Patrick McManus & Michael Chernus on Telling Gacy’s Victims’ Stories In Peacock Series
Update: 2025-10-15
Description
Most true crime stories fall into the same trap—fixating on the killer, sensationalizing the violence, and leaving victims as footnotes. Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy doesn’t play that game.
In this episode, we sit down with executive producer Patrick McManus, actor Michael Chernus, and attorney/podcaster Bob Motta to talk about how this new Peacock series does something different. Something overdue. It centers the victims. It challenges the system. And it strips the monster of his myth.
We explore the challenges of dramatizing a case with so much historical weight. McManus shares how the writers chose to humanize the victims through standalone narrative arcs. Chernus discusses the internal conflict of embodying Gacy without glorifying him. And Motta opens up about inheriting his father’s defense tapes and hearing, for himself, the voice of a man who had no remorse, no empathy, and no soul.
This is one of the most grounded, respectful, and important retellings of a true crime story in years. And we’re honored to bring you the story behind the series.
#DevilInDisguise #PeacockGacySeries #TrueCrimeDoneRight #VictimCentered #JohnWayneGacy #BobMotta #DefenseDiaries #HiddenKillers #TrueCrimePodcast #GacyDrama
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Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
In this episode, we sit down with executive producer Patrick McManus, actor Michael Chernus, and attorney/podcaster Bob Motta to talk about how this new Peacock series does something different. Something overdue. It centers the victims. It challenges the system. And it strips the monster of his myth.
We explore the challenges of dramatizing a case with so much historical weight. McManus shares how the writers chose to humanize the victims through standalone narrative arcs. Chernus discusses the internal conflict of embodying Gacy without glorifying him. And Motta opens up about inheriting his father’s defense tapes and hearing, for himself, the voice of a man who had no remorse, no empathy, and no soul.
This is one of the most grounded, respectful, and important retellings of a true crime story in years. And we’re honored to bring you the story behind the series.
#DevilInDisguise #PeacockGacySeries #TrueCrimeDoneRight #VictimCentered #JohnWayneGacy #BobMotta #DefenseDiaries #HiddenKillers #TrueCrimePodcast #GacyDrama
Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video?
Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/
Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod
X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod
Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
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