Very Special Episodes

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On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie.” Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

5日前

The Olympic Prison

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 Jason EnglishWritten by Zaron BurnettSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jesse NighswongerMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English For School of Humans, Producers are Emilia Brock and Edeliz Perez. Executive Producer is Virginia Prescott. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

51分
2月11日

Breaking the Olympics

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 Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Mike SmeltzSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Chris ChildsAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24分
2月6日

Meet the Steagles

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 Standing. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Jake RossenSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherResearch and Fact-Checking by Jake Rossen and Austin ThompsonVoice Actors are Josh Fisher and Jonathan WashingtonOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

52分
2025/12/31

JFK's Forgotten Summer [Best of 2025]

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. Tragically, it took on more significance earlier this month with the death of Rob Reiner. Rob — who, with Soledad O'Brien, hosted Who Killed JFK?, one of the most successful podcasts of 2023 — kindly shared with us his knowledge and passion about the Kennedy family and appears in this episode. He was under no obligation to do this. He just wanted to help. It was an honor to work with him. We still cannot believe he and Michele are gone. * Listen to Who Killed JFK? from Rob Reiner and Soledad O'Brien wherever you get your podcasts. Check out Fred Logevall's excellent book: JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century. And thanks to our JFK voice actor, Tom Antonellis, for nailing another role. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Joe PompeoProduced by Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington and Josh FisherAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherResearch and Fact-Checking by Joe Pompeo and Austin ThompsonOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

45分
2025/12/24

Big in Japan: Kentucky Fried Christmas

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 Japanese Christmas. On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. See Also: Stealing Baby Jesus. Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason EnglishWritten by Maria TrimarchiSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Chris ChildsMixing and Mastering by Chris ChildsOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English Got a question or comment for Dana, Zaron, and Jason? Hit us up at veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

19分
2025/12/17

The Cabbage Patch Crisis

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 disappeared from shelves. In an unexpected twist decades later, these dolls would get more care and attention than they ever had before. Previously on VSE: The Furby Files * Very special thanks to all our guests! You can hear more of Larry Mazza’s story in his book The Life, available on Amazon. * Today's episode is a production of iHeartPodcasts and School of Humans. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Jake RossenSenior Producer is Josh FisherStory Editor is Virginia PrescottEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherFrom School of Humans, producers are Emilia Brock and Edeliz PerezResearch and Fact-Checking by Jake Rossen, Virginia Prescott, and Austin ThompsonOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaSocial Clips by Yarberry MediaExecutive Producers are Virginia Prescott and Jason English Got a question for a future mailbag? Send it to veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

50分
2025/12/10

Skylab Is Falling

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. * Today's episode is a production of iHeartPodcasts and School of Humans. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Jake RossenSenior Producer is Josh FisherStory Editor is Virginia PrescottEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherFrom School of Humans, producers are Emilia Brock and Edeliz PerezResearch and Fact-Checking by Jake Rossen, Virginia Prescott, and Austin ThompsonOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaSocial Clips by Yarberry MediaExecutive Producers are Virginia Prescott and Jason English Got a question for a future mailbag? Send it to veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

47分
2025/12/03

The Fundamental Magical Element

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 rabbit hole every Wednesday. Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonMixing and Mastering by Baheed FrazierResearch and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson, Dave Roos, and Zaron BurnettOriginal Music by Elise McCoy and Jonathan WashingtonShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaSocial Clips by Yarberry MediaExecutive Producer is Jason English Got a question for Dana, Zaron, and Jason? Hit us up at veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

37分

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予告編

Introducing: Very Special Episodes

Welcome to Very Special Episodes, an anthology of outrageous stories pulled from history and pop culture. Each immersive tale feels like a movie. Very Special Episodes will have you telling your friends and co-workers, "I just heard the craziest story on a podcast." Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2024/01/24

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3分

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie.” Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

チャンネル

iHeartPodcasts
クリエイター

iHeartPodcasts
配信期間

24年 - 26年
エピソード

68
制限指定

不適切な内容を含まない
Copyright

2026 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
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Very Special Episodes
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