. he's noticeably drunk and giggling nervously. What about Giancarlo? Is he nervous? If it were me, I have so many butterflies in my stomach.

Yeah, well, Jean Carlo reassures the husband that if he starts to get uncomfortable with his setup, he'll get out of there. No problem. But the couple doesn't ask him to leave. Instead, Jean-Carlo and Becky have sex while the husband watches. Okay, so we're just getting right down to it. Oh, I'm sorry, he's a grown man giggling not enough for a play,

for you, Erescia? And I should say this is Jean-Carlo's version of what happened that night. The couple has straight up denied this is how it went down. Is this couple someone that we know? Oh, just wait. The very next day, Jean-Carlo says he gets another call. Becky and her husband want to meet again. Oh, boy. Yeah. Oh, boy is right. Because Becky is Becky Falwell. And her husband, the one with a voyeurism fetish, that's Jerry Falwell Jr. Do you know, who that is? Yeah, he's the son of Reverend Jerry Falwell Sr., right? Yep. Who was one of the most famous Christian leaders in the country? And in 2012, Jerry Jr. is the president of the Evangelical University he founded. Uh-oh. Yeah. This meeting with Jean-Carlo Grande, is going to turn

into much more than a meaningless affair. It'll lead to bad business deals and accusations of blackmail. And it'll end in a scandal that threatens to destroy the evangelical empire Jerry father built. There is so much going on there that should not be occurring and needs to be stopped. He had no limits. He had no accountability, none. And then I learned, Becky's not as innocent as you might want to believe.