This Giant Beast That is the Global Economy

How are fancy handbag habits, broken bridges and the Hollywood red carpet connected to a looted economy? Kal Penn finds out as he uncovers the hidden world of bribery, extortion, nepotism and embezzlement. He meets brave individuals who've risked everything to stop corruption and learns how a country's attempts to appear corruption-free are tied to mandatory toilet flushing.

It's the age-old, existential question: What is money, really? Host Kal Penn navigates a modern return to the barter system, the political highs and lows of the gold standard and the "because I said so" logic of fiat currency. Kal also untangles the complexities of cryptocurrency and learns how to survive an economic apocalypse without getting eaten.

Death is our final destination -- and a real money-maker! Kal Penn takes a deep dive into the death economy to learn the true value of a human life. Hitmen and judges, funeral directors and football fans all help Kal lay his burning questions to rest: How much should I spend on a coffin? How much sex should I have to maximize my return on dying? And where can I get a good taco in the afterlife?

A counterfeit hundred dollar bill might ruin your weekend, but did you know it could also disrupt a nation's economy? Kal Penn meets the folks in the fight against fakes, trying to save industries from the threat of bogus goods and even terrorism. But he also learns that a symbiotic relationship between copycats and creators might just be the thing that lets economies thrive in the first place.