Unzipping American Apparel with Sasheer Zamata and Jared Goldstein | 86

The Big Flop

Wondery

Society & Culture, Comedy, Business

4.6 • 884 Ratings

🗓️ 5 May 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the early 2000s, American Apparel was the coolest kid on the block, slinging ethically-made tees and scandalous billboards. But founder Dov Charney's penchant for office orgies and nude photoshoots proved too spicy for Wall Street, turning his sweatshop-free dream into a nightmare of lawsuits, bankruptcy, and one very public walk of shame.

Sasheer Zamata and Jared Goldstein join Misha to uncover the almost naked truth behind American Apparel.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Attention, all big flop stands. Are you ready to take your love for the big flop to the next level?
0:07.3	Well, Wondery Plus is here to make your dreams come true. With ad-free episodes, early access,
0:13.8	and exclusive bonus content, you'll be swimming in a sea of content. Your uninterrupted
0:20.3	flop fix awaits. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or in
0:24.6	Apple Podcasts.
0:32.7	Y'all, what is going on with men? We've talked about a lot of men with the audacity on this show,
0:41.2	but today's main character somehow goes from liking soft t-shirts
0:45.4	to sexualizing dogs and advertisements.
0:49.1	Why can't millionaire dudes just go be rich, as one of my guests puts it?
0:56.0	Quietly.
0:57.0	In a corner.
0:58.3	Far away from people.
1:00.1	But before I get too carried away roasting millionaires, let's get into it, besties,
1:05.1	because this story is buck wild.
1:08.8	American Apparel says its decision to oust its controversial chief executive, Dove Charnie,
1:13.6	was linked to alleged misconduct.
1:15.4	He has this crazy theory that ages the new class.
1:18.4	People said that you were shooting models who were too young.
1:22.3	Some say those ads crossed the line and that the CEO did too.
1:25.5	At work in his underwear?
1:26.9	It's so unusual to have a board force out the person who created the empire from scratch,
1:34.3	and such a high-profile figure too.
	...

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