Cool Weird Awesome With Brady Carlson

Today in 1919 (or, by some accounts, 1922), the birthday of Veronica Lake, a movie star whose iconic hairstyle won over millions of fans, even when she gave up that trademark look to help the US win World War II. Plus: a design studio in Barcelona, Bel & Bel, is giving new life to the front panels of old Vespa scooters by turning them into stylish office chairs. The Peek-A-Boo Girl Gets Cut: In 1943 Veronica Lake Saved America And A Million Women’s Hair (Flashbak) Vespa Scooters Given New Life as Innovative Office Chairs (My Modern Met) No need to change your hairstyle to support our show, just contribute through our Patreon page --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1965, a landmark moment in the history of televised profanity: an f-bomb live on the BBC! We'll look back at some choice moments where people used choice words on the air. Plus: today in 1957, an article in the Guardian newspaper where a guy suggests bringing the world back toward faith by sending a bishop into space. Bleep This: A Brief History of Profanity on Television (Mental Floss) Bishop in Space (Weird Universe) Just (expletive) go to our (expletive) Patreon site and back our (expletive) podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Tonight in 1833, the beginning of a bright show in the evening sky, one that was so bright and so busy, some people started to freak out about it. Plus: today in 2015, an NFL game featuring a special set of jerseys turns into a washout for colorblind football fans. November 12-13, 1833: The Night the Stars Fell (Newspapers.com) When Red (Bills) Met Green (Jets), Colorblind Fans Lost (New York Times) Be a star for our show as a backer on Patreon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

For Veterans Day, the story of Vietnam-era servicemember Douglas Hegdahl. He tricked his captors into thinking he was "the incredibly stupid one," but by using his incredibly sharp memory, he was able to memorize (and later share) information about hundreds of American POWs, in the hopes of keeping them safer and healthier until they could come home. Lest We Forget (US Naval Institute via Archive.org) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1971, the release of the fourth Led Zeppelin album. The opening track, "Black Dog," still gets played and shared today, and it got its name from a very unusual visitor to the studio. Plus: in 2023, a researcher came across the original version of the photo on the Zeppelin album's cover, the one with the older man carrying a big bundle of sticks on his back. Headley Grange Led Zeppelin at Headley Grange (BBC) Lucky Find at Auction Identifies Man on Cover of ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ (New York Times) I don’t know, but I’ve been told, backing this show on Patreon never gets old --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

On Election Day 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt won 56 percent of the popular vote, a huge majority in the Electoral College, and two ostriches. No, really. Plus: starting tomorrow near Haines, Alaska, it’s the Alaska Bald Eagle Festival. In 1904, Theodore Roosevelt Won a Presidential Election…And a Pair of Ostriches (Smithsonian) Alaska Bald Eagle Festival  Backing our show on Patreon is just bully! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today is apparently National Taxi Day, which means we get to talk about a program in New York City where they got some very famous voices to give safety tips for taxi riders. Plus: this Saturday in Las Vegas, Major League Eating presents its Hotcake Eating Championships. ⁠A Celebrity in Every Taxi⁠ (Ironic Sans) ⁠NORMS Las Vegas: Hotcake Eating Championship⁠ (Major League Eating) ⁠Drive over to our Patreon page and back our show⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Whatever you're feeling on this Election Day, you might enjoy a slice of an old-school election cake many Americans used to serve when it was time to vote. Plus: this week in Pelion, South Carolina, it's the Pelion Peanut Party. When Elections in Hartford Were a Piece of Cake (Connecticut History) Pelion Peanut Party  Vote for Cool Weird Awesome as a backer on Patreon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Happy National Easy Bake Oven Day! It was today in 1963 that kids could start baking by lightbulb thanks to these colorful little toy appliances. We'll explain how it all came together. Plus: today is National Candy Day, so probably a good time to visit the online Candy Wrapper Museum. The Untold History of the Easy Bake Oven (Gizmodo) Take a Peek Inside the Candy Wrapper Museum (Smithsonian) You could start backing our show on Patreon in the minutes it takes to bake a cake in an Easy Bake Oven --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

For el Dia de los Muertos, the living honor loved ones who have passed on with music, dancing, elaborate decorations and food, including what's known as pan de muerto, the bread of the dead. Plus: tomorrow at the Nashville Farmers Market, it’s the annual Turnip Green Festival. San Antonio bakers explain pan de muerto's importance during Day of the Dead (MySanAntonio.com) Turnip Green Festival (Nashville Farmers Market) Backing our show on Patreon would be sweet --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Halloween didn't turn out so great for the title character of “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” But that led viewers to do something nice for him afterward. Plus: if you happen to be in Caracas, Venezuela, on this Halloween, keep an eye out for a spot known as the "Balcony of the Dolls."   Charlie Brown’s Halloween Miracle (Now I Know)  Creepy Doll-Filled Balcony in Caracas Looks Like the Set of a Horror Movie (Oddity Central) Back our show on Patreon for just $1 a month, no rocks please --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1735, the birthday of John Adams, the only president who ever spent a night bickering in bed with Benjamin Franklin. Plus: starting tomorrow in Kansas City, it's the World Series of Barbecue.  That Time Ben Franklin Slept in the Same Bed With John Adams (Entrepreneur) World Series of Barbecue  Help this podcast stay independent as a backer on Patreon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1861, the birthday of a woman with a very strange story. For reasons that aren’t at all clear, Karolina Olsson went to bed as a 14 year old and apparently didn’t wake up until she was in her forties. Plus: someone marked Halloween by playing keyboards in a New York subway station dressed up as Michael Myers.  To this day, the questions remain (Svenska Dagbladet via Archive.org)    Karolina Olsson: The Woman Who Allegedly Slept for 32 Years (Amusing Planet) Keyboardist Dressed as Michael Myers Plays the ‘Halloween’ Theme in New York City Subway Station (Laughing Squid) Don’t sleep on our podcast, back us today on Patreon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

For National Chocolate Day, the story of a World War II-era chocolate bar that wasn't too sweet, and that’s exactly how it was supposed to be. Plus: there was a couple who had a zombie-themed wedding at a bar in Little Rock, Arkansas back in the 2000s.  How Hershey’s Chocolate Helped Power Allied Troops During WWII (History.com) Wild days at White Water Tavern (Arkansas Times) It would be sweet of you to back our show on Patreon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Starting tomorrow in Manitou Springs, Colorado, it’s an event known as the Emma Crawford Coffin Races and Festival. And oh man, does the story of Emma Crawford and her coffin take some explaining. Plus: today in 1964, Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall recovered a fumble and took off toward the end zone... just not his team's end zone. Emma Crawford Coffin Races and Festival (ManitouSprings.org) Vikings: 50 years later, Jim Marshall’s wrong-way run remains an NFL classic (Twin Cities Pioneer Press) Race on over to our Patreon page to support the show --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

My chemistry teacher called today Mole Day, and while this story doesn't have much chemistry in it, it does have a mole: a Londoner called William Lyttle who dug huge tunnels around his place. Plus: ever wanted your clothes to act like a Theremin? A pair of researchers from the Intelligent Instruments develops sound-rich smart fabrics known as "e-textiles." Great London Eccentrics: The Mole Man Of Hackney (Londonist) e-textiles make sounds like electronic musical instruments when users touch or stretch them (designboom) We dig it when people back this show on Patreon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1957, the water tower in Norwood, Ontario, which looked like a big can of soda or beer, suddenly looked like a big crushed can of soda or beer. We'll explain why. Plus: starting Saturday at Coarsegold Historic Village, near Yosemite National Park, it’s the Coarsegold Tarantula Awareness Festival. Norwood: Norwood once had a crushed beer can water tower (Peterborough Examiner) Coarsegold Tarantula Awareness Festival (Yosemite This Year) Keep our show strong, make a contribution on Patreon today --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 2019, New Scientist published a study that trained rats to maneuver little cars around to find Froot Loops. Plus: now underway at the Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, it's Spooky Fest. ⁠Scientists have trained rats to drive tiny cars to collect food⁠ (New Scientist) ⁠Spooky Fest⁠ (Dietrich Theater) ⁠Drive on over to our Patreon page and help support the show⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1911, the birthday of William A. Mitchell, a food inventor whose name might not ring a bell but whose creations - including Pop Rocks, Cool Whip and Tang - are unforgettable. Plus: today in 1905, a story in the Clinton Mirror newspaper with an odd headline: “Man Was Mailed.” The Scientist Behind Some of Our Favorite Junk Foods (Smithsonian) "Man Was Mailed." (Clinton Mirror via Google News Archive)  Help feed this podcast as a backer on Patreon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This week we're replaying some of our favorite episodes about flags and those who fly them. In this episode from June 2021, the story of Superflag, a 505 foot long, 255 foot tall American flag that was once flown over Hoover Dam (because they don't make flagpoles that large). Plus: a study finds people can learn and effectively use click-based echolocation in the real world after practicing for 10 weeks. Was the World’s Largest U.S. Flag Displayed at Hoover Dam? (Snopes) Echolocation: People trained to hear like bats in a study that could help those with vision loss (Science Focus) Our Patreon backers are pretty super, join them today! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support