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The C-Word

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.

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27 episodes
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Avg 59 min
English

Episodes 27

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S5 · E62
Thursday · 1 hr 58 min
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 and Alissa discuss her highly publicized relationship with Samantha Ronson, her moment in prison, her OWN docuseries, and how talk show hosts have become the figureheads for our nation’s paternalistic society. Finally, Alissa chats with New Yorker staff writer and friend-of-the-show, Naomi Fry, about LiLo. This episode was first published on 09/15/2022.
S5 · E61
September 10 · 1 hr 28 min
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 media’s perverse fascination with her prepubescent body, and the beginnings of her Bad Behavior headlines which would drastically influence 2000s pop culture. Lena also shares moments throughout her youth and career during which her and Lilo’s paths have overlapped. This episode was first published on 09/08/2022.
S4 · E60
September 3 · 48 min
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 surgery, and what it means when your self is defined by how others see you. This episode was first published on 03/31/2022.
S4 · E59
August 27 · 57 min
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 recluse due to a botched cosmetic procedure. In Part 1, Lena and Alissa discuss Linda’s childhood, her role as one-third of the 90s “Trinity” with Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell, her famous haircut, and the rise of the model as celebrity. Alissa also shares anecdotes from her years as a model. This episode was first published on 03/17/2022.
S4 · E58
August 20 · 1 hr 14 min
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 color—to become symbols of American exceptionalism. This episode was first published on 03/03/2022.
S4 · E57
August 13 · 1 hr
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 hiatus, and her eventual comeback, with the show Stranger Things. This episode was first published on 02/17/2022.
S4 · E56
August 6 · 1 hr 7 min
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 first published on 02/03/2022.
S4 · E55
July 30 · 1 hr 9 min
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 Hollywood elite. In this episode, Lena and Alissa unpack the OG Hollywood madam’s affinity for muumuus, fraught dealings with the Los Angeles Police Department, and relationship with the successor to her empire, Heidi Fleiss. This episode was first published on 01/06/2022.
S4 · E54
July 23 · 55 min
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, privilege, and squalor. This episode was first published on 12/21/2021.
S4 · E53
July 16 · 50 min
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 the story of Chyna’s death in 2016. This episode was first published on 12/09/2019.
July 14 · 24 min
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 saving, investing, buying a home, managing your career, and deciding how to spend your hard-earned dollars. When it’s time to panic, Jill will tell you. When everyone else is panicking and you shouldn’t be, Jill will tell you that too. Your money. Your move. Let’s go.
S4 · E52
July 9 · 50 min
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 11/29/2019.
S4 · E51
July 2 · 1 hr 19 min
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 musedom, eccentricity and aging, and fashion in the early 2000s. This episode was first published on 11/11/2021.
S4 · E50
June 25 · 51 min
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.
S4 · E49
June 18 · 1 hr 11 min
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 of Marie Antoinette that is often popularized today. This episode was first published on 10/14/2021.
S4 · E48
June 11 · 53 min
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. This episode was first published on 09/30/2021.
S4 · E47
June 4 · 1 hr 9 min
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 trauma impacts health, Vanessa’s prolific online posts, and police brutality. This episode was first published on 08/19/2021.
S4 · E46
May 28 · 57 min
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.
S4 · E45
May 21 · 56 min
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 bad romance that would fuel her later work as well as her addictions. This episode was first published on 07/22/2021.
S4 · E44
May 14 · 1 hr 21 min
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 codependence, and ended with Nancy’s murder in their shared hotel room. In this episode, Lena and Alissa discuss the controversies surrounding Nancy’s death, her early years as a bad teenager, and being labeled “annoying.” This episode was first published on 07/08/2021.

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