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Artwork for Very Special Episodes

Very Special Episodes

iHeartPodcasts
World War II
Atari
Hoaxes
Lawrence Lemieux
Mark Twain
Olympics
Palisade
Superman
Eugene Bullard
Tornado
Wild West
Nancy Drew
John F. Kennedy
Cabbage Patch Kids
March Madness
Pledge Of Allegiance
Consumer Behavior
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Velvalee Dickinson
Paletas

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes92Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryEducation

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Artwork for Very Special Episodes

Latest Episodes

Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time. But her biggest mystery unfolded outside the pages of her books. In this episode, Dana examines the 11 days in 1926 when the beloved author went missing, and the rollicking media circus inspir... more

After a party at Nicolas Cage’s Bel-Air mansion, one of the rarest comic books on Earth disappeared. Action Comics #1 — the comic that introduced Superman — is worth millions of dollars. With almost no evidence and a suspect list that includes employ... more

When two of the most influential figures in film become the personal hostages of Kim Jong Il, they have two objectives: to elevate North Korean cinema on the world stage, and to plot their daring escape.

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We're hard at work on our next season o... more

Velvalee Dickinson ran a doll shop on Madison Avenue that catered to wealthy collectors. But in one of the strangest espionage cases of World War II, Dickinson's clients had no idea she was using correspondence about doll orders to transmit coded U.S... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Stephen Fischler
Owner/ broker of rare comics (Metropolis Collectibles)
Metropolis Collectibles
Episode: Nicolas Cage, Y2K, and History's Most Unlikely Art Heist
Jen Bosworth-Ramirez
Former Cage employee who interacted with Cage
Saturn Films / Cage orbit
Episode: Nicolas Cage, Y2K, and History's Most Unlikely Art Heist
Lisa Napoli
Author of Ray & Joan, a biography of Ray and Joan Kroc
Author, Journalist
Episode: Chaotic Philanthropy: Saint Joan of the Golden Arches
Dick Starmann
Senior Vice President of Communications at McDonald's (and advisor to Joan Kroc)
McDonald's (former SVP Communications)
Episode: Chaotic Philanthropy: Saint Joan of the Golden Arches
Vincent Conair
Vincent Conair, the Microsoft designer behind Comic Sans
Microsoft (former), Monotype (design influence)
Episode: How a Dog Talks: The Surprising Redemption of Comic Sans
Dave Combs
Self-appointed typography police figure and designer
None specified
Episode: How a Dog Talks: The Surprising Redemption of Comic Sans
Thrandy Hudgens
Biology PhD student researching accessibility and dyslexia
University of St. Andrews
Episode: How a Dog Talks: The Surprising Redemption of Comic Sans
Thomas Finney
Fonts expert and designer featured in analysis
Independent fonts expert
Episode: How a Dog Talks: The Surprising Redemption of Comic Sans
Terrence Weinsrill
Executive creative director at Monotype, involved in updating Comic Sans
Monotype
Episode: How a Dog Talks: The Surprising Redemption of Comic Sans

Hosts

Dana Schwartz
Host of Very Special Episodes; notable for storytelling through archival and narrative nonfiction
Jason English
Co-host focused on guiding discussions and providing narrative structure
Zaron Burnett
Host bringing historical perspective and reporting experience

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 417 ratings
  • Hit or miss

    Some weeks you’ll get something fascinating. Others are meh. A few have me taking off my headphones at the end and wondering what was the point of all that. I have to agree with another reviewer that the Andy the Goose story was useless. Just a way for a woman to capitalize on her poor grandfather’s dead pet. No justice or anything, just 💰. This is the most uneven podcast I listen to, and if it goes off the air, I won’t miss it all that much. Listen to the hosts’ other works instead.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Redjill
    United States4 months ago
  • Amazing stories,distracting music

    The research and narratives are unreal and I love all the presenters and follow their other podcasts but the non stop background music on these ones drives me insane. Would be so good with just a little negative space.. please. I beg you. Every sentence doesn’t need a backup singer

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    jkcarr2
    Australia4 months ago
  • Good stories

    Slightly too much modernisms and references that are probably only good in two sheets of LA.

    Podcast Addict
    4
    Oleg
    5 months ago
  • Ok

    Show topics are interesting but host, Dana Schwartz’s reading style is terrible. Zaron Burnett is always a pleasure to listen to and Jason English is fine.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Dai Dege
    United States6 months ago
  • This one is really fun. It's crazy that something as mundane as KFC (in the US) would be such a big deal in other countries.

    I read an article many years ago about KFC's popularity in Gaza. (Way before the mess that's there now.) Taxi drivers would take dozens of orders from Gazans and drive an obstacle course of checkpoints into Egypt. They'd collect the food, and drive it back to Gaza.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Litlover
    8 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests bring credible voices, but some episodes attract polarized feedback on topic sensitivity.
Listeners often praise the host chemistry and well-researched topics, though some critique pacing and music choices.
The production quality and narrator delivery are top-notch, with strong storytelling momentum.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#175
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#156
Philippines/History
Apple Podcasts
#178
Finland/History
Apple Podcasts
#193
Spain/History
Apple Podcasts
#218
Israel/History
Apple Podcasts
#225
Sweden/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Nicolas Cage, Y2K, and History's Most Unlikely Art Heist
Q: What happened to the four missing comics, and what was the scale of the theft?
The missing items included Action Comics No. 1 and Detective Comics No. 27, among others, with the frames opened and alarms disengaged; the theft was more extensive than initially believed, involving multiple valuable titles and suggesting a calculated inside job rather than a random break-in.
Marilyn, Hamilton + John Wilkes Booth's Statue: NYC History Hiding in Plain Sight
Q: Dana, tell us about your trip to New York City.
Dana describes her aim to discover ordinary locations that hide extraordinary histories, emphasizing how stepping off the beaten path reveals a web of stories tied to the city's past and present.
A Very Special Mini-Mailbag
Q: Are there any products you love enough to endorse for free?
All three share personal favorite brands they rely on, noting that their endorsements are influenced by personal use and practicality, not contractual obligations, and they are open to discussions with brands that align with their tastes.
A Very Special Mini-Mailbag
Q: Do you three have any control over which ads run in the show?
They explain they have limited control, blocking certain categories and often reading ads based on who they are, where listeners live, and past listening history, rather than vetoing each individual ad.
Being Joe Isuzu
Q: Why do you think America loved Joe Isuzu so much?
The appeal seemed simple; he was goofy looking and funny, and people found his outrageous lies charming.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
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Frequently Asked Questions About Very Special Episodes

What is Very Special Episodes about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show curates long-form, immersive storytelling around unusual but true histories and cultural curiosities, blending archival material, expert context, and personal memory. Episodes often thread local legends, sports lore, political intrigue, and overlooked moments in broad cultural narratives, with strong narration and a conversational panel. Noteworthy is the mix of researchers, historians, authors, and journalists who anchor broader themes in human moments, making complex history accessible and highly engaging for curious listeners who enjoy well-produced, narrative nonfiction with a historical bent.

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Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Very Special Episodes. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Very Special Episodes and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Very Special Episodes get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Very Special Episodes, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Very Special Episodes?

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How many subscribers and views does Very Special Episodes have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Very Special Episodes has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Very Special Episodes?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Very Special Episodes:

1. Noble Blood
2. Hoax!
3. Ridiculous Crime
4. Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities
5. You're Wrong About

How many episodes of Very Special Episodes are there?

Very Special Episodes launched 3 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.

How do I contact Very Special Episodes?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Very Special Episodes?

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What guests have appeared on Very Special Episodes?

Recent guests on Very Special Episodes include:

1. Stephen Fischler
2. Jen Bosworth-Ramirez
3. Lisa Napoli
4. Dick Starmann
5. Vincent Conair
6. Dave Combs
7. Thrandy Hudgens
8. Thomas Finney

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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