Becoming Zaqistani

What Happened in Nashville is a deeply reported investigation into the sudden collapse of a Tennessee fertility clinic, and the patients caught in the fallout. When the Center for Reproductive Health shut down without warning, people lost access to their embryos, their treatments were abruptly cut off, and many were left scrambling to recover money, medical records, and time they couldn’t afford to lose. Through intimate conversations with the patients who lived through it, host Melissa Jeltsen reveals the emotional and physical toll of the clinic’s abrupt closure. But the story reaches far beyond a single clinic. The series exposes the cracks in a fertility industry built on hope, high price tags and minimal oversight. What Happened in Nashville isn’t just the story of one tragedy — it’s a warning about a system where families have everything at stake and far too little protection. Listen here or on the iHeartRadio app.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marsha P. Johnson is THE icon of the LGBTQ+ movement and a mother of the fight for trans rights. Today, you can buy T-shirts emblazoned with her face or walk through a park named in her honor. Now, hear from Marsha in her own words on a new limited series, Afterlives: Marsha P. Johnson.  Host Raquel Willis brings Marsha’s story to life through rare archival interviews and intimate conversations with queer elders, friends, and historians. Legend says she threw the first brick at the Stonewall riots, setting off the modern movement for queer rights. Immortalized by Andy Warhol and known as “The Saint of Christopher Street,” Marsha was also unhoused, surviving through sex work, navigating violence, and resisting with joy. More than 30 years after her still-unsolved death in the Hudson River, Marsha’s voice resounds louder than ever. As trans rights face renewed threats, Afterlives celebrates Marsha’s story and reflects on her enduring power as a trans ancestor. Listen to Afterlives wherever you get your podcasts. All episodes are out now!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chapter 1: A deadly lunar landing sim nearly grounds Apollo 11 before it begins. Rivalries ignite between Neil and Buzz—and history almost ends before it starts. * ABOUT BUZZ: Starring John Lithgow, this gripping audio thriller peels back the myth of Apollo 11 to reveal the raw, untold story of Buzz Aldrin—space pioneer, troubled hero, and relentless survivor. As Cold War tensions flare and the race to the Moon reaches its climax, Aldrin confronts rivalries, near-disaster, and personal demons that threaten to unravel both the mission and himself. Told with urgent intensity and psychological depth, BUZZ is a powerful reimagining of a legendary moment in history—where courage, collapse, and the true cost of heroism collide. BUZZ is a production of Thoroughbred Studios, Goldhawk Productions & iHeartPodcasts. Available on most major podcast platforms. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will Ryan (and Zaq and the gang) finally escape from Zaqistan? Will the Zaqistanis finally get along? What’s the future of this nation anyway? What’s the future of that nation over there? And have you checked the weather in Zaqistan lately? Looks like another big storm is on the way. Meet me at the taco bar and find out what happens in the series finale.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Infrastructure Week(end) in Zaqistan, and there’s a lot to do: rebuild robots, install a satellite-linked weather station, pour concrete robot footings and prepare the official state dinner. But, like all infrastructure projects - in Zaqistan as in America - harsh realities make it hard to actually get the job done. Several emergencies later, the future of Zaqistan remains unclear.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deep in the Utah desert is a tiny, tiny, tiny nation: The Republic of Zaqistan. Guarded by robots, Zaqistan nonetheless welcomed new citizens for more than 15 years - until it fell into ruins. Now the eponymous founder wants to rebuild. Join hosts Ryan Murdock, Gabbie Watts and Zaron Burnett on a journey to uncharted territory … to the nation of Zaqistan…and the upside-down world of micronations.  Listen here and subscribe to Escape From Zaqistan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How many borders do you have to cross to get to Zaqistan? Ryan talks with Mike and his dad, Yosef, about their complicated Palestianian/Lebanese/American identity. And we find out how Mike and Zaq - who is half Jewish - have navigated running a country together as the war in the Middle East rages on. And south of Zaqistan’s border, an Iranian American plants their own flag. Plus, Ivo Zdarsky flies over the border of the Iron Curtain in the cover of night on a homemade aircraft.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ryan heads off into the desert, finally! Along the way, he revisits the history of sketchy ebay land deals, the Bush era policy of not-nation-building, and the moment Zaq’s land became a country.  The team encounters Ivo Zdarsky, an eccentric desert dweller who builds his own aircraft.  And it turns out the road to Zaqistan is not paved with…anything. Nor is it much of a road at all.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ryan meets the team of misfits that will accompany him on the journey to rebuild Zaqistan. He gets schooled in Zaqistani history and applies for citizenship, as part of his ultimate quest to Become Zaqistani.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosts Ryan Murdock and Gabbie Watts head to Microcon, a convention of micronationalists. Think Model UN meets ComicCon.  We’ll engage in light diplomacy, explore invented histories and exchange gratuitous amounts of medals. Plus, there’s a taco bar! Among the characters you’ll meet are Zaq from Zaqistan, the President of Molossia, the Sultan of Slowjamastan, the Princess of Sancrotosia and a bunch of dictator-curious statesmen, all asking the question: if you could start a country from scratch, what would it look like?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.