Infamous

Latest Episodes:

College Part 2: How the Rich and Famous Do It Apr 18, 2024

Show notes

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 dollars to text kids reminding them to turn in their math homework. Today, Vanessa talks to Sarah Bernstein, playwright, college essay writing coach, and author of the New York Times story, “Elite College Admissions Have Turned Students Into Brands.”

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College Part 1: Felicity Huffman’s Desperate Crime Apr 11, 2024

Show notes

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 children. In this episode, Vanessa talks with Eric Rosen, the prosecutor in the Varsity Blues case, about the juicy details—from finding Singer to wire tapping his phone—and reflects on what this case tells us about U.S. colleges and the admissions process today.

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The Love of Diddy's Life Apr 04, 2024

Show notes

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.

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Inside Meghan Markle + Kate Middleton I Part 3 Mar 28, 2024

Show notes

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 Cambridge in a controversial Tatler piece, and look at the complex relationship between the press and the monarchy in Great Britain.

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Inside Meghan Markle's Media Chess Game | Part 2 Mar 21, 2024

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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.

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Inside Meghan Markle's Media Chess Game | Part 1 Mar 14, 2024

Show notes

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 with her half-sister Samantha to her dad’s staged paparazzi photos. Vanessa gives us the inside scoop based on her reporting on Meghan for Vanity Fair and The Cut.

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Is the Lohanissance Real? Mar 07, 2024

Show notes

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 be upon us?

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Viral Stories: The Instagram Star and the Science Founder Feb 22, 2024

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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 with reporters over issues with a Covid database.

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Justin Bieber’s Breathwork Santa Feb 15, 2024

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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 has been looking into deaths related to Wim’s method.

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Kendall Jenner, AI and Sex Before OnlyFans Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

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 dirty-talking ChatGPT clones.

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