Slow Burn: Season Three and Missing Richard Simmons
I would like to start by saying, I’ve never really been into podcasts. Maybe because I always thought a narrative should accompany visual representation, or maybe I just lack imagination. This is why I was pleasantly surprised when I listened to Slow Burn: Season Three and Missing Richard Simmons. Two very different podcasts but completely intriguing in their own unique way. I’ll be comparing and contrasting both podcasts in this essay, as well as an individual analyzation.
I chose Season Three of Slow Burn because the topic was about Biggie and Tupac. I’ve always been interested in this topic because there were so many conspiracies surrounding what happened. I thought by listening to the whole season, it would clarify a lot of the mysteries, and I would finally know who killed who. In the end, I still had a sense of uncertainty because I didn’t understand why the LAPD didn’t want to pursue Biggie’s case. In the end, people just resorted to creating their own conspiracies and even going as far as saying Tupac is alive and well living in Haiti.
As for Missing Richard Simmons, I didn’t know who that was before I delved in the podcast. I know now that he was a prominent fitness instructor who all of a sudden, retreated from the public eye. He was a very lively character and touched millions of lives because of his sympathetic behavior towards people. The premise of the podcast was about Dan Taberski, a fan of Simmons, and his goal to find Simmons. Taberski used to attend Simmons’ classes and eventually became friends with the fitness instructor, or so he thought. In the end, he still wasn’t able to see or talk to Simmons but eventually he received news. Due to the popularity of his podcast, police proceeded to do a wellness check on the fitness instructor and reports he’s alive and well. Even with all things considered, people also debated in their own conspiracy theories on what really happened to Simmons. They even went as far as accusing Simmons of being controlled by his longtime housekeeper, who’s supposedly a witch!
As you can tell, both podcasts were engaging and unique in their own sense. Both seasons had a mystery thriller style narrative, but Missing Richard Simmons podcast was lighter in delivery. Slow Burn gave a sense of news-like punch lines and seemed a little dark– due to the pace, use of music and narrators voice. The Simmons podcast was fast paced and used upbeat background music.
What I found interesting about both podcasts, was the fact that both mysteries are still unresolved. Since there is still so much uncertainty on both separate topics, people just resorted to assumptions and conspiracy theories. Thinking back on both seasons, I believe both topics escalated to what they are because humans tend to misunderstand each other. People tend to want to believe in their own truths because the real answer might be too humiliating, or even painful.
Clarissa Nazarea 