Babes in Hollyweirdland: Can We Keep Young Performers Safe? (with Stacy Keanan and Christine Lakin)

Babes in Hollyweirdland: Can We Keep Young Performers Safe? (with Stacy Keanan and Christine Lakin)

Author: Tess Barker February 12, 2026 Duration: 1:17:05
Clearly, there will always be a demand for young people on screen. Shows geared toward young audiences have a huge appeal, and they usually feature kids as principal performers. Recent revelations about the conditions on kids shows like “All That” have led to serious concerns by some people over whether it’s ethical to have kids on set at all. Joining Tess to share their own experiences as child stars are Stacy Keanan and Christine Lakin lead actors on the sitcom “Step by Step.”Stacy and Christine are also hosts of the podcast “Keanan and Lakin Give You Deja Vu.” (@keananandlakin)    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! 

Ever find yourself rewatching an old awards show clip or remembering a bizarre celebrity headline and wondering what really happened behind the scenes? That’s the territory explored in Pop Mystery Pod. Hosted by investigative journalist Tess Barker, this podcast applies a reporter’s rigor to the glittering, often baffling world of pop culture. Barker, whose own deep research and firsthand reporting were instrumental in the #FreeBritney movement, brings that same tenacious curiosity to each story. Rather than just rehashing gossip, she treats these cultural moments like unsolved cases, digging into the archives and seeking out context that was missing when the story first broke. You’ll hear episodes that dissect events everyone talked about but maybe never truly understood, or incidents that seemed to vanish from the headlines a little too quickly. It sits at a compelling intersection of documentary, history, and societal observation, all filtered through the lens of film, TV, and celebrity. The result is a series that feels both like a detective story and a time capsule, revealing how these mysteries shape our collective memory. Tune in for a thoughtful, thoroughly researched deep dive that changes how you see the stories we think we already know.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Pop Mystery Pod
Podcast Episodes
What the Security Cameras Caught: The Diddy Files Chapter Two [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:03
Though Sean Diddy Combs ultimately was found guilty of some of the lesser charges brought against him by the federal government, it can’t be argued that Diddy’s reputation has been irrevocably changed.
A Gruesome Celebrity Encounter: The Diddy Files Chapter One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:12
Though this case has since been dismissed, the allegations made by plaintiff ashley Parham are chilling. One line in her complaint says it all: “Plaintiff would pay for her statement regarding Tupac.”
The Tupac Verdict: What It Was Like in the Court Room [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:44
A jury has found Duane Davis guilty of killing Tupac Shakur. It has officially taken longer to convict a killer in this case than Tupac himself actually lived. Can we consider this justice served?
Grimes, Mother of X Æ A-12  (with Steven Ray Morris) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:57
Since hard launching with Elon Musk at the Met Gala in 2018, recording artist Grimes has been a mysterious and divisive figure. Who is Grimes as an artist, and what could she have been had Musk not interceeded in her str…
The Cult That Jared Leto Runs (with Shannon McNamara) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:21
Jared Leto started his career as a 23 year old teen heartthrob on “My So Called Life.” He then went on to achieve the nearly impossible: dual careers as both a rock star and a critically acclaimed actor. Recent bombshell…
Tyra Banks Cuts Models (with Jackie Johnson) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:37
America’s Next Top Model” is a stunning piece of television. For over a decade, svelte contestants ostensibly vied for a chance at modeling success. What they were also seemingly fighting for, however, is their mental we…
The Ice Cream Blonde Cold Case (with Babs Gray) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:06
Thelma Todd seemed to be living the life of classic Hollywood dreams. She had a busy career, an active social life, and she owned a restaurant at arguably the most beautiful corner of southern California coastline.