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Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries — Society & Culture
Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries

Two friends, Austin and Brenda, delve into the rich history of secret nerd mysteries near and dear to their hearts in their own loose, light-hearted way. If you’ve ever wondered “Why Saturday morning for cartoons?” or “How come Chuck E. Cheese cares so much about other people’s birthdays?”, this is the show for you!

Copyright: © Brenda & Austin

Latest Episodes:

Rerun - Action Park: Looping Waterslides, Drunk Teens, and No Rules Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

Michigan was experiencing some of the worst air quality in the world this week, so here is a rerun of a classic SHONM episode for your enjoyment!

In 1976, disgraced wallstreet investor Eugene Mullvihill opened the infamous Action Park in Vernon New Jersey. It would turn out to be a lawless place full of drunken poorly trained teens, a deadly wave pool, and the world's first, and last, looping waterslide.

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CLAMP - How one of the Greatest Manga Creators got their Start Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

CLAMP is an absolutely legendary group of all female Manga creators known for classics such as Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits and xxxHolic. But how did this group of women come together? And what the hell does "CLAMP" even mean?

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Product Placement and E.T. Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

In the modern day, we're so used to being advertised to, that an ad in our favorite films doesn't even phase us anymore. However, the history of product placement and film might be more intertwined than you think, and while it wasn't the first, the film, E.T. definitely played important part in shaping advertising in movies as we know it today.

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Student Rebellion, the New Left and Ashita no Joe Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

What if I told you that there was a manga in Japan that not only revolutionized the genre of sports manga, but inspired a plane Hijacking? Today, Host Austin talks about the famous boxing manga, Ashita no Joe and how this series, though still relatively unknown in the west, has influenced so much of our favorite anime and manga.

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How Disneyland Paris almost Ruined Everything Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

When the Walt Disney company set out to open a new international theme park under their umbrella, they had no idea that they were entering into a venture that would result in millions of dollars in debt, a graveyard of cancelled projects, and the company teetering on total collapse. It's just one little theme park in Paris. What could possibly go wrong?

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Is Betty Boop Black? Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

Betty Boop is one of the oldest animated characters in existence, and yet she is really only known as a face on t-shirts and purses. How did she come into existence, and more importantly, is Betty Boop Black?

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Mr. Blobby and Blobbymania May 26, 2026

Show notes

In 1992, the UK unleashed a force so terrible, so annoying, that the world would never be the same.

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Small Soldiers - Who is this movie even for? May 19, 2026

Show notes

Before Dreamworks released the box office hit, Shrek, they were a small studio trying to find their footing with ambitions of becoming larger than Disney. In what would soon become Dreamwork's signature move, they decided to try and capture the success of Disney's Toy Story, but make it EDGY and COOL. Who was the man for the job? Joe Dante, director of Gremlins, and a man who does not know at all how to make a children's movie. Will this become a bigger problem down the line, or does Dreamworks have a slam dunk film on their hands?

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Zoog Disney - The Dawn of the Disney Channel Star May 12, 2026

Show notes

It's hard to believe that there was a time before Hannah Montana, before That's so Raven, before Even Stevens, when The Disney Channel was a much different place. You have Zoog Disney to thank for the success of all these shows. Now, what's a Zoog? Why, it's a creature that lives on the Zether, the place between the internet and TV. If that didn't make much sense to you, well buckle in. It only gets wilder from here.

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Salute Your Shorts - A Nickelodeon Classic Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

Before Drake and Josh. Before Ned's Declassified. Before Pete and Pete, there was "Salute Your Shorts" a kid sitcom about the highs and lows of middle school summer camp.

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