
The Ridiculous Racist Origin of Tipping, Part One: A Gratuitous History of Gratuity
What's the best meal you've ever had at a restaurant? If it was in the United States, odds are you paid your tab -- and then added an extra fee on top of that. While tipping didn't originate in the US...
1 Sep 36min

CLASSIC: I Modi: The Scandalous Erotic Blockbuster Banned By The Vatican
Nowadays it's no secret that some Papal administrations from centuries past were a bit more scandalous than others, but when master engraver Marcantonio Raimondi created prints of explicit art located...
29 Aug 34min

The Dark Side of Frank Lloyd Wright, Part Two: Mass Murder, Cults, and the FBI
Even if you're not an architecture enthusiast, odds are you've heard of Frank Lloyd Wright. This massively famous architect fundamentally changed the discipline of architecture as we know it. Yet as B...
27 Aug 34min

The Dark Side of Frank Lloyd Wright, Part One: Professional Success and Personal Turmoil
Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the world's most well-known, storied (ha) architects. Several of his works are official UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and he has undeniably influenced countless architects ...
25 Aug 44min

CLASSIC: Patriots, Prisoners and Plants: The World of Political Body Doubles
Has anyone ever told you you resemble a celebrity? Have you ever thought of making this resemblance your job? In today’s Classic episode, Ben, Noel and Casey explore real-life stories of body doubles,...
22 Aug 50min

Who Took William Lilly’s Fish?
Back in seventeenth century England, William Lilly was a big deal. As the preeminent astrologer of his day, pretty much everyone followed his research, predictions, and writing. Yet as Ben, Noel and M...
20 Aug 44min

Francis Scott Key was Kind of a Jerk
Love it or hate it, every American recognizes the Star-Spangled Banner. The lyrics come from a poem written by a lawyer Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814, based on his experience watching an att...
18 Aug 43min

CLASSIC: Fort Blunder: The US Fort Mistakenly Built in Canada
After the War of 1812, the US decided to shore up security at Lake Champlain by constructing a fort on Island Point. However, due to a surveying error, the US ended up building this fort in Canada, ra...
15 Aug 34min




















