All Episodes

September 6, 2024 2 mins
Discover the surprising origins of the world's first Superhero, and how, in many ways, he was always on an inevitable collision course with America's most insidious vision of itself.
Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Right.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Superman, in his role of podcast mild manage reporter comes
face to face with the most dangerous manas in the
world a Menacealke.

Speaker 3 (00:14):
Fandom presents Superman Versus the KKK explores the iconic nineteen
forties radio show in which Superman takes on the Ku
Klux Klan, whereas the show called it the Klan of
the Fiery Cross. What I can't.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
Understand, mister kend is why the Fiery Cross clan should
burn across in front of Tommy Lee's house. But they're
nice people.

Speaker 4 (00:34):
I think it was actually pretty bold they have a
Superman fight the KKK in nineteen forty six, because I
think a lot of white Americans are pretty sympathetic with
the KKK was arguing for honestly.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
In our podcast Superman Versus the KKK, we dive deep
into how the media and the figure of Superman was
used to expose and disavow the KKK.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
The Klan of the Fiery Cross is made up of
intolerant bigots, Jim. They don't judge a man in the
decent American way by his own qualities. They judge him
by what church he goes doing, by the color.

Speaker 2 (01:00):
Of his skin.

Speaker 5 (01:01):
The superhero takes that tradition of a kind of cultural
exemplarar and it magnifies it to deal with what are
really complicated, big problems.

Speaker 3 (01:11):
Meanwhile, the Clan had hired a pr agency to rebrand
itself when it lay fallow in the nineteen twenties. This
move led America's most notorious white supremacist terrorist organization to
franchise hate and make what would be hundreds of millions
of dollars.

Speaker 6 (01:28):
Today, American cultural memory is very short, especially when it
comes to things that people would rather forget.

Speaker 3 (01:37):
Ultimately, this is the story of the invention of what
we call the American Way and the battle to own
it that rages on today, with each side using the
world's greatest superpower, the media and its power to control
your mind.

Speaker 7 (01:52):
The great conflict today is the dominant society, which is
whitefolk dealing with new struggles that they often put the
blame on people who don't look like them.

Speaker 1 (02:10):
Intolerance is a filthy weed, Jim I told you before.
The only way you can get rid of it is
by hunting out the roots and pulling them out of
the ground.

Speaker 3 (02:17):
Subscribe to Superman Versus the KKK wherever you listen to podcasts,
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.