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True Crime is more than blood, guts, mayhem, and murder. Zaron Burnett and Elizabeth Dutton share outlandish tales of capers, heists, and cons that shine a light on the absurd and outrageous side of criminality. Always 99% murder-free and 100% ridiculous, this is Ridiculous Crime, a podcast by iHeartRadio.

Ridiculous Crime

What do ya get when you strap 42 weather balloons to a lawn chair? The homemade flying machine of one Lawn Chair Larry. In the early '80s, the amateur aviator took to the skies of Southern California, where he reached such heights that planes taking off from LAX had to dodge Lawn Chair Larry!

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Lawn Chair Larry & His Homemade Flying Machine

From a young age, Anthony Gignac dreamed of being wealthy and living a lavish lifestyle. That simply wasn't in the cards for him, so he made his own deck. Posing as a Saudi prince, Anthony scammed his way into a life of luxury cars, jewels, and real estate deals. But like the fake diamonds glued to his Rolex, the title of a Roots album, and a line from Yeats' "The Second Coming," things fall apart.

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Prince of Lies (not Tides): Anthony Gignac

Dave Chappelle and his show made Rick James into a catchphrase. Charlie Murphy told the stories that made Rick James into a legendary figure in the culture. But it was Rick James who made the stories and the catchphrase real. "I'm Rick James, bitch!" And these criminals were inspired to be the Rick James they wanted to see in the world.

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"I'm Rick James, Bitch!": A Criminal Inspiration

Tom Vu captivated late night audiences with his outrageous infomercials touting his real estate seminars. He was rich, sitting on a yacht, carousing with bodacious bikini babes. Yes, he was rich and wanted you to be rich, too! But you weren't going to be rich. Not by a long shot. 

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Get Off Your Butt and Do It: Tom Vu

One Christmas night, four proud brave Scots break into Westminster Abbey to steal back the Stone of Scone AKA the Stone of Destiny for the glory and pride of Scotland. It was a Christmas miracle... of crime!

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Stealing the Stone of Scone: A Christmas Story

While leafing through 75 years of local newspapers, Zaron Burnett uncovers an American Christmas tradition as ingrained in our culture as the red-and-white Santa: sneaking up to a nativity scene and stealing the Baby Jesus. And, in many cases, immediately regretting it.
 
Note: Please do not steal Baby Jesus.
 
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VERY SPECIAL CREDITS
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Zaron Burnett
Produced by Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Chris Childs
Mixing and Mastering by Chris Childs
Voice Actors: Jonathan Washington, Chris Childs, Elizabeth Dutton, Katie Mattie, Josh Fisher, and Zaron Burnett
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English
 
Thanks for listening! We'll have one more episode in 2024 next Monday. If you're enjoying Very Special Episodes, please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. You can reach the show at veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com. 

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Stealing Baby Jesus

The actress Tippi Hedren and her whole family once made a certifiably ridiculous movie. A little joint called ROAR. With a cast of more than 100 untrained lions and a very loose script, it took years and millions to make. Was the set safe? Not on your life. And the biggest shame is that almost no one got to see it.

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If I'm Lion, I'm Dyin': The Movie ROAR

We look back at the woman who embezzled $53 million dollars from her small hometown in the American heartland, all so that she could pay for her pony obsession. Now she wasn't hitting the track, no, Rita Crundwell lusted to become a celebrity in the world of horse breeders and trainers. And now, we have an update!

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Ridiculous Update: Rita Crundwell and Her Little Ponies

We look back at the time someone stole Judy Garland's ruby slippers from the movie The Wizard of Oz. With a special update about the fate of the slippers since the episode originally aired!

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Ridiculous Update: Revisiting the Theft of the Ruby Slippers

Want to get away from it all? What if you could climb aboard a homemade raft, and join a group of young and sexy strangers, and together you all drift across the Atlantic, as a Svengaliesque professor stirs up sexual chaos and documents it all for his study of human beings. Sound fun? Or does it sound... ridiculous?!

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Want To Get Away Week: Come Aboard the Sex Raft!

The grandson of a Georgia plantation owner, “Soapy” Smith turned to crime when his family’s morally-criminal fortunes vanished at the end of the Civil War. Travelling from Texas to Colorado to Alaska, Smith was a natural leader who couldn’t help but expand his short con mini-gangs into full-fledged political and criminal empires. But how on earth did he get the name “Soapy”? A very clever flimflam and a cop gave him the moniker that made him famous.

 
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King of the Frontier Con Men: The Ballad of Soapy Smith

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