The Internet Says it’s True

LMFAO, BRB, LOL, OMG. It feels tragically uncool to dissect and examine today's texting and internet acronyms, but it turns out some of these acronyms aren't as current as we think they are! In this episode, we learn about how exclaiming "OMG!" dates all the way back to 1917 and chat with Comedian and Co-Founder of Stand Up for Choice, Pat Deering. For Bonus Episodes and Content, visit http://patreon.com/michaelkent To donate to Stand Up for Choice, visit: https://www.facebook.com/CSU4C

When Adobe announced it would be discontinuing Flash in 2017, developers started replacing it with newer, more robust software. But one railroad system in Dalian, China didn't get the memo. When it was finally globally disabled in January of 2021, the entire railroad was disabled. In this episode, I get nostalgic about the good ole' days of flash animation, then tell the story about how it affected the railroad. Then we chat with Erik Tait, from Ships of the Northern Fleet and Penn & Teller Fool Us for the Quick Quiz! For bonus episodes and content, visit http://patreon.com/michaelkent For 20% Virtual Presenter Course, visit http://virtualpresentercourse.com/30

In our history, we've had at least 32 "Broken Arrow" incidents: instances of nuclear weapons accidents that don't cause a nuclear war. One of those was in 1958, in which an Air Force B-47 Bomber almost nuked Mars Bluff, South Carolina. In this episode, we talk about the B-47, it's staggering 10% loss rate and the Mars Bluff incident. Then we catch up with actor and podcaster Michael Spedden for the Quick Quiz! For bonus episodes and content, visit http://Patreon.com/michaelkent For 20% Virtual Presenter Course, visit http://virtualpresentercourse.com/30

While I'll freely admit there is a sort of "clickbait" nature to this title, I promise this episode is a wild one. It's about the forgotten and sordid past to the popular Mexican stew, Pozole. In addition to learning all about the stew, it's history and ingredients, we learn a little bit about ancient Aztec culture, hear me pronounce words like "Tlacaxipehualiztli" and then do a quick quiz with a Doctor of Food Science, my brother Kyle! For bonus episodes and content, visit http://patreon.com/michaelkent For 20% Virtual Presenter Course, visit http://virtualpresentercourse.com/30

One of America's favorite children's characters and Sesame Street resident, Big Bird, was almost on board the ill-fated Challenger Space Shuttle during its disastrous mission in 1986. In this episode, we tell three stories: one about Big Bird, one about the Challenger, and one about how the two almost came together. Then Jim Henson fan Eric Dittelman joins us for the quick quiz! Bonus episodes and content at http://patreon.com/michaelkent For 20% Virtual Presenter Course, go to http://virtualpresentercourse.com/30 Carol Spinney portraying Big Bird Henson's original sketch of Big Bird The Crew of STS-51-L Challenger Space Shuttle Mission. McAuliffe is pictured standing second from left.

Did you know Han Solo's iconic blaster, the "DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol" in Star Wars was actually based on a handgun used by the Nazis? In this episode, we talk about the Mauser C96 Pistol, the origin of a few interesting Star Wars props and I quiz Comedian, Writer and Producer, Jay Black who is a much larger Star Wars nerd than I ever knew. This is a good one! Bonus content and extra episodes at http://Patreon.com/michaelkent Get 20% Virtual Presenter Course at http://VirtualPresenterCourse.com/30 The Blastech DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol The Mauser C96 "Broom Handle" 9mm with attached case as shoulder stock

Upper-class ladies in Victorian Era England put on a fake limp as a fashion statement. It was just one of many ways they emulated the beautiful Alexandra of Denmark, Princess of Wales who went on to become Queen of England, wife of King Edward VII. In this episode, we talk about the "Alexandra Limp," some other stupid fashion contagions and then we quiz Dan R Morris from the "Tracing the Path" podcast. Bonus content available at http://patreon.com/michaelkent Get 20% Virtual Presenter Course at http://virtualpresentercourse.com/30 Visit Dan R Morris's Podcast "Tracing the Path" at http://tracingthepath.com In France, King Louis the Fourteenth reigned from 1643 until his death in 1715. He was known as “The Sun King” or “Louis the Great.” And the guy had butt problems. Specifically an anal fistula. Listen - don’t google that. Just understand, it’s a butt problem. And at this point in history, physicians didn’t perform surgeries where they cut into people. But barbers had blades they used to cut hair, so a barber named Charles Francois Felix created a special blade-like tool that he called “The Royal Probe” and used it to perform a surgery on the Sun King to cure him of his anal fistula. It was a huge success, Louis was fistula-free and the result is that his courtiers and subjects who wanted to appear king-like tried to get the surgery too - whether they had the ailment or not! Even people who didn’t get the surgery wrapped their butts in swaddles to appear as if they’d gotten the surgery. That’s maybe the grossest example of a monarch becoming a trend-setter. Cleopatra had all of the upper-class women in Rome wearing their hair in a bun at the back of their neck, and wearing eyeliner. If you know the rule about men’s three-button suit coats? You know, Sometimes, always never? Meaning you never button the bottom button on a suit coat? That goes back to King Edward the seventh when he was Prince of Wales and he was too fat to button the bottom button. It started a trend that exists today. So I guess it’s not surprising that a trend started by a monarch had women walking irregularly. Let’s go back to the guy who couldn’t button the button. England’s King Edward the Seventh. His wife was Alexandra of Denmark, so she became Princess of Wales, then Queen of England. She was a beautiful woman, she was known to be very charming and joyful person. When her 3rd child was born, she was stricken with rheumatic fever and almost died. After the birth, she had to use walking sticks to get around, and after a year, had began to walk again without the crutches and - for the rest of her life - had a permanent limp. Alexandra of Denmark had already become a trend-setter as Princess of Wales. She was a huge fashion influencer and the women in England would copy everything she wore. She had a small scar on her neck from a childhood surgical procedure and she often wore choker collars and jewelry high on her neck to cover the scar. English women started wearing similar style chokers. And -just as they had been influenced and tried to mimic royalty before, they did so with her. Even going so far as to imitate her permanent limp. Here’s a quote from an 1869 Edition of the North British Mail newspaper: "Taking my customary walk the other day, observant of men, women and things, I met three ladies. They were all three young, all three good-looking, and all three lame! At least, such was my impression, seeing as they all carried handsome sticks and limped; but, on looking back, as everyone else did, I could discover no reason why they should do so.” It was the “Alexandra Limp” and it caught on like wildfire. A faked limp that was put on by women in the upper-class areas of London in order to appear more like Alexandra of Denmark. Women would walk with a pronounced limp and go so far as to use a cane that they didn’t need. They didn’t have any ailment. They faked it. And in order to do so, they started wearing shoes of two different types - one high heel, one low. The writer in the North British Mail continued, “"A monstrosity has made itself visible among the female promenaders in Princes Street. It is as painful as it is idiotic and ludicrous.” But for shoemakers, they saw an opportunity. They began selling pairs of women’s shoes with mismatched heels, so that walking in them would make the wearer hobble. There is a happy ending to this story. Fads, by definition, fade away and get replaced with something else and that’s the story with the Alexandra Limp. Women of London could soon walk normal again. That is, until the next fad. As the Limp went out of style for ladies of London, a popular fashion journal reported the following: “The Alexandra Limp is to be discontinued forthwith. The skirt of the season, we are informed, is to cling closely round the feet, in consequence whereof ladies will be obliged to walk as if their feet….were tied together.

Frank “Cannonball Richards” became famous for an incredible act where he would stand in front of a cannon and have a 100 lb. cannonball shot into his stomach. In this episode, we talk about the development of this talent and then quiz Comedian and Improvisor Joel Savage! Bonus content is available at http://patreon.com/michaelkent For 20% off Virtual Presenter Course, go to http://virtualpresentercourse.com/30 For 15% off ScotteVest go to http://scottevest.com and enter promo code “TELLME” In 1887, Frank Anson Richards was born in a Kansas town called Minneapolis to Richard and Ellen Richards. As a young man, he fought in World War I and at some point, realized he had the ability to take tremendous amounts of force to his abdomen. How much? Apparently he figured out that he could take a punch at full force to the stomach and not be affected. He thought he was on to something, so after the war, he entered the Vaudeville Circuit with his iron-clad gut. He would allow people to pay their entry fee to punch him in the stomach. Even world-famous boxing heroes like Heavyweight Champion Boxers Jack Dempsey and Jess Willard punched Richard in the stomach at full force. His Vaudeville act was success. And if you aren’t familiar with Vaudeville, it was a series of performers who would all perform separate acts together on the same bill and often would travel around doing shows in the late 1800s and early 1900s. You could pay one fee and see all these acts. And Frank Richard’s contribution to the show was to show off the strength of his amazing iron stomach. He would ask people to punch him with all their might and it wouldn’t phase him. The act evolved into more elaborate stunts. Frank would lie on the ground and have people line up in front of his body. One by one, they’d get their turn to jump on his abdomen. He’d stand while someone ran a battering ram into him. Then, he’d get struck with a 2x4. As a finale, he’d find the biggest man in the room and allow that man to swing an eighteen pound sledgehammer into his stomach. Many people have seen the famous act of a person being fired from a cannon. It’s a feat that’s been performed in circuses and festivals all over the world. Well in the 1920s Frank Richards had an act with a cannon that was a little different. Rather than being fired from one, Frank Richards had a cannon fired at him. Like into his stomach. And I’ve looked around everywhere. This type of act had never been done before and - believe it or not - has never been done since. It was so popular and unique, he soon became known as “Cannonball Richards.” Here’s how it went. The cannon would be set up and loaded with a one-hundred pound cannon ball and Richards would stand in front of it, wearing eye goggles and a wrap around his belly - only 10 feet away. The fuse was lit, sparks would fly, and the cannon would fire with a big plume of smoke and Richards would take the hit directly to the belly. It became so famous, newsreels of the stunt were spread far and wide as moving pictures became a popular medium. He would tell the newspapers he could only do the stunt for two shows a day. More than that was too painful. But here’s the thing that stuck with me when I read about this. I’ve seen photos of this famous piece of armor from the Battle of Waterloo. It’s in the Army Museum in Paris, France and it’s a Napoleonic Breastplate from a French Cavalry soldier. There’s a clear hole through the front and the back of the breast plate where a British cannonball fired through. It belonged to either François-Antoine or his brother - history really isn’t sure - but whoever was wearing it died on June 18, 1815 and it’s pretty clear evidence that you can’t survive a cannonball hit to the chest. That led me to do further research and learn that the cannonball stunt by Frank Richards was just that - a stunt. The ball was real. It was actually 100 pounds. But the cannon was spring-loaded to propel the ball and release a cloud of smoke, but it wasn’t really being fired by gun-powder. The cannonball would receive just enough velocity to hit him in the stomach - and that it did. Any normal person would be knocked over and injured doing the stunt. But it’s important to note nonetheless - it wasn’t a real cannon. It didn’t matter. The stunt was so wildly popular, the newsreel footage has lived on. It’s been featured all over popular culture. The slow-motion clip of him getting hit but that cannonball and the skin rippling black away from the impact is a popular stock footage clip used in everything. He was featured on the cartoon “Freakazoid!” And “The Fairly Oddparents” and was even referenced in Seinfeld. A whole episode of the Simpson’s had a bit about it where Homer performs the stunt. If you’re a Van Halen fan and have the album Van Halen three, you’ve seen it. That’s Frank Richards on the cover. Although he died in 1969 at the age of 81, Frank Cannonball Richards developed an act so original and unique, that 100 years later

The story of how legendary daredevil Evel Knievel got his name is one of those tales you hear and don't believe because it's just too good. In this episode, we talk about Knievel, how he got his name and quiz Celtic Magician Daniel GreenWolf. Bonus content is available on http://Patreon.com/michaelkent For 20% off Virtual Presenter Course, go to http://virtualpresentercourse.com/30

Legend has it that Harry Kellar, a man who was once the most well-known magician in the world, was the inspiration behind the Wizard of Oz character in the popular L. Frank Baum children's books. In this episode, we learn a little bit about Harry Kellar, a little bit about the Wizard of Oz and a little bit about my wife, Alison! For bonus episodes and content, visit http://patreon.com/michaelkent For 20% off Virtual Presenter Course, visit http://virtualpresentercourse.com/30

Was film star Hedy Lamarr responsible for the invention of wireless internet? In this episode, we find out about her amazing (and somewhat tragic) life and find out if the internet says it's true! Then we play a quiz game with Cameron Zvara! Bonus content available at http://patreon.com/michaelkent Get 20% off Virtual Presenter Course at http://virtualpresentercourse.com/30

Apparently there's a legend that Founding Father and 3rd United States President, Thomas Jefferson introduced Macaroni and Cheese to America. Since I had never heard this before, I take to the Internet in this episode to see if it's true. Then I invite The Albino Rhino, Matt Gwinn, on the show to play a quick quiz! Bonus content available at http://patreon.com/michaelkent Get 20% off Virtual Presenter Course here!

We're all familiar with the use of "John Doe" or "Jane Doe" as a placeholder name or when an identity is unknown. But where did the name come from? This week, we do a deep dive into the history of John Doe and find out who he really was - then do a quick quiz with podcaster Wize Otero! Bonus content is available on patreon.com/michaelkent

There has been one successful coup d'état in American History - a successful violent overthrowing of a city government in 1898. Sadly, it's a story of violence, politics and white supremacy. In this episode, we explore an unpleasant chapter of America's history that not many people know and then lighten the mood with a quiz at the end. Bonus content is available at patreon.com/michaelkent

Throughout the 1980s, there were rumors that CNN had produced a video to be broadcast if the world was ending. More than 30 years later, a former intern from the news network was able to shed some light on the subject. In this episode, we explore the famed "CNN Doomsday Tape" and quiz Comedian and Screenwriter Jay Black! Bonus content is available at Patreon.com/michaelkent

We’re back for a second season and this time with a brand new name - I’m introducing “The Internet Says it’s True!” Every week a listener calls in with something they’ve recently learned from the Internet and I do a deep dive to learn all about it. It’s a show about learning new things. Sometimes they’re histories that we feel like we should have already known about like The hidden village under Central Park and sometimes they’re trivial things like the fact that the guy who invented Pringles was buried inside a Pringles can!

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From 1854 to 1929 many orphaned children were placed onto trains in America's Eastern cities and taken West to find new families. These trains, which came to be known as "Orphan Trains," helped 200,000 children find a new home. In this episode, we interview Shaley George, the Curator of the National Orphan Train Complex in Concordia, KS and quiz her against Mindreader Eric Dittelman! Bonus content is available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

In 1941, a little girl in a Chicago suburb gave herself and 4 of her playmates Polio from her sidewalk lemonade stand. This episode explores this case study and how it helped scientists to understand the disease. Then we invite Comedian Marcus Monroe on the show to play the newest version of "Quiz a Friend!" See the original newspaper article by clicking here. Bonus content is available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

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. For bonus content, visit Patreon.com/MichaelKent Air Prelude by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100337 Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Have you ever wondered why we call a submarine sandwich a sub? Or why some people call them "hoagies," "grinders," or "spuckies?" In this episode, we examine the multitude of origins of some of these sandwich names and we chat with my friend Eric Dittelman (including a surprise visit from his mother)! For bonus content, visit patreon.com/michaelkent

There's a legend in West Virginia that in 1948, famed pilot Chuck Yeager flew an Air Force jet under a bridge in downtown Charleston. Over the years, the story has been embellished and exaggerated, but in this episode, we get to the truth. Then, I ask my pilot friend Doc Sacolick what would happen if he did the same. For bonus content and the unedited interview with Doc, visit my patreon at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent Photos: Doc's Zoom Background | A Photo of the South Side Bridge

Have you ever heard of the Flea Circus? If you're like me, you were surprised to find out the original flea circuses used REAL FLEAS! In this episode of Tell Me What to Google, we explore the history of the flea circus, and talk with Psychology Professor and Flea Circus Scholar Richard Wiseman. For the full unedited video with Richard Wiseman, visit Patreon.com/MichaelKent Photos: Professor Heckler's Flea Circus | A Flea Pulling a Chariot | Mimi Garneau Pitch Card | Richard Wiseman with his Flea Circus

Willy Higinbotham is considered by many to be the inventor of the world's first video game. But there's more - he was also on the team that helped create the world's first nuclear bomb! In this episode we explore Willy's game, "Tennis for Two" and chat with former video game developer and professional magician, Nick Locapo. For bonus content, including full unedited video of interviews, visit Patreon.com/michaelkent. Willy Higinbotham's Photo | Tennis for Two Photo 1 | Tennis for Two Photo 2 | Circuit Drawing 1 | Circuit Drawing 2

In 1941, Master Magician Jasper Maskelyne was called upon by the British Army to create elaborate illusions to aid in the war effort in North Africa. But for the first time in Tell Me What to Google history, I'm calling this legend into question! In this episode, I examine this unusual story in detail and chat with magician Erik Tait about its veracity! For the unedited video of my conversation with Erik Tait and more, visit my Patreon. Jasper Maskelyne's Photo

In 1919, a flood of Molasses devastated the North End neighborhood of Boston. In this episode we talk about the disaster in detail and even discuss some of the possible reasons for the horrible killer wave of sweet molasses. Then we chat with writer, speaker and Bostonian Amma Marfo to see if she's heard of it! To view the interview in its unedited format, along with all TMW2G Podcast Interviews, join our Patreon! Learn about our guest Amma Marfo at AmmaMarfo.com Photos of the Boston Molasses Flood of 1919: Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3

This week we examine the curious case of Human Lightning Rod, Roy Sullivan. Roy became famous for having been struck SEVEN different times by lightning during his career as a National Park Ranger. We do a deep dive into Roy's electrifying story and then chat with my friend, Mindreader Eric Dittelman! For bonus content like unedited videos of TMW2G Interviews and more, join our Patreon at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

Using the bathroom in space has never been easy. And since the early NASA space missions of the 1960s, engineers have been solving this problem in ingenious ways. In this episode, we explore some of the many ways Astronauts have been able to go number 1 and 2. And we call Comedy Magician Erik Tait to see if he know what we've just learned! To see bonus content like full unedited videos of the interviews from this podcast, join at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

In this episode, we learn that people who take the holistic concoction Colloidal Silver may turn their skin blue! And an inbred family from Kentucky has been blue-ing themselves for 200 years. Then we talk with the hilarious Comedian & Juggler Marcus Monroe to ask him of his knowledge on the topic! The Original Blue Man Group? Photo: Paul Karason - Photo: Stan Jones To see my full unedited interview with Marcus Monroe and all guests of this podcast, join http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent

In this episode, we explore the bizarre fact that - like Galileo himself - African Dung Beetles use the stars to navigate! As a bonus, we talk with Eric Warrant, Professor of Biology at Lund University and co-author of the ground-breaking discovery. To see bonus content like unedited videos of these interviews, check out our Patreon at http://Patreon.com/michaelkent

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.

Did you know Cap'n Crunch has a real name? In this episode, we learn all about Cap'n Crunch's backstory. Then we quiz my good friend Josh Quillen! Crew Kit - Photo 1 Crew Kit - Photo 2 Crew Kit - Photo 3 (Spoiler)