ID is about to put a celebrity spin on Murder Mondays with the addition of two new series, Death by Fame and The Playboy Murders.
“Starting this January, ID is moving right into the center of the pop culture conversation by unpacking how fascination with celebrity can quickly twist into an obsession with devastating results,” said Jason Sarlanis, President of Crime and Investigative Content, Linear and Streaming. “With two new gripping series, we’ll explore some of the most shocking crimes in pop culture history. Death by Fame digs into the cases of Hollywood hopefuls whose dreams for bright lights and acclaim is instead met with tragedy and, from executive producer Holly Madison, The Playboy Murders gives first-person insight far beyond the glamour of the magazine into the dark side of the iconic Bunny ears.”
Both series premiere on ID on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, with back-to-back episodes. They’ll also both be available to stream the same day on discovery+. Let’s take a closer look at each.
Death by Fame
While mythologized as a golden land of opportunity for aspiring stars of all backgrounds, that’s unfortunately not the case. Some of the most tragic crimes in entertainment history start and end in Hollywood.
ID will kick off its new Monday night block of series with the premiere of Death by Fame at 9/8c. The six-part series examines starry-eyed hopefuls whose fairytale dreams devolve into horrific nightmares. It journeys behind the scenes to uncover the sinister side of fame, revealing the shocking true stories behind the rise, fall, and murder of some of Hollywood’s most promising stars.
Death by Fame‘s first episode, “Celebrity Sexpert,” premieres January 23 at 9/8C. It recounts the heartbreaking death of Drew Carey’s ex-fiancé and renowned Hollywood sex therapist, Dr. Amie Harwick. She was found murdered the day after Valentine’s Day in 2020. Police are left to investigate who might be capable of such a deadly act.
Additional episodes explore the cold-blooded murder of The Voice sensation and rising star, Christina Grimmie, whose YouTube channel attracted a stalker with sinister motivations; Macedonian model Adea Shabani who arrives in Los Angeles with big dreams then mysteriously goes missing; actor Lloyd Avery II’s overnight success after starring in Boyz N the Hood, who then goes on the run in a bizarre portrayal of life imitating art; and more.
The Playboy Murders
The Playboy Murders immediately follows Death by Fame at 10/9C on January 23. The anthology series reveals the dark side lurking behind a popular, adult men’s magazine, recounting murders and mysteries that intersect with the world of Playboy. The series bares it all, so to speak, by revealing tragedies that span decades of the once-iconic brand. Former Playboy Bunny Holly Madison hosts this six-part series that she also executive produced.
The premiere episode, “Bunny Meets Bachelor,” airs January 23 at 10/9C. After a Playboy party hostess and model is found dead and dismembered in a dumpster, it ignites a tabloid media frenzy. As police investigate her romantic partners, Jasmine Fiore’s husband, a VH1 reality star, heads for the Canadian border.
Additional stories include Stacy Arthur, the middle-American mom who spent hours on Playboy’s premium 1-900 number, attracting one fan’s fatal obsession; the Playboy Club romance of Carole Gold and husband Charles that puts a Bunny behind bars; former Playboy cyber girl Christina Carlin-Kraft whose promising future is dashed after a night out on the town; and more.
For More Info
Visit investigationdiscovery.com and discoveryplus.com.
Follow ID social on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for exclusive videos, articles, and live conversations about the cases featured in the series. Engage with the series and fellow fans using #DeathbyFame and #ThePlayboyMurders.
Check-In
Which series are you most interested to watch? Or do they both appeal to you?
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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I didn’t know Playboy tragedies spanned decades, so that show would be interesting to me. I don’t often think about curses, but maybe the Playboy brand is cursed!
Probably the biggest Playboy murder case I remember was the Dorothy Stratten murder. In fact, I think it was the only one I knew until I heard about this series. I didn’t know there was more scandal! And I like your assessment! There is a case to be made for curses, isn’t there?!