Paperback reads. We love them cheap. We love them dirty. We love to ask: why are white men the only ones with inner lives or three-dimensional personalities? Hosts Amanda Meadows and Geoffrey Golden dig deep into the dollar bins of used bookstores and your grandmother’s storage unit, looking for pulp and sass. Dirt Cheap brings those long-lost stories to life, with a heavy dose of humor and a dash of schadenfreude. This season, we're reading Murder in the Glass Room, a Los Angeles noir novel starring Phil Norris, a misanthropic bookie-turned-detective who's bad at his job and obsessed with furniture. It’s the poolside podcast you’ve been waiting for.
Rama was a spiritual teacher in the 80s and 90s who inspired many of his students while helming what many of his detractors would describe as a cult. He defied society's archetypal vision of a New Age leader, eschewing minimalism for wealth and celebrity. He was also a man ahead of his time, encouraging his students to develop careers in computer science before that was mainstream. For some, following Rama's lead worked out spiritually, and financially too. But for others, Rama's actions contradicted his cool persona; some eventually came forward with accusations of abuse, others vanished, whistleblowers went to the media, and the group began to shrink and splinter. In this 10-part investigative series, Jonathan Hirsch explores the life, death and impact of Rama. "I Am Rama" drops June 22. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the final chapter of Murder in the Glass Room, Phil discovers who murdered Edna. To play Geoffrey's MITGR-themed game, go to adventuresnack.com/dirtcheap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Phil accosts Stanley in his home and learns something about Shelley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Phil finds himself at a fascist rally. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Shelley opens up about her past, and some holes emerge in Carlos's detective work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Phil meets Shelley at the Farmer's Market and is greeted by an explosive surprise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Reality TV is dismissed as guilty pleasure, low brow... even trash. But whether you want to admit it or not, you probably have heard of Snooki, Lisa Vanderpump or Kim Kardashian. Over the past 30 years, reality TV has become a place to see the social and political moment play out in real time -- from racial tensions on The Real World New York to gender dynamics on The Bachelor. On this season, join host Mariah Smith as she dissects the history of the genre one show at a time, revealing how it's shaped our culture and how our culture shaped it. Listen and subscribe to Spectacle on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Phil is summoned to see Professor Stanley for an unusual negotiation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Phil meets an old man with a unique connection to Edna. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Phil seduces a woman, and finally gets to the bottom of something. Amanda and Geoffrey are joined by Jamie Loftus (https://twitter.com/jamieloftusHELP) and Caitlin Durante (https://twitter.com/caitlindurante), hosts of The Bechdel Cast (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-the-bechdel-cast-30089535/). Jamie has a new podcast called Lolita, out now (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-lolita-73899842/). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Phil makes an important drunken acquaintance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Phil goes to a dance hall, creeps everyone out, and (once again) stumbles his way into a lead. Amanda and Geoffrey are joined by comedians Dani Fernandez (https://twitter.com/msdanifernandez) and Ify Nwadiwe (https://twitter.com/IfyNwadiwe), hosts of the recently-concluded Nerdificent Podcast (https://twitter.com/nerdificent). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
With the police hot on his tail, Phil makes a questionable decision (shocking!) to meet Shelley in a very public place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Phil gets some disappointing information from Carlos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Phil gets robbed, and only then does he realize he's lost something precious. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Phil stumbles into his first real breakthrough.
Phil pretends to be a census-taker, and rounds out his day with some light breaking and entering.
Phil goes to a fancy hotel and does not get much detective work done.
Phil looks for Professor Stanley and gets nowhere.
Phil makes his first foray into detective work, and is instantly baffled by what he finds.
Phil makes an upsetting discovery and a questionable plan.
Phil goes to a party, has a terrible time, and makes a deal with his wife.
In the first episode of Dirt Cheap, hosts Amanda Meadows and Geoffrey Golden plunge into chapter one of Murder in the Glass Room, a Los Angeles noir novel from the 1940s. We meet Phil Norris, a misanthropic, furniture-obsessed bookie who seems to have more enemies than friends.
The first season of Dirt Cheap is dropping in just one week! We're reading Murder in the Glass Room, a Los Angeles noir novel starring a misanthropic bookie-turned-detective named Phil Norris. Phil's not very good at being a detective, but he sure is trying. Tune in for our first episode, dropping next Thursday, October 15th.