Gerbil

About Gerbil

Everyone knows the story about Richard Gere. Few know how it started. For four decades, a salacious and unproven rumor has shadowed one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Investigative reporter Allen Salkin spent six years chasing its origins — and uncovered a story about gossip, power, politics, the internet and the peculiar wiring of our own brains. New episodes every Thursday.

Publisher

The Hollywood Reporter

Category

true crime · tv & film

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Sept 2026

Latest episode

17 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

3 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   17 Sept 2026

   Episode 2: The Philadelphia Gerbil Panic of 1985

   Host Jerry Penacolli investigates the Philadelphia Gerbil Panic of 1985, uncovering eyewitness accounts and archival evidence that reveal a forgotten, tragic truth behind the viral rumor.

2. 

   17 Sept 2026

   Episode 1: The Word

   Reporter Allen Salkin investigates the mysterious origin of the word "gerbil" after receiving a tip, uncovering its surprising history.

3. 

   15 Sept 2026

   Gerbil: Inside Hollywood’s Most Unkillable Rumor - Trailer

   Investigative reporter Allen Salkin explores the enduring Richard Gere gerbil rumor, revealing its surprising origins and continued relevance in this interview.