The Story Behind

Latest Episodes:

The Revolver | Clue Series: The Beatles, Samuel Colt, the Colt .45, and Professor Plum (TSB082) Aug 31, 2017

Show notes

In 1966, the Beatles played their friend Klaus Voorman their song "Tomorrow Never Knows" while Voorman went to work sketching what would become the cover to the band's next album, which I referenced in The Story Behind Imagine (by John Lennon). This album contained the songs "Taxman," "Eleanor Rigby," and "Good Day, Sunshine," and was almost called After Geography. This suggestion was Ringo Starr's idea of a pun based on the Rolling Stones releasing Aftermath. Get it? After-geography? After-math? Like a high school schedule.

Luckily, the band went with a very to-the-point title that referenced what the record, itself, does when being played. But that's neither Here, There or Everywhere when it comes to the game and movie Clue. We're here to talk about the weapon used for MURDER.

I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind The Revolver.

The Clue Series Butler you heard at the beginning of the episode was played by Paul from Rick and Paul Heal the World.

Professor Plum imitations provided by Amy from Ladies Love Paul Rudd. If you'd like to add your voice to the podcast, join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook to be notified when I'm looking for guest voices for the show.

This episode was brought to you by The Story Behind Executive Producers who support the show through the Patreon Page: Stargate Pioneer, Mat from the One Word Go Show, Sam Dunn, and History Goes Bump! Thank you for your support!

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook!

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Take the #2PodsADay Challenge! Visit 2PodsADay.wordpress.com or follow @2PodsADay on Twitter.

Media:

"Dance of Deception" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

"Happy Happy Game Show" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Music for Makers

Sources:

Beatles' 'Revolver': 15 Things You Didn't Know - Rolling Stone

Samuel Colt - History.com

Colt 45 - Pabst Brewing Company

Clue - Internet Movie Firearms Database

10 Things You May Not Know About Samuel Colt - History.com

How the Colt Single Action Army Revolver Won the West - Popular Mechanics

Colt .45 Peacemaker - Guns Magazine

Are We Stuck in the 1950s? - Psychology Today

VA Psychologists and Clinical Science in the 1950s - American Psychological Association

Humanism - Simply Psychology

The Rope | Clue Series: Ancient Uses, Torture, and Mrs. White (TSB081) Aug 28, 2017

Show notes

Welcome to The Story Behind: Clue Series. In every episode of this series, we talk about the history of one of the original weapons used in the game, "Clue." This series may not be appropriate for all ages and listener discretion is advised. And now, I present your host.

The weapon we're talking about in this episode is probably the most ubiquitous of the Clue weapons. While its original intent may have been for utility purposes, the number of ways it could be used for MURDER range from strangling to hanging to the medieval method of being hanged, drawn and quartered.

I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind The Rope.

The Clue Series Butler you heard at the beginning of the episode was played by Paul from Rick and Paul Heal the World.

Mrs. White imitations provided by Chris, Emily Kendall and Michael from Redemption – A Star Wars actual-play podcast.; Jennifer Pratt, who will be coming out with a science fiction podcast soon; and Amy Pascale from Ladies Love Paul Rudd and part of the hashtag #LadyPodSquad group on Facebook and Twitter, which any lady-podcaster can join and talk with other women about all-things podcasting.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook!

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Looking for more female-hosted podcasts? Find them by searching #LadyPodSquad on Twitter.

Take the #2PodsADay Challenge! Visit 2PodsADay.wordpress.com or follow @2PodsADay on Twitter.

Other Episodes referred to: The Story Behind Lucky Numbers

Media:

"Dance of Deception" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

"Happy Happy Game Show" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Music for Makers

Sources:

How does death by hanging work? - How Stuff Works

History of Rope - Southern Ropes

Jump Rope History - The Jump Rope Institute

Book: The Modern Wonder Book of Knowledge

The Twisted History of the Noose - The Daily Beast

Drawing and Quartering - Encyclopedia Britannica

What Do "Drawn and Quartered" and "Keelhauling" Mean? - The Straight Dope

'Feminist Coup': Clue, The Game, Kills Off Mrs. White, Replaces Her With Female Scientist - Washington Post

The Wrench | Clue Series: False Origins, Jack Johnson, and Colonel Mustard (TSB080) Aug 24, 2017

Show notes

What can you say about this weapon? While not as useful as the rope or as destructive as the knife, it's definitely a staple in any tool box … and also the perfect tool for MURDER. To quote Laugh-In's Judy Carne, Socket to me!

I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind the Wrench.

The Clue Series Butler you heard at the beginning of the episode was played by Paul from Rick and Paul Heal the World.

Colonel Mustard imitations provided by Chris, Emily Kendall and Michael from Redemption – A Star Wars actual-play podcast.

The role of Colonel Greene was played by David the Producer from The Unwritable Rant.

Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook!

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Take the #2PodsADay Challenge! Visit 2PodsADay.wordpress.com or follow @2PodsADay on Twitter.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Sources:

The History of Hardware Tools - ThoughtCo.

Jack Johnson's Monkey Wrench - Snopes

About Us - AllenHex.com

Question of the Month: Jack Johnson and the Wrench - Jim Crowe Museum

Update: Jack Johnson and The Wrench - The Black History Channel

Robert Owen, Inventor of the Ratchet Wrench (Double Acting Wrench) - Little Cities Archive+

Double-Acting Wrench Patent

Charles Monk, Monkey Wrenches and a "Monkey on a Stick" - a Gripping History and Etymology of "Monkey Wrench" - Early Sports and Pop Culture History Blog

What is the Difference between a Monkey Wrench and a Pipe Wrench? - DoItYourself.com

Book: A History of 100 Years of Valve Manufacturing - The Story of the Walworth

Company, Inc. Oldest Manufacturer of Valve and Fittings in the United States

Pipe Wrenches - Tooling Around The Matheson History Museum

World War II Rationing - U-S-History.com

Media:

"Dance of Deception" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

"Happy Happy Game Show" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

VIDEO - Growth of the Black Market During WW2

Music for Makers

The Candlestick | Clue Series: Naughty Nursery Rhymes, Liberace, and Miss Scarlet (TSB079) Aug 21, 2017

Show notes

Did you ever wonder why it's tradition to blow out candles on your birthday? It actually goes back to the Ancient Greeks and burning candles in religious ceremonies, including to pay tribute to the goddess Artemis who is associated with the moon. They baked cakes to symbolize the shape of the moon and added candles to represent moonlight.

Though cakes are delicious, they can't really be used as a weapon for MURDER. But another candleholder can ...

I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind The Candlestick.

The Clue Series Butler you heard at the beginning of the episode was played by Paul from Rick and Paul Heal the World.

Miss Scarlet imitations provided by Amy from the podcast Ladies Love Paul Rudd.

The role of Liberace was played by Craig from The Ultra Podcast. And Rub-A-Dub-Dub was read by Heather from her new podcast, Sunshine & PowerCuts, which is about her life off grid.

Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook!

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Take the #2PodsADay Challenge! Visit 2PodsADay.wordpress.com or follow @2PodsADay on Twitter.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

"Dance of Deception" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

"Happy Happy Game Show" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Music for Makers

Sources:

Why Do We Blow Out Birthday Candles? - Wonderopolis

Ancient Jewish History: The Menorah - Jewish Virtual Library

Book: Pop Goes the Weasel: The Secret Meanings of Nursery Rhymes

Reason Behind the Rhyme: Rub-a-Dub-Dub - NPR

History of Candles - National Candle Association

Candelabra - Merriam-Webster

Book: Liberace: An American Boy by Darden Asbury Pyron

What Is The Candle Maker's Petition? - Investopedia

Thomas Edison was Scrooge - The Unbroken Window

Book Review: A History of the Menorah - The New York Times

The Lead Pipe | Clue Series: Waterways, Poisoning, and Mr. Green (TSB078) Aug 17, 2017

Show notes

This episode's Clue weapon is depicted in the game by a bent metal tube, probably bent because of the force one would need to actually kill someone with that weapon. And, even if it's not being used for MURDER, the material it's made out of certainly has caused its share of health problems.

I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind The Lead Pipe.

The Clue Series Butler you heard at the beginning of the episode was played by Paul from Rick and Paul Heal the World.

Mr. Green imitations provided by Robin from the podcast The Trail Went Cold and Scott from the podcast Recovering from Religion.

The role of Vitruvius was played by Jeremy Collins from the Facebook group and podcast Podcasts We Listen To.

Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook!

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Take the #2PodsADay Challenge! Visit 2PodsADay.wordpress.com or follow @2PodsADay on Twitter.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

"Dance of Deception" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

"Happy Happy Game Show" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Music for Makers

Sources:

The Lead Industry and Lead Water Pipes "A MODEST CAMPAIGN" - US National Library of Medicine

Are Your Pipes Made Of Lead? Here's A Quick Way To Find Out - NPR

History of Plumbing Timeline - SafePlumbing.org

27 Historical Events that Shaped Modern Plumbing Systems - Ivey Engineering

BOOK: An Illustrated History of Health and Fitness, from Pre-History to our Post-Modern World by Roy J. Shephard

An American History of Lead Poisoning - The Atlantic

Lead poisoning and the fall of Rome - The Washington Post

A Very Brief History of Lead in Water Supplies - RWL Water

Lee Ving - IMDB

Is it Safe to Eat Off Vintage Plates? - Smithsonian.com

Congressional Investigations and the Lavender Scare - Prologue Magazine

9 Things To Know About 'The Lavender Scare' - Out.com

The Mustache | Facial Feature of Kings & Wrestlers (TSB077) Jul 13, 2017

Show notes

As of 2017, it's been 16 years since Alex Trebek shocked the world by appearing clean-shaven in the 18th season of "Jeopardy!" Aside from one season back two years ago, when he grew a thinner version back again, prompting fan pages and even a Twitter account just for his mustache.

But thanks to audience feedback, as well as his wife's, by the next season, the 'stache was gone. And I don't know about you, but to me, that mustache has and will always represent him. And I'm not the only one to associate the two: Will Ferrell, who has portrayed Alex Trebek numerous times on Saturday Night Live's "Celebrity Jeopardy!" skits is always seen with the signature 'stache.

I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind the Mustache.

Thanks to Nick from the Epic Film Guys for providing a picture of his luscious beard for Monday's episode art for The Story Behind Beards when I asked for a beard picture in The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook!

Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook!

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest *NEW* | Website

*NEW* Get Gear from The Story Behind at our TeePublic Store!

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Looking for more female-hosted podcasts? Find them by searching #LadyPodSquad on Twitter.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

Music for Makers

The Office Movember

Sources:

The Mustache: A Hairy History - BBC

The Time Peter the Great Declared War on Facial Hair - Mental Floss

Peter The Great Initiated A Bizarre Beard Tax That Put A Price On Flowing Facial Hair - Realm of History

A Short History of Beard Styles - History Cooperative

Victorian Mustache Spoon: Your Nose Neighbor's Best Friend - Gizmodo

Hail to the Beard! A Look at the Presidential Facial Hair - History Buff

A Hairy Tale - The History of Movember's Early Years - Movember.com

History: The Mustached American Movement - The American Mustache Institute

Alex Trebek Shaved His Mustache Again, Here's Why - Cinema Blend

11 Hard-Hitting Facts About Reggie Jackson - Mental Floss

Book: Moustaches, Whiskers & Beards – Lucinda Hawksley

Beards | Facial Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow (TSB076) Jul 10, 2017

Show notes

When god said, let there be light, Chuck Norris said, "Say please." Why is this joke funny? Or, at least it was funny a few years ago when Chuck Norris jokes were an internet favorite? Because in the joke, you are to believe Chuck Norris is more powerful than god.

I know, explaining a joke clearly makes it funnier. But in today's episode, we'll explore the feature God and Chuck Norris share that no doubt is seen as a contributing factor to their power -- at least according to jokes on the internet.

I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Beards.

Thanks to Nick from the Epic Film Guys for providing a picture of his beard for the episode art!

Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook!

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest *NEW* | Website

*NEW* Get Gear from The Story Behind at our TeePublic Store!

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Looking for more female-hosted podcasts? Find them by searching #LadyPodSquad on Twitter.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

Music for Makers

Sources:

A Short History of Beard Styles - HistoryCoopersative.org

The Amazing History of Beards (INFOGRAPHIC) - Huffington Post

The Half-Mask - Slate.com

The History of the American Beard - The New Yorker

The Racially Fraught History of the American Beard - The Atlantic

Why Do Male Lions Have Manes? - Mental Floss

How Did Abe Lincoln Growing a Beard Kick Start Milton Bradley's Gaming Career? - Legends Revealed

Why Ian McKellen Really Rejected the Role of Dumbledore - Vanity Fair

Why Does God Love Beards? - Slate

The Racially Fraught History of the American Beard - The Atlantic

The 20 Best Chuck Norris Facts - The Telegraph

5 Ways How Your Beard Affects People Around You - Balding Beards

America's Bald Eagle | Lies from Sesame Street and The West Wing (TSB075) Jul 06, 2017

Show notes

When you sign up for a social media account, once you've established your username and profile, what's one of the first things you do? Choose a profile picture. Well, in 1776, after the Declaration of Independence was signed, what was one of the first things the founding fathers wanted to do? Establish a national seal -- basically the profile picture of the United States. But it's not like they could just grab ye olde selfie stick and pose for one, they wanted something strong, a symbol of America's fortitude and pride. I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind America's Bald Eagle.

The role of Benjamin Franklin was played by Paul Csomo, co-host of the Varmints podcast at BlazingCaribouStudios.com.

Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook!

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest *NEW* | Website

*NEW* Get Gear from The Story Behind at our TeePublic Store!

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Looking for more female-hosted podcasts? Find them by searching #LadyPodSquad on Twitter.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

Music for Makers

VIDEO - Sesame Street: The National Bird

Sources:

Ben Franklin And The Great Seal Of America - The New York Times

Benjamin Franklin on the Rattlesnake as a Symbol of America - GreatSeal.com

Charles Thomson - NNDB

Did Benjamin Franklin Really Say the National Symbol Should Be the Turkey? - Slate

Eagle vs. Turkey: America's First Bird Controversy - National Wildlife Federation

How Did The Bald Eagle Become America's National Bird? - History.com

Eagle on the U.S. Presidential Seal - Snopes.com

Samuel Adams - History.com

The Debunker: Does the Presidential Eagle Ever Turn Its Head? - Woot.com

American Myths: Benjamin Franklin's Turkey and the Presidential Seal - Smithsonian.com

Uncle Sam | The Evolution of America's Mascot (TSB074) Jul 03, 2017

Show notes

We talked about mascots in The Story Behind Sports Superstitions and Curses and about how they're thought to bring a team luck. Well, mascots aren't just for sports. The one we'll be talking about today is basically a mascot for the United States, although you probably won't see him performing cartwheels during halftime of the Olympics or something. This particular mascot went something of a personification of the country in political cartoons to being the representation of the U.S. government, and, although we won't talk about it, was the title character of a 1996 slasher movie with the tagline: "I want you … dead." I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Uncle Sam.

Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook!

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest *NEW* | Website

*NEW* Get Gear from The Story Behind at our TeePublic Store!

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Looking for more female-hosted podcasts? Find them by searching #LadyPodSquad on Twitter.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

Music for Makers

Other Episodes of The Story Behind Referenced:

The Story Behind Sports Superstitions & Curses

The Story Behind Surfer Lingo

The Story Behind Christmas Traditions

The Story Behind Secret Ballots

Sources:

Uncle Sam - Encyclopedia Britannica

1813: United States nicknamed Uncle Sam - History.com

Was there a real "Uncle Sam"? - History.com

9 Things You Might Not Know About Uncle Sam - Mental Floss

John Bull and Uncle Sam: Four Centuries of British-American Relations - Library of Congress

Artist Biography: Joseph Ferdinand Keppler - Smithsonian Library

When America Was Female - The Atlantic

Columbia Pictures - Closing Logos Group

Sorry Uncle Sam, but Warrior Goddess Columbia Was Our Coolest National Mascot - Slate

Surfer Lingo | Cowabunga, Dude! (TSB073) Jun 29, 2017

Show notes

Sometimes I'll be researching an episode and get the idea for another episode from whatever Google rabbit hole I find myself in. That's how this episode came about -- while I was researching The Story Behind Surfing.

I got into the topic of words and phrases popularized because of surf culture. And also, because my husband has been begging me to do an episode relating to his favorite movie, "The Big Lebowski," this is probably right up his alley, dude.

I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Surfer Lingo.

Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook!

The role of Jean Armour Polly was played by Kathe Kline from Rock Your Retirement.

The music provided during the episode was performed by the band And Robots. Find more of their music at and-robots.com.

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Looking for more female-hosted podcasts? Find them by searching #LadyPodSquad on Twitter.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

Documentary - The Story of English

Music for Makers

Sources:

The History of the Dude - Good

A Brief History of Dude - The Atlantic

Kahuna - Online Etymology Dictionary

What The Hell Does "Cowabunga" Mean, Anyhow? - BuzzFeed

The Woman Who Coined the Expression 'Surfing the Internet' - Surfer Today

Channel Surfing - Lex Maniac