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, host Leon Neyfakh brings to life the forgotten twists and turns of the past while shedding light on the present day. The new season of Fiasco goes deep on the AIDS epidemic in America, with a special focus on the early years of the crisis, when a diagnosis was tantamount to a death sentence. The eight-part series looks at the mystery and missteps around identifying and treating a new, contagious disease, and what it took to get the public - and the government - to care.

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

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

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

AIDS spreads through the country's blood supply, endangering people with hemophilia and leading to a breakthrough about the cause of the disease.

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 bit.ly/fiascopod

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 research at bit.ly/fiascopod

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