How do TV producers decide how much money to give away? A little psychology and a lot of math. Zachary Crockett phones a friend. SOURCES: Bowen Kerins, math teacher and former contestant on Who Wants to Be A Millionaire. Arthur Smith , CEO of A. Smith & Co. Productions and author of "Reach: Hard Lessons and Learned Truths from a Lifetime in Television." Aaron Solomon, television producer. RESOURCES: " ‘The Price Is Right’ Celebrates 10,000 Episodes With Extra Big Wins for Contestants That Top Of...
Mar 10, 2025•19 min•Ep 83•Transcript available on Metacast A fast-food burger has to taste the same — and cost the same — thousands of times a day at restaurants across the country. Zachary Crockett mans the fryer. SOURCES: John Karangis , vice president of culinary innovation at Shake Shack. Walter Zuromski , owner and chief culinary officer of the Chef Services Group. RESOURCES: " How Shake Shack’s New Test Kitchen Is Shaping the Future of the Brand, " by Stefanie Tuder (Eater, 2018). EXTRAS: " Truffles, " by The Economics of Everyday Things (2023)....
Mar 03, 2025•17 min•Ep 82•Transcript available on Metacast American golfers lose 300 million balls a year — and all those bad swings are someone else’s business opportunity. Zachary Crockett hits the links. SOURCES: Todd Hutchinson , president and owner of BallHawker. Lashan Wanigatunga , founder of Two Guys With Balls. RESOURCES: " BallHawker, Challenge Enterprises Turn Wayward Golf Shots Into Successful Endeavor ," Natalie Gilstrap ( Clay Today, 2023). " Temecula Golf Ball Diver Nets $100,000 a Year ," by Jeff Zevely ( CBS8, 2022). " Golf’s Recycled B...
Feb 24, 2025•17 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast Before a guide dog can help a blind person navigate the world, it has to pass a series of tests, then go through $75,000 worth of training. Zachary Crockett sniffs around. SOURCES: Peggy Gibbon, director of canine development at The Seeing Eye. Charles Pat McKenna, assistant division director of the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. RESOURCES: " Why Seeing Eye Dogs Are So Expensive To Breed and Train, " by Abby Tang and Emily Christian (Business Insider, 2024). " For dec...
Feb 17, 2025•22 min•Ep 81•Transcript available on Metacast Behind that 70% off sign, there’s a liquidation consultant trying to maximize retailer profits. Zachary Crockett seeks a deal. SOURCES: Bradley Snyder, executive managing director at Tiger Group. Zac Rogers, associate professor of supply chain management at Colorado State University RESOURCES: " What Went Wrong: The Demise of Toys R Us, " by Angie Basiouny (Knowledge at Wharton, 2018) " Retail apocalypse 2024: All the once-popular stores and restaurants that shuttered locations this year, " by S...
Feb 10, 2025•17 min•Ep 80•Transcript available on Metacast Picture day is an annual tradition for American families — and, for the companies that take the photos, a lucrative one. Zachary Crockett smiles for the camera. SOURCES: Ken Murphy , C.E.O. of Lifetouch Jeremy McColm , senior manager of photography at Lifetouch RESOURCES: " The money and stress and failed hairdos of school picture day, " by Kaitlyn Tiffany (Vox, 2019) " The School Photo Industry Is a Master Class in Drama, " by David Gauvey Herbert (New York Times, 2019) " With Lifetouch Acquisi...
Feb 03, 2025•19 min•Ep 79•Transcript available on Metacast They're not always the nicest places to go — but for their owners, portable toilets are a lucrative revenue stream. Zachary Crockett lifts the lid. SOURCES: Ron Inman , vice president of Honey Bucket Veronica Crosier , executive director of Portable Sanitation Association International RESOURCES: " Providing Toilets for 39,000 Runners, " by John Branch (New York Times, 2008) " Platinum Equity-owned United Site Services weighs $4B sale – Reuters, " by Pam Rosacia (S&P Global, 2021) " Renting Port...
Jan 27, 2025•21 min•Ep 78•Transcript available on Metacast You can be a top model and still not get recognized on the street — as long as you keep your cuticles healthy and your moons white. Zachary Crockett points a finger. SOURCES: Dani Korwin , managing director of Parts Models. Ellen Sirot , hand model. RESOURCES: SAG-AFTRA Network TV Code 2024 - 2025 Extension Agreement Rates . " How to Become a Hand Model ," by Jack Smart ( Backstage, 2024). " Meet New York’s Top Hand and Foot Model Agent (It’s a Real Thing!) ," by Christian Allaire ( Vogue, 2021)...
Jan 20, 2025•16 min•Ep 77•Transcript available on Metacast A watercolor of a harbor? A black-and-white photo of a pile of rocks? Some hotels are trying to do better. Zachary Crockett unpacks. SOURCES: Melanie Kettring , director of studio design at Best Western Hotels. Jessica Poundstone , visual artist. Gavi Wolf , founder and C.E.O. of Indiewalls. RESOURCES: Indiewalls . Best Western . EXTRAS: " Used Hotel Soaps ," by The Economics of Everyday Things (2023). " The Hidden Side of the Art Market ," series by Freakonomics Radio (2021)....
Jan 13, 2025•17 min•Ep 76•Transcript available on Metacast Before beef ends up at your favorite steakhouse, it passes through the hands of a trained specialist with an encyclopedic knowledge of bovine anatomy. Zachary Crockett chews the fat. SOURCES: Bryan Flannery , co-owner of Flannery Beef. Katie Flannery , co-owner of Flannery Beef. RESOURCES: " National Weekly Boxed Beef Cutout And Boxed Beef Cuts — Negotiated Sales ," U.S.D.A. Agricultural Marketing Service ( U.S.D.A. Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, 2025). " Understanding Beef Carcass Yi...
Jan 06, 2025•20 min•Ep 75•Transcript available on Metacast How did a little green nut become a billion-dollar product, lauded by celebrities in Super Bowl ads? Zachary Crockett cracks open the story. SOURCES: Sawyer Clark , director of asset management at Gold Leaf Farming. Diana Salsa , vice president of marketing for Wonderful Pistachios. RESOURCES: " Almond Acreage Decline Prompts Industry Introspection ," by Mitch Lies ( West Coast Nut, 2023). American Pistachio Industry 2021 Annual Report , by American Pistachio Growers (2023). " California’s Agric...
Dec 30, 2024•16 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast Once a luxury good, the soft fiber is now everywhere — which has led to a goat boom in Mongolia. Zachary Crockett tugs at the thread. SOURCES: Myagmarjav Serjkhuu , manager of the Mongolian Sustainable Cashmere Platform for the United Nations Development Programme. Carolyn Yim , designer and owner of Ply-Knits. RESOURCES: " Sandstorms and Desertification in Mongolia, an Example of Future Climate Events: A Review ," by Jie Han, Han Dai, and Zhaolin Gu ( Environmental Chemistry Letters, 2021). " H...
Dec 23, 2024•15 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast Behind almost every character you see displayed on a page or a screen, there’s a complex — and sometimes lucrative — web of licensing deals. Zachary Crockett is just your type. SOURCES: Lucas Czarnecki , creative director of Type Network. Gerry Leonidas , professor of typography at the University of Reading. Chantra Malee , co-founder and C.E.O. of Sharp Type. Lucas Sharp , professional font designer and co-founder of Sharp Type. RESOURCES: " What Fonts Are Used by The New York Times? " by Nona ...
Dec 16, 2024•23 min•Ep 74•Transcript available on Metacast Americans throw away 320 million books every year. How do some of them find a second life? Zachary Crockett is just browsing. SOURCE: Francisco Hernandez, owner of Leaves bookstore. RESOURCES: " Reinventing Retail: The Novel Resurgence of Independent Bookstores ," by Ryan L. Raffaelli ( Harvard Business School Working Paper, 2020). Gravity's Rainbow , by Thomas Pynchon (1973). The Bluest Eye , by Toni Morrison (1970). Leaves bookstore . EXTRA: " Dying Is Easy. Retail Is Hard ," by Freakonomics R...
Dec 09, 2024•18 min•Ep 73•Transcript available on Metacast The tradition of sending cards to loved ones was in decline — until it was rescued by a new generation. But millennials have their own ideas about what sentiments they want to convey. Zachary Crockett is thinking of you on your special day. SOURCES: Mia Mercado , writer and former editor at Hallmark. George White , president of Up With Paper and former president of the American Greeting Card Association. RESOURCES: 34th Louie Awards - Finalists & Winners , (2022-2023). " Season’s (and Other...) ...
Dec 02, 2024•16 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast It’s unreactive, lighter than air, and surprisingly important to the global economy. Zachary Crockett goes up an octave. SOURCES: Sophia Hayes , professor of chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis. Phil Kornbluth , president of Kornbluth Helium Consulting. Bo Sears , C.E.O. of Helix Exploration PLC. RESOURCES: " Why Semiconductor Growth Will Drive Helium Demand ," by Kitty Wheeler ( Technology Magazine, 2024). " The World Is Running Out of Helium. Here's Why Doctors Are Worried ," by Ca...
Nov 25, 2024•21 min•Ep 72•Transcript available on Metacast How did Florida International University’s new football stadium come to be named after the rapper and singer Pitbull? Adrian Ma and Wailin Wong of The Indicator from Planet Money explain. SOURCES: Scott Carr , director of athletics at Florida International University. Adrian Ma , co-host of The Indicator from Planet Money. Wailin Wong , co-host of The Indicator from Planet Money. RESOURCES: The Indicator from Planet Money...
Nov 22, 2024•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Mannequins may be made out of plastic or fiberglass, but for retailers they’re pure gold. Zachary Crockett strikes a pose. SOURCES: Stacie Bornn , vice president of sales, marketing, and creative at Fusion Specialties. Judi Henderson , C.E.O. and president of Mannequin Madness. RESOURCES: " How This Oakland Business Gives Mannequins New Life (Almost) ," by Christopher Beale ( KQED, 2024). " Nike's Controversial Plus-Size Mannequin Is a Brilliant Business Decision ," by Kate Taylor ( Business Ins...
Nov 18, 2024•20 min•Ep 71•Transcript available on Metacast Incarcerated people grow crops, fight wildfires, and manufacture everything from motor oil to prescription glasses — often for pennies per hour. Zachary Crockett reports from North Carolina. SOURCES: Laura Appleman , professor of law at Willamette University. Christopher Barnes, inmate at the Franklin Correctional Center. Lee Blackman , general manager at Correction Enterprises. Brian Scott, ex-inmate, former worker at the Correction Enterprises printing plant. Louis Southall , warden of Frankli...
Nov 11, 2024•21 min•Ep 70•Transcript available on Metacast It takes millions of giant green placards to make America navigable. Where do they come from — and who pays the bill? Zachary Crockett takes the exit. SOURCES: Lee Blackman , general manager at Correction Enterprises. Gene Hawkins , senior principal engineer at Kittelson and professor emeritus of civil engineering at Texas A&M University. Renee Roach, state signing and delineation engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. RESOURCES : " Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Device...
Nov 04, 2024•20 min•Ep 69•Transcript available on Metacast When a zoo needs an elephant, or finds itself with three surplus penguins, it doesn’t buy or sell the animals — it asks around. Zachary Crockett rattles the cages. SOURCES: Hollie Colahan , deputy director of the Birmingham Zoo and chair of the AZA's Animal Population Management Committee. Dwight Lawson , executive director and C.E.O. of the Oklahoma City Zoo. RESOURCES: " Oklahoma City Zoo Announces Near-Total Redesign in 2024 Master Plan ," by Sam Royka ( The Oklahoman, 2024). " Panda Diplomac...
Oct 28, 2024•19 min•Ep 68•Transcript available on Metacast Tow-truck drivers: roadside rescuers or car confiscators? Zachary Crockett gets hooked. SOURCES: Bill Giorgis , president of Mike’s Wrecker Service. Max Karimi , co-owner of H&M Roadside. Teresa Murray , director of the Consumer Watchdog Program at U.S. Public Interest Research Group. RESOURCES: " Getting Off the Hook of a Predatory Tow - Part II ," by Jacob van Cleef and Teresa Murray (U.S. PIRG Education Fund, 2022). " Getting Off the Hook of a Predatory Tow ," by Grace Brombach (U.S. PIRG Edu...
Oct 21, 2024•22 min•Ep 67•Transcript available on Metacast Why are these 300-year-old instruments still coveted by violinists today? And how do working musicians get their hands on multimillion-dollar antiques? Zachary Crockett is not fiddling around. SOURCES: Frank Almond , professional violinist. Ziv Arazi , co-owner of Rare Violins of New York. Bruno Price , co-owner of Rare Violins of New York. RESOURCES: " When It Comes to String Instruments, Stradivariuses Are Still Pitch Perfect ," by Ted Scheinman ( Smithsonian Magazine, 2022). " Study Confirms ...
Oct 14, 2024•20 min•Ep 66•Transcript available on Metacast Casinos think they can stop skilled gamblers from eking out a tiny edge at blackjack. Is that a losing bet? Zachary Crockett doubles down. SOURCES: "Ben," former professional card counter. Bill Zender , co-founder of Bill Zender and Associates casino consulting firm. RESOURCES: " Blackjack Player Sues Ameristar Casino, City of Black Hawk Over Alleged Detainment for Card Counting ," by Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton ( The Denver Post, 2023). " Why Does the House Always Win? A Look at Casino Profitabilit...
Oct 07, 2024•19 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast Making money in the stock image business requires a sharp eye for trends, a very specific type of model, and a race against A.I. Zachary Crockett takes his shot. SOURCE: Yuri Arcurs , C.E.O. and founder of PeopleImages. RESOURCES : " The Last Stock Photographers Await Their Fate Under Generative A.I. ," by Katie Deighton ( The Wall Street Journal, 2024). " The Impressive 100-Year History of Stock Photography: From Analog to A.I. ," by Ivanna Attié ( Stock Photo Secrets, 2024). " How Much Can You...
Sep 30, 2024•23 min•Ep 65•Transcript available on Metacast How does a fresh tuna get from Japan to Nebraska before it goes bad? And how does its journey show up in the price of your spicy tuna rolls? Zachary Crockett gets schooled. SOURCES: Sasha Issenberg , journalist and author. David Utterback , owner of Yoshitomo and Ota sushi restaurants. Nobu Yamanashi , president of Yama Seafood. RESOURCES: " Wild or Farmed? Pacific or Atlantic? Here’s What to Know About Bluefin Tuna ," by Jean Trinh ( Los Angeles Times, 2023). " The Untold Story of Sushi in Amer...
Sep 23, 2024•22 min•Ep 64•Transcript available on Metacast Why do millions of people pay to have one of the world’s deadliest toxins injected into their faces? Zachary Crockett looks surprised. SOURCES: Dana Berkowitz , sociologist and author. Jean Carruthers , pioneer of cosmetic Botox, clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of British Columbia, and owner of Carruthers Cosmetic. Steven Williams , president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and owner of Tri Valley Plastic Surgery. RESOURCES: " Botox Is More Affordable Than Ever....
Sep 16, 2024•17 min•Ep 63•Transcript available on Metacast Almost everyone who buys a home spends thousands of dollars on title insurance. Most of them don’t understand it, and almost none of them use it. So why does it exist? Zachary Crockett closes the deal. SOURCES: Christy Bieber , personal finance writer. Laurie Goodman , institute fellow at the Urban Institute Housing Finance Policy Center. Kathy Kwak , chief operating officer of Proper Title. RESOURCES: " Remarks of President Joe Biden — State of the Union Address As Prepared for Delivery ," (The...
Sep 09, 2024•15 min•Ep 62•Transcript available on Metacast It takes fungi-sniffing dogs, back-room deals, and a guy named “The Kingpin” for the world’s most coveted morsel to end up on your plate. Zachary Crockett picks up the scent. SOURCES: Jason McKinney , co-founder and C.E.O. of Truffle Shuffle. Besart Morina, truffle dealer. RESOURCES: " Dogs Pay the Price in Italian Truffle War ," by Margherita Stancati ( The Wall Street Journal, 2022). " How Truffles Took Root Around the World ," by Federico Kukso ( Smithsonian Magazine, 2022). " Has the America...
Sep 02, 2024•18 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast Once considered noble and heroic, pigeons are now viewed as an urban nuisance — one that costs cities millions of dollars a year. Zachary Crockett tosses some crumbs. SOURCES: Andrew Blechman , journalist and author. David Champagne , owner of Bird Busters, Inc. RESOURCES: " Racing Pigeon Sells For A Record-Breaking $1.9 Million At Auction ," by Carlie Porterfield ( Forbes, 2020). " Feathers of Honor: U.S. Army Signal Corps Pigeon Service in World War I, 1917–1918 ," by Frank A. Blazich Jr. ( Ar...
Aug 26, 2024•20 min•Ep 61•Transcript available on Metacast 
