Late-night TV celebrity interviews are fun diversions, but when Hollywood needs real, gritty, hard-hitting journalism, there's only one man for the job. And if it takes mispronouncing every single name in the business, then honey, he's way ahead of you. Rob teaches Ray about Sammy LaBella, a.k.a. Skip E. Lowe, whose dreams of stardom led him to befriend, interview, and/or bed more Hollywood personalities than most people probably know exist; how public access TV is the gift that keeps on giving;...
Nov 22, 2022•51 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Hankering to travel somewhere warm? Somewhere with exciting sightseeing? Somewhere you can be cursed by the spirit of a vengeful Egyptian monarch? Then have we got a place for you! Ray teaches Rob about the archeologists responsible for the discovery of the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamen, the Egyptian ruler who is now best known as King Tut; the misfortunes and maladies that befell many of those who uncovered the tomb; how Tut got so funky; and how all this mummy curse business got started in t...
Nov 15, 2022•53 min•Season 2Ep. 10
If you turn back the clocks to the early 90s, it would be impossible to avoid all the late night jokes about Vice President Dan Quayle. Likewise, if you followed the 90s TV scene, you couldn't miss the fact that Candice Bergen was raking in the Emmys for her role as the titular Murphy Brown on CBS. So when two media behemoths like that unexpectedly went head-to-head, it was bound to be a battle for the ages... Rob teaches Ray about Dan Quayle's life and career, and his sudden rise to prominence ...
Nov 08, 2022•51 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Parents of the United States! Listen to this podcast warning before it's too late! Have you noticed your children spending lots of time around funeral homes and coffins? Are they, per chance, drawing pentacles in their school notebooks? Do the toys they play with have any subliminally devilish aspects to them, such as (heaven forbid) flapping wings? If so, they may be under a Satanic spell that only extreme legislation and questionable tell-all books can help fix...or could all of this possibly ...
Nov 01, 2022•57 min•Season 2Ep. 8
On top of giving us the truly epic Dustin, Steve, and Eddie bromance and boosting Kate Bush's album sales, Stranger Things also deserves the bulk of the credit for bringing Dungeons and Dragons back into the zeitgeist. So, given that newfound popularity, it's hard to imagine how the very same game was once decried by a large - and largely conservative - contingent of the U.S., who condemned it for being not only a distraction from life’s realities, but an actual breeding ground for Satanic beli...
Oct 25, 2022•49 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Wigs, plugs, toupés - so many solutions to hair loss, but all with their own issues and drawbacks. Was there any hope for real change? Was baldness an unavoidable condition? Would someone ever come along and provide a solution that truly brought satisfaction to those wanting to return to their days of luscious locks? Enter Sy Sperling: a man with a flat yet dulcet voice, a bald patch, and a dream. Rob teaches Ray a brief history of baldness in several cultures across the globe; how one man’s bac...
Oct 18, 2022•46 min•Season 2Ep. 6
We've covered our fair share of musicians and music-adjacent topics on This Was a Thing , and we'll probably cover plenty more in the future. But when it comes to the Venn Diagram of musical theatre, rock-and-roll, and cover art that includes apocalyptic motorcycles, there's only one album that should come to mind. That's because there was only one Meatloaf, only one Jim Steinman, and only one Bat Out of Hell . (Well, three, technically, but who's counting.) Ray teaches Rob about the genesis of ...
Oct 11, 2022•57 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Having a tough day? Life got you down? Does your body feel like it’s suffering from a severe lack of goat’s blood, steroids, and placenta? Oh, and also meth? Then we know just what the doctor should order, and which doctor should order it! Rob teaches Ray about the infamous Max "Dr. Feelgood" Jacobson, and his wide ranging celebrity clientele; his unsavory and unsanitary business practices; how his miracle vitamin shots played a key role in Cold War diplomacy; and the contemporary figures whose ...
Oct 04, 2022•44 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Just imagine: it's the end of the week, and all you want to do is crash on the couch, switch on the TV, and chillax. Luckily for you, it's also the early 90s, which means there's no black hole of streaming services to get lost in, so no need to stress about making that choice we all struggle with nowadays: "What should I watch?" Instead, you can just pop something into your Easy Bake oven, grab a bottle of Pepsi Blue, then flip to that channel with the cartoon mice and enjoy! Rob teaches Ray abo...
Sep 27, 2022•49 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Extra, Extra, read all about it! Extra-terrestrial stock brokers discovered on Wall Street running a pump-and-dump scheme to boost stock prices for personal space tech investments. If you want to learn more, drop that Times or Journal - this exclusive story can only be found in a very special publication. Ray teaches Rob about the wacky and wild history of Weekly World News; its origins as a last-ditch effort to revive a moribund black-and-white printing press; Hilary Clinton's absolutely real r...
Sep 20, 2022•44 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Have you ever been on a New York subway? How about the Munich U-Bahn? Let's make it easier: have you walked down any sidewalk and/or generic walkway in any major and/or minor city in any of the six major global continents? Great! Then you've almost definitely seen a colorful poster featuring one to several dancers, all inviting you to put "China Before Communism" and see a show that could very well change your life...or at least, give you a night you'll never forget. Ray teaches Rob about Shen Y...
Sep 13, 2022•49 min•Season 2Ep. 1
America just celebrated Labor Day, and we all know the two things that day has historically signified: it’s the last chance to wear white shoes (thank you, Elle Woods), and, until 2014, it was also the only chance to tune in to the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s annual fundraiser - better known to most people as the Jerry Lewis Telethon. Rob teaches Ray about Good Jerry, Bad Jerry, and all the Jerrys in between; the early days, break up, and reunion of Martin and Lewis; how Lainie Kazan earne...
Sep 06, 2022•56 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Oh yes, you read that right. So gird your loins and clear your Tuesdays, because we're launching next week with a the first of a whole season of new episodes that are bigger, badder, and thing-ier than ever. But you'll have to tune in to hear it! And hey, why not tell a friend while you're at it? You can both share the joy of hearing Rob tell Ray about the zaniness that was the 1989 Oscars, and listen to Ray's dulcet tones as he teaches Rob and all of us about the Napster sensation that swept th...
Sep 06, 2022•3 min
Does your Venn Diagram of interests include Dale Cooper, Saved by the Bell, and Robocop ? Also, are you 17 or older? Then you're in luck! Because in 1995, after achieving cinematic fame with Basic Instinct, Paul Verhoeven and Joe Eszterhaz teamed up for another film, this time set in the world of Las Vegas exotic dancers and show business, and the results were...controversial. Rob teaches Ray about Verhoeven's original vision for "Showgirls" as a satirical commentary on the American Dream, and h...
Aug 30, 2022•42 min•Season 1Ep. 52
In the ancient, pre-Google days, if someone wanted to get sports scores, or chat with a “naughty friend”, or obsess over your favorite celebrity, you couldn’t just type into a browser - the world wide web was a long ways off. But never fear! Just call this number, pay a incidental (read: exorbitant) fee per minute, and you’re guaranteed to find what you’re looking for. Ray teaches Rob about the meteoric rise of early 1-900 number entrepreneurs; why cats should stay away from phones; Santa’s (w)r...
Aug 23, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 51
To say thank you for your loyalty, we are gifting you all with this PATREON ONLY exclusive episode of our interview with world renowned Elvis impersonator, and Ray's Dad, Raymond Michael. If you like this, every other week, on PATREON, we release new content which dives even deeper into the cultural happenings of yesteryear. Want to get in on that fun? CLICK HERE Raymond Michael Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Aug 17, 2022•48 min
On August 16, 1977, Elvis Presley passed away and the world lost a rock and roll icon - or did it? Well, according to Gail Brewer-Giorgio and a cast of colorful conspiracy theorists, the King may not have left the building when everyone thinks he did… Ray teaches Rob about five key pieces of evidence that Gail and her gang use to support their “faked death” theory; the sketchy details behind Elvis’s partnership with the FBI to take down a notorious con-men cartel; why you should always have reco...
Aug 16, 2022•47 min•Season 1Ep. 50
Gather 'round, listeners, and attend the tale that still leaves Broadway producers shaking in their Greek sandals. Yes, it's the truly terrifying story of Carrie: The Musical. Rob teaches Ray about the opera performance that inspired the writers of this grisly adaptation; how homophones lead to togas; the fan-base that sprang up to support (and bootleg) this flailing production; and why Carrie encapsulates the ephemeral nature of theatre in a rare way. If you like what we are doing, please suppo...
Aug 09, 2022•53 min•Season 1Ep. 49
Friendster, SixDegrees, Makeoutclub - if you're a 90s kid, then you probably remember at least some of those websites (and may they all rest in peace). But there could only be one top dog, and MySpace was it. Hillary Duff, Harry Styles, Kim Kardashian - everyone had a MySpace page, and you better pray your friends put you in their Top 8. So with all the hype, how did the site go from being a 12-billion-dollar gorilla to an Internet has-been? Rob teaches Ray about how this small, music-centric so...
Aug 02, 2022•51 min•Season 1Ep. 48
You love Caddyshack , right? How about “Weekend Update” on SNL, or all the National Lampoon Vacation movies? Classic! Then you're bound to love a talk show hosted by the one and only Chevy Chase, right? Right?? Ray teaches Rob about the late night TV wars that followed Johnny Carson’s retirement; the perils of shooting hoops during your very first entrance as a talk show host; the air biscuit that tainted Whoopie Goldberg’s short-lived experience as a late night host; and why Fox probably wishes...
Jul 26, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 47
When you think of impressionists, you might picture the impresarios on SNL, or the wide array of Elvises with a Vegas residency. But have you ever wondered about who laid the groundwork for those performers to make their living lampooning celebrities? If you have, then you’re in luck - because if a couple of guys made a podcast about one of the very first nationally celebrated impressionists, it would probably sound a little something like this… Rob teaches Ray about Rich Little’s long career, f...
Jul 19, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 46
Merchandising cash grabs are nothing new to the Star Wars franchise. Who didn’t beg their parents for a lightsaber, or a Darth Vader helmet, or a Porg plushy? And one of the most blatant of these marketing ploys was the appearance of the fierce and fuzzy Ewoks who stole the show in Return of the Jedi. So what better way to celebrate their popularity, mine even more profit for George Lucas, and hopefully recover from the disaster that was the Star Wars Holiday Special than to make a TV movie feat...
Jul 12, 2022•38 min•Season 1Ep. 45
“Lorne Michaels” and “SNL” are essentially synonymous in this day and age, and his successful run as the show’s producer has been legendary. But if we turn the clocks back to 1980, the view from the top of the Rock at NBC wasn’t so rosy. Why, you might ask? Great question, you listener reading these notes! Rob teaches Ray about the falling out between Lorne and Fred Silverman that led to Lorne’s departure from the very sketch show he had created; the short-lived tenure of his wildly unpopular re...
Jul 05, 2022•48 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Ever stopped your Netflix scrolling to click on that new Marvel movie you’ve been dying to watch, only to realize that the dude playing “Almighty Thor” has absolutely no resemblance to Chris Hemsworth, and his hammer looks more like a dog bone stuck onto a baseball bat? (Obviously this is a purely hypothetical situation with no basis in reality.) Well then, friend, you have been duped by the marketing savvy of the infamous film production company, “The Asylum.” Ray teaches Rob about how seriousl...
Jun 28, 2022•37 min•Season 1Ep. 43
On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court ruled on the landmark case, Roe V. Wade. Only two months earlier, TV’s cynical and spectacular Maude Findlay found herself in a position where she was forced to reckon with the exact choice upheld by the courts. And in 2022, the Supreme Court is again poised to take up the issue of abortion and a woman’s right to choose, making this a topic that is still scarily relevant. Rob teaches Ray about Norman Lear and his signature approach to television; Bea Arthur...
Jun 21, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 42
The Macarena. You know it, you’ve heard it, you’ve probably danced it with your parents, your cousins, your middle school BFFs, and/or your local rabbi. But - have you ever listened closely to the lyrics? Rob teaches Ray about the singing duo who brought this catchy tune to the world; the questionable origin of the song’s title; why Al Gore’s got the moves; and the many remixes and parodies that have kept this ear worm alive for decades. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreo...
Jun 14, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 41
Filter, flavor, pack or box - Marlboros have everything cigarette-lovers could want. But how could the company broaden their consumer base from primarily women, and prove that their cigarettes were just as manly as any ol’ Winston or Chesterfield? Well, hop on yer saddle, throw on a ten-gallon, and let’s head on down into advertising history, ‘cause that there question is exactly what Ray and Rob are gabbin’ about in this here episode. Ray teaches Rob about the history of the Marlboro Man campai...
Jun 07, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Listeners! There’s no need to feel down! I said, Listeners! Pick yourself off the ground… and get ready for the story of when Village People made a movie! “Can’t Stop The Music” was released in the summer of 1980 at the tail end of the Disco Craze. Producer Allan Carr, fresh off his success with the film “Grease”, was ready for his next smash hit. He paired a fresh-faced Steve Guttenberg with Village People and a movie was made… It’s a Disco, Musical, Fever Dream… But it certainly qualifies as a...
May 31, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 39
What’s the perfect reward for loyal viewers of a beloved TV show? How about a finale that not only obliterates the preceding 136 episodes, but puts in jeopardy more than 400 other series, including “I Love Lucy” and “Cheers?” In 1988, NBC did just that when it aired the final episode of "St. Elsewhere," a medical drama whose legacy is best described as “what the hell did they just do?” Rob gives Ray a lesson in the history of the best and worst television series finales; Bobbi Wygant’s interview...
May 24, 2022•59 min•Season 1Ep. 38
“American Idol” season one was an entertainment behemoth in the 2002. It introduced us to sassy judges and gave the world the multi-hyphened legend, Ryan Seacrest. But besides that, it also introduced the world to Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini, the heroes of this episode. After season one was done, the next logical step was taken – LETS MAKE A MOVIE! And a movie, they made… “From Justin to Kelly” was a musical/rom-com/beach flick released in the summer of 2003. Considering how popular “Ameri...
May 17, 2022•51 min•Season 1Ep. 37
