Conspiracy, She Wrote – Details, episodes & analysis

From secret messages in “Single Ladies” to the infamous Blue Ivy bump gate, Beyoncé has been at the center of countless conspiracy theories. But nothing tops (or stops) the Illuminati rumors. Where did they start, and how much is Jay-Z to blame? Scholar Moya Bailey unravels the fixation on Beyoncé, revealing the misogynoir driving these conspiracies and what they really say about her power and influence. Plus, Cristen crunches the numbers to see if “Renaissance” was truly a sign of the apocalypse.

Episode 4 sources and transcript.

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Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, written and hosted by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Ameeta Ganatra.

Sounds credit: n_audioman via freesound.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did Taylor Swift’s pop superstardom become fodder for far-right political conspiracy theories? Grab your red string and follow along the conflicting narratives that first (baselessly) claimed her as a covert Nazi and more recently, a left-wing Super Bowl psyop with Travis Kelce. Swiftie sociologist Brian Donovan unravels why her celebrity makes her a prime target in culture war politics and how it compares to the Easter egg hunts she creates for the fandom. Then, media psychologist Leah Dajches takes on the stigmatization of Gaylor Swifties, challenging the idea that they’re just unhinged conspiracy theorists.

Episode 3 sources and transcript.

For ad-free episodes, interview extras and exclusive red string unraveling, join The Cabal!

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, written and hosted by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Ameeta Ganatra.

Sounds credits: Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why were women and lifestyle influencers so pivotal to spreading QAnon lies about pedos, cabals and child trafficking via Wayfair furniture? Grab your red string and follow along with host Cristen Conger into the female-dominated landscape of "conspirituality," where wellness and woo-woo get extra delulu. Researcher, journalist and QAA podcast correspondent Annie Kelly also unravels anti-vax moms’ relatable mistrust, the red-pilled origins of tradwives and whether it’s ultimately all fangirling.

Episode 2 sources and transcript.

New episodes every Thursday. For ad-free episodes, interview extras and exclusive red string unraveling, join The Cabal!

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, written and hosted by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee. Engineering by Ameeta Ganatra.

Sound effects credits: Juan_Merie_Venter and creek23 via freesound.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grab your red string and follow along with host Cristen Conger (Unladylike) for the unhinged women's history and Illuminati paranoia that set the stage for today's conspiracy-pilled political and pop cultures. Cultural historian Lindsay Porter introduces us to the fascist foremothers of modern conspiracism who were spreading disinformation about deep state plots, elite cabals and shady secret societies a century ago.

Episode 1 sources and transcript.

Support the show and join The Cabal!

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, written and hosted by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee. Engineering by Ameeta Ganatra.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the original Illuminati influencers to celebrity pregnancy truthers today, host Cristen Conger unravels the red strings connecting women, gender and conspiracy culture gone wild. Because QAnon moms, tradwives and even Taylor Swift government psyop conspiracy theories reveal a lot about power, pop culture and politics.

Conspiracy, She Wrote starts August 8. New episodes each Thursday.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Megan Thee Stallion revealed the truth about being shot by Tory Lanez, why was she met with disbelief, Bigfoot jokes, and Illuminati rumors? NPR Music reporter and longtime hottie Sidney Madden (Louder Than a Riot) unravels how hip-hop culture put Megan on trial, while Tory Lanez’ team claimed the slut-shame defense in court. Scholar Moya Bailey also breaks down the intersection of class, respectability and misogynoir, comparing the conspiracy theories surrounding Megan Thee Stallion to those attached to Beyoncé.

Episode 5 sources and transcript.

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Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, hosted and written by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Marcus Hahm.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While the rest of the world speculated over Kate Middleton’s whereabouts this spring, why was an old conspiracy theory about the Meghan Markle suddenly trending on X (formerly Twitter)? Royal reporter Ellie Hall unravels the YouTube community committed to exposing their “Duchess of Deception,” from claims that Meghan faked her pregnancies to masterminding the #WhereIsKate PR crisis. Scholar Moya Bailey also connects the dots between the misogynoir targeting Meghan, Serena Williams’ life-threatening childbirth and everyday Black women’s pregnancy experiences.

Episode 6 sources and transcript.

Support the show and join The Cabal!

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, hosted and written by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Ameeta Ganatra.

Sound credit: Setuniman via freesound.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who sparked the bizarre conspiracy theory that Avril Lavigne was replaced by a clone named Melissa, and why does it still persist? Snopes reporter Nur Ibrahim unravels the allure of celebrity death hoaxes, political body double rumors and how to sort the fakes from the facts. Cristen also connects the dots between Avril Lavigne, the Beatles’ Paul McCartney and conspiracy satire gone wrong.

Episode 7 sources and transcript.

Support the show and join The Cabal!

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, hosted and written by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Marcus Hahm.

Sound credit: The Hunter by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At 16 years old, Greta Thunberg led the largest climate protest in history—and became a target for right-wing conspiracy theories. Scholar Emily Ryalls dissects how Greta was recast as a hysterical pawn of globalist billionaires and why the “Greta Effect” continues to provoke such powerful backlash. Then, TikTok misinformation researcher Abbie Richards clears up why the climate space is so littered with disinfo and media distractions, from anti-Greta memes to the Great Reset conspiracy to private jets at climate change conferences.

Episode 8 sources and transcript. For podcast deep dives on climate justice, listen to: Drilled, The Climate Question, A Matter of Degrees, The Anti-Dread Climate Podcast and Outrage + Optimism.

Support the show and join The Cabal!

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, hosted and written by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Marcus Hahm.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Free Britney started as fan sleuthing, which ultimately helped end Britney Spears’ conservatorship, sparked a pop cultural reckoning and galvanized a disability rights movement. Podcaster and comic Tess Barker (Pop Mystery Pod) unravels that journey of pursuing the truth about Britney–and its thornier consequences–while digital sociologist Naomi Smith explains the allure of conspiracy communities and what happens once their detective work is done.

Episode 9 sources and transcript.

Support the show and join The Cabal!

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, hosted and written by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Marcus Hahm.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.