Bill Darden built Red Lobster from a single Florida restaurant into a billion-dollar empire. But after private equity vultures swooped in, they pushed endless shrimp promotions and installed toxic management that had workers wading through kitchen grease. Coupled with cringe-worthy viral campaigns, this is the story of how America's seafood sanctuary turned into an all-you-can-eat disaster. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at ht...
Feb 10, 2025•49 min•Ep. 74
He built an empire on Kevin from The Office that turned into the hottest tech startup in town: Cameo. But when Steve Galanis became more interested in throwing Miami mansion parties than running his company, his billion-dollar tech darling became a digital bargain bin featuring more fraudsters than A-listers. Aaron Goldenberg and Jake Jonez (The Mean Gays) join Misha to break down how Cameo went from A-listers to Z-listers. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommenda...
Feb 03, 2025•45 min•Ep. 73
A Holiday Inn bathroom becomes a makeshift chimp sanctuary. A headless ape corpse rides shotgun down the highway. PETA and Alan Cumming join forces against a middle-aged nurse with a penchant for primates. This isn't a fever dream – it's the bonkers true story of Tonia Haddix and one woman's simian obsession gone wild. Grace Helbig and Mamrie Hart from This Might Get Weird join Misha to peel back the layers of this bananas flop. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recom...
Jan 27, 2025•43 min•Ep. 72
Martin Shkreli jacked up drug prices, trolled the world, and bought a two million-dollar Wu-Tang album before the age of 35. But the karma (and real) police came for the Pharma Bro when the world caught wind of his price-gouging antics on life saving medicine. From hedge fund schemes to court-room memes, Martin earned the now infamous title of “Most Hated Man in America”. Kyle Prue (How to Piss Off Men) and Miles Bonsignore (Perfect Person, Try Guys) join Misha to give Martin Shkreli a taste of ...
Jan 20, 2025•45 min•Ep. 71
Rick Singer went from failed basketball coach to college admissions kingpin, engineering a $25 million scheme that had the rich and famous buying their kids' way into elite schools. From Aunt Becky to the Hot Pockets Heiress, this smooth-talking grifter exposed the dark underbelly of elite education. That is, until he brought down some of America's most privileged in the process. Chris Burns (fatcarriebradshaw) and Sarah Tiana (Comedy Store) join Misha to do a play-by-play of Operation Varsity B...
Jan 13, 2025•48 min•Ep. 70
For over a decade, Tom Cruise was Hollywood's most bankable star, ruling Tinseltown with a million-dollar grin and a carefully crafted image. But when ditching his publicist led to couch-jumping antics, Scientology scandals, and box office bombs, La La Land’s Top Gun found himself in a tailspin that even Ethan Hunt couldn't escape. Lizzie Bassett and Chris Winterbauer from What Went Wrong join Misha to jump off the couch and into the lowest point of Tom Cruise’s career. Follow The Big Flop on th...
Jan 06, 2025•50 min•Ep. 69
Carlos Watson built Ozy Media on a foundation of lies, fake views, and impersonated executives. From star-studded festivals that never happened to a $40 million con call, Carlos built a multi-million dollar media mirage. Ozy’s story proves that in the world of startups, sometimes the biggest disruptor is reality itself. Mara Wilson (Matilda, Where Am I Now?) and Nish Kumar (Pod Save the UK, Mash Report) join Misha to invest some of their time into this promising business... flop. Follow The Big ...
Dec 30, 2024•53 min•Ep. 68
When Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and Bella Hadid signed up to promote a scorching new music festival, they had no idea the flaming mess they were really in for. Entrepreneur Billy McFarland and rapper Ja Rule collabed on the notorious Fyre Festival, a disaster that cost millions, almost got festival workers killed or kidnapped, and is forever burned into flop history. Comedians Laci Mosley (Scam Goddess, A Black Lady Sketch Show) and Lauren Ashley Smith (Grown-ish, A Black Lady Sketch Show) j...
Dec 23, 2024•42 min•Ep. 67
The Flop Academy unproudly presents, The Floppies! An awards show highlighting the best — or should we say worst — meltdowns of the year. From pop culture catastrophes to business blow ups, we cover all the spectacular trainwrecks that defined 2024. Scott Seiss (Angry Retail Guy, Cocaine Bear) and Monét X Change (Ru Paul's Drag Race) join Misha to dishonor the biggest losers of the year and to reaffirm there's no such thing as ""too big to fail."" Follow The Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherev...
Dec 16, 2024•53 min•Ep. 66
In the 1970s, Heritage USA wasn't just a theme park, it was a "Christian Disneyland" that had the faithful flocking to its divine water slides, righteous rides, and—wait for it—bible study with a side of funnel cake. But when its founder, televangelist extraordinaire Jim Bakker, got caught with his hand in the collection plate and his pants around his ankles, God-fearing tourists decided to find Jesus anywhere but Heritage USA. Gianmarco Soresi (The Downside) and Mackenzie Barmen (Bullshittery) ...
Dec 09, 2024•54 min•Ep. 65
In the late '90s, Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries transformed the once defunct sporting goods store into the hottest brand in America. He did that by intentionally making Abercrombie & Fitch seem unattainable for any kids he deemed ""uncool."" But after crossing multiple lines with racial discrimination, offensive graphic tees, and absolutely appalling thongs for middle schoolers... Jeffries fell out of style. As sales continued to plummet, investors rightfully gave Jeffries the bo...
Dec 02, 2024•49 min•Ep. 64
Martha Stewart used her oh-so-perfect cooking, gardening, and decorating skills to create one of the most valuable brands in the world. A guru, an icon, a billionaire: she had it all. That is, until an insider trading scandal spun her business into a death spiral and Martha went from decorating mansions to sprucing up "Camp Cupcake." Matt Friend (Friend in High Places, The Simpsons) and Nicole DuBois (NickyDoobs, Magic Carpet Rides) join Misha to get the inside scoop on Martha Stewart’s insider ...
Nov 25, 2024•47 min•Ep. 63
After basically creating the "muscle car," rebel auto-maker John Delorean became GM’s golden boy, only to leave it all behind for a risky venture in troubled Northern Ireland. But when his gull-winged wonder flopped, DeLorean's desperate moves led to unethical dealings, courtroom drama, and cocaine stings. The infamous car king was all but forgotten until his car made an unexpected cameo in a film that cemented its legacy forever. Betsy Sodaro ( Superstore, A Funny Feeling ) and Arjun Banerjee j...
Nov 18, 2024•51 min•Ep. 62
The restaurant business is tough: The margins are slim and the risk of failure is high—but that doesn’t stop celebrities from trying to open their own restaurants over and over again, even though they should definitely know it is a bad idea. Britney Spears had Nyla, Guy Fieri had Guy's American Kitchen & Bar, Eva Longoria had a steakhouse for women called SHe (that is not a typo), and they each went bust in their own special way. Cody Rigsby (Peloton, Tactful Pettiness) and Amanda Hirsch (No...
Nov 11, 2024•50 min•Ep. 61
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a park executive named Bob Chapek set out on a mission to create an immersive experience that Star Wars fans would never forget. The luxury Disney hotel would feature a two-day role playing adventure, fun foods, funner games, and unique memories they would cherish forever. But the exorbitant cost, embarrassing technical glitches, and a little thing called Covid, sent The Galactic Starcruiser spiraling into a black hole. In the end the dream was lost, a...
Nov 04, 2024•50 min•Ep. 60
Rachel Dolezal built a life for herself as a teacher, a civil rights advocate, and a leader in her local NAACP chapter. There was just one problem: She built it all on a foundation of lies—and the biggest lie of all was about her race. When a local news crew discovered her secret and called her out in front of cameras, it all came crashing down on a national scale. Naomi Ekperigin and Andy Beckerman ( Couples Therapy ) join Misha to break down the many lies of Rachel Dolezal—and there are a lot!...
Oct 28, 2024•52 min•Ep. 59
When Elon Musk boasted to Shervin Pishevar about inventing a revolutionary form of transportation, Pishevar took him at his word — turns out with Elon, that's a huge mistake. Musk promised travel at the speed of sound, unprecedented city connections, and a complete societal transformation, but conveniently left out the potential for catastrophic failure. After wasting millions of dollars and buckets of clout on the promise of Hyperloop, MULTIPLE billionaires are still reeling from the experience...
Oct 21, 2024•50 min•Ep. 58
In the 80s and 90s, the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program sent police officers into schools to teach kids to stay off drugs. D.A.R.E.'s cringey curriculum was taught in schools all over the U.S., spawning lame PSAs, a whole bunch of weird merchandise, and maybe some light childhood trauma. There was just one problem… D.A.R.E. didn’t actually work. It did, however, cost taxpayers millions of dollars and miseducated a whole generation of kids. Jon Gabrus ( High and Mighty, The Act...
Oct 14, 2024•45 min•Ep. 57
For years, “lean finely textured beef” was added to meat products that could be found in supermarkets, fast food restaurants, and school cafeterias across America. Most consumers had no idea that this gooey, salmon-colored substance was in their food. Finely textured beef was a million dollar business, but it wound up setting off an all out PR-war between a meat magnate and some food bloggers that brought one of the biggest beef companies in the U.S. to the brink of collapse. It all started when...
Oct 07, 2024•47 min•Ep. 56
In 2013, a British TV producer named Danny Fenton brought 12 American women to England to take part in a new reality dating show. The yanks were led to believe that they had a chance to marry one of the most eligible bachelors in the world: Prince Harry of the British royal family. There was just one problem: the guy they were competing for was actually a Harry look-alike. Even though Fenton spent a princely sum trying to gaslight his way to ratings gold, the show wound up being one of reality t...
Sep 30, 2024•45 min•Ep. 55
At the turn of the millenium, Blockbuster Video, with its ubiquitous blue-and-yellow stores, was the reigning champion of movie rentals. But early on, when presented with the chance to buy a little company called Netflix... Blockbuster made the wrong choice. Despite attempts to launch online rental services, the quaint allure of browsing store aisles couldn't compete with the instant gratification of streaming. In the end, boardroom squabbling and Blockbuster's stubborn adherence to nostalgia le...
Sep 23, 2024•53 min•Ep. 54
At 2:30AM on Thanksgiving night 2009, Tiger Woods, one of the most famous athletes in the world, drove his car into a tree outside his neighbor’s house. This bizarre accident set off a chain of events that exposed Tiger’s secret affairs to the world and wound up wrecking more than his Escalade: It wrecked his marriage, and almost totaled his career. Brooke Siffrinn and Aricia Skidmore-Williams from Even the Rich join Misha to tee off on the salacious scandals of Tiger Woods. Follow The Big Flop ...
Sep 16, 2024•48 min•Ep. 53
Celebration, Florida was conceived by the Disney Corporation as a magical utopian community, something straight out of a fairy tale—meticulously planned, picturesque neighborhoods replete with ice cream parlors, bike paths, and state-of-the-art facilities. But the promise of living in a theme park soon became nauseating thanks to a greedy real estate developer, crumbling houses, rampant divorces and allegedly… swingers? In the end, a confusing combo of micromanagement and neglect left residents ...
Sep 09, 2024•40 min•Ep. 52
It was the nip slip seen round the world. Whether by accident or on purpose, the nation caught a brief glimpse of Janet Jackson’s breast on live television during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show while she was performing with Justin Timberlake. Quickly dubbed "Nipplegate," the incident ignited a firestorm of controversy and debate over broadcast decency standards and media regulation. It led to a flood of complaints to the FCC, significant fines for broadcasters, and a lasting impact on cultura...
Sep 02, 2024•49 min•Ep. 51
Sam Bankman-Fried was the king of crypto, living large in a penthouse in the Bahamas. But his billion dollar empire was built on a foundation of fraud, and when his dubious deals were exposed, this crypto bro went from blockchain to a cell block. Fabrizio Copano (4th From the South) and Zoltan Kaszas (This Week in Zoltan, Honorary Jones) join Misha to decrypt how Sam Bankman-Fried lost his shirt--his grungy, rumpled shirt. Listen to The Big Flop on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcas...
Aug 26, 2024•49 min•Ep. 50
Billionaire Stockton Rush III dreamt of exploring the Titanic. Only problem? It's really freaking hard to get to. So he pieced together the world's shoddiest submersible built from Playstation parts and promised rich tourists a view of the Titanic for the price of $250,000. Less than two hours into the dive, Rush's dream quite literally imploded... taking 4 people with him. At least, according to sonar readings, Rush really went out with a bang. Jake Cornell (Hey Big Guy, Man & Woman) and co...
Aug 19, 2024•46 min•Ep. 49
Game Of Thrones entered its final season as the undisputed king of TV. Every Sunday, millions would take a seat in the church of HBO in hopes of witnessing another Battle of the Bastards. Creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss needed to deliver a finale so grand it would make King’s Landing look like the Iron Islands. But when they were met with grueling night shoots, sloppy production mistakes, and no source material to base their ending off of, the final season basically Red Wedding-ed itself. ...
Aug 12, 2024•52 min•Ep. 48
Gigli would go down in history as not only one of the biggest box office bombs… but also the reason Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez broke up the first time. In 2001, Oscar nominated filmmaker Martin Brest penned the gritty tale of a lowlife mobster unable to escape his mundane existence, but by 2003 Gigli had been reverse engineered into a corny, sloppy, rom-com thanks to the Hollywood “it” couple at its center: Bennifer. Gigli was such a cringe-inducing flop, it lost $70 million and earned its p...
Aug 05, 2024•46 min•Ep. 47
How much do you think about the Roman Empire? Emperor Nero’s answer would have been “not that much.” At just 16 years old, Nero starts his reign off with a bang, throwing lavish festivals for the plebs and giving himself headlining gigs as an aspiring singer-songwriter. But thanks to a power-hungry mom, some heated rivalries, and a whole lot of sex with people who are not his wife, Nero goes down in actual flames. Rachel Bloom ( Crazy Ex-Girlfriend ) joins Misha to tell the epic tale of how Nero...
Jul 29, 2024•46 min•Ep. 46
Figure skating rivals Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan were set to face off at the 1994 Olympics... but Tonya decided to try and eliminate the competition a little early. When a botched attempt to “kneecap” Kerrigan before the Olympics led back to Tonya and her inner circle of inept criminals, Harding was thrust into a media frenzy that spiraled into a triple axel of chaos. Liza Treyger ( That's Messed Up, Survival of the Thickest ) and Shannon Fiedler ( Just Like Other Girls ) join Misha to giv...
Jul 22, 2024•47 min•Ep. 45
