Trashy Divorces

It’s funny to think that back in the 1980s, a leak of nude pictures could cause a headline-grabbing scandal, but that’s exactly what happened to the first Black woman to ever wear the Miss America crown. Vanessa Williams, then 21, was roundly demonized in the press, and was subjected to intense public outrage for her supposed transgression. She was even forced to resign her crown, an overreaction...

In 1936, America was shocked by the details that emerged in a murder trial in New York City. A young heiress, romanced by an older German financier with deep ties to the Nazi party, decided to end things when it became clear that he wouldn't end his marriage to his wife in Germany. Dr. Fritz Gebhardt took Vera Stretz's rejection badly, a gun was drawn, and when police arrived around 2:30 that morn...

Check out of the noise of the world with a podcast covering people who've already checked out - but had their own brushes with fame before they went. Dead and Kind of Famous is a delightful new podcast from Courtney Blomquist (not famous) and Marissa Rivera (kind of famous) that examines the lives of the people who reside at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. But these aren't the interred A-listers l...

Back in 2021, Stacie was captivated by the tale of betrayal told by Barbara Berry, the first wife of superlawyer Johnnie Cochran. For years, he juggled two families and an eye-popping number of other mistresses, while also subjecting Barbara to physical and emotional abuse more directly. Want early, ad-free episodes, regular Dumpster Dives, bonus divorces, limited series, Zoom hangouts, and more?...

Fourth quarter time, Trash Pandas, and while we have no idea what the score is on the other game, over here, it's three up, one to go. Back in 2022, Alicia covered the absolute pressure cooker of the first marriage of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, and today he'll close out our special Game Day Trashy Divorces Encore Plus. Want early, ad-free episodes, regular Dumpster Dives, bonus divorces, limited...

And we're back from the half-time break with our third quarter musical champion, Paul McCartney! Sir Paul's second marriage - and first divorce - to Heather Mills was public, trashy, and extremely expensive, just the way we like them. Want early, ad-free episodes, regular Dumpster Dives, bonus divorces, limited series, Zoom hangouts, and more? Join us at patreon.com/trashydivorces! Want a personal...

In the second quarter of our Game Day Trashy Divorces Encore Plus series, Alicia heads back to her April 2020 story that puts some realism into the man, the myth, the legend: John Lennon. Turns out that the voice of a generation was pretty awful in his first marital go-round. Want early, ad-free episodes, regular Dumpster Dives, bonus divorces, limited series, Zoom hangouts, and more? Join us at p...

As you may know, there's a big football game coinciding with our regular Sunday releases, so we thought we'd indulge some trashy champions of our own: The Fab Four. In this Beatles-themed Game Day spectacular, we begin with Alicia's Season One story of the terribly trashy love triangle between Beatle George Harrison, his wife, model Pattie Boyd, and guitar legend Eric Clapton. Want early, ad-free...

We know you love a good Dumpster Dive (our analytics make that very clear!), so we're back with another rundown of all the celebrity news that fits. In the dumpster this week: A case from the UK where a 25-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to "cyber-farting" messages to her boyfriend's ex as a form of harassment. Melissa Gilbert took some strays from washed up emotional vampire Megyn Kelly over a...

In this Encore Plus episode, Alicia’s got the intense story of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, which we first aired back in September of 2019. Whitney, of course, was an incredible talent whose path was in many ways set by the agendas of those around her. Her 14-year-long marriage to Bobby Brown was ultimately catastrophic, and her untimely death was tragic beyond words. Want early, ad-free episo...

In a world gone mad, celebrities continue to make terrible decisions! This week we're (mostly) leaning into the trashy rather than the divorces for a Dumpster Dive! Up first, Alicia has a Baldwin Corner, where we discuss Alec and Hilaria's new reality show, and the strong doses of something that appear to be driving Billy Baldwin and Chynna Phillips back into each other's arms. Jessica Simpson is...

We’ve covered the Kennedy family in some detail during the show’s run, but like any sprawling dynasty, there’s always more to explore! This week, Alicia brings us the backstory of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the son of slain Attorney General and presidential candidate, Robert F. Kennedy. Let’s just say that Bobby experienced a troubled youth, which was certainly not helped by the high profile murders h...

You know actress Annie Potts from basically everything - as the sardonic but unflappable receptionist in Ghostbusters, a newly divorced working mom in Designing Women, the voice of Bo Peep in the Toy Story series, and of course, as MeeMaw to Young Sheldon. But while she's built a career with marvelous staying power, for a long time, it seemed that she'd never have that experience in the love depar...

Together, they made some of the 20th century's most memorable music, but their personal rivalry, animosity, and pettiness was every bit as memorable. If you're like us, you love the music of Simon and Garfunkel. And if you're like us, you'll get some hearty laughs when you hear how stupid and truly petty it all became between these two. This episode first aired on Patreon on December 12, 2022. Wan...

Back in the 1990s, two of Hollywood's most beautiful people met, fell in love, and - to great fanfare - got married. And a decade later, divorced. This was John Stamos, then nearing the end of his career-defining role as Uncle Jessie on Full House, and Rebecca Romijn, an in-demand model who was even then successfully transitioning to acting. Was it the divergence of their career arcs that doomed t...

Alicia is leading a Swiftory takeover! To celebrate the launch of her newest podcast, Swiftory, she's taking you into one of its origin stories - the life of Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII, through a five-song arc of Taylor Swift songs. This one will sate the palate of both Trashy Divorces and Trashy Royals listeners! Subscribe to Swiftory on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever...

Put on your dancing shoes, because Alicia's taking us to the Caberet! It's Liza (with a z!) time - the ups and downs of Liza Minnelli's four marriages and divorces, plus a few extra bits about Liza and Bob Fosse, and the dish on the abandoned Beverly Hills Mansion at 812 N. Crescent, 90210. Want early, ad-free episodes, regular Dumpster Dives, bonus divorces, limited series, Zoom hangouts, and mor...

Oh, to be young again! Today, Stacie travels back to a simpler time, a time when Alec Baldwin had not shot anyone to death and his second wife - at least to Stacie's knowledge - was just a normal American girl who found love with a famous actor 26 years her senior. Like you do. In today's two-part Encore Plus story, we have the truly Trashy Divorce of Alec Baldwin and Kim Bassinger, featuring the...

Alicia got to experience the majesty that is Chicago the Musical on Broadway for her birthday this year, and came home with a lot of thoughts about it all - the stories behind the play, its development over the decades, and the theater itself. We are taking Wednesday off this week to enjoy ringing in 2025, so Happy New Year to you, we'll see you on Sunday. In the meantime, be sure to subscribe to...

Welcome to Classy Divorces! Today we're getting into the decidedly not-trashy (for the most part) split between The Queen of Broadway, Idina Menzel, and fellow actor Taye Diggs. The pair dated for seven years after meeting as co-stars on the original cast of Rent, then were married for a decade before shocking the world by announcing their separation - and the reasons behind it are complex. Want e...

As much as we love a Vegas wedding and a Reno divorce - or a Tijuana divorce - the truth is that for a sparkling 25 or so years in the mid-20th century, Alabama abolished any residency requirements in divorce matters, and cheap, quickie divorces became a mainstay for Alabama lawyers. And as you would expect, this wild west environment drew a lot of high profile names - including some TD Alums - to...

Hilary Duff rose to fame as that rarest of Hollywood rarities: a well-adjusted child actor who easily made the leap into adulthood. As Disney's Lizzie McGuire, she became a teen idol almost overnight, and has managed to stay active in the entertainment industry not only as an actor, but also a singer and author. Being precocious has its advantages, but there are also drawbacks, like that time she...

In this Trashy Divorces Classics episode, Stacie has the dirty details of Tommy Mottola’s pursuit of and marriage to superstar Mariah Carey, with proof that a castle alone isn’t enough to hang onto a queen. Originally aired in December 2019, this one is a little bit in praise of the 30th anniversary of All I Want For Christmas Is You. Want early, ad-free episodes, regular Dumpster Dives, bonus div...

New from Hemlock Creatives: Swiftory, a not-so-typical Taylor Swift podcast, perfect for any Swiftie, literature lover, or history buff.  Hosts Alicia and Melissa explore Taylor Swift’s music as a jumping off point into a wider world of fascinating figures and iconic literature. Join us as we romp through Taylor’s stories, visiting the places, personalities, and – of course – the eras, that her so...

Friends, we have made it to the conclusion of Trashy Onassis, and Stacie could not be more delighted. In this final episode, we traverse through 1974 and 1975 for Ari's last days. Also included, what happens to all of his lovely ladies after this death. Want early, ad-free episodes, regular Dumpster Dives, bonus divorces, limited series, Zoom hangouts, and more? Join us at patreon.com/trashydivorc...