Infamous

Taylor reemerges after the Kanye incident with her hard-hitting album Reputation. The reception is mixed, but Taylor’s made a big statement: she’s not just a little girl anymore. Vanessa, Natalie, and Rolling Stone senior writer Brittany Spanos take a close look at Taylor’s redemption arc. Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Infamous show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get acce...

After Vanessa finished writing about Taylor in 2009, Natalie would start following Taylor’s career while working at Forbes, and would discover not only a talented artist, but a savvy businesswoman. Brittany Spanos, senior writer at Rolling Stone, joins the conversation to talk about the various feuds Taylor has had — including Kanye’s infamous VMA interruption and her artistic differences with Sco...

Believe it or not, there was a time when Taylor Swift wasn’t the most famous person on the planet. She was just an up-and-coming country prodigy thrilled to land a cameo on her favorite TV show. During this time, Vanessa spent hours with her, in multiple cities, even on the set of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Listen to the never-before-heard recordings of their time together as Vanessa and Nata...

Renowned Gwynethologist and Fleishman is in Trouble creator Taffy Brodesser-Akner joins Vanessa to talk about how Gwyneth became a one-of-a-kind cultural icon. Taffy tells all about offering Gwyneth a gas station brand cigarette and getting too drunk in her picturesque Los Angeles home. Plus, Taffy and Vanessa swap stories about rap star and infamously volatile interviewee Nicki Minaj. Click ‘Subs...

Gwyneth Paltrow takes the stand in her ski crash trial against a retired optometrist. But as new facts emerge, is it possible that Gwyneth could be one of America’s most-hated celebrities and also a brave defender of justice? Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Infamous show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts. A Campside Media & Sony Music...

Gwyneth Paltrow is as famous for her luxury lifestyle as she is for her movies. But when she collides with a man on a ski slope in Park City, Utah, she finds herself in a real-life high-end whodunnit, where fact is stranger than fiction. Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Infamous show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts. A Campside Media &...

After a multi-year hiatus, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has returned, but it’s nothing like it used to be. Natalie attended the show in 2015 with celebs like Kris Jenner and Selena Gomez, but a lot has happened to the brand since then, including the bombshell revelation about the owner Les Wexner’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Vanessa reunites with Fallen Angel co-creator Justine Harman to tell...

Vince McMahon — the mastermind behind the WWE, who put stars like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Hulk Hogan on the map — has been traveling a rocky road the last few years. In this week’s episode, Campside’s own Anthony Pucillo talks with Vanessa about his time as a writer for the WWE, what goes on behind the scenes, and whether or not McMahon will stay down for the count. Plus, Natalie reminisces...

Vanessa invites psychoanalyst Robin Kirman to talk about Jared’s story and to answer some of the burning questions it raises. Like, how do all those pickup artist tricks work? What the heck was wrong with Jared? And in a world where pickup artists can be hard to spot, how do we find partners we won’t regret? Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Infamous show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBi...

Rachel goes to meet the most hated man in Asheville to hear his side of the story. Jared is ready to make amends with the women he’s wronged, but the only person who wants to hear him out is a six-foot-something martial arts instructor who makes a pretty surprising proposition to Rachel. When Jared finally leaves Asheville behind, where will he go next? And will he learn from his mistakes? Click ‘...

Waking Life Espresso is one of the most beloved, locally-owned coffee shops in Asheville, North Carolina. That is, until an anonymous online sleuth discovers that its owner, Jared Rutledge, is a wannabe manosphere influencer who’s been posting intimate details about his sexual partners online. Now, there are picketers outside. Guest host Rachel Monroe sits down with the women Jared exposes online...

Good looking, charismatic, and experienced, comedian and political commentator Hasan Minhaj is reportedly a frontrunner for Trevor Noah's hosting slot at The Daily Show. But when a writer starts looking into some of his standup stories, she realizes that he may be telling tall tales. This week, Natalie talks to New Yorker staff writer Clare Malone about her reporting on the scandal, and what quest...

In a matter of months, the diabetes drug Ozempic has become a household name, and the Danish pharmaceutical company that produces it has achieved a market cap that exceeds the size of its country’s economy — all because it can make people really, really skinny. Journalist Jo Piazza joins Vanessa and Natalie to discuss Ozempic, the celebrities who may or may not be taking it, and how this drug may...

This episode will be released for free starting September 14th. With so few leaders to turn to in this time of crisis, the public is willing to overlook Andrew Cuomo’s storied history of corruption scandals. But soon, the governor’s decisions will catch up to him, and to his family. A potentially fatal nursing home policy, a lucrative book deal, a slate of alleged harassment allegations — which sc...

This episode will be released for free starting September 7th. In the confusing, scary early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, one question captured the imagination of millions: Does New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo have nipple rings? Vanessa talks to several journalists, including nipplegate reporter Olivia Nuzzi and Chris Smith, to learn how the Cuomo family became a political dynasty, and how a si...

Today, there are two stories on Infamous. First, Vanessa talks to Decoder Ring's Willa Paskin about the event of the summer — the Barbie movie — and learns about Barbie's bizarre origin story, how she's evolved since the late fifties, and what's next for the Barbie franchise.  Then, Gabe Sherman returns to talk about a major scandal at one of the most elite private high schools in the country: Hor...

After notorious Wall Street scammer Bernie Madoff was sentenced to prison, he refused to speak with the media. But journalist Steve Fishman took that as a challenge. So he sent letters to every single other inmate at the facility, asking for an introduction to Madoff. And after months of asking around, Fishman finally got the call he’d been waiting for. Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Infamous...

Philosophy queen Virginia Heffernan looks back on her experience wearing Google Glass and on the product’s ultimate failure, then considers what the fiasco can tell us about the current state of technology. How do the human weaknesses of Bezos and Musk influence the products they sell to us? And is the reign of these Silicon Valley titans coming to an end? Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Infam...

Newly aware of his increased risk for Parkinson’s Disease, Sergey is in a hurry to make a mark on the world with a new, cutting-edge technology: Google Glass. Except, what is Google Glass for? And why is it so…uncool? Sergey’s making reckless decisions in business, and in love. When he begins an affair with a much younger employee, there is collateral damage. Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the In...

With the meteoric rise of Google in the early aughts, Anne Wojcicki and Sergey Brin became one of the wealthiest power couples in Silicon Valley. But when Anne strikes out to start her very own biotechnology company 23andMe, some critics question Sergey’s role in her success. Then, a DNA testing kit produces a troubling result that will change Sergey’s life. Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Inf...

When Doug Band got between Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea, his rising star fell like a rock. Soon he found himself on the outside of an empire he'd helped to build. Subscribe to The Binge to get all episodes of Infamous: The Body Man 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 GetTheBinge.com to get access wher...

After the presidency, Bill Clinton's reputation wasn't faring well, and neither were his finances. But his long-time assistant, Doug Band, figured out a way to solve all of that. And in doing so, he got incredibly wealthy. A story of social climbing and verve. 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...

Paul is arrested and must defend his schemes over the years. Victims speak out about being played by Erickson for years, but apologies and contrition aren’t exactly his style. UPDATE 10/11: After we published these episodes, Maria Butina reached out to tell her side of the story. Stay tuned after the episode for an exclusive interview.  Unlock all episodes of Infamous, ad-free right now by subscri...

The Feds come down on Paul’s girlfriend Maria Butina, and the truth of her connections in Russia spill into the open. But Paul’s past isn’t squeaky clean either, and begins to draw attention from the FBI. Unlock all episodes of Infamous, ad-free right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month — that’s all episodes, all at once...

Paul Erickson made headlines in 2017 when it was revealed that his Russian girlfriend, Maria Butina, could’ve been a spy who was using him to gain access to the highest levels of the Republican Party. Two years later, he was arrested for wire fraud and money laundering. But it seems like this may just be scratching the surface of Paul’s life. Unlock all episodes of Infamous, ad-free right now by s...