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This article was published 28/03/2019 (2568 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ABC’s podcast series The Dropout explores downfall of Theranos

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Fresh on the heels of its devastating Leaving Neverland documentary on Michael Jackson and the allegations around him, HBO delivered a devastating look into Theranos, one of the biggest scams in Silicon Valley.

The documentary, The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, from director Alex Gibney, looks at how 19-year-old Stanford University dropout Elizabeth Holmes used an idea she claimed would shake up the medical industry — the invention of a device and technology that would allow 200 medical tests from one pinprick of blood — to win early support from everyone from Bitcoin maximalist and angel investor Tim Draper to people like former secretaries of state Henry Kissinger and George Shultz, and recently resigned U.S. secretary of defence Jim Mattis. (Even today, Draper’s support seems unwavering despite the spectacular crash and burn of Holmes’ highly valued startup.)

With a US$9-billion company deemed worthless and Holmes’ entire net worth — once as high as US$4.5 billion — gone, ABC’s podcast series The Dropout looks at the financial and technological disaster that surrounded Theranos. It’s a natural drama, featuring big-time players, massive amounts of money spent, outright fraud and a central character. Holmes, who lowered her voice to seem more credible in the business world, lived a lavish lifestyle funded by the company. She dressed in black turtlenecks like Steve Jobs and was rumoured to never blink when speaking (a subtle way to exert power over other people).

The documentary and the podcast “touch on the idea that… a willingness to think improbably big and make accordingly sky-high promises let Holmes generally manipulate investors and the media, who were quick to buy into her promises of industry disruption and technological revolution. Even lacking proof of (the invention’s) efficacy, companies and venture capitalists alike sank some US$900 million into Theranos, in the hope of cashing in on the next big world-changing technology” Gibney writes.

Hosted by ABC News’ chief business, economics and technology correspondent Rebecca Jarvis, the six-part podcast series was a result of more than three years of investigative reporting.

 

Stream of the Week: Crucifixion / A Prophet — UNKLE w/ Ian Astbury, Twiggy, Tom Smith and others

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Trip-hop pioneer UNKLE never got the traction it should have in North America during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The group, founded by James Lavelle, is likely best known for Psyence Fiction, its 1998 album that featured collaborations with Radiohead’s Thom Yorke (Rabbit in Your Headlights was an album single), Mark Hollis (Talk Talk), Mike D (Beastie Boys), Jason Newsted (Metallica) and Richard Ashcroft (the Verve), among others.

On its return, the murky shoegazer guitars and low-slung drums give the cut an ominous feel, something that has been a constant in the group’s sound.

 

Video of the Week: Pender Street Steppers — Life in the Zone (Mood Hut)

There’s nothing better than new music in the spring. Sometimes we forget about the treasure trove of material you won’t find on your favourite streaming service. For some perfect house music for the spring, check out Vancouver collective Pender Street Steppers’ Life in the Zone on YouTube; the lazy mix feels like an afternoon in the park after a long, cold winter.

 

Anthony Augustine is a freelance music, technology and pop culture writer who spends way too much time in front of a computer. Got a site you think he should see? Email him at anthony.siteunseen@gmail.com or follow him at twitter.com/anthonya.