Juicero’s $700 juicer took Silicon Valley by storm in 2016. The brainchild of Doug Evans, a raw food enthusiast, was one of the most sought after product, already boasting $120 million in funding from some of the largest and most untouchable venture capitalists. Kobe Bryant was one of its investors, Oprah promoted it in one of her lavish giveaways, Ivanka Trump gave it a nod on Twitter and Juicero even won over healthy living fanatics like Gwyneth Paltrow and Dr. Oz. Find out how this high-flying juicer got squeezed out of the limelight only a year and a half after its unveiling, on Episode 7 of The Great Fail.
Gawker’s Demise: Sex, Pride & Celebrity Porn Tapes
For over 13 years, Gawker was one of the most popular sources for the latest on gossip, news, and entertainment. When it wasn’t breaking news and celebrity exposès, it was breaking its viewership records, seeing over 62 million unique visitors on its site each month. But, a sex tape and a Silicon Valley billionaire would start a bloodbath that would ultimately bring down Gawker’s multi-million dollar media empire. Find out on how Gawker found itself posting its own obituary on Episode 8 of The Great Fail.
Special COVID-19 Episode: Whistleblower from Wuhan
We are dedicating this episode to Dr. Li Wenliang, the doctor who was credited as being one of the first to try to warn the public about the outbreak of COVID-19 in the early days. He was quickly reprimanded by the Chinese officials, accused of spreading rumors, and forced to sign a public statement of apology. The Great Fail that prevented Dr. Li’s warnings became a deadly tragedy that led to the coronavirus becoming a pandemic today. Here is this week’s story on the Whistleblower from Wuhan.
Crazy Eddie: The Fall of an Electronics Empire
Before Best Buy, Target and Fry’s Electronics, there was Crazy Eddie, which created the blueprint for consumer electronic retailers. With their deep discounts and iconic Crazy Eddie ads, they were one of the top performers on Wall Street from 1984 to 1987. But beneath all the success, were internal rivalries, deep jealousy, plots of deceit and betrayal, and a huge family secret that would ultimately unravel this multi-million dollar enterprise. Find out what brought down Eddie Antar, the man behind the brand, on Episode 5 of The Great Fail.
We Didn’t Work: The Failure of WeWork’s IPO
WeWork was one of the most highly anticipated IPOs in 2019. It received funding from the biggest investment banks and […]
Bre-X: Fool’s Gold
By 1995, Calgary’s Bre-X became a $6 billion dollar company when it declared that it had discovered the world’s largest gold mine within the jungles of Indonesia. What followed years later would entail all the elements of a Hollywood story: lies, betrayal, the collapse of an empire, and a badly decomposed body
Google Glass
On its debut, it was heralded as one of the best inventions of 2013. Google launched Project Glass as its first wearable that would rock the world. Glass quickly became the must-have product for celebrities and CEOs, and was on a fast track to becoming a culturally defining moment that would cross over to mainstream success. So how did this product end up on the DOA list just two years after it’s launch?
THE DOWNFALL OF LA GEAR
In the 80’s and early 90’s, L.A. Gear became one of the most iconic brands with celebrity endorsements that included Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul, Hakeem Olajuwon, Joe Montana, and Wayne Gretsky. This quintessential company captured the hearts of men, women, and kids and for a minute, was third in sales behind Nike and Reebok. How one of the hottest companies, could commit a series of missteps that landed it on its deathbed by the late 90’s, will have you doing the maniac flashdance.
“Season 1 Trailer: Introducing The Great Fail”
Here is a sneak peak at Season 1 of The Great Fail hosted by Debra Chen