The Dark Side Of

Renowned horror and mystery author Edgar Allan Poe achieved critical acclaim with his bone-chilling literary works, like “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Raven.” But behind his writing’s success was a life filled with heartbreak, tragedy and death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the deaths surrounding Rosemary’s Baby to the curse of The Exorcist, supernatural scares and morbid accidents have plagued Tinseltown for decades. But modern Hollywood horrors are often due to something much more insidious. What’s really to blame when movie-making goes horribly wrong? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 21st century has seen the evolution of haunted house fascination into pay-to-play scares, where bold visitors seek out rattling experiences to test their resolve in the face of terror. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s an injection of over-the-top luxury and a grueling marathon of showmanship. New York Fashion Week is a ritual, kept alive by devotion. But as the costs mount and relevancy declines, will it become a relic of an industry in constant flux? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brands like H&M, Zara, Forever 21 and Fashion Nova draw in customers with the promise of trendy clothing on the cheap. But beneath the low price tag lurks a high cost to the environment, public health and garment workers around the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Throughout the ‘90s and 2000s, the world knew Alexander McQueen as the “hooligan of English fashion.” Celebrities like Lady Gaga, Naomi Campbell and Rihanna all walked Hollywood red carpets in his glamorous gowns. But behind his masterful designs was a man who battled addiction, anxiety and depression. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Reality shows like America's Next Top Model and the broadcast of Victoria's Secret Fashion Show can offer an inside look at the glitz and glamor of modeling. They also promote narrow standards of beauty and mask a culture of sexual harassment and assault. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Modern day fairy tale, or nightmare of twisted proportions? Despite being the face of the fashion industry, a model’s life is not as glamorous or wealthy as it may seem. Body image disorders, sexual abuse, and racism run rampant in this line of work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Blue jeans have long been heralded as an iconic American wardrobe staple. The lust for that perfect pair of jeans transformed not only an era, but an entire industry—and not necessarily for the better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Their brands represent luxury and glamour, but both Coco Chanel and Hugo Boss sided with the Nazis during World War II—contributing information and designs to the party, and forever stitching hate into their legacies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re unraveling the fashion industry’s 19th century origins. Progress was everywhere… But with each apparently miraculous innovation came pain, illness—and even death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When you think of fashion, you might think of a particularly stylish friend, or the latest “it” bag, or a haute couture runway. Fashion can be beautiful and intriguing—but it’s not just an innocent expression of beauty or creativity. It’s an industry. And it’s largely in the business of garnering as much profit as possible, whatever the cost to workers, consumers, or the planet. For 8 weeks, starting August 24th, we’re discussing fashion’s darkest secrets, from the bone-crushing origins of the corset to the dirty impact of denim to the ugly underbelly of Victoria’s Secret. Listen free on Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the mid-to-late ‘90s, collecting Beanie Babies was all the rage. But the cute stuffed animals belied the sketchy business practices of the company that produced them, and the sinister greed of the adults who invested in the fad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Equipped with the talent of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, the Chicago Bulls dominated NBA basketball in the ‘90s. But their dynasty was plagued with vicious conspiracies, betrayals, and fractured teammate relationships. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1992, the brutal beating of Rodney King by LAPD officers sparked a chaotic uprising in Los Angeles. Two years later, the nation absorbed every detail of the trial of O.J. Simpson, which again highlighted the lingering tension and mistrust between police and the Black community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Throughout the 1990s, much of America’s food was made by machines, flavored by labs, and kept safe from regulation by lobbyists. Add an explosion of fast-food marketing and fad diets, and consumer eating habits changed drastically—with dire consequences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the family of Queen Elizabeth II, the ‘90s were a disaster. The British monarchy received unprecedented scrutiny on everything from sex scandals to castle fires to Diana’s death at the end of the decade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Since its origins in the U.K. back in the 1950s, pop music has developed quite the sugary-sweet reputation. But during the ‘90s, the underbelly of the candy-coated industry was rotting away—and endangering its young stars in more ways than one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While Nickelodeon became a breakout network that would both excite and intrigue younger viewers, in its heyday, the channel had its fair share of grim moments. This included everything from the stomach-churning origins of its show props, to the decidedly mature themes of its animated series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many people expected that the Internet would be one of the most radically impactful tools since the invention of the wheel—and they weren’t wrong. But while the web fulfilled its bright promises of a global person-to-person connection, it turns out this bond isn’t always friendly or cooperative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices