x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

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

00:56:39

Were Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Books the First...

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2026/02/10

In this episode of Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries, Host Austin delves deep into the origins and cultural impact of Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books. While they are commonly credited with popularizing interactive fiction, were they REALLY the first? Is Wikipedia wrong about where this entire genre of fiction comes from? How could wikipedia be wrong? Why must we live in an unjust world?

en

00:46:09

What Really Caused the Closure of Disney World's...

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2026/02/03

Join hosts Austin and Brenda as they navigate sinus infections and the sometimes baffling, sometimes tragic history of Disney's River Country, the first themed water park in the United States. Come along on a thrilling deep dive into a lesser-known chapter of Disney's past, won't you?

en

00:53:50

4Kids Entertainment: The Early Years

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2026/01/27

In this episode of 'Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries, hosts Austin and Brenda explore the origins and the early years of 4Kids Entertainment.

en

00:57:20

Journey into Imagination, Disney's Forgotten Dark Ride

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2026/01/20

This episode of SHONM delves into the history of Epcot’s beloved "Journey into Imagination" ride and its mascot, Figment the dragon. Host Brenda discusses the ride's origins, its intricate design by Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter, and how it became a fan favorite...only to be gone a decade later.

en

01:00:47

The Yu-Gi-Oh Card Game

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2026/01/13

Hosts Austin and Brenda delve into the fascinating history of the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game. They discuss the origins of Yu-Gi-Oh! as a manga by Kazuki Takahashi and its evolution into a globally popular card game. This episode also covers notable events such as a 1999 riot in Tokyo during a promotional event for the game, Konami's strategic planning, and how the video game laid the foundation for the card game's rules. The hosts discuss Yu-Gi-Oh!’s reception in the U.S., its impact on popular culture,

en

01:09:02

Did McGruff the Crime Dog Really Take a Bite out of...

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2026/01/06

In the 60's and 70's, violent crime rates were an all-time high in the United States. Can a trenchcoat-wearing bloodhound find a way to empower the people and "take a bite out of crime"?

en

00:50:43

A Brief History of Queer Christmas Movies

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2025/12/16

In this year's Christmas special Host Austin details the history of queer Christmas films.

en

00:51:18

The Many Failures of Atari

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2025/12/09

Atari is a company who exists nowadays through graphic t-shirts and dubai hotels, however, there was a time when they dominated the US video game console market. There was a time when it seemed as if they couldn't fail....Then that was followed by several decades of failures. The 5200 and its massive size and poorly designed controller. The 7200 which was just a little too late to the game. The handheld Lynx that sacrificed the accessibility of the gameboy for a color screen and poor battery

en

00:56:34

The Lost Fantastic Four Movie

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2025/12/02

Before Spider-Man, before Blade, before X-men, the Fantastic Four almost made it to the silver screen in 1994. The movie was finished. The premiere was set...but it never released. What happened to Roger Corman's Fantastic Four?

en

00:48:43

Theme Park Publicity Stunts

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2025/11/25

This summary is going to be short, Host Brenda forgot to write one and the episode is supposed to be up. This entire episode was an excuse to talk about Fabio getting hit with a goose.

en

00:58:23

Dance Dance Revolution

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2025/11/11

It's a staple of every mid 2000's school lock-in. It's Host Brenda's favorite form of exercise. It's Dance Dance Revolution, the rhythm game that changed arcades forever!

en

00:53:05

Is the Michigan Dog Man Real?

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2025/10/28

These days, the michigan dogman is treated just like any other cryptid, however, its origins are more recent than you might think!

en

00:58:32

The first Halloween Special on TV

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2025/10/23

Google's AI would have you believe that "The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" was the first halloween special on television, but it actually goes back further than that, back to the very dawn of television!

en

00:54:40

Haunted Theme Parks Part 3

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2025/10/14

Host Brenda is back to share more hair raising stories of haunted theme parks. From Alfred Hitchcock's offices, to Dogpatch USA, which was a real themepark at one point, ghosts and ghouls are lurking everywhere.

en

00:59:15

Are you Afraid of the Dark?

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2025/10/07

Welcome to spooky season mystorians! We're bringing you four spooky themed episodes this month, starting with the nickelodeon horror anthology series, Are you Afraid of the Dark.

en

00:57:12

The Disney Store

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2025/09/30

It's the Disney Store

en

00:54:04

What were some early controversial video games? ...

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2025/09/23

We've talked about Night Trap. We've talked about Mortal Kombat. But what were some of the other games that led up to the creation of the ESRB? If you wish to skip the segment on custer's revenge, skip from 22:25 to 35:05

en

00:44:00

Why is Brenda doing an episode about a horse? - Haru...

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2025/09/16

Yes, you read the title right. Host Brenda is doing an episode on the history of a Japanese racehorse. Is this nerd history? Surprisingly yes. Haru Urara was a racehorse at the Kochi track in Japan who lost 113 out of 113 races she ever participated in. And yet she was beloved by the entire country for her indomitable spirit. Why are we talking about her today? You're going to have to tune in to find out.

en

00:55:05

Ong's Hat: How did the First ARG Spiral out of Control?

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2025/09/09

For a long time, Ong's Hat, an abandoned ghost town in New Jersey, has been the subject of many urban legends and local folk tales, but it was also the location and subject for the Internet's first ARG (Alternate Reality Game). However, what happens when Paranormal investigators start treating the very fictional game as real?

en

00:56:49

Do Dodonpa - Why did this Rollercoaster Start...

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries ·

2025/09/02

For several decades, the launch coaster Dononpa was Japan's most iconic rollercoaster, drawing people in from all over the world to see. However, in 2020 something strange started happening. Dodonpa began breaking people's bones.

en

198 results

Similar Podcasts

Voices of Life

APG Mannheim

Promo Estereo Podcast

Promo Estereo

Talking Timelines Podcast

Talkingtimelines

גיקונומי

ראם שרמן ודורון ניר

Drømmefanger

Drømmefanger