Crime Expert BURL BARER. Edgar Award Winner and NYT Bestselling Author

A Legend Returns! Burl Barer Heads Back to Hollywood!

Legendary Burl Barer, award winning author and broadcaster returns to Hollywood Wednesday night!

Thousands of fans are warned to not convene at Burbank airport to welcome Burl home. "Crowd control could be an issue," said famed security expert, Fred Wolfson. 

Burl will co-host TRUE CRIMES on Outlaw Radio Saturday 2pm Pacific time, with Don Woldman and Special Guest Ron Francsell.

Andy Dick. Yes, I'm Actually Writing about Andy Dick.

I thought Andy Dick was. Now, I think Andy Dick is.  

It's easy to forget we are real people, those of us who play ourselves.  Stepping on stage, be it sound stage, live theater or theater of the mind, we present an impression of self. Exaggerating certain aspects, downplaying others, we toy with various versions. As with all crafts, you begin as apprentice, advance to journeyman, and if you work hard enough, and are blessed by inspiration, this craft becomes occasional art. Be it craft or art, I never gave an artsy-fart about the craft of Andy Dick. The more messed up he became, the less my interest.

And then, along came a certain reality show in which Andy Dick appeared as Andy Dick. I've appeared as Burl Barer in a reality show, and I know that no matter how real the events, how true the situation, a camera is no less an active influential observer than an anthropologist. The mere presence of either alters the documented environment and participants.  The truth is in there, it is simply modified and formatted to fit your screen.  Andy Dick's "reality" is intrinsically lovable. Suddenly, I cared. I wanted the best for him, and the best of him.

Requested to write something for a recovery facility a few years back, I recycled a paragraph from an unfinished novel, making slight modifications. They framed it, and placed it on the wall.  Here is the unmodified original, recycled once again, and dedicated to Andy Dick:

People such as we seek insights from the outside. We look for linkages, but guard against bonding. Constantly defining our illusive boundaries of self,  we adopt diverse roles of social identity. Desiring safety,and longing for vulnerability, 

we practice warmth and empathy, good humor and camaraderie, while simultaneously rebuilding our fragile veils of emotional distance. 

I follow Andy Dick on Twitter. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you followed him too.

Drew Peterson Media Circus! Diane Fanning Joins us Saturday!

Listen Live Saturday 2pm pacific time LIVE

TRUE CRIMES joins the Drew Peterson media circus when Burl Barer, live from Texas, and Don Woldman, live from the Lighten up Lounge, rehash all the known dirt, and exhume some new dirt, courtesy of the one woman who is up to her neck and word processor in the muck and mire of America's most talked about case -- Diane Fanning! 

VISIT DIANE FANNING'S WEBSITE !

When it comes to sickos, bottom feeders and disgusting examples of twisted behavior, Diane Fanning has more than her fair share of exposure and insight. A best-selling author, Diane is the "go-to" person for up-to-the-minute information on this fascinating story! 

Diane Fanning, true crime author

Is it just a coincidence, or what? While keeping up on this case of an accused wife killer, Diane is working on a new book about the 76 year old woman accused of bumping off at least one of her five dead husbands!

Great Cigarette Advertisements+

I always loved cigarette advertising, and have seen all manner of promotions. The one you are about to see is unlike any I have seen.  

Check this out this great compilation of Virginia Slims commercials! When I was a kid, Cavalier Cigarettes sponsored some hit TV shows. 

TEXAS -- HOME OF TRUE CRIME ! Meet the Prosecutors.

I am in lovely Pflugerville, Texas.  In the native tongue, Pflugerville means "Between Two Wal-Marts."

It is a lovely suburb of Austin, and is not a good place to get arrested for anything, but it is a great place for true crime writers.  Corey Mitchell, Diane Fanning, Kathryn Casey, Suzi Spencer, and Steven Long live and work in Texas, and the state has enough killers to keep us all writing for decades.

Currently, I'm writing a book about Rhonda Glover. I posted a pic of her recently. Fair is fair. Here are the two prosecuters who convicted her of murder: Bryan Case and Gail Van WInkle of Austin, Texas.

Remember the 1980's rock band, VIXEN?  Well, check out my TRUE CRIMES site!

Reinventing Myself as a Big Wheel.

  Despite my charming personality, winning ways and dynamic (yet humble) personality, I don't have a girl friend these days.  I must face the undeniable reality that I am not a particularly "good catch."  Women of comparable age anticipate a mature, financially stable gentleman on the trailing edge of his once rewarding career. That's not me.  I am entering a third wave of kick-ass career revitalization and re-invention. I'm better at my craft than ever, having more fun than I've had in years, and on the verge of seeing years of effort and anticipation finally come to rewarding fruition.  

My forthcoming non-fiction book ab

out the death of millionaire James Joste at the hands of his beautiful lover, Rhonda Glover, is the most bizarre and surprising case I've yet investigated. 

Simon Templar, alias THE SAINT, returns to TV soon with a new actor in the lead role, and I'll be writing a new series of adventures in the tradition of Leslie Charteris. 

TRUE CRIMES, the Internet radio show I do with Co-Host Don Woldman, won the ICB Detective Award for Best Radio Program, and our guest roster includes the top names in the genre, plus notable big shots from the major networks as regular contributors.

Writers in Treatment, the non-profit organization helping writers recover from alcoholism or other destructive chemical dependencies, invited me to join their advisory board. Our REEL RECOVERY FILM FESTIVAL is a big hit in Hollywood, and I'm proud to be involved.

Then, for just plain FUN, I'm a regular on OUTLAW RADIO with Magic Matt Alan, the show that comes on right after TRUE CRIMES. 

Right now I am in Texas with my darling daughter and her hard working hubby. I'm writing like a maniac on deadline for the Joste/Glover book, working long-distance with Dr. Egrari on a book about life in the universe, and two other projects which I am not at liberty to discuss.

That's the good news.  Bad news? The operation I had a year ago on my eye was a "success" -- except that my vision never came back, and it isn't going to come back.  I don't trust myself to be behind the wheel of  a car.  Financially, I have yet to recover from last year's writers' strike.  At an age where people plan to retire, I plan a rocket launch of creative output coupled with blatant self -promotion.  Or at least that is my intention. God may have other plans for me.

I have joined a free dating site, and have already been rejected for not liking long walks on the beach, yoga and a smoke free environment.   Phooey.  Right now I'm eating an INCREDIBLE New York Style Pizza, washing it down with Cola, and then smoking a full flavor cigarette before leaping once more into the world of flying fingers on a Querty keyboard.  Yes, I'm no bargain. However, as my beloved sister is known to say, "I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was."

Oh, nice review of my book MOM SAID KILL on Epinions.  I reposted it on http:outlawcrime.com

Burl Barer's Blog is BACK!

Okay fun lovers, you probably noticed that when you came to burlbarer.net it took you to outlawcrime.com    That wasn't because I didn't want this blog site..there were some..uh "complications" that had to be resolved....and NOW the BLOG IS BACK!!!

Of course if you want to see what's happening on my TRUE CRIMES show with Don Woldman, just go to http://outlawcrime.com!

Today I am in TEXAS! Yes, the lovely environs of Austin. I'm staying with my darling daughter and her handsome, hard working husband. They have three wonderful dogs and a big screen TV.  I am very happy here, and am able to concentrate on my new book about the Rhonda Glover homicide case. The lovely woman in the photo is Rhonda. The fellow in the photo is not the guy she killed.  She is in prison for murder. She shot her b/f Jimmy Joste ten times and claimed self defense. She was in the bedroom, he was in the hall. She had a Glock 9mm, and he had...well....nothing.

He was rich, she was beautiful.  He is dead. She is in prison. This isn't a happy story. But, it is a story of the rich and handsome and lovely and how even they are not immune from bizarre behavior and sudden death.  I'll have the book done by this summer, and it will come out sometime after that. I'll keep you posted.