Dear Hollywood
It’s time to expose Hollywood. Child stardom is a unique cultural phenomenon with a notoriously dark shadow. Precocious young talents skyrocket to success only to repeat horror stories of addiction, decimated fortunes, and suicide. What is behind the toddler-to-train wreck pipeline? Why hasn’t it stopped? How are you connected to it at home? Host Alyson Stoner reveals intimate firsthand accounts alongside comprehensive expertise & action plans to change entertainment and inspire your own life path and healing. Subscribe & follow @alysonstoner to join the conversation. For the FULL Story, pre-order Alyson's memoir "Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything" here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
Episodes
August 27, 2025 • 19 mins
Hear an exclusive audio excerpt from Alyson Stoner’s new book Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything. Available wherever books, ebooks, and audiobooks are sold. For more details and to purchase, follow this link:
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Mark as Played
August 21, 2025 • 8 mins
I found an old journal entry reflecting on my first audition after returning from rehab and wondering if entertainment was the path I ultimately wanted to be on...
For the full story, order Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything out now: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
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Mark as Played
August 8, 2025 • 9 mins
While writing my memoir, I discovered a box of my journals that helped me tap into my old experiences.
For the full story, order Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything here: bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
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Mark as Played
July 23, 2025 • 4 mins
What was I thinking about while on the set of Camp Rock? While writing my memoir, I discovered a box of my journals that helped me tap into my old experiences.
For the full breakdown, order Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything at https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
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Mark as Played
July 9, 2025 • 7 mins
While writing my memoir, I discovered a box of my journals that helped me tap into my old experiences. This entry was from when I was 19 or 20 years old and struggling with the societal pressures of having children.
Pre-order Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything at: bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
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Mark as Played
December 1, 2023 • 17 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
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Mark as Played
November 24, 2023 • 12 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
Alyson reveals some of the risks and dangers around becoming a child celebrity, including navigating superfans, stalkers and predators encircling their life. They explore the question of whether famous children automatically have a responsibility to be a role model. Further, they name the reality of losing ...
Mark as Played
November 17, 2023 • 23 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
Go to https://HelloFresh.com/dearfreshfree and use code dearfreshfree for FREE breakfast for life! One breakfast item per box while subscription is active.
If fame has addictive properties that mirror substance abuse, why would we hook a child to a “drug” that remaps their brain chemistry and alters their d...
Mark as Played
November 10, 2023 • 15 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
Is Kidfluencing the latest step on the toddler-to-trainwreck pipeline? Kidfluencing is an $8B industry that has very few protections in place for children. Whether they’re a child of family vloggers or proud parents who can’t stop “sharenting,” or they accidentally went viral for a funny video, kids are gro...
Mark as Played
November 3, 2023 • 16 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
Every time we scroll, we’re bombarded with ads and sponsored content. Much of this is delivered directly by social media influencers, including child influencers. In an attention economy, creators are pressured to use clickbait and sensationalism to engage viewers. However, this can have a perilous effect o...
Mark as Played
October 27, 2023 • 17 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
As Alyson prepares listeners to examine Kidfluencing, they share their own personal foray into the digital media landscape at the dawn of Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. From learning the “art” of clickbait to navigating unpredictable algorithms, they ran a makeshift production company and found themselves s...
Mark as Played
October 20, 2023 • 21 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
Go to HelloFresh.com/50dearfresh and use code 50dearfresh for 50% off plus free shipping!
Over 95 million photos and videos are posted on Instagram daily. Some people turn content creation into a livelihood and become digital influencers. Yet, rarely do they consider the deep inner workings of the platforms...
Mark as Played
October 13, 2023 • 22 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
Stereotyped as living vicariously through their children, stage parents are demanding and competitive, prizing their child as the best talent in the industry. When does a healthy parent-child relationship become harmful and controlling? Whose dream is it to pursue Hollywood if the child can hardly write the...
Mark as Played
October 6, 2023 • 18 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
Hollywood notoriously rips apart families and relationships, so who would let their child get into such a wild industry? Many parents don’t realize the breadth and depth of responsibilities that befall them, including protecting their child’s image, managing their finances, understanding contracts and labor...
Mark as Played
September 29, 2023 • 35 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
TW: Simulating Trauma. Out of 500,000 hopeful artists, only 205 will make it. Everyone else will face repeated rejection at auditions. So, what does a child really face when they pursue the industry? Brace yourself for the rollercoaster of learning how to play characters and bring scenes to life. Learn what...
Mark as Played
September 22, 2023 • 41 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
If you’re struggling, consider therapy with our sponsor BetterHelp. Click https://betterhelp.com/alysonstoner for a 10% discount on your first month of therapy with a licensed professional specific to your needs.
TW: Child Abuse. Many child stars have come forward about having entire periods of their lives ...
Mark as Played
September 15, 2023 • 21 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
TW: Eating Disorders. Alyson shares the audition process that landed them in rehab, along with the intense journey of recovery, therapy sessions, and what happened immediately after returning to Hollywood. They discuss undergoing plastic surgery and body modification while experiencing deep inner conflict, ...
Mark as Played
September 8, 2023 • 22 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
TW: Eating Disorders and Abuse. What is the impact of commercializing a child’s body as a product? What are the effects of Hollywood on a child’s body image? Alyson shares raw and intimate details of developing a severe eating disorder driven by industry pressures and protocols, intense perfectionism, fear ...
Mark as Played
September 1, 2023 • 20 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
What happens when child performers - due to fame and the industry - accrue copious access to wealth, material luxuries, status, and power? What traits and behaviors show up? Alyson confesses to early moments that led to an inflated self-esteem, selfish behavior, and getting kicked out of a rehearsal for dis...
Mark as Played
August 25, 2023 • 24 mins
For the FULL story, preorder my memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” here: https://bit.ly/semiwelladjusted
TW: sexual violence/abuse. Hollywood was not built with children in mind, nor is it prepared to protect children on set. Alyson explores the risks and unsuitable conditions of adult workplaces and responsibilities, including a personal account of being given a cigarette as an 11-year-old on an ABC series. T...
Mark as Played
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