An Old Timey Podcast

After nearly 20 years of marriage, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz called it quits. Their divorce was quick, but it wasn’t simple. They’d grown Desilu into a major Hollywood studio, on par with MGM, Warner Brothers and Twentieth Century Fox. In order to keep the business going, they had to work together. And when that didn’t work out, Lucy had to figure out how to be the boss. Remember, kids, history...

Lucille Ball had everything she’d ever wanted. She had the #1 show on television. She had a family. She had money. But Lucy was waiting for the other shoe to drop. And in the spring of 1952, it did. FBI agents showed up at her door, wanting to know about her relationship to the communist party. Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Kristin pulled from: “Love, Lu...

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz had a goal – to star in a TV show as husband and wife. But there were about a million obstacles in their way. For one thing, CBS didn’t want to buy a TV show that featured an interracial couple. Major companies didn’t want to sponsor the show for that same reason. There was even a battle over where to film the show. In these negotiations, Desi proved himself to be a sav...

Lucille Ball wanted it all. She wanted to become an A-list actress. She wanted to have children. She wanted a happy marriage. But if the 1940s taught her anything, it was that she wasn’t in control. Her husband, Desi Arnaz, cheated on her constantly. They wanted children together, but suffered several miscarriages. By the end of the decade, Lucy’s only unequivocal professional success was a comedy...

Lucille Ball arrived in Hollywood ready to work. She honed her craft. She made powerful friends. She got bigger and bigger roles.  Soon, she became known as the queen of the b’s. As in, queen of b-movies. Critics spotted her talent, but noted that poorly written scripts and low budget films were holding her back. Nevertheless, Lucy persisted. And then, one day on set, Lucy met a handsome young mus...

Lucille Ball was a legendary comedian. She was a studio executive. Together with her real-life husband, Lucy created the modern sitcom. …but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. In this episode, we’ll focus on Lucy’s tumultuous childhood and the years she spent struggling to get into showbusiness. Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Kristin pulled from: The book,...

He led a massacre. He led a raid. And now, in the final episode of this series, anti-slavery crusader John Brown goes on trial. His trial had everything – peanut shells, a cozy cot, and not a speck of justice in sight. In John Brown’s final act, he became a martyr.  Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from: “Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid...

In part three of Norm’s coverage of John Brown, shit *officially* hits the fan. After years of planning, John Brown leads his men in a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Things quickly go awry. They shoot an innocent man. They get outnumbered. But John Brown refuses to back down. Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from: “Midnig...

Welcome back to part two of Norm’s coverage of famed anti-slavery crusader, John Brown. In this episode, John and his squad prepare for their infamous raid on Harpers Ferry. In the leadup to the attack, John dodges saboteurs, refuses to compromise, and bores the ever-loving shit out of Frederick Douglass. Plus, he comes up with a cool new invention - a knife on a stick! Remember, kids, history hoe...

Good history hoes probably think they know about Carry Nation. She was the woman who busted into saloons with a hatchet and smashed everything to booze-soaked bits! In fact, she liked smashing up bars so much that she did it again. And again! And again!! People called her crazy! And ugly! And tall! …which we all can agree is equally bad!(?)  In this episode, Kristin posits that Carry A. Nation des...

Clear everything off your calendar — this episode is a MEATY BOY! Norm kicks off our first episode by introducing himself as my lover/husband, then launches into a veeerrry deep dive into famed anti-slavery crusader, John Brown. You’ll laugh! You’ll get uncomfy! You might even get a lil’ turned on, imagining John Brown on the cover of Threatening Boyz magazine! And if you want to learn more about...