The Cracked Podcast

Accidents happen. And, sometimes those accidents lead to world-changing inventions, like penicillin, cheese and (mankind's most critical invention) Silly Putty. On today's podcast, Cracked editors Jack O'Brien, Dan O'Brien and Soren Bowie talk about the cock-ups that led to huge revelations. If it weren't for filthy ol' Europeans believing bathing was a tool of the devil, a whole continent of Native Americans wouldn't have died out. If it weren't for a madman trying to find testicles in frog's legs, we wouldn't know how nerves work.For more crazy accidents with earth-shattering impacts, throw on your headphones and click play above.

Did you know it's easier to quit heroin than it is to quit being obese? Whether you try Weight Watchers, Atkins, or whatever fad diet is popular this week, they all have the same efficacy five years down the line. We love blaming fat people for their weight problems, but the truth is that one of the largest industries in this country has spent decades figuring out how to turn wood (yes, wood) and chemicals into perfectly addictive foods you just can't give up. On today's podcast, Cracked editors Jack O'Brien and David Wong talk about how our nation's diet got this bad (hint: the USDA spends more money pushing cheese than healthy habits), and how the same corporations who hacked our waistlines into obesity are working to export the same bad habits across the developing world. Throw on your headphones and click play above.

Did you know it's easier to quit heroin than it is to quit being obese? Whether you try Weight Watchers, Atkins, or whatever fad diet is popular this week, they all have the same efficacy five years down the line. We love blaming fat people for their weight problems, but the truth is that one of the largest industries in this country has spent decades figuring out how to turn wood (yes, wood) and chemicals into perfectly addictive foods you just can't give up. On today's podcast, Cracked editors Jack O'Brien and David Wong talk about how our nation's diet got this bad (hint: the USDA spends more money pushing cheese than healthy habits), and how the same corporations who hacked our waistlines into obesity are working to export the same bad habits across the developing world. Throw on your headphones and click play above.

The London Olympics kicked off with England's largest military buildup since World War II, complete with a 16-mile electrified wall through the center of the city. Brazil's preparing for the upcoming World Cup by outfitting their police with Darth Vader armor. Russia used the Sochi Olympics as an excuse to "disappear" protesters. People like to treat sporting events as either wonderful expressions of our competitive spirit or pointless jockery, but really, these giant contests are how we burn off the energy we used to use fighting wars. In today's podcast, Jack O'Brien and Alex Schmidt talk about Brazil's upcoming disastrous World Cup, and how soccer games routinely push millions of citizens to riot in the streets. Holding huge games like the Olympics is terrible for cities: Just ask Toronto or Athens about their rotting stadiums. Brazil expects to spend $11.5 billion prepping for the World Cup, to earn maybe $3.5 billion for their trouble. Why would the government agree to that, especially when the money dump was guaranteed to inspire rioting in the streets? Could it be that we need spectacles like this to make up for our recent lack of world wars? Throw on your headphones and click play above. This episode is sponsored by:  Cards Against Humanity   Squarespace : Use offer code CRACKED for a free trial.  TRYAUDIOBOOKS.COM

The London Olympics kicked off with England's largest military buildup since World War II, complete with a 16-mile electrified wall through the center of the city. Brazil's preparing for the upcoming World Cup by outfitting their police with Darth Vader armor. Russia used the Sochi Olympics as an excuse to "disappear" protesters. People like to treat sporting events as either wonderful expressions of our competitive spirit or pointless jockery, but really, these giant contests are how we burn off the energy we used to use fighting wars. In today's podcast, Jack O'Brien and Alex Schmidt talk about Brazil's upcoming disastrous World Cup, and how soccer games routinely push millions of citizens to riot in the streets. Holding huge games like the Olympics is terrible for cities: Just ask Toronto or Athens about their rotting stadiums. Brazil expects to spend $11.5 billion prepping for the World Cup, to earn maybe $3.5 billion for their trouble. Why would the government agree to that, especially when the money dump was guaranteed to inspire rioting in the streets? Could it be that we need spectacles like this to make up for our recent lack of world wars? Throw on your headphones and click play above. This episode is sponsored by:  Cards Against Humanity   Squarespace : Use offer code CRACKED for a free trial.  TRYAUDIOBOOKS.COM

It took 45 years before landline phones went from "rich person's toy" to normal. Cell phones made that same journey in just seven years, and smartphones bridged the gap from frivolous to ubiquitous in five. You're probably familiar with the concept of a 'tipping point,' but have you ever wondered why things tip faster nowadays? Babe Ruth's home run record took 34 years to beat. Mark McGwire's took just three. It's because tipping has turned into big business. Jaegermeister and Grey Goose were turned into frat boy icons by the same marketing genius, and Starbucks didn't succeed because they had the best coffee. They won because they figured out how to make paying lots of money for coffee cool. On today's podcast, Cracked editors Jack O'Brien and Jason Pargin talk about how things tip -- and make some predictions about what we might see tip next. Throw on your headphones and click play above.

It took 45 years before landline phones went from "rich person's toy" to normal. Cell phones made that same journey in just seven years, and smartphones bridged the gap from frivolous to ubiquitous in five. You're probably familiar with the concept of a 'tipping point,' but have you ever wondered why things tip faster nowadays? Babe Ruth's home run record took 34 years to beat. Mark McGwire's took just three. It's because tipping has turned into big business. Jaegermeister and Grey Goose were turned into frat boy icons by the same marketing genius, and Starbucks didn't succeed because they had the best coffee. They won because they figured out how to make paying lots of money for coffee cool. On today's podcast, Cracked editors Jack O'Brien and Jason Pargin talk about how things tip -- and make some predictions about what we might see tip next. Throw on your headphones and click play above.

Where you live in the United States determines a hell of a lot more than whether "coke" means Coca-Cola or "every single carbonated beverage." It can also mean the difference between sauce on your pizza or nothing, the difference between honor killings or, uh, not honor killings, the difference between a time machine and an ... ATM? Yep. But, it goes deeper than how you pronounce "ruin" and "grocery" or whether you call toilet-papering a house "TPing" or "rolling" a house. It may be that we aren't all even living in the same nation.On today's podcast Cracked editors Jack O'Brien, Kristi Harrison and Jason Pargin discuss America's crazy regional differences, and talk with Colin Woodard (author of 'American Nations') about his claim that the fifty American states are actually eleven distinct nations. Whether the land you live on was conquered by Spain (Florida), France (Louisiana), stuffy British slave lords (the South) or Braveheart (Appalachia) determines how you view the government, law and so much more. Throw on your headphones and click play above. This episode is sponsored by: Harry’s: Go to www.harrys.com and use offer code CRACKED to save $5 off your first purchase of razors. Hulu Plus: Go to www.huluplus.com/cracked for a free two week trial.

Where you live in the United States determines a hell of a lot more than whether "coke" means Coca-Cola or "every single carbonated beverage." It can also mean the difference between sauce on your pizza or nothing, the difference between honor killings or, uh, not honor killings, the difference between a time machine and an ... ATM? Yep. But, it goes deeper than how you pronounce "ruin" and "grocery" or whether you call toilet-papering a house "TPing" or "rolling" a house. It may be that we aren't all even living in the same nation.On today's podcast Cracked editors Jack O'Brien, Kristi Harrison and Jason Pargin discuss America's crazy regional differences, and talk with Colin Woodard (author of 'American Nations') about his claim that the fifty American states are actually eleven distinct nations. Whether the land you live on was conquered by Spain (Florida), France (Louisiana), stuffy British slave lords (the South) or Braveheart (Appalachia) determines how you view the government, law and so much more. Throw on your headphones and click play above. This episode is sponsored by: Harry’s: Go to www.harrys.com and use offer code CRACKED to save $5 off your first purchase of razors. Hulu Plus: Go to www.huluplus.com/cracked for a free two week trial.

With all respect to Chuck Norris, has he ever carved his way out of an ice cave with an ice pick made of his own poop? Did Clint Eastwood ever kill a deer from 600 yards away ... with a pistol? Can Liam Neeson be credited with having saved A BILLION LIVES? The answer to all of these is undoubtedly no. But we know dudes (and ladies!) who have. Co-hosts Jack O'Brien and Michael Swaim are joined by columnists Soren Bowie and Robert Evans to take a trip through history discussing the badasses that we never hear about -- from the primordial badasses who we're all genetically related to to a 20th century explorer who amputated his own foot with a hammer. Throw on your headphones and click play above. We promise to give you stories that'll put Chuck Norris to shame. This episode is sponsored by:  Cards Against Humanity   Squarespace : Use offer code SPIDERS for a free trial.