Mike tells Sarah how a silly sports promotion galvanized a reactionary movement. Digressions include “Charlotte’s Web,” Jane Fonda and German-language musicals. Songs are dissected; the honor of David Bowie and late-night salad bars are defended. Huge thanks to historians Tavia Nyong'o, Eric Gonzaba, Luis-Manuel Garcia and Gillian Frank for helping Mike wit ... Show More
Nov 11
The Dictionary Wars! with Gabe Henry
<p>Remember being a teen and coming up with “cool” ways of spelling common words? Well, just like the teenager it was, the United States in the 18th century was annoying their mom, England, with the hip words that were being edited and added to their lexicon. The antagonistic pai ... Show More
1h 12m
Oct 28
Introducing: The Devil You Know with Sarah Marshall
<p>Listen now to the first episode of Sarah's new 8-part series with CBC Podcasts, The Devil You Know.</p><p>In the 1980s and 90s, Satan and his followers were accused of brainwashing children, sacrificing babies, and infiltrating North American society on a massive scale — ... Show More
41m 10s
Apr 2024
439. Disco: Sex and Race in Seventies America
Music for sex, dancing, and watching the straight world go by…
The explosion of Disco provides an extraordinary window into the tumultuous world of the 1970s, with its themes of sex, drugs, race and sexuality. By the start of the 1970s, America was a nation of dystopian gloom. ... Show More
59m 21s
Jun 2022
Disco Demolition Night: How Disco Died at a White Sox Game
Cast your memory back to 1979. Tensions across the US are high, on multiple levels. Disco dominates the music scene, and, oh boy, rock fans are mad about it. Things come to a head at Comiskey Park, where White Sox owner Bill Veeck and a young anti-disco DJ named Steve Dahl decide ... Show More
50m 27s