Podcast
The Story Behind
Hosted by Emily Prokop · EN
The Story Behind tells the extraordinary history of the ordinary. Everyday objects are more closely examined, from their ancient beginnings through the present—all within 5-10 minutes.
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Cotton Swabs
Aug 10, 201900:08:18Tap to summarizeEvery time I use the subject of today's episode, my husband is quick to point out how I shouldn't. He loves to tell me about all the injuries this common household item causes, and as much as a lot of what I do depends on my hearing, I can't help but continue to use it now and again. And I'm sure you do too. You're listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Cotton Swabs. Let's get social! The Story Behind Discussion Group: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Facebook-Group The Story Behind Facebook Page: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Facebook-Page The Story Behind on Instagram: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Instagram The Story Behind on Twitter: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Twitter Support the Show — Become an Executive Producer $1 Patreon Executive Producers — Extra monthly episode and thank you on an upcoming episode of The Story Behind. $5 Patreon Executive Producers — Benefits of $1 Executive Producers + Access to the MUSE series as it unfolds. Click to Support: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Patreon The Story Behind is also a Book! Find it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2FkbVU5 Kindle Version: https://amzn.to/2CAn9Dj Sources About - A Q-Tips Cotton Swab History - Qtips.com The strange life of Q-tips, the most bizarre thing people buy - The Washington Post 1927 Q-Tips ad 15 Swab-Worthy Facts About Q-Tips - Mental Floss The Marketing of Q-Tips—A Brief History - Ear Audites Cotton Swabs Send 34 Kids to the ER Every Day - Live Science What a New Study on Cleaning Your Ears With Q-Tips Should Teach Every Entrepreneur - Inc. Why It Feels So Damn Good to Stick a Q-Tip In Your Ear - Men's Health Just How Bad Is My Q-Tip Habit? - Vice.com 17 Genius Uses for Q-Tips You'll Want to Use All the Time - Reader's Digest 14 Ways You Never Thought to Use Q-Tips - BobVila.com
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Sunglasses
May 23, 201900:11:41Tap to summarizeFrom starting out as eye protection against snow blindness to helping pilots navigate the skies without being blinded by the sun, the subject of today's episode not only protects your eyes but has also been a staple of fashion for centuries, as it turns out. You're listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Sunglasses. Let's get social! The Story Behind Discussion Group: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Facebook-Group The Story Behind Facebook Page: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Facebook-Page The Story Behind on Instagram: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Instagram The Story Behind on Twitter: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Twitter Support the Show — Become an Executive Producer $1 Patreon Executive Producers — Extra monthly episode and thank you on an upcoming episode of The Story Behind. $5 Patreon Executive Producers — Benefits of $1 Executive Producers + Access to the MUSE series as it unfolds. Click to Support: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Patreon The Story Behind is also a Book! Find it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2FkbVU5 Kindle Version: https://amzn.to/2CAn9Dj Sources Origins and History of Sunglasses - GlassesHistory.com Who Made Those Aviator Sunglasses? - The New York Times A Brief History of Sunglasses - SunglassMuseum.com The Evolution of Sunglasses - Google Arts & Culture Foster Grant Our Story! - Foster Grant The 15 Most Iconic Sunglasses of all Time - The Idle Man The Fabulous History Of Sunglasses & Their Trends In 25 Pics - The Talko Sunglasses: A History of Protective, Stylish, and Popular Eyewear - Ancient-Origins.org The most famous sunglasses in cinema history - Vogue A Brief History of Eclipse Glasses and the People Who Forgot to Wear Them - Slate How long does it take before your eyes get damaged when looking at the sun? - Scienceline - UCSB Shades at the Table: The Great Debate - Poker News Why You (Now) Look Stupid Wearing Sunglasses at the Poker Table - Poker Junkie 11 Things You Didn't Know About Ray-Ban - Thrillist Solar eclipse and your eyes: How to view an eclipse safely - All About Vision
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Glitter
Apr 18, 201900:06:50Tap to summarizeEver hear of Shiny Object Syndrome? Usually, it's said to refer to those who see something new and have to have it, only to get bored with it once they finally attain it. But in this episode, I wanted to know just what it is about literal shiny objects that make them so appealing to humans. And this particular shiny object is no different unless you have to clean up the mess it makes. You're listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Glitter. Vote for The Story Behind for the Webby Awards! CLICK HERE to vote! Let's get social! The Story Behind Discussion Group: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Facebook-Group The Story Behind Facebook Page: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Facebook-Page The Story Behind on Instagram: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Instagram The Story Behind on Twitter: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Twitter Support the Show — Become an Executive Producer $1 Patreon Executive Producers — Extra monthly episode and thank you on an upcoming episode of The Story Behind. $5 Patreon Executive Producers — Benefits of $1 Executive Producers + Access to the MUSE series as it unfolds. Click to Support: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Patreon The Story Behind is also a Book! Find it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2FkbVU5 Kindle Version: https://amzn.to/2CAn9Dj Sources 15 Shimmering Questions About Glitter, Answered - Mental Floss What is Glitter? - The New York Times What Makes Glitter Sparkle? - Wonderopolis The History of Glitter - Huffington Post Bio-Glitter An Evolutionary Theory For Why You Love Glossy Things - Fast Company
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Mouthwash
Apr 9, 201900:09:49Tap to summarizeOne of the most fascinating things about today's episode is not just the creation of this everyday object, but the marketing tactic of presenting a problem that many people weren't concerned with until the solution was advertised. You're listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Mouthwash. Vote for The Story Behind for the Webby Awards! CLICK HERE to vote! Let's get social! The Story Behind Discussion Group: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Facebook-Group The Story Behind Facebook Page: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Facebook-Page The Story Behind on Instagram: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Instagram The Story Behind on Twitter: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Twitter Support the Show — Become an Executive Producer $1 Patreon Executive Producers — Extra monthly episode and thank you on an upcoming episode of The Story Behind. $5 Patreon Executive Producers — Benefits of $1 Executive Producers + Access to the MUSE series as it unfolds. Click to Support: TheStoryBehindPodcast.com/Patreon The Story Behind is also a Book! Find it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2FkbVU5 Kindle Version: https://amzn.to/2CAn9Dj Sources The Crazy (and Disgusting) History of Mouthwash - NoCavityKids.com Listerine Halitosis Ad 8 Aug 1921 - Newspapers.com Cloves - The Perfect Pantry Classic Ad Review: Listerine And The Halitosis Hallelujah - AdAge.com History of LISTERINE®: From Surgery Antiseptic to Modern Mouthwash - Listerine 6 Practical Ways Romans Used Human Urine and Feces in Daily Life - Mental Floss What's in the turtle's blood? - News24 How Mouthwash Is Made - MixerDirect.com Discovery Of Bacteria - Explorable Bad Breath Wasn't Invented by Listerine - Smile Columbia Dentistry
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Son of a Gun - Operation Switcharoo
Apr 2, 201900:24:19Tap to summarizeHappy April Fool's Day. This year, I was part of a number of other podcasts that wanted to do some cross-promotion, so if you're looking for The Story Behind April Fool's Day, I invite you to check out the Forgotten News Podcast. I should put a disclaimer on this episode that it may not be suitable for younger or sensitive audiences since procreation and the anatomical names for body parts are mentioned. And remember, take everything you read and hear today with a grain of salt. Enjoy this episode of the Forgotten News Podcast, and if you like it, be sure to subscribe so you'll never miss an episode. And if you're listening to this as a Forgotten News Podcast listener, thanks for coming over and checking out The Story Behind! Jim and Kit did a great job talking about The Story Behind this particular piece of Forgotten News Podcast and I invite you to subscribe while you're over here. Without further ado, I'm your host Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Son of a Gun. Visit the Forgotten News Podcast website or listen over on PlayerFM or Podbay. Forgotten News Podcast on Twitter Forgotten News Podcast on Facebook Also check out Kit's other podcast, Whispered True Stories Guest Voice Jeremy Collins - Podcasts We Listen To and the Podcasts We Listen to Facebook Group Also, check out Jeremy as a guest voice on The Story Behind the Lead Pipe! Books Mentioned Sex and the Civil War by Judith Giesberg The Story the Soldiers Wouldn't Tell - Thomas P. Lowry, MD Music MusicForMakers.com Music by Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech.com – Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses / by 3.0
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Conversation Hearts
Feb 14, 201900:08:27Tap to summarizeOne of my favorite holidays just passed. February 15th. Yup, you heard me right. February 15th, not the 14th. Oh, I love Valentine's Day, but I'm more in love with the discounted candy the day after, including a candy that apparently I'm in the minority when it comes to liking. But this year, they were harder to come by, despite being the most popular Valentine's Day candy. The history of any modern-day candy, actually, can be attributed to these, as well. You're listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Conversation Hearts. Like the podcast? You'll LOVE The Story Behind Book! Check out Emily's other podcast, Hate to Weight! Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook! Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Website This episode was brought to you by The Story Behind Executive Producers Click here to become an Executive Producer and support this podcast on Patreon. Media: Music for Makers Sources: The Origin of the Conversation Heart - Mental Floss Chalk Full of Love: The Evolution of Conversation Hearts - National Geographic The History of Sweetheart Candies - Smithsonian 10+ Years of Conversation Hearts - Reader's Digest The Pharmacist Who Launched America's Modern Candy Industry - Smithsonian O.R. Chase Sugar Machine - United States Patent and Trademark Office O.R. & S.E. Chase Lozenge Machine - United States Patent and Trademark Office America's favorite Valentine's Day candy is unavailable this year - CNBC Sweethearts Candies Won't Be Available This Valentine's Day - Smithsonian A-Twitter Over Updated Sweethearts Candy - NPR In with the old, out with the new - Boston.com Sweathearts Candies - Sprangler Candy 10 Things You Didn't Know About Candy Conversation Hearts - Country Living Spelling Love with Candy Hearts: The History of Conversation Heart Phrases - InfoPlease Wedding Day Lore - AVictorian.com Sweet Tooth: The Bittersweet History of Candy by Kate Hopkins 'The Mother Of The Valentine' - WBUR Conversation Hearts…necco Or Brach's? - All Things Heart & Home
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The Trampoline
Feb 7, 201900:08:19Tap to summarizeOne of my favorite things to learn about when researching episodes is how people marketed inventions that had never been on the market before. In The Story Behind Post-its, we talked about how 3M's style of marketing was to show what the product could do, rather than just showing the product. In The Story Behind Dr Pepper, John W. Davis made it a point to tell six people every day his version of the beverage's origin story. And, probably in the running for most audacious marketing of an invention covered by The Story Behind is today's topic, when its inventors rented a kangaroo to help demonstrate the fun jumping capabilities of the product. You're listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind the Trampoline. Like the podcast? You'll LOVE The Story Behind Book! Check out Emily's other podcast, Hate to Weight! Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook! Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Website This episode was brought to you by The Story Behind Executive Producers Click here to become an Executive Producer and support this podcast on Patreon. Media: Music for Makers Sources: Who Made That Trampoline? - The New York Times George Nissen: Inventor of the trampoline - The Independent The up-and-down history of the trampoline - ABC News 21 Fascinating Facts About Trampolines – Exercise, Education, and More! - Trampoline Review Guide The History of Trampolines - Trampoline Gurus Trampoline Equipment and History - Olympic.org The Difference Between a Rebounder & Trampoline - Livestrong.com Trampolines: A History - Rebounderz.com The History of Trampolines: All You Need to Know - TrampolineJudge.com AAP Advises Against Recreational Trampoline Use - American Academy of Pediatrics As Trampoline Parks Jump In Popularity, So Do Injuries - NPR Trampoline Parks Tied to Jump in Emergency Room Visits - Scientific American Referenced: The Story Behind Post-its The Story Behind Dr Pepper The Story Behind Pantyhose
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Groundhog Day
Feb 2, 201900:08:56Tap to summarizeOkay, campers, rise and shine and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cold out there today! No, you're not stuck in a loop, unless you've already listened to this episode before. But today's episode is all about a seemingly silly holiday that has a fascinating history behind it and a 1993 movie that probably helped it become most likely permanently attached to Bill Murray. You're listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Groundhog Day. Find out more about The Story Behind Book! Check out Emily's other podcast, Hate to Weight! Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook! Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Website This episode was brought to you by The Story Behind Executive Producers Click here to become an Executive Producer and support this podcast on Patreon. Media: Music for Makers Sources: First Groundhog Day - History.com Groundhog Day 2019: Punxsutawney Phil Predicts An Early Spring - NPR Why A Groundhog? Groundhog Day History & Folklore - Farmers' Almanac Groundhog Day 2019 facts: The history of Punxsutawney Phil - New York Post Here's How Groundhog Day Got Started - Time Legend & Lore - Groundhog.org Groundhog Day: A History, And 5 Facts You Didn't Know - Huffington Post 2nd February, 2019 was… Hedgehog Day - DaysoftheYear.com Groundhog Day: History and Facts - History.com The sequel to the Bill Murray movie 'Groundhog Day' is a VR game - Engadget.com Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son - groundhogvr.com 'Groundhog Day': How Bill Murray Rom-Com Became an Accidental Classic - The Wrap Reliving Groundhog Day - The Atlantic Just How Many Days Does Bill Murray REALLY Spend Stuck Reliving Groundhog Day? - WhatCulture.com The Precise Number of Groundhog Days in "Groundhog Day" - IFC.com Referenced: Varmints! Groundhogs episode
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Pantyhose
Jan 17, 201900:08:31Tap to summarizeEven though the topic of today's episode isn't necessarily exercise-related, it would be safe to say it gave me a bit of a workout this past week. Imagine paying $12 for something, then you find yourself struggling to put it on, only to have it rip. Now, because I didn't have time to go to the store for another pair, I put some clear nail polish on the rip and hoped they would hold out for the next few hours until I could take them off and throw them away. Women, you probably know what I'm referring to. Men, don't worry, there's a version for you that's available that, after a Google image search, is now painfully seared into my mind. You're listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Pantyhose. (By the way, the men's version is lovingly referred to as "mantyhose.") Get your very own copy of The Story Behind Book! Check out Emily's other podcast about her weight-loss journey, Hate to Weight! Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook to talk more about the show and submit your own trivia! Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Website This episode was brought to you by The Story Behind Executive Producers Click here to become an Executive Producer and support this podcast on Patreon. Media: Music for Makers Sources: 50 Years of Pantyhose - Smithsonian Who Invented Pantyhose? - ThoughtCo Before Pantyhose Were a Curse, They Were a Revelation - Racked The History of Pantyhose - TheInventors.org History of Pantyhose - Boing Boing Celebrity Invention: Catwoman's Booty-Accentuating Pantyhose - The Atlantic Pantyhose mystery on Lakeshore - Grand Haven Tribune Referenced: The Story Behind the Toothbrush
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Bottled Water
Jan 10, 201900:15:18Tap to summarizeRemember the Left Shark from the Super Bowl a few years ago? He was supposed to be just a guy in a shark costume dancing next to Katy Perry during the halftime show. But because he decided to do his own thing, he became the center of attention. Every so often, another Left Shark will come along in the background of an event only to steal the show. The most recent of these was the Fiji Water girl during the Golden Globes red carpet, who has been given the title 2019's first meme after appearing to have photobombed many shots of the celebrities on the red carpet. Her real name is Kelleth Cuthbert, a Canadian model and influencer. That brings us to today's topic. As you'll find out, this everyday object is less about necessity but more about clever marketing, even before Cuthbert generated $12 million worth of brand exposure the past week. You're listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I'm your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Bottled Water. *Note: A previous version of this podcast episode mentioned "Sarasota Springs," instead of Saratoga Springs. Thank you to John for calling this to my attention. Find out more about The Story Behind Book! Check out Emily's other podcast, Hate to Weight! Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook! Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Website This episode was brought to you by The Story Behind Executive Producers Click here to become an Executive Producer and support this podcast on Patreon. Media: Music for Makers Perrier Orson Welles 1979 - YouTube Sources: The Fiji Water Girl's Identity Has Been Revealed And She Was An Influencer Before She Was A Meme - ELLE A Brief History of Bottled Water - Kitchn How Bottled Water Became America's Most Popular Beverage - Serious Eats History of Bottled Water - European Federation of Bottled Water John Snow's data journalism: the cholera map that changed the world - The Guardian Suckers for bottled water - The Guardian Why Americans Are Obsessed With Bottled Water - NPR PET bottles potential health hazard - ABC Science Fiji Water: Spin the Bottle - Mother Jones The story of FIJI Water – A green and fair product? - SinkingIslands.com
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