Jon Cryer’s Gracie Award-Winning Podcast Explores Dark Family Secrets Behind Hitler’s Missile

Ah, the audacity of history! Just when you thought the past couldn’t get any more perplexing, along comes Jon Cryer with a podcast that intertwines familial loyalty with the moral dilemmas of a time gone awry. “The Man Who Calculated Death” has snagged a Gracie Award, and for good reason. This nine-part auditory exploration, crafted and narrated by the insightful Suzanne Rico, dives headfirst into the shadowy legacy of her grandfather, Robert Lusser, a scientist who constructed the first cruise missile for none other than Adolf Hitler. Yes, you read that right. The podcast is a gripping blend of personal narrative and historical inquiry, raising critical questions about complicity and morality in an age of authoritarianism.

Cryer, co-founder of the production company Novel and Discount Sushi with wife Lisa Joyner, found himself hooked when Rico casually dropped the bombshell of her grandfather’s past during a dinner conversation. “Oh, and before that he worked for Hitler”—an offhand remark that sent Cryer spiraling into a deeper investigation of a family legacy intertwined with one of history’s darkest chapters. What followed was not just a revelation about Lusser’s work but a poignant exploration of how good families can find themselves ensnared in the throes of evil regimes.

As Rico uncovered the chilling details of her family’s history, including the harrowing fact that part of the missile was assembled in a concentration camp, she also managed to solve the mystery surrounding her grandmother’s death. The podcast features interviews with survivors that add depth and humanity to the narrative, making it not just an account of the past, but a timely reminder of the choices we make. So, let’s tip our hats to Cryer and Rico for shining a light on a tale that compels us to reflect on our own moral compass. Class dismissed. Try not to let this newfound wisdom go to waste.

Sources: Celebrity Storm

Image Credit: Attribution from EXIF: Artist: Jason Merritt