You Cant Make This Up

It was an ambitious attempt to raise money for famine relief in Africa: record a single sung by the biggest names in rock, pop, R&B, and country. But putting the 1985’s “We Are The World” down on tape was easier said than done. The all-star chorus had to balance schedules, fix tech issues, and curb egos to create the legendary record. But their biggest challenge: the clock was ticking and they had only one night to make it happen. Netflix’s The Greatest Night in Pop features never-before-seen footage of the song’s early planning stages, including the writing sessions, and goes inside the studio where “We Are the World” was recorded. Stars like Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen, and Cyndi Lauper reminisce alongside musicians, engineers, and production crew about one of the most storied nights in music history. In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Bao Nguyen. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched The Greatest Night in Pop yet, make sure to add it to your watch-lis

After a year of high stakes racing, it all comes down to the final ten races of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The sport’s best drivers face elimination as they make their way to the final race and most storied championship in motorsports. But who are these competitors behind the wheel? Are they the same person at home as they are on the track? And do they have the right stuff to take the checkered flag? NASCAR: Full Speed brings fans behind the scenes — both on and off the track — while exploring the physical, mental, and emotional challenges of competing for a championship at the world’s highest level of stock car racing. In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews Producer Aaron Cohen and NASCAR Senior Vice President Tim Clark. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched NASCAR: Full Speed yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.  Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts.

As some of tennis’s legends reach the twilight of their careers, this is the chance for a new generation to finally claim the spotlight. But after years in the shadows of champions like Williams and Djokovic, who has what it takes to step up and become the number one player in the world. Season two of Netflix’s Break Point gets up close and personal with the players competing across the globe each week. From career-threatening injuries and emotional heartbreak, to triumphant victories and personal moments off the court, viewers will get a behind the scenes look at the pressure-tested lives of some of the best tennis players in the world. In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews showrunner Darren Lovell. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched Break Point yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.  Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts.

When Aaron Quinn reported his girlfriend had been kidnapped in an outrageous home invasion, police suspected he was covering up a crime. Then when Denise Huskins turned up at her parents’ doorstep days later, telling an even more elaborate tale about her abduction, they accused the couple of creating a hoax - one straight out of Hollywood. But miles away a detective investigating an unrelated case discovered a single strand of hair that will tie the sensational cases together. In American Nightmare, Denise and Aaron tell the story of the crime they suffered, the humiliation they endured, and their quest for justice. It unravels the consequences of our cultural rush to judgment — and what happens when law enforcement decides the truth can’t possibly be true.  In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews filmmakers Felicity Morris and Bernadette Higgins. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched American Nightmare yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.  Lis

At the height of the Bitcoin boom, Ray Trapani and his friends created a debit card for cryptocurrency. Even though the technology didn’t work and the card was a scam, Centra Tech was making millions of dollars a day. But anyone looking at the operation would discover cut-and-paste business plans, fake executives, and glitchy technology.  Bitconned lets Trapani tell his story of fun, fame and fraud as he awaits sentencing for the first high-profile case of the crypto era. Was it real? No. But did it work? Maybe. In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Bryan Storkel. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched Bitconned yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.  Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts.

A rich Southern family laid low by scandal, fraud...and murder. In this episode, we are talking about our most popular episode from 2023, the Netflix documentary series Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews directors Julia Willoughby Nason & Jenner Furst. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched Murdaugh Murders yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on. (Listener note: This episode was recorded before the conclusion of Alex Murdaugh's murder trial.) Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts.

They could be cheered by thousands in a stadium or booed by a few dozen ringside. In 2023, Netflix documentaries and series brought us the stories of famous athletes, music superstars, and little-known dreamers - all of them with lives even more rich and complex away from the spotlight. In this episode, host Rebecca Lavoie features her favorite sports and pop cultures titles from 2023. Films and series include Full Swing, Quarterback, Wrestlers, MerPeople, and WHAM! Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts.

From cops to criminals, from victims to suspects, from surgeons to patients, Netflix documentary films and series covered incredible real stories in 2023. On this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie features her favorite crime and justice titles from 2023. Films and series include American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing, Victim/Suspect, Depp v Heard, and Emergency NYC. Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts.

With a mix of famous veterans, ambitious newcomers, and a new head coach, The US Women’s National Team prepped for a third championship run in a row. Instead they were handed a stunning early exit which shocked the sporting world. The Netflix documentary series Under Pressure: The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team captures all of the personal and team preparation on the road to the 2023 FIFA World Cup.  In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Rebecca Gitlitz. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched Under Pressure yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.  Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts.

In the Netflix film Rustin, activist Bayard Rustin faces racism and homophobia while helping change the course of Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington. Today, we’ll turn things over to host Tre'vell Anderson of Netflix’s The Official Rustin Podcast. In this episode from the podcast series, Tre’vell talks with director George C. Wolfe about his process of taking a life and turning it into film. Then he speaks to actor Colman Domingo about what it took to portray Rustin and the significance of a gay Black man playing a gay Black man on screen. Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts.

It was the sleeper hit that became a cultural phenomenon. But many fans asked themselves how would I fare at Squid Game? Would I survive Red Light, Green Light? Capture all the marbles? Or would I choose wrong on the Glass Bridge? Now they have their chance. In Squid Game: The Challenge, 456 real players will enter the competition show in pursuit of a life-changing reward of $4.56 million. As they compete through a series of games inspired by the original show - plus surprising new additions - their strategies, alliances, and character will be put to the test while competitors are eliminated around them. In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews Executive Producer Stephen Yemoh. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched Squid Game: The Challenge yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on. Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts.

Tracing the ingredients, flavors, and techniques of Black cuisine is a walk through American history itself. From Emancipation to the Great Migration, food on the tables in Black homes would evolve with every step. And today, the hottest Black chefs are inspiring and influencing a new generation with a menu that is sometimes more than just a meal. In season two of High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America, host Stephen Satterfield travels across the United States to uncover how African-American cuisine has fueled social justice movements, transformed communities, and awakened cultural creativity in America in powerful and lasting ways. In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews host Stephen Satterfield. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched High on the Hog yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.  Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts.

With its expensive online courses, Twin Flames Universe promised members would find their true loves. The online cult was better at making money than finding love, so leaders Jeff and Shaleia Ayons began matchmaking its followers with one another. Though many had identified as straight and cis, they were paired with same sex partners and prodded to rethink their gender identity.  The Netflix documentary series Escaping Twin Flames examines the controversial online community, brings us into Jeff and Sheleia’s online classroom, and tells the stories of those hurt by its teachings. The series asks whether anything can actually be done to stop it from taking advantage of people who are only looking for love.  Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews filmmakers Cecilia Peck and Inbal Lessner. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched Escaping Twin Flames yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.  Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts.

Destined for bit parts and supporting roles, Sylvester Stallone broke out by creating some of the most memorable characters in cinema, including Rocky and Rambo. But in a career filled with unmatched box office punch, many of Sly’s films were ignored by audiences and excoriated by critics. Now an entertainment lion in winter, Stallone is ready to look back at his life and career. In the Netflix documentary film Sly, Stallone takes the gloves off to talk about his unlikely rise to fame, the ups and downs of celebrity, and his disappointments on and off the big screen. In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Thom Zimny. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched Sly yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.  Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts.

Liza Drake is a blue-collar single mom who has just lost her job and is at the end of her rope. A chance meeting with a pharmaceutical sales rep puts her on an upwards trajectory economically - but a dubious path ethically - as she becomes entangled in a dangerous racketeering scheme. Her unhinged boss, her daughter's worsening medical condition, and the awareness of the devastation the company is causing forces Liza to examine her choices. Inspired by true events, the Netflix film Pain Hustlers stars Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, Andy Garcia, and Catherine O’Hara. It’s a sharp and revealing look at what some people do out of desperation and others do out of greed. In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews BAFTA award winning director and producer David Yates and producer Lawrence Grey. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “Pain Hustlers" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.

Every living creature can trace its origins to a single cell 4 billion years ago. But the long march of evolution took many twists and turns. Whether fish or amphibian or reptile, one creature would rise to the top…only to be wiped out in one of five mass extinctions. And each time, the fittest among them would rise and inherit the earth. Using cutting edge special effects, the Netflix documentary series “Life on Our Planet” brings alive a menagerie of long extinct creatures, portrayed with scientific accuracy and visual brilliance. From ameba to man, the series journeys through time of who survived and who didn’t. On this episode of "You Can't Make This Up," host Rebecca Lavoie talks to Series Producer Dan Tapster and Producer Sophie Lanfear about the Netflix documentary series “Life on Our Planet.”

In 1980, the Glatzel’s son, David, began having convulsions. A pair of self-styled ghost hunters declared the child was possessed by the devil. The family turned to the church for help, but something went wrong during the exorcism. His sister’s boyfriend challenged Satan to take him on instead. Months later, Arne Cheyenne Johnson was accused of murdering his landlord. The case made headlines when Johnson told the court the devil made him do it. In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary film “The Devil on Trial." Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews Director Chris Holt. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “The Devil on Trial" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.

Soccer legend David Beckham is one of the most known names on the planet, yet few people know who he really is. The four-part Netflix documentary series “BECKHAM” tells the inside story of a global football star and cultural icon.  On this episode, we’ll turn things over to our friends at Netflix’s “Skip Intro.” Each week, host Krista Smith brings us dynamic conversations with the exceptional people behind your favorite shows, films, specials, and documentaries on Netflix. In this episode, Krista interviews David Beckham and director Fisher Stevens to find out what went into the making of this exceptional docu-series.

It’s common folklore: a sole witness to a mysterious flying object whose tale of their encounter is met with skepticism. But what if dozens - if not hundreds of people say they all saw something in the sky at the same time? The Netflix series “Encounters” goes beyond the reported incidents of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena or extraterrestrial contact. Why would groups of unconnected people claim to see the same oddities? And how has telling their stories affected their lives? In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “Encounters." Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews executive producer and director Yon Motskin. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “Encounters" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.

Mike Veeck was a third generation baseball executive, son of the Hall of Fame White Sox owner Bill Veeck. But Mike’s “Disco Demolition” night devolved into an actual riot, with rowdy rock fans charging the field and setting fires. After the debacle, he couldn’t get another job in professional sports. But years later, Mike had the opportunity to purchase a minor league team and put his own stamp on it. Would this be his chance to prove to the world he could make baseball fun? The film “The Saint of Second Chances” follows Mike’s journey from outcast to innovator, chronicling both his professional and personal triumphs and tragedies. Can a man once tarred as a sports pariah get a shot at redemption and change the game? In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary film “The Saint of Second Chances" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews directors Morgan Neville and Jeff Malmberg. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “The Saint of Second Chances" yet, make s