Very Special Episodes
iHeartPodcasts
Show overview
Very Special Episodes has been publishing since 2024, and across the 2 years since has built a catalogue of 92 episodes, alongside 2 trailers or bonus episodes. That works out to roughly 65 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a fortnightly cadence.
Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 35 min and 51 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. It is catalogued as a EN-US-language History show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 6 days ago, with 27 episodes already out so far this year. Published by iHeartPodcasts.
From the publisher
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.
Latest Episodes
View all 92 episodesThe Case of the Missing Novelist [Re-Release]
Nicolas Cage, Y2K, and History's Most Unlikely Art Heist
North by North Korea [Re-Release]
Spies and Dolls [Re-Release]
The Dog Who Saved the 1966 World Cup [from Ridiculous Crime]
Chaotic Philanthropy: Saint Joan of the Golden Arches
How a Dog Talks: The Surprising Redemption of Comic Sans
Searching for Soshern: The Forbidden Star Trek Fanfiction
The White Death
Children of the Moon
The Other James Bond
The Mysterious Death of Andy the Sneaker-Wearing Goose [Re-Release]
Dock Ellis: High and Outside
The Family Who Vanished Into Siberia for Over 40 Years
A Very Special Mini-Mailbag
Very Special Places: New York City
The Unintended Insanity of the 1994 Caribbean Cup (w/John Green and Daniel Alarcón of The Away End)
S1 Ep 73Bar Trivia: How a Staten Island Pub Made College Hoops History
Long before the NCAA Basketball Tournament became a billion-dollar business, there was a massive betting pool run out of a neighborhood bar on Staten Island. The Irish pub’s $10 game handed out million-dollar prizes and drew players from around the world. But when the pool got too big, it threatened to bring down the bar where it all began. * Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason EnglishWritten by Zaron BurnettSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason EnglishSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Ep 72Richard Nixon and the Magic Suitcase
In honor of April Fools' Day, Zaron Burnett digs into a persistent legend surrounding VSE regular Richard Nixon. With a little help from his pops, Zaron ventures into smoky clubs to unpack a bizarre tale of jazz, drugs, and politics. After the episode, Dana talks about her upcoming book, The Arcane Arts. Zaron discusses his role in a recent Jordan Peele documentary, and Jason reveals his real name for the first time on this podcast. * Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason EnglishWritten by Zaron BurnettSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Chris ChildsAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason EnglishSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Ep 7110 Minutes to Live: Hawaii's Text Message Fiasco of 2018
On a quiet morning in Hawaii, cell phones across the islands lit up with a text message that felt impossible — a ballistic missile was inbound, and this was not a drill. For 38 minutes, hundreds of thousands of people believed they were living their final moments. This is the real story of what happens when ordinary folks are forced to confront the end of everything, all at once. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Jake RossenSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Chris ChildsAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaSocial Clips by Yarberry MediaExecutive Producer is Jason English Get your very special questions in for our next mailbag! You can reach us at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.