Podcast explores connection between a rural Brunswick County town and Pablo Escobar
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It started with a rumor Kyle MacLachlan heard from a friend: A small town in coastal North Carolina struck a deal in the 1980s with Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar to smuggle drugs into the country.
MacLachlan, an American actor largely known for his role as FBI agent Dale Cooper in “Twin Peaks,” teamed up with investigative journalist Joshua Davis to explore how Varnamtown got involved in smuggling drugs in the 1980s. The result was two years of investigation and the recent release of “Varnamtown,” a podcast produced by PodcastOne and hosted by MacLachlan and Davis.
“OK, Kyle, tell me what you know about the connection between REO Speedwagon, the super band from the 70s and 80s, and Pablo Escobar, the drug kingpin,” Davis asks at the head of the podcast’s trailer.
MacLachlan says he “discovered a real-life 'Twin Peaks' in rural North Carolina,” about 60 miles from Wilmington, where he filmed “Blue Velvet,” which released in 1986. He heard the town had, effectively, allowed Escobar and his cartel to use it as a shipping and transport hub for their trading. Its small size (Varnamtown had about 300 people in the 1980s) made it a more discreet location than a bigger port like Miami.
“In exchange for vast wealth and limitless cocaine, Escobar would be allowed to land planes and ships in the area,” the podcast details.
MacLachlan was interested. He traveled to Varnamtown, visited some residents and began to peel back the story.
The hosts also acknowledge the similarities between this story and his role in “Twin Peaks.” MacLachlan’s character, Cooper, is an FBI agent who arrives in the small town of Twin Peaks to investigate the brutal murder of a high school student. In “Varnamtown,” MacLachlan dons an investigator hat once again and, with the help of a few odd characters, pieces the story together.
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“Varnamtown” dropped its first episode in late January. Four full episodes are out now, each about 30 minutes long. The show can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
New episodes are released on Wednesdays.
Jamey Cross covers Brunswick County for the StarNews. Reach her at jbcross@gannett.com or message her on Twitter/X @jameybcross.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Varnamtown, NC is subject of new podcast with Kyle MacLachlan
