Conspiracy, She Wrote

Who sparked the bizarre conspiracy theory that Avril Lavigne was replaced by a clone named Melissa, and why does it still persist? Snopes reporter Nur Ibrahim unravels the allure of celebrity death hoaxes, political body double rumors and how to sort the fakes from the facts. Cristen also connects the dots between Avril Lavigne, the Beatles’ Paul McCartney and conspiracy satire gone wrong.

Chapters:

(00:00) Avril Lavigne's Death Hoax: An Introduction

(01:50) The Origins of the Avril Lavigne Replacement Theory

(03:51) Avril's Rise to Fame

(04:30) The Alleged Clone: Melissa Vandella

(05:26) 'Paul Is Dead' All Over Again

(07:11) The Satirical Blog That Started It All

(11:41) The Conspiracy Accidentally Goes Global

(15:29) The Role of Health Scares in Celebrity Death Hoaxes

(17:39) Celebrity Death Hoaxes: A Broader Look

(26:42) Political Figures and Body Double Rumors

(30:20) Fact-Checking in the Age of the Internet

Episode 7 sources and transcript.

Inbox: [email protected]

Instagram: @conspiracyshewrote, @unladylikemedia

Website: conspiracyshewrote.com

Patreon: The Cabal

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, hosted and written by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Marcus Hahm.

Sound credit: The Hunter by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why did Meghan Markle's pregnancies unleash tabloid rumors and unprecedented speculation? Royal reporter Ellie Hall unravels the community committed to exposing their “Duchess of Deception,” from claims that Meghan faked her pregnancies to masterminding the #WhereIsKate PR crisis. Scholar Moya Bailey also connects the dots between Meghan skeptics, Serena Williams’ life-threatening childbirth and everyday misogynoir.

Chapters:

(00:00) Kate Middleton's Health Crisis & Royal PR Disaster

(01:58) The Venn Diagram of Meghan Markle Truthers

(02:49) British Tabloids and Libel Laws

(05:50) Royal Family's Relationship with the Press

(07:22) Meghan Markle's Negative Press

(12:16) The Birth of Meghan Markle Pregnancy Truthers

(26:08) Misogynoir and Meghan Markle

(29:32) #WhereIsKate

(34:16) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Episode 6 sources and transcript.

Inbox: [email protected]

Instagram: @conspiracyshewrote, @unladylikemedia

Website: conspiracyshewrote.com

Patreon: The Cabal

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, hosted and written by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Ameeta Ganatra.

Sound credit: Setuniman via freesound.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Megan Thee Stallion revealed the truth about being shot by Tory Lanez, why was she met with disbelief, Bigfoot jokes, and Illuminati rumors? NPR Music reporter and longtime hottie Sidney Madden (Louder Than a Riot) unravels how hip-hop culture put Megan on trial, while Tory Lanez’ team claimed the slut-shame defense in court. Scholar Moya Bailey also breaks down the intersection of class, respectability and misogynoir, comparing the conspiracy theories surrounding Megan Thee Stallion to those attached to Beyoncé.

Chapters:

(00:00) Megan Thee Stallion's Rise to Fame

(03:09) A Hottie Is Born

(05:15) Like Mother, Like Daughter

(06:14) Newfound Fame and Old Illuminati Conspiracy Theories

(13:12) The Tory Lanez Shooting and Media Frenzy

(22:40) The Trial and Court of Public Opinion

(26:07) Misogynoir, Class and Perceptions of Megan Thee Stallion

(39:12) Conclusion and the Future of Megan Thee Stallion

Episode 5 sources and transcript.

Inbox: [email protected]

Instagram: @conspiracyshewrote, @unladylikemedia

Website: conspiracyshewrote.com

Patreon: The Cabal

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, hosted and written by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Marcus Hahm.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From secret messages in “Single Ladies” to the infamous Blue Ivy bump gate, Beyoncé has been at the center of countless conspiracy theories. But nothing tops (or stops) the Illuminati rumors. Where did they start, and how much is Jay-Z to blame? Scholar Moya Bailey unravels the fixation on Beyoncé, revealing the misogynoir driving these conspiracies and what they really say about her power and influence. Plus, Cristen crunches the numbers to see if “Renaissance” was truly a sign of the apocalypse.

Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:23) Beyoncé's 2013 Super Bowl Performance

(02:56) The Beyoncé Conspiracy Canon

(05:46) Misinterpretation of Black Cultural Signifiers

(08:26) Beyoncé and Jay-Z: The Power Couple

(12:30) Misogynoir and Black Female Celebrities

(17:33) Beyoncé's Blue Ivy Pregnancy Truthers

(25:51) Beyoncé's Renaissance and Apocalyptic Horses

(28:00) The Power and Influence of Beyoncé

(32:46) Conclusion and Next Episode Preview

Episode 4 sources and transcript.

Inbox: [email protected]

Instagram: @conspiracyshewrote, @unladylikemedia

Website: conspiracyshewrote.com

Patreon: The Cabal

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, written and hosted by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Ameeta Ganatra.

Sounds credit: n_audioman via freesound.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did Taylor Swift go from being (falsely) labeled a far-right dream girl to a left-wing psyop in conspiracy narratives? Host Cristen Conger untangles the conflicting stories that have turned Swift into a culture war lightning rod, from Nazi sympathizer rumors to the Travis Kelce psyop theory. Sociologist Brian Donovan unpacks why her celebrity makes her a prime conspiracy target, while media psychologist Leah Dajches dives into the stigma surrounding Gaylor Swifties and what it reveals about fandom, gender, and power.

(00:00) Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce and the Non-Existent Super Bowl Psyop

(02:16) Why Taylor Swift?

(03:01) Swifties, Fandom and Sociology

(05:38) The Alt-Right Co-opting of Taylor Swift's Celebrity

(07:39) Taylor Swift's Political Awakening

(11:49) Rage Against the Billionaire Childless Cat Lady

(22:02) Gaylor & Hetlers

(24:59) Queering Pop Culture and 'Folklore'

(33:32) Taylor Swift's Queer Imagery

(41:24) Taylor Swift, Satanist Clone??

(42:24) Conclusion and Credits

Episode 3 sources and transcript.

Inbox: [email protected]

Instagram: @conspiracyshewrote, @unladylikemedia

Website: conspiracyshewrote.com

Patreon: The Cabal

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, written and hosted by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Ameeta Ganatra.

Sounds credits: Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why were women and lifestyle influencers so pivotal to spreading QAnon lies about pedos, cabals and child trafficking via Wayfair furniture? Grab your red string and follow along with host Cristen Conger into the female-dominated landscape of "conspirituality," where wellness and woo-woo get extra delulu. Researcher, journalist and QAA podcast correspondent Annie Kelly also unravels anti-vax moms’ relatable mistrust, the red-pilled origins of tradwives and whether it’s ultimately all fangirling.

(00:00) The Baby Pool

(01:23) Introduction to Conspiracy She Wrote

(02:00) The Rise of Mainstream Conspiracy Theories

(02:41) Women's Role in Conspiracy Movements

(05:00) What Is Conspirituality

(06:10) Pastel QAnon and Social Media Influence

(08:23) QAnon in the UK

(09:51) The Epstein Factor

(12:43) Moms and Conspiracy Theories

(16:57) Tradwives and Conspiracy Culture

(18:48) Celebrity and Pop Culture Conspiracies

(23:15) The Nature of Conspiracy Theories

(24:38) The Human Appeal of Conspiracy Theories

(27:35) Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

Episode 2 sources and transcript.

Inbox: [email protected]

Instagram: @conspiracyshewrote, @unladylikemedia

Website: conspiracyshewrote.com

Patreon: The Cabal

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, written and hosted by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee. Engineering by Ameeta Ganatra.

Sound effects credits: Juan_Merie_Venter and creek23 via freesound.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If it weren't for rich lady fascist Nesta Webster, Illuminati conspiracy theories might've died off ages ago. Host Cristen Conger (Unladylike) unravels the unhinged women's history of antisemitic Illuminati propaganda and its role in shaping today’s conspiracy-pilled, post-factual era. Cultural historian Lindsay Porter further introduces us to the French Revolution roots of Illuminati mythmaking, how Nesta resurrected it and what's kept it alive ever since. 

(00:00) Introduction to Conspiracy, She Wrote

(01:17) Understanding Conspiracy Theories

(04:48) The Real Illuminati: Origins and History

(12:37) The Rise of Nesta Webster

(24:58) The Spread of Illuminati Conspiracies

(29:53) Women's Roles in Conspiracy Culture

(32:39) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Episode 1 sources and transcript.

Inbox: [email protected]

Instagram: @conspiracyshewrote, @unladylikemedia

Website: conspiracyshewrote.com

Patreon: The Cabal

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, written and hosted by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee. Engineering by Ameeta Ganatra.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the original Illuminati influencers to celebrity pregnancy truthers today, host Cristen Conger unravels the red strings connecting women, gender and conspiracy culture gone wild. Because QAnon moms, tradwives and even Taylor Swift government psyop conspiracy theories reveal a lot about power, pop culture and politics.

Conspiracy, She Wrote starts August 8. New episodes each Thursday.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.