Juicy Scoop with Heather McDonald - Fake Kidnapping and American Apparel Scandal

Episode Date: July 25, 2023

Kate Flannery is the author of the new memoir Strip Tees about her experience working at the hottest fashion brand of the early 2000s, American Apparel. There she found herself in what was similar to many cults,  where lots of young women were not only working for but also sleeping with the boss knowing it was not monogamous. I also cover all the hottest topics and juiciest stories at the beginning of today’s show! Enjoy! Vote For Juicy Scoop: realitytelevisionawards.com/vote Get extra juice on Patreon: patreon.com/juicyscoop Subscribe on Youtube: youtube.com/@JuicyScoop Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/heathermcdonald Follow me on TikTok: tiktok.com/@heathermcdonald Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/HeatherMcDonald Follow Kate @katecflannery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather McDonald has got the juices scoop. When you're on the road, when you're on the go. Juice is scoop is the show to know. She talks Hollywood tales. Her real life, Mr. St.Van Cereal Data and Cereal System You'll be addicted and addicted fast to the number one tab or real life hot cat. Listen in, listen up.

Woo, woo, and a McDonald. Juicy scoop. Hello and welcome to Juicy scoop. If you're watching on YouTube, I hope you're subscribing and sharing. But you're also seeing I'm wearing this adorable take top that the girls of the Juicy scoop, OC OC sorority chapter, gifted me. That's right.

Many years ago when I started juicy scoop, I also started a fun thing I thought would be cool for juicy scoopers in different cities to kind of create their own sorority. And the alpha chapter is OC. And I'm excited because I'm going to come see these girls at the Irvine improv once again. It is one of my favorite places to perform. I will be their August 4th and 5th that's Friday in Saturday, two shows a night of standup. And then on Sunday, August 6th, I am doing a live juicy scoop.

That's where the juiciest stuff is heard and seen, but only there. That's right. And it's gonna include the hilarious Brandy and Julie along with some other special guests. So you go there to Heatherbytall.net and go get those tickets. Okay, you guys. We've talked about this earlier. I did a tick talk about it. I just want to fill you in. There was a very disturbing story about this young woman named Carly Russell. She was a nursing student and she called the police and said, oh my god, I'm driving down this highway and I see a child who looks to be about four years old in a diaper pulled over. The phone was dropped. She went missing. They went to go and nothing but her wig and

her car and her, I think her purse. But nothing else was there. No child to be found. No child seen on the surveillance camera. Couple days later, she was found safe. At that point, the parents said, please, we wanna have our privacy. The boyfriend said she fought kidnappers.

You know, with every inch of her for her life, thank God she's safe. People started swirling around, this seems a little fishy, seems a little fishy. Other people are very afraid to say it seems fishy, but I thought it was fishy and I talked about it last week. Well, now the authorities are coming forward and saying we found some interesting things about the story. The good news is they said no one needs to worry, we don't believe a kidnapper is on the loose. Also don't worry, there's no missing four-year-old child that's being used as a lure to

kidnapped people or is running the highway alone. What they did find is that after she left her nursing job, she left with a robe and some toilet paper on a surveillance camera from her work. She then went to Target and bought some cheeses and some granola bars. Those cheeses and granola bars were not found in her car, even though that was the last place she left, when she was supposedly kidnapped. So then she said, this guy with red hair and a ball spotted his head dragged me when I was trying to help the child drive me from behind. And then I woke up and I was

like in this trailer with a with that man and another woman who forced me to undress and take photos of me. And at some point I was able to escape and got home safe. They also said she Googled things like the movie taken. If you have to pay for an amber alert, other things about missing people and kidnappings. So yeah, it doesn't look good. We're happy it's this didn't happen. We happy that she's safe.

We're happy that these people don't exist. We're happy that this child didn't exist. Why did she do it? You know, it was obviously sort of planned at this point and it'll be kind of, I wonder if she'll ever cop to it. You know, with the other story of the girl that supposedly went missing jogging, left her two kids and husband for almost a whole month

that was with her boyfriend or old boyfriend, whatever. She got convicted and she has, I think she's doing some time now, but we never really know new why. Like she never said, okay, I'm ready to do my interview on Juicy Scoop and tell you exactly why I did it, why I sought out the attention, why I planned it out, why we don't. We still don't, we really haven't heard from her except that, oh, I guess I'm sorry, now

I'm going to go do some time. So I don't know why people do this, but fake kidnappings have always been a thing, just like fake pregnancies, fake divorces, all of it, it happens. So Erica Jane, remember the diamond earrings? Well, she was ordered by the court to give these $750,000 earrings up. They went on auction and Ronald Richards, who's very involved in this case and loves to tweet about it. He bought them.

Well, she appealed it. She said, these were gift to me and their mind and even though the money was taken out of an escrow account that wasn't supposed to be used for personal goods, I don't know. They should still be mine. I don't know why I have to give them back. Anyway, she won her appeal. So they said, I don't know where we are in the case right now, but those areas might be coming back and that might be awkward for Ronald Richards. So interesting. This is happening, you guys. This, oh, see, this is really happening.

I have talked about the rise of vulva and vagina fashion. I have predicted it. Julia Fox wore a vagina vulva revealing outfit, bathing suit the other day. Now there are shorts that you can buy from Lucky Brand. This is a real thing and I have a photo of it. So remember to subscribe to that YouTube. And it's a pair of gene shorts, low cut. And then one whole side of the leg is just cut out. So you just see and you can see the girls even shaving top or fur vagina

part or Volvo, whatever you want to call it, whatever the pubic bone. So one, the other side of the zipper is completely removed so that you get that vagina cleavage, groin area, I've been talking about, that would be all the rage. I want to apologize for some of the things that I talk about and inadvertently manifest, especially horrible fashions and disgusting fashions. And I apologize for that, I can't help it. It's a gift from God and it's happening. Oh my God, the sister wife trailer came out. I'm not exactly sure when the actual date comes,

but I'm telling you, I'm so excited. Sister Wives is about Cody and his four wives. I've watched it forever. I can't stop watching it. He is down to one wife and we get to see how he got there, okay? And we know that Janelle we already saw sorry. We know that Christine already left him. She's already engaged to someone else. She's celebrating with a tattoo. I believe one of her daughters just got married to a woman and she's thrilled. Then we have Janelle.

And Janelle, we're going to see her say to the FQ Cody, shut your FN face. We've never seen anything like it. I guess I'll have to bleep it out because it's TLC. I feel like I got to see the full f-word on the trailer. We know she is out. Mary, who he's wanted to be gone, wife number one. She is one daughter who now is living as a, I think, a non-binary or a man and that, that person has now become like lion or something, the name is lion.

Anyway, I don't know. I think her child has gotten married as well. Um, but at the, the other girl's wedding, we saw that Cody went, anyway, we are down to one wife, Robin. That is it. And she's there in the trailer crying with no tears coming down saying, I got into this life because I imagined sitting on my porch

being old, watching my kids and grandkids with my sister wives. And now it's just me and Cody! That's right, it's just you and Cody. And he is like, I am not a happy camper and his perm is going and his curls are fluttering. I cannot wait. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, you guys, they got a, as you know, it's a movie, it's, that we all loved, it was a cartoon from Disney, it's 87 years old, this cartoon. It is now being made into a live action movie to come out in 2024.

Snow White is this girl Rachel Ziegler. She's a spatic actress, Rachel Ziegler, is Snow White, she's very pretty. But the thing that people are up in arms about is that the dwarfs are not seven men, little men that she is living with and cleaning up and cooking for. They wanted to bring up to date, so it's all different genders, sizes.

They're not all little people. They are not all the same ethnicity and people are not happy about it. Let me find that photo. Here we go. I have a photo of them here. They're men. They have long hair. They're wearing, you know, mismatched outfits and stuff. And I guess they still have to high-ho, high-ho off-to-work rego because it looks like they're going to work in this photo. But Game of Thrones, Peter

Dinklage, he is not happy. He says, he criticized the film early for their portrayal of the disability. He said, you're progressive, you're progressive in one way, but then you're still making that fucking backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together. What the fuck are you doing, man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause of my soapbox? I guess I'm not loud enough. Except he didn't I think there's only like one door from the whole thing. So then if you're a door for a little person then you're better because you know there's finally a movie you can be in and they don't use you. They are like we only want one of you and you're like what about six of my

friends? They're like no just one. I mean that's what the photo looks like just one. And you know that I'm well, are they gonna keep the names? And the article didn't say if they're gonna keep the names. Because dopey, that's not appropriate anymore with, you know, opiod epidemic and fentanyl to call someone dopey. Sleepy, you know, some people have a problem with sleep or sleeping too much. Grumpy, maybe they need a mental health day. Bashful, maybe they're just an introvert, you know, and you should leave them alone.

Happy, well, there's toxic positivity, that's not cool, so it's not cool that you're happy all the time. And then there's sneezey, we should not make fun of people with allergies, so I don't know how they're going to do that, because anyone that makes fun of people being allergic to anything or sneezing, that's rude. And then there's doc. One person got an education and is a doctor but has to go be with these other weird people. And so anyway, I think it looks like he'll be cut a butt.

I like talking about it, she's pretty. Crystal Hefner, it has a book coming out, I mentioned it, but I know a little bit more about it. She said that she had to go, she had to go and under went do programming after leaving Playboy Mansion. She came here, it tell I when she was 21. That's when she also met Hugh, who was 81 at the time. And then she married him at 26 after five fun years of dating She said when you're in a place where you could easily be replaced you're always kind of on guard

It's hard to make friends so she didn't make friends in the play moment. I mentioned it was hard she had a 10-year relationship with him before he died and She really buried who she was before she had to bury him. And he, she had a 6 p.m. curfew. And she felt that she gave herself to just a needy man who made her feel guilty for leaving. And she said, at first, Crystal said, she thought, wow, I finally belong somewhere.

And I'm important by association, but I'm still important. Yeah, it feels good. It didn't take long though before the facade and everything kind of unraveled. And she had to watch those movies, those costs of Blanca type movies and she said, oh, half loved the old movies where the women were just fainting and helpless. They could do nothing without a man and then ask a man for everything. She said adding that she was rewarded for being helpless like a damsel. And as he got older, Hector just got more needy and dependent on me. Oh, I don't know why you thought that. Did you think when you were 21 and he was 81 and then you married him when he was 87,

you were 26? Did you think that he wouldn't need you? I mean, the guy is 90. you think that he wouldn't need you? I mean, the guy is 90. You didn't think he would need you. He needed you. Anyway, she said half was a narcissist. You think misogynist, shocking.

And he was very complicated human. But he also did a lot of good. He helped a lot of people. He stood up for a lot of things too. Okay. Anyway, she got her boobs taken out out and she only kept one bunny outfit. And so I am excited to read her book. Crystal, I'd love for you to come on the show. Come on, tell me everything. People that are close to Kim, Zolziak, are allegedly pissed that

she called off the divorce. You know when you drag all your friends in and you bitch about your man and everything and they're all working around you to, oh my god, get away from this monster who doesn't have a job, who's not yourself, you see, he's telling the cops he's crazy. They're a coordinator online, they're like annoyed. They're like, what the hell? We feel like you's endooped that now you're staying with him. And that's what happens, guys.

If whether you're the one that trauma dumped on your friend about your man and then you go back to your man or you're the one that was there to help your friend, you also got to say to yourself, if my friend goes back to this guy, am I gonna be okay with it? Am I gonna still support him? Am I still going to smile and bring over potato salad six months from now?

And they have a barbecue, even though she was out my house crying, telling me every horrible awful thing he did and said, can you be that person? Can you be that friend? Maybe you can. Maybe you can't. You know, you got to think about it. But they're together. A lot of people were very scared about this Lisa Rina look.

She had one of her wigs on and they made her eyebrows kind of light, like a blonde, so that really kind of changed her look when you light out your eyebrows. And her lips look so huge people were dying. They said the chillic-like Brandy Glanville, they thought you look like Steven Tyler, whatever, it was just a fashion look. and she has full lips and they overdrew them and they they you

know bleached her brows relax people I showed it to Drake and I said she's 16 he goes well and she looks pretty damn good I'm like I know she does this is sad news this is Neenie Leakes older son Bryson he's 33 and he was arrested there was a call that came in they found him like sitting on the lawn of some house that wasn't his they looked into his car according to the police report and they found a small baggy they thought it was either cocaine or fentanyl turns out it is fentanyl and he was arrested and you know it's very sad and he also said when asked that he was his he

said up he didn't say his name was Bryson he said his name was his younger brothers who is her younger son this is their older son just younger son and I believe he's a dad too so this is all this is all just a real bummer for her. But she said, he's had an easy life, Neenie said this. So now I'm going to show him what hard life is. He's going to stay in jail. I'm not getting him out, and he can figure it out from behind bars. So he has a scheduled hearing.

It appears he wasn't selling it. It just appears he might have possibly been using it. I hope not, but that's a bummer. Mindy Kaling is speaking out about her weight loss. And I'm kind of glad she is. She was doing something in interview and she just said, I'm done talking about my weight and people taking it so personally. I have talked about this before.

She looks great. Yeah, does she look a lot better than 10 years ago when you watch a rerun of the office? Yeah, she's thinner, she's fit, she's 10 years older, she has a lot more money. There's been a lot of advances in plastic surgery and skin care and everything else and money makes you look a little better. So yeah, she looks great. I don't like that people don't like it. What the hell is the problem? She also says she, basically, she does 20 miles a week of either hiking or running.

She's made fitness part of her life for the couple, for the last couple years. And she doesn't do a diet. She just eats less. Whether she used ozemppec or something else, who cares, she's maintaining it, she looks good, and she is working out and she's fit. And I've said this before, this is the thing of people just always talking there,

either saying, eat something you're too thin, then now that this whole body positivity thing happens, being like just be happy with the body you're in, if those women then choose to lose weight and look great, it's like this whole group of other people are like, we lost an ally, why did you have to conform to go to the other side? It's like, why do you care what somebody's doing

with their own body? Let them be healthy. The same thing if somebody gains a few pounds, leave them the hell alone. But yeah, people being so angry about how they got to be the size that they are. It's really none of your business let it go. Don't, you know, and I think there's another thing when there's skinny privilege where someone who's been skinny their whole life or unfortunately had to starve themselves or have

eating disorders and never, and they didn't enjoy the term of suit night they didn't get to have bread for the last thirty years they're not happy about the olympic people either because they're like god if i only had that for the last forty years and now my friend is like better looking than me because she always had a prettier face but at least i was thin now i'm still not that cute and thin and she's gorgeous and thin. That's what it is. Women don't always support each other. You guys very sad. As Ramona would say,

you know what? You know what? Not all women support women. Okay? You know what? A lot of people don't support everybody. Okay? Really? You know? Just like I said, Bethany, she doesn't support everybody. She's acting like she's supporting Jill. She's acting like she's really supportive of the people. But I know the real Bethany All right you guys remember you go to Heather McDonald net Sorry All right you guys remember to go to Heather McDonald.net for the rest of my dates Irvine improv red bank New Jersey Foxwood casino Huntington, New York West Hampton Beach Theater.

Oh my God, all of it's coming. I'm coming to New York for you. So excited. And now for a really great interview about a juicy story, this book, I predict, will become a movie. It is, it's about fashion, it's about sex, it's a little culty, it's a time of LA life that was poppin'. Please get ready for a juicy interview with the author Kate Flannery and the book is

Strip Teas. So you guys have seen me, you've been following me, I've been traveling a lot, I've been in the ocean, I've been in the sun. I've been using lots of products. Well, thank God I have my way, shampoo, conditioner, my detox shampoo. But I also want to tell you about their best selling product and that's ways best selling hair oil. This is a fast fix to get your hair looking healthy again.

I absolutely loved it because it just, it was like a multi-task oil and it really helped smooth the frizz that I have and it helped actually seal some split ends. These split ends, not some, I have a lot. And it gives me that high gloss super smooth finish when I blow out my hair that I absolutely needed after a summer of havoc on my hair. And then when I was at my friend's house, she had way products too. And I was like, yes, that's what I need. This is the smell I love.

I feel like I'm just walking through a hidden garden. I'm just smelling violent and gardenia. I absolutely love it. Live life your way and get your fast fix for healthy looking hair. Go to THEOUA.com. The way.com and use CodeJuicy for 15% off any purchase. That's The Way.com. THEOUA.com CodeJuicy. Hello and welcome to Juicy Scoop. Today I have a juicy book with the author Kate

Flannery not to be confused with the redhead Kate from the office. This is a book called Strip Tees about the American apparel juice. Welcome Kate to the show. This is your first novel. Hi. Hi. Thank you so much for having me. Yes, so you know, I remember this time, it wasn't a look I was into. It was like the early 2000s and it just kind of took over and there's also a scandal with the owner and all of that. And so the book starts out and it's kind of how you, it's your memoir, so kind of how you got involved in this fashion world, how you got the job. So let's just get into it.

Tell us a little bit about yourself before senses your memoir, like how did you get into, get to LA, all of that. Sure, well, I grew up in kind of a little hillbilly town. I say that with love in Pennsylvania. And it was sort of nearby Philly in New York, and I could sort of like taste, glamour, and adventure, and an exciting life and fashion. And once I went to college, and I've always been a writer, so I studied writing, I really,

I got a job in Philadelphia for a year working for Urban Outfitters and their headquarters. And I sort of had, you know, it really broke a lot of my illusions about what working in fashion was going to be. A lot of things were made in sweatshops. My boss was kind of stodgy, you know, I was working in a cubicle. I was writing all their catalogs and the texts on their website. And I was like, there's got to be something better than this. It was 2004. California was having a moment, you know, like the simple life simple life the OC it's so funny to like to read People's talk about that and right now there's like all these documentaries about the early 2000 and I'm like Oh, so I was here and I didn't realize like this is a hot thing that's happening

I'm like I've just lived here my whole life. I was like all right, but yeah, it was kind of the the launch of reality TV with the girls next door and the simple life and the Paris Hilton and with Paris Hilton kind of came the my space and kind of this is where it began where you could brag about yourself, which I always say was not like when I was growing in high school, it was the worst thing to be conceded. This was like, I'm cute, you're cute,

let's be cute together, let's post about how fabulous we are and tell the world how fabulous we are. And like, it wasn't anything to be ashamed of. No. And even further than that, it was cool to have a celebrity sex tape. It was cool to have a Playboy spread. Oh, yeah. Playboy, yeah.

So, a company like American Apparel, this sexy, you know, I had no misgivings about it because it just seems like we were in this post 9-11, post-feminist world where like Glorious Diamond had taken care of that. Like we could be sexy and own our sexiness. And also sex in a city. Oh my gosh. With just starting. I remember driving on sunset and seeing sex and the city and I couldn't believe that

was a title. I was like, what is this? And know, and you know, so that is really interesting. They really were the mothers of all that. Yeah. What seems so shocking back then is the right, I mean, kind of pale. Yeah. And so, um, so when you got the job, because you met these girls at a bar and they just like approach you. Yes. And what did you think of that? Did you think it was like a weird scary thing or did you just thought it was safe? Well, I moved to LA on sort of a whim and I had a very small savings left over from urban and I needed a job right away.

So when these fashionable, beautiful young women were like, hey, they just hand me this card, come join our team. We work for this incredible company. You know, it's not like any other company. It's not like urbanters. It's not like those companies that you sweatshops to run things like this is a cool company. And they were so cool and I was lonely and it just was perfect. I went with them without a second thought and started my adventure. So they had these, it was in like downtown LA or where was it? It was a little joy in Echo Park. A free renovation little joy. It was in like downtown LA or where was it? It was a little joy in Echo Park. A free renovation, little joy. It was like real grungy and fabulous.

And what was your position there? I was feeling really full of myself because I had this fancy writing degree. I had just had this writing job. And they were like, wanna work in the store? The first married apparel store. And I was, you know, like, oh, we're back to retail. You know, I'd like done that in high school.

Yeah. But they convinced me, do this job and you will move on to other things, bigger and better things, this company is expanding and wait till you meet the founder, this charismatic, problematic, I would find. Very, what's his name? Dove Charney. Okay. Dove Charney.

And it all just sounded so good. And I went to the factory. They told me to come to the factory, which is in downtown LA, where everything was made. And then I really got started. And so how did the guy dove come up with this, and that it was profitable by making these clothes in America? Yeah, yeah. It's, I mean, it's, it's so simple, but it's ingenious. You know, when you're dealing with a sweatshop, if you want, if something doesn't have the right collar, or there's some problem, it's not the right color, you have to wait for weeks for a message to get over there to stop production.

If you're making everything downstairs, you just go downstairs and say, hold up, we're switching things. You can change, you have such a finger on the pulse of your chain of supply and demand. So it was very easy to turn a ridiculous profit when you're not waiting for, you know, to hear from Bangladesh or whatever. What do you think of just to jump gears a little of the whole sheen fast fashion and the influencers?

What are your thoughts on that? That's so fascinating, that the video of them going to the factory. And saying how great it is and everything. I know, I just think they were maybe a little innocent. Like I am in stricties. It seems a little too good to be true. I mean, if you've never been to a factory before,

you don't really know what to expect. It seems a little too good to be true. I mean, if you've never been to a factory before, you don't really know what to expect. Because with the sheen, it's like, I mean, I've seen so many things and you don't know what is totally true, what it did, was this video and TikTok manipulated, whatever. But, I believe that there have been people that have gotten an item from certain designers,

maybe not she, maybe other ones, we're in the label where it would say, dry clean only or whatever, they're writing like, please help me, or typing out things like that. Absolutely, it's really awful. That's why the draw to work at a place that was made in America,

where you can see the employees, they're getting massages at the end of their shifts, they're getting fair wages, they're getting English lessons. They're being able to support their families in a way and have a job with dignity and be treated with respect. I still stand behind that business model. I still find myself buying things from Los Angeles

to peril because I know that factory is doing it the right way. And so the look was kind of, and the ads were very provocative. They looked very 1976 porn, young girl, like not really done makeup, like a greasy face. Yeah, you got it. A tank with no bra, you know, like kind of like barely 18, kind of a look. And that, but that caught the eye of things.

What did you think of that? Were you all down for that at the beginning or did you think it was a little creep? You know, I was, I was 23 when I started. So they were my people. I thought it was sort of infantilizing to think that these girls that were not only in the ads, but running the company, making all of the decisions.

So the models worked on the show. Oh yeah. America wasn't the typical models, which now we see a lot, not typical. Now it's like, you know, everything but like a traditional 90s looking model is like what we see on the target ads and stuff. But then it was kind of like,

you just feel like you were like looking at some average person alone in their bedroom before they like, yeah. Took a shower. It was like a little bit. It was a little bit weird, but it was definitely like intriguing because it was so different than what we saw at, you know, Old Navy and the gap and all that kind of stuff. Yeah.

And the reason was because those shots are real. They're not posed, you know, the founder was in a lot of relationships with these girls. So let's get into that. How did that happen? And so was he, how did he get into and get his funding and stuff to start to do this? Oh my gosh, it is impressive. He dropped out of college, he had such a passion, he's Canadian. He's such a passion for t-shirt making. He went to, I think it was North Carolina

to learn how to make t-shirts. He learned how to make the best kind of t-shirts. This was in the 90s when it was still like boxy t-shirts, it's kind of back in again now, but it was really hard to find a really cute, fitted fitted like Euro style t-shirt back then. Those were the ones he wanted to make. And he started a company, I forget what it was called, but it went bankrupt. And then he did it again with American apparel and succeeded wildly, moved to LA, got the factory, and started there. And, you know, he, I'm trying to get into the, like, his girlfriends. OK, get into it.

What you can share, yeah. Well, you know, when I first got there, I didn't put two and two together. But really, very quickly, and one of my first months of work, or maybe a couple months in, I was in there working the floor and The store the factory of the store the first echo park store Which I really had to run for myself by myself for a while it was really early in the company We were like waiting lots of hats and I see like the dressing room curtain moving and I knew no one was in the store

So I'm like who is in there? What did I miss something? Do they need help on like going over to any another size? No, it's Dev Charnie and he is in the throes of a passionate affair with my with my friend my one of the girls who was in all the ads and why is it a fair because you had a wife or oh no no no no I just mean like oh they're making out hot and heavy. Oh they making out no no no he's not the commitment at all okay so she's getting down with him okay they were in all their clothes just yeah making out like I had never seen anything like it even to this date so you mean you opened the curtain and saw it and then it was like oh shit yes okay and he was like it's okay how can I blame you for wanting to watch two people getting it on? Like I was spying on him.

I was like, oh my god, no, that's not what was going on. I should have known, right? Right now. And it's funny when I talked to the girl, her name is Carolie in the book. I braced her. These are all of the things I'm writing about. And I said to her, do you remember the day I met you?

I met Dove in the dressing room and she was like, no, which is so funny. That's such a thing in memoir. The things that are so important to you, like how could I ever forget that? To her, that was just another day. She didn't even remember that. But she was like, yeah. Where are we naked? Okay, so this is obviously happened before. How was she? You said you were how old at this time? I was one of the older women there at 23. I'd say she was probably 19. She was, and how old was he? 33 maybe, 33.

That's pretty creep. Yeah, yeah. And so, and at the helm of, and her boss, and a millionaire, it's just the power imbalance. I don't know what you can be consensual, but that power. Did we have a six-pad invite you guys over for like work pool parties or anything? Eventually he did.

Yeah. First he started out in a very humble bungalow. And then he bought this glorious Deco mansion, which I call the Big House. There's a chapter in Strip Cheese, the juiciest one of all called The Big House, where I went over there for dinner one night, one of his girlfriends was in a jealous snit

because he was doing a photoshoot with another girl, which would happen all the time. And afterwards, when I left, the story got back to me that she went to the bottom of the staircase of this beautiful house, got in her car and drove all the way up and up the stairs of the house. With her atop.

In her company, Mercedes. So she crashed open the door? Wait, she couldn't get to, it's a very big staircase. She got pretty far up the staircase. She did a Betty Broderick where she went in the front of the house. And there were people there or no people were there. Oh yeah, there were lots of people there.

Doing the photo shoot. There was even a journalist there on the sidelines. And was she arrested? What happened? No, of course not. She's a prized girlfriend. So he just was like, he didn't want that news to get around. When he found out that people were talking about it, he was like angry.

But the funny thing is that it happened again. So how many of the same girl tried to drive in up the driveway of the house? That's what I've heard, yes. She broke down the front door again. Yes. It's confirmed in podcasts and stuff. It's like lore, but it happened, it's true. So was it sort of like a Hugh

Hector and that all these girls knew they were not exclusive but they were kind of vying for the number one or even two spot at that point? Except that Hugh Hector to me just has these like crusty old grandpa vibes. Yes, he was a crusty old. Yeah, like just like even the way the mansion looked like. Oh so they're in the water bed and the wood. Yeah, yeah. But like, Doug was hip and young and yes, he was 33 and we were young.

Yeah, no, no. Yeah, it now it seems young to me. I was like, oh, that's all. I could never like 30 year old. Oh my god. But yes, he was so young and charismatic. Like, you wanted to be with him. Like, thank God I wasn't his type because, you know,

who knows how I could have gotten sucked in. So did you do the ads? Oh yeah. So did you get paid extra for the ads? No, of course not. See that's insane. I know. Well one of the things in the playboy mansion, the playboy documentary, was how they would, you know, hey you're going to do playboy, you're going to get paid, whatever even to the people like I've paid a lot for this shoot. Really the people only got paid really a lot were if you were like a celebrity or you're a returning playmate, but even if you were like the month or whatever, it wasn't like life-changing money. But then what they would do is they would take all the photos and you take a bunch of

show and photos and use four of them. All of those, they sign something that they could use forever. So then when online playmate stuff was able to happen later on in the 90s, some woman that took the shoot in the 80s, her photos are being used and being profitable and all this stuff forever. And so I think that's so weird that you're here you are folding t-shirts. And your photo like did you ever have an ad that was like in magazines and stuff like that. I was in the storefront a huge video screen of me dancing in the Paris American Apparel down the street from Pompadou Center. And did anybody say we should be-

They even tell me about it. I found out because someone was like, another worker from France was in town. And she was like, oh, it's you! And I thought, what? You were like, oh yeah, we put that video of you dancing in France. In my room, it was like, did you get paid?

I was like, no, it was worth it. So your room mate did ask. So you guys were like savvy enough to be like, look, I still really love my job and it's fun and it is kind of cool But at the same time you were aware that you were well He was an outsider he didn't work for the company and I was so deep in that cult that Any what he didn't work for the company. Oh my roommate at the Oh, I remember he was like a friend who came over from Philly. Oh, so he did yeah, so he was just like I ridden fast

I was like he's he's the voice of reason He's trying to tell me that my job isn't perfect. He's trying to tell me I'm being exploited by this company that I love. I was like, I'm getting my own place. But really, he's a great guy. So you do mention in the book that you kind of realize, am I in a cult? Yeah.

OK, so tell me a little bit about when you started to the things that led you to that are are cult like. Once I went on salary, which should have been this really exciting thing. So now are you still working in the store now? I'm still working the stores, but I'm recruiting. Okay. I'm flying every time there's a new store, I'm flying there to hire people, all the girls.

And so then you were also hiring based on looks, style. Can you vibe with the store? Very ambercromy and pinch. Yes, absolutely. And I also had a friend who worked for a major retailer. Guess what it is. And I remember I went and hung out with her in Hawaii because she was like, I have a room. You have to be gone all day because all day I'm going to be interviewing girls to work

at the new stores. And you know, she was a gorgeous girl too. I bet she had a great sense of style. And yeah, you were hiring based on the look and the image and everything. I mean, now I guess that would be a big no-no, but I mean, you still see it, even no matter what story you go to, whether it's like a Louis Vuitton or whatever,

there's a certain kind of person, well thank God it's not about ethnicity anymore, but still whether they're black, Asian, white, they have a style about them, they have a snobbery about them. You know, there's a certain vibe that you get that goes with the look of the store. Okay, so continue what you're saying. So, so you're having this fun time, you're doing these things, and you're relying on jet setting around. And you're recruiting these girls. In recruiting them, then would he dov come around and hit on them

and did you ever feel any guilt when they get sucked into a romance with him? For sure, that's like the climax of Striptease. It's really, it's funny, that was when I was recording the audiobook. I just, it surprised me when I hit that subject matter that that was like the hardest one to read. There's other kind of crazier stuff that happens.

Yeah. That, but that, yeah, it's was like the hardest one to read. There's other kind of crazier stuff that happens. Yeah. Um, that, but that, yeah, it's, it's in stricties. That's, you'll see. Right, no, I don't, I still want to leave the book, but okay, yeah, I could see that work. And then you kind of like, oh, I didn't even like, real it, like you didn't really necessarily think. Yes.

I'm gonna bring in this girl, because this is Doves type. No, no, I'm gonna get these girls, because this is the look, they're fun, and just like, no, I'm going to get these girls because this is the look. They're fun and they also seem like they're going to show up on Tuesday. Yes, for sure. In the very beginning, when I started recruiting, Doug would have to approve every image. I had my trusty Polaroid camera and every Polaroid would be sent to the factory.

After I had a few stores under my belt, I stopped having to do that. So yeah, I just sort of started to sink in deeper and deeper. Things started happening like I was, you know, I would go on vacation with my family and I'd get a call from the factory. You got to go to this struggling store and I would think, I would explain everything away, you know, oh, it's a job that only I can do. I'm just so important at this company. And then I came from this really feminist Brinmar background. When the sexual harassment started mounting,

sexual harassment lawsuit started mounting. When I was at the big house and someone told me that one of the girls from Japan who works for the company, not only works for the company, but is also Doves Gaysha and like comes in and... So, wait, he had a real Gaysha? Yes. What is it?

Yeah. What is a real Gaysha? Like, what is the deal? Cause like, I remember that book that was so famous. Yes, yes. And it was, and then I recently talked to somebody and she was like, you know, this other girl we met. She was a gaysha for a while. Then she had to become a realtor Yeah, when that happened, she's like a girl from Newport Beach and she's beautiful and she's blonde beautiful today

But I go, what do you mean I she's like no, she seriously she seriously went to Japan. And like, and I go, do what do the gays just do? Do they screw or do they just like make tea and be like bound their feet? What is it? I'm not sure specifically, but I do know that this gaysha wandered into the room while sex act was being performed. I don't think so. No. Oh, no. But Kaben with a little tray, there were some glasses of water, a little bowl with ice cubes. And she leaned over to Dove and my friend, and wiped the sweat from their brow and put them on it. As they're fucking, yes.

Yes. So once I heard a story like that, I heard it. I heard it. I heard it from the girl. The gay shit girl. No. Oh, the girl that was screwing up. So she was like this was frickin' weirder,

where she like, oh, it was kind of nice because I was a little sweaty and I did want a sympathy. No, it was like a funny joke to her. Whereas really at this point in the story, I'm disgusted. Just the, how many people do you think he was like screwing at a time? Oh my god. Well, that's the thing. You know Mostly all of the girls in here are very supportive except for one She's like everybody's gonna know it's me and you told my stories, but I want to say to her

There were hundreds of girls like I just think it hurts maybe to read this later and that's really the issue Because I write about her with such love, I really care for her. The girl that you have with the guy at me. Yeah, she's the one in the gate. You know, she's, well, this is juicy. She, I told her what was in the book. Yeah. I took her to Coachella to see Bjork, front of the stage.

I had a hook up. Yeah. I give her the book. I'm like, I really hope you like this. She reads the book overnight. She's like, I really hope you like this. She reads the book overnight. She's like, I love it. I was nervous. Did she get on top of these things?

She loves it. She posted on her story. I'm in this book. And I took great pains to make sure everyone is anonymous. I changed names. I changed jobs. So I was like, well, shit, she must feel pretty good about it. Then, like, literally the next day,

I see a story of her with Dove at his new factory. And I'm like, oh shit, she went right to Dove. And then the next morning, I got a text from her, how could you do this to me? You exploited me. These are, everyone's going to think I'm a traitor. I mean, it's so obvious what happened, Dove got mad. You know, he's like, you told her the gaysha story. You told her the gaysha story. Then he got mad. And now,

she's very angry. So, but she is still friendly with him or still see the girl. The girl drove the carp the stairs is, oh no, I'm the girl who drove the carp the stairs is still with him. The gaysha is still with him. So now how old is he? Like 43? 45? He's got to be almost 50 by now, right? Or probably, I'm sure he's over 50. And with these girls that we're screwing him,

did they like get set up with an apartment and stuff like that? Did they still have to fold t-shirts? Yeah, I mean, everyone worked. Like that was the thing. Everyone worked. I know. I think that's so crazy that when you start screwing the boss whether you're a Parallegal or

Working at this place or or Arnold Schwarzenegger's made the fact that you still have to like do the job that you're hired for a lot like the job that you're hired for a lot like. I want more than any like why wouldn't you just be like. Yeah, that should be in here. I mean really like I can't believe it like I would think like yeah um yeah we're screwing now and I don't think I need to be there for the half yearly sale. Yeah, you know yes. No everyone in the cult must work. Even those baldies who were going on the comet, like they had serious jobs every day.

The baldies wouldn't be heaven's gate. Oh, the heaven's gate. God, I just talked about that the other day because someone brought up Santa Fe San Diego. Yeah. And I was like, oh, the heaven's gate, people with the tennis shoes. They were living in a mansion because they all had to work. They had to do that.

Yeah, they were like computer programmers, stuff, and stuff. They were in that night they're like, we're going to. Yeah. Heaven's gate. Yeah, they were like computer programmers stuff and tell them that night. They're like we're going to yeah, heavens gay so when so So would anybody Like a cult start to be like or even a playboy mansion start to be like Hey Kate like

You know what and this is fucking weird or getting jealous like don't if you was dating one girl that you brought in whatever that worked there nineteen are they consecutively screwing till she leaves or does he like find new people and then her feelings are hurt like what about that there was very little jealousy there was an understanding you know it it was just like the culture of the company like we were encouraged to date our co-workers you know he never cared if someone had a boyfriend,

just as long as they were dead. Although he would become very jealous if a girl he liked had a boyfriend over his 50s too. Yes. And what if he did head on someone and they rejected them and they just wanted to work at the store? Oh, I mean, I don't know, I've never talked to anybody

like that. I mean, there were plenty of us who didn't sleep with him. But did he attempt to? Like, what was his feeling if he got rejected? Yeah, that's, you know, I never really witnessed that. Oh, well, actually, no, they're in strip-tees. He became so enamored with this. I mean, she was like 16 years old.

She was coming from high school on, she was a part-timer. And he was so into her and her boyfriend who had like braces, he was a teenager. He came into the shop and does became in rage. She took me in the back room. He was like, that 16 year old girl, she has a 16 year old brain, doesn't she know what I could give her?

Like, oh, she brings that boyfriend here. It was like, that was really good. What did you say to that? Oh, I didn't say a word because I just, you don she brings that boyfriend here. It was like, that was really good. What did you say to that? Oh, I didn't say a word because I just, you don't say things to it. Because you're in the call. Yeah, but I would want to. I was so, but at any point we were thinking like, duh, just legally, she's 16. So like, yeah.

Yes, that's addressed in here too. Yeah. That's at the end when stuff like that started happening. Did he ever actually like get involved with someone who was not 18? I mean, my lawyer should probably tell him not to say this, but I mean, he has a relationship with the junior in high school in the book. I started to stay away from the numbers. Right, right, right. Okay, so that junior and high school could have been 18-1.5. She was held back a few years.

That was really when, wow, I couldn't put the blinders on anymore. So when did it all explode? Because I only remember hearing bits and pieces and I looked it up a little, which I saw the ads and stuff to prepare for this interview. But tell us a little bit like how it got exposed and got written about, you know, and everything. Sure. Well, it really had about, the company had about 10 good years. StripTee's cover is the first few, the first year really, that I worked with a company,

although I did work there for three years. You know, his first real... People started finding out about American Apparel and Dove, is they did a profile on him in Jane Magazine. Okay. And they asked the young Asian journalist, his type, if he could master paint in front of her. Oh, he pulled a Louis CK. Yes, how cute.

He did... Well, actually, Louis didn't ask. Right. Dove asked., Louis didn't ask. Right, love asked. Louis said he did ask. Louis said he, yeah, he has an ex-boyfriend who did that to me once. I had seen him in like 10 years, I walk in

and he's just like, Louis CKs me. It was so bizarre. And he didn't ask. They don't ask. Yeah, no. Although, he did ask the journalist. I think in the Louis CK stories, sometimes he said he asked and some girl's story although that he did ask the journal. I think in the Louis CK stories Sometimes he said he asked and some girls stories said that he asked and the girls thought it was a joke Yeah, yeah, because they were like wait when you just finished a set and we're so excited that we're hanging out because you just saw our

Funny set and we actually think you think we're funny. Yes Your only reaction is to laugh when something like that happens because you're like your oh you gross old man you must be joking it feels so badly for you that you're such a loser exactly that I'm going to laugh yes and oh my god so he did that and what happened got a ton of amazing press because what journalist is going to say absolutely not she wrote an amazing story but she didn't reveal that part or she did oh no she did He also in the Jane article in the she so in the Jane article she talks about how much she loves the t-shirts and then says and at the end He asked if he could masturbate in front of me and I chuckled. Oh, like how did she write? How did she say it? It's very compelling. I mean she went to do a profile on him and she followed him around and went to the factory

and was with him with girlfriends and watch girlfriends pleasure him and she followed him around and went to the factory and was with him with girlfriends and watched girlfriends pleasure him. And that's, this is the world we were living in. I know it seems insane. And did the author of the Jane article, because I don't want to look up that article after it. She's cladding co and the article is called Meet Your New Boss. And I was just like, oh, he- And nobody, and she did not find there was anything problematic

or disturbing about what she saw. She just thought all these girls wanted to do it. Very manson-esque too. Very like Charlie. Very manson. Very charming. And very playboy and just not a very next-y-ump. Yeah. And so when she was writing this in what year would this have been 2004, I believe. Did any other articles come after reading this, I mean, like this is fucking weird. Yes, that's what, I mean, it's like, but her article wasn't, all press, this article wasn't, this is weird.

Well, I mean, it was weird, but she wasn't giving an opinion that it was weird. She wasn't an indictment. It wasn't like this terrible end. It was like, look at the way this crazy man lives. Okay. He did ask my consent And the in fact the very last line of the article is like dove asks me if I want to stick around or you know

Go with them to and you know, I kind of think maybe I do so like that's the kind of article it was It was just a different time. It was a different time. We're living in it was a super sex charge new millennium post aids like It was fun super sex charge, new millennium, post-AIDS. It was fun to be sexy. You know, I think it is such an interesting situation because I look at all the different levels of feminism. When my mom graduated from college at the end of the 50s and got married at 1960, but she had a job.

She was a copywriter, you know, in Chicago. And she had these all the great stories, like very mad men, she and my dad. And then, but at that time, she was like, oh, so then, you know, Bob, my dad, oh, he got a job in Michigan. It was so cool. But then, thank God, he got a job in California. And I was like, so you were just's like wherever Bob wanted to go you know like did it and not until like I was like maybe five and I was the youngest of five so now she'd

been like a mom for like 17 years or whatever did she start to go oh I would like to get back into writing and then realize that wasn't going to make any money so then she liked to real estate my dad was like will you love going to open house to a bunch. You get your real estate license. Yeah. And so she started to work. But then we grew up, the Gen Xers, like where it was in our brain, like to be a housewife is such a blit, like thing to be.

You've got to have your education. You've got to have another job. You've got gotta work. And then we have the generation under me that was like, oh my God, like be some man, the Jones, and fuck everybody, like why, why even bother? And so I'm watching this, I'm already married when the show comes out or something,

and I'm like, God, I miss that, but I also had a lot of friends, I'm like, nobody was this slutty, and I realize it's written by gay men and stuff. But I feel like the 15-year-old girls that were watching Sex the City about women who were 32 and boning after a gym without taking a shower.

I think it did influence them strongly, along with all this other stuff, and the girls next door, and all of that. And then they kind of like are like, oh, well now I, you know, not married or whatever. And now there's this younger generation of like Gen Z that are actually like, you got to get married when you're young because the 30 year olds can't find any good men. So like lock it down with the first nice guy you meet in college. The complete opposite of what people were told my age. Like, oh my god, you don't want to marry the guy you were pinned to in college.

You fucking kidding. No, you want a party party party, then find him like around 29. Yes. Get married by 30 and then pop out, you know. And then the next generation was like, no, you don't want to get married at 29. You want a party party party and then around up you know and then the next train or is it was like no you don't get married twenty nine you want a party party then around thirty five panic freeze your eggs and now it's like no no no just and then also there's a big thing I see with a lot of Gen Z young women that are flexing like I don't have to work my man pumps my gas pays my bills and

there's people like that are like get why did our moms root it for us? Like all my mom had to do was like, make sure that there was like a tuna casserole in the oven. I'm like, if all I had to do was a tuna casserole, even if I... Like, maybe my life would be easier. But it is just a really, I love talking about that kind of stuff, and how attitudes change. And as women, you can make those decisions, and you shouldn't be forced to feel like you have to be

super sexy, or be bisexual if you want to, but if you don't, you don't have to either. I always feel like there was a moment where, why are you this, this straight female? No, you could be bisexual if you want to but if you don't you don't have to either like i always feel like it was a moment where like why you this is straight female like no you could be that you can also be by you can also be whatever but you can also like it's in you know a lot of these women are like seeing that oh it's great like if i just want to be

a mom like that isn't like a loser thing that like you know because there was that moment Hillary Clinton was like I wasn't just home making cookies because she wasn't Yeah, no she was like I went to law school. I'm a lawyer like I want my props. Yes, but at the same time It's just crazy. It's very interesting So so then when this article came out and the girl's like and I just might So then were people starting to say what the hell is

this situation, we're enough people questioning it. We just got tremendous press from it. Like all press is good press. And I think once he realized that, he could really sort of dig into that purveeness as his brand. The ads became dirtier. That Jane article really was a catalyst, I think, for the company.

But we would, you know, sometimes we would get flyer bombed. There's a flyer bombing in Strip T's where they, you know, some guerrilla wheat pastors after that Jane article came out, pasted the store over with flyers that said, obey your master, baiter master bait or clever. Yeah So it's things like that would happen in fact, there's a photo insert in here and one of those flyers isn't there Wow, but yeah, no, he got a lot of mileage out of that and you know That soon he was on 2020 and soon the near times is writing about him and business was just totally and you're still working there at that time

Oh, yeah, so then what what happens? Then so after the events of Miami, which is sort of where I the climax of this book where I really sort of come to terms, I try to leave. I go to Betsy Johnson. I think oh my gosh, you've been hiring for American apparel. Like they're all going to want me. Nobody wanted me. They were like, oh, American apparel, are you one of the girlfriends? Like that was the, I've been hiring for American Apparel. They're all gonna want me. Nobody wanted me. They were like, oh, American Apparel, are you one of the girlfriends? That was the, I mean, they would say that, but-

Oh, that's the fashion industry. Yeah, even in the fashion industry, we were sort of marked. I ended up going to what I thought, this is one of my favorite stories and strategies. It's called the Emperor's Club. I answered this Craigslist ad. I was desperate.

I was looking for a new job. I really wanted to get out of American Apparel. People were like, why did you stay? I tried. I knew shit was there. I hate it when people- Like I need a paycheck. I need a paycheck. If you didn't like it, why don't you just quit. I'm sorry you have a job, you know where to park, you know how to do it.

You work with all your friends. Yeah, that was my idea. It's a big deal to leave a position until you have another one lined up. That's also deal to leave a position until you have another one lined up. Which that's also hard to do. Yeah. sneak around and go on job interviews and stuff. But anyway, go on. I land one that I think is going to be amazing.

It's at this fancy hotel off the strip. I go in. It's like a strange older man and a young woman. And I thought it was for a head hunting position. No, it was like a high-class hooker ring. And they were you walking and what do they say? Well, first, they're all talking in circles. They're like, we know that you applied for the head

hunter position. But now that you're here, perhaps you'd like to be a spokesperson model. I was like, spokesperson model. What does that mean? And they kept wanting me to go to their hotel room. At least I knew enough to be like, oh, let's stay in the lobby. I always did my interviews in the lobby.

You said your friend did interviews in your hotel. So that, I didn't think anything of that. Right, right. And I kept saying, but what is the job? Like, what is it for? What company is it for? Head on tape for what? Spoke model.

And then they started putting out pieces of paper on the table. And one was a map of the world. And it was in like segments. And then there was like another page with categories on it. It would say like business, music, politics, sports. They were like, you know, you're a smart girl. I had my resume and my cover letter. They were like, you could meet a lot of people like, you know, you're a smart girl. I had my resume and my cover letter.

They were like, you could meet a lot of people that, you know, would be, really, that would really appreciate your, your smarts, you know, your wordliness. And then they brought it another paper with diamonds on it and dollar amounts. And I stupidly was like, oh my God, the one job I found is, is, to be eye-classclass of her. Which, you know, I respect sex workers, but it just wasn't for me. Yeah. I was so embarrassed. Just like, I was like,

oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know what this was. And the woman said to me, what did you think it was? But it really was sort of a trick. They knew I didn't know what I was going in for, because, you know, those are the kind of girls they want. They want the college girls. Yeah, girl next to her is the smart, the clean, the classy. You know, it's like, but with anything like that, whether it's that or a you get a job and then you realize it's because you are hot or sexually harassed and people like, oh, God, again, go get a job. I'm like, you know, it's just so disheartening as a woman. And I know this happens with men too now. I'm like, you know, it's just so disheartening as a woman. And I know this happens with men too now.

Cause it's like, you thought you got hired or got the interview because you know, you're so fabulous, you're so smart, you're so engaging, you know, and then you realize, oh, you dumb girl, you. Yes. And that's what's like so. That's striptease. That is what's like so heartbreaking to people.

And it really just crushes like your spirit and your trust in humanity and your trust in yourself and your trust in your abilities. And that's like the worst part about any kind of sexual harassment or what happened with you of like, yeah, um, yeah, I've ever had situations like that, especially with like acting and stuff. Definitely. And like, I have so many awful stories, but like, yeah, you should write a book about those. I have some of them in my thing, and then sometimes they come up and I'm like, oh my God, you dumb girl.

Like, yeah, I'm doing this one thing and they go, okay, if you want to do this other movie and they hand me this script, and it's like this girl's putting on suntan lotion on another girl's like open like christian has to top on and I go is this a porn and they're like what are you think you're you remember the girl goes what you think Michelle Fiford didn't do porn before grease too and I'm like well I don't know but I don't think I have to do porn. Like, I'm not broke, broke. Like, I have a Toyota Celica, and I can drive it home to my parents' house in Wonder Hills, and like, have shelter.

But I understand that the kids, actually. Yes. Like, because I grew up here, I always had that, you know, that solid ground that you don't have when you come from another place. And they probably seek out people like that. Absolutely. That are going to be desperate to stay working.

Yes. Because they don't have a parent's house to go home to. It's very true. It's very true. In fact, after the Emperors Club meeting, so I went back to look at the Craigslist ad and I see there was a little URL Emperors Club. I'm like, oh, if I'd only clicked. I was applying for job lift and ride. I was like, oh, if I'd only clicked, I was a client for job to lift and write.

I was like, it not, didn't do my due diligence. But a few years after that, I was watching the news. And who do I see? But the little man and the young woman, because Elliot Spitzer, the governor of New York, was with an Emperors Club girl. That's how he got busted. So I was like, oh my god.

Wait, Elliot Spitzer was with, he got, he was using like wait Elliott spitzer was with he got he was using funds to pay for an emperor's club girl and that girl you know that girl went on to marry this guy and his daughter is Alex Earl the biggest hottest new tiktok person you know she is the stepmother of Alex Earl oh my god you could have been you could have been the stepmother of Alex Earl. You could have been the stepmother of Alex Earl. I could have. That could have been me. I could be like, how's Alex? Yeah.

Isn't that funny? That is so funny. That is so funny. The way, like, yeah. You would not be sitting here today. You're living a nice life. She has a nice life. Yes, I'm sure.

The Alex Earl dad is hot. That is too funny. I'm pretty sure he was still married when they met. So she embraced that, stepmother embraced the press that she got from that Elliott Spitzer stuff. You have to. Yeah. And it all worked out.

Yeah. So then what happened, like where is he now? Were there lawsuits? Oh, yes. There were plenty. So who was suing? And really, that's kind of what tanked the company. Who else that worked for him? so then what so what happened like where is he now were there lawsuits oh yes there was a who is suing and the really that's kind of what tank company uh... that worked for him so who finally was the first like whistleblower and was it like a class action or each person got their own person and was

glory already called at a point all right right there right in the beginning when i was there glory already represented to them and there i was cheering on the opposite side. You're like the most flying girls. Yeah, well I was like, the lawsuits were, there's hustlers on the balls. They used dirty language. It wasn't like, don't try to have sex with me.

It was like, we're in a hostile environment. Got it. And so for my femininity, did those girls settle for money? Yes. OK, in your name. Any idea how much? Well, actually, I shouldn't say that. my femininity did cheat did those girls settle for money yes okay any idea how much uh... well actually i i shouldn't say that some i'm not sure about those specifically

some were certainly ended in settlement i think most were uh... some of those which i talk about in stripies were thrown out and he's jubilant uh... so you know sometimes the law was on his side but that is really ultimately what tanked the company all my associates. So some of these girls that were the girlfriends who carried on for years boning and folding

key shirts. None of them have filed sexual harassment lawsuits. So it was that anybody that actually had sex with him on a regular basis, but because they were an employee, they had a right to sue. Well, when I, I think that I left the company, but later on, the claims really got very lascivious, and, you know, there were people that did say stuff like that, but that wasn't, like, my era of the company. The lawsuits that I talk about in stricties, no, none of the women had slept with him. So that's why it was easy to brush it off. Like, you know, these are opportunists.

They're coming for our money. You know, like, yes, I wear my underwear here. We design underwear. Yeah, you know, yes, I use foul language. This is a fashion industry. Like, this is how it is. And that's true. That is about the fashion industry.

Because I interviewed and read this real house says of New Jersey, Margaret. She wrote a great book and she was really honest about how she worked in fashion and she's like 55 or something. So this is when she's like in her 20s and she's like there was so much like sleeping with your boss and like she went and something happened where she didn't really know what was going to happen but then it did happen and she was like, okay, I guess this is happening and was just like very honest about it now and obviously in retrospect, you know, but it's just like

and again, I was like, and you still had to work, like I just, oh yes, like even in my day you would meet like some gorgeous Russian models and they'd be like, they're there in a apartment. These men invite us to go on boats? Like, no, don't go on the boat. Like, do not go on the boat. It's just like almost part of the job. Like you're a Hollywood course girl in the 20s. Yeah. Well, I know that too with the modeling thing, especially

in the 80s, like in Paris and stuff, that, yeah, they got sucked in to a lot of that, which today would be considered trafficking 100%. For sure. Yeah. So where is everything now with the company in this guy? Yes. So American Apparel Minutes end around 2015. Investors kicked out Dove, but really without Dove at the helm, it really couldn't support

himself. It couldn't support itself. So it doesn't exist anymore? No himself you know he it couldn't support it couldn't support itself so it doesn't exist anymore no you know what happened gilded in you know they're like a huge sweatshop made t-shirt you buy a concert t-shirt like they bought the intellectual property so you can go to american apparel dot whatever and buy some like crappy reproduction that's made in a sweatshop okay so that's where the name is american parlor he's doing it again i mean he's he's gone bankrupt before he thinks they'll do it again it his new company is lost angel superl they've a factory downtown

he's working with coney a oh okay alright so i think he's ready for for so i think that's lost it's in everything they were all just civil and they were settled or thrown out. Nothing was ever criminal. No, no, no, nothing. No. So it's all he said she said. Yes, yes, yes, and you know who was happily part of the harem and who wasn't? Well, one of the lawsuits that I heard about this is very at the very end, she was like, I was his sex slave and I was locked in a room and I want to be like I know the sex I know the sex slave the gays She's not locked in a room like that's not how they operated

But then again, you know, I had been with a company with you for years and power and money can warp a lot of people very quickly So you know, I don't know but when I was there Those lawsuit girls didn't seem like their claims held much water to me. Yeah. Yeah well girls didn't seem like their claims held much water to me. Yeah. Yeah. Well, tell everybody where they can follow you and get the book. Oh, yes. I'm on Instagram, Kate C. Flannery. You can get the book anywhere. I recommend going to an indie bookstore, of course.

Yes, but if you- A book soup and get a cute lunch. Totally. I'm, yeah, it said Barnes and Noble. It's Amazon. It's everywhere. And you did an audio version for the people that like to listen to audiobooks. Yes, I'm very proud of the audio version, that's a good one.

Yeah, I think I could see how it could make a great audio. Just even the way you write the description, like I can see the bar, I can see the store, like it's kind of, it's one of those things that I think would be great for audio too. Thank you. Yes. And well, thank would be great for audio too. Thank you. Yes. And well, thank you so much for coming. This was great. Everybody get the book.

It's a good summer read. It's a cute cover. And you have great quotes. And yeah. Juicy Juicy. Thank you. It is a juicy read. It is a juicy read.

Thank you so much for having me. This was such fun. Thank you. Absolutely. Thank you. Bye. read. Thank you so much for having me. This is such fun. Thank you. Thanks, Kate. Thank you. Bye.