The Internet Says it’s True

Mid-Week Mini: The Bloody History of the Barber Pole

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about the origin of barber poles.

Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy

Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589

Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

Forgotten American: Freedom's True Maker

A symbol of freedom standing atop the United States Capitol seems like the perfect representation of American ideals. But what if one of the people most responsible for bringing that symbol to life was himself enslaved? This week, Michael explores the remarkable true story of Philip Reid, the skilled craftsman whose expertise helped make the Statue of Freedom possible, and the extraordinary irony of a monument to liberty being completed during the Civil War by a man who gained his own freedom before it was finished. Then we play the Yap Yap Quiz with Comedian Glen Tickle!

Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy

Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589

Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

For special discounts and links to our sponsors, visit http://theinternetsaysitstrue.com/deals

Mid-Week Mini: Never Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about the origin of the phrase "Never look a gift horse in the mouth."

Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy

Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589

Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

Hidden Soldiers: Trans Lives in the Civil War - REWIND

Originally released September 15, 2025. During the Civil War, hundreds of people assigned female at birth served in male disguise. Some did it out of patriotism, some for love, and for others, it was about living as the gender they knew themselves to be. In this episode, we uncover the stories of Albert D.J. Cashier, Lyons Wakeman, Frank Thompson, Samuel Blalock, Mollie “Melvin” Bean, and Mary “John” Burns — individuals who challenged 19th-century gender norms and risked everything to serve as the men they truly were. Then we chat with Comedian, Kitty Long. Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy

Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589

Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

For special discounts and links to our sponsors, visit http://theinternetsaysitstrue.com/deals

Mid-Week Mini: Immortal Jellyfish

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about Immortal Jellyfish.

Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy

Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589

Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

Terror By Moonlight: The Tsavo Man-Eaters

In 1898, workers building a railroad bridge in East Africa began disappearing during the night. Rumors spread that supernatural forces were stalking the camp, but the truth was terrifying enough: two lions had begun hunting humans. This week, Michael explores the true story of the Tsavo Man-Eaters, the months-long campaign of fear that threatened one of the British Empire's largest engineering projects, and the scientific mystery that still leaves researchers debating exactly why these lions turned to human prey. Then we play the Yap Yap Quiz with Comedian Jay Black!

Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589

Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

For special discounts and links to our sponsors, visit http://theinternetsaysitstrue.com/deals

Mid-Week Mini: Victorian Hidden Mother Photography

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about the bizarre history of "Hidden Mother Photography."

Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy

Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589

Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

Australia’s Greatest Mystery: The Somerton Man

A well-dressed man is found dead on an Australian beach with no identification, no known family, and a hidden scrap of paper reading “Tamám Shud” - “it is finished.” What followed became one of the strangest mysteries of the 20th century involving secret codes, missing labels, Cold War spy theories, and a question that haunted investigators for more than 70 years. This week, Michael Kent dives into the eerie true story of the Somerton Man. Then we play the Yap Yap Quiz with The Cosmic Romantics!

Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589

Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

For special discounts and links to our sponsors, visit http://theinternetsaysitstrue.com/deals

Why Grape Doesn’t Taste Like Grapes

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we learn why grape flavor doesn't taste like grapes.

Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy

Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589

Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

American Heroes: A Memorial Day TISIT Digest

To observe Memorial Day this year, we're running a digest of 4 American heroes. 

Story #1: Peter Conover Hains was born before the Civil War and still wore a U.S. Army uniform in World War I. He fired one of the Civil War’s first naval shots, built ports and canals, and returned to active duty at age 77. His legacy spans over half a century of American warfare — and four generations of service. 

Story #2: Billy Mitchell is often referred to as the Father of the United States Air Force. He was the first one to suggest that airplanes could be used to drop bombs on enemy naval ships. But a recent visit to a museum with my father illuminated a really bizarre fact: Billy Mitchell predicted the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 17 years before it happened. In this episode, we learn all about Billy Mitchell, military aviation history and his amazing prediction.

Story #3: In 1976, a skirmish at the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea led to the brutal murders of two Americans. The skirmish began over the trimming of a tree. The result was the most expensive tree-trimming in history. America and South Korea returned to the tree with all of their military might in a show of force. In this episode, I'll tell you a story about the DMZ that you may have never heard.

Story #4: Not many Americans know about the first black fighter pilot, Eugene Bullard. He was one of the most decorated War Heroes in France, fought in two world wars, was a spy, a jazz drummer, a boxer...and he was an American. In this episode, we explore the history of this amazing man.

Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589

Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

For special discounts and links to our sponsors, visit http://theinternetsaysitstrue.com/deals