8 episodes
Blame it on the Fame: Milli Vanilli Wondery
-
- Society & Culture
-
-
3.8 • 115 Ratings
-
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 early and ad-free exclusively on Wondery+
-
I Can Make Something Out of That
When Frank Farian comes across a song with hit potential, he hires Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan. But the opportunity comes with a very big catch.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Listen With Your Eyes
After Milli Vanilli rockets to the top of the charts, Frank devises a plan to keep them there, but it all depends on Rob and Fab staying on script.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Sync or Swim
Milli Vanilli’s fake singers head to America for a very real tour.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Best New Artist
Rob and Fab win a Grammy for Best New Artist — but winning one of music’s top honors means they risk losing it all.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse disorder, reach out for help. In the U.S. you can contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration by calling 1-800-662-HELP.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
For the Record
After Frank exposes them as frauds, Rob and Fab fight to tell their side of the story.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse disorder, reach out for help. In the U.S. you can contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration by calling 1-800-662-HELP.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
I Can Still Make Something Out of That
As Rob’s life spirals out of control, he gets a surprising offer…but is it another deal with the devil or is it for real?
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse disorder, reach out for help. In the U.S. you can contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration by calling 1-800-662-HELP.
Special thanks to Wiedemann & Berg Film, creators of the Milli Vanilli biopic “Girl You Know It’s True.”
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Customer Reviews
Average
The story is interesting in itself. Narrator is awful and a known racist. And cut out the cursing because that shows that the writing skill is poor.
Educational & entertaining
Well done. It’s interesting to get the backstory to this “scandal” and enlightening to hear different perspectives from those who lived it. I have a much broader view than I did before and I appreciate that learning.
I’m not a fan of host Amanda Seales’ comedy, but I don’t mind her hosting here at all; it is energetic, which it seems like many people in the comments don’t like, but I find it to be just fine.
I wondered why the ratings for the show are low since the content is interesting, and now I see why after reading the comments complaining about Seales and about the role that race plays in the story.
It’s disappointing, but not surprising, that those who don’t understand the pervasive role that race has played and continues to play in culture and economics are so activated by the discussion of it that they pout in the comments. Perhaps step away, learn about the system of racism and racial exploitation, and then revisit the podcast once you have a better grasp on the world you’re living in.
Race is a key element of this tiny slice of history. If that fact is controversial, offensive, or repulsive to you, it’s time to check your (mis)understanding of things and dig in to do some learning.
Accessible
Easy to follow and digest (especially for those not familiar with Milli Vanilli story.)