Home Podcasts Trivia. Sort of.

Trivia. Sort of.

Matt Gilhooly 7 Episodes Aug 4, 2026

Each week, Trivia. Sort of. presents a single true story—allegedly true—that makes you question if it's real. It's a blend of trivia and storytelling, with no categories or scoring, meant to be enjoyed in just a few minutes. The show is for curious minds who love random facts and fascinating tales, delivered casually like a friend sharing a half-remembered anecdote.

Episodes

A Record Label Rejected Madonna. She Kept the Letter. Aug 4, 2026 00:01:32 In 2001, a single piece of paper sold at a famous auction house – not a painting, not a manuscript, just a rejection letter. The person being rejected in it went on to sell over ten million records with the very songs that letter said were missing. This week: the executive, the letter, and the auction. Sources: Healthy Celeb: https://healthyceleb.com/9-popular-artists-who-were-rejected-by-record-

The Word Nobody Meant to Invent Jul 28, 2026 00:01:54 A journalist trying to hit a word count in 2004 threw out three made-up terms to describe something that didn't have a name yet. One of them is now used by over a billion people every month, including you, right now.This week: the five-second word that accidentally named an entire industry, and the trademark fight that almost took it away.Sources: - Podcast — Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wi

The World's Most Famous Smile Used to Be a Nobody (Mona Lisa Theft) Jul 14, 2026 00:02:02 Before 1911, the Mona Lisa wasn't even considered Leonardo's best work. Then a man in a museum staff smock walked out the front door with it, and the world hasn't stopped looking at it since. This week: the missing painting, the two-year hiding spot, and the unlikely suspect list that included Picasso.Sources:* https://www.npr.org/2011/07/30/138800110/the-theft-that-made-the-mona-lisa-a-masterpiec

The Shark That Almost Ruined Jaws | But Made It Better Jul 21, 2026 00:02:02 In 1974, a 25-foot mechanical shark kept sinking to the bottom of the ocean, and the crew started calling it "Flaws" instead of its actual name. What happened next accidentally changed how movies build suspense forever. This week: the shark that barely worked, and the director who turned that into an advantage. That's this week's Trivia, Sort Of.Sources:The Mechanical Shark on Jaws May Have Broken

The Birthday Song That Cost $2 Million a Year Jul 7, 2026 00:02:02 For decades, a company collected an estimated two million dollars a year in royalties from a song sung at nearly every birthday party on the planet. Then one filmmaker got a $1,500 invoice and decided to find out if that company actually owned it. This week: what she found.One story. A few minutes. No homework required.Sources:WIPO Magazine – "In the courts: Court confirms legal status of Happy Bi

The Most Universally Understood Word Began as a Prank Jul 7, 2026 00:02:11 In 1839, a newspaper editor made a joke almost nobody found funny, and it accidentally became the single most understood word on Earth, more universal than "hello." This week: the failed president, the telegraph, and the joke that never should have survived.One story. A few minutes. No homework required.Sources:History.com – "How 'OK' Became America's Favorite Word"Smithsonian Magazine – "How One

Trivia. Sort Of. – Show Trailer Jul 3, 2026 00:01:01 Did you know the Mona Lisa wasn't famous until someone stole it? That stop signs used to be yellow? That the word "podcast" was invented by accident?Welcome to Trivia. Sort Of. – a weekly show about the surprising true stories hiding behind things you already know. One story. A few minutes. No homework required.Each week: one fact, one twist, one "wait, really?" moment – sourced, fact-checked (mos

Trivia. Sort of.

Episodes

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