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PODCAST

Very Special Episodes

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie.” Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

history documentary

All Episodes

48:21

Being Joe Isuzu

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/10/29

In the golden age of 1980s television, few faces were more familiar — or more dishonest — than Joe Isuzu’s. Actor David Leisure brought the fast-talking car salesman to life, turning a parody of advertising into one of its greatest icons. In this Very Special Interview, the man behind America’s favorite liar revisits the campaign that changed commercials forever. * Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason EnglishWritten by Zaron BurnettSenior Producer is Josh

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57:59

A High School Brawl in the Panama Canal Zone

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/10/22

In the 1960s, there were 36,000 Americans living in the Canal Zone. They had Friday night high school football games, sock hops, and Hollywood movies at the local theater. It looked like a mid-century American town had been dropped into the Panamanian jungle — because that’s exactly what it was. But many Panamanians weren’t happy with this “country-in-a-country” arrangement. What would it take to get the Americans to leave? The answer, it turns out, was a bunch of

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1:40

Introducing: Hoax! with Dana Schwartz and Lizzie Logan

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/09/27

Hi, Very Special Episodes listeners! We're hard at work on the next season of VSE, which lands October 15th. In the meantime, did you know our own Dana Schwartz has a new podcast? Give it a listen! Hoax!: Why do so many people believe things that aren’t true? In an era when claims of “fake news” come as naturally as breathing, and social media allows lies to spread and multiply like viruses, the question feels more relevant than ever. From the teenage girls who convinced Sir Arthur

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1:20

Introducing: American History Hotline

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/07/16

Hi, Very Special Episodes listeners! We're excited to share with you a sneak peek at iHeartPodcasts' latest release, American History Hotline. American History Hotline: Bob Crawford searches for the best historians and experts to answer listener questions about American history — from the Revolutionary War to rock & roll feuds. Got a question? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com. Listen to American History Hotline on the iHeartRadio App or wherever you get your podcasts!See

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48:47

The 1932 Crime That Birthed Superman

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/07/16

Superman is everywhere this summer, but today's bonus episode has nothing to do with James Gunn or David Corenswet. Let's go back to the beginning, when young Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster first conjured up the character. Superman may have never seen the light of day if not for a real crime that changed the duo’s lives forever. * This bonus episode was written by Jake Rossen and originally appeared as part of the Stealing Superman podcast. Go listen to that show and help us find Nic Cage's

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49:13

Hush! The Battle Over 'Goodnight Moon'

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/07/09

Today, Margaret Wise Brown's Goodnight Moon is considered a classic. The deceptively complex children’s book has been passed down for generations. But if the New York Public Library had gotten its way, you’d have never even heard of it. * Thanks to our Very Special guests Amy Gary, author ofIn the Great Green Room; and writer, children's book author, and podcaster Betsy Bird. * Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason EnglishWritten by Carmen Borca-Carrillo and edited by Emily

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43:40

Who Really Wrote the Pledge of Allegiance? [Re-Release]

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/07/02

Although American schoolchildren still recite The Pledge every morning in nearly every classroom, we still aren't sure who actually wrote it. And all these years later, the long-accepted story is showing some cracks. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosProduced by Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonMixing and Mastering by Baheed FrazierStory Editor is Aaron EdwardsResearch and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Dave RoosOriginal Music

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45:13

JFK's Forgotten Summer in Journalism (with Rob Reiner)

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/06/27

Eighty years ago this summer, a young John F. Kennedy took a job as a journalist for Hearst newspapers, filing dispatches in the final days of World War II. His columns capture the mood of a changing world. Even the most seasoned JFK scholars often overlook this chapter. In today's extra special Very Special Episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Fred Logevall and legendary director Rob Reiner join us to explore the forgotten summer that helped shape Kennedy's worldview. * Check out Fred

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24:08

Richard Nixon's Alien Adventure

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/06/18

Jackie Gleason ofThe Honeymooners was obsessed with UFOs. Obsessed! Lucky for him, his golfing buddy just happened to be the leader of the free world — with access to a secret facility in Florida that Gleason said held all the answers he'd been seeking. * Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason EnglishWritten by Zaron BurnettProduced by Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington and Josh FisherMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherAdditional Editing by Mary DooeVoice

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56:25

Hemidemisemiquaver: A Modern Quiz Show Scandal

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/06/11

In 2009, a 10-year-old from Arizona flew to Los Angeles to compete on a new game show offering child prodigies the chance to win $500,000. But almost immediately, he could tell something was off. The experience had a profound impact on his life — and confounds legal scholars to this day. Plus Dana takes us behind the scenes of her appearance on Jeopardy!, and Jason explains how his two-year-old daughter wound up answering trivia questions on The Rachael Ray Show. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz,

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50:37

Big Bird Goes to China

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/06/04

During one of the most delicate periods for international relations, the United States sent Bob Hope to China with the ultimate wingman. Together, the two icons would play an unexpected role in bridging a massive cultural divide. * Very Special Thanks to our translator, Yixio Ren! Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Dylan HeuerProduced by Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Chris ChildsMixing and Mastering by Baheed FrazierStory Editor is Aaron EdwardsAdditional

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44:16

How a Three-Point Shot Saved Thousands of Lives...

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/05/28

Mykal Riley’s name isn’t mentioned alongside Stephen Curry or Larry Bird. But neither of those guys can say they hit a three-pointer that literally saved thousands of lives. * VERY SPECIAL CREDITSHosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosProduced by Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Chris ChildsMixing and Mastering by Baheed FrazierOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English Thanks for listening! We'll

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34:40

David Chase's Wonder Years

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/05/21

Sopranos creator David Chase wrote an episode of The Wonder Years that was deemed too intense for network television. The internet says it's because the script involved hard core drug use. But we asked the legendary TV writer, and the truth is a whole lot stranger. Thanks to Nicole Lambert of Chase Films for making today's interview happen! Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason EnglishWritten by Katie MattieProduced by Josh FisherStory Editor is Zaron BurnettEditing and Sound Design by

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50:14

The Night the Harlem Globetrotters Lost

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/05/14

The Harlem Globetrotters always beat the Washington Generals. It's just what they do. As of 1971, they’d done it 2,495 times. But for one gloriously confusing night that January, the underdogs got to raise their hands in victory.Today on Very Special Episodes, the untold story of the greatest upset in sports history. * Very Special Thanks to Israel Gutierrez for lending his voice, and Peter Coughter for production support. Izzy and Peter have a new show out on our NBA slate about the rise of

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2:54

Introducing: What Happened to Talina Zar

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/05/10

What Happened to Talina Zar unravels the chilling mystery of a woman who vanished during the COVID-19 lockdown, the internet sleuths who wouldn’t let it go, and the dark subcultures and betrayals they unearthed. Listen here or on the iHeartRadio app.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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46:37

Operation Lunar Eclipse [Re-Release]

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/05/07

In 1973, NASA gifted a piece of the moon to a teenage astronomy fan, inadvertently pulling him into the seedy underground moonrock trade. Hello VSE friends! We published a new episode on Monday, so we're playing a rerun in our regular Wednesday slot. 'Operation Lunar Eclipse' is one of our early favorites and originally ran in February 2024. Questions or comments? You can reach us at veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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15:17

The Popsicle Kings of Mexico

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/05/05

Happy Cinco de Mayo! To celebrate, Zaron Burnett is here with a mini-episode about the frozen treat that is quietly and quickly taking over the world. * Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosProduced by Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonMixing and Mastering by Jonathan WashingtonAdditional Editing by Mary DooeOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason EnglishSee omnystudio.com/listener for

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67:59

North by North Korea

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/04/30

When two of the most influential figures in film become the personal hostages of Kim Jong Il, they have two objectives: to elevate North Korean cinema on the world stage, and to plot their daring escape. SOURCES + FURTHER READING/LISTENING/VIEWING A Kim Jong-Il Production, by Paul FisherThe Observant, by Ravi ManglaMichelle Cho, assistant professor, University of Toronto"Are You There Godzilla? It's Me, Kim Jong Il" [Ridiculous Crime podcast]Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, U.S. State

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49:44

Spies and Dolls

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/04/23

Velvalee Dickinson ran a doll shop on Madison Avenue that catered to wealthy collectors. But in one of the strangest espionage cases of World War II, Dickinson's clients had no idea she was using correspondence about doll orders to transmit coded U.S. military intelligence to the Japanese. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Joe PompeoProduced by Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington and Josh FisherMixing and Mastering by Baheed FrazierResearch

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31:15

The Pizza Funeral

Very Special Episodes ·

2025/04/16

On a cold day in 1973, a crowd gathered on a farm for one of history's strangest funerals. It was an elite group, including the Governor of Michigan, bank presidents, and local dignitaries. Even Walter Cronkite sent a correspondent. But they weren’t mourning anyone human. No, this was a pizza-based catastrophe. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Bess LovejoyProduced by Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington and Josh FisherMixing and

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45 results

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