Things I Learned Last Night

In the late 1990s, a man named Jeffrey Allen Manchester earned a strange nickname: the Roofman. His crime spree would go down as one of the most unusual and oddly polite series of robberies in American history. What started with a few break-ins quickly turned into a coast-to-coast pattern of fast-food heists, most often targeting McDonald’s restaurants. The Roofman’s method was simple but clever....

When most people think of baseball legends, they imagine home runs, golden gloves, and towering trophies. But Billy Beane became a legend not because of his swing—but because of his brain. The story behind Moneyball shows how one man’s data-driven strategy forever changed how baseball teams build winning rosters. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron...

In 1971, the unthinkable happened. Theo Albrecht was kidnapped outside his office in Germany. The crime was led by Heinz Joachim Ollenburg, a dishonest lawyer with a gambling problem, and an accomplice named Paul Kron, a former safe-cracker. Their motivation was simple: money. They knew Theo Albrecht and Aldi were worth billions and believed ransom would make them rich. The plan, however, was a di...

In 1976, a student pilot named Rafael Perez took off on what was supposed to be a simple solo flight from Mexico City. The plan was to circle a nearby lake, make a brief landing in an open field, and return to the airport. It was meant to last about an hour. But something went very wrong. Moments after takeoff, Rafael Perez disappeared from radar. Air traffic controllers couldn’t contact him. Hour...

The 1980s and 1990s were filled with slogans warning kids to “just say no.” At the center of this effort was the Dare program, a nationwide campaign that claimed to stop young people from falling into drug abuse. But as history shows, the story of Dare is more complicated than its bold promises. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Sto...

Some stories in music history are stranger than fiction. The rise of The Shaggs is one of them. What started as a father’s obsession with a palm reading became a band often labeled the worst band ever. Yet, against all odds, their legacy still echoes decades later. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and...

In 1986, Cleveland made history with a bold and colorful idea. Organizers set out to release more balloons than anyone had ever attempted before. The event, known as Balloonfest 86, promised to unite the city and showcase its spirit on a national stage. What unfolded became one of the most unforgettable spectacles in Cleveland’s history. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast...

In the early 1980s, Marty Markowitz turned to psychiatrist Ike Herschkopf for help. Marty struggled with panic attacks and decision-making. At first, the therapy seemed to help. But instead of building Marty’s confidence, Ike worked his way deeper into every part of his life. Sessions that began as short meetings grew into lunches, dinners, and late-night calls. Soon, Ike wasn’t just Marty’s docto...

Lou Pearlman was one of the most influential and controversial figures in the pop music industry. His story begins far from the stage lights, but it would eventually shape the rise of some of the biggest boy bands in history. The story of Lou Pearlman and boy band fame is a cautionary tale. He created icons, yet exploited them. His vision changed pop culture forever, but his greed ultimately destr...

The Yellow Deli looks like a cozy sandwich shop at first glance. Its handmade wood furniture, rustic décor, and warm teas attract students, travelers, and locals alike. But behind the welcoming atmosphere lies a much deeper, and more controversial, story. The Yellow Deli is connected to the Twelve Tribes community, a religious group that many describe as a cult. Things I Learned Last Night is an e...

It all started in the early 2000s when a teenager named Collin heard a knock at his door. A stranger knelt before him and handed over a scrapbook that seemed to predict Collin’s future. The book presented real photos of his life, followed by an imagined portrayal of him as humanity's savior in a war against robots. The bizarre delivery was only the beginning. Collin shared the scrapbook online und...

In the age of viral fame, few stories are stranger than that of Henry Davis and the Deep Fake allegations. Henry Davis became a social media sensation with over 700,000 Instagram followers, posting a mix of political commentary, strange personal tales, and celebrity encounters. But behind the carefully crafted image was a web of deception that would soon unravel. The saga of Henry Davis and Deep F...

In 2009, a strange news story caught the attention of millions across America. A silver balloon was floating through the sky, and many believed a six-year-old boy named Falcon Henne was trapped inside. This event quickly became known as the “Balloon Boy” incident, and the man at the center of it was Richard Henne. The Balloon Boy story is a strange mix of media frenzy, family drama, and public con...

Not all superheroes live in comic books. One of them walked the streets of Seattle, in full costume, calling himself Phoenix Jones. While his origin was rooted in protecting the innocent, his story took many unexpected turns. This is the tale of how one man attempted to fight crime and ultimately blurred the line between hero and villain. Phoenix Jones wanted to protect his city. He believed one p...

Elmer McCurdy was a failed outlaw whose story didn’t end with his death—it only got weirder. After a string of explosive robbery attempts that went hilariously wrong, McCurdy met his end in a shootout with law enforcement. But instead of being buried and forgotten, his body began a journey stranger than fiction. For decades, McCurdy’s embalmed corpse was mistaken for a wax figure and passed throug...

In the 1990s, Pepsi ran one of the wildest marketing campaigns ever. The company offered “Pepsi Points” for drinking their soda. People could collect these points and trade them for branded items like T-shirts and sunglasses. But one bold TV commercial took things too far—it ended with a teenager landing a military jet at school. The cost? Seven million Pepsi Points. It was meant as a joke. But no...

In 2013, two Canadian professors set out to answer a strange question: Can robots trust humans? The result was a robot named Hitchbot. It wasn’t high-tech or futuristic-looking. In reality, it looked more like a child’s craft project. But its mission was serious: to travel across countries using only the kindness of strangers. Hitchbot was a mix of pool noodles, a bucket, rain boots, and a talking...

Imagine this: hundreds of massive ships rolling into your harbor. No gunfire, no war, just presence. That’s how Zhang He made nations bow. His fleet flexed power without destroying cities. Along the way, they also mapped the ocean and brought foreign leaders to meet the emperor. Zhang He and the ships became legends. They showed that China wasn’t just a land power. It ruled the seas, too. Things I...

Late-night TV has always been filled with laughs, interviews, and drama. But one of the biggest behind-the-scenes showdowns happened between Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno. This is the story of how two comedy giants clashed over one of television’s most iconic shows: The Tonight Show. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about r...

In the winter of 1874, six men entered the snowy Colorado mountains. Only one came out. That man was Alfred Packer, and what followed became one of the most chilling survival stories in American history. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughin...

In 897 AD, a genuinely shocking event occurred in Rome. A dead pope was put on trial. You read that right. A corpse, dressed in full church robes, was placed on a throne and judged in front of an audience. This unusual and unforgettable event is known as the Cadaver Synod. It remains one of the most bizarre moments in church history. And yes, it really happened. Things I Learned Last Night is an e...

For years, the McDonald's Monopoly game made people believe they could win big. From free fries to million-dollar prizes, millions of people peeled those little game pieces, hoping to strike it rich. But what if we told you that the biggest prizes were never actually up for grabs? This is the true story of how Jerry Jacobson stole millions of dollars by rigging the McDonald’s Monopoly game. It’s o...

In the world of hidden riches, one man took things to a whole new level. His name is Justin Posey, and he’s not your average tech guy. He’s a software engineer, a collector, and a creative thinker. But what really sets him apart? His deep obsession with finding treasure. What started as a hobby turned into a years-long mission. Now, Justin Posey and treasure might go down in history together. Thin...

Forrest Fenn was a decorated Air Force pilot, art dealer, and author who lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He collected rare artifacts from around the world. After surviving cancer in the late 1980s, he devised a wild plan: hide a treasure chest filled with valuable items and challenge people to find it. Fenn published a book in 2010 titled The Thrill of the Chase. Inside it, he included a mysterious...

It all started at a science conference. A woman named Joy Milne stood up after a lecture on Parkinson’s disease and asked the speaker, “Why do people with Parkinson’s smell like that?” The scientist, Dr. Tilo Kunath, was confused. He had never heard that Parkinson’s had a smell. But Joy was confident. She said she could smell it, and she had smelled it before anyone diagnosed her husband. Things I...