Podcast Episodes
Back to Search91. Roller Coasters
Episode 91
A new thrill ride can cost an amusement park $20 million or more — but roller coasters attract customers like nothing else. Zachary Crockett must be at least this tall to host this episode.
SOURCES:K…
Published on 4 months ago
90. Closed Captions
Episode 90
It takes a highly skilled stenographer — and some specialized equipment — to transcribe TV dialogue in real time at 300 words per minute. Will A.I. rewrite the script? Zachary Crockett tries to keep …
Published on 4 months, 1 week ago
89. Locksmiths
Episode 89
The ability to get into any home, car, or safe can be lucrative — but fixing locks is a tough business. Zachary Crockett gets the key information.
SOURCES:Wayne Winton, owner of Tri-County Locksmith …
Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago
88. Fortune Cookies
Episode 88
Those tiny treats that predict your future may come free at the end of a Chinese meal, but they’re big business (and not Chinese). Zachary Crockett will go on a long journey.
SOURCES: Jennifer 8. Lee…
Published on 4 months, 3 weeks ago
87. Ski Areas
Episode 87
When you hit the slopes, you might not be thinking about water rights, controlled avalanches, and liability insurance — but someone has to. Zachary Crockett shreds the pow.
SOURCES:Andrew Gast, gene…
Published on 5 months ago
86. Toothpaste
Episode 86
We reach for it twice a day — without thinking about the decades of research and engineering that went into that squeezable tube of minty goo. Zachary Crockett extracts the last bit.
SOURCES:Stephan …
Published on 5 months, 1 week ago
85. Executive Recruiters
Episode 85
When a Fortune 500 company needs a new leader, it turns to a well-connected headhunter who assesses candidates with psychological tests and mock TV interviews. Zachary Crockett activates his network.…
Published on 5 months, 2 weeks ago
84. Mall Cops
Episode 84
Security guards make malls feel safer, but what can they do when there’s trouble? Zachary Crockett observes and reports.
SOURCES:Gus Parsons, mall cop in the San Diego area.David Levenberg, owner of …
Published on 5 months, 3 weeks ago
83. Game Show Winnings
Episode 83
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 …
Published on 5 months, 4 weeks ago
82. Chain Restaurant Recipes
Episode 82
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 cu…
Published on 6 months ago