Health Is Hell

Welcome back to season 6 of Tales of Taboo. I've missed you.  Affairs are by no means good or fair, but they rarely have malicious intent. More often, they're about quelling the ways adult life can be lonely and disappointing.   This week's lustful anonymous confessors began their affairs in Paris nightclubs, Las Vegas strip clubs, and European hideaways; on Seeking Arrangements and Ashley Madison; at work, via email, and though the phone. They fell for their clients, coworkers, bosses - even doctors! While the physical circumstances vary greatly, our storytellers all admit to strikingly similar emotional motivations: trauma, abuse, sexual rejection, unhappy marriages, insecurity, the loss of love. And the words they use to describe the way their paramours made them feel are the same, too: ‘sexy', ‘pretty', ‘desired', ‘chosen', ‘adventurous', ‘appreciated', ‘valuable', ‘validated', ‘liked', ‘loved'. I mean, how many times do we get presented with an all-encompassing romantic attraction that makes us really feel something? That isn't circumstantial, or a void filler, or in pursuit of domestic stability? Where it's just this inexplicable, chemical heat?  I'm not saying it's right. I'm just saying it's complicated. ~ Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Share your own confession - or love letters and hate mail - at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram & TikTok @aliweissworld. Audio production by Chris Stathopolous and WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. If you love the show, please take a moment to leave a rating and review - it's immensely helpful for expanding our network of anonymous confessors around the world. Thank you!

Some reviews on Apple Podcasts suggest y'all are sick of hearing me talk about myself and quite frankly, I am too! So, we are concluding the solo season an episode shy of the 10 I initially intended to make :) To wrap things up, I spend this final week reflecting on my so-called “Year of Rest and Relaxation,” or the year I ran my savings down to 0 dollars, learned how to separate my self-worth from work, came to terms with my ADHD, took a cold, hard look at my Pretty Privilege, re-evaluated my over-active social life, and divorced myself from limiting expectations within romantic relationships.  I decided to start recording alone at 30 while feeling like a directionless failure; now, I'm newly 31 and a smarter, softer, more grounded and - dare I say it? - adult version of myself. I'm SO glad I decided to go on this ride publicly, and am grateful for every single one of you who strapped in next to me and said “let's do this.” Now - back to anonymous confessions! ~ Magic Mind is an amazing replacement for both coffee and Adderall (either prescription or not), and has completely changed my relationship to caffeine. Go to ⁠⁠⁠https://www.magicmind.com/talesoftaboo⁠⁠⁠ and for the next 10 days, get up to 50% off your first subscription and 20% off a one-time purchase with my code TABOO. ~ Physique 57 literally transformed my body in only 8 classes. Use my code TABOO to save $10 on your On Demand monthly membership - plus you can start with a 14-day FREE trial. Code applied automatically at checkout. Click here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ondemand.physique57.com/orders/customer_info?o=80200&d=TABOO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ~ Love letters? Hate mail? Share your thoughts at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram & TikTok @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Wolf Taylor, Aamir Augustine, and Angelito Casal at WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts & G-Strings are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

Those of you who have been following me since the Health Is Hell era will probably remember the iconic videos I used to post with my beloved Grandma Jean. To the outside the world, she and I seemed to have the warmest, funniest, most loving relationship, and for the majority of my life we did. The truth was, though, those videos were made as my coping mechanism during the beginning of her long and painful struggle with Dementia. 4 years later, my grandma is no longer my grandma: she's cold, paranoid, angry, manic. Her memory and life force are gone. I still see her, but I don't recognize her anymore. Nobody ever talks about the unique pain that comes with mourning the death of somebody who is still alive. So, I figured I'd give it a try. To anybody out there with loved ones whose brains and bodies are being eaten by Dementia or Alzheimer's - I'm so sorry, and you're not alone. ~ Magic Mind is an amazing replacement for both coffee and Adderall (either prescription or not), and has completely changed my relationship to caffeine. Go to ⁠⁠https://www.magicmind.com/talesoftaboo⁠⁠ and for the next 10 days, get up to 50% off your first subscription and 20% off a one-time purchase with my code TABOO. ~ Physique 57 literally transformed my body in only 8 classes. Use my code TABOO to save $10 on your On Demand monthly membership - plus you can start with a 14-day FREE trial. Code applied automatically at checkout. Click here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ondemand.physique57.com/orders/customer_info?o=80200&d=TABOO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ~ Love letters? Hate mail? Share your thoughts at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram & TikTok @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Wolf Taylor, Aamir Augustine, and Angelito Casal at WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts & G-Strings are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

Picking up where we left off on the journey through my party girl past...in 2018, after my now-infamous Katz's Deli bottom-outing incident, I moved to LA for 3 months and experimented with Cali Sobriety. It was…wild, and definitely nowhere near sober! When the pandemic came, I explored PROPER sobriety, and it taught me so much about my ADHD and ability (or lack thereof) to self-regulate and soothe. In fact, it completely changed my life. I dive into how ‘raw dogging reality' has gotten me back in touch with my inner child; my stance on hallucinogenics as alcohol replacement; dealing with dating, sex, and general peer pressure while sober; and finally, where I stand with alcohol (and partying as a whole) currently. ~ Physique 57 literally transformed my body in only 8 classes. Use my code TABOO to save $10 on your On Demand monthly membership - plus you can start with a 14-day FREE trial. Code applied automatically at checkout. Click here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ondemand.physique57.com/orders/customer_info?o=80200&d=TABOO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ~ Love letters? Hate mail? Share your thoughts at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram & TikTok @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Wolf Taylor & Aamir Augustine at WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts & G-Strings are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

Gossip Girl, here - your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite...no, but actually. If you've ever wondered what it was like to grow up in New York City, you've come to the right place. We're foraying DEEP into my party girl past over the next 2 weeks, and for part 1, let's throw it back to 2008-2011: the golden years of Jeffrey Campbells, tabloid mayhem, Indie Sleaze, Gossip Girl, and - how lucky was I? - Ali in high school. Starting from my very first memory of getting drunk (at my own chaperoned house party, iconic), and weaving through hookah bars, warehouses in pre-gentrified Brooklyn, rooftops, Meatpacking District clubs, teen charity galas, raves, and the best electronic music festival in North America, I'm revisiting every step of my burgeoning obsession with nightlife - and getting f*cked up... Then, because all pleasure comes with pain, we'll grin and bear my college years, where I drowned under depression and bottom-shelf liquor, threw Playboy Mansion-themed parties, studied abroad in London, and started thinking about getting sober... And we'll end 5 years later, at the moment I blacked out in Katz's Deli eating a pastrami sandwich - and decided to move to LA to finally experiment with "Cali Sobriety." Part 2 next week! ~ Magic Mind is an amazing replacement for both coffee and Adderall (either prescription or not), and has completely changed my relationship to caffeine. Go to https://www.magicmind.com/talesoftaboo and for the next 10 days, get up to 50% off your first subscription and 20% off a one-time purchase with my code TABOO. ~ Physique 57 literally transformed my body in only 8 classes. Use my code TABOO to save $10 on your On Demand monthly membership - plus you can start with a 14-day FREE trial. Code applied automatically at checkout. Click here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ondemand.physique57.com/orders/customer_info?o=80200&d=TABOO⁠⁠⁠⁠  ~ Love letters? Hate mail? Share your thoughts at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram & TikTok @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Wolf Taylor & Aamir Augustine at WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts & G-Strings are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

I've been getting a lot of feedback on Instagram (mostly from far-right men, duh) about how it's "embarrassing" and "pathetic" that I've admitted to sometimes still feeling like a teenager at 30. Not only does a husband, child, and home ownership sound deeply unappealing to me right now, but I don't think those things actually constitute an "adult." I know I can't be the only person out there who isn't following, and doesn't necessarily want to follow, all of society's guidelines for how to correctly "grow up." In pursuit of defining what the f*ck adulthood even means, I get extremely candid about living with my parents until I was 28, and now living with 2 roommates (my ex-boyfriend & gay best friend); working my way up to a 6 figure salary but mismanaging all of my money (and then losing my job); actively growing apart from some friends and closer to others as everyone's path starts to diverge with marriage and children; and my new relationship, which I'm so happy in but have deliberately NOT centered around the idea of "settling down." ~ Physique 57 literally transformed my body in only 8 classes. Use my code TABOO to save $10 on your On Demand monthly membership - plus you can start with a 14-day free trial! Code applied automatically at checkout. Click here: ⁠⁠https://ondemand.physique57.com/orders/customer_info?o=80200&d=TABOO⁠⁠  ~ Share your own confession - or love letters and hate mail - at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram & TikTok @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Wolf Taylor & Aamir Augustine at WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts & G-Strings are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

In our sex-crazed, beauty-obsessed culture, why is it still so taboo for beautiful women to admit to CONSCIOUSLY (and shamelessly!) using their looks for personal, professional, and financial gain? The truth is, my appearance has been responsible for the majority of what I was able to achieve throughout my 20s — not just professionally as an on-air host, model (groan), and content creator, but in navigating a wide variety of global social scenes and subcultures, too. Though who I am as a person made the magic happen, the way I look always opened the door - for better or worse.  I have zero regrets, but at 30, I'm starting to focus more on developing the parts of myself that aren't perceptible. To be looked at and *seen* is an immense privilege, but it also led to an over-dependence on the reaction I solicit from others - even outside of audition rooms or sound stages. In certain ways, it's led to the dissolution of important emotional boundaries, too. (Like, why tf do I feel numb to sexual harassment?) The truth is, the things that make me feel truly SEXY have nothing to do with my face or body - they're totally internal. And contrary to what society wants women to believe, most of them have come with age! ~ Vella's Women's Pleasure Serum is a pre-play lotion that makes it easier to have orgasms and makes orgasms more intense - and it's totally changed my relationship to sex. Use code TABOO20 for 20% off at vellabioscience.com. Use my code TABOO to save $10 on your On Demand monthly membership at Physique 57 - plus start with a 14-day free trial. Code applied automatically at checkout. Click here: ⁠https://ondemand.physique57.com/orders/customer_info?o=80200&d=TABOO⁠  ~ Share your own confession - or love letters and hate mail - at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram & TikTok @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Wolf Taylor & Aamir Augustine at WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts & G-Strings are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

2 years ago, I found myself in perhaps the most taboo situation: unexpectedly pregnant, and making the subsequent decision to have a medical abortion. I was 28, in a happy relationship, and financially stable: from the outside people would say I was equipped to see, and “should have" seen, my pregnancy through. Emotionally, however, I was - and am - far from ready to be a mother. The decision to abort was easy; admitting to it publicly was not. In light of the ongoing battle over women's reproductive rights in America - and now, specifically, over the abortion pill - I've decided to re-release this episode. Many women in media, and throughout liberal areas of the country, are openly, vocally pro-choice; however, rarely (if ever) do those who've actually had an abortion shamelessly speak up about it. Of course I understand - no one, including myself, wants to be judged, attacked, or outcasted. But silence keeps the process misunderstood and stigmatized to the outsider, and deeply lonely for those who have gone through it. The pain of having nobody to talk to is far worse than the procedure itself. I don't expect to change the world by telling my story, but maybe laughing and crying about it will give others the strength to speak out, too. At the least, I hope to comfort those who feel alone, confused, or afraid in their journeys, as I very much did mine.  ~ This episode is sponsored by Physique 57. Use my code TABOO to save $10 on your On Demand monthly membership - plus start with a 14-day free trial. Code applied automatically at checkout. Click here: https://ondemand.physique57.com/orders/customer_info?o=80200&d=TABOO  ~ Share your own confession - or love letters and hate mail - at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram & TikTok @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Wolf Taylor & Aamir Augustine at WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts & G-Strings are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

I've noticed an increasing trend on social media, especially TikTok, where people are creating personal brands out of mental health struggles - specifically, ADHD, anxiety, and mood/behavioral disorders. Visibility is really important, but this approach rubs me the wrong way. When you have ADHD as an adult, it's rarely taken seriously - in fact, it's often glamorized, made the butt of jokes, or seen as an excuse for being lazy. In truth, ADHD and anxiety has kinda f*cked up my life, causing bouts of severe depression and stopping me from living up to my fullest potential. It's time to get real about what living with a 'disorder' looks like - well, at least through my mascara-ed eyes. Starting with a brutally honest list of my day-to-symptoms, we go deep into my complicated relationship to the word "crazy"; history with learning disabilities and mood disorders in school; bottoming out at college; the various coping mechanisms I developed over the years, including drugs and alcohol and developing an outlandish, hyper-confident persona; regrets I have about my past behavior and what I hope life will look like now that I've entered my 30s; and why Paris Hilton has become my unlikely mental health hero. ~ Share your own confession - or love letters and hate mail - at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram & TikTok @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Wolf Taylor & Aamir Augustine at WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts & G-Strings are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

Welcome back to Tales of Taboo! I've been so inspired by the past 3 years of being a safe space for your unconventional and so-called 'unacceptable' confessions, that I feel compelled to spend Season 5 speaking solo and on-the-record about my own. To kick it off, we're talking about failing. Or rather, "failing." Going into 2023, I felt like I had it all: a great partner, a six-figure hosting career, and the best body of creative work I'd ever produced. Then, everything disappeared. At the time of recording this episode, I was unemployed, broke, and single at 30 - plus, I accidentally deleted all of my past confessions episodes from my records. For the past 6 months, I've quietly been back at Square One in so many ways. I get real about my physical sickness-level burnout, why Season 4 was cut short (and why I kinda resented it), and how my professional responsibilities bled into my personal life and made me disregard my own feelings. But losing my job & sense of joy led me to re-evaluate & re-build my boundaries, and now, I'm optimistic about the future. Other people might consider me a big fat f***ing failure, but I actually feel like I'm ahead in many ways - because I love myself (and all of my flaws and shortcomings) more than I ever have. ~ Share your own confession - or love letters and hate mail - at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram & TikTok @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Aamir Augustine at WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts & G-Strings are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

The Fashion episode was such a hit that I decided to revamp and re-release another set of industry-related confessions. With casting help from DeuxMoi, we're coming out from behind the scenes and exploring life in front of the camera as a model. I open the episode with my own Tales of Taboo about my lulz attempt at a postgrad modeling career (you'll scream at the very off-brand national campaign I booked), and a few encounters with agents and casting directors that, as the kids say, 'altered my brain chemistry'. (10:50) Then, our anonymous contributors are or were signed in LA, London, Miami, Milan, New York, Paris, Seattle, and Texas, and represented by well-known agencies such as One Management, Genetics, Heffner, Next, Select, and Women (plus some others I've been asked not to name). They tell equally juicy and shocking stories about: -what it's like behind the scenes at Fashion Week & Miami Swim Week  -working for controversial brands like American Apparel and Yeezy -lesser-known but higher paying sectors of the industry, like e-comm and fit modeling -the harsh realities of diet + exercise routines (maintaining 35 inch hips!!) -model houses, club promoters, and international ‘yachting' trips -loneliness and depression brought on by working abroad -agency debt, and what success ACTUALLY looks like Plus, ON the record, we have agent Jane Belfry (@janebelfry) from BTWN Management breaking down the “body positivity movement” and model-turned-badass musician Dana Dentata (@danadentata) serving honest insight on everything from industry hyper-sexualization to working with icons like Ryan McGinley and Juergen Teller. ~ GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Share your own confession - or thoughts and feedback - at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram & TikTok @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Isabel McMahon & WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts & G-Strings are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

Which famous designer refused to pay for $100,000 worth of samples? What major eyewear company has a Chief Financial Officer with no credentials besides being a party magician? Where does being over a size 6 and an A cup make you "fat?" What really happens behind the scenes at Fashion Week? I LOVE clothes. I love theatrics. I love escapism. What I do not love is when some people suffer greatly to compensate for others' greed. On the heels of New York Fashion Week, I decided to revamp and re-release one of my juiciest, most scandalous, most shocking, and all-time favorite episodes. Our anonymous contributors went to hell and back in different parts of the exploitative, discriminatory, and deeply unglamorous Fashion Industry. With the help of DeuxMoi, I found ex-employees of American Eagle, BCBG, Dolce Vita, Halston, Free People, Linda Farrow, Stone Cold Fox, Victoria Beckham, Zac Posen, and some of the most famous- and infamous- fashion houses IN THE WORLD that I can't mention by name! From dreamy, druggy parties to nightmare celebrity clients, body shaming to illicit sex, criminally low salaries and even lower self-esteem, turns out fashion is everything and nothing you thought it would be.  In the words of one of our confessors: “we're paying countries and people literally no money because we [the consumer] need fashion. I don't think people realize that.”  ~ GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Share your own confession - or thoughts and feedback - at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram & TikTok @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Isabel McMahon & WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts & G-Strings are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

What do you think of when you think bisexuality? Promiscuous behavior? Polyamory? Lying, cheating spouses? Midlife crises? Burning Man? Or maybe you think of…nothing: perhaps the biggest misconception is that middle-of-the-spectrum sexual orientation doesn't really exist. Au contraire, I believe that we're ALL a little gay - some of us have just chosen, or found the freedom, to explore it. In honor of Bisexuality Awareness Week, I decided to revamp and re-release this legendary episode from season 3. After my own on-the-record confessions (sorry mom & dad), our (VERY NSFW) anonymous contributors recount discovering their sexuality in a myriad of ways, like hooking up with their staff, rendezvouses with strangers from Grindr, or deep in the trenches of Berlin nightlife. We also hear tidbits about the LA orthodox Jewish gay community - so cool - and Skirt Club, a now-infamous, all-female sex party specifically for bicurious women around the globe. Bisexuality doesn't mean hypersexuality, though: for every story involving polyamory or threesomes, there's one about choosing the comfort of a committed heterosexual relationship and wondering if it'll be stifling in the long run. While some contributors deeply wish for acceptance from the LGBTQ community, others don't feel the need to ‘prove themselves'. What they can all agree upon, however, is that bi-erasure and judgment - and a subsequent lack of identity - is real. As one of them so aptly said: “Hell is other people. Not because they inherently suck, but because their judgments rule how we act.” ~ GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Share your own confession - or thoughts and feedback - at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok, & Twitter @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Isabel McMahon & WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts & G-Strings are available on Ali's Instagram via DM! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

I open this week's episode with my own candid confessions about the challenges of my former long-distance relationship, and how that experience + watching 90 Day Fiance led me to become uncharacteristically judgmental of people in green card relationships. I'm so grateful for our anonymous confessors, who successfully expanded and changed my mind by calling and writing in with accounts of their international engagements & marriages...and divorces :) (8:43) We hear from Americans with partners from Africa, Belgium, El Salvador, England, France, Germany, and Scotland, as well as a Peruvian woman (formerly married to a man from Rhode Island) who grew up as an illegal immigrant from 8-18. From rehab romance to being married by a one-eyed monk, invasive interview and customs processes to successfully sneaking around the government, supportive families to immense difficulties with cultural immersion, no two stories are the same - just as how no two relationships are. ~ GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Share your own confession at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok, & Twitter @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Isabel McMahon & WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" sweatshirts are available on Ali's Instagram via DM! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

Couples with large age gaps can cause polarizing reactions. On the one hand, age is a number and love is love - it knows no bounds or rules. Should one be lucky enough to find it, it's always worth diving into head first, no? On the other, when one partner has lived considerably more life, is it kosher to subject a less experienced and often more impressionable partner to their baggage? Is desiring a younger woman implicative of some emotional deficit?  I open this week's episode with my own candid confessions about seriously dating a 35 year old when I was 22. I was mature then, but certainly not a grownup - and while I know he loved me, I look back now and realize how my youth and naïveté were taken advantage of by somebody who wasn't ready to face adult responsibilities. Then (9:53), our anonymous confessors call and write in with stories about their own male partners who were or are considerably older. The age gap ranges from 13 to 31 years, with a variety of dynamics: boss-client, boss-employee, pilot-flight attendant, Shibari rope partners, and regular old meet-cutes. From navigating Viagra, party stamina, and awkward public PDA to step-children and ex-wives, our contributors hold nothing back in revealing the good, bad, and ugly realities of cross-decade (even inter-generational!) dating. ~ GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Share your own confession (on or off the record) at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok, & Twitter @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Isabel McMahon & WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" merch (sweatshirts & G-Strings) are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

Ethical Non-Monogamy and Polyamory are becoming increasingly popular relationship structures (or, at least, are now more commonly discussed), but they're controversial and deeply misunderstood. Most people see ENM as glorified cheating: an excuse to have one's cake and eat it too. The acronym often conjures images of suburban swingers, wild sex parties in Bushwick or San Francisco, Burning Man, and, like, sister wives, and I have to admit that there was a time where I made similar assumptions. This week's episode schooled the hell out of me, and I'm grateful for it. I open the episode with my own candid confessions about the positives and pitfalls of monogamy, why I desire more "traditional" partnership to add stability to my chaotic life, and the mistakes I made while getting serious with my last boyfriend. Then (13:05), our anonymous confessors call and write in with stories about ENM and Polyamory that are equal parts shocking and extremely enlightening. We hear from: -a former conservative Christian in Texas who discovered ENM while coming to terms with bisexuality and beginning her journey as an escort -a 30 year old woman whose partner fell into a simultaneous relationship with someone heavily pregnant -a divorced 68 year old dating a polyamorous, bisexual sex worker 20 years younger -a happily married, bisexual woman committed to raising her kids, whose her husband is permitted to use Seeking Arrangements when he goes on work trips -a former conservative who found a Poly community at UC Berkeley and overcame jealousy by becoming a "cuck queen" -a married man who entered the ENM scene with his wife after struggling with differing libidos -a 30 year old in a gay, polyamorous married THROUPLE -and more! In producing this episode, I learned very powerful lessons about attachment, boundaries, communication, jealousy, societal expectation, and most importantly, the urgent need for more unfiltered honesty in relationships - especially monogamous ones. Regardless of whether or not you fundamentally agree with our contributors, I hope you find your mind expanded and your heart more open after listening. ~ GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Share your own confession (on or off the record) at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok, & Twitter @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Isabel McMahon & WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" merch (sweatshirts & G-Strings) are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

Exercise gives many of us a sense of control, stability, and discipline. Boutique fitness, with its fancy methodologies and curated lights, scents, and sounds, capitalizes on another, more elusive (and highly monetizable) feeling: purpose. For up to $50 per class, we're not only sold a vision of our best body, but also our best self. We're asked to set intentions, repeat affirming mantras, and see squatting and sprinting as a chance to ‘conquer the impossible'. The word 'community' is thrown around like cold towels. In a world that's lonely and often disappointing, it's easy to see why endorphins can quickly become addictive and studios marketing power and positivity become clients' second homes. But for employees of these studios, the culture is a LOT darker.  I open up the episode with my own candid confessions about using barre and pilates as an emotional coping mechanism, especially when it comes to men and relationships; choosing body neutrality over body positivity; and my attraction to overpriced boutique fitness as a way to achieve the "clean girl aesthetic"...and therefore the semblance of a more put-together life.  Then (13:35), with the casting help of Deuxmoi, we hear from anonymous former employees of Bar Method, DanceBody, Flywheel, Laughing Lotus, Orange Theory, Pure Barre, Taryn Toomey's The Class, an unnamed Los Angeles Lagree studio, and a Western Pennsylvania SoulCycle dupe. They tell stories about psychologically abusive training camps, CEOs with God complexes, intense fat shaming, raging eating disorders, overt racism, and severe underpayment. They walk us through how instructors get clients hooked on certain workouts, and what makes a marketing campaign effective. They reveal some of the WILD codes of conduct (or lack thereof) found in employee and trainer handbooks. And, most importantly, they encourage us to take a long, hard look at why we're often so willing to compromise our morals, on either side of the check-in desk, in pursuit of the “perfect body.” ~ GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Share your own confession (on or off the record) at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok, & Twitter @aliweissworld. Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Audio production by Isabel McMahon & WTF Media. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" merch (sweatshirts & G-Strings) are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

$10,000 bottles of wine! 15 hour workdays! All-night cocaine benders! Psychotic head chefs! It's Season 4 of Tales of Taboo! This week, we're exploring the high-octane world of high-end dining: the kinds of establishments that (literally) inspire books like Sweetbitter and movies like The Menu, where reservations are impossible and Chef is spelled with a capital C. I kick us off by telling MY most absurd tales as a diner in fancy restaurants: a college friend's outpatient rehab in Chicago, the development of a weird friendship with a 69 year old British man, doing edibles with famous restauranteurs at the Beatrice Inn... Then (starting at 11:43), we hear from current and former employees on the other side. In New York, confessors include the former events manager at a 3 Michelin star restaurant in Flatiron, a former waitress at another 3 Michelin star restaurant in Midtown, a former hostess at The Standard and Bowery Hotel's restaurants + The Waverly Inn, a former champagne slinger for a downtown cocktail group, and a line cook at a Lower East Side restaurant owned by a very young celebrity chef. In London, confessors include the former sommelier at Daniel Humm's Davies and Brook + another unnamed 2 Michelin star establishment, and a former waitress at two different Michelin star restaurants in Mayfair and Shoreditch. Elsewhere in Europe, a former assistant manager tells tales about an abusive executive chef at a Japanese Michelin star spot that was the first in its country. Fine dining is controversial and divisive. It's glamorous escapism with a very grim underbelly; a way to create community, yet isolate a huge number of people who cannot afford it; facilitate artistic expression and pump pretentious bullshit. These nuances are why this world is so taboo - and enticing - and deserves to be discussed. Welcome back. ~ Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok, & Twitter @aliweissworld, and share your own confession (on or off the record) at confessions@aliweissworld.com. Audio production by Isabel McMahon & Chris Stathopolous. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. "Degenerate" merch (sweatshirts & G-Strings) are available on Ali's Instagram via DM. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

It's the last episode of Season 3! Can you believe?! What an honor to end it by interviewing one of the most brilliant and unique individuals I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. According to his professional bio, Adrian Dannatt is an actor, editor, curator, writer, artist and obituarist. I'd rather just call him a Bon Vivant: a collector of experiences, art, and people. He's also perhaps the only person on the planet less afraid of "stranger danger” than me. I met Adrian after stumbling into a showing of his personal art collection at a gallery on the Lower East Side. He was this fascinating mix of dapper and disheveled, extremely English, and had zero qualms about marching up to me, nitpicking my outfit, and immediately testing the bounds of my sense of humor. An unconventional friendship was born. The banter continued 2 years later in my podcast studio, where we bonded over - amongst many subjects - our mutual failures (as a wannabe actress who's a podcaster and a former child actor who's now only locally famous), lack of ambition, and obsession with “young, strange deadbeats who are attractive and brilliant”. We also have a wild multi-generational dialogue about fame and overexposure, social media, sleeping with famous people, death, "bussies," aging, how to be an interesting person, and why I should think of my podcast as the “crappy B movie” on the path to more long-term success. Buy Adrian's book "Doomed and Famous." It's really good. https://www.sequencepress.com/products/doomed-and-famous Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

There's a narrative jammed down our throats year after year, incessantly, everywhere we go, that the holidays are supposed to be “the most wonderful time." Ironically, such a narrative often ends up reminding us (or forcing us to acknowledge) the things we do NOT have, and the ways in which life has disappointed us or not met our expectations. This is especially true when it comes to family members, who are placed at the center of all the songs, movies, and rituals. The truth is, way more people have dysfunctional families than they do the type to run 5Ks together and eat chestnuts around a fireplace. MOST families are dysfunctional, so the fact that there's extra pressure to appear perfect in December is...kind of insane! In stark contrast to standard Christmassy content, our anonymous confessors tell us raw and honest holiday stories about disownment and abandonment, divorce, death, missing and incarcerated siblings, alcohol and drug-abusing parents, extramarital affairs, mental illness, and loneliness. One confessor also recalls getting wasted and kissing her uncle, and another describes finding out her father in law had installed spy cams in his ex-wife's house to catch her with her foreign lover... THIS is what The Season is all about! Happy holidays, my Angels. I love you very much. GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Degenerate MERCH is available for purchase on my Instagram - DM me. Tales of Taboo is part of the Eve Podcast Network and a Forever Dog Production. Cover photos by Erika Flynn. Follow Ali on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aliweissworld Follow Ali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliweissworld/ Follow Tales of Taboo on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talesoftaboo Follow Tales of Taboo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talesoftaboopod/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

When Whitney Port agreed come on the pod, 13 year old me - and late 20s me, tbh - pinched herself. An objective icon of the 2000s/2010s, Whitney was one of the only women on reality TV who built a wildly successful brand off of poise, elegance, and intellect - things that don't traditionally equate to great ratings within narrative nonfiction. Not the overt and degenerate type of taboo we've come to expect on this show, perhaps, but a fascinating taboo nonetheless. Whit and I went deep on the serious AND juicy stuff, including: -Major secrets from both of her TV shows, like the casting process, being TRICKED into filming for The Hills, fake friendships, and how refusing to compromise her morals may have led to the cancellation of The City -Her double life as a USC student AND celebrity/socialite on the rise, aided by the freedom of pre-cell phone camera fame -Debilitating anxiety over public image, and what it's like to surrender your autonomy to producers -(Almost) hooking up with Leo DiCaprio! -Her TMZ scandal -Staying relevant in the shifting social media/reality TV landscape — and, refreshingly, her resistance to fame. Listen to my guest slot on Whitney's podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/with-whit/id1462706458?i=1000567955167. GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Degenerate MERCH is available for purchase on my Instagram - DM me. Tales of Taboo is part of the Eve Podcast Network and a Forever Dog Production. Cover photos by Erika Flynn. Follow Ali on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aliweissworld Follow Ali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliweissworld/ Follow Tales of Taboo on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talesoftaboo Follow Tales of Taboo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talesoftaboopod/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

What do you think of when you hear 'sex club'? Predatory men? Deviant behavior? An unhinged, unsanitary, Ancient Roman-style orgy? I would liken it more to highly participatory immersive theatre - a contained place to become a different person for the night, or the person you secretly wish you could be. With a definitive start and end and (often) a price tag, the transactional element allows for very real physical, emotional, even spiritual experiences, with less real-life consequences. This week, we hear from both participants AND performers at sex clubs and fetish parties in Australia, Berlin, New York City, Spain, and the UK - including myself! To kick us off, I share my own Tales of Taboo about the uniquely safe space they offered me for self-discovery at an insecure period of my sexual life. (I discuss this more in-depth on last season's bisexuality episode, too.) Then, our anonymous contributors regale us with stories of fabled clubs like Berghain, Haven, House of Love, Kit Kat Club, NSFW, Playscape, Skirt Club, SNCTM, Torture Garden, and Wonderland. Their experiences range from The Good, like niche fantasies coming to life in Eyes Wide Shut-esque settings, sleeping with famous soccer players, and exploring the kinky, adventurous possibilities that exist within environments placing consent front and center...to The Bad, like getting stuck in the middle of circle j*rks or feeling lesser-than as BIPOC, queer and alternative-presenting people...and The Complicated, like being fetishized as a pregnant woman, developing body dysmorphia as a Dominatrix, and getting stuck in the middle of an incestuous glory hole threesome at a gay sauna! Our contributors also have fascinating insight into monogamy, the nature of jealousy and cheating, and what it really requires to achieve sexual liberation. For more information about V, the fire performer confessor at 33:08, visit https://www.thehivefire.com/ or https://www.instagram.com/Thehivefire. Her business is the world's first all-female fire breathing collective! GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. "Degenerate" sweatshirts and thongs are available for purchase on my Instagram - DM me. Tales of Taboo is part of the Eve Podcast Network and a Forever Dog Production.  Follow Ali on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aliweissworld Follow Ali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliweissworld/ Follow Tales of Taboo on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talesoftaboo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

Jason Moody (https://twitter.com/JasonMoodyxxx) is an adult film star I met at the PornHub Awards afterparty in 2018. It's been a long time since I initially released our interview on my old podcast Health Is Hell (I die at the way we talk about this "new platform called OnlyFans!"), but Jason's worldview and wisdom are just as poignant as ever. Join us as we laugh and flirt our way through his life story - leaving Israel at 15, joining the army, selling women's shoes in China, traveling through Cambodia, and eventually landing in LA to pursue his porn dreams - and dissect tons of stereotypes and secrets surrounding the adult industry. Then, Jason answers YOUR submitted questions about the casting process, mental health, happiness, relationships, sex and love, and so much more. The M.O. of this show is always to find meaning in unexpected places, but who would've thought one of the wisest men I've ever had the pleasure of meeting would also have a 9 inch d*ck?! GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Degenerate MERCH is available for purchase on my Instagram - DM me. Tales of Taboo is part of the Eve Podcast Network and a Forever Dog Production. Cover photos by Erika Flynn. Follow Ali on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aliweissworld Follow Ali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliweissworld/ Follow Tales of Taboo on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talesoftaboo Follow Tales of Taboo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talesoftaboopod/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

What do you think of when you think ‘porn star'? Party girls with f*cked-up childhoods? Sexual trauma? Misogyny and abuse?  This week's contributors, both anonymous and on-the-record, dismantle those stereotypes HARD by creating and participating in adult content that empowers them, provides them with bodily autonomy...and makes them very wealthy. We'll hear from Marykate Moss (formerly Mackenzie, IG & Twitter: @marykate_moss), a Hustler covergirl whose videos have over 100 million views on PornHub; (19:03) a BBW performer using ‘body worship' to re-frame how men see and treat fat bodies; (26:37) an erotic artist who took the plunge into porn during COVID (and became a master at online brand-building in the process); (35:22) Alice Callipyge (IG: alicecallipyge), a former teacher who dreamt of more income and a place to explore sexual fantasies; (46:34) and Amanda North (IG: amandanorthstar), a current sex therapy student with complicated feelings towards the adult industry she used to be a part of. Whether mainstream power players or small independent creators, they all have equally valuable insight into relationships, fetishization, safety, wealth management, the path to sexual expression and liberation, and creating the self you've always wanted to be - online and off. Marykate's OnlyFans: https://onlyfans.com/marykatemoss Alice's OnlyFans: https://onlyfans.com/adorable_alice Amanda's film "Moist": https://vimeo.com/ondemand/moist GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Degenerate MERCH is available for purchase on my Instagram, via DM. Tales of Taboo is part of the Eve Podcast Network and a Forever Dog Production.  Follow Ali on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aliweissworld Follow Ali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliweissworld/ Follow Tales of Taboo on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talesoftaboo Follow Tales of Taboo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talesoftaboopod/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

What's it REALLY like to manage a school shooting? Are students with special needs a "lost cause?" How does under-funding actually affect students and teachers? Are celebrity children as entitled as we think? Confession: I recorded the intro you're about to hear ages ago, before receiving any submissions (NOT a usual occurrence but alas, I had taken my Concerta and was feeling extra productive). I thought I'd be curating a lighthearted inquiry into the lives of teachers, proving those authority figures we feared and revered as kids were fundamentally just humans trying to figure it all out. This episode became MUCH more than that - it's a juicy, shocking, enlightening and at times downright brutal look into the realities of educational systems in the U.S. and abroad. My intro does not accurately reflect how honored and humbled I am to help tell these stories - but it does show, as a graduate of a 'hippie' NYC private school, how much I needed to hear them. Our anonymous contributors are or were teachers in Canada, Kentucky, Los Angeles, New York City, London, Seattle, Texas, and Utah, at schools ranging from the uber-elite (think: children of world-famous athletes, musicians, and tech entrepreneurs) to Title 1 public institutions housing hundreds of refugees from Africa and Syria. They share perspectives about: -being a white teacher for a predominantly black student body -teaching students with cognitive disabilities, as well as emotionally and physically violent behavioral issues -how to manage school shootings and lockdowns -establishing authority over (and gaining respect from!) rich, entitled children -the day-to-day reality of under-funding -social climbing amongst teachers in the private school system -tempestuous parent-teacher relationships -refugee crises in the U.S. On both sides of the wealth spectrum, our teachers also have valuable insight into effective leadership, gaining a child's trust, how to shape young minds….and why middle schoolers shouldn't be allowed to wear Moncler. A piece of wisdom from a contributor: “I truly feel that students want to be heard and need to be heard, and if you are a good listener, you can encourage them to speak.” GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Degenerate MERCH is available for purchase on my Instagram - DM me! Tales of Taboo is part of the Eve Podcast Network and a Forever Dog Production. Cover art photos by Erika Flynn. Follow Ali on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aliweissworld Follow Ali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliweissworld/ Follow Tales of Taboo on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talesoftaboo Follow Tales of Taboo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talesoftaboopod/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

I have a confession to make: I've never watched Vanderpump Rules. (Shock, horror, I know.) But Katie Maloney and I met when I was a guest on her podcast (listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/youre-gonna-love-me-with-katie-maloney/id1516710301?i=1000559075815) and hit it off right away. Then, I started seeing endless stories about her divorce from longtime partner (and fellow OG cast member) Tom Schwartz, and interviewers asking her the same invasive, insensitive questions over and over, and I knew I had to get her into my studio to do things VERY differently.  I promised to only ask Katie about things that most people don't. So, we went deep on:  -her unorthodox journey from waitress to TV personality (and being a waitress ON TV) -spending over 10 YEARS growing up in front of a camera  -the emotional sacrifices- and damage - of becoming famous for your personal life -how personalities can be manipulated by editors and producers  -Hollywood fame vs reality TV fame -personal safety in the age of social media surveillance -reinvention and staying relevant  -internet bullying and the fraudulence of ‘body positivity' online A piece of wisdom from Katie: “There's some people who are like, “I've never liked her.” But that's just because you have terrible taste. If you don't like me, there's something wrong with you.” GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Degenerate MERCH is available for purchase on my Instagram - DM me. Tales of Taboo is part of the Eve Podcast Network and a Forever Dog Production. Cover photos by Erika Flynn. Follow Ali on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aliweissworld Follow Ali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliweissworld/ Follow Tales of Taboo on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talesoftaboo Follow Tales of Taboo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talesoftaboopod/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talesoftaboo/support

What is it like to become a celebrity overnight? How does it feel to have an entire nation pick you apart? Is the fame & glamorous lifestyle reality TV affords worth all of the pain?Anyone who watches Love Island knows Megan Barton-Hanson. Inarguably the star (and villain) of Season 4, Meg has spent years as the obsession of UK tabloids, who can't stop talking about her surgery-altered appearance, wildly successful OnlyFans, and sex life. Behind those headlines, however, is a smart, hilarious, fearless woman who I'm proud to call my friend. In this episode, she dishes the dirty truth about a career in reality television, and what the media's treatment of her says about our culture as a whole. While getting drunk off Cartier champagne, we discuss:-Her Pornhub and plastic surgery "scandals"-Love Island production secrets: are cast members honest with each other about being fame-hungry?-What happens after the Villa: burnout from personal appearances, lack of money management, and intense public scrutiny-Why reality stars need better resources for media training, brand strategy, and coping with becoming irrelevant-Being blacklisted from certain networks-Rampant misogyny and abuse of power-YOUR submitted questions!Support the show! Leave a rating & review on iTunes/Spotify (it's free!) or buy merch (now on sale!) at www.aliweissworld.com/merch.GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? EMAIL Ali@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter @aliweissworld. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

We've been led to believe Herpes is a “dirty” “STD” — only sluts get it, and when they do, any chance of having sex or finding love is ruined. This episode proves that idea could not be further from the truth. Our anonymous confessors share varying accounts of contracting HSV1 and HSV2, orally & genitally. From one-off Hinge dates to serious boyfriends to family members kissing their faces as children, no two stories are the same — but each have great insight into battling societal stigma, maintaining an active sex life, and mentally & physically recovering from a misunderstood, and incurable, virus. Almost all of them say that despite facing obstacles, contracting Herpes ultimately bettered their self-respect by showing them their worth. Now THAT'S something we should want to pass around ;-)Support the show! Leave a rating & review on iTunes/Spotify (it's free!) or buy merch (now on sale!) at www.aliweissworld.com/merch.GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? EMAIL Ali@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter @aliweissworld. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Identical twin sisters Elyse & Danielle form a synthwave band called MotherMary (@mothermarymusic) - but before becoming pop stars, they escaped MORMONISM in Missoula, Montana! In this reworked episode from the earliest days of my former podcast Health Is Hell, the twins join me and my friend Graham in a roaringly hilarious interview about growing up in a cult (and a family of 12 children!), teenage marriage, sexual tension with bishops, “seeing parties" and "soaking," Jesus' foot fetish, whether or not anal REALLY counts...and how to deal when you realize life as you know may be a lie. Find more about MotherMary at https://www.mothermary.bandTALES OF TABOO MERCH AVAILABLE AT aliweissworld.com/merchGot secrets to get off your chest? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

The "Troubled Teen Industry” is an elusive, corrupted, for-profit network of schools, programs, rehabs, and residences meant for "unstable," "out of control," "promiscuous," and drug-addicted young people. Some of these programs are notorious for kidnappings, forced medication, even brainwashing; all of them use emotionally or physically violent therapy and control tactics. These schools came to mainstream recognition with the release of Paris Hilton's 2020 documentary This Is Paris. In it, she reveals how her abusive experience at Provo Canyon in Utah led to lifelong trauma, dissociation, and the creation of her (fake) public image; in my intro, I reveal how watching the doc changed my life, forcing me to confront my own, very similar narrative.Then, our anonymous contributors bravely tell all about their own experiences with parallel institutions to Paris': New Haven Residential Treatment Center, La Europa, an unnamed wilderness program, a specialized dyslexia boarding school, Outward Bound, another unnamed wilderness program in Costa Rica, CEDU, and a Lord of the Flies-esque, pedophilia-ridden hockey boarding school. TRIGGER WARNING: though profoundly moving and illuminating of a complex subculture, this episode is dark.For more information about how you can help shut down abusive "schools", go here: https://www.change.org/p/provo-canyon-school-shut-down-the-abusive-provo-canyon-school?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=61ac6e60-0031-11eb-836a-8745913011ed #BreakingCodeSilence #ISeeYouSurvivorTALES OF TABOO MERCH AVAILABLE AT aliweissworld.com/merchFollow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Need to get a confession of your chest? Email ali@aliweissworld.com.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

First-person accounts of abortion are very difficult to find, and most of the essays and anecdotes available are riddled in guilt and grief. They often resemble an apology letter to the world (or oneself), rather than an honest description of a controversial medical procedure. Secrecy, shame, and lack of nuance within abortion rhetoric is what makes it so taboo.Here you will find a collection of anonymous stories - ages 17 to 34 in the US, United Kingdom, Ecuador, and Germany - showing the range of ways women process terminating a child. Some are effortless and simple, some are physically painful, others are emotionally ugly. But whether seeing their abortion as a cause for profound guilt or a mere bump in the road, all of our contributors stand firm in their belief that it was the CORRECT decision for them. One size does not fit all when it comes to any human experience, especially one that pertains to women's health and, to a certain degree, death. I hope this episode brings everyone a sense of understanding, acceptance, comfort and most importantly, community. TALES OF TABOO MERCH AVAILABLE AT http://aliweissworld.com/merchGot a secret you need to get off your chest? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworldAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Evan Ross Katz (@evanrosskatz) is a writer and podcast host who's become wildly popular on Instagram for his witty takes on pop culture (and Sarah Michelle Gellar super-fandom). Celebs themselves may not often be taboo, but their stans can be -- and taking a challenging stance against our collective obsession with fame certainly is. Evan was the perfect person to discuss, and debate, this with.We kvetch about the shifting media landscape & merging of traditional celebrities with influencers, virality replacing hard-earned talent, the post-BLM expectation for celebrities to double as activists, how to be a thorough journalist AND a good person, and Evan's his own rise to internet fame and newfound friendships with the glitterati. Along the way, he gives us some juicy name drops and effectively schools me in why if I'm not keeping up with Gen-Z (and the Kardashians), I'm falling behind.TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE at http://aliweissworld.com/merchOrder Evan's book "Into Every Generation A Slayer Is Born: How Buffy Staked Our Hearts" here: https://www.hachettebooks.com/titles/evan-ross-katz/into-every-generation-a-slayer-is-born/9780306826689/GOT SOMETHING TO CONFESS? EMAIL ALI AT ALI@ALIWEISSWORLD.COM. FOLLOW HER ON INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, AND TIKTOK @ALIWEISSWORLD.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Plastic surgery is more commonplace than ever, yet remains deeply taboo. Very few people are willing to openly discuss the realities: what drives them to want it, the intense recovery process, and whether or not physical alterations actually change mental and emotional wellbeing long-term. This week, we're cutting deep — no pun intended.Encouraged by controlling mothers, modeling agents, and media-fueled beauty standards, our anonymous confessors got labiaplasties, breast reductions, nose jobs and revisions, and gobs of facial filler. While some healed fast and say these procedures undoubtedly changed their sense of self-worth for the better, others experienced terrible (occasionally irreversible) side effects like leaking spinal fluid, lip bubbles, lopsided nostrils, and blood hardening.I also interviewed 2 popular plastic surgeons (at 48:51) - Dr. Tony Youn (TikTok: @tonyyounmd) and Stuart Linder (TikTok: @dr.stuartlinder). We break down the most common complaints women have about their appearances (and the difference between insecurity and body dysmorphia), who really controls beauty standards (Men? Hollywood? Biology?), and which procedures the Kardashians and Bella Hadid have done, including the infamous - and potentially deadly - Brazilian Butt Lift.TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT http://aliweissworld.com/merchGOT YOUR OWN JUICY CONFESSION OR A HOT TIP? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Which famous Washington D.C. members-only club is secretly filled with sex workers? Which politicians under Trump regularly visited rub and tugs? Which drug-abusing hotel heir brought an escort to Miami just to watch Wheel of Fortune with him?I'm deeply annoyed by the conflation of all prostitution with sex trafficking, and the ongoing narrative that women who exchange physical & emotional intimacy for money were either forced into it or chose the profession as a result of severe trauma. In actuality, there's a subset of the industry filled with confident, empowered, and intelligent women earning six to seven figures by consensually, and literally, f*cking the patriarchy. It's my honor to share their perspectives this week.Our anonymous contributors (and the beautiful Aspen Banks twitter: @aspen__banks) are or were high-end escorts in New York, Chicago, London, Singapore, Toronto & Montreal. Most have forgone agencies to work independently, advertising online to a global audience of wealthy and powerful men looking for a safe space and real connection. Our escorts' stories range from vulnerable to wildly kinky, but almost all agree that the work is, surprisingly, more emotional than sexual.Some of our escorts thoroughly enjoy the sex that does happen and some despise it; some have traditional relationships outside work, and others can't make it happen. Some girls love the industry while others say it's ultimately destructive. None are sure whether or not it's worth giving up for a more "normal" life. At the end of the day, sex work is WORK and sex workers are WOMEN. They are daughters and sisters. DECRIMINALIZE IT!This episode is sponsored by Feals, a high-end, chic CBD that can actually replace my Klonopin! No joke! Get 50% OFF your membership at www.feals.com/ALIW.TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORLD.COM/MERCHGot a secret to get off your chest? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Be a good person - leave a rating & review on iTunes & Spotify

Which professional soccer player shoved a $20 bill in a waitress' mouth? Which famous actress with legal troubles had a waitress pretend to be her to evade the paparazzi? Which talent manager promised a waitress a spot on Love Island in exchange for sex?As someone who's been clubbing for 13 years, I've long been fascinated with bottle waitresses. You know - those gorgeous girls in skintight dresses bringing over the magnums of champagne and sparklers. I saw their job as a tremendous position of feminine power: arm candy getting paid to party with important people in important places. I wanted to be one of them. Or…so I thought. This week's VERY JUICY anonymous waitresses worked for a super exclusive downtown New York hospitality group, Catch, the Tao Group, Soho House, Public Hotel (created by Ian Schrager of Studio 54), and a notorious high-end strip club in London. Our on-the-record contributor Allie (IG: @allie.keel) even worked some shady private parties in Malaysia when she was only 17!At their best, they hung out with prime ministers & pop stars and made $10,000 in a night. At their worst, they were forced into deeply compromising situations to get tips, got taken advantage of by their bosses, picked up used heroin needles from bathroom floors, and sang ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider' in slam poetry (!). In between, their lives, which began at 9pm and ended at 5am, lacked structure and purpose. They found it hard to establish romantic relationships. They crumbled under pressure to maintain the ‘perfect body' (even their hands). And they worried about their impending expiration dates. What would come next?Learn the dirty truth about being a bottle girl while getting an intimate and cohesive look into how the world's most exclusive nightclubs operate. TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT aliweissworld.com/merchGot a secret to get off your chest? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Be a good person - leave a rating & review on iTunes & Spotify

Ever wonder what it's really like to be a DRUG DEALER?This week's anonymous confessors operate(d) throughout a variety of countries and circumstances. One lived in a house with 100 weed plants, and distributed to dispensaries in California before recreational legalization. Another sold Molly to club partiers — including an unnamed famous DJ and Vice President's son (!!). A husband & wife, LSD-dealing duo talk about providing their kids with a privileged life, but wrestling with what happens if they get arrested. And a former sorority girl-turned-coke dealer reflects on redefining the role of “social chair.” All speak candidly about greed and guilt, as well as the physical and emotional highs. Some of our dealers got into the business wanting to protect their communities from poisoned drugs; others simply wanted money and clout. But all of them agree — not all drug dealers are dangerous. And as with each topic on this show, one size (or story) does not fit all.TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT aliweissworld.com/merchNEED TO GET SECRETS OFF YOUR CHEST? EMAIL ALI@ALIWEISSWORLD.COM. FOLLOW ALI ON INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, & TIKTOK @ALIWEISSWORLD. BE A GOOD PERSON - LEAVE A RATING & REVIEW ON ITUNES AND SPOTIFY.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

TRIGGER WARNING: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS MATERIAL ABOUT DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE, SEXUAL ABUSE, & SUICIDE. More often than not, addiction is dramatically portrayed in the media as a chaotic but chic side effect of wealth and power, or an inevitable circumstance of poverty. It's not always black and white or economically driven, though: addiction is everywhere, nondiscriminatory, constantly shapeshifting. Much public talk of trauma, coping mechanisms, and self-medication exists in our post-pandemic world, but there's a massive difference between occasionally overindulging in wine or Xanax after a long day and upending one's entire life in pursuit of a high. The harsh day-to-day realities of addiction are rarely exposed, but secrets make us sick. So, Iet's reveal them.Our anonymous confessors are or have been addicted to alcohol, benzos, cocaine, crack, heroin, methamphetamines, and opiates. Their addictions took place everywhere from Wall Street to the street itself, Ivy League colleges to prison. They've sold books out of dumpsters for 40 oz beers and treasured family heirlooms for one hit. They've become prostitutes. They've bought pee off of sober people to pass drug tests, and overdosed in jail. They've been wrongfully diagnosed with severe mental illnesses by trusted doctors and shamed by family, friends, and society. Their “whys” run the gamut from the unhealthy influence of the hospitality & finance industries to the effects of generational and sexual trauma, but almost all can agree: an unfair stigma surrounds addicts, especially women. And absolutely nothing about addiction is worth aspiring to. TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT http://aliweissworld.com/merchNEED TO GET SECRETS OFF YOUR CHEST? EMAIL ALI@ALIWEISSWORLD.COM. FOLLOW ALI ON INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, & TIKTOK @ALIWEISSWORLD. BE A GOOD PERSON - LEAVE A RATING & REVIEW ON ITUNES & SPOTIFY.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome back to Tales of Taboo, an ANONYMOUS confessions show revealing (and shamelessly celebrating) the people, professions and experiences that exist behind closed doors. When casting last season's ‘employees of the wealthy' episode with DeuxMoi, I received multiple submissions from nannies. As a caretaker, you hold a very unique and often complicated view of being both an employee and a surrogate family member; I'm thrilled to share their stories to kick off Season 2. Our confessors worked for the Vanderbilts (yes - the ones you're thinking of), controversial hedge fund manager Dan Loeb, the infamous 6666 Ranch family in Texas, and various other real estate, finance, and food industry titans I've been asked not to name. They drove $150,000 “nanny vehicles” but worked 100 hour weeks, coached teenage billionaires through existential crises and got physically abused by spoiled middle schoolers, and wiped Naomi Watt's kid's ass. They did drugs with their bosses and hooked up with their bosses' friends. They even got cleared by Secret Service to spend time with Donald Trump. While our worker bees admit to the perks being great - even life changing - nearly all still suffer from serious psychological repercussions. It poses the ages-old question: more money, more problems?TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT http://aliweissworld.com/merchGOT YOUR OWN JUICY CONFESSION OR A HOT TIP? Email ali@aliweissworld.com. Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld.(This episode is sponsored by Feals, the only CBD that can replace my Klonopin. No joke. Get 50% OFF your membership at www.feals.com/ALIW.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What do you think when you hear "eating disorder?" Probably 'bored rich white women obsessed with being skinny'. But anorexia & bulimia are way more than just striving to be beautiful - and they can also affect people from any background. Mostly, they're about control. In the throes of the lonely and aggressively over-indulgent holiday season, this topic felt pertinent to explore.Our anonymous contributors detail wanting to exert control over their bodies as a way of grappling with the lack of it they have over mental illness (diagnosed or not), familial dysfunction, abusive partners, sexual trauma, addiction, and sky-high expectations. They describe the harsh realities of starving and binging, throwing and giving up, lying to people they love, and sacrificing personal relationships. Some are in recovery; others are still struggling. All are very blunt, and very brave. I'm proud of this episode.WARNING: DO NOT TRY THESE DIET TACTICS. They are not quick fixes or easy ways to avoid proper diet and exercise– our contributors were or are suffering from mental illness. Eating disorders are not glamorous.TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT http://aliweissworld.com/merchFollow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Send love letters & hate notes to ali@aliweissworld.com. And please, for the love of G*d, leave a rating and review.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Words can't describe how much you all mean to me, so as a big "THANK YOU so f*cking much for listening to this show" I'm letting you ASK ME ANYTHING! Some submitted questions include: What's my biggest regret? What makes me uncomfortable? What would people be surprised to learn about me? Am I bisexual? And most importantly, have I ever done drugs with a celebrity? I answer it all, and much more, candidly. Happy Thanksgiving, my Angels. TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORLD.COM/MERCH!Send any further invasive inquiries to my DM @aliweissworld, and show me you love me back by leaving an iTunes rating & review

Before Alex Cooper, Sofia Franklyn, and Call Her Daddy, before Ellie Schnitt and Brianna LaPaglia (Chickenfry), before Ria Ciuffo & Fran Mariano had their show Chicks In The Office, there was one chick in the Barstool Sports offices...and it was me.In 2016/17, at 23, I was the only female contestant in "Barstool Idol." What was described as a competition-based search for the company's next big "talent" ended up being an exploitation fest live-streamed on Facebook & Periscope. I genuinely thought I'd be the perfect person to jumpstart their female-driven content - and had a thick enough skin to do it - but left (or, actually, got fired) feeling so humiliated that I swore I'd never talk about it again...until now.You can send all hate notes to ali@aliweissworld.com. I just dare you to beat "Pretty decent looking chick, but serious question: Do NYC girls not pluck/wax their eyebrows? I can't stop staring at those Anthony Davis brows." Instagram/Twitter/TikTok: @aliweissworldTALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORLD.COM/MERCH!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Happy Halloween, Degenerate Angels! My favorite time of year!! To celebrate, this week we've got a fascinating collection of anonymous stories about our listeners' spooky, WILD encounters with the Paranormal. Ghosts, UFOs, suspicious rotating orbs, lanky men in black top hats (the Babadook?) - you name it, you'll hear about it. While I myself have never had an encounter with non-earthly beings, I fully support each contributor's experience. There's so much in this life that's beyond our understanding - who actually knows if aliens exist or something cool happens to our spirits when we die?! No one. So whether or not you believe in it all, I hope you'll listen with an open mind and heart. If nothing else, knock the lights off, grab some candy, and enjoy the ride :)TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORLD.COM/MERCH!Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Love letters, hate notes, and your own horror stories to ali@aliweissworld.com.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

I did artist interviews at a camping music festival last month, and it was the first time I've ever attended a multi-day rave. Truthfully? It freaked me out. I went to Ultra Music Festival in Miami for 2 years in high school and plenty of concerts and after hours parties since. But the older I get, the more baffled I become by how large-scale electronic music events, specifically engineered for drug usage, sensory overload, and escapism, have become multi-million dollar businesses in countries all over the world. The age of our anonymous Raver contributors varies from teens to 40s; it's a mixed bag of traditional folks with corporate jobs, escapees of repressive, sheltered, or painful childhoods, and “misfit” stereotypes of the subculture. Some say the slogan of Peace Love Unity Respect is total delusion, wearing off with the Molly and Acid; others say it's brought them friends that have become family. Some attend to enrich their lives, others to commemorate deaths. Almost all admit that drugs are a central part of the experience.While each contributor was asked the same question - are raves productive utopias, or dangerous alternate realities? - their answers, like their backgrounds and motivations, vary greatly. Strap in for a wild trip. Written submissions start at 16:37, audio submissions at 32:47. TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORLD.COM/MERCH!If you have a heart, leave an iTunes rating & review. Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld; love letters & hate notes to aliweissworld@gmail.com. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

It's our last day of Recruitment, b*tches! To cap off a week of all things sorority culture, here are 2 interviews with 3 loud & proud women on social media - Alyssa Schoener (Twitter: @Alyssa_Schoener), Becca Moore (TikTok: @becccamooore), and Eli Rallo (TikTok: @thejarr) - who have openly spoken out against Greek Life through their various platforms. Alyssa went to University of Alabama (massive Greek system) & Becca to Ohio (small), but both of them were essentially tricked into joining houses they had nothing in common with. They talk to me about the reasoning behind their platinum blond makeovers, the insane standard of “beauty” at their respective schools, and reinventing themselves socially and economically. Eli was a student at the University of Michigan, where she dropped out of her top sorority quickly. Years later, she wrote an exposé on the racist, sexist, and classist undercurrents of Greek Life (throughout history) for her school's paper — which has a readership of over 50,000 people!! We chat about struggling to be the odd girl out, journalistic freedom, and how doing the “right” thing isn't always so black and white. Don't forget to listen to the solo episode telling my full sorority story (including getting kicked out in a school-wide “scandal”) & anonymous confession episode detailing *actual* hazing, racism, and sexual assault scandals! JUICY!!TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORLD.COM/MERCH!Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Love letters, hate notes, and your own confessions to aliweissworld@gmail.com.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

You heard my story, so now it's your turn: SORORITY CONFESSIONS. And they're WAY juicier than mine. First, we have written submissions (3:16), from the former Vice President of Recruitment from my sorority (!) dishing SO MUCH tea about how Rush really works and her blocked attempts at inclusivity; plus a former Delta Gamma from the University of Southern California and Alpha Sigma Alpha from University of Central Missouri. Audio notes (22:49), in order - old world values and fraudulent identity at University of South Carolina; a bottom tier sorority member at an unnamed Southeastern Conference school; another bottom tier member at the equally massive and frat-fanatical University of Michigan; a mixed race girl in a white, blonde top house at Chapman; extreme hazing stories from an unnamed SUNY; fake hazing (and very real date rape drugging) at San Diego State; real-ass hazing at a liberal arts school in Upstate New York; anecdotes from a Rush chair at an unnamed Division 1 southern school; and a postgrad traveling “consultant” who oversaw rush across the nation - and can confirm that racism, classism, and discrimination in Greek Life trickles down from the very top. Term Key: “PNM”= Potential New Member and is the same as a “Rushee.” Pref Day is the last day of the process where PNMs get matched with active members with (ideally) similar personalities, who try and convince them to choose that house. “Panhellenic” is an umbrella organization for 26 national women's sororities throughout the United States and Canada.TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORLD.COM/MERCH!Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok at aliweissworld. Flashback stories, love letters, and hate notes can be sent to aliweissworld@gmail.com.“Greek life prioritizes the societal ideal of perfection and reinstates an age-old concept that the rich, white, thin, and beautiful are the elite. If the ‘best', most desirable Greek organizations on campus are full of white, thin, and beautiful individuals, what is that saying on who and what we value in American society?”Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

THE RUMORS ARE TRUE. I, Princess of Taboo, professional rule breaker, and champion of individualism, am a former member of Alpha Phi: the hottest, blondest, whitest sorority on my California college campus. Even more shocking? I absolutely loved it.That is, until I got kicked out. For my first solo episode, I take you through the highs and lows of my 2.5 years in Greek Life as the only New Yorker in a microcosm of "Trump's America." From rushing (in club clothes) and skyrocketing to the top of the social ladder overnight to crashing down in a school-wide scandal that ultimately got me terminated, it was never simple.And neither were - are - the ethics. My sorority showed me female love and loyalty that I never thought possible, but within a system that's classist, discriminatory, and exclusionary. In "finding a home," I lost myself, and became a part of a much larger societal problem.TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORLD.COM/MERCH!Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Email her at ali@aliweissworld.com.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

I'm a total slut for a good magic trick. Why are magicians widely considered to be the lowest (and lamest) form of artist when they're gifted physical performers, intuitive empaths, AND shameless, convincing liars all in one? It's time everyone sees them as the creative, manipulative geniuses they are.This week I'm joined by the very funny and wise Jason Suran (@jasonsuran), a mentalist and master of psychological illusions who's been hired by everyone from national strip club chains to Yale University to the United States Pentagon. Ever want to get inside the mind of someone who reads them for a living? Here's your chance.TALES OF TABOO MERCH NOW AVAILABLE AT ALIWEISSWORLD.COM/MERCH!Please remember to rate, review, and most importantly share with people you love (or, even better, hate). Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @aliweissworld. More about Jason can be found at jasonsuran.com.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What leads people to pay, and accept money, for physical and emotional intimacy? Are Sugar Babies sex workers, or are they just girlfriends of rich men who get “spoiled” as part of the courtship? This week, we find out.Our Babies met their Daddies on websites and in workplaces and backyards. One was involved with a foreign film producer who took her to Cannes and the famous AMFAR Gala; another got lured into the dating-for-pay game by the founder of Seeking Arrangements himself, Brandon Wade. One had a Daddy pay off $30,000 in credit card debt; another is currently getting $5,000 a date, JUST to tie guys to beds. We even hear from a Baby who's currently engaged to her former Daddy!Whether ultimately feeling empowered or ashamed, all of our contributors admit it's an easy world to enter, and difficult to leave. Because yeah - the money, and the sex, are THAT good. (Written submissions start 9:15, audio submissions start 28:42)Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Vivienne Cole is an independent New York-based escort. She's also hilarious, refreshingly honest, and a great friend. Join us as Viv answers YOUR burning questions about sex work, seduction, and self-worth, and dishes on everything from unusual client fetishes to the complicated nature of "feminism" and dating with a price tag. I think you should Call HER Daddy. ~ Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Follow Vivienne on Instagram & Twitter at @viviennecolenyc.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

TRIGGER WARNING: SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND SUICIDEThe only topic more taboo than money or sex is death, and it's one that nobody wants to talk about, even behind closed doors. But, it's inevitable -- and the only thing we all have in common besides our differences! -- so the fact that so few of us know how to confront it in a healthy way is shocking.I asked listeners who have lost a close family member or friend to share how they dealt with grief, the best ways to support someone who's grieving, and how they wish their own support system would have behaved differently (or not failed them altogether).To start, I share my own story about losing one of my best friends (2:35) and another best friend who just lost his dad, then read written submissions (10:46). Audio notes begin at 25:14, and we finish with some brief words of wisdom (1:18:15) from professional death-confronters I interviewed during my April USA trip: the owners of Dysfunctional Grace in Tampa, and the "shaman" of Neptune Memorial Reef in Miami.Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter @aliweissworld. This episode is dedicated to Jon.

Especially in our current climate, few topics trigger as strong (and polarizing) of a reaction as money; and the only thing more triggering than earned money is family money which someone's born into. That's why we're going to talk about it.Despite its inarguable ability to provide comfort, money does NOT buy happiness. Oftentimes - especially when inherited - it actually creates destructive mental health problems and a complete lack of self identity. Because in a capitalist Western society where “life purpose” revolves around pursuing money, who are you if you don't have to?This week, we hear from men and women who grew up in the 1% of the 1%. For every story about $16,000 plane tickets, diamond & ruby family heirlooms, shopping sprees and lunches with celebrities, there's one about insurmountable pressure to succeed, toxic relationships with parents, forced religion-based marriages (!), and existential, incurable sadness. In the words of Biggie, “mo money, mo problems?” That's for you to decide. (Written submissions start at 14:48, voice notes at 38:00) Follow Ali on Instagram, TikTok & Twitter @aliweissworld.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands