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Mission Implausible

iHeartPodcasts
Conspiracy Theories
CIA
Donald Trump
Russia
Havana Syndrome
Disinformation
Qanon
Republican Party
Social Media
Russian Intelligence
National Security
Deep State
FBI
Tulsi Gabbard
Mkultra
Politics
Rudy Giuliani
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Covid-19
Trump Administration

Do you want to know the truth behind the world’s wildest conspiracy theories? Former CIA officers John Sipher & Jerry O’Shea try to determine where misinformation is coming from, when we’re being lied to and when a conspiracy theory is an actual real conspiracy. In the world of espionage, they were part of creating conspiracies. Now they and their circle of experts probe what’s true and when we’re... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes118Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ComedySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Mission Implausible

Latest Episodes

ENCORE EPISODE - Gabriel Gatehouse is a journalist and broadcaster and author of “The Coming Storm” that looks at Q Anon and the January 6th conspiracies. And he’s British!

Watch Mission Implausible on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MissionImpla... more

In light of this week's resignation of Tulsi Gabbard, we're re-running our recent very illuminating episode about her. Also, check out John Sipher's timely piece on her in The Bullwark on May 19.

www.thebulwark.com/p/tulsi-gabbard-office-sh... more

Nuclear weapons-usable uranium, biolabs for biological warfare, secret chemical facilities -- In Operation Sapphire, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense Andy Weber found and disposed of them. Where are the current threats? What does Iran still have... more

Former CIA and NSA attorney Jim Petrila explains the legal decisions about covert action, presidential power, and the legal guardrails surrounding America’s intelligence agencies. He argues that the Trump-era expansion of executive power, combined wi... more

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Recent Guests

Gabriel Gatehouse
Award-winning journalist and broadcaster
BBC
Episode: How Everyone Else Sees America (with Gabriel Gatehouse) - ENCORE
Christine Gralow
Independent journalist and founder of Meanwhile in Hawaii
meanwhileinhawaii.org
Episode: The Hawaiian Cult that raised Tulsi Gabbard (with Christine Gralow) - ENCORE
Andy Weber
A senior American official with extensive experience in nuclear, chemical, and biological threat reduction
Former Assistant Secretary of Defense; expert in WMD threat reduction
Episode: Hunting Weapons of Mass Destruction (with Andy Weber)
Jim Petrila
Former CIA colleague and lawyer in intelligence community
Former CIA, NSA, NSC legal work
Episode: How the CIA Decides What’s Legal (with James Petrila)
Zach Everson
Research director for Public Citizens Trump Accountability Project
Public Citizen
Episode: Crypto: The Trump Family Business (with Zach Everson)
Ilana Berry
Award-winning writer, former CIA operations officer; debut novel Peacock and the Sparrow
Author
Episode: Serving in the Middle East, then Writing About It (with Ilana Berry)
Kathryn Olmsted
Historian, UC Davis
University of California, Davis
Episode: Modern Conspiracy Culture: How Real Scandals Fueled False Narratives (with Kathryn Olmsted)
Ben Palmer
Comedian known for deadpan prank style and satirical social experiments
Palmer Trolls (social media persona)
Episode: The Terrible Thing People Say When They Think No One Is Listening (with Ben Palmer)
Christopher Steele
Former British intelligence officer, Russia specialist, founder of Orbis Business Intelligence
Orbis Business Intelligence
Episode: What the Steele Dossier Got Right—and Why It Still Matters (with Christopher Steele)

Hosts

John Sipher
Former CIA officer and co-host of Mission Implausible; frequently described as host with deep experience in intelligence work and espionage storytelling; has affiliations with production entities and various media projects.
Jerry O'Shea
Co-host of Mission Implausible; former CIA officer with extensive experience in intelligence and media production; frequently described as producer/host and longtime collaborator with John Sipher.

Reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars from 728 ratings
  • Love it!

    Excellent. Funny. Informative.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Polly 31
    United States2 months ago
  • Listen Impossible

    Potentially interesting content frequently interrupted by repetitive trailers for other podcasts. Trailers for the same four podcasts played four times in a 33 minute show!

    The latest show (on Ghislaine Maxwell) had a few minutes on her and the rest was was a self-indulgent discussion on the travails of being a journalist.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Dave61
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • I love MISSION IMPLAUSIBLE— BUT PLEASE, no silly music

    I really enjoy this podcast, but please don’t add special effects or silly music. Your listeners are above it and it’s super annoying.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    COMEON, APPLE
    United States6 months ago
  • I have been staring at pine cones past week+

    I wonder if a message. But also, why pine cones?

    The alien pregnancy test was seeing if we were birthing the new Earth yet that’s what I believe, and: it’s not about the queen ant. It’s about all the ants being empowered so ideally you could talk to one aunt and you would understand the whole societyish. Maybe this does happen now?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cestmoi3
    United States7 months ago
  • Promising, but doesn’t quite deliver

    I like the premise of this show, and they have good guests, but it doesn’t go into as much depth as I would like, and the huge number of commercials is annoying.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    MusicCityEngineer
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Positive reception around informed, insider perspectives and sharp analysis from former intelligence professionals.
Some listeners feel episodes lean heavily into politics and conspiracies, with mixed reactions to interview pacing and ad breaks.
Listeners appreciate guest diversity (journalists, analysts, and insiders) and thorough context on complex topics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#180
India/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Terrible Thing People Say When They Think No One Is Listening (with Ben Palmer)
Q: How did Ben Palmer get involved with political satire and social experiments?
Palmer explains his evolution from stand-up to internet pranks, using satire to illuminate how people react to authority and to reveal underlying social dynamics.
What the Steele Dossier Got Right—and Why It Still Matters (with Christopher Steele)
Q: What happened with the FBI when the reporting surfaced, and how did the legal challenges unfold?
He explains that they were working as contractors, that crucial materials were mishandled or misrouted within the FBI, and that the legal strategy emphasized protecting sources and publishing actions rather than creating court-ready evidence.
What the Steele Dossier Got Right—and Why It Still Matters (with Christopher Steele)
Q: What drew you into Russian-focused intelligence work, and what were the key lessons from your time in that arena?
Steele discusses the allure and danger of the Kremlin's strategic messaging, the complexity of sourcing, and the importance of corroboration across multiple sources while noting that intelligence is not equivalent to courtroom evidence yet can still be highly consequential.
Havana Syndrome Is Real - and They Tried to Bury It (with Michael Weiss) - Part One
Q: Is there any legitimate scientific or technical explanation that could unify the various cases you discuss?
There are plausible explanations like pulse microwave radiation that could account for symptoms in some cases, but the reliability of the evidence, the scope of the data, and the diverse nature of the cases complicate a single unifying theory.
Havana Syndrome Is Real - and They Tried to Bury It (with Michael Weiss) - Part One
Q: There were anecdotes about attempts to normalize or downplay the issue, including a supposed eight-hour workday with only a half hour of actual labor.
The account illustrates a culture where some analysts reportedly prioritized editorializing over rigorous evidence, undermining operational reporting and contributing to a broader skepticism about the victims.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Mission Implausible

What is Mission Implausible about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Former CIA officers host a deep, data-informed exploration of conspiracy theories, intelligence history, and current geopolitics. Episodes blend investigative reporting, strategic analysis, and guests with hands-on experience in national security, espionage, and governance. Listeners are likely interested in how misinformation propagates, the realities behind sensational claims, and the ethical and legal boundaries of intelligence work. Notable strengths include a practical, experience-driven lens on complex topics and a willingness to challenge narratives with firsthand knowledge. The show tends to feature academics, journalists, and practitioners who illuminate how disinformation intersects with politics, technology, and global events, ma... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Mission Implausible?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Mission Implausible:

1. SpyTalk
2. Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues | Current Affairs
3. The Lawfare Podcast
4. Fast Politics with Molly Jong-Fast
5. The DSR Network

How many episodes of Mission Implausible are there?

Mission Implausible launched 2 years ago and published 118 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Mission Implausible?

Recent guests on Mission Implausible include:

1. Gabriel Gatehouse
2. Christine Gralow
3. Andy Weber
4. Jim Petrila
5. Zach Everson
6. Ilana Berry
7. Kathryn Olmsted
8. Ben Palmer

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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