The Big Flop
Fyre Fest goes up in flames, Madame Web is panned, the hot new crypto coin crashes. Who doesn’t love a good flop? From Silicon Valley scandals to Hollywood meltdowns - every epic fail has a story worth telling. Join TikTok superstar Misha Brown on Wondery’s The Big Flop as we unpack history’s most fascinating flops, frauds, and fiascos. Whether it’s Tom Cruise’s couch-jumping or Taylor Swift in Cats, we’re dissecting the moments when ambition, ego, and poor decisions collide. Each week, Misha and hilarious guests break down these spectacular crashes and try to answer the burning question: Who thought THIS was a good idea? Because on The Big Flop, the best stories are always about the worst ideas. New episodes come out every week. Follow The Big Flop on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new episodes on YouTube, or listen to The Big Flop early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. New episodes every Monday.
Episodes
From club promoter to music mogul, Scooter Braun's Midas touch turned Justin Bieber into pop royalty and made him millions. But when he bought Taylor Swift's masters, he learned the hard way that hell hath no fury like a pop princess scorned. In our final episode, we're going out with a bang – this is the story of how one savvy dealmaker became public enemy #1 to Swifties everywhere, and how the music industry's golden boy...
What happens when six guys with zero restaurant experience open a bar just so they'll always have somewhere to drink? You get Hooters – a wing joint that grew from Florida novelty to international phenomenon. But between failed airline ventures, bikini contests, and changing social attitudes, America's original ""breastaurant"" learned that some business models belong in the past – right next to those infamous orange short...
They say dress for the job you want, not the job you have. For the Bling Ring, that meant stealing $3 million worth of designer goods from Hollywood's elite. From Paris Hilton's forgotten fortune to Orlando Bloom's watch collection, these teen burglars lived out their TMZ fantasies in real time. But when their own reality show became a crime scene, they discovered that fame is fleeting – and felonies are forever.
Sydney Bat...
Anthony Weiner went from passionate congressional crusader to America's most infamous sexter faster than you can say ""Carlos Danger."" With a powerful wife, promising career, and path to the mayor's office, he had it all – until his compulsive need to share underwear pics cost him his marriage, freedom, and possibly the 2016 election.
Alana Levinson and Dan O'Sullivan join Misha to scrutinize one of our bigger flops ...
In 2017, Santa Monica residents woke up to find their streets invaded by mysterious electric scooters. The culprit? Travis VanderZanden, a former Uber exec with a plan to revolutionize urban transit. But between drunk-tweeting executives, phantom revenue reports, and scooters being hurled into oceans, Bird's flight path was destined for turbulence.
Joe Fenti and Maddy Smith join Misha to watch Bird's $2 billion flight plan ...
John McAfee turned computer security into a fortune, then spent the rest of his life making increasingly questionable life choices. Whether he was running from murder charges, pumping crypto schemes, or tattooing ""WHACKD"" on his arm before his suspicious prison death, McAfee proved that sometimes the most dangerous virus is success itself.
Jeff Hiller and Leslie Liao join Misha to get the download on John McAfee.
She kissed a girl, she liked it, and for a decade, Katy Perry could do no wrong. But when cultural appropriation scandals and lukewarm albums replaced her candy-coated hits, not even Jeff Bezos's rocket ship could launch her back to stardom. From pixie cut crisis to space tourism cringe, this is how pop's reigning queen became TikTok's favorite punchline.
Happy Wife, Happy Life co-hosts Jordan Myrick and Kendahl Landret...
In 2019, a group of TikTok stars thought they'd cracked the code to social media stardom: live together, dance together, get rich together. But when the Hype House turned into a pressure cooker of teenage drama, shady business deals, and pandemic parties, these content creators learned that going viral doesn't always pay the rent – or the lawyers.
Chaz May and Brendan Sagalow (Thin Lips) join Misha to discuss what all the h...
John Travolta spent 18 years trying to turn L. Ron Hubbard's Battlefield Earth into the next Star Wars. Instead, he delivered a cinematic disaster that made Waterworld look like Citizen Kane. With alien dreadlocks, nonsensical plot twists, and more Dutch angles than Amsterdam, Travolta's passion project became Hollywood's punchline of the decade.
Bitcherton co-stars Cassie Willson and Katie Marovitch join Misha to rev...
What happens when you give two men unlimited first-class flights for life? American Airlines found out the hard way when their "brilliant" cash-grab turned into a multi-million dollar nightmare, complete with impromptu Paris lunch dates, suspicious companion passes, and an airline determined to ground frequent flyers forever.
Katie Boyle (The Shift, I'll Do It Myself) and Erin Jackson (Grudgery, The Upshaws)join Misha for a...
What do you get when you combine Yale graduates, Orange County bros, and Skechers' sketchy ""research""? Three of the most memorable fitness product fails of all time. From David Beckham's magic balance bracelet to Kim Kardashian's Super Bowl shoe commercial, these celebrity-endorsed flops showed that even star power can't overcome basic physics.
Artists on Artists on Artisits on Artists co-hosts Angela Giarratana, Jeremy C...
Before she became known as “The She-Wolf of France,” Isabella was a princess sent to unite two warring kingdoms through marriage. But her husband, King Edward II of England, didn’t get the same memo. From day one, it’s clear he’s more interested in the cute men at court than his queen – or his crown. As Edward’s reckless choices endanger the English throne and strain relations with France, Isabella will have to decide...
When Jen Shah fled a Bravo filming location minutes before federal agents arrived, her castmates thought the cops might be strippers. They weren't. Instead, they were there to bust a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that would send this Shah-mazing housewife from designer ski wear to prison jumpsuits.
Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/w...
Bernie Madoff wasn't just good at making money disappear—he was a master at making people believe in financial magic. But when the 2008 financial crisis hit, his house of cards came tumbling down, revealing the largest Ponzi scheme in history and leaving everyone from Kevin Bacon to cancer research charities holding the bag.
Brent Pella (Wildin’ Out, Good Trip) and Joey Dardano (The Method, Help from a Hypocrite) join Misha...
In the '90s, Jenny Craig wasn't just selling frozen meals – she was selling the American dream, one tiny chocolate cheesecake at a time. But between shady advertising claims, the Fen-Phen crisis, and a jaw injury that silenced their spokeswoman, this weight loss queen discovered that even the most carefully counted calories couldn't save her empire from crumbling.
Ronald Young Jr. (Weight for It) and Emmy Blotnick (The Engl...
In 2004, backup dancer Kevin Federline hit the relationship jackpot when Britney Spears spotted him at an LA club. Two years, two babies, and one reality show later, K-Fed decided being Mr. Spears wasn't enough – he wanted to be Hip Hop royalty. But when his rap career tanked faster than his marriage, even Richard Branson and a truck covered in pennies couldn't save this wannabe rapper's career.
Alex Falcone (Portlandia) an...
Celebrity spit parties, Met Gala appearances, and dreams of personalized medicine made 23andMe the hottest thing in biotech. Anne Wojcicki’s DNA tests promised to unlock the secrets of our genes – and maybe cure some diseases along the way. But when hackers exposed millions of users' genetic data, not even Richard Branson could save Anne from becoming another Silicon Valley casualty.
Kevin Sullivan and Laura Peek join...
Before there was Facebook, there was MySpace – and Tom Anderson was everyone's first friend. With his iconic profile pic and revolutionary platform, Tom turned social media into a cultural phenomenon. But when corporate suits came calling with fat checks and even bigger expectations, Tom went from being everyone’s first friend to the internet’s first cautionary tale.
Erika Ishii and Brennan Lee Mulligan (Dimension 20,...
In the early 2000s, American Apparel was the coolest kid on the block, slinging ethically-made tees and scandalous billboards. But founder Dov Charney's penchant for office orgies and nude photoshoots proved too spicy for Wall Street, turning his sweatshop-free dream into a nightmare of lawsuits, bankruptcy, and one very public walk of shame.
Sasheer Zamata and Jared Goldstein join Misha to uncover the almost naked truth be...
The Hamburglar was just a mascot, but Jerome Jacobson was the real deal - a McDonald's security chief who pulled off the ultimate inside job. While millions of Americans peeled game pieces hoping for a miracle, this master manipulator was turning Big Macs into big bucks, orchestrating a multi-million dollar fraud. Discover the supersized story of how one man's greed turned America's favorite promotion into the biggest McFl...
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