I Killed John Belushi

Crimes of the Times

L.A. Times Studios

Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles, La Times, Los Angeles Times, True Crime, Chris Goffard, News, Society & Culture

4.6 • 42.8K Ratings

🗓️ 21 October 2025

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

When comic John Belushi died of a speedball overdose at Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont, it wasn’t clear there had been a crime—until the National Enquirer got involved. This episode follows the tabloid reporter who hunted down Belushi’s dealer, coaxed a confession, and transformed a drug overdose into a homicide investigation.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This is an L.A. Times Studios podcast.
0:06.8	Chris Gafford here at L.A. Times Studios.
0:09.7	Thanks for joining us on Crimes of the Times.
0:12.2	Today we discuss the death of comic legend,
0:15.0	John Belushi, and the unusual prosecution that followed.
0:18.6	We'll talk to the tabloid journalist who made it possible.
0:21.8	Tell us what you think in the comments below.
0:28.4	In the mid-1970s, a magazine called comic John Belushi, the most dangerous man on TV.
0:39.9	He was one of the breakout stars of the original Saturday Night Live. He played a giant bee and a gibberish shouting samurai. A prodigy of
0:46.4	physical comedy, his persona was recklessness and unpredictability and a gleeful abandonment of all
0:53.2	proprieties. His role is John Bluto Blutarsky
0:56.8	in National Lampoon's Animal House is what people tend to remember about the 1978 movie.
1:03.8	His character was a lovable mischief-making fraternity slob with no off-switch and colossal
1:10.8	appetites for everything that was bad for him.
1:14.1	He guzzled liquor like water and stuffed burgers whole into his mouth.
1:19.2	Once, Belushi gave an interview trying to explain the appeal of his characters.
1:23.6	My characters say it's okay to screw up, Belushi said.
1:27.0	Most movies today make people feel inadequate.
1:29.8	I don't do that.
1:33.2	Offscreen, Belushi's appetites for everything that was bad for him were also Titanic.
1:39.7	One Saturday Night Live writer who sometimes did cocaine with him
1:43.6	spoke of Belushi's, quote,
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from L.A. Times Studios, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of L.A. Times Studios and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.