PODCAST · history
The C-Word
by Lena Dunham & Alissa Bennett
With every episode, Lena Dunham and Alissa Bennett take you on a historical deep dive into the life of a woman society dismissed by calling her mad, sad, or just plain bad: Lindsay Lohan, Judy Garland, Winona Ryder, Mariah Carey, Lil Kim and many more. Join them for a rich, hilarious, and heartbreaking look into exactly what it means when we call a woman “crazy.” The C-Word was originally published behind a paywall from 2019 - 2022. This is the first time it’s being released to all major podcast platforms.
Episodes
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Belle Gibson
Belle Gibson was one of the original wellness influencers. She documented her unconventional cancer recovery process—consisting largely of restrictive eating and herbal remedies—for a growing cadre of loyal followers. She furthered her empire by developing a popular wellness app and a book. But…
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Maila Nurmi AKA Vampira
Maila Nurmi was known for her role as Vampira, the original glamour ghoul, late-night horror host, and proto-goth sex symbol who would inspire the on-screen look of modern-day Morticia Addams. Despite her lasting impact on 1950s America, and on culture at large, few people remember her today. In...
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Lindsay Lohan, Part 2
In part two, the tabloids rejoice that Lindsay is legal, and gleefully surveil the rest of her early adulthood. As the public scrutinizes her body, her partying, and her family, Lindsay descends deeper into a seesawing addiction that will land her in numerous rehab stints. In this episode, Lena…
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Lindsay Lohan, Part 1
Lindsay Lohan’s name has become synonymous with maladaptive child stardom, toxic tabloid culture, and the general trainwreckery of the mid-aughts—but it wasn’t always that way. In the first of two parts, Lena and Alissa unpack LiLo’s childhood, her precocious talent and early popularity, the...
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Linda Evangelista, Part 2
Lena and Alissa discuss the latter half of Linda’s career—her first retirement and then comeback, the tabloid’s fixation on her weight and health, her much criticized divorce proceedings, and her eventual retreat from public life due to a botched cosmetic procedure. Also in Part 2: aging, plastic...
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Linda Evangelista, Part 1
Linda Evangelista was one of the first Supermodels in the 90s to capture America’s admiration, love, and then criticism. She uttered the infamous words: “We don’t get up for less than $10 thousand a day.” Later, after more than a decade of public fixation on her age and weight, she would become a...
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Marion Jones
Marion Jones was a track star and Olympic champion. Despite her record-breaking athletic prowess, her career was torpedoed by doping allegations that would ultimately end in a prison stay. In this episode, Lena and Alissa discuss the pressure our public places on athletes—especially women of...
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Winona Ryder, Part 2
In this episode Lena and Alissa tackle Winona Ryder’s infamous shoplifting incident and the very public trial that followed. They also discuss her friendships with Gwyneth Paltrow and former C-Word subject Brittany Murphy, the tabloid rumors about Winona's romantic relationships, her career…
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Winona Ryder, Part 1
Lena and Alissa discuss Winona Ryder—90s icon, chic misfit, and poster child of gen-x nostalgia. In this episode: Winona’s nontraditional childhood, 90s bullies, her meteoric rise, her relationship with Johnny Depp, and the events leading up to her infamous shoplifting incident. This episode was...
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Madam Alex
Hollywood madam Elizabeth Adams (aka Madam Alex) ran a high-end Beverly Hills prostitution ring in the 70s and 80s. Her women — many of whom went on to become famous actors — were set apart by their manicured glamor, poise, and intellect, making her business THE go-to escort service of the...
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Eva Rausing
Eva Rausing was an heiress and philanthropist whose struggle with addiction made her tabloid fodder. In 2012, the gruesome circumstances of her death left the public to rehash and question her relationship to drugs, crime, and her family. In this episode, Lena and Alissa discuss addiction,...
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Chyna, Part 2
In the conclusion of Chyna's story, Lena and Alissa discuss Chyna’s attempts to reclaim her career after being fired from the WWE, her reality television appearances, and her crossover into the adult entertainment industry. Also, in this episode: the themes of addiction and enablers, as well as…
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Introducing: Money Moves with Jill Schlesinger
There’s a lot of dopey financial advice out there. Jill Schlesinger is here to call it out, answer your questions, break down the financial news that actually matters, and help you manage your money without losing your mind. No jargon. No judgment. Just clear, actionable financial guidance about...
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Chyna, Part 1
Chyna was an iconic wrestler, body builder, and later adult entertainment actress. In this episode, Lena and Alissa discuss gender dynamics in the WWE, Chyna’s early years, and her rise to fame as one of the first women wrestlers who could physically rival men. This episode was first published on...
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Isabella Blow
Isabella Blow was a magazine editor, style icon, and muse, known for discovering fashion greats like Alexander McQueen and Stella Tenant. She was legendary for her outlandish outfits, her dirty sense of humor, and her habit of stripping at parties. In this episode, Lena and Alissa discuss…
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Our 50th Episode ft. Quentin Tarantino
Lena, Alissa, and special guest, Quentin Tarantino, discuss fandom, fame, badly-behaved women characters, and the corrosive effects of Hollywood sexism. Quentin also shares film recommendations, and gives his take on past C-Word episode subjects. This episode was first published on 10/28/2021.
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Marie Antoinette, Part 2
The episode turns the lens on the latter half of Marie Antoinette’s life, including the rumors, bad decisions, and mounting pressure that culminated in her eventual beheading. Lena and Alissa also examine her evolution as a contemporary cultural icon, and criticize the meme-ified sad girl version...
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Marie Antoinette, Part 1
Lena and Alissa discuss Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France before the French revolution and cultural symbol of royal excess. In this episode: Marie Antoinette’s marriage as an adolescent, her iconic pouf hairstyle, and the series of events that would make her France’s public enemy No. 1....
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Vanessa Marquez
Vanessa Marquez was an actress best known for her role as Nurse Wendy on ER. Later, she would appear on the reality television show Intervention, which showcased her shopping addiction and agoraphobia. During #metoo, she spoke out about sexual harassment on set. Lena and Alissa discuss how past...
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Amy Winehouse, Part 2
In Part 2, Lena and Alissa unpack the years leading up to Amy Winehouse’s death in 2011. They discuss rehab, bad boyfriends, and the 27 club. This episode was first published on 08/05/2021.
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Amy Winehouse, Part 1
Recognized for her singular voice and iconic beehive, Amy Winehouse became a near-instant music legend as well as a tabloid mainstay in the 2000s. On the 10th anniversary of her death, Lena and Alissa discuss the singer-songwriter’s precocious talent, her rebellious teen years, and the start to a...
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Nancy Spungen
Nancy Spungen was a groupie and major figure of the 1970’s punk rock scene. Her tumultuous relationship with Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols became so infamous that “Sid and Nancy” has become a moniker for bad romances. Their relationship was characterized by drug abuse, violence, and…
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Frances Farmer, Part 2
In part two of Frances Farmer’s story, Lena and Alissa examine Frances’ later years out of the spotlight, her battles with addiction, and the posthumous repackaging of her legacy. This episode was first published on 06/24/2021.
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Frances Farmer, Part 1
Although Frances Farmer was a star of Hollywood’s “Golden Era” and an intellectual powerhouse in her own right, her achievements have been overshadowed by myths surrounding her public struggles with mental health. Her periods in psychiatric hospitals and involuntary confinement have entered pop...
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Bai Ling
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...
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Introducing Family Lore
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
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Shannon Wilsey aka Savannah, Part 2
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…
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Shannon Wilsey aka Savannah, Part 1
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...
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Sulli
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...
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Welcome to Becoming You with Suzy Welch
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...
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Sondra Locke
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…
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Gia Carangi
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...
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Luisa Casati
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…
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Brittany Murphy, Part 2
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…
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Brittany Murphy, Part 1
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...
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Yolanda Saldivar
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...
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Anna Nicole Smith PT 2
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…
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Anna Nicole Smith PT 1
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...
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Wendi Deng
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...
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Whitney Houston Part 2
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...
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Whitney Houston, Part 1
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…
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Yoko Ono
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…
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Mary Shelley
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…
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Daul Kim
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…
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Jessica Savitch
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…
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Dare Wright
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…
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Paula Yates
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…
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Paula Goodspeed
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...
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Lourdes Gruart
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...
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Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes
Lena and Alissa unpack the persona of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, multihyphenate artist and one third of the R&B group TLC. In Lopes’ life her immense talent and style stood alongside personal struggle, culminating in a tragic end. To many, she was the so-called “crazy” in CrazySexyCool, but the truth...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
With every episode, Lena Dunham and Alissa Bennett take you on a historical deep dive into the life of a woman society dismissed by calling her mad, sad, or just plain bad: Lindsay Lohan, Judy Garland, Winona Ryder, Mariah Carey, Lil Kim and many more. Join them for a rich, hilarious, and heartbreaking look into exactly what it means when we call a woman “crazy.”
The C-Word was originally published behind a paywall from 2019 - 2022. This is the first time it’s being released to all major podcast platforms.
HOSTED BY
Lena Dunham & Alissa Bennett
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The C-Word have?
The C-Word currently has 69 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The C-Word about?
With every episode, Lena Dunham and Alissa Bennett take you on a historical deep dive into the life of a woman society dismissed by calling her mad, sad, or just plain bad: Lindsay Lohan, Judy Garland, Winona Ryder, Mariah Carey, Lil Kim and many more. Join them for a rich, hilarious, and...
How often does The C-Word release new episodes?
The C-Word has 69 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The C-Word?
You can listen to The C-Word on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The C-Word?
The C-Word is created and hosted by Lena Dunham & Alissa Bennett.
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