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BakedGoodies 11/07/2011 8:21:00 AM
I hope you're just trolling. For someone to go through that much in a two year period and then to empathize with the attacker? I mean, she fell in love, went through the process of moving, then mourned him when he died. That's a lot of emotional rape, especially since none of it happened. Audrey didn't ask for it; no one knew this was going on.
Oh, and Janna obviously had some type of guy friend, so she isn't alone. And, honestly, she could find a friend online and still be herself rather than a make-believe hero. So yes, she definitely is certifiably insane.
PS. I like the writing style.
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08/28/2011 2:41:00 AM
Happy to hear there are people in the world that can band together to thoroughly kick ass like that. I hope that in the end, karma does bite that disturbed creature in the ass somehow. However, she may well do more damage before this happens and as stated, her next victim might not have the loving kind of friends that might pull her out of the emotional devastation that a person like this causes, which could end very badly for the victim.
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05/10/2011 2:31:00 PM
Wow! Surprising and unsurprising at the same time. The world we live in gets stranger all the time. The internets appear to have taken ahold of this story and begun to drag this multi-legged beast out into the scathing 15-minute light of fame. I feel very sorry for what Audrey went through, but this is really a wake-up call for all of us.
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This Troper 05/09/2011 1:27:00 AM
To quote TvTropes, the site that linked me here, and probably others: "This woman mind raped [Audrey] for two years." For two years, this woman was emotionally strung along, having her life played with like a puppet in this sick woman's hands.
And you pity the abuser (and that's what she is, make no mistake) instead of her victim? You dare say "Oh, well, I was in a situation kind of sort of like that and I managed to handle it just fine!", lording your "moral superiority" over Audrey and her friends?
Holly Q., you disgust me. At least Janna has the excuse of quite probably being mentally ill. What's your excuse?
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Holly Q. 05/03/2011 9:04:00 PM
I ran into a person like this too, who tried to dupe myself and friends. I didn't fall for it, a few of my friends did. I was pissed when this person started turning my friends against me, as though I was the bad guy because I didn't believe a word "he" was saying.
But no matter how pissed you are, resorting to the amount of isms in this article is disgusting. Never mind the writer lording over everyone, as though he is somehow better than everyone in this article. Also, he seemed jealous of someone finding love, even if it was false. What was the point of the addition of his 'brief relationship that broke his heart'? It had nothing to do with the story. It's terribly written, long-winded and offensive.
When I found conclusive proof that the person my friends were associating with wasn't real, I didn't mock them for it. Hell, I didn't even judge the person who wanted friendship so badly she pretended to be someone she wasn't. They could probably use some support, but I didn't call them insane. They weren't insane. Lonely? Probably. Troubled? Yes. Crazy? Hardly.
We weren't angry. We thought it was strange, especially since she had tried to coerce several of my friends into relationships. When we confronted her, she broke all contact with us. She'll probably do it again, because she likely feels inadequate or unworthy, which is common in our society. So she makes up a story, that's fantastic and wonderful and makes her (or him, depending on the gender she pretends to be) sound great, so that's she never lonely. So that people are sympathetic and love her. It's wrong to trick people, but honestly? I feel sorry for the way everyone treated Janna. Even if she was mentally ill, being horrible to her will likely only exacerbate the problem. She'll do it again because she KNOWS people hate her.
I hope for Janna that she finds help, that she finds a good friend that will support her. As for Audrey? She has all the help she needs. I don't feel sorry for her. She'll be fine.
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Holly Q. 05/03/2011 8:48:00 PM
Unnecessary facts are NOT good journalism.
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kelsey 04/30/2011 12:55:00 AM
It's a fact. Facts are always good journalism.
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04/29/2011 9:52:00 PM
Where's page 6?
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04/27/2011 3:44:00 PM
Guys, this was atrociously edited. "Stuff muffin" (somewhere around page 4)? It ends with a COLON (instead of the traditional period), for God's sake. Someone hand me some smelling salts.
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04/27/2011 1:31:00 PM
Schadenfreude
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Spocktease 04/26/2011 8:58:00 PM
Holy shit. This woman, Janna, is obviously about as psychotic as a person can get without actually taking the last leap toward serial killing.
It couldn't get any more perfect that she's posting here with multiple names trying to be "anonymous defenders for Janna," either. Kind of brings the whole thing full circle, doesn't it? Apparently she's demented enough that she doesn't understand no one but her would possibly stick up for her.
I hope your friend "Audrey" overcomes the crazy inflicted upon her. Best wishes.
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David 02/23/2011 1:18:00 PM
The only laughing, "attention seeking whore" involved here is the not-mentally-ill-but-stunningly-amoral Mrs St James Prigge. Well done, Josh and LA Weekly. And high-five to Audrey for allowing her painful cautionary tale to be told.
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Anon 02/05/2011 12:57:00 AM
Hi Janna
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Ary L. 10/06/2010 6:36:00 PM
DGP
Well-spoken!
The woman was mentaly-ill and what she did was wrong. But this guy loved every moment exploiting this unfortunate event, and doesn't miss and opportunitie to say that he is friends with Harlan Ellison and that "You don't argue when it's Harlan Ellison" and Harlan Ellison this and that. Josh Olsen is just the proverbial prick who feels superior to the "little people" and who still wants so bad to have sex with "Audrey", trying to lure her with this "Best Friend always here for you" card. I bet that this "Audrey" (another attention seeking whore) is laughing at the expenses of every "friend" she has. The only thing tragic and human here is the sad story of a lonely, mentaly-ill human. As far as Josh Olsen and Harlan whats-his-name and Audrey go, they are the typical new rich thirty-something people who step over anyone to get what they want.
Oh, and by the way: " A History of Violence" was six years ago, asshole. Stop feeling superior just because of that film. And don't even pull the "At least I made a movie" on me. I didn't make one, 99% of people didn't make one, and we don't care. Films are fun. We go to theatre, have a great time. Then, when we go home, life and its problems resume and we go on. Don't think to highly of yourself, asshole. And get over "Audrey". She won't be beautiful and rich forever.
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DGP 09/14/2010 6:01:00 PM
While this woman is obviously a scam artist and probably mentally ill, there is something very ugly about the tone of this article. Olson feels the need to mention St. James' weight and appearance several times. For those who would defend this, I ask: why not describe the other people involved in detail? I suppose he could argue that he was avoiding this to "protect the innocent," as he did by changing their names (although that doesn't stop him from gratuitous mentions of his good friend Harlan Ellison). There's a general tone of contempt for the "little people" which is ironically just what feeds this kind of attention-seeking madness.
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Arthur 08/06/2010 12:59:00 PM
Having found Janna's blog, my guess is the man that "Audrey" spoke to was her former husband. Her blog has some pretty demented rants against the players in this odd drama.
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apeck 03/02/2010 9:52:00 PM
For all of you that think Audrey is a fraud and Jesse is real let me tell you a story from 30 years ago when I knew Janna St James in Basalt Colorado, before and after she became mentally ill. She was my friend for 10 years. The first 4 were fine. She changed after that. She was from Chicago originally and alluded to the fact that she was involved with the guitar player from Styx. I accepted this because up in the Aspen area there were lots of people involved with lots of famous entertainers. She even had letters from the band, postmarked from foreign countries. She even had the piano player writing to me. She had me fully involved. She kept me away from her family so I could not talk to them about her past, her fake brother, her former husband, her dance career and so on.
this went on for years, with the guitar player's mental illnesses, the piano player's thoughts of divorce and his letters to me. She was thorough. The band would be in Denver, but they just missed me, on and on and on. So many letters and cards from different areas. Janna finally moved away when the lies were being discovered and ended up in Chicago. 3 years ago or so I was contacted by someone in Pagosa Springs,Colorado about another fraud with Dan Fogelberg. Then I was just cruising google and low and behold. There is no Jesse, no Styx, and no Fogelberg connection to Janna St James Priggy
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Ashley Mitchell 07/18/2009 3:22:00 PM
Holy cow, what a bizarre tale... I found a link to this article when one of my favorite bands (otep) shared it on twitter
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Ann 07/18/2009 8:19:00 AM
Was it really necessary to point out she was "morbidly obese"? That's not good journalism, that's childish antics.
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Londoner 06/16/2009 5:16:00 PM
I have very recently had an encounter with an internet friend I met in Second Life, who suddenly died after months of tragedy and illness; name of Jessica Jillian James.Various "collective detective" investigations point to the death being a hoax, and some IP checks I did on emails and other records have proved there were sock puppets involved using the same chicago IP address that the recently deceased Jessi was using, the story is too long and still ongoing so, I won't post the details. The names and locations are alarming enough.
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dnta 05/15/2009 8:42:00 PM
sad for all involved. this article solves a mystery for me in that many years ago i got an email from someone who identified themselves as Dan Fogelberg. i couldn't believe it was true, and, without explaining details ended up talking on the phone to Janna St. James (who was supposedly a friend/neighbor of Fogelberg's....and might have been. i don't care.) janna claimed to have information and claimed it WAS Dan or, if not, then it was a disgruntled Fogelberg employee, etc.
i did not pursue any of it any further. i talked to janna a few times, then lost touch. grateful for that.
as a person, and gestalt therapist, i understand Josh's anger here. i might take that stance myself if i were personally involved in the audrey/jesse saga. yet i'm not, so i choose to put a prayer out to the big U that janna receive the help/healing she needs and does NOT prey on anyone else. and that audrey be healed and take what light there is from this darkness. i'm imagining many 'lessons' were learned that can serve audrey on her journey forward. i, personally, trust the way my life unfolds and know even the most devastating times are great blessings and hold something i need to learn when i am open to that learning.
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Marie 02/01/2009 9:51:00 AM
This was a fascinating story, I found Audrey's "Piece of Fakery" blog online and read most of that as well. I'm confused on one major point though. Audrey posted thoughts about Jesse and their epic love in her other blog, back when he was still "alive," did she post the photos Jesse sent her as well? Did she share them with any of her friends? Did anyone point out to her that a lot of those photos (especially the snaps of Jesse) all looked like they had been taken 20+ years ago? You can tell by the hairstyles, clothes, and furniture, as well as the deterioration of the photos due to time. I find it incredible that multiple people might have looked at those photos and nobody called BS on the photos of Jesse and his house.
She fell for an elaborate emotional scam, and I do not fault her for wanting to believe. I would have probably fallen for everything except for the photos. (I think Jesse on the phone was the evil one herself, disguising her voice and hiding behind an exaggerated accent. How Jesse spoke on the phone is explained more in the blog.)
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kailash kellogg 09/17/2008 1:10:00 PM
the story is inconprehensible to me. very badly written and confusing. unreadable.
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Cassy 08/02/2008 6:35:00 PM
This kind of thing happens alot - and Thank you for telling us about it. I hope this serves as a warning to others...
I feel for your friend...I hope she still trusts her self and others...
This janna is going to rot in hell....if she can fit her fat ass though the gates.
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Laceferus 08/02/2008 12:57:00 AM
That sounds like some WonderWoman shit right there.
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little namo 06/12/2008 8:41:00 PM
I was blown away by this story (which was very well and compellingly written, by the way) and believe it to be true because I myself have been similarly harassed for over two years now by a woman (who used to be a good friend) who creates "sock puppets" in order to attempt contact with me. This woman (lets call her "Pat") has joined most of the Internet Groups I belong to using different false IDs, some male, some female, in her efforts to maintain contact. Like "Jesse", "Pat" goes to the trouble of inventing entire lives for these fake people in order to seem real, but her creations are all similarly shallow and she has certain characteristic phrasings and personality quirks that leak into these zombie IDs. Through experience I can now pretty quickly spot when a new stranger is really "Pat." In any case, I agree with the writer that "emotional rape" is what is being committed, and that people who do that deserve the label "monster."
Part of "Pat's" game is for her phony person to present him- or herself as extremely noble and heroic, then to have horrible tragedies happen to them in a play for sympathy from the other Group members who don't understand that this is all fantasy. Its very much like this "Jesse's" modus operandi. And strangely enough, "Pat" is also morbidly obese. (Yes, I think the person in the photo could be in the morbidly obese range.) Its so freaking creepy to choose to screw with people's minds and hearts that way. I have no way of stopping my harasser, though; at least I know who it is and she can't hurt me anymore, but I guess I just have to endure her obsessive posting until one of us eventually dies. I cheer for you and admire that you actually did something to stop your friend from further "rape" by that twisted sack of excrement.
-Little Namo
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RioIriri 05/04/2008 12:42:00 AM
Would your friend have been less damaged if Ms. St. James were thin and beautiful? Bringing up her size was a low blow, and pretty hateful.
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Kim 03/28/2008 4:01:00 PM
There are SO many people out there doing this nowadays that it's sickening.
I just... don't understand it.
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Maria 03/24/2008 11:22:00 PM
That is totally INSANE! Why would someone do that???? How long did she plan to keep it up? It's really scary.
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Pat Nestor (Rocketeerz) 02/19/2008 6:09:00 PM
Wow.
Just... wow.
Words kind of fail me. I'm not a stranger to this sort of situation, being part of a group that also was fooled by someone who spent years posing as another that we all cared for. One of the group was invited to come out and live nd work with the false personality we all thought existed. In the end though... NONE of our situation was as extreme as this one.
Powerful piece. Excellent writing. Thanks Josh.
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TheStrangeAngel 02/05/2008 11:07:00 AM
Holy living hell.
I actually know of a situation similar to this one, but not QUITE as sick and twisted...
The fact that there was a guy involved in it really tips it over the edge for me...
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swerp 12/21/2007 10:24:00 AM
There was a case similar to this in the Philadelphia area just recently. A girl about the age of 14 met a guy on the internet. He was her age, sweet and charming. She was thrilled at the attention. Then he suddenly turned on her. He said terrible things to her and about her. The young girl was devasted and took her life. The boy she gave up her life over never even existed. He was the invention of a woman who lived on the same street as the young girl and was the mother of one of her friends. Unlike Janna, this person was arrested and charged.
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LA Weekly Reader 12/18/2007 4:12:00 AM
Really prefer not to comment, having put Janna (Hopper) St. James well in the past. No way to read comments without posting?
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W.Jones 12/15/2007 6:57:00 PM
Laws may be about to change in the wake of 13-year old Megan Meier's suicide in the wake of being duped by an adult posing as a 16 year old boy. I hope so. Thank you for sharing this story.
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no 12/14/2007 7:15:00 AM
no comment
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LA Weekly Reader 12/02/2007 11:09:00 AM
oh ny
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Fm 12/02/2007 8:31:00 AM
Sounds like a guy I met on line who claimed to be in Law School. Creepy dude who made up stories about the girls he found online. Too mean to deal with his own emotional issues. Deal with people in the real world, don't fall for e-fantasies. You can sniff out most liars by the first date.
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Quinc 11/30/2007 9:31:00 AM
Great story
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LA Weekly Reader 11/30/2007 5:48:00 AM
hi
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p_k 11/28/2007 9:45:00 PM
EVERYONE seems to think they KNEW Jesse. And none of "those" who still think that, are addressing ANY of the discrepancies that have come to light. Let's review. 1) The emails originating from the same Chicago-land source. Isn't it more convoluted to think that ALL "his" friends sent their emails to Janna first, than to accept it was all a scam? 2) AND HERE"S A BIG ONE. The shocking similarities between THIS case and the scam Janna pulled on the Fogelberg board, which is also "out there"! 3) The emails of encouragement Audrey got from Jesse and his 'friends." Encouragement you apparently didn't know about. THAT'S in evidence too. 4) Then the damning emails, Audrey received after his "death", from many of "Jesse" "friends" for not making more of an effort TO BE WITH HIM. Which flies in the face of your assertion that EVERYONE in Jesse' camp was against the relationship. YOU obviously didn't know as much as you thought you did. 5) The naive, stupid idea that one would or could enlist a cavalry of friends to lie their asses off in the first place for ANY reason. Not to mention the questionable sanity of people who would do it and willfully SUSTAIN it, long after they had even any *ostensible* reason for doing so. To wave ALL this away as friend's loyalty rather than the... 6).. sock puppets described in the MUNCHAUSEN BY INTERNET info is really a stretch. 7) How would Audrey have very personal items in her possession, *clearly* meant only for "Jesse," if "Jesse" didn't send them to her? 9) And if "he'd" back stab and lie to someone else, how can you feel secure he wouldn't back stab and lie to you? 10) It's become obvious, that LIKE THE FOGELBERG board, this all started with CELEBRITY WORSHIP. Only in THIS case the flirtatious, flattering celebrity was real. He just let a game go too far. And the obsessed, fan was unwilling or unable see the early sign that clearly read "Game Over." Apparently everyone on the board had their heads up their asses too, since no one called her out on it (proof that tight knit communities have dangers as well as benefits). Janna sure got an eye full. So even if Audrey is a malicious bully, a skank, spoke too enthusiastically about her "relationship" (given the celebrity situation, I don't doubt it), etc... -- it's irellevant. With "Jesse" she had every reason to believe, people who KNEW him were ENCOURAGING it. NOT THE LEAST WAS "JESSE" "HIMSELF". The board does reveal that Audrey doesn't grasp what a person with average awareness would. Which helps explain why she overlooked the early, paranoid, rambling emails about internet fraud and stalking, "Jesse" trashing other list members (females), etc... sorry bipolarity don't excuse everything. All this shows it that Janna is well educated on her victims before she moves in. And NONE of them seem able to read what's in front of their faces for shit. ALL OF THEM, including YOU -- unless you ARE Janna -- resort to sloppy sentiment and wishful thinking as justification ... where reason would only allow, that something was stinkin' like the Fulton Market.
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ab 11/26/2007 11:10:00 AM
Many people know the truth from the spin because we were there witnessing the Audrey & Jesse spectacle unfold. Many knew Jesse and couddn't fathom the bizarre public boasting of Audrey who tried to portray their friendship as a love affair. Common opinion is that Audrey in her desperation to find and contact Jesse has created this public article to pressure Jesse's family in the aim of smoking him out into the public. Ironically, while she claims to be a victim Audrey has cyberstalked and cyberbullied numbers of innocent people simply because they knew him and refused to enlighten her as to his whereabouts. Audrey is only the victim of her own foolish boasting and desire to possess and control the lifw of a very sick man. I imagine this will be deleted as it refutes 'the story.'
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Barb 11/23/2007 10:36:00 AM
This is sad and tragic. .many people post photos of themselves on the net but not of themselves . they are not predators they are shockingly lonely too and needing 'friends'. Someone usually falls fo the photo and the face and many phone calls turn this meeting into a love story .. the false photo one has to end the relationship eventually.. the good thing is that these love affairs usually are short and intense and could last between 5 weeks and 1 week. . intense feelings are not unusual for a one week 'relationship ' and knowing someone by voice for one week is not the real deal although the one being hurt thinks its the end of the world.
Dont fall in love in one week on the www.. its all infatuation and the person of our desires moves on to someone else to love for a another week .. its lonliness.. when somone takes an interest and the phone calls are about love everlasting in the space of a week. . even if you think you have met your soul mate. . its not real. Its not real and millions use fake photos and fake names. not to hurt anyone but to get attention.
Lonliness can do that.
Move on, meet someone face to face and put it down to internet experience. It happens all the time.
Its a strange world in cyber land and its not always deranged people out there . just very lonely people looking for love.
Not many find real love any more. Thats life.
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Kelly 11/22/2007 12:27:00 AM
Sad. Sad.
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TravelGayle 11/10/2007 12:00:00 AM
I hate reviewing and agreeing to these terms!
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Kari 11/08/2007 9:31:00 PM
Unbelievable story, stellar writing.
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stop deleting posts 11/08/2007 2:09:00 AM
I think it's total crap that LA WEEKLY is deleting some posts here. How convenient. The truth is out there.
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midge 11/08/2007 1:20:00 AM
You guys know something?...I feel really bad for Audrey/Paula. She is like one of the many victims on AOL and other areas of Internet land. So sorry it happened to her. Now let's all look at the bigger picture, Jesse ( who may or may not have been real) Blue Jay, whom we all assume was a figment of someone's ( Janna's) stupidity and all the other characters can't really be damaged by the fraud, BUT Dan Fogelberg was lied about, impersonated as a totally horrible person, people were told so many lies about him being bipolar, the numerous diseases he had, so many phobias, his meanness, his womanizing, the breakdowns, the trips to rehab, suicide talk, bad things about his wives, people were led to believe he was the one stirring up all the trouble and hate on the boards, all things now known to be TOTAL LIES! At the time though people believed most of it and many fans started to dislike his actions, there is so much more I can't remember, but it seemed to many of us that someone (turned out to be Janna) was trying to destroy his name, his good reputation, because he was so private, people didn't know much about his private life, except for what he revealed in songs. So another story that should be coming out here is the scam pulled on Dan Fogelberg and his fans because he is a real live person who was scandalized and his whole person has been torn to pieces by an insane idiot.
I believe his reputation and his career were tarnished ! He is also a victim here!!
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stumpies friend 11/07/2007 10:56:00 PM
I am not sorry for Janna either. While some of us just had fun with the craziness of it all, and struggled to figure it all out, and still haven't, others were very serious in their belief they were having a romantic adventure with an at the time, unmarried singing legend. Some of those people changed their lives to keep it going.
I still can't fathom what the crazy game was all about, is she a closet lesbian and all that shit got her off?
Is she really married, I don't think she lived with a husband while she resided in Pagosa Springs Co.
Was she in love with Dan F.? With Jesse? Was there a "Blue Jay"?
Does she have any "real" friends? Did she invent those friends just to get attention from lonely gullible women, to go on vacations and visits to their homes, have them so beholding to her, they would have to be her friend, send her expensive gifts?
We watched it all unfold on AOL and other message boards and chat rooms all over the Internet and she hurt people, they were pulled in for a wild ride, for months of sweet talk. Then openly chastised in chat rooms, e-mails and Instant messages. Was it all a power trip or total insecurity, paranoia, maybe she is the bipolar person.
I just have so many questions? She needs to fess up tell people why she did it, it's not one scam, there are many, many people scammed by the same person. Did she crave attention that bad?
Poor Audrey, poor numerous victims all over Internet land.
Poor future victims of all scams, it needs to stop right here!
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Aesop Jones 11/07/2007 8:50:00 AM
I know Im one of the ones who cant wait to see this certifiable fruitcake get what she deserves, and I dont mean Audrey. Ill have two frontrow tickets please.
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Fred 11/06/2007 9:29:00 AM
I haven't got to Audrey, but I'm kind of wishing I could. I haven't even left a comment on her blog. I'm just a guy with too much time on my hands and a love of the grim and weird. I looked for the forum you described, but I can't find anything in the archive with that name, and the current forum doesn't go back as far as May 2005, except for the first comment. So I decided to read Audrey's recent comments at the HBO forum and she sounds delightful when she's not talking about Janna. I'd love to read her "Travelblog" if I believed it existed. See, I'm almost 100% convinced now that Janna is a total crank. Especially knowing who Audrey really is, no thanks to her (which is queer behavior for someone described as a famewhore), it seems as if she's a legitamite person who has actually had a real job in the entertainment field, more than one. When I google her, I get pages and pages of stuff that has nothing to do with Janna or internet stalking, and it's corroborated by credits on DVDs and CDs. When I google Janna, all I get is internet fraud and impersonation going back before "Jesse" showed up in Audrey's life, and cheap looking jewelry. I think the only skanks in town are the ones that are trying to diss Audrey.
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Fred 11/06/2007 4:59:00 AM
It looks to me like Audrey has actually worked on some pretty decent movies. I pulled out a couple of DVDs I have that you say she lied about working on, and she's there in the credits, so I don't know what you're talking about. It would take some serious lying to get a movie studio to put your name in the credits if you had nothing to do with the movie. I'm starting to get a funny feeling that the only lying famewhore around here is Janna St James, and that every comment in this section that is against Audrey is a "Jannafestation". These meanspirited comments are either snipes that the writer doesn't bother elucidating, like our friend Morello last night, or are easily disproved, like the imdb comment above. I'm starting to understand Audrey's paranoia!
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stumpie 11/06/2007 4:55:00 AM
Well now. lol...I think Audrey knew there would be denials, and backlash, but I believe her.
If you were aware of the AOL Fogelberg board you would all believe her too, because many worse things happened there for well over ten years, many people were decieved and hurt there, people left hurt and angry, and new people found their way there, only to be caught in the trap, so there could be a Jesse, but maybe he is like Fogelberg unaware he was used. Maybe if Jesse finds out he will take legal action himself, as Dan Fogelberg should also do. You people who know there is a Jesse, contact him, maybe he can meet up with Audrey with proof he does exist. Hey! I know a Jesse, maybe it was him!
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molly 11/06/2007 3:55:00 AM
crazy...
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Gayle Early 11/05/2007 10:20:00 PM
looking forward to reading THESE comments
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Jack Kerouwack 11/05/2007 12:08:00 AM
The one really suprising thing I learned from all this ... is that Dan Fogelberg is still alive!
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Fred 11/04/2007 1:49:00 PM
I can't keep away from this story, it's better than any reality show, which thanks to the writers strike is all I'll have to watch. I'd rather follow this story.
From Audrey's blog it seems as though she doesn't care about seeing physical proof herself, so I am a little confused what you mean, Morello, by her sense of "entitlement." IMHO, she couldn't be any fairer in offering to pay the expenses for a lawyer and the person/people involved to assess the evidence and give her a simple answer one way or the other. Whether or not "Jesse" exists(ed), there hasn't been an apology or offering of proof from the other side, for a wild goose chase at best, and yes, emotional rape and a con job at worst. If anyone needs to apologize here, it's Janna, who *admits* to lying, and anyone else involved in lying to Audrey about "Jesse."
Have you read Audrey's blog, Morello? Your timeline is confusing. I thought Audrey broke up with "Jesse" after his suicide attempt, but they resumed again months later. Do you mean to say that they were never "an item" again, and that Janna somehow took over? Have you actually met "Jesse" in the flesh or are you going by internet and phone encounters, the way Audrey did? Are you saying Audrey's claims of "Jesse" begging her to get a divorce are false? And what about all those pictures that turned out to be of Janna's maybe-dead ex-husband? And all the other pictures that appear to be of people from Janna's past, not "Jesse's?"
I'm sorry, but your comments don't make any sense at all. I think you're just another sad woman like Audrey, maybe sadder because it looks like you haven't figured out the reality yet.
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Janna is a NUT 11/04/2007 11:08:00 AM
Yeah M. Morello! That's why all of the photos "Jesse" sent to "Audrey" were scans of photos of Janna's deceased husband from the start. They were sent from an email address supposedly belonging to "Jesse". The headers on those emails were all out of Batavia, IL. Janna St. James is a sick sick person with plenty o' time on her hands to run a con on "Audrey" who I admit used pretty poor judgement. "Jesse" never did the horrid things depicted here. You got that right. It was ALL JANNA ST. JAMES. The physical evidence speaks volumes more than this article ever could. If "Jesse" was a real person as you claim, he sure did live in Dan Fogelberg's house. I wonder if Dan even knows he was sharing acres with a crazy family that exists solely in Janna's head? Maybe this article isn't about the "Jesse" you claim to know anyway.
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M. Morello 11/04/2007 5:59:00 AM
This article annoys the heck out of me because everyone reads it and just assumes "Audrey" is telling a true story of being seduced and victimized.
"Jesse" was a real live breathing person with a kind heart but very disturbed emotional world. I knew "Jesse" and can tell everyone he never pretended "Jesse Jubilee James" was his real name. NEVER. It was his childhood nickname that had stuck for those who knew him in real life. "Jesse" had many internet friends including the woman who calls herself "Audrey." This article doesn't tell "Jesse's" side of the story. Not at all.
"Jesse" suffered from bipolar disorder and began his liason with Audrey during a manic phase of his illness just prior to his unsuccessful suicide attempt. After recuperating from his wound and subsequent psychiatric hospitalization he realized he did not want to pursue a romantic relationship with "Audrey." "Audrey" was not willing or able to accept "Jesse's" rejection of her advances nor was she capable of understanding just how troubled and fragile "Jesse" really was.
I do not know much about Janna other than the fact that "Jesse" had made occasional references to her being a friend of his. It is quite possible that Janna somehow led "Audrey" on some type of merry chase after "Jesse" left the scene. I really don't know.
I do know that "Jesse" was quite real and well loved by his family who made many attempts to protect him from his impulsive internet friendships. They do not desrve the wrath of "Audrey" or the her strange sense of entitlement that has lead to the demands for people to identify themselves or provide her with legal documents revealing "Jesse's" legal status.
I wanted to post something here for "Jesse" who never did the horrid things described in this salacious piece of fiction.
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Mary O'Connor 11/04/2007 1:56:00 AM
It is bad enough that you called this "emotional rape." Now a reader is calling it "more than emotional rape." Do you know what rape is? Want to speak before a rape support group and tell them that an Internet hoax is "emotional rape?"
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GC 10/30/2007 9:51:00 PM
Josh Olson will be appearing on the Your Video Store Shelf Podcast at yourvideostoreshelf.com tomorrow to discuss this story and his career in screenwriting.
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Mel 10/29/2007 9:29:00 PM
Wow...just wow.
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peto 10/28/2007 8:29:00 AM
wow, what a psycho that janna is. she needs some help, like 25 to life.
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Sadstory 10/26/2007 7:36:00 PM
All the way around - sad story for all. . .
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c 10/25/2007 11:27:00 PM
Wow.
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Claire 10/25/2007 8:56:00 PM
thanks
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des 10/25/2007 6:36:00 PM
I have had something similar happen to me. I wasn't prepared to drop everything and leave but very close to that situation. Here is what I've come to learn from it.
1. I hang out only on boards or chat rooms about technical and non technical topics I know and understand. I do this because I can sniff out a liar very quickly. When someone doesn't know their stuff it shows very quickly and I stop listening to them. Talking about movies or books rarely gives you the edge compared with talking about a technical skillset like programming or horse riding disciplines etc.
2. When I don't know a topic (tech or non technical) I still hang out in those types of forums because the regulars will sniff out a liar very quickly.
I live and work online most days. I have learned not to get sucked into crap online. I've had to actively seek out a "real" life otherwise I'd be inside all the time. If you find yourself in that situation... get out away from the computer and find real life again.
Does this mean you're protected? Certainly not. It just means that I'm less likely to get emotionally involved with someone I'm discussing a topic with at any point. Do people lie online over things like this? Yup they do but then ....
You gotta take everything online with a grain of salt.
People lie frequently to make themselves feel better about themselves.
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Zafo 10/25/2007 10:39:00 AM
Janna's in Aspen?
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=50864146
ORLY! LOLZ!
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Van 10/24/2007 11:19:00 PM
Think I would like to have the last paragraph crossed stitched as a wall hanging by my wonderfully normal 80 year old mother and have her send it to my very lonely and desperate sister. Maybe your words are the 2 x 4 she needs.
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shel 10/24/2007 10:34:00 PM
i had a similar situation happen to me. in a nutshell, i and a handful of others on aol befriended a woman who was supposedly sick with cancer. the story took twists and turns, etc. just when we were supposed to meet, she dies. when things started raising questions, we did research. and found out she played us all. it was heartbreaking to think someone could do this. reading this story brought back some strong memories. yikes. *shaking head*
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Kim Armstrong 10/24/2007 12:24:00 AM
Loved it. As intriging as the story is, I loved the writing. You should the book. Ironincally, it was posted on a horse message board where I sometimes think people assume the best in everyone.
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Otis Greenleaf 10/23/2007 3:07:00 PM
A monster? I'd say she is as deeply troubled, wounded, and lost as the woman who fell for it all.
Well told story, however.
At least the birds still know how to sing.
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rex morgan 10/22/2007 5:23:00 AM
if janna hit teh ground running she'd make a crater lolol
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lost&found 10/22/2007 1:34:00 AM
Janna is real. She lived in Pagosa Springs, Colorado for several years. Her family (Jessica, Bill, Barb) need to get her help. Why have they been allowing this illness to hurt others for at least 13 years that I know of? She uses her obesity and asthma to gain sympathy and reel in the victims. It works.
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"goddess" 10/21/2007 7:47:00 AM
Ah, so the bitch finally is exposed. May all the innocents she hurt, including and especially on the Fogelboard, find solace in her exposure. Janna, you are indeed a sad creature.
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justread 10/20/2007 10:27:00 PM
amazing story
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p_k 10/20/2007 8:19:00 PM
I figured maybe a story fee. No? Anyway I had noticed Janna hit he ground running trashing *other* women on the list, who were after NotJesse, comparing Audrey's own desirability and discretion (yeah) favorably. And then over explained some horrific personal stalking stories.
Anyway it appears many people have been scammed, so I googled, "Internet Fraud." http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=internet+fraud+&btnG=Search
Mostly financial scams. Maybe someone would like to create a website for personal cons.
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Fred 10/20/2007 8:42:00 AM
I'm confused why Audrey would get a boost in her bank account. She didn't write the article. In fact, since she posted Janna's business information on her blog, I think Janna is more likely to make money off of this, in addition to all the free things she got from Audrey. But let's face it, Josh Olson is the person who will profit most from this. He was compensated for the article, and will get the monies for any movie deals. That's the way Hollywood works.
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p_k 10/20/2007 5:01:00 AM
Annie Oakley I understand her rage, she IS after all, a victim. Just not a very sympathetic one. Though she's the one whose bank account will most likely enjoy a healthy boost from this. What a world, huh? I wonder if Janna acted like that with all her victims? Or did she tailor to their varying ethical predilections? I visited the blog... at least she altered those offensive posts *somewhat* but still kept more info than is or ever was fair or necessary. I'd like to think it was done out of a sense of fair play but rather suspect it might of been for legal concerns or appearance sake. Too late now anyway. Many likely saw it all the months is was up, and probably many more recently. THAT poor girl was really clusterfucked.
I did a search on hoaxes. The first one resulted in a death and there's a twist at the end.
http://www.wired.com/politics/law/magazine/15-09/ff_internetlies
Here's the story of Mary Willcocks Baker (Princess_Caraboo). More benign than the other one but i involved an entire nation.
ahttp://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/Hoaxipedia/Princess_Caraboo/
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rhd 10/20/2007 2:36:00 AM
There are a lot of Jannas out there, I suspect.
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Annie Oakley 10/19/2007 10:48:00 PM
The way Audrey has been acting about this since the story broke: from her blog to posting the end of the video with Janna on Youtube while calling the old woman a "lying skank" just goes to prove the rule that like attracts like.
Janna and "Audrey" are two peas in a pod.
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Annie Oakley 10/19/2007 10:48:00 PM
The way Audrey has been acting about this since the story broke: from her blog to posting the end of the video with Janna on Youtube while calling the old woman a "lying skank" just goes to prove the rule that like attracts like.
Janna and "Audrey" are two peas in a pod.
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Savage 10/19/2007 10:41:00 PM
That is some creepy, creepy stuff.
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SR 10/19/2007 9:50:00 PM
About 10 years ago, I went through a very similar experience, though far less extreme. An online community I was connected to met and embraced a precocious 17 year-old who turned out to be the fabrication of her 40-something "aunt," with corroboration provided by the aunt's boyfriend. Evidently, a small number of others were aware of the deception, and when they heard word that our young imaginary friend was soon to die tragically in a boating accident, one of them came clean.
It was absolutely emotional rape. Even though I was incensed at being lied to and manipulated, I couldn't help but mourn the loss of a person who didn't really exist but had become a friend.
Sad to say, but I fear this sort of thing happens all the time. You can never be too careful.
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ho ho ho 10/19/2007 8:04:00 PM
Lambchop, is that you? Or is it Hushpuppy?
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p_k 10/19/2007 5:15:00 PM
Back again. Something's bugging the shit out of me. Why did Audrey feel compelled to air someone else's dirty linen? Couldn't she just express concern that someone else had been conned, and was still buying into it? Then email her the Fogelberg links? If that didn't convince her, nothing would. Shouldn't the possibility that she WAS real, trump Audrey's own skittishness about emailing to yet another fake? She could have discretely asked someone else on the list to do it, offering the go-between only scant details. Anything but what she did do. She didn't consider the poor woman might not want these or any details aired to list members OR to Audrey's friends on her private blog OR to us? That was HER call, not Audrey's. I mean c'mon, it's not more than a three buck cab fare to figure out context, based on Audrey's description. Cruel and totally unnecessary. Especially awful watching one victim (and I do believe Audrey is) further victimized another. And the burning question persists. Real or not -- why didn't Audrey shrink in revulsion (if not flat out shock) at the guy's sickening, dishonorable behavior? Did the woman's alleged craziness merit that kind of betrayal? It only bothered her after she found *she'd* been "snookered?" Audrey should never have had that shit in her possession to begin with. Shouldn't she have known that? By Josh's account, it sounds like a story of a lonely woman and *too-good-to-be-true-guy.* I think an intelligent argument can be made for the opposite. *During* the con, TGTBTG *clearly* demonstrated *he* was in fact, an unconscionable fuck.
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Meg 10/19/2007 4:58:00 PM
Wow. She's lucky to have friends like you.
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grout 10/19/2007 12:47:00 PM
nevermind that, how many people have fallen for crap exactly like this from Janna herself?
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Rikki 10/19/2007 12:45:00 PM
Wow, that's just totally messed up. Sad thing is, how many people have fallen for crap exactly like this from any number of emotionally abusive people like Janna?
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Bewildered 10/19/2007 5:23:00 AM
I have to comment ... aGAIN?
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Trystero 10/19/2007 1:11:00 AM
Audrey is, quite simply, a dimwit. And her blog gives ample evidence of her immaturity. Janna was no saint, by any means, but Audrey is just plain stupid to be taken in by Jesse's story from the beginning. Maybe in the future, Audrey, you might want to settle for mere moral males instead of this supposed SuperGuy type who seemed to push all your buttons. The article as a whole makes the incident a lot more dramatic than it likely really was. Audrey? Josh? Get over yourselves.
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sdssf 10/18/2007 9:04:00 PM
Interesting story.
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Fred 10/18/2007 7:19:00 AM
Reading the blogs will help clarify, if you have five days to devote to them. "Jesse's" final wish was for no ceremony, there's a note purportedly written by the dying man, posted on the tribute blog by "Jesse's" sister. Something about fireworks.
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hi 10/18/2007 5:26:00 AM
I'm with the few others that have posted here who are a little skeptical about the truthfullness of this entire story. Let me get this sraight. Audrey was madly in love with this guy, to the point where she was prepared to move across the country to be with him. He dies (or so she thinks) and she's satisfied with hearing about the funeral through a friend? Why didn't she go? She didn't even think to try to send something to the funeral home or look up the obituary?
Also, the fat jokes were a low blow. They actually made me feel a little sorry for Janna. I doubt the author's intent was to have the reader feel sympathy for the story's villain, but that was the effect.
It was a very interesting read, nevertheless.
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Billy the Kid 10/18/2007 3:38:00 AM
Hey Audrey,
I guess you're single now, right? I sure would like to meet you, you sound like you have a big heart. I, too, have a big heart. I spend much of my free time nursing orphaned baby squirrels. And I do mean nursing, because I'm one of the very few men who actually lactates! It's very strange, I've been written up in medical journals, doctors believe I got the ability when I was caring for children in the Sudan. Please give me an email address so I can send you a pic of myself, and please dont be shocked, people say I look like Richard Gere in An Officer And A Gentleman, they say even my uniform looks like his (I was in the armed forces once). I would like to come see you soon, but unfortunately I just spent a small fortune to pay for a stranger's daughter's heart surgery, oh, and I took a cruise to the Carribean, and guess what? No pirates! Boy, I sure wish I had an ipod and directtv, can you help? Until later... toodles!
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Ha ha! 10/18/2007 3:32:00 AM
yes, Jan is crazier than any of the players in THIS game! Forget Janna. Stay the hell away from JD.
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Erin 10/18/2007 3:21:00 AM
Oh. my. God.
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Lao Ren Cha 10/17/2007 3:11:00 PM
OMG. When I lived in the L.A. area ('75-'91), the WEEKLY was a pretty decent rag. Since that time, I've occasionaly skimmed the paper or checked the website, and yeah, every so often I've found a moderately interesting article or two. But still, this once-thriving publication is just a faded shadow of its former self. Then again, so are we all.
Anyhoo, I hadn't checked out the WEEKLY's site in months, and in doing so now, I note that you have an ugly new layout, all bloggy-DIGGy and everything. OK, that's pretty much SOP for webjunk today.
But god fucking damn! This drivel was the cover story of the LA WEEKLY?!
The world's a bloody mess, we're all about 3 cm away from becoming toast, we have a trajillion global problems that require our immediate attention, and the featured article in the U.S.'s second-largest city's hard-hitting alternative press is...Gamma Retards in Love??? WTF??!!
Sigh. Breathe. Let me try to look on the bright side here. Okay: We can all be grateful that, thanks to the LA WEEKLY's dedicated team of indefatigable investigative journalists, Project Censored won't have to include this hard-hitting expos�n its next annual list of world-threatening but unreported news.
All right! Yay!! Well done, Los Angeles!!!
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Tamar 10/17/2007 9:48:00 AM
This story is so 5 years ago. Doesn't everyone realize the potential of scams when dealing with internet people?
Is Audrey a 'special needs' adult? Perhaps Adult protective services needs to investigate this on her behalf. I hope she is alright and getting the counseling she needs. Hopefully the pitfalls of making friends online will be explained to her, Audrey might try finding safer places to meet boyfriends like church or classes.
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Ash 10/17/2007 9:03:00 AM
I know someone something extremely similar to this happened to and although I cannot tell the tale am sending this to her to read. Perhaps she will then share it, though perhaps not - will leave it to her. Thanks for sharing and am sorry your friend was so unlucky (to put it mildly) and I wish her all the best. I would like to balance things though by saying that I met my soulmate online (he lived in the UK nad I lived in Australia at the time) and I moved to the UK 8 years ago and have been married for 6 years - and we are truly soulmates. So one can find happiness like this via the internet yet not all do and there are some people out there who unhappily (good word as they are probably very unhappy people) taking advantage of others - just like in real life. All the best and thanks for going to the trouble of sharing.
Ash :-)
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Nars 10/17/2007 6:26:00 AM
This is an incredible story. I completely believe it too, because I don't think anyone could make something like this up.
Mr. Olsen should turn this into a movie. Just a thought.
