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Scamfluencers

Leona Helmsley: The Art of the Steal Part 1 | 101

Scamfluencers

Wondery

Society & Culture

4.17K Ratings

🗓️ 15 April 2024

⏱️ 48 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Leona Helmsley escapes Depression-era poverty by marrying billionaire real estate magnate Harry Helmsley. She takes over his Manhattan hotels and declares herself Queen of the Palace, then earns a royal reputation for berating, bullying, and firing employees at the drop of a hat. But when her tax bills come into question, everyone who’s worked under Leona gets their pitchforks ready to take down the Queen of Mean.

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Transcript

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0:00.0

Hey there, scamfluencer's fans. Want to be the first to know how these wild scams unfold.

0:05.0

Join us on Patreon to get early access to episodes, add free listening, and exclusive content that reveals even more of the drama.

0:13.0

Just search for scamfluencers on Patreon and dive deeper into the scandal.

0:23.6

Sarah, who's the worst boss you've ever had?

0:26.9

That is such a difficult question because there have been so many.

0:31.8

But probably when I worked retail as a teenager, I had this manager who, like, who would clip his toenails with scissors at work.

0:42.9

That was pretty bad.

0:44.3

That is pretty bad.

0:45.7

I used to work for a guy who would pull my hair at my desk if you wanted to get my attention,

0:50.6

and I genuinely have not been able to wear braids to work ever since.

0:54.0

I kind of know who that is.

0:55.8

You definitely know who it is.

0:58.7

Well, today's story, I think, will actually make you feel pretty good about every terrible

1:03.5

boss you've ever had.

1:04.9

Because I know you and I have some horror stories, but we've never had to work for the

1:09.4

queen of mean.

1:14.1

It's 1984, and Mike Wallace is at the Helmsley Palace Hotel on Madison Avenue in New York City.

1:20.9

Mike is in his mid-60s, with dark, quaffed hair and stern brown eyes.

1:25.6

And for the last 15 years, he's been hosting 60 Minutes, one of the highest rated shows on

1:30.4

television.

1:31.4

He's interviewed dictators, presidents, and generals.

1:34.6

But today's interview is with billionaire hotel mogul Leona Helmsley.

...

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