Podcast
Operation Midnight Climax
Hosted by iHeartPodcasts · EN
George White ran the CIA brothel. He watched from a hidden room while men were dosed with LSD — and he convinced himself the fate of the nation depended on it.
18episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Zero Gravity: The Zambian Space Program [from Very Special Episodes]
Mar 1800:32:46Tap to summarizeIn 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 far more earthly — and far more dangerous. * Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason EnglishWritten by Lucas ReillySenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jesse NighswongerMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherResearch and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Lucas ReillyOriginal 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. Thanks to Anthony West for his excellent voiceover work!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →
What Happened to Burr After He Killed Hamilton? [from American History Hotline]
Mar 1500:40:34Tap to summarizeIn 1804, Vice President Aaron Burr shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in the most infamous duel in American history. But what happened next? Did Burr face murder charges? Was he convicted? And why did he go full Gary Busey? (You'll have to listen to understand that reference!) Bob calls up Yale historian Joanne Freeman (The Essential Hamilton: Letters and Other Writings) to unpack the astonishing second act of Aaron Burr’s life. From criminal indictments to conspiracies, a treason trial and exile, the duel was just the beginning for Aaron Burr. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →
Movie Mystery: The 2000 Oscars Heist [from Very Special Episodes]
Mar 1100:48:24Tap to summarizeIn 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. * 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 FisherOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English Listen to Very Special Episodes wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Wednesday!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →
Why Do We Spring Forward? [from American History Hotline]
Mar 800:24:51Tap to summarizeNo, Benjamin Franklin did not invent Daylight Saving Time. But he did muse about its practicality in a 1784 essay. So, if Franklin didn't invent DST, where did all this springing forward come from? Bob calls up Chad Orzel (A Brief History of Timekeeping: The Science of Marking Time, from Stonehenge to Atomic Clocks) to get to the bottom of this question. Oh, and don't forget to change your clocks today!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →
The Galápagos Murders [from Very Special Episodes]
Mar 400:43:35Tap to summarizeIn 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 Undone: A True Story of Sex, Murder, and Utopia at the Dawn of World War II. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Joe PompeoProduced by Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Chris ChildsMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherAdditional Editing by Mary DooeOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason EnglishSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →
The Split-Second Decision That Changed Olympic History [from Very Special Episodes]
Feb 2500:31:21Tap to summarizeFor 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 his life. Listen to Very Special Episodes wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →
Did Willy Wonka’s Creator Spy on America? [from American History Hotline]
Feb 2100:41:56Tap to summarizeRoald Dahl is a beloved children’s author. Turns out, he was also a British spy during WWII! So how does one transition from seducing prominent Americans’ wives to writing Matilda? Well, we’re glad you asked! We called up the creator of a new docu-series called The Secret World of Roald Dahl to get all the dirt on this famous children’s author. Aaron Tracy, Creator of The Secret World of Roald Dahl Listen to Bob Crawford's American History Hotline wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →
Inside the Olympic Prison [from Very Special Episodes]
Feb 1900:50:32Tap to summarizeIn 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.
Transcribe →
Can We Add a Fifth Face to Mount Rushmore? [from American History Hotline]
Feb 1600:38:00Tap to summarizeCould a new president ever be carved into Mount Rushmore? It depends on who you ask. We call up historian Matthew Davis (author of A Biography of a Mountain: The Making and Meaning of Mount Rushmore) to learn about the history of the monument and what its future might hold. It’s a story with a lot of surprising twists and turns, from the hills of Georgia to the sacred mountains of South Dakota. How does Mount Rushmore reflect America’s battles over who and what America chooses to celebrate? In this episode, you’ll learn: Why Mount Rushmore was carved, and who originally inspired the project The forgotten faces and ideas that never made it onto the mountain How Indigenous history and land rights shape Rushmore’s legacy Whether a future president could legally (or physically) be added GUEST: Matthew Davis, author of A Biography of a Mountain: The Making and Meaning of Mount RushmoreSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →
How to Make the Olympics (Without Supernatural Athletic Ability) [from Very Special Episodes]
Feb 1100:24:12Tap to summarizeElizabeth 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. Listen to Very Special Episodes wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →