You Can’t Make This Up

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 watch-list before listening on.

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.