Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries

In the late 80's, the television animation branch of the Walt Disney company needed new shows for their popular weekday lineup "The Disney Afternoon".  But with strict deadlines and even stricter issues with copyright, making a new cartoon wasn't easy.  In the end, we would get "Darkwing Duck" the terror that flaps in the night, a comedic parody of golden age superheroes like the Spirit and Green...

Nowadays when people think about virtual pets they think about tamagotchi, or neopets or webkinz, or nintendogs, but the genre goes back much further than that.  Where did this trend really get its start, and why does this story involve the controversial Sega CD game "Night Trap"?   Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmysteries

1999 movie, "The Matrix" popularized the use of "bullet time" or the method of using slow motion in film to create a time bending effect.  But it wasn't the first to do so, not by a long shot.  Travel back in time with us to experience a story about Smirnoff commercials, a 1900's Austrian priest who loved movies, and the father of modern cinema, Akira Kurosawa.   Thomas Edison gets mentioned sever...

In 2018, an urban explorer at Walt Disney World would make a startling discovery:  Buzzy, the animatronic star of the defunct EPCOT show "Cranium Command" was MISSING.  What follows is a tale of 80's fitness mania, learning about conception on vacation, Pete Doctor lying about where he got the idea for "Inside Out", and naked animatronics.  In the end, can our intrepid hosts solve the mystery of w...

Ralph Bakshi's animation/live action hybrid film, "Cool World" is infamous for being an incredibly disastrous flop, but, who's to blame for this colossal misstep in the portfolio of an otherwise prolific director an animation legend?  Was it the studio meddling in the story?  Was it the two writers who came in and rewrote the script right under the director's nose?  Or was it Ralph Bakshi himself...

In the 90's, the city of Las Vegas made an attempt of incorporating more kid friendly attractions, in order to entice families to vacation there.  Now, almost all of these attractions are gone.  In this episode, Host Brenda tells the tales of Speed, the rollercoaster at the Sahara, the Nile River Adventure Boat ride at the Luxor,  and of MGM Great Adventures, MGM's botched attempt at having an ent...

Italian coming of age magical girl series "Winx Club" was the most popular animated series in Europe, but it struggled to find its footing in the United States.  Viacom, wanting to strengthen their Nickelodeon brand in international markets, entered into a deal with the show's creator in order to keep the series going and to give it another shot at the American market.  In comes Janice Burgess, cr...

This special network wide event is a celebration of The MaxFunDrive! If you’d like to support podcasts you love for just $5 a month and get bonus gifts in the process, go to maximumfun.org/join .  We’re kicking off the most exciting time of the year for the MaxFun Network with a trivia game show featuring hosts from tons of great podcasts. J. Keith van Straaten and Helen Hong from “ Go Fact Yourse...

In the late 90's, Disneyland was suffering from severe budget cuts as a result of the failure of Euro Disney.  In the midst of this, they debuted a new ride, the Rocket Rods, a thrill ride built on top of the track of the old peoplemover.  However, this ride would be plagued by constant problems; computer malfunctions, poor car design, noise issues, etc etc, and in the end, its legacy would be one...

Starting in the mid 60's teachers began to notice a concerning phenomenon where kids were losing reading skills at a rapid pace over the summer break.  In order to combat this summer slump, two separate local PBS stations partnered up to assemble the dream team that would create one of the most beloved children's shows of the 80's and 90's:  Reading Rainbow.  But, while Reading Rainbow is one of t...

Sometimes, characters that are created don't get popular in their home countries, but are instead embraced abroad.  This episode tells the stories of several different characters that have become popular outside of the United States where they were born.  Learn the story of Pica Pau in Brazil and his American-Made Movie that catered to the Brazilian Market.  Of Top Cat, whose Mexican-Made animated...

When Nickelodeon released "Blues Clues" in 1996, it was heralded as a new kind of children's show, one that was interactive, and spoke directly to its young viewers.  But, what if "Blues Clues" wasn't the first? What if there was a different interactive children's program that predated Blues Clues by several decades?     Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://m...

When people mention famous figures from Nintendo, they often bring up Shigeru Miyamoto, Satoru Iwata, or even Masahiro Sakurai.  However, without Gunpei Yokoi, the world of video gaming would be vastly different.  From designing the toys that made Nintendo famous, to introducing the masses to handheld gaming, Gunpei Yokoi's many contributions to the industry are still felt to this day.   Help supp...

The Walt Disney theme parks are well-known for their dazzling nightly fireworks extravaganzas, but what most people don't know is that this company, who purchases more explosives per year than many militaries, has gone extra lengths to ensure that their fireworks are not only spectacular, but that they cannot be copied by other theme parks.   Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become...

This episode's a little different mystorians!  Austin and Brenda celebrate 100 episodes of SHONM by answering a couple listener questions, sharing some favorite moments, and just overall reminiscing about the good times.  Thanks for going on this ride with us!  Here's to 100 more!   Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmysteries

This week, SHONM is taking part in the global strike for Palestine.  We understand that not everyone is able to participate in the strike, so please check out our socials for more information and for resources on how you can help.  Episode 100 will be released next Tuesday!  Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmysteries

Is the lovable beagle from Charles M. Schulz's beloved comic strip "Peanuts" actually Mexican?  The answer is more complicated than you think.  And also more straight forward than you would expect.  And also what you feel is true in your heart.   Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmysteries

When Mattel premiered their Hot Wheels cartoon in the 1960's in order to promote their latest line of toys, they had no way of knowing that they had just opened a can of worms that would change the landscape of children's programming forever, for better or for worse.   Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmysteries

In 1971, the USDA Forest Service Introduced Woodsy Owl, the anti-pollution owl, in an attempt to educate the masses about environmentalism.  Little did they know at the time, but his legacy would end in flames.  This is a story featuring potential federal crimes,  pants-wearing bears, and job-stealing owls.  This is the story, of the death of Woodsy Owl.   Featuring Music By Louie Zhong/Snake Pool...

When Rankin/Bass' "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1964, no one who worked on it had any idea that it would become a Christmas tradition and a lasting part of American culture.  Because of this, the stop motion puppets used to make the film were lost, their exact whereabouts a mystery...until now.   Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximum...

As late entries to the McDonaldland canon, the Mcnugget buddies are characters that have been mostly lost to time.  But, back in the 80's, they were the shining star of McDonald's menu, and the food they were based on helped save the restaurant during a time when American's were becoming more health conscious.   Today, they've been brought back for a new celebrity collaboration, but will it be as...

There's an intense resale market surrounding trading card games, but where did that get its start, and why is it so addictive to open these packs of little paper cards?  This is a story that dates back to the early 1900's, with baseball cards and the early stages of the speculative market.   Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmysteries

Much has happened in the world of Neopets lately.  From its parent company shutting down, to new ownership, new promises and a new baffling choice for a brand ambassador, Neopets seems to finally be making a push into the modern era.  But will Y2k nostalgia be enough to keep the struggling brand alive?  Plus, Austin shares what it's like playing Neopets for the first time ever in 2023.   Help supp...

From the dawn of gaming, people have wanted to use the medium to tell stories in new and inventive ways.  But what game is the origin of this?  Was it Final Fantasy with its character customization, or Final Fantasy 7 with its groundbreaking cutscenes?  Was it Donkey Kong whose simple story has captivated gamers for decades?  Or does it go back even further than that?     Zorp zorp zorp zorp zorp...

For decades, the Walt Disney Company had the theme park market cornered, creating cutting-edge animatronics and immersive ride experiences for their own parks.  That was, until a small company from Jacksonville Florida, who got their start making moving mannequins for museum and store displays, threw their hat into the ring.  Sally Corporation might have gotten their start making Chuck E. Cheese c...