Menu
Sign In Pricing Add Podcast

Misha Brown

Appearances

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

You Might Enjoy: The Big Flop

0.389

The Hamburglar was just a mascot, but Jerome Jacobson was the real deal. A McDonald's security chief who almost pulled off the ultimate inside job. Hi, I'm Misha Brown, the host of Wondery's podcast, The Big Flop. Each week, comedians join me to chronicle pop culture's biggest failures and try to answer the age-old question, Who thought this was a good idea?

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

You Might Enjoy: The Big Flop

126.744

From Wondery and at Will Media, this is The Big Flop, where we chronicle the greatest fails, blunders, and flubs of all time. I'm your host, Misha Brown, social media superstar and supersized drama queen at your bestie, Misha. And on our show today, I'm so excited, we have an actor, a comedian, and writer. It's Ify Wadiwe. Hey. Hello. Hey, how's it going? So, so good. Woo-woo. Woo-woo.

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

You Might Enjoy: The Big Flop

155.765

We are also joined by another comedian and podcast host of Sweethearts Podcast. And we called your mom. It's Beth Stelling. Hi. Thank you for having me. So excited. So before we get into the whole story of McDonald's and the Monopoly game, what do you remember yourself about the McDonald's Monopoly game?

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

You Might Enjoy: The Big Flop

226.099

Well, today we are talking about how one man managed to cost McDonald's a whole lot more than Monopoly money by taking one of its most popular promotions of all time. And yes, this story does end with someone going directly to jail. So the board game Monopoly was invented in the beginning of the 20th century.

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

You Might Enjoy: The Big Flop

246.197

And by the 1980s, it's become an American institution, just like another M name we all know and love, McDonald's. I'm loving it. So the idea to combine these two iconic brands comes from a company called Simon Marketing in 1987. And Simon Marketing also came up with Happy Meals. So, I mean, they know a thing or two about selling food. Hamburgers. You know what I mean?

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

You Might Enjoy: The Big Flop

25.513

At the time, the McDonald's collab with Monopoly was a genius idea. Come get a Big Mac and you could go home with a million dollar prize piece. The only problem? When they picked their head of security, the one guy in charge of protecting those million dollar pieces, Let's just say McDonald's drew the wrong card.

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

You Might Enjoy: The Big Flop

273.815

Now, the way the Monopoly game works is when you buy something at McDonald's, there are Monopoly game pieces attached to your drink or your fries package or your burger box. You can also find the pieces in ads in magazines and newspapers, which I did not remember that. The pieces are covered by little flaps that you peel off.

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

You Might Enjoy: The Big Flop

292.805

And if you find the right combination of Monopoly pieces or the instant win pieces, you win a prize. So let's take a look at an ad for the Monopoly game from 1987. You win a dream vacation.

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

You Might Enjoy: The Big Flop

324.571

Way cheaper. That looks like the McAllister home from Home Alone for $250,000. Today, that is what? $2 million. We will drop this house on top of your house. Watch full episodes of The Big Flop on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

You Might Enjoy: The Big Flop

45.074

Comedians Ify Wadiwe and Beth Stelling join me to break down what really went down with the McDonald's monopoly scandal. You're about to hear a preview of The Big Flop. Watch full episodes of The Big Flop on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Remember when a big, beautiful, family-sized house cost $250,000? Something like that today would be, what, triple the price?

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

You Might Enjoy: The Big Flop

72.553

Well, imagine you get that house for free. Grandpa gets a million dollars and your best friend wins a brand new car, all thanks to the McDonald's Monopoly game. If that sounds too good to be true, that's because it is. Unless, of course, you're the Robin Hood of scammers, or I guess, in this case, the Hamburglar of scammers. Let's get into it, besties.

Infamous

Encore: Plumping Profits? A Kardashian Scandal | Part 3

761.021

The Hamburglar was just a mascot, but Jerome Jacobson was the real deal, a McDonald's security chief who almost pulled off the ultimate inside job. On Wondery's podcast, The Big Flop, comedians join host Misha Brown to chronicle pop culture's biggest fails and try to answer the age-old question, who thought this was a good idea? At the time, the McDonald's collab with Monopoly was a genius idea.

Infamous

Encore: Plumping Profits? A Kardashian Scandal | Part 3

786.372

Come get a Big Mac and you could go home with a million-dollar prize piece. The only problem? When they picked their head of security, the one guy in charge of protecting those million-dollar pieces, McDonald's drew the wrong card. Comedians Ify Wadiwe and Beth Stelling join Misha to break down what really happened with the McDonald's-Monopoly scandal.

Infamous

Encore: Plumping Profits? A Kardashian Scandal | Part 3

807.309

Listen to The Big Flop wherever you get your podcasts.

Lemme Say This

Judy Blume Forever! | 54

2042.334

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

Lemme Say This

Judy Blume Forever! | 54

2069.082

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats.

Lemme Say This

Judy Blume Forever! | 54

2078.205

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

Lemme Say This

Judy Blume Forever! | 54

446.707

Hi, I'm Misha Brown, and I'm the host of Wondery's podcast, The Big Flop. Each episode, comedians join me to chronicle one of the biggest pop culture fails of all time and try to answer the age-old question, who thought this was a good idea? Follow The Big Flop wherever you get your podcasts.

Lemme Say This

Secret Lies of Mormon Wives (with Joel Kim Booster) | 53

1250.856

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

Lemme Say This

Secret Lies of Mormon Wives (with Joel Kim Booster) | 53

1277.614

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats.

Lemme Say This

Secret Lies of Mormon Wives (with Joel Kim Booster) | 53

1286.756

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

Lemme Say This

Secret Lies of Mormon Wives (with Joel Kim Booster) | 53

396.656

Hi, I'm Misha Brown, and I'm the host of Wondery's podcast, The Big Flop. Each episode, comedians join me to chronicle one of the biggest pop culture fails of all time and try to answer the age-old question, who thought this was a good idea? Follow The Big Flop wherever you get your podcasts.

Lemme Say This

Is Drake A Brokie? | 29

2856.221

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

Lemme Say This

Is Drake A Brokie? | 29

2882.99

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats.

Lemme Say This

Is Drake A Brokie? | 29

2892.118

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

Lemme Say This

Is Drake A Brokie? | 29

414.195

Hi, I'm Misha Brown, and I'm the host of Wondery's podcast, The Big Flop. Each episode, comedians join me to chronicle one of the biggest pop culture fails of all time and try to answer the age-old question, who thought this was a good idea?

Lemme Say This

Encore: Does Adam Brody Want This? | 33

2049.224

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

Lemme Say This

Encore: Does Adam Brody Want This? | 33

2075.976

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats.

Lemme Say This

Encore: Does Adam Brody Want This? | 33

2085.102

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

Lemme Say This

Encore: Does Adam Brody Want This? | 33

482.54

Hi, I'm Misha Brown, and I'm the host of Wondery's podcast, The Big Flop. Each episode, comedians join me to chronicle one of the biggest pop culture fails of all time and try to answer the age-old question, who thought this was a good idea? Follow The Big Flop wherever you get your podcasts.

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

Scott Van Pelt on Favorite ESPN Stories, Calling the Masters, Torpedo Bats and New Nieces | EP 132

6695.102

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be... A big flop. From Wondery and Atwill Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

Scott Van Pelt on Favorite ESPN Stories, Calling the Masters, Torpedo Bats and New Nieces | EP 132

6721.863

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats.

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

Scott Van Pelt on Favorite ESPN Stories, Calling the Masters, Torpedo Bats and New Nieces | EP 132

6730.99

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🦅 “Falcon Mode” — Lyft’s enshittification. Labubu’s viral dolls. Bezos vs Trump on “Tariff Fees.”

816.156

Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie.

The Best One Yet

☄️ “The 4 Frontiers” — Space Inc.’s Trump jump. X’s Venmo-y Visa deal. Royal Caribbean’s value meal.

804.136

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

☄️ “The 4 Frontiers” — Space Inc.’s Trump jump. X’s Venmo-y Visa deal. Royal Caribbean’s value meal.

830.911

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🏃 “We Met on Strava” — Strava’s $2B run app. Nuclear’s hot streak. Nespresso’s Frappu-pivot.

817.842

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

🏃 “We Met on Strava” — Strava’s $2B run app. Nuclear’s hot streak. Nespresso’s Frappu-pivot.

844.594

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🎟️ “Inside StubHub” — The Ticket IPO. Napster’s $200M comeback. 23&Me’s DNA drama.

847.62

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🎟️ “Inside StubHub” — The Ticket IPO. Napster’s $200M comeback. 23&Me’s DNA drama.

883.497

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

💑 “The Parenting Pod” — Our 3 Best Pop-Biz Stories on Parenting

1022.547

giving gifts and want to celebrate yeah 529 I always do the fun gift exactly what you guys are talking about actually I do the fun gift and then I do the practical gift so I remember I had a friend who was like you know turning 16 and I was like okay I'm going to give you your first investment for a Roth IRA and I'm also going to get you Sephora

The Best One Yet

💑 “The Parenting Pod” — Our 3 Best Pop-Biz Stories on Parenting

1039.771

Like I'm going to get you the two things you really like. I will also say very practical advice but not necessarily like strictly about money. Please educate her about money. That is the best gift you can give her because that was the gift my parents gave me. And like I wouldn't be standing here or sitting here.

The Best One Yet

💑 “The Parenting Pod” — Our 3 Best Pop-Biz Stories on Parenting

1057.142

I wouldn't be sitting here with you had I not have the privilege of a financial education from my parents. And we see unfortunately if you do get a financial education, it's usually for sons. It's usually for boys. It's not in the same way for girls. So educate her about money. Teach her about investing.

The Best One Yet

💑 “The Parenting Pod” — Our 3 Best Pop-Biz Stories on Parenting

1071.551

Teach her about, as she gets older, how to use money as a tool to build the life that she wants to. And that's honestly, in addition to the practical 529 advice, that's the best gift you can give her.

The Best One Yet

💑 “The Parenting Pod” — Our 3 Best Pop-Biz Stories on Parenting

1138.199

Yeah, you own a part of a company and that's very powerful. And I think, yeah, we were talking about visualization this whole time that allows you to like, yeah, I own the thing that I watch or consume or like. Yeah.

The Best One Yet

💑 “The Parenting Pod” — Our 3 Best Pop-Biz Stories on Parenting

999.858

Yeah, I think 529s are great. I think obviously this is a massive privileged position, but I was really lucky to have parents and family who always bought me gifts at Christmas and birthdays. And it got to the point where I remember as a kid, I was like playing with one or two and it just got to be too much. And it's like, if you can be intentional with folks in your life who are, you know,

The Best One Yet

🫰 “Andreessen-In-Chief” — Trump’s Venture Cabinet. Netflix’s Live Adele Quarter. Trump’s Executive Orders.

798.939

From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

🫰 “Andreessen-In-Chief” — Trump’s Venture Cabinet. Netflix’s Live Adele Quarter. Trump’s Executive Orders.

815.327

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🏆 “Trader-Costco-Gonia” — America’s favorite brands. Dockers’ Casual Friday innovation. Klarna’s revenue-per-human.

738.951

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

🏆 “Trader-Costco-Gonia” — America’s favorite brands. Dockers’ Casual Friday innovation. Klarna’s revenue-per-human.

774.83

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

📕 “Hedge Fund University” — Harvard’s $2B battle. Coachella’s Pay-Now-Party-Later. Netflix’s Dr. Evil plan.

841.033

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

📕 “Hedge Fund University” — Harvard’s $2B battle. Coachella’s Pay-Now-Party-Later. Netflix’s Dr. Evil plan.

871.327

Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie.

The Best One Yet

📕 “Hedge Fund University” — Harvard’s $2B battle. Coachella’s Pay-Now-Party-Later. Netflix’s Dr. Evil plan.

876.911

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🚽 “Lattes & Lavatories” — Starbucks’ policy pivot. LA’s greedy landlords. Planet Fitness’s biggest risk.

815.031

From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it. and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats.

The Best One Yet

🚽 “Lattes & Lavatories” — Starbucks’ policy pivot. LA’s greedy landlords. Planet Fitness’s biggest risk.

840.544

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🏟️ “Football = Housing” — Stadiums’ apartment strategy. Nutella’s Americanization. Hotels’ junk fee ban.

857.125

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🏟️ “Football = Housing” — Stadiums’ apartment strategy. Nutella’s Americanization. Hotels’ junk fee ban.

883.877

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🏒 “Hockey Fight” — Canada’s electric weapon. MrBeast’s chocolate surprise. Southwest’s Godfather fee.

879.804

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

🏒 “Hockey Fight” — Canada’s electric weapon. MrBeast’s chocolate surprise. Southwest’s Godfather fee.

915.681

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🏎️ “Bieber’s blacklisted” — Ferrari’s rules of ownership. Coca-Cola’s Fairlife milk. DOGE vs. CFPB.

818.171

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🏎️ “Bieber’s blacklisted” — Ferrari’s rules of ownership. Coca-Cola’s Fairlife milk. DOGE vs. CFPB.

844.901

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🍿 “1-click movie” — OpenAI’s Hollywood video. Hershey’s orphan school. Brian Chesky’s 1:1 meeting hate.

835.409

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🍿 “1-click movie” — OpenAI’s Hollywood video. Hershey’s orphan school. Brian Chesky’s 1:1 meeting hate.

862.153

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🐺 “Dire Wolf of Wall Street” — Colossal’s 1st de-extinction. ThredUp’s tariff win. Shopify’s mandatory AI.

847.403

Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie.

The Best One Yet

🌹 “META goes MAGA”— Zuck’s fact-check switcheroo. Tiger’s viral golf league. Alcohol’s 1st warning label.

764.247

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🌹 “META goes MAGA”— Zuck’s fact-check switcheroo. Tiger’s viral golf league. Alcohol’s 1st warning label.

800.119

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🥐 “Baguette Bangers” — Le Pain Quiotidien’s disco. China’s disappearing data. DoorDash’s vibe-cession.

739.898

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be... A big flop. From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

🥐 “Baguette Bangers” — Le Pain Quiotidien’s disco. China’s disappearing data. DoorDash’s vibe-cession.

766.641

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

💥 “ESPN Rizzzz” — Gen Z’s SportsCenter. Silverado’s tariff explainer. Boba Ice Cream IPO.

840.828

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

💥 “ESPN Rizzzz” — Gen Z’s SportsCenter. Silverado’s tariff explainer. Boba Ice Cream IPO.

876.702

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🙈 “1 year without shopping” — The No-Buy-2025 trend. Chick-fil-A’s champagne drive-thru. Spotify’s Spice Girls monopoly.

773.624

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🙈 “1 year without shopping” — The No-Buy-2025 trend. Chick-fil-A’s champagne drive-thru. Spotify’s Spice Girls monopoly.

800.396

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

😼 “New car, who dis?” — Jaguar’s rebrand controversy. The Manly Nurse Surge. Bravo’s real estate app.

838.832

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and Atwill Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

😼 “New car, who dis?” — Jaguar’s rebrand controversy. The Manly Nurse Surge. Bravo’s real estate app.

874.728

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

👶 “End the $1K Baby Tax” — Tariffs crush strollers. Star Wars’ epic re-release. UNC’s D1 ath-fluencer class.

824.522

It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

👺 “Nightime beast, daytime beauty” — The Ugly Beauty trend. Hot Debt Summer. Lilo & Stitch’s recipe.

741.564

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

👺 “Nightime beast, daytime beauty” — The Ugly Beauty trend. Hot Debt Summer. Lilo & Stitch’s recipe.

768.314

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

👶 “IBO: Initial Baby Offering” — Podcast Update…

258.453

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

👶 “IBO: Initial Baby Offering” — Podcast Update…

285.208

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats.

The Best One Yet

👶 “IBO: Initial Baby Offering” — Podcast Update…

294.336

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

BONUS 🍿 “The Entertainment Pod” — Our Best Entertainment stories from 2024

896.61

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

BONUS 🍿 “The Entertainment Pod” — Our Best Entertainment stories from 2024

926.925

Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie.

The Best One Yet

BONUS 🍿 “The Entertainment Pod” — Our Best Entertainment stories from 2024

932.51

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

Exclusive 🦉 “Education Super App” — Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn announces next product on TBOY

1905.569

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

Exclusive 🦉 “Education Super App” — Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn announces next product on TBOY

1941.466

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🇺🇸 “47’s Favorite Number” — Trump’s Report Card. Bumble’s Boomerang CEO. Gmail’s AI Clippy.

711.79

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

🇺🇸 “47’s Favorite Number” — Trump’s Report Card. Bumble’s Boomerang CEO. Gmail’s AI Clippy.

747.658

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🌈 “N-E-T-F-L-I-X” — Sesame Street’s Savior. The Startup-Burying Startup. America’s AAA Downgrade Situationship.

779.281

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🌈 “N-E-T-F-L-I-X” — Sesame Street’s Savior. The Startup-Burying Startup. America’s AAA Downgrade Situationship.

806.044

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

👸 “How Poppi got Pepsi’d” — Poppi’s $2B Cinderella deal. Apple’s SuperSiri delay. Law Schools’ app surge.

1283.009

Push and play. Here we go. This sound. is known because of Slack, but it was created for an online game. The game called Glitch didn't work out, so the company behind it pivoted to focus on their in-house communication tool. That became known as Slack. Slack needed some notification sounds, and they happened to know exactly where to look. So what's the takeaway? Don't throw away old ideas.

The Best One Yet

🏀 “3-Pointer Economics” — NBA’s shot problem. Zelle is beating Venmo. Jamie Dimon’s rant.

800.811

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🏀 “3-Pointer Economics” — NBA’s shot problem. Zelle is beating Venmo. Jamie Dimon’s rant.

831.106

Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie.

The Best One Yet

🏀 “3-Pointer Economics” — NBA’s shot problem. Zelle is beating Venmo. Jamie Dimon’s rant.

836.69

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🛸 “$UFO” — Drone stocks’ mystery surge. Crumbl’s $1B cookie. Waymo beat Lyft.

806.348

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be A big flop. From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🛸 “$UFO” — Drone stocks’ mystery surge. Crumbl’s $1B cookie. Waymo beat Lyft.

842.237

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🤔 “China’s Factory Revolt” — Trade war moves to TikTok. Moleskine’s Gen Z board. Zuck's FTC lawsuit.

1322.992

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🤔 “China’s Factory Revolt” — Trade war moves to TikTok. Moleskine’s Gen Z board. Zuck's FTC lawsuit.

1358.87

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

📹 “The Next TikTok” — Whatnot’s $5B shop app. Nvidia’s uranium problem. Sonos’ CEO oopsie.

820.97

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be... A big flop. From Wondery and Atwill Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

📹 “The Next TikTok” — Whatnot’s $5B shop app. Nvidia’s uranium problem. Sonos’ CEO oopsie.

856.863

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🐳 “Preppy Billions” — Vineyard Vines’ revival. Trump’s Mega-Monday. Dunkin’s JetBlue airplane.

874.67

Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie.

The Best One Yet

📉 “Worst Drop Since ‘22” — The crazy recession theory. Skype’s audio logo. Touchland’s viral hand sanitizer.

796.845

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

📉 “Worst Drop Since ‘22” — The crazy recession theory. Skype’s audio logo. Touchland’s viral hand sanitizer.

832.714

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🫶🧾 “Eras Tour receipts” — Taylor Swift’s concert payday. Disney’s doubling cruise line. DeBeers’ industrial diamonds.

813.436

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🫶🧾 “Eras Tour receipts” — Taylor Swift’s concert payday. Disney’s doubling cruise line. DeBeers’ industrial diamonds.

840.208

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🎢 “Buy the Dip?” — Or sell the dip? Artipope’s $3,800 baby carrier. Ford’s patriot discount.

840.094

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🎢 “Buy the Dip?” — Or sell the dip? Artipope’s $3,800 baby carrier. Ford’s patriot discount.

875.972

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

⛷️ “Ski-Pocalypse” — Park City’s ski strike. NYC’s traffic tax. The Birth of Gen Beta.

1287.998

Yetis and besties, we learned in the Air Jordans episode of The Best Idea Yet that Jordan secured a $2.5 million sponsorship with Nike in 1984. But do you know which athlete secured the first ever million-dollar sponsorship?

The Best One Yet

⛷️ “Ski-Pocalypse” — Park City’s ski strike. NYC’s traffic tax. The Birth of Gen Beta.

1302.385

It was none other than six-time Bowler of the Year bowling legend Don Carter, who in 1964 inked a $1 million deal with Ebonite International, now a part of Brunswick Bowling Products.

The Best One Yet

⛷️ “Ski-Pocalypse” — Park City’s ski strike. NYC’s traffic tax. The Birth of Gen Beta.

923.478

Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie.

The Best One Yet

🎬 “Quentin Tariff-tino” — Hollywood’s digital trade war. Warren Buffett’s secret investing sauce. Skechers’ $9B retirement.

1406.354

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🎬 “Quentin Tariff-tino” — Hollywood’s digital trade war. Warren Buffett’s secret investing sauce. Skechers’ $9B retirement.

1442.232

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

💩 “TP’s wet disruptor” — Dude Wipes’ rise. America’s 1st Crypto Fund. The Biz of Breakups.

829.855

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

💩 “TP’s wet disruptor” — Dude Wipes’ rise. America’s 1st Crypto Fund. The Biz of Breakups.

865.734

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🥞 “Maple Syrup Mayhem” — Trade War’s wild 24 hours. Robinhood’s Super Bowl bet. Levi’s Baggy Secret.

681.477

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🥞 “Maple Syrup Mayhem” — Trade War’s wild 24 hours. Robinhood’s Super Bowl bet. Levi’s Baggy Secret.

717.355

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

💔 “Princess *not* falling in love” — How Moana beat Frozen. The Ringtone’s resurgence. Aldi’s genius grocery.

779.071

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

💔 “Princess *not* falling in love” — How Moana beat Frozen. The Ringtone’s resurgence. Aldi’s genius grocery.

805.822

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🏆 “Perfect Credit Score” — How to get one. Tesla’s new MAGA brand. Chili’s ate TGI Fridays.

788.593

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

🏆 “Perfect Credit Score” — How to get one. Tesla’s new MAGA brand. Chili’s ate TGI Fridays.

815.327

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

👔 “Chrome Collar Jobs” — AI Agent workforce. Bachan’s viral BBQ. Urban Outfitters’ all-time-high.

791.083

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

👔 “Chrome Collar Jobs” — AI Agent workforce. Bachan’s viral BBQ. Urban Outfitters’ all-time-high.

826.963

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🐸 “Find Your Muppet” — Sesame Street’s Cocomelon threat. Saratoga’s viral facial water. Signal’s user error.

808.951

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

🐸 “Find Your Muppet” — Sesame Street’s Cocomelon threat. Saratoga’s viral facial water. Signal’s user error.

844.848

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🚀 “The Hacks Pod” — Our 3 Best Stories on Innovation Hacks

790.675

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🚀 “The Hacks Pod” — Our 3 Best Stories on Innovation Hacks

817.426

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🚀 “The Hacks Pod” — Our 3 Best Stories on Innovation Hacks

839.503

Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

BONUS 🤤 “The Food Pod” — Our Best Food stories from 2024

832.037

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

BONUS 🤤 “The Food Pod” — Our Best Food stories from 2024

858.812

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats.

The Best One Yet

BONUS 🤤 “The Food Pod” — Our Best Food stories from 2024

867.937

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

💪 “Peak Protein” — Kardashians’ protein popcorn. Trump’s empty-shelf warning. Trailer Parks’ Millennial moment.

740.724

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

💪 “Peak Protein” — Kardashians’ protein popcorn. Trump’s empty-shelf warning. Trailer Parks’ Millennial moment.

776.603

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🥯 “Shmear Me” — PopUp Bagel’s boom. Zuck’s Smart Oakleys. Stargate’s $500B Hollywood name.

822.133

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🥯 “Shmear Me” — PopUp Bagel’s boom. Zuck’s Smart Oakleys. Stargate’s $500B Hollywood name.

848.877

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🥤 “Diet Bros” – Diet Coke’s political rebrand. Tennis’ collusion case. BYD’s 5-minute EV.

801.634

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be... A big flop. From Wondery and Atwill Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🥤 “Diet Bros” – Diet Coke’s political rebrand. Tennis’ collusion case. BYD’s 5-minute EV.

828.399

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🏒 “Hockey War” — NHL’s USA vs Canada win. Botox Bars everywhere. Meta’s undersea cable.

822.839

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

🏒 “Hockey War” — NHL’s USA vs Canada win. Botox Bars everywhere. Meta’s undersea cable.

849.611

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🏒 “Hockey War” — NHL’s USA vs Canada win. Botox Bars everywhere. Meta’s undersea cable.

871.687

Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

✉️ “How much should I tip?” — N&J’s Holiday Tip rules. Nissan’s Honda hug. Databricks’ AI baseball championship. (And 1-800-CHAT-GPT).

211.48

I would define reclaiming as to take back what was yours. Something you possess is lost or stolen and ultimately you triumph in finding it again. Listen to Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky wherever you get your podcasts.

The Best One Yet

👪 “Nepo-preneurs” — Family biz boom. Twinkies’ 4/20 munchies trade. China’s rare earth embargo.

804.136

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

👪 “Nepo-preneurs” — Family biz boom. Twinkies’ 4/20 munchies trade. China’s rare earth embargo.

830.911

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🍒 “Pop-Tart Problem” — Red dye’s food ban. JPMorgan’s overdraft idea. Job Referrals as-a-Service.

819.821

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

🍒 “Pop-Tart Problem” — Red dye’s food ban. JPMorgan’s overdraft idea. Job Referrals as-a-Service.

855.699

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

💆 “Massage-bnb” — Airbnb’s everything app. eToro’s Kardashian trade. Boeing’s Trade War Win. + Surprise Guest Jeff Raider.

677.395

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and Atwill Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

💆 “Massage-bnb” — Airbnb’s everything app. eToro’s Kardashian trade. Boeing’s Trade War Win. + Surprise Guest Jeff Raider.

704.15

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

☘️ “Split The G” — Guinness’ viral surge. North Korea’s Bitcoin heist. Hollywood’s conserva-pivot.

853.576

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

☘️ “Split The G” — Guinness’ viral surge. North Korea’s Bitcoin heist. Hollywood’s conserva-pivot.

889.452

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🤤 “Everything’s $3” — Matto’s crazy coffee. The CEO killer controversy. Louis Vuitton’s train bet.

766.96

From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it. and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats.

The Best One Yet

🤤 “Everything’s $3” — Matto’s crazy coffee. The CEO killer controversy. Louis Vuitton’s train bet.

792.492

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

💨 “Gone in 60 tariffs” — Trade War Pause. The Masters’ menu strategy. Harry’s mammoth IPO.

818.475

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

💨 “Gone in 60 tariffs” — Trade War Pause. The Masters’ menu strategy. Harry’s mammoth IPO.

854.352

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🏰 “Donald Duck Diplomacy” — DisneyLand Abu Dhabi. Elon’s Texas city. Russell Westbrook's AI funeral app.

845.416

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🏰 “Donald Duck Diplomacy” — DisneyLand Abu Dhabi. Elon’s Texas city. Russell Westbrook's AI funeral app.

872.188

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🧃 “Hold the caffeine” — Four Loko’s return. Europe’s military stocks. Warren Buffett’s fave biz.

757.757

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🧃 “Hold the caffeine” — Four Loko’s return. Europe’s military stocks. Warren Buffett’s fave biz.

784.508

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

👵🏻 “Betty White Bump” — The Best Super Bowl ad ever. Waffle House’s egg fee. Shein’s tariff trauma.

830.372

Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie.

The Best One Yet

💸 “$3,600 per Fam” — Tariff Day’s price tag. Tinder’s AI flirt-bot. Nintendo’s Mario Kart Metaverse.

860.269

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

💸 “$3,600 per Fam” — Tariff Day’s price tag. Tinder’s AI flirt-bot. Nintendo’s Mario Kart Metaverse.

887.017

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

The Best Idea Yet 🛁 Jacuzzi: Legend of the Life-Saving Tub

1008.443

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be... A big flop. From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

The Best Idea Yet 🛁 Jacuzzi: Legend of the Life-Saving Tub

1035.191

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

The Best Idea Yet 🛁 Jacuzzi: Legend of the Life-Saving Tub

1057.247

Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🚘 “I own a Waymo” — Toyota’s self-driving deal. Domino’s pizza paradox. The Year-Round Horror Economy.

738.756

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🚘 “I own a Waymo” — Toyota’s self-driving deal. Domino’s pizza paradox. The Year-Round Horror Economy.

774.624

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

💤 “Snooze Pod” — We read Warren Buffett’s Shareholder Letter (to put you to sleep) 😴

511.905

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

💤 “Snooze Pod” — We read Warren Buffett’s Shareholder Letter (to put you to sleep) 😴

538.638

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

💤 “Snooze Pod” — We read Warren Buffett’s Shareholder Letter (to put you to sleep) 😴

560.71

Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

The Best Idea Yet 🏀 Air Jordans: How MJ's Mom Made the Deal of the Century

926.511

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

The Best Idea Yet 🏀 Air Jordans: How MJ's Mom Made the Deal of the Century

953.263

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

The Best Idea Yet 🏀 Air Jordans: How MJ's Mom Made the Deal of the Century

975.339

Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🧊 “$17 per cube” — Glacial Ice startups. Bezos’ $20k electric car. California = 4th Biggest Economy.

1292.23

Scientists recently discovered that K2-18b, not a Star Wars droid, but rather a planet orbiting a dwarf star in the constellation Leo, is potentially teeming with life as the James Webb Space Telescope has identified two gases that are commonly produced on Earth by microbes like marine phytoplankton.

The Best One Yet

🧊 “$17 per cube” — Glacial Ice startups. Bezos’ $20k electric car. California = 4th Biggest Economy.

1311.458

Now, we're not going to be visited by any alien microbes anytime soon because K2-18b is 124 light years away or 732 trillion miles from Earth.

The Best One Yet

🎶 “Baby Cardi B” — Kidz Bop’s record music. Ozempic’s secret side-effect. CNN’s plastic surgery. Single-Lady Home Surge.

770.177

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🎶 “Baby Cardi B” — Kidz Bop’s record music. Ozempic’s secret side-effect. CNN’s plastic surgery. Single-Lady Home Surge.

796.949

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🌎 Google Maps: The *Actual* ‘Everything App’

250.849

I got that feeling again. Something familiar but new. We got it coming to you. I got that feeling again. They changed the game in one move. Here's how it is.

The Best One Yet

🚗 “Why Elon should sell” — The Tesla solution. Boston Celtics’ fine print. Fashion coffee chains

870.709

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🚗 “Why Elon should sell” — The Tesla solution. Boston Celtics’ fine print. Fashion coffee chains

906.588

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

👛 “The ROI on the IRS” — America’s 12x tax return. Alani Nu’s $2B hot girl drink. Alibaba’s new religion.

772.59

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

👛 “The ROI on the IRS” — America’s 12x tax return. Alani Nu’s $2B hot girl drink. Alibaba’s new religion.

799.338

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

BONUS 🤖 “The AI Pod” — Our Best Artificial Intelligence stories from 2024

835.282

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

BONUS 🤖 “The AI Pod” — Our Best Artificial Intelligence stories from 2024

871.16

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🧾 “wtf is that?” — Say Hello to Tariff Fees. Costco’s 1st beer dupe. Return of the Mascots.

849.497

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

🧾 “wtf is that?” — Say Hello to Tariff Fees. Costco’s 1st beer dupe. Return of the Mascots.

885.377

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🧘 “Unicorn Pants” — Lulu’s leggings turn 10. Chime is the McD’s of Money. Cava’s hummus surge.

754.511

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🧘 “Unicorn Pants” — Lulu’s leggings turn 10. Chime is the McD’s of Money. Cava’s hummus surge.

781.266

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🥱 “Boring Biz” — The Boring Entrepreneurship Trend. 5HourEnergy’s Monopoly. Pokemon’s $3.8B Acquisition.

753.982

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🥱 “Boring Biz” — The Boring Entrepreneurship Trend. 5HourEnergy’s Monopoly. Pokemon’s $3.8B Acquisition.

789.882

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

The Best Idea Yet 🐂 Oregon Trail: Tricking Kids into Liking School Since 1971

1214.378

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

The Best Idea Yet 🐂 Oregon Trail: Tricking Kids into Liking School Since 1971

1241.129

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

The Best Idea Yet 🐂 Oregon Trail: Tricking Kids into Liking School Since 1971

1263.195

Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🧸 “Teddy Bear, so hot right now” — Ralph Lauren’s new logo. Hot Ones’ $82M deal. Marriott’s glamping bet.

842.071

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and Atwill Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🧸 “Teddy Bear, so hot right now” — Ralph Lauren’s new logo. Hot Ones’ $82M deal. Marriott’s glamping bet.

868.826

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

👜 “Louis VuiTexas” — LVMH’s Made in America fail. Dubai Chocolate’s virality. iExports > iPhones.

370.548

It's just not working for him over there. Exactly. It's kind of the reverse of that.

The Best One Yet

👜 “Louis VuiTexas” — LVMH’s Made in America fail. Dubai Chocolate’s virality. iExports > iPhones.

727.483

Trend Team 6, reporting for duty. Now, a quick word from our sponsor.

The Best One Yet

🧀 “Return of the Rat” — Chuck E. Cheese’s $1B comeback. Hotelification of offices. Disney’s sports streamer airballs.

797.896

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

🧀 “Return of the Rat” — Chuck E. Cheese’s $1B comeback. Hotelification of offices. Disney’s sports streamer airballs.

833.755

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

💎 “He went to Walmart” — The $299 Diamond Ring. Yuka’s MAHA app. Podcasts’ Golden Globes Award.

827.449

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

💎 “He went to Walmart” — The $299 Diamond Ring. Yuka’s MAHA app. Podcasts’ Golden Globes Award.

863.328

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🌵 “South By, Inc.” — The Biz of SXSW. TJMaxx vs Hermès. Ryan Reynolds’ $100M Wrexham.

794.432

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🌵 “South By, Inc.” — The Biz of SXSW. TJMaxx vs Hermès. Ryan Reynolds’ $100M Wrexham.

821.181

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🌵 “South By, Inc.” — The Biz of SXSW. TJMaxx vs Hermès. Ryan Reynolds’ $100M Wrexham.

843.259

Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

💡 “Ideas = Currency” — TED Talks’ CEO audition. Costco’s girl math. ‘Musking’ the US Gov’t.

851.704

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be... A big flop. From Wondery and Atwill Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

💡 “Ideas = Currency” — TED Talks’ CEO audition. Costco’s girl math. ‘Musking’ the US Gov’t.

887.579

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🔮 “The Predictions Pod” — Apple iToilet, Disney Airlines, and Home Depot Homes.

884.494

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and Atwill Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🔮 “The Predictions Pod” — Apple iToilet, Disney Airlines, and Home Depot Homes.

920.376

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🤫 “End of Passwords” — Microsoft’s post-password-era. Formula 1’s sister surge. Mack Weldon’s anti-tariff undies.

841.337

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and Atwill Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🤫 “End of Passwords” — Microsoft’s post-password-era. Formula 1’s sister surge. Mack Weldon’s anti-tariff undies.

868.112

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🌆 Sesame Street: The Trojan Horse of TV

1504.955

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🌆 Sesame Street: The Trojan Horse of TV

1531.727

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats.

The Best One Yet

🌆 Sesame Street: The Trojan Horse of TV

1540.852

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🤠 “YAHOOOO!” — Yahoo’s email revival. Trade War II Begins. Hans Zimmer’s creator hack.

779.401

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be... A big flop. From Wondery and Atwill Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🤠 “YAHOOOO!” — Yahoo’s email revival. Trade War II Begins. Hans Zimmer’s creator hack.

806.147

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🤠 “YAHOOOO!” — Yahoo’s email revival. Trade War II Begins. Hans Zimmer’s creator hack.

828.205

Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🪷 “The White Lotus Effect” — HBO’s tourism bump. DeepSeek’s copy/paste. The Bacon IPO.

794.534

From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it. and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats.

The Best One Yet

🪷 “The White Lotus Effect” — HBO’s tourism bump. DeepSeek’s copy/paste. The Bacon IPO.

814.485

Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🍼 “Breast Milk Ice Cream” — Frida’s lactation gelato. Robinhood’s mail-order-cash. America’s “Car Bloat.”

787.97

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

🍼 “Breast Milk Ice Cream” — Frida’s lactation gelato. Robinhood’s mail-order-cash. America’s “Car Bloat.”

823.841

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🏠 “The Housing Pod” — Our 3 Best Stories on the Housing Market

798.607

Now, a quick word from our sponsor. Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

🏠 “The Housing Pod” — Our 3 Best Stories on the Housing Market

826.396

It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it. and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats.

The Best One Yet

🏠 “The Housing Pod” — Our 3 Best Stories on the Housing Market

839.6

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

BONUS 💰 “The Money Pod” — Our Best Money stories from 2024

895.373

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

BONUS 💰 “The Money Pod” — Our Best Money stories from 2024

922.116

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

BONUS 💰 “The Money Pod” — Our Best Money stories from 2024

944.186

Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🕯️ “Everyone’s watching it” — Conclave’s Pope pop. Uber’s robo-VW-hippie-van taxi. The Great Capitalist Pause.

765.196

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🕯️ “Everyone’s watching it” — Conclave’s Pope pop. Uber’s robo-VW-hippie-van taxi. The Great Capitalist Pause.

791.932

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

💨 “Fart-coin” — Crypto’s Silk Road pardon. Neko’s $2B body-scanner. Video Games’ Spiderman mistake.

802.791

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

💨 “Fart-coin” — Crypto’s Silk Road pardon. Neko’s $2B body-scanner. Video Games’ Spiderman mistake.

829.542

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

✊ “The Leaders Pod” — Our 3 Best Stories on Legendary Business Leaders

811.462

From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it. and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats.

The Best One Yet

✊ “The Leaders Pod” — Our 3 Best Stories on Legendary Business Leaders

831.413

Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🧠 “Severed” – AppleTV+ dirty secret. Ben & Jerry’s chocolatey lawsuit. Nvidia’s AI Super Bowl.

970.051

Our prediction, next year, they're going to have cheerleaders cheering on the new NVIDIA chips coming out with the GPUs.

The Best One Yet

🎅 “Claus Industries'' — Santa’s $12 Trillion biz. The Dow is dumb. Budweiser’s sister strategy.

933.712

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🎅 “Claus Industries'' — Santa’s $12 Trillion biz. The Dow is dumb. Budweiser’s sister strategy.

969.591

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1.09

Yeah, it is Nick and Jack here coming at you from the T-Boys studio. On our weekly show, The Best Idea Yet, we go deep on the most popular products of all time. And we recently did a whole story on the most important product of this moment, pizza. Because odds are, statistically speaking, this is the one weekend of the year you're indulging in Peeps yellow marshmallow candies.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1022.065

Imagine yourself in the shoes of Bob Bourne. It's 1952. You're a Navy veteran with a degree in engineering who served in World War II. Now you're working with your dad, Sam Bourne, the legend, at the company he started 30 years earlier. And you've just invested a chunk of change in acquiring a jelly bean company.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1040.994

This jelly bean company, the Rada Candy Company, of course, makes more than just jelly beans. But the jelly bean tech is really what you're after. It's Rada's ultimate proprietary asset, their secret sauce. And since Rada's founder, Roscoe Rada, passed away, his family, they've been eager to sell. So you buy the company. Time to inspect your new property.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1060.888

You stride confidently into Rada's Lancaster facilities, breathing in wafts of melting chocolate and spun sugar. Walking around the vast factory, you check out the equipment. The nozzles depositing sugar and gelatin into their little molds. The conveyor belts carrying trays of tiny jelly beans along the journey. The machinery clanks and whirs, but you don't hear any gears griping.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1084.04

Everything seems clean and up to code. But then you notice a door toward the back of the warehouse space. What is behind that door, you wonder? Once inside, you almost can't believe your eyes. A wildly different kind of production, like you've stepped 50 years back in time.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1105.046

No tidy rows of automated components, but crowded rows of women, 70 or 80 of them at once, all stooped over long tables, squeezing pastry bags by hand. Their forearm muscles strain as they push fat squiggles of marshmallow and uncooked egg whites onto trays. in the shape of baby chicks with little individually sculpted wings.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1128.644

And when the chicks are finally set, the women patiently dust them with sugar, add little black eyes made of wax, and leave them to dry. Bright colors, puffy wings, awkwardly blotted eyeballs. They are not called this yet, but we would recognize them immediately. As peeps. How long do they have to sit like that? You ask a worker. How much time does this take? The woman squints at you.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

113.386

I really like to associate with Thanksgiving Eve. Does that mean you like going out to the bars until midnight with all your high school buddies? Well, you know, anticipation is often more fun than the event. And with Thanksgiving, it really is about getting people together before you have to do the real Thanksgiving, right? So, Jack, I identify most with Thanksgiving Eve.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1154.208

She speaks German, like most of the immigrant workers here. But there's no mistaking her answer. 27 hours. Bob is blown away by this. Rana, this company he just acquired, they've been mass manufacturing candy since the 19-teens. So why are these women making marshmallow chicks by hand in some secret back room? It just does not make sense. Until he learns the story.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1181.135

So it turns out these chicks are sort of an off-the-menu item. Unavailable in Radha's mail-order catalog, you can only get them for a limited time at Radha's physical candy shop. We're talking limited edition, once-a-year items, sold to loyal customers only. If you know, you know. They're basically the McRib of candy. But some customers don't eat them at all.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1202.565

They're using these poultry-shaped mini marshmallow sculptures to decorate with at Easter, like ornaments. You did mention earlier they were made with uncooked egg whites. Like maybe not eating them is actually a pretty good thing. Whatever they're for. Bob Bourne looks at these chicks and he sees commercial appeal. He's going with his gut on this.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1220.759

But if you've got enough experience in an industry, we believe a gut is just as good as data. He even knows what he will call them. Peeps. Peeps. But Bob knows there's one massive problem here. You can't build a business based on a bite-sized treat that takes 27 hours to make by hand.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1240.265

So Bob gets to work solving the puzzle of mass producing these peeps, which he hopes will shrink down that production timeline. First, he's going to update the Peeps recipe. Ditch the raw egg whites and the risk of food poisoning. The new Peeps, they're going to be made with just five things. Sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, air, and food coloring. Oh, and according to the Just Born company, love.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1263.8

I love that. Next step, build the right machinery. And here, Bob's scientific expertise comes into play. Now, we mentioned Bob has an engineering degree. He actually loves building and he loves inventing. And so for the next nine months, Bob basically just tinkers and ponders and draws up some blueprints for an entirely new machine just for these marshmallows.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1282.955

The pressure is on because Bob is in a race against time. Easter is right around the corner. If he misses the Easter sales window, it'll be a whole year before peeps are in season again. But Bob keeps his cool. And at the end of nine months, his invention is ready. It's a huge, hulking, automatic machine for mass-producing peeps. He calls it the Depositor.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

130.936

You identify most with Labor Day. But it's not just people who associate with holidays. If you think about it, there are products associated with very particular holiday events. I'm thinking of one product in particular because... We're talking in this episode about a candy most often associated with Easter. Yes. Or the microwave. We're talking about Peeps. Wow.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1305.195

It sounds like a direct-to-Netflix movie with Jason Statham, but still, love that he branded it. The depositor may be bulky, but this thing moves fast. It cuts the time it takes to manufacture peeps from 27 hours to six minutes. That's a 99% drop. We should point out this new process is not without trial and error. Bob says the first batches of peeps look more like seals than chicks.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1330.47

That's a problem because like coastal maritime mammals, that's not going to be a commercial hit at Easter. But Just Born is able to produce these peeps in time for the 1953 Easter season. The color, by the way, they go all natural, yellow or white. Okay, very authentic, very real life. And they're packaged under the Rada brand name in neat little rows of four per package.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1352.864

Oh, by the way, the Rada family, they've got an opinion on this, and we will get to that strong opinion later on. In the meantime, I'm looking at this picture of the first ever commercial peeps, these old school peeps. And honestly, they seem pretty close to what you'd see sticking out of an Easter basket today. A row of four plump, wide-eyed chicklets staring out from behind the saran wrap box.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1374.596

So once these peeps are actually out into the world, what is the verdict? The verdict is two wings up. Peeps are one of the rare instant hits of business. Unfortunately, we have zero sales figures from this time because private family-owned companies often keep their revenue numbers private. But we do know this. Peeps continue to be produced every single year ever since that launch.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1398.689

Except for when they briefly shut down in 2020 because of COVID, but that's the one exception. But other than that, you've got new peeps cropping up every springtime, just like the first tulips of the season. I love how you put it, Jack. Because just like Roscoe Rotta before him, Bob Bourne is going to double down on seasonality. But he's going to do it in a way that really grows the product.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1419.687

Step into our office, because we're digging into some sweet business strategy. Seasonality by itself isn't actually good or bad. Seasonality just means that the sales of a product are affected by the time of the year. Think pumpkin spice lattes in the fall, Aperol spritzes in the summer, or tax season, when tax prep companies flood the airways from February through tax day on April 15th.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1447.436

As Jack and I like to say, seasonality, it sells, baby. When a product becomes part of an annual ritual, that is a profit puppy. But seasonality is also a double-edged sword. The thing that makes someone want to buy a product in July... makes them not want to buy the same product six months later in the winter, which leads to the seasonality paradox.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1468.841

By their nature, seasonal sales are limited to one time period. But Nick, that limitation is key to the product's demand. That limitation drives enthusiasm and makes you want to buy them during that season. Starbucks could extend PSL year-round, pumpkin spice lattes 365 days a year, because there is such high demand for them.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1489.831

But would they be as demanded if the window to buy them was actually unlimited? Speaking of Starbucks, PSL season is not their only seasonal play. They've got lavender latte season in the spring, frappuccino season in the summer, and red cup season. That's all of December. Starbucks has created an entire portfolio of seasonal products, so they can capitalize on seasonality all year round.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1513.847

They're getting creative. And getting creative is exactly what Bob Bourne is going to do with Peeps. Peeps themselves are for Easter, of course. Because when else is a baby yellow chick going to spread its wings? But once Bob has established the Peeps brand in the consumer marketplace, he's going to dip a toe into other holidays, too.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1530.994

By the 1960s, he has launched festive marshmallow shapes like Christmas trees, Valentine's hearts, Halloween pumpkins, and... Okay, I don't know what these are. Okay, I don't know how our team found these, but our researchers found a picture of a product called a witch mellow, and they kind of look like Halloween bears that will haunt you. They look like bears dressed up as ghosts for Halloween.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1575.73

No, those are good numbers, Jack. And it happens because Bob decided to make a play for the other seasons. So in a way, Peeps is kind of getting the best of both worlds here. They're showing up to celebrate every holiday with us. And there's one season, Easter, that they basically own. In fact, more than half of American consumers see Peeps as the first sign of spring. Can you believe that?

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

158.46

Thank you, Destiny's Child, for that one. Nick, tell the people, are you pro-peep or anti-peep? Well, Jack, as a podcast host, you know we've got to drive strong opinions on this show, right? Yeah, you either love it or you hate it. So for the sake of the comment section, I am pro-peep. Nick, I'll be honest, I've never eaten one. Like, they are that intimidating to me.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1595.62

Forget groundhogs. Peeps, they don't need a shadow. Peeps have reached peak seasonality. They're more than sugar. They're a symbol. And products that are symbols have longevity. Once they're here, they're here to stay. And that is not a joke about these marshmallows being physically indestructible.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1611.75

Peep's strategy and its success stay virtually unchanged for over seven decades, though they do lose their wings in 1955. The depositor machine doesn't do wings very well. Even the parent company Just Born is still family-owned and operated today right out of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. When company founder Sam Born dies in 1959, his son Bob takes over as president.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1635.14

He'll stay in charge until the 90s and then pass the torch to his son, Ross. That's a huge deal. Because according to the small business group score, only 12% of family businesses make it past the third generation. So they're doing pretty well. If you're running a family business, you know that is not easy. Bob himself lives until he's almost 100 years old. He only just passed away in 2023.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1659.485

Maybe peeps have long-lasting health benefits we don't know about, Jack. Well, I don't think we can legally suggest that, Nick. No, we just did. So with Peeps, you have this cute, classic marshmallow treat with a great story, invented by one candy maker, acquired and perfected by a second candy maker, and then enjoyed and scaled throughout the world.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1677.157

But none of that answers the biggest question that we have about these chicks. How exactly do they go from candy to cult? The morning is still, the fog clinging to the field of battle. Two brave contestants stand at attention as squires prepare the jousting grounds. Sir Yellow casts a wary glance at his foe, Sir Pink, and grips his lance. Which one will prove the more pure of heart?

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1707.213

Which brave knight will emerge victorious from... The Microwave. Okay, these aren't real nights we're talking about. It's a pastime known as peep jousting that gets popularized on YouTube. Each peep combatant is armed with a toothpick and sent into a 30-second battle to the death in the microwave.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1726.903

As the heat crakes up, the peeps swell and warp, and whichever one's toothpick pierces the other one's first wins the battle. Although sometimes the winner is just the peep that, you know, ends up the least melted. Peep jousting becomes a viral craze around the year 2006. And people are still doing this almost 20 years later today. Peep joust has its own hashtag on TikTok with millions of views.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1749.955

Like lip sync challenges or Mr. Beast, peeps owes their success to the web. Peeps blow up online. Then this ancient company starts earning organic press offline. This isn't just us speculating. The rise of the internet also saw a major rise in peep press coverage and brand awareness. This actually leads to a Just Born branding decision that is going to have some really big implications.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1772.745

For years, Just Born maintained strict boundaries separating true peeps, as in the peeps shaped like baby chicks, from all the other marshmallow treats. The trees, the pumpkins, the witchmallows, etc. But in the early 2000s, Just Born starts packaging all of their marshmallow treats under one single peep-branded umbrella. Because honestly, it's just too recognizable a name to not capitalize on.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

179.707

Peeps are a surprisingly polarizing product. Not just around the way they taste, but around who invented them in the first place. There is a mystery at the heart of this squishy marshmallow story. Because the heart of this whodunit lies in the secret back room of a candy company in Pennsylvania, Dutch country. Secret back room?

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1796.302

Suddenly, bunnies are peeps. Christmas trees are peeps. Those bears dressed as ghosts are peeps. This is all part of a deliberate strategy to convert all the attention they're getting online. After all, peep is like a whole lot easier to Google than sculpted marshmallow candy witch thing. And this creates a marketing feedback loop that raises the peep profile in the digital world and in real life.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1818.058

People run science experiments. They invent oddball peep recipes. And of course, do arts and crafts with peeps. And that's why this is such an incredible business benefit. About one third of all peeps are used not for eating, but for decorations and arts and crafts. Like the Washington Post Peep Diorama Contest that's been running on and off since 2006. Called the Peep Show. Naturally.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1840.187

That's good, by the way. Last year's entrance, they included Peep Jeopardy, I see Peepenheimer Jack, and there is a multi-layered peep-ception. A peep within a peep within another peep. This marshmallow art, it really brings us full circle. It brings us back to when Rada Candy Company's handmade peeps were used as Easter decorations for show, not food.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1862.812

Well, I'm glad you brought that up, Jack, because it brings us to an interesting wrinkle in the entire story. When Just Born bought the Radda brand, we mentioned that they kept the Radda name on all the Peeps packages. They had the option to kill the old brand name, but they kept it instead. After all, Radda was already established as a brand that makes Easter products. So why change it?

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1884.427

Well, here's the reason, Jack. According to some RADA family members, they really, really, really don't like the family name being associated with these marshmallow chicks. That's right. It turns out the original creators of Peeps hate Peeps. It's 2012, and a blogger named Roberta Kyle hits publish on a pleasant little article about Peeps.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1915.534

It wouldn't be Easter without Peeps, she writes, and turns in 700 words about Peeps' history, the Just Bone Company, their weirdly squishy texture. She even includes a recipe for smeeps, which are s'mores but with Peeps instead of regular marshmallows, which sounds lovely. But then Roberta starts going through the reader comments. and her stomach drops.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1934.649

One of Roscoe Rada's own grandchildren has read her piece. And Nick, you want to read what Roscoe's granddaughter writes here? I want everyone to know that my grandfather never made a peep. Naturally, Roberta is confused. I mean, I'm confused, Jack. Like, what about that whole mysterious back room you built up at the Rada factory?

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1957.851

Okay, technically, Roscoe himself had passed away years before Bob Bourne opened the door to that back room. So maybe the peeps were started by someone else at the company after his death. All right, Jack, that's a perfectly reasonable explanation, except that Roscoe's granddaughter isn't done spilling the jelly beans yet, is she, man? No, she isn't.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1975.502

A couple days later, she writes into a different blog. This woman has a lot of time on her hands. This blog is a New Hampshire history site called Cow Hampshire. Great name. And she describes how excited she had been as a little girl to see a box of Peeps with her family's name on it. That is, until her father, one of Roscoe Rada's sons, saw the package and fumed.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

198.595

Sounds a little ominous, but don't worry, it's not hiding anything sinister. It is the source of the original hand-sculpted marshmallow chicks, complete with tiny wings and sugar coating. These chicks were so elegant, they took 27 hours to create a single batch. But Jack, 27 isn't the number that caught our eye, is it? The number that grabbed our attention is 1.5 billion.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

1996.354

My father never made that quality of candy. This is the mystery we teased at the top of the show. The one that got us intrigued to pursue the True Peeps creator in the first place. A lot of times in business, we hear about someone who wants credit for their achievement, but doesn't get it. But this is the opposite. The Rada family got the credit for Peeps, but they don't want it.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2015.961

Which is the big question we still haven't answered, Jack. Why don't they want the credit? What is your theory, man? I think this is the Radhas making a distinction between their handcrafted peeps before the acquisition and the mass-produced modern version post-acquisition. All right, I got you. I see what you're saying. The OG peeps used real piping bags, 27 hours of labor.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2034.232

They were really making birdie meringues. On the other hand, the just-born peeps are made by a machine glopping marshmallow gelatin onto a tray. Maybe it's like how some people don't consider Ready Whip to be real whipped cream. The Rada family were purists when it came to Peeps. They think these mass-produced versions aren't worthy of the Rada name.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2052.304

Well, Jack, that actually gets at the true secret ingredient to Peeps' viral fame. They're inherently controversial. I mean, think about this. Peeps basically have zero nutritional value. One serving of five chicks weighs 42 grams. but 34 grams is just sugar. And 71% of a peep's content is added sugar. Nick, you can't call it added sugar when it's 71%. That's not added. That is the product.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2080.917

Also, you know, they do have a divisive texture and flavor, like squishy, but crunchy. You don't get that in the natural world. Crunchy, Nick? Dude, I think you should check the expiration date on the pack of peeps you just ate. Well, apparently, Jack, some people like them slightly stale. A peep survey supports my point that 12% of fans prefer their chicks aged like a fine pinot.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2100.743

I think it's more like aged like a fine Skittles pack. Don't peep shame me on the show about peeps, Jack. All right. This is exactly the kind of low stakes but passionate debate that drives the social media era. Like we say, Jack, on social media, the comments are the content. You know, this kind of feels like our theory about embracing the one-star review.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2121.073

Yeah, Jack, we said that in one of our early episodes. The only reviews that you want are five-star or one-star. The most viral products of all time, they don't have lukewarm reviews in the middle. They're causing extreme reactions. Peeps are like Kendrick Lamar. They thrive on controversy. Fans buy them because they love them.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2138.188

Haters buy them to nuke them and then post the video on their YouTube channel. When is the first Peeps diss track coming out, man? Oh, and the folks over at Peeps, they know this. And you might even say that they've been provoking these reaction videos the whole time. And they're driving that unpaid media PR with one particular strategy. Collabs.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2162.677

Peeps 21st Century Strategy is all about provocative pairings. We're talking Kellogg's Peeps cereal, Peeps gummies, Peeps and Pepsi, Peeps and Oreo, disturbing combos. Really, honestly, chaos marketing here.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2176.621

They're aiming for things that are so far away on the spectrum that there's just an element of surprise, like Peeps and Crocs, Peeps and Funko, Sally Hansen, ColourPop, Build-A-Bear, and Peeps. Collabs with brands you cannot bite into, Jack. They've made sandals with Katy Perry.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2192.625

And they've even got to deal with dental care brands like Origel and Spinbrush, because Peeps does drive new sales for Origel. Well, by the end of this podcast, I'm going to have my first cavity jack, so that makes sense too. A lot of these collabs are limited time offers, which are a great way to drive conversation and sales.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

22.715

We're looking at you. Now, since stock markets are closed today for Good Friday, Jack and I whipped up a treat for you. Literally. We're dropping the entire episode that we just did on Peeps. And then, after you listen to this episode, make sure to go to the show page of The Best Idea Yet to get new episodes every week. So follow The Best Idea Yet. In the meantime, here is the untold wild origin.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

220.567

That's the number of Peeps eaten worldwide just on Easter. Every brand is competing to grab your attention during Christmas and Thanksgiving. But for Easter, you got Peeps, you got Cadbury's, and that is it. This is a story about how Peeps transformed a simple family business into one of the largest manufacturers of marshmallows in the world.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2208.37

But you could also argue that they're clickbait collabs because they bait a reaction, don't they? And it's part of a whole new strategy of chaos marketing that we're seeing to generate attention in the attention economy. Like peeps themselves, the collabs are designed to maximize that five-star, one-star effect to attract attention, start a conversation, and drive traffic.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2230.233

Whatever reason people are buying Peeps, the collab strategy seems to be working. According to a director of marketing at Just Born, the Peeps licensing program generated $100 million in U.S. retail sales in the spring of 2022 alone. These sales all happened in the springtime Easter season, within a span of just 10 to 12 weeks. The Peeps stand for something.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2251.085

It's a springtime candy, and spring, it's all about rebirth. Okay, Mr. Day Before Thanksgiving, now that you've heard the story of peeps, what's your takeaway? Find your Super Bowl. Super Bowl Sunday is the biggest day of the year, by far, for chicken wings. In the United States alone, we'll consume close to 1.5 billion wings on that day.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2273.487

Basically, the Super Bowl is Black Friday for Buffalo Wild Wings. But there are other days throughout the year that brands can grab onto and use a single day to drive their sales. For example, Guinness owns St. Paddy's Day. Mariah Carey, she owns Christmas Time. And Mattress Firm owns President's Day for some random reason. And Easter, that's owned by Peeps.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2294.944

If you're a recycled paper company that saves trees, build your marketing push around Arbor Day. Instead of being moderately present throughout the year, be fully present one day of the year. Own that day. Make that day your Super Bowl. Although don't choose the actual Super Bowl Sunday for your day. That one's taken. Pick a day when TV commercials aren't $8 million for 30 seconds.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2317.487

And then make that day your Super Bowl. All right, Jack, what about you? Mr. Laverday, what's your takeaway? You don't just need an R&D team. You need an Area 51. Every company has research and development. It's standard on the corporate accounting sheet. But the R&D teams that really make a difference are the ones that are isolated. like physically separated from the rest of the company.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2341.437

That physical separation protects the team from feeling the gravitational pull of the status quo. Netflix, when they first developed their streaming platform, they built a physically different office for the streaming team so that the DVD team and the streaming team never spoke. And that way the streaming team could really innovate.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2360.07

Well, the Rada company did this too with that back room where they created the peeps. Putting on your mad scientist hat makes you more likely to try out something unorthodox or wild. And these experiments can become your best ideas. Your R&D team needs freedom. So give them their Area 51. Even if that innovation becomes a product that's 130% sugar.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2383.424

Nick, before we go, it's time for our favorite part of the show. The best facts yet. The best facts yet. These are the hero stats, the facts, the surprises we discovered in our research, but we just couldn't fit into the story. Jack, kick them off. What do we got, man? In 2017, competitive eater Matt Stoney set a new world record by eating, get this, 255 peeps in just five minutes.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

240.416

And how a product people love to hate is the ultimate case study in collabs, pairing with surprises like Oreo, Dr. Pepper, and Katy Perry. All right, let's crack this sticky story open, Mac. You're going to need a dentist after this one, because Peeps is the best idea yet. From Wondery and T-Boy, I'm Nick Martel. And I'm Jack Kravici-Kramer. And this is the best idea yet.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2406.492

Again, we're not doctors, but 255 peeps is almost four pounds of pure sugar. Although, Jack, we should point out that Peeps are planet friendly. Their factory in Bethlehem has a 98% recycling rate and is landfill free. So arguably the most sustainable factory of any product or company we've covered on this show. Love that. And nothing goes to waste in the Peeps production process.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2428.434

Not even the sugar. The sugar crystals left on the conveyor belt after dusting the marshmallows are recovered and transferred back to the beginning of the production process to go through the process all over again. Amazing. It's basically regenerative peeping. And Finally, we talked about Peep's legendary indestructibility. Well, in 1999, researchers from Emory University put that to the test.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2451.479

They did an experiment trying to dissolve Peeps using water and then acetone and then sodium hydroxide and even sulfuric acid. Nothing could kill the Peep. Actually, something could kill the peep. It was finally phenol, a chemical that breaks down proteins that was able to vanquish the mighty peeps. Only their waxy eyes survived. And because they'll outlive us all, peeps are the best idea yet.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2479.622

Coming up on the next episode of The Best Idea Yet, put on your backyard camo and turn on the hose, because we're talking about the super soaker. Hey, if you have a product you're obsessed with, but you wish you knew the backstory, drop us a comment. We'll look into it for you. Oh, and don't forget to rate and review the podcast. Yetis, you look fantastic over there.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2500.024

Nick and Jack back here at the T-Boy Studio with you. And that was a sample of our weekly show, The Best Idea Yet. We've done like 30 episodes so far. Unreal, Jack. McDonald's Happy Meal, Oregon Trail, Costco's Kirkland brand, the Jeep, the Jacuzzi, Birkenstocks, Nintendo, the iPhone. We've done so many of these.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

2517.656

So tap the link that we put in this episode description so you can follow that show and listen every single week. Because we have some legendary episodes coming at you very soon. So Nick and I will see you here on Monday for our usual T-Boy show. Celebrate the wins.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

266.062

The untold origin stories of the products you're obsessed with. And the bold risk-takers who made them go viral.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

311.587

Have you ever walked down a street and suddenly just been hit with the smell of delicious food? I love that. Like growing up, going past Levan Bakery on the Upper West Side at like 4 a.m. on the way to hockey practice. They'd be mixing the dough with the chocolate chips. It would like hit you in the face. It was wonderful. You know, for me, Nick, Subway sandwiches doesn't get a lot of love.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

332.814

Well, I'll tell you, the smell of their freshly baked bread, I absolutely love that smell. Well, in the 1920s, the sweetest smelling avenue in the world is Church Street of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This street, it's actually home to the Lancaster Caramel Company, sending wafts of fresh butter and cream mingled with boiling sugar.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

352.958

The company, it was actually founded by Mr. Chocolate himself, Milton Hershey. You may remember Milton from our Reese's episode. We talked about how he got his start in Pennsylvania, making caramels with milk from Amish farms. That's because Lancaster is smack in the middle of Pennsylvania Dutch country. The Pennsylvania Dutch, by the way, shouldn't be called Dutch at all.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

372.726

No, because they are actually ethnic Germans who have settled in Lancaster County for over 200 years. But whatever you call them, their neighbors are now big candy makers like... Milton Hershey. But the Hershey's factory isn't the only candy game in town. There's another caramel company on the very same street as Hershey's, the Rada Candy Company.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

393.135

And right now, Rada is in the fight of their lives. The Rada Candy Company was founded by Roscoe E. Rada, born in Michigan, the son of a copper miner. Now, miners aren't exactly known for their longevity. It's a dangerous line of work crushing rocks underground. So Roscoe, he chooses a profession that seems a little less grueling. making candy above ground.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

414.922

Roscoe apprentices with some chocolatiers in Detroit, but he's successful enough that eventually he migrates east and starts his own sweets business on Church Street, right in Lancaster. But early on, he finds himself number two to the big guy in town, Hershey. After all, they're successful, and then there's, I named a town after myself, successful. Hershey, Pennsylvania, still a thing today.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

436.748

So instead, Roscoe decides to make a different play. If Roscoe can't dethrone Hershey as the king of chocolate, maybe instead he can be the Earl of Easter. Now, we mentioned the Pennsylvania Dutch earlier, living nearby these candy companies. These folks are very observant Christians. For them, the highest holy day isn't Christmas. It's Easter. Yeah, like Santa who?

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

462.634

Well, Roscoe Rada looks at the community around him as potential customers and smells an opportunity to corner a specific market. Candy makers, including Roscoe, they've actually been making Easter candies for years, but Roscoe decides to lean way, way into the Easter holiday.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

479.923

He wants to tailor his products not just to Christians, but specifically his German-descended, Easter-loving Christian neighbors. Roscoe actually starts crafting candies shaped like Germanic Easter symbols, ones that evoke spring, renewal, rebirth from the old country. Bunnies, eggs, and chicks. Turns out we can actually thank German immigrants for the Easter Bunny's existence.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

503.124

It's part of a German legend about a hare called the Osterhase who lays colored eggs in the grass. As for the boiling and decorating of eggs for the springtime, that tradition predates Christianity itself. Egg painting was originally a pagan tradition around the spring equinox. So these traditions are millennia old.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

52.037

If you were a holiday, Jack, the holiday I think you would most identify with is Labor Day. Going with Labor Day. I'm intrigued. Why do you say this, Nick? Jack, I know you appreciate a short bathing suit to wear. I know you're proud of your thighs. I know you want to show those things off. You can do that. On a Labor Day beach. So you're just thinking about like the seasonality of Labor Day.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

522.012

And they've been merged between paganism and Christianity to create the Easter Bunny in 19th century central Pennsylvania. So if you're wondering what Easter eggs had to do with Jesus, you're right to think nothing. But hang on here. There's a tradition that goes back even further than the pagans. Two words, marshmallow. Marshmallow is a real plant that grows in salt marshes and on riverbanks.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

546.281

Ancient Egyptians would use the sap from its roots to make candy and to soothe sore throats. Basically, this herb was the OG Ricola. And this same extract was used centuries later in France to make candy, the very first marshmallow candy as we know it in the mid-1800s.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

562.171

But by the early 1900s, candy makers have mostly phased out the plant itself, and instead they're using its flavor just as inspiration. The days of marshmallow being made of marshmallow are sadly over. So when Roscoe Rada starts stepping up his Easter candy production, he's not wading through the wetlands in his high boots to forage for this mallow root.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

582.509

Instead, he's making marshmallow eggs of sugar, gelatin, and chemical flavoring, He's also making cocoa bunnies, chocolates in the shape of a cross. Oh, and one more Easter time candy that will really put rata candy on the map. It's time to introduce the peeps. No, it's not, Jack. Actually, it's jelly beans.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

602.479

Like the small, round, choking hazard candies with a firm gelatin inside and a crunchy sugar exterior. So the pagans and Christians created the Easter bunny and the Easter eggs. But American capitalism brought us Easter jelly beans. We should sprinkle on a little more context, Jack. Roscoe Rada invents the Jelly Bean in the same way that, like, Thomas Edison invents the light bulb.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

624.01

As in, he didn't invent it. Yeah, yeah, not technically. He's the guy who perfects the product and makes it really, really popular. In 1920, he self-proclaims that his company is the Jelly Bean House of America in print ads. I'm looking at one of these early pictures of jelly beans, and they definitely do look like little candy beans, or if you squint, like really small eggs.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

645.646

Kind of perfect for Easter. And Radha, the foremost Easter marketer, starts calling them jelly eggs. Jelly eggs. You know, for Easter. Basically, this is a hyper-specialized seasonality strategy. He's targeting this highly niche German-descended, Easter-loving Christians of Western Pennsylvania because he wants to get strong engagement from one community.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

667.227

He prefers that to mediocre engagement from many communities. Right. So Roscoe Rada is putting all his jelly eggs into one Easter basket. Let Hershey have all the other holidays. Easter will belong to Rada. This is a risky move for reasons we're going to talk about in a bit. But in Rada's case, it works. Jelly beans put Rada on the map in a big way.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

689.525

This is a unique killer product with all the markers of a classic. And that's still true 16 years later in 1941 when Roscoe Rada dies at the age of 79. But once Roscoe dies, sadly, the Rada family, they don't want to continue on with the business. They want out. And thanks to their Easter jelly beans, they actually have a valuable asset to attract potential buyers.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

711.516

Ironically, the man who ends up buying Rada doesn't celebrate Easter at all. He celebrates Passover because he's a Ukrainian Jewish immigrant with a serendipitous name, Born. Sam Born. Sam Bourne's company, Just Bourne, is actually a pun. It's named for its founder and his favorite advertising method.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

72.833

Yeah, yeah, kind of. Not the meaning of like valuing work. No, I'm talking superficially, Jack. You appreciate Tommy Bahamas. I think you have like three of the umbrellas. I have four of the chairs. Right. You like to bring people together at the beach. You're handing out coladas to everyone. I actually bring sliced limes for the Coronas to make the beach experience that much better.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

734.829

When Sam was getting started in the candy business, he put freshly made chocolates in his shop window with a sign that reads, Just Bourne. born, referring to how fresh these sweets are. This guy was born in Ukraine over 100 years ago, but he moves with his family to France as a teenager, the way a lot of Jewish families moved out of Russia in the early 1900s.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

754.901

And it is there that Sam learned candy making from French chocolatiers. which gave him a very particular set of skills once he moved to the United States in 1910. Now immediately, he starts making his mark as a chocolate innovator. Sam Bourne is the second coming of Hershey. Sam designs a machine to put sticks into lollipops. He invents chocolate sprinkles.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

778.54

He even creates the proprietary coating around Edie's Pies, formerly known as Eskimo Pies. And this sugar-coated body of work is so impressive that Sam actually wins the key to the city of San Francisco. So in 1923, Sam takes his talents eastward to Brooklyn to open up his own shop. Now, besties, we told you that in the 1920s, Pennsylvania's Lancaster Valley was a hotbed of chocolatiering.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

805.503

So was Brooklyn, New York at the time. There was an entire chocolate-making district stretching from the Navy Yard to South Williamsburg to Long Island City. If you walk over to the East River, the Domino's Sugar Refinery, now an apartment complex, was there for that reason.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

820.753

When Sam set up shop in North Brooklyn's Chocolate District in the 1920s, it was like moving to the Bay Area in the 1990s or early 2000s. This was the Silicon Valley of sweets. Sam is at the center of industry innovation. In fact, Sam is personally credited with introducing New York City to French chocolate making techniques.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

841.602

But something interesting happens to Sam when the stock market crashes just a few years into his career. You'd think business for non-essentials like candy would tank, but Just Born thrives anyway. Sales for small chocolate indulgences actually go up during the Great Depression because they are affordable splurges.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

862.77

Just Born's candies do so well during the Depression, they need a bigger facility and to hire more workers. So in 1932, when almost a quarter of Americans were unemployed, Just Born moves to the fading industrial town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. takes over an old print factory and recruits steel workers who've been laid off. What a moment.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

882.201

The company keeps growing, and they start acquiring other candy companies, which help them come out with new products even faster. In 1940, Just Born invents Mike and Ike's, a classic movie snack. Then in 1950, Just Born invents Hot Tamales, a more mediocre movie snack. Okay. They're kind of like Tabasco-flavored Tootsie Rolls. I've never tasted a hot tamale because, like, I don't get it.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

904.398

Why would I want something that's sugary and spicy? You'll be fine. Now, hot tamales are actually the invention of Sam Bourne's son, Bob Bourne. More on him in a minute. Just know that when it's time to look for Just Bourne's next acquisition, it's Bob who leads the charge. all the way to the doorstep of Rada Candy Company in nearby Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

92.526

Jack, as a holiday, you are joy, you are summer, you are happiness, you are Labor Day. I am so flattered with that labeling. I gotta say, I didn't put a ton of thought into your holiday. That's very Labor Day of you because, you know, it's kind of like you're taking a vacation from doing too much thinking over Labor Day. Yeah. All right. What holiday do you identify with? Thanksgiving Eve.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

923.351

Remember, Roscoe Rada, he passed away, and his family, they want to sell the entire business. And Rada's headquarters, it's just over 75 miles away from Just Born's factory in Bethlehem, so that's kind of the perfect choice. A complimentary confectionery fit. So Just Born just buys them.

The Best One Yet

🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery

942.904

But this sale is going to lead to an unbelievable secret backroom discovery that will change the face of candy forever and introduce the world to the first ever little marshmallow chick.

The Best One Yet

🫡 “TikTok Refugee” — TikTok’s final countdown. Jack Daniels’ bourbon bust. Anduril’s new language of business.

844.682

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🫡 “TikTok Refugee” — TikTok’s final countdown. Jack Daniels’ bourbon bust. Anduril’s new language of business.

880.582

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

☂️ “Make it Rainnn” — Rainmaker’s rain startup. Dick’s Foot Locker palace. UnitedHealth’s worst month ever.

707.08

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be... A big flop. From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

☂️ “Make it Rainnn” — Rainmaker’s rain startup. Dick’s Foot Locker palace. UnitedHealth’s worst month ever.

742.951

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

💦 “The Fitness Pod” — Our 3 Best Fitness & Apparel Stories

882.198

Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie.

The Best One Yet

🥤 “Vending Machine-Gate” — Poppi vs Olipop. NY’s Texas Stock Exchange. Netflix’s podcast move.

839.588

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be... A big flop. From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🥤 “Vending Machine-Gate” — Poppi vs Olipop. NY’s Texas Stock Exchange. Netflix’s podcast move.

875.46

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

♟️ “Pawn Stars — Chess’ “random” disruption. Netflix’s unlimited parental leave. Time’s CEO of the Year.

767.995

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

♟️ “Pawn Stars — Chess’ “random” disruption. Netflix’s unlimited parental leave. Time’s CEO of the Year.

803.873

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🍑 “Colonoscopy Stock Market” — BTS trade war drama. Versace’s Prada acquisition. A Colon econ lesson.

771.246

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be... A big flop. From Wondery and Atwill Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🍑 “Colonoscopy Stock Market” — BTS trade war drama. Versace’s Prada acquisition. A Colon econ lesson.

797.99

and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie. Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+.

The Best One Yet

🧱 “MEGOs” — Mattel’s LEGO dupe. Utah’s online bouncer. Pizza’s stuffed crust strategy.

787.846

Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with the movie.

The Best One Yet

🏈 “The Super Bowl Pod” — Kendrick’s $0 Halftime Show. Wilson’s football monopoly. The Curse of the Commercial.

786.698

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🏈 “The Super Bowl Pod” — Kendrick’s $0 Halftime Show. Wilson’s football monopoly. The Curse of the Commercial.

822.577

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨 “He took me to Chick” — Chick-fil-A’s dating lesson. Bitcoin’s $100K moment. Uber’s Christmas carols.

1187.129

Hey besties. Yesterday, Nick and Jack gave a shout out to the Wicked Green 9BCA47. But did you know that code isn't random? It's part of the hexadecimal system. where 9B is red, CA is green, and 47 is blue. Mix them all together and voila, Wicked Witch Green. The extraordinary part? Hex codes can create over 16 million colors, packing the whole rainbow into six little digits.

The Best One Yet

⚔️ “Wakanda got Tariff’d” — Trade War’s nuclear fallout. White Lotus’ drip strategy. Coach’s dwell time.

801.862

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi.

The Best One Yet

⚔️ “Wakanda got Tariff’d” — Trade War’s nuclear fallout. White Lotus’ drip strategy. Coach’s dwell time.

837.73

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.

The Best One Yet

🚁 “Mission: iMpossible” — Apple’s Hoarder’s Quarter. The Cars-becoming-Spas trend. Elon’s DOGE exit.

817.53

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flop? From Wondery and At Will Media, I'm Misha Brown, and this is The Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time, like Quibi. It's kind of like when you give yourself your own nickname and you try to, like, get other people to do it.

The Best One Yet

🚁 “Mission: iMpossible” — Apple’s Hoarder’s Quarter. The Cars-becoming-Spas trend. Elon’s DOGE exit.

853.415

Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free on Wondery+. Get started with your free trial at wondery.com slash plus.