Very Special Episodes

On a cold day in 1973, a crowd gathered on a farm for one of history's strangest funerals. It was an elite group, including the Governor of Michigan, bank presidents, and local dignitaries. Even Walter Cronkite sent a correspondent. But they weren’t mourning anyone human. No, this was a pizza-based catastrophe. 

*

Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Bess Lovejoy
Produced by Josh Fis...

When he published The Great Gatsby 100 years ago this week, F. Scott Fitzgerald thought he'd written the Great American Novel. But it was a commercial flop. The year Fitzgerald died, he received a royalty check for a paltry seven copies. It would take an unlikely series of events to posthumously pluck a masterpiece from obscurity.

*

Very special thanks to Molly Guptill Manning. Go check out When Books Went to War.

Hosted by Da...

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 includes the murder of a beloved goose. 

*

Very Special thanks to Jessica Korgie for sharing her family's story with us.

Hosted by D...

On August 26, 1965, LBJ issued a surprise executive order eliminating marriage as grounds for deferment from the Vietnam draft. The unexpected announcement set off a panic across the country. But if you could somehow get married before midnight, you might be in the clear. The problem was, nearly every state required blood tests or a waiting period — every state, that is, except Nevada. 

Ride shotgun with Dana on the mad ...

During its first 50 seasons, Saturday Night Live has welcomed legendary actors, superstar athletes, and notable politicians. But for one memorable night in 1977, Lorne Michaels turned the show over to an 80-year-old amateur. 

*

Special thanks to Connie Crawford for sharing her story. And thanks to the great Bill Carter for stopping by! You can read more of his work at LateNighter, or check out his many classic books.

*

Hosted ...

Mark Roberts is the world's most notorious streaker. He’s spent more time naked than most Greek statues. And in February 2004, he set his sights on the Super Bowl. To make streaking history, he just needs to dodge the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, SWAT teams, and 250-pound linebackers.

*

Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Jake Rossen
Produced by Josh Fisher
Editing and So...

Do you have a small fortune parked in your basement?

Six decades ago, Hot Wheels were America’s hottest new toy. Now the children of the ‘60s are fueling a small but mighty collectors' market. Cars that originally sold for under a dollar now command five figures. Today we meet some of the hobby's most prolific figures and find out what cars they're still chasing. 

VERY SPECIAL CREDITS
Today's episode was produce...

While leafing through 75 years of local newspapers, Zaron Burnett uncovers an American Christmas tradition as ingrained in our culture as the red-and-white Santa: sneaking up to a nativity scene and stealing the Baby Jesus. And, in many cases, immediately regretting it.

Note: Please do not steal Baby Jesus.

*

VERY SPECIAL CREDITS
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Zaron Burnett
Produced by...

Who's the artificial Christmas tree king? Meet Si Spiegel, a Jewish kid from New York with a remarkable, improbable Christmas story. Si's story was first brought to light by Laurie Gwen Shapiro in her 2021 New York Times feature, "He Bombed the Nazis, Outwitted the Soviets, and Modernized Christmas."

Laurie Gwen Shapiro kindly shared her extensive notes for this episode. Her next book, The Aviator and the Showman: Amelia Earhart, G...

Stuffed crust pizza. Grilled cheese burritos. How did so much cheese get into so many things? On today's episode, we peel back the curtain on the Dairy Industrial Complex — AKA Big Parma. 

*
VERY SPECIAL CREDITS
On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. 

Today’s Epis...

In 1987, long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a glimmer in Stan Lee's eye, Marvel promised a different kind of blockbuster: Spider-Man and Mary Jane would get married. Not just in the comics — in front of 51,000 screaming fans at Shea Stadium. And those fans were not happy about it.

*

VERY SPECIAL CREDITS
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Jake Rossen
Produced by Josh Fisher
Ed...

In 1981, 11-year-old Matt De Meritt got a phone call that would change his life. He wasn’t a child actor, or a performer of any kind. He was just a suburban kid enjoying his summer before he had to go back to school. But Matt had something no other kid had — something Steven Spielberg needed in order to embark on his most ambitious movie yet. 

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, Dana, Zaron, and Jason tell one in...

In 1933, Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart ducked out of a White House event and commandeered a plane. The First Lady and the first lady of aviation flew to Baltimore and back. The event was documented by journalists, and later recounted in books. But there was more to this spontaneous joyride that didn't make the papers. 

*

VERY SPECIAL CREDITS
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Dylan Heu...

Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time. But her biggest mystery unfolded outside the pages of her books. Today Dana examines the 11 days in 1926 when the beloved author went missing, and the rollicking media circus inspired by her disappearance.

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories ...

Eugene Bullard would not let America diminish him. So he left to find a place that would let him live free — and found freedom in the skies.

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 us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

VERY SPECIAL CREDITS
Hosted...

In 1834, the Three Kichis were on a routine journey to deliver rice to Tokyo. But when a typhoon interfered, they were swept out into the Pacific for 5,000 miles — and became the first Japanese people in the Pacific Northwest. But that was only a single moment in one of history’s most amazing journeys.

The trio would end up going halfway around the world and back again, seeing things they never could have imagined, accidental pione...

In late 1998, a furry, nonsense-babbling creature arrived on the toy scene. The Furby could squeal, snore, sneeze, and … learn to speak English? Immediately upon release, thousands were backordered. Fights broke out in stores. The early internet lit up with conspiracy theories. And Furby was actually banned from the National Security Agency for its alleged potential for espionage. For today’s episode, we partnered with Celia Anisko...

Greetings, VSE listeners! Dana, Zaron, and Jason will be back in October with another season. In the meantime, we wanted to share a new podcast from several members of the Very Special team. Introducing, The Legend of SwordQuest!

Episode One: The Sword and the Stoned. 

In the early 1980s, Atari is one of the biggest entertainment brands in the world and seeks to promote the biggest video game contest to date, promising $150,000 in ...