Dirt Nap City - History's Most Interesting Dead People

At the peak of her fame, Julia Child was one of the most famous television celebrities in the United States. She was the first cooking show super star, but she didn't learn to appreciate cuisine until later in life when she volunteered for the war effort during World War II. She met her husband Paul when she was in Sri Lanka and he really taught her to appreciate fine food, art and culture. J...

Last time we explored the elements that make up what we call "rock and roll". This week we listen to specific types of music and decide if they qualify as rock and roll or not. It's a deep question, but with all the rock stars in Dirt Nap City, we feel especially qualified to say if rock and roll is dead or not.  Do you wanna rock? Then definitely check out this special episode of D...

After a visit to the Rock and Roll hall of fame earlier this year, Alex and Kelly found themselves wondering if today's rock and roll is the same type of music that they grew up listening to...and the answer is definitely "no, it's not." But just because rock and roll is changing and evolving, does that mean that it is dead? In this episode, we explore that question by defining...

Women's athletics has changed greatly since the early 20th century. But one fact remains - Babe Didrikson Zaharias was one of the greatest female athletes of all times. She dominated many almost every sport that she participated in - from sprinting, to hurdles, to javelin, to baseball, to tennis, to golf, and she was even a champion seamstress! Babe did it all! But to be a woman and an athlet...

Satchel Paige was a ground breaking pitcher with one of the longest careers in the history of professional baseball. He was one of the most gifted pitchers in baseball history. He could throw a fastball that was clocked at over 100 miles per hour, and he had a mastery of the knuckleball that was unmatched. But for many years Paige was unable to play in the Major Leagues because of his race. He spe...

P. T.  Barnum was an American showman, businessman and politician remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes (also called "humbugs") and founding the Barnum & Bailey Circus . He was also an author, publisher, politician, and philanthropist. While controversial by today's standards, much of what he did was ground-breaking in terms of promotion and public relations. He promoted hu...

When it comes to titans of industry, it is difficult to imagine someone more influential than John D Rockefeller. At one point he was the richest man in the world and held almost 3% of the American GDP. From a humble beginning, John was a hard worker who happened to be in the right place when oil was discovered in western Pennsylvania. His company, Standard Oil, became the predecessor to many famo...

Howard Cosell was a major figure on television in the middle of the twentieth century, but he was not necessarily well loved by his fans. Many found him arrogant and condescending. In this episode we take a look at the sports legend who "never played the game". From his time as a small time radio broadcaster to becoming the face of the ABC television network's sports programming, we...

Love him or hate him, Jerry Springer is definitely one of the most interesting recent residents of Dirt Nap City. Jerry Springer is a former politician and lawyer who became famous for hosting the tabloid talk show The Jerry Springer Show from 1991 to 2018. The show was known for its outrageous and often controversial content, which often featured guests who were involved in infidelity, violence,...

Ray Kroc was an American businessman who purchased the fast food company McDonald's in 1961 from the McDonald brothers and was its CEO from 1967 to 1973. Kroc is credited with the global expansion of McDonald's, turning it into the most successful fast food corporation in the world by revenue. In this episode, Alex and Kelly explore Kroc and McDonald's, from the early days of standa...

Betsy Ross is considered the mother of the American flag - the symbol of the United States. But did she really sew the American flag? In this episode we look at the woman who became a symbol of the American revolution and what actually happened during her life. We also talk about whether it's important to always be factually correct about historical figures, or if it's OK to let some leg...

Walt Disney is a symbol of entertainment in America. From his early days of cell animation to his vision for the "city of tomorrow", Walt Disney always dreamed big. But is the vision of Disney today what Walt would have imagined or wanted? In this episode, Alex and Kelly take a look at the life of one of the most famous entertainers in the world and explore how his vision impacted the wo...

If you think Henry VIII was a violent man who killed thousands and beheaded his wives, you would be right. But did you know that Henry VIII was was also a patron of the arts, had a talent for music, was an accomplished horseman and actually loved many people during his life? Just like many residents of Dirt Nap City, Henry VIII was a complicated man who did many great things but also many terrible...

Joseph Pilates developed a regiment he called  “Contrology”, which later became known as "Pilates". This method had influences of: greek calisthenics, gymnastics, swimming, martial arts, yoga and diving. He was a sickly child and found that this form of exercise helped him greatly and he dedicated his life to helping others learn this method as well. In this episode, Alex and Kelly take...

Mother Teresa was a woman who helped other people throughout her life.  Upon her death she was declared a saint and her life and deeds live up to that title. But did you know that she moved to Ireland in order to learn English? Or that she performed miracles beyond the grave? Mother Teresa is often synonymous with virtue, kindness and giving - and this episode of Dirt Nap City explores those virtu...

Thomas Alva Edison was one of the greatest inventors and entrepreneurs of the late 1800's and early 1900's. He was driven by a passion for discover and invention and invented many things that we still use today. But did you know that, despite inventing the phonograph, he became mostly deaf at the age of 12? And did you know that many of his over one thousand patents were never commercial...

One of the best selling books of all time is Baby And Child Care by Dr. Benjamin Spock. The book was first published in 1946 and has been updated and republished with new editions until recently. This book was considered the ultimate guide to raising children by the parents of the baby boomers, the baby boomers themselves, generation X and continues today. But what was so special about this book?...

Albert Einstein is considered one of the greatest minds of all time. But he was more than just a master of science. He was an activist, a musician and most importantly, a free thinker. He also divorced his first wife to marry his first cousin! So to say that he was a normal guy would be very misguided. In this episode Kelly and Alex explore the life and accomplishments of Albert Einstein, the man...

Who could have predicted that one day there would be a podcast that talks about Nostradamus? Well, Nostradamus probably could have predicted it...or could he? In this episode Alex and Kelly explore the life and times of the French prophet Nostradamus. Who he was. How he came to make predictions. And why those predictions still seem relevant hundreds of years after they were made. If you have ever...

Sir Ernest Shackleton was an explorer from a time when there were many unexplored places on our great planet. He was also a different kind of leader for the time and was not only known for his adventures but also his unusual leadership style. He was the type of man who kept his word and ensured the safety and happiness of the men he lead on his expeditions. From a young age he felt the need leave...

Dirt Nap City is the place where everyone, no matter who you are, will eventually go to live. And because of that fact, there are many interesting characters and stories in Dirt Nap City! From Colonel Sanders to Eleanor Roosevelt to Evel Knievel to Saint Valentine, the list goes on and on! Dirt Nap City is also the podcast about interesting dead people - but don't worry, we are not here to ta...

For many people, Valentine's day is a day of love and candy, but who was the actual Saint Valentine? And why do we celebrate his holiday the way we do? In this episode, Alex and Kelly dive deep into the myths and facts about Saint Valentine, discussing who he was, what was happening in the world when he lived, the idea of "courtly love", and which phrase on the Sweetheart candies is...

Jim Henson captured the imagination of the world with his innovative cross between marionettes and puppets, which he called "muppets". From Kermit the Frog, to Miss Piggy, to the rock star drummer Animal, the Muppets became part of American culture. But who was the man behind the Muppets? Did you know that Jim Henson was involved in many other programs beyond Sesame Street and The Muppet...

It has long been a tradition to yell "Geronimo!" when jumping from an airplane or just about any other high place. But who was Geronimo? What tribe did he belong to? Was he actually a chief? Why did he become famous? Were his bones stolen from his grave in Oklahoma? In this episode of Dirt Nap City, Alex and Kelly cover those questions and many more about this Native American legend. If...

Theodor Seuss Geisel was known by the pen name "Dr Seuss" because he was caught drinking gin during prohibition and was forced to write under a pseudonym in college. He was also an early "ad man" creating advertisements for major US oil companies, sugar makers and television networks. To say that Dr Seuss was an interesting citizen of Dirt Nap City is a major understatement! In...