Cracks in the Fandom — Part 3 (Edited Copyright Cut)PRETEND: Stories about real people pretending to be someone they’re not
Michelle Ivey has been painted as the villain. Meghan Walsh calls her a stalker, a criminal, a threat to her life. She’s warned not to contact her.
But in this episode, I do just that. I talk to Michelle. And what I find is something very different from the unhinged boogeyman Meghan has described for years.
What if Michelle isn’t stalking anyone at all? What if she’s just a fan?
In Part 3, the story begins to fracture. Meghan's claims get louder. But her evidence starts to slip. And the people she says are targeting her… start to speak up.
This is the extended version of the episode. If you're listening now on Patreon or Pretend+, I'd love to know what you think. Is this story about stalking, delusion, or something else entirely?
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2302: Cracks in the Fandom part 2
Meghan Walsh says she is being stalked by three people. One of them is Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay. Sounds impossible, right?
But she’s not the only one saying it.
In this episode, we meet Lauren. She claims to be the biological mother of Mariska’s adopted daughter. Her story begins with a supposed secret adoption, and spirals into accusations of betrayal and abandonment. Lauren says the actress is not just stalking her, but working behind the scenes to silence anyone who challenges her.
Meghan believes her. To her, Lauren is the missing piece that proves her own story is real. But the more we dig, the harder it becomes to separate truth from delusion.
Is this the beginning of a deeper conspiracy? Or just another internet rabbit hole?
This extended version includes additional narration and soundbites not available in the public edit. Let me know what you think of the series so far. Your feedback will help shape the final episodes before they go live in the main feed.
All 4 Episodes Available now on Pretend+ and Patreon
PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/pretendradio
PRETEND+ on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/pretend/id6443456985
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2301: Cracks in the Fandom part 1
🎧 NEW SERIES: “Cracks in the Fandom”
What would you do if you thought your favorite celebrity was stalking you?
That’s exactly what Meghan Walsh claims. She says she’s being harassed by not one, not two—but three stalkers. And one of them? Is Mariska Hargitay, best known as Detective Olivia Benson from Law & Order: SVU.
Yeah. I know how that sounds.
But here’s the thing: the more I looked into it, the more the story started to twist.
This new series, Cracks in the Fandom, is not about whether Mariska is actually stalking someone (spoiler: come on). It’s about why someone might believe that. What happens when online relationships go sideways. And what’s really going on underneath the noise.
I’m releasing the first three extended cuts that are ~10 minutes longer than what you'll eventually hear on the public feed. There are 5 episodes total.
And trust me, this story goes places I did not expect.
Your feedback means a lot. Let me know what you think of the pacing, the structure, or anything that feels confusing. This is your sneak preview—and your chance to help shape how the story is told.
First 3 episodes available now on Patreon and PRETEND+:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pretendradio
PRETEND+ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/pretend/id6443456985
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2210: The High School Hoax Update
A 32-year-old woman enrolled herself in three Boston high schools and passed as a teenager. She sat in classrooms, made friends with freshmen, and even joined the girls basketball team. She wore number 32 on her jersey, which also happened to be her real age.
This is the story of Shelby Hewitt, a state social worker who lived a double life. For two years, she convinced students, teachers, and administrators that she was a foster kid with nowhere else to go. She built fake social workers and false backstories to make her cover believable.
When PRETEND first aired this episode, there were more questions than answers. Was Shelby trying to relive her youth? Was she gathering information on the kids she worked with? Or was she doing this just for kicks?
In this replay, you will hear the original story and then get the latest updates. Since the episode first aired, new details have emerged about the extent of her lies and who got caught up in them. We will also examine the criminal charges she is currently facing.
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2209: The Stalker: Rick Fernandez’s Guilty Plea
Breaking news in the stalker case: Rick Fernandez has pleaded guilty to harassment. Instead of facing trial, he admitted responsibility for a new wave of harassment tied to the book he published while awaiting trial on felony charges.
His sentence? 180 days in jail (suspended) along with three years of probation. If Rick contacts the victims directly or indirectly, he risks going to jail and facing new charges.
In this episode, I dig into what this guilty plea really means, and you’ll also hear from Rick’s sister, Olivia Fernandez, who shares her complicated reaction to the news.
The big question is: will Rick finally stop the harassment, or is this just another chapter in a story that refuses to end?
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