Tales of Taboo
Ali Weiss
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Tales of Taboo is an ANONYMOUS confessions show investigating - and celebrating - what happens behind closed doors. Performer & writer Ali Weiss dissolves the boundaries between host and audience by creating episodes around THEIR unique experiences. Her listeners tell juicy, unadulterated stories about public scandals and private struggles, liberation and oppression, and the various ways they’ve navigated the darker corners of the human experience. Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter & TikTok @aliweissworld, or submit a confession at confessions@aliweissworld.com.
Available episodes
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Sep 25, 2023
Fashion Industry Confessions
Which famous designer refused to pay for $100,000 worth of samples? What major eyewear company has a Chief Financial Officer with no credentials besides being a party magician? Where does being over a size 6 and an A cup make you "fat?" What really happens behind the scenes at Fashion Week?
I LOVE clothes. I love theatrics. I love escapism. What I do not love is when some people suffer greatly to compensate for others’ greed. On the heels of New York Fashion Week, I decided to revamp and re-release one of my juiciest, most scandalous, most shocking, and all-time favorite episodes.
Our anonymous contributors went to hell and back in different parts of the exploitative, discriminatory, and deeply unglamorous Fashion Industry. With the help of DeuxMoi, I found ex-employees of American Eagle, BCBG, Dolce Vita, Halston, Free People, Linda Farrow, Stone Cold Fox, Victoria Beckham, Zac Posen, and some of the most famous- and infamous- fashion houses IN THE WORLD that I can’t mention by name! From dreamy, druggy parties to nightmare celebrity clients, body shaming to illicit sex, criminally low salaries and even lower self-esteem, turns out fashion is everything and nothing you thought it would be.
In the words of one of our confessors: “we’re paying countries and people literally no money because we [the consumer] need fashion. I don’t think people realize that.”
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Sep 18, 2023
Bisexuality Confessions
What do you think of when you think bisexuality? Promiscuous behavior? Polyamory? Lying, cheating spouses? Midlife crises? Burning Man? Or maybe you think of…nothing: perhaps the biggest misconception is that middle-of-the-spectrum sexual orientation doesn’t really exist. Au contraire, I believe that we’re ALL a little gay - some of us have just chosen, or found the freedom, to explore it.
In honor of Bisexuality Awareness Week, I decided to revamp and re-release this legendary episode from season 3. After my own on-the-record confessions (sorry mom & dad), our (VERY NSFW) anonymous contributors recount discovering their sexuality in a myriad of ways, like hooking up with their staff, rendezvouses with strangers from Grindr, or deep in the trenches of Berlin nightlife. We also hear tidbits about the LA orthodox Jewish gay community - so cool - and Skirt Club, a now-infamous, all-female sex party specifically for bicurious women around the globe. Bisexuality doesn’t mean hypersexuality, though: for every story involving polyamory or threesomes, there’s one about choosing the comfort of a committed heterosexual relationship and wondering if it’ll be stifling in the long run.
While some contributors deeply wish for acceptance from the LGBTQ community, others don’t feel the need to ‘prove themselves’. What they can all agree upon, however, is that bi-erasure and judgment - and a subsequent lack of identity - is real. As one of you so aptly said: “Hell is other people. Not because they inherently suck, but because their judgments rule how we act.”
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GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Share your own confession - or thoughts and feedback - at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok, & Twitter @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Isabel McMahon & WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts & G-Strings are available on Ali's Instagram via DM!
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Aug 7, 2023
Green Card Marriage Confessions
I open this week's episode with my own candid confessions about the challenges of my former long-distance relationship, and how that experience + watching 90 Day Fiance led me to become uncharacteristically judgmental of people in green card relationships. I'm so grateful for this week's confessors, who successfully expanded and changed my mind by calling and writing in with accounts of their international engagements & marriages...and divorces :)
(8:43) We hear from Americans with partners from Africa, Belgium, El Salvador, England, France, Germany, and Scotland, as well as a Peruvian woman (formerly married to a man from Rhode Island) who grew up as an illegal immigrant from 8-18. From rehab romance to being married by a one-eyed monk, invasive interview and customs processes to successfully sneaking around the government, supportive families to immense difficulties with cultural immersion, no two stories are the same - just as how no two relationships are.
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GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Share your own confession at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok, & Twitter @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Isabel McMahon & WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts are available on Ali's Instagram via DM!
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Jun 26, 2023
Age Gap Dating Confessions
Couples with large age gaps can cause polarizing reactions. On the one hand, age is a number and love is love - it knows no bounds or rules. Should one be lucky enough to find it, it’s always worth diving into head first, no? On the other, when one partner has lived considerably more life, is it kosher to subject a less experienced and often more impressionable partner to their baggage? Is desiring a younger woman implicative of some emotional deficit?
I open this week's episode with my own candid confessions about seriously dating a 35 year old when I was 22. I was mature then, but certainly not a grownup - and while I know he loved me, I look back now and realize how my youth and naïveté were taken advantage of by somebody who wasn’t ready to face adult responsibilities. Then (9:53), our anonymous confessors call and write in with stories about their own male partners who were or are considerably older. The age gap ranges from 13 to 31 years, with a variety of dynamics: boss-client, boss-employee, pilot-flight attendant, Shibari rope partners, and regular old meet-cutes. From navigating Viagra, party stamina, and awkward public PDA to step-children and ex-wives, our contributors hold nothing back in revealing the good, bad, and ugly realities of cross-decade (even inter-generational!) dating.
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GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Share your own confession (on or off the record) at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok, & Twitter @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Isabel McMahon & WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro.
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May 8, 2023
Ethical Non-Monogamy Confessions
Ethical Non-Monogamy and Polyamory are becoming increasingly popular relationship structures (or, at least, are now more commonly discussed), but they're controversial and deeply misunderstood. Most people see ENM as glorified cheating: an excuse to have one's cake and eat it too. The acronym often conjures images of suburban swingers, wild sex parties in Bushwick or San Francisco, Burning Man, and, like, sister wives, and I have to admit that there was a time where I made similar assumptions. This week's episode schooled the hell out of me, and I'm grateful for it.
I open the episode with my own candid confessions about the positives and pitfalls of monogamy, why I desire more "traditional" partnership to add stability to my chaotic life, and the mistakes I made while getting serious with my last boyfriend. Then (13:05), our anonymous confessors call and write in with stories about ENM and Polyamory that are equal parts shocking and extremely enlightening. We hear from:
-a former conservative Christian in Texas who discovered ENM while coming to terms with bisexuality and beginning her journey as an escort
-a 30 year old woman whose partner fell into a simultaneous relationship with someone heavily pregnant
-a divorced 68 year old dating a polyamorous, bisexual sex worker 20 years younger
-a happily married, bisexual woman committed to raising her kids, whose her husband is permitted to use Seeking Arrangements when he goes on work trips
-a former conservative who found a Poly community at UC Berkeley and overcame jealousy by becoming a "cuck queen"
-a married man who entered the ENM scene with his wife after struggling with differing libidos
-a 30 year old in a gay, polyamorous married THROUPLE
-and more!
In producing this episode, I learned VERY powerful lessons about attachment, boundaries, communication, jealousy, societal expectation, and most importantly, the urgent need for more unfiltered honesty in relationships - especially monogamous ones. Regardless of whether or not you fundamentally agree with our contributors, I hope you find your mind expanded and your heart more open after listening.
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GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Share your own confession (on or off the record) at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok, & Twitter @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Isabel McMahon & WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro.
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Apr 26, 2023
Boutique Fitness Confessions
Exercise gives many of us a sense of control, stability, and discipline. Boutique fitness, with its fancy methodologies and curated lights, scents, and sounds, capitalizes on another, more elusive (and highly monetizable) feeling: purpose. For up to $50 per class, we’re not only sold a vision of our best body, but also our best self. We’re asked to set intentions, repeat affirming mantras, and see squatting and sprinting as a chance to ‘conquer the impossible’. The word 'community' is thrown around like cold towels. In a world that’s lonely and often disappointing, it’s easy to see why endorphins can quickly become addictive and studios marketing power and positivity become clients’ second homes. But for employees of these studios, the culture is a LOT darker.
I open up the episode with my own candid confessions about using barre and pilates as an emotional coping mechanism, especially when it comes to men and relationships; choosing body neutrality over body positivity; and my attraction to overpriced boutique fitness as a way to achieve the "clean girl aesthetic"...and therefore the semblance of a more put-together life.
Then (13:35), with the casting help of Deuxmoi, we hear from anonymous former employees of Bar Method, DanceBody, Flywheel, Laughing Lotus, Orange Theory, Pure Barre, Taryn Toomey's The Class, an unnamed Los Angeles Lagree studio, and a Western Pennsylvania SoulCycle dupe. They tell stories about psychologically abusive training camps, CEOs with God complexes, intense fat shaming, raging eating disorders, overt racism, and severe underpayment. They walk us through how instructors get clients hooked on certain workouts, and what makes a marketing campaign effective. They reveal some of the WILD codes of conduct (or lack thereof) found in employee and trainer handbooks. And, most importantly, they encourage us to take a long, hard look at why we’re often so willing to compromise our morals, on either side of the check-in desk, in pursuit of the “perfect body.”
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GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Share your own confession (on or off the record) at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok, & Twitter @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Isabel McMahon & WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro.
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Apr 17, 2023
High-End Hospitality Confessions
$10,000 bottles of wine! 15 hour workdays! All-night cocaine benders! Psychotic head chefs! It's Season 4 of Tales of Taboo!
This week, we're exploring the high-octane world of high-end dining: the kinds of establishments that (literally) inspire books like Sweetbitter and movies like The Menu, where reservations are impossible and Chef is spelled with a capital C.
I kick us off by telling MY most absurd tales as a diner in fancy restaurants: a college friend's outpatient rehab in Chicago, the development of a weird friendship with a 69 year old British man, doing edibles with famous restauranteurs at the Beatrice Inn...
Then (starting at 11:43), we hear from current and former employees on the other side. In New York, confessors include the former events manager at a 3 Michelin star restaurant in Flatiron, a former waitress at another 3 Michelin star restaurant in Midtown, a former hostess at The Standard and Bowery Hotel's restaurants + The Waverly Inn, a former champagne slinger for a downtown cocktail group, and a line cook at a Lower East Side restaurant owned by a very young celebrity chef. In London, confessors include the former sommelier at Daniel Humm's Davies and Brook + another unnamed 2 Michelin star establishment, and a former waitress at two different Michelin star restaurants in Mayfair and Shoreditch. Elsewhere in Europe, a former assistant manager tells tales about an abusive executive chef at a Japanese Michelin star spot that was the first in its country.
Fine dining is controversial and divisive. It's glamorous escapism with a very grim underbelly; a way to create community, yet isolate a huge number of people who cannot afford it; facilitate artistic expression and pump pretentious bullshit. These nuances are why this world is so taboo - and enticing - and deserves to be discussed. Welcome back.
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Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok, & Twitter @aliweissworld, and share your own confession (on or off the record) at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Audio production by Isabel McMahon & Chris Stathopolous. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro.
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Jan 9, 2023
Adrian Dannatt: The Most Interesting Man You've Never Heard Of
It's the last episode of Season 3! Can you believe?! What an honor to end it by interviewing one of the most brilliant and unique individuals I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
According to his professional bio, Adrian Dannatt is an actor, editor, curator, writer, artist and obituarist. I'd rather just call him a Bon Vivant: a collector of experiences, art, and people. He's also perhaps the only person on the planet less afraid of "stranger danger” than me. I met Adrian after stumbling into a showing of his personal art collection at a gallery on the Lower East Side. He was this fascinating mix of dapper and disheveled, extremely English, and had zero qualms about marching up to me, nitpicking my outfit, and immediately testing the bounds of my sense of humor. An unconventional friendship was born.
The banter continued 2 years later in my podcast studio, where we bonded over - amongst many subjects - our mutual failures (as a wannabe actress who’s a podcaster and a former child actor who’s now only locally famous), lack of ambition, and obsession with “young, strange deadbeats who are attractive and brilliant”. We also have a wild multi-generational dialogue about fame and overexposure, social media, sleeping with famous people, death, "bussies," aging, how to be an interesting person, and why I should think of my podcast as the “crappy B movie” on the path to more long-term success.
Buy Adrian's book "Doomed and Famous." It's really good. https://www.sequencepress.com/products/doomed-and-famous
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Jan 3, 2023
SOLO: What I've Learned About Love
I recorded this episode back in the spring of 2022. I felt so inspired by, at peace with, and safe in my new relationship (which I was then 6 months into) that I spontaneously felt compelled to talk about dating in my 20s, and candidly analyze many of the mistakes, failures, and instances of hurt that led to attracting healthy love at 28. That relationship has since come to an end, but my 'non-toxic dating' era has not - I am permanently changed. <3 By admitting (taboo!) to a long history of getting cheated on, dating addicts, misusing apps, having few boundaries, being a 'pick-me girl', and prioritizing all the wrong, surface-level things, I hope to resonate with even one person who is currently struggling from low self-esteem, is frustrated with dating, or feels like they'll never find their person. You will; you may even find more than one ;-) Here’s to more love, more vulnerability, and more connection in 2023. Happy New Year Angels.
GOT A ROMANTIC OR TERRIBLE DATING STORY? THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW TO ATTRACT GREAT LOVE? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Degenerate MERCH is available for purchase on my Instagram - DM me. Tales of Taboo is part of the Eve Podcast Network and a Forever Dog Production. Cover photos by Erika Flynn.
Follow Ali on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aliweissworld
Follow Ali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliweissworld/
Follow Tales of Taboo on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talesoftaboo
Follow Tales of Taboo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talesoftaboopod/
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Dec 19, 2022
Dysfunctional Family Confessions (Happy Holidays)
There’s a narrative jammed down our throats year after year, incessantly, everywhere we go, that the holidays are supposed to be “the most wonderful time." Ironically, such a narrative often ends up reminding us (or forcing us to acknowledge) the things we do NOT have, and the ways in which life has disappointed us or not met our expectations. This is especially true when it comes to family members, who are placed at the center of all the songs, movies, and rituals. The truth is, way more people have dysfunctional families than they do the type to run 5Ks together and eat chestnuts around a fireplace. MOST families are dysfunctional, so the fact that there's extra pressure to appear perfect in December is...kind of insane!
In stark contrast to standard Christmassy content, our anonymous confessors tell us raw and honest holiday stories about disownment and abandonment, divorce, death, missing and incarcerated siblings, alcohol and drug-abusing parents, extramarital affairs, mental illness, and loneliness. One confessor also recalls getting wasted and kissing her uncle, and another describes finding out her father in law had installed spy cams in his ex-wife's house to catch her with her foreign lover...
THIS is what The Season is all about! Happy holidays, my Angels. I love you very much.
GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Degenerate MERCH is available for purchase on my Instagram - DM me. Tales of Taboo is part of the Eve Podcast Network and a Forever Dog Production. Cover photos by Erika Flynn.
Follow Ali on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aliweissworld
Follow Ali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliweissworld/
Follow Tales of Taboo on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talesoftaboo
Follow Tales of Taboo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talesoftaboopod/
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Dec 12, 2022
Whitney Port: Tales From A Mid 2000s Icon
When Whitney Port agreed come on the pod, 13 year old me - and late 20s me, tbh - pinched herself. An objective icon of the 2000s/2010s, Whitney was one of the only women on reality TV who built a wildly successful brand off of poise, elegance, and intellect - things that don't traditionally equate to great ratings within narrative nonfiction. Not the overt and degenerate type of taboo we've come to expect on this show, perhaps, but a fascinating taboo nonetheless. Whit and I went deep on the serious AND juicy stuff, including:
-Major secrets from both of her TV shows, like the casting process, being TRICKED into filming for The Hills, fake friendships, and how refusing to compromise her morals may have led to the cancellation of The City
-Her double life as a USC student AND celebrity/socialite on the rise, aided by the freedom of pre-cell phone camera fame
-Debilitating anxiety over public image, and what it's like to surrender your autonomy to producers
-(Almost) hooking up with Leo…
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Dec 5, 2022
Sex Club Confessions
What do you think of when you hear 'sex club'? Predatory men? Deviant behavior? An unhinged, unsanitary, Ancient Roman-style orgy?
I would liken it more to highly participatory immersive theatre - a contained place to become a different person for the night, or the person you secretly wish you could be. With a definitive start and end and (often) a price tag, the transactional element allows for very real physical, emotional, even spiritual experiences, with less real-life consequences.
This week, we hear from both participants AND performers at sex clubs and fetish parties in Australia, Berlin, New York City, Spain, and the UK - including myself! To kick us off, I share my own Tales of Taboo about the uniquely safe space they offered me for self-discovery at an insecure period of my sexual life. (I discuss this more in-depth on last season's bisexuality episode, too.) Then, our anonymous contributors regale us with stories of fabled clubs like Berghain, Haven, House of Love, Kit Kat C…
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Nov 28, 2022
Jason Moody: A Big Heart & A 9 Inch D*ck
Jason Moody (https://twitter.com/JasonMoodyxxx) is an adult film star I met at the PornHub Awards afterparty in 2018. It's been a long time since I initially released our interview on my old podcast Health Is Hell (I die at the way we talk about this "new platform called OnlyFans!"), but Jason's worldview and wisdom are just as poignant as ever. Join us as we laugh and flirt our way through his life story - leaving Israel at 15, joining the army, selling women's shoes in China, traveling through Cambodia, and eventually landing in LA to pursue his porn dreams - and dissect tons of stereotypes and secrets surrounding the adult industry. Then, Jason answers YOUR submitted questions about the casting process, mental health, happiness, relationships, sex and love, and so much more.
The M.O. of this show is always to find meaning in unexpected places, but who would've thought one of the wisest men I've ever had the pleasure of meeting would also have a 9 inch d*ck?!
GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF…
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Nov 21, 2022
Porn Star Confessions
What do you think of when you think ‘porn star’? Party girls with f*cked-up childhoods? Sexual trauma? Misogyny and abuse?
This week’s contributors, both anonymous and on-the-record, dismantle those stereotypes HARD by creating and participating in adult content that empowers them, provides them with bodily autonomy...and makes them very wealthy. We’ll hear from Marykate Moss (formerly Mackenzie, IG & Twitter: @marykate_moss), a Hustler covergirl whose videos have over 100 million views on PornHub; (19:03) a BBW performer using ‘body worship’ to re-frame how men see and treat fat bodies; (26:37) an erotic artist who took the plunge into porn during COVID (and became a master at online brand-building in the process); (35:22) Alice Callipyge (IG: alicecallipyge), a former teacher who dreamt of more income and a place to explore sexual fantasies; (46:34) and Amanda North (IG: amandanorthstar), a current sex therapy student with complicated feelings towards the adult industry…
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Nov 14, 2022
Teacher Confessions
What’s it REALLY like to manage a school shooting? Are students with special needs a "lost cause?" How does under-funding actually affect students and teachers? Are celebrity children as entitled as we think?
Confession: I recorded the intro you're about to hear ages ago, before receiving any submissions (NOT a usual occurrence but alas, I had taken my Concerta and was feeling extra productive). I thought I'd be curating a lighthearted inquiry into the lives of teachers, proving those authority figures we feared and revered as kids were fundamentally just humans trying to figure it all out. This episode became MUCH more than that - it's a juicy, shocking, enlightening and at times downright brutal look into the realities of educational systems in the U.S. and abroad. My intro does not accurately reflect how honored and humbled I am to help tell these stories - but it does show, as a graduate of a 'hippie' NYC private school, how much I needed to hear them.
Our anonymous contributors…
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Nov 7, 2022
Katie Maloney: Life Under Vanderpump's Rules
I have a confession to make: I’ve never watched Vanderpump Rules. (Shock, horror, I know.) But Katie Maloney and I met when I was a guest on her podcast (listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/youre-gonna-love-me-with-katie-maloney/id1516710301?i=1000559075815) and hit it off right away. Then, I started seeing endless stories about her divorce from longtime partner (and fellow OG cast member) Tom Schwartz, and interviewers asking her the same invasive, insensitive questions over and over, and I knew I had to get her into my studio to do things VERY differently.
I promised to only ask Katie about things that most people don’t. So, we went deep on:
-her unorthodox journey from waitress to TV personality (and being a waitress ON TV)
-spending over 10 YEARS growing up in front of a camera
-the emotional sacrifices- and damage - of becoming famous for your personal life
-how personalities can be manipulated by editors and producers
-Hollywood fame vs reality TV fame…
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Oct 31, 2022
Modeling Industry Confessions
Welcome to Season 3, my Degenerate Angels! It’s SO good to be back - and thanks to casting help from @deuxmoi, with a vengeance. This week, we’re telling ALL about the Modeling Industry.
Our contributors are or were signed in LA, London, Miami, Milan, New York, Paris, Seattle, and Texas, and represented by well-known agencies such as One Management, Genetics, Heffner, Next, Select, and Women (plus some others I’ve been asked not to name). They tell equally juicy and shocking stories about:
-what it’s like behind the scenes at Fashion Week & Miami Swim Week
-working for controversial brands like American Apparel and Yeezy
-lesser-known but higher paying sectors of the industry, like e-comm and fit modeling
-the harsh realities of diet + exercise routines (maintaining 35 inch hips!!)
-model houses, club promoters, and international ‘yachting’ trips
-loneliness and depression brought on by working abroad
-agency debt, and what success ACTUALLY looks like
Plus, on the record,…
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Jul 4, 2022
SOLO: On Anxiety + A Tarot Reading with Anna Toonk
It'd be weird not to feel at least a little unsteady in the current state of our world, but suffering from anxiety as an illness is a lot different than just 'feeling anxious'. I've crumbled under the weight of that illness for many years, and decided to open up about it. Then, in a quest for some answers and direction after emerging from my most recent panic spiral, I bring in the lovely Anna Toonk (Instagram: @annatoonk) to do my first ever Tarot card reading on-air!
The insane caffeine spray I used during this episode (1:49) is called PZAZ, and you can learn more about it here https://pzaz.com/ & on Instagram @pzaz_energy.
Please support the show by leaving a rating & review on iTunes/Spotify (it’s free!) or buying merch (which is now on sale) at www.aliweissworld.com/merch.
GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? EMAIL Ali@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter @aliweissworld.
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Jun 20, 2022
Megan Barton-Hanson: The Truth About Love Island
What is it like to become a celebrity overnight? How does it feel to have an entire nation pick you apart? Is the fame & glamorous lifestyle reality TV affords worth all of the pain?
Anyone who watches Love Island knows Megan Barton-Hanson. Inarguably the star (and villain) of Season 4, Meg has spent years as the obsession of UK tabloids, who can't stop talking about her surgery-altered appearance, wildly successful OnlyFans, and sex life. Behind those headlines, however, is a smart, hilarious, fearless woman who I'm proud to call my friend. In this episode, she dishes the dirty truth about a career in reality television, and what the media's treatment of her says about our culture as a whole. While getting drunk off Cartier champagne, we discuss:
-Her Pornhub and plastic surgery "scandals"
-Love Island production secrets: are cast members honest with each other about being fame-hungry?
-What happens after the Villa: burnout from personal appearances, lack of money management, and inte…
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Jun 6, 2022
Herpes Confessions
We’ve been led to believe Herpes is a “dirty” “STD” — only sluts get it, and when they do, any chance of having sex or finding love is ruined. This episode proves that idea could not be further from the truth.
Our anonymous confessors share varying accounts of contracting HSV1 and HSV2, orally & genitally. From one-off Hinge dates to serious boyfriends to family members kissing their faces as children, no two stories are the same — but each have great insight into battling societal stigma, maintaining an active sex life, and mentally & physically recovering from a misunderstood, and incurable, virus.
Almost all of them say that despite facing obstacles, contracting Herpes ultimately bettered their self-respect by showing them their worth. Now THAT'S something we should want to pass around ;-)
GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Tales of Taboo is part of the Eve Podcast Network and a Forever Dog Production.
Follow Ali on TikTok: https://w…
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May 9, 2022
SOLO: My Birthday/Thoughts on Aging
Tomorrow (May 10) is my 29th birthday. Truly insane that there are only 365 days left of my twenties, but I am - without question - the best, hottest, and happiest I've ever been. It's SO problematic that we think women 'expire' in their 30s, because life feels like it's just beginning. In this fun n flirty solo episode, I reflect on the emotional effects of the past year's adventures (moving out of my parents' house! Going blonde! ...Partying at Versailles!), the path to finding my boyfriend after 4 years single, and finally concluding the loooong search for genuine confidence and self-respect...which are an even better gift than Chanel. I used to determine how good my life was by counting accolades, job opportunities, lovers, money; now, it's all about emotional growth. IS THIS ~ADULTHOOD~?! HBD to all my fellow Taurus queens and kings <3
The best birthday present you can give me is buying some MERCH - all sales go directly towards the production of this show, which I do myself. Swea…
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May 2, 2022
These Twins Escaped Mormonism (with MotherMary)
Identical twin sisters Elyse & Danielle form a synthwave band called MotherMary (@mothermarymusic) - but before becoming pop stars, they escaped MORMONISM in Missoula, Montana! In this reworked episode from the earliest days of my former podcast Health Is Hell, the twins join me and my friend Graham in a roaringly hilarious interview about growing up in a cult (and a family of 12 children!), teenage marriage, sexual tension with bishops, “seeing parties" and "soaking," Jesus’ foot fetish, whether or not anal REALLY counts...and how to deal when you realize life as you know may be a lie.
Find more about MotherMary at https://www.mothermary.band
GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Tales of Taboo is part of the Eve Podcast Network and a Forever Dog Production.
Follow Ali on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aliweissworld
Follow Ali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliweissworld/
Follow Tales of Taboo on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talesoftaboo…
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Apr 18, 2022
[Paris Hilton &] Troubled Teen Industry Confessions
The "Troubled Teen Industry” is an elusive, corrupted, for-profit network of schools, programs, rehabs, and residences meant for "unstable," "out of control," "promiscuous," and drug-addicted young people. Some of these programs are notorious for kidnappings, forced medication, even brainwashing; all of them use emotionally or physically violent therapy and control tactics. These schools came to mainstream recognition with the release of Paris Hilton's 2020 documentary This Is Paris. In it, she reveals how her abusive experience at Provo Canyon in Utah led to lifelong trauma, dissociation, and the creation of her (fake) public image; in my intro, I reveal how watching the doc changed my life, forcing me to confront my own, very similar narrative.
Then, our anonymous contributors bravely tell all about their own experiences with parallel institutions to Paris': New Haven Residential Treatment Center, La Europa, an unnamed wilderness program, a specialized dyslexia boarding school, Out…
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Apr 8, 2022
Abortion Confessions
First-person accounts of abortion are very difficult to find, and most of the essays and anecdotes available are riddled in guilt and grief. They often resemble an apology letter to the world (or oneself), rather than an honest description of a controversial medical procedure. Secrecy, shame, and lack of nuance within abortion rhetoric is what makes it so taboo.
Here you will find a collection of anonymous stories - ages 17 to 34 in the US, United Kingdom, Ecuador, and Germany - showing the range of ways women process terminating a child. Some are effortless and simple, some are physically painful, others are emotionally ugly. But whether seeing their abortion as a cause for profound guilt or a mere bump in the road, all of our contributors stand firm in their belief that it was the CORRECT decision for them.
One size does not fit all when it comes to any human experience, especially one that pertains to women’s health and, to a certain degree, death. I hope this episode brings eve…
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Apr 4, 2022
SOLO: My Abortion
I, the "Princess of Taboo,” found myself in the single most taboo situation last month: unexpectedly pregnant, and making the subsequent decision to have an abortion. I’m 28, in a happy relationship, educated and financially stable: from the outside people would say I’m equipped to, and “should,” see my pregnancy through. Emotionally, however, I’m far from ready to be a mother. The decision to abort was easy; admitting to it publicly was not.
Many women in media, and throughout liberal areas of the country, are openly, vocally pro-choice; rarely (if ever) do those who’ve actually had an abortion speak up about it. Of course I understand - no one, including myself, wants to be judged, attacked, or outcasted. But silence keeps the process misunderstood and stigmatized to the outsider, and deeply lonely for those who have gone through it. The pain of having nobody to talk to is far worse than the procedure itself.
I don’t expect to change the world by telling my story,…
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Mar 23, 2022
Evan Ross Katz on Celebrity Worship and Stan Culture
Evan Ross Katz (@evanrosskatz) is a writer and podcast host who's become wildly popular on Instagram for his witty takes on pop culture (and Sarah Michelle Gellar super-fandom). Celebs themselves may not often be taboo, but their stans can be -- and taking a challenging stance against our collective obsession with fame certainly is. Evan was the perfect person to discuss, and debate, this with.
We kvetch about the shifting media landscape & merging of traditional celebrities with influencers, virality replacing hard-earned talent, the post-BLM expectation for celebrities to double as activists, how to be a thorough journalist AND a good person, and Evan's his own rise to internet fame and newfound friendships with the glitterati. Along the way, he gives us some juicy name drops and effectively schools me in why if I'm not keeping up with Gen-Z (and the Kardashians), I'm falling behind.
Order Evan's book "Into Every Generation A Slayer Is Born: How Buffy Staked Our Hearts" here: https:/…
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Mar 14, 2022
Plastic Surgery Confessions
Plastic surgery is more commonplace than ever, yet remains deeply taboo. Very few people are willing to openly discuss the realities: what drives them to want it, the intense recovery process, and whether or not physical alterations actually change mental and emotional wellbeing long-term. This week, we’re cutting deep — no pun intended.
Encouraged by controlling mothers, modeling agents, and media-fueled beauty standards, our anonymous confessors got labiaplasties, breast reductions, nose jobs and revisions, and gobs of facial filler. While some healed fast and say these procedures undoubtedly changed their sense of self-worth for the better, others experienced terrible (occasionally irreversible) side effects like leaking spinal fluid, lip bubbles, lopsided nostrils, and blood hardening.
I also interviewed 2 popular plastic surgeons (at 48:51) - Dr. Tony Youn (TikTok: @tonyyounmd) and Stuart Linder (TikTok: @dr.stuartlinder). We break down the most common complaints women have ab…
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Mar 2, 2022
Escort Confessions
Which famous Washington D.C. members-only club is secretly filled with sex workers? Which politicians under Trump regularly visited rub and tugs? Which drug-abusing hotel heir brought an escort to Miami just to watch Wheel of Fortune with him?
I'm deeply annoyed by the conflation of all prostitution with sex trafficking, and the ongoing narrative that women who exchange physical & emotional intimacy for money were either forced into it or chose the profession as a result of severe trauma. In actuality, there's a subset of the industry filled with confident, empowered, and intelligent women earning six to seven figures by consensually, and literally, f*cking the patriarchy. It's my honor to share their perspectives this week.
Our anonymous contributors (and the beautiful Aspen Banks twitter: @aspen__banks) are or were high-end escorts in New York, Chicago, London, Singapore, Toronto & Montreal. Most have forgone agencies to work independently, advertising online to a global audience of…
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Feb 8, 2022
Nightclub Bottle Waitress Confessions
Which professional soccer player shoved a $20 bill in a waitress’ mouth? Which famous actress with legal troubles had a waitress pretend to be her to evade the paparazzi? Which talent manager promised a waitress a spot on Love Island in exchange for sex?
As someone who’s been clubbing for 13 years, I’ve long been fascinated with bottle waitresses. You know - those gorgeous girls in skintight dresses bringing over the magnums of champagne and sparklers. I saw their job as a tremendous position of feminine power: arm candy getting paid to party with important people in important places. I wanted to be one of them. Or…so I thought.
This week’s VERY JUICY anonymous waitresses worked for a super exclusive downtown New York hospitality group, Catch, the Tao Group, Soho House, Public Hotel (created by Ian Schrager of Studio 54), and a notorious high-end strip club in London. Our on-the-record contributor Allie (IG: @allie.keel) even worked some shady private parties in Malaysia wh…
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Jan 28, 2022
Drug Dealer Confessions
Ever wonder what it’s really like to be a DRUG DEALER?
This week’s anonymous confessors operate(d) throughout a variety of countries and circumstances. One lived in a house with 100 weed plants, and distributed to dispensaries in California before recreational legalization. Another sold Molly to club partiers — including an unnamed famous DJ and Vice President’s son (!!). A husband & wife, LSD-dealing duo talk about providing their kids with a privileged life, but wrestling with what happens if they get arrested. And a former sorority girl-turned-coke dealer reflects on redefining the role of “social chair.”
All speak candidly about greed and guilt, as well as the physical and emotional highs. Some of our dealers got into the business wanting to protect their communities from poisoned drugs; others simply wanted money and clout. But all of them agree — not all drug dealers are dangerous. And as with each topic on this show, one size (or story) does not fit all.
TALES OF…
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Jan 28, 2022
Addict Confessions
TRIGGER WARNING: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS MATERIAL ABOUT DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE, SEXUAL ABUSE, & SUICIDE.
More often than not, addiction is dramatically portrayed in the media as a chaotic but chic side effect of wealth and power, or an inevitable circumstance of poverty. It’s not always black and white or economically driven, though: addiction is everywhere, nondiscriminatory, constantly shapeshifting. Much public talk of trauma, coping mechanisms, and self-medication exists in our post-pandemic world, but there’s a massive difference between occasionally overindulging in wine or Xanax after a long day and upending one’s entire life in pursuit of a high. The harsh day-to-day realities of addiction are rarely exposed, but secrets make us sick. So, Iet’s reveal them.
Our anonymous confessors are or have been addicted to alcohol, benzos, cocaine, crack, heroin, methamphetamines, and opiates. Their addictions took place everywhere from Wall Street to the street itself, Ivy League c…
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Jan 28, 2022
Nannies for the Wealthy Confessions
Welcome back to Tales of Taboo, an ANONYMOUS confessions show revealing (and shamelessly celebrating) the people, professions and experiences that exist behind closed doors.
When casting last season’s ‘employees of the wealthy’ episode with DeuxMoi, I received multiple submissions from nannies. As a caretaker, you hold a very unique and often complicated view of being both an employee and a surrogate family member; I’m thrilled to share their stories to kick off Season 2.
Our confessors worked for the Vanderbilts (yes - the ones you’re thinking of), controversial hedge fund manager Dan Loeb, the infamous 6666 Ranch family in Texas, and various other real estate, finance, and food industry titans I’ve been asked not to name. They drove $150,000 “nanny vehicles” but worked 100 hour weeks, coached teenage billionaires through existential crises and got physically abused by spoiled middle schoolers, and wiped Naomi Watt’s kid’s ass. They did drugs with their bosses…
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Dec 20, 2021
Eating Disorder Confessions
What do you think when you hear "eating disorder?" Probably 'bored rich white women obsessed with being skinny'. But anorexia & bulimia are way more than just striving to be beautiful - and they can also affect people from any background. Mostly, they're about control. In the throes of the lonely and aggressively over-indulgent holiday season, this topic felt pertinent to explore.
Our anonymous contributors detail wanting to exert control over their bodies as a way of grappling with the lack of it they have over mental illness (diagnosed or not), familial dysfunction, abusive partners, sexual trauma, addiction, and sky-high expectations. They describe the harsh realities of starving and binging, throwing and giving up, lying to people they love, and sacrificing personal relationships. Some are in recovery; others are still struggling. All are very blunt, and very brave. I'm proud of this episode.
WARNING: DO NOT TRY THESE DIET TACTICS. They are not quick fixes or easy ways to avoid pro…
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Nov 22, 2021
SOLO: Q&A - Get To Know Me!
Words can't describe how much you all mean to me, so as a big "THANK YOU so f*cking much for listening to this show" I'm letting you ASK ME ANYTHING! Some submitted questions include: What's my biggest regret? What makes me uncomfortable? What would people be surprised to learn about me? Am I bisexual? And most importantly, have I ever done drugs with a celebrity? I answer it all, and much more, candidly. Happy Thanksgiving, my Angels.
TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORLD.COM/MERCH!
Send any further invasive inquiries to my DM @aliweissworld, and show me you love me back by leaving an iTunes rating & review <3
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Nov 1, 2021
SOLO: My Time at Barstool Sports
Before Alex Cooper, Sofia Franklyn, and Call Her Daddy, before Ellie Schnitt and Brianna LaPaglia (Chickenfry), before Ria Ciuffo & Fran Mariano had their show Chicks In The Office, there was one chick in the Barstool Sports offices...and it was me.
In 2016/17, at 23, I was the only female contestant in "Barstool Idol." What was described as a competition-based search for the company's next big "talent" ended up being an exploitation fest live-streamed on Facebook & Periscope. I genuinely thought I'd be the perfect person to jumpstart their female-driven content - and had a thick enough skin to do it - but left (or, actually, got fired) feeling so humiliated that I swore I'd never talk about it again...until now.
You can send all hate notes to ali@aliweissworld.com. I just dare you to beat "Pretty decent looking chick, but serious question: Do NYC girls not pluck/wax their eyebrows? I can't stop staring at those Anthony Davis brows." Instagram/Twitter/TikTok: @aliweissworld
TALES OF T…
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Oct 25, 2021
Paranormal Confessions
Happy Halloween, Degenerate Angels! My favorite time of year!! To celebrate, this week we've got a fascinating collection of anonymous stories about our listeners' spooky, WILD encounters with the Paranormal. Ghosts, UFOs, suspicious rotating orbs, lanky men in black top hats (the Babadook?) - you name it, you'll hear about it. While I myself have never had an encounter with non-earthly beings, I fully support each contributor's experience. There's so much in this life that's beyond our understanding - who actually knows if aliens exist or something cool happens to our spirits when we die?! No one. So whether or not you believe in it all, I hope you'll listen with an open mind and heart. If nothing else, knock the lights off, grab some candy, and enjoy the ride :)
TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORLD.COM/MERCH!
Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Love letters, hate notes, and your own horror stories to ali@aliweissworld.com.
Learn more about your a…
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Oct 11, 2021
Raver & EDM Scene Confessions
I did artist interviews at a camping music festival last month, and it was the first time I’ve ever attended a multi-day rave. Truthfully? It freaked me out. I went to Ultra Music Festival in Miami for 2 years in high school and plenty of concerts and after hours parties since. But the older I get, the more baffled I become by how large-scale electronic music events, specifically engineered for drug usage, sensory overload, and escapism, have become multi-million dollar businesses in countries all over the world.
The age of our anonymous Raver contributors varies from teens to 40s; it’s a mixed bag of traditional folks with corporate jobs, escapees of repressive, sheltered, or painful childhoods, and “misfit” stereotypes of the subculture. Some say the slogan of Peace Love Unity Respect is total delusion, wearing off with the Molly and Acid; others say it’s brought them friends that have become family. Some attend to enrich their lives, others to commemorate deaths. Almost…
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Oct 6, 2021
Influencers Talk Sororities (feat. Alyssa Schoener, Becca Moore, and Eli Rallo)
It’s our last day of Recruitment, b*tches! To cap off a week of all things sorority culture, here are 2 interviews with 3 loud & proud women on social media - Alyssa Schoener (Twitter: @Alyssa_Schoener), Becca Moore (TikTok: @becccamooore), and Eli Rallo (TikTok: @thejarr) - who have openly spoken out against Greek Life through their various platforms.
Alyssa went to University of Alabama (massive Greek system) & Becca to Ohio (small), but both of them were essentially tricked into joining houses they had nothing in common with. They talk to me about the reasoning behind their platinum blond makeovers, the insane standard of “beauty” at their respective schools, and reinventing themselves socially and economically.
Eli was a student at the University of Michigan, where she dropped out of her top sorority quickly. Years later, she wrote an exposé on the racist, sexist, and classist undercurrents of Greek Life (throughout history) for her school’s paper — which has a reade…
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Oct 1, 2021
Sorority Confessions
You heard my story, so now it's your turn: SORORITY CONFESSIONS. And they’re WAY juicier than mine.
First, we have written submissions (3:16), from the former Vice President of Recruitment from my sorority (!) dishing SO MUCH tea about how Rush really works and her blocked attempts at inclusivity; plus a former Delta Gamma from the University of Southern California and Alpha Sigma Alpha from University of Central Missouri.
Audio notes (22:49), in order - old world values and fraudulent identity at University of South Carolina; a bottom tier sorority member at an unnamed Southeastern Conference school; another bottom tier member at the equally massive and frat-fanatical University of Michigan; a mixed race girl in a white, blonde top house at Chapman; extreme hazing stories from an unnamed SUNY; fake hazing (and very real date rape drugging) at San Diego State; real-ass hazing at a liberal arts school in Upstate New York; anecdotes from a Rush chair at an unnamed Division 1 southe…
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Sep 21, 2021
SOLO: [Getting Kicked Out Of] My Sorority
THE RUMORS ARE TRUE. I, Princess of Taboo, professional rule breaker, and champion of individualism, am a former member of Alpha Phi: the hottest, blondest, whitest sorority on my California college campus. Even more shocking? I absolutely loved it.
That is, until I got kicked out. For my first solo episode, I take you through the highs and lows of my 2.5 years in Greek Life as the only New Yorker in a microcosm of "Trump's America." From rushing (in club clothes) and skyrocketing to the top of the social ladder overnight to crashing down in a school-wide scandal that ultimately got me terminated, it was never simple.
And neither were - are - the ethics. My sorority showed me female love and loyalty that I never thought possible, but within a system that's classist, discriminatory, and exclusionary. In "finding a home," I lost myself, and became a part of a much larger societal problem.
TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORLD.COM/MERCH!
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Sep 12, 2021
Jason Suran: Inside the Mind of a Mind Reader
I'm a total slut for a good magic trick. Why are magicians widely considered to be the lowest (and lamest) form of artist when they're gifted physical performers, intuitive empaths, AND shameless, convincing liars all in one? It's time everyone sees them as the creative, manipulative geniuses they are.
This week I'm joined by the very funny and wise Jason Suran (@jasonsuran), a mentalist and master of psychological illusions who's been hired by everyone from national strip club chains to Yale University to the United States Pentagon. Ever want to get inside the mind of someone who reads them for a living? Here's your chance.
TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORLD.COM/MERCH!
Please remember to rate, review, and most importantly share with people you love (or, even better, hate). Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @aliweissworld. More about Jason can be found at jasonsuran.com.
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Sep 1, 2021
Sugar Baby Confessions
What leads people to pay, and accept money, for physical and emotional intimacy? Are Sugar Babies sex workers, or are they just girlfriends of rich men who get “spoiled” as part of the courtship? This week, we find out.
Our Babies met their Daddies on websites and in workplaces and backyards. One was involved with a foreign film producer who took her to Cannes and the famous AMFAR Gala; another got lured into the dating-for-pay game by the founder of Seeking Arrangements himself, Brandon Wade. One had a Daddy pay off $30,000 in credit card debt; another is currently getting $5,000 a date, JUST to tie guys to beds. We even hear from a Baby who’s currently engaged to her former Daddy!
Whether ultimately feeling empowered or ashamed, all of our contributors admit it’s an easy world to enter, and difficult to leave. Because yeah - the money, and the sex, are THAT good. (Written submissions start 9:15, audio submissions start 28:42)
TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORL…
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Aug 19, 2021
Ask An Escort (with Vivienne Cole)
Vivienne Cole is an independent New York-based escort. She's also hilarious, refreshingly honest, and a great friend. Join us as Viv answers YOUR burning questions about sex work, seduction, and self-worth, and dishes on everything from unusual client fetishes to the complicated nature of "feminism" and dating with a price tag. I think you should Call HER Daddy.
TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORLD.COM/MERCH!
Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Follow Vivienne on Instagram & Twitter at @viviennecolenyc.
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Aug 3, 2021
Death & Grief Confessions
TRIGGER WARNING: SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND SUICIDE
The only topic more taboo than money or sex is death, and it's one that nobody wants to talk about, even behind closed doors. But, it's inevitable -- and the only thing we all have in common besides our differences! -- so the fact that so few of us know how to confront it in a healthy way is shocking.
I asked listeners who have lost a close family member or friend to share how they dealt with grief, the best ways to support someone who's grieving, and how they wish their own support system would have behaved differently (or not failed them altogether).
To start, I share my own story about losing one of my best friends (2:35) and another best friend who just lost his dad, then read written submissions (10:46). Audio notes begin at 25:14, and we finish with some brief words of wisdom (1:18:15) from professional death-confronters I interviewed during my April USA trip: the owners of Dysfunctional Grace in Tampa, and the "shaman" of Neptune Memo…
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Jul 19, 2021
Growing Up Wealthy Confessions
Especially in our current climate, few topics trigger as strong (and polarizing) of a reaction as money; and the only thing more triggering than earned money is family money which someone’s born into. That's why we're going to talk about it.
Despite its inarguable ability to provide comfort, money does NOT buy happiness. Oftentimes - especially when inherited - it actually creates destructive mental health problems and a complete lack of self identity. Because in a capitalist Western society where “life purpose” revolves around pursuing money, who are you if you don’t have to?
This week, we hear from men and women who grew up in the 1% of the 1%. For every story about $16,000 plane tickets, diamond & ruby family heirlooms, shopping sprees and lunches with celebrities, there’s one about insurmountable pressure to succeed, toxic relationships with parents, forced religion-based marriages (!), and existential, incurable sadness. In the words of Biggie, “mo money, mo problems?…
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Jul 12, 2021
Working for the Wealthy Confessions
The Swarovski private chef! Personal assistants to the owner of the Bucks and the Bronfmans! A Polo groom for royals! OH MY!
Every wonder about the habits of people rich and powerful enough to actually make real change (or just, like, go to space)? Me too, so with the help of Deuxmoi, I found some of their ex employees. We’ll learn which CEO had a cell phone specifically to talk to Jon Bon Jovi; which design legend kept a pistol strapped to his ankle 24/7; and who punched a prostitute in the boob and burst her implant, just to name a few.
As for our anonymous worker bees? They flew alone on G5s, spent $15,000 on room service, and regularly changed their numbers after getting stalked by paparazzi. But they were also emotionally and physically abused, crying themselves to sleep, and begging for enough money to make their rent. (Written submissions start at 7:40, audio notes at 33:13)
In the words of Jenny Holzer, “the abuse of power comes as no surprise.”
TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW…
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Mar 7, 2021
SoulCycle Confessions
Thanks to the help of @deuxmoi and all of my amazing contributors, I’ve collected a ton of scalding hot, third degree burn-worthy tea on SoulCycle, and am HONORED to be taking their sorry asses down this week.
I start by reading email letters from two ‘famous’ former instructors. One details tons of employee drug usage (including during class!), instructor and client deaths, emotional abuse, fat-shaming, hyper-sexualization and homophobia during training, and the secret methodology taught in order to manipulate riders into coming back for more.
The other instructor talks about bullying from clients, pay inequality between men & women, and how disgustingly SoulCycle treated her when she was publicly cheated on by her boyfriend - another famous instructor - and thrown into an intense media scandal. A former member of the corporate team also spills the beans on the way company PR is handled internally.
(41:42) Voice notes from front desk peeps tell stories of hellish celebrity…
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