Unhinged History

Angie and Theresa's mind meld is at it again.

This week, Theresa starts things off by telling the morbid history of a PNW landmark, Mcmenamins Edgefield Hotel. It starts off as a poor farm on what is now the Oregon Zoo, and moves to Troutdale, where it became one of the most haunted places in the nation.

Angie takes up the baton of the macabre as she shares about body snatching and how it led to the Doctors' Riot of 1788. It's a dark tale centered mostly in the US, but she does touch on the...

Leaning hard into Spooky Month, Angie and Theresa bring some stories that are real bangers.

First off, Angie leads with the story of Evita, you know, Eva Perón. What you may not know is that this incredibly inspirational leader had a wild life after she died. Her body was specially embalmed and paraded around, buried multiple times, and that's not even the weirdest part.

Theresa must have known Angie was going to tell a wild tale, because she ups the ante. Listen to the story of Francois Duvalier, the president of Haiti, who blends v...

Sometimes Angie and Theresa share a special mind-meld where the topics have a surprising theme. This week, the theme is "sorta/kinda."

Theresa starts off by telling the tale of Frederick Thomas Lynwood, the Muffin Man, London's first serial killer. In typical Theresa fashion, she catches down facts and ruins this delightful clickbait. Come for the creepy tale, and stay for all of the ways it could never be true.

Angie picks up the torch and continues the theme with the story of La Voisin, the most renowned poisoner of her time. This French fortune...

Angie takes over the whole episode this week, with the tale of Roberto Cofresí. This part is Robin Hood, mostly a pirate, hailing from Puerto Rico. He’d start his career after the golden age of pirates, but doesn’t let that stop him. Sit back and learn his historical basis before delving into his ghost stories persisting to this day.

This story pairs well with:

Jean Lafitte

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Head to So...

Sometimes, instead of finding resources and ignoring pronunciation guides, Theresa and Angie interview some really awesome people who do the work for them.

This week, they interview Jason Bell, a Fulbright professor and historian. Jason's new book, titled Operation Sparrow, covers the little-known mission of sending three commandos behind enemy lines in Hungary during WWII, with the express mission to negotiate Hungary's surrender to the Allies.

Once they arrive, though, things change, and they find themselves attempting to convince the Third Reich of alternate locations for the D-Day invasion.

So of course, this...

This week is full of DYK sidebars, and we are not sorry even a little bit.

Theresa kicks things off with the story of Mexico’s first Black president, Vicente Guerrero. Did she mention he was the second president in the country’s history?! Buckle in as she shares the very short presidency of Guerrero, who would still make his mark when he abolished slavery and established the possibility for a second underground railroad headed south of the border.

Angie can’t wait to celebrate Fall. So she kicks off Spooky season...

Sometimes the two unhinged hosts bring you stories you’ve never heard. Other times, we tell you stories you've likely heard. Today, we’re probably doing both.

Angie kicks things off with her retelling of a very chaotic year in Rome. It’s the year the empire had five emperors and held an auction… for the emperorship? Throne? It was a whole thing.

Meanwhile, Theresa is still on her survivor kick. Last week she shared the story of the man who survived both atomic bombs in Japan, and today she shares the tale...

Another week, another set of stories that would never normally be told side by side.

This week, Theresa kicks things off with the story of Tsutomu Yamaguchi – the only (recognized) man who survived both the Nagasaki and Hiroshima atomic bombings. Learn more about how someone who finds himself within two miles of the blast radius, twice, and lives to tell the tale. Theresa also covers why, even though he is one of roughly 170 people who experienced this, he is the only one recognised.

Angie, ever the palate cleanser, shifts gears to sh...

Welcome back to another week of unhinged stories.

Angie kicks things off by sharing the origins of high school football and cheerleading. She knew how much eye-rolling Theresa would do, and did it anyway. She does, at least, mention that football started in China as a form of soccer. Then she shares the nonsensical cheers of the first cheerleaders.

Theresa veers off in a wildly different direction by sharing the history of John Dee, court astrologer to Lizzie 1, or Elizabeth 1 of England for those playing at home. John Dee would lead...

This week, Angie and Theresa share a secret mind-meld, and both tell seafaring stories.

Theresa kicks things off by telling the story of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. Oliver Perry is the brother of Commodore Matthew Perry, who has been involved in several episodes. It’s Oliver Perry who would fight in the naval battle of Lake Erie, in the War of 1812, and raise a flag saying, “Don’t Give Up the Ship.”

Angie keeps the nautical theme going with the tale of Gráinne O’Malley, aka Grace O’Malley, the pirate queen herself. Grái...

This week, Angie kicks things off with Judge Crater's disappearance. Now, for those of us playing at home, this was the old-timey scandal. Judge Crater had links to presidential candidate Franklin Delano Roosevelt and had cashed out a ton of money. He was dubbed "the missingest man in New York.”

Warning: this is a cold case, and it annoyed Theresa.

Pivoting sharply, Theresa heads back to the origins of Vancouver, Washington, and follows the handiwork of a six-foot-tall nun named Mother Joseph. This absolute badass would build over 30 hospitals, schools, and orphanages throughout her career in th...

This week, Theresa and Angie do what they do best.

Theresa kicks things off with the story of Mary Ellen Pleasant. This incredible capitalist, becomes a millionaire in 1800s San Francisco, invests heavily in Black communities, all while fighting lawsuits accusing her of fraud, theft, and even voodoo. Of course, Theresa is a huge fan.

Angie takes things up a notch by sharing the tale of Boudica. That’s right. Buckle up for the British heavy hitter. Boudica, who was already outspoken against the Roman overloads, develops a burning rage after getting flogged and witnessing her da...

Edit: In this episode, Theresa uses a term for indigenous Australians that is both outdated and harmful. At the time, she was unaware of this. Since this episode went live, we've been made aware of this. Moving forward, we will not be using that language and have donated to SharingStoriesFoundations.org. This group works with First Nations communities to keep the languages alive. 

Life is weird and seemingly anachronistic from time to time, and so are the stories that make up our history.
Theresa starts with one such story, sharing the story of John Batman, the founding f...

We have a special guest for our listeners this week. Nikki from the History Unlocked with Nikki podcast joins us and kicks things off by telling us one unhinged story.

She tells us about the Cadaver Synod, which is the posthumous trial of Pope Formosus. This dude was dug up and tried by the current pope, who was deposed. The next pope condemned the affair, but he didn’t last long, and his replacement dug up Pope Formosus and tried him again. It was a whole thing.

Then, Theresa tells us the story of Petrus Gonsalvus, th...

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe. As a small, independent podcast, we rely heavily on those small actions to help. They’re free, and so are you. Hopefully. This week, both of the unhinged storytellers seemed to share a theme neither of them knew about.

Angie starts off by telling us about Aaron Burr. Specifically about the time when Burr attempted to wage war against the US and create his own country in what is now Louisiana. He beats this charge, making it the FOURTH time he was charged with treason and got acquitted. What can you...

You want tough women?! This week, Angie and Theresa share some absolute baddies.

Theresa kicks things off with Diane Nash, who led the Freedom Rides. You know, those integrated bus rides in the deep south, where a bus was firebombed, the victims were arrested (after getting beaten by angry mobs).

Angie pivots the episode into a wildly different direction when she shares the story of Amelie Elie, the woman who launched a gang war in France. She was kinda the modern equivalent to Helen of Troy, but with French gangs of the Victorian era.

...

Angie steals the entire episode to share a story of friendship in a time of war that you are not prepared for.

In 1967, John "Chickie" Donohue, a merchant marine and Marine veteran, took up the mission to leave the safety of New York City by himself, with a dufflebag of Pabst beer, and deliver it to friends fighting in the Vietnam War. This impossible tale is apparently now a movie starring Zac Efron.   This story pairs well with:
Tootsie Rolls at the Chosin Reservoir
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This week, Angie and Theresa share some incredible stories.

Angie kicks things off with the story of Stormé DeLarverie. She is credited with throwing the first punch at the Stonewall Uprising, but did she?

Theresa pivots and takes us to South Africa to tell the story of Simon Nkoli, the gay activist who campaigned for gay rights and against Apartheid.

This episode pairs well with: Stonewall The Pink Triangles
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Head to Social Media and be Social With Us: T...

Sometimes Theresa and Angie venture into the deep past.

Today, Theresa tells us about Thomas(ine) Hall, the intersex individual from Colonial America who spent the majority of their life swapping between sexes to live life.

Then, to remind us about Father’s Day, Angie shares the story of “Big Daddy Cnut,” the Viking ruler whose empire spanned England, Norway, and Denmark. And yes, Angie does indeed refer to this man as “Big Daddy Cnut.”
This episode pairs well with: Ona Judge
Battle Of Hastings

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We are in the middle of Pride Month and celebrating with some brilliant heroes.

Angie kicks things off with the story of Dora Richter, a German woman who was the first known person to undergo a complete transformation from male to female via surgery.

Theresa moves into more well-known territory by sharing the life and background of the historic Sylvia Rivera. You might have heard of her, as she was credited with throwing the second Molotov cocktail at Stonewall. Come hear the before and after.

This story pairs well with:
Stonewall Uprising
...

Some members of the LGBTQIA+ community are more well-known than others. One proponent of equal rights in the movement was Marsha P. Johnson. This week, Theresa shares how Marsha was assigned male at birth and later moved to New York, where she could live into her full identity. There she was, present at the Stonewall Uprising, established a program to help homeless street youth, and tirelessly worked to make life better.

Angie shifts gears by sharing the unhinged life of a man who’d sleep with nearly anyone, Lord Byron. This retelling of his life includes the four th...

You are not prepared for this week’s mashup.

Theresa tells us the story of the Compton Cafeteria Riot, that nearly forgotten time in San Francisco when a group of queens stood up against police discrimination. While this occurred three years before Stonewall, it isn’t well-known or credited with kicking off Pride Month. However, it was this event, and events like it, that paved the way for the tipping point for the Stonewall Uprising.

Not wanting to be outdone, Angie shares the unhinged life of the eye-patch wearing princess, Ana De Mendoza. Come for the dram...

It’s a wild week.

Angie kicks things off by telling the story of D’Artagnan and really fleshes out the whole story. Come for this guy’s quick rise to power and his ability to stay one step ahead of all the palace intrigue. Listen for the point where Angie shatters Theresa’s thoughts when she tells her that D’Artagnan actually outranked Athos, Porthos, and Aramis.

Theresa veers off in a different direction for her story as she tells us about the life of Yukio Mishima. This man was an author, director, actor, producer… he did all o...

Theresa celebrates a full-circle moment as she shares how a Frenchman, Jules Brunet, attempted to stop the fall of the Shogunate in Japan. Podcast favorite character, arms-dealing Matthew Perry, makes a cameo as Theresa connects many dots to previous episodes.

Angie reminds us all to call our moms this Sunday as she regales us with the story of Atossa, Queen Mother of Persia. This woman made more kings than Catherine de' Medici, and that’s saying something. As the daughter of Cyrus the Great, she marries Darius the Great and gives birth to Xerxes. This episode pairs well wi...

Unhinged History strives to bring you the stories you’ve never heard of in your history class, and this week is no exception.

Angie kicks off this week by exploring the Silk Road and the heist that liberated silkworms and opened the door for countries other than China to produce this incredibly luxurious textile.

Theresa veers off in a wildly different direction as she shares the story of Nakahama Manjiro, also known as John Mung. Manjiro starts off as a stranded Japanese 14-year-old fisherman, gets rescued by an American whaling ship, becomes the first Japanese man in...

Look at Unhinged History, we are known for a couple of things. A love of the National Parks Service content, stories you’ve never heard, and banter. This episode is basically more of the same. Theresa takes the entire episode to share the story of Paul Nobuo Tatsuguchi and the Battle of Attu. For most of us, we never realized that the Battle of Attu was the only time since the War of 1812 that the United States lost ground to a foreign invader. Dick Laird, the man who killed Paul Tatsuguchi, would spend 50 years living with the trauma of this ba...

Angie and Theresa have quite a set of stories to share with you. Kicking things off, Angie shares the wild story of Saladin. This man held it down as the Sultan of Egypt and Syria during the Crusades. Getting his position after a ...ahem series of deaths, he proves to be an incredible ruler, who would give away his vast fortune throughout his life.

Theresa veers wildly from this story, as she shares the time a convent in medieval France started meowing, non-stop. The plague of the meowing nuns gets recorded in two books of the 1800’s. Theresa de...

What a week where Angie and Theresa do exactly what they do best.

Convinced she might run out of spies to cover, Theresa shares the story of Krystyna Skarbek, also known as Christine Granville. Born a literal Polish countess, Krystyna cycles through husbands and lovers before seeing her country invaded by Nazi Germany. Convinced she can fight for her homeland, she becomes the first female spy for MI6 during the war and serves Britain for six years, fighting on three different fronts.

Angie pivots sharply from WWII, as she shares the quaint and whimsical story of...

Today we have a very special guest. The Unhinged History podcast welcomes Jenny Chan, author and podcaster, exploring the atrocities of the Pacific theater during World War II. In this episode, we explore her in-depth study of Chinese comfort women, Unit 731, and so much more.

Website: https://www.pacificatrocities.org/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PacificFrontUntold

Ever get stuck in front of the TV watching the bizarre shows labeled as history? This episode is just like that, but only for your ears. We offer nothing for your eyes.

Angie kicks things off with the Beale Papers. This story takes us on a journey through history, where we attempt to crack codes and locate a large amount of buried gold, silver, and jewels in Bedford County, Virginia. Theresa is skeptical from the start, but mostly because she doesn’t trust innkeepers entrusted with secrets.

Theresa takes things in a wildly different direction when sh...

This week’s unhinged stories feature two women largely forgotten by history.

Starting off strong, Theresa tells the story of Madame Montour, the interpreter who spoke English, German, and several Native American languages. Her work as an interpreter brokered several treaties. We have one small problem with Madame Montour – she is history’s most unreliable narrator. Follow along as Theresa lays out a myriad of conflicting sources.

Angie’s story is wildly different, as she regales us with the story of Jane Boleyn, Queen Anne Boleyn’s sister-in-law. Surprisingly, Jane’s story relates to several royal deaths. This...

This week’s Unhinged History features two women with outrageous stories.

Angie kicks things off with the story of Elizabeth Bathory, you know, the Blood Countess. She’s rumored to have murdered over 600 virgins to bathe in their blood in hopes of maintaining her youth and beauty. But what if all of that was created by the men in her life who owed her money? Angie pulls back the rumors and shares what we know and can prove about this infamous killer.

In a delightfully unhinged pivot, Theresa shares the tale of Elvira de la Fuente Chau...

Some stories just warm you up inside like a Hot Toddy. Today, Theresa starts us off with a story from her comfort era: World War II, as she shares the tale of Soviet sniper, Lyudmila Pavlichenko. This badass earns a sniper diploma before graduating from college, which proves beneficial as she ends up fighting as one of only 2,000 female snipers. While only 500 of these women would survive the war, Lyudmila thrives, racking up 309 confirmed kills. She would then go on to become a friend of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Angie struggles with pivoting as she transitions from this...

Listen to this week’s episode as Angie tells a story about a man Theresa’s already learned about. She shares the story of Anders Lassen, the incredible Danish man who joined Colin Gubbins’ Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare and made the SOE what it was known for.

This episode pairs well with:
Paddy Mayne
Colin Gubbins
Odette Samson
The SAS Train Raid You Never Heard of...

What a strange and wonderful mashup of unhinged history stories we have for you today. When we think of Tudor England, we often overlook the individuals of African descent who lived and worked there. Today, Angie corrects that. Come learn about the various people historians uncovered.

Theresa takes a different route as she shares the story of Darius McCollum. Darius loves one thing more than anything else in the world: trains. His love of the Metro Transit Authority has led him to get arrested for stealing trains and buses more than 35 times. Come listen to his tale.
<...

What an episode of two indomitable people!

Today, Theresa kicks things off by telling the story of Dr. Daniel Hale Williams. Dr. Dan is credited with completing the first open-heart surgery. This was in the mid-1800s, before the creation of rib spreaders, bypass machines, or any other devices that would make his life easier. Even better, his patient survives. To further boost his creds, this incredible human created the first racially integrated hospital and nursing school. After that, Angie struggles with a transition to tell the story of Ona Judge. The tale begins with Ona being enslaved...

Today’s mash-up of stories leads to some very unexpected places as Angie shares the story of Belle da Costa Greene. Belle ends up being the first Black female librarian of Mr. J. P. Morgan. This woman ends up being the Pepper Potts to Morgan, as she controls art and literature that gets bought and added to his personal collection.

Then, surprising no one, Theresa takes us in a very different direction as she recounts the tale of York, the Black man who accompanied Lewis and Clark on the expedition across the newly purchased land of the Louisiana Pu...

Few white dudes of history have ever earn so much respect from the Black community does, and for good reason.

This week, Theresa takes over the entire episode and shares the unhinged life of John Brown. Starting with his early years, raised in a home that was both steeped in religion and abolitionism, John Brown’s path led him to campaign to end slavery. During his life, he would earn the respect of Fredrick Douglass, as he polarized the nation in their stances on ending the practice of slavery. Theresa continues to share how it was Brown’s post...

The stories we tell here at Unhinged History are predictable, and today offers no variation from the trend.

Theresa begins by telling the story of Elijah Parish Lovejoy. This abolitionist would believe two things in this life: that slavery is wrong, and as a journalist, he had the freedom of speech. These convictions would result in four printing presses getting destroyed by mobs and him getting shot five times.

Angie, while struggling to segue, transitions to Adrian Carton de Wiart, the unkillable soldier. This man joined countless conflicts, lost an eye and a hand, was shot...

Sometimes the events covered in Unhinged History are as zany as they are unexpected. Other times, things get dark.

This week, Theresa shares the life of Charles Sumner, the senator who was beaten for giving an abolitionist speech. This attack would polarize the country and start it on the path toward the Civil War.

Angie apparently didn’t get the memo that Theresa was telling such a tale, because she takes us further into the darkness when she covers the Theresienstadt Ghetto. This WWII camp was established by the Nazis and, at one point, camouflaged as a...