Not Past It

104 years ago this week, Prohibition went into effect, giving the country a Dry January for the ages. Prohibition was a famous failure, so who got us into that sober decade in the first place? Today, we’re talking about the notorious temperance crusader Carry A. Nation, whose weapon of choice made her a laughingstock -- and an unlikely hero. This episode originally aired Jan. 18, 2023. 

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On January 11, 1964, the U.S. Surgeon General released a bombshell report detailing the harmful effects of smoking. It was the first time America’s “top doctor” issued such a public warning on the dangers of cigarettes. And with their backs against the wall, tobacco companies got creative and crafted new tactics to target Black communities. This episode originally aired Jan. 11, 2023. 

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In the 1970s, amateur theater producer Ken Harper had a vision for an all-Black rendition of the Wizard of Oz. And on January 5, 1975, The Wiz premiered on Broadway. Hollywood came knocking shortly after, packing the film version of the musical with stars like Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. But the Wiz’s success was never a guarantee. In fact, it went through many trials, misses, and near-deaths before becoming the cult classic it is today. This episode originally aired Jan. 4, 2023.

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It’s been a big year for the Green M&M. After a marketing revamp, she lost her signature go-go boots and femme fatale flair. So we thought, what better way to end the year than bringing back our episode all about how Ms. Green got so sexy in the first place. In this history domino classic, we trace how the Spanish American War led to a sugar boom, warring candy families, and eventually, the birth of a pop culture icon. This 2021 episode was originally rebroadcast on Dec. 28, 2022.

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On December 22, 1972, St. Louis high society was readying itself for The Veiled Prophet Ball—a debutante ball for the daughters of the city’s most pedigreed families. Inside, thousands of guests at the white tie event settled in for an elegant evening. But just outside, a group of stealth activists was preparing to infiltrate the exclusive party, where they’d attempt to pull off a dramatic stunt and unveil the ugly truth behind the ball’s origins. This episode originally aired on Dec. 21, 2022.

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On this episode, we’ll find out how a 19th-century obsession with the frigid Arctic snowballed into our mythology of Old Saint Nick. We’ll take a sneak peek into Santa’s bag of toys, answer his personal phone calls, and track his sleigh across the starry night sky. We’re joined by comedian and writer Karen Chee (Late Night with Seth Myers, Patchinko). This episode originally aired Dec. 14, 2022.

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On December 5, 1996, Patti LaBelle performed at the National Tree Lighting Ceremony, and so much went wrong: her cue cards were out of order, the backup singers were missing, and it was on national TV. The moment has since become an annual Christmas-time viral sensation. But 27 years laters, the question remains: how did everything go so far off the rails? Now, finally, we have the answer. This episode originally aired Dec. 8, 2021.

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Marie Grosholtz was born in France on December 1st, 1761. 261 years later, she’s better known as Madame Tussaud, the enigmatic woman behind a global wax museum franchise. Before the replicas of Taylor Swift and RuPaul, Madame Tussaud befriended royals and dodged guillotines during the French Revolution. Through her wax figures and eye for fame, she helped create the celebrity machine that still powers our culture all these years later. Plus, we talk to actor and star Danny Trejo about what it’s like to get immortalized in wax. This episode originally aired Nov. 30, 2022.

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We're continuing a Not Past It tradition and bringing back our Thanksgiving episode. Wamsutta Frank James, a member of the Wampanoag Tribe, led his fellow activists in protest of a Thanksgiving Celebration in Plymouth, MA. On November 26, 1970, he set the record straight as to the true and violent history of this holiday. The Pilgrim celebration went to shit and the first National Day of Mourning was born. This episode originally aired Nov. 24, 2021. 

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On November 16, 1907, Oklahoma became the 46th U.S. state. White settlers and certain American Indians united behind statehood, but another group of residents was skeptical. Black Americans. They worried statehood would lead to segregation. One Black tribal citizen, James Coody Johnson, set out to stop the creation of Oklahoma. The fight that unfolded forever changed Black Americans’ relationship with the tribes. This episode originally aired Nov. 16, 2022.

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