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6 months ago
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EXCLUSIVE: Neil Strauss, who launched the hit podcast To Live and Die in LA, is back with another series.
The Game author, who also wrote Motley Crue book The Dirt, is launching To Die For, set in the dangerous world of Russian sexpionage.
It comes from Tenderfoot TV and iHeartPodcasts and is part of the former’s latest podcast slate (full details below).
To Die For marks the first time an alleged Russian Federal Security Service (FSB)-trained seduction agent has agreed to tell the full story of her training, techniques, targets, and missions.
Strauss will bring listeners into a world of nablyudeniye (surveillance), kompromat (blackmail), and lovetraps. A world where things aren’t what they seem, and a seemingly harmless date can end in abduction, blackmail, or death. Based on a first-hand story of a former Russian citizen who claims to be a sex spy trained by the FSB, Russia’s modern-day equivalent of the KGB, the series explores the targets of sexpionage as well as the other victims including the seduction spies themselves.
The first volume of the series will feature eight episodes and will premiere on March 26.
“These were not just interviews but an education,” said Strauss. “And I hope the podcast can help raise awareness of not just the clandestine techniques used for brainwashing, honey-trapping, and abuse of power, but also healing for those involved.”
“To Die For is unlike anything we’ve done before, and we are thrilled to have Neil Strauss return to guide listeners through this incredibly complex and captivating story,” added Tenderfoot TV CEO Donald Albright. “True crime and investigative storytelling are the cornerstones of Tenderfoot TV, and with To Die For and our upcoming slate, we’re not only introducing fresh content, but also bringing back fan-favorite franchises and hosts who’ve been instrumental in building our loyal audience”.
That slate also includes Status: Untraced, a spinoff of Up and Vanished, Truer Crime, Lords of Death and new seasons of Radio Rental and Culpable.
Status: Untraced, which launches on April 17, explores the story of survivalist and world traveler Justin Alexander, who went missing in 2016 in the Parvati Valley while on a spiritual trek into the Himalayan Mountains. While the circumstances of his disappearance point to murder, a chilling message he left behind throws everything into question: “I should return mid-September or so. If I’m not back by then, don’t look for me.” Four years later, host Liam Luxon is introduced to Justin’s story and embarks on an investigation into the mysterious case.
Truer Crime talks about the real people — murdered, missing, misled – that are profiled in true crime podcasts. It is hosted by Celisia Stanton, who began to see crime stories differently after becoming a victim herself, and she will explore the complex realities of crime.
Lords of Death, which comes out this spring, is hosted by Thrasher Banks. While digging through an old memory box, Banks discovers forgotten VHS tapes, police reports, and faded letters regarding a 1995 murder in Dayton, Ohio. Drawn to the connection between this murder and the other seemingly innocuous contents of the box, Thrasher begins an investigation. As he follows the threads, he finds that the 1995 murder may be connected to more than one brutal, unsolved case… Against the backdrop of Ohio in the 1980s and 90s, around the height of satanic panic, this true crime story explores memory, perception, and a personal quest for the truth.
Radio Rental, which launched in 2019, returns with a new 12-episode season on April 5. Set inside a fictional 80s video rental store, Rainn Wilson is back as Terry Carnation, the eccentric shopkeeper.
Culpable returns this spring with Case Review, a new format within the series, a narrative episodic spin on the franchise, which has over 40M downloads to date. It is hosted by Dennis Cooper, who will work with families, local law enforcement, and victim advocates as he continues to explore unsettling cases where culpability has yet to be established.
Status: Untraced, Radio Rental, Culpable: Case Review and Lords of Death are produced in partnership with Audacy.
