Introducing Foretold: Can a fortuneteller change her future?

The Black Dahlia Serial Killers

Wondery

Hollywood & Crime, Hollywood And Crime, Exhibit C, Los Angeles, Serial, History, Cold Case, Crime, Hollywood, Hollywood Killings, Documentary, Elizabeth Short, True Crime, Los Angeles Killings, Murder Trial, Black Dahlia, Murder, Investigation, Society & Culture, Unsolved Murder

4.2 • 3.4K Ratings

🗓️ 11 April 2023

⏱️ 8 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Foretold is a deeply engrossing podcast that follows the life of Paulina Stevens, a Romani fortune teller as she makes the extraordinary decision to leave her community. In this preview feature we begin with a frantic meeting in a cafe where a panicked Paulina blurts out she has escaped her family's psychic shop with her children, that she is a scam artist born and bred, that she was in an arranged marriage and taken out of school in the 6th grade to prepare for a life pre-determined for her. And so begins the journey to unpack each of those claims, learning about the context and culture of Romani people (commonly known as the pejorative 'Gypsy') along the way. This podcast explores cultural identity, evolution of culture, women's roles, modernization and tradition, and group dynamics --all wrapped up in a compelling and universally relatable life story of a unique woman who is curious about the world and yet metaphysically and culturally connected to her people's history. Listen and follow Foretold at latimes.com/foretold or wherever you get your podcasts.

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0:00.0	Where I live in Southern California, psychic shops are practically as plentiful as coffee shops.
0:08.0	They're a part of the landscape.
0:10.0	I know people who have regular appointments with their psychic.
0:13.0	It's the kind of thing you can drop in casual conversation and no one bats an eye.
0:19.0	And I can understand why.
0:21.0	People want security.
0:23.0	They want to know what the future will hold.
0:26.0	And whether through tarot cards or a crystal ball, the fortune teller will hint at how your story will play out.
0:35.0	Let me say up front that I don't know how this tale will play out or how it will end.
0:40.0	Because in this story, the fortune teller came to me.
0:45.0	At the very beginning of this podcast, I never thought in a million years.
0:51.0	It would turn into what it is now.
0:54.0	My name is Faith Pinyu and I'm a reporter at the Los Angeles Times.
0:58.0	But back in October 2019, I was working at a small community newspaper in Orange County called the Daily Pilot.
1:05.0	And that's where I first got a call from Paulina Stevens.
1:09.0	Paulina told me that from the time she was a child, she was told she would be a fortune teller.
1:14.0	That she came from a whole family of fortune tellers.
1:18.0	And then she mentioned something that made my ears perk up.
1:22.0	It was a warning about a psychic shop in Orange County.
1:25.0	She told me that this was the psychic shop that she had escaped.
1:30.0	I suggested we meet up in person at a local cafe.
1:33.0	I'm a little nervous. I'm sorry for like, that's okay.
	...

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