The Internet Says it’s True

James Brown 1968: Healing a Nation’s Wounds (REBROADCAST of Episode 21)

I’m taking a few weeks off from the podcast, and since it’s Black History Month, I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight a few of the stories that I’ve done that honor the contributions and legacies of Black Americans. This week we’re going back to just a few weeks ago to Episode 21. Here’s “James Brown 1968: Healing a Nation’s Wounds”, originally broadcast on January 25th of this year.

I recently learned that historians credit a 1968 James Brown concert with saving the city of Boston from riots after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In this special episode, I tell the story of the Boston Garden Concert and how it almost never happened. Then we quiz my friend Josh Quillen.

The Black Swallow of Death: The Tale of Eugene Bullard (REBROADCAST of Episode 13)

I’m taking a few weeks off from the podcast, and since it’s Black History Month, I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight a few of the stories that I’ve done that honor the contributions and legacies of Black Americans.   This week I’m going back to the thirteenth episode of Tell Me What to Google. Here’s “The Black Swallow of Death: The Tale of Eugene Bullard”, originally broadcast on November 30 of 2020.

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.

The Hidden Village Under Central Park (REBROADCAST of Episode 2)

I’m taking a few weeks off from the podcast, and since it’s Black History Month, I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight a few of the stories that I’ve done that honor the contributions and legacies of Black Americans. This week I’m going ALL the way back to the second episode of Tell Me What to Google. here’s “The Hidden Village Under Central Park”, originally broadcast on September 14 of 2020. 

Seneca Village was one of our nation’s first, free middle-class black communities. Its memory was nearly lost to history. In this podcast, we explore what happened to Seneca Village and speak with Nan Rothschild, Former Director of Museum Studies at Columbia University and a Research Professor at Barnard College, who has been studying Seneca Village since the mid 1990s.

Royal Family: A Hidden Documentary

In 1969, Queen Elizabeth II and her family were followed around by a film crew for a special documentary to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the Royal Family. While the public loved it, the Queen did not and it was banned forever. Until this month, when it was leaked to the internet. In this episode, we talk about the documentary and quiz my friend Lance Thompson! 

Bonus content is available at Patreon.com/MichaelKent

 

James Brown 1968: Healing a Nation’s Wounds

I recently learned that historians credit a 1968 James Brown concert with saving the city of Boston from riots after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In this special episode, I tell the story of the Boston Garden Concert and how it almost never happened. Then we quiz my friend Josh Quillen.

Bonus content available at Patreon.com/MichaelKent

The Vulcan Salute: The Power of a Feminine God

Did you know that Spock's "Vulcan Salute" in Star Trek was based on a Jewish Blessing? It's true! We explore the history of the hand signal and the accompanying phrase "Live Long and Prosper" in this episode, and then quiz Comedy Writer Jimmy Mak!

Bonus content available at Patreon.com/MichaelKent

The Pringles Can: The Man Who Invented it and his STRANGE Burial

Did you know the man who invented Pringles was BURIED inside a Pringles can? It's true and we discuss it in detail in this episode. Then we invite Erik Tait on the show to quiz him about it! 

Bonus content available at Patreon.com/MichaelKent

New Years Eve: The TRUE History of the NYE Ball Drop

The dropping of the ball in NYC's Times Square on New Years Eve is a tradition seen by billions of people around the world. But did the tradition of dropping a ball start in New York? In this episode, we explore the real history of the dropping ball and quiz my friend, magician Peter Boie!

For bonus content, visit Patreon.com/MichaelKent

The German Christmas Pickle: Tradition or Marketing?

Many Americans have heard of the age-honored German tradition of hanging Pickle-shaped ornament on the Christmas Tree. But is it really a tradition in Germany? This episode explores the truth and myths behind this German "tradition."

Bonus content is available at Patreon.com/michaelkent

Jumbo: The Jumbo-Sized History Behind the Word

Not many people realize that when we use the word "Jumbo" in the English language to denote something gigantic, we owe the origin of the word to a Barnum & Bailey circus elephant! In this episode, we explore the story behind Jumbo the Elephant and how it launched the use of a word to describe something that's larger-than-life. Then we quick my good friend Jonathan Burns!

 

For bonus content (and this episode has a lot!), visit Patreon.com/MichaelKent