The $3 Billion Energy Drink Scam: The Rise and Fall of Bang with Emma Willmann and Anjelah Johnson Reyes | 80

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Listen up, all you sleepy losers out there.

Today on the big flop, we're gonna get you absolutely jacked up with the loudest, tastiest, most creatineiest energy drink on the market.

That's right, we're talking Bang Energy, a product that made billions of dollars while seemingly saying it could fix your brain.

Too bad for its CEO that Monster Energy got all roided out with rage and tried to destroy it.

I started off 28 years ago sleeping on an air mattress.

I had no money, but I had this crazy idea.

Creatin' peptide helps with all forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's.

If this product does what the CEO claims, then this product will be classified as a drug and not a supplement.

There have been numerous questions regarding supercreatin and whether it's real.

I can assure you that supercreatin is real.

We are

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From Wondery and at Will Media, this is The Big Flop, where we chronicle the greatest flubs, fails, and blunders of all time.

I'm your host, Misha Brown, social media superstar who always goes out with a bang at your bestie, Misha.

And on our show today, we have a comedian and actor.

She's on tour, so make sure to check and see if she'll be stopping in a city near you.

It's Emma Willman.

Welcome to the show.

Thank you for having me.

Happy to be here.

Such a fan, such a fan.

Also on our show, we have a writer and comedian.

You can hear her on her podcast, Fungela.

It's Angela Johnson-Reyes.

Hello.

Welcome, Angela.

Thank you.

Well, we all seem like a very caffeinated bunch.

So what drink do you reach for when you need a good jolt of energy?

A latte.

Ooh.

Yep.

That first sip is like the Holy Spirit.

You know what I mean?

Yeah.

So I do black coffee now, and then at about I'd say 2 p.m., I'll switch to the matcha.

But this is new.

I used to drink, I did used to drink energy drinks.

Like I used to drink Celsius's,

bangs, sometimes monsters.

And I used to let myself have as much caffeine as I want.

Now I try to keep it to like two or three a day.

Okay.

I have a good matcha.

Hey, do you like real matcha or do you like Starbucks matcha?

I like the Starbucks matcha.

I know.

I wish I liked the real one.

Well, as far back as I can remember, there were only two energy drinks, really.

Red Bull and Monster.

These days, there's a lot more.

But they were made with ingredients nobody could pronounce.

And if you didn't like that, you just drank coffee and you liked it, okay?

Now, suddenly, there seems to be a hundred new options enhanced with a million different potions, promising miraculous results.

And one drink in particular, Bang, is the driving force behind the trend.

And the guy who created it is Jack Owak.

Now, for reference, Owak looks like if Vince McMahon fell into a vat of Joker chemicals and decided to feed those chemicals to a bunch of fitness bros.

So I'll show you what I mean.

So yeah.

That's good old Vincy Boy on the left.

And that, of course, is our boy Jack Owak on the right.

Yeah, very similar.

Totally.

Yeah.

Funny thing about Jack Owak is he is known as a flashy dresser, as you can can see from this picture.

It's part of his brand.

Here's another pick for a reference.

Does he say it's part of his brand so he can write off his suits or the tax write-offs?

He seems like that type of.

Is that his real name, too?

Because I can't get past it.

Yeah.

Owak spelled O-W-O-C.

And I googled him.

He used to be a high school biology teacher or something.

So maybe

this way of dressing.

Maybe it's like part of a persona or something.

Maybe.

But yeah, I mean, for all the listeners, he's wearing this like purple Paisley blazer, a clashing pattern shirt underneath, lots of gold chains, one of them being the bang logo.

So at least he's right on brand.

Yeah.

I kind of appreciate it, to be honest.

It's like a hot mess.

And I'm like, do you, boo?

Yeah.

Yeah.

He's committed.

I can respect that.

Listen, it's not the boring gray suit.

You know,

he's trying.

And it's not like it's inappropriate for what he's selling.

Like, it's like bang energy, bang energy.

I mean, there you go.

It reads.

But how did he get like this, you ask?

Well, Owak, he's always been into fitness.

He's sort of a gym rat.

And in the early 90s, he gets the bright idea to formulate his own workout supplements and then sell those to his workout buddies.

By day, just like Emma was saying, he makes a little scratch as a substitute science teacher.

By night, he buffs up, sells his wares, and sleeps in the back of his tiny supplement store because he figures why pay rent when that money can go right into his business.

Turns out, he was not a great teacher.

He gets fired nine different times

by his own admission.

So factual.

But he is good at selling supplements and his business becomes self-sustaining pretty quickly.

He's got an act for it.

Now, OX's early success is in no small part thanks to Ephedra.

Oh, I remember that.

Do you remember that, Angela?

No.

It was in diet pills, right?

Yeah.

Oh, I tried it one time before a soccer game and it was wild.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I do remember all the girls, everybody, all the music video girls.

Ephedra, it's been used for thousands of years in Chinese traditional medicine as a stimulant and a decongestant.

Its main component is ephedrine.

Oh, like Pseudafed.

Yes.

Okay.

Yeah.

Okay, okay.

That's what's in Pseudofed, that make that's why you can't buy it.

Yeah.

Every time I, yeah, try to buy it and then they're like, and then people be making drugs with it.

Making drugs.

Exactly.

Okay.

Okay.

That is what we're talking about.

Okay.

Yeah.

So ephedrine is, it's a compound similar to adrenaline.

Our bodies naturally produce this.

Ephedra also contains pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient in pseudofed.

That sweet, sweet stuff.

You have to show your ID to get at the pharmacy.

Yes, you do.

I tried to get some the other day and I had to fill out paper.

It was an independent small pharmacy.

I had to fill out paperwork for it.

And that is because both of these things can be synthesized into meth.

So good to know.

Everyone, please don't do this.

It's very dangerous.

It's very illegal.

But the ephedra train derails in about 2003 when Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Beckler dies of heat stroke after taking it.

Now, to be clear, it wasn't Jack Owak's product that Steve was taking, but it turns out while Ephedra can increase energy, it can also cause heart attacks.

Sure.

So by April of 2004, it is officially banned in the U.S.

So what does OAC have to say about the ban and specifically about deceased pitcher Steve Beckler?

No.

Quote, he was a fat guy exercising in the heat.

Sir.

Yeah, I mean, Owek might lack basic human empathy, but he does not lack foresight.

He sees this band coming a mile away, so using the cash he made selling Ephedra for his company, Vital Pharmaceuticals, aka VPX, he pivots, dropping some bank on a 14,000 square foot plant.

And there, he starts manufacturing a new product called Redline.

Any guesses what redline is made from?

Ephedra.

Yeah, he's like, fuck the band.

No, plain old caffeine.

Okay.

But lots of it.

How many milligrams are we talking?

Like what Emma used to drink in a day before she started limiting herself to matchas?

Might be.

It might just reach that level.

Anything over 600, I think, is when you start having heart problems.

So I think 200 is like the legal max you can have in a single serving of something, I think.

Oh, my grocery.

Maybe now.

So for reference, a 16-ounce can of Monster Energy has 160 milligrams of caffeine.

Right.

An eight-ounce can of Redline Extreme has 316 milligrams.

He's trying to kill us.

He's trying to kill everybody.

Just in case math is what gives you the jitters, Red Line has four times the amount of caffeine per ounce when compared to Monster.

So he's selling 300 milligrams of energy.

And he clearly is he labeling it like this is the ultimate.

Oh, yeah.

People want this.

I mean, the jitters, that's a sought-after feature of redline.

They want it.

Okay.

Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

If you're shivering, it's working.

You're right.

Because according to Redline's marketing materials, shivering, quote, releases a large amount of stored fat.

Listen, they're doing some yoga because that is a stretch.

It's a stretch.

It's a stretch.

Between 2004 and 2006, a director at California Poison Control said at least 10 people called her office after drinking red line because besides jitters, red line can also cause vomiting.

What else was in it?

Not

is that from the caffeine?

Yeah, I think so.

Oh my gosh.

As much as we're talking about how awful this is, part of me is like, I'm gonna try a little sip.

I know, I'm gonna try a little sip, yeah.

Totally.

Does it taste good?

Yeah,

I'm gonna sip sip.

I mean, unfortunately, people do want this, and red line makes OWACK a very rich man.

Wow.

By 2009, he's able to buy a plant six times bigger than his previous one that is capable of cranking out 230 bottles per minute.

So he was drinking the juice while he was doing it.

There we go.

He even brushes off a lawsuit from Monster Energy without admitting any wrongdoing because he quickly settles and just goes about his business.

Right away, they weren't liking him.

They felt threatened.

Right away.

I mean, and you know, you're doing something right when your biggest competitor bothers to sue you.

Absolutely.

You know, at least, I mean, OWAC thinks that.

Because OWAC does not stop with red line.

He starts formulating all kinds of snake oil.

And one of VPX's drinks is called Red Line New Fusion.

It's OWACK's attempt to make a nootropic drink.

And nootropics are supposed to be cognitive enhancers, aka smart drugs, which caffeine is considered a nootropic too.

Smart drug, but if you overdose on it, that's real dumb.

Sure.

Yeah.

He takes a real turn.

I'm guessing.

So far, I haven't, I don't dislike him yet, but I don't know.

But I feel like it's he's a little extreme, but he's not doing anything outwardly bad.

Right.

And it's the energy drink business.

He's not like taking this attitude into like preschools or something like that.

Yeah, exactly.

Now, OWAC releases a drink called Meltdown, marketed by VPX as sleek, sexy, and sophisticated.

Now, Meltdown has ketones in it, which is playing on the popular keto diet.

I mean, OWAC has lots of options because at this point in the world, there are so many fad diets to choose from.

Do you know anything about creatine, what it is or why people take it?

I've been taking it for like five years, creatine monohydrate, and then I've been taking it for five years.

Yeah.

Same here.

Well, for those who don't know, creatine is a compound found in muscles and synthesized by the liver and kidneys.

It's a popular supplement for muscle builders and other athletes.

And according to the Cleveland Clinic, it's mostly safe for healthy people, but for people suffering from like bipolar disorder, creatine may increase a risk of mania.

I'd say anybody that does even a baseline amount of exercise should absolutely take it because it's one of the most, it's good for cognitive stuff, but it really does help athletic stuff too.

I really recommend it.

Can I just say that Emma is the perfect guest for this episode?

Because you are like our go-to fact checker of all the science in this.

And I'm like, wait a minute,

creatine, can you spell it, please?

I can't spell it.

I am into fitness stuff, but

put it through just like, I am not a doctor.

This is all just like stuff I figure out from Reddit.

Right, right.

None of us are doctors here, so you should definitely consult your real doctor before you take anything.

If you guys want about Topo Chico and sparkling waters, I'm your girl.

Same.

I don't know anything about Topo Chico.

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So now, okay, oddly, Jack Owak doesn't make a creatine drink.

Instead, he makes a super creatine drink.

Of course.

I don't want that.

Bang, spelled with an exclamation point.

Okay.

Spoiler alert, super creatine isn't a real thing.

It's not even clear that bang has normal creatine in it.

But nevertheless, this is Jack's big innovation.

Bang, exclamation point, promises to change the face of fitness forever.

So the contents of energy drinks, they're generally safe, unless you have an underlying condition, according to general consensus.

Actually, the most dangerous thing about Bang is its roster of brain and tongue-numbing flavors.

To quote morningbrew.com, Bang Energy belongs to a unique subsection of performance beverages that taste like a melted popsicle mixed with the innards of a car battery with flavors that transcend conventional notions of taste.

The worst part about that description was innards.

Innards.

Really brought up some feelings.

Yeah.

Have you guys both tried the drink, by the way?

No.

You have?

I tried it one time.

I know

I tried it one time.

I was at a gas station in Tennessee and I tried it.

And I remember feeling really euphoric and it was too much.

I didn't drink the whole thing.

It was too much for me.

I felt like this just extreme dopamine rush.

And then

I knew I saw that a crash would be coming.

Oh my gosh.

To learn more about these divisive flavors, let's play a game.

Okay, so I'm going to name some bang energy flavors from throughout its storied history.

And you have to tell me whether they are real or fake.

Whoever gets the most correct wins a big flop branded farf bag.

Now, note, some of these were limited releases.

Okay.

Okay.

The first one, Cherry Blade Lemonade.

Real or fake?

Real.

Real.

Ding, ding, ding.

Yeah.

That sounds pretty good.

This one actually sounds good.

It's like Sonic's popular cherry limeade.

Okay.

That blade will cut through the fat.

There we go.

Yeah,

their marketing is not bad.

Next one, rainbow unicorn.

No.

Fake.

Misha came up with that one.

Yeah.

That one was real.

It was.

It was real.

And the flavor, it's watermelon and bubblegum.

Oh, my God.

Wow.

That sounds disgusting.

Awful.

All right.

Next one.

Death by chocolate.

I'm going to say no.

I'm going to say real, but I feel like one of them's going to be fake coming up.

Yeah.

Angela, ding, ding, ding.

It was fake.

But there was a whole lot of chocolata flavor.

Oh, that's fun.

All right.

We have radical skedaddle.

Fake.

Yeah, fake.

That one was real.

Yeah.

That one tastes tastes like every Skittles flavor combined.

I think we're supposed to not like this guy, but I like him more and more.

What do you talk about?

I'm like, these are some wild ideas.

Radical skedaddle is a little fun.

Yeah.

He's not even trying to like connotate, you know, sometimes it'll be like summer breeze.

Now we know that's not a real thing, but we're going to assume, oh, it's light and refreshing.

He's not even trying to make it seem like it's associated with a flavor because skedaddle means to like get away, right?

Yeah.

So what could that even begin to taste like?

He was like, I want to know what every Skittle tastes like at the same time.

Right.

And of course, if you look back at his outfit that he's wearing, of course, this is who wants to know what every Skittle tastes like at the same time.

Like, it all makes sense.

It all makes sense.

He's casted perfectly for his life.

He really, really is.

Perfect.

So as a reminder, Jack Owak is not a scientist, just a failed substitute science teacher.

And even though there is no such thing as super creatine, it doesn't really matter in the unregulated supplement world anyway.

But with the right ad copy, OWACK convinces tons of fitness buffs that his products can perform literal miracles.

But OWAC also does have a little legal trouble.

There is already another drink called Bang, Orange Bang specifically.

And in 2009, the owners of Orange Bang, No Exclamation Mark, sue OWACK and claim that Bang, with an exclamation mark, causes brand confusion among customers.

A year later, they finally settle and OWAC promises to only make creatine-based drinks called bang to avoid confusion with the orange bang soda and he'll sell only in gyms and vitamin shops.

Okay.

Okay.

Compromising.

Compromising.

We like him.

Continue.

Do we think OWACK keeps that promise?

Probably not.

Maybe not.

I mean, Emma did get one at a gas station.

Maybe not.

I did get one at a gas station.

Bang blows up and is sold in every kind of store.

Now, the problem is the supplement world has some unspoken rules.

You can't just muscle in on established turf.

Jack Owak will learn that lesson the hard way when he goes head to head with the energy drink establishment led by former foe, Monster Energy.

There are a few reasons that Bang Energy seems to thrive.

Number one, OWACK knows there's a disconnect in the fitness community.

There are two competing forces, biohacking and organic crunching.

Most energy drinks are usually loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients, but younger health nuts want all-natural and sugar-free products.

So OWACK's company, Vital Pharmaceuticals, claims to combine science-backed research with new agey ingredients.

This science is funded by OWACK himself.

What do you think the number two reason is that Bang is successful?

Caffeine content.

Because people thought it was Orange Bang.

It's actually Jack's number two, his wife, Meg Liz Owak.

What's she doing?

Well, she is Bang's chief marketing officer.

And she's good.

And she is, she's good.

She's radical scaredical.

She's radical scared.

Meg, she's an interesting character.

She's a former cheerleader and a marketing genius.

She spearheaded a wildly popular Bang TikTok campaign.

And we'll get into that in a moment.

But when not working to build Bang as a brand, Meg spends her time spreading super far-right propaganda, like that Planned Parenthood is a pro-eugenics institution.

Meg also says she doesn't believe popular medical treatments and diagnostic tools such as ultrasounds are safe.

Okay.

And as part of her brand calling, Meg has had OWAC family life events filmed and produced for the internet, such as the births of Jack and Meg's six children.

Oh, six.

Wow.

They've all been homebirthed with no epidurals.

You can watch all of that stuff on their family YouTube page.

Wow.

If you're curious.

Okay, interesting.

Yeah.

Now, regarding Meg, don't get me wrong, more power to you if you want to have a home birth.

Unfortunately, Jack and Meg seem to want everybody to default to their personal health preferences and beliefs.

And that's when it gets dicey.

That's when it just gets dicey.

It's not, this is what we're doing.

This is, this is what we're teaching you and telling you you need to do.

That is.

That's the kink of it.

So now there's also some ad copy.

Here is an excerpt from one of VPX's wild press releases from 2018.

Emma, could you do me the honors of reading it?

Our mission is to disrupt and destroy old paradigms by breaking away from the traditional mindset that imprisons creativity.

Consequently, we don't just push the envelope, we tear it up.

We can't think outside the box because in our world, there is no box.

we break glass ceilings it's what we do all right somebody definitely drank a bang energy drink before writing that

oh definitely for sure they were hyphed

i know see and i think it's meg because of that glass ceiling

right you know what i mean the brush language though it does work from 2017 to 2019 bang they've grown from less than one percent of the energy drink market share to a whopping nine percent Dang.

This is an unheard of amount of success for an independent company on that timetable, which is why at this point, Monster Energy rears its head again.

Between 2018 and 2019, Monster loses 4%

points of their market share, dropping from controlling 45% down to 41% of the market.

And we know from other business flops that board members get real antsy when profits start to slump.

Yes, they do.

Now, Monster thinks it has pretty good standing to sue OWAC for false advertising.

But what counts as false advertising?

Well, OWAC claims that supercreatine is 20 times more effective at reaching the brain than other forms of creatine.

And the part that Monster is most upset about, well, maybe it's that Jack claims that super creatine, quote, also helps with all forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's.

This is my favorite part about Jack, okay, is that he

makes all these wild claims and

he's a substitute science teacher and he's like, yep, radical skedadical, dementia.

Yeah, I'm the guy that's going to fix that.

Yeah.

What's in you?

What's in your toolbox?

We've got some radical scaredatical.

We got some dingle, bingable.

That's when you're getting, you're really like playing with people's lives when you say it could help dementia.

I could see it.

It's like saying like fish oil could help dementia and that it's like, yes, this is a supplement that can help your brain.

But at that point, you're getting into really tricky territory.

Sure.

Wait a minute.

Hold on.

Alzheimer's, have you tried radical skedadical?

Right.

Hold on.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But they really score big when the owner of Orange Bang reaches out to them.

Remember Orange Bang.

Never forget.

Oh now, friend.

Well, they've been sending cease and desist letters that have apparently just been ignored.

So two drink companies team up and try to hit Bang where it hurts.

Jack himself.

This is pretty easy because Meg seems to be the brains of the outfit while Jack, the brand ambassador, says whatever the hell he wants.

Consequently, Monster doesn't need to dig deep to get the dirt they need.

Here's a Jack quote from a 2015 interview.

We feel strongly that Bang can take the number one spot away from Monster and Red Bull.

We also intend to go after Gatorade and Powerade.

So with our competitors' sugar-laden, health-robbing beverage formulae, it will literally be like taking candy from babies.

Oh, so it was like he badmouthed them.

What is that called?

Slander.

Slander.

Slander.

Is that what they were suing him for?

So in addition to claims that VPX engages in unfair competition and trade libel, what they called it, by disparaging other companies like Monster, they also hit Jack with accusations of false advertising.

Monster figures, Jack's odd claim that Bang can cure genetic disorders should be enough to order a halt in sales.

But Jack deftly points out that his words have been twisted because he says reverse and solve, but not cure.

So he's he's pulling the fake news card before it was

There we go.

It's also not a great look that Monster just happens to be releasing a new line of drinks called Rain.

That's R-E-I-G-N, not R-A-I-N.

And it's aimed at a more clean living consumer featuring stuff like Q10, the supplement that's supposedly good for your heart.

So VPX sues Monster right back.

Oh.

Oh, yeah.

What are they suing for?

That they're coming in on their territory.

Because they're like, we're good for your heart.

Now, while all of this is happening, PepsiCo is so impressed with Bang's sudden popularity that they buy out another energy drink called Rockstar so they can end their distribution deal with them and go into business with the OWACS instead.

Wow.

So I bet they're thrilled.

They're thrilled, yes, but this in turn pisses off all of OAC's hundreds of existing distributors.

Oh, so he's leaving them.

He's like, I made it now.

Yeah, he's like, I'm going to Pepsi.

And then who wouldn't?

He's like, I'm going to Pepsi.

And if they thought that that guy was like going to be the most loyal, like, sure.

That's on you.

Yeah, that's on you.

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Now, meanwhile, Meg's doing her thing selling the brand, and she now has a powerful tool at her disposal, TikTok, which has been taking over the hearts and minds of Americans since 2018 and is about to hit critical mass.

Now, lucky for VPX, despite the lawsuits, the company has plenty of cash flow so they can get spendy on celebrity endorsements.

Okay, you are Bang Energy.

Who would you be going after for a good celebrity spokesperson?

The Rock.

Hulk Hogan.

Oh, The Rock.

The Rock.

The Rock.

Hogan.

Yeah, those really great.

Uh-huh.

Yeah, The Rock.

Hulk Hogan.

If they get in a real pinch, maybe Vin Diesel.

Real pinch.

Well, let's see who they book.

Oh, wow.

That's not a good choice.

So for the listeners who couldn't see that, that was JoJo Siwa using the bang energy can like a Boppet.

No way.

So we're marketing to the kids.

Yeah, well, that's, yeah, especially back then.

Yeah, she was little.

Why would they do that?

Why would they pick her?

She's not a bodybuilder.

And I always feel so weird when like she'll come on and I'll be like, oh, because

it's a kid.

I judge.

This is the judge.

This is where I start to do the judge.

I judge of that.

Now, in addition to Siwa, who as a dancer is an incredible athlete, VPX also uses jacked dudes like famous UFC fighter Colby Covington and tons and tons of beach babes and ads where they simply pose near cans of bang.

Hopeful bang influencers can submit their audition tapes and photos through bangenergycasting.com.

Please do not visit the site.

It is down.

But we were able to retrieve a little bit of it through some internet sleuth thing.

Angela, could you read this in your best fitness bro impersonation?

Got it.

What does it take to be a bang energy influencer or a bangfluencer?

I just made that part up.

Sorry.

Okay.

I love that.

Bang Energy is the nation's leading energy and lifestyle brand that is looking for influencers who create unique and remarkable content across all social media platforms, an extremely fit physique, as well as an enthusiastic, outgoing personality or requirements for joining our team.

You're welcome.

Nailed it.

Yeah.

Are they allowed to say that about fit physique?

I come from the theater world where people are always, were always telling me what I needed to look like.

Okay, that's fair.

And also, fit physique could be totally, that could mean so many things if you're being, if you're doing the right way.

It could be, because it's all about, you know, I consider mitochondrial health.

That could be a fit physique.

Pre-2020, I feel like we know what they were talking about.

Yeah, right.

I'm guessing that's not what they were going for.

I'm guessing it wasn't a body positivity thing.

Probably not.

Probably not.

I mean, do you think you would have what it takes to be a bang influencer?

I mean, you can't say that about yourself.

Yeah.

Listen, once upon a time, maybe.

You were a cheerleader, weren't you?

You were a cheerleader.

Yeah.

So, of course.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Back in my cheer days.

Do you know who is good enough?

Do you know that the members of Hype House were good enough to be bang influencers?

I remember that.

It was when it was like the influencer house was Logan Paul.

I remember reading about it.

I didn't follow them on that stuff.

So, if you're not familiar, bless your untarnished minds.

May it be sacred and serene for all of eternity.

Hype House is one of those incubator content creator collectives, aka a bunch of rich Gen Z kids living in a mansion, filming their lives and shilling for brands.

And in 2020, Jack and Meg sponsor some videos from these kids.

Here's an example of what they come up with.

wow jack you look pretty banging i'm not gonna lie you think yeah thanks tommy no problem

they must have been paying them so much money i'm mad so much money to get that i want to go back to the you need to create unique and remarkable content yeah that wasn't the most unique and remarkable

i feel like they're almost making fun of it Yeah, it felt that way, right?

Yeah.

It did.

It did.

It felt like it felt very clear, like we're just getting paid to put this in a video.

Ew.

Yeah.

I didn't like it.

I also feel uncomfortable when it's around, when it's kids because when you're that age, you don't need the caffeine.

Yeah, right.

Caffeine blocks you from feeling tired.

I was just learning about this.

It doesn't actually give you energy.

I used to think, oh, it gives me energy.

So that was part of why I drink so much of it.

It doesn't.

It just blocks something called adenosine, which is what your body signals.

That's what your brain signals to your body: like, you're tired, you need to rest.

And caffeine blocks that.

So then you just don't feel that.

And then eventually it floods your system with it.

So it's just delaying you feeling tired.

It's not giving you actual more energy.

Sure.

You're so smart.

This marketing campaign on TikTok, it works.

Everything Meg touches turns to gold.

By 2020, Bang increases their sales by 80%,

moving $780 million worth of product.

This is either in part due to or despite stunts like the mandatory in-person dance party that VPX throws during lockdown.

What do they mean mandatory?

Mandatory for who?

Their employees.

Oh my God.

In March of 2020, 200 VPX employees are ordered to gather for an important strategy meeting at the Bang Warehouse in Broward County, Florida, which at the time, Broward has the highest concentration of COVID cases in the state.

So, even though the OACs come to realize that COVID is no joke, I will note that their general COVID safety messages seem a bit convoluted.

Vice reports that Jack Oak once wrote a song during the pandemic that he sent to the song.

Oh, he's a singer.

Oh, yeah.

He sent it to employees with the lyrics, don't let the corona get all up on you.

First, they tax us, then they want to vax us.

I also wrote a coronavirus song during the pandemic.

I recorded it at home and released it.

But it goes, Corona, Rona, Rona.

But anyways, you can check it out if you would like to.

We will be downloading immediately.

Thank you.

Well, to save face, after the dance party, Jack later claims that the chairs were spread spread out six feet apart and that all the doors in the warehouse were open for ventilation, contradicting how his employees actually described the setup.

But Jack and Meg, they don't care about their haters anyway, because in 2022, VPX's net worth is somewhere around $3 billion.

dollars.

Publicly traded?

No, private company.

Okay, all private.

Okay.

Florida's Jack and Meg, they continue to be swamped in legal fights, some of them preventable.

For example, apparently nobody at VPX understands music rights, So it's usually okay when everyday folks use popular music in their goofy social media videos because there's no money involved.

But that all changes when those goofy videos are also commercials for a company that has lots and lots of money.

Then those copyright rules apply.

So, while the monster stuff stays toasty on the back burner, Universal Music Group and Sony Music end up suing Bang over music usage.

Jack also sues at least four of his former employees for breach of contract, forcing one of them to never work in the industry ever again.

Okay.

As Jack enters his Heisenberg era, he starts taking bigger swings.

After sales level off, he blames Pepsi for trying to sabotage him.

I don't know, maybe they had other stuff to worry about during the pandemic.

Sure.

But Jack kills the deal after seven months.

because sales were down, yeah, which probably all energy during sales were down during the pandemic.

Because you, what do you need energy for?

What do you need energy for?

Right, we're just lounging around in our pajamas.

He also sues Pepsi.

Oh no, so during VPX's peak in 2022, their TikTok account has over 1.5 million followers, which is really great for a brand.

And videos tagged with hashtag BangEnergy have over 18 billion views.

Vital Pharmaceuticals, Bang Energy's parent company, has just over 1,100 employees and half a billion dollars in assets.

They're thriving.

Thriving, yes.

VPX founder Jack Owak and his wife, Meg Liz Owak, are rich beyond their wildest dreams, living in a $7.7 million abode in the Everglades, surrounded by adorable children and seven nannies.

But something isn't right.

Jack seems stressed.

He no longer goes into the office, maybe because of COVID or maybe something else.

He does conduct official bang business at his family's kitchen table, usually at night during a meal, because Jack likes to sleep in.

Hey, I get it.

Sometimes Jack forces VPX executives to attend meetings in his garden and performs speeches from a stage in his garden, very much giving like, I don't want to leave my house.

Is he crumbling?

Is this like a sign of he's becoming unhinged?

It seems like something, he's grappling with something here.

And it probably is that the legal walls are most certainly closing in.

Those monster energy lawsuits are coming to a close.

The whole point of the two lawsuits, as a reminder, is to prove Bang Energy's super creatine is a hoax and to force Jack to pay up for reneging on his promises to the company Orange Bang.

During the arbitration to figure out if super creatine even exists,

Bang's own science experts admit that no, there is no proof that super creatine heals the brain or helps build muscles.

It is not real.

And four separate scientific studies come to the same conclusion.

Here's a test to see how well we know Jack Owak.

What do you think Jack calls all of these scientists?

Liars.

Fake news.

Losers.

A bunch of little bitches.

Yeah.

And yeah.

And

that too.

And these are people that used to work for him.

One of them did.

The other four were independent.

So an arbitrator finds that Bang needs to pay up $175 million to Orange Bang for trademark infringement.

He can't talk his way out of that for sure.

Plus, Bang Energy has to pay a 5% royalty fee to Orange Bang and Monster on every can of Bang going forward.

Wow.

So what does Jack do?

He's pissed.

He is pissed.

And he's not going to take it sitting down.

He appeals, of course.

I bet he doesn't seem like the type of guy that has a good anger.

I'm really taking some real leaps of assumptions, but like, I couldn't, it doesn't seem like he'd be like, have good stress management.

No.

Like, you can kind of picture him being like, they're going to text me and then 5% to them and 5% to them.

Yeah.

Like he's flipping it.

Drinking all of that.

bang energy.

Exactly.

His face turns purple.

His veins are bulging.

He's losing it.

He's losing it.

But a federal judge reaffirms the ruling.

The second judgment comes down soon after and it is in favor of Monster.

Now Jack owes $175 million to Orange Bang and $293 million to Monster.

Wow.

What does his wife have to say about all this?

Is she weighing in?

We need to call her.

We need to say, are you okay?

Yeah.

All of this is happening while Bang Energy sales slump for the first time ever.

Its market share shrinks by two percentage points, probably because more and more companies now have their own versions of oh most healthy energy drinks.

That is to say, sugar-free and filled with stuff you only find in the back of your favorite hippie-owned bodega.

But the fight with Pepsi also proves to have been a dumb idea, obviously, since Jack is pissed off his patchwork of distributors and then alienated one of the most powerful ones.

Who is going to make sure his drinks are delivered to stores?

You can't piss off the distributors.

You got no way to push the product.

Yes.

Yeah.

And that's right.

The answer to who is going to get these to the store?

Nobody.

Nobody is going to do it.

Plus, VPX now, as a result, owes over $100 million in fees to Pepsi.

Oh, my God.

So what do they do?

They got to get, go bring out the drinks themselves.

Well,

no,

because then come the results of the music lawsuits.

Oh, no.

In Miami, a federal judge rules that Bang infringed on Universal Music Group and Sony Music's rights by pilfering tracks from artists like Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Cardi B, and others in hundreds of ads on social media.

Bang tries to defend itself by claiming they had fair use since normal users can use this music with no consequences, which is a complete fail because Bang is not a normal user.

They are a company who can afford to license music.

And then

Warner Music Group, who sees these results, goes, Why not?

They filed their own lawsuit

and they demand $150,000 per song and a court order to block Bang from using their music from here on out.

I feel like this is what he was in charge of, but his wife is now like real pissed.

You know what I mean?

Like, I bet she was like, you have to do the marketing.

You cover the music.

Make sure you get a lawyer.

And he's like, I got a lawyer.

I got a lawyer.

All that

he comes out.

I got a guy.

I got a guy.

How would an unhinged CEO try to pay off half a billion dollars in legal damages in the year 2022.

Stop.

He got a PP whatever loan.

Oh my gosh.

Did he?

No, I didn't get a PPP loan.

Okay.

Crypto?

So close.

NFTs, baby.

Oh, see, I don't understand those at all.

I don't even know how those work.

You and the whole rest of the world, Emma.

Yeah.

I don't know how, I don't understand those at all.

Emma, future historians will struggle to explain this phenomenon.

And I tried.

Like, I tried.

Like, I, well, I mean, like, I Googled it and tried to get it.

Listen, if Emma doesn't get it, don't even ask your girl over here

he basically said i can't pay you cash right now but i can give you these

damn i can't give you cash right now but what do you think about this

here's what i got what do you think about this gonna be big this is dumb and dumber iou use when he uses all the money and he gives him iou

yes well the nfts they actually never go on sale for some reason jack just announces them and then drops the idea completely So you realize he didn't understand them either.

Yeah, I think so.

In October, VPX files for Chapter 11 and goes on his YouTube channel to tell his legions of fans that VPX is bankrupt, including the half billion in legal damages.

VPX somehow lists $1.7 billion in liabilities.

Maybe the OX can get away without paying off these debts, but the bankruptcy restructuring leads to some some weird shake-ups at VPX that Jack no likey.

Before, Jack had no masters the way he preferred it.

He was the sole shareholder, sole director, and the CEO.

But now, VPX's liquidator expands the board, and Jack and Meg are fired.

Even though Jack's still the sole shareholder, he's no longer the boss.

So he reacts by sending an email to VPX employees entitled, Hostile Takeover.

Oh, no.

Yeah.

The board's goal here is to get VPX into tip-top shape to sell at auction, but Jack and Meg make it real difficult, refusing to give necessary information.

They don't even turn in their company devices and IDs.

In June, the board has had enough and files an emergency motion to hold Jack in contempt.

The board is also able to facilitate a sale of the liquidated company.

Can you guess who buys Bang?

Monster.

Ding, ding, ding.

They were waiting for that day.

They were waiting for that day.

Waiting.

Yeah, but the hurt isn't over.

The following February, Jack is sued for $100 million

by the VPX liquidator, who alleges that the OAx youth company funds for personal gains,

including bankrolling a real estate business founded by Jack's son from a previous marriage.

The suit also claims that Jack bought a small island worth over $8 million.

Now, it's hard to tell, but this suit seems to be ongoing.

Either way, of course, Jack claims they've done nothing wrong.

So maybe, just maybe,

if you're gonna do bad things, at least don't be an asshole.

So let's do a little, where are they now?

In April of 2024, Meg posted an Easter-themed video on her family's YouTube channel.

The vlog references her family's recent struggles, and Meg tries to motivate herself and her viewers with Jesus' resurrection, saying it may take some time, but you can come back from the dead.

If it's sincere and they're not just using it as a way to get around it,

yep, more power to it.

Unfortunately, later in the video, Meg does put all of the blame on the devil for her circumstances and doesn't take any personal responsibility for Bang's actions.

You want to meet OWACK's newest venture, AI Energy?

What?

Yes, please.

All right, here we go.

Emotional global

All right, I'm here for whatever Jack wants to put out.

Like, what a story of

just

making claims of, sure, I want my thing to cure or not cure, but help Alzheimer's or whatever.

You think he's going to make a comeback?

I feel like,

yeah.

I think he's maybe too damaged to maybe, especially if he stays in the energy drink umbrella.

I feel like they would be very forgiving of, like, I feel like there's a way he could spin it, like that someone screwed him over somewhere or something.

I will say he wasn't technically charged with any crimes and didn't go to prison.

So compared to other people who have made resurrections and come back and still able to find success, I think there is a chance.

I wouldn't be shocked if he did.

And it could be, maybe he'll come, maybe they'll open like a water park or something.

So here on the big flop, we try to be positive people and end on a high.

So are there any silver linings that you can think of that came from Jack Owak and Bang Energy?

Off the top, I think it is good that he was stopped.

So I think that it's good to show that, hey, if you, especially because he was going back on his word, so that's good that like, if you do that, at some point it will come around to you.

And then I think there's a silver lining of there's being someone for everyone.

and someone just because they're bad at business doesn't mean they can't find the right partner that will like be in it with them.

Like their relationship seems rock solid.

I'm going to co-sign Emma's silver linings.

I think those are all really good and really positive.

And I'm going to bring it back to his wardrobe.

I hope he's still rocking all the patterns that he wants to rock.

Hello.

Do you, Boo?

Do you?

Bang Energy is still around, now owned by Monster.

It's unclear what the formula is these days, but you can still get your hands on a bang.

So gross, though.

It's really bad.

Like I said, never have, I'll go get one now.

I'm going to go try one.

It's bad.

Yeah.

Well, now that you both know about bang energy, would you consider this a baby flop, a big flop, or a mega flop?

Um,

I'm going to, well, I'm going to need to look at his finances right now and where they stand, and then I can decide how big of a flop it was.

But I'm going to say

big.

I agree.

I'd say big too.

Yeah.

I think, I think it's a big flop.

They're still still around.

They're obviously probably making some of that YouTube money.

It's a big flop because it also seems like they could have, like, it wasn't like a total shell operation.

Like, they actually did have something people were buying.

Like,

they screwed up.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So they dropped the ball big time.

This is a big screw up.

Well, thank you so much to our high energy guests, Angela Johnson-Reyes and Emma Willman for joining us here on the big flop.

And of course, thanks to all of you for listening and watching.

If you're enjoying the show, please leave us a rating and review.

And if you're watching on YouTube, give us a follow.

We'll be back next week to say, hi, Barbie.

And then inevitably, bye, Barbie, to some of Mattel's biggest Barbie flops.

Bye.

Bye.

Bye.

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The Big Flop is a production of Wondery and At-Will Media, hosted by Misha Brown.

Produced by Sequoia Thomas, Harry Huggins, and Tina Turner.

Written by Anna Rubinova and Luke Burns.

Engineered by Zach Rapone.

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Theme song is Sinking Ship by Cake.

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You destroyed our top.

And crimes like that, they don't just happen.

We call things accidents.

There is no accident.

This was 100%

preventable.

They're the result of choices by people.

Ruthless oil tycoons, corrupt politicians, even organized crime.

These are the stories we need to be telling about our changing planet.

Stories of scams, murders, and cover-ups that are about us and the things we're doing to either protect the Earth or destroy it.

Follow Lawless Planet on the Wondry app or wherever you get your podcasts.

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