Born in New Orleans, young Tyler Perry is forced to contend with all sorts of abuse. Some is at the hands of his explosive and alcoholic father, as well as neighbors and people he thought he could trust. Eventually, he escapes to Atlanta to pursue his dreams of writing and performing - while working countless menial jobs and living in his car along the way. But in 1998, when his lead actress doesn’t show up to perform in his play, he rewrites the entire show overnight - with his character (Madea) now the lead. And just like that - everything changes. Tyler strikes gold - tapping into an audience that, up until then - had been ignored by Hollywood. Madea makes Tyler an instant star, and sets him on a course to become one of the most powerful and influential figures in entertainment.

You can follow Brooke and Aricia on socials at @brookesiffrinn and @ariciaskidmorewilliamss. And check out the brand new Even the Rich merch store at www.eventherich.com.

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Houston, we have a girl power problem. More specifically, a rich celebrity girl problem. On Monday, Katy Perry and Gayle King blasted off into outer space on the latest Blue Origin rocket. And ever since they reentered the earth’s atmosphere, celebrities are firing on all cylinders. Olivia Munn, Olivia Wilde, and Emily Ratajkowski have all openly criticized the launch, accusing everyone onboard for girlbossing a little too close to the sun. Up next, we have the latest on “The White Lotus” star, Aimee Lou Wood. She made headlines last week over a rumored feud with co-star Walton Goggins. Now, she’s clapping back at “Saturday Night Live’s” spoof of her physical appearance. And it’s been a minute since our last “It Ends with Us” update. So we’re catching you up on the two “It Ends with Us” players who are speaking up in defense of Justin Baldoni and trash talking Blake Lively!

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Whoopi Goldberg has had a life. And then some. Long before she became a Hollywood icon (and the first Black woman to achieve EGOT status), she struggles with substance abuse, trouble at school, and teenage pregnancy. And then she becomes a mom at just 17. But her unique comedy voice captures the attention of legendary writer/director Mike Nichols who sees something special in her. He brings her to Broadway, where she becomes the toast of the town, and the trajectory of her life is completely altered. What follows next for Whoopi is a career that breaks boundaries and records, and even gets her blacklisted in Hollywood.

You can follow Brooke and Aricia on socials at @brookesiffrinn and @ariciaskidmorewilliamss. And check out the brand new Even the Rich merch store at www.eventherich.com.

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Listen to Even The Rich on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/even-the-rich/ now.

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Christina Applegate has always had a dark sense of humor. And she leans on it big time to deal with a series of enormous obstacles and challenges. As a child star-turned-household name (thanks to 11 seasons on “Married...with Children”) Christina avoids the pitfalls of other kid actors and becomes one of Hollywood’s leading ladies of comedy. She’s riding high on the heels of an Emmy-winning turn on “Friends,” and a successful string of movies (“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” “Vacation”). But when she begins to develop serious and mysterious symptoms on the set of her Netflix show, “Dead to Me,” Christina’s health takes a devastating turn. And her dark sense of humor is put to the test like never before.

You can follow Brooke and Aricia on socials at @brookesiffrinn and @ariciaskidmorewilliamss. And check out the brand new Even the Rich merch store at www.eventherich.com.

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Listen to Even The Rich on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/even-the-rich/ now.

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Richies, there’s a lot to get into this week. If you watched “Saturday Night Live” over the weekend, you know all about musical guest Morgan Wallen’s awkward goodbye. He bolted off stage while the cameras were still rolling. And now, “SNL” vet Kenan Thompson is sharing how he feels about Morgan’s controversial departure. After that, we’ll get into all the rumors swirling around Sydney Sweeney and her newly called-off engagement. (And how her “Anyone but You” co-star, Glen Powell, might factor in!) And wrapping up today’s episode, we have a fitting tribute to a star we lost way too soon - Val Kilmer.

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As a kid in Australia, Margot Robbie knows she wants to be a movie star, but doesn’t think it’s possible. But after wowing audiences with her star turn (and convincing Brooklyn accent) in Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street,” the Aussie is well on her way. And she flips her own script by developing material for herself, like 2017's “I, Tonya,” which scores her an Oscar nomination. And Margot doesn’t stop there. She decides to tackle a project that’s so iffy it’s already been passed over by some of Hollywood’s biggest leading ladies. She develops, produces and stars in “Barbie.” It’s a smash and cultural phenomenon that cements Margot’s place at the top of the Hollywood food chain. We’re just Margot girls living in a Margot world!

You can follow Brooke and Aricia on socials at @brookesiffrinn and @ariciaskidmorewilliamss. And check out the brand new Even the Rich merch store at www.eventherich.com.

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Listen to Even The Rich on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/even-the-rich/ now.

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Salma Hayek has always believed in her destiny. After becoming a telenovela superstar in her native Mexico, she ditches fame and fortune in her own country, and leaves it behind her for the mere chance of making it in Hollywood. Once she lands in LA, however, it’s clear to her that success in the US will be a challenging, uphill battle. She starts small, and has to navigate the tricky waters of profiling and stereotyping - not to mention a potentially career-derailing experience with Harvey Weinstein. But she endures. And wins. Regardless of what is thrown at this Oscar-nominated actor, one thing is clear - she won’t let anything stand between her and her destiny. You can follow Brooke and Aricia on socials at @brookesiffrinn and @ariciaskidmorewilliamss. And check out the brand new Even the Rich merch store at www.eventherich.com.

Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter

Listen to Even The Rich on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/even-the-rich/ now.

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Wendy Williams is back in the spotlight. After a long time out of the public eye, the former Queen of Talk popped onto “The View” to tell everyone “How she’s doin’.” She says her legal guardianship has gotten way outta hand, and she wants OUT! After we catch you up on all things Wendy, we’ve got some new drama between two semi-regulars on “Rich and Weekly” - Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. Kanye just dropped a new track featuring their oldest daughter North, and - of all people - Diddy! And now sources are speaking up, saying that this is too far - even for Kanye. They say Kim is seriously thinking about taking steps to strip Kanye of custody of their kids.

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Tina Fey sure does wear the (Bossy)pants. As she navigates the treacherous, male dominated waters of the comedy world, Tina quickly ascends up the ranks at the legendary (and notoriously cutthroat) comedy institution, “Saturday Night Live.” But that’s not enough for this self-proclaimed former theater nerd and Sarah Palin lookalike. After reaching a pinnacle that most performers can only dream of, and making history at SNL, she leaves. And follows up her success there with a string of successful TV shows (“30 Rock,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”) and movies (“Baby Mama,” “Mean Girls”) that establish her as one of Hollywood’s true comedy forces.

You can follow Brooke and Aricia on socials at @brookesiffrinn and @ariciaskidmorewilliamss. And check out the brand new Even the Rich merch store at www.eventherich.com.

Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter

Listen to Even The Rich on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/even-the-rich/ now.

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Most people can’t weather the storm that is the music industry. But Stevie Nicks isn't most people. She breaks onto the scene with musical and romantic partner, Lindsey Buckingham. They make beautiful music in and out of the recording studio, and make a life-altering move in 1974 when they join British rock group, Fleetwood Mac. Stevie’s on top of the world as she swaps out tiny gigs in coffee houses for massive concerts in sold-out stadiums. But then, there are legendary clashes within the band - which include her and Lindsay. After a messy breakup - and a string of diss tracks they fire off at each other - Stevie goes solo. And the “Edge of Seventeen” hitmaker proves that thunder really does only happen when it’s raining. And what rains down on her is the devastating loss of her best friend, and a decades-long battle with drugs, which almost kills her. But this ""Queen of Rock 'n Roll"" is still standing, and living her “dreams.”

You can follow Brooke and Aricia on socials at @brookesiffrinn and @ariciaskidmorewilliamss. And check out the brand new Even the Rich merch store at www.eventherich.com.

Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter

Listen to Even The Rich on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/even-the-rich/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.