Nine-Part Series Centers on Courtney “Cookie” Hood, Her Quest For The Truth And The Danger She Faced From All Sides, Including The U.S. Government

Listen To the First Two Episodes Now  

NEW YORK – August 1, 2023 – iHeartPodcasts announced today the launch of “Journalista,” the true story of Courtney "Cookie" Hood, former model and ex-wife of a Colombian drug cartel kingpin, hired to manage the CBS field office in Nicaragua during the civil war in the 1980’s. What starts as another big party for her, ends up being the history making adventure of a lifetime, blowing the lid off the Iran-Contra scandal and almost taking down the Reagan presidency.

Two episodes premiered today, which will be followed by a new episode every Tuesday. The trailer for the podcast can be found here.  

“Life as a journalist during wartime was intense. We worked hard and partied even harder, because we never knew what was going to happen the next day,” said Courtney “Cookie” Hood. “The CBS office in Nicaragua was many things – a news office, a respite from war and party central. Every day and night journalists, movie stars, rock stars, politicians and royalty would arrive. It was the place to be and be seen. By sharing these adventures, I hope our listeners understand the chaos and danger from these most uncertain times.”

“Journalista” follows the dangerous and improbable life of Hood, who teams up with legendary CBS producer Larry Doyle to take listeners through the courage of the wartime journalists covering the civil wars, revolutions and U.S. missteps in 1980’s Central America.

“During the 1980’s and 1990’s, Cookie Hood was the single driving force behind the most successful television coverage of Central America that appeared across the United States,” said Stephen Kinzer, former bureau chief of The New York Times. ”’Journalista’ is a series of stories over four decades in the making and will entrance each listener to the realities of what really happened during that time.”

“Journalista” is hosted by Steven Esteb, starring Cookie Hood, written and produced by Steven Esteb (“Hate Crime,”“Dirty Politics”), executive producers, Tyler Klang for iHeartMedia, Sean J. Donnelly (“Hate Crime”), Cookie Hood, Ellen K (Ellen K Morning Show) and Jason Waggenspack, CEO of the Ranch Film Studios and producer of “The True Don Quixote” and “The Look-Alike”.

“Journalista” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts. Listen to new episodes on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard.

Upon the conclusion of the podcast, a documentary will be released with Hood diving into the background of the story and sharing insights that have been kept secret for over 40 years. For more information, visit JournalistaPodcast.com.

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