Operation Midnight Climax

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.

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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. Subscribe to VSE wherever you get your podcasts.

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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.

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On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow Dana Schwartz down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. 

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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 dash to Vegas. And join the gang on welcoming a new member to the Very Special family!

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Very Special thanks to the talented filmmaker Ashton Avila, who shared her invaluable research and contacts from making her short film "I Got You Babe." Go check it out!

Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Dave Roos
Produced by Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Chris Childs
Mixing and Mastering by Chris Childs
Additional Editing by Mary Dooe
Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

See you next week!

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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. 

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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. Search 'Very Special Episodes' on your favorite podcast platform.

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Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Jake Rossen
Produced by Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Chris Childs
Mixing and Mastering by Chris Childs
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

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.

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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.

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Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Jake Rossen
Produced by Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington and Josh Fisher
Mixing and Mastering by Baheed Frazier
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

Thank you for listening! We'll be back next week with another episode, and we'll return to our weekly publishing cadence later this spring. If you're enjoying Very Special Episodes, please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. You can email the show at [email protected]. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 produced in conjunction with Celia Aniskovich’s Dial Tone Films.

Written by: Lucas Reilly
Hosts: Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Editing and Sound Design: Josh Fisher  
Producers: Karl Keadle and Josh Fisher
Additional Production Support: Marisa Brown, Mary Dooe, and Ramsey Yount
Mixing and Mastering: Baheed Frazier
Original Music: Elise McCoy
Research and  Fact-Checking:  by Celia Aniskovich, Lucas Reilly, and Austin Thompson    
Show Logo: Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer: Jason English

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

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VERY SPECIAL CREDITS
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Zaron Burnett
Produced by Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Chris Childs
Mixing and Mastering by Chris Childs
Voice Actors: Jonathan Washington, Chris Childs, Elizabeth Dutton, Katie Mattie, Josh Fisher, and Zaron Burnett
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

Thanks for listening! We'll have one more episode in 2024 next Monday. If you're enjoying Very Special Episodes, please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. You can reach the show at [email protected]. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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, George Putnam, and the Marriage That Made an American Icon, will be published by Viking in July 2025. Learn more at LaurieGwenShapiro.com.

ANOTHER VERY SPECIAL THANKS

Kevin C. Fitzpatrick is author of World War One New York and 7 other books tied to New York City history. Kevin's also a public historian and veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Learn more at FitzpatrickAuthor.com.

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VERY SPECIAL CREDITS 
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Dave Roos
Produced by Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington and Josh Fisher
Mixing and Mastering by Baheed Frazier
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Research and Fact Checking by Dave Roos and Austin Thompson
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

Want to listen to other VSEs written by Dave Roos? Check out 'The Shot' (episode 16) and 'The Pledge' (episode 4). If you're enjoying the show and want to do something nice this holiday season, leave us a rating or review on your favorite podcast platform. You can reach us at [email protected]. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. 

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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 Episode Was Written and Hosted by Very Special Guest Stars Ben Bowlin and Alex French

Producer is Josh Fisher

Editing and Sound Design by Chris Childs

Additional Editing by Mary Dooe

Mixing and Mastering by Baheed Frazier

Original Music by Elise McCoy 

Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla  

Executive Producer is Jason English

Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying Very Special Episodes, please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. You can reach the show at [email protected]. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

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VERY SPECIAL CREDITS
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Jake Rossen
Produced by Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Chris Childs
Mixing and Mastering by Baheed Frazier
Voice Actors: Katie Mattie, Chris Childs, and Josh Fisher
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Research and Fact Checking by Jake Rossen and Austin Thompson
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying Very Special Episodes, please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. You can reach the show at [email protected]. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.