Make Me Smart

Wheelchair rugby’s Chuck Aoki makes us smart about the Paralympics (rerun)


Listen Later

Hey smarties! We’re on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can’t do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we’ll see you in the new year.


In case you haven’t heard, the Summer Olympics aren’t over! This year’s Paralympics kick off in Paris on Aug. 28. It’s the first time all 22 Paralympic events will be aired live, and total broadcast revenues are up by more than 20% from the delayed 2020 Paralympics. Chuck Aoki, an American Paralympic wheelchair rugby player, said content creators like himself are also bringing eyes to the event. On the show today, Aoki breaks down the basics of wheelchair rugby (aka “murderball”), the system that classifies para athletes based on their disability, and why this year’s Paralympics are getting more buzz than ever.


Then, we’ll get into how pharmaceutical companies’ new direct-to-consumer programs could impact drug prices. And, listeners tell us about the trafficless 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, and a lesson in credit cards learned the hard, heartbreaking way.


Here’s everything we talked about today:


  • “Passion And Guts: Chuck Aoki’s World of Wheelchair Rugby” from Team USA
  • “Paralympic Games in Paris set to reach largest audience after broadcast deals” from The Guardian
  • “What sports are in the Paralympics and how does the classification system work?” from AP News
  • “How to Watch the 2024 Summer Paralympics: Streaming Schedule, Free Options” from Wired
  • “Pfizer Follows Lilly With Website Selling Directly to Patients” from Bloomberg
  • “Eli Lilly lowering weight loss drug prices” from The Hill
  • “Health Insurance Costs Will Rise Steeply if Premium Tax Credit Improvements Expire” from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
  • “How Much and Why ACA Marketplace Premiums Are Going Up in 2025” from KFF
  • “Pfizer launches new website for migraine, respiratory offerings” from Reuters
  • “Panama Canal Eases Limits That Caused Global Shipping Bottleneck” from Bloomberg


We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at [email protected].

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Make Me SmartBy Marketplace

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

5,421 ratings


More shows like Make Me Smart

View all
Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

32,008 Listeners

Planet Money by NPR

Planet Money

30,680 Listeners

The NPR Politics Podcast by NPR

The NPR Politics Podcast

25,800 Listeners

Marketplace by Marketplace

Marketplace

8,763 Listeners

Marketplace Morning Report by Marketplace

Marketplace Morning Report

919 Listeners

Marketplace All-in-One by Marketplace

Marketplace All-in-One

1,384 Listeners

Marketplace Tech by Marketplace

Marketplace Tech

1,274 Listeners

The Uncertain Hour by Marketplace

The Uncertain Hour

2,176 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

112,277 Listeners

Up First from NPR by NPR

Up First from NPR

56,530 Listeners

The Indicator from Planet Money by NPR

The Indicator from Planet Money

9,522 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

16,357 Listeners

This Is Uncomfortable by Marketplace

This Is Uncomfortable

3,579 Listeners

Short Wave by NPR

Short Wave

6,535 Listeners

Consider This from NPR by NPR

Consider This from NPR

6,384 Listeners

Marketplace Minute by Marketplace

Marketplace Minute

163 Listeners

Million Bazillion by Marketplace

Million Bazillion

2,988 Listeners

How We Survive by Marketplace

How We Survive

1,384 Listeners

Financially Inclined by Marketplace

Financially Inclined

91 Listeners