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Brendan Patrick Hughes
My name is Brendan Patrick Hughes, host of Divine Intervention. This is a story about radical nuns in combat boots and wild haired priests trading blows with J. Edgar Hoover in a hell bent effort to sabotage a war.
J. Edgar Hoover
J. Edgar Hoover was furious. He was out of his mind and he wanted to bring the Catholic left to its knees.
Brendan Patrick Hughes
Listen to Divine intervention on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Bob Pittman
Hi, I'm Bob Pippman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. I'm excited to introduce a brand new season of my podcast, Math and stories from the frontiers of marketing. I'm having conversations with some folks across a wide range of industries to hear how they reach the top of their fields and the lessons they learned along the way that everyone can use. I'll be joined by innovative leaders like chairman and CEO of Elf Beauty, Tarang Amin, legendary singer, songwriter and philanthropist Jewel.
Tracy V. Wil
Being a rock star is very fun, but helping people is way more fun.
Bob Pittman
And Damian Maldonado, CEO of American Financing.
Holly Fry
I figured out the formula. I just have to work hard. Then that's magic.
Bob Pittman
Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics, the math, and the ever important creative spark, the magic. Listen to math and magic on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
Holly Fry
Are your ears bored? Yeah. Are you looking for a new podcast that will make you laugh, learn and say gay? Yeah. Then tune in to locatora radio season 10 today. Okay, now that's what I call a podc tiosa. I'm Mala, the host of Locatora Radio, a radiophonic novella, which is just a very extra way of saying a podcast. Listen to Locatora Radio Season 10 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Cheekies
Hey, y'all, it's your girl, Cheekies. And I'm back with a brand new season of your favorite podcast, Cheekies and Chill. I'll be sharing even more personal stories with you guys and as always, you'll get my exclusive take on topics like love, personal growth, health, family ties and more. And don't forget, I'll also be dishing out my best advice to you on episodes of Dear Cheekies. It's going to be an exciting year and I hope that you can join me. Listen to Cheekies and chill season four on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.
Holly Fry
Welcome to stuff you missed in history class, a production of iHeartradio.
Tracy V. Wil
Hello and happy Friday. I'm Tracy V. Wil and I'm Holly Fry. We talked about Dorothy Arsner this week.
Holly Fry
We sure did.
Tracy V. Wil
Back. You researched and wrote the Billy Burke episode where we had previously mentioned Dorothy Arsner. And when I looked back at that, I was trying to remember what specifically we had said. And you had a little note in there that said, maybe a future episode. Finally its own episode written by the opposite person from the person who wrote the Billy Burke episode.
Holly Fry
Yeah. Yeah. Sometimes I don't get to him. And you had asked me, are you doing this one? And I was like, no, no. So hooray for Tracy.
Tracy V. Wil
I also will say, maybe a future episode and then forget that I ever said that.
Holly Fry
Yeah.
Tracy V. Wil
Rediscover a person five years later and say, oh, yeah.
Holly Fry
Aha.
Tracy V. Wil
So, number one. Boy, did I love reading everything about Dorothy Arsner. I love all the pictures of Dorothy Arsner. I find her personal style to be great. I love the pictures.
Holly Fry
I see you.
Tracy V. Wil
I love the pictures of her, like on a film set in a cowboy suit. I was very into that.
Holly Fry
You know, I love a little themed dressing. I think it's super fun.
Tracy V. Wil
Yeah. I love that she was able to carve out a career for herself in Hollywood at a time when because of her gender and her sexual orientation, like, that would have been really hard for her. And I. It is kind of speculative, but I do think that's one of the reasons that she just didn't want to talk about herself and she didn't even want to talk about her work. And this included, like, doing publicity for a film, not wanting to discuss the immediate previous film, or even doing publicity for a film that just came out and not even really wanting to talk about that film anymore. So there was one interview that she gave in 1936, and they were asking about it, her work, and here's what she said. Quote, as far as I'm concerned, they are ancient history. The latest picture of mine, Craig's Wife, happens to be a hit. But why should I talk about it and think about it now? It's finished. I'm through with it. There's nothing more I can do about it, so why should I dwell on it?
Holly Fry
You know, I understand this completely.
Tracy V. Wil
I understand this in terms of the way our. Our podcasts work, but you tell me your understanding of it.
Holly Fry
Yeah, same thing. I mean, it's like. It's one of those things where I feel like once you've put a thing out into the world, unless you're gonna go back and edit it, which some creators do, talking about it a whole bunch just gets you hung up in It, Sure. And you know, potentially like, what are you gonna answer someone who is like, but why didn't you. Blah, blah, blah. I just didn't. It's not gonna change. And then also, you know, she seems like somebody that was so. I'm trying to think of exactly the right word. She was very driven and focused in her work, which I think probably meant like, I'm busy thinking about the next thing. I don't really have time to retread.
Tracy V. Wil
Yeah, that makes sense too. Yeah. Yeah. I similarly will like, if, if I make an actual error and someone alerts me to that error in something that I have done. Yeah. I will correct that error.
Holly Fry
Yeah.
Tracy V. Wil
But sometimes it's like this should have been phrased in a very subtly different way and it's not anything meaningful. And I'm like, if I continue to think about that for the next 10 years, all of my life will be regrets. Yeah.
Holly Fry
I mean, it will block you from getting other good work done because your brain is occupied with an unshiftable gear.
Tracy V. Wil
I mean, you can't ruminations on things that have already happened.
Holly Fry
I wonder too if she also just like, was uncomfortable with accolades.
Tracy V. Wil
Oh, possibly. Yeah.
Holly Fry
You know, because even when people are saying nice things about my work, I don't want to talk about it. That feels weird and self indulgent and gross.
Tracy V. Wil
Yeah. Occasionally I will be somewhere being introduced to someone and someone will like make a big deal about the podcast and I'm like, I want to leave now, like to go talk.
Holly Fry
I usually say something very potty mouthed and self deprecating at that point.
Tracy V. Wil
Yeah. One of the books that I read for this did have that partial autobiography in it as one of the sort of appendices. And we don't know for sure that she stopped writing. Cause she got about to the point where she was gonna meet Marian. And how do you have an autobiography where you're not talking about that when that's a big part of your life? Again, speculative, but totally makes sense. She worked on that I, I, I think at about 19:55, so after her film career was done. But you know, she still had some, some decades of her life left after that. Apparently she was in a restaurant in 1973, which was, you know, much closer to the end of her life. And the, the server asked her when she was going to write her autobiography and she said never. Yeah, and I loved that. Anyway, this is one of the most fun to me episodes that I have worked on in a little bit.
Holly Fry
Yeah, she's delightful.
Tracy V. Wil
I liked her a lot. We have not talked about her for very long, but I don't feel like I have a whole lot more to say. Some of her movies are lost. As we said. Some of her movies you are able to find through streaming services and things like that. Some of them are old enough to be in the public domain, some not. I did watch some of the bullfighting footage that she intercut together. I kind of thought about what if I had like a Dorothy Arsner film weekend and watched a bunch of Dorothy Arsener movies. I did not wind up doing that, but I may still at some point check out various movies that I've seen, not seen all of beyond the clips that I saw. For the purposes of research here.
Jeremy Scott
Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in Bone Valley Season one.
Bob Pittman
I just knew him as a kid.
Jeremy Scott
Long silent voices from his past came.
J. Edgar Hoover
Forward and he was just staring at me.
Jeremy Scott
And they had secrets of their own to share.
J. Edgar Hoover
Gilbert King I'm the son of Jeremy Lynn Scott.
Jeremy Scott
I was no longer just telling the story, I was part of it.
J. Edgar Hoover
Every time I hear about my dad is, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.
Jeremy Scott
I was becoming the bridge between a killer and the son he'd never known.
J. Edgar Hoover
If the cops and everything would have done their job properly, my dad would have been in jail. I would have never existed.
Jeremy Scott
I never expected to find myself in this place. Now I need to tell you how I got here.
J. Edgar Hoover
At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.
Jeremy Scott
Bone Valley Season 2 Jeremy Jeremy, I.
Bob Pittman
Want to tell you something.
Jeremy Scott
Listen to new episodes of bone Valley Season 2 starting April 9 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear the entire new season ad free with exclusive content starting April 9th. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.
Holly Fry
We talked about strawberry domestication.
Tracy V. Wil
We did. Some aspects of this reminded me a little bit of when we did that episode on Nick's versus Hedden and the decision of whether tomatoes were a fruit or a vegetable. Yeah, some similar stuff in there about which things are fruits and yeah, though.
Holly Fry
To the best of my knowledge, there's never been a big yucky legal battle over this one. I don't think so. There are. One thing that I wanted to mention is that it fell to you to read a section of the outline that featured the title of a book called the Great Herbal and it's spelled in very old timey spellings. When things were not standardized, there's Some.
Tracy V. Wil
E's where they don't say but G.
Holly Fry
R, E, T, E. And then herbal is E, R, B, A, L, L, I think I don't have it handy in front of me. And the whole time I was doing research, every time I came across it, I called it the great hairball and made myself giggle. It's not that funny. But, you know, we find our joy where we can.
Tracy V. Wil
Yeah.
Holly Fry
I also. One of the other things that made me think about this. I follow a lot of gardeners on social media, one of whom is this amazing English gardener named Simon Aykroyd. And he was pointing out it's in. He has a new book that's about, like, how you can cultivate your own plants from things that you would buy for your grocery supply, like strawberries. And one is like slicing off some of the exterior skin of a strawberry, letting it dry on a paper towel. And then when it's dry, you can scrape the seeds off and plant those, which I am in the middle of propagating, which is very exciting. But it really is easier to do it just from years. But you don't have the whole plant if you're buying a strawberry at the grocery store.
Tracy V. Wil
Right.
Holly Fry
I also had a moment where those statistics we were reading at the end about each person eating an estimated 4.85 pounds of strawberries annually. I don't know if I believe that.
Tracy V. Wil
In which direction?
Holly Fry
Both. Okay. And I think it's because there are years of my life where I'll be like, yeah, strawberries, and I eat a ton of them, and then I could go two years without eating a strawberry.
Tracy V. Wil
Yeah.
Holly Fry
So I just don't know how common they are in other people's diets.
Tracy V. Wil
I love strawberries, and I love berries in general. And having gotten in the habit of trying to shop more locally when we are able, that means a lot of my berry consumption is now happening when the berries are in season in Massachusetts.
Holly Fry
Right.
Tracy V. Wil
And the strawberry season in Massachusetts. You know, unless you're somewhere where there's a big greenhouse set up and all of that. Like, it's not a long season.
Holly Fry
No.
Tracy V. Wil
For strawberries in Massachusetts. But I do love them.
Holly Fry
I like them. I'm, you know, once again, we're back to the hydroponic garden.
Tracy V. Wil
Yeah.
Holly Fry
So I can have. This is part of it. I want things year round.
Tracy V. Wil
Yeah.
Holly Fry
And I don't. I don't love the idea of all of the. The travel that fruits and vegetables have to go through and how long they are sitting in survival climate as they try to make Their way and all of the, you know, the waste that comes from those shipments. So if I could just grow them here at the house, in my house so I can mash them into cocktails. Marvelous.
Tracy V. Wil
When I was living in the Atlanta area, the first year, I was going to have a nice little container garden out on the back patio. And I had gotten all these little plants, and it included a number of strawberry plants. I was so excited. And then I broke my leg and refused to ask anyone for help with anything. And so all of my plants died. And I have never since then made the same level of attempt at, like, growing food plants at home. I've grown other plants at various times, but not so much with the food plants. Did have a good herb garden on the back deck here for a couple years.
Holly Fry
You have a good climate for lettuce?
Tracy V. Wil
Do have a good climate for lettuce.
Holly Fry
You could be growing lettuce all the time.
Tracy V. Wil
Yeah. I have put off any of my ongoing questions of growing things indoors because we are trying to track down a potential allergy situation with one of the cats. Just like trying not to introduce more things into the household for a little bit.
Holly Fry
Yeah, yeah, yeah. We mostly keep the cats out of the rooms where the plants are.
Tracy V. Wil
Oh, sure.
Holly Fry
However, one of our newer cats, it's her habit in the mornings to walk all the plants with me, like, check them.
Tracy V. Wil
I love that.
Holly Fry
It's pretty cute, really. She just wants to hang out in our bar all the time. I don't know how I got a barfly cat, but I did, and that's fine with me. And that's where, like our hydroponics are, because I use them for garnish. And she just wants to run in there. She'll sit there and cry at the door. Cause she wants a drink. I don't know. I don't know what she thinks is gonna happen, but it's pretty cute. But she has to be watched like a hawk because without any pre sniff or investigation, she will run up to any plant and bite it.
Tracy V. Wil
Okay.
Holly Fry
So we have to be careful and not. Yeah, I don't have anything right now that would be dangerous to cats, But I don't want to risk it either.
Tracy V. Wil
To return to when I was living in Atlanta one time I got a little container garden of succulents.
Holly Fry
Ooh, is that me or you?
Tracy V. Wil
And I came into the house with the succulents and I returned to the car to get the second load of thing to bring in. And in the time that I was gone, Sestina just Bit the end right off one of the succulent plants. And it was. I made sure it was not a plant that was gonna hurt her, but it was probably very bitter because then she foamed at the mouth. And I was like, maybe you took the one minute I was not in the house to go take a bite out of this plant. And I'm sorry this happened to you, but this is a consequence.
Holly Fry
Yeah. Cats will always pick that one moment that you're not looking.
Tracy V. Wil
Yep.
Holly Fry
And be like, you know what? I'm gonna raise some hell today. Here we go.
Tracy V. Wil
I love them.
Holly Fry
Me too. Our. Our newer babies are sort of hellraisers.
Tracy V. Wil
Yeah.
Holly Fry
I will tell an unrelated to history story about them. We have talked, I think, on the show before about the Murphy door that we have that goes to my husband's office. He had wanted one for a long time, and I bought him one for his birthday some years back. And so, you know, when we first installed it, it was tricky to get the balance right, so it could smoothly open and close, but it's quite heavy. And yet the new cats can easily open it. Which his office is not really organized in a way that's super safe for cats to run around in and also create just havoc. And so as a temporary fix, he put several heavy boxes in front of it, like, when we're not here, intending it for it to be when we're not here. But no sooner had he put them up, and they're substantially heavy items. But one of the new ladies, who is a big, beautiful woman. She's a big cat, trotted down there, hip, checked the boxes out of the way and just walked right into his office like it was a minor annoyance. So we are still having to figure out how we work around that. They're diabolical, the new ladies. We love them, but they are a whole new level of tricky than we have dealt with since the years when Mr. Burns was a youth. They're like that level of tricky. I sure like plant history, though.
Tracy V. Wil
Yeah.
Holly Fry
I just love it.
Tracy V. Wil
Yeah.
Holly Fry
I love it. And I like that there's a spy involved.
Tracy V. Wil
Yeah. When you told me you were working on an episode on Strawberries, I was like, what is there to say historically about Strawberries? And it was a delight. Insightful story.
Holly Fry
So spy missions. Yeah, they're very interesting. And they've. I mean, the one thing that's interesting is that that mission has been written about quite a lot throughout history.
Tracy V. Wil
Yeah.
Holly Fry
Which is nice. I always wonder when that happens because, you know, other than Fraisier's original book which isn't like hey I was a spy. It's more like hey I was, I was exploring these areas. I always wonder how much of it is colored by like the early write ups of it that have been reiterated throughout time. But there's no good way to go back and comparatively fact check that to reality, right? But it's pretty, pretty widely accepted that he is the only one who brought those five plants back. So thanks.
Tracy V. Wil
Hooray.
Holly Fry
Because we love strawberries.
Tracy V. Wil
I love them a lot.
Holly Fry
If this is your weekend coming up, I hope you eat something delicious, whether that's a strawberry or anything else. If you don't have time off, I still hope you eat something delicious that delights your palate and your soul, hopefully. And then maybe you share a meal with somebody because look, in hard times that's what's getting me through is meeting friends for dinner or having people over for drinks or whatever we gotta do to keep the faith. We will be right back here tomorrow with a classic episode and then on Monday we will have something brand new.
Tracy V. Wil
Stuff youf Missed in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Holly Fry
At T. Rowe Price. Their experience helps them see investment potential differently. Instead of quick answers, they know that what really leads to confident investing is true curiosity. And since you're listening to this podcast, we know you value curiosity too. It's what drives them to ask the questions that really matter in our ever changing world, like can healthcare innovations create a healthier world? And how will AI be a part of a new tomorrow? Just like you, their curiosity runs deep and with it comes the power to help you invest more confidently. Better Questions, Better Outcomes T. Rowe Price Learn more@t rowprice.com Curiosity Jejo Black Friday in Primavera the Home Depot Y Tu.
Tracy V. Wil
En Quest.
Bob Pittman
Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. I'm excited to introduce a brand new season of my podcast Math and Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. I'm having conversations with some folks at across a wide range of industries to hear how they reach the top of their fields and the lessons they learned along the way that everyone can use. I'll be joined by innovative leaders like Chairman and CEO of Elf Beauty Tarang Amin, legendary singer, songwriter and philanthropist Jewel.
Tracy V. Wil
Being a rock star is very fun, but helping people is way more fun.
Bob Pittman
And Damian Maldonado, CEO of American Financing.
Holly Fry
I figured out the formula I just have to work hard then that's magic.
Bob Pittman
Join me as we uncovered innovations in data and analytics, the math and the ever important creative spark, the magic. Listen to math and Magic on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.
Brendan Patrick Hughes
My name is Brendan Patrick Hughes, host of Divine Intervention. This is a story about radical nuns in combat boots and wild haired priests trading blows with J. Edgar Hoover in a hell bent effort to sabotage a war.
J. Edgar Hoover
J. Edgar Hoover was furious. He was out of his mind and he wanted to to bring the Catholic left to its knees.
Brendan Patrick Hughes
Listen to Divine intervention on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Stuff You Missed in History Class: Behind the Scenes Minis – Dorothy and Strawberries
Production of iHeartRadio | Release Date: April 4, 2025
In the Behind the Scenes Minis episode titled "Dorothy and Strawberries", hosts Tracy V. Wil and Holly Fry delve into the fascinating life of Dorothy Arzner, a pioneering woman in Hollywood, and explore the intriguing history of strawberry domestication. This episode seamlessly intertwines historical exploration with personal anecdotes, offering listeners a rich and engaging narrative that uncovers lesser-known facets of both Dorothy's life and the beloved strawberry.
Research and Discovery
Tracy and Holly begin by revisiting Dorothy Arzner, a trailblazing female director in early Hollywood. Tracy recounts her initial research experience, mentioning, "I loved reading everything about Dorothy Arzner. I love all the pictures of Dorothy Arzner. I find her personal style to be great" [03:26]. Holly echoes this sentiment, highlighting Dorothy’s unique themed dressing, such as her iconic cowboy suit on film sets.
Dorothy’s Reserved Nature
A significant portion of their discussion centers on Dorothy's reluctance to engage in self-promotion and her desire to remain private despite her success. Tracy reflects, "I do think that's one of the reasons that she just didn't want to talk about herself and she didn't even want to talk about her work" [03:51]. Holly relates this to their podcasting process, emphasizing the importance of not dwelling excessively on past work: "I feel like once you've put a thing out into the world... talking about it a whole bunch just gets you hung up in it" [04:59].
Notable Quotes
Dorothy's own words provide profound insight into her mindset:
"As far as I'm concerned, they are ancient history. The latest picture of mine, Craig's Wife, happens to be a hit. But why should I talk about it and think about it now? It's finished. I'm through with it. There's nothing more I can do about it, so why should I dwell on it?" [03:51]
Holly adds a personal touch to Dorothy's perspective:
"I don't want to talk about it. That feels weird and self-indulgent and gross." [06:31]
Speculations and Speculations
Tracy speculates on Dorothy's motivations, pondering whether her avoidance of an autobiography might be linked to her personal life and relationships, particularly her connection with Marian. This reflection opens up a deeper understanding of the complexities faced by women in early Hollywood.
Historical Context
Transitioning from Dorothy Arzner, Tracy and Holly delve into the history of strawberry domestication. Tracy notes, "Some aspects of this reminded me a little bit of when we did that episode on Nick's versus Hedden and the decision of whether tomatoes were a fruit or a vegetable" [10:28], drawing parallels between botanical classifications and historical narratives.
The Great Herbal
A humorous moment arises when discussing the archaic spelling of "The Great Herbal":
"Every time I came across it, I called it The Great Hairball and made myself giggle." [11:10]
This reflects the challenges historians face when interpreting historical texts with outdated language.
Modern Strawberry Cultivation
Holly shares her enthusiasm for growing strawberries, inspired by English gardener Simon Aykroyd:
"I'm in the middle of propagating [strawberries], which is very exciting." [11:27]
They discuss contemporary methods of strawberry cultivation, including hydroponics, and the environmental impact of transporting produce, with Holly stating:
"I don't love the idea of all of the travel that fruits and vegetables have to go through and how long they are sitting in survival climate..." [13:34]
Statistics and Consumption
The hosts critically examine the statistic that "each person eats an estimated 4.85 pounds of strawberries annually," with Tracy humorously questioning its accuracy:
"Both. Okay. And I think it's because there are years of my life where I'll be like, yeah, strawberries, and I eat a ton of them, and then I could go two years without eating a strawberry." [12:30]
Gardening Challenges
Tracy shares personal stories about her attempts at gardening, including an unfortunate incident where her plants died after she broke her leg:
"All of my plants died. And I have never since then made the same level of attempt at, like, growing food plants at home." [14:19]
Holly relates this to her own experiences, mentioning the necessity of keeping plants safe from their mischievous cats:
"She's very curious and likes to interact with the plants, which means we have to be very careful." [16:02]
Cat Antics
The duo lovingly recount their cats' playful interference with their plants. Holly describes how their cat manages to open doors and disrupt their carefully curated spaces:
"One of the new ladies... walked right into his office like it was a minor annoyance." [17:06]
Tracy humorously narrates an incident involving their cat biting a succulent:
"She foamed at the mouth. And I was like, maybe you took the one minute I was not in the house to go take a bite out of this plant." [16:19]
In this episode of Stuff You Missed in History Class, Tracy and Holly offer an engaging blend of historical exploration and personal storytelling. From the enigmatic life of Dorothy Arzner to the intricate journey of strawberry domestication, they provide listeners with insightful perspectives and relatable anecdotes. The episode concludes with a heartfelt message encouraging listeners to savor delicious moments, whether through enjoying strawberries or sharing meals with loved ones, especially during challenging times.
"If this is your weekend coming up, I hope you eat something delicious... And then maybe you share a meal with somebody because... meeting friends for dinner or having people over for drinks or whatever we gotta do to keep the faith." [19:52]
Listeners are left with a sense of connection to both history and the simple joys of everyday life, exemplifying the podcast's mission to uncover the "greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class."
Stay Tuned
Tune in tomorrow for a classic episode and on Monday for something brand new. For more enriching content, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform.
Curiosity drives confident investing. Learn more at T. Rowe Price.