Shows
Busted Business BureauKellogg Brown and Root 3: Return of the King (Extended Edition) Two Disk SetI PROMISE this is the last part to our exploration of KBR! This episode features a big thematic swing of including the best food review of all time throughout the episode. If you’re into gargantuan oil failures, extensive explanations of holes, politically correct GOOP, or droopy baked alaskas then this episode is for YOU! Again, we’ll move on from this wound I’ve been picking for three weeks.
Also, hello! It is nice to be back from tour and to have wi-fi! I am swamped with the thousands of other bits of work I have to do n...
2024-01-091h 04
Busted Business BureauKellogg, Brown and Root 2: Electric BoogalooHI YALL! Forgive the delay; I am already on tour and didn't realize I wouldn't have wi-fi! This was uploaded as a labor of my hot spot's love. Here's the part 2 no one asked for! Let's perfect our Lois Griffin impression Whiplash-style, crack open a $247 soda, and order 50,000 pounds of nails to get ready to revisit the company I've been obsessed with for years: Kellogg, Brown and Root. Gosh, this private military contracting season is a DOOZY. Fraud, waste and abuse abound!
As always, follow @blenderbluid, keep Amy Do in your offline thoughts, and thank the fabulous...
2023-12-191h 10
Busted Business BureauKellogg, Brown and RootAmy Do and Blender Bluid continue on our season-long journey into private military contracting! Avarice incarnate with a healthy heap of political parasitism, we're talking about the origins of KBR. Do you know how to build a nuclear power plant? No? Who gives a hoot! Let's try it anyway! Along the way we'll get 100,000 meals to throw out, Blender Bluid's RuPaul impression, and of course more war profiteering than you previously thought imaginable. It is still nuts to me that we're having the exact same conversation in different fonts all these years later re: KBR's failures, waste, fraud and...
2023-12-121h 10
Busted Business BureauHalliburtonDipping my toe into making things way too personal with this episode about a giant oil conglomerate! Who doesn't fucking love that? Amy Do and Blender Bluid are BACK, baby, to do just a tiny bit more set dressing on this season. We're talking about procurement; how did the companies in the upcoming season get their contracts in the first place? Turns out, even THAT is laden with some busted-ass shenanigans!
Ultimately, this is a podcast that is entirely informed by my comedic and artistic point of view. This particular episode on Halliburton is admittedly not as de...
2023-12-0457 min
Busted Business BureauBBB Season 6 Update!Hello besties! I'm just a girl with vocal nodes in a podcasting world!
2023-10-3001 min
Busted Business BureauHe Gets UsHey kids...who likes #Jesus?? Christian McCann is on the pod so I can finally answer questions he's been asking me for like a year now. Why is there a marketing campaign for Christianity, and who is paying for it? As it turns out, the answer is something that will matter for 10 billion more years. Join me to talk about the intracacies of tax law and mostly dish about terrible religious experiences. Rich people of any religion will always find ways to retain control of their money; this episode is just a sliver into that world!
Christian a...
2023-09-251h 01
Busted Business BureauPiggly WigglyFranklin Pierce impersonator Dylan Cohen drops by to gab about the grocery store that totally changed the game: Piggly Wiggly! I'm thrilled to have this season's rascal-centered episode, and I'm VERY excited to add a new weirdo from the early 1900s to the BBB collection. Grab your bibles, label your vegetables, and let's play some synchronous jazz while we talk about the weird twists and turns of Piggly Wiggly's dramatic changes-of-hands!
Dylan Cohen is performing in The Lincoln Lodge's Future of Comedy Festival on Friday September 29th at 7:30pm for "Powerpoint Night Live!" tickets at thelincolnlodge.com/fut...
2023-09-111h 00
Busted Business BureauThe Imperial and Economic Consequences of Bird ShitWho wants to get drunk and talk about 1800s agriculture? MEEEEE apparently! Join myself and my sweet special friend J. T. Kost for an episode detailing the guano boom and bust of the 1800s: drunken reenactments of the Last Supper, yadda-yadda-ing our way through unprecendented imperial expansion, and plenty of descriptions of bird shit abound this episode! Not to get too TMI but I had to figure out a recording situation last-minute to produce this podcast, which means that the audio quality might be...shall we say different than previous episodes. I'm working on a solution and I hope yo...
2023-08-281h 10
Busted Business BureauHewlett-Packard (HP)Brazen antifeminist woman in STEM, Sarah, joins me to discuss the factory of girlfailures: Hewlett-Packard! Revolutionizing the world of personal-computers-you-kinda-know, this company has been run by a cavalcade of silly little clowns since at least 1999. This episode is packed top to bottom with shenanigans; spiders falling from the ceiling, being a Girl-FailedGubernatorialCandidate, somehow also private military contracting, and lots and lots of rich people problem-solving in unique, never-before seen foolish ways.
I'll be posting episodes every two weeks, which I think will make the podcast much more sustainable to make! I can't read all this shit in one...
2023-08-1458 min
Busted Business BureauThe Legacy of Pat TillmanAmy Do and Blender Bluid join me to unpack the lengthy, complicated story of Pat Tillman. For a typically facts-dense podcast about corporate wrongdoings, this episode is decidedly more opinionated -- this isn't a single business for which we can dig up public reports, lawsuits, etc. Rather, this episode dives into the general misuse of someone's memory so that a variety of folks can milk ad revenue on Youtube and sell tee shirts. Plain and simple, I think that sucks!
I've never been in more physical pain recording an episode nor have I taken so many L's i...
2023-07-311h 01
Busted Business BureauWaste Management, INCDry mouthed Emma Day did me a huge favor coming onto this podcast last-minute for a WHIRLWIND episode about trash. If you love cathaters and sewage being dumped into your Hawai'ian vacation resort water, suing a district attorney out of spite for 7 years, or committing literal textbook financial fraud, you'll freaking LOVE this one! Don't you wish a company tasked with a service that impacts public health and safety would do it...well? Nah, let's just pop some money into our retirement account and tell the next generation HAGS! Anyways, when Emma gets in the studio I just vibe...
2023-07-171h 05
Busted Business BureauToys "R" UsMy friend who loves a shot and a beer, Karsten Runquist, joins me for this exploratory episode about the ins and outs of the United States' beloved decrepit children's toy retail store, Toys R Us! Let's get jiggy with some brankruptcy docey-do's, George HW Bush's infamous trip to Japan, giraffe sized coffins, and the lush world of private equity! This episode took much longer to research than is likely evident from the podcast because what on God's green earth is a motherfvcking "Leveraged Buyout?" Is mayonnaise a debt instrument? Anyways, huge thanks to Investopedia dot com for your articles...
2023-07-101h 01
Busted Business BureauAbbott LaboratoriesHIEEEEE!!!!! I'm back! My third-string comedian, first-string friend Kate joins me to talk about a company that has gotten away with evils that take place during every stage of a life cycle: Abbott Laboratories. If you like undercover FBI stings with costumes, vile descriptions of bacteria through the lens of art criticism, or selling your weight in illegally-marketed sedatives, this episode is for YOU! How can a business factor in losing hundreds of millions of dollars every few years because they're getting sued by the government? Fairly easily it turns out!
Thanks for your patience re: me...
2023-07-031h 08
SUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"With Open Eyes" (S4E10)"Ahead of the final board meeting on the Waystar-Gojo Deal, Kendall and Shiv try to shore up their opposing interests...and get a fix on the whereabouts of a physically and emotionally bruised Roman."
HATS: https://karsten-runquist-store.creator-spring.com/listing/get-big-succ?product=2148
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-05-301h 06SUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Church and State" (S4E09)"As the family girds themselves for an emotional funeral, Kendall finds himself at odds with Rava and inopportune news from Jess. Shiv tries to reposition herself in a new political landscape, and Kendall rallies supporters to his side."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-05-2241 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"America Decides" (S4E08)"On election night, Tom tries to manage an increasingly chaotic newsroom, while Kendall, Shiv, and Roman spar over the consequences of the result for themselves, the company, and the country."
HATS: https://karsten-runquist-store.creator-spring.com/listing/get-big-succ?product=2148
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-05-151h 01SUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Tailgate Party" (S4E07)"Hoping to work the angles, Kendall and Roman ask Shiv to invite a campaign insider to Logan's pre-election day party."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-05-0840 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Living+" (S4E06)"Ahead of Investor Day, Shiv weighs a proposal from Matsson, while Kendall and Roman each try to match Logan's volatile leadership style."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-05-0146 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Kill List" (S4E05)"After the Waystar team heads to Norway, Shiv, Kendall, and Roman consider whether to fight for Logan's crown jewel."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-04-2443 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Honeymoon States" (S4E04)"As the Waystar team discusses a pivotal recommendation to the board, Roman, Kendall, and Shiv navigate a misstep with Matsson."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-04-1758 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Connor's Wedding" (S4E03)"While Logan doles out an unsavory task ahead of his trip to meet Matsson, Connor fixates on minutia at his wedding."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-04-1052 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Rehearsal" (S4E02)"After Shiv discovers that Tom is following Logan's playbook, she, Kendall, and Roman consider backing Sandi and Stewy's aggressive play on the Matsson deal. Meanwhile, Logan gives an impromptu pep talk to the ATN newsroom... and outsources a tricky conversation with Kerry. Later, Connor tries to make the most of his rehearsal dinner when Willa goes AWOL."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-04-0352 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"The Munsters" (S4E01)"As Kendall, Shiv, and Roman hone their pitch for investors in LA, Logan learns of a rival bid on a long-coveted acquisition."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-03-2837 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"All the Bells Say" (S3E09)"Matsson's vision for the business leads Shiv and Roman to manage the fallout, while Logan weighs his options."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-03-2848 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Chiantishire" (S3E08)"After a tense board meeting to discuss acquisition of Matsson's GoJo, Roman shares his suspicions about their mother's new beau with Shiv. As a luxe family wedding gets underway in Italy, Gerri draws a line in the sand with Roman, the Waystar team grows increasingly concerned about Matsson's rogue tweets, and Shiv and Caroline have a heart-to-heart, of sorts."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-03-2647 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Too Much Birthday" (S3E07)"At Kendall's lavish birthday bash, Shiv and Roman try to arrange a meeting with Lukas Matsson, a tech mogul who recently snubbed Logan."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-03-2645 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"What It Takes" (S3E06)"Logan and team head to Virginia for a conservative political conference, where Roman finds out surprising news about his mother."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-03-2434 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Retired Janitors of Idaho" (S3E05)"Kendall and the Waystar team find themselves working together at the annual shareholders' meeting, where Logan's health takes a turn."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-03-2436 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Lion in the Meadow" (S3E04)"Logan and Kendall have their first meeting together with Josh, a major investor worried about their family feud."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-03-2232 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"The Disruption" (S3E03)"With the DOJ at the door, Logan summons his arsenal, while Tom makes a potentially life changing offer. Kendall becomes obsessed with his own takedown."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-03-2238 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Mass in Time of War" (S3E02)"Kendall tries to get his siblings, as well as Stewy and Sandi on his side. Fearing his legal situation, Greg asks Ewan for help."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-03-2033 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Secession" (S3E01)"Following his bombshell presser, a righteous Kendall scrambles to find a base of operations, while Logan's team searches for safe harbor."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-03-2028 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"This Is Not for Tears" (S2E10)"Logan looks for a sacrificial lamb among his closest allies as the future of the company hangs in the balance."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-03-0752 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"DC" (S2E09)"Logan, Kendall, Gerri and Tom testify before Congress; Shiv speaks candidly to Kira, a victim who is set to be a key witness; in Turkey, Roman's business pitch takes a chilling turn."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-03-0730 min
Busted Business BureauHertzIf you're looking for a season finale where I nearly spit out my Diet Coke several times, this episode is for you. I'll be honest: I wrote a pretty solid script involving Hertz's century-long history with highlights including consistent overcharging, under-delivering on vehicles, becoming a meme stock, and commiting insurance fraud. However. Meg Harris is the funniest person alive and I forgot to say like half the things in my script. Is this the most research-ey the podcast has ever been? No. But I'm an entertainer, not a journalist, so this is a bangin' episode.
Check out...
2023-03-061h 14SUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Dundee" (S2E08)"The entire Roy clan travels to Logan's hometown of Dundee, Scotland, for a celebration of Logan's 50 years in the business; Kendall becomes enamored with Jennifer, an actress in Willa's play; a former employee proves difficult to silence."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-02-2840 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Return" (S2E07)"A trip to the UK finds the Roy kids negotiating with their mother; Logan turns to Rhea for advice."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-02-2839 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Argestes" (S2E06)"Logan's deal with the Pierces is threatened; Kendall, Shiv and Roman differ on damage control strategies."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-02-2131 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Tern Haven" (S2E05)"Shiv, Roman and Connor veer from their roles at a weekend retreat to woo the Pierces."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-02-2137 min
Busted Business BureauSouthwest AirlinesLongtime friend, firsttime caller Jon Oppenheimer finally joins my podcast to continue my tradition of not being quite topical by analyzing a months-old news thing: Southwest Airlines! December 2022 was far from the company's only meltdown that caused nationwide disaster. But Jon asked me to make this episode because we all had questions after the incident: why do we have so few choices of air travel yet so few consequences for airlines when they completely boof it? Who is in charge here? Is this how it's always gonna be? The history of commercial aviation in the US is actually fucking nu...
2023-02-201h 14SUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Safe Room" (S2E04)"Roman begins a six-week management training program in the Parks division; Logan and Kendall arrange a covert meeting with a PGM CEO as a controversy surrounding a star anchor leads to a day of chaos at ATN headquarters."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-02-1442 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Hunting" (S2E03)"Logan informs his skeptical management team of his plan to make another attempt to acquire Pierce; Greg worries his pre-meeting will puts his standing with the family at risk; Connor's presidential announcement irritates Logan."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-02-1442 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Vaulter" (S2E02)"Roman and Kendall do a "routine health check" of a new media brand to help Vaulter determine the future of the company; Tom tasks Greg with sniffing out waste at ATN; Connor and Willa host a soiree to mark their return to New York."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-02-0731 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"The Summer Palace" (S2E01)"Still addled from the events in England, Kendall tries to make amends with his dad; Logan receives some unvarnished advice from his financial banker; Tom maneuvers for a new position in the company."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-02-0735 min
Busted Business BureauLiz Carmichael: Scammer, Girlboss, Little RascalAll I can say is I knocked it out of the park with this one. I'm finally telling my sweet friend Cookie the story of my absolute FAVORITE scammer: Liz Carmichael. This one's got everything: libertarian science fiction, engineering mishaps, three wheeled cars, stock fraud, Unsolved Mysteries, and a woman so magnetic that she girlbossed millions of dollars despite having NO PRODUCT. I sincerely mean it when I say that I am obsessed with her.
This episode honestly evades my descriptive writing skills -- in part because I've worked 14 days in a row, in part because it's g...
2023-02-0656 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Nobody Is Ever Missing" (S1E10)"Roman faces technical difficulties. Tom marks his territory. Kendall hits rock bottom with tragic consequences."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-01-3148 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Pre-Nuptial" (S1E09)"The Roys assemble at an English castle for Shiv and Tom's wedding; Kendall's plans are fast-tracked."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-01-3130 min
Busted Business BureauRuPaul's Drag RaceMy beloved friend Derry Queen joins me for a real fast-and-loose episode about RuPaul's Drag Race. This one was a very fun episode for me because it's less heavy on the research since Derry has a lot of personal experience relating to the show. The standard working conditions in reality TV are absolutely bonkers, and we talk about some of that history.
Don't forget to vote for ME for best podcast in the Chicago Reader, and don't forget to NOT VOTE FOR DERRY as best drag queen. Please vote for Irregular Girl!!! She is fucking awesome. If...
2023-01-301h 08SUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Prague" (S1E08)"Tom has a bachelor's party to remember; Kendall and Roman eye new business opportunities."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-01-2332 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Austerlitz" (S1E07)"The Roys gather for a family therapy session; Kendall finds his sobriety tested."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-01-2327 min
Busted Business BureauJuulRemember when Juul was a verb? The generecized word for vape? I REMEMBER! That business really came and went like a beautiful comet. Joining me to talk about the historic rise and fall of Juul is my dear friend Emma Day! The legal machinations behind regulating cigarettes is FASCINATING, and the status of cigarettes in the law affects the ways we make e-cigs. Also, we just talk about the smoking cessation industry in general, which is a hilarious thing we invented to solve the problem of overproducing unbelievably addictive yet dangerous objects. Emma is so fucking funny, please listen...
2023-01-231h 06SUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Which Side Are You On?" (S1E06)"Roman and Kendall attempt to sway the board, while Shiv explores her options in D.C."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-01-1627 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"I Went to Market" (S1E05)"Kendall begins to plot a vote of no confidence against Logan; Tom questions his prenup."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-01-1631 min
Busted Business BureauThe Industry of School Shooting SafetyBlender Bluid and Amy Do are back on the podcast for a VERY absurd episode. We get into the down and dirty of the free market's response to the very USA-based problem of school-based gun violence. As far as the more grim episodes go, this is one that we tried to bring a lot of levity to (especially about 24 minutes in). First we take a look at the products, then the politics, then profit-based active shooter training programs. There's a lot of ways to make money off of national policy failure and consistent tragedy, apparently.
A little n...
2023-01-161h 14SUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Sad Sack Wasp Trap" (S1E04)"The family attends an annual company gala overseen by Connor and highlighted by a surprise announcement."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-01-0932 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Lifeboats" (S1E03)"As their first act as CEO and COO, Ken and Roman try to dig the company out of a financial mess. Meanwhile, Marcia prevents the family from seeing the recovering Roy."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-01-0933 min
Busted Business BureauThe Center for COVID ControlSwiss Miss Ali Fish(er) is on the pod to talk about one of the most prolific COVID testing scam sites in the country. What I didn't realize is how piecemeal our testing infrastructure was over the past 2 years, and this particular scam goes fucking nuts. How can two owners of an axe throwing range wind up as the 12th most federally funded COVID testing site in the country? Why did we regulate those testing sites as businesses and not health clinics? WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE!?
I neglected to mention in the episode that all of t...
2023-01-091h 03
Busted Business BureauBBB 2022: A Year in Review**REUPLOADED, IDK WHY THIS EPISODE IS GIVING ME SUCH A PAIN IN MY ASS
So I just closed out ONE WHOLE YEAR of this podcast! The first episode was January 3, 2022. It's now Jan 2, 2023 (honestly, I thought this episode uploaded but it simply didn't LOL)
Here is a self-indulgent, naval gazey episode with me and my roommates. My ex girlfriend and my ex coworker. Don't make this your first episode of the podcast, but if you already like listening to me and want to hear the household dynamic, check this one out. Next week I'm coming...
2023-01-0344 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Shit Show at the Fuck Factory" (S1E02)"While Logan is in the hospital, tensions rise when backup plans should be made by the family."
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @bustedbizbureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-01-0227 minSUCC OFF (a succession podcast)"Celebration" (S1E01)“Media magnate Logan Roy shocks his family with a stunning announcement on his 80th birthday. The news shatters his son Kendall, the heir apparent who's in the midst of negotiating the purchase of digital-media venture.”
karsten runquist - @runquistkarsten
christian borkey - @BustedBizBureau
instagram - @succoffpod
2023-01-0232 min
Busted Business BureauThe NHL: A Greek Tragedy in Three ActsThe wickedly talented, remarkably hungover Christian McCann drops back into the pod to talk about his only personality trait: hockey. If you like insurance fraud, broadway plays, or describing labor stoppages using the imagery of an ancient greek myth turned modern broadway musical....you're soooo in luck! This one has three pretty clear acts. Act 1: about 18 minutes of trying our best to choke out any words through the thickened hazy fog of a Disonysian-level hangover. Act 2: The NHLPA's founding executive director, Alan Eagleson, committing a litany of crimes against the players he was meant to represent. Act 3: The introduction...
2022-12-191h 00
Busted Business BureauThe NFL (mostly the Washington Commanders)World's biggest fact-knower, KP, is back on the podcast to talk a little bit about the National Football League's greatest franchise, the Washington Commanders. Dan Snyder's circus of finding bold, brave, and inventive ways to hork as much money out of patrons as possible. Grab a beer for the urinal, cozy up with some expired airline peanuts, and be sure to pay me 200 dollars to listen to this episode that's probably one of the funniest ones to date. But then it gets pretty awful, sorry about that. If Congress didn't release a whole ass report on the Washington Commanders...
2022-12-191h 13
Busted Business BureauThe MLBWe're back! Iconic ex-roommate duo, Danaka and Nic, join me on the pod to go through the history of America's passtime. There's sure as hell a lot of shady business doings here! We'll talk about how labor relations for players have improved (and not!) over pro ball's 100+ year history. My major focus this episode was on Curt FLood, the guy who paved the way for players to be able to ore freely negotiate their contracts, which was NOT a fixture of baseball for a looooong time.
Last season was serious as hell, so it's time to get f...
2022-12-191h 27
Busted Business BureauMonsanto 8: The Acquisition. The Antitrust Jubilee. The Awards.WE'VE GONE AND DONE IT! EIGHT HOURS LATER, THE MONSANTO SEASON IS COMPLETE! This episode goes over Bayer's disastrous acquisition of Monsanto, how the antitrust division of the US government is simply set up to fail, and we have a look back on all of the hee-hees and haw-haws of the Monsanto season. After sitting in that studio for hours on end with Bluid and Amy, I think we deserve a little retrospective as a treat. I hope you're all feeling emotionally ok after this season. Drink some water. Hug your besties. I hope to see as many of...
2022-09-2959 min
Busted Business BureauMonsanto 7: The Good FightBarehanded honeykeeping, moms-on-facebook, and deadly scientific coverups are all converging to form the final bell toll for Monsanto's mortal time. With all of the doom-and-gloom from past episodes, you're probably wondering how this company...doesn't...still exist, given its titanic political, scientific, and corporate influence. The answer is it's all of it and it's none of it. We're really going through the ringer this episode with a final act that is so heartbreaking that I was, in fact, crying while reading it. Check it out! Please rate and leave reviews on the podcast if you love it; it really...
2022-09-2648 min
Busted Business BureauMonsanto 6: PR and PhilanthropyWhat would you say the work-life balance is on the Death Star? This episode follows a path down the Monsanto communications rabbit hole. PRAD majors, get your forks! Come eat! Blender Bluid, Amy Do and I try to answer a key question throughout the episode: do the entry/mid-level Monsanto employees....know? Do they know the vibe? To answer that question, we talk about intra-company communication, PR strategies, and track a story straight out of an episode of a Nev Schulman TV show. Oh, we also break into a lengthy discussion on that Lockheed Martin twitter drama discourse; how muc...
2022-09-2258 min
Busted Business BureauMonsanto 5: Bovine Growth HormoneThis one's a banger, no way around it. This one will give a detailed history of Monsanto's relationship with the FDA -- spoilers, it literally goes ALL the way back -- and how the FDA was complicit in the expediting of Bovine Growth Hormone. We also go on a very long tangent on if the father of food safety was a fellow homosexual (Because it's my podcast! And I get to do whatever I want!)
This episode is full of such compelling characters; it's a shattering reminder that there are always people fighting the good fight. Hope yo...
2022-09-191h 12
Busted Business BureauMonsanto 4: The Roundup EpisodeThis is the birth of Modern Monsanto, and it takes quite a turn from the previous episodes. Instead of talking about the diseases and human suffering as a result of the products (like we've been doing at length), we're going to be looking at the sexy, muscular legal arm of Monsanto. Clarence Thomas comes back in this one! PokeMonsanto collection growing every day! :D Thanks again for tuning in and for all of your support. It means the world to me. Follow Amy Do and Blender Bluid on all the social medias @BlenderBluid and @HelloAmyDo
LIVE SHOW TI...
2022-09-151h 09
Busted Business BureauMonsanto 3: Superfund Sites and SlagHello again, y'all! This episode's all about the ENVIRONMENT and it is a real doozy. If you choose for some reason to start with this one, understand that we'd been in the studio for hours at this point. Blender Bluid, Amy Do and I were all simply transcending the mortal form. Anyways, in this riveting episode we talk about Times Beach Missouri, Anniston Alabama, and Soda Springs Idaho's separate disasters connected to Monsanto. There's a surprising amount of horses and Ronald Reagan, but not related to one another despite the fact that he was really into horses. Fun fact...
2022-09-1254 min
Busted Business BureauMonsanto 2: The US Army, Vietnam, and Agent OrangeAll in all, this is a comedy podcast. But this is definitely one of the darkest episodes I've made. It's really important to me and it's heartbreaking...huge content warning for gruesome body horror. I'm really proud of this one, and despite it all, Amy and Blender Bluid managed to make this one real funny. This episode talks about Monsanto's role in the US imperial machine! We've got warmongering, we've got factories blowin' up, we have a new kind of acne that has literally never been observed before. Hitherto unforseen diseases will unfortunately be a running theme. This episode...
2022-09-081h 09
Busted Business BureauMonsantoSEASON 3 LET'S GO! This episode is the first of 8 in a FULL MONSANTO SEASON!!! I'd recommend starting with this episode; it will provide a complete timeline of Monsanto's wacky history and will give us some surprise tools to help us in later episodes. Blender Bluid and Amy Do are the guests for the entire season and girl they are hysterical. This episode is full of scientific abominations, the US government, Mark Ruffalo, and a place coloquially referred to as titty city. Welcome to my magnum opus, and enjoy the view from halfway down! Also I forgot to mention it...
2022-09-0546 min
Please Make ThisThaw (w/ Christian Borkey)In a far off (hopefully) distant future, extreme weather has made it so endless winter grips the world for all but one week a year. For this one week, though, life is great. An annual hyper-concentrated summer break where everyone comes out of their bunkers to party and live the lives they can’t under the ice. For one group of friends, Max, Tank, Eleanor, and Juliet, this means headin’ on down to Sporty’s Bar for some country line dancing. After a disappointing previous summer-week, the ladies of “The Thawed Hearts” up the ante to make sure the next one i...
2022-08-261h 25
Busted Business BureauSeason 3 Update!!!Oops! I accidentally wrote an 8 part episode and decided to make it its own season! LOL! Season 3 is coming September 5. Listen to this teaser to find out what the topic will be and the new release schedule. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO THIS PODCAST! All of your kind words make me so happy! Keep telling your friends about it if you love it. It's about to get real fuckin' coconuts.
PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/bustedbizbureau
LIVE SHOW TICKETS: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/busted-business-bureau-live-tickets-392610848617
(Dueling Pianos tickets bc me and oth...
2022-08-2202 min
Busted Business BureauAn Episode About RatsDr. Alex Berr is on the pod to 1) brutally roast me several times and 2) help me think about the questions regarding the business of selling and distributing animals. The question that drives this episode is: Are animals products? We talk about the industry standards for both pet rats and lab rats when it comes to breeding, caretaking, and liability. Dr. Berr got her PhD in biomedical engineering and has PLENTY of experience with mice...it's really cool stuff. While this episode is absolutely hilarious, it's also pretty dark and gross. Don't listen if you're squeamish about animal stuff; this o...
2022-08-0856 min
Busted Business BureauBONUS: Second City's "A Red Line Runs Through It"Aasia Lashay is BACK for what I'm calling a bonus episode, but is simply the length of a regular episode. They were in a Second City show years ago that wound up being the centerpiece of a reverse racism discrimination lawsuit. The complaint never went anywhere, so years later, she's on this pod to respond to the allegations! SLAY!
FOOTNOTES:
1. Stream Aasia's music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1wL4h8Av9COEVikfmGEtgb
2. Here's the full complaint: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4041688-Secondcity
3. Second City current performer union efforts: INSTAGRAM @secondcityworkers TWITTER: htt...
2022-08-0144 min
Busted Business BureauBetterHelpA woman with literally no water signs in her astrological chart through Pluto, Claire Rufin, joins me to throw away any chances I had at getting sponsored by BetterHelp! I'm working through a lot of my own understanding on the subjects in this episode, including how a CEO who is presumably worth millions of dollars would take to Reddit to address a complaints lobbied by a Youtuber named Memeology 101. Anyways, this episode is about privacy, employees' rights, and big data. I could not have formed my understanding on these subjects without Cathy O'Neill's Weapons of Math Destruction: AWESOME book...
2022-07-2559 min
Busted Business BureauJohnson & Johnson's Risperdal: For the Boys!Dan Carroll, who is one of the boys, joins me for probably the most fucked up episode I've made to date. Medical horror abound, this one is certainly dark. If you think illegally marketing a drug to be used off-label for disabled children is bad, it's literally not even scratching the surface of how bad the rest of it gets. Strap in for the longest episode script I've made thus far all about geriatric abuse, simping for the FDA, and body changes that are so shocking that I waited until 30 minutes in to tell Dan where the episode was...
2022-07-181h 11
Busted Business BureauBuffalo Wild WingsBuffalo native and hater-by-trade, Christian McCann, has dropped by the podcast to give us a people's history of the most bizarre restaurant chain: Buffalo Wild Wings! It is kind of crazy how many things Buffalo Wild Wings has entered into our culture. Its origin story is COMPLETELY left field. We also talk about how busted the service industry is. If you like wage theft, polio, or overindulgent descriptions of meat, this is definitely the episode for you. Christian is so near and dear to my heart, follow @c_and_c_dueling_pianos on Instagram or his twitter @CThomasMccann (he...
2022-07-1145 min
Busted Business BureauNatasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812TECH ERROR FIXED! Woman with BFA, Sarah, is back on the pod to talk about the musical that got cancelled to its death on Twitter: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812! This is my favorite musical ever written that unfortunately was, in fact, a busted business. Bad decisions all the way at the top. I'm not kidding, you should put this on a playlist with all the bangers from the show. If you like controversy, overindulgence, opulence, and Josh Groban, this one's a must-listen! If you're going to listen to one song to get into the show, I think I...
2022-07-0449 min
Game TheoryBobby Bonilla, Bernie Madoff, and Why the Mets are Idiots with Christian Borkey of the Busted Business Bureau PodcastIn this episode, Nick and Chris welcome Christian Borkey of the Busted Business Bureau Podcast to talk about why in the hell the Mets pay a retired baseball player $1.19 million per year and will continue to do so for another 15 years.
Find BBB and Christian:
https://www.bustedbizbureau.com/
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/bustedbizbureau/
CONNECT WITH US:
Game Theory on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gametheorypod
Game Theory on Twitter: @GameTheoryPod https://twitter.com/GameTheoryPod
Nick on Twitter: @tribnic https://twitter.c...
2022-07-0137 min
Busted Business BureauBumblebee Foods: The Canned Tuna ConspiracyLoyal Piggly Wiggly customer, Aasia Lashay, joins me for a deep dive (haha get it) into the scandalous world of packaged seafood products. You know it's bad when a whole ass CEO genuinely faces consequences for it. If you like scheming, gruesome workplace safety violations, backstabbing, and DOJ antitrust investigations, you better listen ASAP! You'll definitely have stories for your coworkers to break the ice after this one. Anyways, stream ALL of Aasia's music on Spotify (D.A.B.O. is my personal fav), watch the stuff she writes for (What We Do in the Shadows and Upload), and...
2022-06-2057 min
Busted Business BureauThe Charles Ponzi Security Exchange CompanyLate bloomer Ari Levin joins me for, I'm not kidding, probably the best episode I've made thus far. THEE Charles Ponzi's scheme has so many twists and turns. Charles Ponzi is a mama's boy, he's a pisces, he's 5'2. He's.....the man of my dreams. While many historians have actually pieced together a pretty cogent puzzle of the life Ponzi lived, none are as brave as I am because none of them acknowledge that he's a total smokeshow. I'm sure you're reading this like "she's doing a joke right now" but I AM NOT. Anyways, huge thanks to Mitchell...
2022-06-131h 17
Busted Business Bureau"Climate Certified" ProductsKP, who invented being funny, has returned AGAIN for an episode about the market’s solution to the pesky idea of consumers hating climate change: “climate certification.” This podcast is certified carbon neutral because I venmo’d someone in France to get an impossible whopper from Burger King. This episode is not doom and gloom, it’s full of scams and glam! It’ll be fun, I pinky promise! Follow @they.call.us everywhere and thanks for the reviews! Keep ‘em coming! I love and appreciate you
2022-06-0649 min
Busted Business Bureau"Climate Certified" ProductsKP, who invented being funny, has returned AGAIN for an episode about the market’s solution to the pesky idea of consumers hating climate change: “climate certification.” This podcast is certified carbon neutral because I venmo’d someone in France to get an impossible whopper from Burger King. This episode is not doom and gloom, it’s full of scams and glam! It’ll be fun, I pinky promise! Follow @they.call.us everywhere and thanks for the reviews! Keep ‘em coming! I love and appreciate you
2022-06-0649 min
Busted Business BureauD.A.R.E. AmericaMy brother in christ, Matt McLean, joins for a jaunty-ass personal episode about society's preventative answer to the war on drugs: DARE! Cops certainly did not get this one right, despite receiving an insane amount of funding. Like bonkers. This loosey goosey episode was so fun to record, and if you like drugs, alcohol, and violence, this episode is for you! Stream Matt's music and follow @bustedbizbureau if you're so inclined. :) KISSES!
FOOTNOTES
1. DARE Marks a Decade of Growth and Controversy : Youth: Despite critics, anti-drug program expands nationally. But some see declining support in LAPD...
2022-05-3050 min
Busted Business BureauLockheed MartinNational Organizer at CODEPINK, Danaka, joins me for the girliest episode of Busted Business Bureau: the multibillion dollar weapons company, Lockheed Martin! If you pay taxes, I promise this episode is about you. For a company that's been around so long, you think they'd build less stuff that caught on fire or less stuff that made Vermonter children lose control of their bowels. This one's got explosions, missed deadlines, a bit of the red scare, bribery, and the WHITE MAN'S CAUCUS, which I promise is just as funny as it sounds. Follow @wifeoftoast on twitter or @CODEPINK everywhere!
2022-05-231h 05
Busted Business BureauBONUS EPISODE: The Men's Rights Lawyer Who Makes a Killing off a TechnicalityChicago improv's biggest hater KP returns to talk about men's rights (and men's wrongs). This men's rights lawyer has unleashed himself upon California to successfully sue people over ladies nights, lesbian gatherings, and Mother's Day baseball promotions. Why is Alfred Rava not a household name? This is literally all I talk about now. TUNE IN!
Souces (not enough if you ask me):
1. https://www.dfeh.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2017/12/DFEH_UnruhFactSheet.pdf
2. https://www.nrtoday.com/a-hetoo-movement-fighting-for-men-s-rights-in-california-courts/article_7b2a05db-3e71-542b-a7d9-4f21eabf1fbc.html
3. htt...
2022-04-0424 min
Busted Business BureauSix Flags: A Chaotic RetrospectiveRollercoaster hater Peter Bucci joins the season finale to talk about Six Flags’ insane journey to becoming the world’s largest regional theme park chain. This episode has everything: bankruptcy, a hostile takeover, many gruesome rollercoaster deaths. Also, who knew the politics of parking could be so interesting? Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to follow @BustedBizBureau everywhere for updates on season 2.
Footnotes:
Angus G. Wynne, © Academic, 2000-2022
Restructuring a Theme Park: The Six Flags Bankruptcy, John Capps and Lauren Sherrell
Incidents at Six Flags parks, Wikipedia
Six Flags faces buying spree han...
2022-02-211h 12
Busted Business BureauShotSpotterRising star Deanna Ortiz joins to talk about something we spend a stupid amount of tax dollars on in Chicago: ShotSpotter! It’s a national company, but the City of Chicago makes up nearly a quarter of its revenue. What are we spendin’ all that money on? This episode is sooo foolish, we talk about tech bros’ hubris, how good PR can change everything, and who from the company definitely got picked to be the fall guy. FUN STUFF! COMEDY PODCAST! Follow @DeannaOrtiz_ and @Crushes_podcast everywhere!!
Footnotes:
Shot Spotter: Can a tech startup put a dent in...
2022-02-1456 min
Busted Business BureaueBayHow far would you go to protect your company’s reputation? Is it box-of-live-spiders far? Is it cross-country far? Is it re-enact-a-B-list-80s-movie far? Emily Lindsey joins for this very crime-y episode about the eBay corporate cyberstalking scandal that goes further than you’d imagine. This episode is absolutely nuts; it’s got blogging, it’s got schemes, it's got people who make a preposterous amount of money trying to do crime. Can’t miss this one! Follow @BustedBizBureau everywhere!
“Take Her Down”: Inside eBay’s Stalking Campaign against a Natick Couple, Mike Damiano, Boston Magazine, December 2021
Activist Investor Eviscer...
2022-02-071h 01
Busted Business BureauThe Ballad of Schwan's Frozen PizzaMy girlfriend Sarah joins to talk about frozen food, a surprising amount of corporate espionage, and the private company that has a ~70% likelihood of supplying your public school's pizza: Schwan's! The school lunch contract biz is more intense than you'd think. Please follow @BustedBizBureau everywhere!
Marvin M. Schwan, John Radzilowski, Immigrant Entrepreneurship 2018
Schwan, Marvin in front of an original ice cream truck, ca. 1977
Ketchup as a Vegetable: Condiments and the Politics of School Lunch in Reagan’s America, Amy Bentley, Gastronomica 2021
Judge Allows Lawsuit to Proceed in $870 Million Schwan Heir Case, AP News 1996
MARK SCHWAN AND PAUL SCHWAN VS L...
2022-01-3159 min
Busted Business BureauiO TheaterKP joins to talk about origins and dramatic sudden closure of iO theater. How can you make a sustainable business off of adults playing pretend? Turns out it’s pretty hard. This episode has everything: improv comedy, wage theft allegations, desecration of human remains. Twists and turns everywhere! Follow KP's incredible project @they.call.us everywhere!!!
Footnotes:
Behind the Laughs: Community and Inequality in Comedy, Michael P. Jeffries
The Funniest One in the Room: The Lives and Legend of Del Close, Kim “Howard” Johnson
Chicago Comedy: A Fairly Serious History, Margaret Hicks
Skullduggery, Tad Friend, The New Yor...
2022-01-241h 14
Busted Business BureauJohnson & Johnson's Transvaginal Mesh ThingyMy friend Bibi joins to talk about Johnson & Johnson’s transvaginal mesh implant that has been the center of class action lawsuits around the globe. Comedy podcast!! In this episode, we’ll dive into gruesome detail about how your organs sag with age, how some products have tried and failed to alleviate that problem, and how your work emails should never be the subject of court litigation. Follow @BustedBizBureau on all social media! It really helps me out, thanks!
Footnotes:
The history and evolution of pessaries for pelvic organ prolapse, Shah et al. 2005
FEDERAL COURT OF AUST...
2022-01-1856 min
Busted Business BureauJohnson and Johnson's Transvaginal Mesh ThingyMy friend Bibi joins to talk about Johnson & Johnson’s transvaginal mesh implant that has been the center of class action lawsuits around the globe. Comedy podcast!! In this episode, we’ll dive into gruesome detail about how your organs sag with age, how some products have tried and failed to alleviate that problem, and how your work emails should never be the subject of court litigation. Follow @BustedBizBureau on all social media! It really helps me out, thanks!
Footnotes:
The history and evolution of pessaries for pelvic organ prolapse, Shah et al. 2005
FEDERAL COURT OF AUST...
2022-01-1856 min
Busted Business BureauKars4KidsKarsten Runquist joins for an overwhelmingly deep dive into Kars4Kids. When you donate your car, where does your money go? This question is what inspired me to start this entire podcast. If you like looking through public tax records, learning about real estate speculation, or being frightened by sentient 5-dollar-bill mascots, this one's for you. Follow @karstenrunquist and/or @runquistkarsten everywhere!
Listen on Amazon Prime / Audible
Listen on Youtube
Footnotes:
Kars4Kids website, check out the houses and stuff! Pretty fun!
Car donation: When it makes sense to seek a charity tax...
2022-01-1048 min
Busted Business BureauClothing Donation Bins / Tvind Teachers GroupJaxi Alegria joins to talk about commercial clothing donation bins, specifically the ones tied to an international political cult. Big swing for the first episode! We'll talk about troubled teen facilities, international fugitives known for tax evasion, fradulent charities, and how sexy you have to be to commit certain crimes.
Listen on Amazon Prime / Audible
Listen on Youtube
1. Tvind Alert Website
2. Minneapolis and USagain bins, Grant Wilson
3. Case Summary of Danish Prosecutor vs. Mogens Amdi Petersen
4. FBI Report on Tvind, 2001
5. Former supporters describe charity leader's ri...
2022-01-0347 min
Busted Business BureauThe Salvation Army's Labor ViolationsBlender Bluid joins to talk about the Salvation Army. NOT THE GAY STUFF. This is about worker’s rights, weird Christians, incredibly lax laws around what counts as “rehab,” and resisting the urge to cry while reading court documents about labor violations. Follow @blenderbluid everywhere!
Listen on Amazon Prime / Audible
Listen on Youtube
1. The anti-drinking listicle, William Booth 1888
2. Salvation Army ARC magazine write-up, New Frontier Chronicle (now CARING magazine)
3. Charlotte ARC write-up, UNC MediaHub contributors
4. Chaotic De Moines Article, Lee Rood
5. Department of Labor decision, Washing...
2022-01-0349 min
Busted Business BureauAdelphiaAmy Do joins to talk about the meteoric rise and fall of a family cable empire from the 90s. It’s like if Succession took place in a rural company town, had less sexy actors, and added fradulently-funded lesbian arthouse films. Turns out, it only takes one question from a nosy fella to collapse a billion-dollar business. Follow @helloamydo everywhere!
Listen on Amazon Prime / Audible
Listen on Youtube
1. JohnnyCashRules32 Youtube Page
2. Adelphia Interviews, Dr. Susan Bishop
3. Court Case Summary, District Judge Gerard Lynch
4. SEC vs. Adelphia
5...
2022-01-0342 min
Busted Business BureauBusted Business Bureau Trailer!Join Christian Borkey as she performs dissections (and vivisections!) on various busted business models. This research-based comedy podcast is for peeps who enjoy densely packed information, white collar true crime, and naturally funny people. :) Thanks for tuning in!
Listen on Amazon Prime / Audible
Listen on Youtube
2021-12-3101 min
You Think That's FunnyEpisode 10 - Christian BorkeyHost, Mark Geary, talks to comedian, musician and youngling Christian Borkey, about oversharing, bootlegging and Pentatonix in an episode dedicated to Whyyyyyyyyy?!
For links to things discussed go to youthinkthatsfunnypodcast.com
Our theme music is Exotica courtesy of Juanitos.
Listen on Amazon Prime / Audible
2021-05-0643 min