The social internet could have been Myspace. Modular, user-centered, infinitely customizable. Like so many sites on the early internet, it was more accident than design, ballooning to enormous size and popularity much faster than its scam artist founders could keep up with. Join us as we find out how Myspace failed its way into success, and finally…

Have you ever been watching a movie, and desperately wanted to SMELL the action? Like literally SMELL what was going on in the film? Well, turns out, Hollywood has tried to make that a reality several times. Today we'll examine the bizarre and complicated history of attempting to add scents to the silver screen.Edited and thumbnail by NoahJOIN US O…

Movies: Are they good or are they bad? It's impossible to say. But what about the folks who make 'em? Hollywood makes plenty of flops and failures, but on this episode of Desperate Acts of Capitalism, we cover the golden age of Hollywood, and how it all came crashing down.Edited and thumbnail by NoahJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASES, BO…

First they were weird. Then they were fun. Now, they are tired, played out, and full of catfish. In this episode of Desperate Acts of Capitalism we wade into the sordid world of modern dating apps, exploring how one of the most defining elements of modern dating culture got so bad.Edited and thumbnail by NoahJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE REL…

In the mid to late 2000s, we gathered around our television sets to watch a heartwarming reality show where struggling families got their homes renovated into much nicer, bigger homes. A much nicer, bigger home couldn't possibly have any unintended consequences down the line, right? Right?? How did the lizards get into the duct tape room???Edited a…

The land of strikes and protests is at it again - that is, was at it again about 15 years ago. With the Recession in full swing, the French adopted an... original method to obtain better deals from their bosses: sequestration. How is this possible? What are the police even doing? Are the bosses being tortured?? Why are people selling razors to CEOs…

You've probably noticed it: flying on commercial airlines has gotten a lot worse. Covid didn't help, but if we're being honest it wasn't great before covid either. In fact, didn't flying used to be really fun back in the 60's and '70's? What happened to piano bars in planes, good food, and decent legroom? In this episode we will get into how airlin…

MoviePass is back, and it's better than ever. In our first SEQUEL episode, Evan gives us an update on what the ol' MoviePass company has been up to in the last 5 years.Edited and thumbnail by NoahJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASES, BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE: www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismBIG THINGS ARE COMINGSources:https://www.…

On this episode of DAOC, CT takes us through 10 years of gum advertising. Editing and thumbnail by NoahJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASES, BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE: www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismBIG THINGS ARE COMINGSources:https://productventures.com/work/5-gum-package-design/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZN5hqu7yPAMusic Cr…

Al Dunlap was not an ordinary man: he was a verb. Across the country, his name was a byword for rapid corporate turnarounds and ruthless efficiency; at least, that's what he claimed on the jacket cover of his book. Known for walking into boardroom meetings in ostentatious outfits and firing half the company, there was a time when Wall Street believ…

Jeremy Renner superfans used to have an app to share their love of all things Renner. But then everything went wrong. Find out what happened on today's thrilling episode of Desperate Acts of Capitalism!Editing and Thumbnail by NoahJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASES, BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE: www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismBIG TH…

On this episode of DAOC, we delve into the bizarre crossroads of Youtuber drama and cryptocurrency scams to cover the financial escapades of one Logan Paul.Edited by NoahJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASES, BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE: www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismBIG THINGS ARE COMINGSources:https://time.com/6252093/logan-paul-cr…

"It's a new way of doing news. What could possibly go wrong?"If we didn't do an episode on this one, and you're not from the UK, you probably never would have heard of GB News. Started as a British bootleg of Fox News, the company now faces multiple Ofcom investigations and stands to lose its license. But how did it all go so wrong in only two year…

In another edition of SPOOKY ACTS OF CAPITALISM, we discuss the world's most iconic film of all time, and why it made $126 Morbillion at the box office. Prepare to be scared and also terrified.Edited by NoahJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASES, BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE: https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismBIG THINGS ARE COMING…

In today's episode, CT examines the wild and wacky history of Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter. Buckle up.Edited by NoahJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASES, BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE: https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismTumblr: https://desperate-acts-of-capitalism.tumblr.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/daoccastIG: @desperate…

DAOC IS BACK, and this time, we have 3 HOSTS for the price of 2! Today our new Business Boy Armaan tests his hosting skills taking us through the history of the ill-fated video game publisher Acclaim Entertainment. Meanwhile, CT and Evan take vigorous notes, judging him harshly but fairly in three hosting categories: taste, plating, and use of the …

Did you know that Procter & Gamble, noted purveyor of soaps and shampoos and such, is deeply involved with the church of SATAN!?!!?!? Well, at least that's what a lot of concerned evangelicals were saying in the 80s and 90s. Today we explore the origins of this strange panic in a very SPOOOOKY Halloween edition of Desperate Acts of Capitalism!!!Edi…

E-scooters could be a great way to solve traffic congestion in big cities, and the companies that sell them could make a ton of money. Wait a second, they lose thousands of dollars on every scooter they make?? What's the plan here? And why do people keep throwing the scooters in the river? Find out on today's episode of Desperate Acts of Capitalism…

Google wants to make an on-demand game streaming service that you can access from pretty much any device. Great idea! Except... Google has a bit of a reputation for rapidly abandoning big projects at the least sign of resistance and moving on to the next thing. What could go wrong?Edited by Anne HenryJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WE…

While we work on preparing some brand new content for y'all, let's look back on some of the funniest and craziest moments from the show this year. BIG THINGS ARE COMINGFeaturing clips from episodes 16, 26, 27, 34, 15, 14, 17, 22, 35, 34, 36, and 38Edited by Anne HenryJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https…

A website designed to help you have an illicit marital affair that requires your personal information and a substantial fee to delete your account. WhAT coULd PoSSiBly gO wrONg?Edited by Anne HenryJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalism"BIG THINGS ARE COMING" MER…

Today we complete the saga of Whole Foods as a new character emerges in the story, a very powerful and very bald man who has his own radical plans for the asparagus-water purveyor.Edited by Anne HenryJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalism"BIG THINGS ARE COMING" …

We begin another saga. This one is a monster. And we don't even get to J**f B***s yet. Edited by Anne HenryJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalism"BIG THINGS ARE COMING" MERCH:https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/53984348HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR BELOVED $5 AND UP PATRO…

Battlefield Earth is often cited as one of the worst films and biggest box office bombs in history- today we explore the truly bizarre history behind this film that is DEFINITELY NOT FUNDED BY THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY AND NOT A SCAM TO DEFRAUD INVESTORS.Edited by Anne HenryJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MOR…

Beanie Babies is best known as a line of colorful stuffed animals that was very popular in the 90s. But did you also know that the popularity Beanie Babies led to several people losing their life savings and at least one person being LITERALLY MURDERED? Join us for the mind-boggling story of the turn of the century Beanie Babies panic!Edited by Ann…

Lots of people make fun of the Zune, Microsoft's short-lived challenge to Apple's iPod. But does it deserve such widespread ridicule??? Find out on today's episode of Desperate Acts of Capitalism!Edited by Anne HenryJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismHUGE THA…

Have you ever wanted a social media app that's exactly like Instagram, Facebook, or Whatsapp, but with 95% less features and an even easier way for brands to advertise to you? Try YO!Edited by Anne HenryJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismHUGE THANK YOU TO OUR…

Everyone has heard of Quibi but has anyone actually used it? Isn't it a food delivery app? I heard that Chrissy Teigen was somehow involved? What does Jeffrey Katzenberg have to do with all this?! I guess we'll find out in today's episode of Desperate Acts of Capitalism!Research by Theo CollinEdited by Anne HenryJOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE…

Ahh, remember the early 1920s in America? The economy was booming, women were finally allowed to vote, jazz was gaining in popularity, and oh yeah, there were frequent deadly machine gun fights on the streets of Chicago between employees of warring taxi companies. Yeah, those were the good old days!JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEK…

Remember Skymall? That weird catalogue that was on pretty much every plane. Yeah, what the hell happened to Skymall?JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismHUGE THANK YOU TO OUR BELOVED $5 AND UP PATRONS:Courtney Witcher, Raven Snow, Sam Johnson, Owen Traxler, Cyr…

John McAfee founded the anti-virus company you've probably heard of. He exited that company with a net worth of over $100 million. And that's where this week's story BEGINS. It goes in some truly insane directions after that. JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitali…

Today we finish the Google Glass saga with a CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC episode! We also go BACK TO BASICS by recording in-person after Evan's GOOGLE internet was being a dummy (how IRONIC!)JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismHUGE THANK YOU TO OUR BELOVED $5 AND UP…

You asked for, you got it. Here's PART 1 of the Google Glass saga.JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismHUGE THANK YOU TO OUR BELOVED $5 AND UP PATRONS:Courtney Witcher, Raven Snow, Sam Johnson, Owen Traxler, Cyrus Katzenburg, Marilyn Kearney, remi-rose Evans, K…

Warby Parker (a genuinely sustainable, ingenious business model) inspired a wave of copycat direct-to-consumer brands that often suffered, failed to deliver on investor expectations, or just fully imploded. Needless to say, this hilarious trend was perfect fodder for our show.JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND M…

What do you get when you mix Spider-Man, broadway, greek mythology, U2, and extreme workplace safety violations? You get a great story for this podcast!JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismHUGE THANK YOU TO OUR BELOVED $5 AND UP PATRONS:Courtney Witcher, Raven …

The saga of Mr. Bushnell continues with his next big venture, involving a pizza restaurant run by an animatronic rat that likely holds some of your fondest memories.JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismHUGE THANK YOU TO OUR BELOVED $5 AND UP PATRONS:Courtney Wi…

In 1972, Nolan Bushnell and partner Ted Dabney founded video game and home computer developer Atari. In 1983, 700,000 copies of E.T. the video game and other unsold titles were buried in a New Mexico landfill. And this is only PART 1 of the ballad of Nolan Bushnell. JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https:…

Many of you probably remember why this specific phone made international headlines back in 2016. If you don't, we doubt you'll be able to guess.JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismHUGE THANK YOU TO OUR BELOVED $5 AND UP PATRONS:Courtney Witcher, Raven Snow, Sa…

Peter Arnell, a titan of the advertising industry, was hired to redesign the Pepsi logo. No words can fully encapsulate the insanity of what he produced.For the full experience on this episode, you can follow along with the insane BREATHTAKING PDF here: https://www.goldennumber.net/wp-content/uploads/pepsi-arnell-021109.pdfLemon Demon (Neil Ciciere…

In 1993, Disney announced their plans to build a theme park that combined authentic American history experiences and thrilling entertainment. Madness quickly ensued.JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismHUGE THANK YOU TO OUR BELOVED $10 PATRONS:Courtney Witcher,…

Content Warning: This episode contains mild descriptions of psychological and physical abuse. Ever wonder what the weird, cult-like origins were for all those "Unlock Your Full Potential" business seminars that were huge in the 80s? Well, we've got some strange answers for you on today's episode!JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY …

Elizabeth Holmes became a billionaire after she invented a blood-testing device that was going to change the world. Too bad it was a complete lie.JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismHUGE THANK YOU TO OUR BELOVED $10 PATRONS:Courtney Witcher, Raven SnowDesperat…

Today we conclude the truly insane saga of the Tulip Boom (and inevitable collapse).JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE, WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT, AND MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismHUGE THANK YOU TO OUR BELOVED $10 PATRONS:Courtney Witcher, Raven SnowDesperate Acts of Capitalism is a comedy podcast about money, marketin…

Today, Desperate Acts of Capitalism goes HISTORICAL, to investigate the world's first speculation bubble.JOIN US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE AND WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismDesperate Acts of Capitalism is a comedy podcast about money, marketing, and how it all goes wrong. Join us on our magical jou…

Today we talk about 2019's Cats. To prepare for this episode, CT & Evan watched Cats. Things got weird.We're also gonna post our FULL reaction to Cats as an audio track on Patreon. If you want, you can listen to it as a commentary track while watching Cats in the comfort of your own home! We don't recommend it.SUPPORT US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISOD…

SOON THE WORLD WILL KNOW THE TRUE POWER OF BEENZ(We greatly apologize for the weird audio in this episode, we are both in quarantine recording our parts separately and had to frankenstein them together. Hopefully next week we'll figure out a way to make it sound better. We love you!)SUPPORT US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE AND WEEKLY BONUS C…

Billy McFarland wants money, and he wants it now. What better way to get some quick, easy cash than planning a music festival in the Bahamas? What could possibly go wrong? Find out in today's episode of DAoC!SUPPORT US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE AND WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismDesperate Acts of Ca…

Gwyneth Paltrow is here to help you live your healthiest life possible. You just need to be obscenely rich and cool with having the worst B.O. of your life. Today we unearth the dark secrets behind a lavish, minimalist, foul-smelling empire.SUPPORT US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE AND WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT:https://www.patreon.com/desperateact…

will.i.am really wants to be the next Steve Jobs. So far, he's not doing so well. Today we dig through his bizarre history of bulky products and weird, rambly interviews to try to determine why.SUPPORT US ON PATREON FOR EARLY EPISODE RELEASE AND WEEKLY BONUS CONTENT:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismDesperate Acts of Capitalism is a …

To celebrate the launch of DAOC on Patreon, here is a compilation of some of our most fun-filled moments from the show so far. This is only the beginning.NEW REGULAR EPISODE NEXT WEEKSUPPORT US ON PATREON FOR EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT AND MUCH MORE:https://www.patreon.com/desperateactsofcapitalismDesperate Acts of Capitalism is a comedy podcast about…