18 episodes

It’s time to expose Hollywood.

Child stardom is a unique cultural phenomenon with a notoriously dark shadow. Precocious young talents skyrocket to success only to repeat horror stories of addiction, decimated fortunes, and suicide. What is behind the toddler-to-train wreck pipeline? Why hasn’t it stopped? How are you connected to it at home?

Host Alyson Stoner reveals intimate firsthand accounts alongside comprehensive expertise & action plans to change entertainment and inspire your own life path and healing.

New episodes Friday. Subscribe & follow @alysonstoner to join the conversation.

Dear Hollywood Alyson Stoner

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.9 • 825 Ratings

It’s time to expose Hollywood.

Child stardom is a unique cultural phenomenon with a notoriously dark shadow. Precocious young talents skyrocket to success only to repeat horror stories of addiction, decimated fortunes, and suicide. What is behind the toddler-to-train wreck pipeline? Why hasn’t it stopped? How are you connected to it at home?

Host Alyson Stoner reveals intimate firsthand accounts alongside comprehensive expertise & action plans to change entertainment and inspire your own life path and healing.

New episodes Friday. Subscribe & follow @alysonstoner to join the conversation.

    The Game Plan to Change Hollywood

    The Game Plan to Change Hollywood

    Be first to learn more about the Artist Well-being Toolkit here: https://www.movementgenius.com/artist-wellbeing-toolkit

    Bring our team to your production or performance company. Email DearHollywoodPodcast@gmail.com.

    Bring Movement Genius to your workplace. Email hello@movementgenius.com.

    50% off Movement Genius for 250+ classes and tools to care for your mind, body and emotions: https://bit.ly/DearHollywood50

    Thanks for tuning into the first season of Dear Hollywood. As we deconstruct the toddler-to-trainwreck pipeline, what can we do to better support child performers in the entertainment industry? What role do you play? Alyson presents strategies for intervention and prevention at every level - the individual and family unit, production companies, union standardization, legislation, audiences at home, and larger cultural shifts. This is only the beginning of a movement. See you soon for season two.

    Subscribe and follow @alysonstoner to join the conversation.

    Video filmed and edited by @crispychickenco.

    • 17 min
    Creating a Celebrity Persona and Facing Stalkers

    Creating a Celebrity Persona and Facing Stalkers

    Alyson reveals some of the risks and dangers around becoming a child celebrity, including navigating superfans, stalkers and predators encircling their life. They explore the question of whether famous children automatically have a responsibility to be a role model. Further, they name the reality of losing fame and the inner tension of wanting to evolve while being memorialized as a younger version of themselves. 

    • 12 min
    The Psychology of Fame

    The Psychology of Fame

    Go to https://HelloFresh.com/dearfreshfree and use code dearfreshfree for FREE breakfast for life! One breakfast item per box while subscription is active.

    If fame has addictive properties that mirror substance abuse, why would we hook a child to a “drug” that remaps their brain chemistry and alters their development forever? Alyson guides you through the psychological experience of experiencing fame firsthand as well as key elements that create a fame-obsessed culture, including the illusion of separation, parasocial relationships, and mass psychological projections.

    As an independent podcast, your support means a lot. Subscribe and follow @alysonstoner to join the conversation. New episodes every Friday.

    50% off Movement Genius for 250+ classes and tools to care for your mind, body and emotions:
    https://bit.ly/DearHollywood50

    • 23 min
    Kidfluencers: Behind the $8B Industry

    Kidfluencers: Behind the $8B Industry

    Is Kidfluencing the latest step on the toddler-to-trainwreck pipeline? Kidfluencing is an $8B industry that has very few protections in place for children. Whether they’re a child of family vloggers or proud parents who can’t stop “sharenting,” or they accidentally went viral for a funny video, kids are growing up as digital natives without key mentorship around using technology safely. Alyson examines the areas that platforms and legislation need to address to create safer online environments and career pathways for young digital creators.

    As an independent podcast, your support means a lot. Subscribe and follow @alysonstoner to join the conversation. New episodes every Friday.

    Check out Devorah Heitner's book here: https://devorahheitner.com/growing-up-in-public/

    50% off Movement Genius for 250+ classes and tools to care for your mind, body and emotions:
    https://bit.ly/DearHollywood50

    • 15 min
    The Truth About Influencers and Brand Deals

    The Truth About Influencers and Brand Deals

    Every time we scroll, we’re bombarded with ads and sponsored content. Much of this is delivered directly by social media influencers, including child influencers. In an attention economy, creators are pressured to use clickbait and sensationalism to engage viewers. However, this can have a perilous effect on both the influencer and audience. Alyson explores the implications of using children in corporate marketing campaigns, and the new era of digital exploitation for both child stars and normal kids alike.

    As an independent podcast, your support means a lot. Subscribe and follow @alysonstoner to join the conversation. New episodes every Friday.

    50% off Movement Genius for 250+ classes and tools to care for your mind, body and emotions:

    https://bit.ly/DearHollywood50

    • 16 min
    What it’s Really Like to Be An Influencer

    What it’s Really Like to Be An Influencer

    As Alyson prepares listeners to examine Kidfluencing, they share their own personal foray into the digital media landscape at the dawn of Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. From learning the “art” of clickbait to navigating unpredictable algorithms, they ran a makeshift production company and found themselves struggling with deeper ethical questions around this emerging industry.

    As an independent podcast, your support means a lot. Subscribe and follow @alysonstoner to join the conversation. New episodes every Friday.

    50% off Movement Genius for 250+ classes and tools to care for your mind, body and emotions:
    https://bit.ly/DearHollywood50

    • 17 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
825 Ratings

825 Ratings

LA-ice ,

Important Work

This podcast is so beautifully done. Alyson has clearly put so much time and thought into each and every second of this podcast. They share such personal stories in a raw and vulnerable way that empowers listeners. As an actress myself, this show has made me think, reflect, and challenge beliefs and norms. I’m so glad I found this. Many important conversations are happening internally. My own experiences are being validated. Also, as someone who did not grow up as a child in the industry, who deeply wanted my family to give up everything and move to LA, I have felt frustrated for how “behind” I’ve felt for having to start much later. I have compared myself to the Alyson’s and their peers. As a child I would envy their experiences and the fact that they were able to do what I wanted and not be held back by a small town. This has allowed me to see these child stars, now as an adult, as that- CHILDREN. Not stars. Kids. And it’s made me so grateful for my childhood and my late start. It’s made me feel so much compassion. I’m challenging my experiences and beliefs and realizing that in fact the grass is not greener on the other side. I knew this couldn’t be easy for these kids. But the extent was never fully understood until now. Beautiful research and structure here. Thank you Alyson. You are so brave and I see and feel each drop of love you’ve put into this comprehensive and vulnerable podcast.

Nikki levey ,

Anti-semitism

I LOVED you. But after your anti-semitic post, I am no longer a fan. What a shame you’d post that nonsense propaganda. You have no idea how much harm you’ve caused among the Jews and I hope you get canceled.

katiegooday ,

Educating and sophisticated

Highly recommend. Learned so much. Such a well spoken and educated woman. I wish she would make more episodes!!

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