Come and hear those dancin’ feet as we put on our flapper dresses and Charleston back in time to one of our classic episodes from Season 1: Dance Marathons. Enjoy! ~~~ Get out your tap shoes, Francis, we are going dancing tonight....and tomorrow....and for the next five months! This week we look at the swinging and sadistic world of 1930s Dance Marathons which were ways for Depression Era Americans to make some money dancing for hours on end....while other Americans watched and waited for injuri...
Jan 30, 2024•46 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Tina Turner, Brian Wilson, Cher - most people know those names of the iconic stars whose music defined a generation and continue to be chart-toppers. Basically, they wrote bops. But did you know that those artists probably wouldn’t have written said bops if not for a core group of session musicians who played an instrumental role (the pun was necessary, we promise) in rock and roll sound? Ray teaches Daniel and Rob all about “The Wrecking Crew,” a select group of musicians whose reliability and ...
Jan 26, 2024•53 min•Season 3Ep. 10
If winter’s got you down and you’re in need of some extra pizzazz to get you through the day, we’ve got just the medicine: our classic episode on the “The Super Bowl Shuffle.” Once you add this chart-topping tune to your playlist, we guarantee you’ll be bopping all the way to your weekly Fred Silverman fan club meeting (we’ll see you there). Enjoy! ~~~ There hasn’t been anything quite like “The Super Bowl Shuffle”… And for good reason. Professional athletes can be boastful from time to time, but...
Jan 16, 2024•48 min•Season 3Ep. 9
You know that phrase, “All’s fair in love and war”? Even though “politics” isn’t on that list, nowadays I’m sure seems like it could be. The smear campaigns, the attack ads - sometimes it just feels like politician care more about making their opponents look bad rather that actually talking about their own policies and strengths (wait a second…). And even though these kind of tactics have probably been around forever, there’s one year and one election in particular where they took centerstage. R...
Jan 10, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In solidarity with the brave souls who've resolved to make 2024 a year of health and wellness, we're playing our in the fitness sphere and leading by example by doing the strenuous, backbreaking work...of publishing a podcast. But if that's too intense for you, don't worry - Suzanne Somers is here in this Classic episode from Season 1 to help you get more toned and trim than you could have ever imagined. Enjoy! ~~~ Happy New Years, dear listener! Getting healthy is a classic New Years Resolution...
Jan 02, 2024•44 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Happy holidays, listeners! We’ve got a delectable episode for you today, featuring a toy that has been a household staple for more than 60 years and is still going strong. In fact, it would be just the thing if you’re looking for some help with holiday baking, as long as you don’t mind your baked goods being on the miniature side…and possibly losing a finger or two in the process… Daniel teaches Ray and Rob about the Easy-Bake Oven’s origins at the renowned toy company Kenner Products; how New Y...
Dec 27, 2023•49 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Alas, holiday sickness has descended upon us here at This Was A Thing , which means we’ve needed to put some of our episode plans on hold - but never fear! We’ve picked a delicious classic episode for you fresh off the Vine. And even though it’s not six seconds, we think you’ll like this trip down viral video lane. Enjoy! ~~ Can you put together a meaningful thought or idea in six seconds or less? What about a moderately funny video? It’s hard! But there was some GOLD in them there Vine hills! R...
Dec 19, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Since 2023 is coming to a close in a few weeks, we're bringing back an episode all about the near-catastrophe (or was it?) of Y2K. And because we care about you, this episode can also be a helpful reminder: don't accidentally set up their digital infrastructure on a system that might cause the downfall of a country. Enjoy! ~~~ In honor of the 2022 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 a...
Dec 12, 2023•46 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Happy Belated Thanksgiving, dear listeners! It’s a time of gratitude (and delicious food), and when it comes to things in our lives we’re grateful for, one thought comes to mind immediately. No, Rob, not the seven perfect seasons of “The Golden Girls,” although Bea Arthur is always the right answer. It’s the fact that we can order whatever our hearts desire and have it delivered in two days or less. In fact, it’s such a cornerstone of modern life that you’re probably asking yourself, how did peo...
Dec 06, 2023•52 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Cyber Monday and Black Friday: the essential American holidays of buying stuff we don't need but really want. Maybe you got yourself something nice (Ray made sure to get his eighth copy of "Liza With a Z", and Daniel bought enough ice cream pints to stay stocked for at least another three months), or maybe you picked up a gift for a friend or loved one, you thoughtful, kind soul. Whatever you did or didn't buy, we can guarantee the day wasn't as crazy as back in the 1980s, when the rush for Cabb...
Nov 28, 2023•45 min•Season 3Ep. 4
We’re idealists here at This Was A Thing , and what’s more idealistic than the American Dream? And if there’s one person who personifies that embodies that dream to a tee, it’s this week’s subject. A man who pulled himself up by his own bootstraps, as well as by the wheelchair handles of his much older spouse, and who went to extraordinary lengths to secure his legacy: becoming one of the most notorious gold-diggers in modern history. Rob teaches Ray and Daniel all about the unconventional marri...
Nov 21, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 3
It’s that happy, happy time again - voting season! Since many of us hit the polls last week to do the whole democracy thing, we figured it’s a perfect time to re-air one of our earliest political episodes when the American political system encountered a crisis of epic proportions. Good to know things have changed, right? Enjoy! ~~~ You are a new country. You have a constitution. If anything goes wrong, don't worry, the constitution will tell us what to do.......or will it? Learn about the death ...
Nov 14, 2023•55 min•Season 3Ep. 2
We're back, baby! Since it was just Halloween, and we've all been gorging ourselves on sweet treats, we've probably also experienced the inevitable crash that comes after a huge sugar high. And it just so happens that the aftereffects of eating too much junk food is exactly the topic of today's episode, because that's the defense that lawyer settled on in one of the most notorious crimes of the 1970s. So grab yourself a cream-filled cake and listen up! Rob teaches Ray and Daniel (yes, a third ho...
Nov 07, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Hang up the fake cobwebs and throw on a witch’s hat - the spookiest day of the year is here! Everyone’s got some skeletons in a closet, and there’s no better day to proudly display those skeletons than Halloween. So we’re giving the Frankenstein treatment to one of our favorite episodes and republishing our deep dive into the wonderfully wacky hour of TV that was the Paul Lynde Halloween Special. Enjoy at your own peril! ~~~ It’s a Halloween Extravaganza this week on This Was A Thing . Who’s hos...
Oct 31, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Ah, autumn - a season of change, of sipping a piping hot PSL, and of people starting to play Christmas music way too early (seriously, Halloween is still weeks away). It’s also when the MLB World Series captivates baseball lovers across the nation. So to celebrate the start of the national pastime’s premier event, and as a nod to spooky season, we’re republishing our episode on the 1919 World Series and the subsequent Curse of the Black Sox. Play ball! ~~~ You’ve heard of the “Curse of the Bambi...
Oct 10, 2023•56 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Whether it’s Agatha Christie or Only Murders (#bloodymabel), murder and mystery always seem to fascinate the public. So in recognition of that fascination, and in remembrance of a cultural icon, we’re republishing our episode on Lana Turner’s trial for the murder of Johnny Stompanato and revisiting a scandal that turned Tinsel Town on its head… ~~~ In the 1950’s, Lana Turner was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Sadly, she was dating a violent mobster named Johnny Stompanato. Mr. Stompanto’...
Oct 03, 2023•50 min•Season 2Ep. 53
Some child actors seem like they’re just born to be stars (we’ve all watched that one kid’s audition video for E.T., and if you haven’t, put that in the queue for the weekend). But way back before we got movies like The Goonies , producer Hal Roach had already revolutionized cinema’s approach to incorporating kids in the motion pictures. Instead of just having them be set dressing, or using them as plot devices, why not just make movies in which kids … act like kids? Ray teaches Rob about the Ou...
Sep 28, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Season 2Ep. 52
If you’ve listened to some of our previous episodes, you know we love a TV variety show here at “This Was a Thing.” So to celebrate a truly iconic version of that now-defunct performance format, we’re republishing our episode on “The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.” It’s got it all - singing, dancing, American Flags, fake Jan. What’s not to love? And stay tuned for new episodes coming soon! ~~~ The Bradys are BACK! But this time the whole bunch is singing and dancing! Yes, even Alice. This week, Ray t...
Sep 19, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 4
You know a company’s made it big when its name or brand makes it into everyday vocabulary, and history’s full of great examples. We Google things, we use Kleenex, and how would we cover our boo-boos without Band-Aids? And one camera company’s name became synonomous with capturing a perfect memory - a perfect moment , you might say - so it could be preserved forever. Unfortunately (and ironically), that same company had a lot of trouble preserving itself from going under. Ray teaches Rob about th...
Sep 12, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 51
We’re celebrating Labor Day this week by republishing a classic episode from last year all about the television event that became synonymous with not only this holiday, but also its enigmatic (and problematic) host - Mr. Jerry Lewis. Enjoy! --- It’s that time of year again - Labor Day Weekend. And we all know the two most important things about that day: it’s the final chance to wear white clothing (thank you, Elle Woods), and it’s also when the nation used to tune into the Muscular Dystrophy As...
Sep 05, 2023•58 min•Season 1Ep. 53
You know what really makes people want something? Tell them they can’t have it. If your goal is to cast some reverse psychology incantation, you’re golden! But in the 1980s, when a group of concerned parents with close political affiliations (read: married to politicians) wanted musicians to put content warnings on their albums, reverse psychology was not intended. Instead, we got a big ol’ battle between a committee of “Washington Wives” and any musician publishing music with violent or explici...
Aug 29, 2023•54 min•Season 2Ep. 50
If you’re like most people, you’ll want to find a job you’re pretty good at, you enjoy, doesn’t require a huge amount of work, and also makes you a decent living. And it’s a nice bonus if other people think we’re decent at it, too. As it happens, a tall red-haired comedy writer and performer found that perfect niche for himself: hosting late night TV. But when behind-the-scenes tensions rose and contractual drama ensued, this much-loved, beautifully pompadoured man suddenly found himself on the ...
Aug 15, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Season 2Ep. 49
Want to learn to be a real actor? Well, if you’re willing to plumb the depths of emotionally devestating experiences from your childhood and past, or living your life in the exact circumstances of your character, then you’re in luck! Doesn’t sound appealing? To most people, those kind of ideas (drawing on memories to inform a performance and “being” your character) is the epitome of what’s known as “method acting.” But in fact, there really isn’t just one “method” - and as it turns out, that ide...
Aug 08, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 48
Life is full of questions: Why are we here? What’s the point? How can I possibly get tickets to see Taylor Swift? But when Californians concerned about declines in milk consumption decided to revamp their marketing approach, they had a different two-word question in mind. And that question became a slogan, which then became a viral sensation that rocketed the ad campaign into public awareness, and is still immediately recognizable more than thirty years later. Rob teaches Ray about the Californi...
Aug 01, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 47
Most people would probably say “Yes” immediately if someone agreed to pay them a million dollars for spending time on an island. But what if you had to undergo challenges like eating beetle larvae, and be judged by a jury of your peers in order to get the money? Oh, also, finding a place to poop is not fun. That may not sound like your ideal vacation, but to the first-season contestants on Survivor , that was their reality for the 39-day duration of the show. And to the millions of people who we...
Jul 25, 2023•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 46
Hot off the presses! As some of you might know, just last week, the members of SAG-AFTRA - the union which represents TV and film actors - went on strike for the first time in decades. And while we’re not really a current events podcast (see the “Retro Podcast” subtitle), these types of battles over contracts and pay have been going on between producers and actors for as long as studios have existed, and probably even longer. And in one particular battle in 1987, when a famous actress asked for ...
Jul 18, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 45
You are not going to f#$%ing believe this: we have another Hollywood-themed episode for you! This time, though, we’re moving past the Hollywood Blacklist and looking at a different kind of censorship: the movie ratings system. That’s right, we’re doing a deep dive into who exactly is behind that four capital letter organization you see next to each rating, and why we’re stuck with the system we’ve got. So buckle in and get ready, because s*&%’s about to get crazy here at This Was A Thing. Ro...
Jul 11, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 44
Happy Fourth of July, dear listeners! Since this day is typically all about celebrating independence, we thought we'd throw a little controversy into the mix (classic This Was A Thing ) by revisiting an episode of America's history where a select group of people was targeted by the U.S. government for suspicions of communist associations and beliefs. And one community at the center of this suspicion was Tinseltown itself - Hollywood. Rob teaches Ray about the Hollywood blacklists and why studio ...
Jul 04, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 43
Please note: this episode contains content and discussion about the death of an infant and child kidnappings. Charles Lindbergh may have earned himself the nickname “Lucky Lindy” and captivated the world with his record-setting solo flight from New York to Paris, but sadly, he may be best remembered for the tragedy that befell him and his family in 1932. And while the nation mourned Lindbergh’s child, little did they know that the controversy around this case would continue for decades to come. ...
Jun 27, 2023•51 min•Season 2Ep. 42
Calling Dick Tracy! Calling Dick Tracy! This Was A Thing has a mystery only a seasoned, hard-boiled comic strip detective can solve: why did a movie based on such a popular character, whose story stretches all the way from the 1930s through the late 20th century, fail to make a splash at the box office even though it featured a cotillion of celebrities? Well, call up the Retouchables and grab your trenchcoat, because this one’s a doozy… Rob teaches Ray about the cartoonist Chester Gould’s most i...
Jun 20, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 41
