Business Wars

It's 1961 and in a supermarket, housewife Jean Nidetch is about to get a shock that will send her on desperate quest to get thin. But when her new diet gets tough, she turns to friends for help and inadvertently starts what will become Weight Watchers. And as Weight Watchers rakes in big bucks from weight-loss, a street-tough Philadelphia businessman grabs his chance to become a millionaire. This...

We're celebrating the five-year anniversary of Business Wars with a special episode that takes you behind the scenes. We'll delve into how we chose our host and how the first season got off the ground (time code: 1:19). Then we'll explore how we bring the story to life with sound (time code: 17:26). And comedian Josh Gondelman will give David Brown a bit of a grilling (time code: 32:45). Binge all...

We’re going behind the scenes of your favorite Disney animated movies with Andrew Millstein, former president of Disney Animation. He helped lead the company’s transition to 3D computer animation, working on some of Disney’s biggest hits of the 2010s — Frozen, Tangled, and Zootopia, to name a few. Later, Polygon reporter Petrana Radulovic dissects DreamWorks, whose edgy animated films have become...

It’s 2006 and with Pixar part of Disney, Ed Catmull and John Lasseter now face the task of fixing Disney Animation Studios. And they need to fix it fast, because DreamWorks is winning at the box office. But while they strive to turn Disney Animation from has-been to hero, Hollywood’s other big studios are gearing up to take a bite out of the animated movie pie and that’s only going to dial up the...

It’s the 2000s and Disney and Pixar are locked in a high-stakes game of chicken. Disney’s deal with Pixar is about to end and renewal talks are snarled up. The dream team that introduced the world to computer animated movies is careening towards divorce. And with neither Disney CEO Michael Eisner nor Pixar boss Steve Jobs willing to cede ground, DreamWorks boss Jeffrey Katzenberg is about to forge...

It’s 1995 and Pixar’s Toy Story is just months away from release. But as the premiere of the first computer-animated feature nears, all-out war breaks out between Disney and DreamWorks. Jeffrey Katzenberg raids Disney’s talent to build DreamWorks’ animation studio. Disney rearranges its releases schedules to undermine DreamWorks’ movies. And as Disney and DreamWorks’ tit-for-tat battle intensifies...

It’s 1985 and Steve Jobs is fuming after being fired from Apple. He wants a second act, and he thinks he’s found one in Lucasfilm’s unwanted computer division. But when Jobs buys it and founds Pixar, it soon becomes clear that visions aren't aligned. Jobs wants to create the next-generation of personal computers. But Pixar’s leaders Ed Catmull and John Lasseter have different plans. They want Pixa...

We're talking about Disney's pivot to streaming and the hurdles ahead for the legacy media company as new rivals emerge. We're joined by Parrot Analytics strategist Julia Alexander and comedian Chase O'Donnell. Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App  https://wondery.app.link/bu...

The personal computer is no longer the talk of the town. Between new AI tools, sleek smartphones and web-based apps, your laptop is just one small slice of the technology pie. But where does that leave Apple and Microsoft? Are we about to undergo a regime change?  Here to help answer that question are WIRED’S Senior Editor Mike Calore and Senior Writer Lauren Goode. The pair co-host the Gadge...

The government sues Microsoft for allegedly violating antitrust laws, providing just the distraction Apple needs to launch a comeback. But Jobs is already planning another war – on a battlefield that doesn’t even exist yet. Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App  https://wonder...

Turmoil at Apple rots the company from the inside out, just as Microsoft’s Windows operating system starts ruling the computer world. Microsoft and Apple’s relationship reaches a breaking point when Microsoft allegedly steals company secrets, and the student… becomes the master. Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free list...

This episode, we dive into the backstories of the inventors behind the home computer revolution. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs begin with mutual respect and see themselves reflected in each other. But soon their ambition and business choices rip them apart. Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wo...

Apple launches the groundbreaking Macintosh after a long delay. And Bill Gates' Microsoft team has made the software for the Mac. But pretty soon, Jobs grows worried about their partnership. He fears that Gates and Microsoft might be taking... more than they're giving. Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Ava...

We're talking about the challenges and chess moves of the biggest tech company in the world: Apple. We're joined by Wall Street Journal columnist Dan Gallagher and comedian Gianmarco Soresi. Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App  https://wondery.app.link/businesswars . Support...

Get your paddles ready, because we’re diving into the art of the auction. First up is Vanity Fair art columnist Nate Freeman, who’s taking us inside New York high society with a look at auction culture today — including a record-breaking sale that raked in over $1 billion. Later, digital artist Refik Anadol introduces us to the world of NFT art, which is turning the industry on its head. His colle...

It’s 1996 and Christie’s Christopher Davidge is disgruntled he hasn’t personally benefited more from his role in the price-fixing scheme, especially as DeDe Brooks, his Sotheby’s counterpart, thrives. But when subpoenas are issued by the Department of Justice and a high-profile investigation begins, they are both faced with an impossible choice: cooperate, or risk losing everything they’ve worked...

It’s 1993 and Sotheby’s DeDe Brooks and Christie’s Christopher Davidge, at the behest of their bosses Alfred Taubman and Sir Anthony Tennant, begin meeting secretly to discuss fixing prices in a way that will benefit both auction houses. But as the collusion plot starts to pay off and profits begin to rise, both their colleagues and the feds begin to sense something is amiss. Binge all episodes ea...

It’s 1983 and shopping mall tycoon Alfred Taubman buys a struggling Sotheby’s, excited by the opportunity to revitalize the art auction market and increase competition with the company’s longtime rival, Christie’s. But when the 1990s dawn, a slumping economy spells trouble for both auction houses. Sotheby’s and Christie’s hatch a plan to surreptitiously work together to increase profits for both c...

We're talking about corporate blunders at unicorn tech companies and how they recover — or don't. We're joined by Vanity Fair's Caleb Ecarma, Victoria Song from the Verge and comedian Matt Braunger, who's just released the new comedy special "Doug." Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wonder...

The car market is changing rapidly. The race for the next big all-electric vehicle is on! American automakers like Ford and GM are ramping up their EV production — but so are South Korean car brands like Hyundai and Kia. So where does that leave Toyota and Honda, who have been notoriously late to the EV party? Wall Street Journal Autos Editor Christina Rogers joins us to explore whether these powe...

The Year 2000 is approaching and Toyota’s new boss Hiroshi Okuda’s looking to the future. After years of cautious success, he wants to be bold and take the fight to the world’s motor king, General Motors. And to kickstart Toyota’s new direction, he wants Toyota to deliver the world’s first gasoline-electric hybrid. But Honda’s also working on an eco-car of its own and it’s about to crash the party...

It’s the 1980s and the American backlash against the Japanese automobile invasion is growing. With a US-Japan trade war looming, Honda and Toyota need workarounds fast. But Honda’s no longer content just selling small cars with low profit margins. It wants a piece of Mercedes and BMW’s action too. And when Honda unveils its plans, Toyota’s going to fall behind. Binge all episodes early and ad-free...

It’s the 1960s and Honda’s about to speed into the car market before Japan’s government can put up legal roadblocks to stop it. Meanwhile,Toyota’s already zooming ahead. Its latest models are about to take Japan by storm and arm it with the funds it needs to make another run at the U.S.A. But to break America, Toyota and Honda will need to outmanoeuvre the auto titans of Detroit. Binge all episode...

It’s 1945. Japan lies in ruins in the aftermath of World War II. The population’s starving, the cities are reduced to rubble, and the nation’s defeated. But from the war-torn wreckage, two motor giants are about to rise. The first is Toyota. It’s the brainchild of Kiichiro Toyoda, the big-dreaming son of a wealthy industrialist who wants to create Japan’s answer to Ford. But the other contender mu...

We're tracking the seismic shifts in the car industry from scarce car chips to the impact of inflation. On this episode, we're joined by Wall Street Journal reporter Sean McLain and comedian Kurt Braunohler, who's just released the new comedy special " Perfectly Stupid ." Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening....