History's Most Ridiculous Clothing, with AJ Jacobs: Part One

Summary

Ridiculous History: Episode Summary – "History's Most Ridiculous Clothing, with AJ Jacobs: Part One"

Date Released: April 29, 2025
Hosts: Ben Bolin and Noel Brown
Guest: AJ Bahamas Jacobs

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Introduction: Welcoming AJ Bahamas Jacobs

In this engaging episode of Ridiculous History, hosts Ben Bolin and Noel Brown delve into the often bizarre and impactful world of historical fashion with special guest AJ Bahamas Jacobs. AJ, known for his podcast The Puzzler, brings his expertise to explore how certain clothing items have sparked controversies, laws, and even riots throughout history.

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The Flamboyant Evolution of Hats

The conversation kicks off with a discussion about hats, highlighting their dual role as both functional wear and bold fashion statements. AJ emphasizes how hats have historically been more than mere accessories, often symbolizing status and identity.

AJ Bahamas Jacobs (02:05): "Hats can be quite flamboyant. They can be quite a statement, more so than a piece of functional gear."

---

Taxidermied Bird Hats and the Birth of the Environmental Movement

A significant portion of the episode focuses on the extravagant bird hats of the late 1800s, which inadvertently catalyzed the environmental movement. AJ uncovers how the obsession with egret plumes and other bird feathers for women's hats led to the decimation of millions of birds annually.

AJ Bahamas Jacobs (10:17): "Women loved their feathered hats. They loved these fancy parrot feathers, egret plumes, herons, birds of paradise. And they were very expensive. It was hard to get them."

The ensuing environmental backlash, spearheaded by Harriet Hemenway and Minna Hall in 1905, resulted in the formation of the National Audubon Society. This organization played a pivotal role in passing the Audubon Plumage Law, which protected birds from the plume industry and laid the groundwork for modern conservation efforts.

Noel Brown (13:04): "The National Audubon Society here in the States is still, as you said, very much active. That's a bit of hidden history."

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The Straw Hat Riot of 1922: When Fashion Sparks Violence

Transitioning to the early 20th century, the hosts explore the Straw Hat Riot of 1922 in New York City. This bizarre event was rooted in strict societal dress codes, where wearing straw hats outside the summer months was met with hostility. The enforcement was so severe that individuals faced physical assault for violating unwritten fashion rules.

AJ Bahamas Jacobs (18:37): "There was the straw hat riot of 1922. New York City society had this rule that you should stop wearing straw hats. If you wore your straw hat after September 15th, you were opening yourself up to some real trouble."

The riot saw mobs armed with wooden sticks and nails targeting those who dared to wear straw hats past the socially accepted date, leading to injuries and arrests over an eight-day period.

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Zoot Suit Riots of 1943: Fashion Meets Racial Tension

The discussion then shifts to the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943 in Los Angeles, where zoot suits became a symbol of cultural identity and resistance among African American and Latino youth. The flamboyant suits, characterized by wide shoulders and baggy pants, were deemed unpatriotic during World War II due to fabric rationing, igniting racial tensions and violent confrontations.

Noel Brown (22:04): "You always picture dudes in big hats and loose suits just brawling in the streets. But what set it off?"

AJ Bahamas Jacobs (22:34): "The white Angelenos attacked the mostly Mexican people who were wearing these zoot suits. They had an excuse—these suits were unpatriotic because they were using too much fabric."

The riots underscored how fashion can become a flashpoint for deeper societal issues, including racism and cultural misunderstanding.

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Tall Top Hats: Symbolism and Societal Reactions

Exploring further into the realm of hats, the episode revisits the case of Mr. Hetherington in 1797 London. Hetherington was arrested for wearing an excessively tall silk hat, which was seen as a public disturbance due to its intimidating appearance.

AJ Bahamas Jacobs (27:23): "His crime was wearing a huge tall silk hat. The article in the London Gazette says that this tall structure with shiny luster was calculated to frighten timid people."

The exaggerated height of the hat caused public discomfort, leading to physical altercations and the breaking of Hetherington’s arm when a crowd reacted violently to his distinctive headgear.

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Cultural Depictions and the Legacy of Ridiculous Hats

The hosts discuss the lasting cultural impact of extravagant hats, referencing artistic representations such as Edward Gorey's gothic illustrations and Abraham Lincoln's iconic top hat. These depictions highlight how certain hat styles have transcended their functional origins to become enduring symbols in art and popular culture.

Noel Brown (32:19): "The tall, skinny top hat really makes me think of the art of Edward Gorey. It fits that macabre, gothic vibe."

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Conclusion: Reflecting on Fashion’s Ripple Effects

As the episode wraps up, the hosts reflect on how seemingly trivial fashion choices have historically led to significant societal changes and movements. They commend AJ for shedding light on these fascinating intersections between clothing and history.

Ben Bolin (33:09): "We know that hats have also led to, as you so beautifully foreshadowed, absolute chaos in the streets."

With promises of continuing the exploration in the next part, Ben and Noel extend their gratitude to AJ Bahamas Jacobs for his insightful contributions.

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Final Remarks and Future Episodes

The episode concludes with brief mentions of other contributors and a teaser for the continuation of the discussion on other controversial clothing items, such as ruffs, corsets, and collars, promising an equally riveting exploration in the next installment.

Noel Brown (33:31): "This is going to be a two-part series. Big thanks to AJ Bahamas Jacobs, a real clothes horse with the tricorn hat."

Stay tuned for Part Two of "History's Most Ridiculous Clothing" to uncover more about the extraordinary and often tumultuous history of fashion.

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For more episodes and intriguing historical tales, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[Ben Bolin]

Ridiculous History is a production of iHeartRadio. Welcome back to the show, fellow ridiculous historians. Thank you as always, so much for tuning. This is a special one for us. No, let's start by as always, commending our super producer, Mr. Max Tally Ho Williams. That's Mr. Noel Brown.

[Noel Brown]

I don't have a tricorn hat on.

[Ben Bolin]

Though most people don't.

[Noel Brown]

I think statistically, I guess that's true.

[Ben Bolin]

That may be a fad that has temporarily waned. I am Ben Bullitt. And Noel, you and I were talking a while back about some of our favorite guests. We talking about some of our favorite things to explore and one name kept popping up. And Max, you were talking with us about this as well. It is the legendary, the infamous, AJ Bahamas Jacobs, as the FBI is wont to call him.

[Noel Brown]

I don't understand and neither do you, AJ and neither will you ridiculous historians. But that's okay, because that's what makes a really good mysterious nickname. Have you been to the Bahamas?

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

I have been to the Bahamas.

[Noel Brown]

Okay, well then that's it.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

I don't want to say any more of what I did there, but what.

[Noel Brown]

Happens in the Bahamas stays in the Bahamas.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

There you go. I am honored and delighted to be back and have this mysterious nickname and have my tricorn hat. No judgment against Noel or Max for not wearing the tricorn.

[Noel Brown]

I just don't even know where one procures such a garment.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Well, mine. I had to go order it online like a fancy one.

[Ben Bolin]

Cause I was technically sideways. Okay.

[Noel Brown]

Oh, dear.

[Ben Bolin]

There we go.

[Noel Brown]

There you go. Now you're very Brotherhood of the Wolf.

[Ben Bolin]

I love it. Thank you.

[Noel Brown]

Is it felt? What is this material? It looks like a real robust material.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Yeah, the real. The old ones were made of beaver. Felt beaver. So I don't.

[Noel Brown]

How does one felt a beaver?

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Very carefully.

[Ben Bolin]

There you go. Very carefully. Very carefully. Damn it.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Yes. So. But I think mine is just. Yes. Regular old non beaver material. I don't know what about Ben's, but I got mine from a colonial style haberdasher that I went on ye olde Internet and found.

[Noel Brown]

They probably do a lot of reenactment business.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Oh, yeah, no, that's where. That's right. This is from when I joined the 3rd New Jersey Regiment of Revolutionary War reenactors. This was part of my required kit, as they call it, as part of.

[Ben Bolin]

Your journey in the creation of your work. The Year of Living Constitutionally.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

That's correct. Which you all were delightful enough to come to my book party about a year ago. And we had a good time. We burned some candles, we wrote with quill pens, we had muskets, we wielded muskets. We had some mead. Or actually, I think it was. What is that? What did we have? Ale.

[Noel Brown]

Oh, mulled wine.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Mulled wine.

[Noel Brown]

What was it? No, it was Madeira.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Madeira.

[Ben Bolin]

That was. It was Madeira.

[Max Williams]

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[Noel Brown]

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[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Good job.

[Noel Brown]

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[Holly Fry]

Explore the winding halls of historical true crime with Holly Fry and Maria Tremarchi, hosts of Criminalia, as they uncover curious cases from the past. The legend of the Highwayman suggests men dominated the field, but tell that to Lady Catherine Ferrers. Known as the wicked lady who terrorized England in the mid-1600s, her legend persists nearly 400 years after her death. Highwaymen are in the hot seat this season. Find more crime and cocktails on Criminalia. Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ben Bolin]

Now. We have to say A.J. first off, you're one of the busiest guys we know. Thank you so much for coming on the show with us. For anyone who is someh unfamiliar with this, you are a podcaster as well. You have an excellent show called the Puzzler. Before we get into our Exploration today. Could you tell us a little bit about the Puzzler and just maybe some family time? What's been going on with you, how your folks, et cetera?

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Well, thank you for asking. Yes. The Puzzler is a podcast produced by iHeartMedia, and we have celebrity guests such as.

[Ben Bolin]

Oh, my gosh.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Noel Brown and Ben Bolin.

[Noel Brown]

No one's ever called me that. How dare you, sir? I am anonymous.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

You called me legendary, so I feel I'm allowed.

[Noel Brown]

That's accurate.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

And we play, basically, we play some word games, nerdy word games with them, and we did some history ones with both of you, I believe. We had, for instance, a character who had no idea he knew the names of historical events but didn't know what they were. So he talked about one where it was a beret and a bottle of white wine that went around in circles, and that's the French Revolution. There it is still. No pun left behind, as they say on. So this, our puzzle podcast. Really no pun left behind. So that's good. And, oh, the only other exciting. Well, I shouldn't say that. One other exciting thing is my son next year is going to Emory University. So, I mean, you're gonna come visit. That mean you're gonna hang. I'm gonna be hanging in Atlanta. You'll be sick of me. You will be.

[Noel Brown]

We'll have to take you to our Atlanta equivalent of Barney Greengrass.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

It's called.

[Ben Bolin]

It's called Goldbergs.

[Noel Brown]

It's not quite as good, but it's solid.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Would you say, guys, wouldn't you say Goldberg is solid?

[Ben Bolin]

It's pretty good.

[Noel Brown]

It's. I would say snow, Barneys 7 out.

[Ben Bolin]

Of 10, and I grade hard.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

So true.

[Ben Bolin]

But it's. It's a nice way. And, you know, A.J. we were again, we were chatt singing your praises and said, when's the last time we had this guy on the show? What would AJ Want to talk about? And we pitched a couple of ideas to you, like, well, three or four, which is more than a couple. And then you wrote back to us, and you immediately said, ridiculous clothing fads, controversy of fashion throughout history. I have some thoughts.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

I do indeed.

[Ben Bolin]

And maybe we start it this way, because you are also what we call a research associate for exploration here. Since we're wearing hats, could you tell us a little bit, like, hats are a functional thing, but they also become quite. They can be quite flamboyant. They can be quite a statement, more so than a. Like a piece of functional gear.

[Noel Brown]

You ever think about that? Guys, like, the moment the Person that came up with the idea were like, you know what, Maybe this could be more. Maybe I'll put a feather in it and all of a sudden I'll be a fancy man.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Right. And there is a whole thing about the feather and the macaroni and Yankee Doodle and fashion. I am always shocked when I see photographs from like the 1920s and every man and most women are wearing hats. And I believe JFK had a lot to do with getting rid of that trend because he went hatless. And I don't know. I know you have a conspiracy podcast as well, but I'm wondering if anyone has ever posed that the haberdashers of America were the ones who were most angry at JFK for ruining their business. I don't know. It's just a thought. Big hat. Yeah, big hat. Exactly. But yes, the hats are. And they have an amazing history. And what I decided to focus on in my research were controversial clothes. So literal crimes, literal fashion crimes, and clothes that led to laws or rebellions or reform or riots. There are several riot clothing based riots. So hats are a good way to start. Start at the top.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah, let's do it. Work our way down to the sock.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

That's it. I do have some shoe related. Not so much sock.

[Noel Brown]

It's okay. Where there's a shoe, there's a sock, hopefully. Unless you're an animal or wearing flip flops.

[Ben Bolin]

But also, Atlanta is the home of flip flops and socks.

[Noel Brown]

It very much is. Talk about a statement piece.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Yeah. That could cause some riots. I know people.

[Noel Brown]

It's like when people saw the Rites of Spring, you know, and they just freaked out. They couldn't handle it.

[Ben Bolin]

It's like, so let's. I love. We're going a little bit madcap, perhaps. Nobody left behind. Thank you, sir. Let's start, as you said at the top. You found in your research that there were, quote, bird hats that started the environmental movement.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Yes. They helped to kick off the animal rights and environmental movement because this was in the late 1800s. And women loved their feathered hats. They loved these fancy parrot feathers, egret plumes, herons, birds of paradise. And they were very expensive. It was hard to get them. Egret plumes were worth twice their weight in gold. And then they decided, well, feathers are good, but why not just go for it and put the whole bird on top of the hat?

[Noel Brown]

Why not?

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

There were taxidermied women would wear these taxidermied full birds, owls, egrets, right on top of their head. And it's insane. If you Google the images, it is bizarre. It's like doing it, doing it. Right now, the full hat, but also type it in. Bird hats around the neck. They would have a bird around the wrist. So it was a huge status symbol. But there were a couple people who found it a little offensive because they were killing literally 5 million birds a year to get these hats. So there were these two women who were society women in Boston. Harriet Hemenway and Minna. Now I'm blocking her last name. They started a group in 1905. The first Audubon National Audubon Society was to fight against these hats. And it took off. It struck a chord and 10 years later, they were able to get a law passed, or five years later, the Audubon plumage law that protected birds from the depredations of the plume industry, as one source put it. And yeah, it was fascinating to see that this was what kicked off the Audubon Society, which then became a major player in the environmental movement.

[Ben Bolin]

Wow. Yeah. The National Audubon Society here in the States is still, as you said, very much active. Right. And I think that is a bit of hidden history. The idea that you would see this wholesale slaughter of avian life to have people wearing look, and I don't want to sound like a jerk, you guys, I might. I'm shallow enough that I might have a different opinion. If the hats did not look as goofy as they do, like, if they looked cool, I might say, yeah, hear us out, you know, so you're ready.

[Noel Brown]

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[Ben Bolin]

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[Noel Brown]

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[Ben Bolin]

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[Noel Brown]

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[Ben Bolin]

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[Noel Brown]

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[Ben Bolin]

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[Maria Tremarchi]

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[Noel Brown]

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[Noel Brown]

Well, y'all, it's kind of come full circle. And now there are bird hats that are actually meant to preserve avian life in the form of the quite bizarre falcon sex hat.

[Ben Bolin]

Oh, yeah.

[Noel Brown]

I don't know if you remember about this.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

I don't know about that. Tell me more.

[Ben Bolin]

It's key for falconry. It helps endangered birds reproduce. It's actually one of the primary reasons. Noel, you might remember I was talking about this a few years back. You might remember. It's one of the reasons that I am not an active falconer. Because the hat helps the birds reproduce by having their human body, their falconer wear it and the bird flies onto the hat and mounts it and inseminates the hat.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah, I'm gonna read a little quick blurb here from a falconer on Reddit with a short explanation of why this is a thing. He says. I don't get it either.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

I don't get it. I didn't know hats could get.

[Noel Brown]

What happens to the insemination? Like, it just hangs out in the hat. By the way, the hats are silly looking. They're sort of rubberized, little gridded, domed kind of things.

[Ben Bolin]

Yeah, they look like they have suction cups on them.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Kind of silly to you, but super hot, apparently.

[Ben Bolin]

Super hot. 10 10. No notes say the falcons.

[Noel Brown]

Yep. Falcons, as Redditor Tree Tree 1984 puts it, Are often imprinted on humans for various reasons. So basically, they're sexually attracted to people. Breeders take the reverse role of whatever sex the imprinted falcon is and play out the courtship ritual, including bows and chirps and presenting food. If you've never seen birds mate, the male climbs on top of the female and then they rub cloacas.

[Ben Bolin]

Ew.

[Noel Brown]

Humans obviously don't have that hardware. But after courting the mal, male birds will still try to get on top and do his thing. Hence, falcon breeding hats. This is the reason I stopped wanting to be a breeder. Hope this was informative.

[Ben Bolin]

For more information, check out Daily Zeitgeist from a few years back, because that was. I think that's a surprise to a lot of people who are getting into falconry. But as you found, aj, the concept of controversial hats. I love what you said up there, Noel. That cycle of hurting birds and then helping birds. But we know that hats have also led to, as you so beautifully foreshadowed, aj, absolute chaos in the streets.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Yes. Well, first of all, I love the falcon breeding hat, so thank you for that. I will never forget it.

[Ben Bolin]

Watch out, someone's birthday is on the way, statistically all the time.

[Noel Brown]

Why would you do that to aj? That's horrible. Fair enough. Fair enough. I don't know if you're aware, aj, I mentioned this from time to time. I have long running fear of birds, so the idea of a taxidermied bird hat is particularly abhorrent to me.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

All right, scratching it off your Christmas list right now.

[Noel Brown]

Thank you.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Yeah. One of the most memorable history happenings. Hey, I don't know, there's some alliteration for you.

[Ben Bolin]

Was haberdaring do.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Oh, yeah, the haberdashery. Or daring.

[Noel Brown]

Don't you know? It's up to you.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

This was the straw hat riot of 1922. It's just such a bizarre and delightful. Well, not delightful for the people involved, but looking back, it was just so bizarre. New York City society had this rule that you should stop wearing straw hats. Straw hats were for the summer, not for the fall. And these are the flat top straw hats sort of boaters sometimes call. Yep.

[Noel Brown]

With a little band of fabric around them usually.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Right, right, exact. And there was actually a day you were supposed to stop wearing. September 15th was called felt hat day. Okay. And if you wore your straw hat after that, you were opening yourself up to some real trouble. Because there was a trend, this was in the early 1900s, of people, they would knock your straw hat off your head and stomp on it.

[Noel Brown]

Guys, there is nothing more offensive than someone, even in jest, pulling, knocking your hat off of your head. It is what the drag community would refer to as having your wig snatched off. It is an act of violence, no matter how it occurs and in what spirit.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Right. And then they got a little more violent. Like as it reached its height in 1922, people would. They would not only knock the hat off, but then they would beat the crap out of you for wearing it. Jeez.

[Ben Bolin]

So this is like when. This is when people who have anger issues take pinching someone on St Patty's Day too far. I've got a question here, and I think it's one that a lot of us are asking to ourselves as we play along at home. Is there any real specificity on September 15th? Because it reminds me of not wearing white after Labor Day. It feels like it's somewhat arbitrary, as a lot of fashion is.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Yeah, it was totally arbitrary. In fact, originally it was September 1st and then they moved it. They decided to be lax and move it to September 15th. But people took it very seriously. And it culminated in this 1922 riot that lasted eight days, which is insane. So it started when some youths, that's what the history books call them, youths, tried to take off some hats from dock workers. Dock workers were not amused. Turned into a brawl and then it just escalated. There were apparently at one point a thousand, A mob of a thousand hat haters knocking off hats on Amsterdam Avenue in New York and beating people up. They had these wooden sticks with nails on the end so that they could hook the hat and get it off more efficiently.

[Noel Brown]

Oh, that's kind of a fun little prank, though. Imagine doing it like over a fence, you know, it's like having a string attached to a dollar bill, you know, and jerking it away.

[Ben Bolin]

You know, the nail goes through the crown of the hat or whatever. And now there's.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

And it's not as fun.

[Noel Brown]

No, no.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

But yeah, so it. I mean, it eventually died down, but eight days of this, people were arrested, injured, and it's just such a bizarre little corner of history. And it's not the only clothing related riot.

[Noel Brown]

I was gonna ask. You've got a little related note here about the Zoot Suit Riot. And I really only know that because of the Cherry Poppin Daddies seminal 1990s swing hit when there was like the Brian Setzer Orchestra. There was a moment, the Squirrel Nut Zippers kind of of old timey music that was like being played on trl. That stands for Total Request Live, if anyone forgets. Lest we forget. But yeah, what was the actual thing where the. I always picture dudes in big hats and loose suits just brawling in the streets. But what, what set it off?

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Well, this was in 1943 and in June, and it's called the Zoot Suit Riot. And Zoot Suits, as you mentioned, there were these often colorful, but they had wide shoulders Big lapels, baggy pants. And they were originally pioneered by black men. And then they were taken up by Latino men and it became sort of a.

[Noel Brown]

And then of course white people took it eventually.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Right as they do. I mean. Yeah, well, the white people got very angry at the Latinos. So it was a race based. This was a race based riot, like.

[Ben Bolin]

Marijuana madness type of stuff.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

It was about the same era. That's right. And so the white. This was in Los Angeles. The white Angelenos attacked the mostly Mexican people who were wearing these zoot suits. And they had an excuse. Often these riots have an excuse. The white people said it was World War II and that they were. These zoot suits were unpatriotic because they were using too much fabric.

[Ben Bolin]

I remember this.

[Noel Brown]

Is there maybe even a sense that they're a little too Italian, you know?

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Hmm, interesting.

[Noel Brown]

I do wonder. I mean, like, it just seems like that kind of fashion is more associated with Europe. I just wonder if there was a certain inherent bias around that as well. Maybe not just conjecturing, from what I.

[Ben Bolin]

Understand, that might be a piece of it. Cause if I recall correctly, one of the big issues that was sort of the public rationale for these acts of violence, it was the idea, like you were saying, aj, that it was un American in a time of rations.

[Noel Brown]

That makes sense for sure.

[Ben Bolin]

To be flexing so hard with fabric that look, every trend reaches this sort of diminishing return where it becomes too extensive or it goes a little too far along the spectrum of cutting edge fashion. So it is technically true that some of the zoot suits of the time could have been, you know, made into one and a half regular sized suits. But I don't think that means they're at all, you know, some hidden fifth column of anti American activity. You know what I mean? I don't think it's time for a red scare. So it does sound like they're justifying racism and violent action in an already very tense environment.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Right, exactly. I think there were probably bigger threats to America at that point.

[Ben Bolin]

Who are we to say?

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

But actually that. Can I segue back to hats for a second?

[Noel Brown]

Yes, by all means. So you're ready to start a business. But the thing is, when it comes to making a website and a logo and, and doing social media marketing and all that good stuff, you and me included, are completely clueless.

[Ben Bolin]

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[Noel Brown]

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[Ben Bolin]

And who doesn't like choices? Aero even lets you write social ads and it posts them for you automatically with a fully populated social media calendar.

[Noel Brown]

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[Ben Bolin]

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[Noel Brown]

It's like you know what you're doing.

[Ben Bolin]

Terms applied. That's GoDaddy.com/all access.

[Maria Tremarchi]

Introducing Instagram teen accounts. A new way to keep your teen safer as they grow. Like making sure they've got the right gear for writing. Knee pads.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Check. And helmet.

[Maria Tremarchi]

Done.

[Noel Brown]

See you, dad.

[Maria Tremarchi]

New Instagram teen accounts. Automatic protections for who can contact your teen and the content they can see.

[Unknown]

Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch. Dutch provides 24,7 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch, you'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet care.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

This idea of size actually plays a part in several other controversies. One of my favorite fashion crimes was this occurred in 1797 in London and there was a man who was arrested. His name was Mr. Hetherington, we don't know his first name. He was arrested and put in jail. Bond was £500. So that's. That's real. His crime was wearing a huge tall silk hat. And the article in the London Gazette says that this tall structure with shiny luster was calculated to frighten timid people.

[Noel Brown]

And fear of the hat.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Fear of that. Well, apparently it was so tall that several women fainted at the unusual sight.

[Noel Brown]

Can you imagine?

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Children screamed. This is from the paper.

[Noel Brown]

Dogs unnatural.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

One person was thrown down by the crowd and broke his right arm. So for these reasons, the defendant was seized by the guards. So I just love that. I mean, a tall hat like you said. I forget whether it was. Which one of you said that. The rite of spring. That Stravinsky.

[Noel Brown]

It just freaked him out.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Yeah, it was a piece of music that didn't quite harmonized and people were so upset that they Rioted. And I love that things that could make people riot in the past were tall hats and atonal music.

[Ben Bolin]

I love that summation. I also without body shaving, I kind of want to see a picture of Mr. Hetherington's face because I don't. You know what I mean? Like, there are, I'm sure, people who are uncomfortable with headgear and headwear and all that sort of stuff, but it feels like there's more to the story behind this guy in his top hat. Like in the excellent limited series Taboo, if everybody's familiar, Big fan.

[Noel Brown]

I was good with Tom Hardy. East India Trading Company is the big bad. And he's this dude that has like gone disappeared for a long time and he's been living with some sort of, I believe, Amazonian tribe. And he's learned all this like kind of witchcraft kind of stuff. And he comes back and wreaks havoc on the man. Like in Victoria in London. It's good.

[Ben Bolin]

And he does the entire thing in a tall hat. Not too tall, but it is tall. And it's one of those top hats. The vertically, I guess we'll say vertically accelerated hats are something that I've always wondered about. Like, will they come back? I believe Pharrell did a very large, like park ranger meets cowboy kind of hat.

[Noel Brown]

Almost like a tricorn hat kind of vibe. Yeah, I do have to wonder. I mean, when I think about the tall top hat too. I think you might have been getting to this, Ben asking about the dude's face. Is it maybe an attempt to draw attention away from one's face because you've got this mass thing, you know, lumbering over you. I do wonder. Maybe he had an unsightly mole and he was just very insecure and wanted people to look at his top hat rather than his face. But then at the end of the day, the tall top hat does guide your gaze down to the face. Eventually.

[Ben Bolin]

Yeah. I think a tall top hat for a lot of people can just make you look shorter. So I'm not sure what the. We're not sure of the calculus. We do know we love the name. And A.J. this sounds like. Like we don't have a ton of follow up on this guy. Like when he got out, he just got five, right?

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

This was the only article about him, unfortunately. I read about it in a great book called Dress Codes by Richard Thompson for recommend it. Two quick things. I don't want to derail us, but you mentioned no rail us.

[Noel Brown]

That sounded bad. No, please continue.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Unsightly moles I remember reading, when I first read the encyclopedia, they held a whole section on patches, especially in France, so the moles were not considered unsightly. People would pay good money for these fake moles and sometimes they'd be in shapes of like, spiders.

[Noel Brown]

Oh, gosh.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Yeah, I saw stars.

[Noel Brown]

I'm glad you mentioned shapes of spiders because I just wanted to mention one last thing. The tall, skinny top hat really makes me think of the art of Edward Gorey. Like, if you think about that kind of macabre, sort of gothic kind of vibe, or like Tim Burton, like the Corpse Bride or something like that, or even Nightmare Before Christmas, those tall, skinny top hats very much fit that aesthetic.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Yeah, I love it. You're right. We need them back. We need them back.

[Noel Brown]

I think so, too.

[Ben Bolin]

I'm so glad you guys are on board with this. We'll figure it out. Yeah. Because now that, now that we're rocking the tricorn, I can. I can tell our accountant this was for work purposes. So that's. That's really the reason we're having on the show. Also, we would be remiss as US based researchers and podcasters, if we did not shout out perhaps one of the two most famous uses of the top hat in US Mythos, which is, of course, former president, amateur wrestler, Abraham Lincoln, of course.

[Noel Brown]

Good reach on that guy.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Yeah.

[Ben Bolin]

The guy who inspired Uncle Sam.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Oh, right, right.

[Ben Bolin]

By far one of the most garish top hats.

[Noel Brown]

That one kind of flares out at the top, Right?

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

True, true.

[Noel Brown]

Okay.

[Ben Bolin]

Kind of feels how the. I guess that's a good point. It depends on how the cartoonist was feeling about the US on that day.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Whenever they drew it.

[Noel Brown]

I love hat related satire.

[Ben Bolin]

And we're going to hold the phone. The ruff, the corset or the collar there, folks. This is going to be a two parter. Big, big thanks to the legendary AJ Bahamas Jacobs. Just the most, like the nicest, most erudite. Erudite guy indeed.

[Noel Brown]

And just. Yeah, a fashion icon. A real clothes horse with the tricorner hat that you were also rocking. I'm going to have to get me one for the next time we have AJ on, but yeah, always, always a delight to hang with the puzzler.

[Ben Bolin]

Yes, agreed. Big, big thanks as well to Our super producer, Mr. Max Williams, his biological brother, our composer, Alex Williams. Do we have a check in on Alex? How's he doing?

[Noel Brown]

He's good. Yeah, he's still. I think he's. I think he's in town still.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Yeah, he's. Yeah, Alex is around. He's good. Just playing guitar, singing, hiking, riding bikes.

[Ben Bolin]

Maybe we could get. Maybe we could get Alex on the show one day. Or return. Have him return one day soon. In the meantime, big thanks to Jonathan Strickland, AKA the Quizzter. Who else, Noel? Who else?

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Who else?

[Noel Brown]

Oh, you know, Christopher Oiotis, Eve Jeffcoats here in Spirits. All the hits, you know, Rachel, Big Spinach, Lance and all that good stuff. The rude dudes over at Ridiculous Crime. And of course you, Ben. Thank you.

[Ben Bolin]

And also with you.

[Noel Brown]

We'll see you next time, folks. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Unknown]

Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch. Dutch provides 247 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch, you'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet care.

[Holly Fry]

Explore the winding halls of historical true crime with Holly Fry and Maria Tremarke, hosts of Criminalia, as they uncover curious cases from the past. The legend of the Highwayman suggests men dominated the field, but tell that to Lady Catherine Ferrers, known as the Wicked lady who terrorized England in the mid-1600s. Her legend persists nearly 400 years after her death. Highwaymen are in the hot seat this season. Find more crime and cocktails on Criminalia. Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

We love learning about this extraordinary universe.

[Noel Brown]

And we love sharing what we've learned.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

And on our podcast, Daniel and Kelly's Extraordinary Universe, that's what we're gonna do.

[Noel Brown]

I'm Daniel, I'm a particle physicist and I think our universe is absolutely extraordinary.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

I'm Kelly Wienersmith. I study parasites and there's just endless things about this universe that I find fascinating.

[Noel Brown]

Basically, we're both nerds.

[AJ Bahamas Jacobs]

Each Tuesday and Thursday, we take an hour long dive into some science topics.

[Noel Brown]

Learn all about our amazing and beautiful universe on Daniel and Kelly's Extraordinary Universe. Every Tuesday and Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.