The Big Flop – Details, episodes & analysis

It was the nip slip seen round the world. Whether by accident or on purpose, the nation caught a brief glimpse of Janet Jackson’s breast on live television during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show while she was performing with Justin Timberlake. Quickly dubbed "Nipplegate," the incident ignited a firestorm of controversy and debate over broadcast decency standards and media regulation. It led to a flood of complaints to the FCC, significant fines for broadcasters, and a lasting impact on cultural norms and entertainment industry practices in the United States.

Akilah Hughes (Rebel Spirit, Akilah Obviously) and Dylan Adler (Comedy Central) join Misha to expose the truth behind Nipplegate!

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Sam Bankman-Fried was the king of crypto, living large in a penthouse in the Bahamas. But his billion dollar empire was built on a foundation of fraud, and when his dubious deals were exposed, this crypto bro went from blockchain to a cell block.

Fabrizio Copano (4th From the South) and Zoltan Kaszas (This Week in Zoltan, Honorary Jones) join Misha to decrypt how Sam Bankman-Fried lost his shirt--his grungy, rumpled shirt.

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Before it became the butt of countless jokes and the preferred transportation for mall cops, the Segway had grand ambitions. Its inventor, Dean Kamen, believed his self-balancing, two-wheeled electric scooter would change the way we get around, and ultimately eliminate the need for cars all together. But when the rubber met the road and consumers met Segway’s slow speed, short battery life, and general uselessness, sales fell off a cliff... and so did the CEO of the company while driving one.

Adam Rose (Merry Happy Whatever, L.A.’s Finest) joins Misha to chat about Segway’s crash and burn.

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In the early 90’s, an earth shattering event occurred that would change the face of American culture forever: Coca-Cola changed their recipe. New Coke was supposed to be sweeter to combat the rising popularity of Pepsi, but the customer reaction was decidedly sour. Lawsuits and public outrage contributed to the PR Nightmare - somehow hiring Bill Cosby as their spokesperson wasn’t the worst business decision Coca-Cola made that year!

Preacher Lawson (My Name Is Preacher, America’s Got Talent) and Paul F. Tompkins (BoJack Horseman, The Great North) join Misha to savor the sweet, sweet Flop that is New Coke.

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When JCPenney, the 100-year-old department store, decided to rebrand in 2011, they sought the best in the biz to give them a makeover. Enter Ron Johnson, the affable retail genius behind the Apple Store. Hailed as a techy visionary, Johnson was supposed to reinvent the brand. Instead, he alienated customers with high prices and a baffling shopping experience. Martha Stewart and a tea kettle that somehow actually looked like Hitler all contributed to this failed experiment that cost the once beloved company billions. 

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After 30 years of development, Procter & Gamble rolled out a new, calorie-free oil substitute with the luxurious name, Olestra. This “miracle food” was supposed to revolutionize junk food and allow snackers to eat all the chips and crackers they could cram down their gullets without gaining any weight. Unfortunately for Procter & Gamble, Olestra did not help them meet their bottom line. Did customers have trouble swallowing this new and innovative product? Or did they just not like having "anal leakage"?!

Kevin James Thornton (American Queer, This Ends in Paris) joins Misha to share his gut reactions on Olestra's fallout.

Listen to The Big Flop on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/the-big-flop/ now.

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US Congressman George Santos was an inspiring embodiment of the American dream. A son of immigrants who worked his way through the finest universities, rose through the ranks of Wall Street and started his own successful business before winning an election. Only catch? Almost none of it was true. Santos lied, schemed and embezzled his way into Congress until the world caught on and his career vanished in a haze of Hermès garments and Only Fans subscriptions.

Monét X Change (RuPaul's Drag Race) and Jon Lovett (Pod Save America, Lovett or Leave It) join Misha to gab about the talented Mr. Santos.

Listen to The Big Flop on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/the-big-flop/ now.

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Can the office also be a party? Would you really want it to be? For WeWork’s CEO and founder Adam Neumann, the answer was an unequivocal, hell yes! Neumann propelled his co-working space empire to incredible heights and a valuation over $45B, all while throwing nonstop ragers, hot boxing his private jet, and arm wrestling with Jared Kushner. But when the rent came due, Neumann couldn’t cook the books any further - not even in his personal infrared sauna - and the party was over.

Ian Hecox and Courtney Miller from Smosh share a desk with Misha to give WeWork its annual performance review.

Listen to The Big Flop on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/the-big-flop/ now.

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When eccentric toy maker Ty Warner created a new line of floppy stuffed animals with cute names and charming poems, he unleashed pure havoc and chaos into the world. At the height of Beanie Mania, people spent their life savings and even assaulted others to collect the rare creatures like Patti the Platypus and Ziggy the Zebra before they “retired”. When the dust settled, fortunes were lost, limbs were broken and Ty (as in, TY INC.), was left holding the big, floppy bag.

Ian Karmel (All Fantasy Everything) and Brian Moller (B Mo the Prince) join Misha to relive the Beanie Baby bubble,

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Abby Lee Miller was the force behind the hit reality show "Dance Moms" where she hurled insults - and occasionally chairs - to motivate future stars like JoJo Siwa and Maddie Ziegler. But while Abby was rising to the top of her own pyramid, she was also choreographing a little thing called financial fraud. Find out what happens when you text your accountant that you "need a little money laundering."

Ronnie Karam and Ben Mandelker (Watch What Crappens) join Misha to revel in the dizzying details of the Abby Lee Miller story.

Listen to The Big Flop on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/the-big-flop/ now.

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