In Plain Sight

This episode of the MrBallen Podcast presents three true stories of dark secrets concealed in plain sight—on a TV show, in a family home, and within a medical facility—each revealing hidden horrors through unexpected discoveries.

Rodney Alcala on The Dating Game

In 1978, a episode of the reality show The Dating Game featured bachelorette Cheryl Bradshaw selecting contestant Bachelor Number One, a tall, long-haired man named Rodney Alcala. On stage, he appeared charming amid the show's innuendo, but backstage, Bradshaw found him creepy, declining his invitation for an immediate date. This instinct saved her life. Alcala had a prior conviction for assaulting an eight-year-old girl, serving three years in prison, and was on parole. Unknown to producers—who performed no background check—he was a serial killer. Posing as a fashion photographer, he lured women from bars to his apartment for "photo shoots," then locked them in and strangled them. By the time of the show, he had killed at least four people; estimates suggest up to 130 victims over two years, averaging over one per week. His confident flirting masked a pattern of entrapment and murder, exposed only later through investigations unrelated to the show.