Blame it on the Fame: Milli Vanilli

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Episodes

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When Frank Farian first laid eyes on Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan, he saw everything he wasn’t. They were handsome, young, and Black. But Frank had something they didn’t. He had power.

So, Frank offered them a devil’s bargain. Almost overnight, Milli Vanilli’s debut album went five times platinum and scored a Grammy nomination. But when the lie at the center of their success started to unravel, Rob and Fab would discover the hard way the difference between star power and real power.

From Wondery, Blame It on the Fame is a story about the lie that shot to #1 and what it cost to tell the truth. Hosted by Amanda Seales.

Episodes

Listen Now: Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky

Monica Lewinsky has been a major reference in pop culture since she was 24 years old when a scandal made her a household name overnight. Since then, she’s fought to redefine her reputation - and now, she's ready to encourage others to take back their power, too. On her new podcast "Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky," Monica leads honest and wide-ranging conversations about what it means to write your own narrative. Each week, guests share how they've rediscovered purpose, rebuilt relationships, an...

Mar 10, 2025•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Listen Now: Scam Factory

You know those messages that you get all the time, the ones that pop up out of nowhere? They could be real, but something about them seems fishy. You likely dismiss these texts and emails as mere annoyances, thinking you’ve stopped some random stranger from ripping you off. But the shocking truth is, the person behind that message might be trapped inside a “scam factory” on the other side of the world and forced to scam others against their will. From Wondery, comes a new series about the brutal...

Feb 24, 2025•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Where to Find Episodes 2-7

Binge all episodes of Blame it on the Fame: Milli Vanilli exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/blame-it-on-the-fame/ now.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Dec 17, 2024•42 sec•Transcript available on Metacast

I Can Make Something Out of That | 1

When Frank Farian comes across a song with hit potential, he hires Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan. But the opportunity comes with a very big catch. Listen to Blame It on the Fame on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/blame-it-on-the-fame/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at http...

Feb 11, 2024•29 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast

Introducing - Blame It on the Fame: Milli Vanilli

A German producer offers two young Black performers a devil’s bargain: if they tell one little lie, he can make them stars. But when the group achieves stardom on a scale no one expected, the lie begins to unravel in the most spectacular fashion in front of the entire world. From Wondery comes Blame It on the Fame: Milli Vanilli, a story about the lie that shot to #1 and what it cost to tell the truth. Hosted by Amanda Seales. Listen exclusively on Wondery+ beginning February 12th. See Priv...

Feb 05, 2024•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast