Rephonic
Artwork for Gerbil
Richard Gere
Richard Gere Gerbil Rumor
AIDS
Allen Salkin
Gerbil
Gossip
Gerbil Rumor
National Lampoon
Gerbils
Philadelphia
Gerpil/gerbil Rumor
Rock Hudson
Gerbil Rumor Infection Syndrome
Rodent Urban Legends
The USDA Presents A Guide To Dating Gerbils
The Facts Of Life
Hollywood Reporter
Jan-Harold Brunvand
Jerry Penacolli
California Gerbil Ban

Everyone knows the story about Richard Gere. Few know how it started. For four decades, a salacious and unproven rumor has shadowed one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Investigative reporter Allen Salkin spent six years chasing its origins — and uncovered a story about gossip, power, politics, the internet and the peculiar wiring of our own brains. New episodes every Thursday.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes9Founded2 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
TV & FilmTrue Crime

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Artwork for Gerbil

Latest Episodes

Gere has a story he tells friends about where this all started but does it hold up? We chase an espionage angle, consider Chinese disinformation as retaliation for his Tibet activism, file CIA FOIA requests and find surprising extra motivation for Ge... more

The Toronto Film Festival, a Hollywood sitcom writers room, and a Manhattan humor magazine provide clues through the murkiest origins of the rumor. Testimony from writers and reporters, and a key archival discovery, give unsettling clarity about when... more

Gerbils have been illegal in California since 1924. So how does the rumor even work? Allen road-trips to Arizona to meet real gerbils, becomes a casualty of a nasty hamster, consults Sigmund Freud, and calls up New York's "Rat Czar" to sort out smugg... more

Is "gerbiling” actually a real thing? Between a bestiality investigator's case file, a 2024 FBI report, and doctors who've seen things, we go looking for the line between urban legend and actual medical phenomenon.

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Recent Guests

Peter Goddard
Canadian journalist and music writer who reported on the Toronto Film Festival
Toronto Star
Episode: 7 - A Guide to Dating Gerbils
Cathy Lett
Author and television comedy writer who worked on The Facts of Life
The Facts of Life
Episode: 7 - A Guide to Dating Gerbils
Bob Coleri
Television writer whose credits include Barney Miller and The Golden Girls
Episode: 7 - A Guide to Dating Gerbils
Andy Simmons
Writer for National Lampoon
National Lampoon
Episode: 7 - A Guide to Dating Gerbils
Dave Hanson
Writer for National Lampoon
National Lampoon
Episode: 7 - A Guide to Dating Gerbils
John Gurney
Illustrator who worked on the National Lampoon gerbil article
National Lampoon
Episode: 7 - A Guide to Dating Gerbils
Donna Anastasi
President of the American Gerbil Society
American Gerbil Society
Episode: 6 - Fear and Biting in Mesa
Bobby Corrigan
Rodentologist and consultant who has worked with New York City
New York City
Episode: 6 - Fear and Biting in Mesa
Tom Zollner
Journalist who has written extensively about Arizona
Episode: 6 - Fear and Biting in Mesa

Host

Allen Salkin
Host and journalist behind the investigation with ties to major outlets and independent production partners

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#20
United States/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#10
United Kingdom/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#49
Canada/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#13
Australia/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#145
Germany/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#7
Ireland/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#19
New Zealand/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#29
Netherlands/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#30
Switzerland/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#54
Denmark/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#96
Argentina/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#126
Finland/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#136
Sweden/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#171
Israel/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#209
South Africa/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#237
Mexico/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#237
United Arab Emirates/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#238
Austria/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#247
Brazil/TV & Film

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

6 - Fear and Biting in Mesa
Q: What is a gerbil?
Donna Anastasi explains that the pets discussed are Mongolian gerbils, first brought to the United States as laboratory animals for epilepsy and hearing research before researchers began keeping them as pets.
6 - Fear and Biting in Mesa
Q: So if gerbils are scarce in the Golden State, now and in the 1980s, how could Richard Gere have gotten one?
The episode examines the possibility that a rodent could have come from another state, then suggests that a hamster may have been more accessible in California than a gerbil.
7 - A Guide to Dating Gerbils
Q: Why Richard Gere's name is in that panel.
Andy Simmons said rumors about Gere were already being discussed and that the comic mocked those rumors, but he could not recall why Gere's name appeared or whether he had heard the association before writing it.
7 - A Guide to Dating Gerbils
Q: Why did you reference gerbils in mentioning Richard Gere?
Peter Goddard said several people had mentioned the gerbil rumor, and he referred to it to remind readers of what people were saying.
3 - Sex Object
Q: How did Gere's public image influence his career decisions in the 1980s?
Gere's image as a sex symbol both propelled and complicated his choices, with studios often balancing riskier, edgier roles against mainstream blockbusters, as seen in the trajectory from American Gigolo through King David and beyond.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Gerbil

What is Gerbil about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on long-running Hollywood rumors, investigative journalism, and the social dynamics of gossip, fame, and public perception. Across episodes, the host traces how a single unverified claim about a major star propagated through media ecosystems, archives, and personal narratives, weaving in expert commentary on urban legends, media ethics, and the human cost of reputational attacks. Noteworthy elements include a rigorous, archival approach to rumor origins, the exploration of disinformation before the internet era, and firsthand accounts from people who confronted the rumor or were affected by it. The program stands out for treating gossip as a cultural phenomenon—examining why people believe sensational stories, how power an... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with Gerbil:

1. In The Dark
2. Reaching Out
3. Examined: The Backfire Effect
4. Not Just A Terrible Story
5. Heavyweight

How many episodes of Gerbil are there?

Gerbil launched 2 months ago and published 9 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Gerbil?

Recent guests on Gerbil include:

1. Peter Goddard
2. Cathy Lett
3. Bob Coleri
4. Andy Simmons
5. Dave Hanson
6. John Gurney
7. Donna Anastasi
8. Bobby Corrigan

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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