Vicki Morgan Part 1 with Eve Lindley + Hello from tour!
First: here is your April bonus, only two days late. "So this is maybe not an uplifting episode of the podcast," Eve says, and she's right. This is part 1 of the story of Vicki Morgan, whose story exploded into tabloids in the early '80s and who is largely forgotten today. It's a story that implicates the millionaires who helped usher Ronald Reagan into the White House, and helps us see--in Eve's words--"the price that some people are willing to pay for what they feel is security." Plus palimony, fur coats, and Lee Marvin.
This is a difficult episode in many ways, and we hope that you listen with care. We touch on mental, physical, and sexual abuse, on abuse perpetrated against sex workers, and on sexual relationships between minors and adults and all the abuses that come with them. (And Nancy Reagan is in the sidelines, which can't really help.) I tried to give appropriate trigger warnings within the episode, but the whole picture is one of abuse from all sides, and it may not be the right listen for you at this moment. If that's true, we see you and we support you, and we recommend this fabulous video that we had nothing to do with as an alternative entertainment this month.
(Photos below are from VICKI by Joyce Milton and Ann Louise Bardach)
Plus: We are on tour!! I'm writing this post from a train that is taking me and the fabulous Jamie Loftus, my co-host and co-conspirator in these shows, from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, where we are performing tomorrow night, before our final dates in Washington, DC, Boston, Burlington, and Montreal. Already in the 'burgh are Carolyn Kendrick, You're Wrong About's producer, my sometime co-host, and the musical genius whose love songs hold our live shows together, and Alex Steed, my You Are Good co-host and our tour manager for this adventure. Some of you have already seen us perform, some of you will soon, and it's hard for me to put into words what doing these shows has meant to me, except that every time we go out onstage, I feel like we are all sharing a bubble of safety and security and compassion that I hope you feel as you head out of the theater, back home, and into the rest of your life. And someday, I hope to share that space with each and every one of you.
Some snaps from the road:
I was on Channel 11! (This dress is actually a beach cover-up and I'm crossing my legs like this to hid a stain on my leggings!)
I saw mini New York at the Queens Museum!
And I saw the mini World's Fair!! (I don't know, there's something very funny to me about the order these flags are in. MINNESOTA LOUISIANA VATICAN)
I saw this sticker in a bathroom in West Philly and found it very aspirational!
We took Polaroids!!!
...and those are all the pictures that this train--or maybe Mifflin County, PA--wants to let me upload for now. So let me just tell you one last thing: at one show, a wonderful listener gave me a fortune cookie that they said made them think of the podcast. It said:
In a gentle way, you can shake the world.
And we can.
Love,
Sarah
Comments (41)
Sarah, I was surprised to hear you say that you, too, identify as a person who is constantly making bad decisions. I'm that one in my family, whaddygonnado? I was surprised because at least once an episode I'm enamored with your relentless pollyanna-ism, your bottomless empathy. I think to myself, "self, you should make more compassionate decisions about people, like Sarah does." And it's true, your podcast has made me a kinder person. SOOOOO I would like to offer you a little switcheroo point of view. Perhaps you frequently lack the energy required to make the, ahem, "good" decisions ... because you're using a ton of energy constantly wondering what life is like for others, and deciding that they are still good and worthy of love and happiness and all the things. Just a thought.
I've listened to this so many times and I love it so much--sometimes you need to hear intelligence and love and a good story and grace.
I was wondering where I’d heard the name Marvin Mitchelson before. Then I realized he made a cameo in an episode of the Golden Girls. I had no idea who he was when I was 8 and first watched the show. That show taught me so much about 80s pop culture
I gasped out loud at the very passing mention of Bernie Cornfeld, who I immediately recognized as the man who turned Heidi Fleiss on to sex work. We need a Heidi Fleiss episode of YWA!!
Not the Regans complaining about having to buy their own food while cutting food stamps 💀 The real welfare queens 😂
I love that this episode is the first time I've ever heard Sarah say the words "steam engine" and that the post it was placed it was made along the historic Pennsylvania Railroad main line. Welp, I guess it's time for me to write some Sarah Marshal train themed fanfiction.
I need part two so much, y'all.
The quality of these bonus episodes is so worth the subscription! Can’t wait to hear part 2! Been loving all of Eve’s cameos in these episodes as well.
Eve has such a calming voice, I could listen to both of you for hours
I have an extra ticket for Boston (Somerville) for 5/14 at 7pm, please email me at charlottedawnma@gmail.com if interested!!
Despite the tough subject matter, Eve is a delight and I really hope she joins you on the show regularly!
Haven’t finished the episode yet, but the timing of it is weirdly relevant for me, as I just finished listening to “The Vanity Fair Diaries” by Tina Brown where she mentions Nick Dunne and his writing about Vicki. So thank you!
I worked in the White House during Clinton, so wayyyyy before Postmates and 9/11, but we used to order dominos when working late. You just picked it up at the secret service entrance. Of course, there is the White House mess, so often we’d just eat there.
When I was growing up in DC in the nineties a radio show had a segment called Pizza Agent Man where they gaged how the first gulf war was going by talking to the Dominos delivery guy about how much pizza was being delivered.
Big Lana fan here so I would be remiss in not mentioning she names Tammy Wynette in her song Breaking Up Slowly. 🎶Are these my good years or do I have none? Are there really good years for everyone? I don't wanna live with a life of regret I don't wanna end up like Tammy Wynette🎶
as someone who works for an australian politician i can confirm that you can ubereats to the parliament house 👍👍👍
This episode alone was worth every cent of my Patreon money. It is 100% perfect, except for the fact that I cannot wait for part 2 at all. You both are so warm and moving and your compassion was so overwhelming that it seeped out of the computer to embrace me--I felt some much-needed kindness myself! I read a book about Vicki Morgan and it never came alive, she never came alive. You have changed that.
Ok love you all and this episode is great but the Other woman is a song by Nina Simone!!!!! Lana’s song is a cover 💜💜💜
Nina’s version is heartbreaking and I could listen to it on repeat
🔥🔥🔥
Thank you, Sarah, for owning that you’ve been “the other woman” and have made bad choices. As someone who has also made morally questionable decisions and been “the other woman,” I have a lot of shame and struggle to talk about it. Being a mistress is a complicated position, and much less powerful than it seems from the outside. I always appreciate your empathy and compassion for maligned women. I hope you remember to extend it yourself! And thank you again for your honesty. It’s very validating to hear someone I esteem so highly admit to misdeeds i have also done.
I know it is tacky to come on here and be like “please come to my city!” But also. The southeast. Specifically North Carolina. There are some gems here!
I’m never not moved by the reach of Sarah’s compassion. It’s so instructive for me. Thank you, Sarah.
Hi Sarah!!! It was super awesome to meet you and Jamie. I’m glad you like the fortune I gave you. Keep shaking the world❤️❤️❤️❤️
I feel this conversation lacks a kink perspective. Obviously they weren't using consent like they should have, but there's nothing wrong with the desires they express if someone is willing. And that Vicki Morgan also beat the ladies, I think she could have been kinky herself and there's nothing wrong with that. The consent part. I guess you could say that's the whole part. But when you talk about it I feel like you're interrogating the desire itself as if that's wrong. We've come a long way with power dynamics and consent. There's probably an expert out there. Maybe talk about femmedoms some time. And Foucault, because he was into that too. Thanks!
No. They aren't talking about it all wrong. Sarah is very clear that the wrongness comes from the lack of consent from both the sex workers and initially Vicki, and then the manufactured consent where Vicki's choice is to beat or be beaten. No matter whether she would have liked to do some beating of her own volition, the fact that it was a condition of her not being beaten herself makes it coercive.
So happy for you, Sarah! Glad you are getting validation for the absolute GOOD you do in the world! ❤️
Ooph. Rough one. But done so well by Sarah & Eve! Thank you.
That lana del rey song is a cover of Nina Simone
Written by Jessie Mae Robinson, another Black woman.
Yo does anyone know what the name of the song at the end?
Regarding Bloomingdale’s Catholicism conversion remark: both my grandfathers married Catholic women. In order to get married in the church or be seen as a “real” marriage in the eyes of Catholic Church they basically had to sign something saying that any kids would be raised Catholic. So he might’ve been talking about something like that. Both my grandmas were religious but I never really heard my grandfathers talk about it. Both had Catholic funerals though.
I haven't even listened to this yet, and I know the subject a bit, but I LOVE EVE SO MUCH I AM DEAD.
My wife and I were in the audience for your show in Philadelphia and I just want to say thank you so much for a wonderful evening. We laughed, we cried, we sang, the building was full of love and warmth and it was just what we needed.
I sense Nina Simone rolling over in her grave as someone describes the other woman as a Lana del Rey song
No she isn't, don't be dramatic. She herself covered many songs and it's quite a common thing in music industry. Besides people do not have to know who sang what originally. Calm down
So exited to see you in Pittsburgh tomorrow madam!! If you see 3 sapphic-looking women standing together drinking gin & tonics that’s me and my friends although I imagine there will be many sapphics bc it is Mr. smalls after all
Isn't the NYC panorama AMAZING? One of my favorite places as a kid, and I love taking people there as an adult. Waving to you from Queens 🙋🏼♀️
Im so sad I moved back to Bellingham, WA from Burlington just in time to miss you! Well ok it’ll be missing you by like, a year, but I’m still so sad I can’t see you there. If you’re not familiar with the area, Pho Dang in Winooski, VT is my favorite Vietnamese place ever. Combo vermicelli 🤌
Please come to Utah! I will give you the most fabulous tours! 🌈😍🙏🏻🤓💙
I second the Utah request!