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
151
Up next: Trainwreck: Woodstock '99
Next up on You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “Trainwreck: Woodstock '99." The original 1969 concert promised peace and music, but its 1999 revival delivered three days of rage, riots and real harm. In our next episode, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Jamie Crawford and producer Cassie Thornton. If you haven't watched "Trainwreck: Woodstock '99," make sure to add it to your watch-list before next week’s episode. Stay Tuned!
6 min
152
The Most Hated Man on the Internet
In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “The Most Hated Man on the Internet," out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Rob Miller and producer Vikki Miller. Kayla was stunned to learn her intimate photos were posted on a revenge porn website called IsAnyoneUp.com. It was run by Hunter Moore, a self-styled bad boy who enjoyed the humiliation of the victims and the adoration of his equally raucous fans. When Moore refused to remove her pictures, Kayla had only one person to turn to. That’s when her mother Charlotte decided she needed to take down who the press had dubbed “The Most Hated Man on the Internet.” SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched “The Most Hated Man on the Internet" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on
36 min
153
Next up: The Most Hated Man on the Internet
Next up on You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series “The Most Hated Man on the Internet." Hunter Moore was a self-proclaimed “professional life ruiner” who found fame in the early 2010s with a notorious revenge porn website. But then the mother of one of his victims began her own quest to take down this Internet bully. In our next episode, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Rob Miller and producer Vikki Miller.. If you haven't watched “The Most Hated Man on the Internet,” make sure to add it to your watch-list before next week’s episode. Stay Tuned!
5 min
154
Girl in the Picture Chapter 5: The Name She Nev...
The twisted conclusion is revealed about the little girl who never really knew who she was. A reinvestigation of the cold cases of Sharon Marshall and Michael Hughes unravels the mystery of the little girl who never really knew who she was.
53 min
155
Girl in the Picture Chapter 4: Memories of a Lo...
A so-called father’s obsession with his son turns deadly as the true nature of his crimes and aliases become clear. When the shocking past of federal fugitive, Franklin Floyd intersects with a Jane Doe mystery, an avalanche of secrets are revealed. With it, a resolution of the Sharon Marshall mystery seems closer than ever.
40 min
156
Girl in the Picture Chapter 3: A Life Undercover
With escalating abuse and violence, a father becomes a husband, and very likely a killer. Sharon takes on a new identity, leaving her old life and her sense of self behind. A supposed accident leaves Michael in foster care as authorities discover his family was never who they said they were. Girl in the Picture Podcast is a companion to the documentary coming to Netflix on July 6, 2022. The podcast is a standalone audio documentary and can be listened to before or after watching the film. If you are hoping to avoid spoilers, we recommend watching the film before listening to episode 3.
33 min
157
Girl in the Picture Chapter 2: No Way Out
A father pushes his daughter into a life of selling sex as friends attempt to make sense of it all. Sharon leaves behind her dreams of college and brings a baby into a world of sex work, controlled by the one person who was supposed to protect her. Once again, her new friends struggle to help her escape. Girl in the Picture Podcast is a companion to the documentary coming to Netflix on July 6, 2022. The podcast is a standalone audio documentary and can be listened to before or after watching the film. If you are hoping to avoid spoilers, we recommend watching the film before listening to episode 3.
36 min
158
Girl in the Picture Chapter 1: Broken Dreams
A bright and mesmerizing teenager tries to make her way in the world only to find her father is the one person standing in her way. Sharon Marshall navigates high school in the 1980s with a mysterious home life that troubles all those around her. As her teenage years unfold, so does the darkness of Sharon and her father's relationship. Girl in the Picture Podcast is a companion to the documentary coming to Netflix on July 6, 2022. The podcast is a standalone audio documentary and can be listened to before or after watching the film. If you are hoping to avoid spoilers, we recommend watching the film before listening to episode 3.
37 min
159
Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet
In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series "Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Brian Knappenberger. The Internet connects friends and strangers like never before. But that ease of communication, and the ability to mask your identity or location, can make the digital world a hunting ground: Spreading hate or disinformation. Extorting the innocent. Ripping off the unsuspecting. “Web of Make Believe” goes beyond the crimes of bad actors to explore the unseen ripple effects of their digital deeds. Whether they can damage an individual’s self-esteem, violate a community’s privacy, or even lead to death.
33 min
160
Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey
In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series "Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Rachel Dretzin. Through personal accounts, "Keep Sweet" reveals the incredible events leading to the 2011 life sentence of Warren Jeffs, the self-professed prophet of The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In a dramatic raid at the Yearning for Zion Ranch, which generated headlines around the world, law enforcement and Child Protective Service agents uncovered stunning evidence of systemic sexual, physical and psychological abuse. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched "Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.
30 min
161
Next Up: Keep Sweet
Next up on You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series "Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey." From forced underage marriage and pregnancy - to a complete unraveling of the oppressive criminal cult of Fundamentalist Mormons under Warren Jeffs’ rule - the story uncovers extraordinary bravery battling tyrannical control in modern America. In our next episode, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews the director and executive producer of "Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey" Rachel Dretzin. If you haven't watched the series yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before our next episode that releases next week. Stay Tuned!
5 min
162
Meltdown: Three Mile Island
In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary series "Meltdown: Three Mile Island" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Kief Davidson. In 1979, crews at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania were stunned when a series of malfunctions led to a partial core meltdown. Though plant operators said the situation was under control and no radiation had leaked, government officials questioned their honesty and debated whether a wide scale evacuation was necessary. Even after the largest nuclear accident on American soil had been contained, undetected dangers to the nation remained.
31 min
163
The G Word
On this special bonus, we’re going to hear an episode of the podcast "Factually! with Adam Conover" as Adam talks about his new Netflix series, “The G Word.” Love it or hate it, the government plays a huge role in our lives. Adam explores its triumphs, failures and how we might be able to change it. In this podcast, The Fifth Risk author Michael Lewis turns the tables on Adam, interviewing him about how made the show.
79 min
164
Our Father with Lucie Jourdan
In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are again talking about the Netflix documentary "Our Father" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Lucie Jourdan. For decades, Dr. Donald Cline was a respected physician in fertility medicine. With the growing availability of home DNA-testing, many of the adult-children conceived at his clinic began to search for relatives of their sperm donor. It didn’t take too much digging to see many of these children were all the offspring of Dr. Cline himself. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched "Our Father" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on. Please note that this episode contains material some listeners may find challenging. Please listen at your own discretion.
36 min
165
Our Father with Jacoba Ballard
In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary "Our Father" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews documentary subject Jacoba Ballard. Jacoba’s mother became pregnant with the help of an Indiana fertility clinic and donor sperm. When she used a home DNA kit to find possible half-siblings, she found more people than would be conceived by an average donor. Jacoba and the others realized their shared relative was the clinic’s doctor, Donald Cline. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched "Our Father" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on. Please note that this episode contains material some listeners may find challenging. Please listen at your own discretion.
27 min
166
The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes
In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary "The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Emma Cooper. Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe's tragic death spawned conspiracies and rumors leading all the way to the White House and which Hollywood legends are made of, securing her unique place in history. By piecing together her final weeks, days and hours through previously unheard recordings of those who knew her best, this feature illuminates more of her glamorous, complicated life, and offers a new perspective on that fateful night. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched "The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.
37 min
167
Next up: The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe
Next up on You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about "The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes." She was Hollywood's biggest star and her 1962 overdose rocked the nation. Hear directly from those who knew her work, her personal life, and secrets about her death. In our next episode, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews the director of "The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe," Emma Cooper. If you haven't watched the film yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before our next episode that releases next week. Stay Tuned!
6 min
168
White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie & F...
In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the Netflix documentary "White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews director Alison Klayman. The clothing store Abercrombie & Fitch conquered malls in the late ‘90s with gorgeous models at the door, pulsing dance beats from inside, and a fierce scent all over. It had the aura of a popular nightclub where only the cool kids could get in. But while the brand was running white hot, its popular “all-American” image began burning out. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched "White Hot" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.
33 min
169
Next up: White Hot, The Rise & Fall of Abercrom...
Next up on You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about "White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch." All the cool kids were wearing it. This documentary explores A&F’s pop culture reign in the late ’90s and early 2000s and how it thrived on exclusion. In our next episode, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews the director of "White Hot," Alison Klayman. If you haven't watched the film yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before our next episode that releases next week. Stay Tuned!
6 min
170
Our Great National Parks
In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the documentary series "Our Great National Parks" out now on Netflix. Host Rebecca Lavoie interviews Executive Producer James Honeyborne and Series Producer Sophie Todd. Produced and narrated by former President Barack Obama, "Our Great National Parks" brims with wonder, humor, and optimism as each episode tells the story of a park through the lives of its wildest residents — and explores our changing relationship with wilderness. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched "Our Great National Parks" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.
34 min
171
Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King
In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the documentary series "Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King" out now on Netflix. Our host Rebecca Lavoie interviews the director of the documentary film, Luke Sewell. Gerald Cotten was the head of Canada's largest bitcoin exchange. While on his honeymoon to India, Gerald become ill and died from complications from Crohn's disease. His sudden death left the exchange in shambles because no one else had the password that controlled hundreds of millions of dollars in crypto-currency. But the circumstances of his death and the loss of their money made investors ask questions, did Gerald fake his demise to either cover substantial losses or to abscond with an untraceable fortune? SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched "Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.
33 min
172
The Andy Warhol Diaries
On this episode of You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the documentary series "The Andy Warhol Diaries" out now on Netflix. Our host Rebecca Lavoie interviews the director Andrew Rossi. This breathtakingly expansive, six-part portrait of a legend chronicles the remarkable life of Andy Warhol from the intimate vantage point offered by the artist’s own posthumously published diaries. Though intensely protective of his personal life, beginning in the 70s Warhol dictated his observations to a typist. They capture his thoughts about his secret loves, his personal struggles, and his professional self-image. “The Andy Warhol Diaries” employs cutting-edge AI-technology that recreates Warhol’s own voice to narrate his own words. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched "The Andy Warhol Diaries" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.
35 min
173
Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. by Swindled
Today we're talking about "Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives." which is the latest documentary series on Netflix, directed by Chris Smith. Bad Vegan is about a wild four-part documentary series that explores how Sarma Melngailis, the celebrity restaurateur behind the glittering New York hotspot Pure Food and Wine, went from being the queen of vegan cuisine to being known as the “Vegan Fugitive.” Shortly after meeting a man named Shane Fox on Twitter in 2011, Melngailis begins draining her restaurant’s funds and funneling the money to Fox, after he cons her into believing he could make her dreams a reality... but only if she continues to obey his every request without question. Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. takes viewers on a journey more bizarre than fiction. Today we're turning over this episode to our friends at Swindled, a true-crime podcast about white-collar criminals, con artists, and corporate evil. In this episode, we'll dive even deeper into the story of Sarma Melngailis, Shane Fox, and the scandal that took down a burgeoning vegan empire.
47 min
174
Worst Roommate Ever
Today on You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about the true-crime series, "Worst Roommate Ever" out now on Netflix. Our host Rebecca Lavoie interviews the director and executive producer, Domini Hoffman about the terrifying series.  Every day in newspaper ads and online posts, people reach out to find someone to share a space and the cost of their rental properties with, but who is that stranger you just let into your apartment? In this series, we hear about renters who go beyond leaving towels in the bathroom or getting behind on their utility bills. We learn about a man who developed a fatal attraction to his roommate. A boarding house in which men check in but don't check out. A con-artist who turned to violence to cover up his financial crimes. And a serial squatter who moves in then pays nothing and refuses to leave.   SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched "Worst Roommate Ever" yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.
34 min
175
jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy
Today on You Can't Make This Up, we are talking about "jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy" out now on Netflix. The lives of an emerging superstar and filmmaker intertwine in this intense and intimate three-act documentary following Kanye West's career. The documentary event showcases both his formative days trying to break through and his life today as a global brand and artist. Our host Rebecca Lavoie interviews the directors, producers, and writers of "jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy," Chike & Coodie. Listen on to hear what they share about their experience capturing the footage that spans over two decades. Here is your SPOILER ALERT, so if you haven't watched the trilogy yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening.
36 min