SNAFU with Ed Helms
iHeartPodcasts
SummaryHistory is rarely a straight line; more often, it is a series of spectacular stumbles, systemic errors, and unbelievable misjudgments. In SNAFU with Ed Helms, host Ed Helms invites listeners to pull up a chair for a deep dive into the fascinating, frustrating, and often hilarious ways that things go wrong. Whether it is a multi-million dollar NASA spacecraft lost to a simple math error, the ego-driven collapse of an Arctic expedition, or the high-stakes political maneuvering of the Iran-Contra scandal, this podcast explores the human element behind history’s most infamous blunders. Joined by a rotating cast of comedians, journalists, and historians, Ed unpacks these moments not just as dry lessons, but as human stories. The show moves effortlessly from the glitz and greed of Wall Street’s 1980s arbitrage kings to the tragic complexities of the Chappaquiddick incident. Through these conversations, the podcast highlights how hubris, bureaucratic pressure, and poor communication can turn even the most ambitious projects into cautionary tales. SNAFU is a celebration of the messy reality of progress and a reminder that, throughout history, the line between a groundbreaking achievement and a total disaster is often much thinner than we think. If you have ever wondered how the best-laid plans fall apart, this show is your front-row seat to the wreckage.
Updated Jul 8, 2026
Episodes
Insights From Ed's Castmates & Collaborators
Relive behind the scenes memories and creative collaborations with the cast and crew of The Office and movie sets.
Mars Orbiter and the Probe to Nowhere
NASA lost a 125 million dollar Mars orbiter because a simple math error caused engineers to mix up metric and imperial.
William Morgan & Our Favorite Murder (with Karen and Georgia of My Favorite Murder)
The mysterious 1826 disappearance of William Morgan after he threatened to expose Freemason secrets ignited a firestorm.
Chappaquiddick & The Real Reason Ted Kennedy Never Became President (with Pete Holmes)
The Chappaquiddick incident and a series of tragic decisions derailed Ted Kennedy's path to the presidency.
Behind the Bastards' Robert Evans & The Iran-Contra Arms Dealing Scandal (Part II)
Reagan officials traded missiles for hostages and funneled the profits to contras in a chaotic scheme of legal evasion.
Behind the Bastards' Robert Evans & The Iran-Contra Arms Dealing Scandal (Part I)
Reagan-era officials defy Congress in a wild, clandestine web of deceit linking Nicaraguan Contras to Iranian arms.
Who Killed Charles Francis Hall? The Polaris Expedition's Arctic Whodunnit (with Jad Abumrad)
Arctic explorer Charles Francis Hall died mysteriously during his 1871 mission, leaving behind a frozen whodunnit.
Lord Dunmore and the Proclamation That Ignited Revolution (with Bob Crawford of The Avett Brothers)
Lord Dunmore inadvertently supercharged the American Revolution by issuing a proclamation that promised freedom to slaves.
Ivan Boesky: The Wall Street Legend Who Crashed and Burned (with Rory Scovel)
Wall Street titan Ivan Boesky went from a rags-to-riches legend to a disgraced felon in an epic tale of eighties greed.
What Went Wrong on the Hindenburg Luxury Airship (with Chelsea Handler)
Explore the engineering hubris and tragic downfall of the Hindenburg, the massive airship that defined an era.
Air Transat Flight 236: The Azores Glider That Ran Dry (with Adam Scott)
A maintenance error caused a mid-air fuel leak, forcing an Air Transat jet to glide across the Atlantic to safety.
S4E19: Former KGB Spy Jack Barsky
S4E18: Adam Grant and The OG Ponzi Scheme
S4E17: Kelly Corrigan and Operation Cottage
S4E16: Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway and the Palmer Raids
S4E15: Jenny Slate and the Flight to Varennes
S4E14: Sarah Spain and Napoleon's Russian Blunder
S4E13: Jon Lovett and the Donner Party
Rachel Maddow and ULTRA
S4E11: Sophia Bush and the Mona Lisa Heist
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