The Big Flop

Welcome back to the Night Realm, where Queen Mortuana, Evil Mistress of the Night, rules with an iron fist and questionable judgment. When we last left our gloriously unhinged queen and her raven sidekick JoJo, the unlikely besties had fled to the woods for a simpler life. (Spoiler: it didn't last.) Now Mo's back on the throne, confronting her reign's greatest threat yet: turning 40 without an hei...

From club promoter to music mogul, Scooter Braun's Midas touch turned Justin Bieber into pop royalty and made him millions. But when he bought Taylor Swift's masters, he learned the hard way that hell hath no fury like a pop princess scorned. In our final episode, we're going out with a bang – this is the story of how one savvy dealmaker became public enemy #1 to Swifties everywhere, and how the m...

What happens when six guys with zero restaurant experience open a bar just so they'll always have somewhere to drink? You get Hooters – a wing joint that grew from Florida novelty to international phenomenon. But between failed airline ventures, bikini contests, and changing social attitudes, America's original ""breastaurant"" learned that some business models belong in the past – right next to t...

They say dress for the job you want, not the job you have. For the Bling Ring, that meant stealing $3 million worth of designer goods from Hollywood's elite. From Paris Hilton's forgotten fortune to Orlando Bloom's watch collection, these teen burglars lived out their TMZ fantasies in real time. But when their own reality show became a crime scene, they discovered that fame is fleeting – and felon...

Anthony Weiner went from passionate congressional crusader to America's most infamous sexter faster than you can say ""Carlos Danger."" With a powerful wife, promising career, and path to the mayor's office, he had it all – until his compulsive need to share underwear pics cost him his marriage, freedom, and possibly the 2016 election.  Alana Levinson and Dan O'Sullivan join Misha to scrutini...

In 2017, Santa Monica residents woke up to find their streets invaded by mysterious electric scooters. The culprit? Travis VanderZanden, a former Uber exec with a plan to revolutionize urban transit. But between drunk-tweeting executives, phantom revenue reports, and scooters being hurled into oceans, Bird's flight path was destined for turbulence. Joe Fenti and Maddy Smith join Misha to watch Bir...

John McAfee turned computer security into a fortune, then spent the rest of his life making increasingly questionable life choices. Whether he was running from murder charges, pumping crypto schemes, or tattooing ""WHACKD"" on his arm before his suspicious prison death, McAfee proved that sometimes the most dangerous virus is success itself. Jeff Hiller and Leslie Liao join Misha to get the downlo...

She kissed a girl, she liked it, and for a decade, Katy Perry could do no wrong. But when cultural appropriation scandals and lukewarm albums replaced her candy-coated hits, not even Jeff Bezos's rocket ship could launch her back to stardom. From pixie cut crisis to space tourism cringe, this is how pop's reigning queen became TikTok's favorite punchline. Happy Wife, Happy Life co-hosts Jordan Myr...

In 2019, a group of TikTok stars thought they'd cracked the code to social media stardom: live together, dance together, get rich together. But when the Hype House turned into a pressure cooker of teenage drama, shady business deals, and pandemic parties, these content creators learned that going viral doesn't always pay the rent – or the lawyers. Chaz May and Brendan Sagalow (Thin Lips) join Mish...

John Travolta spent 18 years trying to turn L. Ron Hubbard's Battlefield Earth into the next Star Wars. Instead, he delivered a cinematic disaster that made Waterworld look like Citizen Kane. With alien dreadlocks, nonsensical plot twists, and more Dutch angles than Amsterdam, Travolta's passion project became Hollywood's punchline of the decade.  Bitcherton co-stars Cassie Willson and Katie...

What happens when you give two men unlimited first-class flights for life? American Airlines found out the hard way when their "brilliant" cash-grab turned into a multi-million dollar nightmare, complete with impromptu Paris lunch dates, suspicious companion passes, and an airline determined to ground frequent flyers forever. Katie Boyle (The Shift, I'll Do It Myself) and Erin Jackson (Grudgery, T...

What do you get when you combine Yale graduates, Orange County bros, and Skechers' sketchy ""research""? Three of the most memorable fitness product fails of all time. From David Beckham's magic balance bracelet to Kim Kardashian's Super Bowl shoe commercial, these celebrity-endorsed flops showed that even star power can't overcome basic physics. Artists on Artists on Artisits on Artists co-hosts...

Before she became known as “The She-Wolf of France,” Isabella was a princess sent to unite two warring kingdoms through marriage. But her husband, King Edward II of England, didn’t get the same memo. From day one, it’s clear he’s more interested in the cute men at court than his queen – or his crown. As Edward’s reckless choices endanger the English throne and strain relations with France, Is...

When Jen Shah fled a Bravo filming location minutes before federal agents arrived, her castmates thought the cops might be strippers. They weren't. Instead, they were there to bust a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that would send this Shah-mazing housewife from designer ski wear to prison jumpsuits. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up...

Bernie Madoff wasn't just good at making money disappear—he was a master at making people believe in financial magic. But when the 2008 financial crisis hit, his house of cards came tumbling down, revealing the largest Ponzi scheme in history and leaving everyone from Kevin Bacon to cancer research charities holding the bag. Brent Pella (Wildin’ Out, Good Trip) and Joey Dardano (The Method, Help f...

In the '90s, Jenny Craig wasn't just selling frozen meals – she was selling the American dream, one tiny chocolate cheesecake at a time. But between shady advertising claims, the Fen-Phen crisis, and a jaw injury that silenced their spokeswoman, this weight loss queen discovered that even the most carefully counted calories couldn't save her empire from crumbling. Ronald Young Jr. (Weight for It)...

In 2004, backup dancer Kevin Federline hit the relationship jackpot when Britney Spears spotted him at an LA club. Two years, two babies, and one reality show later, K-Fed decided being Mr. Spears wasn't enough – he wanted to be Hip Hop royalty. But when his rap career tanked faster than his marriage, even Richard Branson and a truck covered in pennies couldn't save this wannabe rapper's career. A...

Celebrity spit parties, Met Gala appearances, and dreams of personalized medicine made 23andMe the hottest thing in biotech. Anne Wojcicki’s DNA tests promised to unlock the secrets of our genes – and maybe cure some diseases along the way. But when hackers exposed millions of users' genetic data, not even Richard Branson could save Anne from becoming another Silicon Valley casualty.  Kevin S...

Before there was Facebook, there was MySpace – and Tom Anderson was everyone's first friend. With his iconic profile pic and revolutionary platform, Tom turned social media into a cultural phenomenon. But when corporate suits came calling with fat checks and even bigger expectations, Tom went from being everyone’s first friend to the internet’s first cautionary tale.  Erika Ishii and Brennan...

In the early 2000s, American Apparel was the coolest kid on the block, slinging ethically-made tees and scandalous billboards. But founder Dov Charney's penchant for office orgies and nude photoshoots proved too spicy for Wall Street, turning his sweatshop-free dream into a nightmare of lawsuits, bankruptcy, and one very public walk of shame. Sasheer Zamata and Jared Goldstein join Misha to uncove...

The Hamburglar was just a mascot, but Jerome Jacobson was the real deal - a McDonald's security chief who pulled off the ultimate inside job. While millions of Americans peeled game pieces hoping for a miracle, this master manipulator was turning Big Macs into big bucks, orchestrating a multi-million dollar fraud. Discover the supersized story of how one man's greed turned America's favorite promo...

Rachel Dolezal built a life for herself as a teacher, a civil rights advocate, and a leader in her local NAACP chapter. There was just one problem: She built it all on a foundation of lies—and the biggest lie of all was about her race. When a local news crew discovered her secret and called her out in front of cameras, it all came crashing down on a national scale. Naomi Ekperigin and Andy Beckerm...

At 2:30AM on Thanksgiving night 2009, Tiger Woods, one of the most famous athletes in the world, drove his car into a tree outside his neighbor’s house. This bizarre accident set off a chain of events that exposed Tiger’s secret affairs to the world and wound up wrecking more than his Escalade: It wrecked his marriage, and almost totaled his career.   Brooke Siffrinn and Aricia Skidmore-...

When 27-year-old wunderkind Josh Trank got the keys to Marvel's First Family, he promised a dark, gritty take on the Fantastic Four. But his own origin story—complete with on-set meltdowns, studio battles, and that infamous tweet—proved more compelling than anything that made it to screen. From questionable wigs to near-fistfights, this superhero saga became a cautionary tale about Hollywood hubri...

Think you know everything about Barbie? Think again. We're pulling back the pink curtain on three Mattel missteps that had parents lining up for refunds and PR teams working overtime. From pregnant Midge to “gay” Ken, these Barbie blunders had executives screaming ""Oh no!"" instead of ""Oh Barbie!"" Maddie Wiener and Leah Rudick join Misha to unbox some of the weirdest Barbie products of all time...