1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: George Santos, disgraced former congressional representative and professional scammer, was 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: voted out of Congress, and rather than slinking into the shadows, 3 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: he's doing sit down interviews and allegedly making bank on cameo. 4 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: Now if you believe him, he says that he's already 5 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: made more money since being kicked out of Congress than 6 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,639 Speaker 1: he ever would have as an elected official. When asked 7 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: during an interview by ze Way what it would take 8 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: for him to just go away, he said, stop inviting 9 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: me to events, But you'll never do that because you 10 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:34,559 Speaker 1: want the content. And honestly, he's kind of right. So 11 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 1: does crime pay? That's the question that Rachel Delusche Williams 12 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: asked when we sat down together last year. Rachel was 13 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:44,160 Speaker 1: scammed at of thousands of dollars by notorious fake German 14 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: Heiress and Adelby, and she asks, are we incentivizing scamming 15 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: as a culture. Listen to our episode from twenty twenty 16 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:51,959 Speaker 1: two and find. 17 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:58,279 Speaker 2: Out she definitely committed so many offenses that harmed your 18 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 2: life people. So I think to flattened something like that 19 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 2: into this like very frivolous, like fun, glossy slog of 20 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 2: a TV show We'll Stop by do Dot. 21 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: There Are No Girls on the Internet, as a production 22 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio and Unbossed Creative. I'm Bridget Todd, and this 23 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: is There Are No Girls on the Internet. We spend 24 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: a lot of time on the show talking about lies 25 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: and the Internet, and I have to say that part 26 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 1: of the reason why I personally work on disinformation issues 27 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: is because of my intense fascination in things that are 28 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 1: not true. How do lies function, why do we believe them? 29 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: Who profits off of them? And how do they shape 30 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: our world? So in twenty eighteen, when the story first 31 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: broke about the fake German heiress Anna Delby, I was 32 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: of course fascinated. Anna real name Anna Sorokan, had been 33 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: scamming investors, hotels, even her own friends in pursuit of 34 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 1: opening an art foundation and private club called the Anna 35 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: Delvey Foundation. The club, like the millions of dollars of 36 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: family money that Anna said that she was supposedly worth, 37 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: never materialized. Anna's former friend Rachel Delutch Williams, first introduced 38 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:21,679 Speaker 1: the world to Anna after she wrote about their disastrous 39 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: trip to Marrakesh. Anna initially agreed to pay for the trip, 40 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: but never managed to put down a working credit card 41 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: at the pricey villa where they were staying. When hotel 42 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 1: staff insisted that somebody put down a functioning credit card, 43 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: Rachel was pressured into putting the cost of the entire 44 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: trip sixty two thousand dollars, more than a year of 45 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 1: her salary, on her work and personal credit cards. Now, 46 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: Anna assured her that she would wire her the money 47 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 1: to pay her back, but she never did. In the end, 48 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,519 Speaker 1: Rachel helped lead police to Anna's whereabouts, which led to 49 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 1: Anna's arrest and conviction for one count of attempt at 50 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: grand larceny, three counts of grand larceny, and four counts 51 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 1: of theft of services related to her various scams, but 52 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: she was found not guilty of the sixty two thousand 53 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:14,239 Speaker 1: dollars Rachel was out for the trip. Last month, Netflix 54 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 1: released Inventing Anna, a fictionalized, very sympathetic retelling of her 55 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,800 Speaker 1: Cohn based on the reporting of Jessica Presler at New 56 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: York Magazine. Anna's crimes were so flashy and outlandish it 57 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:29,519 Speaker 1: was hard not to pay attention, and that, Rachel says, 58 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: is kind of part of the scam. In her book, 59 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: My Friend Anna, Rachel writes, I have come to understand 60 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: that your attention is an investment. Giving someone your attention 61 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: is the act of being influenced, whether or not you're 62 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: aware of it in the moment, and especially in this 63 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: age of constant simulation, with endless people and stories competing 64 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: for your clicks, likes, follows, and time. Your attention is valued. 65 00:03:55,640 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: It has power, It's worth something. It can even put 66 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: money in someone's pocket. Be careful where you spend it 67 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: and understand the cost. I spoke to Rachel about why 68 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: our current digital media landscape is presenting a golden age 69 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: for scammers and what that means for all of us. 70 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: And this one quick note. We were recording on a 71 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: noisy day in Brooklyn, so the audio quality might not 72 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 1: be what you're used to from this podcast. Why do 73 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 1: you think this is? Why do you think we're in 74 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: this era where people cannot get enough of people who 75 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 1: lie and scam and steal and sheet others. 76 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a good question, and I've certainly asked myself 77 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 2: the same one. But I think I have a kind 78 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 2: of unique vantage point in that I lived through like 79 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 2: a con firsthand, and I know that's sort of how 80 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:47,160 Speaker 2: it works. It's sort of this larger than life, flashy illusion, 81 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 2: like a magic trick that is meant to grab your 82 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 2: attention so that while you're busy sort of puzzling over it, 83 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 2: you know, whatever sort of business is going on behind 84 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 2: the scenes can can happen without too much or analysis, 85 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 2: I suppose. So it's I think it there's a fascination 86 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 2: with with you know, tricksters and with like it is 87 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,479 Speaker 2: in many ways like like watching a magician at work, 88 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 2: and so that people want to want to watch as 89 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:18,359 Speaker 2: like a voyeur to understand where this slight of hand occurred, 90 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 2: how someone fell for it, and and you know, especially 91 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 2: in this age where it is kind of hard with 92 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 2: with the Internet and with all of these different media 93 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 2: forms coming at us to discern between fact and fiction. 94 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 2: To get to watch something in an arena that seems 95 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 2: pretty low stakes because it's built as entertainment. I think 96 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 2: it's people enjoy maybe like they don't think about it 97 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 2: that hard, but they enjoy getting to see something that 98 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:47,279 Speaker 2: that straddles that divide on purpose. 99 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: In talking about the Netflix show Inventing Anna you talk, 100 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 1: you write really compellingly about this that one of the 101 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: reasons why the show is kind of dangerous is that 102 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:00,159 Speaker 1: it does sort of aim to straddle that line, and 103 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: each episode starts with this is a completely true story 104 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: except for the things that are fictionalized, and I think 105 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: as a viewer you might not really know that, You're like, 106 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 1: it can be used as a way to heavily deeply 107 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: fictionalize something that actually people actually experience, and I think 108 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 1: that could the purposeful straddling of that line of facts 109 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: and fiction and kind of blending them can be a 110 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 1: little bit dangerous because the ftikes do feel low. It 111 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 1: just feels like entertainment exactly. 112 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 2: I mean, you've said it in some ways better than 113 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 2: I can say it myself, But that's exactly right, and 114 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 2: it's kind of disheartening. I mean, I appreciate that, like 115 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 2: you're speaking of about this too, and other people you 116 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 2: know are certainly paying attention now. But I think part 117 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:48,040 Speaker 2: of the reason I chose to continue talking about this, 118 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 2: which you know, the story which is well and truly 119 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 2: behind me and I would love to like move on 120 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 2: from and not be discussing today. But the reason I'm 121 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 2: speaking up is because I see something happening that sets 122 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 2: a precedent that I do think is chruck that I 123 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:04,479 Speaker 2: do think is dangerous, and I do think it requires 124 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 2: viewers to ask questions, probably more so than we can 125 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 2: expect a media company who profits from it to do. 126 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 2: But the Netflix show Inventing Anna does do this thing 127 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 2: where it like sticks that label up as a disclaimer, 128 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 2: but it blends, you know, factual information with things that 129 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 2: are completely made up, as it says it does. But 130 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 2: it makes viewers go online, look things up, see that 131 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 2: some things are true, and then that creates this like 132 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 2: foundation of credibility that allows them to think, well that 133 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 2: this is true. I believe the narrative that they wove 134 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 2: in with you know, this big big budget production and 135 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 2: all those like whistles and bells and like how compelling 136 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 2: is that. You know, storytelling is really powerful, and I 137 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 2: think that's why it requires a level of responsibility. I 138 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 2: think people are apt to believe things that they watch 139 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:55,120 Speaker 2: in stories or that they connect to in terms of 140 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 2: a narrative more than sometimes dry facts that they hear 141 00:07:58,520 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 2: on the news. 142 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, you describe this in your book and 143 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: talking about the way that Anna's crimes have been glamorized, 144 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: in part by places like Netflix, that you see it 145 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: as a big picture problem is that sort of what 146 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: you were referring to, Like, that's sort of the big 147 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 1: picture problem that you're describing. 148 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, that I think specifically, I have become very mindful 149 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 2: of the ways that our attention can be commodified. So 150 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 2: when Anna was released from prison the first time before 151 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 2: she was detained by ICE, I was asked to do 152 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 2: a bunch of media appearances commenting on her release, and 153 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 2: I declined because I was like, why, you know, why 154 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 2: would I do that. I've already written the book, it's out, 155 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 2: I've moved on. I have no interest in sort of 156 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 2: coming out and speaking or hypothesizing about what somebody may 157 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 2: or may not do after jail, like she's cheated her time. 158 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 2: Like all we can do is like hope that, you know, 159 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 2: God's speed, like hope doesn't happen again. But while I 160 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 2: was declining things, I saw that she was being given 161 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 2: various media place platforms, and that would be fine if 162 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 2: she had something productive to say, But it felt as 163 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 2: though these different outlets were just giving your space to 164 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 2: rationalize her behavior, to continue peddling belief in this, you know, 165 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 2: and fictional in my mind, like this fictional intention, you know, 166 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 2: like I was really going to do it. I didn't 167 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 2: mean to never pay someone back like all of these 168 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 2: things that I believed for far too long, and that 169 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 2: she's now getting to sell to a broader audience. So 170 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 2: as I was watching that, what I realized is our 171 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:38,120 Speaker 2: attention to her, our attention to people like this, our 172 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 2: attention to things is what gives them influence and power. 173 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 2: So when I say it's a big picture problem, I 174 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:48,439 Speaker 2: think what I'm really referring to is the attention economy 175 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:51,560 Speaker 2: and the way that we think we're watching something just 176 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 2: without stakes, but our viewership in itself is actually something 177 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:59,319 Speaker 2: that it does have a monetary value and also a 178 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:04,679 Speaker 2: value in terms of our own behavior, our beliefs, and 179 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 2: how how we moved through the world. 180 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: You write about how Anna will be given these like 181 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 1: very convivial interviews where it's clearly the interviewer was like, Wow, 182 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 1: this Anna Delby, like can you believe it? And they 183 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 1: would have these buzzy headlines, and I guess part of 184 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:28,479 Speaker 1: me is like, like, how can you print the words 185 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 1: of somebody who lies? If you're a journalist or a reporter, 186 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,079 Speaker 1: Like somebody asked like, oh, you could try to talk 187 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: to Anna for this interview, And I was like, why 188 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: would I why would I want to talk to somebody 189 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:38,679 Speaker 1: who lies? 190 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I think there's a way to do it. 191 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 2: There's actually a sixty minutes to Australia interview was I 192 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:46,839 Speaker 2: thought it was. I mean, it's of course still kind 193 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 2: of sensationalized around the edges, but at least the viewer 194 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:55,320 Speaker 2: had a very firm like framing device in which he 195 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 2: you know, it's It's the same way I think the 196 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 2: most successful interviews with someone like Donald Trump were where 197 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 2: you have a baseline foundation of truth fiction. You know, 198 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 2: some some degree of commonly shared right wrong when it 199 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 2: comes to like ethics or reality, and you actually try 200 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:14,680 Speaker 2: to hold someone to account. That's interesting. And then I 201 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 2: think it's actually like journalism, But I think what I 202 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 2: do find puzzling or I understand it, but I think 203 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 2: I find it, you know, problematic is the way that 204 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:29,079 Speaker 2: so much of our media and our news sources today 205 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:33,079 Speaker 2: are driven by not by quality but traffic. So so 206 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 2: so places are incentivized to come up with these clickbait headlines, 207 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 2: with these really sensationalized recaps of you know, you know, 208 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 2: events that in real life were interesting, but you know, 209 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 2: are so much more interesting if you embellish these details. 210 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:52,319 Speaker 2: And it was troubling for me because watching like even 211 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 2: during the Child the Why, people were reporting on what 212 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 2: she was wearing or like you know, ah, she's so audacious, 213 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 2: can you believe? Like, like, yeah, she is, That's what 214 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 2: ye know. That's what drew me into the friendship. Friendship too, 215 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 2: here's this person you can't quite figure out, Like she's 216 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:11,319 Speaker 2: she's wacky, she's really confident. She's doing these these things 217 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 2: that kind of break your brain and make you sit 218 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 2: there and stare and kind of ask questions. But that's 219 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,240 Speaker 2: how it works. Like while we're doing that, like no 220 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 2: one's asking where's the money coming from? Like who's are 221 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 2: the what's the impact of this person's behavior and mind? 222 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 2: Does it matter? 223 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: According to BBC News, which filed a Freedom of Information 224 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:33,200 Speaker 1: Act request, Netflix reportedly started paying Anna before she had 225 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 1: ever even gone to trial. They paid thirty thousand dollars, 226 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,559 Speaker 1: which went toward paying her lawyer. Then Netflix paid for 227 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 1: the rights to adapt Anna's story into the show Inventing Anna. 228 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 1: In total, Netflix reportedly paid Anna three hundred and twenty 229 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:52,959 Speaker 1: thousand dollars. Now that money was initially frozen to give 230 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 1: her victims a chance to sue, and even though some 231 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 1: of her victims did file claims for a portion of 232 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 1: those funds, whatever has left over that didn't go to 233 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 1: paying the lawyers just goes right to Anna. And what 234 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 1: did Anna spend that money on? Designer clothing? You've written 235 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 1: about the fact that Netflix paid Anna, you know, it's 236 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 1: a little bit of one of those things where she 237 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 1: used the money to pay legal fees. However, I would 238 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:20,679 Speaker 1: argue that it's not like it's not like, I mean, 239 00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 1: they're her legal fees, and so if somebody gives me 240 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 1: money and I'm like, oh, I use that money to 241 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: pay my bills, I feel like it's a bit of 242 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:29,440 Speaker 1: a stretch to say that I Am not benefiting from that. 243 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: But whatever. Do you feel that Netflix is contributing to 244 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 1: an ecosystem where lying and scamming can be financially rewarding 245 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: and financially lucrative. 246 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, unfortunately, this is like very cut and 247 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 2: gi evidence of that because they moved so quickly to 248 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 2: option the story that it they ended up paying Anna 249 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 2: before her case even went to trial, before she even 250 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:57,920 Speaker 2: went to trial, and that's the money that was used 251 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 2: initially to pay her criminal the criminal defense layer, whom 252 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 2: she chose to pay his his like a initial fees, 253 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 2: and then beyond that they they started their writer's room. 254 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 2: The day that the trial began, there were Netflix writers 255 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 2: in the courtroom. Her lawyer was representing her and her 256 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 2: entertainment dealings at the same time he was representing her 257 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 2: in a criminal trial. And I knew that at the time, 258 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 2: which is part of why I think I went into 259 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 2: it feeling. I mean, of course, I was also so raw, 260 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:30,120 Speaker 2: and I was all so fresh, and I was so 261 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 2: emotional way more, you know, I wish I had I 262 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 2: had had like a little more distance from everything or 263 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 2: a little more composure, but I just felt, frankly, so 264 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 2: gaslighted by the fact that I was being accused of 265 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 2: using my testimony as content for entertainment quote unquote, because 266 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:49,160 Speaker 2: I was writing a book while at the same time 267 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 2: I knew that everybody there was doing that, and I 268 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 2: actually wasn't, like, you know, I was left sixty thousand 269 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 2: dollars in debt, like I was just finding a way 270 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 2: to like heal, to understand, to move forward. So yeah, 271 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:05,040 Speaker 2: it was really taxi terraviy, and I do think Netflix 272 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 2: certainly not only influenced the criminal justice proceedings, but also 273 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 2: gave this person who you know, we can all think 274 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 2: what we want to think. But looking on paper at 275 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 2: her past actions, she is a convicted criminal and they 276 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:25,080 Speaker 2: have created for her a glamorized version of her crimes, 277 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 2: given her a platform, given her an audience, and set 278 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 2: her up with a viewership that she can now continue 279 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 2: to monopolize like she will continue to make money on 280 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 2: the notoriety that she achieved through committing criminal acts. 281 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick break at her back. Scammers are 282 00:15:56,760 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: not a new phenomena. They've always existed, but in the 283 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: age of streaming services and social media, it seems like 284 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: we're living in a golden age for scammers, where if 285 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 1: your scam is flashy enough and captures our attention in 286 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:12,880 Speaker 1: just the right kind of way, what might have started 287 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:16,359 Speaker 1: as a scam can be laundered into a more legitimate platform. 288 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: For instance, Netflix is The Tinder Swindler, a documentary that 289 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 1: chronicles Simon Levev, who posed as a wealthy jet set 290 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: playboy by duping women that he met on the dating 291 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: app Tender out of thousands of dollars. Levev's cohn involved 292 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 1: convincing women to loan hymn money throughout landish lives, and 293 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: since the documentary, Levev is clearly trying to parlay the 294 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 1: attention and notoriety from his Cohn into a pathway of 295 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 1: a more legitimate, not to mention, lucrative platform. So, as 296 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 1: Anna wants intimated to a BBC reporter, it's kind of 297 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 1: hard to say that crime doesn't pay, because it seems 298 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 1: like in our current media landscape it kind of does. 299 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 1: I think that we live in a climate where people 300 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: who scam and live people like like she was, as 301 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:07,679 Speaker 1: you said, she was convicted of this. It's not like 302 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:09,160 Speaker 1: it's some big secrets. It's not like it's you. 303 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 2: Saying this is exactly. 304 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: These are just the facts of what happened. I feel 305 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 1: like we are allowing pathways to legitimize these people, and like, 306 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:21,080 Speaker 1: you know, maybe it started as a con and it 307 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 1: started as a scam. By the end of it, you'll 308 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: have money and an audience and people who are interested 309 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 1: to see what happens next, and that you can sort 310 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: of legitimize that. Like, for instance, if you watch the 311 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 1: Netflix documentary The Tender Swindler, the scammer in that case, 312 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: Simone Simon Simon something like that, Yeah, you know, we 313 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:45,440 Speaker 1: got this big bump in social media followers. And also 314 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 1: is making pretty good money on cameo right now, he's 315 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 1: charging three hundred dollars for a personal shout out and 316 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 1: fourteen hundred dollars for business shout out. He has a manager, 317 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:56,440 Speaker 1: He's talked about wanting to do a podcast. You know, 318 00:17:57,320 --> 00:17:58,680 Speaker 1: are are we creating? 319 00:17:59,240 --> 00:17:59,400 Speaker 2: Ore? 320 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 1: Is the media creating pathways for folks to legitimize what 321 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: started out as a scam or a con or a lie. 322 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 2: Absolutely, And I think, you know, looking back, it's actually 323 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:16,119 Speaker 2: a really interesting book about this called The Attention Merchants 324 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,760 Speaker 2: by this this man called Tim Wu. With the rise 325 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:22,600 Speaker 2: of reality television in this model of normal person to 326 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 2: celebrity as like a model for business, and then it 327 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:31,879 Speaker 2: evolved into social media where people not you know, they 328 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 2: could It wasn't like winning the lottery. Everybody too could 329 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:38,160 Speaker 2: do this if they found a way to brand themselves, 330 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 2: to market themselves that was compelling enough to attract attention. 331 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:44,400 Speaker 2: But as we've just realized, unless you have some kind 332 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 2: of outlandish loud stick or personality, like, no one is 333 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:51,200 Speaker 2: really paying attention. And I think this is like now 334 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 2: evolved into curation, not just through digital media, but here 335 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 2: are these people, and these people have always existed, mind you, 336 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:01,199 Speaker 2: but we live in and age where that kind of 337 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 2: behavior is really rewarded. You know, it's not an age 338 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 2: where it's about you know, morality or like like which 339 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 2: which sounds so like pollyannish and hokey, but it's very 340 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 2: much about this sort of the cult of personality and 341 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 2: who would chect our attention and like obviously who we 342 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 2: you know, voted our president is a testament to that. 343 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:27,640 Speaker 1: What you just articulated is one of my biggest issues 344 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: in making the show is the way that we have 345 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 1: our entire digital ecosystem and media ecosystem is biased toward 346 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:41,640 Speaker 1: outrageousness and lies and scams. It's been a documented thing 347 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 1: that on social media, incorrect information travels much faster and 348 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: much farther than accurate information. 349 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:51,199 Speaker 2: There's us saying like a lie can travel around the 350 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 2: world while the truth is still putting on its shoes 351 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:57,359 Speaker 2: or some variation of that. But it's very true, absolutely true. 352 00:19:57,359 --> 00:19:59,159 Speaker 1: And so you know, we talk a lot on this 353 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 1: podcast about the way that our landscapes have become this 354 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: like marketplace for extremism and who's really losing is us 355 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 1: the general public. 356 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 2: You know, there's a problem when the Weather channel is sensationalized, 357 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 2: like for the Weather channel to be like whoa like 358 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 2: you know, and giving these like hokey names to things 359 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 2: and like making everything seem like a doomsday event and 360 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:25,160 Speaker 2: it's like it's like sprinkling outside, like there's no news here. 361 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 2: They rely on viewership the same way as any other 362 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:32,640 Speaker 2: channel does. So like for our entire economy to run 363 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:37,680 Speaker 2: based on like clicks or attention, like that is scary. 364 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:40,919 Speaker 2: There there are certain things that I think probably would 365 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 2: we all might be a little better off if there 366 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 2: were other motivators. 367 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:50,880 Speaker 1: We all deserve timely, thoughtful, accurate information. And so even 368 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 1: you know, your example of the Weather channel, if I 369 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 1: need to know whether or not to bring an umbrella, 370 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 1: and I turn on the weather and it's like you know, 371 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:01,200 Speaker 1: monsoons and hurricanes and oh my god, and it's like, well, 372 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,160 Speaker 1: I'm being underserved because I don't know if I need 373 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 1: to bring an umbrella, but I'm going down the street, 374 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: you know. And so we all we all lose out. 375 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 1: We all lose when we don't when we have any 376 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:15,080 Speaker 1: kind of media ecosystem that is biased towards sensationalism or 377 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 1: lies or scams or clicks and outrageousness rather than thoughtful, accurate, 378 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 1: nuanced content, and. 379 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 2: It pushes us to the extremes of either total belief 380 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 2: or complete disbelief, because either you buy into whatever you know, 381 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 2: cool age you're looking for, like whether that's Fox News 382 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 2: or you know some like extreme version of like CNN. 383 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 2: Like you know, they all have their biased reporting techniques, right, 384 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 2: but like I think you either sort of hop on 385 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:47,280 Speaker 2: a bandwagon or you say none of it's objective. I 386 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:50,200 Speaker 2: don't believe anything, and then that's not great either, because 387 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 2: there are still things that should be believed. So I 388 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 2: do agree that it is a disservice to everybody because 389 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 2: it creates a system in which it's really hard to 390 00:21:57,760 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 2: tell truth from fiction. 391 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:01,360 Speaker 1: In my data that they do a lot of work 392 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 1: combating conspiracy theories and things like that and trying to 393 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 1: kind of understand why people fall prey to them, and 394 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:09,480 Speaker 1: a big part of it is just complete lack of 395 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 1: complete lack of trust in media institutions. And I think 396 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,440 Speaker 1: that's a big reason why it's, like I can understand 397 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:19,640 Speaker 1: why somebody would just lose all trust in media when 398 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:21,720 Speaker 1: that is the thing that fuels it. Yeah. 399 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 2: Absolutely, And there is a lot of similarity obviously. I 400 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 2: mean the stakes are just sort of it's apples and 401 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:28,639 Speaker 2: oranges with when it comes to like someone like Anna 402 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:33,359 Speaker 2: and like masculine conspiracy theories. But there is similarity in 403 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:39,159 Speaker 2: the way that both I guess, like lie structures or 404 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 2: manipulation techniques rely on framing arguments in a way that 405 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 2: makes them almost irrefutable because they they they speak to 406 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:52,119 Speaker 2: these sort of like cryptic abstracts or things that you 407 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:55,640 Speaker 2: literally just can't disprove even though they are false. It's 408 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 2: like a flaw, a flawed framing device. And I think 409 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 2: it's really hard for people, especially if you're isolated, to 410 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 2: keep your feet on the ground and understand what's happening 411 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 2: if you're not familiar with that type of behavioral pattern. 412 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: After the disastrous ship to Marrakesh, Rachel was left with 413 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:18,159 Speaker 1: a sixty two thousand dollars credit card bill that her 414 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:22,640 Speaker 1: credit card company eventually forgave, But before that, Rachel struggled 415 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:25,159 Speaker 1: to pay rent and took loans from loved ones to 416 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:28,359 Speaker 1: cover bills to get by. She eventually published her book 417 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:30,720 Speaker 1: about what she learned from her relationship with Anna called 418 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 1: My Friend Anna, and sold the rights to develop her 419 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 1: story for television to Lena Donnom at HBO. Rachel takes 420 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: a lot of criticism for quote, profiting off of her 421 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: relationship to Anna. So I wanted to go back to 422 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:45,440 Speaker 1: something that you mentioned, which is that you sometimes take 423 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:49,160 Speaker 1: criticism for the fact that you published a book about 424 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 1: your experiences, You've written about your experiences. I interviewed Amanda Knox, 425 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:56,520 Speaker 1: the EXONERI you probably know who she is, and something 426 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 1: that she said in that interview that I will never 427 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:02,959 Speaker 1: forget is that, you know, she's often criticized for making money, 428 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:05,080 Speaker 1: you know, writing books about what happened to her. And 429 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 1: you know, however, producers, filmmakers, writers, they make a lot 430 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:15,280 Speaker 1: of money retelling sometimes like a really harmful, deeply fictionalized 431 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: account of something that like sort of happened around her. 432 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:22,600 Speaker 1: But like it's always like deeply, deeply fictionalized. And something 433 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:26,359 Speaker 1: that she said was that it's apparently everyone else is 434 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 1: allowed to profit off of something that happened to me 435 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:31,440 Speaker 1: except for me. Everybody who's to make money off of 436 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 1: my story but me? And I guess, you know, why 437 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:37,760 Speaker 1: do you think this is? You know, I guess I 438 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:40,600 Speaker 1: should say a side note, which is that if I 439 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:44,000 Speaker 1: lost a lot of money, anybody who wanted to pay 440 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:45,879 Speaker 1: me to tell the story of what happened to me 441 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 1: to recoup my expenses, I would absolutely say yes, And 442 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 1: I think that most people would. But I feel that 443 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:54,680 Speaker 1: we have this expectation where victims are kind of expected 444 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:57,639 Speaker 1: to be kind of holier than now. Meanwhile, the people 445 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:00,959 Speaker 1: who harmed them like they can do whatever they can 446 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,159 Speaker 1: make money. However, and so I think, like, why do 447 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 1: you think that is? 448 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:07,160 Speaker 2: Where do think that comes from? I mean, first of all, 449 00:25:07,359 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 2: I do completely agree with you, it often feels like 450 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 2: the victims are on trial more so than the criminals. Uh. 451 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 2: And also like there's this odd thing that I've realized, 452 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 2: the word victim is has so much like packed into 453 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,200 Speaker 2: the connotations around the word. The word It's like people think, 454 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:28,320 Speaker 2: as soon as you're no longer in debt or as 455 00:25:28,359 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 2: soon as you've been made hold, no matter how hard 456 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 2: hard you have to work to actually become okay, you're 457 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:37,160 Speaker 2: not a victim anymore. Like you're now you know, and 458 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 2: someone who's exploiting a situation. If you, you know, keep 459 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 2: moving forward, if you're seen to succeed, and it's like, 460 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 2: what is a victim? Like does a victim? What does 461 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:48,440 Speaker 2: the victim look like. I've had so many people reach 462 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 2: out to me on social media to say, you don't 463 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 2: look like a victim, and I think that is such 464 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 2: a loaded odd thing to say to somebody, Like saying 465 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:58,359 Speaker 2: that you were the victim of a crime is not 466 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:02,000 Speaker 2: a request for pity. It's a request for acknowledgment of 467 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:04,919 Speaker 2: a wrong that was committed. You know. It is not 468 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:09,840 Speaker 2: like I'm still stuck in this like stalled state in perpetuity. 469 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:13,240 Speaker 2: It's like, this happened and that's a fact. Doesn't matter 470 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:16,800 Speaker 2: what you do afterwards to be okay, you know, to 471 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:19,400 Speaker 2: repair the damage, to find a way out of it. 472 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 2: Like that is really not relevant. But I think there 473 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 2: there are a lot of things that are distracting, especially 474 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:30,480 Speaker 2: when these stories get retold through the lens of media 475 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:33,439 Speaker 2: or entertainment. People tend to fixate on the whistles and 476 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 2: bells and the flashy trips and the money, and they 477 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 2: hold that I think the jury did the same thing. 478 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,760 Speaker 2: They sort of hold that lens up and say, well, 479 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:47,919 Speaker 2: you know, looking at the net gain you were doing 480 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 2: this before, Anna, and now you're doing this, you came 481 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:55,440 Speaker 2: out Okay, therefore, nope, the crime didn't happen. It's like, wait, 482 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 2: so you're saying I was too good at you know, 483 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:01,960 Speaker 2: finding like writing tooth and nail to find a way forward, 484 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:07,359 Speaker 2: like therefore it didn't happen, Like what, why do I 485 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:10,000 Speaker 2: think it happens? I think it's really easy for people 486 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 2: to hold on to really simplified recaps of something that 487 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 2: was actually very complex and nuanced. And of course, looking back, 488 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 2: red flags look like this, like very tidy pattern. But 489 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:22,880 Speaker 2: when you're living through something where you're dealing with a 490 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:28,359 Speaker 2: master manipulator, you know there's time between these these things 491 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 2: that might have tipped you off to trouble ahead. There's 492 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:35,439 Speaker 2: there's a there's an actual relationship between real life people, 493 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 2: and everything is much grayer than it appears in hindsight. 494 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:43,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's so funny because I feel like a lot 495 00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 1: of people I've seen and I saw, like I guess 496 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:50,280 Speaker 1: this idea of you know, well, while that was happening, 497 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:52,639 Speaker 1: she definitely wanted to go to Morocco where she definitely 498 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:54,720 Speaker 1: wanted this, And it's like who gives a ship like it? 499 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:57,680 Speaker 1: Just see it just seems so like picking apart. It 500 00:27:58,000 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 1: feels very victim blaming. 501 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 2: It's very very convenient, and and I think people want 502 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:05,600 Speaker 2: to look for a reason to explain why something bad 503 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:08,479 Speaker 2: has happened to somebody, you know, especially if it is 504 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:12,480 Speaker 2: not like you know, dead dead, like you know, when 505 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:15,880 Speaker 2: it seems like someone's come out okay, then it's like, okay, 506 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:18,120 Speaker 2: we all have, like Curt Blanche, to just sit here 507 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 2: and talk about why you deserved it. And you know, 508 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 2: at the end of the day, like it's everybody wants 509 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 2: to be understood, Like it seems to be misunderstood, and 510 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 2: it seems to have things framed in a way that's 511 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 2: not true, especially when they're so personal and so many 512 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 2: people are forming opinions about you from so little information 513 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 2: and flawed information. But at the end of the day, 514 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 2: like everybody looks at a story like this, which you 515 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,719 Speaker 2: know is not a news story. It's like tale as 516 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 2: old as time. It's just been in a modern uh 517 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:53,960 Speaker 2: iteration of it. But you people look at it and 518 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 2: they project their understand like they come away with an 519 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:00,080 Speaker 2: understanding of it based on their own life experiences. And 520 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 2: if it's important for people to think, if it looks 521 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 2: too good to be true, it probably is, or you know, 522 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 2: don't get sucked into materialism or like you know, everybody 523 00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 2: looks at it and thinks these things. But I think 524 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:15,760 Speaker 2: that's actually more telling of their own life experiences than 525 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 2: it is necessarily of mine. Like have I asked myself 526 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 2: those questions? Of course I have, Like if I hadn't, 527 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 2: I think, you know, it's really important to look at 528 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:26,520 Speaker 2: That's why I wrote A wrote I guess to start, 529 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 2: and I wrote what turned into the book. But it 530 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:31,000 Speaker 2: was so that I could frame, you know, piece together 531 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 2: this like narrative of experience that I lived through. Look 532 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:37,680 Speaker 2: at it, try to like dig into it, understand what happened, 533 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:39,800 Speaker 2: what to make of it, like why it happened, and 534 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 2: how to learn, heal and move forward. 535 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:45,400 Speaker 1: Something that you said, You said, people want an explanation 536 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 1: for why this happened to you. I think what they're 537 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:50,760 Speaker 1: actually looking for is an explanation for why this would 538 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: never happen to them. I think it's about. 539 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 2: Them, right, and I mean absolutely, as they don't even 540 00:29:56,920 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 2: know me, and and like there even if even if 541 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:02,480 Speaker 2: someone didn't meet me through this experience, this is something 542 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:04,920 Speaker 2: that happened, was a friendship. I knew her for a year. 543 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 2: We were close friends for about three months, three brief months. Like, 544 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:12,240 Speaker 2: she never bought me clothes, she never bought me shoes, 545 00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 2: she never bought like did I work out with her? Yes? 546 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 2: Did she pay for some dinners? Yes? Did she invite 547 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:20,960 Speaker 2: me on this crazy vacation? One hundred percent? But to 548 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:27,480 Speaker 2: say that anybody understands someone else's entire values like value 549 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 2: system and personality and character through like a few months 550 00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:36,720 Speaker 2: of what is a you know, thirty some odd year 551 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:41,280 Speaker 2: life with so many more important and like I don't 552 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 2: know telling things but any it's just life is weird. 553 00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 1: Huh, life is weird. I kind of say, I love 554 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:49,640 Speaker 1: this is kind of a side note. I love your 555 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:53,240 Speaker 1: perspective on this. I feel like if this happened to me, 556 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:55,960 Speaker 1: I guess I guess. You know you were saying earlier 557 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:59,000 Speaker 1: how people don't really see the work involved in getting 558 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 1: you to a place where you're like this is behind me. 559 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,760 Speaker 1: I'm speaking about it now not because I want to 560 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 1: relitigate what happened, like the minutia of our relationship, but 561 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:09,400 Speaker 1: because I want to ask these like thoughtful questions about 562 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:11,760 Speaker 1: what it says about our culture and all of that 563 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 1: you think as someone who is like, you know, I 564 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:17,200 Speaker 1: know we don't see that work, but where you are today, 565 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 1: it just seems like you're you. I really appreciate your 566 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 1: perspective of where you're at right now. 567 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:24,960 Speaker 2: I really appreciate you like acknowledging or understanding that because 568 00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:27,640 Speaker 2: it's very hard. You know, like even I guess being 569 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 2: a photo producer is much the same way. It's like 570 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:32,520 Speaker 2: if you're doing it while nobody pays attention to how 571 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:35,120 Speaker 2: it happened or why it's happening in this way. But like, 572 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:39,520 Speaker 2: I mean, it's irritating except that, like there's nothing I 573 00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:42,000 Speaker 2: can do. People who are want to be wrong or 574 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,480 Speaker 2: it's going to be wrong. But like when people are like, oh, 575 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 2: you just want the spotlight or oh you just want attention, 576 00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 2: it's like I've turned down so many more things than 577 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 2: I have said yes to, Like this is a spotlight 578 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:55,640 Speaker 2: that I did not want. You know, I have done 579 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:58,760 Speaker 2: the best I could with something that was very negative, 580 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:00,880 Speaker 2: and I've done the best could to make it into 581 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:04,840 Speaker 2: something positive, not just for myself, but ideally for others 582 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:06,880 Speaker 2: who may have gone through the same thing, or to 583 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:10,640 Speaker 2: prevent others from going through the same thing. But you 584 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:15,080 Speaker 2: like think you're You're completely right. Like my very specific 585 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 2: and clear objective as to why I'm still talking today, 586 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:23,040 Speaker 2: does it really is about the spotlight that I didn't want, 587 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:26,240 Speaker 2: And I thought very hard about whether or not to 588 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 2: just sort of like lie low, not comment to the 589 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:31,680 Speaker 2: Netflix thing came out. It just like not say anything 590 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:35,960 Speaker 2: at all. But I recognize the value of attention, and 591 00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:39,440 Speaker 2: I recognize the fact that whether or not I choose 592 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:42,560 Speaker 2: to engage with it, there would be this attention coming 593 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:44,840 Speaker 2: my way. And it felt like there are so many 594 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:47,960 Speaker 2: really important causes in the world that need attention. There's 595 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:52,000 Speaker 2: so many important issues even relating to this specifically that 596 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:55,320 Speaker 2: can't get people to pay attention to them. So I 597 00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:59,000 Speaker 2: really wanted to like yield the time towards asking questions 598 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:01,440 Speaker 2: and then ideally, I mean like finding people like you 599 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:03,680 Speaker 2: or or you know, finding a way to sort of 600 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:09,080 Speaker 2: redirect the spotlight towards towards activation partners who can speak 601 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 2: to these issues in a thoughtful way and and make 602 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:15,600 Speaker 2: people think a little harder or differently about something that 603 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:19,040 Speaker 2: on the surface just seems so sort of frivolous. 604 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 1: Our attention has value, and it's also we only have 605 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 1: so much of it. And so when lies and outrageousness 606 00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:30,840 Speaker 1: are amplify to get our attention, what's not getting our attention? 607 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 1: What important is are just going overlooked because. 608 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:37,680 Speaker 2: Exactly, and that's I think that's that's so right. It's like, 609 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:41,640 Speaker 2: you know, do I watch bad TV? Of course I do. 610 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:43,840 Speaker 2: Do I eat junk food, of course I do. Like 611 00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:46,480 Speaker 2: it's not to say don't do it, it's just to 612 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:49,920 Speaker 2: be mindful that if that's all you do, like that 613 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:54,640 Speaker 2: really will inform the health of your life. Like, like 614 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:58,320 Speaker 2: you know, when you are paying attention to these things 615 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:00,680 Speaker 2: that are designed to suck up your tension, that are 616 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:03,719 Speaker 2: designed to make you want more of them, they're addicting. 617 00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 2: You are not paying attention to something else. You are not, 618 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:12,840 Speaker 2: you know, necessarily having the autonomy you may think you 619 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:18,160 Speaker 2: have over the direction of your purpose. 620 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:30,000 Speaker 1: I definitely know what you mean. More after a quick break, 621 00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:36,440 Speaker 1: let's get right back into it. So you can probably 622 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:39,200 Speaker 1: tell that I did not really enjoy the Netflix show 623 00:34:39,239 --> 00:34:42,399 Speaker 1: Inventing Anna, And one of my biggest issues with it 624 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:44,520 Speaker 1: is the way that it frames Anna's crimes with a 625 00:34:44,640 --> 00:34:48,279 Speaker 1: kind of girl bas's hustle mentality that she came to 626 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:50,799 Speaker 1: this country as an immigrant with nothing, and that if 627 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:53,279 Speaker 1: she did maybe do a little lying and scamming here 628 00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:56,320 Speaker 1: or there, it was only in pursuit of building something 629 00:34:56,320 --> 00:35:00,279 Speaker 1: that she truly believed in after all? Is that The 630 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:05,120 Speaker 1: American Dream? Over on another scammer story, who Lose the Dropout, 631 00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:09,880 Speaker 1: which chronicles the story of Elizabeth Holmes, former CEO of Sarahos, 632 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:12,000 Speaker 1: a blood testing company that turned out to be a 633 00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:15,120 Speaker 1: total scam, actually does a pretty good job of showing 634 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:18,759 Speaker 1: how empty, not to mention, dangerous, it can be when 635 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 1: scamming and lying is rebranded as vision or leadership. One 636 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:25,120 Speaker 1: of the questions I did have for you is that 637 00:35:25,840 --> 00:35:28,680 Speaker 1: the The Inventing Anna Show does this, but I've also 638 00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:32,920 Speaker 1: seen it kind of glimmers of it, and other scammers 639 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:35,280 Speaker 1: and just sort of in media in general, this idea 640 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 1: of like scamming and lying kind of being rebranded as 641 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:42,280 Speaker 1: hustling or trying to achieve the American Dream or worse, 642 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:47,320 Speaker 1: girl bossing. You know, I get, I completely, like logistically 643 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:50,440 Speaker 1: understand why that's how it's framed or why it's how 644 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:53,440 Speaker 1: it's reframed, But it's such an easy narrative, but I, 645 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:56,680 Speaker 1: you know, I think it's kind of harmful to reframe 646 00:35:57,400 --> 00:36:00,839 Speaker 1: feeling from people and lying from people as hustling and 647 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:03,360 Speaker 1: girl bossing and leadership. And I guess my question is like, 648 00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:04,799 Speaker 1: what are your thoughts about that. Have you seen this 649 00:36:04,880 --> 00:36:05,799 Speaker 1: and what do you think about it? 650 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:09,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's lazy. I just I think it's lazy, 651 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:12,000 Speaker 2: and I do think it does it It does do 652 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:17,799 Speaker 2: damage to the reality. You know, it's so backwards to 653 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:22,719 Speaker 2: attempt to make something about like classism, racism, sexism, and 654 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:27,200 Speaker 2: then to frame it in a way that is promoting 655 00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:30,880 Speaker 2: someone who couldn't care less about those issues unless they're 656 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:34,960 Speaker 2: serving their own agenda. Like that is such a disservice 657 00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:38,279 Speaker 2: to people who are actually working to real you know, 658 00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:43,920 Speaker 2: to explore and explore these issues and create positive change 659 00:36:43,920 --> 00:36:47,840 Speaker 2: in ways that are actually meaningful and substantive, especially in 660 00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:51,080 Speaker 2: the past I don't even know how many years, I 661 00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:54,840 Speaker 2: guess like ten years or so, maybe less, like these 662 00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:58,840 Speaker 2: these sort of catch all buzzwords like like feminism or 663 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:05,440 Speaker 2: like it's greet there's a performative activism that that features 664 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:10,520 Speaker 2: words that have become trendy and and like missions that 665 00:37:10,560 --> 00:37:13,560 Speaker 2: have become trendy, and I think shows like this have 666 00:37:13,680 --> 00:37:15,000 Speaker 2: kind of glommed on to that. 667 00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:19,200 Speaker 1: I told you I watched the finale of the show 668 00:37:19,239 --> 00:37:22,320 Speaker 1: on Piboloo, the dropout about Elizabeth Holmes and the Saraho 669 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:25,400 Speaker 1: Scam Lady. There was a time in feminism where like 670 00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:30,480 Speaker 1: a woman, like a woman like making money that was feminism. 671 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:33,160 Speaker 1: I do think there's a kind of it's sort of 672 00:37:33,160 --> 00:37:38,279 Speaker 1: a it's sort of like era feminism I'm not proud of, 673 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:40,880 Speaker 1: where yeah, if you were just a woman who was 674 00:37:41,080 --> 00:37:44,279 Speaker 1: making like out for herself and making money, that was 675 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:46,440 Speaker 1: seen as like a feminist win, and we didn't really 676 00:37:46,440 --> 00:37:48,520 Speaker 1: ask a lot of questions about are you harming people? 677 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:51,520 Speaker 1: Are you you know, like like we didn't really ask 678 00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:54,879 Speaker 1: a lot of questions. And I think that I kind 679 00:37:54,920 --> 00:37:56,960 Speaker 1: of see this era kind of maybe coming to a close, 680 00:37:57,080 --> 00:37:59,880 Speaker 1: I hope, But I think that that era really all 681 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:05,880 Speaker 1: out for women to be lauded as feminist icons for 682 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:08,960 Speaker 1: doing things that actually hurt other people at their own expense. 683 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:12,799 Speaker 2: I don't think the answer to chauvinism is a form 684 00:38:12,840 --> 00:38:17,239 Speaker 2: of feminism that mirrors the same thing, like that reverses 685 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 2: that that negative way of being. Like, I do think 686 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:25,360 Speaker 2: sometimes pendulums swing too far before they kind of find 687 00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:29,160 Speaker 2: their middle, and it seems like that's what happened. It's like, well, 688 00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:31,960 Speaker 2: you did this for so long, therefore, like it's my 689 00:38:32,040 --> 00:38:34,480 Speaker 2: time to do it, and we should celebrate the fact 690 00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:39,839 Speaker 2: that I'm doing it. It's I think it's it's hard 691 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:41,719 Speaker 2: sometimes to see that when you're in it, and when 692 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:46,800 Speaker 2: it's a reaction rather than like like it's it's reactive 693 00:38:46,880 --> 00:38:49,920 Speaker 2: rather than proactive. Right, So it's it's like finding a 694 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:52,440 Speaker 2: way to exist as a woman in reaction to to 695 00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:54,520 Speaker 2: what men have done wrong, rather than just finding a 696 00:38:54,520 --> 00:38:59,120 Speaker 2: way to exist as a woman. I don't have solutions, 697 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:02,160 Speaker 2: but I see the friend as well, and I guess 698 00:39:02,200 --> 00:39:04,600 Speaker 2: one thing related to the who we showed. But I 699 00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:09,120 Speaker 2: think that show actually strikes me as I mean, obviously 700 00:39:09,160 --> 00:39:11,120 Speaker 2: what she did does not strike me as something that 701 00:39:11,160 --> 00:39:13,719 Speaker 2: was done well. But the show I thought did a 702 00:39:15,040 --> 00:39:19,640 Speaker 2: good job actually of dramatizing real life events because they 703 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:23,279 Speaker 2: framed her in a way that felt very true to 704 00:39:23,440 --> 00:39:27,359 Speaker 2: the actual sequencing of what happened. Like I read Bad 705 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:30,759 Speaker 2: Blood by John care You and it felt like it, 706 00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:34,480 Speaker 2: you know, it followed a fact pattern, and it framed 707 00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:37,840 Speaker 2: her not as someone that everybody was. I mean, you 708 00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:40,120 Speaker 2: saw how she was celebrated, but that was true to 709 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:41,840 Speaker 2: the way that it happened in real life. It was 710 00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:46,120 Speaker 2: very true to the mixed reactions she received, And I 711 00:39:46,120 --> 00:39:49,759 Speaker 2: thought Amanda Seeping did an amazing job of not of 712 00:39:49,880 --> 00:39:53,520 Speaker 2: like gleefully sort of relishing like the shtick of the 713 00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:57,520 Speaker 2: con but just in framing this sort of very misguided, 714 00:39:57,920 --> 00:40:02,960 Speaker 2: probably like psychologically unhealthy person who like just kind of 715 00:40:04,280 --> 00:40:07,839 Speaker 2: lacked a certain like human ship that allowed her to 716 00:40:07,960 --> 00:40:13,240 Speaker 2: understand the importance of her decision making on real lives. 717 00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:17,400 Speaker 2: It just was such a foil for me when I 718 00:40:17,440 --> 00:40:20,200 Speaker 2: watched that versus what I'd seen and Inventing Anna, which 719 00:40:20,719 --> 00:40:23,839 Speaker 2: really just looked like something that had been made by 720 00:40:23,920 --> 00:40:27,280 Speaker 2: people who really bought into what Anna was selling. 721 00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:30,960 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, I so I am happy to hear 722 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:32,960 Speaker 1: you say this. I felt the exact person of all 723 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:35,919 Speaker 1: Inventing Anna, all all of the issues that you brought 724 00:40:35,960 --> 00:40:38,480 Speaker 1: up with it, Yes, but also just like with a 725 00:40:38,600 --> 00:40:41,440 Speaker 1: slog to watch, like I wanted to watch it before 726 00:40:41,480 --> 00:40:43,759 Speaker 1: I talked to you, and literally my partner was like, 727 00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:46,240 Speaker 1: I feel like you've been watching this show for a decade, 728 00:40:46,280 --> 00:40:48,680 Speaker 1: and I was like, you and me both just wasn't 729 00:40:48,719 --> 00:40:52,279 Speaker 1: an enterhating show. And I guess having that having like 730 00:40:52,360 --> 00:40:55,920 Speaker 1: I felt the Dropout was different because it had empathy 731 00:40:56,040 --> 00:40:58,040 Speaker 1: for the people who were harmed, right Like you saw 732 00:40:58,160 --> 00:41:00,920 Speaker 1: these people who were you know, had cancer and we're 733 00:41:00,960 --> 00:41:03,360 Speaker 1: involved in these blood these blood trials. You know. It 734 00:41:03,400 --> 00:41:07,239 Speaker 1: had empathy for the whistleblowers who risked so much of 735 00:41:07,280 --> 00:41:09,719 Speaker 1: their of their selves to come forward. I felt like 736 00:41:10,080 --> 00:41:15,520 Speaker 1: it was a show that managed to demonstrate the kind 737 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:21,080 Speaker 1: of seductive you know, cult a personality around a scammer 738 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:24,600 Speaker 1: without falling prey to it, and inventing Annah was exactly 739 00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:25,319 Speaker 1: the opposite. 740 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:27,680 Speaker 2: It was done, Yeah, it was done so thoughtfully. It 741 00:41:27,680 --> 00:41:30,879 Speaker 2: had such depth to it because yeah, of course there 742 00:41:30,880 --> 00:41:34,320 Speaker 2: were people who like popped on the bandwagon and celebrated 743 00:41:34,320 --> 00:41:37,440 Speaker 2: Harry Like. It was just the full range of people 744 00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:42,680 Speaker 2: who were made to read like real life people. You know. 745 00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:46,520 Speaker 2: I think Inventing Anna flattened everybody. And there's a way 746 00:41:46,520 --> 00:41:48,640 Speaker 2: that can be done in like a show like Gossip 747 00:41:48,680 --> 00:41:51,960 Speaker 2: Girl or a show that is meant to be and 748 00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:53,520 Speaker 2: in some ways I guess this is but meant to 749 00:41:53,520 --> 00:41:58,640 Speaker 2: be about materialism and superficiality. But to reduce something like this, 750 00:41:58,680 --> 00:42:02,160 Speaker 2: we're real, real crime were committed, real people's lives were impacted. 751 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:04,239 Speaker 2: It wasn't just these like faceless things. There are people 752 00:42:04,239 --> 00:42:07,440 Speaker 2: who lose jobs. They're people who obviously are not obviously 753 00:42:07,520 --> 00:42:09,840 Speaker 2: if we're obvious, that wouldn't be a problem. But there 754 00:42:09,840 --> 00:42:11,840 Speaker 2: are people who weren't included in the Kirk you know, 755 00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:16,560 Speaker 2: the court case. She definitely committed so many offenses that 756 00:42:16,960 --> 00:42:20,080 Speaker 2: harmed your life people. So I think to flatten something 757 00:42:20,160 --> 00:42:23,880 Speaker 2: like that into this like very frivolous, like fun, glossy 758 00:42:24,400 --> 00:42:27,040 Speaker 2: slog of a TV show full stuff, I don't know, 759 00:42:27,160 --> 00:42:28,040 Speaker 2: do dot. 760 00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:30,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, it's there were times where I was like, 761 00:42:30,880 --> 00:42:32,920 Speaker 1: are you meant to be rooting for Anna in the show? 762 00:42:33,040 --> 00:42:36,279 Speaker 1: And then the I think the richest part is at 763 00:42:36,320 --> 00:42:39,640 Speaker 1: the end, where the biggest crime the show seems to 764 00:42:39,640 --> 00:42:42,640 Speaker 1: suggest has been committed is the character that shares your 765 00:42:42,680 --> 00:42:46,879 Speaker 1: same name. She's like like nep is, like you're a 766 00:42:46,920 --> 00:42:50,400 Speaker 1: bad friend, and it's like, well, Anna went to jail, 767 00:42:50,560 --> 00:42:53,200 Speaker 1: Like come on, I. 768 00:42:53,120 --> 00:42:56,239 Speaker 2: Know, I get, I mean, and people really believe all 769 00:42:56,239 --> 00:42:59,040 Speaker 2: that is fact, Like you were like she bankroll drew 770 00:42:59,200 --> 00:43:02,719 Speaker 2: you for two years, and like I know better than 771 00:43:02,760 --> 00:43:04,880 Speaker 2: to feed the trolls on the internet, Like it's not 772 00:43:04,960 --> 00:43:09,120 Speaker 2: my job to to like educate people about fact, like what, 773 00:43:10,360 --> 00:43:11,920 Speaker 2: like the truth is out there if anybody wants to 774 00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:13,640 Speaker 2: look for it. But like I didn't even know her 775 00:43:13,680 --> 00:43:17,839 Speaker 2: that long. She didn't have thing like but yeah, so 776 00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:20,960 Speaker 2: to have have it framed as though, like where's the loyalty, 777 00:43:21,040 --> 00:43:23,600 Speaker 2: It's like this is someone you know, we were not 778 00:43:23,840 --> 00:43:25,960 Speaker 2: best friends. I knew her for and also look what 779 00:43:26,040 --> 00:43:28,719 Speaker 2: she did. Look at the pattern of her behavior. At 780 00:43:28,719 --> 00:43:32,600 Speaker 2: what point, why are you suggesting people who are in 781 00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:38,320 Speaker 2: these like manipulative relationships, do they friendships or whatever like that, 782 00:43:38,320 --> 00:43:41,080 Speaker 2: that they are doing something wrong by choosing to leave 783 00:43:41,160 --> 00:43:45,759 Speaker 2: something that is so harmful. Like that's bizarre. That's like, 784 00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:48,399 Speaker 2: that's a very bizarre thing to say. Also, the show 785 00:43:48,440 --> 00:43:51,520 Speaker 2: rearranged it as though I had been reimbursed before the 786 00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:54,239 Speaker 2: trial and that I like kept the secret of my 787 00:43:54,320 --> 00:43:57,120 Speaker 2: involvement with her arrest, like like or kept out a 788 00:43:57,120 --> 00:44:00,839 Speaker 2: secret like didn't happen. I was protected to years after 789 00:44:00,960 --> 00:44:05,680 Speaker 2: Marrakesh after the trial concluded. I didn't keep my involvement 790 00:44:05,719 --> 00:44:08,759 Speaker 2: in this sting some kind of like grand secret. I 791 00:44:08,760 --> 00:44:11,879 Speaker 2: wasn't ashamed of it, but I wasn't that close with 792 00:44:12,000 --> 00:44:14,319 Speaker 2: like Naphra Casey, you know, I like them I don't. 793 00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:17,120 Speaker 2: I have nothing negative to say. It's like, fine, everybody 794 00:44:17,120 --> 00:44:20,759 Speaker 2: can look back and see things through their lenses and 795 00:44:20,800 --> 00:44:23,920 Speaker 2: that's you know, it is what it is. But we 796 00:44:23,920 --> 00:44:27,800 Speaker 2: weren't in touch. It's not like I owed people explanations. 797 00:44:28,000 --> 00:44:30,440 Speaker 2: I was out more than they made any They were 798 00:44:30,480 --> 00:44:32,520 Speaker 2: not left in any kind of like debt or like 799 00:44:32,560 --> 00:44:35,759 Speaker 2: there was no ongoing relationship there. So to suggest that 800 00:44:35,840 --> 00:44:39,680 Speaker 2: by not reaching out to say hello, like this is 801 00:44:39,680 --> 00:44:42,600 Speaker 2: what I have done, and like, it's like that's just weird, 802 00:44:43,040 --> 00:44:44,280 Speaker 2: does it? It doesn't make any sense. 803 00:44:44,719 --> 00:44:48,319 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I think people people understand the way these 804 00:44:48,360 --> 00:44:52,080 Speaker 1: relationships and acquaintanceships work in their own lives and it's like, 805 00:44:52,719 --> 00:44:54,520 Speaker 1: of course that would be like you wouldn't owe these 806 00:44:54,520 --> 00:44:57,239 Speaker 1: people anything or you wouldn't owe like you know, But 807 00:44:57,480 --> 00:45:01,600 Speaker 1: when it's someone else and that the minutia of those 808 00:45:01,640 --> 00:45:05,800 Speaker 1: relationships are like projected for everyone to pick apart, suddenly 809 00:45:05,840 --> 00:45:07,640 Speaker 1: it's like, oh, well, why would she do this? Doesn't 810 00:45:07,680 --> 00:45:10,120 Speaker 1: she have loyalty? And it's like, well, calm down, think 811 00:45:10,120 --> 00:45:12,719 Speaker 1: about how this at go down if it was you, Like, 812 00:45:12,760 --> 00:45:14,759 Speaker 1: we all understand that in our own lives, but when 813 00:45:14,760 --> 00:45:16,920 Speaker 1: it's somebody else, I think it's like different. 814 00:45:17,719 --> 00:45:21,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, evidently, and I understand people don't tune into shows 815 00:45:21,440 --> 00:45:24,440 Speaker 2: like this to really think very analytically. It's mostly about 816 00:45:24,480 --> 00:45:26,920 Speaker 2: just getting a good laugh at other people's expense, and 817 00:45:26,960 --> 00:45:29,200 Speaker 2: like I, you know, I do too. It's fine, Like 818 00:45:29,400 --> 00:45:32,560 Speaker 2: I'm not. I certainly can't like hate on people for 819 00:45:32,680 --> 00:45:37,080 Speaker 2: being human, like that's how this works. I just I 820 00:45:37,120 --> 00:45:40,520 Speaker 2: think that the frivolity of it does can feel something 821 00:45:40,560 --> 00:45:43,319 Speaker 2: that is a bigger picture problem, as I have said, 822 00:45:43,680 --> 00:45:46,399 Speaker 2: which is why I figure, if I'm stuck in this 823 00:45:46,400 --> 00:45:50,960 Speaker 2: this like dumpster fire anyway, I might as well shy 824 00:45:51,000 --> 00:45:53,440 Speaker 2: and like send up a smoke signal about you know, 825 00:45:53,560 --> 00:45:56,759 Speaker 2: red flags that I know a little too well from 826 00:45:56,840 --> 00:45:57,880 Speaker 2: firsthand experience. 827 00:45:58,920 --> 00:46:01,440 Speaker 1: Yes, speaking of your stain experience. One of the last 828 00:46:01,520 --> 00:46:03,680 Speaker 1: questions I have is, like, what has it just been 829 00:46:03,880 --> 00:46:07,080 Speaker 1: like for you, Rachel, the person going through this, getting 830 00:46:07,160 --> 00:46:11,160 Speaker 1: the social media's trolls, getting people who have maybe been 831 00:46:11,239 --> 00:46:15,040 Speaker 1: misled about what happened from the television show. What has 832 00:46:15,080 --> 00:46:18,040 Speaker 1: it been like to deal with that on online? 833 00:46:18,520 --> 00:46:25,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it's it's definitely not easy. But I'm 834 00:46:25,239 --> 00:46:30,280 Speaker 2: mindful of the like I'm I'm mindful of my privilege 835 00:46:30,280 --> 00:46:34,680 Speaker 2: and my luck. Just to have like such supportive family 836 00:46:34,719 --> 00:46:39,160 Speaker 2: and friends, to have an awareness of exactly what it 837 00:46:39,239 --> 00:46:41,160 Speaker 2: is that is happening. You know, part of it I 838 00:46:41,239 --> 00:46:43,480 Speaker 2: learned the hard way, just through gaslighting with Anna to 839 00:46:43,520 --> 00:46:47,480 Speaker 2: begin with, and now through what I've learned in looking 840 00:46:47,520 --> 00:46:52,719 Speaker 2: back and what happened looking at like I guess, I mean, 841 00:46:52,719 --> 00:46:54,480 Speaker 2: writing the book helped me a lot, just in terms 842 00:46:54,520 --> 00:46:57,600 Speaker 2: of sort of looking at the pattern of behavior as 843 00:46:57,600 --> 00:47:00,120 Speaker 2: a pattern rather than like this. When you're in a 844 00:47:00,200 --> 00:47:02,120 Speaker 2: relationship like that, it's really hard to see anything as 845 00:47:02,160 --> 00:47:04,480 Speaker 2: black and white, because it's not. Life is gray. But 846 00:47:04,560 --> 00:47:06,799 Speaker 2: looking back, things seem so much clearer to me. So 847 00:47:07,000 --> 00:47:09,839 Speaker 2: I'm grateful to have had people who believe me, who 848 00:47:09,920 --> 00:47:14,080 Speaker 2: like like a platform to speak from, the opportunity to speak, 849 00:47:15,280 --> 00:47:19,000 Speaker 2: which all that is to say it's hard. But part 850 00:47:19,040 --> 00:47:21,560 Speaker 2: of the reason I'm speaking up about it is because 851 00:47:21,600 --> 00:47:24,680 Speaker 2: I think the structure of the Netflix show, or this 852 00:47:24,800 --> 00:47:28,880 Speaker 2: broader pattern that's happening, it does a disservice to people 853 00:47:28,880 --> 00:47:32,000 Speaker 2: who don't have that ability to understand what's happening to them, 854 00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:34,440 Speaker 2: who might not get to hear stories like this because 855 00:47:34,440 --> 00:47:37,760 Speaker 2: people are ashamed or they're scared of the victim blaming, 856 00:47:37,800 --> 00:47:41,400 Speaker 2: which is completely fair. It's not it's I mean, it's 857 00:47:41,480 --> 00:47:44,640 Speaker 2: wild and it you know, I can have my feet 858 00:47:44,680 --> 00:47:46,960 Speaker 2: on the ground and my head on my shoulders, and 859 00:47:47,400 --> 00:47:49,799 Speaker 2: if I sit there and read that for longer than 860 00:47:49,880 --> 00:47:53,759 Speaker 2: maybe like ten minutes, like it, even if you know that, 861 00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:57,200 Speaker 2: you know it's actually not about you, doesn't feel good 862 00:47:57,200 --> 00:47:59,440 Speaker 2: to have that kind of energy coming Like I mean 863 00:47:59,440 --> 00:48:02,239 Speaker 2: that sounds so wo but like that kind of hostility 864 00:48:02,320 --> 00:48:04,640 Speaker 2: coming at you, Like it's like death by paper cuts. 865 00:48:04,640 --> 00:48:06,439 Speaker 2: Like you can be the strongest rock in the water, 866 00:48:06,520 --> 00:48:09,359 Speaker 2: but like if it keeps running, like you're gonna get 867 00:48:09,360 --> 00:48:14,640 Speaker 2: worn down. So it's hard, but I recognize that it's harder, 868 00:48:14,760 --> 00:48:19,919 Speaker 2: so much harder for so many other people, And uh yeah, 869 00:48:20,000 --> 00:48:21,320 Speaker 2: then I can be pretty nasty. 870 00:48:22,440 --> 00:48:25,680 Speaker 1: We've talked a lot about how the dangers that come 871 00:48:25,719 --> 00:48:27,800 Speaker 1: when we give out, when we willingly give our attention 872 00:48:28,000 --> 00:48:31,919 Speaker 1: a way to liars and scammers and people who are 873 00:48:32,080 --> 00:48:37,160 Speaker 1: outrageous and extreme. Do you ever see a situation where 874 00:48:37,719 --> 00:48:44,120 Speaker 1: things like nuance, thoughtfulness, honest, accurate content will be amplified 875 00:48:44,239 --> 00:48:47,799 Speaker 1: over that kind of extremism and lies? Do you think 876 00:48:47,800 --> 00:48:49,880 Speaker 1: that we're this is just it forever or do you 877 00:48:49,920 --> 00:48:55,319 Speaker 1: see it? Do you see a change coming, I. 878 00:48:55,280 --> 00:48:59,440 Speaker 2: Mean, as evidenced bypass behavior. I am kind of a 879 00:48:59,480 --> 00:49:03,120 Speaker 2: willful optimists through and through, and that is just who 880 00:49:03,160 --> 00:49:06,120 Speaker 2: I am, so I always hope for that, you know, 881 00:49:08,280 --> 00:49:13,080 Speaker 2: I do think the damage done by what you just said, 882 00:49:13,239 --> 00:49:16,960 Speaker 2: like the pattern. What I'm trying to say is the 883 00:49:16,960 --> 00:49:22,560 Speaker 2: truth will out, And it's one thing to think the 884 00:49:22,600 --> 00:49:27,600 Speaker 2: pattern of celebrating these individuals does do harm. That is 885 00:49:27,680 --> 00:49:32,840 Speaker 2: and will be visible until there is a movement in 886 00:49:32,880 --> 00:49:36,400 Speaker 2: the opposite direction. So I think we've already seen that, 887 00:49:36,680 --> 00:49:40,760 Speaker 2: like from like Me Too forward, where people are starting 888 00:49:40,800 --> 00:49:43,000 Speaker 2: to pay attention to things in a different way and 889 00:49:43,120 --> 00:49:49,160 Speaker 2: actually attempt to hold outlets and individuals to account. I 890 00:49:49,200 --> 00:49:52,200 Speaker 2: just think it's in very specific arenas thus far that 891 00:49:52,200 --> 00:49:54,719 Speaker 2: that seems to be happening. And I think people like 892 00:49:54,840 --> 00:49:59,400 Speaker 2: to to sort of pretend that things they do for 893 00:49:59,520 --> 00:50:03,799 Speaker 2: entertainment don't touch on the same subjects or don't have 894 00:50:03,880 --> 00:50:08,600 Speaker 2: the same impact or our seriousness, and that, to me 895 00:50:08,840 --> 00:50:13,640 Speaker 2: is that that's the slippery slope. I hope that people 896 00:50:13,920 --> 00:50:19,120 Speaker 2: recognize these things are not separate. They're inextricably linked to 897 00:50:19,160 --> 00:50:24,480 Speaker 2: the way that we as a culture celebrate people and 898 00:50:25,880 --> 00:50:26,840 Speaker 2: former beliefs. 899 00:50:27,480 --> 00:50:34,520 Speaker 1: That's really smart, Got a story about an interesting thing 900 00:50:34,560 --> 00:50:36,560 Speaker 1: in tech, or just want to say hi. You can 901 00:50:36,640 --> 00:50:38,839 Speaker 1: reach us at Hello at tangody dot com. You can 902 00:50:38,880 --> 00:50:41,799 Speaker 1: also find transcripts for today's episode at tengody dot com. 903 00:50:41,960 --> 00:50:43,600 Speaker 1: There Are No Girls on the Internet was created by 904 00:50:43,640 --> 00:50:46,640 Speaker 1: me Brigit Toad. It's a production of iHeartRadio and Unbossed 905 00:50:46,640 --> 00:50:50,279 Speaker 1: creative Jonathan Strickland as our executive producer. Tari Harrison is 906 00:50:50,280 --> 00:50:53,920 Speaker 1: our producer and sound engineer. Michael Amado is our contributing producer. 907 00:50:54,200 --> 00:50:57,279 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Bridgetad. If you want to help us grow, 908 00:50:57,440 --> 00:51:01,319 Speaker 1: rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. More podcasts from iHeartRadio, 909 00:51:01,440 --> 00:51:03,759 Speaker 1: check out the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 910 00:51:03,800 --> 00:51:04,719 Speaker 1: get your podcasts.