The Josh Innes Show - RIP Jimmy Swaggart

Episode Date: July 1, 2025

Jimmy Swaggart has died. He was one of those 80's televangelists that got caught up in some prostitution scandals. Let's revisit those now... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So today we find out that Jimmy Swaggart died. Jimmy Swaggart was 90 years old. I thought he was already dead. That's just a name you really know if you're in Baton Rouge or you're in Louisiana growing up because they had like the Jimmy Swaggart, the ministries and like his radio station and everything was on Blue Bonnet, which is right down the road from the Mall of Louisiana and there was this building that forever was unfinished and I don't know if they ever finished it or not, they may have, but there was this building that was on Blue Bonnet, again, I don't know how true this is or not, but I was always told that it was the unfinished Sun Life Ministries, like hotel or something like that or some sort of office building that was never finished. But that's kind of always what you knew about Jimmy Swagger. And you knew, of course, that he got popped with prostitutes and that's what kind of brought him shame. And I think he's the one, the I

have sinned dude, right? That's him. Who's the one that banged Jessica Hahn? Was it Jim Baker who banged Jessica Hahn? I get the two of them confused, the two that were involved in sex scandals. Also, think about the oddity of this. So Jimmy Swaggart is from Louisiana. He's cousins with Jerry Lee Lewis. Jerry Lee Lewis banged his 13-year-old cousin. I feel like that's far worse than a guy who's a minister shacking up with a prostitute, right? If you got the cash. Now I can see where maybe people would be upset if they gave money to your ministry and they find out that the money they gave to your ministry was used, you know, for hookers. But then on the other hand, like you gave money blindly to a church,

like where do you think it's going to go? Like you just give money to a church because it's a church? Anyway, let's play some commercials. We'll dig into this a little bit. Let's go back and revisit the exciting prostitution scandals involving Jimmy Swagger. This is fun. Rest in power, King. This episode is brought to you by Dzone.

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I do. Enjoy the number one feeling, winning, in an exciting live dealer studio, exclusively on FanDuel Casino, winning is undefeated 19 plus and physically located in Ontario gambling problem call 1-866-531-2600 or visit connectsontario.ca please play responsibly. Alright, let's see here. Jimmy Swaggart prostitution scandals. There's a whole category on his Wikipedia page dedicated

to prostitution scandals. In 1988, Swaggart was accused of patronizing a prostitute. He was suspended and ultimately defrocked by the Assemblies of God. I mean, look, he could have been fucking altar boys, right? So like, I think you got to kind of take the wins where you can get them. Three years later he was implicated in another scandal involving prostitution. As a result Swaggart's ministry became non-affiliated, non-denominational and significantly smaller than it was in the ministry's pre-scandal year. Swaggart's sex scandals received national media attention. Of course they did because you got a big time televangelist banging prostitutes. All right, here we go. This is from 1988.

Swaggart's first prostitution scandal occurred in retaliation for an incident in 1986 when he accused fellow Assemblies of God minister Marvin Gorman of having several affairs. See, you can't do that. There's got to be kind of like an unspoken bro code among the frocked and that is like, listen, if you're hearing that this dude is fucking around and having affairs and then you yourself are going to have affairs, you can't be diming someone out like there's always someone that's going to retaliate right or they're going to dime you out. So like

that's why I don't like like even consider doing horrible things, right? Because if you do horrible things, someone's gonna know and they're gonna tell on you. Like of course as an adult man, you think of like hot chicks all the time. But first of all, hot chicks don't think about me. So no one's in danger of me ever stepping out on my lady. But like when you think about these things,

you're like, if I did this, somebody would find out. It is, now that was in the late 80s where it might be easier to get away with shit. In 2025, you would never get away with shit in 2025 you would never get away with cheating on anybody it is impossible to get away with cheating on people so just don't do it as as a Vincent Vega said in pulp fiction when you get that kind of thought when he was in the house with Mia Wallace because

she's what you're going to do going to go home you're going to jerk off and that's what you're going to do it's about loyalty right like that's what you do anytime you think about stepping out on your lady, you're going to jerk off, and that's what you're going to do. It's about loyalty, right? That's what you do. Anytime you think about stepping out on your lady, unless you're certain that that's going to be the love of your lifetime, don't do it because if you do it, someone's going to find out and it's going to cause all sorts of drama. So you go home, jerk off, and that's what you're going to do.

Anywho, and also in the late 80s, don't sit there and dime out one dude for having an affair and then you yourself go out and have an affair with a fucking prostitute. Just stupid catty religious god guy shit. Let's see, Gorman was defrocked from the Assemblies of God and his ministry was all but ended. Gorman filed a successful lawsuit against Swagger for defamation and conspiracy to ruin his reputation. He was awarded damages amounting to $10 million in 1991. After an appeal, the party settled the matter for $1.75 million. As a retaliatory measure, Gorman hired his

son Randy and son-in-law Garland Bilbo. Boy, these just sound like the kind of names of people that would be like the evil henchmen of a Defrocked man of the Lord in Louisiana who's trying to deliver a retaliatory Scandal upon another guy that's Randy and my son-in-law Garland Bilbo like Garland Bilbo Just sounds like the doofus henchmen of a religious guy and Randy like Randy is just like a name that sounds like look those are two perfect names Randy and Garland Bilbo so as a retaliatory measure they were paid to watch the Travel Inn on Airline Highway and Metairia suburb of New Orleans at the Travel Inn the two men photographed

swaggered outside room 7 with Deborah Murphree, a local prostitute. Gorman arrived at the travel in and short while later and confronted Swagger. Boy, so they basically did like real life cheaters. This shit rules. So basically, like it was cheaters but it wasn't cheaters for like the sake of catching your lover cheating. It was cheaters for like the sake of like fucking over some dude that screwed you over. Let's also see what Deborah Murphree looked like in her prime. I imagine her hair being that she's from Louisiana. I'm going to guess big blonde haired gal. Now she's not big I

would say but her hair is. Deborah Murphrey. Let's see what she looked like. Uh let's see. Deborah Murphrey Swaggart. Let's look that up. Oh she's a brunette I believe. Honest to God brother. Hmm. Oh there's the photo. Oh yeah there's like a surveillance shot of of Jimmy Swaggart and... brother, you gotta do better. Like I understand that you're trying to kind of keep it on the low so you go to a seedy little travel in and metery, but I don't know, brother. I don't think these are good. And then they've got another shot of her just sitting outside of the room. Brother, like I get that you're out there trying to get some ass in any port in

a storm and all that kind of stuff, but I feel like if I'm Jimmy Swagger and I'm going to throw my shit away for a lady, I'm going to find someone hotter than Deborah Murphrey. But anywho, we continue. According to Swagger, the unauthor biographer and of American evangelists, Gorman secured a promise from Swaggart that he would publicly apologize to Gorman and begin the process of Gorman's reinstatement to the Assemblies of God. Gorman offered to remain silent if Swaggart would publicly say that he lied about Gorman's affairs. Gorman waited almost a year and then hand-delivered a note to Swaggart informing him that his

time was up. Swaggart did not respond and on February 16th, 1988 Gorman contacted James Hamill, one of the 13-man executive presbytery of Assemblies of God, to expose Swaggart's assignation with the prostitute. The presbytery leadership of the Assemblies of God suspended Swaggart from broadcasting his television program for three months Brother all you had to do is throw the guy a bone Like look, I'm not all about blackmailing folks and shit But all you had to do is throw this guy a bone all you had to do Jimmy was go Hey, listen my buddy here. I made that shit up or like I was wrong. He wasn't having an affair

This is a good man of God and we should welcome him back go, hey listen, my buddy here, I made that shit up or like I was wrong, he wasn't having an affair. This is a good man of God and we should welcome him back. But instead you got cocky and then he busted you. You knew he had pictures of you with a hooker and you work in the Lord's business and you're fucking around. You got what you deserve there. According to the Associated Press, Murphree failed a polygraph test administered by the New York City Police Department.

The test administrator concluded that Murphree had failed to tell the truth on all key questions concerning her statement. The test was administered after Murphree offered to sell the story to the National Enquirer for $100,000. Murphree failed questions about whether she was paid or promised money to set up Swaggered and whether she made up the story to make money from it. In place of Murphree's interview, Inquirer editor Levy published an accounting of Swaggart's

family where they allegedly expressed their fears over Swaggart's health, blah blah blah blah blah. Let's see, Murphree, who blamed her failed polygraph on cocaine use the day before the test was given, was interviewed in Penthouse magazine. Let's see, Swagger delivered what came to be known as I have sinned speech live on TV. I have sinned against you my lord and I would ask that your precious blood would wash and cleanse every stain until it is in the seas of God's forgetfulness never to be remembered against me anymore." So he was defrocked and he had his, you know, removed his credentials and ministerial license.

He then became non-denominational and he based at the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge and the Sun Life Broadcasting Network with broadcasting and blah blah. But then he had another hooker situation. So I don't know if this chick was like part of a setup, but it would be a smart move on the part of that other gentleman, that Gorman gentleman to set this dude up. It would be a very smart thing to do. 1991, on a cold October 11th, Swaggart was found in the company of a prostitute for a second time. He was pulled over by a police officer in Indio, California for driving on the wrong side of the road. Brother, if you're going to have a hooker drive, you got to be going 50. You got to go 55 and keep

it between the lines, brother. You can't sit there and be getting roadhead from some gal and be driving in a different lane if you're trying to be a religious guy that's trying to hook up with a prostitute. These guys are stupid. With him in the vehicle was a woman named Rosemary Garcia. According to Garcia, Swaggart had stopped to propose sex to her on the side of the road. She later told reporters, he asked me for sex. I mean, that's why he stopped me. That's what I do. I'm a prostitute. Well, I appreciate her thoughtfulness there. This time, rather than confessing his sins to his congregation, Swaggart told those at Family Worship Center, quote, the Lord told me it's flat none of your business. He then temporarily stepped down as head of the ministry for a time

of healing and counseling. Well, let's see what Rosemary Garcia looks like. If she, but like this dude just out here picking up normal common street walkers. Brother, you got cash. You've got the cash of all these dipshits that give their money to churches and shit. Why are you not going out and getting high-end call girls, brother? Like, that's what you should be doing. Should be going to the, you know, bunny ranch and those chicks are bus station skanks too. But at least you should go out and, you know, I don't know, like find somebody hotter. You should be finding like the Julia Roberts call girl types and not the fucking gangs too, but at least you should go out and you know, I don't know, like find somebody hotter. You should be finding like the Julia Roberts call girl types and not the fucking

hookers at the point types. Let's see, Rosemary Garcia, are you hot? Shoot, uh, not really. I mean she's better than the other chick I guess but yeah yeah well I don't know I feel like my guy could have done better and who is this chick is that the same chick certain the story of the pit is that the same chick with a different hairstyle that was in penthouse huh now she looks like a nice like late 80s fucking skank is that the same chick just with a different hairstyle that was in penthouse? Huh. Now she looks like a nice late 80s fucking skank. Is that the same chick just with a different haircut? I think it, eh, either way. Point being in all of this is, first of all, who gives a shit if dudes who are ministers

are screwing around? Like does that make him any less of a guy who can tell you about religion and the Lord if he's fucking a prostitute? I'll come to think of it probably. See I was conflating like televangelists and priests. Like, priests can't have sex, right? Is that how that works? A televangelist can have a wife and go get some ass. But you know what? I guess it's probably not good for business to be a televangelist that cheats on his wife with hookers. I thought I was just doing great with you. Like, I don't think that's the play probably.

And that's what this guy will always be known for. Well now he's dead. So he died today at 90 years of age. But two times. So he got caught with a prostitute once. Brother you gotta go get better looking prostitutes. Like I'd have more respect for you if you weren't just going with basic bus station skanks. I need you to go out there with the money you have from the dipshits that donate to the congregation and fill up the collection plate. I need you to get your ass out there and get some smoking hot chicks, some high-end shit that people that might keep it secret. But back in the day, that's hard to do because the inquirer was such a big deal and people

want to sell their story for 100 grand. The lesson to be learned here is try to avoid getting into nefarious dealings. If you get into nefarious dealings, like someone's always going to have that over you and they can always use it against you for their own gain and if you don't cave into them, then they can ruin you, especially if you're someone of great importance, someone that's in the public eye or whatever. So you don't want to deal with that kind of shit. That's not the life you want to live. Like just keep it on the straight and narrow, pal, because like there's no good that was going

to come of that. You hooking up with a, you know, a seedy bus station skank at a dumpy motel in Metaree, Louisiana was never going to work out well for you. There was no positive end in sight to that. And I can get where if you're like a man of the lore and you got like a wife and shit, like there's a super duper hotness about hooking up with like hookers and shit. I can see where that would be super hot to you. But don't hook up with random bus station skanks. Go out there and hook up with top shelf puss. That's what you need to be doing, brother. That's where the magic happens, but you didn't do that. And these people aren't going to

keep it secret anyway. They're always going to have... See, that's why I would always live with that constant fear that someone's going to dime me out for it. That's why, again, you go back to Vincent Vega. You go home, you jerk off, and that's what you're going to do. It's about loyalty. Those are the things you should be doing. Anywho, RIP, King.