

Right Answers Mostly
Claire Donald & Tess Bellomo
History is just gossip! Join hosts Tess Bellomo and Claire Donald every Monday as they break down the juiciest stories from history and pop culture over a cocktail!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 25, 2025 • 30min
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
In 1911, a fire ripped through the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City, killing 146 garment workers, mostly young immigrant women locked inside. The tragedy shocked the nation and exposed the brutal realities of the industrial age. But before the flames, there was a teenager named Clara Lemlich who stood on a picket line and helped lead the largest strike of women workers in American history. This week, we unpack the story of how exploited immigrant girls changed labor forever, the horrifying conditions inside the Triangle factory, and how their fight gave birth to modern workplace protections we take for granted today.
Created and produced by Tess Bellomo and Claire Donald
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Aug 22, 2025 • 1h 2min
Ethel Cain VS. Lana Del Rey + Taylor Rollout Thoughts
Honestly you guys, we spend a good portion of the episode fangirling over Ethel Cain, but that’s not all. We dive into Taylor’s current album rollout (are we ruining the joy of music by trying to crack every code?), the limits of stan culture (we’ve GOT to cool it), and the unfolding Lana Del Rey vs. Ethel Cain discourse (a.k.a. the Kendrick vs. Drake drama for sad girls). We wrap things up with a full recap of the Ethel Cain concert, and spoiler alert, it was nothing short of transformative.
Created and produced by Claire Donald and Tess Bellomo
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Aug 18, 2025 • 1h 15min
Alice Roosevelt: 365 Party Girl
You Rammies asked, and we delivered: the White House wild child herself — Alice Roosevelt. Known for smoking in public, wearing pants, and speeding through D.C. in cars full of boys, Alice lived fast, loud, and unapologetically. Born into great wealth and even greater tragedy, her life was never conventional. At just 17, she swept into the White House and captured the nation’s imagination, becoming America’s first It Girl, and arguably the first influencer. A sharp political mind, a world-class gossip, and a woman who bent every rule to her will, Alice’s spirit is as enviable now as it was over a century ago.
Created and produced by Claire Donald and Tess Bellomo
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Sources: Wikipedia , Alice Roosevelt Longworth, from White House Princess to Washington Power Broker, Messynessychic.com, Whitehousehistory.org, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viF-5vx2GzI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 15, 2025 • 1h 35min
The Life of a Showgirl, RHOSL Trailer, Jax's Lifts, & More!
This week, we’re joined by… our friend Alice! She steps in while Tess is on a little vacay, and man, do we have a lot to discuss. We cover TS12 (The Life of a Showgirl) and our major takeaways from Taylor on New Heights. Then, we pivot to Bravo with a recap of the RHOSLC trailer, The Valley reunion, and the latest RHOM. Rammies, everyone say hi to Alice!
Created and produced by Claire Donald and Tess Bellomo
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Aug 11, 2025 • 58min
Tradwives: Ballerina Farms, Nara Smith & Tiktok Culture
Since when did homemaking in heels become aspirational again? This week, we're diving into the viral world of tradwifeculture: the soft lit, stay-at-home fantasy that’s taken over TikTok. We unpack how this ultra-feminine, domestic aesthetic is being glamorized by influencers like Nara Smith and Estee Williams, and ask: is this just cottagecore with better branding, or something more dangerous?
We trace the history of the traditional housewife ideal, from 1950s suburbia to its deeply racist, exclusionary roots, and examine how today's revival may be less about “choice” and more about disillusionment with modern feminism. What happens when burnout meets nostalgia? And who gets left out when we romanticize the past?
From parasocial sourdough to the performance of wifedom online, we're asking the bigger questions: Is tradwife culture empowering? Is it regressive? And what does it say about where we are right now?
Created and produced by Tess Bellomo and Claire Donald
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Aug 8, 2025 • 60min
Carole Radziwill, Jacob Elordi & RHOM
This week on Right Answers Mostly POP CULTURE EDITION: the gossip is hot and the takes are hotter. From Carole Radziwill’s mysterious resurgence to Jacob Elordi’s latest heartthrob antics, we’re deep diving into the headlines that had us double-tapping all week. We’re also reporting live (scrolling TikTok) from Cara Delevingne’s chaotic and star studded party. And of course, we wrap it all up with a chef’s kiss Real Housewives of Miami recap because what’s Friday without our crazy aunties?
Created and produced by Tess Bellomo and Claire Donald
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Aug 4, 2025 • 1h 10min
Teddy Roosevelt: The Original Bro
Before there were finance bros, tech bros, or even frat bros… there was Teddy Roosevelt. This week, we dive into how a sickly rich kid from Manhattan reinvented himself as a rough-and-tumble cowboy, a Rough Rider, and eventually a trust-busting progressive president who helped pull America into the modern age.
We break down how Teddy became the blueprint for performative masculinity (with a dash of genuine reform), his wild days wrangling cattle in the Badlands, and why he might just be the most interesting president no one really talks about enough. This is Teddy Roosevelt!
Created and produced by Claire Donald and Tess Bellomo
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Sources: Wikipedia, Theodore Roosevelt , https://millercenter.org/president/roosevelt/life-before-the-presidency
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Aug 1, 2025 • 1h 4min
Sydney Sweeney’s Denim Drama, Hunting Wives Recap & Wealth Returns to RHOM
This week, we’re diving into the top pop culture happenings: Sydney Sweeney’s controversial American Eagle campaign, our delight over Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson dating, and Scheana still not letting go of her John Mayer era. Then we head to Texas for a juicy recap of The Hunting Wives before hopping over to Miami to break down the latest drama on The Real Housewives of Miami.
Created and produced by Claire Donald and Tess Bellomo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 28, 2025 • 34min
American Apparel was an Indie CULT
In the 2000s, American Apparel wasn’t just a clothing brand, it was a cultural moment. With its provocative ads, made-in-LA ethos, and promise of effortless cool, it captured the hearts (and wardrobes) of a generation. But behind the glossy sheen of disco panties and deep-V tees was a much darker story. In this episode, we dive into the rise and fall of American Apparel and the disturbing behavior of its founder, Dov Charney. From workplace allegations and hypersexual marketing to the brand’s implosion, we explore how a so-called progressive fashion empire masked a toxic power structure, and why we were all so quick to buy into it.
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Created and produced by Tess Bellomo & Claire Donald Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 25, 2025 • 1h 7min
Next Gen NYC & RHOM: Charlie’s Bong and Guerdy’s Texts
This week, we’re recapping the Next Gen NYC finale (SAD) and all the drama from RHOM. We kick things off with two pop culture stories: Jessica Simpson’s comeback and Jamie Lee Curtis being a narc on the red carpet. Then, we dive into the Next Gen NYC finale before heading to Miami for Guerdy’s texts, Larsa's closet, and everything in between.
Created by Claire Donald and Tess Bellomo
For more on RAM go here
To join our premium channel for 3 bonus eps, go here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices