American Scandal

In 1979, disco was a dominant force in American music. It took the top spots in the Billboard charts, and sold countless records. But with its culturally diverse audience, disco faced a major backlash. And that would lead to a crisis one evening in July of 1979, when a promotional event at a baseball game turned into a riot. Vince Lawrence was at that game, and has since become a music producer and documentary filmmaker. He and Lindsay discuss the meaning of that infamous night, and how disco’s legacy is still with us today, in music and in culture.Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App hereSupport us by supporting our sponsors! Trailer for Vince Lawrence's film "Legacy": https://twitter.com/i/status/1321898855546429440

In Wondery’s newest series, Secret Sauce, hosts John Frye and Sam Donner explore the stories and successes behind some of the most inspiring businesses, creative innovators and intrepid entrepreneurs. First up, we’re diving into the company that revolutionized how we vacation, travel, and even how we trust other people...we’re talking about Airbnb. In 2008, Air Bed and Breakfast launched at SXSW with high hopes of becoming an alternative to overbooked hotels...but they ended up with just two people booking a stay...and one of them was a co-founder of the company. How did Airbnb persevere through adversity to become a company that would forever change the way we think about travel? What was their magic - their secret sauce - that made them such an unlikely success story? And what lessons can we learn from them? Listen at wondery.fm/SS_Scandal.

British scandals change the course of history. They bring down governments, overthrow the rich, and cause the mighty to fall. And in the end, they’re all about power. Wondery presents: British Scandal, a new podcast hosted by Alice Levine & Matt Forde. The premiere season takes you into the sinister world of Russian politics and a killer scandal that shook all of Britain. When former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko is found dead by poisoning in London, it throws Britain -- and all of Europe -- into political controversy. But when the murderer is a rich and powerful foreign state, how far will the British government go? Listen to British Scandal at wondery.fm/BS_AmericanScandal.

Wondery is excited to share a full episode from Lindsay’s Graham’s new show, Business Movers. It’s a show that dives deep into some of the most storied businesses and iconic leaders of all time. This is the first full episode of the latest season of Business Movers: The Myth of John DeLorean. It was undoubtedly the 1985 blockbuster hit "Back to the Future" that made the DeLorean sports car a piece of cinematic history, and part of the American pop culture lexicon. But the name “DeLorean” is also associated with a major scandal involving government gamesmanship and the 1980s drug trade.Listen to the rest of the series at wondery.fm/AS_BusinessMovers.

A college dropout with no background in science turns himself into an expert on performance enhancing drugs. Soon he attracts some of the world’s best athletes—along with the attention of a determined federal agent.Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Track star Marion Jones gets caught in the middle of an Olympic steroid scandal and turns to Victor Conte for help. In baseball, Barry Bonds is fed up watching other players beat records and garner fame. He teams up with a trainer who sets him on a path that will have unexpected results.Support us by supporting our sponsors!

A syringe with a mysterious substance sets off a race to save the Olympics from a doping scandal. Backstabbing, recriminations and a dedicated team of investigators threaten to destroy everything Victor Conte has created. And agent Novitzky plants an undercover agent to try to bring down Barry Bonds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!

The raid on BALCO succeeds beyond Agent Novitzky’s wildest dreams. He gets all the evidence he needs to prove that some of the top athletes in the world have cheated their way to records and medals. But Barry Bonds isn’t going down without a fight and neither is Marion Jones. And when confidential testimony gets leaked to the press, all hell breaks loose.Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Victor Conte loses his battle when he’s sentenced to prison. Marion Jones’ carefully crafted defense threatens to collapse because of a bitter divorce. And agent Novitzky’s case hits some snags as Barry Bonds fights for his reputation. After investigating for eleven years at a cost of a hundred million dollars, can agent Novitzky claim victory? Or has Victor Conte won the war?Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Host Lindsay Graham talks with the journalists who broke the BALCO scandal and almost went to jail.   Mark Fainaru Wada and Lance Williams are the authors of “Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports.” Support us by supporting our sponsors!

In 2006 Eliot Spitzer is elected governor on a promise to tackle corruption in the most dysfunctional state capital in the country--Albany, NY. He is quickly challenged by one of the most powerful men in the state. Will the governor change Albany or will Albany change him?Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Troopergate explodes. Governor Spitzer finds himself embroiled in a scandal. Senator Bruno is investigated by the FBI.Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Governor Cuomo tries to stamp out corruption with an independent commission who deals with interference from unexpected places. Attorney Preet Bharara lasers in on the committee’s findings.Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Preet Bharara investigates Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos - the explosive trials and the aftermath.You can read more about the Sheldon Silver trial here, and read about the Dean Skelos trial here.Support this show by supporting our sponsors!

Host Lindsay Graham talks with Alex Gibney, director of “Client 9,” a documentary that examines the rise and fall of Eliot Spitzer.Support us by supporting out sponsors!

In July of 1985, the National Security Advisor to President Reagan, Robert “Bud” McFarlane puts a plan in motion that could change the course of history and turn the Reagan administration upside down. Support this show by supporting our sponsors!

Two of Reagan’s top priorities are in jeopardy: American hostages are still in the hands of terrorists in Iran, and the Contras are losing their fight against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. In early 1986, the two operations merge. In the middle of it all is Lieutenant Colonel Ollie North.Links to books:Firewall: The Iran-Contra Conspiracy and Cover-up by: Lawrence E. WalshUnder Fire: An American Story by: Oliver L. NorthSpecial Trust by: Robert C. McFarlaneIran-Contra: Reagan's Scandal and the Unchecked Abuse of Presidential Power by: Malcolm ByrneSupport the show by supporting our sponsors!

When the story breaks that senior US government officials secretly traded arms for hostages, Congress and the American people demand answers. Chief of Staff Don Regan and Attorney General Ed Meese begin building a wall around the President. Links to books:Firewall: The Iran-Contra Conspiracy and Cover-up - Lawrence E. WalshUnder Fire: An American Story - Oliver L. NorthSpecial Trust - Robert C. McFarlaneIran-Contra: Reagan's Scandal and the Unchecked Abuse of Presidential Power - Malcolm ByrneSupport this show by supporting our sponsors!

Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh is called to D.C. to investigate Iran-Contra and bring those responsible to justice. But what he discovers will shake his political allegiances, and drive a wedge through the heart of the country.Support this show by supporting our sponsors!

Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh sets his sights on the White House and tries to answer the question everyone has been asking: Exactly how much did President Reagan know and when did he know it?Support this show by supporting our sponsors!