You Can’t Make This Up

Writer Danny Casolaro believed he’d uncovered a secret organization of political leaders and covert operatives pulling the levers of power around the globe. He called it “The Octopus.” In 1991, when Danny’s body was discovered in a hotel bathtub, authorities ruled it a suicide - but his friends and family feared he’d been killed to keep the story quiet.

In American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders, filmmakers reopen Danny’s investigation and retrace his final days. Was the official narrative about the writer’s death a cover-up? And can they link - once and for all - a string of seemingly unconnected crimes to a shadowy group with the power to control the world?

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews filmmaker Zachary Treitz and researcher Christian Hansen.

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on. 

PROGRAMMING NOTE: This episode contains discussions about suicide.

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The hit reality series Love Is Blind is back , following a new set of singles from Charlotte, North Carolina — all ready to cut through the static of modern dating and forge authentic relationships, sight unseen. The singles form deep and immediate connections, setting the stage for an unexpected journey full of twists, turns, and shocking revelations that will test each relationship well after the participants leave the pods for the real world. 

This episode, we’ll turn things over to our friends on the podcast “Now on Netflix.” Hosts Jessica Shaw and Henry Goldblatt talk to Tudum.com’s Cole Delbyk and Natalie Morin about season six and whether love truly is blind.

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Dave Kroupa thought his relationship with Cari Farver was low-key, but Cari began sending threatening texts and emails. She even targeted Dave’s old girlfriend, Liz Goylar. The stalking persisted for years, and while the trauma drew Dave and Liz closer, authorities could never track down Cari for an arrest. But investigators tracing Cari’s digital footprint uncovered evidence that upended the case.

The Netflix documentary Lover Stalker Killer looks into this bizarre tale of obsession and violence. Among the women in Dave’s life, who could get away with years of online harassment? And who was willing to turn a romantic rivalry into murder?

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Sam Hobkinson.

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched Lover Stalker Killer yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on. 

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It was an ambitious attempt to raise money for famine relief in Africa: record a single sung by the biggest names in rock, pop, R&B, and country. But putting the 1985’s “We Are The World” down on tape was easier said than done. The all-star chorus had to balance schedules, fix tech issues, and curb egos to create the legendary record. But their biggest challenge: the clock was ticking and they had only one night to make it happen.

Netflix’s The Greatest Night in Pop features never-before-seen footage of the song’s early planning stages, including the writing sessions, and goes inside the studio where “We Are the World” was recorded. Stars like Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen, and Cyndi Lauper reminisce alongside musicians, engineers, and production crew about one of the most storied nights in music history.

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Bao Nguyen.

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched The Greatest Night in Pop yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on. 

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After a year of high stakes racing, it all comes down to the final ten races of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The sport’s best drivers face elimination as they make their way to the final race and most storied championship in motorsports. But who are these competitors behind the wheel? Are they the same person at home as they are on the track? And do they have the right stuff to take the checkered flag?

NASCAR: Full Speed brings fans behind the scenes — both on and off the track — while exploring the physical, mental, and emotional challenges of competing for a championship at the world’s highest level of stock car racing.

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews Producer Aaron Cohen and NASCAR Senior Vice President Tim Clark.

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched NASCAR: Full Speed yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on. 

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As some of tennis’s legends reach the twilight of their careers, this is the chance for a new generation to finally claim the spotlight. But after years in the shadows of champions like Williams and Djokovic, who has what it takes to step up and become the number one player in the world.

Season two of Netflix’s Break Point gets up close and personal with the players competing across the globe each week. From career-threatening injuries and emotional heartbreak, to triumphant victories and personal moments off the court, viewers will get a behind the scenes look at the pressure-tested lives of some of the best tennis players in the world.

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews showrunner Darren Lovell.

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched Break Point yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on. 

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When Aaron Quinn reported his girlfriend had been kidnapped in an outrageous home invasion, police suspected he was covering up a crime. Then when Denise Huskins turned up at her parents’ doorstep days later, telling an even more elaborate tale about her abduction, they accused the couple of creating a hoax - one straight out of Hollywood. But miles away a detective investigating an unrelated case discovered a single strand of hair that will tie the sensational cases together.

In American Nightmare, Denise and Aaron tell the story of the crime they suffered, the humiliation they endured, and their quest for justice. It unravels the consequences of our cultural rush to judgment — and what happens when law enforcement decides the truth can’t possibly be true. 

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews filmmakers Felicity Morris and Bernadette Higgins.

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched American Nightmare yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on. 

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At the height of the Bitcoin boom, Ray Trapani and his friends created a debit card for cryptocurrency. Even though the technology didn’t work and the card was a scam, Centra Tech was making millions of dollars a day. But anyone looking at the operation would discover cut-and-paste business plans, fake executives, and glitchy technology.  Bitconned lets Trapani tell his story of fun, fame and fraud as he awaits sentencing for the first high-profile case of the crypto era. Was it real? No. But did it work? Maybe.

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Bryan Storkel.

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched Bitconned yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on. 

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A rich Southern family laid low by scandal, fraud...and murder.

In this episode, we are talking about our most popular episode from 2023, the Netflix documentary series Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews directors Julia Willoughby Nason & Jenner Furst.

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched Murdaugh Murders yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on. (Listener note: This episode was recorded before the conclusion of Alex Murdaugh's murder trial.)

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They could be cheered by thousands in a stadium or booed by a few dozen ringside. In 2023, Netflix documentaries and series brought us the stories of famous athletes, music superstars, and little-known dreamers - all of them with lives even more rich and complex away from the spotlight.

In this episode, host Rebecca Lavoie features her favorite sports and pop cultures titles from 2023. Films and series include Full Swing, Quarterback, Wrestlers, MerPeople, and WHAM!

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