Roll out the VCR and pull up a folding chair, because it’s time for a good ol’ PSA. That’s right, we’re going old-school this week at This Was a Thing , and rewinding to a more innocent time when the classrooms were full of happiness, juice boxes, and policemen leading improvisation exercises where you pretended to sell drugs to your friends. Rob teaches Ray about Drug Abuse Resistance Education, a.k.a. D.A.R.E., and how it grew from a small pilot program in L.A. schools to a multi-million dolla...
Jun 13, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 40
Whether it’s insider trading or nepo babies, people usually have an issue with others using exclusive privileges for personal gain. But in the world of sports betting, profiting from inside information isn't just frowned upon - for officials, it’s actually illegal. And yet that didn’t stop a certain NBA referee from doing just that, and causing one of the biggest scandals yet in the basketball league's history. Ray teaches Rob about NBA referee Tim Donaghy and his illicit gambling scheme; how Ji...
Jun 07, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 39
Here at This Was A Thing, we’re no fashionistas (although Ray would argue otherwise), but even with our limited knowledge, it’s hard to avoid noticing the current trend of tapered, tighter clothes. But in the early 1900s, a garment rose to popularity that shunned that trend toward tightness, boasting extra fabric and a looser fit. More than that, this particular clothing item became so identified with certain groups that its name was used when describing a notable riot in the 1940s that was embl...
May 31, 2023•59 min•Season 2Ep. 38
In honor of pride month, this week is a special episode focused on the franchise that began life as a landmark French boulevard stage comedy, and was then adapted into acclaimed films and musical. And even though the love story at the center of the story was between two men, it has captured the hearts of audiences from all sexual orientations. It also answers the age old question: what happens when you put the composer of Hello Dolly! , the director of West Side Story , and Edna Turnlad in a roo...
May 23, 2023•57 min•Season 2Ep. 37
When a neighborhood in Niagra Falls is named "Love Canal," you might think it would be a perfect place for a weekend get-away, or an idyllic spot to raise one’s family. Tragically, as its residents discovered in 1978, a chemical company had already put this area to use as a dumping site for highly toxic chemicals - which they then covered up, literally and figuratively. But it couldn’t, and didn’t, stay buried forever, and once the citizens actually learned about the horrific compounds stored in...
May 16, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 36
When Beatlemania swept the nation in the 1960s, the only logical and properly capitalistic response was to ask: “How can we steal this idea and turn it into a good ol’ American money grab?” And thus was born the idea for a show featuring four talented, eccentric bandmates who just want to make some noise, shake a timbourine, and go on some wild adventures. But when these fictional band buddies decided to break the fourth wall of their TV show by taking control of the music production itself, thi...
May 10, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 35
Long before the barricades of Les Mis arose, before Adele Dazeem defied gravity, and before Mr. Alexander Hamilton took his shot, musical theatre in America had already emerged from one of the most formative and productive periods in theatre history. It only lasted 21 years, but those years gave the public such an expansive slate of shows and groundbreaking performances that it would take a professional historian to summarize in a single podcast episode. Lucky for you, one of our hosts has a car...
May 02, 2023•56 min•Season 2Ep. 34
Do you ever feel like there’s just no getting away from the texts, emails, and Slack messages? Like life would be so much easier if there were a dedicated place you could go to talk with people, rather than feeling your pocket buzz at every single moment? Well, break out the cringey screen names and Away Messages, because this week, we taking AIM at a topic that’s sure to warm the modems in every early Internet kids heart. Just make sure no one needs the landline for the next few hours. Ray teac...
Apr 25, 2023•55 min•Season 2Ep. 33
In today’s hyper-connected world, it’s almost impossible to avoid the constant flood of news, whether it’s coming from our TVs, phones, or computers. So give your brain a break and cast your mind back to a time when news was just another segment on TV, and the idea of a 24-hour news cycle was almost unheard of – that is, until one small toddler in Midland, Texas, took an unexpected fall in her backyard… Rob teaches Ray about the harrowing tale of Baby Jessica McClure, and how the broadcast of he...
Apr 18, 2023•57 min•Season 2Ep. 32
Unless you’ve been holed up in a Fortress of Solitude for the past hundred years, there’s no escaping the cultural impact of Superman. After starting life on the pages of comic books, a number of actors have donned the yellow “S” on TV and in movies. But for one man in particular, the cape of Krypton became more of a burden than a blessing. And when his death lead to murder accusations, George Reeves’s personal life became as much of a public fascination as his bespectacled and muscled alter ego...
Apr 11, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 31
Join us for a jaunt down memory lane – a.k.a., Central Park West – as we take a trip to see the nicest apartments ever to be rented by supposedly down-and-out New Yorkers. That’s right, we’re visiting Monica, Joey, Chandler, Ross, Phoebe, and, of course, Rachel. And if there’s one thing that endeared viewers to Jennifer Aniston’s waitress-turned-fashion executive, on top of her sarcasm and “will-they-won’t-they-okay-yes-they-will” dynamic with Ross, it’s her season one hairstyle that took every ...
Apr 04, 2023•44 min•Season 2Ep. 30
If you saw that title and you're chomping at the bit to get listening, and can hardly rein in your excitement, then you're in the right place. So hop on a rainbow, make sure you've packed your bag full with friendship, loyalty, trust, and honesty, and join us on an express journey to Equestria! Ray teaches Rob about the history of fandoms, and the specific origins of the Brony subculture within the My Little Pony -verse; how the Internet and anonymous image boards were instrumental in its rise; ...
Mar 28, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 29
Since it's almost spring, it's the perfect time to throw out those ratty rags from last year and add some fresh looks to your wardrobe. So, to inspire your inner fashionistas, we’re taking a look back at the work of an unsung hero behind the outfits of Hollywood's early movie stars: costume designer Edith Head. Ray teaches Rob about how Edith went from substitute teacher to Mae West’s costumer and confidante in only a few short years; Rob’s new Dorothy Lamour-inspired sarong; Pixar's homage to H...
Mar 21, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 28
In addition to being the birthyear of one Mr. Raymond Michael Hebel, 1987 was arguably defined by the stories of four women who came under intense public scrutiny for choices and actions which led the press to label them as "bimbos". And despite the fact that a collection of awful men with whom these women associated either harmed, betrayed, or even assaulted them, it wasn't those men who ultimately paid the highest price - it was the women themselves. Rob teaches Ray about these four women - Je...
Mar 14, 2023•51 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Roll out the red carpet and grab a tub of Redenbacher's, because it's time to go to the movies. The Academy Awards are one of the most anticipated cinema celebrations in the world, so naturally, when the show seemed like it was losing its pizzazz, the producers need to find a way to spice things up again. And what better way to do that than to add in lavish production numbers, incongruous sketches, and appearances from some of the greatest stars of yesterday and tomorrow? Rob teaches Ray about t...
Mar 07, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 26
This one's got it all: true crime, big reveals, legal drama, Uta Hagen. So if any of those things spark your interest, then this one's for you, dear listener. Because even though this real-life case of a wealthy heiress’s mysterious coma initially seemed cut-and-dry, nothing was as simple as it seemed. Was Sunny von Bülow's coma the result of foul play? What was in that strange black bag her children discovered in their stepfather’s closet? And did my lady really take insulin? Rob teaches Ray ab...
Feb 28, 2023•51 min•Season 2Ep. 25
If there's one thing America's great at, it's franchising literally anything. Self-help book series, TV show spinoffs, Subways - we love a good franchise. And when it comes to America's global influence, the movie industry continues to be one of the biggest cultural exports from the USA to other countries. So, given that American films and movie stars have so much cultural cachet, and that quintessential love of franchises, it would be brilliant to build a restaurant chain all around worshiping ...
Feb 21, 2023•44 min•Season 2Ep. 24
Happy Valentine's Day, listeners! Or, if you prefer not to recognize this particular holiday, Happy Tuesday! Given that today's episode happens to fall on this uniquely American holiday all about capitalism-fueled love, we wanted to give you all something that fits the occasion. And what better way to celebrate a holiday of romance and rampant commercialism than an episode all about a book that sits squarely at the center of both of those things? Rob teaches Ray (and Emalee!) about the history o...
Feb 14, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Ah, to be 19 again. It's a time of possibilities, insecurities, of worrying about what adulthood is really going to be like. On the other hand, if you're Shawn Fanning or Sean Parker, your worries at 19 were a little bigger. As in, "multimillion-dollar legal battles with the entire music industry" bigger. And all because of a piece of software that let you listen to and download music from all across the internet...without paying the artists. What could go wrong? Ray teaches Rob about how a craz...
Feb 07, 2023•53 min•Season 2Ep. 22
You may remember This Was A Thing 's deep dive last season into "The Super Bowl Shuffle," where the Chicago Bears showed everyone how a sports team song can become cultural phenomenon. Well, the "Shuffle" was great for sports fans, and even helped out Chicago communities that were in need. But in 1985, the same year that the "Shuffle" was recorded, another hit single was released that took the "celebrity fundraising song" concept all the way to 11. That's when Lionel Ritchie, and Michael Jackson...
Jan 31, 2023•54 min•Season 2Ep. 21
If you’ve ever ordered at a chain restaurant, then you know the homey feeling of knowing you’re about to eat the exact same meal as you could get at any other location. And even though the Golden Arches or a pair of red braids and freckles are some of the most recognizable franchise mascots today, if we flashback to the mid-1900s, then Simple Simon and the Pieman would’ve been just as recognizable as those other icons. Why? Because if you wanted a tasty clam belly, a delicious sundae, or to snag...
Jan 24, 2023•44 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Tony the Tiger, Jake from State Farm, the GEICO Gecko – so many ads are inseparable from their spokespeople. And maybe one of the most versatile and quirky of those characters, Mr. Ernest P. Worrell, would sell you anything from buttermilk to loans with his signature enthusiasm, stylish denim vest, and unforgettable catchphrase… Ray teaches Rob about how Jim Varney, a.k.a. Ernest, and John Cherry created one of the most iconic characters in commercials; why Ernest’s success in local broadcasting...
Jan 17, 2023•41 min•Season 2Ep. 19
Here at This Was A Thing , we love a good political scandal. And even though they pop up like weeds nowadays, back in 1972, right before a story broke about a certain hotel and a certain series of tapes by a certain president who shall not be Nixoned, uh, named, the hot goss around Washington was all about one figure in particular. Especially because he could have been next in line to be the leader of the free world. Rob teaches Ray about George McGovern's presidential campaign, and his choice o...
Jan 10, 2023•50 min•Season 2Ep. 18
In a world before Zoom conferences, virtual meet-ups, and social media, getting together and connecting with other people took a lot of time, and traveling to other countries was pretty much a non-starter for any normal person. And when countries wanted to show off their shiny new inventions and of course make other countries jealous, how were they supposed to do that? Well, what if there was one, single, blowout event that brought together people from across the globe? That could be a good star...
Jan 03, 2023•57 min•Season 2Ep. 17
In honor of the New Year, This Was A Thing is making some serious resolutions: 1. We're going to find even more ways to work Bea Arthur into future episodes. 2. Ray and Rob are going to start a new Patreon perk - "Fight Club with Fred Silverman." 3. We will not program any computers in any way that could even possibly cause an infrastructure catastrophe. If that last resolution sounds oddly specific and familiar, then you're probably remembering 1999 - when the entire country (and world) was ask...
Dec 27, 2022•46 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Happy Holidays to our favorite listeners! As a gift for your incredible support, we’re giving you TWO Patreon exclusive “Old Lucy” Level episodes that have a Christmas theme to them! Maybe this can replace the Christmas Songs that you have paired with the Yule Log you found on YouTube! First up, Ray decided to take on the role of Mark Schroeder and become game coordinator for this VERY special episode. Rob gets quizzed on the origins of some of the world’s favorite Christmas songs. Go grab some ...
Dec 25, 2022•1 hr 10 min
Do you need a sunny day to sweep those winter clouds away? Join us for a little stroll down the memory lane of merchandising, because there's nothing more sure to lift you out of your blues than a certain Muppet with a nose like an orange, a song in his heart, and a vibrating motor installed inside his belly. Ray teaches Rob about the origins for this best-selling behemoth, including how a chimpanzee news anchor served as part of the original inspiration for its creation; the spinoffs that this ...
Dec 20, 2022•42 min•Season 2Ep. 15
After The French Connection and The Exorcist , William Friedkin needed something big. Something bold. Something daring. And when someone brought him the novel Cruising he found a property that more than fit the bill. Unfortuantely, it also ended up being a quagmire of political controversy and ambiguous plot lines that modern audiences are still trying to figure out. Rob teachers Ray about the origins of the movie Cruising , including the original novel; what made William Friedkin decide to set ...
Dec 13, 2022•57 min•Season 2Ep. 14
It was love at first sight: you watched them enter the room, heard their adorable laugh, chatted with them all night, and thought to yourself: "Someday, I'm going to leave this person and want to split their assets 50-50…" Rob teaches Ray about "palimony" and talks through two landmark cases that catapulted the term into the zeitgeist; the history of common law marriage; why Ray has now named himself Marvin M. McMarvin Jr.; palimony's influence in and importance to the gay community; and how thi...
Dec 06, 2022•48 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Are you looking for a story that is 100% guaranteed to blow your mind? A true crime tale that'll leave you wondering how crooks got away with it for so long in the first place? Well, hold on to your girdle, because this one's a doozy. It's got everything: insurance scams, fake passports, an undercover sting operation, Israeli really bank accounts, and huge sales on some of the best TVs and VCRs around (sales tax not included). Best of all, you can listen to this story for the low, low price of F...
Nov 29, 2022•55 min•Season 2Ep. 12
