By Gavin Fish, July 23, 2025
Brian Judd sent me an email asking me to retract my commentary on The Crazy Train. I’m not going to, and here’s why.
Brian "Phontaine" Judd appears in Episode 4 of The Crazy Train, where he falsely claims I never went to college, lost everything gambling in the housing market, was financially dependent on my wife, and raised money from church members that he and Hannah “never saw.” In the series, I’m portrayed as a manipulative church leader, a failed businessman misrepresenting himself, an opportunist exploiting their desperation, and someone who damaged their standing in the congregation.
After publishing my recent blog post about The Crazy Train series, I received a private email from Brian Judd (aka Phontaine) asking me to take it down, along with some Reddit comments and, I guess, videos. This is the first time I’ve heard from Brian or Hannah in more than eight years.
He believes I’ve misrepresented him. I respectfully disagree.
I’ve based my opinions and commentary on public records, Brian and Hannah’s own published material, and statements they’ve made in interviews and court filings.
I stand by everything I’ve published.
I’ve made no secret of my opinion that The Crazy Train is not a documentary, but rather a public campaign that names and targets private individuals, including minors, with often outrageous claims. Brian and Hannah have chosen to bring their version of events to the public square. That naturally invites scrutiny and disagreement. That’s how public discourse works.
If any factual error is brought to my attention with documentation (I’ve asked him for the unedited audio recordings, which I think would be especially helpful), I’ll correct the record. But attempts to silence criticism through guilt, shame, manipulation, or legal threats are not going to work with me.
I believe truth matters, and I’m not going anywhere.
