The Bombshell Effect

Kate de los Santos
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Step inside Hollywood's hidden history with The Bombshell Effect, a storytelling podcast hosted by culture-obsessed writer Kate de los Santos (Playboy, Vice, The Hollywood Reporter). Each episode traces how one small moment, or one booth in a dimly lit dive bar, can spark a ripple effect that changes movies, music, pop culture, and the city of Los Angeles itself. From Jean Harlow's scandalous nights at Chateau Marmont to Paris Hilton's paparazzi run-ins at Les Deux, The Bombshell Effect uncovers the forgotten stories, iconic landmarks, and behind-the-scenes drama that shaped Hollywood's Golden Age and beyond. Equal parts history, gossip, and cultural critique, The Bombshell Effect is your time machine into LA's most legendary (and infamous) places. If you love You Must Remember This, Hollywood Babylon, Hollywood Plays Itself, or simply the strange magic of Los Angeles, this podcast is for you.

Episodes

  1. Mini Episode: Cole's French Dip, The Noir Hangout of Mickey Cohen, Charles Bukowski, and more (feat. Kim Cooper of Esotouric)

    16 DEC

    Mini Episode: Cole's French Dip, The Noir Hangout of Mickey Cohen, Charles Bukowski, and more (feat. Kim Cooper of Esotouric)

    Los Angeles may be losing one of its last true landmarks. Cole's French Dip, open since 1908 and a favorite hot spot to mobsters, detectives, burlesque dancers, boozy politicians, and Charles Bukowski himself, is closing forever on December 31st. In this urgent special episode, Kate de los Santos takes listeners down to the streets of DTLA and into the noir-esque world of Cole's, a bar that had survived for over a century.  Along the way, Kate unpacks the legendary rivalry between Cole's and Philippe's, the mythology surrounding the birth of the French Dip sandwich, the rise and decline of the Pacific Electric Building, and the ways Cole has shaped and reflected the neighborhood around it.  This podcast is brought to you by the host Kate de los Santos, and our producer July Diaz.  Special thanks to author and fellow LA obsessor Kim Cooper (esotouric.com/kimcooper) for providing more context on Cole's history and the reasons these places continue to be important.

    17 min
  2. Episode One: Barney's Beanery: Janis Joplin, 1970s Laurel Canyon and Quentin Tarantino

    4 DEC

    Episode One: Barney's Beanery: Janis Joplin, 1970s Laurel Canyon and Quentin Tarantino

    Legendary gossip columnist Hedda Hopper once described West Hollywood's Barney's Beanery as the place "where the stars go!"– and she wasn't exaggerating. Throughout the Golden Age of Hollywood, this shadowy little den off Santa Monica Boulevard was frequented by stars like Clara Bow and Rita Hayworth. Dean Martin hosted parties there in the 1950s and in the 1960s, Jim Morrison was banned.  Barney's is the kind of institution that's weathered Dennis Hopper brushing shoulders with Marlon Brando, Hunter S. Thompson breaking his ankle diving off the bar, and Kris Kristofferson holding court with Janis Joplin. Nowadays, the magic is there for a new generation of artists. More than a greasy dive with pool tables, Barney's has cemented itself a true Hollywood landmark. And some say the famous ghosts haven't left the building. This podcast is brought to you by your Host Kate de los Santos, you can follow her on Instagram here, and our Producer July Diaz, who you can follow on Instagram here. Special thanks to historian and scholar Lillian Faderman (https://www.lillianfaderman.net/) for providing more context on early Hollywood.

    33 min
  • 2 Episodes

About

Step inside Hollywood's hidden history with The Bombshell Effect, a storytelling podcast hosted by culture-obsessed writer Kate de los Santos (Playboy, Vice, The Hollywood Reporter). Each episode traces how one small moment, or one booth in a dimly lit dive bar, can spark a ripple effect that changes movies, music, pop culture, and the city of Los Angeles itself. From Jean Harlow's scandalous nights at Chateau Marmont to Paris Hilton's paparazzi run-ins at Les Deux, The Bombshell Effect uncovers the forgotten stories, iconic landmarks, and behind-the-scenes drama that shaped Hollywood's Golden Age and beyond. Equal parts history, gossip, and cultural critique, The Bombshell Effect is your time machine into LA's most legendary (and infamous) places. If you love You Must Remember This, Hollywood Babylon, Hollywood Plays Itself, or simply the strange magic of Los Angeles, this podcast is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Kate de los Santos
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    The Bombshell Effect