The real Lisa Simpson talks about fascinating true crime cases

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Anyone listening to the true crime podcast “Small Town Dicks” for the first time may be surprised to hear the host’s voice: Lisa Simpson herself, also known as Yeardley Smith.

The voice actor known from “The Simpsons” started the podcast, in which investigators talk about their most memorable cases, in 2017.

The show is hosted by three retired “dicks” (a slang term for “detectives” reminiscent of classic Hollywood film noirs): Dan Grice and his twin brother Dave Grice – Detectives Dan and Dave to their listeners – and cold case investigator Paul Holes.

Smith and Dan aren’t just podcast partners. The couple married in 2022, years after their fairytale first meeting. Dan, then a plainclothes detective, provided security for Smith – who had been the victim of stalking – at a “Simpsons” event. He was basically the Kevin Costner to her Whitney Houston in the real-life “Bodyguard.” Dave, who lives near the couple, is now her brother-in-law.

The concept of “Small Town Idiots”, The series, now in its 14th season and downloaded over 48 million times, has “evolved rapidly” from its original format, Dan told HuffPost before the group took the stage at CrimeCon last month.

“Originally, the concept of the show was for Dan and Dave to talk about true crime and cases we’ve investigated, using gallows humor. And maybe drink a few pints of scotch while we retell the story. We tried it once, and it quickly fizzled out. It didn’t feel natural,” he said.

They realized they could not “support” a program that “disrespectfully deals with a case in which someone was a victim or murdered,” Dan said.

“We couldn’t do that. We wanted to be proud to talk about these cases and give them the seriousness and respect they deserved.”

Instead, they took a more measured approach, even changing identifying details to protect the victims’ privacy. Fans of “Small Town Dicks” say they love the podcast for the investigators’ unique perspectives and insights, their fascinating stories, their camaraderie and empathy for the victims – and even the suspects. They’re entertaining and make fun of each other, but never the subject matter.

And Smith, who has no experience in law enforcement, took on a key role. She doesn’t hesitate to interrupt detectives when they use police jargon or other terms that might confuse her audience.

“Being an outsider from law enforcement, I have a very different fundamental, perhaps female, perspective. I want to know about your heart and your mind,” she said.

“There are things Dave and I take for granted in law enforcement,” Dan said. “Yeardley would interrupt us and ask questions like, ‘Why did you need a search warrant? Why is certain evidence more important than others?'”

Holes praises the podcast for its authenticity and humanistic portrayal of law enforcement.

“Too many people in the public think of police officers as robot cops,” he told HuffPost. “But hopefully when they listen to us, they realize that we are human beings just like them and that we have put our physical and mental health on the line to keep the public safe.”

Critics of “Small Town Dicks” have accused the police-focused format of being “cop-washing,” but Smith insists it’s not about “cop-washing.”

“We are quite critical when the police deserve criticism. We do not hesitate to voice it,” Dave said.

“The best thing we can do is express our views authentically and honestly and say how a case has affected us. And if people take that to mean we’re always pro-cop, then I would say they probably haven’t heard about the library we’ve put out there,” Dave said.

“We’re just trying to provide a perspective from a law enforcement perspective that counteracts the current widespread narrative that police officers are always trying to hurt people and violate their rights,” Dave said.

“That’s the exact opposite of my experience. Honestly, the best men and women I’ve ever met in my life are first responders.”

Investigators said one of the messages of their podcast was to encourage people to trust their instincts and call the police if they felt unsafe.

“That’s what the police really want to do. We really want to go out and deal with the people who are harassing more vulnerable people. That’s why we took on this job. Let’s catch the bad guys,” Dave said.

He added that he is uncomfortable with the attention that comes with the podcast’s popularity and is still getting used to having fans.

“Dan and I have intentionally participated in this podcast using only our first names and not mentioning where we work because this is not about attention. I want the attention to go where it belongs, which is where it belongs and how it has impacted the people I have come into contact with. I don’t want me to boast about my accomplishments. And that’s really not what our podcast is about,” Dave said.

He and his brother may have garnered the most attention with the CrimeCon panels they launched last year. Smith gushed about the affection her fans have for her husband and brother-in-law.

“They went crazy,” Smith said of the detectives’ fans. “I’ll just say it. It was absolutely fantastic. It was so much fun.”

“They really feel like they know Dan and Dave,” she continued. “They respect that they bring so much integrity to the episodes we record.”

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