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PODCAST

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries

Brenda & Austin

Two friends, Austin and Brenda, delve into the rich history of secret nerd mysteries near and dear to their hearts in their own loose, light-hearted way. If you"ve ever wondered "Why Saturday morning for cartoons?" or "How come Chuck E. Cheese cares so much about other people"s birthdays?", this is the show for you!

society & culture hobbies

All Episodes

00:17:56

Go Fact Yourself #MaxFunDrive Kick-off Spectacular...

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2024/03/18

This special network wide event is a celebration of The MaxFunDrive! If you’d like to support podcasts you love for just $5 a month and get bonus gifts in the process, go to maximumfun.org/join. We’re kicking off the most exciting time of the year for the MaxFun Network with a trivia game show featuring hosts from tons of great podcasts.J. Keith van Straaten and Helen Hong from “Go Fact Yourself” are joined by:Austin Taylor & Brenda Snell -“Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries” Manolo Moreno - “Dr

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00:55:39

Rocket Rods and the Tomorrow that Never Was

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2024/03/12

In the late 90's, Disneyland was suffering from severe budget cuts as a result of the failure of Euro Disney. In the midst of this, they debuted a new ride, the Rocket Rods, a thrill ride built on top of the track of the old peoplemover. However, this ride would be plagued by constant problems; computer malfunctions, poor car design, noise issues, etc etc, and in the end, its legacy would be one of failure.

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00:49:15

Getting Kids To Read: Reading Rainbow and what Came...

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2024/03/05

Starting in the mid 60's teachers began to notice a concerning phenomenon where kids were losing reading skills at a rapid pace over the summer break. In order to combat this summer slump, two separate local PBS stations partnered up to assemble the dream team that would create one of the most beloved children's shows of the 80's and 90's: Reading Rainbow. But, while Reading Rainbow is one of the most well-known educational shows that taught reading, was it the first? What came before, and why

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00:50:34

American Characters that are Popular Abroad

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2024/02/27

Sometimes, characters that are created don't get popular in their home countries, but are instead embraced abroad. This episode tells the stories of several different characters that have become popular outside of the United States where they were born. Learn the story of Pica Pau in Brazil and his American-Made Movie that catered to the Brazilian Market. Of Top Cat, whose Mexican-Made animated film is one of the highest grossing Mexican films of all time. Of the crude, shit-talking, weed

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00:50:29

The First Interactive Children's Show

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2024/02/20

When Nickelodeon released "Blues Clues" in 1996, it was heralded as a new kind of children's show, one that was interactive, and spoke directly to its young viewers. But, what if "Blues Clues" wasn't the first? What if there was a different interactive children's program that predated Blues Clues by several decades?

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00:57:45

Gunpei Yokoi: The Father of Handheld Gaming

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2024/02/13

When people mention famous figures from Nintendo, they often bring up Shigeru Miyamoto, Satoru Iwata, or even Masahiro Sakurai. However, without Gunpei Yokoi, the world of video gaming would be vastly different. From designing the toys that made Nintendo famous, to introducing the masses to handheld gaming, Gunpei Yokoi's many contributions to the industry are still felt to this day.

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00:52:22

What Makes Disney Fireworks Special?

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2024/02/06

The Walt Disney theme parks are well-known for their dazzling nightly fireworks extravaganzas, but what most people don't know is that this company, who purchases more explosives per year than many militaries, has gone extra lengths to ensure that their fireworks are not only spectacular, but that they cannot be copied by other theme parks.

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00:46:20

100th Episode Centennial Celebration

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2024/01/30

This episode's a little different mystorians! Austin and Brenda celebrate 100 episodes of SHONM by answering a couple listener questions, sharing some favorite moments, and just overall reminiscing about the good times. Thanks for going on this ride with us! Here's to 100 more!

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00:00:13

No New Episode This Week

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2024/01/23

This week, SHONM is taking part in the global strike for Palestine. We understand that not everyone is able to participate in the strike, so please check out our socials for more information and for resources on how you can help. Episode 100 will be released next Tuesday!

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00:48:56

Is Snoopy Mexican?

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2024/01/16

Is the lovable beagle from Charles M. Schulz's beloved comic strip "Peanuts" actually Mexican? The answer is more complicated than you think. And also more straight forward than you would expect. And also what you feel is true in your heart.

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00:49:36

Dawn of the Cartoon Commercial

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2024/01/09

When Mattel premiered their Hot Wheels cartoon in the 1960's in order to promote their latest line of toys, they had no way of knowing that they had just opened a can of worms that would change the landscape of children's programming forever, for better or for worse.

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00:52:57

The Death of Woodsy Owl

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2024/01/02

In 1971, the USDA Forest Service Introduced Woodsy Owl, the anti-pollution owl, in an attempt to educate the masses about environmentalism. Little did they know at the time, but his legacy would end in flames. This is a story featuring potential federal crimes, pants-wearing bears, and job-stealing owls. This is the story, of the death of Woodsy Owl. Featuring Music By Louie Zhong/Snake Pool: snakepool.bandcamp.comtwitter.com/everydaylouieFor more Woodsy, Brenda made a Youtube Video on the

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00:54:03

Where are the Puppets from Rudolph the Red Nosed...

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2023/12/19

When Rankin/Bass' "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1964, no one who worked on it had any idea that it would become a Christmas tradition and a lasting part of American culture. Because of this, the stop motion puppets used to make the film were lost, their exact whereabouts a mystery...until now.

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00:50:05

The Rise and Return of the McNugget Buddies

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2023/12/12

As late entries to the McDonaldland canon, the Mcnugget buddies are characters that have been mostly lost to time. But, back in the 80's, they were the shining star of McDonald's menu, and the food they were based on helped save the restaurant during a time when American's were becoming more health conscious. Today, they've been brought back for a new celebrity collaboration, but will it be as successful as McDonald's 2022 Adult Happy Meal?

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00:53:23

What started the Trading Card Game Industry?

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2023/12/05

There's an intense resale market surrounding trading card games, but where did that get its start, and why is it so addictive to open these packs of little paper cards? This is a story that dates back to the early 1900's, with baseball cards and the early stages of the speculative market.

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00:59:11

Return to Neopets

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2023/11/28

Much has happened in the world of Neopets lately. From its parent company shutting down, to new ownership, new promises and a new baffling choice for a brand ambassador, Neopets seems to finally be making a push into the modern era. But will Y2k nostalgia be enough to keep the struggling brand alive? Plus, Austin shares what it's like playing Neopets for the first time ever in 2023.

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00:54:32

The Origin of Narrative in Video Games

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2023/11/21

From the dawn of gaming, people have wanted to use the medium to tell stories in new and inventive ways. But what game is the origin of this? Was it Final Fantasy with its character customization, or Final Fantasy 7 with its groundbreaking cutscenes? Was it Donkey Kong whose simple story has captivated gamers for decades? Or does it go back even further than that? Zorp zorp zorp zorp zorp

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00:54:32

Sally Corp - How Did Sally Corp Reinvent the Dark Ride?

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2023/11/14

For decades, the Walt Disney Company had the theme park market cornered, creating cutting-edge animatronics and immersive ride experiences for their own parks. That was, until a small company from Jacksonville Florida, who got their start making moving mannequins for museum and store displays, threw their hat into the ring. Sally Corporation might have gotten their start making Chuck E. Cheese copycats, but they have managed to create a ride system capable of bringing polished experiences to theme

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00:53:32

Barney - Why do People Hate Barney?

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2023/11/07

When mother Sheryl Leach set out to create a new type of children's entertainment for her son, she had no idea how big her creation would get, or how much people would grow to despise it. This episode goes through the inception of the Barney character, highlights the men who brought him to life, and explores the unbelievable amount of hate that the character received from fully grown adults, a form of hate that is all too common on the modern internet.

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01:10:09

Bratz - Why did Bratz Dolls Disappear?

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2023/11/07

Bratz, the popular fashion doll line, was once one of the top-selling fashion doll brands in the world, but then they suddenly disappeared from store shelves. Find out what was happening behind the scenes at toy company MGA, and learn the details of the decade long legal battle they've been embroiled with against Barbie's creator, Mattel.

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