Deep in the American desert is a tiny, tiny, tiny nation: The Republic of Zaqistan. Guarded by medium-sized robots, Zaqistan welcomed new citizens for more than 15 years - until it fell into ruins. Now the eponymous founder wants to rebuild. Join hosts Ryan Murdock, Gabbie Watts and Zaron Burnett on a journey to uncharted territory … to the nation of Zaqistan…and the upside-down world of micronations. Along the way, they meet some crazy characters - the President of Molossia, the Sultan of Slowjamastan, the Princess of Sancrotosia to name a few. Follow Murdock as he risks life and limb in the name of nation-building, and find out the answer to the question: what exactly is a nation, anyway?
What Happened in Nashville is a deeply reported investigation into the sudden collapse of a Tennessee fertility clinic, and the patients caught in the fallout. When the Center for Reproductive Health shut down without warning, people lost access to their embryos, their treatments were abruptly cut off, and many were left scrambling to recover money, medical records, and time they couldn’t afford to lose. Through intimate conversations with the patients who lived through it, host Melissa Jeltsen reveals the emotional and physical toll of the clinic’s abrupt closure. But the story reaches far beyond a single clinic. The series exposes the cracks in a fertility industry built on hope, high price tags and minimal oversight. What Happened in Nashville isn’t just the story of one tragedy — it’s a warning about a system where families have everything at stake and far too little protection.
Listen here (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-what-happened-in-nashvill-93564012/) or on the iHeartRadio app.
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30 Jul 2025
Introducing: 'Afterlives Season 2: Marsha P. Johnson'
Marsha P. Johnson is THE icon of the LGBTQ+ movement and a mother of the fight for trans rights. Today, you can buy T-shirts emblazoned with her face or walk through a park named in her honor. Now, hear from Marsha in her own words on a new limited series, Afterlives: Marsha P. Johnson.
Host Raquel Willis brings Marsha’s story to life through rare archival interviews and intimate conversations with queer elders, friends, and historians. Legend says she threw the first brick at the Stonewall riots, setting off the modern movement for queer rights. Immortalized by Andy Warhol and known as “The Saint of Christopher Street,” Marsha was also unhoused, surviving through sex work, navigating violence, and resisting with joy.
More than 30 years after her still-unsolved death in the Hudson River, Marsha’s voice resounds louder than ever. As trans rights face renewed threats, Afterlives celebrates Marsha’s story and reflects on her enduring power as a trans ancestor.
Listen to Afterlives wherever you get your podcasts. All episodes are out now!
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
21 Jul 2025
Introducing BUZZ: An audio thriller starring John Lithgow
Chapter 1: A deadly lunar landing sim nearly grounds Apollo 11 before it begins. Rivalries ignite between Neil and Buzz—and history almost ends before it starts.
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ABOUT BUZZ: Starring John Lithgow, this gripping audio thriller peels back the myth of Apollo 11 to reveal the raw, untold story of Buzz Aldrin—space pioneer, troubled hero, and relentless survivor. As Cold War tensions flare and the race to the Moon reaches its climax, Aldrin confronts rivalries, near-disaster, and personal demons that threaten to unravel both the mission and himself. Told with urgent intensity and psychological depth, BUZZ is a powerful reimagining of a legendary moment in history—where courage, collapse, and the true cost of heroism collide.
BUZZ is a production of Thoroughbred Studios, Goldhawk Productions & iHeartPodcasts. Available on most major podcast platforms.
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
8 May 2025
Introducing: What Happened to Talina Zar
What Happened to Talina Zar unravels the chilling mystery of a woman who vanished during the COVID-19 lockdown, the internet sleuths who wouldn’t let it go, and the dark subcultures and betrayals they unearthed.
Listen here (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-what-happened-to-talina-z-93564012/) or on the iHeartRadio app.
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
20 Dec 2024
The State of Uncertainty
Zaqistan's uncertain future is explored with Ryan and Zaq, but the real takeaway is the resilience of human connection in the face of chaos.
11 Dec 2024
Infrastructure Week(end)
Zaqistan's infrastructure project leader grapples with harsh realities and emergencies, threatening the future of the state despite ambitious plans for rebuild robots, satellite-linked weather stations, and more.
4 Dec 2024
Borderlands
Ryan discusses navigating complex identities and borderlands with Mike and Yosef, as well as overcoming war and cultural differences to run a country together.
27 Nov 2024
Plant Your Flag
Ryan Boudreaux heads into the desert to explore the history of Zaqistan, encountering eccentric desert dweller Ivo Zdarsky and uncovering the country's unconventional origins.
20 Nov 2024
Becoming Zaqistani
Ryan learns the ins and outs of Zaqistani culture from a team of misfits as he applies for citizenship and embarks on a transformative journey to become Zaqistani.
13 Nov 2024
Diplomacy
Hosts Ryan Murdock and Gabbie Watts head to Microcon, a convention of micronationalists. Think Model UN meets ComicCon. We’ll engage in light diplomacy, explore invented histories and exchange gratuitous amounts of medals. Plus, there’s a taco bar! Among the characters you’ll meet are Zaq from Zaqistan, the President of Molossia, the Sultan of Slowjamastan, the Princess of Sancrotosia and a bunch of dictator-curious statesmen, all asking the question: if you could start a country from scratch, what would it look like?
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
12 Nov 2024
Introducing: Escape From Zaqistan
Deep in the Utah desert is a tiny, tiny, tiny nation: The Republic of Zaqistan. Guarded by robots, Zaqistan nonetheless welcomed new citizens for more than 15 years - until it fell into ruins. Now the eponymous founder wants to rebuild. Join hosts Ryan Murdock, Gabbie Watts and Zaron Burnett on a journey to uncharted territory … to the nation of Zaqistan…and the upside-down world of micronations.
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
419,108,275
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.5 / 5
21 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 66 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
74
Social presence
0
YouTube
93
Engagement
51
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