Welcome to Webworm!

Hi,

Welcome to Webworm! This is my main gig, where I go down weird rabbit holes and explore ideas that may one day turn into a podcast or documentary.

“Spaceman Barry” on Flightless Bird? That was on Webworm first. Mister Organ was a series of articles before it was a film. Same with Tickled.

All my stuff starts with writing.

This newsletter used to be on Substack, but I got sick of their Nazi shit and a host of other problems. So here I am, independent, on Ghost.

You’re currently subscribed to the free version of this newsletter, which means you will get all my public interest journalism for absolutely nothing. I keep it free so people like you, who care, can read it. So — thank you.

If you feel like you haven't gotten a Webworm in awhile – check your junk folder.

Also – feel free to share my work around! This really helps me. Forward a Webworm email on, or simply share a piece on social media. All my stories are online at www.webworm.co. And here are some of my favourite pieces from the last five years.

There's More To All This

If you ever want to support my journalism here at Webworm, please consider becoming a paying member. It's $6.99 USD a month (about the same as one fancy cup of coffee a month).

As a paying member, you get all my newsletters, can take part in AMAs, get in the comments section, and be first to hear about live in-person things I do (like this). You also unlock the entire archive, including:

-Webworm breaking the story of Fake Seizure Guy, and following the aftermath. Webworm was in court as he got sentenced.

-Podcasts like "Spaceman Barry" and "The Secret In the Safe" (those were Webworm podcasts way before they ended up on Flightless Bird!)

-What the deal was with Dark Tourist Season 2?

-For any Tickled fans, an interview with the executor of David D'Amato's will.

-More personal stuff, like this essay about my ASHD diagnosis and experience with face blindness, and why the Canadian killer from Netflix's "Don't F**k With Cats" started writing to me from prison.

-There's also fun stuff, like my quest to track down my stock model twin, and my attempt to find out whether Joseph Gordon-Levitt had lost his mind.

Paying members also allow me to keep my public interest journalism unpaywalled for everyone. Stuff like my year long investigation into New Zealand's biggest Pentecostal church, Arise – and the story about toymaker Zuru getting angry at negative workplace reviews on Glassdoor, then taking Glassdoor to court so they could get the details of anonymous reviewers in order to sue them. That sort of thing.

I have zero investors here, and run zero ads. That is to say, if it doesn’t cause you financial hardship, I hope you’ll consider becoming a paid subscriber.

In the meantime — it’s great to have you here. Thanks for reading my work.

If you have any tips or ideas, I am reachable here in confidence: davidfarrier@protonmail.com.

David.

PS: Again, If it’s been a week or so and you’re not receiving Webworm in your inbox, check your spam folder. If it’s not there, check the “promotions” tab! It might also help to add Webworm to your contacts list and/or drag this email to your primary inbox.

For Gmail’ers on their phones, tap the three dots in the top right and click “move to”, then “primary”. If you’re on your computer, close this email and drag it to the “primary” tab.

Apple mail users can tap on the Webworm email address at the top of this email and add it to VIPs.

Finally — make sure you take the time to pet a dog or cat. It’s a stressful, weird world.

David.