You Can’t Make This Up

Hear the incredible real stories behind the making of the biggest documentary series & films on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie leads in-depth interviews with creators and subjects, exploring how these stories are produced & their impact, while uncovering new information. New episodes every Wednesday.

TV & Film
Film Interviews
Society & Culture
251
The Innocence Files: The Evidence
This is the first episode of a mini-series about The Innocence Files, a documentary series about wrongful convictions, made in consultation with the Innocence Project. Rebecca Lavoie (Crime Writers On...) speaks with Academy-award winning director, Roger Ross Williams (God Loves Uganda, Music By Prudence). He directed the first three episodes about bite mark evidence and exonerees Levon Brooks, Kennedy Brewer, and Keith Harward.
29 min
252
How to Fix a Drug Scandal
After nearly a decade of working for Massachusetts State Drug Testing labs, two chemists were found to have tampered with evidence connected to tens of thousands of cases against people accused of drug trafficking and possession. How To Fix a Drug Scandal, which is now streaming on Netflix, brings to light the investigation behind the corruption and cover-ups of these cases. In this episode, Rebecca Lavoie (Crime Writers on…) speaks with Director and Producer Erin Lee Carr about why she chose to tell the stories of chemist’s Sonja Farak and Annie Dookhan, discusses the lives of those affected by the chemist’s choices, and about her own journey to sobriety. There will be spoilers so watch all of the episodes on Netflix before listening here! A note to listeners, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this episode was not recorded in a studio. Please forgive the change in audio quality.
32 min
253
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness
In 2013, Joe Exotic had two husbands, a dedicated staff of misfits, and over 200 tigers in his private zoo. But Joe also had a rivalry with fellow big cat owner, Carole Baskin. When their feud spun out of control, Joe found himself in a cage of his own. In this episode, host Rebecca Lavoie (Crime Writers On…) will be speaking with co-directors Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin. There will be spoilers so make sure you’ve watched all 7 episodes! A note to listeners, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this episode was not recorded in studios. So there will be a change in audio quality.
34 min
254
Lost Girls
Kevin Flynn (Crime Writers On..) talks with director Liz Garbus about her film Lost Girls. Based on the book Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker. The film follows Mari Gilbert (Amy Ryan) as she searches for her missing daughter Shannan. Meanwhile, the police uncover four more bodies and suspect a serial killer is on the loose. There will be spoilers, so make sure you've watched the whole film before pressing play.
25 min
255
The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez
Host Rebecca Lavoie (Crime Writers On..) talks with director Brian Knappenberger and journalist Garrett Therolf about “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez”. In this episode, they’ll be talking about the various trials of following Gabriel's death, the responsibilities of the social workers involved, and how a child like Gabriel became the victim of a broken system. There will be discussions of child abuse. Please listen at your own discretion.
36 min
256
The Pharmacist
In 1999, Dan Schneider was a small-town pharmacist in Louisiana. But after his son was killed in a drug-related shooting, he becomes obsessed with getting justice. In the Pharmacist, Dan investigates his son's murder, a local pill mill, and the drug crisis sweeping through his community. Host Rebecca Lavoie (Crime Writers On...) speaks with directors Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason (Time: The Kalief Browder Story and Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story).
24 min
257
Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez
Kevin Flynn and Rebecca Lavoie (Crime Writers On....) interview sports writer Dan Wetzel and filmmaker Geno McDermott about their docuseries, Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez. They'll be talking about Aaron's upbringing, his friendship with criminals like Alexander Bradley, and the murder of Odin Lloyd. This episode will also discuss Aaron's suicide. If you or someone you know needs the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the number is 1-800-273-8255. 
30 min
258
Don't F**k With Cats
Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer, follows a team of armchair detectives searching for an anonymous cat killer before he can escalate to something worse. Crime Writers On… host Rebecca Lavoie talks with director Mark Lewis about the rise of online sleuths, his choice to show segments of the animal abuse videos, and whether the audience should also be complicit in the crimes of Luka Magnotta.
31 min
259
The Confession Killer
We have hosts Kevin Flynn and Rebecca Lavoie (of the Crime Writers On...podcast) to speak directors Robert Kenner (Food Inc.) and Taki Oldham about their new series The Confession Killer. They'll be deep diving the story of Henry Lee Lucas, a man who confessed to hundreds of murders that spanned the country.
31 min
260
Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator
This month, we have a documentary film following Bikram Choudhury, the man who popularized yoga in America. Returning hosts Kevin Flynn and Rebecca Lavoie speak with director Eva Orner and lawyer Micki Jafa-Bodden about the rise and fall of a yoga guru who preyed on the very women who trusted him.
28 min
261
The Laundromat
In Steven Soderbergh's new film, "The Laundromat" he explores the world of offshore banking and the international crises caused by the Panama Papers. Screenwriter Scott Z. Burns, and journalist Jake Bernstein sit down with Soderbergh to talk tax evasion, casting Meryl Streep and to look at how they took a real-life scandal and adapted it into a feature film.
30 min
262
Unbelievable
The original series "Unbelievable" follows two policewomen (Toni Collette and Merritt Wever) trying to capture a serial rapist, and one girl (Kaitlyn Dever) who may, or may not, be a victim. It just depends on who you believe. For this episode, we have Kate Wells and Lindsey Smith (hosts of the podcast Believed) speaking with writer/director Susannah Grant and Executive Producer Sarah Templeton about how they adapted the true story into a series, and what steps can be taken to take these crimes more seriously (See "An Epidemic of Disbelief" in The Atlantic).
40 min
263
Introducing From Where She Stands: The OITNB Po...
From Where She Stands: The OITNB Podcast is a new show that connects the storylines from Orange Is The New Black with the stories of real women whose lives have been impacted by prison. Hosted by Piper Kerman (author of the book "Orange In The New Black: My Year In A Woman's Prison"), each episode will feature an exclusive interview with a cast member from OITNB and will dive into the real stories from women navigating the prison system in America. Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode.
1 min
264
The Great Hack
Remember back in 2016 when Cambridge Analytica admited to "hacking" Facebook? In this episode, Aminatou Sow (Call Your Girlfriend) talks with the directors of The Great Hack, Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer. They get into data rights, persuadable social media and how one company used personal information as a means to a political end.
26 min
265
The Staircase (Revisited)
One year ago, Netflix released all 13 episodes of The Staircase, a documentary series that follows the trials of Michael Peterson. In this month's episode, we revisit the landmark series. Aaron Lammer (host of the Longform podcast) spoke with director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade to discuss the making of The Staircase and its legacy.
33 min
266
Killer Ratings
Killer Ratings follows a Brazilian TV show host accused of ordering assassinations to feature on his program. But was it all a conspiracy, or is he guilty of much worse? Rebecca Lavoie and Kevin Flynn (hosts of Crime Writers On...) speak with director Daniel Bogado about this seven-part series.
37 min
267
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
This month, we bring you a narrative feature. We're getting into Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Aaron Lammer of the Longform podcasts sits down with the film's director Joe Berlinger. Fun fact: Joe also directed the Ted Bundy documentary, Conversations With A Killer, which we discussed in a previous episode. Aaron and Joe dive into both the doc and the film, and how both jobs came to land on Joe.
26 min
268
The Two Killings of Sam Cooke
This month, we’re covering The Two Killings of Sam Cooke. This documentary is a part of Netflix's ReMastered series, and it takes a look at the untold story of the legendary soul singer and civil rights activist, Sam Cooke.  We have the director Kelly Duane De La Vega speaking with Tracy Clayton, host of the new Netflix original podcast Strong Black Legends.
40 min
269
Introducing The Human Algorithm
Netflix has a new podcast called The Human Algorithm, and we think you might like it! On Human Algorithm, we feature different people, from actors and directors to Netflix employees, recommending their latest Netflix obsession. Each episode focuses on a different genre, and this time we're bringing you Crime Docs. Adrienne C. Moore (Orange Is the New Black) is a fan of The Staircase, Triple Frontier's Adria Arjona wants you to watch Abducted in Plain Sight, and OITNB's Taryn Manning recommends the series Evil Genius.Subscribe wherever you listen to this podcast.
9 min
270
Abducted in Plain Sight
This month, we’re covering Abducted in Plain Sight. This 90-minute documentary follows the unpredictable tale of a girl who gets kidnapped right under family’s nose, not once. But twice. We have the director Skye Borgman speaking with this month’s interviewers, Rebecca Lavoie and Kevin Flynn. You might know Kevin and Rebecca from their podcast Crime Writers On, or from our episode on The Innocent Man. They are here to walk us through this shocking documentary.
45 min
271
Introducing I'm Obsessed With This
We thought You Can't Make This Up listeners might enjoy a new podcast from Netflix called I'm Obsessed With This. On IOWT, host Bobby Finger invites guests — fans, critics, friends — to gab about the most-discussed titles of the moment. What are people saying? Why do they love it, hate it, or need to scream about it on Twitter? Ranging from meme-y chatter to in-depth analysis, this is the entire range of popular conversation around the newest Netflix titles distilled into a half hour show. In the episode we're sharing with you, Bobby and friends talk about Russian Doll, Velvet Buzzsaw and true crime film, Abducted In Plain Sight. Subscribe wherever you listen to this podcast.
34 min
272
Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes
This week, we’re getting into Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes. This four-part docuseries follows the crimes of one of America’s most notorious killers, Ted Bundy. From 1974-1978, Bundy committed a multitude of crimes, including murdering over 30 women in 7 states.  The series is based on the book of the same name, written by journalist and author Stephen Michaud. Stephen recorded over 100 hours of his interviews with Ted Bundy, which the series features heavily. We brought in journalist Taylor Crumpton, who has written about Ted Bundy for Teen Vogue and covers social justice in publications like Paper Mag and Glamour, to interview Stephen.
29 min
273
The Innocent Man
This week, we’re diving into the new Netflix Original, The Innocent Man. This six part docu-series follows the life of Ron Williamson, who sat on Oklahoma's death row for 11 years for a crime he didn't commit. It’s based on John Grisham’s best-selling true crime book of the same name.  Here to talk about it are the series director Clay Tweel and true crime authors, podcasters and real-life married couple Rebecca Lavoie and Kevin Flynn. They host the popular true crime podcast, Crime Writers On.
38 min
274
Best Of True Crime - 2018
With 2018 coming to a close, we couldn’t help but think back on what a crazy year it’s been in the world of Netflix True Crime. We brought in two true crime fans to break down their favorite docuseries of 2018. Shane Madej and Ryan Bergara, co-hosts of BuzzFeed’s Unsolved, talk about the most memorable characters, scenes, and plot twists of Evil Genius, Making A Murderer Part Two, and The Staircase. After that, we get a phone call from Ma Anand Sheela. We met Sheela earlier this year in the hit docuseries, Wild Wild Country. Sheela fills us in on her relationship with the series, her family’s reaction, how she feels about Rajneeshpuram and more.
39 min
275
They'll Love Me When I'm Dead
This week is a true cinephile’s delight. We’re diving into They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead, a new documentary directed by Academy Award Winning filmmaker Morgan Neville. They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead chronicles the making of Orson Welles’s previously unfinished final film, The Other Side Of The Wind. Today on the podcast we have Karina Longworth interviewing director Morgan Neville about all things Orson Welles. Karina hosts the beloved Hollywood history podcast, You Must Remember This, and recently released her first book, Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes's Hollywood. Karina and Morgan talk about the making of They'll Love Me When I'm Dead, Orson Welles' impact and why they went with that title. Spoiler alert: it's a great title! While this interview is not actually spoiler heavy, both films are available on Netflix if you want to watch either before listening.
40 min