That's History, Babe!
Julius Caesar. Joan of Arc. Liberace. These people are dead. But if they were alive, they’d be listening to this show. Hosts Jared Tetreau and Abe Merker take you deep into the bowels of the archive to explore the dank crevices and back alleys of the past, reclaiming history for the curious-minded girls, gays, and theys.
Episodes
How the Clinton/Lewinsky really BLEW UP | Part Two
In the second installment of our two-part series on the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal, things go a little off the rails. Friends record each other’s phone calls, a guy named Starr writes a 1,000 page smut book, the First Lady serves c*nt before a grand jury, and the President of the United States is impeached for only the second time in American history. Trust us…it’s a doozy. Tangents include Abe’s ne
How the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal really began | Part One
In part one of a two part special, we dig deep into one of the seediest political scandals in American history. A president, an intern, and a nosy secretary with an axe to grind plus a cast of other characters collide against a backdrop of totally 90s irreverence. We’re talking, of course, about THE LEWINSKY SCANDAL. Join us for part one, as we explore the rise of Bill Clinton, his history with wo
The story of the OCTOMOM
The labor pains are radiating through the mic this week on the pod as we explore the story of Nadya Suleman, aka the Octomom; a California woman who in 2009 gave birth to EIGHT BABIES at once. We explore Nadya’s life and origins, the cultural context of her record-breaking birth experience, as well as the misogyny, racism, and classism present across so much of the coverage of Nadya’s story. Tange
The MAGNIFICENT Sultan Who Conquered Europe
It’s a regular harem in here this week on the pod as we explore the life and legacy of one of the most formidable leaders in European history: Suleiman the Magnificent. Hear about the rise of the Ottoman Empire, Suleiman’s upending of the European political order, and the extraordinary influence of Suleiman’s wife Hurrem, a woman who rose from enslavement to the heights of power in the largest emp
A Brief History of PLASTIC SURGERY
If beauty is pain, and pain is gain, then beauty is gain (thank you, transitive property). On this week’s ep, we go under the knife for a brief history of plastic surgery, exploring how changing or repairing appearances has been a tentpole of medical practice across the centuries. But how did these procedures develop? What is the social and psychological importance of appearance? And how does Kris
A Presidential Murder You Definitely Forgot!
This week on the pod, discover a presidential assassination that history forgot! Join us as we discuss the life and death of William McKinley, one of several cornfed presidents from Ohio. We explore McKinley’s presidency, his personal life and beliefs, and how he met his end at the hands of a loner son of immigrants disillusioned with capitalism. Beneath the surface of the McKinley assassination,
Mother Jones: The Little Old Lady Who Fought a Coal Mine War
She may not have been a coal miner’s daughter, but Mary Harris Jones, aka “Mother Jones”, was a ‘coal miner’s angel’. Clamber into the coal cart with us as we learn how an old lady who loved swearing helped miners and their families battle it out in some of America’s bloodiest labor disputes. Hear how Mother Jones came back from not one, but two, life-altering tragedies to become a champion of the
Lady Jane Grey vs. Princess Mary: TUDOR CAGE MATCH
DING DING DING. Choose your fighter!! Will it be: a fifteen year old noblewoman you’ve never heard of OR a thirty-five year old princess who loves Spain and the Pope! Nine Days. One crown. Who will win??? Come with us this week as we explore early modern England’s greatest royal SMACKDOWN, the battle for the throne duked out between Lady Jane Grey and Princess Mary Tudor. Learn how these two daunt
The Great Molasses Flood of 1919
A tidal wave hits your house. You’re hurt. You’re scared. You’re covered in molasses. An unimaginable situation for most of us. But for the residents of Boston’s North End on January 15, 1919, it was all too real! This week, we get stuck in the sticky icky story of one of the most bizarre disasters in American urban history: the Great Molasses Flood of 1919. Come with us as we explore how corporat
Televangelists: Jesus Wants Your Credit Card!
This week, we’re exploring the seedy world of televangelism, a religious media phenomenon that swept onto the airwaves in 20th century America. Primped-up preachers begging their factory worker followers for money they don’t have, in exchange of course for eternal salvation, is just one of the milder outrages in this episode rife with scandal, political intrigue, and bizarre personalities. But how
How Gay Was Ancient Greece?
This week, we take it back a few millennia to the time of Ancient Greece, exploring the super gay myths and legends used to explain and sanctify the sexual behaviors of the Greeks themselves. But how did Greek myths define sexuality? How different were Greek ideas of sexual identity from our own? What do we get wrong when we project our contemporary labels onto people in antiquity? And can a coupl
When an Army of Peasants Nearly Overthrew England!
Could you and 60,000 of your closest friends beat your landlord in open warfare? If you’re an English peasant in the summer of 1381, then the answer is yes. This week, we explore one of the most seismic uprisings in the history of Medieval Europe, the Peasants’ Revolt! Learn how a ragtag group of farmers sacked London, killed a bunch of important people, and provided revolutionary inspiration for
The Treacherous Couple Who Sold Out America
In a delayed salute to America’s 250th, we take a look this week at the couple whose certified VILLAINY nearly ended the Revolution and the nation itself: Benedict and Peggy Arnold. Learn about Benedict’s early heroics, Peggy’s sassy bratty kind-of-iconic upbringing, the espionage and wheeling and dealing that led to Benedict’s betrayal of the American cause and defection to the British, and specu
Is Colonial Williamsburg a tourist trap?? w/ Madison Albertson
This week on the pod, the brilliant buxom scholaress Madison Albertson returns to teach us a thing or two about “living history”, the school of thought behind such storied American museums as Colonial Williamsburg, Plimoth Patuxet, and many others. What do these places teach us about history that books alone don’t? Where did the idea for them come from? How do they shape how we remember our past?
How Liza Minnelli Made Showbiz Herstory (Part Two)
In part two of our series on mother-daughter showbiz legends Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli, we explore how Liza overcame grief and addiction, emerged from her mother's shadow as a fully formed artist, and defended the rights of the LGBTQ community through a career that has spanned seven decades! Tangents include whether we’d have sex with a clone of ourselves, a vaccine for lesbianism, and the wo
How Judy Garland Became the Ultimate Gay Icon (Part One)
We’re not saying they’re bigger than Jesus, but we’re not not saying that either. In our first ever two-part series, Abe and Jared examine the lives of a mother-daughter duo whose names are synonymous with “gay icon”: showbiz legends Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli. In part one, Jared pulls us on a pepped up prance down the Yellow Brick Road to explore Judy’s impact on film and music as well as her
The Club Kids: How a Group of Misfits Took Over NYC
Did a corrupted video file ruin an hour of footage from this episode? Yes. Would we ever let that stop us? No. In the 80s and 90s, a pack of queer party animals burst into NYC’s backrooms, bringing a haze of gritty glamour, fashion, drugs, and dance wherever they went. They were the Club Kids; RuPaul, Richie Rich, Amanda LePore, Waltpaper, just to name a few. Join us as we dive into the club kids’
The Mafia Pope and His Terrible Children: The Story of the Borgias
POV: you’re at the sickest rave of your life. Candles flickering. Incense burning. Gregorians chanting. The place: Vatican City. The year: 1492. The man behind it all: Pope Alexander VI aka Rodrigo Borgia. This week, we return to a place of pope as we tell the story of the most ruthless family in papal history. Hear about the depravity and delusion of the entire Borgia clan in an episode rife with
How Bernie Madoff Stole 65 Billion Dollars
“Fake it 'til you make it”, right? Well Bernie Madoff faked it so hard he was sentenced to 150 years in prison! Come with us on a journey through the worst financial crime in US history (that we know of), the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme, where one man with a crippling fear of failure scammed thousands of people out of a sickening amount of money (we’re talking tens of billions, girl.) Tangents incl
Unpacking The "Lost Cause" Myth w/ Madison Albertson
Ever wonder why your Republican uncle suddenly cares so much about monuments? In this episode, Jared, Abe, & special guest Madison Albertson (scholar, lesbian, and friend of the pod) explore the story of "the Lost Cause", a nationalist myth originating in the post civil-war South that paints the Confederate movement as moral, just, and TOTALLY NOT about slavery. Follow along as we dive into th
Eugene O'Neill Channeled Sadness into Art (While Being a Bad Father)
It’s not enough to be a deadbeat dad if you want to be an artist. You also have to be obsessed with the sea. This week, we take center stage and explore the life of storied American playwright Eugene O’Neill. Digging into his methods, inspirations, artistry, horrible family life, and dismal performance as a husband and father, we discover the visionary voice of this brooding genius, and learn that
Bad Popes!
Remember: just because you sit on the throne of Saint Peter doesn’t mean you can’t have a pet elephant or turn your palace into a brothel. This week, Jared and Abe plumb the depths of medieval history to explore the lurid, lascivious reigns of the un-holy men who led the Catholic Church. Yes, we’re talking about some BAD POPES. Tangents include but are not limited to Polish face, the snail-like Lo
Carrie A. Nation: A Grandma Who Liked Smashing Bars with a Hatchet!
Sometimes when there’s a big problem no one wants to deal with, you gotta take matters into your own hands. Case in point: Carrie A. Nation; a devout woman, angry about alcohol, who started smashing up bars with a hatchet! In this episode, Abe and Jared dive deep into the life of Carrie Nation, aka Hatchet Granny, the fierce Temperance crusader and suffragist who’d had just about enough of this “a
Animal Celebrities: The Story of How a Dog Can Make More Money than You
Some people say dogs are man’s best friend, but we say there are dogs worthy of winning Best Actor at the Academy Awards. In this week’s episode, Jared and Abe grab their flea combs and diva into the hairy history of animal celebrities. From memes to movies and from the 1920s to the 2020s, we explore famous animals and what they tell us about ourselves. Tangents include but are not limited to The
The Petticoat Affair: When Slut-Shaming Took Down Andrew Jackson
Let’s face it: opinionated people can be polarizing. Jared knows it. Abe knows it. And Peggy Eaton – the 1820s political wife who brought the executive branch to a halt - definitely knew it too! In this episode, Jared and Abe take you back to the age of Andrew Jackson with the story of a scandal that paralyzed his presidency. Learn how snubs and sideways glances in the parlors of Washington, DC co
How THE VIEW Became TV's Messiest Table
Nineties television; a hellscape of trashy talk shows. Maury. Jerry. Sally. Ricki. But only one show remains on the airwaves to this day, arguably stronger now than it’s ever been: THE VIEW. In this episode, Jared and Abe explore the origins of TV’s last highly-rated daytime talk show. What made THE VIEW different from its competitors? Who still watches it and why? How does THE VIEW keep book
Queen Christina: Did a Lesbian Rule Sweden in the 1600s?
Don’t you hate when your girlfriend has a husband and you can’t hang with your philosopher bestie due to a silly little war about whether the church should slay or not? Christina of Sweden definitely did. Take a trip with us to 17th century Sweden, from Christina’s strange childhood and mommy issues to her ascension to the throne and blossoming desire to kiss her lady in waiting. Tangents include,
Are Aliens Real and (more importantly) are they Gay?
Roswell. Hoax photos. Desert people. Racist and factually incorrect History Channel shows. What do all of these things have in common? Aliens. In this episode, Jared and Abe uncover the truth about the history of alien abductions, tackling tough questions such as: Where did this phenomenon come from? What is the first recorded alien abduction? What’s up with the probing? And most importantly, what
Who Won the Election of 2000??
The year 2000. A new millennium and, for America, a new president. But who will the people choose?? Twenty-six years later, we still don’t know. In this episode, Jared and Abe remove their glasses in disbelief as the race between George Bush and Al Gore goes down to the wire in Florida. Recounts. Hanging chads. The Miami Sound Machine. The only thing at stake is the United States of America.
The Roman Emperor Who Married a Teenage Boy
The Roman Emperor Nero. A mansion-building arsonist with a passion for twinks…or was he? In this episode, Jared and Abe pull back the curtain on Nero’s pervy reign to explore his marriage to Sporus, the boy who became empress of Rome. But who was Sporus? What drew Nero to him? And, most importantly, when exactly was the fiddle invented? Tangents include, but are not limited to, Latin phraseol
The Smelly Reality of Victorian Childhood
We’ve all seen the memes – Skrillex, 4Loko, GTA, and electric scooters all have the potential to kill a Victorian child. In the modern popular imagination, Victorian children are frail, easily offendable, and prone to overstimulation. But was this really the case? In this episode, Abe and Jared take a journey through Victorian England to investigate the reality of what it was like to be a child fr
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