Whistleblower

It’s no secret that I love Texas Monthly and its approach to championing long-form journalism through podcasting (reminder to listen to BOOMTOWN, which I mentioned in the 4/17 email). But this week, I’m recommending its newest podcast, TOM BROWN’S BODY. In this eight-part true crime series, award winning journalist Skip Hollandsworth digs into the mysterious 2016 disappearance of popular high school senior Tom Brown on the night before Thanksgiving. This is a dynamic and nuanced portrayal of small-town life in America, the ways in which people grieve, universal teenage struggles, and of course your typical true-crime “whodunit.” 

I am by no means a sports fan but I found myself addicted to WHISTLEBLOWER, in a way similar to what I think a lot of people experienced with THE LAST DANCE. Likely this is because Whistleblower isn't merely a story about basketball but instead is a sweeping narrative about money, mafia, capitalism, and a conspiracy. The culmination of almost a decade of reporting, this series tells the story of NBA referee Tim Donaghy and the backstory behind his  2017 arrest for betting on games he officiated. 

—Lucy Putnam, Development Assistant