Velvalee Dickinson ran a doll shop on Madison Avenue that catered to wealthy collectors. But in one of the strangest espionage cases of World War II, Dickinson's clients had no idea she was using correspondence about doll orders to transmit coded U.S. military intelligence to the Japanese.

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Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Joe Pompeo
Produced by Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington and Josh Fisher
Mixing and Mastering by Baheed Frazier
Research and Fact-Checking by Joe Pompeo and Austin Thompson
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

We'll be back with another Very Special Episode next Wednesday. 

Velvalee Dickinson ran a doll shop on Madison Avenue that catered to wealthy collectors. But in one of the strangest espionage cases of World War II, Dickinson's clients had no idea she was using correspondence about doll orders to transmit coded U.S. military intelligence to the Japanese.
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Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English Written by Joe Pompeo Produced by Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington and Josh Fisher Mixing and Mastering by Baheed Frazier Research and Fact-Checking by Joe Pompeo and Austin Thompson Original Music by Elise McCoy Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla Executive Producer is Jason English
We'll be back with another Very Special Episode next Wednesday.&nbsp;

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie.” Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie.” Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

Very Special Episodes

Spies and Dolls

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/65665f9f-1fb1-46ed-82e0-b2c70022597e/transcript

Eighty years ago, a young John F. Kennedy took a summer job as a journalist for Hearst newspapers, filing dispatches in the final days of World War II. Even the most seasoned JFK scholars often overlook this chapter, missing the influence those months had on the future president. 

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"JFK's Forgotten Summer," which we originally published in June, was our top performing episode of 2025. Tragically, it took on more significance earlier this month with the death of Rob Reiner.

Rob — who, with Soledad O'Brien, hosted Who Killed JFK?, one of the most successful podcasts of 2023 — kindly shared with us his knowledge and passion about the Kennedy family and appears in this episode. He was under no obligation to do this. He just wanted to help. It was an honor to work with him. We still cannot believe he and Michele are gone. 

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Listen to Who Killed JFK? from Rob Reiner and Soledad O'Brien wherever you get your podcasts. 

Check out Fred Logevall's excellent book: JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century.

And thanks to our JFK voice actor, Tom Antonellis, for nailing another role. 

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Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Joe Pompeo
Produced by Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington and Josh Fisher
Additional Editing by Mary Dooe
Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher
Research and Fact-Checking by Joe Pompeo and Austin Thompson
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

Eighty years ago, a young John F. Kennedy took a summer job as a journalist for Hearst newspapers, filing dispatches in the final days of World War II. Even the most seasoned JFK scholars often overlook this chapter, missing the influence those months had on the future president.&nbsp;
*
"JFK's Forgotten Summer," which we originally published in June, was our top performing episode of 2025. Tragically, it took on more significance earlier this month with the death of Rob Reiner.
Rob &mdash; who, with Soledad O'Brien, hosted&nbsp;Who Killed JFK?, one of the most successful podcasts of 2023 &mdash; kindly shared with us his knowledge and passion about the Kennedy family and appears in this episode. He was under no obligation to do this. He just wanted to help. It was an honor to work with him. We still cannot believe he and Michele are gone.&nbsp;
*<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/242113/jfk-by-fredrik-logevall/"></a>
Listen to Who Killed JFK? from Rob Reiner and Soledad O'Brien wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
Check out Fred Logevall's excellent book: <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/242113/jfk-by-fredrik-logevall/">JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century.</a>
And thanks to our JFK voice actor, Tom Antonellis, for nailing another role.&nbsp;
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Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English Written by Joe Pompeo Produced by Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington and Josh Fisher Additional Editing by Mary Dooe Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher Research and Fact-Checking by Joe Pompeo and Austin Thompson Original Music by Elise McCoy Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla Executive Producer is Jason English

JFK's Forgotten Summer [Best of 2025]

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/350a2a46-5a66-4ad6-8a1b-b3c400e80670/transcript

In much of the world, Christmas dinner means roasted turkey, glazed ham, or a table crowded with family recipes passed down for generations. But in Japan, millions mark the holiday with something far less traditional — a bucket of KFC. Today we unwrap one of the strangest and most successful marketing stories of the modern era: how an American fast-food chain became an essential part of Japanese Christmas.

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. See Also: Stealing Baby Jesus.

Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason English
Written by Maria Trimarchi
Senior Producer is Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Chris Childs
Mixing and Mastering by Chris Childs
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

Got a question or comment for Dana, Zaron, and Jason? Hit us up at veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com. 

In much of the world, Christmas dinner means roasted turkey, glazed ham, or a table crowded with family recipes passed down for generations. But in Japan, millions mark the holiday with something far less traditional &mdash; a bucket of KFC. Today we unwrap one of the strangest and most successful marketing stories of the modern era: how an American fast-food chain became an essential part of Japanese Christmas.
On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. See Also: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/very-special-episodes/id1727423228?i=1000681434144">Stealing Baby Jesus</a>.
Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason English Written by Maria Trimarchi Senior Producer is Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Chris Childs Mixing and Mastering by Chris Childs Original Music by Elise McCoy Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla Executive Producer is Jason English
Got a question or comment for Dana, Zaron, and Jason? Hit us up at <a href="mailto:veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com">veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com</a>.&nbsp;

Big in Japan: Kentucky Fried Christmas

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/512a2a90-d572-4bed-83fb-b3bc0132a9b0/transcript

In 1983, a cherubic, homely doll triggered something close to national hysteria. Parents fought in store aisles. Shelves were stripped bare. Even the New York mafia found itself selling children’s toys.  

Cabbage Patch Kids went from handmade curiosities to the most coveted object in America — igniting riots, corporate battles, and a moral panic that stretched from suburban malls to federal courtrooms. All in a single Christmas season. 

And the frenzy didn’t end when the Kids disappeared from shelves. In an unexpected twist decades later, these dolls would get more care and attention than they ever had before.

Previously on VSE: The Furby Files

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Very special thanks to all our guests! You can hear more of Larry Mazza’s story in his book The Life, available on Amazon.

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Today's episode is a production of iHeartPodcasts and School of Humans. 

Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Jake Rossen
Senior Producer is Josh Fisher
Story Editor is Virginia Prescott
Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington
Additional Editing by Mary Dooe
Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher
From School of Humans, producers are Emilia Brock and Edeliz Perez
Research and Fact-Checking by Jake Rossen, Virginia Prescott, and Austin Thompson
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Social Clips by Yarberry Media
Executive Producers are Virginia Prescott and Jason English

Got a question for a future mailbag? Send it to veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com. 

In 1983, a cherubic, homely doll triggered something close to national hysteria. Parents fought in store aisles. Shelves were stripped bare. Even the New York mafia found itself selling children&rsquo;s toys. &nbsp;
Cabbage Patch Kids went from handmade curiosities to the most coveted object in America &mdash; igniting riots, corporate battles, and a moral panic that stretched from suburban malls to federal courtrooms. All in a single Christmas season.&nbsp;
And the frenzy didn&rsquo;t end when the Kids disappeared from shelves. In an unexpected twist decades later, these dolls would get more care and attention than they ever had before.
Previously on VSE: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-furby-files/id1727423228?i=1000673274343">The Furby Files</a>
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Very special thanks to all our guests! You can hear more of Larry Mazza&rsquo;s story in his book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Life-Story-About-Brooklyn-Seduced-ebook/dp/B01MS2A02A">The Life</a>, available on Amazon.
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Today's episode is a production of iHeartPodcasts and School of Humans.&nbsp;
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English Written by Jake Rossen Senior Producer is Josh Fisher Story Editor is Virginia Prescott Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington Additional Editing by Mary Dooe Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher From School of Humans, producers are Emilia Brock and Edeliz Perez Research and Fact-Checking by Jake Rossen, Virginia Prescott, and Austin Thompson Original Music by Elise McCoy Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla Social Clips by Yarberry Media Executive Producers are Virginia Prescott and Jason English
Got a question for a future mailbag? Send it to <a href="mailto:veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com">veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com</a>.&nbsp;

The Cabbage Patch Crisis

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/eca3aeea-d937-4cf4-9e14-b3b5012a3c33/transcript

Spies and Dolls

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