‘Tis the season for revisiting childhood memories. In this reissue vault episode, Tess Barker unpacks a question that’s been nagging her since the ‘90s: Did someone put dirty jokes into classic Disney movies? How? And why?

Guests include Liz Climo (“The Simpsons,” children’s book author & illustrator), Mike Hollingsworth (“Bo Jack Horseman,” “Tuca and Bertie”), Tom Sito (“The Little Mermaid,” “Who Framed Rodger Rabbit?”, “The Lion King,” “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast”), Brenda Chapman (“Brave,” “The Prince of Egypt,” “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast”). Featuring an Animation Guild oral history from Ann Guenther (“Sleeping Beauty,” “Winnie the Pooh,” “Robin Hood,” “The Rescuers.”)

Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @popmysterypod

Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker.

Produced by Tyler Hill.

Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d.

Abigail Keel was a consulting producer on this episode.

Clearance Counsel is Dale Nelson and Jacqueline Swett at Donaldson Callif Perez, LLP

Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod

Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic wherever you get your pods.

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Just when you thought it was safe to go in the water, Steven Spielberg created an opus that absolutely rattled human beings everywhere: “Jaws.” This movie is a horror classic. It’s also a highly misunderstood film that led to serious death and destruction in our oceans, and not at the hands of white sharks. What is it about “Jaws” that scares us so badly, and how have our human phobias harmed our planet?

Joining Tess to talk through this fascinating and highly consequential story are: Frank Lehman, associate professor of music at Tufts University; Dr. Chris Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach, and Dr. Gabriella Hancock, assistant professor of psychology at Cal State Long Beach.

Watch the documentary “Blue Water White Death.”

Learn more about the importance of shark conservation.

Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @popmysterypod

Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker. Produced by Tyler Hill.

Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d.

Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod

Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic wherever you get your pods.

Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Dave Matthews Band has enjoyed a large and loyal following for over 30 years. They are a live performance giant. Perhaps nothing in the band’s long history, however, looms quite as large as one very infamous incident that happened when one of the band’s tour buses, well, dumped on some unsuspecting Chicago tourists.

Joining Tess to talk through this hilarious scatological tale is comedian and Tess’ Lady to Lady and Britney’s Gram co-host Babs Gray (@babs_gray).

Read the the WBEZ round up the the Dave Matthews Band Incident

Read “That’s Not Water, Buddy,” from Chicago Mag

Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @popmysterypod

Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker. Produced by Tyler Hill.

Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d.

Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod

Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods.

Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The guilty pleasure show “Love is Blind,” may feel like a silly love/hate watch, but according to former cast members, the experience working on the show was anything but a joke. The many serious allegations made against the producers of “Love is Blind,” have highlighted serious potential violations of labor law. By speaking out in spite of the NDAs they have signed, some cast members may be about to change the way reality shows are produced forever. Joining Tess to talk through this fascinating and disturbing world is comic Giuilia Rozzi (@msgiuliarozzi)

Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @popmysterypod

Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker. Produced by Tyler Hill.

Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d.

Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod

Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods.

Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Happy Holiday week everyone! This week we’re visiting the Pop Mystery vault for a look at “Cats” an absurd show that really keeps giving. Highly recommend the movie version for that post-meal fever dream period if your Friendsgivign is cool.

“Cats” is a musical so ridiculous that it often drives people to anger. So why has this absurd show made so much money, and how does it keep taunting us all with its reemergence into culture? Jellicle journalist, comic, and pop culture junkie Tess Barker is on the case.

Featuring interviews with actress Sara Jean Ford (On Broadway: “Phantom of the Opera; “Finian’s Rainbow;” “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying;” “Cats:” ) and musicologist and dramaturg Dr. Lynda Paul (professor, Yale University; PhD music history/ethnomusicology/performance studies).

Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @popmysterypod

Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker. Produced by Tyler Hill.

Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d.

Abigail Keel was a consulting producer on this episode.

Special thanks to voice actors Sean Green and Babs Gray.

Clearance Counsel is Dale Nelson and Jacqueline Swett at Donaldson Callif Perez, LLP

Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod

Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic wherever you get your pods.

Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bruno Mars is one of the most prolific pop artists of our time. Is he also one of our most degenerate gamblers? Joining Tess to assess the veracity of rumors that Bruno Mars has amassed 50 million dollars in gambling debt that he’s having to perform indefinitely to pay off is Sean Green (SGPN), host of the Sports Gambling Podcast. (And…huge credit…Tess’ husband!)

Read the GQ article “The Mars Expedition” by Chris Heath

Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @popmysterypod

Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker. Produced by Tyler Hill.

Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d.

Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod

Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods.

Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AI “actor” Tilly Norwood made divisive headlines when it was announced that major agencies were circling up to sign the ingenue-looking robot. Norwood’s arrival to the scene presents a number of existential questions. This new technology also offers a window into the ways beauty standards will be further shifting in Hollywood. Joining Tess to talk through the implications of AI actors is artist Gretchen Andrew(@gretchenandrew), whose Facetune Portraits are currently showing at the Whitney.

Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @popmysterypod

Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker. Produced by Tyler Hill.

Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d.

Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod

Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods.

Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lisa Frank became an absolute 1990s icon among children with her colorful, cheerful cartoon animals. The truth behind the Lisa Frank company, however, is anything but sunshine and rainbows. Joining Tess to talk through the whacked out truth behind this school supplies queen is Tess Bellomo, co-host of the “Right Answers Mostly” podcast.

Watch the documentary “Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story”

Follow Pop Mystery Pod on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @popmysterypod

Pop Mystery Pod is written and produced by Tess Barker @tesstifybarker. Produced by Tyler Hill.

Theme song by Rick Wood @Rickw00d.

Support independent pop journalism and join us on Patreon at Pop Mystery Pod. Get access to ad free episodes, bonus content, and polls about upcoming topics. patreon.com/PopMysteryPod

Follow Tess’s other podcasts Lady to Lady and Toxic: The Britney Spears Story wherever you get your pods.

Make sure to leave us a review! And tell a friend about the show!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.