Comedy
**ScamWow**

Scammers, swindlers, con artists: unethical rogues who should be brought to justice? Or brilliant players in the game of capitalism that can help you get a free mattress? Comedian and author Caitlin Brodnick can’t always decide. Each week, join Caitlin and a special guest as they dive into current and historic scams, from skillful mobsters to Real Housewives fraudsters, from MLMs to YouTube grifters. Together, they’ll explore the thin line between swindle and survival, between fleecing an easy mark and just launching a startup. Listen and embrace the art of the dupe with true crime’s less-disturbing sister: the true con.

Latest Episodes:

S01E116: Mary Cosby & Erika Jayne w/ Sarah Galli Feb 04, 2021

Show notes

Caity, Sue, and special guest Sarah Galli of the Andy’s Girls podcast dive deep into some juicy Real Housewives scams. The investigate Mary M. Cosby from the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and Erika Jayne from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, in particular. Turns out it really is expensive to be Erika Jayne. Plus, not to be a communist or anything, but if you’re a rich pastor, then you’re a little shady. Just saying.

RESOURCES:

Andy’s Girls - https://www.sarahgalli.com/andysgirls

Faith Temple Church - https://tletsinger2.wixsite.com/website/faith-temple-pentecostal-church

Reddit Thread About Mary Cosby- https://www.removeddit.com/r/BravoRealHousewives/comments/js96n5/the_tea_on_mary_and_her_granddaddy_husband_from/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

Mary’s Niece Spills the Tea- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RT76-bwJ30

Article About Mary’s Estate Dispute - https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=100EE58F19F7DA48&itype=storyID

Sharell’s Interview With Ernest - https://youtu.be/DW66mnj-_6c

Ronald Richards - https://twitter.com/RonaldRichards

Tom Girardi Court Docs - https://images.law.com/contrib/content/uploads/documents/292/78143/Edelson-Girardi-complaint.pdf

Article on Girardi -

https://www.law.com/therecorder/2020/12/18/the-world-is-catching-up-long-list-of-lawsuits-shows-tom-girardi-owes-tens-of-millions-of-dollars/?slreturn=20210102231327

Coverage on Erika Jayne- https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/12/14/22174396/real-housewives-erika-jaynes-husband-held-civil-contempt-over-missing-lion-air-settlement-cash

Sharell’s Coverage - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2QJ-eaVYZW058vwgnTpaLA

Tea on Erika’s New House - https://theblast.com/153219/erika-jayne-moves-into-15-million-hollywood-home-amid-financial-

The Emily Show - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vZ2V0bGVnaXRzaG93Lw?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahgKEwiAzLec3szuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQgAQ

GoFundMe for Andy Bustillos: https://gofund.me/8a2a45de

https://www.youtube.com/c/caitlinBrodnick

http://suesmithcomedy.com

DISCLAIMER: We are comedians and this is satire. C’mon

Send us your scams!

scamwowpodcast@gmail.com

Or call: 347-509-9414

scamwowpodcast.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S01E115: Confident Women w/ Tori Telfer Jan 28, 2021

Show notes

Feminist author, Tori Telfer, stops by to discuss her new book, Confident Women: Swindlers, Grifters, and Shapshifters of the Feminine Persuasion. It’s chock full of stories about the type of historical con artists we just love. Today, we’re focused on the legendary Candian who came to America to scam on a much larger level, Cassie Chadwick. Plus, is it imposter syndrome if you’re actually an imposter?

RESOURCES:

Confident Women: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/confident-women-tori-telfer?variant=32180878868514

Lady Killers: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/lady-killers-tori-telfer

Tori’s Instagram: instagram.com/tori__telfer

Tori’s podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/criminal-broads/id1375121031

GoFundMe for Andy Bustillos: https://gofund.me/8a2a45de

https://www.youtube.com/c/caitlinBrodnick

http://suesmithcomedy.com

DISCLAIMER: We are comedians and this is satire. C’mon

Send us your scams!

scamwowpodcast@gmail.com

Or call: 347-509-9414

scamwowpodcast.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S01E114: Spotting Celebrity Plastic Surgery w/ Janie Stolar Jan 21, 2021

Show notes

Grab a seltzer, sit back, relax and let’s talk about something completely superficial: plastic surgery! Watch What Happens Live writer, Janie Stolar, stops by to tell us about the latest plastic surgery trends, how we can spot them, and which celebs are leading the pack. Plus, Janie lets us know about liquid nose jobs and people putting strings in their faces. Then, Caitlin discusses David and Linda Morrow’s epic insurance fraud scam in Southern California. It’s wild out there, folks.

Follow Janie on Instagram @janiefierce

Caitlin’s Youtube Channel

Sue’s Website

DISCLAIMER: We are comedians and this is satire. C’mon

Send us your scams!

scamwowpodcast@gmail.com

Or call: 347-509-9414

scamwowpodcast.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S01E113: You Look Great & You’re Perfect! w/ Ellen Haun Jan 14, 2021

Show notes

Diets are a scam, so tell your New Year's resolution to suck it. Caitlin brings on special guest host, Ellen Haun, to talk about the diet trends that have clawed their way into our lives. These scammy diets have claimed for years to be the golden ticket to a perfect body but even your BMI is a total scam! It was even used in the 80s by insurance companies to overcharge and discriminate against clients. We’re not bringing that foolishness in 2021!

Diet and wellness culture is crippling and Ellen and Caitlin are here to tell you YOU LOOK GREAT and YOUR BODY IS PERFECT!

Resources:

Dietetic Associations

From McDonald's To Organic Valley You're Probably Eating Wood Pulp, NPR

Adolphe Quetelet and the Evolution of Body Mass Index (BMI): A 19th century 'Renaissance man' devised a ratio we use today. Psychology Today

Your Fat Friend

You’re Wrong About Podcast: The Obesity Epidemic

I’m not going to answer the same question about being fat any more, by Lindy West

“Hunger” by Roxane Gay

Top 10 Reasons Why The BMI Is Bogus, NPR

Why BMI Is a Big Fat Scam, Mother Jones

Why BMI is inaccurate and misleading, Medical News Today

The Bizarre and Racist History of the BMI, Elemental

Ellen’s Book Cinderella and the Glass Ceiling

And Other Feminist Fairy Tales

Ellen’s Insta

Caitlin’s Youtube Channel

DISCLAIMER: We are comedians and this is satire. C’mon

Send us your scams!

scamwowpodcast@gmail.com

Or call: 347-509-9414

scamwowpodcast.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S01E112: ¡ESCANDALITO! Hilaria Baldwin Jan 07, 2021

Show notes

This week, Sue bursts forth from maternity leave to talk about Hilaria Baldwin with Caitlin. You know her: the famous mom, yogi, wife, and admirer of all things Spanish.

Sue and Caitlin discuss the current headlines and Reddit threads buzzing over this grift. If you travel to Spain a few times and come back with a full accent and a spray tan, forgetting the English word for cucumber ... you might be the Latina Rachel Dolezal?

Resources:

Original Twitter thread- https://twitter.com/lenibriscoe/status/1341095257233125379

Hola Magazine featuring Hilaria - https://us.hola.com/celebrities/20180503fufntomh9c/hilaria-baldwin-alec-baldwin-parenting-children-swng
Instagram post about her skin color - https://twitter.com/Housewiveslie/status/1343712024866541577?s=20
Daily Mail article - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2613937/Pushing-Miss-Baldwin-Hilaria-ropes-posh-pads-doorman-yoga-pose-day.html
Epic thread on DC Urban Moms - https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/828844.page
Hilaria’s father’s blog post - https://internationalintegrators.org/food-and-relationship-slowing-down-to-enjoy-both/
And, of course, the Hilaria subreddit https://www.reddit.com/r/HilariaBaldwin/

DISCLAIMER: We are comedians and this is satire. C’mon

Send us your scams!

scamwowpodcast@gmail.com

Or call: 347-509-9414

scamwowpodcast.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Holidays from Scam Wow! Dec 24, 2020

Show notes

Send us your scams!

scamwowpodcast@gmail.com

Or call: 347-509-9414

scamwowpodcast.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S01E111. Jesus Will Dropship You A Horse Mask Dec 17, 2020

Show notes

Why was Newsweek raided? Is Olivet University trying to sell you mealworms?

The International Business Times, Newsweek, Jesus II, and drop shipping all make an appearance in this scam that combines religion, e-commerce, and a shady department store.

Journalist (and Caity’s husband) Allen Arthur brings a (probably purposely) convoluted scam even the journalists reporting on it don’t fully understand. Grab your pencil, students, and start taking notes from minute 19. The story takes so many twists and turns we can barely keep it straight. And we are living for it!

Happy holidays from Caity, Sue, and Cait! We love you and special thank you to our Patreon patrons for all your support this year!

Resources:

https://www.manhattanda.org/da-vance-announces-indictment-of-olivet-university-officials-and-christian-media-ceo-in-25-million-fraud-probe-arising-out-of-newsweek-investigation/

https://www.motherjones.com/media/2014/03/newsweek-ibt-olivet-david-jang/

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/27/style/what-is-inside-this-internet-rabbit-hole.html

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/newsweek-office-servers-searched-manhattan-district-attorney-probe-785148%3famp=1

https://www.newsweek.com/newsweek-manhattan-da-olivet-university-david-jang-fired-new-york-media-813949

Jenny Odell

Allen Arthur

Caitlin’s New YouTube Channel

https://www.patreon.com/scamwowpodcast?fan_landing=true

DISCLAIMER: We are comedians and this is satire. C’mon

Send us your scams!

scamwowpodcast@gmail.com

Or call: 347-509-9414

scamwowpodcast.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S01E110. Ding Dong, it’s the Cops! With Josh Gondelman Dec 10, 2020

Show notes

Comedian and writer Josh Gondelman is this week’s guest, and he just might be the nicest comedian in New York City. Plus, if you are a scammer, you will love this guy.

Josh shares his long history with scams, how a carny changed his life, and the flirty drunk-girl texts that apparently everyone is getting.

Plus, so many questions came out of this episode like: Where is all Josh’s dog food? Can a teddybear be pointy? And most importantly, do you just want to be treated like a princess, and are you from Malden LOLz?"

Josh writes for Desus and Mero, has earned four Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, and three WGA Awards. He’s been published in New York Magazine, The New Yorker, and had his standup debut on Conan.

Check out his pop culture and politics game show podcast Make My Day because it's hysterical. Make My Day

Resources:

Washington Post Article

23 and Oh Geez: Bloomberg article & Forbes article

Last Seen Podcast

The Marris Review Podcast

Josh’s Book, Nice Try

https://twitter.com/joshgondelman

http://www.joshgondelman.com

https://www.sho.com/desus-and-mero

DISCLAIMER: We are comedians and this is satire. C’mon

Send us your scams!

scamwowpodcast@gmail.com

Or call: 347-509-9414

scamwowpodcast.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S01E109. Oh No? More like, Au Pair! Dec 04, 2020

Show notes

She’s a talent scout, devoted babysitter, and sometimes impersonates Florida judges: It’s Australian con artist Samantha Azzopardi. Our special guest this week, comedian Ariel Elias, unpacks the many scams and uncomfortably basic aliases of Azzopardi. Azzopardi traveled around the globe conning unsuspecting families, young girls, and even entire police stations. Is she schizophrenic, is she creative, or is she just craving attention à la Caroline Calloway? Ariel Elias is a nationally touring standup and was recently praised by the New York Times for having a perfect joke. It’s a fun one!

Resources:

Ariel Elias Twitter

New York Times, Live Comedy Is Back in New York! But Outdoors. Is This a Good Thing?

https://www.arieleliascomedy.com

New Yorker Article How Stories Deceive

The Age, Australia Samantha Azzopardi 'posed as a talent scout called Marley', court told

Daily Mail Serial fraudster 'forces a 12-year-old girl to perform a series of increasingly bizarre tasks - including telling Centrelink she had seen a ghost'

News.com.au CCTV of alleged conwoman dressed as a schoolgirl emerges

DISCLAIMER: We are comedians and this is satire. C’mon

Send us your scams!

scamwowpodcast@gmail.com

Or call: 347-509-9414

scamwowpodcast.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S01E108. Thanksgiving Mailbag Nov 23, 2020

Show notes

Gobble, gobble! To show our thanks for you and all of our fans, we’ve put together a very special mailbag episode. We received so many great emails from you all about tons of topics like an Audrey Kitching-esque drop shipping scam, a guy who stopped going to work but kept getting paid, and even a composer who pretended to be deaf but really wasn’t. Like, what?! Some scammers are truly amazing and admirable. Thanks to our new Patreon patrons, Kevin and Chris. We hope everyone has a delicious, socially-distanced, holiday.

Resources: