News brief
iHeartPodcasts Launches Scripted Series UnderGround Zero: 9/11 & The Mob
The scripted audio drama created by Stephen Kronish stars Michael Imperioli, Steve Schirripa, Ray Abruzzo and Arthur Nascarella in a dramatized story based on real events after September 11.
By iHeartPodcasts / Thoroughbred Studios / Goldhawk Productions — · Published · Announcement date
Original source date: August 24, 2026 announcement; September 1 premiere
Older catch-up: iHeartPodcasts, Thoroughbred Studios and Goldhawk Productions launched UnderGround Zero: 9/11 & The Mob on September 1 after announcing the series August 24. The scripted audio production was created and written by Stephen Kronish and stars Michael Imperioli, Steve Schirripa, Ray Abruzzo and Arthur Nascarella.
The producers describe the series as a dramatized story based on real events involving organized-crime profiteering in the aftermath of September 11. The announcement explicitly notes that names and some events have been changed or dramatized. That distinction should remain visible in coverage so listeners understand they are hearing scripted storytelling rooted in historical events, not a documentary recording.
For narrative podcasters, the release highlights a useful trust practice: label the boundary between fact and dramatization. Cinematic production can make a story more immersive, but the stronger the realism, the more important it becomes to tell the audience where reconstruction begins and what source material anchors the underlying claims.
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