Eight Things We Like 1970
It’s the break between Series 11 and Series 12, so you know the drill… here’s another list of eight things we like!
Beard Meats Food
One of the things we’ve realized during the pandemic is that we really, really like “competence porn”; videos of people doing what they do best, whether that’s stage fighting, sewing historical costumes, or unblocking drains. That’s probably where Beard Meats Food fits in. There’s just something oddly relaxing about watching competitive eater Adam Moran house twelve cheeseburgers in one sitting. (It helps that he’s got a great positive attitude, too.)
The Bitter Southerner
Online magazine The Bitter Southerner has two simple aims: to uncover the American South in all its truth and complexity, and to break stereotypes about the region and its people. If that means more articles on the ways of Waffle House, the last oyster tongers of Apalachicola, and the park rangers of Assateague Island, well, we’re all for it.
Cat and Girl
We used to be really, really into webcomics, but over the years our reading list has dwindled as strips have ended or gone into decline. Cat and Girl, though, has done neither, and is as sharp today as it was when it started in 1999. Two decades means there are too many strips we could list as our favorites, so maybe start with a more recent one: The Twelve Labor-Saving Devices of Hercules.
Ghost Church
Spiritualism is a topic that comes up quite frequently on our show, and if you’re dying to know more about it you should probably check out Ghost Church. Jamie Loftus takes a deep dive into the religion’s history and current practice which takes her to some uncomfortable places. (Also, we don’t agree with some of her sentiments about Houdini, but we understand where she’s coming from.)
The Penny Peepshow
We love audio dramas. Fellow That’s Not Canon podcast The Penny Peepshow is one of the best, with hours and hours of stories that will amuse and entertain you. You could start with the recent “A Process of Elimination,” an Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery, or maybe jump back a few and start with the romantical-ish adventures of “The Pirate Queen.” (Let it be known that #7 likes her some saucy pirates.)
The Reluctant Historian
Each week on The Reluctant Historian, history teacher Liz Lawson sits down and tries to explain a strange story from history to her husband Dakota. Their rapport and banter is so great we don’t even mind when they beat us to a story we have in the queue, like “The Mellified Man.”
Sharon’s Strange Times
Social media feeds these days are full of the unusual and unexplained, the strange and supernatural, conspiracies and cryptids — so thank God we have Sharon A. Hill to round up the best weird stories, and then thoroughly debunk them.
Who Shat on the Floor at My Wedding?
Okay, we’re a bit late to this one, but Who Shat on the Floor at My Wedding? still demans our attention. Join brides Karen and Helen, and their “private detective” Lauren Kilby, as they try to solve a years-old mystery: who took a dump on the floor at their wedding? It’s a combination of ludicrous subject matter with straight-faced detective work that winds up being utterly hilarious.
New Content from Old Favorites
Tim Harford of Cautionary Tales takes a look at the race to reach the South Pole, in three epic parts.
Mark Chrisler of The Constant has been on a roll lately, with great multi-part series on the history of medicine shows and the role of altruism in evolution. If you can only listen to one episode, though, you should check out this analysis of the root causes of gun violence in Chicago. (And no, it’s not what you’re thinking.)
Kevin Perjurer of Defunctland jumps from Orlando to Pittsburgh to investigate the Garfield dark ride at Kennywood.
Michael and Aubrey of Maintenance Phase take down effective altruism, and then join forces with You’re Wrong About to discuss the Scarsdale Diet murder.
Laura Krantz’s Wild Thing wraps up its third season, about the deadliest nuclear accident on American soil.
