S5-EP7: Hollywood, DNA, and the Monsters We Make

This episode contains adult language and themes. Listener discretion is advised. In this explosive second half of our conversation with Emmy-winning writer, producer, and podcast trailblazer Alan Katz, we dive headfirst into the chaos, comedy, and emotional fallout that define a creative life lived out loud. Alan pulls no punches as he recounts the behind-the-scenes saga of Bordello of Blood—a production so wildly mismanaged it birthed its own podcast. From million-dollar egos to miscast villains and backdoor celebrity deals, Alan dishes the kind of unfiltered truth you rarely hear from Hollywood insiders. Then the conversation takes a sharp and stunning turn. We explore the real-life story that inspired The Donor, Alan’s riveting narrative podcast about sperm donation, unexpected fatherhood, and the moral minefield of DNA testing. It's a modern horror story where the monsters aren’t supernatural—they’re hiding in plain sight, wearing lab coats, or logging into ancestry sites. And to top it all off? Alan reads an AI-generated Tales from the Crypt-style short story based on The Donor—complete with a dark twist and a dash of that classic Crypt Keeper humor. In This Episode: The truth behind Bordello of Blood and its infamous casting choices How Sylvester Stallone inadvertently shaped a horror movie Why podcasting is the ultimate tool for creative freedom The emotional fallout of anonymous sperm donation A hauntingly funny DNA horror story, told in Alan’s unmistakable voice Whether you're a screenwriter, a podcast junkie, or someone wondering what secrets might be buried in your family tree—this one’s for you. Check out Alans podcast on his production company: https://costardandtouchstone.com/ Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups Hosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/ X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk  Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow  www.spirittalkshow.info  If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it. Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow