A new podcast listening experience launches on Wednesday called “What Really Happened.” It is a series that has Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as an executive producer, and is hosted and co-produced by award-winning documentary filmmaker Andrew Jenks.
The mini-series (for now it’s a mini-series, at least) focuses on a handful of historical figures, and aims to shine some light on the facts of the matter regarding the lives of these icons. The first episode, which is now available, focuses on the life and legacy of Muhammad Ali. Some more information about the series, from the press release:
Seven Bucks Productions, co-founded by Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia, together with Cadence13, the leading creator of premium, on-demand audio entertainment, today launched a new podcast series, “What Really Happened?” written and hosted and co-produced by award-winning filmmaker and documentarian, Andrew Jenks. In this new audio series, Jenks applies extensive, groundbreaking research, skills he has honed as a documentary filmmaker, to better understand, dispute, and tell the deeper story behind six real-life narritives from modern history. After six iconic stories are released, they will be followed by six corresponding reaction episode that will include additional insights from eyewitnesses or figures who have never before come forward, playing a crucial role in the exploration of each topic.
“What Really Happened?” is available to subscribe and listen to on-demand through Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, and TuneIn, among other distribution outlets.
In this new audio series, each week Jenks applies the extensive research skills he has honed as a documentary filmmaker to better understand, dispute, and tell the deeper story behind six of the most talked about people and controversies in modern history. The initial six epic dramas will cover:
Muhammad Ali
Chris Christie
Britney Spears
Michael Jordan
Winston Churchill
Princess Diana
With the premise that the “official story” is a rough draft of the truth, Jenks digs into the gaps between perception and reality, examining motives as well as new facts, offering up an unvarnished, intimate perspective that makes these stories outstandingly compelling.
In the Muhammad Ali episode, Andrew Jenks tells a story about Ali saving a man from committing suicide in 1981. Apparently people were chanting “jump” at this man that was about to jump. Ali was called by his photographer that happened to be there and Ali was there about 15 minutes later. Police let Ali talk to him and Ali brought down this man, Joseph, and saved his life within 30 minutes of talking to him.
There was another story about Ali having to fight in Georgia when he made his comeback after protesting the draft. Ali was going to fight in California, but Ronald Reagan didn’t allow it. Years later when Reagan wanted his support in an election, Ali refused. I’m not going to recap the whole thing or give it away, but Jenks does a fantastic job of diving into this story, and what may have been fabricated about it.
Johnson appeared on the podcast as well as performing his EP duties. During the show, Rock told a very emotional story about Ali’s connection to the two men’s shared “People’s Champion” nickname.
I was very intrigued by this episode and recommend checking out “What Really Happened?” for this and all future episodes.
