I'm Rebecca Lervoy and this is You Can't make this up is the podcast where we uncover the true stories behind

your favorite Netflix documentaries and films. On today's episode we take a closer look at the Netflix documentary series, Mer People.

Mermaid shows, wait, I could potentially grow up and get paid to be a mermaid? That's a job.

Today we're talking to executive producer and director Cynthia Wade.

No longer the legends of sailors or the stars of fairy tales, mermaids exist.

With a custom-made fin, a can-do attitude, and some strong swimming skills, you too can splash it up as a mir person.

Whether it's entertaining children at birthday parties,

wowing spectators at Las Vegas casinos,

or turning heads at a mir people pageant, you can bring the magic of the seas to dry land.

Mer People dives into the fascinating world of underwater performers who have turned their love for the mystical sea creatures

into real world careers.

Get ready to set sail on an unforgettable voyage and immerse yourself in a world where fantasy becomes reality.

What if the entire thing explodes catastrophically?

The glass window breaks and the mermaid shoots out the side while lacerating all her

major arteries on the way out.

Dies and traumatizes 47,000 children. And I'm joined now by executive producer and director Cynthia Wade.

Cynthia, welcome to you can make this up.

Hi.

So Cynthia, I was introduced to the world of mermaiding through your doc series.

How were you introduced to the world of mermaiding?

I was introduced to the world of mermaiding through a photographer named Andriana Seymour, who's really known for embedding herself in subcultures.

She has done projects around Roller Derby, and so for a couple of years she was embedding herself in mermaids around the country and thought it would make a really, really cool documentary series.

...