Pod Crashing episode 376 with Caroline D’Amore from the podcast Once Upon A Con Television personality and founder of LA-based organic Italian food and accessories company, Pizza Girl, Caroline D'Amore ("The Hills: New Beginnings," "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," "Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars") is taking back control with her powerful new true crime series with iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, "Once Upon a Con" premiers February 12, 2025, on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. The series chronicles D'Amore's transformation from victim to relentless crusader as she exposes David Bloom, the notorious and prolific fraudster. Produced by Alex Baskin's 32 Flavors-the creative force behind "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," "The Real Housewives of Orange County," "Vanderpump Rules," and "The Valley," among many others -and AYR Media ("Queen of the Con"; "Bitter Blood" and "Spy High," among many others), "Once Upon a Con" delivers gripping access to D'Amore's dramatic pursuit of justice, featuring never-before-seen footage of her high-stakes confrontation with Bloom that ultimately led to his arrest on multiple felony charges. In 2020, Bloom infiltrated the star-studded world of Hollywood's iconic Villa Carlotta, a prestigious haven for A-list creatives. Masquerading as a philanthropic billionaire with fabricated ties to top executives, Bloom orchestrated an elaborate scheme to defraud D'Amore and her business partners out of tens of thousands of dollars-and other victims out of significantly more. But Bloom didn't anticipate D'Amore's determination to fight back. Refusing to remain a victim, D'Amore launched her own investigation, uncovering decades of deceit that stretched back to Bloom's days as Manhattan's infamous "Wall Street Whiz Kid." The podcast reveals D'Amore's fearless pursuit of the truth, taking listeners step-by-step through the relentless investigation and dogged efforts that ultimately bring Bloom to justice. "'Once Upon a Con' isn't just about what happened to me-it's about exposing the manipulators who prey on trust and showing that even when you feel powerless, you can take the fight to those who think they're untouchable," says D'Amore. "Once Upon a Con" features exclusive interviews with Bloom's victims, including survivors from his earlier multi-million-dollar busts in Manhattan in the 1980s and 1990s, uncovering his long trail of fraud across Hollywood and Manhattan, and delivering shocking revelations about his tactics. With unprecedented access to the investigation, "Once Upon a Con" gives listeners a front-row seat to the dramatic takedown of one of Hollywood's most cunning predators, who now sits in a Los Angeles County prison waiting for trial. Episodes available here:Https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-once-upon-a-con-260747492/
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, thanks for coming back to the conversation. Let's do
some pod crashing. Episode number three seventy six is with
Caroline Diamore from the podcast Once Upon.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
A con I'm doing great. How are you? Thank you
for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Oh my god, I'm so excited to talk with you
because you're doing something with your podcast that I've never
heard of this style done before. And I love the
way your character introduction and the way that we get
to know each person that's involved in this and so
you give us that opportunity to build a relationship here
and it's not boom boom boom boom boom.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Yes, I think I think this pod true crime podcast
is definitely different than any others out there for sure.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
The thing that you do is, I mean, first of all,
you know, I want to have a Hammy in my life.
I want to have somebody that's my buddy like that.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Yes, my best friend's in seventh grade is the best.
It's definitely been amazing having him by my side.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Well, the two journeys that you both have been on,
I mean, you've got to have a best friend like
that because I mean, what you have gone through, I
mean from the hies to the really super lows and
you're not afraid to talk about it.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Oh No, I've been through it all, and a lot
of people like to say I've lived, you know, a
thousand lives, and I have, and you know, all of
that is incorporated into, you know, the knowledge I have
today and how I help others and my company and
my parenting.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
So I'm proud of everything I've been through.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
I'm in retail, so I deal with con artists every
frickin' day. I don't know how you're able to. I mean,
you're more. You got more involved with it because it
happened to you, and all of a sudden you've got
to pull yourself out of that hell.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yes, when you find out it is one of the
worst feelings in the world, you are. I was literally,
you know, having the worst thoughts about myself I've ever
had in my life. It was definitely the lowest I've
ever felt. But I but I do believe that it
happened to me for a reason, because I do have
this inner strength where I'm okay with using my voice
(01:58):
to help the voiceless and to help others, and I
was able to rise up and fight back and I'm
really happy I did it because I know for a
fact we have saved a lot of people from the
wrath of David Bloom.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
I was gonna say, do you think David Bloom knows
what he has done? I mean, I realized he went
through the actions and stuff, but does his soul know
what he has done to other people? Especially yourself?
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (02:22):
He knows, because I gathered a bunch of us and
we all went and knocked on his door. Do I
think that he feels it? No, I don't know that
he feels anything. It's very weird, to be honest, when
you listen to his wife's account of what he put
her through on Once upon a Con. She's also on
the show. We had a lot of people on the
show that I think, once you hear what they have
(02:42):
to say, you are just like, Okay, this man will
not stop unless he has stopped.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
He's been doing this since before I was born.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
I didn't stand a chance. So no, I'm not ashamed.
I'm proud that I figured it out. My partners and
I were smart enough to go undercover and start recording everything,
not let on that we knew what the heck.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
He was up to. Find all these other victims, gather
everybody together, gather all.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
This information and be brave and go and fight. And
now he's standing behind you know, he's behind bars, and
who knows how many people we've you know, saved from
from him.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
You know.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
One of the stars on this is that microphone, that
hidden microphone. What were you using to where they couldn't
easily identify? No?
Speaker 3 (03:27):
No, no, we made sure that you know, he knew
that we were recording. Oh, I mean, I mean listen
the phone recordings. No, because we did that from Texas
where you can legally record people. So the recordings where
you hear him on the phone, he did not know that.
But I wasn't in the room with him, so he
did not He didn't see that. But I mean he
saw me walk up to him with the with the
(03:50):
phone when we did the when we all, you know,
Kate confronted him.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
We call it the confrontation.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
You know, he saw the phone during a few times boom.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
We just didn't care what he thought.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
You know.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Wow, Wow, that's that's brave. I mean seriously, I mean,
where did you gain the confidence to be able to
do that?
Speaker 2 (04:09):
You know what I was shaking?
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Yeah, I was shaking.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
I remember, like physically shaking and still just going through
with it anyway, and just being like, no, I have
to do this this time in my life. You know,
I had been through other things in my life where
I wish I had spoken up, but I was so
young and just vulnerable and didn't know. And now I
feel like being brave and speaking up is the most
healing thing I could ever do for myself.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
So, yeah, you.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Use song snippets inside the podcast, which which to me
is a mile marker. It puts me in the place
where you were once standing. I love the way that
you use those song snippets.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Yeah, we really wanted this also to be entertaining and easily.
I think a lot of true crime podcasts, you know,
you hear the story, you know, and in this one
you really gets in.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
It's cinematic in a lot ways.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, yeah, it is. I almost feel like I'm watching
a reality show, except it's taking place inside my imagination exactly.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
That's where we went with it, so I'm so happy
it came across that way.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
So was there any writing involved or was this all
pure ad lib and improv?
Speaker 3 (05:16):
You know?
Speaker 2 (05:16):
There was both you know, you have to keep things
in order.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
You have to really tell a story from beginning to end,
where I have add and I'm all.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Over the place. So I definitely had help.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Keeping things in line, which I'm super grateful for. I
have incredible producers, and you know, we were able to
tell a story where you can speak from the heart.
But then of course it's in an order that is
easy to digest.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
So now I'm also an editor, So what is that
like for you to go into the editing process when
when everybody's so open to speak.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
You know, it's definitely not easy. You have to keep
it in line and you don't want to remove buddies,
you know, emotions, So it's definitely not easy.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
This took a.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Long time because I have to go through what I
call a fermenting stage. I've got to be totally disconnected
from what was recorded so that I can go in
there as the editor and be truthful to the story.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
You know, it was really hard for me.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I mean being somebody who went through it, and then
even rehearing and recounting, it's almost like you're reliving it
all again.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
So now I.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Can listen to it and it's a much easier listen,
but in the beginning it was very emotional.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Absolutely, Yeah, how.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Did you deal with rebuilding your foundation of trust? Because
I man, I can't forget anything. I mean I forgive,
I just can't forget.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
You know, I was in a very vulnerable state, and
that's what these con artists do. They go for people
who are struggling. You know, I was going through a divorce.
I was, you know, trying to get my new company
off the ground, which we all know as startup founders.
That is a very vulnerable place. And I I think
that now I have boundaries. I make sure that I
(07:05):
you know, I keep my circle close. You know. When
we're young, we have you know, hundreds of friends, and
sometimes I look back and I'm like, who were those people.
I'm grateful for my Hammi's and my people who I've
you know, built strong relationships with, and to be honest,
less is more these days.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Yeah, I was shocked to see that you were a DJ.
I love because I love spinning music myself. I mean,
that is a rare art of really keeping and capturing
that audience that's right there in front of you.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Absolutely, I became a DJ after I was a high
school dropout. So I started very early, at like seventeen
years old, and I was paying my own bills through
DJing And you know, I want one of the first
females to do it on a grand scale back then,
so I'm very proud of that time.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
I had two record.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Deals, one in Japan with Sony and one in one
with Universal out here.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
So I had a lot of fun doing that.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
But you know, it also takes you down a wild
party girl path that I really wanted to.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Hey, I still have CDs at smell like cigarette smoke
from all those nightclubs being in there until two three
o'clock in the morning.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Me too, I started on CDs. Remember the mess of
CDs everywhere?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yes, it was wild.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Having to write different words on the CDs, so you
remember what's in it?
Speaker 1 (08:20):
That's so true. And what I love today though, is
that you know, with modern day computers and things, that
I just type in the first couple of letters of
a song and boom and there it is. Let's go.
There's no reason to wait now, yep.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
And I was using flask drives and all that events
it got easier.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
So then are you part of the inspiration between I mean,
you know, to inspire Paris Hilton to get into DJing then,
because I mean you, like you said you started at seventeen.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Yeah, you know, I was her DJ for all of
her record release parties when her album Stars Are Blind
came out, So I was definitely djaying before her. But
you know, djaying became so popular and everybody started doing it,
so I think there was a lot of inspiration in
there for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
But I definitely did, you know, for her a hell
of a lot back in the day.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Wow. And might I add that you're also on the
first episode of The Kardashians as a DJ as well.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Yes, I am.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
I've a lot of funny little appearances with the Kardashians
and with lots of uh lots of that crew growing up.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
So now to be in that position, I mean, because
I mean one and even you you admit that there
was it's kind of shocking. You had all of these
people in pro with big profiles and there you were,
and you kept showing up in the photos and the
paparazzi wanted to know who are you?
Speaker 3 (09:32):
But you man, you just kept your own very true. Yeah,
they were all like, well, why is this girl here?
You know, like she's just the pizza girl. And oh
they weren't wrong, you know, so it was it was interesting.
It was a very strange dynamic. I always say I
was the kid from the wrong side of the beach, you.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Know, don't you think that having that pizza job, that's
the reason why you're so down to earth in one
on one because you understand and how on how to
recognize real people who can really have a relationship.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
With without a doubt.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
I am super grateful for, you know, my hard work
ethic that I gained as a child, you know, catering
with my dad and working really hard. My first job
was delivering pizzas you know. I I I still when
I'm doing events now. I mean, I love to just
get get in there and clean and talk and you know,
I am a service industry person and it's where I
(10:25):
feel safe. And yeah, I definitely gained my my my personality,
my ability to you know, just be grounded through that
absolutely being.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
That service person. I mean, one of the things that
I love about being out there is the fact that
to me, it's a performance. It's it's it's it's you know,
I always want to recognize them first. I don't want
you to recognize me. I want to I want to
recognize you, and then and then we grow from there.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Absolutely, you know, I think, you know, just being a
personable person is a talent. Being able to be, you know,
have something bad happen at home, but then show up
and do your best and smile is an incredible skill
to hone. And I'm really grateful that I that I've
(11:11):
gained that skill from all the hard work I've done
in my life.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
So when you're putting this podcast together, are you thinking about, Okay,
what is the next adventure? Because once once you get
into these podcasts, man, you can't shake them. You're always
going to want to be that creative person.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
I know. You know, this was my first podcast experience
on my own, and I never thought that it would
be based on, you know, a true crime.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Situation that happened to me.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
But you know, I tend to just go with the
way the world takes me, the paths that the world
takes me on, and I yeah, you know, if it
were to get a second season, that would be based
on the listenership and people really wanting it, and then
I would go and I would help somebody else through
there through their trauma. So we'll see what happens there.
(11:58):
It's still yet to be if we're going to do
another season or not. We shall see.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Oh I can totally see it going into other seasons.
In fact, when I was listening to it, it was like,
I'm going, this is more than just one once upon
a con you know, because there's so many people all
over the country that are conned every day.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Right absolutely, And I get reached out to now every
single day like oh my god, this happened to me,
This happened to my mom. I mean, I get hundreds
of messages now from people who have had similar stories.
So yeah, I mean, we would basically just figure out
who the next you know, big con artist is that
needs to be taken down.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
I have no problem doing that.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
That tells me that you're a great listener. Where did
you learn that art?
Speaker 3 (12:40):
I used to talk more than I listen, and I
realize you gain wisdom from closing your mouth and just
listening and absorbing and being a better listener is honestly
one of.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
The best qualities I have cultivated over the years.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
I think that that's how we educate ourselves by learning others.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Yeah, yeah, because if you don't share your story, other
people will write it for you. And that's what I
love about this podcast is that you are physically sharing
your story.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
I mean the amount of actual instances you hear in
Once Upon a Con. I mean, I'm hearing that this
is almost never been done in true crime. Normally, something
happens and you're just hearing a story re told. But
on Once Upon a Con, you are hearing exactly where
I was in that moment because my business partners started
(13:30):
recording and you hearing me. You're hearing me find out,
and you're hearing me have a panic attack, and you're
hearing me freak out, and then you're also hearing me
go and fight back and stand up. And you know,
I don't want to give too much away because we're
only on episode four, but I mean the amount of
actual instances you hear on Once Upon a Con is wild, you.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Know, with you explaining it exactly like that, all of
a sudden, I feel like that that we're playing you
in that group of people that you were hanging out with,
except you can't see us, and you know, so I'm
waiting for the paparazzi to say, who are these people?
That are listening what's going on here? Why do they
get to go and listen to this stuff?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Exactly, Yeah, because that's how real you're making it. I mean,
you really do make us feel like that this is
going on right here, right now.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Yeah, you know, And that was one of the you
know arts, I think, the fine arts of Once Upon
a Con. It's like we were able to really have
you know, real conversations, take people back into the moment,
and also you know, play these recordings that we were
able to obtain in the moment. So it's definitely a
very special, unique podcast. And I really hope that everybody
(14:48):
out there listens to Once Upon a Con and lets
me know on Instagram at Caroline de More you know
how it made them feel.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
What are you doing to help, you know, find that
inner piece? I mean, is there meta involved? Are you
daily writing, You're taking walks? What are you doing to
keep that peace?
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Oh my gosh, I'm doing so much now that I
wish I started doing when I was younger. But I
work out every day, I medite it every day. I
love reading now. My life is so different. I'm actually
working on a tell all book called From Party Girl
to pizza girl, because it is all a journey man
to get here and to just be happy with who
(15:25):
I am and where I am and finally just just
really be comfortable with being me has been the best
thing I've ever discovered in my life.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
See a lot of people don't understand that the journey,
because everybody wants to be you know, big and famous
and memorable. By the age of twenty one. It say, God,
you have not even learned yet how to be a person.
Go out there and make mistakes and just become great.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Absolutely, every single one of my failures I am so
grateful for, and trust me, I've had many, But that
is I feel like being forty years old is the
best time in my life, entire life, because now not
only do I still have all that like young, youthful energy,
but I also have all of this wisdom and that
(16:08):
I you know, never had in my life. So I'm
really grateful for where I am right now, and I
just want a lot of other everybody out there to
have the same, you know, positive feeling about where they
are in life.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
You're gonna love being in your forties and the reason
why is because you spent your entire thirties mopping up
the messes that you did as a teen and as
a twenty year old. But man, in your forties, you're
finally you're going wow, what can I do? But wait
till you turn fifty when you start turning around people
to people and saying I've done that before, I'm not
doing it again. It's where you start getting the strength
to say get away from me.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Yeah yeah, And unfortunately they won't listen because they're.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
They're too young and dumb.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
What have you personally learned on this podcast?
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Oh my gosh, what haven't I learned? I've learned that
sharing your story is incredibly empowering and healing and helps.
Helping others will help you, I promise you, like, get
out of your own way, get out there and help people,
and you will heal from whatever it is that you're
going through.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Absolutely find a.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Way to help others, because it is the best thing
I've ever done in my life.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Because I'm a broadcast instructor, I'm with students all the
time who think there's stars right now. How long has
it physically taken you to put this podcast together? Because
a lot of these people think they can walk into
a room and have a million listeners just by being
in there for fifteen minutes.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Well if they yeah, no, this took years, and that's
why it's as good as it is. You know, sometimes
good things take time, and I wish I knew that
when I was younger. It's okay to step away and
to struggle and to put all of your efforts into something,
(17:55):
to really present something really special when it's ready.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Where can people go to find out more about you,
especially startup founders, because I want people to understand who
you are as a person and as a leader.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Absolutely, you can go to at Caroline de Morey on Instagram.
You can follow my company at Pizza Girl. You can
go to my website pizzagirl dot com and see what
we're doing now. It's super exciting. We're opening you know,
pizza shops all over We have sauces on the on
the whole foodshelves and you know other supermarkets all over
the country. We have incredible pizza ovens you can buy
(18:29):
to make pizzas at home. I mean, we're really doing
it all. It's pretty exciting. And yeah, that's about it.
Just follow my journey and I'd love to take you
guys all with me.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Wow, you got to come back to this show when
you release that book because I want to talk to
you about that book so we can dive in even deeper.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Oh yeah, that's going to be a long journey too.
So i'll talk to you in ten years.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Will you'd be brilliant today?
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Okay, all right, you too, Thank you so much.
Hey, thanks for coming back to the conversation. Let's do
some pod crashing. Episode number three seventy six is with
Caroline Diamore from the podcast Once Upon.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
A con I'm doing great. How are you? Thank you
for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Oh my god, I'm so excited to talk with you
because you're doing something with your podcast that I've never
heard of this style done before. And I love the
way your character introduction and the way that we get
to know each person that's involved in this and so
you give us that opportunity to build a relationship here
and it's not boom boom boom boom boom.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Yes, I think I think this pod true crime podcast
is definitely different than any others out there for sure.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
The thing that you do is, I mean, first of all,
you know, I want to have a Hammy in my life.
I want to have somebody that's my buddy like that.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Yes, my best friend's in seventh grade is the best.
It's definitely been amazing having him by my side.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Well, the two journeys that you both have been on,
I mean, you've got to have a best friend like
that because I mean, what you have gone through, I
mean from the hies to the really super lows and
you're not afraid to talk about it.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Oh No, I've been through it all, and a lot
of people like to say I've lived, you know, a
thousand lives, and I have, and you know, all of
that is incorporated into, you know, the knowledge I have
today and how I help others and my company and
my parenting.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
So I'm proud of everything I've been through.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
I'm in retail, so I deal with con artists every
frickin' day. I don't know how you're able to. I mean,
you're more. You got more involved with it because it
happened to you, and all of a sudden you've got
to pull yourself out of that hell.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yes, when you find out it is one of the
worst feelings in the world, you are. I was literally,
you know, having the worst thoughts about myself I've ever
had in my life. It was definitely the lowest I've
ever felt. But I but I do believe that it
happened to me for a reason, because I do have
this inner strength where I'm okay with using my voice
(01:58):
to help the voiceless and to help others, and I
was able to rise up and fight back and I'm
really happy I did it because I know for a
fact we have saved a lot of people from the
wrath of David Bloom.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
I was gonna say, do you think David Bloom knows
what he has done? I mean, I realized he went
through the actions and stuff, but does his soul know
what he has done to other people? Especially yourself?
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (02:22):
He knows, because I gathered a bunch of us and
we all went and knocked on his door. Do I
think that he feels it? No, I don't know that
he feels anything. It's very weird, to be honest, when
you listen to his wife's account of what he put
her through on Once upon a Con. She's also on
the show. We had a lot of people on the
show that I think, once you hear what they have
(02:42):
to say, you are just like, Okay, this man will
not stop unless he has stopped.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
He's been doing this since before I was born.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
I didn't stand a chance. So no, I'm not ashamed.
I'm proud that I figured it out. My partners and
I were smart enough to go undercover and start recording everything,
not let on that we knew what the heck.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
He was up to. Find all these other victims, gather
everybody together, gather all.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
This information and be brave and go and fight. And
now he's standing behind you know, he's behind bars, and
who knows how many people we've you know, saved from
from him.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
You know.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
One of the stars on this is that microphone, that
hidden microphone. What were you using to where they couldn't
easily identify? No?
Speaker 3 (03:27):
No, no, we made sure that you know, he knew
that we were recording. Oh, I mean, I mean listen
the phone recordings. No, because we did that from Texas
where you can legally record people. So the recordings where
you hear him on the phone, he did not know that.
But I wasn't in the room with him, so he
did not He didn't see that. But I mean he
saw me walk up to him with the with the
(03:50):
phone when we did the when we all, you know,
Kate confronted him.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
We call it the confrontation.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
You know, he saw the phone during a few times boom.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
We just didn't care what he thought.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
You know.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Wow, Wow, that's that's brave. I mean seriously, I mean,
where did you gain the confidence to be able to
do that?
Speaker 2 (04:09):
You know what I was shaking?
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Yeah, I was shaking.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
I remember, like physically shaking and still just going through
with it anyway, and just being like, no, I have
to do this this time in my life. You know,
I had been through other things in my life where
I wish I had spoken up, but I was so
young and just vulnerable and didn't know. And now I
feel like being brave and speaking up is the most
healing thing I could ever do for myself.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
So, yeah, you.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Use song snippets inside the podcast, which which to me
is a mile marker. It puts me in the place
where you were once standing. I love the way that
you use those song snippets.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Yeah, we really wanted this also to be entertaining and easily.
I think a lot of true crime podcasts, you know,
you hear the story, you know, and in this one
you really gets in.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
It's cinematic in a lot ways.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, yeah, it is. I almost feel like I'm watching
a reality show, except it's taking place inside my imagination exactly.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
That's where we went with it, so I'm so happy
it came across that way.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
So was there any writing involved or was this all
pure ad lib and improv?
Speaker 3 (05:16):
You know?
Speaker 2 (05:16):
There was both you know, you have to keep things
in order.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
You have to really tell a story from beginning to end,
where I have add and I'm all.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Over the place. So I definitely had help.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Keeping things in line, which I'm super grateful for. I
have incredible producers, and you know, we were able to
tell a story where you can speak from the heart.
But then of course it's in an order that is
easy to digest.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
So now I'm also an editor, So what is that
like for you to go into the editing process when
when everybody's so open to speak.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
You know, it's definitely not easy. You have to keep
it in line and you don't want to remove buddies,
you know, emotions, So it's definitely not easy.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
This took a.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Long time because I have to go through what I
call a fermenting stage. I've got to be totally disconnected
from what was recorded so that I can go in
there as the editor and be truthful to the story.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
You know, it was really hard for me.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I mean being somebody who went through it, and then
even rehearing and recounting, it's almost like you're reliving it
all again.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
So now I.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Can listen to it and it's a much easier listen,
but in the beginning it was very emotional.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Absolutely, Yeah, how.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Did you deal with rebuilding your foundation of trust? Because
I man, I can't forget anything. I mean I forgive,
I just can't forget.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
You know, I was in a very vulnerable state, and
that's what these con artists do. They go for people
who are struggling. You know, I was going through a divorce.
I was, you know, trying to get my new company
off the ground, which we all know as startup founders.
That is a very vulnerable place. And I I think
that now I have boundaries. I make sure that I
(07:05):
you know, I keep my circle close. You know. When
we're young, we have you know, hundreds of friends, and
sometimes I look back and I'm like, who were those people.
I'm grateful for my Hammi's and my people who I've
you know, built strong relationships with, and to be honest,
less is more these days.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Yeah, I was shocked to see that you were a DJ.
I love because I love spinning music myself. I mean,
that is a rare art of really keeping and capturing
that audience that's right there in front of you.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Absolutely, I became a DJ after I was a high
school dropout. So I started very early, at like seventeen
years old, and I was paying my own bills through
DJing And you know, I want one of the first
females to do it on a grand scale back then,
so I'm very proud of that time.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
I had two record.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Deals, one in Japan with Sony and one in one
with Universal out here.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
So I had a lot of fun doing that.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
But you know, it also takes you down a wild
party girl path that I really wanted to.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Hey, I still have CDs at smell like cigarette smoke
from all those nightclubs being in there until two three
o'clock in the morning.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Me too, I started on CDs. Remember the mess of
CDs everywhere?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yes, it was wild.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Having to write different words on the CDs, so you
remember what's in it?
Speaker 1 (08:20):
That's so true. And what I love today though, is
that you know, with modern day computers and things, that
I just type in the first couple of letters of
a song and boom and there it is. Let's go.
There's no reason to wait now, yep.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
And I was using flask drives and all that events
it got easier.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
So then are you part of the inspiration between I mean,
you know, to inspire Paris Hilton to get into DJing then,
because I mean you, like you said you started at seventeen.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Yeah, you know, I was her DJ for all of
her record release parties when her album Stars Are Blind
came out, So I was definitely djaying before her. But
you know, djaying became so popular and everybody started doing it,
so I think there was a lot of inspiration in
there for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
But I definitely did, you know, for her a hell
of a lot back in the day.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Wow. And might I add that you're also on the
first episode of The Kardashians as a DJ as well.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Yes, I am.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
I've a lot of funny little appearances with the Kardashians
and with lots of uh lots of that crew growing up.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
So now to be in that position, I mean, because
I mean one and even you you admit that there
was it's kind of shocking. You had all of these
people in pro with big profiles and there you were,
and you kept showing up in the photos and the
paparazzi wanted to know who are you?
Speaker 3 (09:32):
But you man, you just kept your own very true. Yeah,
they were all like, well, why is this girl here?
You know, like she's just the pizza girl. And oh
they weren't wrong, you know, so it was it was interesting.
It was a very strange dynamic. I always say I
was the kid from the wrong side of the beach, you.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Know, don't you think that having that pizza job, that's
the reason why you're so down to earth in one
on one because you understand and how on how to
recognize real people who can really have a relationship.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
With without a doubt.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
I am super grateful for, you know, my hard work
ethic that I gained as a child, you know, catering
with my dad and working really hard. My first job
was delivering pizzas you know. I I I still when
I'm doing events now. I mean, I love to just
get get in there and clean and talk and you know,
I am a service industry person and it's where I
(10:25):
feel safe. And yeah, I definitely gained my my my personality,
my ability to you know, just be grounded through that
absolutely being.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
That service person. I mean, one of the things that
I love about being out there is the fact that
to me, it's a performance. It's it's it's it's you know,
I always want to recognize them first. I don't want
you to recognize me. I want to I want to
recognize you, and then and then we grow from there.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Absolutely, you know, I think, you know, just being a
personable person is a talent. Being able to be, you know,
have something bad happen at home, but then show up
and do your best and smile is an incredible skill
to hone. And I'm really grateful that I that I've
(11:11):
gained that skill from all the hard work I've done
in my life.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
So when you're putting this podcast together, are you thinking about, Okay,
what is the next adventure? Because once once you get
into these podcasts, man, you can't shake them. You're always
going to want to be that creative person.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
I know. You know, this was my first podcast experience
on my own, and I never thought that it would
be based on, you know, a true crime.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Situation that happened to me.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
But you know, I tend to just go with the
way the world takes me, the paths that the world
takes me on, and I yeah, you know, if it
were to get a second season, that would be based
on the listenership and people really wanting it, and then
I would go and I would help somebody else through
there through their trauma. So we'll see what happens there.
(11:58):
It's still yet to be if we're going to do
another season or not. We shall see.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Oh I can totally see it going into other seasons.
In fact, when I was listening to it, it was like,
I'm going, this is more than just one once upon
a con you know, because there's so many people all
over the country that are conned every day.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Right absolutely, And I get reached out to now every
single day like oh my god, this happened to me,
This happened to my mom. I mean, I get hundreds
of messages now from people who have had similar stories.
So yeah, I mean, we would basically just figure out
who the next you know, big con artist is that
needs to be taken down.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
I have no problem doing that.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
That tells me that you're a great listener. Where did
you learn that art?
Speaker 3 (12:40):
I used to talk more than I listen, and I
realize you gain wisdom from closing your mouth and just
listening and absorbing and being a better listener is honestly
one of.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
The best qualities I have cultivated over the years.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
I think that that's how we educate ourselves by learning others.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Yeah, yeah, because if you don't share your story, other
people will write it for you. And that's what I
love about this podcast is that you are physically sharing
your story.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
I mean the amount of actual instances you hear in
Once Upon a Con. I mean, I'm hearing that this
is almost never been done in true crime. Normally, something
happens and you're just hearing a story re told. But
on Once Upon a Con, you are hearing exactly where
I was in that moment because my business partners started
(13:30):
recording and you hearing me. You're hearing me find out,
and you're hearing me have a panic attack, and you're
hearing me freak out, and then you're also hearing me
go and fight back and stand up. And you know,
I don't want to give too much away because we're
only on episode four, but I mean the amount of
actual instances you hear on Once Upon a Con is wild, you.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Know, with you explaining it exactly like that, all of
a sudden, I feel like that that we're playing you
in that group of people that you were hanging out with,
except you can't see us, and you know, so I'm
waiting for the paparazzi to say, who are these people?
That are listening what's going on here? Why do they
get to go and listen to this stuff?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Exactly, Yeah, because that's how real you're making it. I mean,
you really do make us feel like that this is
going on right here, right now.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Yeah, you know, And that was one of the you
know arts, I think, the fine arts of Once Upon
a Con. It's like we were able to really have
you know, real conversations, take people back into the moment,
and also you know, play these recordings that we were
able to obtain in the moment. So it's definitely a
very special, unique podcast. And I really hope that everybody
(14:48):
out there listens to Once Upon a Con and lets
me know on Instagram at Caroline de More you know
how it made them feel.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
What are you doing to help, you know, find that
inner piece? I mean, is there meta involved? Are you
daily writing, You're taking walks? What are you doing to
keep that peace?
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Oh my gosh, I'm doing so much now that I
wish I started doing when I was younger. But I
work out every day, I medite it every day. I
love reading now. My life is so different. I'm actually
working on a tell all book called From Party Girl
to pizza girl, because it is all a journey man
to get here and to just be happy with who
(15:25):
I am and where I am and finally just just
really be comfortable with being me has been the best
thing I've ever discovered in my life.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
See a lot of people don't understand that the journey,
because everybody wants to be you know, big and famous
and memorable. By the age of twenty one. It say, God,
you have not even learned yet how to be a person.
Go out there and make mistakes and just become great.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Absolutely, every single one of my failures I am so
grateful for, and trust me, I've had many, But that
is I feel like being forty years old is the
best time in my life, entire life, because now not
only do I still have all that like young, youthful energy,
but I also have all of this wisdom and that
(16:08):
I you know, never had in my life. So I'm
really grateful for where I am right now, and I
just want a lot of other everybody out there to
have the same, you know, positive feeling about where they
are in life.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
You're gonna love being in your forties and the reason
why is because you spent your entire thirties mopping up
the messes that you did as a teen and as
a twenty year old. But man, in your forties, you're
finally you're going wow, what can I do? But wait
till you turn fifty when you start turning around people
to people and saying I've done that before, I'm not
doing it again. It's where you start getting the strength
to say get away from me.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Yeah yeah, And unfortunately they won't listen because they're.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
They're too young and dumb.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
What have you personally learned on this podcast?
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Oh my gosh, what haven't I learned? I've learned that
sharing your story is incredibly empowering and healing and helps.
Helping others will help you, I promise you, like, get
out of your own way, get out there and help people,
and you will heal from whatever it is that you're
going through.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Absolutely find a.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Way to help others, because it is the best thing
I've ever done in my life.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Because I'm a broadcast instructor, I'm with students all the
time who think there's stars right now. How long has
it physically taken you to put this podcast together? Because
a lot of these people think they can walk into
a room and have a million listeners just by being
in there for fifteen minutes.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Well if they yeah, no, this took years, and that's
why it's as good as it is. You know, sometimes
good things take time, and I wish I knew that
when I was younger. It's okay to step away and
to struggle and to put all of your efforts into something,
(17:55):
to really present something really special when it's ready.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Where can people go to find out more about you,
especially startup founders, because I want people to understand who
you are as a person and as a leader.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Absolutely, you can go to at Caroline de Morey on Instagram.
You can follow my company at Pizza Girl. You can
go to my website pizzagirl dot com and see what
we're doing now. It's super exciting. We're opening you know,
pizza shops all over We have sauces on the on
the whole foodshelves and you know other supermarkets all over
the country. We have incredible pizza ovens you can buy
(18:29):
to make pizzas at home. I mean, we're really doing
it all. It's pretty exciting. And yeah, that's about it.
Just follow my journey and I'd love to take you
guys all with me.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Wow, you got to come back to this show when
you release that book because I want to talk to
you about that book so we can dive in even deeper.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Oh yeah, that's going to be a long journey too.
So i'll talk to you in ten years.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Will you'd be brilliant today?
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Okay, all right, you too, Thank you so much.
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