Whatever Happened to Pizza at McDonald's
Episodes
Episode 89
27 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian announces a new network, Pizzaply, designed to fill the gap created by Panoply’s collapse. Willow Talk, Intriguing Conversations, and Whatever...
Episode 88
13 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian shares that the Panoply Network has stopped producing original podcast content. His IJP, however, has now progressed beyond the podcasting world...
Episode 87
06 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian discusses the opening of the U.S. Pizza Museum in Chicago. Brian calls a Victoria’s Secret, Lenscrafters, and shopping mall near the museum to...
Episode 86
30 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian becomes frazzled as a result of strict laws requiring permits for archeological projects in Egypt and his lack of cell phone minutes. Brian cont...
Episode 85
17 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian continues reading Haze’s book. He notes that Mac and Me was released when McDonald’s was selling pizza, human interactions with extraterrest...
Episode 84
10 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian researches author Xaviant Haze, who he deems credible because he does not seem to have any connections to the McDonald’s corporation. He sets ...
Episode 83
02 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian searches for the English translation of Ancient Egyptian texts about interactions with aliens. Brian notes that he cannot visit his local librar...
Episode 82
27 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls experts at the Carl Jung Center to ask about the collective unconscious. Brian wonders if E.T. and Mac and Me are similar because the plot...
Episode 81
12 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian explains the 1988 science fiction film Mac and Me. Brian researches popular music being played in McDonald’s in order to build his own case an...
Episode 80
06 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian briefs listeners on his diverse skill set, including his musical ability (www.soundcloud.com/pizzaatmcdonalds). Brian plays his first single Bad...
Episode 79
28 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian covers the recent Supreme Court opening and considers his eligibility for a Justice position. Brian calls the prayer line for support.
Episode 78a
21 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian says that the interview subject from Ep. 78 expressed concerns about revealing secrets of the skywriting industry, prompting Brian to take the e...
Episode 77
15 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls movie theaters, asking if he can give an educational presentation to audiences before showings of Incredibles 2. The local manager directs...
Episode 76
07 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian returns to his quest to educate children on McDonald’s pizza. He calls local schools, forgetting that it is summer break. Next, Brian calls a ...
Episode 75
22 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian reports from an undisclosed location to grant an award for outstanding candor. Brian announces the three nominees: a Pomeroy McDonald’s employ...
Episode 74
16 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian investigates the pasta and chicken platters shown on his antique McDonald’s menu. The meals were experimental and well received by customers b...
Episode 73
08 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian visits the oldest surviving McDonald’s in the world and its museum. Brian interviews the manager about the lack of a pizza exhibit. The store’...
Episode 72
03 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian orders a McDonald’s artifact on Ebay and calls the Postal Regulatory Commission to complain that the envelope was bent to fit into his mailbox...
Episode 71
25 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian researches how to contact spirits in order to interview Jesse Pomeroy. He does so via a Ghost Séance app but fails to contact Jesse Pomeroy.
Episode 70
17 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian introduces listeners to Jesse Harding Pomeroy, the youngest person to be convicted of first degree murder in Massachusetts at age 14 (1874). Bri...
Episode 69
12 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls a library in Pomeroy, Ohio to learn about the town’s founder Samuel Pomroy, his genealogy, and connection to Paul Pomeroy. Brian doubts ...
Episode 68
05 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian shares his new financial partnership with Grandy’s, allowing him to continue the IJP. Brian addresses McDonald’s sustainable initiatives, in...
Episode 67
27 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian’s office building burned down as a result of him using newspaper in place of insulation. Brian worries about his missing intern and how to pay...
Episode 66
15 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian discusses the IJP’s financial hardships: primarily the network’s offices. Brian continues his self care initiative by attending a taping of ...
Episode 65
05 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian considers the possibility that McDonald’s has wiped any memories of pizza from the minds of their customers and employees. Brian attempts to u...
Episode 64
28 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian plays a clip from a McDonald’s podcast about the return of Szechuan Sauce to McDonald’s as a result of the show Rick and Morty. Brian consid...
Episode 63
20 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian shares correspondence from a financial institution in Abu Dhabi seeking to invest in the IJP. Brian seeks a business loan of $100 billion in ord...
Episode 62
13 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian launches the Pizza at McDonald’s Network, with Whatever Happened to Pizza at McDonald’s being the network’s flagship show. Brian plays the...
Episode 61
31 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian shares audio recordings from listener Blair Hodges who interviewed a friend, Lizbeth F., about her experience with McDonald’s pizza. Lizbeth r...
Episode 60
24 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian investigates YouTuber FaZe Kay who has discovered a secret menu at a McDonald’s in Hollywood. Brian considers that the video might be staged, ...
Episode 59
16 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian shares his vision for Willow 2 and asks that listeners with any connections in the film industry reach out. The movie premise includes the main ...
Episode 58
05 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brian returns to his investigation of Willow. Brian reads correspondence from director Ron Howard and asks if he would like to collaborate on Willow 2...
Episode 57
22 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian reflects on his spiritual journey and educates listeners on the true meaning of Christmas. Brian wraps up the episode with a parody of “Little...
Episode 56
08 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian emails Squarespace, asking them for help creating a website in exchange for his past pro bono advertisements. Brian calls LegalZoom for advice o...
Episode 55
30 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian reflects on conversations with listeners about the largest McDonald’s in Orlando, Florida, which has both a pasta bar and pizza. Brian previou...
Episode 54
21 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian files a FOIA request for information about the discontinuation of the McDonald’s Pizza Program. The FBI discloses that they do not have files ...
Episode 53
09 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian recaps the triumphs and frustrations associated with running his IJP, the primary frustration being the lack of education about McDonald’s Piz...
Episode 52
02 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian reports that he is now cancer free, as he records from his hospital room. Brian considers how previously classified documents about JFK’s assa...
Episode 51
26 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian expresses his desire to speak to Greg Mills. Twitter user Parker Bent tweets at Brian, saying that his alias put the IJP at risk. As Brian is re...
Episode 50
19 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian shares audio recordings from fans who visited the Pomeroy McDonald’s during its final days selling pizza. Brian uses the alias, Larry Truck, t...
Episode 49
10 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian announces that all McDonald’s locations must stop serving pizza, including the Pomeroy store. Brian discusses his Lymphoma and various illness...
Episode 48
21 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian describes a listener who sent photographic evidence of what he believes to be cornmeal on the Pomeroy crust. Brian calls the Pomeroy location un...
Episode 47
18 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian continues discussing his personalized healing program with his angel guide. Brian expresses that people he encounters in his investigation are g...
Episode 46
07 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian is contacted by an angel guide and discusses his IJP. Brian tells the practitioner that he is in a relationship with his work before delving int...
Episode 45
31 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian seeks to go on a spiritual retreat in order to combat stress from his IJP. The employee suggests that Brian spend time talking one-on-one with a...
Episode 44
25 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian considers that the Pomeroy pizza might be part of a series of deceptive acts due to its crusts’ lack of cornmeal. Brian calls various cornmeal...
Episode 43
17 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian suggests that McDonald’s might not be wholly responsible for the removal of pizza from the menu. Brian considers the possibility that McDonald...
Live Call-In Episode 1
21 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Pomeroy, Ohio and saw a sign on the door asking that customers refrain from taking photos or videos out of respect for the employees. The sign was not...
Announcements
17 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian announces a live call-in episode for listeners to share their experiences with McDonald’s pizza. Brian also says listeners can call (323) 319-...
Donors-Only Q&A Bonus Episode Preview 2
12 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
A preview of our second donors-only Q&A bonus episode.
Episode 42
08 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian addresses the Twitter controversy over calling his project a podcast and decides to refer to it as an investigative journalism program (IJP). Br...
Episode 41
23 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian uses his investigative expertise to look into Trump’s decision to fire FBI director James Comey. He starts by traveling to Washington D.C. to ...
Episode 40
12 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian discusses paranormal expert Dr. Hines’ accomplishments before learning about remote viewing and accessing the subconscious mind by creating id...
Episode 39
06 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian finds a free training video for remote viewing on YouTube but first researches the dangers of psychic abilities. Brian calls the prayer hotline ...
Episode 38
28 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian pauses his pizza investigation to look into the missing copy of Willow. Brian learns about “remote viewing:” a technique used to obtain info...
Episode 37
21 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian went to his library to look up McDonald’s Pizza in the encyclopedia but found no results. Discouraged, he decided to take time for self-care. ...
Donors-Only Q&A Bonus Episode Preview
16 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
A preview of our donors-only Q&A bonus episode.
Episode 36
10 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian continues the investigation into Bowe Bergdahl and suggests that he might have to disguise himself and travel to Pakistan to investigate first h...
Episode 35
28 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian discusses the pros and cons of being an independent journalist before deciding to call the New York Times to ask for a job. He is directed to th...
Episode 34
21 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian turns to the Internet to verify the information he was given by the McDonald’s customer service representative, when he discovers a KFC (Kabul...
Episode 33
08 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian searches for McDonald’s locations in Afghanistan, specifically those with pizza, in order to investigate his theory that soldier Bowe Bergdahl...
Episode 32
02 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian announces that he planned to end the podcast after traveling to Pomeroy, Ohio, before receiving a piece of electronic correspondence from a scre...
Episode 31
01 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian introduces his producer Agnes at the airport on the way to Ohio and asks the airport McDonald’s if they sell pizza. Brian recaps the history o...
Episode 30
23 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls McDonald’s Canada to ask why they stopped selling pizza and if it would be possible for the menu item to be brought back. Brian gets the...
Episode 29
17 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian thanks listeners and opens fan correspondence. Rachel M. writes about trying pizza at McDonald’s in Orlando as a kid but does not remember the...
Episode 27
02 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls a Catholic prayer hotline and asks for a clergyperson. The woman tells Brian that he does not have to pray through a priest and that God h...
Episode 26
01 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian announces that he has booked his trip to Pomeroy, Ohio. Brian calls the prayer hotline back to request thank you prayers. The hotline employee i...
Episode 25
24 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls the White House Comment Line and is directed to the website by an answering service. Instead, Brian calls Mar-a-Lago, the “Winter White ...
Episode 24
18 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Twitter user @wayofthepornstache reaches out to McDonald’s Canada on Twitter asking them to bring pizza back to the menu. The Twitter account direct...
Episode 23
11 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brian tells listeners that the Kickstarter has been successful and discusses various safety concerns. Brian proceeds to call multiple McDonald’s loc...
Episode 22
29 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian reflects on his call with reporter Sarah Hawley and wonders about the clicking noise during their phone call. Brian calls a private investigator...
Episode 21
27 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian contacts Sarah Hawley at the Pomeroy, Ohio Daily Sentinel to inquire about the Meigs Motel murder and McDonald’s pizza. Brian describes multip...
Episode 20
24 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian announces updates on his fundraising goal for a trip to Pomeroy, Ohio and announces his side investigation into the 2013 murder of a pedophile i...
Episode 19
16 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls a motel in Pomeroy, Ohio to inquire if the rooms have a safe, fridges that can fit a pizza box, and if he can reserve a room under an alia...
Episode 18
07 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian talks to Andrew, a former McDonald’s employee who worked in 1992 at a Canadian branch that sold pizza as a teenager. Andrew describes the crus...
Episode 17
03 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian comments on the trailer for The Founder, a story about Ray Kroc and his purchase of McDonald’s. Brian questions the lack of pizza in the trail...
Episode 16
29 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls a McDonald’s location in Australia to ask if Australian locations ever served pizza. The employee directs Brian to the Australian websit...
Episode 15
20 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian discusses Reddit threads on which people wonder what happened to pizza at McDonald’s. Brian describes a post containing a picture of pizza pur...
Episode 14
16 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls Crossroads 24 Hour Prayer Line to put in a prayer request about a crisis in his work life. Brian expresses concern that most support lines...
Episode 13
10 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls a McDonald’s location and discovers that they sell pizza before getting disconnected and deciding the employee was giving him a “facet...
Episode 12
29 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian introduces the subpodcast, “Do You Remember That?” by delving into the history of McDonald’s Pizza. Brian discusses dramatic increases in ...
Episode 11
25 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls for legal advice and requests an attorney that has no previous cases for or against McDonald’s. Brian is disconnected, calls back, and r...
Episode 10
18 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian offers legal protection to whistleblowers, saying he is not required to reveal their identities. Brian admits that he cannot confirm Lamont’s ...
Episode 9
15 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian starts by advising listeners that the following episode may be disturbing. Brian receives an email from Lamont claiming to have information on w...
Episode 8
12 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls McDonald’s customer service to ask why they stopped selling pizza, and the representative gives Brian the number for the general service...
Episode 7
08 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls an investigation firm to ask if they can investigate why McDonald’s stopped selling pizza and is hung up on. He calls a second private i...
Episode 6
05 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian encourages listeners to sign his Change.org petition for Panoply to host “Whatever Happened to Pizza at McDonald’s?” in an official capaci...
Episode 5
27 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Thompson addresses the email he received from Ava Lubell, General Counsel at the Slate Group (Panoply’s parent company). Ava Lubell asks Thomp...
Episode 4
22 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian recaps the previous episode and gets in touch with the office of Greg Mills. The employee tells Brian about the location’s annual fight with c...
Episode 3
17 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls Brad who reached out on Twitter with information about McDonald’s pizza but reaches his voicemail and decides to call more McDonalds’ ...
Episode 2
13 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian calls a McDonald’s location and is hung up on. When he calls back to ask if someone told the employee not to disclose information about McDona...
Episode 1
09 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Thompson calls McDonald’s to ask if they remember when they had pizza. The first McDonald's location hangs up on him. The manager at the secon...