Very Special Episodes

Thanks to her McDonald’s fortune, Joan Kroc was one of the world’s wealthiest people. And she was determined to die nearly broke. * Special thanks to our guests Lisa Napoli, Dick Starmann, and Stephanie Bergsma. Go check out Lisa's excellent book Ray & Joan .  Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English Written by Jake Rossen Senior Producer is Josh Fisher Editin...

Comic Sans is a punchline. A design crime. Cultural shorthand for bad taste. But the notorious font's legacy isn't one of failure. Because Comic Sans succeeded in ways its critics never saw coming. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English Written by Bess Lovejoy Senior Producer is Josh Fisher Story Editor is Virginia Prescott Editing and Sound Design by Jesse Nighswonger Mixing...

In 1968, a woman wrote a romantic story about Kirk and Spock, passed it quietly among friends, and hoped it would never see the light of day. Before vanishing entirely,  The Ring of Soshern had become the stuff of legend. The quest to recover it would lead back to a community of women who'd been building something remarkable in the shadows for generations. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burne...

In the winter of 1939, Finland faced overwhelming odds. The Soviet Union was invading with hundreds of thousands of troops. Standing in their way was an unlikely defender: a shy farmer and expert marksman who would later become known as “The White Death.” But behind the myth was simply a reserved man fighting for his homeland. Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason English W...

Emma has never felt the sun on her skin. Born with a rare condition that makes UV light dangerous, she lives by sunscreen, meters, and moonlight. But she’s also part of a community finding extraordinary ways to make ordinary childhood possible. And thanks to new research, the future may actually be bright. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English Written by Jake Rossen Senio...

When Ian Fleming needed a name for the secret agent at the center of his new novel, he stole one from the cover of a birdwatching book. The real James Bond wasn’t a martini-drinking spy, but a shy American ornithologist who spent decades exploring the Caribbean. Then one surreal day, he finally tracked down the man who stole his identity. Special thanks to Jim Wright and his excellent book,...

Gene Fleming and his pet goose Andy made headlines around the world. They brought out the best in the people of Hastings, Nebraska. But amid all this attention, Andy also brought out the worst. And three decades later, Andy's legacy is still reverberating around their hometown. Note: This episode, which we originally published in early 2025, includes the murder of a beloved goose. And don't forget...

In June 1970, Dock Ellis of the Pittsburgh Pirates somehow tossed a no-hitter while tripping on acid. The LSD stunt made him a legend, but it overshadowed a much deeper story: a man who spent the second half of his life searching for redemption, purpose, and a way to help others escape the same darkness that once enveloped him. * Today's episode was produced in partnership with School of Humans ....

In 1978, Soviet geologists flying over Siberia spotted something impossible: a family living in total isolation, untouched for decades by the modern world. But when outsiders finally reached their remote cabin, the family’s hidden world began to change forever. * Special thanks to Rebecca E. Marshall for letting us share clips from her documentary, The Forest in Me . We also want to shout ou...

Time for another mailbag episode! This week Dana, Zaron, and Jason answer pressing listener questions on yearbook quotes, hidden talents, and ads they'd read for free. Plus they plan a Very Special Festival (and/or Cruise).  We'll be back with a new episode next Wednesday. Got a question for a future mailbag? Send it to veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com .  See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...

Today's episode is a tour of New York’s secret history with a very special guest! Greg Young of the beloved  Bowery Boys podcast joins us to prove the world is a very interesting place, if you just know where to look. There's hidden history in subway grates, SoHo stores, Central Park statues, and Hamilton lyrics.  * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English Written...

Today we're sharing an excerpt from a new soccer podcast, The Away End with John Green and Daniel Alarcón. In a recent episode they covered the 1994 Caribbean Cup, which felt very Very Special Episodes-y. If you like soccer or enjoy listening to smart friends chat, check out their show! Dana, Zaron + Jason will be back with a new episode next Wednesday.   About The Away End Two novelis...

Long before the NCAA Basketball Tournament became a billion-dollar business, there was a massive betting pool run out of a neighborhood bar on Staten Island. The Irish pub’s $10 game handed out million-dollar prizes and drew players from around the world. But when the pool got too big, it threatened to bring down the bar where it all began. * Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason...

In honor of April Fools' Day, Zaron Burnett digs into a persistent legend surrounding VSE regular Richard Nixon. With a little help from his pops, Zaron ventures into smoky clubs to unpack a bizarre tale of jazz, drugs, and politics. After the episode, Dana talks about her upcoming book, The Arcane Arts . Zaron discusses his role in a recent Jordan Peele documentary , and Jason reveals his real na...

On a quiet morning in Hawaii, cell phones across the islands lit up with a text message that felt impossible — a ballistic missile was inbound, and this was not a drill. For 38 minutes, hundreds of thousands of people believed they were living their final moments. This is the real story of what happens when ordinary folks are forced to confront the end of everything, all at once. * Hosted by...

In the 1960s, a newly independent Zambia entered the space race with a bold — and baffling — plan. Led by self-declared “Minister of Space” Edward Nkoloso, a team of would-be astronauts trained in oil drums, dreamed of Mars, and captured the world’s attention. To Western observers, it looked like a joke. But Zambia's space ambitions may have been a front for something...

In 2000, weeks before the Academy Awards ceremony, 55 Oscars vanished during shipment to Los Angeles. The disappearance triggered a frantic search. Then, in a twist worthy of a movie plot, a man digging through a grocery store dumpster stumbled on dozens of missing trophies. He was hailed as a hero. But that was only the beginning. * Get your very special questions in for our next mailbag! You can...

In 1929, a pair of European lovers abandoned civilization for a remote island in the Galápagos. Their utopian experiment made headlines around the world. But within a few years, several residents had vanished or died under unsettling circumstances, leaving behind one of the strangest murder mysteries in the history of the islands. * Special thanks to Abbott Kahler! Check out her book, Eden...

For 20 years, Canadian sailor Lawrence Lemieux chased perfection on the water. He slept in vans. He drained his savings. He dedicated his life to a single goal: standing on an Olympic podium. At the 1988 Games in Seoul, that dream was finally within reach. Then, in the chaos of a brutal race, he was forced to make a split-second decision. It would cost him his shot at a medal, and forever change h...

In the winter of 1980, the world turned its eyes to Lake Placid, New York, host of the Winter Olympics. But behind the pageantry, another structure loomed in the Adirondack woods. Built to house 1,800 athletes, the Olympic Village looked less like a dormitory than a detention center — because that’s exactly what it was designed to become. * Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and J...

Elizabeth Swaney fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming an Olympian, defying all odds. But it wasn’t supernatural athletic ability that got her there. And by the time she made it to the 2018 Winter Olympics, a lot of people were rooting against her. Here's the incredible story of a woman who made it to the Games by understanding those odds better than anyone else. * Hosted by Dana Schwart...

During World War II, football itself was at risk. The Steagles—a hybrid of the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers—were a desperate wartime experiment. With rosters drained by the draft, the NFL turned to mostly players deemed unfit for military service. And it might be the only way the NFL can survive the war. Special thanks to Matthew Algeo! Check out his book Last Team...

Eighty years ago, a young John F. Kennedy took a summer job as a journalist for Hearst newspapers, filing dispatches in the final days of World War II. Even the most seasoned JFK scholars often overlook this chapter, missing the influence those months had on the future president.  * "JFK's Forgotten Summer," which we originally published in June, was our top performing episode of 2025. Tragic...

In much of the world, Christmas dinner means roasted turkey, glazed ham, or a table crowded with family recipes passed down for generations. But in Japan, millions mark the holiday with something far less traditional — a bucket of KFC. Today we unwrap one of the strangest and most successful marketing stories of the modern era: how an American fast-food chain became an essential part of Japa...

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...