Infamous

This episode is free on 7/11. After they are arrested for harming Ruby's children, Ruby and Jodi head to court to fight the charges against them. Ruby seemingly has another revelation, one that leads her to turn on Jodi. But who is really to blame for all the abuse? Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Infamous show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your...

This episode is free on 7/4. Through a series of religious visions, Jodi and Ruby become convinced that there is a war between good and evil, and that Ruby's children are agents of the devil. They begin to treat the kids with a new level of cruelty. With Ruby’s husband Kevin estranged, who will save them? Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Infamous show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge...

This episode is free on 6/27. Ruby's parenting techniques start to spark backlash online, and when her YouTube career collapses, Ruby joins Jodi's Connexions empire. We take a deep dive into Jodi's family therapy business and hear from some of her past clients, including Ruby's husband Kevin, who reveals that something very strange is going on with Jodi. Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Infamou...

Ruby gains a reputation for being strict with her kids, in contrast to the popular practice of gentle parenting. But when she starts having trouble with her eldest son, and with her husband Kevin, Ruby turns to a Mormon family therapist named Jodi Hildebrandt. Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Infamous show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podca...

Stay-at-home mom Ruby Franke starts a YouTube channel, joining a popular niche of Mormon women sharing their lives online as mommy vloggers. While Ruby gains a following for her videos of the everyday life of a big Mormon family, we hear from Ruby's former neighbor, who sensed that something dark was going on in her home. Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Infamous show page on Apple Podcasts or...

Technology and culture writer Taylor Lorenz joins Vanessa and Natalie to discuss TikTok, its addictive algorithm, and what’s behind the U.S. ban of the app. Is TikTok really an instrument of insidious espionage and control, or are lawmakers just scared of Gen Z activism? What will banning the app really mean—and what precedent will it set? Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Infamous show page on...

This week we’re talking about girlbosses, a very specific set of highly-marketable young women who ran businesses like Glossier, Nasty Gal, and The Wing. Where did the Girlboss come from? Is she a second-wave feminist nightmare dressed like a daydream? And what led to her downfall? Marisa Meltzer, the author of Glossy: The Inside Story of Glossier, joins us. Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Inf...

Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Tom Holland, Michelle Obama — these are just some of the celebrities who’ve fallen under the spell of Jay Shetty, the former monk whose journey to digital superstardom has recently come under fire. Peel back the Instagram filters and you’ll start to see allegations of plagiarism and bizarre half-truths. This week, Vanessa talks to John McDermott — the journalist who...

Tensions worsen between Tory and Chris after Chris launches his own fashion company, C. Wonder. The two battle it out in court before reaching a private settlement and continuing to their next ventures. Subscribe to The Binge to get all episodes of Infamous: Retail Revenge ad-free right now. Click ‘try free’ at the top of the Infamous show page on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial or visit G...

Fractures appear in Chris and Tory’s marriage and in business relationship. When Chris tries to convince his soon-to-be ex-wife to offer cheap knockoffs of her affordable luxury clothing line, Tory refuses. But if Chris can’t move Tory, it seems he’ll find another way to get what he wants. Subscribe to The Binge to get all episodes of Infamous: Retail Revenge ad-free right now. Click ‘try free’ at...

“It” couple Chris and Tory Burch launch a wildly successful clothing company that reflects Tory’s signature boho-preppy style. When Oprah catches wind of the stylish but sensible clothing line, Tory quickly becomes one of the biggest fashion designers of her generation. Subscribe to The Binge to get all episodes of Infamous: Retail Revenge ad-free right now. Click ‘try free’ at the top of the Infa...

As some students hear back from colleges this spring, Vanessa and Natalie dig deeper into the admissions hysteria, obsession, and scandal. The Varsity Blues case might have cracked open an illegal underworld of corrupt deals—but there are plenty of perfectly legal ways privileged parents bend the system to their will. Think test prep, tutors, and college coaches who charge hundreds of thousands of...

In 2019, a case called Varsity Blues cracked open college admissions, revealing a nexus of corrupt athletic coaches and celebrity parents willing to spend hundreds of thousands to guarantee their children spots at top schools. At the center of the scandal was a shady, smooth-talking con-artist named Rick Singer, primed to take advantage of parents’ insecurities, fears, and ambitions for their chil...

In the 90s, you couldn’t escape rapper and record executive Sean Love Combs (aka Puff Daddy or P. Diddy) and his hit songs like “It's All About the Benjamins.” Now Combs is back in the spotlight, but for far darker reasons: a series of sex trafficking and abuse claims. This week, we’re delving into Combs’s decades-long relationship with the late Kim Porter, a model, singer, and actress.  Click ‘Su...

While Natalie and Vanessa were researching Meghan Markle, another royal scandal took over the internet. Kate Middleton disappeared from public view, unleashing a flood of speculation and conspiracy theories, only to reappear with the shocking and emotional revelation that she has a cancer diagnosis. Natalie and Vanessa chat with Anna Pasternak, a fantastic biographer who profiled the Duchess of Ca...

The only family that might be messier than Megan Markle’s? Her husband’s. This week, we’re diving into the royals, and how the firm’s staid, slow, and highly invasive rules clashed with Meghan’s swift, go-getter, Hollywood style. Plus, we’ll tell you about the time Meghan promised to do the calligraphy for journalist Justine Harman's wedding invitations. Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Infamou...

With Kate Middleton's "disappearance" in the headlines, we investigate another Princess who absconded: Meghan Markle. But the real question is, who is Meghan? Is she a fearless advocate speaking out against an antiquated institution? Or an opportunist obsessed with managing her public image? Or…both? This week, we’re investigating Meghan’s complicated, layered family drama, from public conflict wi...

How did Lindsay Lohan go from starring alongside Meryl Streep and Jamie Lee Curtis to doing court-ordered community service at the LA county morgue? Vanessa and Natalie are joined by journalists Evgenia Peretz and  Brennan Kilbane, and photographer Jill Ishkanian, to trace Lindsay’s rise, fall, and the cycle of screwups and comeback attempts she’s been on ever since. Could a Lohanaissaince finally...

In an age where we’re all defined by our digital presence, social media savvy can be a kind of superpower. This week, Vanessa interviews Caroline Calloway, the scammer sensation who spent her pandemic trying to bounce back from a viral article that convinced the world she was a hack. (But maybe also made her famous?) Vanessa also introduces us to Peter Bogner, who was in a lengthy back and forth w...

In the last decade, the “Iceman” Wim Hof has become a household name. Orlando Bloom to Oprah Winfrey have practiced his method, which includes daily cold plunges and hyperventilation breath work. But despite intense success, could Wim Hof be responsible for encouraging practices known to be dangerous — and even deadly? In this episode, Vanessa interviews investigative journalist Scott Carney, who...

How is technology shifting how we think about sex? Can our virtual lives shape sex IRL? To explore these questions, Vanessa travels back to the 90s, recalling the week she spent at the very first cam girl house. Then she investigates the origins of chatroom sex and an early incident of harassment in cyberspace. Finally, she takes a look at the next chapter of sex online—from virtual boyfriends to...

E. L. James, author of the Fifty Shades of Grey novels, steps into the shoes of her domineering protagonist when she is given an unprecedented level of control over her series’ movie adaptations. Would-be Fifty Shades screenwriter Bret Easton Ellis (American Psycho) weighs in on the behind-the-scenes drama.  Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Infamous show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBi...

You probably know Tina Fey’s iconic camp masterpiece, Mean Girls—but do you know the real-life story behind the screenplay? In this episode, Vanessa and Natalie talk to Zoe Nightingale, the original Regina George, about high school. They also talk to Zoe’s sister, Rosalind Wiseman, a sociologist who wrote Queen Bees and Wannabees, the deeply-researched sociological tome that inspired the movie. Li...

After breaking into celebrity homes and stealing millions of dollars in cash and luxury goods, a group of teenagers becomes famous themselves as the Bling Ring.  In this episode, Vanessa interviews Allen Salkin, one of the first reporters to cover the group. Vanessa, Natalie, and Allen dissect parasocial relationships, the psychology behind theft, and what it’s like to live in a place like Calabas...

For the final episode on Taylor Swift, Vanessa and Natalie get caught up on what's going on in Taylor's life today. We'll hear about the epic battle between the Gaylors and the Hetlors, and how Taylor's relationship with football star Travis Kelce has brought Americans together. We'll also talk to the journalist who visited Taylor's favorite New York restaurants and hounded the waitstaff for detai...