113: Famous Feuds pt.2: Queens of Mean

Maia Warner-Langenbahn
Jul 9, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Aug 4, 2025

We all love a little gossip. And these two ladies made sure everyone knew about it. These women were here for the drama, maybe even more than they were here for the truth. In an era where women were defined by the men in their lives, Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper (AKA Elda Furry) rose by cutting others down. Complicated, conservative, prying, and oh so much fun. This week, meet the original Queens of Mean!

Chapters

00:00:00 Catch-Up

00:22:37 Queens of Mean

00:27:52 Louella Parsons

01:03:29 Elda Furry "Hedda Hopper"

01:27:58 Famous Feud

01:47:55 Gatekeepers

02:13:44 McCarthyism

02:2:35 Success & Hate

02:35:19 Consequences

02:39:48 Legacy & Final Thoughts

Photos Referenced

Louella Parsons (right) and Hedda Hopper (left) at a Hollywood Party in 1948
Letter from Edgar to Hedda dated April 12 1947 - courtesy of the FBI archives
Letter from Hedda to Edgar dated April 7 1947 - courtesy of the FBI archives
Memo to J. Edgar Hoover dated Jan 8 1958 regarding Hedda Hopper - courtesy of FBI
Marilyn Monroe (left) and Hedda (right) in 1953 - courtesy of Everett Collection

Further Research

Hedda Hopper FBI Files: Hedda Hopper - Federal Bureau of Investigation (Archived)
You Must Remember The Podcast 9 episode season: Gossip Girls: Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper (Small Town Girl, Episode 1) - You Must Remember This Podcast
Dual Biography by George Eells: Hedda and Louella (1972)

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