The Philip DeFranco Show - PDS 9.15 We Need To Talk About True Crime Content...

Episode Date: September 15, 2022

Use code PHIL for $20 off your first SeatGeek order. https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/PHIL News You Might Have Missed: https://youtu.be/jnkKmL-Maao TEXT ME! [phone] Get More Phil: https://linktr.ee/PhilipDeFranco – 00:00 - Impacts of True Crime Content on Victim’s Families 06::22 - Sponsored by Seatgeek 07:02 - Exciting Announcement 07:18 - Tentative Deal Reached to Avoid Railroad Strike 11:06 - DeSantis Flies Immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard – ✩ TODAY’S STORIES ✩ Impacts of True Crime Content on Victim’s Families: https://www.buzzfeed.com/natashajokic1/true-crime-tiktok-thing-about-pam Tentative Deal Reached to Avoid Railroad Strike: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/15/business/rail-strike.html DeSantis Flies Immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/immigration-marthas-vineyard-desantis-flights-illegal-immigrants-sanctuary-destinations/ —————————— Produced by: Cory Ray Edited by: James Girardier, Julie Goldberg, Maxwell Enright, Christian Meeks Art Department: Brian Borst, William Crespo Writing/Research: Philip DeFranco, Brian Espinoza, Maddie Crichton, Lili Stenn, Chris Tolve, Star Pralle Production Team: Emma Leid ———————————— #DeFranco #TrueCrime #RonDeSantis ———————————— Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sup, you beautiful bastards! Welcome back to the Philip DeFranco Show. Buckle up, make sure you're subscribed because I'm splitting $10,000 across 10 lucky subscribed beautiful bastards this month, and let's just jump into it. True crime is a genre that people seemingly cannot get enough of.

Between documentaries, miniseries, podcasts, scripted retellings of stories, there's so much crime content out there right now, with it especially blowing up during COVID lockdowns. And while audiences, and I'll even include myself here, eat these stories up, on the other end of them are families that lived these gruesome realities, and seeing that play out for the world is not always easy. And for some, the idea of reliving their most traumatic days is too much to bear. Others can't stomach the idea of their stories

being told inaccurately in favor of dramatic flair, or that oftentimes it's usually the murderer who gets the spotlight, not the victim. And then for many, it's all of the above, which is actually why we spoke to Mariah Day, whose family's story was told in a miniseries called The Thing About Pam on NBC, produced by and starring Renee Zellweger. Mariah's mother, Betsy Faria, was suffering from cancer when she was found stabbed dozens of times in December of 2011.

Betsy's husband, Russ, was originally charged over the murder and later convicted with the leading witness in the case being Betsy's friend, Pam Hupp. All the while, though, following Betsy's death, Pam was actually the beneficiary of Betsy's $150,000 life insurance policy. And so Russ's conviction was later overturned in 2015 and Hupp was charged over Betsy's death in 2021 and is still awaiting trial. But also notably, she's actually already serving a life sentence over

the murder of Louis Gumpenberger, which interestingly is the punishment that she got after entering an Alford plea, which allowed her to avoid the potential death penalty without admitting guilt to the crime. And so the story is laid out in the thing about Pam which aired over the spring and is now streaming. Zellweger plays Hupp hamming the role up via prosthetics and aggressive quirks. The story overall has been described as taking something of a comedic twist on the case and the alleged misconduct that led to Hupp being initially ignored as a suspect. Sorry, I am such a sweaty Betty. Came straight from Zumba. You do Zumba? I do Zumba! Tuesday, Thursday. a suspect. And Betsy's daughter, Mariah, has only been able to watch a handful of episodes after

feeling shocked by the tone and tactics used to tell the story of the worst days of her life. And it's just so weird to see them play our real lives in such a tragedy, in such a satire way. Like, it's not funny to us. And according to Mariah, when she was first approached by NBC about the show, she was under the impression that the network was making a documentary, not a scripted series about her mother's death. And so she said she agreed to sit down for an interview to discuss her story, but only learned it would be a fictionalized version of the incident once she saw the trailer. And so in the lead up to the series, Mariah began posting several TikToks about the show and how she found it insensitive. Some of those posts also going viral with many responding by supporting Mariah and her message about why it's so important for true crime

storytelling to be ethical. Some having the same issues with the thing about Pam as she did. I've had so many people reach out and say it was completely disrespectful. I had to turn it off as soon as I saw the tone of the show without even like knowing me or my family. With some critics also agreeing, the Independent calling the series a lesson in how to not make a true crime series, writing that little felt true about the crime presented

and adding that when it comes to the tacky exploitive depths of true crime, let's hope we finally hit the bottom of the barrel. Now with all of this, we saw NBC previously defending the series in a statement to Buzzfeed News saying,, the thing about Pam is a fictionalized television series based on true events that are heavily documented and in public domain. Since the inception of the project, it has been a top priority of the creative team to honor the

spirit of the story while also treating the real people impacted, many of whom shared their experiences as part of this process with sensitivity and respect. But Mariah hardly feels that this story was told sensitively. They really focused on the killer. They kind of glorify her in a way by showing her like this quirky, quirky lady who had everyone manipulated when like it wasn't completely like that being like so close to it. I mean, they show her consoling me, which never happened. I've never had a conversation with Pam Huff. So it's really weird to see my mom's killer portraying

or my mom's killer on TV consoling us when that never really happened. She's not alone in finding it difficult to watch her family's true crime story play out in a sensationalized way. For example, when Jordan Preston learned that Hulu was making a documentary about the man who killed her sister Brooke, she made a Change.org petition to stop the release of it in writing. We clearly will never be given the opportunity to grieve in peace from her brutal murder to the drawn-out

trial to the appeals still taking place, and now to this. That much is apparent. Also, you have people like Mindy Pendleton, whose stepson Robert was murdered at the age of 25, telling Time Magazine that it was her greatest fear when Netflix said that the incident would be featured in a true crime docuseries and saying that she actually begged Netflix to not do it. And Mariah knows that as if living through these tragedies wasn't hard enough, having them reemerge as forms of entertainment only re-traumatizes those involved. I definitely struggle with mental health, but I get strength from my mom. And if I was any weaker, then that could have, I mean, it's been really hard.

I mean, I had PTSD from the trials and everything. And I mean, anyone, any normal person would not be able to make it through this. It's a very difficult process. and they just kind of entertain it. However, with all this, Mariah does think that things are changing when it comes to how true crime is both perceived and told. After attending a true crime podcast festival, she said that she was met with support from those attending, with many saying that they want to see a shift to focus on the victims, not the killers. Mariah thinks that this will make a world of difference in the genre. That's the main reason why I continue to speak out is because I've had so many people tell me that just hearing what I went through and just me being vocal about it all has really

changed their perspective on the way they either view true crime or if they're creators of true crime, they actually think more of the victim's families. And I just want people to be able to put themselves in our shoes. And adding that to tell ethical true crime, the actually think more of the victim's families. And I just want people to be able to put themselves in our shoes. And adding that to tell ethical true crime, the victim's life and story needs to be a bigger part of the picture. I mean, it's okay to be fascinated with like the psychology behind it all, but people just get so into like the killer story. And we just hear the killer's name everywhere, where everyone forgets about the victims. The victims had a story too. You know, this story for us, this may live in your mind for minutes, hours, days, even months maybe. But for Mariah, her story still isn't even over because

Pam still hasn't gone to trial, meaning that the wounds are still open and fresh. And she may even have to relocate during the trial because it's gotten so much attention. And then with the NFL season starting up, concerts in full swing and the MLB playoffs right around the corner, there is an event for everyone, and you're not going to want to miss out. Which is why I want to take a second to thank the fantastic sponsor of today's show, SeatGeek. Whether it's concerts, football, baseball, theater, or more, SeatGeek puts tickets from all over the web in one place to make buying simple. Use it all the time. I'm looking for something to do. Boom. Comedy show when I was in New York. I went to a Rangers game out here. I went to the Super Bowl. SeatGeek is my go-to.

And SeatGeek wants to make sure that you're getting a good deal. So when you're on the app, look for the green dots. Green means good deal, red means bad. And I've got the hookup for you because if you use code Phil, you get $20 off tickets at SeatGeek. It's $20 off your first purchase with promo code Phil. So make sure you click the link in the description to download the app. Then a very exciting and quick announcement. Next Monday, I am launching the biggest drop we've done in a very long time over at beautifulbastard.com. It features all of this goodness and stretch it out. Feel free to pause and eye what you want to snag because there are going to be a few things that are just

very limited. So yeah, get ready to snag what you want while you can. Disaster has been averted, possibly, probably. So most of us probably haven't been aware until recently that for the past two years, there's been a labor contract struggle happening between six of the largest freight carriers and 12 railroad workers unions. And last July, Biden appointed an emergency board to mediate this dispute. And since then, its recommendations have produced tentative agreements with nine of the unions, with a 10th striking down a tentative agreement on Monday, throwing it back into negotiations. And so leaving two unions representing almost 60,000 conductors and engineers without a deal. And their demands concern typical issues like pay and working conditions. But also it primarily centered

around a points-based attendance policy adopted by some railroads earlier this year. A policy that penalized workers for missing work and even firing them for taking off to see the doctor or attending family emergencies. With workers saying that they can be on call for 14 consecutive days without a break and that they don't get any sick days at all, paid or unpaid, with the president of one union saying, the average American would not know that we get fired for going to the doctor. This one thing has our members most enraged. We have guys who were punished for taking time off for a heart attack and COVID. It's inhumane. But also, even before the points-based system, they were on call pretty much constantly, and if you got called in, you had to show up within 90 minutes to two hours. So with all of this, we saw the unions threatened to strike with a deadline

to reach a deal being midnight tonight. And if that were to happen, I don't think the word catastrophic is too heavy. It would be the first time the United States has seen a railroad strike in three decades. It would shut down nearly a third of the U.S.'s freight, according to industry players, and costing an estimated $2 billion per day. But also beneath those numbers are a bunch of more specific impacts that are incredibly ugly. You had Amtrak announcing the suspension of all long distance trains and some state supported trains starting Thursday. This, even though none of its workers are threatening a strike because it still uses track that's owned, maintained and dispatched by Freight Railroad. Plus, freight tracks also serve commuter lines between major cities and suburbs. So passenger trains could be shut down, leaving many people

with no quick route to work. And it's not just like a little bit, about half of commuter rail systems run on tracks or right-of-ways, at least partially owned by freight. But then more directly hitting the economy where it hurts, you have freight railways being critical for retailers that transport inventory from ports to warehouses and distribution centers. And so this stoppage, I mean, you're talking about supply chains getting completely shut down, which as many of you know is one of the big factors when you're talking about inflation. It could also affect the availability of supplies like food and health equipment. And frighteningly, in more places than just Jackson, Mississippi, the strike could disrupt the delivery of coal to utility plants and chlorine to water treatment facilities, just

fucking up people's way of life. Which is why we've seen senior White House aides talking to top officials in the shipping, freight, and logistics industries to figure out how highways, ports, and waterways can be used to offset any damage, as well as holding daily meetings with the Agriculture Department, Transportation Department, Energy Department, and other federal agencies to brace for impact, with Labor Secretary Marty Walsh holding emergency meetings between unions and management starting yesterday morning

and then continuing for 20 straight hours all through last night, trying to rock through it like me, trying to learn calculus in a night for the final in college, except for the people involved here, it's not an F that you're risking, it's more America's economy on the line. Which appears to have resulted in the first bit of good news with this story. Biden announced that the two sides finally reached a tentative agreement, effectively diffusing the crisis or at the very least postponing it. Because the key word here is tentative. An official deal has to be ratified in the coming

weeks. That'll require union members to vote for it and until then they have agreed to not strike. But we have to wait to see if they approve what their leadership presents to them. And as far as some of the specifics in this agreement, there's a 24% increase in wages for the five years from 2020 to 2024, as well as an immediate payout of some $11,000 on average dollars when it's ratified. New contracts also include one additional paid day off and the ability to attend medical appointments without penalty, which is insane to think that they even have to fight for that. Plus, the agreement will freeze workers' monthly health care contributions, ensuring that those costs will not increase during the next round of contract negotiations. And even with all this, there are more details coming, but this is

a huge deal for pretty much everyone, for the country, for the workers involved here. But also, I think it's important to remember how integral the hard labor of so many unrecognized Americans is for all of our lives to just function on a basic level. Chief Florida man Ron DeSantis back in the news. That's because the governor of Florida decided to ship a group of 50 or so illegal migrants from his state to Martha's Vineyard. And in a statement, his office said, Florida can confirm the two planes with illegal immigrants that arrived in Martha's Vineyard today were part of the state's relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations. And adding that it believed that states such as Massachusetts, New York, and California were better equipped to handle migrants. So here we saw this small city

quickly scrambling to take care of the new arrivals, with local officials tweeting out, due to an unexpected urgent humanitarian situation, emergency services are opening emergency shelters tonight on Martha's Vineyard. If you're willing and able to volunteer in a clinical or non-clinical role, contact Duke's office. And with that, we saw a number of conservatives bashing the city, claiming that it doesn't really stand by its liberal views on immigration. You know, this isn't really an isolated incident. This is actually just one of a series of stunts we've seen pulled by Republican governors.

We've seen Texas Governor Greg Abbott shipping people off to New York, as well as shipping out 101 migrants, mostly from Venezuela to D.C. today, dropping them off in front of one of the vice president's residences. For Republicans, these stunts appear to be meant to show that it's easy for liberal states to block border measures on high-minded ideals, when they often aren't the ones who actually have to deal with illegal immigration. But also, going back to Martha's Vineyard, the characterization that the the city freaked out about the surprise influx of people does appear to be a little off. Instead, it seems to have actually taken the situation in stride and received a lot of praise for coming

together to help the migrants rather than be put off by them. And also, you know, the overall criticism that liberal cities are hypocritical for declaring a state of praise for coming together to help the migrants rather than be put off by them. And also, you know, the overall criticism that liberal cities are hypocritical for declaring a state of emergency, that appears to be somewhat disingenuous because it often unlocks funds to quickly set up responses. And regarding the mockery of calling this a humanitarian crisis, we're talking about a group of people that were forced onto a plane or a bus and shipped across the country without knowing where they were going and being treated as pawns. And even when, you know, you have people being transported voluntarily, such as when Abbott does it, it's reported that Republican officials often refuse to work with local officials to make

the transfer as smooth as possible. But then, once again, so we don't get confused, when it came to DeSantis, he reportedly didn't work with DHS or INS. And then somehow you're going to tout it as a win when those migrants are actually met with compassion and help. But hey, for now, that is where we are. We're going gonna have to see how this situation and these stunts continue to develop. But that is the end of this story and today's show. As always, thank you for watching and being subscribed to my daily dives in the news.

I've got some more news that you should know about right here, but as always, my name's Philip DeFranco. You've just been filled in. I love your faces and I'll see you tomorrow.