New iHeartRadio Original Podcast “The Don” Delves into the Rise and Fall of Hit Filmmaker Don Simpson

Host Malaya Rivera Drew chronicles the wild anecdotes and escapes of Hollywood’s last great showman, Don Simpson, the producer who created 80s classics such as American Gigolo, Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop and Top Gun

NEW YORK – May 7, 2021 – Don Simpson, the producer who created classics such as American Gigolo, Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop, and Top Gun, left his footprint in the film industry and defined Hollywood in the 80s. “The Don,” a new anthology podcast that delves into the rise and fall of Don Simpson, hosted by actress Malaya Rivera Drew and executive produced by Academy Award winner Will McCormack and David Harris Kline, investigates the bizarre circumstances surrounding Don’s fatal overdose and chronicles the sordid cast of drug dealers, Hollywood madams and crooked doctors who may have been complicit in Don’s infamous death. The first six episodes of the 24-episode series will launch on May 11 and can be heard on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard. Listen to the official trailer now.

The anthology podcast mirrors Don’s crash and burn narrative— beginning with Don’s early days fighting to break into the film industry through his meteoric rise as a blockbuster producer into the dark days after the failure of Days of Thunder and his struggles with drugs and alcohol. When Don passed away in January of 1996, the Los Angeles coroner revealed that his corpse was the most toxic in the history of California autopsy with over 22 different pharmaceuticals in his body at the time of death. The podcast delves into the many questions regarding his career and untimely death, such as his controversial relationship with his personal doctor, fitness guru, and indie filmmaking partner, Dr. Stephen Ammerman, who passed away just six months earlier from an overdose in Don’s pool house.

“This new anthology style podcast shows how audio has the ability to paint a picture perfect experience for listeners,” said McCormack. “The powerful use of narration and story-telling sets the scene, allowing listeners to go back in time to the 1980’s, an iconic time in Hollywood for many reasons, but also a defective time. Although Don Simpson was flawed in many ways, this podcast works hard to capture how influential he was and shares his complete story and I think our listeners will appreciate that.”

“We are excited to work with iHeart on a series that is so quintessentially the 1980s,” said Kline. “We all have a soft spot for 80s nostalgia — we love the movies, the music, the fashion, and how earnestly people took themselves back then. There was no irony, no internet, and no social media. The premise of our series is how Don was a rags-to-riches movie producer that shaped and influenced the decade that we all love. However, there was a dark side to Don and his massive influence over mainstream American culture. We peel back the layers, and behind the shallow glamour of the 80s, we find something much darker and more nefarious.”

“As an actress and as a woman of color, I was shocked but not surprised to learn of how virulent and rampant toxic masculinity was in Hollywood back then,” said Rivera Drew. “This podcast is meant to be an entertaining, high octane ride—the rise and fall of a creative genius. Don was, above all else, an entertainer. But we also expose a deep underbelly of Hollywood and the systemic issues that we are still grappling with today.”

The anthology podcast will also explore how Don’s outlandish, alpha-male behavior was not only tolerated in the film business but encouraged by the high-ranking executives who profited greatly off his signature style of filmmaking, leading to one hit after another (American Gigolo, Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun, Days Of Thunder, Bad Boys) and contributed to him having arguably the greatest run of hit movies in the history of movies. “The Don” will use narration, clips, and fictional re-enactments via “lost tapes,” to take listeners behind the scenes into Hollywood’s decade of decadence, the 1980s.

The Don” is distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network. Fans can visit iHeart.com/apps to download iHeartRadio and listen to the podcast on their favorite device.

About iHeartMedia, Inc.

iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) is the number one audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month. It consists of three business groups.

With its quarter of a billion monthly listeners, the iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group has a greater reach than any other media company in the U.S. Its leadership position in audio extends across multiple platforms, including more than 860 live broadcast stations in over 160 markets nationwide; its National Sales organization; and the company’s live and virtual events business. It also includes Premiere Networks, the industry’s largest Networks business, with its Total Traffic and Weather Network (TTWN); and BIN: Black Information Network, the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service for the Black community. iHeartMedia also leads the audio industry in analytics, targeting and attribution for its marketing partners with its SmartAudio suite of data targeting and attribution products using data from its massive consumer base.

The iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group includes the company’s fast-growing podcasting business -- iHeartMedia is the number one podcast publisher in downloads, unique listeners, revenue and earnings -- as well as its industry-leading iHeartRadio digital service, available across more than 500 platforms and 2,000 devices; the company’s digital sites, newsletters, digital services and programs; its digital advertising technology companies; and its audio industry-leading social media footprint.

The company’s Audio & Media Services reportable segment includes Katz Media Group, the nation’s largest media representation company, and RCS, the world's leading provider of broadcast and webcast software.

Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.