You Can’t Make This Up

This week, we are looking back on some of your favorite 'You Can't Make This Up' episodes of 2021. Today we are throwing it back to our interview with the editor, writer, and producer of Operation Varsity Blues, Jon Karmen, and the film's director and producer, Chris Smith.You may have heard a lot about the 2019 college admission scandal, but you haven’t heard everything yet. Operation Varsity Blues goes beyond the celebrity-driven headlines with real conversations from FBI wiretaps. The film offers a rare glimpse of the man at the center of the scandal, Rick Singer, and the methods he used to help his wealthy clients cheat a system already designed to benefit the privileged.If you have a favorite Netflix documentary from 2021 or a favorite You Can't Make This Up podcast episode, tweet our host @Reblavoie your thoughts. Thanks for listening!

In today’s special episode, we take a look back at some of our favorite 2021 documentaries, unscripted series, and more from Netflix. We are talking about a large variety of titles so come with your ears open; from “Cocaine Cowboys'' and “Britney vs Spears” all the way to "Tick, Tick... Boom!" and even "Selling Sunset." This is not your average, You Can't Make This Up episode.Today our host, Rebecca Lavoie speaks to some friends from some of your other favorite Netflix podcasts and asks them what titles they couldn’t get enough of this year. We’ll hear from Krista Smith from the podcast “Present Company" and Scottie Beam and Sylvia Obell from the “Okay, Now Listen” podcast. But first, we’re off to London for our favorite Netflix UK watchers, as we welcome Tolani Shoneye & Gena-Mour Barrett from the "10/10 (Would Recommend)" podcast.If you like “You Can’t Make This Up,” please rate, and review this show (and of course share it with friends)! Thanks for listening & See you in 2022!And here are links to all of the shows mentioned in today's episode:Tolani Shoneye and Gena-mour Barrett Nail Bomber: Manhunt Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami Britney vs Spears Krista Smith Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel Cheer Formula 1: Drive to Survive Lead Me Home Tick,Tick...Boom Sylvia Obell and Scottie Beam Selling Sunset In Our Mother’s Gardens Love is Blind High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America

“Catching Killers” retells the stories of some of America’s most notorious serial killers from the point-of-view of the people who caught them. Each film in this series recounts the investigation into one notorious killer. One of the more terrifying cases is covered in the two-episode arc in “True Lies.” After a body is discovered in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge, a grandmother accuses her alcoholic boyfriend of being the killer. Laverne Pavlinac even provides more details, fabricated evidence, anything to get John Sosnovske arrested. She eventually talks herself into a confession which lands the two of them in prison. Soon after, police and reporters get letters from someone else confessing to the crime. Because of the peculiar doodles on the letters, the media dubs him “The Happy Face” killerToday our host, Rebecca Lavoie is talking to one of the directors of the series, Alex Emslie. What did YOU think of Catching Killers? If you have thoughts and reactions to share, tweet @reblavoie. If you like “You Can’t Make This Up,” please rate, and review this show - and share it with friends!

Next up on You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about Catching Killers. This series retells the stories of some of America’s most notorious serial killers from the point of view of the people who caught them. Each film in this series recounts the investigation into one infamous case.Next week, our host Rebecca Lavoie will be interviewing one of the series directors, Alex Emslie. Make sure to watch Catching Killers before then, and especially the two-episode arc "True Lies, Part 1 & Part 2: The Happy Face Killer" to follow along with Alex Emslie's insight into the case.We want to know what story shocked you the most on Catching Killers. If you have thoughts to share about this series, tweet Rebecca @reblavoie and she might just read your tweet on our next episode! Stay tuned!

Spoiler Alert! If you haven't watched the wild ride that is Tiger King 2, go watch it on Netflix now. Today, our host Rebecca Lavoie is talking to directors Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin about all things Tiger King 2.When we last heard from America’s most notorious big cat owners, Joe Exotic was behind bars. He had been convicted of animal abuse and planning the murder of an animal activist & CEO of a non-profit animal sanctuary, Carole Baskin. Jeff Lowe and Tim Stark formed an uneasy partnership to construct a new roadside zoo from Joe’s animals. And the unexpected fame of the documentary series, and unwanted attention from the authorities, now unearths some stunning revelations. 

Tiger King is back and Season 2 is out on Netflix now. As you get ready to binge-watch away, today's You Can't Make This Up episode is a reminder of all the wild events that ensued in season 1. We will also share some snippets from our first interview about season 1 with the directors, Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin.When we last heard from America’s most notorious big cat owners, Joe Exotic was behind bars. He had been convicted of animal abuse and planning the murder of an animal activist & CEO of a non-profit animal sanctuary, Carole Baskin. Jeff Lowe and Tim Stark formed an uneasy partnership to construct a new roadside zoo from Joe’s animals. And the unexpected fame of the documentary series, and unwanted attention from the authorities, now unearths some stunning revelations.Stayed tuned for next week's episode where Rebecca Lavoie catches up with directors Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin again, but this time they'll be diving into all things Tiger King 2.

The Netflix documentary, 'Found' is an extraordinary tale of three teenagers who were born in China and adopted by American families. Though these girls live in different parts of the country, they discover through DNA tests that they are cousins and quickly become very close. They then decide to take a journey back to China together to find out more about where they come from. In this episode, our host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Amanda Lipitz and producer Anita Gou about this heartfelt film about self-discovery.Have you learned anything about your family because of DNA testing? What part of this documentary moved you the most? If you have thoughts about this film, or you just can't believe how much you cried while watching Found, tweet Rebecca @reblavoie on Twitter and she might just read your tweets on the next show!

The Netflix documentary, 'Found' is an extraordinary tale of three teenagers who were born in China and adopted by American families. Though these girls live in different parts of the country, they discover through DNA tests that they are cousins and quickly become very close. They then decide to take a journey back to China together to find out more about where they come from. In this episode, our host Rebecca Lavoie gives you a sneak peek into one of the most heartfelt and moving films she has ever seen. Make sure to watch 'Found' on Netflix before next week's episode where Rebecca interviews director Amanda Lipitz and producer Anita Gou.Have you learned anything about your family because of DNA testing? What part of this documentary moved you the most? If you have thoughts about this film, or you just can't believe how much you cried while watching it, tweet Rebecca @reblavoie on Twitter and she might just read your tweets on the next show!

The world of sports and true crime collide in the new Netflix series, "Bad Sport." The show examines the misdeeds of athletes,coaches, officials... and even nations. Episodes include a point-shaving scandal in basketball, amatch-fixing case in soccer, an Indycar drug smuggling operation, and an insurance fraud involvingthe assassination of... a racehorse.But today we focus on the episode set in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. For decades, the Russians had dominated the sport of pairs figure skating. But that year, the underdog Canadian pair turned in a flawless performance, while their Russian competitors stumbled. To the shock of the sporting world, the judges denied the Canadians their gold medal. Then the Olympics was thrown into confusion when the French judge said she was forced to give the gold to Russia.“Gold War” recalls the score-fixing scandal and looks at the two couples caught in the middle ofan international incident. In today’s episode, we speak to Lizzie Kempton, the episode director of "Gold War."This is You Can’t Make This Up — where we uncover the true stories behind your favoriteNetflix documentaries and films. 

For as long as we've had competitive sports, there's been scandal. In the new docuseries, Bad Sport, true crime and sports intersect, with firsthand accounts of some of the most shocking scandals you won't soon forget. Rebecca gives you a sneak peak into the series ahead of next week's episode, when she sits down with Lizzie Kempton, director of Bad Sport: Gold War. Watch it now so you're all caught up for  next week's conversation!