500 Open Tabs

Latest Episodes:

96: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Pumpkin Mammoth Theory, and Bao Xishun Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

This week we're joined by very special guest, comic artist Harris Fishman AKA BeetleMoses as we discuss Roald Dahl's relationship to Tim Burton's 2005 adaptation of his book, how Wooly Mammoths helped propagate pumpkins in the Americas, and how the world's tallest man helped save some dolphins. A listener mail tells us about the GOAT of goats, the Christmas Gävle in Sweden.

Episode Tabs:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_and_the_Chocolate_Factory_(film)

Study reveals ancient link between mammoth dung and pumpkin pie

https://insider.si.edu/2015/11/dull-mastadon-taste-buds-once-helped-pumpkins-wild-ancestor-thrive/

World's tallest man saves dolphins

https://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2006/dec/14/anotherdolphin

Listener Tabs:

Gävle goat

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gävle_goat#

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95: Billy Possum and The Thing Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

This week we deep dive into how a political cartoon of William Howard Taft inspired Billy Possum who once tried to take control of the plush market from the Teddy Bear and how a listening device within a seemingly innocent gift from the Soviets during the Yalta Conference inspired the modern day RFID. A listener email shows us a TV portal to the past.

500 Open Tabs Wiki

https://500-open-tabs.fandom.com/wiki/500_Open_Tabs_Wiki

Episode Tabs:

Politics and Possum Feasts: Presidents Who Ate Opossums

https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2019/09/politics-and-possum-feasts-presidents-who-ate-opossums/

Leon Theremin Changed Spying FOREVER with this 1940s invention!

https://youtu.be/GyryQltyDwA?si=5xtxJGadvhtLxyH3

Listener Tabs:

My Retro TVs

https://80s.myretrotvs.com

Email your closed tab submissions to: 500opentabs@gmail.com

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/500OpenTabs

500 Open Tabs Wiki: https://500-open-tabs.fandom.com/wiki/500_Open_Tabs_Wiki

500 Open Roads (Google Maps episode guide): https://maps.app.goo.gl/Tg9g2HcUaFAzXGbw7

Continue the conversation by joining us on Discord! https://discord.gg/8px5RJHk7a

Get 40% off an annual subscription to Nebula by going to nebula.tv/500opentabs

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

94: The Acali Experiment and Bat Boy Nov 05, 2025

Show notes

This week we deep dive into the true story of ten strangers who were picked to live on a "sex raft" to find out what happens when people stop being polite and start banging, and the hilarious origins of Bat Boy, the Weekly World News's flagship creation. A listener email informs us about the PT Barnum of Baseball.

Kaveh's KPop Demon Hunters / Calvin and Hobbes mashup shirt (also available in kids' sizes )

https://www.blacksmithfilms.com/store/rumi-and-derpy-t-shirt

500 Open Tabs Wiki

https://500-open-tabs.fandom.com/wiki/500_Open_Tabs_Wiki

Episode Tabs:

Mutiny on the Sex Raft

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/jan/14/mutiny-on-the-sex-raft-70s-experiment-santiago-genoves

BAT BOY’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY!

https://weeklyworldnews.com/mutants/183465/bat-boy-30th-anniversary

Listener Tabs:

BILL VEECK, THE P. T. BARNUM OF BASEBALL

https://www.historynet.com/bill-veeck-the-barnum-of-baseball/

A Brief History of "The Firelands"

https://www.hcc-ogs.org/firelands-history.html

Email your closed tab submissions to: 500opentabs@gmail.com

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/500OpenTabs

500 Open Tabs Wiki: https://500-open-tabs.fandom.com/wiki/500_Open_Tabs_Wiki

500 Open Roads (Google Maps episode guide): https://maps.app.goo.gl/Tg9g2HcUaFAzXGbw7

Continue the conversation by joining us on Discord! https://discord.gg/8px5RJHk7a

Get 40% off an annual subscription to Nebula by going to nebula.tv/500opentabs

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

93: Gef the Talking Mongoose, Origin of Haunted Houses, and Halloween Candy Myths Oct 29, 2025

Show notes

It's finally Halloween! This week we're joined by very spooky guest Alyssa Cooper as we learn about Gef, a talking Mongoose who haunted a rural home on the Isle of Man, how haunted houses share a history with Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, and how unfounded rumors about razor blades in apples continue to ruin trick or treating for everyone. A listener mail tells us about an aspiring lawyer who took a bite out of crime.

Episode Tabs:

The strange and deeply unlikely tale of Gef the talking mongoose

https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2024/03/the-strange-and-deeply-unlikely-tale-of-gef-the-talking-mongoose/

The Great Depression Origins of Halloween Haunted Houses

https://www.history.com/articles/halloween-haunted-house-great-depression

Halloween Sadism

https://www.joelbest.net/halloween-sadism

Listener Tabs:

Fabric of a Nation – American Quilt Stories at Boston MFA

https://cottoncandyfabrics.blog/2022/01/03/fabric-of-a-nation-american-quilt-stories-at-boston-mfa/

Summer Associate’s Naughty Toddler Impression Gets Her Bounced From Biglaw

https://abovethelaw.com/2025/07/summer-associates-naughty-toddler-impression-gets-her-bounced-from-biglaw/

Email your closed tab submissions to: 500opentabs@gmail.com

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/500OpenTabs

500 Open Roads (Google Maps episode guide): https://maps.app.goo.gl/Tg9g2HcUaFAzXGbw7

Continue the conversation by joining us on Discord! https://discord.gg/8px5RJHk7a

Get 40% off an annual subscription to Nebula by going to nebula.tv/500opentabs

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

92: Astor Place Riot pt 3 and The Great Imposter Oct 22, 2025

Show notes

This week we're together in New York as we discuss the grand finale of the Astor Place riot which unfolded like a Looney Tunes style fight and Barry Bremen, the great sports impostor who posed as players for the MLB, the NBA, and a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. A listener email informs us of the official rubbing mud of Major League Baseball.

Episode Tabs:

The Astor Place Riot: Blood On The Cobblestones

https://www.gothamcenter.org/blog/astorplaceriot-commemorationpart2-zy4la-cerc4-ezwep-hsfs3s-rnyg3-tm6kl-anff2-8hdc3-el4s7-lryac

The Counterfeit Athlete: Barry Bremen, the Man Who Pretended to Be an MLB, NBA, and NFL All-Star

https://www.mentalfloss.com/sports/barry-bremen-the-great-imposter

Listener Tabs:

Baseball Rubbing Mud

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Rubbing_Mud

Email your closed tab submissions to: 500opentabs@gmail.com

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/500OpenTabs

500 Open Roads (Google Maps episode guide): https://maps.app.goo.gl/Tg9g2HcUaFAzXGbw7

Continue the conversation by joining us on Discord! https://discord.gg/8px5RJHk7a

Get 40% off an annual subscription to Nebula by going to nebula.tv/500opentabs

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

91: Astor Place Riot pt 2 and Khutulun Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

This week the story of the Astor Place riot continues with the Bowery Boys gang further fueling the divide between English and American theatre styles and the fearsome Mongolian Warrior Khutulun, who refused to marry a man who couldn’t beat her in wrestling. A listener mail tells us all about rejection sensitivity dysphoria.

Episode Tabs:

THE MOST FASCINATING RIOT YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF

https://theoutline.com/post/8659/the-astor-place-opera-house-riot-of-1849-was-lit

The Mongolian Princess Who Challenged Her Suitors to a Wrestling Match—and Always Won

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/560956/mongolian-princess-who-challenged-her-suitors-wrestling-match-and-always-won

Listener Tabs:

Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria - RSD

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24099-rejection-sensitive-dysphoria-rsd

The Theory of The Four Humors by Hippocrates

https://psychologyfor.com/the-theory-of-the-four-humors-by-hippocrates/

Email your closed tab submissions to: 500opentabs@gmail.com

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/500OpenTabs

500 Open Roads (Google Maps episode guide): https://maps.app.goo.gl/Tg9g2HcUaFAzXGbw7

Continue the conversation by joining us on Discord! https://discord.gg/8px5RJHk7a

Get 40% off an annual subscription to Nebula by going to nebula.tv/500opentabs

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

90: Origin of Gotham City and Astor Place Riot pt 1 Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

This week we're in NYC as we deep dive into how a satirical 1800s magazine helped coin the city's nickname and the origins of a bitter rivalry between the American stage actor Edwin Forrest and English actor William Charles Macready that led to a full scale riot in 1849. A listener email explains Action Bronson's connection to November Rain.

Come see us at NEW YORK COMIC-CON!

Artist Alley, Table D-33

October 9-12, 2025

Episode Tabs:

Why is New York City Called Gotham?

https://www.untappedcities.com/why-is-new-york-city-called-gotham-a-nickname-with-a-millennium-of-history/

THE MOST FASCINATING RIOT YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF

https://theoutline.com/post/8659/the-astor-place-opera-house-riot-of-1849-was-lit

Listener Tabs:

How did the Starling get to America?

https://www.birdful.org/how-did-the-starling-get-to-america/

Action Bronson - "Easy Rider" (Official Video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58RSC7HO9aU

Email your closed tab submissions to: 500opentabs@gmail.com

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/500OpenTabs

500 Open Roads (Google Maps episode guide): https://maps.app.goo.gl/Tg9g2HcUaFAzXGbw7

Continue the conversation by joining us on Discord! https://discord.gg/8px5RJHk7a

Get 40% off an annual subscription to Nebula by going to nebula.tv/500opentabs

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

89: Manzanar Baseball Project and The Midnight Cave Experiment Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

This week we deep dive into activist Dan Kwong's efforts to restore a baseball field at a former California internment camp and about researchers who lived in subterranean caves for months at a time without access to clocks, calendars, or the sun. A listener email explains some sweet, sweet history.

Come see us at NEW YORK COMIC-CON!

Artist Alley, Table D-33

October 9-12, 2025

Episode Tabs:

The Moving Story of Bringing Baseball Back to Manzanar

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/moving-story-of-bringing-baseball-back-to-manzanar-where-thousands-of-japanese-americans-were-incarcerated-during-world-war-II-180986312/

Caveman: And Interview with Michel Siffre

https://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/30/foer_siffre.php

Listener Tabs:

Malm Whale

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/malm-whale

White Rabbit (Candy)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Rabbit_%28candy%29

Email your closed tab submissions to: 500opentabs@gmail.com

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/500OpenTabs

500 Open Roads (Google Maps episode guide): https://maps.app.goo.gl/Tg9g2HcUaFAzXGbw7

Continue the conversation by joining us on Discord! https://discord.gg/8px5RJHk7a

Get 40% off an annual subscription to Nebula by going to nebula.tv/500opentabs

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

88: Self-Experimenting Medical Researchers and Sybil Ludington Sep 24, 2025

Show notes

This week we deep dive into the absolutely disgusting history of medical researchers who experimented on themselves and the story of teenager Sybil Ludington, the unfortunately nicknamed "female Paul Revere," who rode 40 miles in the pouring rain to warn American revolutionaries of the encroaching British army. A listener email explains a werewolf baby phenomenon.

Kaveh's Panel at LA COMIC-CON:

Middle Eastern/ North African Representation in Media

SEPTEMBER 27, 2025

11:00am, ROOM 407

Episode Tabs:

20 Self-Experimenting Medical Researchers in History

https://historycollection.com/20-self-experimenting-medical-researchers-in-history/

Sybil Ludington

https://www.historicpatterson.org/Exhibits/ExhSybilLudington.php

Listener Tabs:

Babies develop 'werewolf syndrome’ after medicine mix-up in Spain

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/29/babies-develop-werewolf-syndrome-after-medicine-mix-up-in-spain

Dr. Pepper Museum Animatronic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kQ1GJ17-6E

Email your closed tab submissions to: 500opentabs@gmail.com

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/500OpenTabs

500 Open Roads (Google Maps episode guide): https://maps.app.goo.gl/Tg9g2HcUaFAzXGbw7

Continue the conversation by joining us on Discord! https://discord.gg/8px5RJHk7a

SUPPORT THE SHOW by adding theTab For a Cause extension: tabforanimals.org/opentabs and help end suffering for animals trapped on factory farms today!

Get 40% off an annual subscription to Nebula by going to nebula.tv/500opentabs

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

87: Sushi Row pt 2 and Historical Laxatives Sep 17, 2025

Show notes

This week we conclude the story of Sushi Row with how Koda Farms' development of their proprietary Kokuho Rose rice allowed Kawafuku to become the first Sushi bar in Los Angeles and how historical cure-alls ended up mostly being aggressive laxatives. A listener email explains the traditional Soviet astronaut movie of choice.

Episode Tabs:

L.A.’s sushi revolution was fueled by this secret ingredient from the Central Valley

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2023-05-03/la-sushi-revolution-fueled-by-secret-ingredient

Lewis and Clark marked their trail with laxatives

https://offbeatoregon.com/2501d1006d_biliousPills-686.077.html

Listener Tabs:

White Sun of the Desert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Auj_u7wEyw8

Johnny Fiveaces: Original meme artwork sells for $5,100

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50817558

Email your closed tab submissions to: 500opentabs@gmail.com

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/500OpenTabs

500 Open Roads (Google Maps episode guide): https://maps.app.goo.gl/Tg9g2HcUaFAzXGbw7

Continue the conversation by joining us on Discord! https://discord.gg/8px5RJHk7a

SUPPORT THE SHOW by adding theTab For a Cause extension: tabforanimals.org/opentabs and help end suffering for animals trapped on factory farms today!

Get 40% off an annual subscription to Nebula by going to nebula.tv/500opentabs

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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