2210: The High School Hoax Update
PRETEND
09/30/25
•32m
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A 32-year-old woman enrolled herself in three Boston high schools and passed as a teenager. She sat in classrooms, made friends with freshmen, and even joined the girls basketball team. She wore number 32 on her jersey, which also happened to be her real age.
This is the story of Shelby Hewitt, a state social worker who lived a double life. For two years, she convinced students, teachers, and administrators that she was a foster kid with nowhere else to go. She built fake social workers and false backstories to make her cover believable.
When PRETEND first aired this episode, there were more questions than answers. Was Shelby trying to relive her youth? Was she gathering information on the kids she worked with? Or was she doing this just for kicks?
In this replay, you will hear the original story and then get the latest updates. Since the episode first aired, new details have emerged about the extent of her lies and who got caught up in them. We will also examine the criminal charges she is currently facing.
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Previous Episode
The Stalker: Rick Fernandez’s Guilty Plea
September 23, 2025
•12m
Breaking news in the stalker case: Rick Fernandez has pleaded guilty to harassment. Instead of facing trial, he admitted responsibility for a new wave of harassment tied to the book he published while awaiting trial on felony charges.
His sentence? 180 days in jail (suspended) along with three years of probation. If Rick contacts the victims directly or indirectly, he risks going to jail and facing new charges.
In this episode, I dig into what this guilty plea really means, and you’ll also hear from Rick’s sister, Olivia Fernandez, who shares her complicated reaction to the news.
The big question is: will Rick finally stop the harassment, or is this just another chapter in a story that refuses to end?
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Next Episode
2301: Cracks in the Fandom part 1
October 6, 2025
•39m
🎧 NEW SERIES: “Cracks in the Fandom”
What would you do if you thought your favorite celebrity was stalking you?
That’s exactly what Meghan Walsh claims. She says she’s being harassed by not one, not two—but three stalkers. And one of them? Is Mariska Hargitay, best known as Detective Olivia Benson from Law & Order: SVU.
Yeah. I know how that sounds.
But here’s the thing: the more I looked into it, the more the story started to twist.
This new series, Cracks in the Fandom, is not about whether Mariska is actually stalking someone (spoiler: come on). It’s about why someone might believe that. What happens when online relationships go sideways. And what’s really going on underneath the noise.
I’m releasing the first three extended cuts that are ~10 minutes longer than what you'll eventually hear on the public feed. There are 5 episodes total.
And trust me, this story goes places I did not expect.
Your feedback means a lot. Let me know what you think of the pacing, the structure, or anything that feels confusing. This is your sneak preview—and your chance to help shape how the story is told.
First 3 episodes available now on Patreon and PRETEND+:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pretendradio
PRETEND+ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/pretend/id6443456985
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