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- 6 days ago1h 1m
Dock Ellis: High and Outside
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. For School of Humans, Producers are Emilia Brock and Edeliz Perez. Executive Producer is Virginia Prescott. Special thanks to American Public Media’s Weekend America, and to Todd Snider. - “Dock Ellis: An LSD No-No” from American Public Media - “America’s Favorite Pastime” by Todd Snider Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason EnglishWritten by Zaron BurnettStory Editor is Virginia PrescottSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jesse NighswongerMixing and Mastering by Jesse NighswongerResearch and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Zaron BurnettOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 1 weeks ago50 min
The Family Who Vanished Into Siberia for Over 40 Years
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 out the film's composer, Xylouris White. You can stream The Forest in Me right now on Pijama Films. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Dave RoosSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Chris ChildsAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Chris ChildsVoice Actors are Katie Mattie and Chris ChildsOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English Got a very special question? You can reach us at veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 2 weeks ago13 min
A Very Special Mini-Mailbag
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 privacy information.
- 3 weeks ago48 min
Marilyn, Hamilton + John Wilkes Booth's Statue: NYC History Hiding in Plain Sight
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 EnglishWritten by Dana SchwartzSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaSocial Clips by Yarberry MediaExecutive Producer is Jason English In an upcoming episode, Zaron will be giving the Very Special Places treatment to San Francisco. If there's a city or town you'd like us to visit, email veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Apr 15, 20269 min
The Unintended Insanity of the 1994 Caribbean Cup (w/John Green and Daniel Alarcón of The Away End)
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 novelists, Daniel Alarcón and John Green, friends since they were teenagers, tackle questions big and small around the World Cup and international football more generally. The only soccer podcast that regularly name checks Toni Morrison, The Away End is about much more than sport: it's about politics, literature and culture, with an eye toward those moments and spaces where our collective love of soccer reveals something unexpected about who we are.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Apr 6, 202620 min
Bar Trivia: How a Staten Island Pub Made College Hoops History
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 EnglishWritten by Zaron BurnettSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason EnglishSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Apr 1, 202644 min
Richard Nixon and the Magic Suitcase
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 name for the first time on this podcast. * Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason EnglishWritten by Zaron BurnettSenior 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 EnglishSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Mar 25, 202654 min
10 Minutes to Live: Hawaii's Text Message Fiasco of 2018
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 Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Jake RossenSenior 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 QuintanillaSocial Clips by Yarberry MediaExecutive Producer is Jason English Get your very special questions in for our next mailbag! You can reach us at veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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About Very Special Episodes
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.
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