Death by Fame

On December 8th, 2014 the body of Stephanie Moseley, a talented dancer, actress and choreographer was found shot dead in her bathtub. Her husband Earl Hayes, a rapper, was found dead mere feet away in the bedroom of their Fairfax apartment in what appeared to be a murder suicide. What’s even stranger is that notorious boxer Floyd Mayweather was on Facetime with Hayes when the murder happened - possibly witnessing the atrocious act. Sara sits down with Stephanie’s dear friend, choreographer and Director,  Paul Becker to explore the case and most importantly, honor Stephanie’s memory as a talented and versatile dancer.

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Please note - This episode was recorded before Armie Hammer's public statement of innocence on February 4th, 2023. Armie Hammer’s life seemed to be the pinnacle of perfection. He was rich, famous and on track to be a fixture within the Hollywood elite. But in 2020 that facade began to crack when allegations of abuse and cannibalism were flung at the once rising star. Sara sits down with Deputy District Attorney of the Los Angeles DA’s office, Lisa Daruty to walkthrough how sexual abuse cases, like Armie Hammer’s, are treated in a court of law. 

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What started as a Hollywood love affair between two stars quickly embroiled into a he-said / she-said trial that captivated the nation. Sara sits down with Dr. Alice Berkwotiz, clinical and forensic psychologist for over 30 years. Together they will discuss the ins and outs of the trial, as well as what abuse can look like from a psychological perspective. Sara also sits down with Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s doorman Alex Romero. Alex was thrust into the spotlight after his testimony in the trial went viral.

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Please note: this episode was recorded before the announcement that Involuntary Manslaughter charges will be brought against Alec Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez Reed.

Halyna Hutchins was killed after the firing of a prop gun loaded with real bullets on the set of the indie western “Rust”. The trigger pulled by long-time Hollywood player, Alec Baldwin, with the film’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed taking the fall. Sara and Weapons Expert & Prop Master Steve Wolf will peel back the layers of this tragic case, examining everything from gun safety on set to the legal case against Alec Baldwin and the producers of “Rust". They’ll also discuss the dangers of a toxic set - how the grueling hours and shoestring budgets could lead to such a deadly mistake.  

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In 2009, the Los Angeles Fire Department received a call from a woman reporting that she had just found her daughter, Brittany, passed out in their home on Rising Glen Road. Just two hours after that, Hollywood actress Brittany Murphy is declared dead. In this episode, Sara sits down with former journalist Amber Ryland, who was the first journalist to receive access to Simon Monjack after the death of his wife, Brittany Murphy. Sara and Amber walk listeners through the mysterious cause of Brittany Murphy’s death, how Amber felt having such early access to Monjack, and the pressures Brittany was subjected to during her lifetime.

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Welcome to Death by Fame, the companion podcast to the Price of Glee and Death by Fame on ID and discovery+, hosted Sara Azari, criminal defense Lawyer in Los Angeles. Sara’s represented big criminal cases at the state and federal level, and has seen the special brand of crime and scandal that thrives in Hollywood firsthand.

On this episode, Sara is joined by Dino Ray Ramos, former Associate Editor at Deadline and the current Founder and Editor in Chief of Diaspora. Sara and Dino will discuss the disastrous rise and fall of the hit show Glee. Glee at the beginning of its tenure was a bright star. It was innovative, fun and launched the careers of several young actors. However, after season 3 - viewership plummeted and the series struggled to live up to its former glory- taking its young and talented cast and crew down with it with some whispering of a Glee Curse. Sara will sit down with Dino Ray Ramos, the Associate Editor at Deadline to discuss the disastrous rise and fall of Glee. They’ll examine the tragic deaths of some of the show’s stars, as well as the deaths of some of the show's crew - with some blaming the show's grueling production schedule and long days. They will also discuss the abusive marriage between cast members Melissa Benoist and Blake Jenner and how hard violence and spousal abuse allegations can be to sort out through the legal system.

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People come to Hollywood to find fame and fortune. The lucky ones see their star rise and are catapulted into an untouchable bubble of fame. But all too often these once beloved icons are met with a disturbing fate – either through an untimely death or a scandal that brings their world crashing down around them. It moves us to ask questions – questions that can only be answered by those in the know. This one of a kind true crime podcast serves as a companion to “The Price of Glee” and “Death by Fame”. Helmed by LA Defense Attorney Sara Azari, this series not only dives deeper into the mysteries explored in these series, but through Sara’s expert legal lens, it also uncovers new cases where a hunger for fame was met with darkness or even death.

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