Pop culture’s women, studied closely.
The gist
Characters blends Real Housewives commentary with longer stories about women whose public images outlast the headlines. Episodes move from Atlanta casting and Rhode Island first impressions to Farrah Fawcett, Carrie Lee, Holly Madison, and on-set intimacy work.
PRESS PLAY
Find your next episode
About Characters
Characters sits at the intersection of reality TV analysis, celebrity biography, and the long afterlife of public images. The show is especially fluent in Bravo. Recent episodes track The Real Housewives of Atlanta, the early shape of The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, Beverly Hills, Ladies of London, and the mechanics of why certain casts feel alive on screen. Laura pays attention to casting, group dynamics, franchise history, and the small social details that make a premiere click. She can spend time on a dinner scene, then widen out to what a city, a friendship network, or a production choice is doing for the show. That same instinct carries into the biography episodes. Farrah Fawcett, Carrie Lee, Holly Madison, and women connected to Playboy are treated as subjects with careers, choices, public narratives, and complicated relationships to the men or institutions that framed them. The show is not only recap. It is memory work. It asks why some women stay lodged in culture and why others are flattened into one headline, one relationship, or one image. Guest conversations add another register. Laura Arden’s episode moves through creature acting, body doubling, intimacy coordination, self-advocacy, and the practical work of making sets more ethical. Tess Higgins brings Bachelor Nation into focus as a franchise under pressure, with casting choices treated as signs of a larger survival problem. Friday episodes appear built for current media, while Tuesday episodes lean toward biographies and deeper conversations. That cadence gives the feed range without making it feel scattered. Characters is chatty, but it is not careless. It values strong opinions, names the texture of a scene, and keeps circling back to the women at the center of the spectacle.
Made for: For reality TV fans who want more than recap, especially Bravo and Bachelor viewers interested in casting, franchise dynamics, and the women behind famous images. It also suits listeners drawn to celebrity biography, Playboy histories, and Hollywood work conversations.
What sets it apart: Characters pairs current Housewives analysis with biography-driven episodes about women whose public stories were shaped by fame, television, and institutions around them. Its strength is treating gossip, casting, and legacy as connected parts of the same cultural machine.
In their own words
Diving deeper on the characters we love to consume! Laura Diez hosts guest conversations and shares stories exploring the portrayals of real people on reality tv, fictionalized women that stay in our memories, and pop culture legends. Listen weekly on Tuesdays.
As heard by us
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Laura Diaz connects memorable screen personas to the production choices, working conditions and personal histories that shaped them.
Characters follows the women at the center of screen culture, moving between guest conversations, researched biographies and Laura Diaz's reality-TV commentary.
Why you'd press play
The Clueless yellow suit had to go back; your nostalgia gets a budget line.
Press play if you want
- to hear Holly Madison reconsider the nudity on Girls Next Door, beyond the mansion fantasy
- to learn why an intimacy coordinator might keep Listerine on set
Talks about
Podcasts like Characters
Trashologinnen - Reality-TV psychologisch analysiertDinah & FranziTrash TV, read with feelings and teeth.
Hot Mess-Terpiece TheatreReality TV, treated like theatre.
Pop Culture PrisonerBravo recaps with receipts and side quests.
Episodes
- 1
Sustainable Summertime Activities
·19m - 2
Hello Rhode Island! RHORI First Impressions
·15m - 3
Becoming Creatures; Intimacy Coordination with Laura Arden
·52m - 4
Love Story finale; Love Overboard; RHOBH; Ladies of London
·28m - 5
Farrah Fawcett, Life and Legacy of an Angel
·18m - 6
Holly Madison: Life After Playboy
·1h 6m - 7
Tess Higgins: The Fall and Rise of Bachelor Nation
·44m - 8
Mona May: The Fashion of Clueless
·40m - 9
Kate Riccio: The Reality TV Economy
·1h 20m - 10
Pamela Des Barres: Queen of the Groupies
·49m - 11
Coming soon! Characters
·3m - 12
Why are Trains So Great in Europe, Compared to the US?
·19m - 13
Harnessing Your Big Thrift Energy | Virginia Chamlee
·56m - 14
Unpacking The Hot Girl Hamster Wheel | Katie Gatti, Money With Katie
·56m - 15
How to Spot Fast Furniture
·17m - 16
Les Wexner: Angels, Epstein, + The Advent of Fast Fashion
·1h 2m - 17
Ins + Outs of 2023
·24m - 18
COP28 Wins | Charly Frisk, Time for Better
·25m - 19
All Things Gut Health | Tina Anderson, Just Thrive
·56m - 20
The Death of the Third Place
·11m - 21
EC Wrapped: Best of 2023
·23m - 22
Celeb Advocates + Eco Superstars
·20m - 23
Green Jobs + All About the American Climate Corps
·22m - 24
Conscious, Creative Gift Guide
·22m - 25
Secretly Fast Fashion
·21m - 26
Everyday Luxury, Naturally | Cheryl Hines
·1h 2m - 27
Thrift Queen, Secondhand Fashion Bible | Macy Eleni
·1h 6m - 28
How I'm Rethinking Clean Beauty
·22m - 29
The Future of Food | Oliver English
·1h 5m - 30
The True Cost of Free Shipping and Returns
·26m - 31
Back To School: Sciencey Nonfiction Books I'm Reading This Fall
·18m - 32
Disasterology | Dr. Samantha Montano
·56m - 33
Leveling Up Our Conscious Consumption: Expanding Our Thrifting Mindsets
·21m - 34
What Is Disaster Capitalism? How the Rich Exploit Crises
·25m - 35
How Youth Activism Accelerates Climate Action | Kevin Patel, OneUp Action International
·35m - 36
Finding Community, Plastics Policy, + Sustainability Storytelling | Lauren Bash
·37m - 37
Everything About the Western Water Crisis, with the WesternWaterGirl | Teal Lehto
·51m - 38
How Luxury Lost Its Luster | Book Club with Megan McSherry (Rewind)
·58m - 39
We're Finally De-Influencing
·14m - 40
What is Fast Furniture?
·16m - 41
America's Historic Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough | Dr. Tammy Ma, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
·42m - 42
Total Ethics Fashion | Emma Hakansson, Collective Fashion Justice
·49m - 43
How to Actually Achieve Your Sustainability Goals This Year
·20m - 44
Mainstreaming Menstrual Health | Carinne Chambers-Saini, Founder + CEO, Diva (DivaCup)
·55m - 45
5 Tips for Conscious Consumption During the Holidays
·17m - 46
Climate Migration: Humanitarian Crises from Environmental Stressors
·25m - 47
Climate + Communities of Care | Heidi Harmon, former Mayor, San Luis Obispo + Let's Green CA!
·46m - 48
Our Top Climate Solutions Today
·31m - 49
The Power of Walkable Cities
·22m - 50
Virality, Novelty, + Plastic-Free Personal Care | Lindsay McCormick, Bite Toothpaste Bits
·46m - 51
Crafting Climate Careers | Yesh Pavlik Slenk, Environmental Defense Fund
·46m - 52
Voting on Climate | The Girl and The Gov, Sammy Kanter and Maddie Medved
·54m - 53
Thoughtfully Building Your Perfect Wardrobe | Annie Spence
·47m - 54
Trick or Treat? Tips for a Susty Spooky Season
·25m - 55
Creating Thoughtful Spaces | Amanda Gunawan, OWIU Designs
·45m - 56
5 Ways to Spot Fast Fashion
·29m - 57
Food Waste Myths, Sustainable Influencing | Brennan Coker
·33m - 58
Does Personal Action Matter? Letting Go of Eco-Guilt
·23m - 59
Fashion History: Social Commentaries on Women + Clothes | Dr. Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell
·43m - 60
Divesting, Philanthropy + Value-Driven Spending | Sharon Schneider
·51m - 61
In Our Casual Elegance Era
·28m - 62
We're Melting! The Problem with Heat Waves in the UK
·14m - 63
How To Consciously Clean Out Your Closet
·19m - 64
Poisoned Water | Book Club with N'Dea Irvin-Choy
·38m - 65
The Big Deal with West Virginia vs. EPA
·20m - 66
A Women's Right To Her Body + Climate Change
·22m - 67
184: Insta-Hiker Culture + Responsible Recreation | Emily Pelland, HikingWithHeels
·39m - 68
183: What Do Bottled Water Companies Sell?
·31m - 69
Decolonizing Environmentalism (Rewind) | Wanjiku "Wawa" Gatheru
·50m - 70
The Evolution of The It Bag: Stuff for Status
·42m - 71
Consumed by Aja Barber | Book Club with Morgan Cook, MostlyEcoMorgan
·39m - 72
The Drought: Water Policy, Fires, + Solutions for the American West | Gabrielle Canon
·45m - 73
Eco-Conscious Hollywood: Vegan Lifestyles, Astrology, + Her Farm | Torrey DeVitto
·49m - 74
How To Be Human In A Warming World | Dr. Kimberly Nicholas
·46m - 75
176: How To Be Human In A Warming World | Dr. Kimberly Nicholas
·44m - 76
Bees, Butterflies, + Native Gardens | Dr. Gail Langellotto
·36m - 77
174: Mitigating Climate Change | Unpacking News Headlines on the latest IPCC WGIII Report
·34m - 78
173: How To Spot Greenwashing
·28m - 79
172: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine is All About Fossil Fuels | Dr. Sweta Chakraborty
·36m - 80
171: What Is Environmental Racism?
·24m - 81
170: Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard | Book Club with Kathleen Sheppard, Tiller Swim
·52m - 82
169: How Climate Change is Impacting Communities + Ecosystems | IPCC AR6 WG2 Lead Authors Dr. Libby Jewett + Dr. Kirstin Holsman of NOAA
·53m - 83
168: Why Does Texas Lose Power During Storms? Power Grid 101 + The History of Electricity in the US
·22m - 84
167: Eco Couture, Textiles, Award Show Fashion | Red Carpet Green Dress, Suzy Amis Cameron + Samata
·53m - 85
166: Sustainable Weddings: Chic Chats
·1h - 86
Sustainable, Clean Beauty for All | Brook Harvey-Taylor, Pacifica Beauty
·48m - 87
Ocean Conservation + Climate Solutions | Carissa Cabrera
·55m - 88
National Parks + How To Get Outside More | Jessica Clifton
·1h 14m - 89
Is Plastic Bad? A Brief History of Polythene + Reflections on Single Use
·21m - 90
Wildfires 101: Everything You Want To Know About Why, When, and How
·21m - 91
Imperfect Environmentalism | Megan McSherry
·33m - 92
ECO CHIC Summer Reading List
·32m - 93
Urban Revitalization + Sustainable Development | Alán Sneider
·51m - 94
Conscious Travel + EcoTourism | Sophia Toomb
·42m - 95
Reef Safe Sunscreens: Are They Truly Better?
·16m - 96
How To Make Earth Day Every Day
·22m - 97
Climate Optimism | Zahra Biabani
·28m - 98
Green Jobs + DEI in Sustainability | Kristy Drutman, Brown Girl Green, Green Jobs Board
·1h 2m - 99
Artificial Intelligence for the Secondhand Fashion Market | Zahra Biabani, In The Loop AI
·14m - 100
How Pipelines Are Funded
·13m - 101
Peaches + Pearls! Meeting new Real Housewives
Hidden gemLaura discusses the premieres of Real Housewives of Atlanta season 17 and Real Housewives of Rhode Island, focusing on new cast members Pinky Cole and Kay Michelle.
Apr 10, 2026·14m - 102
Carrie Leigh sued Hugh Hefner for wasting her time
Hidden gemCharacters host Laura recounts how Carrie Lee, a Toronto-born model who entered the Playboy Mansion at 19, lived with Hugh Hefner for five years and later sued him.
Apr 7, 2026·21m·1 clip - 103
Hello Rhode Island! RHORI First Impressions
Laura shares her initial skepticism and subsequent optimism about the new Real Housewives of Rhode Island franchise after watching the first episode, highlighting the deep, long-standing connections among the cast.
Apr 3, 2026·15m - 104
Becoming Creatures; Intimacy Coordination with Laura Arden
Hidden gemLaura interviews her friend Laura Arden, a creature actor and intimacy coordinator, about her multifaceted career in Hollywood and self-advocacy.
Mar 31, 2026·52m·2 clips - 105
Love Story finale; Love Overboard; RHOBH; Ladies of London
The host introduces a new Friday episode format for Characters, discussing current TV shows including Love Overboard, RHOBH, Ladies of London, and the Love Story finale.
Mar 27, 2026·28m - 106
Farrah Fawcett, Life and Legacy of an Angel
Laura introduces a new solo episode format for the Characters podcast, discussing the life and legacy of Farrah Fawcett, and announces a shift to twice-weekly episodes.
Mar 24, 2026·18m - 107
Holly Madison: Life After Playboy
Holly Madison joins host Laura Diaz on the Characters podcast to discuss her seven years living at the Playboy Mansion, the filming of Girls Next Door, and her current podcast Girls Next Level with co-star Bridget Marquardt.
Mar 17, 2026·1h 6m·4 clips - 108
Tess Higgins: The Fall and Rise of Bachelor Nation
Host Laura Diaz interviews Tess Higgins, a content creator, screenwriter, and self-described 'Bachelor Nation scholar,' about the Bachelor franchise's decline, the labor rights of reality TV contestants, and her indie film 'Him.' Higgins argues that The Bachelor was 'great, great television' before 2019 specifically because social media had not yet converted contestants into influencer-career-seekers, tracing the inflection point to the 2014 Chris Soules season.
Mar 10, 2026·44m·3 clips - 109
Mona May: The Fashion of Clueless
Hidden gemMona May discusses The Fashion of Clueless, the 30-year anniversary of Clueless, and how Alicia Silverstone’s 63 costume changes helped define Cher.
Mar 3, 2026·40m·2 clips - 110
Kate Riccio: The Reality TV Economy
Feb 24, 2026·1h 20m - 111
Pamela Des Barres: Queen of the Groupies
Feb 17, 2026·49m - 112
Coming soon! Characters
Feb 7, 2026·3m - 113
Why are Trains So Great in Europe, Compared to the US?
Mar 2, 2024·19m - 114
Harnessing Your Big Thrift Energy | Virginia Chamlee
Feb 10, 2024·56m - 115
Unpacking The Hot Girl Hamster Wheel | Katie Gatti, Money With Katie
Katie Gatti of Money With Katie discusses her journey in personal finance and the cultural implications of financial independence.
Jan 19, 2024·56m - 116
How to Spot Fast Furniture
Jan 13, 2024·17m - 117
Les Wexner: Angels, Epstein, + The Advent of Fast Fashion
Jan 5, 2024·1h 2m - 118
Ins + Outs of 2023
Dec 29, 2023·24m - 119
COP28 Wins | Charly Frisk, Time for Better
Dec 22, 2023·25m - 120
All Things Gut Health | Tina Anderson, Just Thrive
Dec 15, 2023·56m - 121
The Death of the Third Place
Dec 8, 2023·11m - 122
EC Wrapped: Best of 2023
Dec 1, 2023·23m - 123
Celeb Advocates + Eco Superstars
Nov 24, 2023·20m - 124
Green Jobs + All About the American Climate Corps
Nov 11, 2023·22m - 125
Conscious, Creative Gift Guide
Laura Diaz discusses frameworks for conscious consumption and sustainable gifting during the holiday season.
Nov 3, 2023·22m - 126
Secretly Fast Fashion
Oct 20, 2023·21m - 127
Everyday Luxury, Naturally | Cheryl Hines
Oct 14, 2023·1h 2m - 128
Thrift Queen, Secondhand Fashion Bible | Macy Eleni
Oct 6, 2023·1h 6m - 129
How I'm Rethinking Clean Beauty
Sep 29, 2023·22m - 130
The Future of Food | Oliver English
Sep 22, 2023·1h 5m - 131
The True Cost of Free Shipping and Returns
Sep 16, 2023·26m - 132
Back To School: Sciencey Nonfiction Books I'm Reading This Fall
Sep 8, 2023·18m - 133
Disasterology | Dr. Samantha Montano
Sep 2, 2023·56m - 134
Leveling Up Our Conscious Consumption: Expanding Our Thrifting Mindsets
Aug 25, 2023·21m - 135
What Is Disaster Capitalism? How the Rich Exploit Crises
Aug 18, 2023·25m - 136
How Youth Activism Accelerates Climate Action | Kevin Patel, OneUp Action International
Aug 11, 2023·35m - 137
Finding Community, Plastics Policy, + Sustainability Storytelling | Lauren Bash
Aug 4, 2023·37m - 138
Sustainable Summertime Activities
Jul 28, 2023·19m - 139
Ocean Conservation + Climate Solutions | Carissa Cabrera
Jul 21, 2023·55m - 140
National Parks + How To Get Outside More | Jessica Clifton
Laura Diaz interviews Jessica Clifton about outdoor recreation, national parks, and her eco retreats to help people connect with nature.
Jul 14, 2023·1h 14m - 141
Is Plastic Bad? A Brief History of Polythene + Reflections on Single Use
Jul 1, 2023·21m - 142
Wildfires 101: Everything You Want To Know About Why, When, and How
Jun 9, 2023·21m - 143
Imperfect Environmentalism | Megan McSherry
Jun 2, 2023·33m - 144
ECO CHIC Summer Reading List
May 26, 2023·32m - 145
Urban Revitalization + Sustainable Development | Alán Sneider
May 20, 2023·51m - 146
Conscious Travel + EcoTourism | Sophia Toomb
May 12, 2023·42m - 147
Reef Safe Sunscreens: Are They Truly Better?
May 5, 2023·16m - 148
How To Make Earth Day Every Day
Laura Diaz shares five tips to make Earth Day every day, focusing on nature-centric hobbies like plant care and bird watching.
Apr 22, 2023·22m - 149
Climate Optimism | Zahra Biabani
Apr 14, 2023·28m - 150
Green Jobs + DEI in Sustainability | Kristy Drutman, Brown Girl Green, Green Jobs Board
Apr 7, 2023·1h 2m