Audacy and Double Elvis Productions, the podcast studio that specializes in music and true crime storytelling, have found success working together in the past with Disgraceland, their music podcast franchise of series about the dark side of entertainment history that is said to be the most downloaded music podcast ever. Now the two companies are partnering again with a new true crime series that sets its sights on Tinseltown. The new show Hollywoodland will explore the lives of celebrated actors and filmmakers through the true crimes that have most impacted them.
“Hollywoodland is a natural expansion from the success of Disgraceland,” said Jake Brennan, co-founder of Double Elvis and creator of Disgraceland. “Hollywood history and music history are often one in the same and these wild true crime stories from Tinseltown beg to be told with the same gripping, edge-of-your-seat storytelling, and I'm beyond stoked to be bringing these stories to life with Audacy,” he said in the joint announcement.
Hollywoodland will feature Brennan as he explores a wide range of stars and stories including David Lynch and the brutal, real-life murder that inspired the cult TV series “Twin Peaks.” The show find no shortage of other material to work with. The producers say the series will also look into actor Steve McQueen’s brush with cult leader Charles Manson as well as feature episodes about the conspiracies surrounding Marilyn Monroe’s death, the indecent arrest of filmmaker John Waters, actor Dennis Hopper’s easy riding and excessive 70s Hollywood, actor Woody Harrelson’s father’s connection to the JFK assassination, Chris Farley burning out too soon, Al Pacino’s armed robbery; the murder of Gianni Versace, and Heath Ledger’s overdose. Hollywoodland will feature both all-new episodes and archival episodes with new commentary and context from Brennan.
“Jake is a masterful storyteller who infuses every episode of his work with impressive research and impeccable sound design,” said Leah Reis-Dennis, VP of Podcast Content Strategy & Business Development at Audacy. “We’re thrilled to expand our slate with him with the launch of Hollywoodland—listeners are in for a treat.”
Brennan has leveraged the success of the podcast to release the book “Disgraceland: Musicians Getting Away With Murder And Behaving Very Badly” in 2019 by Grand Central/Hachette. The podcast has also won several awards, including a 2023 Ambie Award, the 2021 Webby Award for "Best Music Podcast" and it was the winner of the 2020 iHeartRadio Podcast Award for "Best Music Podcast."
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