Unhinged History

The Parthenon has lived her life, honey. Little did you know what a varied life she's led. But don't worry, Theresa jumps on and shares how the iconic temple of Athena only recently fell into ruin.  Angie moves in and shares the story of Tycho Brahe. This old-timey astronomer seemed to live a rock star-esque life even dueling over "who's the better mathematician."  This episode pairs well with:  A...

Join us in an unhinged selection of stories. Angie kicks things off with the antics of Specialist Skippy Schwarz and shares the myriad of things he's banned from doing. Some of these exploits include wearing a kilt made of fruit roll-ups, allowing sock puppets to take over his watch, and having the right to a strip search when detained by MPs.  Theresa brings up the intellectual tenor when she sha...

This week's stories are about as opposite as you can get. Theresa starts by sharing that time during WWII when the Japanese bombed Brookings, Oregon. It doesn't stop there. The pilot who flew the mission returns 20 years later and you won't guess what happens then.  Angie shares one of the darkest stories she ever has on the podcast. She dives into the theories on who Jack the Ripper really was. ...

You want to know the history of war elephants? What are we kidding, of course you do and Angie is here to give you what you want. She brings us back to 1100 BCE to their first recorded use. She shares how they fought against Alexander the Great. They helped in both World Wars. They were used even in 2017 by Burmese rebels in Myanmar. Theresa closes us out by sharing the Godmother of Rock 'N' Roll,...

This week's stories are verifiably unhinged. Theresa starts off sharing about how some Hmong, a small ethnic minority from Laos are *still* fighting the Vietnam War all these decades later. Angie attempts to lift the emotional tone by sharing the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the Duchess of Aquitaine who became queen of France, then after a divorce, queen of England, and then some.  This episode...

Get ready for your favorite three letters, W, T, and F. Theresa starts us off with the story of Captain Eric Moody, the British Airways pilot who flew through a volcano in 1982 and delivered the greatest understatement to his passengers when he informed them all four engines had failed.  Angie picks up the mantle and continues this bizarre episode by sharing the tale of Button Gwinnett, the signer...

Captain Stephen Barton and his daughter Clara Barton Natalie Clifford Barney. Did you ever wonder who started the American Red Cross? No? Well, Angie did. She starts us off this week with the story of Captain Stephen Barton and his daughter, Clara Barton. Theresa picks up the baton and shares the story of Natalie Clifford Barney, writer & queen of the Paris lesbians.  This episode pairs well w...

Look, the first Pride was a riot and Theresa came with the receipts. Join Angie and Theresa as they explore what led up to the Stonewall Uprising. Starting with the mafia moving in and opening gay bars, to kicklines, broken glass, and a mention of Afeni Shakur (Tupac Shakur's mom) and her connection to the riots and the Black Panthers.  This episode pairs well with:  Black Nite Brawl and Josie Car...

Sometimes life is a weird mashup of stories. This podcast episode fairly encapsulates that. First Angie shares the History of Coffee and the times it's been banned – most notably by King Gustav III.  Theresa resorts to comforting violence as she shares the story of when four sailors pick a fight at a bar for the LGBTQ+ community. The Black Nite Uprising was the first time in Wisconsin's history th...

This week Angie and Theresa brought some completely unhinged stories. Theresa starts off with the tale of Christine Jorgeson, the WWII GI who underwent a sex change in the 1950s and went into entertainment.  Angie didn't want to be outdone and shared Sally Stanford, the brothel-owning woman who would go on to be mayor of Sausalito.  This episode pairs well with:  Shelly Bauman   WWII Danish Nazi R...

First off, let us start by saying that Disney lied to us. Theresa attempts to address this issue by sharing the story of Mulan in the various ways it's gone through history, including the opera.  Angie closes us out by sharing the story of Abigail Kawānanakoa, Hawaii's last princess. She covers HRH's philanthropic efforts and her marriage to her wife, Veronica Gail Worth.  This episode pairs well...

Do you know the story of the Chinese Amelia Earhart, Kathrine Sui Fun Cheung? Let's fix that. Angie starts this episode off by sharing how this aviatrix entered the history books and became one of the fabled Ninety-Nines. Theresa continues this heart-warming trend by sharing the story of Seneca Village, the thriving Black community in what is now Central Park. She shares how one Black man, Andrew...

We all have bad days at work, but never, and I mean never have we struggled as hard as Rear Admiral Zinovy “Mad Dog” Rozhestvensky as he led the Russian Second Pacific Squadron from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean to do his part in the Russo-Japanese War.  Theresa has way too much fun sharing what could only be the real-life basis for Mchale's Navy.  This episode pairs well with:  Why Czar Nic...

You ever learn about a guy so bold and self-assured *and* keeps winning?! Angie tells us the story of the Norwegian Hans Solo, Peter Wessel Tordenskjold. At one point he goes in for a court martial and comes out with a raise instead.  Theresa then shares the Dancing Plague of 1518. You know, that time everyone just compulsively danced until they dropped dead? That one.  This episode pairs well wit...

Grab a juice box and settle in. Theresa is telling the story of Nakano Takeko, her joshigun (women's army), and the battle at Aizu-Wakamatsu. Takeko leads this group of 20-30 trained female warriors, think samurai, into battle and shows everyone just what an alpha female looks like.  This episode pairs well with:  Yasuke, the Black Samurai   The saber saint Miyamoto Musashi 

Okay, some sets of stories are so delightfully unhinged they will be shared in public, without warning. These are two of those tales. Angie sets things off with the retelling of the Ghost Army, the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops from WWII. These men used inflatable tanks, set design, and everything theater instructors had ever taught to fool the Axis Powers.  Then Theresa tells the bizarre tale...

This episode has it all. The plague. Trebuchets. WWII. Ducks. Theresa starts us off with a rollicking tale of how the Golden Horde allegedly flung their plague-ridden corpses into the city of Caffa around 1345–1347 because Khan Jani Beg had some big feelings about losing. Thank goodness Angie takes it upon herself to lighten the load, so to speak. She shares the story of Marine Sergeant Jack “Siwa...

Journey through the pages of medieval writing with Angie and Theresa as we learn about the Voynich Manuscript. Angie unpacks what we know about this unreadable text. She shares theories and touches on aliens. Yup. Aliens.  This episode pairs well with:  Battle of Hastings and Bayeux Tapestry  

Come for the myth of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau. Stay for Theresa sharing the facts around what we really know about the Voudou Queen of New Orleans. If you're like us, the truth is far more compelling.  This episode pairs well with:  Julia Brown – the Voodoo Queen   The Tignon Law of 1876  

This last week of Women's History Month hits hard. Theresa shares the story of Grunya Efimovna Sukhareva, the Russian researcher who discovered Autism decades before Hans Asperger. Angie makes Theresa cry when she shares the story of Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian-born woman to make it to space.  This episode pairs well with:  NASA Astronaut – Sally Ride   The Immortal Henrietta Lacks  

You know these two love a good WWII spy story. Theresa serves up the tale of Aline Griffith, the Princess Spy. She served the Allies during the war while based in Spain before marrying into a noble family. Angie brings us all the way back to the California Gold Rush with the story of Eleanor Dumont, the French card player who earned the nickname "Madame Mustache" later in life.  This episode pairs...

Angie starts off strong telling the story of Margaret Skinnider. This strong woman had zero chill. She starts out as a school teacher and turns into a revolutionary in Ireland. She participates in the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin as a sniper.  Before we introduce Theresa's story, let's point out that she misspeaks and says, "Mexican-owned Canada" multiple times. She meant California. She's as sorr...

Get a fresh cup of coffee, drink it black, and strap in. Theresa starts us off by sharing the tale of Queen Lili'uokalani, the first and last queen of Hawaii. Angie comes in hot with the tale of a lesser-known aviatrix, Beryl Markham. This woman does it all, including two princes.  This episode pairs well with:  Abigail Kawānanakoa – the last Hawaiian princess   Aviatrix – Bessie Coleman   Aviatri...

Join us as Angie kicks off Women's History Month with an absolute doozy.  Kick your feet up and listen to the story of Georgia's Queen Tamar. This absolute badass lived from c. 1160 – 18 January 1213 and was their first queen to rule in her own right.   This episode pairs well with:  That pope who wrote a dirty book and funded Vlad the Impaler  

Some stories just stick with you. In Episode 55, Theresa mentioned Nubian warrior queens in passing. This caused Angie to rabbit hole and dig that story out. So sit back and enjoy the history of the Kandake, or Candaces, Sudan's warrior queens. These women face down Rome, at its height.  Theresa brings us back to the US as she shares the story of Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the nation's first Black...