Behind the Scenes Minis: Shots and Sidi

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Behind the Scenes Minis: Shots and Sidi" Stuff You Missed in History Class | iHeartPodcasts Release Date: May 16, 2025

---

Introduction to the Episode In the episode titled "Behind the Scenes Minis: Shots and Sidi," hosts Tracy V. Wilson and Holly Fry delve deep into the intricate process of creating their historically rich content. This episode offers listeners an exclusive glimpse into the research, personal anecdotes, and thoughtful discussions that shape their storytelling.

---

Exploring Tetanus: A Multifaceted Approach The primary focus of this episode centers around tetanus—a serious bacterial infection—and the hosts share their unique approaches to discussing such scientific topics.

• Innovative Storytelling Techniques

  • Holly Fry explains, “I tried to incorporate the understanding of how tetanus works as an illness with the historical timeline of its discoveries” (04:47). This method, though challenging, aimed to provide a comprehensive view of tetanus both medically and historically.
  • She recounts her initial struggles with structuring the episode: “I contemplated just scrapping the entire outline and starting completely over, but I didn't” (04:17).

• Incorporating Historical Artifacts

  • The hosts discuss a poignant piece of artwork by Dr. Charles Bell titled “Tetanus Following Gunshot Wounds” from 1809. Holly Fry describes it as “a pretty visceral image showing this person who has tetanus, with their whole body sort of arced like a bow” (05:00), highlighting the physical manifestations of the disease.

---

Personal Anecdotes: Real-Life Encounters with Tetanus Both hosts share personal stories that underscore the importance of tetanus awareness and vaccination.

• Holly Fry’s Experience

  • Holly narrates an incident where her cat’s aggression led to a tetanus injury: “And when I grabbed her, she just reflexively bit me in the web between my finger and my thumb” (06:35). This unexpected bite resulted in her needing a tetanus shot, emphasizing the unpredictability of injuries that can lead to tetanus.

• Tracy V. Wilson’s Family Incident

  • Tracy recounts how her sibling's accidental tetanus infection on a farm became a learning moment: “And that's how I learned about tetanus” (10:16). The intense family response to her sibling’s injury highlighted the seriousness of tetanus and the critical role of timely vaccinations.

---

Tetanus Vaccination: Importance and Personal Reflection The conversation transitions to the significance of tetanus vaccines, reflecting on personal vaccination histories and public health perspectives.

• Vaccination Timelines and Boosters

  • Holly discusses her vaccination history: “The reason I didn't go ahead and get a booster is because I had that shot when I was 14 or 13” (14:35). She emphasizes the advancements in medical records and vaccine tracking over the years.
  • Tracy shares her proactive approach: “I had talked to our doctor about it, and they were like, you know what? At your age, if you can't remember, we just skip the titer and do the shot” (14:19).

• Addressing Vaccine Misinformation

  • Holly firmly addresses vaccine myths: “They do not cause autism. That is established at this point” (15:22). She criticizes misleading statements from figures like RFK Jr., asserting their offensive nature: “the idea that your child dying is preferable to your child being autistic is very troubling and offensive” (15:52).

---

Broader Discussions: Historical Expeditions and Cultural Competence Shifting from medical topics, the hosts explore the often-overlooked contributions of African individuals in European exploration expeditions.

• Acknowledging African Contributions

  • Holly highlights recent literature: “there has been a lot more writing about how critical the work and knowledge of the locally hired African people was to all of these expeditions” (30:55). She underscores the indispensable role these individuals played in the survival and success of explorers like Stanley and Livingstone.

• Cultural Competence in Storytelling

  • The hosts reflect on their own podcasting journey: “recognizing my own limitations has been part of the learning curve of more than a decade on this podcast” (34:26). They discuss the importance of cultural competence and the challenges of adequately representing histories from diverse regions.

• Critique of Historical Narratives

  • Tracy offers a critical perspective on historical accounts: “They are clearly wealthy white dudes who are now in a place where they're having to take advice from someone that they perceive as lesser” (25:16). This critique addresses the inherent biases in traditional historical narratives and the ongoing impact of such perspectives.

---

Closing Reflections and Future Directions In wrapping up the behind-the-scenes episode, Tracy and Holly express their commitment to inclusive and accurate historical storytelling.

• Holly shares sentiments on the necessity of diverse perspectives: “I try to talk about lots of different things on the show, but now I'm better at recognizing my own limitations in doing that” (34:30).
• They advocate for understanding and empathy in historical discourse: “they are still human beings. They are still part of our society and part of our world and they are not something to be eliminated” (17:03).

The episode concludes with a note of hope and a commitment to continue delivering well-researched and thoughtful content.

---

Notable Quotes

• Holly Fry: “I contemplated just scrapping the entire outline and starting completely over, but I didn't” (04:17).
• Tracy V. Wilson: “Operation Inergencia. Everybody kind of lost their mind” (07:41).
• Holly Fry: “They do not cause autism. That is established at this point” (15:22).
• Tracy V. Wilson: “They are clearly wealthy white dudes who are now in a place where they're having to take advice from someone that they perceive as lesser” (25:16).

---

Conclusion "Behind the Scenes Minis: Shots and Sidi" offers an enriching exploration into the complexities of creating historical content. Through candid personal stories, critical examinations of medical practices, and a commitment to inclusive storytelling, Tracy V. Wilson and Holly Fry provide listeners with a deeper understanding of both the subjects they cover and the meticulous process behind their podcasting efforts.

For those interested in history, science, and thoughtful discourse, this episode serves as a testament to the dedication and passion that drive "Stuff You Missed in History Class."

---

Note: Timestamps correspond to the provided transcript and are marked for reference.

Transcript

[Therapy Gecko Host]

You're listening to an iHeart podcast.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Breaking news T Mobile Network outperforms expectations in all sectors because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network. Switch now. Keep your phone and T Mobile will pay it off at the $800 per line via prepaid card. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com keepandswitch up to 4 lines of your virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service report in 90 plus days device and eligible carrier and timely redemption. Required card has no cash access and expires in six.

[Better Man Advertiser]

Men if you're ready to reclaim your edge, listen up. I used to be held back by constant bathroom trips with multiple wake ups during my sleep and looking for restrooms whenever I was out. Then I discovered Better Man. After just two months, I started experiencing fewer trips to the bathroom, less urge to go, and I even slept through some nights. I feel a noticeable boost in my overall well being, even sexual stamina. It gives me the freedom and confidence to live life on my terms. Better man is clinically tested and trusted by thousands of men over 25 years ready to take back control. Go to be better now.com to order your supply today. That's be better now.com these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Use this directive. Individual results may vary.

[Chelsea Handler]

This week on Dear Chelsea with me. Chelsea Handler. Ed Helms is here. I of course was drawn to the LSD story.

[Ed Helms]

This was all under official government activity. They built a apartment that had a glass mirror where he could sit there and watch. And then they would drug these customers and he was just sort of taking notes and God knows what else behind this double mirror. And this was all in the name of science.

[Chelsea Handler]

This just sounds like a guy off behind a wall.

[Ed Helms]

It does.

[Chelsea Handler]

Listen to Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Better Man Advertiser]

I found out I was related to the guy that I was dating. I don't feel emotions correctly. I collect my roommate toenails and fingernails.

[Therapy Gecko Host]

Those were some callers from my call in Podcast Therapy Gecko. It's a show where I take phone calls from anonymous strangers as a fake gecko therapist and try to learn a little bit about their lives. I know that's a weird concept, but I promise it's very interesting. Check it out for yourself by searching for Therapy gecko on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Welcome to Stuff youf Missed in History Class, a production of iHeartrad.

[Holly Fry]

Happy Friday. I'm Tracy V. Wilson.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

And I'm Holly Fry.

[Holly Fry]

We talked about tetanus this week.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah, we did.

[Holly Fry]

So very often when we have had anything that's related to science or medicine, anything in that field. When I have been writing the episode, I have started out with an explainer on the illness or the scientific discovery and the sort of what's going on with that and how it works. And this time I said to myself, what if I did something a little different? And what if I tried to incorporate the understanding of how tetanus works as an illness, like with the historical timeline of its. Of discoveries about it? And, boy, was that harder. So much harder. I contemplated just scrapping the entire outline and starting completely over, but I didn't. I stuck with it, even though it was somehow way, way harder to write it that way. Something we didn't mention is a piece of artwork. I don't know what image will wind up being used on our social media to go along with this episode, but there is a painting by surgeon and artist Dr. Charles Bell, which was created in 1809, and it's called Tetanus Following Gunshot Wounds. And it's a pretty visceral image showing this person who has tetanus, um, in like, a whole body spasm, with their whole body sort of arced like a bow, which is one of the ways that the spasms of tetanus have been described historically. I didn't really have a great place to mention that in the body of the episode itself. Holly, you look like you're looking up what it looks like.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Well, I was trying to check and see if it's the painting I thought it was, and it was.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

There was just part of my brain that was like, are you sure that's the same painting and not some other weird thing? And then while I was looking for it, there's another painting that looks like a portrait of Count Orlok from the recent Nosferatu. And I got a little sidetracked.

[Holly Fry]

Okay. He did other artwork, other portrayals, portrayals of other diseases and conditions. And I got a little bit sidetracked thinking about that and then said, okay, you gotta focus on this episode that is more difficult than expected based on your own decisions to write it differently from usual. I also thought I might tell the story of the time I had to get a tetanus shot, not as a routine immunization.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I Have a similar story, but it wasn't me, but a sibling.

[Holly Fry]

So my story is I was living in Asheville, North Carolina, on a ground floor apartment with no air conditioning. And so I was sleeping with the windows open. And this had worked fine until it didn't. And the way that it didn't, Is that a strange stray or someone's pet, I don't know, cat jumped onto the outside ledge of the window while my cat Villanelle was sitting on the inside sill of the window. And Villanelle immediately started freaking out. And so my immediate urgency was to, like, separate my cat from the window and close the window so that she would not be like, get into a fight with this other cat that I know nothing about.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Right.

[Holly Fry]

And when I grabbed her, she just reflexively bit me in the web between my finger and my thumb. Oh, yeah. This, you know, has been. This is the only time she ever bit anyone.

[Better Man Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Displaced aggression is not uncommon in cats that are freaked out about an outside cat.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, yeah. She had never been in any way aggressive in any way. And I think that that was just like I surprised her by grabbing her while she was actively having a confrontation with this strange cat.

[Better Man Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Holly Fry]

So this is, you know, in the middle of the night. And so I go, you know, I wash my hand and dress my hand as best I can. I go back to bed and I wake up and it's already swollen and I can see the beginning of, like, lines leading out of the wound. Um, so I called in sick to work and I went to urgent care and they said, when was your last tetanus shot? And I said, I don't know.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I think that's a common answer.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, I do know now because I start the clock from the time I got bitten by. So they gave me a tetanus shot. I also got a big old shot of antibiotics and in my buttock. And then I also had to be on oral antibiotics, and I was fine. But that was the time that I had to get the tetanus shot because of my, like, I had gotten all of the recommended vaccines from my childhood. And I know I had gotten like. I remember being of an age to have gotten a booster, but I was like, I don't know when that was exactly. And I did not have vaccine records with me in that moment. We were not to the age of having the kind of electronic medical records that exist for a lot of this stuff now. Yeah.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Here's how I learned what tetanus was.

[Holly Fry]

Okay.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I think I've told you before that When I was young, we had a farm in the Pacific Northwest because my parents thought farms were idyllic and they grew up on farms and we should somehow have a farm. Yeah, I don't know. It was weird. Upon that farm, in the kind of wooded area of it, there was a giant tree that we used for various playtime activities. My siblings are all a good bit older than me, and they, not wanting to do kid things like climb trees, et cetera, devised this thing where they basically like tied a rope to one of the higher branches and then they would tie at the end of that rope that dangled like a piece of wood to make a handle. And they would basically like grip the piece of wood and then they would push each other and swing.

[Holly Fry]

Mm.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Big time fun. Except, you know, sometimes teenagers aren't really thoughtful about what piece of wood they tie to the end of the rope for their little swing adventure.

[Holly Fry]

Sure.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

One of my siblings, I. I don't know who, but I have suspicions, picked up a random piece of wood from our wood pile and tied it on there. And my middle sister grabbed it and got a rusty nail right through her hand. Oh, no. And that's how I learned about tetanus.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Because she went into the house. I think I was inside playing. Cause I was not cool enough to hang with them. I was their little jerky sister. But I remember her coming into the house and like the sort of ripple of panic from my kooky and anxiety prone mother because my sister just thought like, oh, I have a cut in my hand. I need to have this dressed. And my mom went from that to. I think my dad said, hey, do we have her up to date on tetanus shots? And suddenly it was like Operation Inergencia. Everybody kind of lost their mind. There was the rushing into the car and the running away. And my sister came back looking very bedraggled and like she had really been through it. Cause she definitely got some heavy hitting shots in the badonk and other places. And that's how I learned what tetanus was.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

And became so afraid I was never touching that tree or the. That tree was a hazard, I will say, because it also had. I think it was like a. Was it a cedar tree? It was something. It also had like some very elasticy branches that were kind of bouncy that we would also swing on. And at one point, like I had gripped onto one of the branches and my brother pushed me and I went flying. And we thought I had a broken arm for a minute.

[Holly Fry]

I Didn't.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

But it was just banged up real bad. I don't. You know, kids on farms that are not really farm kids maybe don't do smart things.

[Holly Fry]

I'm just saying.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Or maybe we were just a real careless lot. I don't know. That tree was a menace. Yeah. Tetanus.

[Holly Fry]

I was talking to Patrick as I was working on this, and I was like, did you know that if you get tetanus, your muscles can spasm so hard that you can break your own bones? And he was like, yes. And I asked him two or three other weird questions about tetanus. And then I said, how you know so much about tetanus? And he was like, what? Like, this was the. The thing we were all terrified of as children. Don't step on a rusty nail. You might get tetanus. And I was like, but you had your shots, right? Like, if you. If you get your shots, you're probably not gonna get tetanus, which is good because it sounds awful.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Listen, the 1970s were a lawless time. We didn't all stay on shot schedules.

[Holly Fry]

I think I was on for sure that I was definitely on, like, the shot schedule because that was the. Like, my mom was very focused on things like that. And then I think I've said before on the show that I was the. The recommendation for how many measles vaccines to get changed after you and I were the age that we would have been getting them normally. And we were going to go visit my grandmother when I was in my early teens, and there was an active measles outbreak happening there at that time. And my mom took me to the pediatrician to get another measles shot before that trip for that reason. So that I think I was. I was like, 13 or 14.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah, we went ahead and got boosters this year.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. The reason I didn't go ahead and get a booster is because I had that shot when I was 14 or 13, like, somewhere in there. And it seemed like as this outbreak is spreading, people who are interested in getting a vaccine and are just, like, behind or not sure their status or their. The age bracket that you and I are, where they probably only got one shot as a kid. I kind of wanted to allow all of those folks that are a higher need than me to go and get them. I know you can also get titers checked to see if you still have immunity to stuff.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah, I had talked to our doctor about it, and I don't remember if it's our doctor or our pharmacist, and they were like, you know what? At your age, if you can't remember, we just skip the titer and do the shot. I was like, great, great.

[Holly Fry]

I did talk to my doctor about it at my physical, about whether I should. Whether I should get another dose or whether I should get my titer checked. And she was like, I think based on what you've just told me, I think you're fine, and we would not need to order that. I did also confirm that even though I do not believe I ever had chickenpox, I should get a shingles vaccine in a couple weeks here after I turn 50. And I should also get the pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine again in a couple of weeks here after I turn 50. Yeah, I'm gonna take a little trip for myself, and then when I come home from a trip on my list of things to do is gonna be going to get my vaccines.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

So fun.

[Holly Fry]

They prevent you from getting serious and potentially deadly illnesses. They do not cause autism. That is. That is established at this point. Even if they did cause autism, the idea that your child dying is preferable to your child being autistic is very troubling and offensive. And frankly, a lot of the things that RFK Jr. Has been saying are also offensive.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Oh, my Lord.

[Holly Fry]

It was.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I have been out of the country. Yeah, For a while. A little less than a couple weeks. And I was out of the country and busy enough that I wasn't looking at news or social media much, and neither were most of the people I was with. And we were at, like, some. I don't know if we were at dinner at, like, a little, you know, cocktail gathering or whatever. And one of my friends opened up social media and then went, oh, no, and shut it immediately. And was like, let's just stay in our weird vacation bubble because nobody needs to hear what's going on and what's coming out of that person's mouth.

[Holly Fry]

Not for the next few minutes, at least. Um. Yeah. Yeah. I was very fear.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Like, the.

[Holly Fry]

The most recent, in my opinion, most offensive and disgusting thing was after this article or this. This episode was, like, already completely written. Like, it was just waiting for you to return from Japan. Then I was like, now there's another thing to be mad about about vaccines.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

There's always another thing. Yeah.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. To be very clear, there is a broad spectrum of autism. That is why it is called a spectrum. And there are people on that spectrum who do need daily care all the time. And that is true. They are still human beings. They are still part of our society and part of our world and they are not something to be eliminated. I don't know. I feel like we could live in a world where we were focused on making sure everyone has access to the world that we live in instead of a world.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Instead of trying to eliminate people to make our lives simpler.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, eliminate people, because that's what we're talking about anyway. Anyway, you can check out previous episodes that we've got about the eugenics movement in the archive if you want to do that.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Otherwise you just want to depress the heck out of yourself even more or get real mad.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Breaking News T Mobile Network outperforms expectations in all sectors because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network. Switch now keep your phone and T Mobile will pay it off up to $800 per line via prepaid card. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com keepandswitch up to 4 lines via virtual prepaid card will have 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service port in 90 plus days device and eligible carrier and timely redemption. Required card is no cash access and expires in six.

[Better Man Advertiser]

Men if you're ready to reclaim your edge, listen up. I used to be held back by constant bathroom trips with multiple wake ups during my sleep and looking for restrooms whenever I was out. Then I discovered Better Man. After just two months I started experiencing fewer trips to the bathroom, less urge to go, and I even slept through some nights. I feel a noticeable boost in my overall well being, even sexual stamina. It gives me the freedom and competence to live life on my terms. I Better man is clinically tested and trusted by thousands of men over 25 years ready to take back control. Go to be better now.com to order your supply today. That's be better now.com these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Use this directed individual results may vary.

[Chelsea Handler]

This week on Dear Chelsea with me. Chelsea Handler. Ed Helms is here. I of course was drawn to the LSD story. In the 1950s, a CIA scientist secretly bought the entire world supply of LSD, embarking on a horrific attempt to discover the secrets to mind control.

[Ed Helms]

This is so insane. This was all under like official government activity. They built a apartment in San Francisco that had a glass mirror where he could sit there and watch. And then they would drug these customers and he was just sort of taking notes and God knows what else behind this Double mirror. And this was all in the name of science.

[Chelsea Handler]

This just sounds like a guy off behind a wall.

[Ed Helms]

It does.

[Chelsea Handler]

I would just also like to say you don't have to take LSD like this. LSD can be microdosed. It's like an upper of energy. Enthusiasm makes you less nervous. If I'm going heli skiing, if it.

[Ed Helms]

Allows me to go heli skiing, then yeah, I'm hella on board.

[Chelsea Handler]

Listen to Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast assets.

[Better Man Advertiser]

I found out I was related to the guy that I was dating. I don't feel emotions correctly.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I am talking to a felon right.

[Holly Fry]

Now and I cannot decide if I like him or not.

[Therapy Gecko Host]

Those were some callers from my call in Podcast Therapy Gecko. It's a show where I take real phone calls from anonymous strangers all over the world as a fake gecko therapist and try to dig into their brains and learn a little bit about their lives. I know that's a weird concept, but I probably promise it's pretty interesting if you give it a shot. Matter of fact, here's a few more examples of the kinds of calls we get on this show.

[Holly Fry]

I live with my boyfriend and I.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Found his piss jar in our apartment.

[Better Man Advertiser]

I collect my roommate's toenails and fingernails.

[Holly Fry]

I have very overbearing parents. Even at the age of 29, they won't let me move out of their house.

[Therapy Gecko Host]

So if you want an excuse to get out of your own head and see what's going on in someone else's head, search for therapy gecko on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's the one with the green guy on it.

[Holly Fry]

We talked about CD Mubarak Bombay this week.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

My sad brain just wants to do. Calling Dr. Bombay. Calling Dr. Bombay. Come in, come in right away. This is funny for all of my Bewitched fans in the crowd.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. So it's clear from having, you know, everyone who has listened to this episode, if you're somehow listening to A Friday behind the scenes having not heard the episode, I would feel like in a lot of cases, that's not gonna make any sense. But, you know, just in case somehow that's what's happening in your life right now. A lot of that episode is, you know, drawn from the accounts of these men who went on these expeditions and the books they wrote about them later. And there are so many of them, and I kept getting confused about them, and I wound up Temporarily at the top of the outline, just having this list of names and links so that I would not confuse who had written which book about which of these things. Because everyone that we talked about wrote at least one book about it. And even with that, occasionally, like, there was a time that Holly caught in as we were recording this where I had just put the wrong name of one of these guys. Hopefully that was the only time, in.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Fairness, it had referred to that guy just a sentence earlier. So it was just. Yeah, a finger repeat in typing. Not a big.

[Holly Fry]

Hopefully we didn't mess it up any other times. I will reiterate, all of these books are online in multiple places. They're all in the public domain. There's a lot of racism in there. I did not read. I did not include any of the most racist things. There are parts of what we did read that kind of. Kind of have some of the threads of some of the stereotypes that people in, like, the UK had about people from Africa, about their being, like, simple and happy. And there is some of that. But I do think that he, as a person, like, he is widely described as being, like, a very happy and upbeat and a very kind person. That sort of resonates through all of people's writing about him. But, yeah, I did not put in big, long quotes filled with the N word, which there are many of in these books.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I have some theories.

[Holly Fry]

Okay.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

You kind of touched on it in the ways that people wrote about him and different perceptions of him. Because I really do think some of it, whether it is surely racially motivated, like, there's surely racists. Racist route to it. But I really think, like, Speak seemed like a pretty chill dude in many ways. I could be wrong. I don't. Certainly didn't know him personally. But, you know, all of his writing that you quoted in this is very much about his appreciation for all of these people that helped him, how kind he found them. And then all of the subsequent ones have, to me, this edge of what I would call snoots patoots. Like, they're just. They are clearly wealthy white dudes.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Who are now in a place where they're having to take advice from someone that they perceive as lesser. And it bruises their egos to be told, like, dude, you cannot walk today. Do you not know? And it's easier to say, he's wasting my time, then, I'm a little weaker than I thought. Like that.

[Holly Fry]

Also, every one of these expeditions sounds miserable.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah, they all sound.

[Holly Fry]

There was just so much illness and some of it serious Illness. And even if not serious illness, you know, the not serious illness parts, there were just all kinds of injuries and all kinds of delays and all kinds of. They thought that they were going to be able to make it to this place, but now they have to camp out and it's like swampy and hot and full of bugs. And two different people supposedly leading the expedition both have eye inflammation. That means that they mostly can't see very well. Like, none of it sounds fun to me.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

It does.

[Holly Fry]

Not to me either. And so sometimes when I'm reading these accounts and I'm reading the times that they sound kind of judgy about what Bombay was doing or decisions he was making, I'm just like, was this really a bad decision or are you just mad and uncomfortable?

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Right. And I mean, we have all reached that point. Like whether it's when you're traveling or you're just in the middle of like a really busy season or whatever, where like the stresses on your body make you less magnanimous and more prone to be fussy and crabby.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, sure.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

So that's a natural part of it. But then like when you get home and you're writing about it, theoretically you are not feeling those same stresses and maybe you don't have to be a jerk.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Especially considering this person actually knows what they're doing and you've never been there before.

[Holly Fry]

So.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

How dare.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Breaking news. T Mobile network outperforms expectations in all sectors because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network switch. Now keep your phone and T mobile will pay it off at the $800 per line via prepaid cart. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com keepandswitch up to 4 lines of your virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service port in 90 plus days device and eligible carrier and timely redemption. Required card has no cash access and expires in six months.

[Better Man Advertiser]

Men, if you're ready to reclaim your edge, listen up. I used to be held back by constant bathroom trips with multiple wake ups during my sleep and looking for restrooms whenever I was out. Then I discovered Better Man. After just two months, I started experiencing fewer trips to the bathroom, less urge to go and I even slept through some nights. I feel a noticeable boost in my overall well being, even sexual stamina. It gives me the freedom and confidence to live life on my terms. Better man is clinically tested and trusted by Thousands of men over 25 years ready to take back control. Go to be better now.com to order your supply today. That's be better now.com these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Uses directed Individual results may vary.

[Chelsea Handler]

This week on Dear Chelsea with me, Chelsea Handler. Ed Helms is here. I of course, was drawn to the LSD story. In the 1950s, a CIA scientist secretly bought the entire world's supply of LSD, embarking on a horrific attempt to discover the secrets to mind control.

[Ed Helms]

This is so insane. This was all under like official government activity. They built a apartment in San Francisco that had a glass mirror where he could sit there and watch. And then they would drug these customers and he was just sort of taking notes and God knows what else behind this double mirror. And this was all in the name of science.

[Chelsea Handler]

This just sounds like a guy off behind a wall.

[Ed Helms]

It does.

[Chelsea Handler]

I would just also like to say if you don't have to take LSD like this. LSD can be microdosed. It's like an upper of energy. Enthusiasm makes you less nervous. If I'm going heli skiing, if it.

[Ed Helms]

Allows me to go hella skiing, then yeah, I'm hella on board.

[Chelsea Handler]

Listen to Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Better Man Advertiser]

I found out I was related to the guy that I was dating. I don't feel emotions correctly.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I am talking to a felon right.

[Holly Fry]

Now and I cannot decide if I like him or not.

[Therapy Gecko Host]

Those were some callers from my call in Podcast Therapy Gecko. It's a show where I take real phone calls from anonymous strangers all over the world as a phone call fake gecko therapist and try to dig into their brains and learn a little bit about their lives. I know that's a weird concept, but I promise it's pretty interesting if you give it a shot. Matter of fact, here's a few more examples of the kinds of calls we get on this show.

[Holly Fry]

I live with my boyfriend and I.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Found his piss jar in our apartment.

[Better Man Advertiser]

I collect my roommate's toenails and fingernails.

[Holly Fry]

I have very overbearing parents. Even at the age of 29, they won't let me move out of their house.

[Therapy Gecko Host]

So if you want an excuse to get out of your own head and see what's going on in someone else's head, search for therapy gecko on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's the one with the green guy on it.

[Holly Fry]

There has been a lot more writing in more recent years about how critical the work and knowledge of like the locally hired African people was to like all of these expeditions. And then also the people that had either returned to Africa from India or had been in some cases hired in India specifically to come on an expedition to Africa. And how you would have, like in most of these expeditions there would be a very small group of white officers from somewhere in the UK that had usually been in the military service, like some number between maybe six and 10 of them. And then the entire rest of the company were either either people hired locally from any of like the African tribes and kingdoms there, or hired in India. Those were the people that were doing. They were carrying all the stuff. They were making all of the negotiations for the most part between the, the, with the like the kingdoms and the, in the empires that they were passing through. If Stanley or Livingstone or whoever had just gone down there by themselves without any help, they would have died right away, 100%.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

They would have gotten four miles and collapsed.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, so there's been a lot more. Not even just recently, not just within the last 20 years, but within the last like 50 years, a lot more writing about how, how much all of these, you know, so called European exploration expeditions was like, they were all like really grounded in the, the labor and the knowledge of the African people whose continent they were quote, exploring.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah, it's more like they were being guided around.

[Holly Fry]

Yes, yes.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

And probably those poor people doing all that work, we're like this big dumb, fussy baby is here again.

[Holly Fry]

Gotta take them to try to find the source of the Nile.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

We could have told them, but they wanna learn the hard way. So. Here you go, brother. Get in the boat.

[Holly Fry]

I will say back when we recorded that episode about Hatshepsut and the voyage to Punt, that was a Saturday classic. I stressed a lot more about whether we were covering enough history from parts of the world other than North America and Europe. I still try to select a diverse range of topics to talk about. But no matter which things we're focusing on in terms of diverse, there's always stuff that's just not ever in. Like it's. There will never be enough of that particular thing.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Right.

[Holly Fry]

So it's like still my goal to include things from all over the world. But sometimes if some months pass without something else from a different part of the world, like that is no longer a thing causing me to lose sleep at night in the way that it was earlier.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Sometimes anxiety drives the bus.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. There's also just the realities. We've talked before about how if we are talking about something that is related to North America or Europe, the starting question is not do I have the cultural context to talk about this adequately? And sometimes when we are talking about things from Africa or Asia, South America, like places that we aren't as steeped in, sometimes I look at something and I go, no, I don't have the cultural competence to, to do this justice at all. And recognizing my own limitations there has been like part of the, the learning curve of more than a decade on this podcast. Well over a decade at this point. So, yeah, anyway, I try to talk about lots of different things on the show, but now I'm better at recognizing my own limitations in doing that. Hey, I know we're all living in times that are full of a lot of chaos and uncertainty and for a lot of us, frustrations and upset. So whatever's happening, whatever's progressing in your life, I hope you're able to find a moment where you're able to find a little peace, a little moment of joy. All of those things are, we need them to, you know, continue to do the things that we're all trying to do in our lives. And we will be back with a Saturday classic tomorrow and something brand new on Monday. 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 show.

[Better Man Advertiser]

Men. If you're ready to reclaim your edge, listen up. I used to be held back by constant bathroom trips with multiple wake ups during my sleep and looking for restrooms whenever I was out. Then I discovered Better Man. After just two months, I started experiencing fewer trips to the bathroom, less urge to go, and I even slept through some nights. I feel a noticeable boost in my overall well being, even sexual stamina. It gives me the freedom and competence to live life on my terms. Better man is clinically tested and trusted by thousands of men over 25 years ready to take back control. Go to be better now.com to order your supply today. That's be better now.com these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Use as directed. Individual results may vary.

[Chelsea Handler]

This week on Dear Chelsea with Me, Chelsea Handler. Ed Helms is here. I, of course, was drawn to the LSD story.

[Ed Helms]

This was all under official government activity. They built a apartment that had a glass mirror where he could sit there and watch. And then they would drug these customers and he was just sort of taking notes and God knows what else behind this double mirror. And this was all in the name of science.

[Chelsea Handler]

This just sounds like a guy off behind a wall.

[Ed Helms]

It does.

[Chelsea Handler]

Listen to Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Better Man Advertiser]

I found out I was related to the guy that I was dating. I don't feel emotions correctly. I collect my roommate's toenails and fingernails.

[Therapy Gecko Host]

Those were some callers from my call in podcast Therapy Gecko. It's a show where I take phone calls from anonymous strangers as a fake gecko therapist and try to learn a little bit about their lives. I know that's a weird concept, but I promise it's very interesting. Check it out for yourself by searching for Therapy gecko on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I want you to ask yourself right now, how am I actually doing? Because it's a question that we rarely ask ourselves. All of May is actually Mental Health Awareness Month and on the psychology of your 20s, we are taking a vulnerable look at why mental health is so hard to talk about. Prepare for our conversations to go deep.

[Holly Fry]

I spent the majority of my teenage years and my twenties just feeling absolutely terrified. I had a panic attack on a.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Conference call knowing that she had six months to live. I was no longer pretending that this was my best friend.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

So this mental health awareness Month, take that extra bit of care of your well being. Listen to the psychology of your 20s on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Therapy Gecko Host]

You're listening to an iHeart podcast.