Not all true-crime stories need to be gruesome, kicking off with something like, <\/span>\u201c129 stab wounds were found on the victim\u2019s buttocks.\u201d <\/span><\/i>Sometimes, the story might just be about a family member who was involved in, let\u2019s say, somewhat-less-than-legal activity.<\/span><\/p>\n

The latter is certainly the case with <\/span>Rewriting Dad<\/span><\/i>, a story told from the perspective of co-host Leslie Bradford-Scott\u2014the \u201cdaughter of a criminal.\u201d Joining Leslie is co-host Megan Murphy, a criminal lawyer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How\u2019s that for irony?<\/span><\/p>\n

Rewriting Dad<\/span><\/i> is based upon the manuscript written by Leslie\u2019s late father, Claudio, while he was in prison over three decades ago. Fortunately for all of us true-crime fans, Leslie didn\u2019t just throw it in a drawer, burn it, or take it straight to Hollywood to make it into a movie.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

No, her first instinct was to create a podcast from it.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Given all of her options, I asked why she made that choice. <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m compelled genetically to act on things right away,\u201d <\/span><\/i>responded Leslie. <\/span>\u201cMaking a movie in Hollywood would have taken years. And I am a huge consumer of podcasts. That\u2019s how I spend my free time. I love the intimacy with the listener. You feel like you are in the same room.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Speaking of feeling like you are in the room with the podcasters, Leslie wisely chose an equally engaging co-host in Meg Murphy. <\/span>\u201cI met Meg through some work I was doing with my business,\u201d<\/span><\/i> commented Leslie. <\/span>\u201cShe just has this incredible personality. I felt that, together, we would be a dynamic duo for the podcast. I knew she would bring a different perspective to the story. She would get me questioning things that I wouldn\u2019t question myself.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Meg, a professional filmmaker and actress, was excited about the idea and ready to dive into the podcasting world with Leslie. However, there was one initial issue. <\/span>\u201cAfter she read the manuscript about my dad, she said, <\/span><\/i>\u2018I don\u2019t want to hurt your feelings, but I don\u2019t think I like your father,\u2019<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/i> shared Leslie. <\/span>\u201cSo, I had to convince her a bit.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

While Leslie\u2019s dad certainly had his flaws and issues, it was clear from the podcast and our discussion that Leslie genuinely loved her father. <\/span>\u201cAs I dove into the podcast, I began understanding his background as a kid and what motivated him to take certain paths,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Leslie reminisced. <\/span>\u201cIt really became more like a healing journey. And it was funny! Funny to hear my dad\u2019s perspective and my mom\u2019s perspective. At its core, the podcast is about a healing journey. Your dad doesn\u2019t have to have been in the mafia or jail for you to have a tenuous relationship with him. It\u2019s about understanding forgiveness and healing as a means of going forward.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Having listened to a number of episodes before my interview with Leslie, I knew Claudio had eventually become an informant for law enforcement in the United States. I asked if this was an attempt by her father to possibly \u201cdo the right thing\u201d and turn his life around, or if he was, in essence, forced into that role.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe became an informant because he had no choice,\u201d<\/span><\/i> answered Leslie. Claudio had fled the law in Canada and arrived in Florida where the DEA, CIA, and FBI caught up with him. He faced deportation, <\/span>or<\/span><\/i>\u2026 he could <\/span>\u201cbe on the team.\u201d<\/span><\/i> Leslie explains, <\/span>\u201cHe was told, <\/span><\/i>\u2018You have the connections and the background. We need guys like you.\u2019<\/span> And my dad thought, <\/span><\/i>\u2018I guess I\u2019m an informant now.<\/span>\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Via Claudio\u2019s new career choice, Leslie gained a number of new non-blood relatives in her father\u2019s law-enforcement colleagues. <\/span>\u201cMy dad always had me call these guys \u2018uncles,\u2019\u201d <\/span><\/i>she said. <\/span>\u201cNow it\u2019s like,<\/span><\/i> \u2018Holy crap! Uncle Georgio was with the CIA?!\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/h4>\n

Claudio\u2019s role as informant led to Leslie\u2019s first career, as well. <\/span>\u201cThat\u2019s how I got into the US Coast Guard illegally,\u201d<\/span><\/i> she explained. <\/span>\u201cOur family was in the United States illegally, and the only reason our paperwork existed was due to my dad being an informant. I wanted to go into the Coast Guard to fight drug dealers and rescue people from the stormy seas. At the end of my four years, when I wanted to reenlist, they said,<\/span><\/i> \u2018Wait a minute. You\u2019re Canadian. What are you even doing here?\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Apparently, Claudio and one of Leslie\u2019s \u201cuncles\u201d created some paperwork and pulled a few strings to get her into the Coast Guard. <\/span>\u201cThe kid wanted to be in the Coast Guard, so Daddy made it happen,\u201d <\/span><\/i>she laughed.<\/span><\/p>\n

This account alone made me wonder who really has the more interesting life story\u2014Leslie or her father. However, as with most stories involving a family, every member of Leslie\u2019s family has been affected in some significant way by Claudio\u2019s choices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>Rewriting Dad<\/span><\/i>, Leslie shares conversations with her mother and recalls the tragic death of her brother.<\/span><\/h3>\n

There are more than a few heavy subjects and difficult memories covered in <\/span>Rewriting Dad<\/span><\/i>. I asked Leslie if there are times when producing the podcast is emotionally cathartic for her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust about every single detail is cathartic,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Leslie admits. <\/span>\u201cOne of the greatest gifts from the podcast are the interviews I have done with my mom. I have that as part of our family archive. To hear her working through those details, I think <\/span><\/i>\u2018Wow, you went through some shit!\u2019<\/span> I wanted to put her in more of a cocoon and protect her. The talks also helped me understand a lot of her motivations, like why she stayed in the marriage. I never forgave her before, but through those interviews, I understood.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Season 1 of <\/span>Rewriting Dad<\/span><\/i> had just concluded a few weeks before my conversation with Leslie. So, I had to ask about the upcoming Season 2. <\/span>\u201cThink of Season 1 as an overview of the manuscript,\u201d <\/span><\/i>she explained. <\/span>\u201cSeason 2 is about tracking down the real-life characters, interviewing them, and getting the other side of the story.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

(Sneak preview: One of those \u201ccharacters\u201d already contacted for Season 2 has suggested that Leslie\u2019s brother\u2019s death may not have been an accident.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An intriguing feature of <\/span>Rewriting Dad<\/span><\/i> will continue in Season 2, as well\u2014Leslie and Meg include conversations with guests on their family secrets as a segment of their episodes. \u201c<\/span>It\u2019s interesting to hear the types of secrets that are out there. We are very selective about the ones we choose. We want them to be different. That\u2019s why we don\u2019t have a family-secret segment included in every episode,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Leslie said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Apparently, what will also be included in Season 2 is the perspective of a detective from the 1970\u2019s who worked on Claudio\u2019s case\u2014another one of the <\/span>\u201creal-life characters\u201d <\/span><\/i>Leslie has been able to track down.<\/span><\/p>\n

The story for <\/span>Rewriting Dad<\/span><\/i> seems to just be getting started. To all true-crime aficionados, get caught up on the first season and buckle up for new episodes coming soon.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Not all true-crime stories need to be gruesome, kicking off with something like, \u201c129 stab wounds were found on the victim\u2019s buttocks.\u201d Sometimes, the story might just be about a family member who was involved in, let\u2019s say, somewhat-less-than-legal activity. The latter is certainly the case with Rewriting Dad, a story told from the perspective of co-host Leslie Bradford-Scott\u2014the \u201cdaughter of a criminal.\u201d Joining Leslie is co-host Megan Murphy, a criminal lawyer.\u00a0 How\u2019s that for irony? Rewriting Dad is based upon the manuscript written by Leslie\u2019s late father, Claudio, while he was in prison over three decades ago. Fortunately for<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":9200,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[539,526,527,525,216],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n