Suzanne Lossia: The Arranged Marriage, the Divorce & the Life She Built After

Jay Paterno—former Penn State assistant football coach, author, and current member of Penn State’s Board of Trustees—joins Miss Understood to discuss the 2011 Penn State scandal that reshaped college football and permanently altered the legacy of his father, legendary coach Joe Paterno. Jay walks through the timeline surrounding Jerry Sandusky, a former assistant coach later convicted on dozens of counts of child sexual abuse, and explains how the fallout expanded beyond Sandusky’s crimes to implicate Penn State leadership, leading to Joe Paterno’s firing despite never being criminally charged. He shares what it was like to witness the scandal as both a son and an employee, reflects on his father’s death just two months later, the removal of Joe Paterno’s statue, and why he continues to challenge the narrative of a cover-up. --- --- --- Want some more BTS bonus content of Miss Understood? Join our patreon for Post Show Podcasts, Monthly Merch Giveaways and Weekly Bonus Episodes!https://www.patreon.com/c/MissUnderstoodwithRachelUchitel Shop Miss Understood Merch https://missunderstoodpodcast.com/shop/ PLEASE LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE, AND GIVE US A 5-STAR REVIEW!: ratethispodcast.com/missunderstood ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Rachel on Instagram!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/racheluchitelnyc/?hl=en Follow Rachel on TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@itsracheluchitel Email us [email protected] Executive Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠George Carmona Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Suzanne Lossia may look like she has always lived a glamorous, larger-than-life life — but the story behind it is anything but simple.  Suzanne joins Rachel Uchitel to open up about growing up in a traditional Chaldean-American family, being pushed into an arranged marriage as a teenager, and realizing before the wedding that she did not love the man she was expected to marry. She talks about becoming a mother, living in a relationship she now describes as transactional, dealing with infidelity, and eventually making the decision to leave despite having little education, no real career, and no idea how she was going to survive on her own.  Suzanne also gets candid about the years that followed — struggling to keep a roof over her children’s heads, living without electricity at times, selling possessions to survive, and trying to rebuild her life as a single mother.  Then came a completely different chapter: television opportunities, Food Network, restaurants, entrepreneurship, and eventually a move to Palm Beach where Suzanne says she is finally learning to live life for herself.  This is a conversation about family expectations, freedom, motherhood, survival, faith, reinvention — and what happens when you finally decide the life everyone planned for you is no longer the life you want.  --- --- ---  Want some more BTS bonus content of Miss Understood? Join our patreon for Post Show Podcasts, Monthly Merch Giveaways and Weekly Bonus Episodes! https://www.patreon.com/c/MissUnderstoodwithRachelUchitel Shop Miss Understood Merch https://missunderstoodpodcast.com/shop/ PLEASE LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE, AND GIVE US A 5-STAR REVIEW!: ratethispodcast.com/missunderstood ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Rachel on Instagram!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/racheluchitelnyc/?hl=en Follow Rachel on TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@itsracheluchitel Email us [email protected] Executive Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠George Carmona Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alexis Bellino Janssen sits down with Rachel Uchitel for a conversation about life before, during, and after The Real Housewives of Orange County. Alexis gets candid about the facelift everyone is talking about — breaking down her entire experience of before, during and after. She also takes Rachel behind the scenes of her Real Housewives journey: how she unexpectedly landed RHOC all the way to the infamous “Jesus Jugs” nickname. Alexis opens up about meeting John Janssen, falling in love after believing she would never marry again, and the misconceptions surrounding her relationship with John and Shannon Beador. Plus, Alexis shares the deeply personal experiences that shaped her outside of reality television — from divorce and motherhood to losing her mom and finding love again. And just when Alexis thinks the interview is over, Rachel shares some major personal news of her own. --- --- --- Want some more BTS bonus content of Miss Understood? Join our Patreon for Post Show Podcasts, Monthly Merch Giveaways, and Weekly Bonus Episodes! https://www.patreon.com/c/MissUnderstoodwithRachelUchitel     Shop Miss Understood Merch https://missunderstoodpodcast.com/shop/     PLEASE LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE, AND GIVE US A 5-STAR REVIEW!: ratethispodcast.com/missunderstood ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠     Follow Rachel on Instagram!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/racheluchitelnyc/?hl=en     Follow Rachel on TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@itsracheluchitel     Email us [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Want some more BTS bonus content of Miss Understood? Join our patreon for Post Show Podcasts, Monthly Merch Giveaways and Weekly Bonus Episodes! Become a Patreon Member: https://www.patreon.com/c/MissUnderstoodwithRachelUchitel   Shop Miss Understood Merch https://missumerch.com   BONUS EPISODE: In light of Perez Hilton’s recent hospitalization following a deeply concerning TikTok livestream, we’re revisiting our raw and unfiltered conversation with the man who became known as one of the original kings of celebrity gossip. Long before this latest crisis, Perez opened up to Rachel about what was happening beneath the larger-than-life persona—the insecurity, pain and anger that fueled some of his most controversial behavior, and the realization that “hurt people hurt people.” He takes responsibility for the people he lashed out at, reflects on the ways he has hurt himself along the way, and reveals a much more vulnerable side of the person behind Perez Hilton. Listening to his words today, this conversation takes on an entirely different meaning.   --- --- ---   PLEASE LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE, AND GIVE US A 5-STAR REVIEW!:  ratethispodcast.com/missunderstood ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Rachel on Instagram!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/racheluchitelnyc/?hl=en Follow Rachel on TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@itsracheluchitel Email us [email protected] Executive Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠George Carmona   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Want some more BTS bonus content of Miss Understood? Join our patreon for Post Show Podcasts, Monthly Merch Giveaways and Weekly Bonus Episodes! Become a Patreon Member: https://www.patreon.com/c/MissUnderstoodwithRachelUchitel   Shop Miss Understood Merch https://missumerch.com   In 1995, twenty-year-old Navy SEAL Dusty Turner watched the man he trusted most — his SEAL Team “swim buddy” — murder a young woman in the back seat of his car. What followed was 31 years in a Virginia prison for a crime Turner didn’t commit: two trials, an 82-year sentence, a 2008 ruling that called him “actually innocent” (the first of its kind in Virginia history), and a Virginia Supreme Court reversal that sent him back to prison for 18 more years on what he calls a legal technicality.   Paroled in March 2026, Turner sits down with Rachel Uchitel for his first extended interview since walking free — the SEAL “code” that kept him silent for a week, the polygraph strategy he used so the truth could surface without him breaking that code, what three decades inside 13 different facilities does to a person, and why he’s still fighting for full exoneration while living under sex-offender-registry restrictions for a crime he was never charged with.   In this episode: • The night of June 18, 1995, and how it unraveled in under two minutes • Why Turner didn’t go to police — and the polygraph gambit he used instead • Learning years later that Billy Brown had confessed to the murder • Being ruled “actually innocent” in 2008 — and losing it again in 2011 • Training rescue dogs and growing an apple tree from a windowsill in solitary • Walking out of prison after 31 years, and what “paroled, not pardoned” really means • His new work with Veterans Healing Veterans, helping other wrongfully convicted vets   Learn more and support Dusty’s fight for exoneration: https://www.freedusty.com/   Veterans Healing Veterans from the Inside Out: https://veteranshealingveterans.com/index.html   --- --- --- PLEASE LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE, AND GIVE US A 5-STAR REVIEW!:  ratethispodcast.com/missunderstood ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Rachel on Instagram!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/racheluchitelnyc/?hl=en Follow Rachel on TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@itsracheluchitel Email us [email protected] Executive Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠George Carmona   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

🎧 Want more Miss Understood? Join us on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes conversations, extended interviews and more. Visit the Miss Understood Patreon and become a member today.   To the world, Victor “Little Vic” Orena became known as a powerful figure in New York’s Colombo crime family. To Jackie Orena, he was simply her grandfather.   Jackie joins Rachel for a deeply personal conversation about growing up with the Orena name, the moment she realized her family wasn’t like everyone else’s, and why she has dedicated herself to fighting for her grandfather after more than three decades behind bars.   Now elderly and suffering from serious health problems, Orena remains incarcerated—and Jackie is asking a difficult question: At what point should punishment give way to compassion?   Rachel doesn’t shy away from the other side of the story. She challenges Jackie on her grandfather’s conviction, the victims connected to the case, whether Jackie is arguing for his innocence or simply asking for mercy, and how she responds to people who believe she was too young to understand the man her grandfather was accused of being.   Jackie also reveals what she would say if she had five minutes with President Trump, why every rejection has made her fight harder, and whether her advocacy will continue even after her grandfather is gone.   This isn't just a conversation about organized crime. It's about what happens when the person the world knows from headlines is the person you simply know as family. --- --- --- PLEASE LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE, AND GIVE US A 5-STAR REVIEW!:  ratethispodcast.com/missunderstood ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Rachel on Instagram!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/racheluchitelnyc/?hl=en Follow Rachel on TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@itsracheluchitel Email us [email protected] Executive Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠George Carmona   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With Lee Asher back in the news following the recent attention surrounding Velveteen, I wanted to bring back one of my favorite interviews.   For those who aren’t familiar with him, Lee is the founder of The Asher House and one of the most influential voices in animal rescue today. Nearly 3 million people follow his work across Instagram and YouTube as he documents the realities of rescuing animals and running a sanctuary.   Years ago, I interviewed Lee for Miss Understood. At the time, we released the conversation in two separate episodes. We’ve never published it as one complete interview—until now.   The interview was recorded well before the recent Velveteen story, so it isn’t about the current headlines. This is a candid conversation about Lee’s childhood, how he built The Asher House, why he devoted his life to rescue, and what it’s really like caring for so many animals every day.   One of the most fascinating parts of our conversation is Lee’s honest perspective on running an animal sanctuary. The biggest challenge often isn’t the animals—it’s the people. We talk about the emotional toll, public expectations, criticism, and the realities of rescue work that most people never see.   Whether you’ve followed Lee for years or you’ve only recently discovered him because of the Velveteen story, this is the full interview you’ve never heard in one place. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why do so many men struggle to open up? Why do relationships break down even when both people care? And what does "manning up" actually mean today?   Rachel sits down with therapist and Rugged Counseling founder Trey Tucker for one of the most honest conversations we've had about masculinity, rejection, anxiety, childhood trauma, and why so many men quietly carry emotional burdens they never talk about.   Together they explore how our earliest experiences shape who we become, why rejection affects us more than we realize, the differences between how men and women process emotions, and the misconceptions both sides have about each other.   Whether you're trying to better understand yourself, your partner, your son, or the men in your life, this conversation challenges conventional thinking while offering practical insight into what healthy masculinity really looks like.   In this episode:   Why rejection hurts more than we realize The childhood experiences that shape adult relationships Why many men shut down emotionally What anxiety is actually trying to tell you Therapy, EMDR & modern mental health What "manning up" really means Why women often misunderstand men's emotional responses --- --- --- PLEASE LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE, AND GIVE US A 5-STAR REVIEW!:  ratethispodcast.com/missunderstood Become a Patreon Member: https://www.patreon.com/c/MissUnderstoodwithRachelUchitel Shop Miss Understood Merch https://missumerch.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Rachel on Instagram!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/racheluchitelnyc/?hl=en Follow Rachel on TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@itsracheluchitel Email us [email protected] Executive Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠George Carmona   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if high school wasn't about preparing students for a job—but teaching them how to build a business instead? Rachel sits down with Nat Eliason, co-founder of Founders School, an innovative high school redefining what education can look like in the age of AI. For $150,000 per year, students spend their mornings learning through AI-powered instruction and their afternoons building real businesses alongside experienced entrepreneurs. The boldest promise? If students don't generate $1 million in gross profit by graduation, Founders School refunds their tuition. Rachel and Nat discuss: Why Founders School has no traditional teachers How AI is changing education Why students spend most of their day building businesses The admissions process and why families are turned away The $1 million guarantee explained Whether college is still necessary What skills today's kids actually need to succeed Whether you think it's the future of education or one of the boldest experiments ever attempted, this conversation will challenge the way you think about school, entrepreneurship, and preparing the next generation. Founders School Website: https://founders.school/ --- --- --- PLEASE LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE, AND GIVE US A 5-STAR REVIEW!: ratethispodcast.com/missunderstood Become a Patreon Member: https://www.patreon.com/c/MissUnderstoodwithRachelUchitel Shop Miss Understood Merch https://missumerch.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Rachel on Instagram!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/racheluchitelnyc/?hl=en Follow Rachel on TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@itsracheluchitel Email us [email protected] Executive Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠George Carmona Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if high school wasn't about preparing students for a job—but teaching them how to build a business instead?   Rachel sits down with Nat Eliason, co-founder of Founders School, an innovative high school redefining what education can look like in the age of AI.   For $150,000 per year, students spend their mornings learning through AI-powered instruction and their afternoons building real businesses alongside experienced entrepreneurs. The boldest promise? If students don't generate $1 million in gross profit by graduation, Founders School refunds their tuition.   Rachel and Nat discuss:   Why Founders School has no traditional teachers How AI is changing education Why students spend most of their day building businesses The admissions process and why families are turned away The $1 million guarantee explained Whether college is still necessary What skills today's kids actually need to succeed   Whether you think it's the future of education or one of the boldest experiments ever attempted, this conversation will challenge the way you think about school, entrepreneurship, and preparing the next generation.   Founders School Website: https://founders.school/ --- --- --- PLEASE LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE, AND GIVE US A 5-STAR REVIEW!:  ratethispodcast.com/missunderstood Become a Patreon Member: https://www.patreon.com/c/MissUnderstoodwithRachelUchitel Shop Miss Understood Merch https://missumerch.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Rachel on Instagram!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/racheluchitelnyc/?hl=en Follow Rachel on TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@itsracheluchitel Email us [email protected] Executive Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠George Carmona   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.