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PODCAST

Operation Midnight Climax

George White ran the CIA brothel. He watched from a hidden room while men were dosed with LSD — and he convinced himself the fate of the nation depended on it.

history

All Episodes

49:52

Very Special Episodes: The Cabbage Patch Crisis

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/12/18

In 1983, a cherubic, homely doll triggered something close to national hysteria. Parents fought in store aisles. Shelves were stripped bare. Even the New York mafia found itself selling children’s toys. Cabbage Patch Kids went from handmade curiosities to the most coveted object in America — igniting riots, corporate battles, and a moral panic that stretched from suburban malls to federal courtrooms. All in a single Christmas season. And the frenzy didn’t end when the Kids

en-US

32:48

The Truth About Johnny Appleseed: America’s First...

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/12/12

Was Johnny Appleseed a real person or just another American tall tale? On this week's American History Hotline, Bob Crawford gets to the core of the issue with author William Kerrigan (Johnny Appleseed and the American Orchard: A Cultural History) to see how one man's true story inspired an enduring folk legend. In this episode Bob and William explore how John Chapman's religious revival led him to pioneer apple nurseries across Pennsylvania and Ohio. Just like some hybrid apples, Chapman was a mix

en-US

47:21

Very Special Episodes: Skylab Is Falling

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/12/10

In 1979, the world watched as NASA’s 77-ton space station made its fiery plunge back to Earth. When Skylab broke apart over a sleepy Australian town, the falling debris set off a global media frenzy. This is the story of the night the sky actually fell — and the teenager who became an improbable hero. * On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

33:36

American History Hotline: Why Were There So Many...

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/12/06

Was it the rise of hitchhiking? Lead in the water pipes? Or was it something a little darker in our culture? Bob rings up private investigator and host of the podcast Hell & Gone: Murder Line — Catherine Townsend — to learn why there were so many serial killers in America during the 1970s. From Ted Bundy to the Night Stalker and John Wayne Gacy, we dive into the “golden age” of serial killers to see how difficult it was to catch predators in a world before DNA testing,

en-US

2:56

Introducing: What Happened in Nashville

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/12/05

What Happened in Nashville is a deeply reported investigation into the sudden collapse of a Tennessee fertility clinic, and the patients caught in the fallout. When the Center for Reproductive Health shut down without warning, people lost access to their embryos, their treatments were abruptly cut off, and many were left scrambling to recover money, medical records, and time they couldn’t afford to lose. Through intimate conversations with the patients who lived through it, host Melissa

en-US

37:08

The Fundamental Magical Element [from Very Special...

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/12/05

Two Jamaican musicians are making a bold claim. They say they invented the now-ubiquitous reggaeton beat on a specific track in 1989. They're suing some of the genre's biggest stars for billions in royalties. But we found someone who’s telling a very different origin story. Hold onto your headphones as we dive into the mystery behind one of the most influential beats in modern music. * On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow us down a different

en-US

18:12

A Very Special Thanksgiving Mailbag [Very Special...

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/11/26

It's Fandemonium! This week Dana, Zaron, and Jason respond to listener emails. They tell their Very Special origin stories, pick their favorite episodes, cast the movie version of the podcast, and preview the exciting stories coming this winter. Happy Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving Friday! And you can always reach us at veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

45:00

The Dogs of Chernobyl [Very Special Episodes]

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/11/20

When Russia invaded Ukraine, hundreds of starving dogs were trapped inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. For years, Oregon-based veterinarian Dr. Jenn Betz had been their lifeline. Now, with Putin’s troops occupying the site, she had only one thought: How do I get back there? * If you would like to help the dogs of Chernobyl, visit CleanFutures.org. Today's episode is a production of iHeartPodcasts and School of Humans. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Lucas

en-US

43:53

Very Special Episodes: The Grocery Store That Killed...

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/11/13

In 1989, Boris Yeltsin walked into a Houston supermarket — and walked out ready to end an empire. What he saw in Texas that day would shake the foundations of the Soviet Union. * On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonAdditional Editing by Mary

en-US

47:24

How Presidents Made (and Spent) Their Money [American...

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/11/10

How did America’s presidents really make—and manage—their money? Bob Crawford sits down with financial expert and author Megan Gorman to explore the personal finances of presidents from George Washington to Donald Trump. Drawing from her new book, All the Presidents’ Money: How the Men Who Governed America Governed Their Money, Gorman reveals who thrived, who failed, and what their choices say about leadership, power, and legacy. Discover why Thomas Jefferson died in debt,

en-US

53:29

Very Special Episodes: The Arctic Balloon

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/11/05

In 1897, a Swedish engineer set out to reach the North Pole ... by balloon. With two companions, a crate of champagne, and the faith of a nation, he rose into the Arctic fog — and vanished. Decades later, their frozen journals and undeveloped film emerged from the ice, revealing the haunting truth behind one of exploration’s great mysteries. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Marisa Brown and Mac MontandonSenior Producer is Josh FisherStory Editor is

en-US

48:21

Very Special Episodes: Being Joe Isuzu

Operation Midnight Climax ·

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

en-US

45:11

American History Hotline: What Started the Salem...

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/10/24

Which witch is which? You probably heard a lot of lawyers saying that in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. That was the year of America's largest witch hunt ever. But what sparked this mass hysteria that led to false accusations, sham justice and wrongful executions? Teenagers, of course. Bob is joined by historian Emerson Baker (A Storm of Witchcraft) to explore how religion, politics, and panic fueled the Salem Witch Trials. A time when no one was above suspicion! Guest: Emerson Baker, author of A

en-US

57:59

Very Special Episodes: A High School Brawl in the...

Operation Midnight Climax ·

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

en-US

16:09

Hit Man UPDATE: The Real Rex Feral

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/09/18

Even after the book Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors was linked to a triple murder in 1993, the true identity of the author has remained hidden. Rex Feral’s actual name can’t be found in court documents, it’s been redacted from case files, and it’s never come out in public. Until now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

21:34

Episode Title Redacted: From the Files of the CIA...

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/09/10

Who was America's most successful spy? What happens to a spy that's captured? How can you tell if your child is lying? We interrogate a former member of the CIA to get some info about American intelligence. GUEST: Brittany Butler, former targeting officer within CIA’s Directorate of Operations, Counterterrorism Center. Author ofThe Syndicate Spy: A Juliet Arroway Novel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

29:12

Why So Many Women in the 1800s Poisoned Their...

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/08/29

Why did so many women in the 1800s turn to poison to solve their problems? (Sorry husbands). Poisons like mercury, arsenic and strychnine were so cheap and readily available in the Victorian Era that it was called the "Golden Age of Poisoning." Besides being readily available, there were very few tests to detect murder by poison. Combine this with a society where women were powerless and poison becomes "the great equalizer for women in the 19th Century," as science historian Daniel Kevles wrote. But

en-US

3:23

Introducing 'Afterlives: Marsha P. Johnson'

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/07/30

Marsha P. Johnson is THE icon of the LGBTQ+ movement and a mother of the fight for trans rights. Today, you can buy T-shirts emblazoned with her face or walk through a park named in her honor. Now, hear from Marsha in her own words on a new limited series, Afterlives: Marsha P. Johnson. Host Raquel Willis brings Marsha’s story to life through rare archival interviews and intimate conversations with queer elders, friends, and historians. Legend says she threw the first brick at the Stonewall

en-US

18:37

BUZZ Chapter 6 – Separation

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/07/24

A shadow stalks Apollo 11 in orbit. Is it the Soviets—or something worse? With a risky maneuver ahead, one wrong move could mean death. * ABOUT BUZZ: Starring John Lithgow, this gripping audio thriller peels back the myth of Apollo 11 to reveal the raw, untold story of Buzz Aldrin—space pioneer, troubled hero, and relentless survivor. As Cold War tensions flare and the race to the Moon reaches its climax, Aldrin confronts rivalries, near-disaster, and personal demons that threaten to

en-US

17:36

BUZZ Chapter 5 – The Capture Latch

Operation Midnight Climax ·

2025/07/24

One malfunction. Two rivals. Three days to liftoff. As Russia races to the Moon, Apollo 11’s crew faces disaster before leaving the ground. * ABOUT BUZZ: Starring John Lithgow, this gripping audio thriller peels back the myth of Apollo 11 to reveal the raw, untold story of Buzz Aldrin—space pioneer, troubled hero, and relentless survivor. As Cold War tensions flare and the race to the Moon reaches its climax, Aldrin confronts rivalries, near-disaster, and personal demons that threaten to

en-US

68 results

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