Richard Nixon and the Magic Suitcase [from Very Special Episodes]

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.

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.

She was just 16 years old when she rode nearly 40 miles through the night rallying the militia as the British attacked during the American Revolution. Bob calls up Karen Romano Young (Sybil Ludington: Revolutionary War Hero) to get the story of Sybil Ludington. They explore what parts of her story are fact or fiction, and why she was nearly forgotten.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1960s, a newly independent Zambia entered the space race with a bold — and baffling — plan. Led by self-declared “Minister of Space” Edward Nkoloso, a team of would-be astronauts trained in oil drums, dreamed of Mars, and captured the world’s attention. To Western observers, it looked like a joke. But Zambia's space ambitions may have been a front for something far more earthly — and far more dangerous. * Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason EnglishWritten by Lucas ReillySenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jesse NighswongerMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherResearch and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Lucas ReillyOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English For School of Humans, Producers are Emilia Brock and Edeliz Perez. Executive Producer is Virginia Prescott. Thanks to Anthony West for his excellent voiceover work!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1804, Vice President Aaron Burr shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in the most infamous duel in American history. But what happened next? Did Burr face murder charges? Was he convicted? And why did he go full Gary Busey? (You'll have to listen to understand that reference!)  Bob calls up Yale historian Joanne Freeman (The Essential Hamilton: Letters and Other Writings) to unpack the astonishing second act of Aaron Burr’s life. From criminal indictments to conspiracies, a treason trial and exile, the duel was just the beginning for Aaron Burr. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2000, weeks before the Academy Awards ceremony, 55 Oscars vanished during shipment to Los Angeles. The disappearance triggered a frantic search. Then, in a twist worthy of a movie plot, a man digging through a grocery store dumpster stumbled on dozens of missing trophies. He was hailed as a hero. But that was only the beginning. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Jake RossenSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English Listen to Very Special Episodes wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Wednesday!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No, Benjamin Franklin did not invent Daylight Saving Time. But he did muse about its practicality in a 1784 essay. So, if Franklin didn't invent DST, where did all this springing forward come from?  Bob calls up Chad Orzel (A Brief History of Timekeeping: The Science of Marking Time, from Stonehenge to Atomic Clocks) to get to the bottom of this question.  Oh, and don't forget to change your clocks today!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1929, a pair of European lovers abandoned civilization for a remote island in the Galápagos. Their utopian experiment made headlines around the world. But within a few years, several residents had vanished or died under unsettling circumstances, leaving behind one of the strangest murder mysteries in the history of the islands. * Special thanks to Abbott Kahler! Check out her book, Eden Undone: A True Story of Sex, Murder, and Utopia at the Dawn of World War II. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Joe PompeoProduced by Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Chris ChildsMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherAdditional Editing by Mary DooeOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason EnglishSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For 20 years, Canadian sailor Lawrence Lemieux chased perfection on the water. He slept in vans. He drained his savings. He dedicated his life to a single goal: standing on an Olympic podium. At the 1988 Games in Seoul, that dream was finally within reach. Then, in the chaos of a brutal race, he was forced to make a split-second decision. It would cost him his shot at a medal, and forever change his life.  Listen to Very Special Episodes wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roald Dahl is a beloved children’s author. Turns out, he was also a British spy during WWII! So how does one transition from seducing prominent Americans’ wives to writing Matilda?  Well, we’re glad you asked! We called up the creator of a new docu-series called The Secret World of Roald Dahl to get all the dirt on this famous children’s author.  Aaron Tracy, Creator of The Secret World of Roald Dahl Listen to Bob Crawford's American History Hotline wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.