The Backstory with Patty Steele

How often do you tell little lies in order to look good or protect somebody’s feelings? Researchers say we all do it at least twice a day. But compulsive liars are another story. They dig really deep holes. This is an unbelievable story about a hotshot producer/writer on Grey’s Anatomy who destroyed her career and her personal life lying about her cancer battle and her brother’s suicide.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charles Manson and his "family" of followers went on a gruesome killing spree in L.A. during the summer of 1969. He claimed that his inspiration for some of it was the music of the Beatles (Helter Skelter in particular). But Manson had a much deeper connection to Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys. It destroyed Dennis's reputation and his health, and changed his life forever. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did ferocious, man-eating wolves evolve into Labrador Retrievers, St. Bernards, and even teacup poodles—not to mention become our best friends? It's an amazing story of genetics and mutual need. But it's also a story of love. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the prohibition era of the 1920s and early 1930s, speakeasies and gin joints were the place to be to get ahold of “evil booze.” How did the government try to control access? They purposely poisoned industrial alcohol that was being repurposed for cocktails.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all love The Wizard of Oz, right? So why was it a box office flop when it came out? And why was production so horrible for the cast and crew? It’s a story of what people put up with (and still put up with) to make it in Hollywood.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you intrigued by the thought of aliens visiting Earth and leaving behind signs like cave drawings and pyramids and geoglyphs? Did you know that many of these ancient sites are part of what’s called the Great Circle, appearing along an exact circle within a tenth of a degree of each other?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The “unofficial” first Me Too case of the 20th century exploded across the press with the murder of star architect Stanford White. His wild love affair with a 15-year-old showgirl ultimately led to her rich husband shooting White six years later in 1906, in front of a crowd of theatergoers. It was the trial of the century with a lot of “firsts” both in the press and in the courtroom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Titanic disaster has fascinated us for over a century, including those on board the doomed Titan submersible who lost their lives just trying to get a close-up look. Equally entranced was a 23-year-old ship’s nurse—a Titanic survivor who amazingly also survived the wrecks of both of Titanic’s sister ships and continued to work on cruise liners for 40 years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He gets credit for it, but Ben Franklin was not the first guy to discover electricity. It goes back thousands of years. But how was it used? We tapped into those jolts for everything from feeling better to feeling REALLY good. It's a shocking story!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've been dealing with smoky skies in North America lately. But in 1816, the eruption of the largest volcano in modern history led to smoke and ash blocking the sun for over a year. The eruption, illness, and famine killed more than 100,000 people and there were fears that the earth was ending. But it did inspire some iconic paintings, poetry, and novels—like Frankenstein.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alice, the untamed daughter of Teddy Roosevelt, was constantly on the cover of every newspaper. Alice LOVED being the original influencer. And the public couldn't get enough of the scandalous, beautiful teenager in the White House.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did the light bulb change the way the entire world slept? The old-fashioned joy of waking up at 11pm to party...and get stuff done!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know the Eiffel Tower, the Washington Monument, and the Statue of Liberty were all hated by the public for decades before they became cherished destinations?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When someone is credited with a world-changing invention and we find out years later they stole the idea, does that change history?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Turns out that ancient Olympic athletes competed totally in the nude. And they had a fascinating way of making a living off their sweat.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frank Lloyd Wright, the most famous architect in American history, brought nature and tranquility to design. So how did his chaotic personal life lead to a mass murder at his home? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If women in the 1800s wanted to take a swim, they were pulled into the surf in a cabana on wheels, wearing 30 pounds of wet wool. So how did we get to the bikini, much less the thong?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens to your life if you sit next to a president when he's assassinated?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Love a good, juicy story that goes beyond what we already know? We're talking scandalous presidential family members, a mass murder at a world-famous architect's home, stolen inventions, nude athletes at the first Olympics, compulsive liars, the arrival of the bikini, and so much more. History fanatic Patty Steele tells you the inside backstories you didn’t know you needed to know.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.