The AIDS Crisis: Episode 1 - Gay Plague

The AIDS Crisis: Episode 1 - Gay Plague

Author: Pushkin Industries June 9, 2023 Duration: 50:48

How doctors and scientists responded to the arrival of a strange and terrifying new disease.

You can find a list of books, articles, and documentaries we used in our research at bit.ly/fiascopod.

If you like this series, mark your calendars: a new season of Fiasco is coming July 27, 2023, exclusively on Audible. Fiasco: Vigilante tells the story of a shooting that took place in 1984 on the New York City subway, leaving four Bronx teenagers gravely wounded and turning a man named Bernie Goetz into a national folk hero. Fiasco: Vigilante offers a panoramic but intimate view of how this era-defining story unfolded, giving voice for the first time to key players, and immersing listeners in the gritty, paranoid world of ’80s New York City. Listen to the trailer now at adbl.co/vigilante, only on Audible.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


In Fiasco, a production of Pushkin Industries, host Leon Neyfakh doesn't just recount history-he reconstructs it, placing you inside the tense rooms and critical moments where things went wrong. Each season of this podcast meticulously examines a different political or governmental disaster, moving beyond the headlines to reveal the human decisions, bureaucratic failures, and unforeseen consequences that defined these events. The result is a gripping narrative that feels both immediate and deeply researched. You'll hear how the 2012 attack in Benghazi, which killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans, ignited a political firestorm that reshaped American diplomacy and partisan combat. Neyfakh's storytelling illuminates how these crises are born and how their echoes shape our present. For anyone fascinated by the messy intersection of power, history, and human error, this is an essential listen. The podcast turns complex history into compelling audio, revealing the often-overlooked details that explain why we live with the aftermath of these fiascos today.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 41

Fiasco
Podcast Episodes
Bush v. Gore: Episode 1 – Homestead [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:38
How the largely forgotten race between Al Gore and George W. Bush roiled Florida long before anyone had ever heard of a hanging chad. For a full list of sources, check out the Fiasco website.See omnystudio.com/listener f…
Trailer: Bush v. Gore [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:56
Bush v. Gore recounts what happened during the contested 2000 election between Al Gore and George W. Bush, and the extraordinary legal battle that unfolded in Florida in the aftermath of Election Day. See omnystudio.com/…
The AIDS Crisis: Episode 8 - No Harm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:47
The Clinton administration promises a new approach to the AIDS epidemic — but gets bogged down in the politics of sex, drugs, and morality. You can find a list of books, articles, and documentaries we used in our researc…
The AIDS Crisis: Episode 7 - Lazarus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:34
After years of frustration and despair, scientists finally make a breakthrough. You can find a list of books, articles, and documentaries we used in our research at bit.ly/fiascopod If you like this series, mark your cal…
The AIDS Crisis: Episode 6 - Drugs into Bodies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:29
A new coalition of AIDS activists takes on the American medical establishment, pushing for access to clinical trials and experimental drugs. You can find a list of books, articles, and documentaries we used in our resear…
The AIDS Crisis: Episode 5 - Leading Men [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:46
One of the most famous actors in Hollywood tries to keep his diagnosis under wraps - and ends up becoming the face of AIDS in America. You can find a list of books, articles, and documentaries we used in our research at…
The AIDS Crisis: Episode 4 - Blood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:38
AIDS spreads through the country's blood supply, endangering people with hemophilia and leading to a breakthrough about the cause of the disease. You can find a list of books, articles, and documentaries we used in our r…
The AIDS Crisis: Episode 3 - The Baths [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:20
A debate rages in San Francisco over whether or not to close the city’s famous bathhouses, as government officials and gay rights advocates weigh the implications for civil liberties and public health. You can find a lis…
The AIDS Crisis: Episode 2 - How to Have Sex in an Epidemic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:48
As the AIDS crisis worsens, gay men in New York City improvise a response, forming alliances and drawing battle lines. You can find a list of books, articles, and documentaries we used in our research at bit.ly/fiascopod…
Introducing Fiasco: The AIDS Crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:47
From the co-creators of Slow Burn, Fiasco is a narrative podcast that transports listeners into the day-to-day reality of America’s most pivotal historical events. Using original interviews with dozens of key players, ho…