Monopoly: the game that taught you to ruthlessly bankrupt your friends and family, one hotel at a time. With 250 million copies sold worldwide, ⅔ of American homes have a copy. But you probably don't know its shocking origin story: Monopoly rewards runaway greed — but was originally created by a feminist to teach about the evils of economic inequality. It wa ... Show More
Sep 2025
📺 SNL: The Snickers Bar of Saturday Night | 50
When Johnny Carson, 1970s late-night king, declared he wanted another day off, it left NBC with a hole in their weekend lineup. 11:30pm Saturday night wasn’t exactly the hot time slot… so the network recruited a quiet Canadian comedy writer named Lorne Michaels to produce a live ... Show More
42m 25s
Jan 2025
Take the Monopoly Money and Run | 143
<p>In the midst of the Great Depression, out-of-work salesman Charles Darrow sold the board game he created, Monopoly, to Parker Brothers. The game was an overnight success, and Charles became a hopeful example of the American dream. But soon, fellow game obsessives questioned Ch ... Show More
44m 4s
Apr 2025
Price Wars: The Fall of Dollar Stores | Shrinkage | 2
<p>After 10 years of rapid growth, the dollar stores hit big trouble. Rats, burglars, unhappy workers, online agitators and inflation erode their profits. And a new online dollar store makes inroads. Can they survive these existential threats?</p><p>Be the first to know about Won ... Show More
39m 30s
Sep 2024
Ep481 - Mary Pilon | Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind the World's Favorite Board Game
Author Mary Pilon visits Google to discuss her book, "The Monopolists". The book reveals the unknown story of how the classic board game Monopoly came into existence, the reinvention of its history by Parker Brothers and multiple media outlets, the lost female originator of the g ... Show More
44m 27s
Dec 2024
Oprah's Empire | The Oprah Effect | 3
<p>Oprah launches her book club, fights off an entire industry of cattlemen - and becomes a billionaire in the process.</p><p><br></p><p>Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter</p ... Show More
32m 26s
May 2025
Give Politicians a Raise, Smuggle Smartphones into School, and go Full Donk! Cautionary Questions with Risky Business
Can game theory be used to win a world cup? Can you pay the way out of political corruption? And are there winning strategies in life we don't use because we're too embarrassed? Tim teams up with Nate Silver and Maria Konnikova, poker connoisseurs and the hosts of podcast Risky B ... Show More
43m 54s