Now It's Ruined

Welcome to the episode that gave Kate “the deepest ick” of any we’ve done yet. And don’t worry, it’s not about factory farms or the morality of eating meat.  We all know bacon and eggs as an iconic breakfast combo. But have you ever thought about why we eat it for breakfast?  It’s because it was sold to the American public by a master of propaganda: Edward Bernays. Bernays revolutionized the adver...

In our slightly belated second Pride episode, Larkin discusses the dark history behind the pink triangle, a symbol of activism in the LGBTQIA+ community. Once used by the Nazis to identify gay male prisoners in concentration camps, the symbol was reclaimed in the 80s and used as a call to action during the AIDS crisis. Listen and learn about queer trailblazer Magnus Hirschfeld, which member of Hit...

Content Warning: This episode contains detailed descriptions of a deadly building fire. Listener discretion is advised. Due to the unexpected passing of Kate's mom, we're upcycling our first Patreon bonus episode so we don't leave you without content for a week. More ruinous content will come your way soon, but we appreciate your understanding and support during this tough time.  We didn't know mu...

Happy Pride!!!  In our first guest episode, Kate and Larkin are joined by Erica Vogel, author of the book Advice from Your Trans Aunty and the episodic Substack memoir Blue Sky Bird . Erica has spent the majority of her life solving a wide variety of trials and tribulations as both a closeted and out transgender woman. Drawing from her experiences, her education, and her interactions with thousand...

We’re ruining our first person as Kate tells us the dirt on thrill-seeking American hero (and fan of Nazi Germany) Charles Lindbergh.  It’s a story that’s all the more frustrating because it could have been so romantic! Charles’ early days sound like a thrilling fairytale, and he could have been a highly influential catalyst for positive change. Instead, Charles devolved into a stubborn, deeply pr...

In Part 2 of our Mother’s Day Special, Larkin tells Kate the story of not-so-good mom Leonarda Cianciulli, the Soap Maker of Correggio.  We don’t want to call her a “bad” mom, because she was doing everything she could to protect her child. But the methods she used move her out of “good mom” territory pretty fast.  Leonarda had been told by a fortune teller that she would outlive all of her childr...

In honor of Mother’s Day, we decided to do our first two-part episode! Kate and Larkin will be doing a story swap, with Kate covering a good mom from history and Larkin covering a… not-so-good mom. Even though it’s not a traditional Now It’s Ruined, both episodes are deeply dark and depressing, so don’t worry: Mother’s Day will still be ruined. In our first episode, Kate shares the incredible stor...

Malaria has plagued humans for centuries. It was written about by the ancient Mesopotamians, Greeks, Romans, Hindus, and Chinese. The cure was waiting quietly in the bark of a tree in South America- A place malaria never touched until European colonizers brought it there. What does this have to do with gin and tonics, you ask? Give a listen to find out. References https://www.britannica.com/plant/...

In our gnarliest episode yet, Kate teaches Larkin the unfortunate history of the chainsaw. You’ll learn about human evolution, the religious makeup of Ireland, and a fly-by-night surgical procedure performed by a professional cow castrator. Hold on to your people parts, because this one gets graphic.  TW: Medical trauma, childbirth trauma, abortion trauma Helpful links: How to connect Patreon to o...

In our first full episode, Larkin ruins false eyelashes with tales ranging from ancient Egypt to the present day. You’ll learn things like what fashions are currently trending among orcas, how Pliny the Elder died, and which director of a famously racist film had eyelashes glued to a starlet’s lids with spirit gum. Plus, a foray into werewolf dust (don’t ask, just listen) and Henry Cavill’s smooth...

In this first mini-episode, recorded a few years ago before we really knew what we were doing, Kate fills Larkin in on the horrifying history of how the hammock came to Europe. It's a tale of greed and bloodshed starring colonizer- and famously terrible navigator- Christopher Columbus.  As a note, the Google pronunciation lied to Kate about how to pronounce "Taíno," so she mispronounces it through...