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PODCAST

The Legend of SwordQuest

What started as a promotion for a new Atari game would become one of the most controversial moments in ‘80s pop culture, with a central mystery that’s consumed fans for decades: what happened to the missing SwordQuest prizes? To unlock the biggest mystery in video game history, host Jamie Loftus is going on a treasure hunt 40 years in the making.

society & culture documentary

All Episodes

49:52

Very Special Episodes: The Cabbage Patch Crisis

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

2025/12/17

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

47:21

Very Special Episodes: Skylab Is Falling

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

2025/12/11

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. Today's episode is a production of iHeartPodcasts and School of

en-US

2:56

Introducing: What Happened in Nashville

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

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

Music Law: The Fundamental Magical Element [from Very...

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

2025/12/03

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...

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

2025/11/26

It's Fandemonium! This week on Very Special Episodes, 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

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

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: Boris Yeltsin Goes to Texas

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

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

53:29

Very Special Episodes: The Arctic Balloon Diaries

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

2025/11/06

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

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

2025/10/30

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. * Listen to Very Special Episodes wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Wednesday. See

en-US

57:59

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

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

2025/10/23

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

1:40

Introducing: Hoax! with Dana Schwartz and Lizzie Logan

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

2025/09/28

New Dana Schwartz podcast alert! 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 Conan Doyle that fairies were real in the 19th century to “Balloon boy” in 2009, Hoax! will explore the most audacious and ambitious tricks in history

en-US

17:48

Introducing BUZZ: An audio thriller starring John...

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

2025/07/21

Chapter 1: A deadly lunar landing sim nearly grounds Apollo 11 before it begins. Rivalries ignite between Neil and Buzz—and history almost ends before it starts. * 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

en-US

48:47

VSE: The 1932 Crime That Birthed Superman

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

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

en-US

49:13

VSE: Hush! The Battle Over 'Goodnight Moon'

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

2025/07/10

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

en-US

43:40

Very Special Episodes: Who Really Wrote the Pledge of...

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

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. * Subscribe to Very Special Episodes on your favorite podcast platform. Follow Dana Schwartz down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

45:13

Very Special Episodes: JFK's Forgotten Summer in...

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

2025/06/28

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

en-US

24:08

Very Special Episodes: Richard Nixon's Alien Adventure

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

2025/06/19

Jackie Gleason ofThe Honeymooners was obsessed with UFOs. 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. * Listen to Very Special Episodes wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

56:25

[VSE] Hemidemisemiquaver: A Modern Quiz Show Scandal

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

2025/06/12

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,

en-US

50:37

VSE: Big Bird's Diplomatic Mission to China

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

2025/06/05

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

en-US

44:16

VSE: How a Three-Point Shot Saved Thousands of Lives

The Legend of SwordQuest ·

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. * On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one memorable story each week. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Subscribe to VSE wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

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