Welcome to the Dark History podcast. Sex has been a part of humanity since the dawn of time. Do you know what else has been around for a while? Sex Toys. Oh yeah. There’s proof of dildos as far back as 30,000 BCE. But how did it go from phallic rocks to the multi-million dollar sex toy industry we have today. On today’s episode we go into the surprising and complicated history of the dildo. We’ll figure out what’s true, what’s a lie, and how the dildo is still around even after many attempts to ...
Aug 10, 2022•45 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to the Dark History podcast. People used to be sacrificed for popcorn. Yep. The buttery goodness that you finish eating before the trailers are even over at the movies. Now you may be thinking “how in the heck does that make any sense?” Because, honestly, that was also my initial reaction. But let me tell you, the history of popcorn is WILD. And we’re getting into all of it on today’s episode. So buckle in babe. Episode Advertisers Include: Apostrophe, Liquid IV, and Express VPN. Learn m...
Aug 03, 2022•45 min•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast Dark History. It seemed like such a simple concept. Let’s talk about the things from history people didn’t talk about. And boy did we do that. We talked of things that were uncomfortable, things that we’d never heard of, things that sounded too crazy to be true, and things that I couldn’t help but giggle at. Today we’re going to review all the stories, characters, and situations we’ve uncovered. And what’s the best way to do that, an award show of course! But not any old award show these are The...
Jun 08, 2022•46 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast The AIDs epidemic. We’ve all heard of it. But it seems to be discussed in hushed tones or people are too afraid to really get into it. So although we all know of it, how much do we actually know about it? Where did it come from? What actually is it? Why did it take so long for the government to figure out what it was that was killing so many? And once they did, why didn’t they do anything about it? Today we get into that and so much more. The stories of AIDs has always been, but today we’re fina...
Jun 01, 2022•55 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast Boy Bands. Don’t act like you don’t love them. Every generation has their boy band. But when did it all start? How did it all start? Who came up with the magic sauce that make us all so addicted to 5 boys who can sing and dance? Well babe, we’re gonna get into that and so much more. Today we take a deep dive into where boy bands came from, and no surprise here, it gets dark. We’re talking fraud, drugs, alcohol, assault. Yep, this dark history is larger than life. Episode Advertisers Include: Sim...
May 25, 2022•50 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast What’s your sign, babe? How many times have you been asked that? How many times has someone blamed their behavior on the planetary alignment or the stars? It’s all astrology’s fault. But there is so much more to astrology than just the ~signs~. Today we go into the long history of astrology and how we got from charting the stars to seances in the white house. It’s the Dark History of Psychics and Astrology Episode Advertisers Include: OUAI Haircare, Upstart, Stitch Fix US, and Apostrophe. Learn ...
May 18, 2022•44 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast Women. We really get the short end of the stick don’t we. And it’s nothing new. In fact there are women all throughout history who could tell all kinds of tales of when the odds were stacked against them. Or when history completely ignored them. Or when society made them out to be the villain. Or, when nobody believed them. Well kitty cats, today we’re going to talk exactly about those kinds of stories. We’ll be focusing on just four women: Cleopatra, Catherine the Great, Jackie Mitchell, and Yo...
May 11, 2022•48 min•Ep 43•Transcript available on Metacast Did you know that researchers have found that 98% of all diets are complete failures? Did you also know that the diet industry is a multi-billion dollar industry and that whatever body a diet promotes has shifted drastically over the course of human history? Why do you think that is? Spoiler alert: it’s MONEY… and making women feel awful. Buckle in, and get ready for the dark history of Diet Culture. Episode Advertisers Include: Apostrophe, Best Fiends, ZipRecruiter, and Express VPN. Learn more ...
May 04, 2022•52 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast The internet isn’t really that old. But that doesn’t mean that it hasn’t already started to gather its own dark history. I mean we’re talking about a whole branch of the internet literally called “Dark Web.” And there was one site in particular that basically made the dark web the mainstream place for drugs, fake ids, and murder for hire. Today we’re going to talk about the Silk Road. The website that single-handedly validated bitcoin and laid the foundation for dark websites we still see in act...
Apr 27, 2022•53 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast Weed is a gateway drug. How many of us were warned about this in middle school health class? Well did you know it’s not true? And has been disproven multiple times? I mean if you think about it, how much do we really know about cannabis. Today we’re going to fix that. We are going alllll the way back to the very start of cannabis’s history. Not only are we going to talk about all the ways Cannabis has benefited society throughout history, but we’ll also talk about the group of villains who made ...
Apr 13, 2022•51 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast Like pretty much everything we talk about, Student Loans started out as a great idea. A way to ensure education for all. A way to advance America in the Space Race. And a way to promise citizens a brighter future. But as we’ve seen time and time again, with money on the table, student loans got dark, and FAST. Today we talk about how student loans came to be, how the evolved, and how they came to be something that plagues nearly 46 million Americans today. Episode Advertisers Include: Liquid IV,...
Apr 06, 2022•52 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast Come one come all, gather around for the spectacle of the darkest show on earth. The circus is definitely not the happy wholesome family adventure it sells itself to be. It’s a dark place filled with kidnapping, fires, murder, bribes, train wrecks, animal cruelty, labor abuse, and LIES. Oh the lies. Today we get the truth behind all the lies and learn alllll about the dark history of the circus. Episode Advertisers Include: SimpliSafe, Stamps, Solo Stove, ThredUP. Learn more during the podcast a...
Mar 30, 2022•56 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast Most people have heard of Prohibition, the time when America decided drinking was bad. But how much do we really know? Because it wasn’t just the speakeasies that were hidden. We’re talking about Mafia turf wars and government poisoning alcohol for years. And that’s just the start. Because today we are getting into the deep, dark, and a little drunk, history of Prohibition. Episode Advertisers Include: Apostrophe, Square Space, Embark, ZipRecruiter. Learn more during the podcast about special of...
Mar 23, 2022•51 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast Bananas. That yummy yellow fruit. We love it. But let me tell you, this simple fruit has a COMPLICATED past. We’re talking labor strikes, insurrections, murder, environmental destruction, insider trading, and even potential nuclear war. No, seriously. Today we get into the very dark history of Bananas. And girl, it is wild. Episode Advertisers Include: Apostrophe, Hello Fresh, Stitch Fix US and Calm US. Learn more during the podcast about special offers!...
Mar 16, 2022•57 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast PERIODS. MENSTRUATION. VAGINA. All no-no words according to society. But also all words we’re gonna be using today, A LOT. That’s because today we are talking about the Dark History of Menstruation. When did it get a bad rap? How did women back in the day deal with cramps? How is it celebrated in other cultures? When did the tampon come along? We answer all those questions and more when we dive into the dark history of periods. Episode Advertisers Include: Squarespace, Apostrophe, Best Fiends, a...
Mar 09, 2022•51 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast At this very moment, there are a bunch of business owners and investors in the United States who profit off people being arrested and imprisoned. It doesn’t seem right and definitely doesn’t feel legal, yet here we are. Welcome to the shocking history of Private Prisons. Today, we talk about the all-American story about how capitalism kept slavery alive long after it was abolished. Plus we discuss how state and federal governments still use these horrible facilities today. Episode Advertisers In...
Mar 02, 2022•45 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast America, she’s always been stealing land. Grabbing what she wants. And stealing land has never stopped in America, except now it’s done “legally” thanks to a little thing called eminent domain. Today we will dive into just three of the MANY stories of communities being erased in the name of building landmarks like Central Park, Lake Lanier, and Dodger Stadium. And all of it was done legally because of eminent domain. Oh yeah, today’s stories are shady Episode Advertisers Include: Stitch Fix US, ...
Feb 23, 2022•35 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast Just how accessible are accessible parking spots, bathrooms, tables etc. And what had to happen in order to even get to this point? Would you believe if I said something called Ugly Laws? Forced Sterilization? Supreme Court Battles? Well babe, that is just a start. Today we talk about the road to the American with Disabilities Act and the dark history of treatment of people with disabilities. Episode Advertisers Include: ZipRecruiter, Calm US, OUAI Haircare, and Hello Fresh. Learn more during th...
Feb 17, 2022•37 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast Would you believe me if I told you Hawaii was stolen? Well yeah of course, hi this is Dark History. But would you also believe me if I told you, the US fully fessed up to taking the islands illegally and the International community has acknowledged Hawaii is it’s own country? Because that’s all true. But why is it still the 50th state? Well today we dive into the mind blowing history of Hawaii, how it was illegally overthrown, and why more people don’t know about it. Episode Advertisers Include:...
Feb 09, 2022•39 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast Do you know who Sister Rosetta Tharpe is? Would you believe me if I told you she’s responsible for Elvis Presley, Chuck Barry, Little Richard, The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Jimmi Hendrix and basically Rock and Roll itself? Today we’re going to dive into Rosetta’s story and learn about how she is the unknown mother of Rock & Roll. Episode Advertisers Include: Liquid IV, StitchFix US, Ship Station, and ZipRecruiter. Learn more during the podcast about special offers!...
Feb 02, 2022•39 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast Journalists are supposed to follow the principles of truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity and public accountability. But that wasn’t always the case for Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. Today we’re going to talk about how their desire to beat each other led to the era of Yellow Journalism and reshaped Journalism as we know it.
Jan 26, 2022•45 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast How did Nestle go from feeding babies to poisoning puppies? Well let me tell you it is a bumpy ride. As Nestle continued to grow, their scandals got bigger and bigger. Today we dive into just a few of the shady, shady things Nestle has done over the years.
Jan 19, 2022•40 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast Hollywood, the place where dreams come true. But in reality, Hollywood, and especially during the “Golden Age” was a place of nightmares. Horrible treatment of actors and actresses, drug addiction, cover ups, forced abortions, eating disorders, death. You name it, and it was happening behind the scenes. Today we dive into the dark side of the glitz and glam of the movie industry and talk about it’s dark and seedy past. Episode Advertisers Include: Best Fiends, Liquid IV, Stitch Fix US, and Zip R...
Jan 12, 2022•36 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast When Radium popped on to the scene in the early 1900s, it was called “liquid sunshine” and a “mythological superbeing.” Why? Because it was incredibly powerful and literally glowed. But then a few companies had the bright idea to start making watches with it. Today, Bailey tells the tale of the Radium Girls who were exposed to the radioactive chemical, in horrible working conditions, and lost their lives because of it. Episode Advertisers Include: Squarespace, Apostrophe, Hello Fresh, and Ship S...
Jan 05, 2022•40 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast Hi Friends! There's no Dark History episode this week, but here's a bonus episode of a story I did for Murder, Mystery & Makeup (which is now a podcast!!) about Cordelia Botkin. Hope you enjoy it and if you're interested in true crime, make sure to subscribe to Murder, Mystery & Makeup anywhere you listen to podcasts and on YouTube!
Dec 30, 2021•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast Pour some hot coco, slide on those comfy socks and gather ‘round the fire because it’s chilly willy out there. Week after week, we talk about the most horribly dark stuff on this show. So, we’re switching it up a bit. Today, Bailey gives you her first ever ANTHOLOGY episode with four SHOCKING holiday stories you’ve never heard. Don’t worry - they’re still SUPER dark, but there’s a bit of hope in each tale, too. Episode Advertisers Include: SimpleSafe, StoryWorth, Hello Fresh, and Wicked Clothes....
Dec 22, 2021•34 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast In the late 1800s, something really cool was happening down in New Orleans. A melting pot of cultures was blending to form a new style of music. These incredible sounds inspired a music revolution that swept the nation almost overnight. People LOVED Jazz. But there were some people who decided jazz was the devil’s music. Today, Bailey tells the shocking story of how the Federal Government tied Jazz to “immoral” behavior and aimed to take down its biggest star: Billie Holiday. Episode Advertisers...
Dec 15, 2021•36 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast 121 years before COVID showed up, the U.S. nearly descended into chaos when the Bubonic Plague arrived in San Fran. The Black Death. When it began spreading in the city, politicians went to war with public health officials, claiming everything was blown out of proportion, even calling it a “Plague Fake.” Oy. Today, Bailey gives you yet another dose of how dark history tends to repeat itself. Episode Advertisers Include: Wicked Clothes, Hello Fresh, Stitch Fix US, and Apostrophe. Learn more durin...
Dec 08, 2021•50 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast In 1891, 11 Italian people were murdered in the streets of New Orleans, becoming one of the largest mass lynchings in American history. Because of this, there were rumors of war between the United States and Italy. So, to calm the tension, the American government… created a holiday? Wait. What? Today, Bailey tells the bloody story of the Sicilian Lynchings, where 20,000 people lost their damn minds. Episode Advertisers Include: Aura Frames, Ouai Hair Care, Liquid IV, and Wicked Clothes. Learn mo...
Dec 01, 2021•39 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast In 1993, the quiet Texas town of Waco was turned into a bloody battlefield when an extremist religious group and their leader went to war with the American Government. We’re talking assault weapons, helicopters, tanks, explosions and huge fires. Dozens were killed. Today, Bailey tells the wild story of how this stand off even happened, why the word cult was being thrown around and how the Feds may have made it all worse. Episode Advertisers Include: Apostrophe, ZenBusiness Inc, Wicked Clothes, a...
Nov 24, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast 
