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Artwork for SNAFU with Ed Helms

SNAFU with Ed Helms

iHeartPodcasts
Prohibition
FBI
Vietnam War
J. Edgar Hoover
COINTELPRO
World War I
New York City
SNAFU
U.S. Government
Mabel Walker Willebrandt
Palmer Raids
Cold War
Fox News
Alcohol
United States
2000 Presidential Election
Civil Rights Movement
Organized Crime
Great Molasses Flood
Able Archer 83

SNAFU with Ed Helms, America’s favorite podcast about history’s greatest screwups, returns for Season 4 with even more SNAFUs - one per episode, to be precise. And this time around, Ed ropes in a cavalcade of smart, hilarious guests to help unpack what these blunders, fiascos and faceplants say about who we are (spoiler: we’re basically just toddlers with nukes). Think of it as part history less... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes92Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryComedy

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Artwork for SNAFU with Ed Helms

Latest Episodes

This week, we’ve got Episode 2 of our Second season of SNAFU: MEDBURG. It’s about the citizen activist burglary in Media Pennsylvania. Get it? MEDBURG is a little portmanteau. Love those things. On this episode, we hear about the team behind this cou... more

YouTube

This week’s throwback release: SNAFU Season 2, Episode 1 – about a little known group of ragtag activists who, in 1971, decided to burglarize an FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania, revealing some incredibly shady wrongdoing at the highest levels J. Ed... more

YouTube

This week on SNAFU - it's the most exciting Story Reveals and narrative twists from Season 4 - Like the story of the Azores Glider with Adam Scott where we heard the tale of Robert Piche and the incredible tactics he used to save an entire plane of p... more

YouTube

Ed's funniest guests shine in this week's compilation episode - whether it was Nick Kroll waxing poetic about his family puking tuna sandwiches on a deep sea fishing trip, or Jenny Slate telling us how susceptible she is to cults, or Jordan Klepper r... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Bill Davodon
Scientist and anti-war activist who organized the FBI burglary plot
Catholic Peace Movement / Philadelphia activist
Episode: Snafu Season 2: Episode 2: Want to come to a party?
John Raines
Minister and civil rights/protest participant
Philadelphia activist
Episode: Snafu Season 2: Episode 2: Want to come to a party?
Bonnie Raines
Mother and activist who helped plan the FBI burglary
Philadelphia activist
Episode: Snafu Season 2: Episode 2: Want to come to a party?
Betty Medsker
Reporter who uncovered documents related to FBI surveillance
Journalist
Episode: Snafu Season 2: Episode 2: Want to come to a party?
Stephen Soderbergh
Filmmaker referenced in connection to Ocean's Eleven and discussion of the case
Independent filmmaker
Episode: Snafu Season 2: Episode 1: The Citizens Commission to Investigate the FBI
Nick Kroll
Comedian; discussed family trip and other anecdotes
Nick Kroll
Episode: Comedians: Ed’s Funniest Friends
Jenny Slate
Comedian; discussed susceptibility to cults and related anecdotes
Jenny Slate
Episode: Comedians: Ed’s Funniest Friends
Jordan Klepper
Comedian; reflected on political dynamics and human behavior
Jordan Klepper
Episode: Comedians: Ed’s Funniest Friends
Jake Johnson
Actor/comedian; engages in casual, improvisational banter
Jake Johnson
Episode: Comedians: Ed’s Funniest Friends

Host

Ed Helms

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 2.6k ratings
  • New season

    Love the new format. Too much banter in season one. This one gets right to the heart of the matter. Thx!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rfjic bllp
    United States2 months ago
  • Love this podcast!

    Great stuff, Ed! And I just bought the book. Can't wait to read it!!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sharkie1968
    United States4 months ago
  • Seasons 4 format ruined this podcast

    The format for seasons 1-3 was great. Amazing storytelling with guests who were either a part of the “snafu” or had the historical knowledge to help being the story to life. Truly a great podcast until it wasn’t. Season 4 ruined the show. Now it’s just another podcast hosted by a celebrity talking with their celebrity friends - and sprinkling in 10-15 minutes about some event in history I’m supposed to find interesting but can’t anymore because I’m just annoyed at all the celebrity on celebrity ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    MrsLarz
    United States4 months ago
  • Can't wait for the next season!

    I love this show! All seasons have been great. Looking forward to what's coming up next.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DCA1314
    United States5 months ago
  • Good show, but obnoxiously liberal

    The content is good! -ish. Ed Helms is your typical rich actor, very liberal dude. The story telling is good but the undertones are all against any person that’s ever been republican, from Nixon to current. I guess his millions of dollars make him the perfect victim to talk about the current situations. God bless Ed!

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    kyjellybutton
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Some listeners complain about frequent ad breaks and say episode titles could make topics easier to identify.
Some appreciate the newer conversational format and guest appearances, while others feel celebrity banter takes time away from the history.
A recurring criticism is that some episodes provide less historical detail than listeners expect.
Several listeners find the political commentary distracting or one-sided; others value the examination of government failures.
Listeners praise the historical stories, humor and Helms's engaging narration, especially in the earlier, more focused deep dives.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#244
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#235
Canada/History
Apple Podcasts
#184
Israel/History
Apple Podcasts
#211
Colombia/History
Apple Podcasts
#228
Ukraine/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Thought Leaders
Q: Why is trust central to how we evaluate information online today?
Trust hinges on face-to-face cues, consistent behavior, and transparent data practices; when those cues are missing online, people default to heuristics and rely on familiar sources, which scammers exploit.
Cambridge Analytica: Facebook's Big Data Scandal - Part II (with Kevin Roose and Casey Newton)
Q: What lasting impact did the Cambridge Analytica scandal have on Facebook and its leadership?
It pushed Facebook deeper into the political arena, damaged trust, and led to regulatory fines and restructuring, though some critics argue the industry's behavior continued similarly afterward.
Cambridge Analytica: Facebook's Big Data Scandal - Part II (with Kevin Roose and Casey Newton)
Q: Was Zuckerberg's congressional testimony effective in addressing the core issues?
The hosts feel it largely did not accomplish meaningful reform, with lawmakers prioritizing dramatic clips over real policy changes.
Cambridge Analytica, Part I (with Kevin Roose and Casey Newton)
Q: What was the moment like when the scale of Cambridge Analytica's impact started to become clear?
Roose and Newton recount feeling the gravity of the revelations as whistleblower information and major media coverage exploded, underscoring how the firm's data practices reshaped public discourse and political campaigning.
Cambridge Analytica, Part I (with Kevin Roose and Casey Newton)
Q: Were you guys friends before Hard Fork, or did you come together as a business collaboration?
They describe a long-standing friendship that evolved into a close professional collaboration, built on shared reporting and mutual respect rather than a simple business arrangement.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About SNAFU with Ed Helms

What is SNAFU with Ed Helms about and what kind of topics does it cover?

History's blunders, scandals and near-disasters are retold with humor and attention to the human decisions behind them. Ed Helms guides the stories, which range from government missteps and Cold War crises to technological failures and historical mysteries. The format varies: some episodes use archival material, interviews and detailed narrative, while others pair a historical topic with informal conversations featuring comedians, journalists, historians, scientists and other public figures.

The mix of researched history and conversational comedy is a defining feature, with stories often connected to broader questions about power, secrecy, group behavior and accountability. It offers an accessible, entertaining entry point for listeners in... more

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Which podcasts are similar to SNAFU with Ed Helms?

These podcasts share a similar audience with SNAFU with Ed Helms:

1. Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
2. Where Everybody Knows Your Name with Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson (sometimes)
3. Office Ladies
4. Behind the Bastards
5. Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade

How many episodes of SNAFU with Ed Helms are there?

SNAFU with Ed Helms launched 4 years ago and published 92 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 SNAFU with Ed Helms?

Recent guests on SNAFU with Ed Helms include:

1. Bill Davodon
2. John Raines
3. Bonnie Raines
4. Betty Medsker
5. Stephen Soderbergh
6. Nick Kroll
7. Jenny Slate
8. Jordan Klepper

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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