About This Episode
What is this episode about?
The episode "The Gypsy Rose Obsession, Part 8" from PRETEND covers newly public recordings of Gypsy Rose Blanchard made while she was incarcerated at Chillicothe. More than five hundred hours of audio, once thought private, are now public, and the episode works through what they reveal.
Some clips already spread on social media because they capture Gypsy and her now ex-husband Ryan using racial slurs, something she has since apologized for publicly. But the episode centers on a different, less publicized moment: what Gypsy says about her mother when there is no camera on and no audience to perform for, without the polish of a rehearsed answer.
This installment carries a direct warning that it is a rough listen, and the content note attached to it covers racist language and racial slurs, child abuse, sexual content involving a child, murder, and self-harm. Taken together, the material points to a much darker private register behind the public narrative that has surrounded The Gypsy Rose Obsession series so far.
Hosts and release
Javier Leiva hosts the show, and this episode, the eighth installment, runs 40 minutes and was released on September 29, 2026. PRETEND is described as an investigative true crime podcast exploring the psychology and real stories behind scammers, con artists, and their victims, with new episodes published weekly. It is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, and Overcast. The episode was written and produced by Javier Leiva, edited by Puneeth Shenoy of Podcast Pundits, with music by Joe Basile.
