Podcast
Reel Twisty: Setting Stories Straight
Investigating the real tales that "based on true stories" are about.
- Episodes
- 12
- Releases
- Weekly
- Typical length
- 1 hr 40 min
- On air since
- 2026
- Latest episode
- 2 weeks ago
Episodes
12 episodes, newest first
-
2 hr 15 min
Jaws: New England, Steven Spielberg, and the Reel Twisty Summer of the Shark
Season 1, Episode 12
Show notes
In 1916, a cluster of shark attacks shook the New Jersey coastline, driving frightened sea bathers off the beaches at the height of the summer heat. In 1974, the release of a book by first-time author Peter Benchley emptied beaches and filled bookstores. Then, in June 1975, young director Steven Spielberg redefined filmmaking and the summer blockbuster when a little film with a big star started the Summer of the Shark, sending shockwaves of fear through beachgoers again. This time, they ran straight from the water and into theaters. Find out just how close Jaws comes to catching the truth of the real 1916 New Jersey shoreline terror.
Research Resources:
Reel Twisty Bookshop: Jaws
Stanley Fisher: Shark Attack Hero of a Bygone Age, John Allan Savolaine, 2016
Global Catches, Exploitation Rates, and Rebuilding Options for Sharks, Marine Policy
Jaws: Book vs. Movie, Audible Blog
Jaws: The 10 Biggest Differences Between the Horror Movie and Peter Benchley's Book, MovieWeb
The State of Sharks, 40 Years After Jaws, Smithsonian Magazine
How Realistic Is the Shark Science in 'The Shallows'?, Smithsonian Magazine
A Century Later, Memories of Fatal Shark Attacks Linger in New Jersey, The New York Times
International Shark Attack File, Florida Museum of Natural History
The Shark Attacks That Were the Inspiration for Jaws, Smithsonian Magazine
Corrections, The New York Times (Sept. 8, 2001)
Scientists Say Frenzy Over Shark Attacks Is Unwarranted, The New York Times
Down the Shore; Claptrap, Not 'Jaws,' The New York Times
Fifty Years After 'Jaws,' We've Learned a Lot About Great Whites, Smithsonian Magazine
Steven Spielberg Regrets How 'Jaws' Impacted Real-World Sharks, Smithsonian Magazine
Mexico Bans Great White Shark-Related Tourism on Guadalupe Island, Smithsonian Magazine
Australia's 'Rogue' Man-Eating Sharks Actually Chasing Whales, LiveScience
How Jaws Misrepresented the Great White, BBC
Spielberg Tells of Guilt Over Harm Hit Film Jaws May Have Done to Sharks, The Guardian
'The Shark Is Broken' Brings the Making of 'Jaws' to Broadway, Smithsonian Magazine
'Jaws' Turns 40: Surprising Facts About the First Blockbuster, CBS News
2 Weeks, 4 Deaths, and the Start of America's Fear of Sharks, National Geographic
'I'll Never Have a Clown in My House' - Why Movie Horror Lives On, Poetics Today
Overreaction to Fearsome Risks, Springer Nature Link
Jaws: The Exhibition, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
Steven Spielberg Reflects on Jaws at 50, NPR
Jaws Is Still Stuck in Our Teeth, 50 Years Later, NPR
Jaws Shark Gets His Bite Back: A Love Story, NPR
Hunting Bruce, Or, On the Trail of the Jaws Shark, NPR
Jaws: Celebrating Sand, Sex, and a Really Big Fish, NPR
From Junkyard to Museum: The Journey of a Jaws Shark, NPR
Chewing On the Complex Legacy of Jaws, National Geographic
Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story, National Geographic
Rogue Shark?, National Geographic
Overheard: Do Shark Stories Help Sharks?, National Geographic
Food Fights, Fake Blood, Obsessed Fans: When Jaws Invaded Martha's Vineyard, National Geographic
John Williams Recalls Jaws, The Film Music Society
How a 26-Year-Old Steven Spielberg Made Jaws…and Nearly Lost His Career in the Process, Literary Hub
The Shark Is Broken Circles the Guts of Jaws, The New Yorker
An Oedipal Fish Story on Broadway, The New Yorker
The 40-Year Legacy of Jaws, The Atlantic
A Turn in the Tide for Sharks and Their Public Image, Smithsonian Magazine
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1 hr 44 min
The Black Dahlia Part 4: The Reel Twisty Investigation Into the Murder of Elizabeth Short
Season 1, Episode 11
Show notes
Join us for part 4 – the final part of this series – as we explore the 79-year-long investigation into the 1947 death of 22-year-old Elisabeth Short. Learn about the LAPD’s search for the killer, the 1949 Grand Jury and its final suspect list, and the theories and accusations that have come to light – even as recently as this year.
Research Resources Part 4:
William J. Mann, Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood
The Reel Twisty BookShop.Org Black Dahlia Page
For a complete research resources list, see the show notes for Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3
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1 hr 16 min
The Black Dahlia Part 3: Elizabeth Short’s Demise and the Reel Twisty Birth of The Black Dahlia in 1947 Los Angeles
Season 1, Episode 10
Show notes
Today finds us at the crime scene. Learn how the police came upon the death of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short, and more of the lore that made her into The Black Dahlia – including how the 2006 neo-noir film, The Black Dahlia, represented 1947 Los Angeles and the Leimert Park neighborhood and how those depictions hold up against the truth.
PLEASE NOTE: We end the episode with descriptions of how Beth’s body was left at the crime scene, including reports from those present and the final autopsy report. If you want to avoid hearing the horrific details, tap out at 48:15:38.
Research Resources Part 3:
William J. Mann, Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood
“Who Killed the Black Dahlia?” Sarah Pruitt, History
“Elizabeth Short – The Black Dahlia,” Legends of America
“Does This Old Letter Finally Solve the Mystery…,” Katie Dowd, SFGate
“I Know Who Killed The Black Dahlia,” The Guardian
“The Black Dahlia ‘Sobbed in Terror…,’” People
“The Ruthless Murder of Elizabeth Short,” Medium
“Janice Knowlton, 67; Believed That Her Father Killed the Black Dahlia,” Los Angeles Times
“Minotaur,” 1934 portrait by Man Ray
“Memories of Murder…,” Los Angeles Times
“Black Dahlia Dig Finds ‘Interesting’ Items…,” Los Angeles Times
“The Black Dahlia Mystery…,” Los Angeles Times
“Ralph Asdel, 82; Detective in the Black Dahlia Case,” Los Angeles Times
“Horrifying Stories of Women Chased Down by the LAPD Abortion Squad,” Los Angeles Times
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1 hr 17 min
The Black Dahlia Part 2: Elizabeth Short’s Final Days in 1940’s Reel Twisty Los Angeles
Season 1, Episode 9
Show notes
We’re digging back into Elizabeth Short’s stay in California before her horrible death. Track her last days with us as we unravel the identities of Elizabeth Short and The Black Dahlia and compare both to their representation in the 2006 neo-noir film, The Black Dahlia.
Research Resources:
William J. Mann, Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood
“LA’s First Freeways,” PSB SoCal
“The Black Dahlia of Leimert Park,” PBS SoCal
“…Elizabeth Short’s Friend Reveals Rare Childhood Insight…,” Oxygen
“On the History of Disease-Concepts,” Adrian Wilson
“Pleurisy,” Columbia Doctors | NHS
“Outmoded Diseases,” Jennie Dusheck
“The Worst Thing About the Black Dahlia Case,” The Atlantic
“William J. Mann on Black Dahlia,” A Little History
“The Saga of the Sign,” The Hollywood Sign Trust
“The Hollywood Sign Once Had a White Dot,” The Hollywood Reporter
“Keep the White Spot White,” The Homestead Museum
A Brief History of the Black Dahlia, Novel Suspects
The Black Dahlia Murder, FBI Archives
Black Dahlia (Elizabeth Short), FBI Vault
“An LAPD Seeking Information Bulletin on Elizabeth Short,” FBI Archives
“Filmmakers Say They Cracked the Infamous Black Dahlia Case…,” People
“We Know How the Black Dahlia Died, But How Did She Live?” The Hollywood Reporter
“Filmmakers Claim They Solved Grisly Black Dahlia Murder Case…,” TV Insider
“He’s Challenging Decades of Victim-Blaming…,” LA Times
Elizabeth Short, Crime & Investigation
Short, Elizabeth (1925-1947), Encyclopedia.com
Case File: Elizabeth Short, A&E TV
“Investigative Team Says They Know Who Killed the Black Dahlia,” NewsNation
“Black Dahlia Investigators Claim They Found Blood Evidence…,” Los Angeles Magazine
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1 hr 5 min
The Black Dahlia Part 1: Elizabeth Short’s Arrival in 1940’s Reel Twisty Los Angeles
Season 1, Episode 8
Show notes
It may be California’s most notorious unsolved murder, but remarkably, there are only a handful of Hollywood depictions of the 1947 death of Elizabeth Short. Why? Because the filmmakers got her story so right? Hardly.
Elizabeth Short spent less than six months in California before losing her life in one of America’s most gruesome killings. But it wasn’t the only thing she lost. Her name, her history, her autonomy – after all she experienced in death, the public stripped her of the rest.
Revisit 2006’s The Black Dahlia with us as we unravel the identities of Elizabeth Short and The Black Dahlia – and how their stories have become so intrinsically intertwined.
Research Resources:
William J. Mann, Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood
“LA’s First Freeways,” PSB SoCal
“The Black Dahlia of Leimert Park,” PBS SoCal
“…Elizabeth Short’s Friend Reveals Rare Childhood Insight…,” Oxygen
“On the History of Disease-Concepts,” Adrian Wilson
“Pleurisy,” Columbia Doctors | NHS
“Outmoded Diseases,” Jennie Dusheck
“The Worst Thing About the Black Dahlia Case,” The Atlantic
“William J. Mann on Black Dahlia,” A Little History
“The Saga of the Sign,” The Hollywood Sign Trust
“The Hollywood Sign Once Had a White Dot,” The Hollywood Reporter
“Keep the White Spot White,” The Homestead Museum
A Brief History of the Black Dahlia, Novel Suspects
The Black Dahlia Murder, FBI Archives
Black Dahlia (Elizabeth Short), FBI Vault
“An LAPD Seeking Information Bulletin on Elizabeth Short,” FBI Archives
“Filmmakers Say They Cracked the Infamous Black Dahlia Case…,” People
“We Know How the Black Dahlia Died, But How Did She Live?” The Hollywood Reporter
“Filmmakers Claim They Solved Grisly Black Dahlia Murder Case…,” TV Insider
“He’s Challenging Decades of Victim-Blaming…,” LA Times
Elizabeth Short, Crime & Investigation
Short, Elizabeth (1925-1947), Encyclopedia.com
Case File: Elizabeth Short, A&E TV
“Investigative Team Says They Know Who Killed the Black Dahlia,” NewsNation
“Black Dahlia Investigators Claim They Found Blood Evidence…,” Los Angeles Magazine
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2 hr 10 min
The Social Network Part 2: The Reel Twisty Story of thefacebook.com, Accidental Billionaires, and Butt-Hurt Frat Bros. Allegedly.
Season 1, Episode 7
Show notes
On Feb. 4, 2004, Mark Zuckerberg and friends released thefacebook.com to their Harvard classmates. In a week, they had nearly 5k members. By early April, they’d launched at ten more universities, and those students were just as addicted as Harvard’s. Mark was a hero Wizkid, Eduardo Saverin had made the smartest investment of his life, and they had groupies. So how’d Mark end up with two separate lawsuits – one from his alleged best friend and business partner?
In 2010, The Social Network depicted the meteoric rise and tabloid-busting drama of it all. Based on the book The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal by Ben Mezrich, it was an instant hit and swept awards season. But was it the truth? Or 85% exaggeration and 15% perjury?
This is Part 2 of the allegedly mostly true story of how Facebook became the biggest social media platform in the world and made a bunch of frat bros tech-bro-billionaires. Allegedly.
Research Resources Part 2 (See Part 1 for Rest of List):
“Mark Zuckerberg’s Brutal Prank On Sequoia,” Business Insider
“Facebook Creator to Debut Wirehog,” The Harvard Crimson
“Wirehog, Zuckerberg’s Side Project That Almost Killed Facebook,” TechCrunch
“Zuckerberg Programs New Website,” The Harvard Crimson
“Facebook’s First President Sean Parker Left Company After a Scandal,” Business Insider
“How Sean Parker Bounced Back...,” Business Insider
“With a Little Help From His Friends,” Vanity Fair
“Sean Parker: Agent of Disruption,” Forbes
“Mark E. Zuckerberg ’06: The Whiz Behind Thefacebook.com,” The Harvard Crimson
“Ten Years After Facebook, Divya Narendra Continues to Innovate,” Forbes
“ConnectU Faces Skeptical Judges in Facebook Appeal,” Phys.Org
“Our CEO Divya Narendra on Building SumZero in the Midst of the Credit Crisis,” SumZero Headlines
“There’s a Lot You Don’t Know About Divya Narendra,” The Harvard Crimson: Fifteen Minutes
“Judge Ends Facebook’s Feud With ConnectU,” The New York TImes
“ConnectU’s ‘Secret’ $65 Million Settlement With Facebook,” The New York Times
“The Social Network,” Aaron Sorkin
“Facebook’s Settlement With Winklevosses Upheld,” CSB News
“Winklevoss Twins Addicted to Facebook and Litigation,” Forbes
“Not Over: Winklevoss Twins File New Suit Against Facebook,” NPR
“Winklevoss Twins May Reap $300 Million From Facebook IPO,” NPR
“Larry Summers Has Some Choice Words for Winklevoss Twins,” NPR
“Judge Dismisses Winklevoss Case Against Facebook,” Los Angeles Times
“Court Tells Winklevoss Twins to Quit Their Facebook Whining,” WIRED
“Gemini IPO 2025...,” The OPC Ledger
“Columbia Pictures Wins ‘Social Network’ Lawsuit...,” The Hollywood Reporter
“Alleged Facebook Co-Creator Appeals...,” Deadline
“Facebook ‘Co-Creator’ Continues Legal Action...,” The Guardian
“Facebook Settles With Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard Classmate,” Business Insider
“Who Founded Facebook? A New Claim Emerges,” The New York Times
“’Social Network’ Lawsuit...,” Huffpost
“Facebook Executive to Join Benchmark,” The New York Times
“Matt Cohler Helped Build Facebook...,” Bryan County News
“A Circle of Tech...,” The New York Times
“The Ruthless Betrayal...,” Medium
“Mark Zuckerberg On His Co-Founder...,” Litigationandtrial.com
“Eduardo Saverin’s Net Worth Publicly Revealed...,” Forbes
“Six College Students Create Job-Search Site,” Yale Daily News
“Students Launch Job Search Site,” The Harvard Crimson
“Facebook Founder Launches Job Networking Site ‘Joboozle,’” The Diamondback
“When Facebook Was Young...,” VatorNews
“The First 20 Facebook Employees...?” Business Insider
“Report: Facebook to Launch Job Board,” PCMag
“Stability AI Lands a Lifeline...,” TechCrunch
“AI Image-Generator Startup Stability AI Looks for Reshoot...,” The Seattle Times
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1 hr 43 min
The Social Network: The Reel Twisty Story of thefacebook.com, Accidental Billionaires, and Butt-Hurt Frat Bros. Allegedly.
Season 1, Episode 6
Show notes
On Oct. 21, 2010, The Social Network opened in 2,771 theaters across the U.S. It was clear that everyone wanted to know the juicy goss surrounding the meteoric rise of the social media network and the tabloid-busting drama (that movie trailer playing Radiohead’s Creep definitely didn’t hurt). The film made $22.4 million in its opening weekend alone, hitting number one at the box office and staying there for two consecutive weeks, and grossed $225 million worldwide against its $40 million production costs.
Based on the book The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal by Ben Mezrich, it was an instant hit and swept awards season. But was it really the truth?
Come along with us as we grimace through a bunch of co-eds' walks of shame to finally land on a mostly true account of how Facebook, today’s biggest social media platform with 3.07 billion active users every month (per Investopedia.com), got its start. (Oh, and in case you’re wondering – #2 and #3 in social media? Instagram and WhatsApp with 3 billion monthly active users of their own and also part of Meta, Facebook’s parent company.) Zuck is running the damn thing. Learn how he got there. Allegedly.
Research Resources:
“The Education of Mark Zuckerberg,” The Atlantic
“About Facebook,” The Atlantic
“What We Wrote About Facebook 12 Years Ago,” The Atlantic
“One Way The Social Network Got Facebook Right,” The Atlantic
“The Social Network: The Thrilling Facebook Creation Myth,” The Atlantic
“I Was Right About Mark Zuckerberg,” The Atlantic
35 Interesting and Like-Worthy Facts About The Social Network
“In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg Broke Into a Facebook User’s Private Email Account,” Business Insider
“How Mark Zuckerberg Hacked Into Rival ConnectU In 2004,” Business Insider
“At Last – the Full Story of How Facebook Was Founded,” Business Insider
“Exclusive: How Mark Zuckerberg Booted His Co-Founder Out of the Company,” Business Insider
“The (True?) Story Behind Facebook’s Founding,” Time
“Inventing Facebook,” New York Magazine
“Truth and the Art of The Social Network,” The Atlantic
“Facebook Fakery: The Alternate Reality of Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Network,” Slate
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2 min
Finding Our Voice
Season 1, Episode 5
Show notes
Still ready to dive into the Reel Twisty story of thefacebook.com and Mr. Mark? So are we! But it seems the universe would rather voices be found and work calling us elsewhere. No worries... we have found the voice, but not in time for this week's episode. Next week will come. Appreciate the understanding for the rocky start.
In the meantime, catch up with Matt and Tasha and then catch up on our existing episodes. Hopefully we'll be back with new content next week. Have a great one!
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3 min
A Break From the Social Network
Season 1, Episode 4
Show notes
Ready to dive into the Reel Twisty story of thefacebook.com and the Zuck? So are we! But it seems the universe would rather we take a break from the social network this week.
Catch up with Matt and Tasha and then catch up on our existing episodes. Hopefully we'll be back with new content next week.
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1 hr 38 min
A Nightmare On Elm Street: The Reel Twisty Story of the Southeast Asian and Dab Tsog
Season 1, Episode 3
Show notes
A Nightmare on Elm Street premiered in 1984, but for the Hmong people, the real-life terror had begun years before with the entrance of America into the Vietnam War and the CIA’s recruitment of Hmong soldiers into their “secret war.”
What began as a fight against communism is still all these years later a very real terror for an entire people – with or without the face of a nightmare spirit taking their breath while they slept.
Join us as we dive into the real-life story that inspired Wes Craven and created a 42-year legacy for New Line Cinema.
If you or someone you know is looking for resources to help a Southeast Asian facing deportation, please contact the Asian Law Caucus.
Research Resources:
The Making of: Nightmare On Elm Street
In Search of Darkness: A Journey Into Iconic 80s Horror
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy
Iran-Contra Affair - Definition, Timeline, President | HISTORY
1980s: Fashion, Movies & Politics | HISTORY
Crack epidemic in the United States | Law | Research Starters | EBSCO Research
Cocaine: Drug Epidemic of the ‘80’s | Springer Nature Link
Crack epidemic | US History, Causes & Effects | Britannica
The Contras, Cocaine, and U.S. Covert Operations
CIA-Contra-Crack Cocaine Controversy
CIA-RDP90-00965R000707110001-8.pdf
The Iran-Contra Affair | American Experience | Official Site | PBS
Iran-Contra Affair | Definition, History, Oliver North, Importance, & Facts | Britannica
Iran-Contra affair | Military History and Science | Research Starters | EBSCO Research
Understanding the Iran-Contra Affairs
History of AIDS - Epidemic, Timeline & HIV | HISTORY
NIGHTMARES SUSPECTED IN BED DEATHS OF 18 LAOTIANS - The New York Times
TimesMachine: December 5, 1981 - NYTimes.com
STRANGE ILLNESS HAS KILLED 38 ASIAN REFUGEES - The New York Times
Hmong History – Hmong American Center
Human rights abuse in Laos: An analysis of the Hmong - Platform for Peace and Humanity
Ten things to know about ICE deportations and Hmong Minnesotans
Citizenship For Refugees And Asylees: How To Apply
Green Card for Refugees | USCIS
Resources for Southeast Asian Refugees Facing Deportation | Asian Law Caucus
How did Hmong people find their way to Wisconsin? The answer has roots in America's Secret War
Sleep paralysis and folklore - Ann M Cox, 2015
New Data Shows Where ICE Has Been Most Active This Year - The New York Times
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2 hr
Verónica Part 2: The Reel Twisty Story of Estefanía Gutiérrez Lázaro and the Vallecas Case
Season 1, Episode 2
Show notes
In 2018, Netflix premiered Verónica, a film that quickly gained notoriety across social media for being the scariest film on the platform. But was the movie so uniquely frightening? Or did the scares hit a little harder because they were accompanied by the "based on a true story" tagline?
This is part 2 of our deep dive into the story of Verónica and her real-life counterpart, 17-year-old Estefanía. As we unravel how much of the movie stays true to the original happenings, we explore whether fiction is ever really as scary as real life.
We're really excited that you've found us, and we hope you'll come back next week when we discuss A Nightmare on Elm Street.
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2 hr 21 min
Verónica Part 1: The Reel Twisty Story of Estefanía Gutiérrez Lázaro and the Vallecas Case
Season 1, Episode 1
Show notes
In 2018, Netflix premiered Verónica, a film that quickly gained notoriety across social media for being the scariest film on the platform. But was the movie so uniquely frightening? Or did the scares hit a little harder because they were accompanied by the "based on a true story" tagline? As we dig into the story of Verónica and her real-life counterpart, 17-year-old Estefanía, we unravel how much of the movie stays true to the original happenings - and explore whether fiction is ever really as scary as real life.
We're really excited that you've found us, and we hope you'll come back next week for Verónica Part 2: The Reel Twisty Story of Estefanía Gutiérrez Lázaro and the Vallecas Case.
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