Jamie Feldman

So nearly half of Americans have consumer debt in 2025, and just about 40 years ago, they had none? How is that possible?

So nearly half of Americans have consumer debt in 2025, and just about 40 years ago, they had none? How is that possible?

Welcome to Deadheads. Welcome. Deadheads is an investigation into the American economy. From the perspective of people in debt.

Welcome to Deadheads. Welcome. Deadheads is an investigation into the American economy. From the perspective of people in debt.

And we named this podcast after ourselves.

And we named this podcast after ourselves.

Hey, Siri? Uh-huh? Can you tell me how to get out of debt?

Hey, Siri? Uh-huh? Can you tell me how to get out of debt?

Okay, number one. Focus your budget.

Okay, number one. Focus your budget.

And I had been carrying this debt in some capacity for so many years that the principal I originally borrowed had gotten really hard to distinguish from the interest that had accumulated over the years.

And I had been carrying this debt in some capacity for so many years that the principal I originally borrowed had gotten really hard to distinguish from the interest that had accumulated over the years.

This podcast was non-judgmental. Five? Okay. So I had five credit cards and clearly I was using them wrong, but was anyone using them right? I had to find out. I had to go somewhere where people might be using credit cards. Someplace familiar. Somewhere where everybody knows my name. I had to go to the mall.

This podcast was non-judgmental. Five? Okay. So I had five credit cards and clearly I was using them wrong, but was anyone using them right? I had to find out. I had to go somewhere where people might be using credit cards. Someplace familiar. Somewhere where everybody knows my name. I had to go to the mall.

On a recent Saturday afternoon, we lured one of our city's top investigative reporters slash restaurant critics, Rachel Sun River, to a busy suburban mall in the tri-state area to investigate how people were spending their money. And all it cost us was a fried chicken sandwich from the food court.

On a recent Saturday afternoon, we lured one of our city's top investigative reporters slash restaurant critics, Rachel Sun River, to a busy suburban mall in the tri-state area to investigate how people were spending their money. And all it cost us was a fried chicken sandwich from the food court.

And despite the subpar quality of the food court's fried chicken sandwich, it was well worth the cost to hear Rivers' keen interviewing skills in action.

And despite the subpar quality of the food court's fried chicken sandwich, it was well worth the cost to hear Rivers' keen interviewing skills in action.

Confirm the legality of recording audio at a shopping mall.

Confirm the legality of recording audio at a shopping mall.