This Was A Thing: The Retro Podcast

Have you ever tried to build a new habit? Ever find yourself reaching for your phone even when it’s not in your pocket? Ever thought about whether free will actually exists? Yeah, that last one got deep, but that’s just how we roll here at This Was A Thing. Because this week, we’re talking all about a man who devoted his life to studying whether or not humans have a say in how they behave. His conclusion? We’re all pretty much rats pressing levers. Daniel teaches Ray and Rob about B.F. Skinner, the psychologist, writer, and inventor whose ideas about free will and shaping behaviors made him famous and infamous; how Skinner bucked the trend of Pavlov and Freud to try to take a quantitative and objective approach to sudying human behavior; Skinner’s belief that pigeons could be the next big thing in missile technology; why Skinner’s book Beyond Freedom and Dignity earned him a spot on Noam Chomsky’s sh*& list; the real origin story of Splinter from TMNT; and how B.F. Skinner continues to influence everything from modern psychology to teaching technologies.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaARTICLES, BOOKS, AND ADDITIONAL LINKSPreschoolers: Box-Bred Babies - TIMEBABY IN A BOX (Article by BF Skinner)The First Baby Tender“Skinner Air Crib” Article by Nick Joyce and Cathy FayeI was not a lab rat | Deborah...

We're busy behind the scenes here putting together a whole new batch episodes for the upcoming year, so while we do that, have a tasty, bite-sized treat on us - a chance to listen back to our episode all about the world's favorite mini-oven!~~~Happy holidays, listeners! We’ve got a delectable episode for you today, featuring a toy that has been a household staple for more than 60 years and is still going strong. In fact, it would be just the thing if you’re looking for some help with holiday baking, as long as you don’t mind your baked goods being on the miniature side…and possibly losing a finger or two in the process… Daniel teaches Ray and Rob about the Easy-Bake Oven’s origins at the renowned toy company Kenner Products; how New York pretzel vendors played an essential role in providing inspiration for the product; all the different ways the word “cookies” can be pronounced; the battle to make a version of the Easy-Bake that wasn’t explicitly marketed for girls; and how this kitchen toy has influenced everyone from amateur bakers to professional chefs and which, despite its ups and downs, remains one of the most fondly remembered toys of all time.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLES“How Easy-Bake Ovens Work” by Nathan ChandlerEasy-Bake Evolution: 50 Years of Cakes, Cookies, and Gender Politics | Collectors WeeklyLight Bulb Baking: A History of the Easy-Bake Oven“Easy-Bake Oven Gourmet” by David Hoffmana...

If you’ve ever fallen into the YouTube rabbit hole of corporate training videos, then you’re our kind of listener. We could (and probably should) do a whole episode just about the glorious world of schlocky and cheesy company-produced entertainment intended to get employees the information they need - and with style! And as America prepared to enter World War II, hundreds of thousands of troops needed to quickly learn essential topics about everything from Japanese fighter planes to the perks of being an airman. What better way to teach them than to show them a movie?Ray teaches Rob and Daniel about the origin of a special unit of the U.S. armed forces dedicated solely to producing films to help instruct and entertain the troops of WWII; how big names like Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable, and even future president Ronald Reagan all got involved with these films; why the animation department became an essential part of illustrating concepts to troops; how “Little Rascals” producer Hal Roach played a pivotal role in the story of this regiment; and the prolific output of this unit that made it one of the most talked-about entertainment of its day.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. Thank you as always for your support, and if you have any thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to send us a message on social media! And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have a second, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPS“Winning Your Wings" With Jimmy StewartMilitary Film Bloopers U.S....

This week, we’re celebrating a very important birthday here at This Was A Thing. No, not that one involving declarations of independence and tea taxes (although we do love spilling tea) - this July 3rd would have been the 111th birthday of Dorothy Kilgallen, one of the most recognized reporters and celebrities of the early 20th century. But in addition to a life filled with notable accomplishments, what might have made Dorothy most remembered in the history books was her death - because it happened in a very strange and unexpected manner…Rob teaches Ray and Daniel about the life, career, and mysterious death of journalist and TV personality Dorothy Kilgallen; her popular column all about Broadway’s happenings on and offstage; Dorothy’s long-running gig as a celebrity panelist on the game show “What’s My Line?”; Dorothy’s reporting on politics and crime; why she took an interest in the assassination of John F. Kennedy and her interviews with Jack Ruby; the suspicious circumstances around Dorothy’s sudden death; and why people are still trying to answer the question: did Dorothy Kilgallen really die, or was she killed for knowing too much?If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPSPerson to Person - Dorothy Kilgallen & Dick Kollmar (1956)My Top 10 Dorothy Kilgallen’s Moments on What’s My line“What’s My Line?” - Tribute to Dorothy KilgallenADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“This Was A Thing” Theme Songs composed by Billy Recce“Happy Bee” and "George Street Shuffle"• Kevin MacLeod (

When it comes to LGBTQ trailblazers, Ellen DeGeneres is top of that list. Her decision to come out both as a public figure and her television persona made waves across the country and her daytime talk show helped normalize the image of a gay host on public airwaves. Sadly (and unsurprisingly given the slow pace of progress) there was blowback when Ellen made her momentous decision - conservatives railed against a gay television character and its impact on “family values.” But what maybe was a surprise is that Ellen also got blowback from the LGBTQ+ community - as well as from many fans of the very show where she broke ground.Rob teaches Ray and Daniel about Ellen’s early years as a standup comedian, including her breakout appearance on Carson; her casting in the starring role on the sitcom initially titled These Friends Of Mine; the key role that Oprah Winfrey played in Ellen’s story both in real life and on screen; how ABC supported DeGeneres’s decision to come out and wrote an entire season leading up to that event; and why, after Ellen’s unprecedented decision, many progressive critics felt that her television show actually suffered for it.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPS“The Puppy Episode” ClipEllen Degeneres Makes Her First Appearance on Carson’s Tonight Show“These Friends of Mine” PromoADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“This Was A Thing” Theme Songs composed by Billy Recce“Happy Bee”• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)•...

This week, Rob teaches Ray and Daniel about the storied biography of Mr. Carlos Irwin Estevez, better known as Charlie Sheen, including: Sheen’s origins as a child star and teen heartthrob; his breakout role in “Platoon”; Sheen’s struggles with substances and his highly publicized firing from the sitcom that revitalized his career; and how the news media all seized on Sheen’s apparent mental collapse as an opportunity to drive ratings, regardless of the impact it might have had on his state of mind.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPSCharlie Sheen On Alex JonesSheen’s KornerABC Interview with Charlie Sheen (02.28.11)Charlie Sheen Rants CompilationChuck Lorre on Replacing Charlie Sheen on "Two and a Half Men”ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“This Was A Thing” Theme Songs composed by Billy Recce"Happy Bee,” “Light Awash,” “Study and Relax” • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, a...

In our glorious age of streaming services, we never need to worry about recording anything ourselves - we just click “Continue Watching” and chill. But in the sad, not-too-distant past, you couldn’t always just open up Netflix and binge all nine seasons of Suits whenever you felt like it. Instead, if you missed your favorite soap, tough noogies. That is, that was the way things were until the magical VCR entered the American household. Out of the house? No problem! Just pop in a cassette and you’re golden. The only problem was that two companies wanted the glory of becoming the standard format on which people would record their shows - and neither was going down without a fight. Daniel teaches Rob and Ray about the infamous format war between Sony’s Betamax systems and tapes, and JVC’s competitor, the VHS; how the history of recorded and broadcast video on recorded tape media took some strange twist and turns involving World War II and Bing Crosby; Rob’s and Ray’s favorite streaming services; the legal challenges Sony faced from studios terrified that home recording would be the death knell of movie distribution; and why home recorded media is no longer something consumers really seem to want or even have access to.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaSOURCESPodcastsEverything 80s Podcast Everything Everywhere DailyTech StuffArticles

We all get mad about things sometimes, and during the Cold War, the U.S. government was mad about “M.A.D.”. That’s because “M.A.D.” “Mutually Assured Destruction” - was a global concern on everyone’s mind. And the fear that foreign countries (/cough/** Russia cough) would use nuclear weapons wasn’t only causing chaos in the Oval Office. Hollywood and TV studios were just as interested in it, because where there’s fear, there’s an audience. And one studio - and one movie in particular - took that fear of nuclear engagement and decided to make a movie that showed exactly how horrible things could get if those missiles started flying.Rob teaches Ray and Daniel about the 1983 T.V. movie “The Day After,” which depicted the immediate and devastating fallout of a nuclear war; how Nicholas Meyer, the movie’s director, went behind ABC’s back in order to make film as realistic, and realistically graphic, it would be in reality; why Ronald Reagan himself said the movie made him “greatly depressed”; the fact that “The Day After” may have played a role in ending the Cold War; and how pieces of art and media, even if they’re fictional, have the power to change global politics.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPSAbc Fall Promo Reel 1983”The Day After" Abc Movie Intro 1983The Tv Movie That Destroyed Lawrence, Kansas and May Have Saved the WorldFamily Reacts to the Movie the Day AfterThe Day After (1983) & Abc News Viewpoint Original Wpvi-Tv 6abc Broadcast 11–20–1983ADDITIONAL

In the age of YouTube, it feels like there’s a new conspiracy every day. Some of them are ol’ chestnuts - love how we faked the moon landing that one time, right? Some of them pop up in the seemingly most random places, like Taylor Swift’s “secret plan” to use her popularity to boost Joe Biden’s approval rating (That’s just downright silly. We all know it must have been Travis Kelce’s idea, not Taylor’s). But even with all the bonkers stuff we all come up with, the secret stuff the government actually does is sometimes even crazier. And in the 1970s, a group of senators decided to find out how deep that rabbit hole of government overreach went.Ray teaches Rob and Daniel all about how Nevada senator Frank Church and a group of his colleagues banded together to unmask the government’s darkest secrets; why being a target of “Project Shamrock” was the opposite of being lucky; the CIA’s decision to buy up the entire global supply of LSD for use in Project “Midnight Climax”; why Sydney Gottlieb became known as the “Poisoner In Chief" of American intelligence agencies; and why the government’s fears about mind control may not have actually been that outlandish, given the recent allegations of interference by foreign countries into American elections.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. Thank you as always for your support, and if you have any thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to send us a message on social media! And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have a second, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPS“Fresh Air” Interview With...

Have you ever tried to build a new habit? Ever find yourself reaching for your phone even when it’s not in your pocket? Ever thought about whether free will actually exists? Yeah, that last one got deep, but that’s just how we roll here at This Was A Thing. Because this week, we’re talking all about a man who devoted his life to studying whether or not humans have a say in how they behave. His conclusion? We’re all pretty much rats pressing levers. Daniel teaches Ray and Rob about B.F. Skinner, the psychologist, writer, and inventor whose ideas about free will and shaping behaviors made him famous and infamous; how Skinner bucked the trend of Pavlov and Freud to try to take a quantitative and objective approach to sudying human behavior; Skinner’s belief that pigeons could be the next big thing in missile technology; why Skinner’s book Beyond Freedom and Dignity earned him a spot on Noam Chomsky’s sh*& list; the real origin story of Splinter from TMNT; and how B.F. Skinner continues to influence everything from modern psychology to teaching technologies.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaARTICLES, BOOKS, AND ADDITIONAL LINKSPreschoolers: Box-Bred Babies - TIMEBABY IN A BOX (Article by BF Skinner)The First Baby Tender“Skinner Air Crib” Article by Nick Joyce and Cathy FayeI was not a lab rat | Deborah...

Happy Birthday, dear Patty, haaaappy birthday to you! Who's Patty, you ask? Why, Patty Hearst, of course! Today not only happens to be Ms. Hearst's birthday, it's also the 50th anniversary of the year she was kidnapped by, and then apparently joined with, a far left domestic terrorist organization. How did that all go down? Guess you'll have to listen to find out...Rob teaches Ray and Daniel about Patty (sorry, Patricia) Hearst's relatively mundane upbringing as an heir to the Hearst journalism fortune; the rise of the Symbionese Liberation Army (most of whom got their start in drama school - yes and motherf*&^ers!); how her status as the granddaughter of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst marked her as a target for the SLA; her tramautic experiences at the hands of the SLA; how Patty's transformation into "Tania" and her seeming cooperation with the SLA shocked the world; the biggest shootout in American history; and the controversial question that continues to surround the aftermath of her kidnapping: did Patty really become a terrorist, or was it a case of Stockholm Syndrome gone horribly awry?If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPSOn This Day: Patty Hearst Abducted by Armed radicalsPatty Hearst’s Shocking Words After Robbing a BankLa California: A Coroner’s Report Today Verified That Newspaper Heiress Patricia Hearst Was Not amonPatty Hearst’s Chilling Eulogy for Fallen Sla MembersPatty Hearst Sentenced - 1976 | Today in History | 24 Sep 18a...

Post-credits scenes are so common nowadays, it’s almost a surprise when there isn’t a clip teasing a sequel, or an extended universe, or the next Super Mario Bros. Movie. But cliffhangers are something special. They can entice an audience to feel the irresistable urge to watch a movie or tune into an episode just to see that lingering question answered. And nobody did it better than one TV show back in 1980, when a last-minute plot twist not only changed the trajectory of that show, but led to a cultural phenomenon that persists to this day.Rob teaches Ray and Daniel about the iconic end to “Dallas”’s third season, when J.R. Ewing took a bullet from an unknown enemy; why audiences had to wait eight months to find out the identity of the mysterious culprit; how the sensation propelled Larry Hagman to international celebrity; Daniel’s and Ray’s personal favorite cliffhangers; the lengths to which the networks went to safeguard the premiere of the fourth season; and modern examples of great (and not so great…) cliffhangers. If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. Thank you as always for your support, and if you have any thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to send us a message on social media! And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have a second, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSDallas Season 03e25 J.R. Ewing Gets ShotDallas Opening and Closing Theme 1978 - 1991 (Hd Surround)

Tina Turner, Brian Wilson, Cher - most people know those names of the iconic stars whose music defined a generation and continue to be chart-toppers. Basically, they wrote bops. But did you know that those artists probably wouldn’t have written said bops if not for a core group of session musicians who played an instrumental role (the pun was necessary, we promise) in rock and roll sound?Ray teaches Daniel and Rob all about “The Wrecking Crew,” a select group of musicians whose reliability and talent made them beloved throughout the industry; what made Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound” such a revolution; why Hal Blaine’s mistake made the opening of “Be My Baby” that much better; the names behind some of Rob’s most beloved TV theme songs; and whether session musicians nowadays have the same clout or opportunities as they did in days gone by.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. Thank you as always for your support, and if you have any thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to send us a message on social media! And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have a second, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPSFrank Sinatra - Strangers in the Night | Lyrics Meaning | @FrankSinatraThe Mamas & the Papas - California Dreamin’The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations (Official Music Video)The...

If winter’s got you down and you’re in need of some extra pizzazz to get you through the day, we’ve got just the medicine: our classic episode on the “The Super Bowl Shuffle.” Once you add this chart-topping tune to your playlist, we guarantee you’ll be bopping all the way to your weekly Fred Silverman fan club meeting (we’ll see you there). Enjoy!~~~There hasn’t been anything quite like “The Super Bowl Shuffle”… And for good reason. Professional athletes can be boastful from time to time, but in 1985, it was taken to a whole new level! All lead by Bears Wide Receiver, Willie Gault. The Chicago Bears would produce a single (the first of its kind on Audio Cassette), film a music video (Second in sales to “Thriller”), and win a Super Bowl (beating those darn Patriots!) all in the course of an NFL season. “The Super Bowl Shuffle” was a sensation! Most of the team wanted in, but there were some that had their doubts. But not Mike Ditka! Just don’t ask him to be involved… This week Ray teaches Rob about the game of football, why they called William Perry “The Refrigerator”, what a touchdown is, how Mike Ditka did his own music video (of which he has no recollection), and why the Average Joe is now forever to be referred to as a “Grabowski”.DAAAAA BEARS!If you like what we’re doing, we’d love if you could spread the word by sharing the episode with a friend or leaving us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, [please And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSavia WEBSITESChicago BearsPro Football ReferenceThe Super Bowl Shuffle LyricsARTICLESa...

You know that phrase, “All’s fair in love and war”? Even though “politics” isn’t on that list, nowadays I’m sure seems like it could be. The smear campaigns, the attack ads - sometimes it just feels like politician care more about making their opponents look bad rather that actually talking about their own policies and strengths (wait a second…). And even though these kind of tactics have probably been around forever, there’s one year and one election in particular where they took centerstage.Rob teaches Ray and Daniel all about the U.S. presidential election of 1988 and the numerous defining moments from the campaign of that year; the notorious political operator Lee Atwater and his bag of “dirty tricks”; Michael Dukakis’s unfortunate use of military headgear in one of his ads; Rob’s feelings on why debates have gone so downhill in the last few decades; and how Lee Atwater’s coded “Southern Strategy” has given way in modern times to a more explicit expressions of prejudice.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSGov. Clinton at 1988 Democratic National ConventionBentsen vs. Quayle: The 1988 vice presidential debateLee Atwater’s 1981 Interview on the Southern StrategyBentsen vs. Quayle: The 1988 vice presidential debatea...

Happy holidays, listeners! We’ve got a delectable episode for you today, featuring a toy that has been a household staple for more than 60 years and is still going strong. In fact, it would be just the thing if you’re looking for some help with holiday baking, as long as you don’t mind your baked goods being on the miniature side…and possibly losing a finger or two in the process… Daniel teaches Ray and Rob about the Easy-Bake Oven’s origins at the renowned toy company Kenner Products; how New York pretzel vendors played an essential role in providing inspiration for the product; all the different ways the word “cookies” can be pronounced; the battle to make a version of the Easy-Bake that wasn’t explicitly marketed for girls; and how this kitchen toy has influenced everyone from amateur bakers to professional chefs and which, despite its ups and downs, remains one of the most fondly remembered toys of all time.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLES“How Easy-Bake Ovens Work” by Nathan ChandlerEasy-Bake Evolution: 50 Years of Cakes, Cookies, and Gender Politics | Collectors WeeklyLight Bulb Baking: A History of the Easy-Bake Oven“Easy-Bake Oven Gourmet” by David HoffmanEasy-Bake Oven: Ronald Howes (Toy Stories)

Since 2023 is coming to a close in a few weeks, we're bringing back an episode all about the near-catastrophe (or was it?) of Y2K. And because we care about you, this episode can also be a helpful reminder: don't accidentally set up their digital infrastructure on a system that might cause the downfall of a country. Enjoy!~~~In honor of the 2022 New Year, This Was A Thing is making some serious resolutions. 1. We're going to find even more ways to work Bea Arthur into future episodes. 2. Ray and Rob are going to start a new Patreon perk - "Fight Club with Fred Silverman."3. We will not program any computers in any way that could even possibly cause an infrastructure catastrophe.If that last resolution sounds oddly specific and familiar, then you’re probably remembering 1999 - when the entire country (and world) was asking itself: will we make it to Y2K?Rob teaches Ray about how the world nearly experienced a computer crisis at the turn of the millennium; why two extra digits make a world of difference; how the Backstreet Boys prep for the digital apocalypse; and how the fear of a global shutdown 23 years ago compares to the recent real-world pandemic experience.If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSNew Year’s Eve, 1999 Into 2000 - YouTubeY2K - www.NBCUniversalArchives.com - YouTubeY2K Bug: Much Ado About Nothing? | Retro Report | The New York Times - YouTubeThe Y2K Scare | National Geographic - YouTubeY2K Survival Kit Ad - YouTubeY2K: Are You Ready? A Drill for Y2K Preparedness (1999) - YouTubeY2K: Tensions in the Last Days of the 1900’s - YouTubea...

Happy Belated Thanksgiving, dear listeners! It’s a time of gratitude (and delicious food), and when it comes to things in our lives we’re grateful for, one thought comes to mind immediately. No, Rob, not the seven perfect seasons of “The Golden Girls,” although Bea Arthur is always the right answer. It’s the fact that we can order whatever our hearts desire and have it delivered in two days or less. In fact, it’s such a cornerstone of modern life that you’re probably asking yourself, how did people even survive before we could get huge boxes of toilet paper to just show up at our door with a single click? Well, as it happens, ordering items for delivery is hardly a new concept, and two entrepreneurial go-getters in the late 19th century built a merchandise empire upon just that concept.Ray teaches Daniel and Rob about Rich Sears and Alvah Roebuck, the founders of the eponymous mail-order catalog which upended the store-based retail industry; how the combination of Rural Free Delivery and westward expansion inspired their novel approach to sales; why your house might be worth more than you thought; some of the strangest and most concerning items contained in the pages of the catalog through the decades; and how this once-trailblazing concept - selling and shipping directly to consumers - has now become the predominant method of shopping.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPSSears Air Conditioner CommercialSears ‘Where America Shops’ Commercial (1976)Sears “Softer Side” Commercial 1998ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“Happy Bee” and “Drankin Song”• Kevin MacLeod...

Cyber Monday and Black Friday: the essential American holidays of buying stuff we don't need but really want. Maybe you got yourself something nice (Ray made sure to get his eighth copy of "Liza With a Z", and Daniel bought enough ice cream pints to stay stocked for at least another three months), or maybe you picked up a gift for a friend or loved one, you thoughtful, kind soul. Whatever you did or didn't buy, we can guarantee the day wasn't as crazy as back in the 1980s, when the rush for Cabbage Patch dolls caused literal riots in stores across the country. So in honor of going bananas about a fad that will fade as quickly as it appeared, here's our Cabbage Patch Kids episode from season 1. Enjoy!~~~Remember Cabbage Patch Kids..... those odd looking dolls with hard plastic heads that took the 80’s by storm? And how that storm turned into riots? In 1983 Cabbage Patch Mania ruled the holiday season and parents just HAD to get their hands on one for Little Carol and even Littler Patti.This week, Ray teaches Rob all about Bunny Bees, BabyLand General Hospital, and how creator Xavier Roberts MAY have stolen the idea for these dolls from a woman named Martha Nelson Thomas who he met at a small Kentucky craft fair. Plus discovering that Roberts' signature was on every doll’s bottom.....Yes, you read that correctly… The 80’s were weird…If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAMRay HebelRobert W SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaWEBSITESCabbage Patch Kids Official Site BOOKSFantasy: The Incredible Cabbage Patch Phenomenon ARTICLESThe...

We’re idealists here at This Was A Thing, and what’s more idealistic than the American Dream? And if there’s one person who personifies that embodies that dream to a tee, it’s this week’s subject. A man who pulled himself up by his own bootstraps, as well as by the wheelchair handles of his much older spouse, and who went to extraordinary lengths to secure his legacy: becoming one of the most notorious gold-diggers in modern history.Rob teaches Ray and Daniel all about the unconventional marriage between Mr. Mark Harris and Colonel Martha “Maggie” Raye; Mr. Harris’s history of dabbling in everything from cosmetology to producing for Eddie Fisher; Martha’s risqué adventures with ThWAT-favorite Skip E. Lowe; Howard Stearn’s role in elevating Mark Harris’s status and notoriety; the denture cleaner that we should all be using; Martha’s rocky relationship with her daughter; and what ultimately happened to this unconventional marriage that captured the attention of the public and the tabloids.If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. Thank you as always for your support, and if you have any thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to send us a message on social media! And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have a second, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSMark Harris’ Many Failed ProjectsMartha Raye - Pig Foot Pete (Keep ’Em Flying,...