This Was A Thing: The Retro Podcast

Most people would probably say “Yes” immediately if someone agreed to pay them a million dollars for spending time on an island. But what if you had to undergo challenges like eating beetle larvae, and be judged by a jury of your peers in order to get the money? Oh, also, finding a place to poop is not fun. That may not sound like your ideal vacation, but to the first-season contestants on Survivor, that was their reality for the 39-day duration of the show. And to the millions of people who were glued to the screen, they witnessed a seminal moment of television that helped define a genre and has continued to this day.Ray teaches Rob about the first season of Survivor and how its creators and producers, Charlie Parsons and Mark Burnett, made their dream reality show an actual reality; why psychologists are essential to the casting of the show; Ray’s deep love for Mr. Jeff Probst, the show’s legendary host; moments of the first season that have become part of Survivor canon; the strong personalities that made up the show’s original sixteen-person cast; and how Survivor has innovated on its formula since the first season.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPSSue’s Famous Rat and Snake speechSurvivor Borneo Rudy Likes Rich Not in a Homosexual waySurvivor Borneo in 19 Minutes!Survivor 1 Borneo Opening Credits High QualityADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“Happy...

This past week, on August 23rd, the world (A.K.A. musical theater nerds) recognized the anniversary of the passing of Oscar Hammerstein II, one of Broadway's most renowned contributors. So to honor Mr. Hammerstein in our own, special ThWAT way, here's Rob's episode all about the age in which Hammerstein ruled supreme: the Golden Age of Musical Theater. Enjoy!~~~Long before the barricades of Les Mis arose, before Adele Dazeem defied gravity, and before Mr. Alexander Hamilton took his shot, musical theatre in America had already emerged from one of the most formative and productive periods in theatre history. It only lasted 21 years, but those years gave the public such an expansive slate of shows and groundbreaking performances that it would take a professional historian to summarize in a single podcast episode. Lucky for you, one of our hosts has a career teaching and lecturing about the history of musical theatre!Penn State's very own Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre, Mr. Rob W. Schneider, teaches Ray all about the Golden Age of American Musical Theater which spanned from 1943 to 1964; how Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma pushed the musical comedy into brand new territory; which musical accomplished the rare feat of winning the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for Drama; why Cole Porter had to be on his game when writing for Ethel; Rex Harrison’s backstage drama; and whether the current state of musical theatre qualifies as a “second” Golden Age.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPSMy Fair Lady “Rehearsal” 1/29/60Fugue for Tinhorns - Guys and Dolls (1955)

Have you ever tried to build a new habit? Ever find yourself reaching for your phone even when it’s not in your pocket? Ever thought about whether free will actually exists? Yeah, that last one got deep, but that’s just how we roll here at This Was A Thing. Because this week, we’re talking all about a man who devoted his life to studying whether or not humans have a say in how they behave. His conclusion? We’re all pretty much rats pressing levers. Daniel teaches Ray and Rob about B.F. Skinner, the psychologist, writer, and inventor whose ideas about free will and shaping behaviors made him famous and infamous; how Skinner bucked the trend of Pavlov and Freud to try to take a quantitative and objective approach to sudying human behavior; Skinner’s belief that pigeons could be the next big thing in missile technology; why Skinner’s book Beyond Freedom and Dignity earned him a spot on Noam Chomsky’s sh*& list; the real origin story of Splinter from TMNT; and how B.F. Skinner continues to influence everything from modern psychology to teaching technologies.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaARTICLES, BOOKS, AND ADDITIONAL LINKSPreschoolers: Box-Bred Babies - TIMEBABY IN A BOX (Article by BF Skinner)The First Baby Tender“Skinner Air Crib” Article by Nick Joyce and Cathy FayeI was not a lab rat | Deborah...

If you’ve ever ordered at a chain restaurant, then you know the homey feeling of knowing you’re about to eat the exact same meal as you could get at any other location. And even though the Golden Arches or a pair of red braids and freckles are some of the most recognizable franchise mascots today, if we flashback to the mid-1900s, then Simple Simon and the Pieman would’ve been just as recognizable as those other icons. Why? Because if you wanted a tasty clam belly, a delicious sundae, or to snag a couple of ZZZs, then there was one only one chain that fit the bill. Rob teaches Ray about how the eponymous Mr. Johnson went from owning one small Massachusetts eatery, to running a national network of restaurants and lodges; why we can thank Eugene O’Neill for HoJo’s original boost in popularity; Jacques Pepin’s contribution to the franchise’s legacy; some unexpected controversies at HoJo’s; and how, even after the HoJo’s brand sank into obscurity, it still has a physical and cultural impact in today’s world. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPSHoward Johnson’s Commercial 1962Chef Jacques Pépin on working at Howard Johnson’s and his experiences on the American food sceneHOWARD JOHNSON RESTURANT1970 Howard Johnson’s Animated Commercial #2Howard Johnson Restaurants This Is Howard Johnson Today 1988 TV Commercial HDADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“Happy Bee” and “Happy Boy End Theme”• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

Are you looking for a story that is 100% guaranteed to blow your mind? A true crime tale that'll leave you wondering how crooks got away with it for so long in the first place? Well, hold on to your girdle, because this one's a doozy. It's got everything: insurance scams, fake passports, an undercover sting operation, Israeli really bank accounts, and huge sales on some of the best TVs and VCRs around (sales tax not included). Best of all, you can listen to this story for the low, low price of FREE! Now that price is insane! Ray teaches Rob about how a mom-and-pop consumer electronics store went from being a tri-state curiosity to a national sensation; who the real man is behind all those infamous ads; why having a CPA in the family comes in handy when you're committing tax fraud; and why building an empire on a foundation of shady financials and skimming off the top probably isn't the best business model.If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaWEBSITEWhite Collar Fraud ARTICLESMental FlossNew York Times - 1985New York Times - 2016 (1)New York Times - 2016 (2)New YorkerNJ.comWashington PostEPISODE CLIPS1987 Crazy Eddie CommercialCrazy Eddie 'Insane!' Commercial (NY, 1978)Classic Crazy Eddie Commercial 'Bathroom DooWop' (1977-1979)

We're busy behind the scenes here putting together a whole new batch episodes for the upcoming year, so while we do that, have a tasty, bite-sized treat on us - a chance to listen back to our episode all about the world's favorite mini-oven!~~~Happy holidays, listeners! We’ve got a delectable episode for you today, featuring a toy that has been a household staple for more than 60 years and is still going strong. In fact, it would be just the thing if you’re looking for some help with holiday baking, as long as you don’t mind your baked goods being on the miniature side…and possibly losing a finger or two in the process… Daniel teaches Ray and Rob about the Easy-Bake Oven’s origins at the renowned toy company Kenner Products; how New York pretzel vendors played an essential role in providing inspiration for the product; all the different ways the word “cookies” can be pronounced; the battle to make a version of the Easy-Bake that wasn’t explicitly marketed for girls; and how this kitchen toy has influenced everyone from amateur bakers to professional chefs and which, despite its ups and downs, remains one of the most fondly remembered toys of all time.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLES“How Easy-Bake Ovens Work” by Nathan ChandlerEasy-Bake Evolution: 50 Years of Cakes, Cookies, and Gender Politics | Collectors WeeklyLight Bulb Baking: A History of the Easy-Bake Oven“Easy-Bake Oven Gourmet” by David Hoffman

If you turn back the clocks to the early 90s, it would be impossible to avoid all the late night jokes about Vice President Dan Quayle. Likewise, if you followed the 90s TV scene, you couldn't miss the fact that Candice Bergen was raking in the Emmys for her role as the titular Murphy Brown on CBS. So when two media behemoths like that unexpectedly went head-to-head, it was bound to be a battle for the ages...Rob teaches Ray about Dan Quayle's life and career, and his sudden rise to prominence as the running mate of George H. Dubya Bush; how the Republican decision to focus more heavily on "traditional family values" emerged partly as an attack against Bill and Hillary Clinton; when spelling really does matter; why the V.P.'s condemnation of single mother families in general, and Murphy Brown in particular, brought him such a backlash; and how the outrage stirred up by this clash of cultural titans continues to this day.If you turn back the clocks to the early 90s, it would be impossible to avoid all the late night jokes about Vice President Dan Quayle. Likewise, if you followed the 90s TV scene, you couldn't miss the fact that Candice Bergen was raking in the Emmys for her role as the titular Murphy Brown on CBS. So when two media behemoths like that unexpectedly went head-to-head, it was bound to be a battle for the ages...Rob teaches Ray about Dan Quayle's life and career, and his sudden rise to prominence as the running mate of George H. Dubya Bush; how the Republican decision to focus more heavily on "traditional family values" emerged partly as an attack against Bill and Hillary Clinton; when spelling really does matter; why the V.P.'s condemnation of single mother families in general, and Murphy Brown in particular, brought him such a backlash; and how the outrage stirred up by this clash of cultural titans continues to this day.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPS“You’re No Jack Kennedy” Clip From...

If you’ve ever fallen into the YouTube rabbit hole of corporate training videos, then you’re our kind of listener. We could (and probably should) do a whole episode just about the glorious world of schlocky and cheesy company-produced entertainment intended to get employees the information they need - and with style! And as America prepared to enter World War II, hundreds of thousands of troops needed to quickly learn essential topics about everything from Japanese fighter planes to the perks of being an airman. What better way to teach them than to show them a movie?Ray teaches Rob and Daniel about the origin of a special unit of the U.S. armed forces dedicated solely to producing films to help instruct and entertain the troops of WWII; how big names like Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable, and even future president Ronald Reagan all got involved with these films; why the animation department became an essential part of illustrating concepts to troops; how “Little Rascals” producer Hal Roach played a pivotal role in the story of this regiment; and the prolific output of this unit that made it one of the most talked-about entertainment of its day.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. Thank you as always for your support, and if you have any thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to send us a message on social media! And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have a second, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPS“Winning Your Wings" With Jimmy StewartMilitary Film Bloopers U.S....

With heat waves hitting all over, it’s hot as H-E-double hockey sticks - so what could be better than revisiting a classic episode about an iconic rock album that when it debuted in 1977 was just as hot as the crazy temperatures we’re getting? Strap into your cycle and enjoy!~~~We’ve covered our fair share of musicians and music-adjacent topics on This Was a Thing, and we’ll probably cover plenty more in the future. But when it comes to the Venn Diagram of musical theatre, rock-and-roll, and cover art that includes apocalyptic motorcycles, there’s only one album that should come to mind. That’s because there was only one Meatloaf, only one Jim Steinman, and only one Bat Out of Hell. (Well, three, technically, but who’s counting.)Ray teaches Rob about the genesis of this epic, 7-track, 46-minute rock-and-roll experience; how Meatloaf’s and Jim’s musical theatre roots brought them together; what Rob and Ray wouldn’t do for love; why this album owes its initial popularity to our neighbors up North and our friends across the pond; when a motorcycle is not a motorcycle; and why, despite how experimental and out-there it was, Bat Out of Hell remains one of the the best-selling and most beloved creations of its time.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. Thank you as always for your support, and if you have any thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to send us a message on social media! And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have a second, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPS

This week, we’re celebrating a very important birthday here at This Was A Thing. No, not that one involving declarations of independence and tea taxes (although we do love spilling tea) - this July 3rd would have been the 111th birthday of Dorothy Kilgallen, one of the most recognized reporters and celebrities of the early 20th century. But in addition to a life filled with notable accomplishments, what might have made Dorothy most remembered in the history books was her death - because it happened in a very strange and unexpected manner…Rob teaches Ray and Daniel about the life, career, and mysterious death of journalist and TV personality Dorothy Kilgallen; her popular column all about Broadway’s happenings on and offstage; Dorothy’s long-running gig as a celebrity panelist on the game show “What’s My Line?”; Dorothy’s reporting on politics and crime; why she took an interest in the assassination of John F. Kennedy and her interviews with Jack Ruby; the suspicious circumstances around Dorothy’s sudden death; and why people are still trying to answer the question: did Dorothy Kilgallen really die, or was she killed for knowing too much?If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPSPerson to Person - Dorothy Kilgallen & Dick Kollmar (1956)My Top 10 Dorothy Kilgallen’s Moments on What’s My line“What’s My Line?” - Tribute to Dorothy KilgallenADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“This Was A Thing” Theme Songs composed by Billy Recce“Happy Bee” and "George Street Shuffle"• Kevin MacLeod (

We’re giving you all a blast from the past and a peek behind the member's curtain by republishing one of our favorite Patreon bonus episodes of all time (Rob’s especially fond of the fact that Nathan Lane makes a showing). This one’s all about actor Edwin Booth, and features a very special appearance from distinguished guest host Brody Karn, Esquire. And if you like what you hear, you can get access to this and our entire collection of bonus episodes by supporting the show on Patreon or subscribing to the Apple Podcast members edition called “And Another Thing.” Now, on with the show!In one of the most off the rails of This Was a Thing (Member’s Edition), Rob and Ray learn all about 19th Century actor Edwin Booth. Brody Karn, Esquire, tries to keep the boys on track as Mary Todd Lincoln gets a job at Denny’s, The Booth Family does Hairspray, and Seinfeld tries Shakespeare. If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaSpecial GuestBrody Karn

Danny and Sandy...Troy and Gabriella...Baby and Johnny. All vacation romances that became classics in their own right. And then there’s another that’s maybe not quite as classic: the iconic, infamous, and Golden Raspberry award-winning duo of Justin and Kelly. ~~~“American Idol” season one was an entertainment behemoth in the 2002. It introduced us to sassy judges and gave the world the multi-hyphened legend, Ryan Seacrest. But besides that, it also introduced the world to Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini, the heroes of this episode.After season one was done, the next logical step was taken – LETS MAKE A MOVIE! And a movie, they made… “From Justin to Kelly” was a musical/rom-com/beach flick released in the summer of 2003. Considering how popular “American Idol” was, the film HAD to be a success, right?...This week Ray teaches Rob about the departure of Brian Dunkleman, how apparently Ft. Lauderdale has a platform on the beach where you can tap dance, and how the guy who wrote the script for “Spice World”, also wrote this script. LEGEND!If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have a second, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media.TEAMRay HebelRobert W SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaWEBSITESIMDbBox Office MojoMetacriticRotten Tomatoes ARTICLESEntertainment Weekly

When it comes to LGBTQ trailblazers, Ellen DeGeneres is top of that list. Her decision to come out both as a public figure and her television persona made waves across the country and her daytime talk show helped normalize the image of a gay host on public airwaves. Sadly (and unsurprisingly given the slow pace of progress) there was blowback when Ellen made her momentous decision - conservatives railed against a gay television character and its impact on “family values.” But what maybe was a surprise is that Ellen also got blowback from the LGBTQ+ community - as well as from many fans of the very show where she broke ground.Rob teaches Ray and Daniel about Ellen’s early years as a standup comedian, including her breakout appearance on Carson; her casting in the starring role on the sitcom initially titled These Friends Of Mine; the key role that Oprah Winfrey played in Ellen’s story both in real life and on screen; how ABC supported DeGeneres’s decision to come out and wrote an entire season leading up to that event; and why, after Ellen’s unprecedented decision, many progressive critics felt that her television show actually suffered for it.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPS“The Puppy Episode” ClipEllen Degeneres Makes Her First Appearance on Carson’s Tonight Show“These Friends of Mine” PromoADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“This Was A Thing” Theme Songs composed by Billy Recce“Happy Bee”• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)•...

June's bustin' out all over, and we're bustin' out one last classic episode before we get back to some new episodes coming later this month. And since June is Pride Month and the month of the Tony Awards, we're serving up a "two birds, one stone" situation by reairing an episode that falls squarely in both categories: La Cage aux Folles!~~~In honor of pride month, this week is a special episode focused on the franchise that began life as a landmark French boulevard stage comedy, and was then adapted into acclaimed films and musical. And even though the love story at the center of the story was between two men, it has captured the hearts of audiences from all sexual orientations. It also answers the age old question: what happens when you put the composer of Hello Dolly!, the director of West Side Story, and Edna Turnlad in a room together? The answer: Broadway magic.Rob teaches Ray about the history of Jean Poiret’s play La Cage Aux Folles and its many adaptations; how competing producers (including ThWAT favorite Allan Carr) fought to secure the chance to both film and musicalize La Cage; Jerry Herman’s hummable, Tony-winning score and the anthem it provided the gay rights movement; Nathan Lane’s breakout movie performance; and all the ways in which this property has been and continues to be celebrated by audiences across the world.If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSMike Wallace The Homosexuals 1967 - YouTubeLa Cage Aux Folles (1979) movie review - Sneak Previews with Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel - YouTubeEpiphany - George Hearn (1982) - YouTubeLa Cage aux Folles 2 TrailerLa Cage aux Folles 3 Trailer"Color and Light" from Sunday in the Park with GeorgeColumbo Pilot Episode - “Prescription Murder” costarring Gene Barry - Clips - YouTubeI Am What I Am - YouTubeSong on the Sand (La Da Da Da) - YouTube

Our final stop down defunct social media memory lane: take six seconds (give or take a few hundred) and give a listen to our classic all about Vine!~~~Can you put together a meaningful thought or idea in six seconds or less? What about a moderately funny video? It’s hard! But there was some GOLD in them there Vine hills!Ray teaches Rob about how Vine helped launch the careers of Shawn Mendes, King Bach, and yes, even Jake and Logan Paul. We also revisit some of our favorite Vines of years past including Rob’s favorite – a teacher’s reaction to having a piece of paper thrown at them. “Whoever threw that paper, your mom’s a…”If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAM:Ray HebelRobert W SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSavia  ARTICLESThe VergeBBCThe GuardianPitchforkAd WeekMedia PostMedium

Next up in our social platform retrospective: Napster! TikTok may currently be the place where up-and-coming musicians are finding their audience and where labels like Universal have banned their artists from sharing music. But rewind a couple decades and there was one indisputable home of music on the internet: Napster. Only one problem: it was probably all illegal.~~~Ah, to be 19 again. It's a time of possibilities, insecurities, of worrying about what adulthood is really going to be like. On the other hand, if you're Shawn Fanning or Sean Parker, your worries at 19 were a little bigger. As in, "multimillion-dollar legal battles with the entire music industry" bigger. And all because of a piece of software that let you listen to and download music from all across the internet...without paying the artists. What could go wrong?Ray teaches Rob about how a crazy idea on an Internet chat forum grew into the software start-up Napster; how Ray can trace his love of Monty Python to the early days of digital music downloads; how the music industry was forced to reckon with the reality that physical media had become a relic of the past; why pissing off Lars Ulrich is a bad idea; and why Napster's brief and shining moment in the world of online music streaming was the beginning of a trend that completely changed the way the world listens to music.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESThe GuardianTimeVanity FairEPISODE CLIPS

With all this hubbub about TikTok possibly getting banned, we're revisiting three of our episodes about social media platforms that burned bright and burned out fast. And up first - MySpace!~~~Friendster, SixDegrees, Makeoutclub - if you're a 90s kid, then you probably remember at least some of those websites (and may they all rest in peace). But there could only be one top dog, and MySpace was it. Hillary Duff, Harry Styles, Kim Kardashian - everyone had a MySpace page, and you better pray your friends put you in their Top 8. So with all the hype, how did the site go from being a 12-billion-dollar gorilla to an Internet has-been?Rob teaches Ray about how this small, music-centric social site evolved into a global behemoth; why "the honor system" isn't exactly an enforceable privacy policy; the tragic betrayal of Tila Tequila; and why we could all use a little more Tom in our lives.If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAMRay HebelRobert W SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESTom Anderson's InstagramAUDIO/VISUALEpisode ClipsTom Anderson InterviewSNL MySpace Sketch"Leave Britney Alone" VideoMusic & Sound EffectsAdditional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Rob teaches Ray and Daniel about the storied biography of Mr. Carlos Irwin Estevez, better known as Charlie Sheen, including: Sheen’s origins as a child star and teen heartthrob; his breakout role in “Platoon”; Sheen’s struggles with substances and his highly publicized firing from the sitcom that revitalized his career; and how the news media all seized on Sheen’s apparent mental collapse as an opportunity to drive ratings, regardless of the impact it might have had on his state of mind.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPSCharlie Sheen On Alex JonesSheen’s KornerABC Interview with Charlie Sheen (02.28.11)Charlie Sheen Rants CompilationChuck Lorre on Replacing Charlie Sheen on "Two and a Half Men”ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“This Was A Thing” Theme Songs composed by Billy Recce"Happy Bee,” “Light Awash,” “Study and Relax” • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro,

It's Earth Day and we want to celebrate one of the finest gifts that this pretty planet has to offer. No, not Fred Silverman - everyone's best bud, cannabis! But things haven't always looked as bright for MJ as they do nowadays with modern legalization efforts, and so we're looking back at a time when the hype around marijuana was more about the insanity it caused than its many benefits. And that insanity had a special name - Reefer Madness!~~~REEFER MADNESS! It’s taken over this fine country, so we decided it was time to cover it! Run for your life, marijuana is polluting the minds of America’s youths!“Reefer Madness”, originally titled “Tell Your Children”, was an exploitation and propaganda film released in 1936, 1938, or 1939…. Seriously, they didn’t keep an accurate record of the film’s release. It was meant to teach about the dangers of grass, dope, ganja, that sticky icky icky icky… And the film worked! People were terrified!What’s even more interesting than the film is The Marihuana Act of 1937. (Yes, that’s how it was spelt.) Passed by the government and backed by William Randolph Hearst, it was the first step in making cannabis as illegal as illegal could be!This week Ray teaches Rob all about the history of hemp and its many uses, how this film fell into public domain, which ultimately led to some of the first midnight screenings and opened the door for showings of movies like “Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “The Room”…and how that wacky tabacky could make you go insane and beat your acquaintance with a stick. (It’s in the movie.) Be careful out there, folks.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSavia WEBSITESIMDbRotten...

In our glorious age of streaming services, we never need to worry about recording anything ourselves - we just click “Continue Watching” and chill. But in the sad, not-too-distant past, you couldn’t always just open up Netflix and binge all nine seasons of Suits whenever you felt like it. Instead, if you missed your favorite soap, tough noogies. That is, that was the way things were until the magical VCR entered the American household. Out of the house? No problem! Just pop in a cassette and you’re golden. The only problem was that two companies wanted the glory of becoming the standard format on which people would record their shows - and neither was going down without a fight. Daniel teaches Rob and Ray about the infamous format war between Sony’s Betamax systems and tapes, and JVC’s competitor, the VHS; how the history of recorded and broadcast video on recorded tape media took some strange twist and turns involving World War II and Bing Crosby; Rob’s and Ray’s favorite streaming services; the legal challenges Sony faced from studios terrified that home recording would be the death knell of movie distribution; and why home recorded media is no longer something consumers really seem to want or even have access to.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaSOURCESPodcastsEverything 80s Podcast Everything Everywhere DailyTech StuffArticles