Series explores Sex, Money, and Murder in Tinseltown

August 2, 2023, New York -- Variety, the iconic entertainment publication, and iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, announced today the co-production of an exciting new true crime podcast, “Variety Confidential.” The podcast dives into Variety’s archives exploring stories of sex, money, and murder in the entertainment industry.

The podcast was created by Jon Ponder, Tracy Pattin, Variety’s Chief Operating and Marketing Officer Dea Lawrence, and EVP of Content and Executive Editor Steve Gaydos. Pattin will host and Sydney Kramer, Managing Director and Senior Executive Producer for the Variety Content Studio, will produce along with Ponder. Ponder and Pattin have previously teamed on Wondrey’s “Hollywood & Crime.” 

The first six-part episode season, “Sex for Fame, Hollywood’s Ugliest Game” examines the notorious casting couch and sexual predation through the decades. The series will draw parallels between recent sex scandals and those of the past illustrating that sexual predators in the industry are as old as the Hollywood Hills. Commentary will be provided from Variety insiders such as co-editor-in-chief Cynthia Littleton, Executive Editor of Film and Television Tatiana Siegel, and Chief Correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister. 

“With the true crime genre ranking among the most popular in podcasting, it seems a natural fit for Variety to bring to life some of the crime stories from our archives,” said Lawrence. “We are excited about this new series and thrilled that iHeartPodcasts is joining us in a co-production.” 

“As a society, we continue to be fascinated with the true crime genre and the emotional rollercoaster these stories take us on,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “We are excited to partner with Variety on this new podcast, which will combine their incredible archive of stories with first-hand insider perspectives. This will be a podcast true crime fans won’t want to miss.”

“Variety Confidential,” distributed by iHeartPodcasts, will launch its first two episodes on September 18 and will follow with a weekly release of the remaining four episodes. The podcast will be available on the iHeartRadio app, Variety.com, as well as other major podcast platforms. 

About Variety

Now celebrating its 118th year, Variety is the #1 entertainment business news brand, the most read in the world with over 30MM uniques users and 9.5MM social followers. Featuring award-winning breaking news reporting, insightful award-season coverage, must-read feature spotlights and intelligent analysis of the industry’s most prominent players, Variety is the trusted source for the business of global entertainment. Read by a highly engaged audience of industry insiders, Variety’s multi-platform content coverage expands across digital, mobile, social, print, podcasts, branded content, events, and summits.