Touring History 6-21-25

Touring History Podcast Script - June 21st, 2025

Opening

LANE: Welcome back to Touring History, the podcast where we prove that any random date contains enough drama to power a Netflix series. I'm Lane---

DAVE: And I'm Dave, and before we dive into a day that gave us everything from the Constitution to space tourism to—wait for it—lab-grown chicken, we need to talk about Randy's Donuts.

LANE: Are we really segueing from the founding of America to donuts?

DAVE: Lane, when you're about to discuss constitutional ratification, World War II submarine attacks, and the birth of commercial space flight all in one episode, you need fuel that's been perfected over seven decades. Randy's Donuts doesn't just make donuts—they make reliable excellence.

LANE: That giant donut on La Cienega isn't just a landmark, it's a promise. Fresh donuts made by people who've turned sugar and dough into an art form since 1952.

DAVE: Check them out at randysdonuts.com, because when history gets this wild, you deserve snacks that are equally legendary.

LANE: And today's history is wild. June 21st—the day America's Constitution became real, plus civil rights tragedy, papal elections, and humanity's first private trip to space.

Birthdays

DAVE: Let's start with birthdays, because June 21st produced some serious star power. Prince William turns 42 today—future King of England, current Duke of Cambridge, and proof that royal genetics can survive tabloid scrutiny.

LANE: Plus we've got Chris Pratt at 46, who went from Parks and Recreation goofball to Marvel superhero to dinosaur trainer. That's range.

DAVE: Lana Del Rey's 40, bringing us dreamy vocals and vintage American imagery that somehow makes melancholy sound luxurious.

LANE: And Blake Shelton's 49—country music star and proof that being genuinely charming on TV can make you more famous than your actual job.

DAVE: Oh, and Jussie Smollett's 43. We're... not going to spend much time on that one.

LANE: Sometimes the birthday list writes itself into awkward territory. Moving on!

1788 - U.S. Constitution Goes Into Effect

DAVE: June 21st, 1788—the U.S. Constitution officially goes into effect, which is kind of amazing when you think about it. They'd been operating under the Articles of Confederation, which was basically like trying to run a country through a group text.

LANE: You know what's wild? New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify it on this exact day, hitting the magic number to make it official. The founding fathers were basically holding their breath waiting for that ninth vote.

DAVE: The Articles of Confederation gave the federal government roughly the power of a neighborhood association. Can't tax anyone, can't regulate trade between states, can't really do... anything.

LANE: So they're sitting there in 1788 like, "Well, this democracy experiment either works starting now, or we're going to have thirteen separate countries that share a really awkward border situation."

DAVE: What gets me is how they just... figured it out. No template for modern democratic government, just a bunch of guys in wigs saying, "What if we try separation of powers and see what happens?"

LANE: And somehow it worked! Sort of. I mean, we're still arguing about what they meant, but the basic structure held up.

1942 - Japanese Submarine Shells Fort Stevens, Oregon

DAVE: June 21st, 1942, a Japanese submarine surfaces off the Oregon coast and shells Fort Stevens. This is literally the only hostile shelling of a U.S. military base in the continental United States during World War II.

LANE: P