Dirt Nap City - The Most Interesting Dead People In History

Before the era of viral TikToks and unboxing videos on Youtube, there was one man who dominated the airwaves with his charismatic salesmanship: Ron Popeil. Join us as we explore the life and legacy of this legendary television pitchman and inventor, the mind behind iconic gadgets and phrases that became ingrained in American pop culture.

From the Pocket Fisherman and the Veg-O-Matic to the Inside-the-Egg Scrambler and the Showtime R...

The idea of a machine that transmits a piece of paper over a telephone line seems almost comically antiquated. But for decades, the fax machine was a technological titan—a ubiquitous and indispensable tool that revolutionized how we do business and communicate over long distances.

Join us on this episode of "Dirt Nap City" as we unspool the fascinating history of the fax machine. We'll start in the mid-19th century wi...

From mountaineer and poet to occultist and self-proclaimed "Great Beast 666," the life of Aleister Crowley is a labyrinth of contradictions. This podcast delves deep into the man dubbed "The Wickedest Man in the World" by the tabloids, separating the myth from the man and exploring the forces that shaped this enigmatic figure.

Born into a wealthy, fundamentalist Christian family in Victorian England, Edward Alexa...

This week on "Dirt Nap City Dead Ends," join hosts Alex and Kelly as they take a drag down memory lane to discuss the most controversial confectionery of all time: candy cigarettes! Remember those little sticks of sugary chalk, packaged to look just like a real pack of smokes? Alex recalls the thrill of "pretending to be a tiny, eight-year-old rebel" while Kelly recounts his grandmother's violent reaction w...

In the annals of the American West, few images are as haunting as the portrait of a Victorian-era woman staring blankly, her chin etched with a striking blue tattoo. This is the face of Olive Oatman, whose life became one of the 19th century’s most sensational tales of captivity and rescue. But the story you think you know—a brutal tale of a pioneer girl suffering at the hands of “savages”—is a carefully constructed narrative that ...

Remember the kid in your class who looked like they were playing Mozart on the piano while doing long division? They weren’t. They were a Chisanbop master! This "finger-math" system, invented by Korean mathematician Hang Young Pai, promised to turn your hands into a human abacus. It was the sensation of the 70s, making its way onto national television programs like the 'Phil Donahue Show' and 'The Tonight S...

When we think of the Brothers Grimm, images of whimsical princesses, charming princes, and talking animals often spring to mind, thanks in large part to the sanitized versions we’ve grown up with. But delve deeper into the origins of these beloved tales, and you uncover a far darker, more complex, and sometimes disturbing reality. This episode of Dirt Nap City pulls back the curtain on Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, not as creators of fa...

Remember a time before one-click checkouts and digital wallets? A mythical era when buying something online involved a real-life, human interaction and a wad of crumpled bills? In this episode, we’re taking a deep dive into the history of Cash on Delivery (COD), the payment method that was the unsung hero of early e-commerce and mail-order catalogs.

Join us as we explore what Cash on Delivery actually was—that slightly awkward, susp...

Good Grief! Today, we're talking about a man whose creations are so ingrained in our culture, you probably think he was born with a beagle on his head and a football perpetually being pulled away.

In this episode of Dirt Nap City, we're diving into the wonderfully neurotic, surprisingly profound, and undeniably complex world of Charles M. Schulz, the artistic mastermind behind Peanuts! Forget your grand pronouncements and ...

Longing  for simpler times when fresh milk magically appeared on your doorstep? Join us on "Dairy Tales: The Hilarious History of the American Milkman," a brand-new episode of Dirt Nap City that delivers a hearty laugh along with a fascinating look at a bygone era.

In this episode, we uncork the surprising story of the American milkman, from his early 20th-century heyday to his eventual, almost complete disappearance. We&a...

Today, we're exploring the remarkable, yet ultimately tragic, life of Rudolf Diesel, the man whose name became synonymous with a revolutionary engine that powered a new era of industry and transportation.

Diesel's story begins in Paris in 1858, a young German engineer with an insatiable curiosity and a drive to improve upon the inefficiencies of the steam engines dominating his era. He was a visionary, dreaming of an engin...

Join us for a special episode as we rewind to 1976 and the United States Bicentennial! Remember the patriotic fervor, the tall ships sailing into New York Harbor, the Bicentennial quarters, and the widespread sense of national pride? We'll delve into what those celebrations truly meant to Americans at a time of significant social and political change. How did the nation reflect on its first 200 years, and what hopes and anxiet...

Remember those groovy rings that promised to reveal your deepest emotions with a simple shift in color? In this episode, we dive into the fascinating, and often misunderstood, world of mood rings! Join us as we explore why these whimsical pieces of jewelry captured the imaginations of so many, becoming a quintessential accessory of the 70s and beyond. We'll uncover the surprisingly simple science behind their alleged mind-read...

In this episode of Dirt Nap City, we journey back to the golden age of space exploration to celebrate a man who ignited a passion for the universe in millions: Carl Sagan. More than just an astronomer, Sagan was a cosmic poet, a scientific evangelist, and a visionary who bridged the chasm between complex scientific concepts and the everyday curious mind.

Join us as we explore the enduring legacy of Carl Sagan – a scientist who dared...

Welcome back, Afterschool Gang! Get ready to travel back in time to an era when homework was still a distant threat and the TV was our most trusted tutor. This week, we're dusting off our Trapper Keepers and taking a joyous, lighthearted stroll down memory lane to revisit a true cultural phenomenon: the ABC Afterschool Specials!

From 1972 to 1997, these iconic television movies were more than just entertainment; they were our s...

From Olympic gold to heavyweight championships, and from the George Foreman Grill to the pulpit, the life of George Foreman is a knockout. Join us as we delve deep into the extraordinary journey of "Big George" Foreman.

We'll explore different rounds of Foreman's life. We'll relive the thunderous punches of his first reign, the shocking defeat in the "Rumble in the Jungle," and his improbable comeb...

Voice. Maestro. Legend. Step into the incredible world of voice actor Mel Blanc, the man who brought hundreds of iconic characters to life, from the mischievous Bugs Bunny to the curmudgeonly Yosemite Sam, the lisping Sylvester the Cat, and the perpetually exasperated Daffy Duck. This podcast is a deep dive into the unparalleled career of the "Man of a Thousand Voices," exploring not just the unforgettable sounds he creat...

Explore the legacy of the Atari 2600, the console that ignited the home gaming revolution.

Get ready to blow into those cartridges and dust off your joysticks! In this episode, we're taking a nostalgic deep dive into the iconic Atari 2600, the console that arguably sparked the home video game revolution. From its humble beginnings in the late 1970s to its explosion in popularity in the early 80s, we explore the fascinating hist...

Join us for a special recap of our top 100 fascinating individuals featured in Dirt Nap City

This episode of Dirt Nap City is a countdown recap of our first 100 episodes - the interesting people and things that we love to talk about on Dirt Nap City. We hope you enjoy this recap and will go back and listen to any episodes you may have missed in the past. Thanks to all our fans and supporters for encouraging us to get here. We can&ap...