Nov 6, 2026 · 2h 18m
The Tell controversy tests memory, evidence, and accountability
FBI Arrests Meghan Markle’s Father, Neocons’ Pathetic Attempt to SPIN Iran War, Plus Crazy Fallout Continues Over Amy Griffin’s Memoir | Ep. 1436
The episode examines whether a memoir’s disputed abuse narrative appropriated another woman’s experience while widening the argument to politics, media judgment, and legal accountability.
- 1Amy Griffin’s The Tell faces competing accounts over recovered memories, alleged story appropriation, and a disputed Palm Springs meeting.
- 2Attorney Zach Rosenblatt argues that witnesses, dress details, and contemporaneous accounts support Jolene’s claims as litigation continues.
- 3Megyn Kelly links Republican election losses to the Iran war, rising costs, neoconservative revisionism, and voter backlash against AI data centers.
Don't miss
Zach Rosenblatt explains why the disputed Palm Springs meeting, the dress evidence, and corroborating witnesses could determine the credibility battle over The Tell.
The brief
Megyn Kelly opens with major legal and political stories, but the episode’s center of gravity is The Tell and the dispute over whose abuse story it recounts.
The memoir’s recovered-memory account is challenged by Jolene, a former classmate who says Griffin appropriated details of her abuse; the Palm Springs meeting becomes a pivotal factual dispute.
Attorney Zach Rosenblatt lays out Jolene’s case, pointing to witnesses, the stained dress, missing drafts, private investigators, and discovery requests aimed at identifying the real Claudia.
The episode also argues that Republican losses reflected the Iran war, gas prices, and poor explanation of policy—not merely a ceasefire—and criticizes neoconservative attempts to rewrite responsibility.
The broader question is whether contested memories and celebrity-backed narratives can withstand corroboration, litigation, and scrutiny when the stakes include reputation, publishing, and validation.
What was said on this episode
24 statements · 5 positive · 16 negative · 1 mixed · 2 neutral
The FBI arrested Thomas Markle Sr.
“The FBI has arrested Thomas Markle Sr., father of Meghan Markle.”
Listen at 5:12
Thomas Markle Sr. faces one charge and up to 20 years if convicted.
“He is charged with one count of possession of child pornography. If convicted, he would face a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison.”
Listen at 7:56
Additional charges against Thomas Markle Sr. are likely if evidence supports allegations.
“There's no doubt that if in fact the feds have what they say they have, we will be getting more charges.”
Listen at 8:21
Eliminating demand for child sexual abuse material would eliminate its production.
“If you got rid of the market, you would get rid of the acts of the behavior when it comes to child sexual abuse material.”
Listen at 18:04
Russell Brand will probably receive a five-to-ten-year sentence.
“He's going to get sentenced on Monday, probably looking at 5 to 10.”
Listen at 25:18
Voters opposed launching another Middle East war.
“It was the actual war that they didn't want. They didn't want to launch another Middle East war.”
Listen at 28:56
The Iran war caused gas prices to double.
“And then on top of that, the gas prices doubled.”
Listen at 29:21
Trump’s approval rating sharply increased after the memorandum announcement.
“Trump's approval rating went back up like a hockey stick when news that there was a memorandum of understanding broke.”
Listen at 29:33
Neoconservatives attributed the memorandum to J.D. Vance rather than Trump.
“It was when he went rogue and struck the MOU and not Trump's decision making.”
Listen at 35:15
Nearly all ballot measures passed banning data centers.
“Virtually all of them had passed to ban the data centers.”
Listen at 45:11
Data centers consume substantial energy and threaten water supplies.
“They use up all the energy, the dangers to the water supply, all of it.”
Listen at 45:40
ChatGPT and OpenAI are driving society toward employment extinction.
“ChatGPT, OpenAI, who are racing us toward employment extinction without getting our buy-in.”
Listen at 46:39
Recovered-memory claims about sexual assault warrant substantial skepticism.
“Maybe a hefty dose of skepticism would be in order.”
Listen at 55:58
One woman is lying about whether the 2019 Palm Springs meeting occurred.
“One of them is lying because either that Palm Springs meeting happened or it didn't.”
Listen at 1:19:03
Zach Rosenblatt says the Palm Springs meeting occurred in 2019.
“It happened in 2019.”
Listen at 1:42:27
Investigators contacted Jolene while Griffin investigated her recovered memories.
“These calls happened around the same time that Amy Griffin admittedly launched an investigation in order to corroborate her memories.”
Listen at 1:46:37
Jolene’s legal team seeks every draft of Griffin’s memoir.
“We want every draft of the book. We want to see how the book came together.”
Listen at 1:53:05
An affidavit supports Jolene’s account predating Griffin’s memoir.
“this woman's affidavit proves that, at a minimum, Jolene was telling a story of her own sexual assault. with details that would later appear in the tell long before the tell was conceived”
Listen at 2:04:24
Rosenblatt contrasts Jolene’s continuous memory and witnesses with Griffin’s drug-assisted memories.
“Our client never forgot, never took drugs. and has come forward with contemporaneous witnesses”
Listen at 2:07:18
Drug use can cause someone to misremember events.
“someone on drugs can misremember something? I think that's obviously a possibility.”
Listen at 2:09:18
Rosenblatt says Griffin lacks independent corroboration for her recovered memories.
“She has never confirmed her own memories with any independent corroborating evidence.”
Listen at 2:10:16
Megyn predicts Amy Griffin will settle the litigation.
“my prediction for what it's worth may not be much, is that she will settle it.”
Listen at 2:11:48
A million-dollar payment would be financially negligible for Amy Griffin.
“If you cut her a million-dollar check, it would be a rounding error.”
Listen at 2:16:23
MDMA can cause confusion and harmful effects.
“MDMA. You should be careful. Be careful when you go through this. It can cause some bad things to happen. It can cause you to get very confused.”
Listen at 2:17:41
Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.
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