This week we learn about how cartographers used to just make up stuff for fun and how Nikolai Vavilov's dream of ending famine with the world's largest seed vault put him at direct odds with soviet darling Trofim Lysenko . A listener email explains what happens to a solider after accidentally taking 30 doses of meth. Throw Me in the Bog Sweatshirt Drop: https://www.bonfire.com/bogsweater/ Use Code 500OPENTABS at Kaveh's store for freebies: https://www.blacksmithfilms.com/store Episode Tabs: Phan...
Nov 27, 2024•1 hr 36 min•Season 1Ep. 45
This week we're all about sports as we learn how a Ten Cent Beer Night promotion led to one of the MLB's most infamous games and the curious Welsh tradition of competitive Bog Snorkeling. A listener email informs us of the Great Emu War of 1932. Episode Tabs: Remembering 10-Cent Beer Night, one of baseball’s most infamous fiascos https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/06/04/10-cent-beer-night-1974-cleveland-indians-texas-rangers/ Is This The World's Weirdest Sporting Event? https://youtu.be/...
Nov 20, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 44
This week we learn about the life of Milicent Patrick, a pioneering artist in Hollywood who designed the Creature From the Black Lagoon and Casa Sanchez's notorious tacos-for-tattoos deal in San Francisco. A listener email tells us about that time that the government wanted to clear away some mountains with nuclear bombs. Episode Tabs: Milicent Patrick & Her Enduring Design of the Creature from the Black Lagoon https://www.jahernandez.com/posts/milicent-patrick-her-enduring-design-of-the-cre...
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr 39 min•Season 1Ep. 43
On this extra patriotic election themed episode we learn about Victoria Woodhull, the first woman who ran for president in 1872 and how Ronald Reagan's decision to deregulate children's programming paved the way for adult fandom culture. A listener email explains the origins of Scabby the Rat. Episode Tabs: Notorious Victoria: The First Woman to Run for President https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jul/20/notorious-victoria-first-woman-run-for-us-president The Great Marketing Deregulation h...
Nov 06, 2024•1 hr 41 min•Season 1Ep. 42
On this very spooky Halloween themed episode, we learn about the Irish origins of the Jack-o-Lantern and how Charles Schulz created another classic Peanuts holiday special. A listener email clues us into the Giant Atlantic Pumpkin Weigh Offs. Episode Tabs: The twisted transatlantic tale of American jack-o’-lanterns https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/the-twisted-transatlantic-tale-of-american-jack-o-lanterns We Need a Blockbuster, Charlie Brown! The Making of The Great Pumpkin htt...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 41
This week we are joined by special guests Kaveh Rastegar and Kaveh Hoda as we learn about the contributions of Chris Frantz to the Talking Heads, an infamous surgery that killed 3 people, and how Santa Monica was once a standoff point between the mob and a future Supreme Court justice. A listener email explains the explosive properties of Chlorine tri-fluoride. Episode Tabs: Talking Heads’ Original Lineup on Stop Making Sense, Their Early Days, and the Future https://pitchfork.com/features/inter...
Oct 23, 2024•1 hr 48 min•Season 1Ep. 40
This week we are in NYC for Comic Con and learn about the cow tunnels that once lied beneath the Javits Center and how Joseph Reginella was inspired to create a series of fake monuments throughout the Big Apple. A listener email explains how Nikola Jokic is the ultimate wife guy. Episode Tabs: The Lost Cow Tunnels of New York City https://gizmodo.com/the-lost-cow-tunnels-of-new-york-city-1455215193 New York monument honors victims of giant octopus attack that never occurred https://www.theguardi...
Oct 16, 2024•1 hr 38 min•Season 1Ep. 39
This week we are joined by special guest Kurosh Jozavi (@kujoprime) as we learn about Magic the Gathering Commander Decks, how wealthy British land owners used to populate their gardens with hermits, and a patent for a spooky police interrogation device. A listener email reveals the man who convinced Ghirardelli to set up chocolate shop in San Francisco. Episode Tabs: Rocco, the Iranian Street Chef https://archidekt.com/decks/7553410/rocco_the_iranian_street_chef Ornamental Hermits https://en.wi...
Oct 09, 2024•1 hr 41 min•Season 1Ep. 38
This week we're joined by special guest host Alyssa Cooper as we learn how the Dennison sisters revolutionized England’s penny arcades and how barrel rollers in Québec pulled off the maple syrup heist of the century. A listener email explains how to best pass a kidney stone at Disneyland. Episode Tabs: Penny Arcades Would Be Nothing Without the Pioneering Dennison Sisters https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/penny-arcade-dennison-sisters https://pennymachines.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?p=39092 I...
Oct 02, 2024•1 hr 41 min•Season 1Ep. 37
This week we explore the short stories of Sci-Fi writer Cordwainer Smith and how a prop in the Stuart Little movie led to the rediscovery of a lost Hungarian masterpiece. A listener email explains how 9/11 ruined Disney World train tours forever. Episode Tabs: The Sci-Fi Writer who Invented Conspiracy Theory https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/04/science-fiction-conspiracy-theory-psyops/678195/ Stuart Little leads art historian to long-lost Hungarian masterpiece https://www.theguardia...
Sep 25, 2024•1 hr 31 min•Season 1Ep. 36
This week we learn about the insane lengths Helge Meyer went to help starving kids in the Yugoslav Wars and the CIA/ Chinese Nationalist Party ties of acclaimed SciFi writer Cordwainer Smith. A listener email explains why King Tut was particularly stiff when mummified. Episode Tabs: The Real Transporter – Helge Meyer And His Ghost Camaro https://www.motorpunk.co.uk/carclub-18-30/the-cars/real-transporter-helge-meyer-ghost-camaro/ Throngs of Himself https://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2018/fall/cordwain...
Sep 18, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 35
This week we learn how Iceland got the wrong translation of Dracula and how America's thirst for guano led the government to enact an insane law in 1856. A listener email gives us the sweats. Episode Tabs: The Literary Mystery of the Icelandic Dracula by Valur Grettison https://grapevine.is/mag/2022/05/09/the-literary-mystery-of-the-icelandic-dracula/ How Fertilizer Madness Sparked a Turd War and Turned Guano Into Gold https://www.thedailyscoop.com/news/retail-business/how-fertilizer-madness-spa...
Sep 11, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Season 1Ep. 34
This week we learn about the discovery of secret tunnels under Los Angeles built by ancient lizard people and how Ann Hodges was struck by a meteorite while napping. A listener email reveals the real life inspiration of Nacho Libre. Episode Tabs: The Underground Catacombs of L.A.'s Lizard People https://lamag.com/news/citydig-the-underground-catacombs-of-las-lizard-people For the Only Person Ever Hit by a Meteorite, the Real Trouble Began Later https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/only-pers...
Sep 04, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 33
On this very special episode we KEEP IT JOSIE by learning how Rome had 5 different emperors in the year 193 and what makes a colossal squid versus a giant squid. A listener email explains why southern Californians always use "the" when naming freeways. Episode Tabs: Year of the Five Emperors https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_of_the_Five_Emperors Is This the First Recorded Footage of a Colossal Squid Living Freely? https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/is-this-the-first-recorded-footage-...
Aug 28, 2024•1 hr 42 min•Season 1Ep. 32
This week we are joined by special guest Alex Brodt as we learn about the Groom of the Stool, how Rick Perry's cousin raised the world's oldest cat, and the brief period in time when Art was an Olympic sport. A listener email explains how luggage handlers are just like us. Episode Tabs: Groom of the Stool https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groom_of_the_Stool How to Raise a 165-Year-Old Cat https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-to-raise-a-165-year-old-cat Remember When the Olympics Used to Have an...
Aug 21, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 31
This week we learn about the insane story of Alligator Joe and how camels ended up in Australia. A listener email explored Mary Toft's strange birthing practices. Episode Tabs: When Kids Played With Alligators in Los Angeles https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alligator-farm-los-angeles-180957172/ The strange story of Australia’s wild camel https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20180410-the-strange-story-of-australias-wild-camel Listener Tabs: https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/library/files/spe...
Aug 14, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 30
This week we learn about the legendary Hollywood Target that took forever to get built and Pompeian graffiti. A listener email shows us the best dog who gets the most pats. Episode Tabs: The 'Target Husk' in Hollywood Opens at Last, 12 Years After Work Began https://lamag.com/featured/hollywood-target-opens What the Graffiti of Ancient Pompeii Teach Us About Our Modern Selves https://blog.degruyter.com/graffiti-ancient-pompeii-teach-us-modern-selves/ Listener Tabs: https://www.onemillionpats.com...
Aug 07, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 29
This week we learn about skydiving beavers, WW2 bat bombs, and Cynthia the Gaba Girl. A listener email informs us of the communion wafer monopoly. Episode Tabs: Why 76 Beavers Were Forced to Skydive into the Idaho Wilderness in 1948 https://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/running-ponies/why-76-beavers-were-forced-to-skydive-into-the-idaho-wilderness-in-1948/ Cynthia the Mannequin: A Curious Star Is Born https://time.com/3877720/life-with-cynthia-the-world-famous-mannequin/ Listener Tabs: https:/...
Jul 31, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Season 1Ep. 28
This week we're in San Diego for Comic-Con where we learn about the history of Cosplay and the world's greatest autograph collector, Joseph Mikulec. A listener email shows us a livestream of a real-life stream. Episode Tabs: Myrtle R Douglas: Mother of Convention Costuming https://youtu.be/DasGQQkj-xY?si=VfZUtkyjqRuSZL23 The Man Who Walked Around the World, Collecting the Autographs of the Rich and Famous https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-man-who-walked-around-the-world-collecting-the-a...
Jul 24, 2024•1 hr 35 min•Season 1Ep. 27
In this week's highly anticipated crossover episode, we are joined by House of Pod's Dr. Kaveh Hoda as we learn about Pig Butchering, famed Iranian dancer Mohammad Khordadian, and the Tiffany Problem. A listener email clues us into the existence of Bog Butter. Episode Tabs: Pig Butchering Scam https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_butchering_scam Keeping Up with the Khordadian https://www.bidoun.org/articles/keeping-up-with-the-khordadian Tiffany Problem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiffany_Problem...
Jul 17, 2024•1 hr 57 min•Season 1Ep. 26
In honor of reaching our 25th episode milestone, this week we host the ancient tournament of Kumitab! Join our battle royale as we pit some of our craziest tab subjects against one another including a lobotomized housewife, Richard Nixon, and the burning MacArthur overpass. A listener email informs illustrators to which patron saint they should pray. Listener Tabs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titivillus Email your closed tab submissions to: 500opentabs@gmail.com Support us on Patreon: https://...
Jul 10, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 25
This week we conclude Richard of Pudlicott's 1303 heist of Edward Longshanks' crown jewels and learn about Meiji era political cartoons involving Tanuki balls. A listener email explains the beaverly origins of strawberry flavoring. Episode Tabs: 1303 Heist PART II https://www.forgottenbooks.com/en/download/ChaptersintheAdministrativeHistoryofMediaevalEngland_10193632.pdf Testicular Tanuki Tales: Japanese Folk Humor for Children with a Ribald Satirical Twist https://blogs.princeton.edu/cotsen/201...
Jul 03, 2024•1 hr 35 min•Season 1Ep. 24
This week we learn about Mark T. Smith's iconic Taco Bell paintings and Richard of Pudlicott's plan to rob Edward Longshanks in 1303. A listener email explains how failing to learn the Persian language resulted in Europeans eating mummies for medicinal purposes. Episode Tabs: One of the most unusual heists in America seems to be unfolding at Taco Bell https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/taco-bell-ebay-mark-smith-paintings-19464177.php The One Where England’s Treasury War Robbed https://medium.co...
Jun 26, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Season 1Ep. 23
This week we conclude the story of the Great Moon Hoax of 1835 and learn about crown jewel thief Colonel Thomas Blood. A listener email explains why ancient Greek statues always had tiny wieners. Episode Tabs: The Great Moon Hoax https://hoaxes.org/archive/permalink/the_great_moon_hoax https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/moon-shot-race-a-hoax-and-the-birth-of-fake-news The Irish Man Who Stole the Crown Jewels https://britishheritage.com/history/man-steals-crown-jewels Listener Tabs: http...
Jun 19, 2024•1 hr 30 min•Season 1Ep. 22
This week we learn about the 1904 Olympic marathon and The Great Moon Hoax of 1835. A listener email teaches us how to dance with the devil. Episode Tabs: The 1904 Olympic Marathon May Have Been the Strangest Ever https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-1904-olympic-marathon-may-have-been-the-strangest-ever-14910747/ Belief, Legend, and the Great Moon Hoax https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2014/08/the-great-moon-hoax/ Listener Tabs: https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/u.osu.edu/dist/c/82315/files/2022...
Jun 12, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Season 1Ep. 21
This week we are joined by special guest Miles Greb ( Plastic Plesiosaur Podcast ) as we learn about Bloodsport's Frank Dux, Fata Morganas, and McGruff the Crime Dog. A listener email reveals a special item on an ancient Greek brothel menu. Go see Kaveh in SF this weekend for his event on June 8th: https://www.booksinc.net/event/lindsay-ellis-books-inc-opera-plaza Episode Tabs: Frank Dux https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Dux Fantastically Wrong: The Bizarre Mirages That Once Scared the Bejesus...
Jun 05, 2024•1 hr 40 min•Season 1Ep. 20
This week we wrap up the MacArthur Maze debacle and learn about pioneering cartoonist Rose O'Neill. A listener email dives into the mysterious poisoning of a Chinese billionaire. Episode Tabs: Rebuilding The Maze p2 https://youtu.be/-TKjwblp1XI?si=pcAFthBY_vVzV0ss Rose O’Neill : Artist and Suffragist https://www.illustrationhistory.org/artists/rose-oneill Listener Tabs: https://library.osu.edu/site/cartoons/2012/08/03/found-in-the-collection-mr-coffee-nerves/ https://www.preview.ph/culture/3-bod...
May 29, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Season 1Ep. 19
This week we learn about the renegade Anne Hutchinson and how the MacArthur Maze was reconstructed in record time after a fire. A listener email explains the sword-fighting roots of the Best Man. Episode Tabs: The Trial of Anne Hutchinson https://www.famous-trials.com/hutchinson/2395-hutchinson-1637-account Rebuilding The Maze https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/infrastructure/a60433142/macarthur-maze-reconstruction-cc-myers/ Listener Tabs: https://fpmaine.com/news/a-brief-history-of-the...
May 22, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 18
This week we are joined by special guest Steven Ray Morris ( My Favorite Murder, See Jurassic Right ) as we learn about fake buildings, Sperm whale defense tactics, and Lego lost at sea. A listener email penetrates some myths about lobotomies. Episode Tabs: Fake Buildings https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fake_building Sperm whales survive surprise attack https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-21/sperm-whales-survive-surprise-orca-attack/103609696 Lego Lost at Sea https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-n...
May 15, 2024•1 hr 34 min•Season 1Ep. 17
This week we learn about Jonathan the Seychelles giant tortoise and Air Force One petty theft. A listener email clarifies what the Grishaverse actually is. Episode Tabs: Jonathan the Tortoise https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-oldest-living-land-animal-a-tortoise-named-jonathan-turns-191-180983392/ The Real D.C. Crime Wave https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2024/03/28/the-real-d-c-crime-wave-00149591 Listener Tabs: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d...
May 08, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 16
