Very Special Episodes

Nov 20 2024 27 ep. 41 mins 820
Very Special Episodes Podcast artwork

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie.” Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

  History  Education  Society & Culture
RSS feed Share
Copy RSS


Subscribe on Podcast Addict


E.T. and Me

Nov 20 2024 50 mins  
In 1981, 11-year-old Matt De Meritt got a phone call that would change his life. He wasn’t a child actor, or a performer of any kind. He was just a suburban kid enjoying his summer before he had to go back to school. But Matt had something no other kid had — something Steven Spielberg needed in order to embark on his most ambitious movie yet. Note: This episode contains discus

The Joyride: Amelia and Eleanor's Excellent Adventure

Nov 13 2024 43 mins  
In 1933, Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart ducked out of a White House event and commandeered a plane. The First Lady and the first lady of aviation flew to Baltimore and back. The event was documented by journalists, and later recounted in books. But there was more to this spontaneous joyride that didn't make the papers. * VERY SPECIAL CREDITSHosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Bur

The Case of the Missing Novelist

Nov 08 2024 39 mins  
Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time. But her biggest mystery unfolded outside the pages of her books. Today Dana examines the 11 days in 1926 when the beloved author went missing, and the rollicking media circus inspired by her disappearance. On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal p

Eugene Bullard: Freedom in the Skies

Oct 30 2024 69 mins  
Eugene Bullard would not let America diminish him. So he left to find a place that would let him live free — and found freedom in the skies. On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie!” Follow us down a different ra

The Amazing Journey of the Three Kichis

Oct 23 2024 42 mins  
In 1834, the Three Kichis were on a routine journey to deliver rice to Tokyo. But when a typhoon interfered, they were swept out into the Pacific for 5,000 miles — and became the first Japanese people in the Pacific Northwest. But that was only a single moment in one of history’s most amazing journeys. The trio would end up going halfway around the world and back again, seeing

The Furby Files

Oct 16 2024 42 mins  
In late 1998, a furry, nonsense-babbling creature arrived on the toy scene. The Furby could squeal, snore, sneeze, and … learn to speak English? Immediately upon release, thousands were backordered. Fights broke out in stores. The early internet lit up with conspiracy theories. And Furby was actually banned from the National Security Agency for its alleged potential for espionage

The Legend of SwordQuest

Sep 19 2024 40 mins  
Greetings, VSE listeners! Dana, Zaron, and Jason will be back in October with another season. In the meantime, we wanted to share a new podcast from several members of the Very Special team. Introducing, The Legend of SwordQuest! Episode One: The Sword and the Stoned. In the early 1980s, Atari is one of the biggest entertainment brands in the world and seeks to promote the biggest

Art of Gold: The Olympic Art Competitions

Jul 30 2024 35 mins  
In the first half of the 20th century, athletes weren't the only ones competing for Olympic glory. Today's episode takes us back to an era when artists, poets, and even city planners battled for medals — and the messy in-fighting that threatened to tear the art world apart. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Mark Twain

Jun 28 2024 65 mins  
A bar fight and a stint on the lam transformed Samuel Clemens into Mark Twain — and changed the course of American literature. Settle in for Mark Twain's origin story. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, Jason EnglishWritten by Zaron BurnettProduced by Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design: Jonathan Washington and Josh FisherMixing and Mastering: Baheed FrazierStory Editor:

Famous Dumpster Fires in History: The 1904 Olympic Marathon

Jun 12 2024 40 mins  
The 1904 St. Louis Olympics featured the strangest sporting event in history. During the marathon, runners paused for naps, got chased by dogs, went apple picking, and doped with rat poison — all while being unwitting participants in a cruel scientific experiment. * Thanks for listening! Our next episode comes out Wednesday, June 26th. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, Ja