TDS Time Machine | Shafted - Tales of Unsung Women

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Daily Show: Ears Edition Episode: TDS Time Machine | Shafted - Tales of Unsung Women
Release Date: March 15, 2025
Hosts: Desi Lydic and Dulce Sloan
Producer: iHeartPodcasts and Paramount Podcasts

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Introduction

In celebration of Women's History Month, The Daily Show: Ears Edition launches a special segment titled "Shafted - Tales of Unsung Women." Hosted by Desi Lydic and Dulce Sloan, this series delves into the overlooked contributions of remarkable women whose innovations and talents were historically overshadowed or dismissed. This episode features three intriguing stories: Marian Donovan's pioneering work in baby care products, Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton's influential yet forgotten musical legacy, and Sarah Howe's early establishment of investment fraud schemes.

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Marian Donovan: The Mother of Disposable Diapers

[00:45 – 04:07]

Trevor Noah opens the segment by highlighting the often underappreciated narratives in women's history. Desi and Dulce immediately dive into the story of Marian Donovan, a housewife from Westport, Connecticut, in 1946.

• Dulce Sloan introduces Marian's plight:
  "The victim, Marian Donovan. The crime being a woman." [01:27]

• Desi Lydic humorously underscores Marian's frustration with domestic challenges:
  "Why is there so much shit everywhere?" [01:45]

Faced with the discomfort of rubber diaper covers prevalent at the time, Marian ingeniously repurposes her household items to create a better diaper cover, dubbed the "Boater." This innovation saw immediate success:

• Dulce Sloan remarks on the product's popularity:
  "The diaper covers were flying off the shelves faster than black market birth control pills." [02:38]

Encouraged by her initial success, Marian endeavors to develop a fully disposable diaper. However, she encounters significant sexism, with male manufacturers dismissing her ideas:

• Desi Lydic expresses frustration:
  "There's no market for this, you dumb lady." [02:44]

Despite Marian's relentless efforts, her breakthrough comes posthumously when Pampers introduces a similar product a decade later. The hosts poignantly note the irony:

• Dulce Sloan:
  "Disposable diapers are now a $6 billion industry. Marian should have been the Beyoncé of baby care, but fate made her the Farrah Franklin." [03:26]

The segment concludes by honoring Marian's legacy, emphasizing her foundational role in a now essential industry:

• Desi Lydic:
  "In homes, in daycares, in bathrooms... Marian was shafted, but not defeated." [04:07]

---

Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton: The Original "Hound Dog"

[04:51 – 07:56]

Transitioning to the world of music, Desi and Dulce explore the life of Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton, a trailblazing blues singer whose rendition of "Hound Dog" was overshadowed by Elvis Presley's later version.

• Desi Lydic sets the stage:
  "It's the story of a forgotten woman never given her due." [05:02]

Willie Mae's authentic and soulful version of "Hound Dog" reached number one on the R&B charts in 1953 but failed to cross over to the mainstream pop audience due to racial biases:

• Desi Lydic:
  "It was seen as a race record, which is a not so not racist way of saying black music." [06:20]

Despite achieving success within the R&B sphere, Willie Mae's contribution was eclipsed when Elvis Presley reinterpreted "Hound Dog," catapulting it into global fame. The hosts critique the racial disparities in recognition:

• Dulce Sloan:
  "Thank you, white man. Thank you." [06:09]

Elvis's version became a massive hit, benefiting from the industry's preference for white artists, whereas Willie Mae's version remained underappreciated:

• Desi Lydic:
  "Elvis went on to become one of the greatest icons of all time. But despite it all, Willie Mae never lost her gift for expressing emotion in song." [07:35]

The segment poignantly highlights Willie Mae's enduring legacy, despite the systemic barriers that minimized her impact:

• Dulce Sloan:
  "Willie Mae Thornton was a talented artist who launched an iconic song, only to have her legacy washed away." [07:44]

---

Sarah Howe: The Pioneer of the Ponzi Scheme

[08:54 – 12:03]

The final story delves into the life of Sarah Howe, a 19th-century entrepreneur who inadvertently pioneered what would later be known as the Ponzi scheme.

• Desi Lydic introduces Sarah's unconventional career:
  "Born in the early 1800s, Sarah grew up hustling as a fortune teller and horoscope reader." [08:54]

Despite lacking formal medical training, Sarah masquerades as a doctor, offering dubious treatments:

• Desi Lydic:
  "We want to pour the tonic right over the abdomen." [09:18]

Transitioning from petty scams to a more sophisticated fraud, Sarah establishes the Ladies Deposit, an investment fund exclusively for women. Her persuasive tactics lead over 1,200 women to invest, amassing significant wealth:

• Desi Lydic:
  "Sarah was running one of the first and most successful investment fraud schemes in history. She was basically Bernie Madoff in a bustle." [10:20]

Despite her success, Sarah's scheme eventually collapses, leading to her imprisonment:

• Desi Lydic:
  "She spent three years in jail for her crimes, but the true prison was her gender." [11:19]

Ironically, Sarah's fraudulent model gains notoriety through Charles Ponzi, who later perfects and names the scheme after himself. The hosts lament the lack of recognition Sarah deserves:

• Dulce Sloan:
  "She shattered the glass ceiling of financial crime. Thanks to her, women everywhere can aspire to lie, cheat, and steal just like men." [11:50]

---

Conclusion

Throughout this episode of "Shafted - Tales of Unsung Women," Desi Lydic and Dulce Sloan illuminate the stories of three remarkable women whose innovations and talents were undermined by societal biases and systemic sexism. From Marian Donovan's foundational role in the disposable diaper industry and Willie Mae Thornton's overlooked musical genius to Sarah Howe's pioneering yet uncredited financial fraud, the episode underscores the enduring impact these women have had despite historical marginalization.

The hosts emphasize the importance of recognizing and honoring these forgotten figures, advocating for a more inclusive recounting of history that gives due credit to women's invaluable contributions.

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Notable Quotes:

• Dulce Sloan on Marian Donovan:
  "Disposable diapers are now a $6 billion industry. Marian should have been the Beyoncé of baby care, but fate made her the Farrah Franklin." [03:58]

• Desi Lydic on Willie Mae Thornton:
  "Elvis went on to become one of the greatest icons of all time. But despite it all, Willie Mae never lost her gift for expressing emotion in song." [07:35]

• Dulce Sloan on Sarah Howe:
  "Sarah was running one of the first and most successful investment fraud schemes in history. She was basically Bernie Madoff in a bustle." [10:20]

---

Additional Information:

Listeners are encouraged to support women's history by tuning into future episodes of "Shafted," where more untold stories of courageous and innovative women will be explored. For more content, visit ParamountShop.com using discount code "TDS20" for 20% off The Daily Show products. Catch new episodes of The Daily Show weeknights on Comedy Central at 11/10c or stream anytime on Paramount+.

Transcript

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Trevor Noah]

Welcome back to the Daily Show. March is officially Women's History Month, when we honor women by remembering their accomplishments and misattributing quotes to them on Instagram. Some of the most fascinating stories in women's history aren't that well known. So this month, Desi Lydic and Dulce Sloan are taking a look at the lives of real women who left their mark in our new Daily show segment, shafted.

[Dulce Sloan]

Good evening. I'm Dulce Sloan.

[Desi Lydic]

And I'm Desi Lydic. Tonight's episode is a familiar story. Big dreams crushed by the reality of reality.

[Dulce Sloan]

The victim, Marian Donovan. The crime being a woman. In 1946, Marian was a housewife in the small town of Westport, Connecticut. Being home and raising children, Marian got fed up with all the shit in her life. Ugh.

[Desi Lydic]

Why is there so much shit everywhere?

[Dulce Sloan]

Why? At the time, people were using cloth diapers, and the only solution for leaks were uncomfortable rubber pants that gave babies diaper rash. So no one wanted to wear rubbers, even though they were the most effective method. Babies were like, do I have to? It feels so much better pooping against bare skin.

[Desi Lydic]

But one day, Marian looked at her shower curtain and got an idea. I've got an idea. This can keep water from leaking out. Surely it could do the same for shit. So she got to work designing a new, better diaper cover, which she called the Boater. I did it. I'm gonna liberate women from needless domestic work right after I buy a new shower curtain and clean up this mess before my husband leaves me.

[Dulce Sloan]

It was a hit. The diaper covers were flying off the shelves faster than black market birth control pills.

[Desi Lydic]

And then came Marian's best idea yet. A fully disposable diaper with super absorbent material. Marian pitched her idea for fully disposable diapers to every large manufacturer in the country. But she soon found herself knee deep in something much Worse than baby poop sexism? What do you think?

[Dulce Sloan]

It's unnecessary.

[Desi Lydic]

There's no market for this, you dumb lady.

[Dulce Sloan]

My wife loves washing diapers. Faced with rejection, Marian went on inventing various doohickeys and whatcha call it. But a decade later, she had the shock of her life when Pampers launched a line of fully disposable diapers.

[Desi Lydic]

Mother.

[Dulce Sloan]

That's right. A man had been rewarded for coming up with the same thing she was rejected for. And when you're done, you just throw it away. This is genius. Why has no one thought of this before? Good job, male inventor.

[Commercial Announcer]

You're welcome, male executive.

[Dulce Sloan]

Ah, men. Men are great.

[Desi Lydic]

Marion was desperate and at the end of her rope. So she did the unthinkable.

[Dulce Sloan]

Actually, that part didn't really happen.

[Desi Lydic]

Yeah, but it should have.

[Dulce Sloan]

Disposable diapers are now a $6 billion industry. Marion should have been the Beyonce of baby care, but fate made her the Farrah Franklin.

[Desi Lydic]

The who?

[Dulce Sloan]

Exactly.

[Desi Lydic]

Exactly. But while she may have been overlooked in her own time, Marion's contributions live on. In homes, in daycares, in bathrooms where the diaper changing station is always broken and the baby's screaming and you're like, what do you want from me?

[Dulce Sloan]

Marian was shafted, but not defeated. That's all for this week. Tune in next time for the story of another woman. So powerful, so determined, her vagina almost didn't get in the way.

[Desi Lydic]

Almost.

[Dulce Sloan]

Good evening. I'm Dulce Sloan.

[Desi Lydic]

And I'm Desi Lydic. Tonight, the story of Willie Mae Big Mama Thornton, A trailblazer whose trail was left brutally unblazed.

[Dulce Sloan]

What?

[Desi Lydic]

It's the story of a forgotten woman never given her due.

[Dulce Sloan]

Why didn't you just say that the first time?

[Desi Lydic]

I don't know. Growing up near Montgomery, Alabama, Willie Mae always had a passion for singing.

[Dulce Sloan]

I love to sing. I love to sing.

[Desi Lydic]

At the young age of 15, she won a singing contest and eventually signed a record deal.

[Dulce Sloan]

But one day, her life changed forever when she was approached by some writers with the little song youg may know called Hound Dog.

[Desi Lydic]

I need for it to be raunchier. You know, like something. If you could shimmy your breasts, maybe one or the other, Preferably both at the same time.

[Dulce Sloan]

But she had her own style in mind. Or what if I did it this way? Just. You ain't nothing but a hound dog. Just snoop around my door.

[Desi Lydic]

God damn, that is so beautiful.

[Dulce Sloan]

Thank you, white man. Thank you.

[Desi Lydic]

Willie Mays soulful rendition of Hound Dog told the story of a good for nothing man who wants to be taken care of. It was like the great grandmother of no Scrubs.

[Dulce Sloan]

See, a scrub is a guy who thinks he's sly.

[Desi Lydic]

If I know, I think everyone knows.

[Dulce Sloan]

In 1953, Big Mama Thornton's hound dog reached number one on the R and B chart. But it never crossed over to the pop chart because it was seen as a race record, which is a not so not racist way of saying black music.

[Desi Lydic]

Willie Mae was shafted, but what she didn't know was that there was an even bigger shaft headed her way.

[Dulce Sloan]

And not the good kind. See, even though mainstream society wasn't quite ready to embrace this sound in this.

[Desi Lydic]

Package, a few years later, her precious, soulful Hound Dog found a new owner, a rising talent who was introduced to the song by a Vegas language houndjacked and decided to put his own spin on it.

[Dulce Sloan]

You ain't nothing but a hound dog.

[Desi Lydic]

Crying all the time.

[Dulce Sloan]

What a cool song about dogs, huh?

[Desi Lydic]

By the way, that really happened.

[Dulce Sloan]

Look at that dog. He's like, man, why'd you bring me into this shit?

[Desi Lydic]

Elvis's version of Hound Dog was a huge smash and completely eclipsed Willie May's version. While Elvis didn't steal the song, he did benefit from a system that ensured his music reached a wider audience.

[Dulce Sloan]

You see, Elvis was a white man.

[Desi Lydic]

Elvis went on to become one of the greatest icons of all time. But despite it all, Willie May never lost her gift for expressing emotion in song.

[Dulce Sloan]

This is some bullshit. Some real, real bullshit. Y'all want him to sing that to a dog, too? Oh. Jumpsuit wearing, hip swivel. A mother.

[Desi Lydic]

Willie Mae Thornton was a talented artist who launched an iconic song, only to have her legacy washed away. But we remember her, and you can't wash this away. Go ahead, Dulce. Show him yours.

[Dulce Sloan]

Uh, I told you I wasn't doing that. You know, she had too many names. That's all for this week. Tune in next time to hear about a woman so talented, so promising, her vagina almost didn't get in the way.

[Desi Lydic]

Almost. Good evening. I'm Desi Lydic.

[Dulce Sloan]

And I'm Dulce Sloan. This month, we've been uncovering the true stories of women who were shafted.

[Desi Lydic]

Because throughout history, women have been constrained by things like gender roles, cultural biases, and spanx. So constricting.

[Dulce Sloan]

Mm. But tonight, we tell a different story. Sarah Howe was a 19th century entrepreneur who did reach her full potential through ingenuity and perseverance. Warning the following content might inspire you. Born in the early 1800s, Sarah grew up hustling as a fortune teller and horoscope reader. What is it? What is it?

[Desi Lydic]

You're going to give me $5, and then something good will happen to you.

[Dulce Sloan]

Oh, okay, okay, okay. Here you go.

[Desi Lydic]

She even worked as a doctor despite having no medical training. And what we want to do is we want to pour the tonic right over the abdomen.

[Dulce Sloan]

That looks like milk. Yes.

[Desi Lydic]

No, of course it's milk. It'll make his stomach bone stronger.

[Dulce Sloan]

So she was shadier than R. Kelly running a girl Scout troop. But in 1879, Sarah left all that petty swindling behind and turned to her true calling. Stacking the cheddar. She started the Ladies Deposit, a woman only investment fund.

[Desi Lydic]

When Sarah doubled her clients investments, within a year, women started handing over their money like they were at a Ryan Gosling kissing booth.

[Dulce Sloan]

This sounds great. Here's all my money. You do know what they say. Cash rules everything around us, doesn't it?

[Desi Lydic]

It does, doesn't it? Okay, give it up.

[Dulce Sloan]

And the most amazing part was it was all bullshit.

[Trevor Noah]

What?

[Dulce Sloan]

Bad chick. You deserve every single dollar. And your assets make me want to. Coming. Do the honest forecast says you gonna have some money raining on you with a chance it's gonna last all the way to tomorrow.

[Desi Lydic]

Sarah was running one of the first and most successful investment fraud schemes in history. She was basically Bernie Madoff in a bustle.

[Dulce Sloan]

Sarah made over half a million dollars, which would equal around 11 million today. And she preyed on over 1200 women, which today still equals a lot of bitches. Madam, I'm sorry to tell you, but Sarah Howe has stolen all of your money. My money was stolen by a woman? Oh, I'm so proud.

[Desi Lydic]

But eventually, the Ladies Deposit was exposed, and the police deposited Sarah into jail.

[Dulce Sloan]

Sarah spent three years in jail for her crimes, but the true prison was.

[Desi Lydic]

Her gender, because half a century later, her legacy was stolen by a man named Charles Ponzi, who became the namesake of the very scheme Sarah perfected. The Ponzi scheme.

[Dulce Sloan]

And she was dead by then. Looking down from heaven, watching Ponzi get all the glory. Well, she was probably looking up from hell, but it was still messed up, mother.

[Desi Lydic]

But tonight, we salute Sarah Howe, who shattered the glass ceiling of financial crime. Thanks to her, women everywhere can aspire to lie, cheat, and steal just like men.

[Dulce Sloan]

That's all for Shafton. Tune in next time to hear about a woman so brilliant, so unrelenting, her vagina almost didn't get in the way.

[Desi Lydic]

Almost.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Dulce Sloan]

Paramount Podcasts.