You Can’t Make This Up

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. Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts.

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 seriesMurdaugh 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.