Radiolab – "The Curious Case of the Russian Flash Mob at the West Palm Beach Cheesecake Factory"

Date: February 20, 2018
Host: Jad Abumrad (with Simon Adler, Annie McEwen, and others)
Produced by: WNYC Studios

Episode Overview

In this Radiolab episode, the team investigates the strange true story behind a peculiar 2016 political flash mob outside a Cheesecake Factory in West Palm Beach, Florida—later revealed to have been orchestrated by Russian operatives. Following recent U.S. indictments against Russian nationals accused of "information warfare," Radiolab dives into how Russian disinformation campaigns targeted Americans, how unwitting citizens became participants, and how those involved reckon with these revelations. The episode features in-depth interviews with former Russian “troll factory” worker Vitaly Bespalov and several Americans who participated in the Florida flash mob, exploring motives, tactics, and the personal fallout from these global manipulations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background: Russian Indictments and Disinformation

[00:49-02:22]

• Jad Abumrad contextualizes the episode around Robert Mueller's indictments of Russian nationals for orchestrating information warfare in the U.S. during the 2016 election.

• Quote:
  “Unless you have been living under a rock for the past three days, you've probably heard that the special counsel, Robert Mueller... has handed down some indictments.” (Jad Abumrad, 01:07)

• The central questions: Who are the agents behind these efforts? Who got manipulated? How do they feel now?

2. Inside the Russian Troll Factory

[02:24-17:50]

Interview with Vitaly Bespalov (via Charles Mains)

• Origins: Bespalov, from Siberia, aspired to be a journalist but found work at the Internet Research Agency (IRA) in St. Petersburg after struggling to find jobs.

• Quote:
  “He refers to journalists as like superheroes or Batman, you know?” (Jad Abumrad, 04:20)

• The Job:

  • Describes a strict, silent office environment.
  • Initially hired to produce “original” articles for fake Ukrainian news sites during the 2014 Ukraine crisis.
  • Tasked with rewriting existing stories to shift blame, obscure facts, and serve propaganda goals (e.g., omitting that pro-Russian troops existed).

• Workplace Structure:

  • Floors divided by function: fake news writers, meme creators, blog writers, and comment trolls.
  • Quote:
    “Fourth floor, you'd find the YouTube and Facebook commenting trolls along with the cafeteria.” (Jad Abumrad, 12:47)

• Ethical Dilemmas:

  • Bespalov considered going undercover, hoping for an exposé, but felt isolated and eventually quit.
  • Russians working there described as either activists, clock-punchers, or people just needing a decent paycheck.
  • His article about IRA made no splash in Russia but gained traction after U.S. media took up the story post-2016.

• Media Backlash:

  • Russian TV publicly humiliated Bespalov, mining his social media and calling him a freak.
  • Quote:
    “It's just an absolute public flogging. A total public humiliation.” (Simon Adler, 16:40)

• Transition to U.S. Operations:

  • By 2014, Bespalov noticed IRA hiring for English language work.
  • In 2016, the IRA expanded with “translator projects” targeting the U.S., recruiting Americans to stage rallies and distribute content—often without their knowledge of Russian involvement.

3. The Florida Flash Mob: How Real Americans Got Involved

[23:55-39:00]

Interviews with Flash Mob Participants

Key Characters:

• Anne Marie (Ann): Trump supporter, real estate agent, recruited on Twitter.
• Harry Miller: Retired, popular pro-Trump Twitter user.
• Greg: Anne's friend, played Bill Clinton.

What Happened:

• In August 2016, Anne and Harry are recruited by supposed “UCLA students” (actually Russian agents using fabricated identities "Josh" and "Matt") to organize a pro-Trump flash mob outside a Cheesecake Factory.

• Asked to dress as Hillary and Bill Clinton, put in a cage, and chant "lock her up”—performance art for social media, with every detail choreographed and paid for by the "organizers."

• Money came from out of the country, payments routed through a check-cashing service.

• Quote:
  “He was asking me about making a trailer with a jail type of thing on it... a Hillary Clinton impersonator and a Bill Clinton impersonator. And I want you to put them in the cage like you're putting them in jail. And you should do this outside so lots of people can see you...” (Harry Miller, 27:30)

The Flash Mob Itself:

• The event unfolds as staged, with Anne in a Hillary mask, Greg as Bill Clinton, outside the Cheesecake Factory.
• Videos and photos are posted online, gaining over 500,000 views in a day.

Realizations and Aftermath:

• Both Anne and Harry were later contacted by the FBI, only learning after the fact they'd been part of a Russian operation.

• Quote:
  “The FBI came here to talk to me about it. ... The young guy was kind of unexperienced. He was cuter than Christian Bale, too, cuter than Christian Bale, the young guy.” (Anne Marie, 32:50)

• Their reactions diverge:

  • Anne refuses to see herself as “unwitting”—“I'm the one whose idea was to put the date of Benghazi on that prison uniform. I'm not unwitting, and I'm not a Russian. I'm an American.” (Anne Marie, 34:18)

  • Greg, the Bill Clinton impersonator, expresses deep discomfort and regret:
    “Well, had I known that I was working for the Russians, I would have asked for a lot more money.” (Greg, 37:34)
    “...I might have had a little bit of influence on Donald Trump being elected. And I think that was a mistake for America.” (Greg, 37:46)

  • Harry is less troubled, finding the event laughable, but admits feeling used:
    “I find it a little irritating. Nobody likes to be used. ... Nah, I’m pissed as shit.” (Harry, 38:39)

• Explores the irony: The local, homegrown nature of America's polarization made such manipulation possible. As Harry puts it:
  “What's frustrating is the fact that it wasn't actually Russia that started the fire. They were just blowing on it and maybe making it a little worse. But the truly disheartening thing is the fact that the fire was ignited here without Russia.” (Jad and Harry, 39:49–40:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “To be this kind of alternative character in Siberia is not an easy thing.”
  — Simon Adler on Vitaly Bespalov's youth (03:44)

• “And so he gets this idea that, you know what, maybe I've got a scoop here. Maybe I can do an investigation.”
  — Simon Adler, describing Bespalov's decision to go undercover (10:56)

• “It was like just mopping a floor, or taking out the trash.”
  — Simon Adler, on coworkers’ attitudes in the troll factory (13:18)

• "NBC, NBC, the bully... from that moment on, [Vitaly] became the go-to guy..."
  — Jad Abumrad, on Bespalov's role as a whistleblower in Western media (15:04)

• "No, I wasn't used as a puppet."
  — Anne Marie, dismissing the idea she was unwittingly used by Russians (33:31)

• “Had I known that I was working for the Russians, I would have asked for a lot more money... I think that was a mistake for America.”
  — Greg, the Bill Clinton impersonator (37:34, 37:46)

Timestamps for Significant Sections

• 00:49-02:22: Introduction & context: Mueller’s indictments; framing the investigation
• 02:24-17:50: Interview with Vitaly Bespalov—inside the Internet Research Agency
• 17:50-23:55: Shift to U.S.: How Russian operations began targeting Americans
• 23:55-39:00: The Florida flash mob—how real Americans staged a Russian-orchestrated protest
• 32:50: Anne Marie describes her FBI interview
• 37:34-39:49: Greg and Harry share their discomfort/regret about being manipulated
• 39:49-40:07: Summary reflection on the roots of American polarization

Tone & Style

• The episode mixes Radiolab’s trademark investigative rigor, personal storytelling, and wry humor.
• Jad and Simon push for honest, sometimes uncomfortable reflection from their subjects, often pausing to clarify and humanize what could otherwise be an abstract issue.

Conclusion

Radiolab’s delve into the West Palm Beach flash mob untangles how global propaganda became local, how everyday Americans became foot soldiers in an information war, and how our own political divisions make such manipulation possible. The participants’ responses—ranging from defiant pride to pained regret—underscore the complexity of “unwitting” collaboration in the digital age.

Summary compiled with direct quotations, accurate attribution, and topic continuity for clarity and completeness. Timestamps provided for reference to podcast sections most relevant to the core narrative.