Blame it on the Fame: Milli Vanilli

3.8 (12)
SOCIETY & CULTURE
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When Frank Farian first laid eyes on Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan, he saw everything he wasn’t. They were handsome, young, and Black. But Frank had something they didn’t. He had power. So, Frank offered them a devil’s bargain. Almost overnight, Milli Vanilli’s debut album went five times platinum and scored a Grammy nomination. But when the lie at the center of their success started to unravel, Rob and Fab would discover the hard way the difference between star power and real power. From Wondery, Blame It on the Fame is a story about the lie that shot to #1 and what it cost to tell the truth. Hosted by Amanda Seales. Listen to Blame It on the Fame on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/blame-it-on-the-fame/ now.

Behind the closed doors of government offices and military compounds, are hidden stories and buried secrets from the darkest corners of history. Each week, Luke Lamana, a Marine Corp Reconnaissance Veteran, pulls back the curtain on what once was classified information exposing the secrets and lies behind the world’s most powerful institutions. From the hitmakers at Wondery and Ballen Studios, we bring you REDACTED: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana. The stories are real, and the secrets are shocking. Follow REDACTED: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting https://wondery.com/links/redacted/?ol=wnd~spot~ap~am now.

4.6 (11)

HISTORY
Every day, hundreds of people go about their lives with no idea that someone has paid to have them killed. In the depths of the dark net, tech journalist Carl Miller makes a disturbing discovery: a secret “kill list” targeting hundreds of innocent people on a murder-for-hire website. When the police are slow to investigate, Carl is thrown into a race against time to warn those in danger and uncover the truth before it’s too late. From Wondery and Novel comes a shocking true story about obsession, control and the price of life and death. Follow the Kill List on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting www.wondery.com/links/kill-list now.

4.7 (140)

TRUE CRIME
Hi, I’m Dax Shepard, and I love talking to people. I am endlessly fascinated by the messiness of being human, and I find people who are vulnerable and honest about their struggles and shortcomings to be incredibly sexy. I invite you to join me as I explore other people’s stories. We will celebrate, above all, the challenges and setbacks that ultimately lead to growth and betterment. What qualifies me for such an endeavor? More than a decade of sobriety, a degree in Anthropology and four years of improv training. I will attempt to discover human “truths” without any laboratory work, clinical trials or data collection. I will be, in the great tradition of 16th-century scientists, an Armchair Expert. Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now.

4.6 (9072)

COMEDY
The untold stories behind the products you’re obsessed with and the bold risk-takers who made them go viral. How did Birkenstocks go from a German cobbler’s passion project 250 years ago to a starring role in the Barbie movie? Who created that bottle of Sriracha permanently living in your fridge? Did you know the Air Jordans were initially banned by the NBA, or that Super Mario became the best-selling video game character ever thanks to a strategy called “The Infinite Game?” On Wondery’s new weekly podcast The Best Idea Yet, Nick Martell and Jack Crivici-Kramer (hosts of the award-winning daily pop-business podcast, The Best One Yet) have identified the most viral products of all time and reveal their untold origin stories — plus the bold risk-takers who brought them to life. From the Happy Meal to Levi’s 501 jeans, come for the products you’re obsessed with, stay for the business insights that’ll make you the most interesting person at your next brunch. Follow The Best Idea Yet on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting www.wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/ now.

3.4 (18)

BUSINESS
It’s a lighthearted nightmare in here, weirdos! Morbid is a true crime, creepy history and all things spooky podcast hosted by an autopsy technician and a hairstylist. Join us for a heavy dose of research with a dash of comedy thrown in for flavor.

4.4 (5310)

TRUE CRIME
The Strange, Dark & Mysterious delivered in podcast format. Follow the MrBallen Podcast on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes publish twice a week—every Monday and Thursday. Prime members can listen to new episodes 1-month early and all episodes ad-free on Amazon Music. Wondery+ subscribers can listen ad-free in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.

4.9 (1989)

TRUE CRIME

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3.8

out of 5

12 Ratings

Still love their songs!

May 27

buffy911

I enjoyed this podcast - the only thing that really bothered me was the host’s speaking. It sounds very choppy and like she’s yelling. There is a reason broadcasters get vocal lessons. Otherwise, a great podcast - such a sad story.
Uh …

Jul 11

MichaelGMitchell

Interesting story, I learned plenty. As with previous reviewers, I was turned off by Ms. Seales’ hosting. Tried too hard to be entertaining. It could have been a ‘respectable’ podcast with lower energy. It became predictably American, hyped, People Magazine material.
Ultimately a worthwhile listen, however…

Jun 13

Tim with one m

It would have been better served by a different narrator, or at least, one that didn’t insert themselves into the story narrative. The story is compelling enough without having to listen to the narrator’s choice to continually interject with editorialized comments. I also felt as if the final two episodes attempted to remove Rob & Fab’s personal agency with respect to their role in the ultimate collapse of the group. Many things can be true at once: there are bad faith actors working in Showbusiness. That said, Rob & Fab completely sabotaged their own interests by choosing to believe the fairy tale they were actively complicit with, was in fact, real. The cognitive dissonance Rob & Fab displayed during and after the fact is just as important to the ultimate backlash they faced, as was the shadiness of Frank Farian RIP Rob
Uneven Podcast

Jun 7

deboir

I kept listening because I wanted to hear the story, but the uneven delivery from the host, as well as the bizarre “scenery sounds”: Airplanes taking off, glasses clinking…. Just strange… came across as a play, not a podcast. The final episode’s hard pivot to “Plantation”analogy was a whiplash!! Frank Farian was a white guy from GERMANY…. Not from the Southern USA. Fab and Rob were chewed up and spat out by a terrible system… but a slavery comparison!!!

When Frank Farian first laid eyes on Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan, he saw everything he wasn’t. They were handsome, young, and Black. But Frank had something they didn’t. He had power. So, Frank offered them a devil’s bargain. Almost overnight, Milli Vanilli’s debut album went five times platinum and scored a Grammy nomination. But when the lie at the center of their success started to unravel, Rob and Fab would discover the hard way the difference between star power and real power. From Wondery, Blame It on the Fame is a story about the lie that shot to #1 and what it cost to tell the truth. Hosted by Amanda Seales. Listen to Blame It on the Fame on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/blame-it-on-the-fame/ now.