The Girl with the Duck Tattoo — Sarma Melngailis Writes her Own Story After "Bad Vegan"

She had a thriving restaurant, a cult following, and a mission to change the way people eat.
Then, almost overnight, Sarma Melngailis became the woman at the center of Bad Vegan — a Netflix scandal that made headlines but missed the real story.
Now, in her brand-new memoir The Girl with the Duck Tattoo, Sarma is reclaiming the narrative.
And in this in-person interview — recorded live in New York City — she opens up to me like never before.
This episode isn’t about viral fame or courtroom drama. It’s about the slow unraveling of identity, how coercive control works, what it takes to survive psychological abuse, and how one woman is writing her way back to herself.
💡 Why it matters:
This isn’t just a story about scandal.
It’s a story about control, recovery, and how smart women can still be broken down — and also built back up.
⸻
🔗 CONNECT WITH SARMA
📘 The Girl with the Duck Tattoo – https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Duck-Tattoo-Memoir/dp/1544548982
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarmamelngailis/
⸻
❤️ Loved this conversation?
Follow, rate, and review Miss Understood — and share this episode with anyone who’s ever been misunderstood, underestimated, or manipulated into silence.
--- --- ---
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://mumerch.com/
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Rachel on Instagram!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/racheluchitelnyc/?hl=en
Follow Rachel on TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@itsracheluchitel
Executive Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠George Carmona
Do you have show ideas, media requests or sponsorship opportunities? Email the show at: [email protected]
Listen on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw13NrSKD-nD_8E0vBHt5hA
Rumble: ⁠⁠https://rumble.com/c/RachelUchitel⁠⁠
Website: https://missunderstoodpodcast.com/