Back Row with Amy Odell

Latest Episodes:

13 Biggest Questions About Taylor Swift's Wedding Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

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Taylor Swift married Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden — and nobody's seen the photos yet. Will Vogue get them? Will anyone? Amy Odell is joined by veteran celebrity journalist Justin Ravitz (former Executive Editor at Us Weekly and Rolling Stone) to count down 13 burning questions about the wedding of the year — 13, of course, because it's Taylor's lucky number.

From the Dior couture ceremony looks to the guest list chaos (Zadie Smith? Wayne Gretzky? No Kardashians?) to whether this whole thing might end up as a theatrical release, Amy and Justin go through it all.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

02:50 #13 – What did she get talked out of?

06:23 #12 – What did Travis Kelce wear?

10:52 #11 – How close were they with their guests, really?

22:08 #10 – What was in the guests' NDAs?

25:33 #9 – Who leaked the wedding photos?

28:19 #8 – Were there religious elements? Was Adam Sandler ordained?

30:45 #7 – Did anyone try to slip them a gift?

37:27 #6 – Were there brand or corporate sponsors?

38:59 #5 – What were her cats doing?

40:54 #4 – Whose idea was the TT logo?

42:22 #3 – What celebrities were invited and said no?

44:57 #2 – Who was deliberately not invited?

51:59 #1 – Will the wedding be a theatrical release?

58:47 Final thoughts

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What 'Love Story' Got Wrong About Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and JFK Jr.'s Final Days Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

This is a teaser of a paid episode. To access the full episode, subscribe to Back Row at BackRow.net and get newsletter access included with your subscription. Or sign up in Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

RoseMarie Terenzio and Liz McNeil — authors of ⁠JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography⁠ — return to the Back Row podcast in honor of Love Story's likely Emmy nominations. Terenzio assisted JFK Jr. at George magazine, and McNeil has covered him at People since the 90s, so they know what the show creators don't.

We cover what we didn't get to last time: Daryl Hannah's bombshell New York Times op-ed, what the show got right and wrong about Carolyn Bessette's distress over the paparazzi, the plane crash, and whether Jack Schlossberg is the next JFK Jr.

Chapters:

00:00 — Intro

04:00 — The actor who played JFK Jr. called RoseMarie

08:30 — Daryl Hannah's bombshell NYT op-ed

14:30 — The wedding: how reporters found out

23:30 — Was Carolyn really depressed and homebound?

28:00 — The plane crash: what actually happened

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From Purses to... Pot?! Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

***SUPPORT THIS INDEPENDENT SHOW by subscribing to the Back Row newsletter: https://www.backrow.net/subscribe Go Premium and save three months on an annual subscription to access paywalled podcasts and all newsletter stories.*** Get 15 percent off Edie Parker with the code AMY15: https://edie-parker.com/ Brett Heyman launched Edie Parker as a luxury handbag business. Her acrylic clutches became a hit with Met Gala-going celebrities. Despite her success with accessories, she decided to pivot to a uniquely challenging industry: legal cannabis. She talks about what she learned working in Gucci PR during the Tom Ford era, why she entered the cannabis business, and the stigma she's still fighting. CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

01:30 From Gucci PR to Founding Edie Parker

07:30 The Kate Hudson Met Gala Bag That Started It All

11:00 Why She Pivoted to Cannabis

13:00 Why You Have to Be Vertically Integrated in Every State

15:00 The Stripes That Are "Too Appealing to Children"

20:30 What Trump's Rescheduling Order Actually Changes

28:00 Celebrity Campaigns: Pat Cleveland, Gabby Windey, and More

35:30 Why No Institutional Investor Will Touch Cannabis

39:30 Did the Cannabis Pivot Scare Off Handbag Customers?

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How Plastic Surgery Went Off the Rails [TEASER] Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

***This is a TEASER of a paywalled episode. Sign up for a Premium subscription at Back Row (https://www.backrow.net/subscribe) for access to the Back Row newsletter and all paywalled podcasts. (Audio only subs available in Apple and Spotify.)***

As the founding editor of beauty magazine Allure, Linda Wells has seen it all, from the dawn of La Mer to the current age of plastic surgery overload. Now the editor of AirMail Look, she's been covering the craziest procedures, from rib-cracking and reshaping to $500k facelifts.

She discusses how plastic surgery has gone completely off the rails — and where this wild trend is going.

CHAPTERS:

01:15 – Beauty Trends of the 1980s

03:45 – The Wildest Trends in 2026

08:15 – The Growing Visibility of Plastic Surgery

15:05 – Why Surgeons Are Hunting for New Procedures

17:30 – The Sport of Celebrity Speculation

20:25 – Facelift Prices Are Up 400%

23:45 – The Risks of an International Operation

26:50 – Subscribe to Listen to the Full Episode!

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Emergency Gwyneth Paltrow Pod! Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

It started with turkey meatballs and ended with an endorsement deal that led the internet to call her "Gwynicide." Gwyneth Paltrow has had quite a slew of viral moments this month. I sat down with branding expert and sociologist Ana Andjelic — CMO, author of the Sociology of Business newsletter, and host of the Hitmakers podcast — to talk about what this means (if anything) for Brand Gwyneth.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Introduction

01:00 – The Turkey Meatballs and the Arugula Meme

05:30 – Inside the Jade Egg Era of Goop

09:30 – The Trae Stephens Interview and the AI Weapons Controversy

18:00 – The 51 Park Israeli Real Estate Ad and the Backlash

21:00 – The Three Pillars of the Gwyneth Brand

24:30 – Is Goop Still Relevant?

26:00 – Why Goop Kitchen Is Struggling in New York

31:00 – Is Gwyneth an Asset or a Liability Now?

34:00 – Can Kinship Ventures Actually Succeed?
📰 SUBSCRIBE to the Back Row Newsletter: https://www.backrow.net/subscribe

Amy's Gwyneth book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Gwyneth/Amy-Odell/9781668005774

Follow Ana Andjelic:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ana_andjelic/

↳ Sociology of Business: https://andjelicaaa.substack.com/

🎙️ Hitmakers podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3pmW3iyjF9pl65QgVcabPK

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Your Clothes Are Full of Chemicals. Here's What You Need to Know. Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

Frances Solá-Santiago is a reporter for The New York Times's Wirecutter product review site, where her whole job is to test clothing and interview experts about how to find the best stuff for the best value. She's done extensive research into which chemicals sneak into our clothes — and what we, as consumers, need to know about them. In this episode, she reveals how we can shop consciously, some of her favorite picks for bags and clothes, and much more.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

01:30 How Wirecutter Actually Tests Clothes

06:00 Does Higher Price Mean Better Quality?

09:00 Vintage vs. New Coach Bags — What the Lab Found

10:00 Why Everyone Is Suddenly Worried About Their Clothes

12:00 PFAS Explained — What Forever Chemicals Are

16:00 Who's Most at Risk — You, Garment Workers, or the Planet?

21:30 Which Certifications Can You Actually Trust?

25:30 Health Washing Is the New Greenwashing

35:00 The Frankie Shop Blazer Test

39:30 Why Going 100% Natural Isn't a Guarantee

41:00 Where Regulation Is Headed

49:30 Is Dry Cleaning Safe?

Follow Frances Solá-Santiago

📰 The Wirecutter (NYT) - https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/authors/frances-sola-santiago/

📸 Follow Frances on Instagram: @fransolasantiago

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Inside 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' Press Tour with Meryl Streep's Stylist Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

***SUPPORT THIS INDEPENDENT SHOW by subscribing to the Back Row newsletter: https://www.backrow.net/subscribe Go Premium and save three months on an annual subscription to access paywalled podcasts and all newsletter stories.*** Celebrity stylist Micaela Erlanger joined me on the Back Row podcast to talk about dressing Meryl Streep for The Devil Wears Prada 2 press tour. Just as that winds down, she's getting ready to dress Lupital N'yongo for The Odyssey press tour. How does she do it? What goes into these viral press tours? A whole lot more than picking out pretty dresses.

CHAPTERS:

01:02 – The Craziest Moments from The Devil Wears Prada 2 Press Tour

05:10 – Her Strategy for Styling Meryl Streep

11:05 – Dressing the Actor vs. the Character

12:50 – Meryl’s J. Crew Cerulean Sweater

19:20 – Micaela’s “Meta Dressing Approach”

24:20 – Collaborating with Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt

26:55 – Getting Brands to Open the Archives

34:35 – Fashion Emergencies on the DWP2 Tour

35:50 – Styling Lupita Nyong'o for The Odyssey

40:20 – Crafting a Moodboard

44:50 – Micaela’s Advice to Aspiring Stylists

Follow Micaela Erlanger :

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/micaela/?hl=en

Website: https://micaelaerlanger.com/

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What Everlane's Sale to Shein Means for 'Sustainable' Fashion Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

Sustainable fashion darling Everlane just sold to Shein, the industry's least sustainable company. What does this shocking deal say about both companies, along with the state of "sustainable" fashion?

I spoke with Ken Pucker, former Timberland COO and professor at Tufts University, one of my favorite experts on this topic. He explains why Everlane was never all that "sustainable," why Shein would want this, and why it's hard to be optimistic about the future of fashion.

CHAPTERS:

01:05 – Breaking Down the Shein Everlane Acquisition

04:30 – Shein’s Innovative Instant Fashion Model

07:20 – How Everlane Ended Up in Bed with L Catterton

12:00 – Ken’s Take on the Future of “Sustainable” Fashion

16:00 – The Greenwashing Problem

18:45 – Everlane’s Radical Transparency Promise

22:15 – The Status of the New York Fashion Act

27:35 – Why Does Shein Even Want Everlane?

30:00 – Which Brands Could Be Next?

34:00 – Ken’s Advice for Sustainable Consumers

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Stylist to Billionaires Reveals How the Ultra-Rich Really Shop — and How Much They Spend Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

I sat down with Mary Gonsalves Kinney, founder of MGK Style and personal stylist to tech billionaires, politicians, and athletes, to go inside the world of how the ultra-wealthy really shop.

Mary reveals what billionaires' closets actually look like, how much her clients spend per session, and what the fashion industry's pivot to the 1% means for everyone else.

This is part of a paywalled episode. Subscribe to Back Row Premium to access the full episode and all paywalled newsletters at https://www.backrow.net/subscribe. For podcast access only, subscribe in Apple or Spotify.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Introduction

01:00 – How Mary Styles Billionaires

03:40 – What Billionaires Actually Tell Their Stylist

04:49 – Dressing Women in Tech

08:03 – What's Really Inside a Billionaire's Closet

13:24 – Shopper vs. Stylist: What's the Difference?

14:36 – Sticker Shock: The $4,000 Nylon Sundress

15:31 – Why the Aspirational Customer No Longer Exists

29:15 – How Much Do They Spend Per Year?

32:17 – How Luxury Brands Are Quietly Changing Their Strategy

Follow Mary Gonsalves Kinney:

https://www.instagram.com/mgkstyle/

https://www.mgkstyle.com/

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The Met Gala Then vs. Now: How ‘The First Monday in May’ Holds Up 10 Years Later [TEASER] May 26, 2026

Show notes

I took off for the holiday this week, so I'm unlocking half of a previously paywalled episode in which podcaster and reality television/documentary expert Kate Casey and I rewatch The First Monday in May, the documentary about the planning of the 2015 Met Gala. Featuring Anna Wintour hob-knobbing with canceled celebs, bandying her venti Starbucks around the Met, and more!

Sign up for Back Row Premium to hear the full episode at BackRow.net to get newsletter access included with your subscription. Or sign up in Apple Podcasts or Spotify for podcast access only.

CHAPTERS:

02:20 – How ‘The First Monday in May’ Got Made

09:20 – The Story Behind the Alexander McQueen Exhibition

12:40 – Anna Wintour is an Outfit Repeater

17:20 – Anna’s Venti Starbucks Cup

27:00 – Could the Met Pull Off ‘China Through the Looking Glass’ Today?

33:50 – Subscribe for the Full Film Recap!

Follow Kate Casey:

↳ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katecaseyca/?hl=en

↳ YouTube: @realitylifewithkatecasey

↳ Reality Life with Kate Casey: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reality-life-with-kate-casey/id1154758766

↳ Substack:https://katecasey.substack.com?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web