Tossed Popcorn, Part 2: Chaplin was a Jerk, B...

For a lot grade-school kids in the States, the story of Johnny Appleseed is a modern American myth. The story centers on a quixotic, wandering nomad that (for some reason) is cartoonishly centered on planting apple trees all throughout the newly-minted US. So... how much of this ...  Show more

In the 1300s, the Black Death sprang up in central Asia and swept across continents, killing millions. Quarantines became common as various nations sought safety in isolation, and some met with more success than others. Norway may have staved off the plague for years, were it not ...  Show more

Charlie Chaplin is perhaps best known for his portrayal of 'The Tramp,' a character with raggedy clothes and a heart of gold. But who was the real Charlie Chaplin? Learn more about one of the most influential actors of silent film in this podcast.

In 1922, Charlie Chaplin was one of the most beloved men in the world. In 1952, after over a decade of being publicly shamed, he was essentially manipulated into self-deportation. What happened in between? We’ll explain over two episodes, beginning with this flashback to an episo ...  Show more

L'histoire que je vais vous raconter est digne d’un film de Chaplin justement. Le récit d'un des pires kidnapping de l’Histoire. Pourtant tout est vrai. Tout commence le Le 27 décembre 1977. Ce jour là ont lieu, retransmises à la télévision, les obsèques de l'acteur... 

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From Hitler’s love of young adult fiction to Saddam Hussein's shameful romance novels, this podcast sheds new, weird light on history's monsters.