Our Fake History

Latest Episodes:

Episode #189- What Bewitched Salem? (Part III) Oct 31, 2023

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The Salem witch panic of 1692 can sometimes feel more like a natural disaster than a human event. When the crisis reached its peak in the late summer of 1692 it had become as chaotic and destructive as any extreme storm. The return of Governor William Phips from England with a new colonial charter in May 1692 meant that the official proceedings of the witch trials could finally get underway. However, the prosecution and execution of the first batch of Salem witches didn't seem to slow the rate of accusations. The more people who were hanged in Salem, the larger the Satanic conspiracy seemed to grow. Before the crisis was over the even the Governor's wife would be accused of consorting with the devil. Tune-in and find out how spectral evidence, a dude named Cotton, and a 300 year curse all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #188- What Bewitched Salem? (Part II) Oct 17, 2023

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Can a psychological illness become contagious? Many experts believe that in rare cases a phenomenon known as a "mass psychogenic illness" can break out in a population. Can this strange quirk of group psychology help us understand the Salem Witch Crisis of 1692? The community had been stressed by local factionalism, regional political turmoil, and a global climate crisis. The strange behavior of a few young girls quickly escalated into accusations of witchcraft against three local women. But a disturbing confession from one of the accused would transform a typical New England witch-hunt into uncontrollable witch panic. Tune-in and find out how a toxic bus event, a witch cake, and three-foot hairy imp all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #187- What Bewitched Salem? (Part I) Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

In 1692 in the town of Salem Village, Massachusetts, two young girls started acting very strangely. The girls suffered from uncontrollable fits, bouts of incoherence, and odd outbursts including barking and choking sounds. A physician summoned to examine them concluded that the only explanation was that the girls were "under an evil hand." They were bewitched. This sparked a full fledged witchcraft panic that ended up claiming the lives of 25 people and destabilizing the entire Massachusetts Bay Colony. The ensuing Salem Witch Trials have been pointed to as a pivotal moment in American colonial history, but so much of the incident remains mysterious and clouded by mythmaking. How do you explain one of the strangest events in American history? Tune-in and find out how Black Sabbath, Cunning Folk, and the Miracle Max all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #186- Who Was Germany's Greatest Imposter? Sep 19, 2023

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In 1906 an ex-convict named Wilhelm Voigt living pulled off one of the most audacious heists in European history. After cobbling together a realistic looking Captain's uniform, he convinced ten German soldiers to follow his commands and help him rob a townhall in the Berlin suburb of Köpenick. The heist played like a perfect piece of satirical theatre that revealed uncomfortable truths about Imperial German society. After his arrest Wilhelm Voigt was celebrated as a folk hero all around the country. All the German papers agreed that the caper had been hilarious, but they just couldn't agree on who had been the butt of the joke. Tune-in and find out how sleepy cops, 4000 marks, and the worlds most embarrassed mayor all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

OFH Throwback- Episode #43- What is Phantom Time? Sep 05, 2023

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In the world of pseudo-historical theories there are few more radical than the Phantom Time Hypothesis and the New Chronology. These theories propose that hundreds of years of human history never actually occurred. Our current chronology has been inflated with fake events and “phantom time.” These theorists would have us believe that most of our history has been faked by chroniclers and unscrupulous historians. Could it be that most of human history is a fraud? Tune-in and find out how golf course owners, weird math, and Russian pride all play a role in the story! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

OFH Throwback- Episode #113- Who is Kyiv's Most Vengeful Saint? Aug 22, 2023

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There are few tales of revenge as epic as that of Olga of Kyiv. In 945 AD Olga set out on a campaign of vengeance that would make a lasting mark on the history of Eastern Europe. However, there is good reason to believe it never actually happened. The source that contains the tale of Olga’s vengeance is among the most unreliable chronicles of the medieval era. What should we believe about one of Eastern Europe’s most merciless female rulers? Tune-in and find out how arrogant boat faces, burning bathhouses, and a baptism switcheroo all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #185- Was Wrestling Ever Real? ft. RJ City (Part III) Aug 08, 2023

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Most professional wrestling fans have accepted the scripted nature of wrestling for decades, but are we truly living in a post-kayfabe world? This week's guest, RJ City, thinks that maybe kayfabe never died. RJ City is a comedian, wrestler, bon vivant, the host of AEW’s Hey!(EW). You may have seen him beating up David Arquette, winning Celebrity Family Feud, mocking children on Nickelodeon’s Splatalot, or making coffee in his underwear on YouTube. RJ shares the insights he has gained working in the wrestling business over the course of 17 years. Can RJ act as Sebastian's "decoder ring" for the strange world of wrestling? Tune-in and find out how Lawrence Welk, a Daytime TV Warm-up Guy, and a circus with too many elephants all play role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #184- Was Wrestling Ever Real? (Part II) Jul 25, 2023

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Professional Wrestling had a long history of manipulated matches, but it took time to evolve into the pure theatre we know today. Along the road Professional Wrestling passed through a strange intermediary period, where the matches were mostly scripted, but occasionally real wrestling unexpectedly intruded into the ring. Wrestlers could double-cross their promoters, turn fixed matches into legitimate contests, and "steal" titles from a pre-determined champion. In the 1920's "breaking the rules" ironically meant honestly wrestling. When did Professional Wrestling finally purge the last vestiges of reality from it's "spectacle of excess?" Tune-in and find out how vaudeville endings, a French Angel, and a Super Swedish Angel all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #183- Was Wrestling Ever Real? (Part I) Jul 11, 2023

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In 1957 the French philosopher Roland Barthes called professional wrestling a "spectacle of excess." That may be the most beautifully succinct description of sports entertainment ever written. For decades professional wrestling has existed as an athletic form of melodramatic theatre rather than an honest athletic competition. But has that always been the case? When and how did wrestling transform from a typical sport into a "spectacle of excess?" Tune-in and find out how weird carnival slang, a fake hanging, and a man with a pet 2x4 all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #182- What Were The Hell-Fire Clubs? (Part II) Jun 27, 2023

Show notes

In 1721 the first Hell-Fire club caused a scandal in London and quickly disbanded, but the story did not end there. Soon new blasphemous rake's clubs were being founded all over England, Scotland and Ireland. Some of these second-generation clubs became even more infamous than the original. Did these new Hell-Fire clubs earn their reputation as satanic blights on society, or was this just more of the same aristocratic excess? Tune-in and find out how incorporeal party guests, demonic kitty-cats, and naughty Latin puns all play a role in the story. 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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