Blame it on the Fame: Milli Vanilli

3.9 (13)
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. Binge all episodes of Blame it on the Fame: Milli Vanilli exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/blame-it-on-the-fame/ now.

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.

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3.9

out of 5

13 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. Binge all episodes of Blame it on the Fame: Milli Vanilli exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/blame-it-on-the-fame/ now.