"The Odyssey" Creates Insane Demand for IMAX 70mm & Diarrhea Parasite Linked to Taco Bell?

July 17, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The episode opens with a stomach-churning public health story and a blockbuster movie that can barely be seen in the format its director intended. Hosts Miel Freeman and Toby Howell cover a cyclospora outbreak linked to Taco Bell lettuce, the staggering demand for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey in IMAX 70mm, Netflix’s struggling earnings and identity crisis, the collapse of confidence in U.S. EV startups like Lucid, and the bizarre marketing genius behind Malört’s rise. A Blue Angels flyover that was too close for comfort rounds out the week.

Lettuce, Parasites, and a Familiar Supplier

Health investigators have identified shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms as the likely source of a major cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened thousands across the U.S. Cases have been reported in 34 states, with over 4,300 in southeastern Michigan alone, including at least 100 hospitalizations. The common thread? A high percentage of patients had eaten at Taco Bell, and lettuce was the ingredient that repeatedly appeared across their orders. Taco Bell said it removed potentially affected lettuce from a supplier in certain states.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:54) **Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Taco Bell** - Investigators identify Taylor Farms shredded lettuce as the potential source of a major parasite outbreak that has sickened thousands across 34 states.
2 (03:17) **'The Odyssey' Creates Insane Demand for IMAX 70mm** - Christopher Nolan's latest film is a critical and commercial juggernaut, but fans are struggling to see it in its intended format due to a severe shortage of IMAX 70mm projectors.
3 (09:33) **Netflix Earnings Disappoint, Shares Fall 9%** - Netflix forecast a second straight quarter of slowing sales growth, eroding investor confidence after the stock had already lost over 40% in the past year.
4 (13:58) **Dog of the Week: Lucid Motors** - The EV startup's stock briefly lost over 50% after a rumor that it was working with a restructuring firm and considering bankruptcy.
5 (20:31) **Stock of the Week: Malört** - The notoriously foul-tasting Chicago spirit is thriving by leaning into its reputation with a "so bad it's good" marketing campaign.
6 (24:09) **Trump Teleprompter Operator Investigated for Betting** - Gabriel Perez is being investigated by federal regulators for placing bets on what Trump would say in speeches, using his access to the teleprompter.
7 (25:54) **Blue Angels Jet Makes Dangerously Low Pass Over Beach** - The Navy is investigating after a Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornet flew unusually low over a crowded Pensacola beach, sending umbrellas and chairs flying.

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Guests on this episode

Toby Howell

Show Notes

#891: Christopher Nolan’s epic reimagining of an epic, “The Odyssey,” has officially landed in theaters and is expected to shatter records over the weekend. Netflix reports its earnings that doesn’t surprise but admits it’ll need to claw back TV viewership. The EV maker Lucid Motors has denied any intent on filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy which sends its shares crashing. Jeppson’s Malört has quietly quadrupled its sales over the last few years. Trump’s longtime teleprompter technician is investigated for making thousands of dollars off his speeches.

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