Police Squad! The TV Comedy That Got Canceled For Being Too Funny (Cool Weird Awesome 1195)

Today in 1982, the premiere of the short-lived but critically acclaimed cop spoof Police Squad, a show TV executives said was essentially too funny to stay on the air. 

By |2024-03-04T07:12:11-05:00March 4, 2024|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

Jean Carroll, TV’s First Female Standup Comedy Star (Cool Weird Awesome 1176)

Today in 1949, a first for American network TV: a female comedian did a standup routine on the air. Here's the story of comic Jean Carroll.

By |2024-01-30T09:02:47-05:00January 30, 2024|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , |

Schoolhouse Rock Taught Generations About Bills, Adverbs And Magic Numbers (Cool Weird Awesome 1164)

This week in 1973, the premiere of Schoolhouse Rock! We'll explain how this show got kids singing and learning every Saturday morning.

By |2024-01-05T06:26:27-05:00January 5, 2024|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

The UK Reality Show “Shattered” Was Essentially A Sleep Deprivation Contest On TV (Cool Weird Awesome 1163)

Twenty years ago today, Channel Four in the UK first aired "Shattered," a show where contestants tried to stay awake the longest to win a grand prize.

By |2024-01-04T09:09:56-05:00January 4, 2024|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , |

Alberto Manzi Convinced Italians That “It’s Never Too Late” To Learn (Cool Weird Awesome 1123)

Today in 1924, the birthday of Alberto Manzi, who taught millions of Italian adults to read and write through a TV show. 

By |2023-11-13T09:06:18-05:00November 3, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , , |

An Urban Legend Says The Devil Took Over Everybody’s TV Screens In 1968 (Cool Weird Awesome 1075)

There’s an urban legend floating around the web that claims today in 1968, the television industry was briefly stopped in its tracks by the devil. We'll unpack this wild story.

By |2023-08-29T07:53:12-04:00August 29, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

On Live TV, The Show Must Go On, Even If A Cast Member Collapses And Dies (Cruel Weird Awful 10)

Live broadcasting is a place where a lot can go wrong. Like a 1950s broadcast in the UK in which a key actor in a live drama had a fatal heart attack mid-show.

By |2023-08-05T09:03:11-04:00August 5, 2023|Categories: Cruel Weird Awful, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

Irna Phillips Brought The World Of Soap Operas To Life (Cool Weird Awesome 1038)

Today in 1952, the first TV episode of the soap opera Guiding Light. It was one of many hit shows led by a writer and producer sometimes called the “queen of soaps,” Irna Phillips.

Guy Goma Became An Internet Expert By Accident On Live TV (Cool Weird Awesome 1004)

Today in 2006, IT job candidate Guy Goma rose to the occasion when a BBC TV producer mistakenly brought him onto a live show to talk about the internet, even though they were actually supposed to interview a different Guy on the air.

By |2023-05-08T07:53:54-04:00May 8, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

When “WKRP” Thought Turkeys Could Fly For Thanksgiving (Cool Weird Awesome 895)

There aren't a lot of top-drawer Thanksgiving specials, but the "WKRP In Cincinnati" episode "Turkeys Away" may qualify. Here's some of the real life story that inspired the absolutely bonkers plot of the show. 

By |2023-11-24T11:01:20-05:00November 24, 2022|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |
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