Beyoncé’s Illuminati Mess

Explicit content warning

08/29/24 • 35 min

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From secret messages in “Single Ladies” to the infamous Blue Ivy bump gate, Beyoncé has been at the center of countless conspiracy theories. But nothing tops (or stops) the Illuminati rumors. Where did they start, and how much is Jay-Z to blame? Scholar Moya Bailey unravels the fixation on Beyoncé, revealing the misogynoir driving these conspiracies and what they really say about her power and influence. Plus, Cristen crunches the numbers to see if “Renaissance” was truly a sign of the apocalypse.

Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:23) Beyoncé's 2013 Super Bowl Performance

(02:56) The Beyoncé Conspiracy Canon

(05:46) Misinterpretation of Black Cultural Signifiers

(08:26) Beyoncé and Jay-Z: The Power Couple

(12:30) Misogynoir and Black Female Celebrities

(17:33) Beyoncé's Blue Ivy Pregnancy Truthers

(25:51) Beyoncé's Renaissance and Apocalyptic Horses

(28:00) The Power and Influence of Beyoncé

(32:46) Conclusion and Next Episode Preview

Episode 4 sources and transcript.

Inbox: [email protected]

Instagram: @conspiracyshewrote, @unladylikemedia

Website: conspiracyshewrote.com

Patreon: The Cabal

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, written and hosted by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Ameeta Ganatra.

Sounds credit: n_audioman via freesound.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:23) Beyoncé's 2013 Super Bowl Performance

(02:56) The Beyoncé Conspiracy Canon

(05:46) Misinterpretation of Black Cultural Signifiers

(08:26) Beyoncé and Jay-Z: The Power Couple

(12:30) Misogynoir and Black Female Celebrities

(17:33) Beyoncé's Blue Ivy Pregnancy Truthers

(25:51) Beyoncé's Renaissance and Apocalyptic Horses

(28:00) The Power and Influence of Beyoncé

(32:46) Conclusion and Next Episode Preview

Episode 4 sources and transcript.

Inbox: [email protected]

Instagram: @conspiracyshewrote, @unladylikemedia

Website: conspiracyshewrote.com

Patreon: The Cabal

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, written and hosted by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Ameeta Ganatra.

Sounds credit: n_audioman via freesound.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Taylor Swift: From Aryan Queen to Left-Wing Psyop

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How did Taylor Swift go from being (falsely) labeled a far-right dream girl to a left-wing psyop in conspiracy narratives? Host Cristen Conger untangles the conflicting stories that have turned Swift into a culture war lightning rod, from Nazi sympathizer rumors to the Travis Kelce psyop theory. Sociologist Brian Donovan unpacks why her celebrity makes her a prime conspiracy target, while media psychologist Leah Dajches dives into the stigma surrounding Gaylor Swifties and what it reveals about fandom, gender, and power.

(00:00) Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce and the Non-Existent Super Bowl Psyop

(02:16) Why Taylor Swift?

(03:01) Swifties, Fandom and Sociology

(05:38) The Alt-Right Co-opting of Taylor Swift's Celebrity

(07:39) Taylor Swift's Political Awakening

(11:49) Rage Against the Billionaire Childless Cat Lady

(22:02) Gaylor & Hetlers

(24:59) Queering Pop Culture and 'Folklore'

(33:32) Taylor Swift's Queer Imagery

(41:24) Taylor Swift, Satanist Clone??

(42:24) Conclusion and Credits

Episode 3 sources and transcript.

Inbox: [email protected]

Instagram: @conspiracyshewrote, @unladylikemedia

Website: conspiracyshewrote.com

Patreon: The Cabal

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, written and hosted by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Ameeta Ganatra.

Sounds credits: Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Megan Thee Stallion vs. Misogynoir

When Megan Thee Stallion revealed the truth about being shot by Tory Lanez, why was she met with disbelief, Bigfoot jokes, and Illuminati rumors? NPR Music reporter and longtime hottie Sidney Madden (Louder Than a Riot) unravels how hip-hop culture put Megan on trial, while Tory Lanez’ team claimed the slut-shame defense in court. Scholar Moya Bailey also breaks down the intersection of class, respectability and misogynoir, comparing the conspiracy theories surrounding Megan Thee Stallion to those attached to Beyoncé.

Chapters:

(00:00) Megan Thee Stallion's Rise to Fame

(03:09) A Hottie Is Born

(05:15) Like Mother, Like Daughter

(06:14) Newfound Fame and Old Illuminati Conspiracy Theories

(13:12) The Tory Lanez Shooting and Media Frenzy

(22:40) The Trial and Court of Public Opinion

(26:07) Misogynoir, Class and Perceptions of Megan Thee Stallion

(39:12) Conclusion and the Future of Megan Thee Stallion

Episode 5 sources and transcript.

Inbox: [email protected]

Instagram: @conspiracyshewrote, @unladylikemedia

Website: conspiracyshewrote.com

Patreon: The Cabal

. . .

Conspiracy, She Wrote is an Unladylike Media production, created, hosted and written by Cristen Conger. It's produced by Lushik Lotus-Lee and engineered by Marcus Hahm.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.