29 06, 2023

Marie C. Bolden, A Black Teen In Cleveland, Helped Win A National Spelling Title In 1908 (Cool Weird Awesome 1037)

By |2023-06-29T09:46:14-04:00June 29, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

Today in 1908, a team of students from Cleveland won a spelling title at the annual meeting of the National Education Association, thanks in part to a Black 14 year old named Marie C. Bolden.

26 06, 2023

A Teenager In Michigan Once Started Building A Nuclear Reactor In The Shed (Cool Weird Awesome 1034)

By |2023-06-26T12:51:05-04:00June 26, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , |

Today in 1995 was a strange day in Royal Oak, Michigan. It’s the day authorities had to stop a 17 year old who had been trying to construct a working nuclear reactor at home.

26 08, 2021

The Popsicle Was Invented By An 11 Year Old Who Forgot To Clean Up After Himself (Cool Weird Awesome 599)

By |2021-08-26T07:25:27-04:00August 26, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

It's National Cherry Popsicle Day, so obviously, we have to tell the story of the popsicle, and Frank Epperson, the 11 year old you invented it. Plus: today in 1969, Elvis Presley sees a bald guy in the audience while onstage in Las Vegas and sings the best version of "Are You Lonesome Tonight" ever. 

1 02, 2021

Elvis Once Flew Halfway Across The Country For A Giant Sandwich (Cool Weird Awesome 471)

By |2021-02-01T07:55:18-05:00February 1, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , |

On this day in 1976, Elvis Presley apparently got so excited describing the Fool's Gold sandwich, made at a restaurant in Denver, that he flew to Denver that night to eat it, only to fly right back to Memphis when he was done. And that's not the only food Elvis loved; did you know about his penchant for BBQ bologna?

8 01, 2021

What Kool-Aid Was Like Before Kool-Aid Man Started Busting Through Walls (Cool Weird Awesome 455)

By |2022-11-17T09:00:04-05:00January 8, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , , |

Today is the birthday of Edwin Perkins, who invented a sweet drink known the world over as Kool-Aid. It's the only drink with a mascot that can smash through walls and shout "OH YEAH!" Plus: it's also the birthday of Elvis Presley, who in 1956 volunteered to be photographed getting the then-new polio shot to encourage mass vaccinations. Another way he used his immense fame as a singer to take care of business.

26 06, 2020

The‌ ‌Big‌ ‌Muddy‌ ‌Monster‌ ‌Ran‌ ‌Wild‌ ‌In‌ ‌Murphysboro‌ ‌(Cool‌ ‌Weird‌ ‌Awesome‌ ‌329)‌ ‌

By |2021-02-12T10:46:18-05:00June 26, 2020|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

On this day in 1973, a couple in Murphysboro, Illinois reported seeing a tall, hairy, extremely smelly creature that over time became known as The Big Muddy Monster. But what the heck was it? Plus: today is the anniversary of Elvis Presley's final concert. And yes, there's a historic marker on the site.

28 02, 2020

Lyndon Johnson Had A Not So Great Leap Day (Cool Weird Awesome 248)

By |2022-02-13T11:02:07-05:00February 28, 2020|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

It was on a Leap Day in 1968 that the President of the United States got stuck in an elevator. We'll explain how it happened. Plus: this weekend at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, it's the third annual Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Weekend.

9 08, 2019

Elvis Almost Threw Down At A Wisconsin Gas Station (Cool Weird Awesome 102)

By |2019-08-09T09:24:42-04:00August 9, 2019|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

Elvis Week is getting underway in Memphis, Tennessee, and while I can't be there, I can still celebrate, because my hometown of Madison, Wisconsin is where the King once broke up a fight at a gas station in the middle of the night.

24 05, 2019

The Jumpsuit Century (Cool Weird Awesome 47)

By |2021-02-01T08:15:27-05:00May 24, 2019|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , |

There’s nothing more fashionable than the jumpsuit, right? Right? Anyway, it was a century ago that the Italian artist Thayaht proposed a one-piece garment with buttons down the front as the next big thing in fashion.

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