The C-Word

Before Bai Ling was labeled a “wacktress” by the tabloids, she was a prolific actress best known in the U.S. for her role in the cult classic, The Crow. Her wacky behavior and soundbites about living on the moon made her a frequent character of the early 2000s press. In this episode, Lena and Alissa unpack Bai’s childhood in Mao Zedong’s China, her ascent as an American star, her iconic stint on C...

Family Lore is a weekly narrative podcast that celebrates and investigates ancestral mystique. Each episode begins with a guest sharing a fascinating family legend, followed by a historical deep-dive to uncover the truth and meaning behind the tale. Available now: link.pscrb.fm/f0281/FLFD

In Part 2, Lena and Alissa resume their discussion about 90s porn star Savannah. Although she became a mainstream name, Savannah developed a bad reputation within the adult entertainment industry. In this episode, they chronicle her relationships with rockstars, her attempts at a comeback, and her struggles with addiction and debt. Lena and Alissa also discuss the dissolution of her personal ident...

Savannah was the most famous porn performer of the 90s — she ushered in a totally new era of celebrity for other adult film stars. At her peak she made six-figures and was a tabloid mainstay. But behind the scenes, she gained a reputation for bad on-set behavior as her drug addiction spiraled out of control. In the first episode of a two-part series, Lena and Alissa examine Savannah’s origins as S...

Sulli was a major K-pop star, singer, and actress, known as “the Kim Kardashian of South Korea.” Her pivot away from her initial “baby girl” persona in the K-pop girl group, f(x), resulted in tremendous backlash and online harassment. Controversies ranged from her dating life to her clothing choices to her feminist beliefs. In this episode, Lena and Alissa discuss K-pop training schools, fan entit...

If you’ve been on this journey with us, you know that Alissa and Lena are obsessed with sharp, witty, decisive women. Today, we’re stepping out of the archives to introduce you to a woman who is helping us look at ourselves and answer big questions with a refreshing amount of grit and zero judgment. Meet Suzy Welch. Suzy is a three-time New York Times bestselling author and the NYU professor behin...

Although Sondra Locke’s work as an actress & director garnered critical praise and an Academy Award nomination, she was perhaps best known for her 13-year romantic relationship with Clint Eastwood. The highly publicized court battle that followed their relationship forever linked her name with his and fueled endless gossip. In this episode, Lena and Alissa discuss the etymology of “Daddy,” the...

Gia Carangi, considered by many to be the world’s first supermodel, was once so renowned she was known simply as GIA. Her stunning rise from a troubled Philadelphia childhood to the top of the New York fashion scene preceded an equally dramatic downfall, marked by heroin addiction and wild on-set behavior. She died in 1986 of AIDS-related complications. In this episode, Lena and Alissa follow the...

Lena and Alissa welcome the new year with an iconic early 20th-century party girl: La Marchesa Luisa Casati. They delve into Luisa’s obsession with the occult, her high-profile artistic and romantic relationships, and her singular desire to become a “living work of art,” all the while investigating the double-edged sword of our society’s fascination with eccentric women. This episode was first pub...

​In Part 2, Lena and Alissa resume their discussion on Brittany Murphy. By the late 2000s, Brittany’s career was stagnant and rumors about her erratic behavior and her sketchy new marriage were widespread. Tragically, her life was cut short in December 2009. In this episode, Lena and Alissa discuss the harmful effect of gossip blind items, celebrity paranoia, and the public’s fixation on conspirac...

The Brittany Murphy of the 90s won our affection with her talent, iconic laugh, and breakout role as goofy but lovable Tai in ​Clueless​. But the Brittany Murphy of the 2000s weathered tabloid speculation about her appearance and high-profile relationships, a dwindling supply of roles, and an addiction to prescription pills. In part 1, we grapple with the first half of Brittany’s life. Lena and Al...

Lena and Alissa discuss a different kind of c-word subject: Yolanda Saldívar. She became known for robbing the world of beloved Tejano music star Selena. In this episode, Lena and Alissa discuss Saldívar's criminal history, how obsessive fandom is related to public interest, and whether the term “c-word” is applicable in Yolanda’s case.  This episode was first published on 11/19/2020.

In part 2, Lena and Alissa discuss the latter half of Anna Nicole’s life. By 2002, she had become one of the first E! reality television celebrities with ​The Anna Nicole Show​. Early gossip websites like TMZ and Perez Hilton covered her weight gain, messy public appearances, and a debacle over the paternity of her second child. In this episode, we discuss Anna Nicole’s addiction, her eccentric en...

Model and reality TV superstar Anna Nicole Smith assumed several roles in America’s public consciousness. In the 90s she was branded as as a sex symbol and “the next Marilyn Monroe” and in the 2000s we turned her into a punch line. We loved and then ridiculed her platinum blonde hair, massive boobs, Texas accent, and “loopy” manner. In this episode, Lena and Alissa discuss Anna Nicole Smith’s orig...

Wendi Deng was the third wife of media magnate and billionaire, Rupert Murdoch. The public was quick to call her a gold digger, latching onto the 38-year age difference in their marriage, Wendi’s humble upbringing in China, and her controversial involvement in the Murdoch family business. But despite criticism and rumors about her personal life, Wendi leveraged Rupert’s connections to build a name...

Lena and Alissa pick up where they last left Whitney Houston in Part 1. In the second half of Whitney’s career, her reputation as America’s pop sweetheart was hindered by tabloid speculation about drug use and criticism of her live performances. In this episode Lena and Alissa discuss the phenomenon of the Diane Sawyer interview, Whitney’s stint on reality television, her daughter Bobbi Kristina B...

Whitney Houston: “The Voice,” the myth, the legend. She sang her way into the hearts of America, moving a nation and bearing the weight of its attention on her psyche. As her star grew, Whitney faced backlash, questions about her identity, and intense intrusion into her personal life. In the first of two parts, Lena and Alissa chart the young Whitney’s rise to fame, her essential early relationshi...

Yoko Ono: The woman whose name for decades was a codeword for "Somebody who ruins things." Beatles fans called her a villain, obscuring who she really was: a multidisciplinary artist, pioneering social activist, and visionary. In this episode, Lena and Alissa trace Yoko’s unlikely journey, from her childhood as a musical prodigy to her years as a fixture of the New York art scene to her legendary...

Mary Shelley is known as the mother of the science fiction genre for her groundbreaking novel, ​Frankenstein​. But beyond the page, she faced a life of personal tragedy and a society unprepared to grapple with her public persona. As the daughter of legendary proto-feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley was born into controversy. In her adult life, her entanglements with celebrity Romantic poet...

Daul Kim, it-girl and Chanel muse, was one of the most iconic models of the 2000’s. As she came to prominence in her late teens, she gained a cult following and fell under intense scrutiny for her candid blogging about her experience in the industry. In this episode, Lena and Alissa reflect on the life and death of Daul, from her public displays of depression to the torrential pace of her young li...

Jessica Savitch: the original anchorwoman. An NBC mainstay, Jessica was an audience favorite, but despite trailblazing and receiving public praise, the star struggled. In this episode, Lena and Alissa dive into the woman behind the desk: from her incredible ambition and subsequent drug use, to the workplace culture that led to the downfall of her career.  This episode was first published on 06/25/...

​Dare Wright, the author, photographer, and model best known for writing ​The Lonely Doll​, had a lot in common with her titular character. In this episode, Lena and Alissa unpack Dare’s life, spanning from her all-consuming relationship with her mother to her tragic demise. Then, Alissa sits down with Jean Nathan, author of the definitive work on Dare’s life, to get a more intimate look at the st...

Paula Yates was a TV presenter and icon of British pop culture in the 80s and 90s. Her life with England’s beloved Bob Geldof seemed perfect until musician Michael Hutchence came into the picture — their love triangle turned bad romance was tabloid fodder for years until their tragic end. Lena and Alissa discuss undeniable sexual chemistry, perfectionism at the root of addiction, and motherhood in...

​Paula Goodspeed was best known for being a Paula Abdul-obsessed singer whose act left her ridiculed on the national stage. In this episode, Lena and Alissa go deeper into Goodspeed’s story, unpacking her attempts at fame on American Idol, her lifelong search for self, and her tragic end.  This episode was first published on 03/19/2020.

​Lena and Alissa discuss Lourdes Gruart, the Cuban-American former model who vanished under mysterious circumstances. They take you through her days in Milan and Paris, the decline of her career, and her attempts to preserve the life she once lived. Alissa also speaks to Vanessa Grigoriadis, who penned the definitive work on Gruart’s life.  This episode was first published on 03/05/2020.