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Diving deeper on the characters we love to consume! Laura Diez hosts guest conversations and shares stories exploring the portrayals of real people on reality tv, fictionalized women that stay in our memories, and pop culture legends. New episodes Tuesdays and Fridays.

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  • 28 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 23 min
  • English

Episodes 28

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  • Tuesday · 40 min

    Anna Nicole Smith: Rise to Stardom - Part 1

    Nearly 20 years since her passing, the life and legacy of Anna Nicole Smith continues to play in the public's imagination. In this part, we're discussing the conflicting stories of her upbringing (was she really born in Mexia, Texas?) and how she crafted her backstory for the public, plus how the name Anna Nicole came to be. Plus, all about her billionaire husband, J Howard Marshall II and the battle for his estate, that went on for years after her passing. Vote for me for Top Host!!! https://tophost.org/2026/laura-diez Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 02:14 Sources 04:25 Youth - Vicki Lynn Hogan 05:51 The Mexia years 08:10 Marriage and Baby Daniel 09:03 Dancing + surgeries 11:25 The photographer that changes her life 12:26 Playboy, Miss May 1992 15:30 GUESS 17:12 Becoming Anna Nicole 19:32 Meeting J Howard Marshall II 21:42 Billionaire's backstory 23:31 Wedding of Anna Nicole and Howard 24:38 Forced distance + Howard's death 26:06 The will is revealed 27:13 Did they really love each other? 30:48 The battle for the $1.6 Billion estate 36:28 Anna Nicole's personal battles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 29 · 24 min

    Jo Collins: the Playmate sent to Vietnam

    After a soldier on duty in Vietnam purchased a lifetime subscription to Playboy, the brand had to follow through on an offer made years prior - that the first issue of a lifetime subscription would be hand-delivered by a Playmate. Jo Collins, Playmate of the Year 1965, was requested... and in January 1966, she flew to Saigon and spent three days touring combat areas. We're overviewing her history with the brand - from Miss September 1964 to a Bunny Mother and Playboy representative at Veterans Day events in the '90s. Plus, the details of her three days touring Vietnam, visiting American troops and signing photos of her pictorial that had been crumpled into helmets. Photos in the video version of this episode are primary by Larry Gordon for Playboy, sourced from "GI Jo: That Time We Sent a Playmate to Vietnam," May 26, 2026. Find me everywhere! Linktr.ee/LiterallyLauraD Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 03:08 Jo Collins, Miss September 1964 03:54 Playmate of the Year 1965 05:48 The request - "G.I. Jo" 07:33 Making it happen 09:04 Warm welcomes in Saigon 10:50 Day 1: Meeting Lt Price + hospital rounds 13:06 Day 2: Combat zones 15:02 Day 3: Honorary Sky Soldier 16:23 Post-POTY: acting, marriage, divorce 17:04 Playmate Forever 18:13 My curiosities 19:00 Playboy Magazine + Vietnam War 20:58 Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 22 · 27 min

    Shannon Tweed's Playboy Mansion experience

    Shannon Tweed lived 14 months at the Playboy Mansion, 1981-1982, as Hugh Hefner's girlfriend. Her story begins on a mink ranch in rural Canada, and a string of odd jobs in her youth, that led to her winning Miss Ottawa beauty pageant and testing for Playboy magazine three times. After being named as Miss November 1981, she finds herself at the Mansion for her first Midsummer Nights Dream party ... she later moves in and starts the adventure of her career as one of the most recognizable B-Film actresses of her time. Stories shared as told in her 2009 memoir, Kiss & Tell. Find me everywhere! linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 03:13 Childhood in Canada 05:32 The Ottawa experience 08:37 Toronto, testing for Playboy 09:46 Midsummer Night's Dream party 1981 11:16 Life at the Playboy Mansion 14:35 Jaded 17:36 Break-up 17:58 Shannon's Playboy appearances 18:45 Acting 19:43 Midsummers 1983, meeting Gene Simmons 21:18 Life after Playboy 22:06 My reflections Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 15 · 1 hr 1 min

    what Izabella St. James really thought being Hugh Hefner's girlfriend

    Book club!! We're recapping and reflecting on Izabella St. James' memoir, Bunny Tales: Behind Closed Doors at the Playboy Mansion. As one of the girlfriends in the final group of seven, leaving just before the Girls Next Door era, Izabella reflects in this book on the benefits, drawbacks, and misconceptions about living as one of the Seven Girlfriends of Hugh Hefner. I'm highlighting anecdotes and pointing out some differences in what Izabella tells us in this 2006 account, versus what we're hearing more recently from her and others about this time at the mansion. Find me everywhere! Linktr.ee/literallylaurad 00:00 Intro (+ my biases!) 02:08 What Izabella really thought of Zoe Gregory 03:28 Zoe + Izabella vs Holly + Bridget 04:59 Youth 05:25 Pepperdine Law School in Malibu, her intro to Playboy 07:46 First Fun in the Sun 09:17 Graduation + prepping for the Bar; meeting Zoe 11:10 Grammys 2002 + not passing the Bar 15:02 Becoming a live-in Girlfriend 17:36 Rumors about previous Girlfriends 18:53 Housemates - Holly, Renee, Stacy, Bridget 22:01 Selling tickets to Playboy parties 25:58 Doing less 27:56 Internship at Playboy Entertainment Group 29:37 Benefits of Girlfriend Status - why won't he pay her loans? 35:20 Cost of his lifestyle 37:37 In-house Conflicts 39:29 Nightclubs + Bedroom Routines 41:51 Boys boys boys 43:16 Beauty standards 44:52 Playmates 46:33 Prepping to leave 53:06 Finally moving out 54:26 Unfriendly terms 55:50 Girls Next Door 56:47 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 8 · 33 min

    The truth about Gloria Steinem's time as a Bunny

    Gloria Steinem's 11-day undercover stint as a Bunny in Playboy's New York City club was the subject of a bombshell essay that changed her career. The impacts of her exposé absolutely impacted the Bunnies working across clubs - from the pay discrepancies, mandatory gynecological exams, and regular harassment from customers. However, a lot of the women working alongside Gloria, while she was posing as "Bunny Marie," had mixed feelings on her essay, as their experiences at the clubs may not have aligned with the cruel workplace described in the essays. Kathryn Lee Young (Scott), author of The Bunny Years, collects stories from women with very different memories of the clubs - including the author herself, who worked alongside her as Bunny Kay. Later, this piece inspired a 1984 made-for-TV film starring Kirstie Alley as Gloria (and I am reviewing it!). We're overviewing the complicated legacy of this exposé - its immediate reception, the changes Bunnies experienced as a result, the contradictory tales from other Bunnies, and Gloria Steinem's own regret about her time undercover at the NYC Playboy Club. Find me everywhere! Linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 00:53 Gloria goes undercover 02:16 The bombshells from "A Bunny's Tale" 06:01 Disappointing earnings 07:26 Workplace harassment 08:32 Subpoenaed and making changes 09:11 Revisiting in 1980s (and my thoughts) 12:34 "All women are bunnies." 13:16 Reactions from "real" Bunnies + The Bunny Years 18:01 My reflections 18:40 Debating Steinem 20:57 Would Hugh Hefner and Gloria Steinem dated? 22:00 Why Gloria Steinem regrets being a Bunny 23:31 Kirstie Alley as Gloria in A Bunny's Tale (1984) 28:59 Final thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 1 · 43 min

    The Seven Girlfriends Era: a comprehensive guide

    Hugh Hefner publicly dating multiple women was a smart way to get the public talking about him (and the Playboy brand) after his marriage to Kimberly Conrad. We're are overviewing the transition from the Brande/Sandy/Mandy group to the infamous Seven Girlfriends of Hugh Hefner. Expect to learn about some of the more prominent women in this microcosm, their interactions with the Playboy brand, and allegations about them made by other women in the circle. Find me everywhere! Linktr.ee/LiterallyLauraD Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 01:31 Disclaimers, sources, reminders 02:38 Brande Roderick, Sandy and Mady Bentley 04:45 Tina Jordan 06:24 Buffy Tyler 09:23 Katie Lohmann 10:06 Kimberley Stanfield 11:08 Dalene Kurtis 13:08 Stephanie Heinrich 15:04 who I think is who in Holly Madison's book 1 15:39 Regina Lauren 17:37 Christi Shake 19:10 Tiffany Holliday (and the escort ring) 22:48 who I think is who in Holly Madison's book 2 23:57 Stacy Burke 25:49 Renee Sloan 27:42 Izabella St. James + Zoe Gregory 32:46 Sheila Levell 33:26 Cristal Camden 35:24 the end of the 7! Girls Next Door 36:32 Sources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 25 · 15 min

    Elle Woods was everyone's friend

    Legally Blonde is, on some level, a film about friendship - showing up for people in the way you'd want them to show up for you. As Elle Woods is navigating a new world that doesn't respect her, she is continuing to show up fully ... and her kindness and respect is ultimately what brings her success! We'll overview some of the relationships Elle builds in Legally Blonde, and how her friendships add to our understanding of her overall arc as she becomes a lawyer. Find me everywhere! Linktr.ee/LiterallyLauraD Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 01:02 At the Delta Nu sorority house 01:47 Friends at the courthouse 02:31 David Kidney 03:38 Emmett - did Elle need a love interest? 05:04 Getting Paulette's dog back 07:50 Why Elle could represent Brooke Windham 10:52 From self-doubt to confidence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 18 · 23 min

    Ultimate Girls Trip with Jill Badlotto

    Jill Badlotto joins us to discuss the first two episode of Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th! We share opinions on the casting choices, confessionals, and drama we've seen so far. You can find Jill Badlotto across platforms @JillBadlotto. Linktr.ee/LiterallyLauraD Time stamps: 00:00 Favorite Franchises 03:08 Motherhood on Housewives 05:06 Vicki Gunvalson's insurance 06:26 RHUGT Cast 09:27 Lisa Barlow's teary confessional, Kyle Richards' divorce 13:09 Kyle and Gizelle 14:21 Hopes for this season - Lisa, Gizelle 17:24 Gizelle Bryant's "peers" 19:27 Sutton's Ugly Leather Pants party Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 17 · 24 min

    Vanna White's forbidden Playboy cover

    Vanna White, national treasure best known as the longtime cohost of Wheel of Fortune, had to pay her bills pre-fame with some jobs she isn't particularly proud of (like many aspiring stars!). In 1982, just before she landed her role on Wheel of Fortune, Vanna White modeled for lingerie catalogs. She beat out 200 other models, earning her spot on Wheel later that year. In 1987, however, at a career peak - those photos came back around. Her "friend" Hugh Hefner had purchased private photos of Vanna White and put her on the cover of Playboy Magazine against her wishes. Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 02:14 Youth, Journey to Hollywood 03:34 Lingerie Modeling 05:45 Vanna-Mania 07:14 John Gibson 08:49 First claims to Vanna photos 09:58 Conversations with Hugh Hefner 11:45 Playboy cover 15:24 Vanna's reflections 16:50 My questions! 19:06 Life after Playboy 20:59 Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 11 · 23 min

    The Bentley Twins + the deadly jewel heist

    Sandy and Mandy Bentley were two of the most iconic women of the late '90s, early 2000s - brought into the public eye as twins dating Hugh Hefner at the same time, during his first group of multiple girlfriends. We'll overview how Sandy and Mandy landed at the Playboy Mansion, and the unfortunate crimes that followed them afterwards - including a Ponzi scheme, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of jewels, and the untimely murder of two men. Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 00:41 Bentley Twins' upbringing 01:32 Meeting Hugh Hefner 02:58 Twin "gimmick" and iconic style 04:13 NYC April/May 2000 05:27 Who is Jessica Paisley? 06:21 Leaving the Mansion, Mark Yagalla's money 10:20 Meeting Michael Tardio 10:42 "Stealing" the jewels 11:48 Finding a buyer 12:29 Murder investigation 14:44 Life after Playboy 16:16 Mandy on Girls Next Door 19:40 2016 Midsummer Night's Dream party 20:17 Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 4 · 17 min

    Revisiting The Queen of Versailles

    The Queen of Versailles is a 2012 documentary that begun focused on a billionaire family's construction of the largest private residence in the US - a 90,000 sqft replica of the Palace of Versailles in Orlando, Florida. However, the film unexpectedly turns to the documentation of the Siegel family's fall from billionaire status in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. The documentary has continued to serve as a cultural touchpoint since its release, I think because of Jackie Siegel, the "Queen" at the center of the story - a proudly out-of-touch socialite that turns out to be much more human than we may have anticipated. Beyond recapping the documentary, I'll touch on commentary, Jackie Siegel's appearances on "The Queen of Versailles Reigns Again" and Below Deck, and the recent disappointment that was The Queen of Versailles on Broadway, starring Kristin Chenowith. Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 01:06 Versailles in Orlando 02:21 The Timeshare Business 03:09 2008 04:10 From ultra-wealthy to "just wealthy" 4:31 Jackie Siegel 06:04 Are they relatable? 07:36 The Lesson 09:39 Jackie's character arc 11:00 Follow-ups to the film 12:09 Broadway 14:09 Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • July 31 · 13 min

    Real Housewives + Playboy; Carmella Garcia

    Our newest RHOC, Carmella Garcia, joins a decent group of Real Housewives that have a history with Playboy Magazine. We are overviewing Carmella's time with the brand: from her appearance as a contestant on "Who Wants to be a Playboy Centerfold?" to becoming Playmate of the Year 2004. Plus, why we all loved her on Girls Next Door, and her time as a WWE Diva. We'll then go through the eight Real Housewives that appeared in Playboy Magazine - plus two honorable mentions. Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 00:44 Carmella + Who Wants to be a Playboy Centerfold? 02:49 Miss April 2003, Playmate of the Year 2004 03:15 The Playboy Promotions to Real Estate Pipeline 04:44 WWE 05:07 Girls Next Door 05:58 A&E Secrets of Playboy 07:53 Real Housewives in Playboy 10:13 RHOC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • July 28 · 48 min

    Tyler Bender: The Tradwife Epidemic

    Comedian and creator Tyler Bender joins us for a conversation all about the rise of "trad wife" influencers - the dangerous rhetoric encouraging young women that their only role should be in the home. We chat about our opinions on this content's rise, the most concerning threats today, and our takes on more experienced women's warnings against this mindset. We're also discussing books we love - like Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke and Strangers by Belle Burden - and shows with these warning lessons for audiences - like Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and Real Housewives of Rhode Island. Find Tyler on Youtube, Instagram + Tiktok Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 01:59 Trad Wives 06:53 Mormon Bloggers were the originals 12:22 RHORI: the stay at home girlfriends 16:16 Former trad wives' warnings 24:22 We love Yesteryear 28:27 SAHM vs Trad Wife creators 34:15 Defenses of trad wives 35:01 Threats by trad wife messaging 40:31 Personal reflecting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • July 24 · 18 min

    The Ultimatum S4: worst cast ever?

    Now that The Ultimatum season four has wrapped, let's try to unpack what made this season particularly difficult to watch. While some couples certainly demonstrated growth throughout the experience, some only left me more frustrated by their choice to get engaged on the final episode. I'll overview my thoughts on all six couples from the season (including those early dismissed ones that came back for the reunion!). Plus, I'm airing my frustrations with the show's production team - in particular when it came to Hayley's safety - and viewer commentary on what kind of threats are or are not justified against cast members (spoiler I think no threats are ok!!). I'm also highlighting some questions I would have loved to see asked at the reunion and some threads that I feel were dropped. Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 00:56 Monica + Luke 01:59 Hayley + Blake 03:45 Hayley, Killian's group chat 05:50 Ashley + Killian 07:08 Casey + David 11:20 Alex + Jebin 12:41 Jessica Grace + Edris 13:37 Should toxic relationships be platformed? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • July 22 · 13 min

    Ann-Margret's Motorcycles

    Singer, actress, and all-around Old Hollywood legend Ann-Margret has always been a woman shaping her narrative and in charge of her image, starting in the 1960s. And one "bit" the public has always known about Ann-Margret surrounds her love of motorcycles. Her famous purple Harley Davidson sold at auction last month - over 20 years after a bad accident prompted her to get the new bike. We're overviewing Ann-Margret's crafting a public persona through this lifelong love for motorcycles in film, ad campaigns, and even stunt shows. Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro - 2000 Accident 01:15 Julien's Auctions - The Ann-Margret Collection 02:26 Brief biography 05:32 Motorcycles 08:00 Riding in her 80s 09:05 Lindsay Lohan biopic 09:55 Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • July 17 · 22 min

    Love Island USA Wrap-Up: was this season even good?

    Now that we officially have our winners (and our evenings back), let's recap and reflect on the most recent season of Love Island USA. We'll talk character arcs, editing choices, couples I love and couples I didn't... and my thoughts on some deeper divides within the cast, ranging from generational to cultural. Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro, Overview 01:22 Were islanders too Young? 02:17 Physical Intimacy, Being "Lustful" 04:27 Experimental Conditions in the Villa 05:30 Beatriz 07:31 Character arc: Kenzie 10:12 Character arc: Titi 12:16 Trinity and Bryce 13:34 Culturally influenced approaches to Love Island: Melanie + Kenzie 15:12 Reunion predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • July 14 · 9 min

    Hilary Duff Renaissance

    We're discussing what it means for a beloved icon from many of our youths to show up as her full, adult self. I'm sharing my experience seeing Hilary Duff on her Luck or Something tour - her outfits, the stage, and the audience! We'll discuss the very mature themes of her most recent studio album and the honest journey she's shared in rebuilding her confidence performing at arenas. Plus, how public figures like Hilary Duff and Miley Cyrus have in recent years very publicly embraced the characters that brought them to the masses. Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • June 30 · 13 min

    Financial Storylines Across Real Housewives: Value + Impact

    Financial conversations have always been part of shows like Real Housewives, documenting the aspirational lives of real women. And over twenty years, the lesson of Housewives seems to be: life goes on! Financial security storylines have varied significantly over the years and franchises, allowing audiences to learn from and see themselves in unique situations. We'll go through some recent financial stories we've heard: Atlanta's Pinky Cole declaring bankruptcy; RHOBH's Dorit Kemsley's divorce; and RHORI's Alicia's demands for stake in her fiance's businesses. We'll dive deeper into prompts around what a Housewife may feel she deserves (or doesn't) from her romantic partner, and how participating in a show in itself can be the prompt that both casts and audiences are seeking. Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • June 23 · 11 min

    How "Real" Must Reality TV Be?

    We're examining the spectrum of how reality television shows today handle the "performance of reality." From casts opening acknowledging that they're filming a show, like Real Housewives of Atlanta and Potomac ... to shows that grow alongside their casts' rising fame, like Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. We'll touch on Hulu's new show, Million Dollar Nannies, as a case study in performative reality: are these nannies truly paying rent, competing for jobs, etc? We'll also touch on the shift from aspirational, Kardashian-style wealth to these more relatable, conflict-drive casts, like Real Housewives of Rhode Island and Love Island USA. How much longer are we going to pretend that being on reality tv is not a career in itself? Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • June 19 · 33 min

    Love Island USA Week 2 with Jaz Henley-Brown

    Sol's elimination, the couples we think are totally mismatched, and what we need to see from Casa Amor ..... we are recaping Week 2 of Love Island USA S8, through episode 14, with Jaz Henley-Brown (@jhenleybrown)! Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 01:07 Jaz Henley-Brown 02:43 Season 7 vs Season 8 04:28 Sol's Dumping 09:00 Couples that should explore 10:03 Aniya and KC 13:18 Trinity and Bryce 16:12 Kayda and Zach 17:43 Female Friendships 22:56 Winning 24:24 Predictions for Week 3, Casa Amor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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