Leslie Golden was working as a pole dancer in San Antonio, still figuring out her life—until one day she blew up on social media. She underwent a whirlwind social media makeover, partying on yachts, jet-setting to Thailand, and moving into a luxury West Hollywood mansion with other influencers. What could go wrong? Host: Alyssa BereznakProducers: Kaya McMullen, Amanda Dobbins, Conor Nevins, and Vikram PatelSound Design: Kaya McMullenMixing and Mastering: Scott SomervilleOriginal Music: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a>

2. The Media Machine | This Blew Up

How exactly does one become famous on the internet? Famous enough to secure thousands of dollars in brand deals or a spot in a swanky Hollywood Hills mansion? In this series, Alyssa Bereznak pulls back the curtain on the Tik Tok influencer ecosystem, looking at how young creators try to supercharge their careers by moving into content houses. Over the course of five episodes, we will also examine the pitfalls of this new, unregulated industry, and how little protects the creators from the other people hoping to profit from their popularity.