Episode notes
Long before pop stars built entire careers around reinvention, Madonna was changing the rules in real time. In this episode, we trace her journey from a broke dancer arriving in New York City with a lot of religious trauma and just a few dollars to becoming the best selling female recording artist of all time. Along the way, we unpack the controversies that made headlines, the reinventions that reshaped pop culture, her groundbreaking advocacy during the AIDS crisis, and the ambition that inspired generations of artists, from Britney Spears to Taylor Swift. Love her or hate her, modern pop…
Podcast
Right Answers Mostly
Claire Donald & Tess Bellomo · History · English
History is just gossip! Join hosts Tess Bellomo and Claire Donald every Monday as they break down the juiciest stories from history and pop culture over a cocktail!
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19 Aug 2026 · 1 min
Marilyn Month on Right Answers Mostly: The Woman, The Myths, The Conspiracies
If you love history and gossip, this one's for you! All August long we're covering all things Marilyn Monroe- her childhood, rise to stardom, marriages, conspiracy theories and more- because history is just gossip! Subscribe anywhere you listen to podcasts and share with your friends so we can gab together! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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17 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 27 min
The Making of Marilyn Monroe
Welcome to our second episode of our Marilyn Monroe Month! Norma Jeane is gone... Marilyn Monroe is about to be born. This week, we follow Marilyn's extraordinary transformation from a lonely aircraft factory worker into one of the most photographed women in America. After being discovered on a wartime assembly line, she throws herself into modeling, bleaches her hair, signs with the Blue Book Modeling Agency, and quickly realizes that beauty alone isn't enough. Hollywood is a game, and she's determined to learn how to play it. We dive into the complicated, often exploitative relationships…
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10 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
Norma Jeane And The Women Who Raised Her
WELCOME TO MARILYN MONTH! All month long, we're doing deep dives into Marilyn Monroe's life because she deserves so much more than just one episode. To kick things off, we're taking it all the way back to the beginning: Norma Jeane's childhood. In this episode, we cover everything from her toddler years through high school, ending on quite the cliffhanger for next week's episode. We dive into the foster parents who raised her, the women who abandoned her, protected her, and shaped her, and how those early relationships influenced the woman she would become. We also talk about the changes she…
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3 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 11 min
Trojan War: Before Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey
Release in honor of The Odyssey: This week we re-visit one of history’s juiciest conflicts: The Trojan War. It all starts with a beauty contest judged by a lil shepherd, and spirals into a decade-long war fought over the world’s most shtunning woman. We're talking forbidden love, bro betrayals, hunky men and intense battles. Turns out the gods have a lot of drama. Created and produced by Tess Bellomo and Claire Donald For more on RAM, go here For our SUBSCRIPTION, 3 bonus eps a month, sign up for $7.99/month! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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27 Jul 2026 · 39 min
(SNEAK PEEK) Jackie Robinson Was So Much More Than Baseball
Jackie Robinson didn't just change baseball, he changed America. This week, we're rounding out American Icons month with the incredible story of the man who broke Major League Baseball's color barrier and the impossible pressure that came with it. We talk about how Branch Rickey chose Jackie to integrate the sport, why he was expected to endure racism without fighting back, and how Rachel Robinson became one of the most important partners in his legacy. This is the story of an athlete, activist, husband, and leader who changed far more than the game of baseball. Created and produced by…
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13 Jul 2026 · 57 min
American Girl Dolls were BRAT
RE-RELEASE: Join us in this MUCH requested nostalgic episode as we delve into the enchanting world of American Girl Dolls, exploring their rich history and the cultural impact they've had since their inception in 1986 by founder Pleasant Howard . We’ll trace the journey from the original dolls—each representing a different era in American history (THEY ARE RAMMIES)—to the diverse characters that reflect contemporary society. Discover how these beloved dolls not only sparked a passion for history in young girls but also fostered conversations about identity, diversity, and empowerment. ALSO…
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6 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
Sally Ride: America's First Woman in Space
In honor of America's 250th birthday and American Icons month (in a cool, liberal way), we're celebrating the trailblazers who helped shape the country, and few reached greater heights than Sally Ride. This week, we're telling the story of the physicist who became the first American woman in space, broke through one of the world's most exclusive boys' clubs, and inspired generations of girls to dream bigger. But behind the headlines was a woman who fiercely guarded her private life. For nearly three decades, Sally shared her life with her partner, Tam O'Shaughnessy, a relationship the public…
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29 Jun 2026 · 32 min
(SNEAK PEEK) RuPaul: The Queen of Drag
Everybody knows RuPaul. But the story of how he became RuPaul? It's even better than you think. This week, we're following his journey from a kid in San Diego to discovering drag in Atlanta, creating his unforgettable glamazon persona in New York, overcoming addiction, and building the empire that is RuPaul's Drag Race. We also unpack the lessons that have defined his life: identity, resilience, chosen family, and the radical act of believing in yourself before the world does. Whether you're a Drag Race superfan or simply curious about the man behind the icon, this episode is a celebration…
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22 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 16 min
Harvey Milk And The Politics Of Hope
We're BACK! This Pride Month, we're diving into the extraordinary life and legacy of Harvey Milk, the camera shop owner turned activist who became one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States. Long before rainbow logos and corporate Pride campaigns, Harvey Milk was fighting for visibility, representation, and equality at a time when being openly gay could cost you your job, your family, and your safety. From his childhood on Long Island to becoming the unofficial "Mayor of Castro Street" in San Francisco, Milk transformed personal authenticity into political power,…
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S3 · E17 · 15 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 17 min
How André Leon Talley Changed Fashion Forever
RE-RELEASE FOR PRIDE: This week's episode is on a fashion industry icon and trailblazer, André Leon Talley. From his early years growing up in the Jim Crow-era South to his rise to prominence as a fashion journalist and Vogue's first African-American male creative director. Join us as we dish on everything from his infamous caftans and his time at Vogue magazine to his juicy stories of Anna Wintour and Karl Lagerfeld...we spill it all. TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussion of sexual assault and eating disorders Created and produced by Claire Donald and Tess Bellomo Go here to…
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