Meh. All the good bits are in the first two episodes. The rest feels like drawn out click bait. If you heard the bit on Radio Rental, there are no new facts or revelations to be found here. Not the worst podcast, but definitely not recommended.

I agree with the reviews that say just listen to the first 2 episodes and you’re good. Edd’s set is perfect and you won’t learn anything significant by listening to the whole season. There’s no big reveal that will give closure to why an angry, violent man brutally murdered his loving mother and showed no remorse. Sometimes people don’t make sense and they do awful things with no good explanation. And when asked why, people often lie or truly don’t know why they did something. Dyslexia? Really? Give me a break. There’s some drama that starts around episode 3 like “oh! Did Edd make it all up?” But it comes off as manufactured, because no he didn’t. The only takeaway here is if you’re lucky enough to survive something horrible, humor and storytelling can be a good way to cope.And you can get that from Edd’s standup.

I came over because of the episode of radio rental, and I needed to find out the ending. But I will admit I stopped mid-episode 4 since I had the conclusion. I guess I am grateful you didn’t drag me out longer? And the story was interesting. But to other reviewers who said the narrator made it too much about her, I agree

Interesting and well-done, but the crazy amount of ads and super short episodes detract.

I can’t stand the over commercialization of Tenderfoot podcasts. Stretched out intros and ads take up a full third of the each episode. The host makes the show about herself too much. She isn’t a part of the story. I don’t care where she went or who she talked to or how she felt about anything. And then, of course, Payne’s ego has to make an appearance. The actual true crime part could have been told in one single episode but was stretched out and convoluted. This fragmented format is Tenderfoot’s brand, apparently. I like the stories on Radio Rental, but can only listen when my hands are free. - Hit 30 second fast forward 12 times. 8 minutes of story. Fast forward 6 times. 8 minutes of story. Push the slider to the end of the episode. - It might have been the same way here, but I made the executive decision that the show was not worth the effort mid-episode 3.

I was sorely disappointed. There was so much anticipation about the truth of the story—is the comedian lying? You’re lead to believe he’s either lying to boost his career or he’s lying to cover his own criminal tracks. Or something equally as twisted and unexpected. In actuality, the series had nothing to do with the crime itself. It was more about men’s mental health. That’s a worthy subject for a podcast, but it was completely railroaded by the suspense built up in the beginning. I think the interviewer told the story in the same sequence of questions and events she experienced. By the end, I felt click-baited.

Great podcast. Amazing work. Does Payne need to get on every podcast like Diddy needed to get on every song?

It was hard to listen to Jodi a so called reporter try and twist Edds words, I believe him, and i believe his parents. He told you he embellished some things so whats not to believe. You say well there’s no police report. Jodi did you ever stop to think that the police didn’t do their job and question or interview everyone, that they were so overwhelmed with the crime scene that they overlooked other parts of the investigation because that has been known to happen. And i know people that it has happen to. That’s what makes you a so called reporter, because a REAL reporter thinks about ALL angles of a story. Edd was nice enough to talk to you and show you around and this is how you repay him. Shame on you.

Intriguing for a while but just doesn’t have the pay off I was waiting for. I don’t really feel like I learned anything.

Good podcast. Jodi was too tough on Ed though insisting on proof. I didn’t understand why she felt so entitled to that. Like Ed said, it’s his account of an event, take it or leave it.

Top tier binge listen

This is such an interesting cross between genres and I just couldn't get enough. Comedic, vulnerable and emotional... listen asap

For some inexplicable reason, whether or not this guy’s stage act story is a 100% true story seems to be the core of the podcast. It’s an act! It’s entertainment! If it’s 50% or 80% true, it’s still a good story. Should be two episodes, max.

For anyone who is a big fan of true crime and comedy, this is the show for you

This podcast is intriguing because when you first start listening you think it’s just an unfunny comedian and he’s embellishing a crazy life experience he had. But then by the end of it, after lots of interviews and research you realize it’s just an unfunny comedian who’s embellishing a crazy life story that he had. Waste of time, could’ve been one episode.

Ed’s stand up show was wonderful. Funny, sad and super creepy. After that it’s five episodes of the narrator trying to determine if it’s all true. I don’t care if it’s true. It’s a great story. Just listen to the first episode.

This podcast is so well designed. Very engaging and simply brilliant. Highly recommend.

I really enjoyed hearing Ed’s story and learning about his family and community. You can’t help but empathize with him and with Brent. Unfortunately the history and journalist makes it about her way too much. She inserts herself and her opinions in the story way too much. Would have liked to hear less about her and more just about Ed and the town of people and where he is now. Show could have been 3 episodes as well, super repetitive and half ads.

As a true crime junkie, this show told an impactful story that kept its morals at the forefront. Ed, is honest and the comedy was just right.

A tragic story told from the forced point of view of a side character. The real victims and their families are not shown respect. Sorry dude the murderer clearly had mental health issues but you’ve weirdly hijacked this story to make yourself believe that you are the real reason he did what he did. He knocked on your door that night because of proximity. Really narcissistic waste of time podcast. Just skip it

Would have been so much better if the comedian had been the murderer!

The number of assumptions made in this podcast which “can’t be validated” is really shocking. Did Edd make this all up? Try seeing if he actually called the police the night of events instead of using your intuition to confirm his story. It’s pretty critical. Especially since he’s manipulating his parents into confirming his story.

The first episode was intriguing, but there isn’t enough material for 6 episodes. It’s repetitive and nothing is revealed. Pretty straightforward.

I just listened to season 1 and was blown away with Ed’s gift for stand up and story telling! He was amazing and so is the host! I admired Jodi for asking Ed all of the hard questions and the compassionate way she interviewed Brett’s father. They make a great team!

An attempt to force a story from nothing. Just terrible.

Solidarity with Edinburgh lol

Every episode is 1/2 repeating information that’s already been told, 1/4 commercials, 1/4 new information. The whole thing could’ve been one episode.

Wisecrack is one of the most original podcasts of 2025, blending stand-up comedy with true-crime investigation in a way that feels genuinely new. It begins with comedian Edd Hedges sharing darkly funny material from his own life, then slowly pulls the listener into a disturbing real-world story that unfolds layer by layer. Host and producer Jodi Tovay goes far beyond surface-level mystery, exploring trauma, memory, and the ethics of storytelling with care and intelligence. The result is a podcast that is gripping, surprising, and emotionally resonant, funny at moments, unsettling at others, and impossible to stop listening to.

Such an incredible story! I told everyone about it and many were like OMG I JUST HEARD!! SO GOOD!!!!!

The narrator/producer is very into her “genius” off putting.

By the end I felt like this whole definitely NOT profound story could have been 30 mins. Also, comedy bits don’t need to be truthful.

Something feels off, one person is still lying and the ending didn’t quite seem to get it right with reality but I don’t want to spoil anything in my review… I need to talk about this though!!!!

A comedy show and true crime? This really did not appeal to me but I was tired of looking for a new podcast. I’m glad I gave it a shot. The comedy aspect is not what you think and is a small part of the story, but also crucial and brilliantly told. The set would have been something to hear in person. The podcast isn’t a deep dive into a crime, but the evolution of the storyteller through understanding the crime better is poignant.

A lot of padding. A lot of commercials. A story that could have been told in 30 minutes. A host who talks too much about herself. Did I mention a LOT of commercials?

Gorgeous and heartfelt storytelling. I love the duality of humor and trauma…so human and relatable. Very nicely edited, it was the perfect binge. 💓

Great storytelling. 5 out of 5 stars, zero complaints. Bravo!

I really, actively, disliked this podcast, which shocked me. It’s spoiled by several things, most notably taking a story that might have been compelling as an episode of This American Life and dragging it out into an entire podcast. Plus, literally no one is likable. Everyone has major “I’m not like other girls” energy. It’s a tedious listen.

This is a gem! I picked up the show because Apple listeners had rated the first episode one of the best episodes of 2025. As a result of that statement, I didn’t even bother to read what it was about. I just jumped in. I just finished the season and they were right about the first episode, but the rest of the episode didn’t disappoint either. I don’t wanna give anything away, but do what I did and just jump in. You won’t regret it.

Very disruptive to have ads every 5 minutes.

This is well crafted for a smooth ride, appealing to audiences that enjoy a tight spotlight on a few lives, with the gamut of emotions-but this style feels narrow for listeners (like me) who want an intriguing True Crime series to open on to larger ideas about, say, small town culture (UK), the psychology of bullying, problems in (UK) social services for dyslexic or violent kids.

This is hands down one of the best podcasts I’ve ever listened to, and I listen to them frequently! I got so into it so quickly that I subscribed to Tenderfoot so I could listen to it faster. It’s funny, shocking, mysterious, sad, and above all extremely well produced. The comedian is a genius and the podcaster orchestrates the telling of the story exquisitely. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this series and was captivated by Edd’s story telling. I was sad when it was over!!

I was excited to listen to this after the first two eps but then it just went downhill. I won’t give any spoilers but I think the podcaster and the subject really went to great lengths to make this work.

This is fascinating and honest and upsetting. There are spoilers ahead, so stop now if you haven’t listened already—it’s too good to ruin like that. But. The ending is very satisfying, lots of questions answered, except for one thing: why do we believe the bully was also bullied and had dyslexia? Because as soon as I heard that, I thought, “What a convenient lie. What a creepy thing to claim. What a final kick in the face to Edd.” I just don’t believe that. I think he knew what he was saying when he said that. I need more proof before I accept that. I want to feel for Brett, but I think Pete is right about brain chemistry creeping up on you. Psych meds are scorned too often in the UK. I think some brains are just chemically different or damaged, and I think that’s why he bullied Edd. I think he was messed up enough that he was obsessed with Edd, and part of him felt bad for what he was doing to him. He knew he was bullying Edd. And when he needed an excuse, Edd was already in mind, so he just claimed that. It just seems way too convenient.

This is a story that has so many layers…I enjoyed listening and while I was glad that the narrator was able to “get” this story, I completely disagree with her summation of events. Brett wasn’t kicking in the door to “talk” to Ed. He clearly meant him harm.

Edd is a great story teller. I literally binged this entire show in a single shift at work. I didn’t think it was boring at all. I think people need to get away from the Dopamine for a bit, so they can get their attention span back. Also for people complaining about the ads, there’s a skip ahead 30 seconds. Hit it 4 times. Maybe 6. That easy.

Well, it's hard to put words to how this show made me feel. The investigative reporter did an excellent job gathering facts. I found the story between the writer and the comedian was as riveting as the actual murder story. Kudos to the investigative reporter and the comedian. The only thing is it's obvious to me being I had a cousin who's schizophrenic and I saw him transform into Schizophrenic stages at age onset. I guess I don't buy that the murderer was bullied or had dyslexia. Maybe it was proven he did if so, I missed that part. Just like the how Bret didn't want to admit he killed his mom and dad, he didn't want to admit that he was Ed's bully, instead he blamed his mental illness was caused by somebody bullying him. Note: I found out later from my other cousin(sister to this schizophrenic cousin), that he had been sexually abusing her when he was 10 years old and threatened her with a knife if she and to kill her if she told anyone. She told me this after an incident where I witnessed him playing with a big knife while she was holding her baby in her lap, I had to wrestle him to get the knife away and quit scaring her. After the incident where I was almost injured, I asked her why did you sit there and let him do that to you? Why did you freeze up? Then she told me a story she'd never told anyone of how the abuse went on and for how long.

Loved the first two episodes. I was really looking forward to the host digging deep in interviews, but she did not ask the hard questions. Did not find very interesting people to talk to. We are left hearing basically recycled material over and over again. This could have been a really great investigative podcast, but it’s not. There are still so many questions that could have been asked and explored. Instead it just turned into whether or not the comedian was telling the truth or not. It just feels like everyone involved was motivated by profits and making the podcast “work” with little substance.

A well told story that was anticlimactic. I kept waiting to see the point, and then it ended.

I can’t believe I listened to 4.15 episodes - I kept waiting for something to happen and it never did. Maybe something happens after 4.15 episodes but the 4.15 episodes I listened was almost Painful as to how boring it was. The guy’s comedy was pretty funny but that’s the only entertainment I got out of it.