Bitter Blood: Kasem V Kasem

Audible Originals

Casey Kasem is best known as a radio icon and legendary voice behind America’s Top 40 who left an indelible mark on pop culture. But many don’t know the saga of Kasem’s oldest children and second wife. In 2014, Casey Kasem is dying, and about to leave behind an estate worth up to 100 million dollars. His family goes to war, with both sides accusing the other of going after his money and killing the man who changed American radio. But this battle is only the climax of a tragic and dramatic family feud that began decades before. Bitter Blood: Kasem V Kasem is an exclusive look at what really happened inside this famous family and what drove them to the brink, told through exclusive interviews and archival audio materials.

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Our Editor's Take

Casey Kasem may have had the most recognizable voice in radio history. Following his death, the legal turmoil over his estate would rip his family apart. The Bitter Blood: Kasem V Kasem podcast explores the true story of the Kasem family feud.

Kasem had three children from his first marriage to Linda Myers-Mike, Julie, and Kerri. In his second marriage to Jean Thompson, he had a daughter named Liberty. The podcast highlights that in the final years leading up to his death, tensions rose between Kasem's children. His declining health brought into question who would inherit his multi-million dollar estate.

Martin Kove narrates the Bitter Blood: Kasem V Kasem podcast. Most may remember Kove as the iconic antagonist of The Karate Kid. In addition to his martial arts and acting careers, Kove has become a skillful podcaster.

Interviews with the people involved reveal the complex legal issues of this saga. Listeners will hear from Kasem's wife and children, as well as family friends. Kove's narration clarifies the intricacies of the story. The emotional interviews humanize the motivations of everyone involved. Audio from news broadcasts adds context to each detail revealed on the podcast.

In the wake of Kasem's death, his family descended into vicious infighting. The Kasems would exchange accusations of greed, abuse, and even outright murder. Bitter Blood: Kasem V Kasem offers a glimpse into the emotional toll of the dispute.

At the time, it was difficult to make sense of the media circus surrounding the Kasem family. Fans of the podcast enjoy how it puts the timeline in order. The added perspective of the interviews helps listeners come to their own conclusions.

Lovers of true crime and fans of Kasem may find this story fascinating. Bitter Blood: Kasem V Kasem unveils the unbelievable details of this troubling and controversial case. Kove pairs his engaging storytelling with thoughtful analysis. All eight episodes of this podcast are compelling.

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Society & CultureSociety & Culture

Play Trailer

Bitter Blood: Kasem V Kasem Trailer

Bitter Blood: Kasem V Kasem Trailer

Casey Kasem is best known as a radio icon and legendary voice behind America’s Top 40 who left an indelible mark on pop culture. But many don’t know the saga of Kasem’s oldest children and second wife. In 2014, Casey Kasem is dying, and about to leave behind an estate worth up to 100 million dollars. His family goes to war, with both sides accusing the other of going after his money and killing the man who changed American radio. But this battle is only the climax of a tragic and dramatic family feud that began decades before. Bitter Blood: Kasem V Kasem is an exclusive look at what really happened inside this famous family and what drove them to the brink, told through exclusive interviews and archival audio materials.

Episodes

Bitter Blood: Kasem V Kasem Trailer

Bitter Blood: Kasem V Kasem Trailer

Casey Kasem is best known as a radio icon and legendary voice behind America’s Top 40 who left an indelible mark on pop culture. But many don’t know the saga of Kasem’s oldest children and second wife. In 2014, Casey Kasem is dying, and about to leave behind an estate worth up to 100 million dollars. His family goes to war, with both sides accusing the other of going after his money and killing the man who changed American radio. But this battle is only the climax of a tragic and dramatic family feud that began decades before. Bitter Blood: Kasem V Kasem is an exclusive look at what really happened inside this famous family and what drove them to the brink, told through exclusive interviews and archival audio materials.

Episode 1: Cover of Darkness

Episode 1: Cover of Darkness

In the middle of the night, an ailing Casey Kasem is taken from his hospital bed, against doctor’s orders, and vanishes. His three oldest children from his previous marriage are devastated and terrified. His disappearance is the culmination of a decades long family feud.

Episode 2: Reaching for the Stars

Episode 2: Reaching for the Stars

Casey Kasem, a child of Lebanese immigrants, has a difficult childhood. But he eventually fulfills his show business dreams: growing up to become a pop culture legend. He creates the radio show America’s Top 40 and becomes the voice of Shaggy in Scooby Doo. He marries actress Linda Myers and has three children. But when they get divorced and he re-marries another actress, cracks in the foundation of his success story begin to form.

Episode 3: Jean

Episode 3: Jean

Casey Kasem and Jean Thompson fall in love at first sight. Their Hollywood romance leads to a spectacular, star studded wedding, to which Casey’s children aren’t invited. Jean gives birth to their daughter Liberty and the line between Casey’s “two families” is drawn. Things get worse as Jean’s career as a TV actress and Casey’s health begin to decline. People who worked for Jean and Casey talk for the first time about disturbing incidents they witnessed in the Kasem home.

Episode 4: Kerri

Episode 4: Kerri

As a child, Casey’s daughter Kerri has emotional struggles because of her parents’ divorce. She grows into a rebellious teenager, then eventually comes into her own as a successful radio and TV personality. When Casey’s illness becomes debilitating and Kerri learns about abuse inside the home, she knows she must fight for him. After Casey vanishes from his hospital bed late one night, Kerri, her siblings, and a team of private investigators try to track him down as he takes a harrowing, dangerous journey across several states.

Episode 5: Silverdale

Episode 5: Silverdale

Kerri finally finds Casey in a bizarre and unexpected place. She fights a group of partying motorcyclists and her stepmother, throwing meat, to move Casey to a hospital, knowing his life is at stake. A lengthy legal battle between Jean and Casey’s oldest children begins, with Jean telling the media that her stepchildren are trying to murder their father for his money.

Episode 6: An Unmarked Grave

Episode 6: An Unmarked Grave

When Casey passes away, Kerri barely has time to grieve before Jean vanishes again, this time with Casey’s decomposing body, leading Kerri on an international manhunt. After finally locating her father’s body in an unlikely European country, Kerri and her siblings plead with the LAPD and District Attorney to charge Jean with elder abuse.

Episode 7: The Attack Plot

Episode 7: The Attack Plot

Kerri becomes an elder abuse advocate to protect other people from the suffering her family experienced. She creates a bill and gets it passed in many states. But her high-profile work makes her a target: she finds out that her stepmother and the daughter of another celebrity have created an elaborate plan to attack her.

Episode 8: All 50 Stars

Episode 8: All 50 Stars

Kerri and her siblings file a wrongful death civil lawsuit against Jean, and she files one against them. The family drama reaches a furious peak when the Kasem trust turns off the water and power at Jean’s now neglected, dilapidated Bel Air mansion. An angel in Norway helps Kerri find Casey’s grave, and Kerri vows to bring her father home to Los Angeles.