That's History, Babe!

Epizode

• When an Army of Peasants Nearly Overthrew England! 23.07.2026 1h 14min

  Could you and 60,000 of your closest friends beat your landlord in open warfare? If you’re an English peasant in the summer of 1381, then the answer is yes. This week, we explore one of the most seismic uprisings in the history of Medieval Europe, the Peasants’ Revolt! Learn how a ragtag group of farmers sacked London, killed a bunch of important people, and provided revolutionary inspiration for centuries to come. Tangents include the planetary status of Pluto, hot historian Dan Jones, Jared losing it all at poker, Abe’s new apartment (!!!), and Claudia’s long awaited return.SOURCESAnonimalle Chronicle“The Peasants Revolt” by Dan Jones, History Today, 2009“Joint Action against ‘Bad’ Lordship: The Peasants’ Revolt in Essex and Norfolk” by Herbert Eiden, The Historical Association, 1998The Chronicles of Froissart by Jean Froissart, 1373-1410“John Gower, Squire of Kent, the Peasants’ Revolt, and the Visio Anglie” by Michael Bennett, The Chaucer Review, 2018“Gower and the Peasants’ Revolt” by Ian Cornelius, Representations 131, 2015THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• The Treacherous Couple Who Sold Out America 16.07.2026 1h 31min

  In a delayed salute to America’s 250th, we take a look this week at the couple whose certified VILLAINY nearly ended the Revolution and the nation itself: Benedict and Peggy Arnold. Learn about Benedict’s early heroics, Peggy’s sassy bratty kind-of-iconic upbringing, the espionage and wheeling and dealing that led to Benedict’s betrayal of the American cause and defection to the British, and speculate why we’re sitting on the floor instead of on the couch directly behind us. Tangents include Tim Gunn, Fergie national anthem, the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT, and an absolutely insane photo of Jared’s butt.SOURCES"From hero to traitor: Benedict Arnold’s day of infamy", National Constitution Center, September 21, 2020 A LESSER TRAGEDY OF ARNOLD'S TREASON, Florie Hutson Heyward, New York Times, March 15, 1931 "Benedict Arnold", National Parks Service Robinson, J. (2012). Benedict Arnold: American Hero, American Villain. On Point, 18(1), 36–43. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26363381"Valiant Ambition: An Interview with Nathaniel Philbrick", George Washington's Mount Vernon Letter from Benedict Arnold to the Inhabitants of America (1780) "A Philadelphia Belle’s Fateful Marriage to a Traitor", Nancy Rubin Stuart, The Saturday Evening Post, February 13, 2024 "Margaret 'Peggy' Shippen Arnold", New-York Historical Society "The Spying Lady Shippen", History Design Lab, Oberlin College, Eliza Greenbaum Treacherous beauty : Peggy Shippen, the woman behind Benedict Arnold's plot to betray America by Mark Jacob and Stephen Chase (2012) The Colonial Mean Girl Who Almost Ended America Benedict Arnold and The Battle of Quebec | The American Revolution | PBS Benedict Arnold Turns Traitor and Defects to the British | The American Revolution | PBS Benedict Arnold's Raid on Richmond Benedict Arnold, Revolutionary Hero: An American Warrior Reconsidered. Interview: James Kirby Martin Nathaniel Philbrick, "Valiant Ambition" 14. Heroes and Villains THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Is Colonial Williamsburg a tourist trap?? w/ Madison Albertson 09.07.2026 1h 20min

  This week on the pod, the brilliant buxom scholaress Madison Albertson returns to teach us a thing or two about “living history”, the school of thought behind such storied American museums as Colonial Williamsburg, Plimoth Patuxet, and many others. What do these places teach us about history that books alone don’t? Where did the idea for them come from? How do they shape how we remember our past? And will they hire Jared to sit in a chair and sew? Tangents include Sheetz vs. Wawa, boob shelves, losing your Game Boy in a hospital waiting room, and the best ways to mourn a totaled 2010 Prius. SOURCESGeorge Washington Birthplace National Monument Here, George Washington Was Born : Memory, Material Culture, and the Public History of a National Monument, University of Georgia Press, 2008Creating Colonial Williamsburg: The Restoration of Virginia's Eighteenth Century Capital by Anders Greenspan“To Live Like a Slave” by Curtia JamesTHAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• How Liza Minnelli Made Showbiz Herstory (Part Two) 02.07.2026 1h 3min

  In part two of our series on mother-daughter showbiz legends Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli, we explore how Liza overcame grief and addiction, emerged from her mother's shadow as a fully formed artist, and defended the rights of the LGBTQ community through a career that has spanned seven decades! Tangents include whether we’d have sex with a clone of ourselves, a vaccine for lesbianism, and the wonders of the Cape Cod Melody Tent.SOURCESLiza Minnelli Tells All In Exclusive PEOPLE Interview: 'If I Can Laugh, I Can Get Through Anything' - People Magazine, Liz McNeil, February 2026Be Kind Rewind - Best Actress 1973: Liza Minnelli wins for Cabaret Liza Minelli: ‘I’m Telling It All’ by Liz McNeil and Greg Gorman - People Magazine, March 2026“Place, space, and queer iconicity: Liza Minnelli in Cabaret (1972)” by Marie Josephine Bennett (2025)Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story (2024), dir. Bruce David Klein“Liza’s New York” by Elisa Lipsky-Karasz, Harper’s Bazaar, March 2011THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• How Judy Garland Became the Ultimate Gay Icon (Part One) 25.06.2026 1h 19min

  We’re not saying they’re bigger than Jesus, but we’re not not saying that either. In our first ever two-part series, Abe and Jared examine the lives of a mother-daughter duo whose names are synonymous with “gay icon”: showbiz legends Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli. In part one, Jared pulls us on a pepped up prance down the Yellow Brick Road to explore Judy’s impact on film and music as well as her personal struggles and comebacks, all with the goal of finally understanding why the queers (especially him) love her so much. Tangents include our first group of haters, The Greatest Showman being the worst movie ever, and Abe getting anxious at the Mermaid Parade.SOURCESJudy Garland on The Dick Cavett Show | The Dick Cavett ShowJudy Garland Beyond The Rainbow | 1997 A&E Biography Special Premiere FULL with Original Commercials Judy Garland COMPLETE 1967 InterviewJudy Garland - It's All For You - The Tonight Show - Johnny CarsonSlayyyter & Judy Garland - CRANK GOES THE TROLLEY The Chaos Behind The Wizard of Oz (and why it turned out ok anyway)Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall: The Greatest Night in Entertainment HistoryDecoder Ring podcast, "Friend of Dorothy: Why do gay people love Judy Garland so much?", Slate magazine, February 10, 2020 How Does a Pop Girl Earn "Gay Icon" Status? By Derek Deng, Byrdie, May 7, 2026 What Does It Take to Be a Gay Icon Today? by Steven Frank, September 25, 2007 Judy Garland: By Myself, American Masters PBS, 2004.THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• The Club Kids: How a Group of Misfits Took Over NYC 18.06.2026 1h 19min

  Did a corrupted video file ruin an hour of footage from this episode? Yes. Would we ever let that stop us? No. In the 80s and 90s, a pack of queer party animals burst into NYC’s backrooms, bringing a haze of gritty glamour, fashion, drugs, and dance wherever they went. They were the Club Kids; RuPaul, Richie Rich, Amanda LePore, Waltpaper, just to name a few. Join us as we dive into the club kids’ scene, exploring who they were, why they were so sensational, what impacts they had on queer culture, and how their era came to a crushing, violent end. Tangents include making a baby gay cry, Mitchell Musso, pansexual king Wayne Brady, and being lifelong fans of the NBA champion New York Knicks.SOURCESParty Monster: The ShockumentaryMichael Alig & NYC Club Kids on Geraldo 1994 "Beyond the Glitz & Glamour" Michael Alig NYC Club Kids on Geraldo 1992 New York Club Kids on Phil Donahue talkshow 1993 (complete TV show) Club Kids fashion show Joan Rivers RuPaul Welcome Back Party RuPaul Explains The Difficulties of Go-Go Dancing in 1988 The 5 Ninth Avenue Project“Walt Cassidy Walks Us Through the Wild Glamorama of New York City’s Club Kids”, Interview magazine, Christopher Bollen, September 3, 2019Vivacious interview for Standard Hotels, January 25, 2019“Michael Musto on the Prevailing Influence of Club Kid Fashion”, The Fader, Marissa G. Muller, May 2, 2014"After Prison, No After-Hours", New York Times, Kevin Gray, May 14, 2014Michael Alig interview in Interview magazine, Christopher Bollen, April 19, 2010"Club Kids: An Aesthetic Emphasised by Outrageousness, Fabulousness, and Sex", February 15, 2022 "Club USA - Dazzling Photos From 1990s Glitziest NYC Club", Patch “What Michael Alig’s Club Kids Are Doing Now” by William Van Meter, New York magazine, May 20, 2014 THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• The Mafia Pope and His Terrible Children: The Story of the Borgias 11.06.2026 1h 16min

  POV: you’re at the sickest rave of your life. Candles flickering. Incense burning. Gregorians chanting. The place: Vatican City. The year: 1492. The man behind it all: Pope Alexander VI aka Rodrigo Borgia. This week, we return to a place of pope as we tell the story of the most ruthless family in papal history. Hear about the depravity and delusion of the entire Borgia clan in an episode rife with sex and greed, two of Jared’s favorite things. And please PLEASE don’t ask why Abe is wearing sunglasses inside. It’s a private matter. Tangents include Kermit the Frog’s nephew Robin, the show Vikings, Pope Leo blind item, and “Lose Yourself” by Eminem.SOURCES: The Bad Popes by E.R. Chamberlin The Prince by Niccolo MachiavelliHillgarth, J. N. (1996). The Image of Alexander VI and Cesare Borgia in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries. Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, 59, 119–129. https://doi.org/10.2307/751400 “The Borgias” In Our Time podcast, BBC Radio 4 https://open.spotify.com/episode/10PVoxVIv1iTSt56TNSqpC?si=TI7DR1a-TNOaoNPMWJ6QSANajemy, J. M. (2013). Machiavelli and Cesare Borgia: A Reconsideration of Chapter 7 of “The Prince.” The Review of Politics, 75(4), 539–556. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43670906 Lucrezia Borgia: Poison, Power, and Papal Scandal | Full Documentary | BiographyPope Alexander VI: The Infamous "Borgia Pope"THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• How Bernie Madoff Stole 65 Billion Dollars 04.06.2026 1h 7min

  “Fake it 'til you make it”, right? Well Bernie Madoff faked it so hard he was sentenced to 150 years in prison! Come with us on a journey through the worst financial crime in US history (that we know of), the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme, where one man with a crippling fear of failure scammed thousands of people out of a sickening amount of money (we’re talking tens of billions, girl.) Tangents include but are not limited to the concept of renting a home, crying over dog poop, Sam Levinson and his dad, and whether Abe will marry Claudia or Jared for a different passport.SOURCESA Case Study of a Con Man by Diana Henriques (2018)Bernie Madoff and the largest known Ponzi scheme in history | 60 Minutes The Madoff Affair (full documentary) | FRONTLINE PBS“Latest Batch Of Payouts To 25,000 Victims Of Madoff Ponzi Scheme Total Almost $160 Million” by James Farrell, Forbes 2023The Wizard of Lies (2017) dir. Barry LevinsonTHAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Unpacking The "Lost Cause" Myth w/ Madison Albertson 28.05.2026 1h 29min

  Ever wonder why your Republican uncle suddenly cares so much about monuments?In this episode, Jared, Abe, & special guest Madison Albertson (scholar, lesbian, and friend of the pod) explore the story of "the Lost Cause", a nationalist myth originating in the post civil-war South that paints the Confederate movement as moral, just, and TOTALLY NOT about slavery. Follow along as we dive into the myth's origins, its influence of American racial politics, and its lasting legacy in teenage vampire films across the decades. Tangents include the gayness of the Sherlock Holmes movie, the inner workings of lesbian intercourse, William Howard Taft, and the song "Memory" from Cats.SOURCES:Mythhistory and Other Essays by William H McNeillRace and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory by David W BlightConfederates in The Attic by Tony HorwitzDixie’s Daughters: The United Daughters of The Confederacy and the Preservation of Confederate Culture by Karen L. CoxWhite Rage By Karen L CoxThe Birth of a Nation (1915) Dir. D.W. GriffithNot Even Past: The Stories We Keep Telling about the Civil War by Cody Marrs“Curse of a Nation” | History Colorado "Unnameable Objects, Unspeakable Crimes" by James Baldwin, 1965 https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/civil-war-casualtieshttps://virginiahistory.org/learn/how-did-civilians-sufferhttps://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/reconstruction-rebuilding-south-after-war/https://hqudc.org/about/diversity-in-defense-of-the-south/https://fairfieldfoundation.org/witness-to-change-the-rise-and-fall-of-monument-avenues-confederate-statues/https://youtu.be/dOkFXPblLpU?si=6N4UcqVkZpgAhodwTHAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Eugene O'Neill Channeled Sadness into Art (While Being a Bad Father) 21.05.2026 1h 21min

  It’s not enough to be a deadbeat dad if you want to be an artist. You also have to be obsessed with the sea. This week, we take center stage and explore the life of storied American playwright Eugene O’Neill. Digging into his methods, inspirations, artistry, horrible family life, and dismal performance as a husband and father, we discover the visionary voice of this brooding genius, and learn that sometimes it pays to be sad! Tangents include but are not limited to mpreg, the illustrious city of Toronto, Charlie Chaplin being gross, and Flight starring Denzel Washington.SOURCES:Eugene O'Neill - A Glory of Ghosts - Part IEugene O'Neill - A Glory of Ghosts - Part IIThe Hunted and the Haunted: Reflections on Eugene O'Neill with Dr. Gary VenaThe Gelbs on O'Neill - Charlie RoseTony Kushner on Eugene O'Neill - Library of AmericaChristopher Plummer as James Tyrone - Long Day's Journey into NightEugene O’Neill: A Documentary Film by Ric Burns, American Experience PBSO’Neill: Life With Monte Cristo by Barabra & Arthur GelbTHAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Bad Popes! 14.05.2026 1h 29min

  Remember: just because you sit on the throne of Saint Peter doesn’t mean you can’t have a pet elephant or turn your palace into a brothel. This week, Jared and Abe plumb the depths of medieval history to explore the lurid, lascivious reigns of the un-holy men who led the Catholic Church. Yes, we’re talking about some BAD POPES. Tangents include but are not limited to Polish face, the snail-like Lombards, Julian Fellowes, and the ethical implications of sleeping with your friend’s older brother.SOURCESThe Bad Popes by E.R. Chamberlin“On Pornocracy” by Stefan Mattessich“TV’s Young Pope Is Scandalous, But the Real Youngest Pope Has the 'Worst Reputation'” by Ashley Hoffman, TIME MagazinePope Leo X: The Most Extravagant Pope in HistoryThe 1527 Sack of RomeTHAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Carrie A. Nation: A Grandma Who Liked Smashing Bars with a Hatchet! 07.05.2026 1h 23min

  Sometimes when there’s a big problem no one wants to deal with, you gotta take matters into your own hands. Case in point: Carrie A. Nation; a devout woman, angry about alcohol, who started smashing up bars with a hatchet! In this episode, Abe and Jared dive deep into the life of Carrie Nation, aka Hatchet Granny, the fierce Temperance crusader and suffragist who’d had just about enough of this “alcohol” foolishness. Join us as we tell the story of this weapon-wielding diva, a tale that will make you ask “How pissed off do you have to be to set a barrel of whiskey on fire in the street?” Tangents include but are not limited to Beauregard Mercer IV esq., Lee Strasberg the first Methodist, and the feeling of the wind blowing through your bob.Sources:Prohibition: America on the Rocks (Lucasfilm, made by JAK Documentary, 2007)The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A Nation by Carrie A Nation (1909)Carry A. Nation: The Famous and Original Bar Room Smasher.” Kansas State Historical Society. http://www.kshs.org/exhibits/carry/carry1.htmhttps://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/carrie-amelia-moore-nation-2514/“Hatchet Nation” by Mark Lawrence Schrad for Slate (2021)Vessel of Wrath: The Life and Times of Carry Nation by Robert Lewis Taylor (1966)https://www.wctu.org/historyShe’s not a Christian! She’s tampering in dark-sided stuff! THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Animal Celebrities: The Story of How a Dog Can Make More Money than You 23.04.2026 1h 26min

  Some people say dogs are man’s best friend, but we say there are dogs worthy of winning Best Actor at the Academy Awards. In this week’s episode, Jared and Abe grab their flea combs and diva into the hairy history of animal celebrities. From memes to movies and from the 1920s to the 2020s, we explore famous animals and what they tell us about ourselves. Tangents include but are not limited to The International Canine Semen Bank, projecting our fear of rejection onto baby zoo animals, and the ethics of giving your pet chimp wine and Xanax.SOURCESLife & Times Transcript of an interview with Alan Young, October 2007 Info on Air Bud and the bizarre stuff with his owner Beethoven and the St Bernard BeethovenKoko the Gorilla Crystal the Monkey in NY Mag What happened with Travis the Chimpanzee More Travis Crystal PopSugar interview“RIN TIN TIN” in Silent Stars (2000) by Jeanine Basinger“What’s new pussycat? A genealogy of animal celebrity.” by John Blewitt (2013)The saga of Lassie by Vernon Scott - Saturday Evening Post,10/3/1964Animal Celebrities by David C Giles (2013)THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• The Petticoat Affair: When Slut-Shaming Took Down Andrew Jackson 16.04.2026 1h 16min

  Let’s face it: opinionated people can be polarizing. Jared knows it. Abe knows it. And Peggy Eaton – the 1820s political wife who brought the executive branch to a halt - definitely knew it too! In this episode, Jared and Abe take you back to the age of Andrew Jackson with the story of a scandal that paralyzed his presidency. Learn how snubs and sideways glances in the parlors of Washington, DC cost an entire cabinet their jobs and changed the course of American political history. Tangents include, but are not limited to, Charli XCX x Guy Fieri, the mail, and Mary from SLC marrying her grandpa.SOURCESBooknotes - C-SPAN | The Petticoat Affair by John MarszalekThe Jackson Era: Democracy and the Mob | The Cynical Historian"One Woman so Dangerous to Public Morals": Gender and Power in the Eaton Affair by Kristen E. WoodAndrew Jackson: The American Franchise By Daniel FellerThe Petticoat Affair: Manners, Mutiny, and Sex in Andrew Jackson's White House by John F. MarszalekTHAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• How THE VIEW Became TV's Messiest Table 09.04.2026 1h 1min

  Nineties television; a hellscape of trashy talk shows. Maury. Jerry. Sally. Ricki. But only one show remains on the airwaves to this day, arguably stronger now than it’s ever been: THE VIEW. In this episode, Jared and Abe explore the origins of TV’s last highly-rated daytime talk show. What made THE VIEW different from its competitors? Who still watches it and why? How does THE VIEW keep booking all these political guests? And why is Meaghan McCain the way she is? Tangents include, but are not limited to, Sean Connery, the difference between a shark and a sunfish, and Jared’s coaching advice to the Boston Celtics. SOURCEShttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/22/magazine/the-view-politics-tv.html https://www.npr.org/2021/12/07/1062175139/the-view-is-cultural-and-political-canon https://ew.com/tv/view-hosts-why-they-left/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xht0HcPryWA Talking Trash: The Cultural Politics of Daytime TV Talk Shows by Julie Manga https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d62JBdqsG94&t=8s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIDDKKjejbU Dirty Talk: When Daytime Talk Shows Ruled TV https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/barbara-walters?chapter=4&clip=125185&full=true#full-interview THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Queen Christina: Did a Lesbian Rule Sweden in the 1600s? 02.04.2026 1h 7min

  Don’t you hate when your girlfriend has a husband and you can’t hang with your philosopher bestie due to a silly little war about whether the church should slay or not? Christina of Sweden definitely did. Take a trip with us to 17th century Sweden, from Christina’s strange childhood and mommy issues to her ascension to the throne and blossoming desire to kiss her lady in waiting. Tangents include, but are not limited to, circumcision, Bunny the cat, and whether Jared is trying to steal Abe’s partner Sam. SOURCESQueen Christina of Sweden (1626-89) by Anchi Hoh (2016)The Making of a Queen: The Education of Christina of Sweden by M.L. Clarke (1978)Queen Christina, Lesbian Icon? On Sweden’s Delightfully Nonconformist Monarch by Eleanor Medhurst (2024)The Afterlife of Christina of Sweden: Gender and Sexuality in Heritage and Fiction by Amy Saunders (2019)https://www-jstor-org.i.ezproxy.nypl.org/stable/1395418?searchText=queen+christina+sweden&seq=1 https://youtu.be/6JDKEUqcjKA?si=eseHdwmOpzk81XgV 'A Girton Girl on a Throne': Queen Christina and Versions of Lesbianism, 1906-1933' by Sarah Waters (1994)The Court of Christina of Sweden and the Later Adventures of the Queen in Exile by Francis Gribble (1913)Christina of Sweden by Marguerite Horan Gowen (1944)The Girl King, dir. Mika Kaurimaski (2015)Queen Christina, dir. Rouben Mamoulian (1933)THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Are Aliens Real and (more importantly) are they Gay? 26.03.2026 57min

  Roswell. Hoax photos. Desert people. Racist and factually incorrect History Channel shows. What do all of these things have in common? Aliens. In this episode, Jared and Abe uncover the truth about the history of alien abductions, tackling tough questions such as: Where did this phenomenon come from? What is the first recorded alien abduction? What’s up with the probing? And most importantly, what the hell was going on in New Hampshire? Tangents include, but are not limited to, barefoot shoes, the jump scare from the movie E.T., and the medieval mentally ill.SOURCESAbduction, Surgery, and Madness: An Account of a Little Red Man in Thomas Walsingham's Chronica Maiora They Know Us Better Than We Know Ourselves: The History and Politics of Alien Abduction (2007) by Bridget BrownAfter the Flying Saucers Came: A Global History of the UFO Phenomenon by Greg EghigianIndeed They Have Invaded. Look Around.: POPULAR CULTURE New York Times (Online) New York Times Company. Jun 15, 1997 by Phil Patton“When Did Alien Sightings Turn into Alien Abductions?”(2017) By Greg EghigianTHAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Who Won the Election of 2000?? 18.03.2026 54min

  The year 2000. A new millennium and, for America, a new president. But who will the people choose?? Twenty-six years later, we still don’t know. In this episode, Jared and Abe remove their glasses in disbelief as the race between George Bush and Al Gore goes down to the wire in Florida. Recounts. Hanging chads. The Miami Sound Machine. The only thing at stake is the United States of America. Tangents include, but are not limited to, giving out your number at karaoke, fidget rings, bath salts, and which member of the Bush cabinet you’d smoke a blunt with. SOURCES537 VOTES, HBO Documentary https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/publications/butterfly-did-it-aberrant-vote-buchanan-palm-beach-county-florida https://web.archive.org/web/20100731000517/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/media/election2000/election_night.htmlhttps://www.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/11/10/election.president.02/ https://guides.law.stanford.edu/c.php?g=991108&p=7170216 https://cseweb.ucsd.edu/~goguen/courses/275f00/abc-chads.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wufOcpTH0HU&list=PLmZWNw4ieD05KKWV7PbErdHrXS1yQu8hM&index=1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWETjjTniWo&list=PLmZWNw4ieD05KKWV7PbErdHrXS1yQu8hM&index=5 https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/04/20020430.html https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/2000-republican-party-platform THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• The Roman Emperor Who Married a Teenage Boy 11.03.2026 54min

  The Roman Emperor Nero. A mansion-building arsonist with a passion for twinks…or was he? In this episode, Jared and Abe pull back the curtain on Nero’s pervy reign to explore his marriage to Sporus, the boy who became empress of Rome. But who was Sporus? What drew Nero to him? And, most importantly, when exactly was the fiddle invented? Tangents include, but are not limited to, Latin phraseology, international sharts, and the eternal battle between AD and CE. SOURCESThe Lives of the Twelve Caesars by Suetonius Annals by TacitusRoman History by Cassius DioNero by Edward ChamplinJennifer Ingleheart, “Introduction: Romosexuality: Rome, Homosexuality, and Reception”, Ancient Rome and the Construction of Modern Homosexual IdentitiesShaun Tougher, “The Aesthetics of Castration: The Beauty of Roman Eunuchs, Castration and Culture in the Middle Ages ed. Larissa Tracy David Woods, “Nero and Sporus” The boy that Emperor Nero made his “wife”: What the tragedy of the castrated Sporus tells us about homosexuality in ancient Rome.THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• The Smelly Reality of Victorian Childhood 07.03.2026 53min

  We’ve all seen the memes – Skrillex, 4Loko, GTA, and electric scooters all have the potential to kill a Victorian child. In the modern popular imagination, Victorian children are frail, easily offendable, and prone to overstimulation. But was this really the case? In this episode, Abe and Jared take a journey through Victorian England to investigate the reality of what it was like to be a child from the dredges of poverty to the upper echelons. So put on your page boy hats and fingerless gloves, tuck in to your most nutritious gruel, and get ready to dive into some of the most unvaccinated, brutal working conditions of the 19th century! SOURCESChapter 1 of The Pragmatic Ideal: Mary Field Parton and the Pursuit of a Progressive Society by Mark Douglas McGarvie - “A Victorian Childhood in Defense of Tradition, 1878-1896”BBC Four documentary The Children Who Built Victorian Britain (2011) Victorian Childhoods by Ginger S. Frost (2008) - Introductionhttps://www.amdigital.co.uk/insights/blog/byron-and-hobhouse-in-mediterranean-europeChildren’s Fantasy Literature: An Introduction by Michael Levy and Farah Mendelsohn (2016) “Classed Childhood in Arthur Morrison’s A Child of the Jago and Victorian Slum Fiction” by S. Brooke Cameron, from Critical Essays on Arthur Morrison and the East End, edited by Diana Maltz (2022) “The Victorian Child, c. 1837-1901” by Marah Gubar https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/hszufz/what_modern_day_thing_do_you_think_would_kill_a/.THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.