I will listen to anything you podcast-I love the way you tell a story-and find your voice is soothing… For this podcast-you spoke to my insecurities-and made me see a different side of this industry and how we all feel alike in so many ways that I never thought about ..so interesting and somewhat scary I feel bad for Fred -he never really got what he needed but gave others so much of himself -very true of many health care type providers-thank you for this

Could’ve been half the time because repeated and drawn out a lot of the sameness. I wish Jane Marie did this topic instead with a more critical journalistic eye, this felt very pro Botox and coming from journalist perspective, interviewing a derm and getting free (gift) Botox In exchange is a no no. It had good moments but also a bit vapid, in my opinion. But a decent listen I did t know about dr Brandt and a good story, but yea just issues with it

I really appreciated the relative lack of distracting background music while people are talking. There seems to be a trend recently of Podcasters thinking background music and sound effects are somehow helpful to the story. They are not, and particularly for us Neurodivergent folks, it can make podcasts really frustrating if not completely impossible to enjoy. Top marks to this podcast for really thoughtful production, making it possible to really enjoy getting absorbed in the story. Thank you!

Very interesting story and fascinating doctor. The reporting was thorough and I enjoyed the information. I didn’t quite understand the beginning and ends of episodes…felt like there could have been longer episodes or maybe a 4 part story. Or more of a reason that the podcaster brought in her own background, more of a connection there? Although overall, I really liked this! Mostly because Dr. Brandt is just so interesting.

This series is more like a long tribute… I liked it, but it dragged on

A very slim story, would have been an okay 1 or 2 part series. Dr Brandt was a kind and sensitive person who committed suicide due to depression. This very rude so called reporter tries to out someone based on rumor and speculation for nothing to do with the story. I’m not even sure why she would do something so obnoxious.there is no smoking gun and really, there isn’t much of a story either because the people closest to the Dr won’t talk to her. I’m giving it 2stars for pointing out that despite his celebrity he was a caring person. I’m shocked that people consider this real reporting, I guess when your idea of news are Buzzfeed and Instagram your views on journalism are shallow. Is it really ethical to get free Botox when your allegedly reporting a story but oh yeah, she also tries to out someone so clearly ethics aren’t an issue.

This is well done and a touching story.

What a fantastically written deep dive into an extraordinary man, societal values & beauty. It has made me rethink some things and maybe not judge myself so harshly due to aging and my self perception. Thank you for this and I hope to hear more….

Its the way she says NAMI and says its “uncool” to out someone on air but tries anyway that says she doesn't really care about the humans in the story, just the story itself. I mean no one on the team had heard of NAMI?!!!?

I thoroughly enjoyed this podcast and found it to be a sensitive and nonjudgmental discussion on beauty, depression, and a real life example of how we don’t always know what a person is truly going through. This was not a salacious, drama filled podcast, but a thoughtful and kind audio documentary of what seemed to be a wonderful man (Dr. Brandt) and the discussion of appearance, beauty, and how so much is interconnected. Loved hearing the ethicist, Dr. Green, and all of the other guests who were brought on. Well done!

I couldn’t get past the first episode. Tina fey is problematic for numerous reasons. However, this podcast is so poorly thought out, researched and vetted if it truly thinks a man as successful and talented as Dr. Brandt would kill himself based on one parody. About his appearance lol. Way to dig deep. Dermatologist who kills himself? Must be due to his appearance Depression is complicated and murderous- this podcast is shallow and vapid and doesn’t make an attempt to understand it.

Really well done, in-depth and compassionate reporting on a fascinating subject.

I enjoyed this very much. The pod is about Dr Fred Brandt, a wildly successful aesthetic physician to the likes of Madonna and other celebs. I always wondered what became of this fellow who seemed to absolutely LOVE helping people. The answer is nuanced and complex. I binged the series over a weekend and it was great at transporting me to the world of wealth and beauty. Dr Brandt was so engaging, I even recall listening to his infomercials and being mesmerized. If you were around during the 1980s and 1990s, you'll immediately recognize Dr Brandt's distinctive voice. This is well paced and produced. The hosts are easy to listen to and to follow. You won't be disappointed!

Being in my late 20s I’ve been thinking about Botox more and more everyday. That is the reason I clicked play on the first episode. This podcast gave me such an interesting perspective not just on Botox but on beauty and human nature in general. One of my favorite podcasts to date!

Unkind and shallow. Would not recommend. Terrible what’s done to the doctor in this podcast.

Depression and suicide are not a blame game. You’re an insensitive disgusting subhuman. Grow up and educate your ignorant self.

Fred was a Botox pioneer who looked a little cuckoo, succumbed to depression, and took his own life. Even though lots of people liked him. There: I just saved you like 9 hours. You’re welcome.

Shout it, sing it, keep it up! You are an amazing host and your voice makes this world a little bit better. Sophia Carey

Very self serving and fails to cover how toxic plastic surgery is to society. Narrator is practically giddy when she receives free botox in return for shilling for a plastic surgeon on the podcast. Also hilariously tries to lay blame on Tina fey.

This podcast is well done. I didn’t know the story and thought the story arc was informative, emotional and left me reflective on our society.

This podcast is so well done and just a nice change from the rest that are out there. I was actually surprised I hadn't heard of it and that the average rating wasn't higher. My only problem is the ads. I normally hate when people give negative reviews because of ads because while of course any ad is annoying, I get that this is how we "pay" to listen without actually paying money. So I just hit the fast forward button and move on or tune them out. But the ads on this one are just SO abrasive. I'm on episode 7 and have binged it, and will try to finish, but the guy's voice in the ads is getting so hard to take.

This series really touched me, I found it riveting even though I already knew at least part of the story of Dr. Brandt. I was working at a magazine when he took his own life and it truly was such a bizarre, eerie time to see how his death took people by such surprise. Everyone seemed to have a charming, positive story to say about him. Had no idea that his heart was practically a ticking time bomb… what an unexpected turn to piece within this story. Episode nine was particularly poignant. Thank you.

I really enjoyed this podcast. The story was intriguing and made me want to be friends with Dr. Brandt. He seemed like such a remarkable, loving person. The ads got to me though. They were not timed well, no warning they were coming and interrupted meaningful moments. Really detracted from the story overall.

I just finished the podcast series - it is very good but I have some questions.(Perhaps an addendum can address these? fingers crossed) 1. I had hoped they would get back to explaining Stefan - what was his business role in Dr B’s life? I know he inherited the skin care products business, so was he running that for him prior to his death? I was unclear on the true basis of the relationship. 2. When he passed, did Dr B leave anything to his nieces and nephew or did Stefan pretty much get everything? 3. Who inherited his dogs? (Ultimately all of these questions are none of my business but that’s true about pretty much everything that was in the podcast. LOL) Again great job - very engaging & compelling!

Nice story telling. Could have done without the narrators commentary about her life around celebrities.

Overall I enjoyed the podcast. The long scene of the host getting $2,000 worth of free Botox was a little strange though.

I wasn’t totally sure what the basis of this podcast was but I really enjoyed it. I love the format of a “reporter” and not just someone retelling a story. I love hearing real people’s first hand experiences as it brings validity and candidness to the story. Well done!

The way Justine discusses the unattainable filtered Instagram face resonates. As a 36 year old woman I vacillate between accepting of how I look (albeit, with a little tweaking from filler and Botox) to feeling downright ugly when I see these 20-something influencers with poreless skin and perfectly symmetrical faces. I know those images are heavily filtered but in the moment they still make me feel like I need to do more work to my face to “catch-up” to this look. Anyone struggling with this back and forth feeling should really listen to this episode.

I didn’t know what to expect from this podcast but ended up enjoying it very much. In fact, I enjoyed it so much I started listening to OC Swingers (don’t bother) because it was also created by Justine Harmon. But I digress, The Baron of Botox was thoughtful and didn’t limit itself just to the story of Dr. Brandt, but delved into many other topics without losing continuity or going off topic. Well done!

Terrible storytelling with shallow analysis, don’t waste your time

I really enjoyed this series and found it to be a respectful and thorough review of Dr Brandt and how we all viewed him. While I wasn’t a patient or acquaintance of his, I had to ask myself how much i’ve bought into the whole system of beauty and how have we changed as a result of the easy and quick procedures that are available everywhere. Most importantly, this series humanized Dr Brandt for me and left me feeling very sympathetic toward him.

This was an extremely informative and tastefully done podcast about a very difficult subject. Thank you for creating the space that you did. I’m sure there’s always room for critique, but I’m very satisfied with how this was done and I listened to the entire podcast in less than 24 hours. Especially loved the comparison between women podcasters and Joe Rogan. For any critiques to your podcast, I wonder, would anyone say the same if Joe Rogan told the same story? The answer could be yes or no, but it’s an important question to ask.

I was impressed with the humanistic approach to this story. Dr. Brandt was a revolutionary & his kind heart is shown in this story. Great job!

Agree with others that these episodes could have been condensed significantly, however was an interesting albeit heartbreaking story of depression and suicide despite outward success. Unfortunately, similar to the host’s experience with glossy print magazines, every other page (or minute) is an advert.

A thorough, gripping expose. What a shame to have lost an amazing human.

What happened to the storyline…it seemed to switch mid podcast.

This podcast started out well. A suicide. A famous dermatologist to the stars. The opening was intriguing - an assistant cutoff by the CEO, friends on suicide watch, millions of dollars in fine art sold soon after his death, and his estate supposedly shared among a few close friends. The problem was that the interesting set-up in the first 2-3 episodes was frizzled out by a series of sidetracks completely unrelated to Dr. Brandt. Psychologists and beauty bloggers took up most of the latter part of the series with no further information about Dr. Brandt. Coworkers and clients spoke repeatedly about his kind and generous nature and his compassion and skill as a doctor. Justine never revisited the questions she raised at the beginning of the series. What about Stefan - his CEO and possible love interest? What happened to Maggie his assistant? Who benefited from his estate which included his massive art collection? What about the mounting debt alluded to in the first few episodes? It went completely off the rails with beauty editors, bloggers and ethicists that had nothing to do with the Dr. Brandt story. So very disappointed in this podcast!!!!

Use caution/ care when listening to this podcast. It was fascinating but certain episodes triggered my suicidal ideation. Each episode does have a warning up front, and information about getting help at the end, but I didn’t think it would effect me as much as it did. Chapter 9 is what really messed with me. Enjoy this podcast, but take care of yourself.

It really seems like the entire purpose of the podcast was for the host to get free services.

The material is interesting. The sound clips are very quiet too. It was just stretched to ten episodes. Should have been one amazing episode.

I enjoyed this podcast. Very informative and well told. I never heard of Dr. Brandt until about a year ago. I think your handling of his story showed sensitivity and respect.

could’ve been a really interesting work, but the way it is told is so shallow and demeaning that it’s almost entirely unpalatable. An attempt to be salacious just for the sake of salaciousness. Gross af

The odd thing about a podcast dealing with the so-called wellness industry, which I have never even heard of, is that there are no pictures of these beautiful people. I had never seen Dr. Brandt. I googled photos of him and was shocked at what I saw. He treated a face like it was a canvas to sculpt with a rejuvenated, enhanced appearance the end result? Not his own. There is a photo of him as a youth, and he was a good looking kid who turned himself into an ugly adult, and that is what this podcast does not cover. Accolades from peers are nice, but the only doctor who seemed to understand the problem appeared at the end briefly and only hinted at the issue at hand, why someone would self-mutilate and turn himself into a freak. Dr. Brandt was like Karen Carpenter, but her fatal, tragic story has at least been treated with a degree of depth and honesty. Not so here. And no one cares if women deliver podcasts.

You’re right, “it’s not that cool to try to out someone”. I stopped with episode 2 and you should have stopped at 1. This is a gossip column in podcast format.

Very unfair to Dr. Brandt—Botox is poison, but you can’t blame him for wanting to look good laying in a box. The doctor was an expert and knew better than to leave his final appearance in the hands of an undertaker.

Wish it had 10 more episodes! Interesting and insightful . Made me look at Dr Brant very differently. RIP... what a kind human😢

Justine you did an incredible job! I felt so connected to Dr. Brandt. It was as though I knew him personally. My heart ached for the way he was treated by his celebrity clients in public. I will ah he’d found love...so so so sad.

Hopefully a genuine reporter and team of serious writers/editors pick up this subject for a re-do, because there’s so much to this story that is interesting. The whole tone of this podcast is shallow, immature, and with little to no insight on the life of this man and the industry and people he effected.

Really poor sound quality on interviews and too many repetitive ads for other podcasts.

This is without a doubt the best AND worst podcast that I’ve listened to this year. The best- the author told Dr. Brant’s story with kindness and compassion. She made his story relatable and I was impressed with her non-judgmental approach (both towards the doctors eccentric life and also the bullies who quite frankly deserved a little shaming). My heart broke for Dr. Brant with every episode and the tragedy within this story. Yet Dr. Brant’s lively personality and generous heart made me want to be more like him. She did a wonderful job separating who Dr. Brant was professionally vs. who he was personally and reminding us that people aren’t always as resilient as they lead on to be. She also did a really good job of getting across the point that no done deserves to be ridiculed, regardless of their eccentricities or differences. This podcast inspired me to be a better person and to live life a little bit more like Dr. Brant. The worst- At the end of the ten episodes I felt like the author was leading me the natural (above) conclusion and I was really surprised when she instead pivoted and turned on the reader. It seemed like her conclusion was to blame the reader while assuming that we are all full of vanity and judgement and therefore all guilty. I kind of get what she’s saying, but I think it didn’t emulate Dr. Brant’s amazing example of kindness and forgiveness. I wish she had ended this series instead by discussing Tina Feys refusal to acknowledge her sorrow for hurting another human being (even if she refused to take accountability). Isn’t the the basic unwillingness to show sensitivity and caring the heart of this story and something that is so lacking and in need of in American society... and Dr. Brant’s greatest example to us all?!!!!