You Cant Make This Up

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we’ll peek ahead at some of the hottest nonfiction and unscripted titles coming this summer to Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews Tudum's Amanda Richards. Buckle up for another great batch of documentary series and films in the coming weeks. Netflix will take you around the world and the bottom of the sea. From wealthy celebrities to working stiffs. From hotel maids to presidents. Be ready to meet football legends, investigative reporters, and even mermaids…as we reveal the real life stories on Netflix that will have you talking all summer.

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “Chimp Empire" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director James Reed. Jackson relies on intimidation and political favors to maintain his leadership position in Central Ngogo, while rivals within the group plot to usurp him. Suddenly, a crisis over resources in disputed territory turns deadly. Now Jackson must prepare for war against those who years ago drove him from his old tribe. This is not a Tom Clancy political thriller…it’s the real life struggle between two groups of chimpanzees in Uganda. “Chimp Empire” takes us into their communities as they play, explore, and care for one another. But the chimpanzees face threats both internal and external. As this forest turf war heats up, the chimps of Ngogo respond in a very human-like way. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “Chimp Empire" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary “Longest Third Date," out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Brent Hodge. After a pair of dates, Matt and Khani decided to go on a spontaneous getaway to Costa Rica. While they drank Coronas on the beach, coronavirus was shutting the world down. And when all air travel to the United States was canceled, the couple found themselves stranded indefinitely in Central America. Now thrown together, the two had to navigate life in lockdown while waiting two and half months to go home. Using video Matt captured on his iPhone, “Longest Third Date” follows the couple’s efforts to find housing, pass the time, and get to know a person they just met on a dating app. After Matt and Khani’s story went viral, the couple needed to confront an unspoken question: would this relationship of necessity continue when they returned? SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “Longest Third Date" yet, make sure to add it to your

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Floyd Russ. In the confusion after two explosions at the marathon finish line, two bombers slip away with the panicked crowd into the streets of Boston. It leaves investigators with hundreds of victims injured, a trampled crime scene, and no good leads. When they realize the cops are on to them, the Tsarnaev brothers extend their deadly crime spree in an attempt to escape. After a week of terror, the entire city shuts down to bring the bombers to justice. “American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing” brings us the stories of the victims at the finish line, the investigators who pursued the culprits, and the patrolmen who engaged the fugitives in a deadly firefight in a quiet neighborhood. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing" yet, make sure to add it to your wa

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “Emergency NYC" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews directors Adi Barash and Ruthie Shatz. With more than 300 rescue calls a minute, emergency medicine in New York City is a fast-paced world where time and skill make the difference between life and death. The staff at Lenox Hill Hospital are constantly confronted by those who need care in the gravest of situations: a teenager caught in a shootout, a teacher needing a liver transplant, an opera singer with a brain tumor. But these doctors and nurses are also witnesses to the public health challenges of the day. The scourge of gun violence; the lingering effects of care delayed by the pandemic; and the burnout of their colleagues likely to leave medicine altogether. “Emergency NYC” brings the struggles and triumphs of helicopter flight nurses, paramedics, and a staff of world-class surgeons, as well as the many patients who need their help the most. S

The tragedy at Waco became a rallying cry for the anti-government movement within America and the foundation for arguments surrounding gun rights and religious freedom. In this final episode of the Waco companion podcast, Tiller speaks again with Lee Hancock and then with Bob Ricks, the FBI’s Assistant Special Agent in Charge, about the FBI’s failed response to Waco, rampant conspiracy theories, government distrust, Waco’s connection to the Oklahoma City Bombing a year later, and how the events of 30 years ago resonates through to the present day.   Waco: American Apocalypse is streaming now on Netflix.

In the third episode of this special series, we explore the enduring emotional toll Waco had on those who were directly involved. Tiller speaks to Lee Hancock about the challenge of objectively reporting on Waco during those 51 days in 1993, and the lasting trauma the story has had on her life. Then Tiller interviews KWTX reporter John McLemore, the sole reporter who covered the ATF raid live - and whose life and career were upended by it. And finally we hear from David Thibodeau, perhaps the most well-known Branch Davidian alive today.   Waco: American Apocalypse is streaming now on Netflix.

Robert Rodriguez was an undercover agent with the ATF who embedded with David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. On the day of the raid, Robert knew the Davidians were tipped off that the ATF was coming, and he tried to call the whole thing off. Despite his warnings, the ATF went ahead with their plan, resulting in the largest gunfight on US soil in over 100 years, and Robert was pinned as the scapegoat. In a rare interview not included in the documentary series, Robert sits down with director Tiller Russell and recalls his time working undercover. He also shares in detail his experiences on the day of the raid and the toll it took on his personal and professional life. Waco: American Apocalypse is streaming now on Netflix.

On this week's episode, we're bringing you the first in a four part special companion to the Netflix documentary series, Waco: American Apocalypse. Director Tiller Russell and reporter Lee Hancock discuss the inspiration behind the series and then paint a complex portrait of cult leader David Koresh – the controversial figure at the center of the story – and how he was able to convince over 100 people (and perhaps himself) that he was a living prophet. Featuring interviews with FBI Agent Bob Ricks, Hostage Rescue Team Sniper Chris Whitcomb, Branch Davidian Kathy Schroeder, and Heather Jones, the last child to make it out of the compound alive. Waco: American Apocalypse is out now on Netflix.

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we're bringing you something special: the latest episode of We Have The Receipts, the Netflix podcast about all things reality, hosted by Chris Burns and Love is Blind's Lauren Speed Hamilton. And they're talking about the Netflix reality series “Outlast" out now on Netflix. Outlast is a raw survival competition series where 16 lone wolves must outlast each other in the Alaskan wilderness in an attempt to win 1 million dollars. There is only one rule in this cutthroat game: they must be part of a team to win. And the winning team is with us on today's episode to talk about what went on behind the scenes, from off-screen kidney stones to on-screen sabotage. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “Outlast" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “MH370: The Plane that Disappeared" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Louise Malkinson. Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 was supposed to be a routine trip: a redeye to Beijing, with 239 people on board. But shortly after takeoff, the jet vanished from radar screens for good. “MH370: The Plane that Disappeared” explores three of the most contentious theories about the plane’s disappearance. Did the pilot intentionally veer from his course, sailing over the Indian Ocean until he ran out of fuel? Did hijackers commandeer the aircraft as part of a Russian propaganda campaign? Or did the plane carry sensitive cargo that forced the US military to shoot it down? Journalists, family members, and ordinary people hope to answer the question: what happened to MH370, the plane that disappeared? SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “MH370: The Plane that Disappeared" yet, make sure to add it to your watc

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “Full Swing" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews executive producer Paul Martin. Money! Fame! Legacy! All are constantly on the line for the professional golfers on the PGA tour. But navigating the personal and professional hazards off the course are just as challenging. “Full Swing” gives fans a chance to get to know the players through their wins and losses and witness what it takes to compete at the highest level in men’s professional golf. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “Full Swing" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal," out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews directors Julia Willoughby Nason & Jenner Furst. Alex Murdaugh was a third-generation lawyer in a powerful South Carolina family. But their reputation began to crack when his son Paul was behind the wheel during a fatal boating accident. The controversy rekindled interest in other deaths the Murdaughs were connected to - such as the unsolved murder of a high school classmate and the fatal fall of their housekeeper. Then the community was shocked when Murdaugh’s wife and son were murdered on their property. While under suspicion, Alex Murdaugh was wounded from a gunshot in what authorities say was a set-up.  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.)

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “Bill Russell: Legend" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Sam Pollard. With his revolutionary defense, Bill Russell changed the game of basketball, winning a record eleven NBA championships and cementing the Boston Celtics as a dynasty. But throughout the 1960s, Russell grappled with his place in sports and in society, being among the first athletes to demonstrate in the civil rights movement and against the Vietnam War. His contributions to the game and to equality made him more than a superstar; they made Bill Russell a legend.  SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “Bill Russell: Legend" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “Gunther's Millions," out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Aurelien Leturgie and executive producer Emilie Dumay. When a German countess died in 1992, she left her fortune to the only family she had: her dog Gunther. At the direction of Gunther’s caretaker, the world’s richest dog enjoyed yachts, private jets and started a pop group that was maybe a sex cult? The series “Gunther’s Millions” asks was there ever really a countess? Was it just a tax dodge? Or was it all an elaborate scheme by one clinically depressed man to see if he could - literally - buy happiness. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “Gunther's Millions" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary film “Pamela, a love story" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews Director Ryan White and Producer Jessica Hargrave. From Playboy centerfold to sun-soaked TV lifeguard to that stolen sex tape, Pamela Anderson was always associated with beauty and sensuality. But she was objectified and easily dismissed by a lascivious press core, more interested in her physique than her talent.  “Pamela, a love story” is an intimate portrait of one of the world’s most famous blonde bombshells, revealing a doting mother, a passionate activist, and a hopeless romantic. And just as she settles into the quiet life of her old hometown, she’s offered the opportunity for a comeback. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “Pamela, a love story" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “Break Point" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews showrunner Kari Lia. After decades of dominance, tennis’s legendary names are leaving the game. Now a new generation of men and women athletes are ready for their place at the top. But who has the makings to be tennis’s next champion? “Break Point” is an intimate, globe-trotting look on the court and behind the scenes with the up-and-coming stars grinding it out on the Grand Slam circuit SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “Break Point" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary film “The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Colette Camden. A driver’s assault on pedestrians is foiled by the man he picked up hitchhiking, striking him in the head with a hatchet from his backpack. The story of the rescue by a colorful, carefree drifter goes viral. Soon there are memes, TV appearances, and talk of a reality show for the man simply known as “Kai.” But those taken with Kai’s whirlwind, feel-good story overlook the obvious warning signs. Is the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker just a quirky vagabond, or does a violent person linger beneath the surface? SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.

In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street," out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Joe Berlinger. Bernie Madoff was considered an elder statesman of the stock market, but hidden away from his legitimate securities firm, he was running an unregulated hedge fund. But it was all a Ponzi scheme swindling investors out of $64 billion. “Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street” chronicles the rise and fall of a stock market giant. It also exposes the many missed opportunities to protect his victims and discover his scam.  SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.

Next up on You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street."  This series reveals the truth behind Bernie Madoff’s infamous $64 billion global Ponzi scheme - the largest in history - which shattered the lives of countless individual investors who had placed their trust in the revered Wall Street statesman. In our next episode, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Joe Berlinger. If you haven't watched “Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street,” make sure to add it to your watch-list before next week’s episode. Stay Tuned!