Episode Details

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the dramatic rise, fall, and reinvention of televangelist Jim Bakker. We look back at the 1970s and 80s, when Bakker and his wife Tammy Faye built the PTL Satellite Network and Heritage USA, a Christian theme park that became the third most successful in the United States. We discuss the explosive 1987 scandals that dismantled his empire, including the hush money paid to Jessica Hahn to cover up alleged sexual misconduct and the fierce rivalries with fellow evangelists Jerry Falwell and Jimmy Swaggart.

We also examine Bakker's conviction on 24 counts of fraud for overselling "lifetime memberships" to his theme park hotels, leading to a five-year stint in federal prison. Finally, we cover his surprising return to television with his second wife, Lori, and his drastic pivot from "prosperity theology" to apocalyptic survivalism. Tune in to hear how the man who once preached wealth now sells buckets of freeze-dried food for the end of days and faces legal battles over selling silver supplements as a cure for COVID-19.