In 1983, Vanessa Williams became the first black woman to win Miss America. In 1984, a few weeks from the end of her reign, she was forced to step down when she found out Penthouse was going to publish unauthorized nude images of her in their magazine. Williams went on to have a successful singing career and star in movies, but her career trajectory tells mo ... Show More
May 2020
Season Trailer: Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman
Polly Platt -- producer, writer and Oscar-nominated production designer -- lived an epic Hollywood life. And yet, if you know Platt’s name today, it’s probably because in 1970 her husband and creative collaborator Peter Bogdanovich had an affair with Cybill Shepherd while shootin ... Show More
1m 3s
May 2020
Sneak Peek: Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 1
Excited for the new season? We can hardly wait to share the untold story of Polly Platt, the secret weapon behind some of the most highly acclaimed films of the 1970s, '80s and '90s. This audio journey will feature interviews and intimate details about her trailblazing legacy and ... Show More
22m 10s
May 2020
“It wasn’t sexism, then” (Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 1)
We’ll begin with a look at how Polly Platt’s legacy was appraised when she died in 2011. Then we’ll go back in time to tell Polly’s story from the start, beginning with her Revolutionary Road-esque childhood in Europe and America as the neglected daughter of two alcoholics; to he ... Show More
1h 4m
Nov 2024
Vanessa Williams, tomato & vodka bucatini with crispy pancetta pangritata and a barbera
Vanessa Williams is a singer, actress and author born in Upstate New York. In 1983, she made history as the first African American woman to be crowned Miss America, an achievement that was overshadowed by racism and a media storm. Despite the controversy, Vanessa went on to carve ... Show More
38m 58s
Jul 2025
Vanessa Williams - ‘It would be hard to be married to me!’
As a recording artist, Vanessa Williams has earned 13 Grammy nominations and racked up over 212 million digital streams over the course of her eight albums. Her most popular hit, Save The Best For Last, was Number 1 for five weeks in 1992. She is also a highly successful stage an ... Show More
50m 33s
Aug 2022
Issa Rae - 'Insecure' & 'Rap Sh!t'
"The voice of millennial Black women for more than a decade," in the words of The Washington Post, reflects on how she became enamored with TV, the robbery that inspired her web series 'The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl' and how that show, along with Larry Wilmore and Pren ... Show More
57m 25s