Netflix may be shining a new spotlight on one of America’s most disturbing figures with Monster: The Ed Gein Story, but Pod Candy was there first. In this chilling mashup episode, hosts Stacey and Dr. John Mayer revisit their most fascinating and unnerving conversations about the real-life “Butcher of Plainfield.” With commentary from Dori, filmmaker Alex Flaster (who produced the A&E Biography on Ed Gein), and horror expert Adam Rockoff, they explore how Gein’s twisted legacy gave birth to icons like Norman Bates, Buffalo Bill, and Leatherface.

From Gein’s psychologically stunted upbringing under a fanatical mother to the macabre crimes that redefined horror, this episode dives deep into what made him both a monster and a myth. Plus, Adam returns to give his brutally honest take on Netflix’s new dramatization — what it got right, what it got wrong, and why fiction can’t compete with the horrifying truth.

Warning: Graphic discussion of real crimes and disturbing behavior.

Source Material:  "A&E Biography: Ed Gein" (on A&E) & "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" (on Netflix)