Every time I use the subject of today’s episode, my husband is quick to point out how I shouldn’t. He loves to tell me about all the injuries this common household item causes, and as much as a lot of what I do depends on my hearing, I can’t help but continue to use it now and again. And I’m sure you do too.

You’re listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Cotton Swabs.

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• About - A Q-Tips Cotton Swab History - Qtips.com
• The strange life of Q-tips, the most bizarre thing people buy - The Washington Post
• 1927 Q-Tips ad
• 15 Swab-Worthy Facts About Q-Tips - Mental Floss
• The Marketing of Q-Tips—A Brief History - Ear Audites
• Cotton Swabs Send 34 Kids to the ER Every Day - Live Science
• What a New Study on Cleaning Your Ears With Q-Tips Should Teach Every Entrepreneur - Inc.
• ​Why It Feels So Damn Good to Stick a Q-Tip In Your Ear - Men’s Health
• Just How Bad Is My Q-Tip Habit? - Vice.com
• 17 Genius Uses for Q-Tips You’ll Want to Use All the Time - Reader’s Digest
• 14 Ways You Never Thought to Use Q-Tips - BobVila.com

From starting out as eye protection against snow blindness to helping pilots navigate the skies without being blinded by the sun, the subject of today’s episode not only protects your eyes but has also been a staple of fashion for centuries, as it turns out.

You’re listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Sunglasses. Let's get social!

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• Origins and History of Sunglasses - GlassesHistory.com
• Who Made Those Aviator Sunglasses? - The New York Times
• A Brief History of Sunglasses - SunglassMuseum.com
• The Evolution of Sunglasses - Google Arts & Culture
• Foster Grant Our Story! - Foster Grant
• The 15 Most Iconic Sunglasses of all Time - The Idle Man
• The Fabulous History Of Sunglasses & Their Trends In 25 Pics - The Talko
• Sunglasses: A History of Protective, Stylish, and Popular Eyewear - Ancient-Origins.org
• The most famous sunglasses in cinema history - Vogue
• A Brief History of Eclipse Glasses and the People Who Forgot to Wear Them - Slate
• How long does it take before your eyes get damaged when looking at the sun? - Scienceline - UCSB
• Shades at the Table: The Great Debate - Poker News
• Why You (Now) Look Stupid Wearing Sunglasses at the Poker Table - Poker Junkie
• 11 Things You Didn't Know About Ray-Ban - Thrillist
• Solar eclipse and your eyes: How to view an eclipse safely - All About Vision

Ever hear of Shiny Object Syndrome? Usually, it’s said to refer to those who see something new and have to have it, only to get bored with it once they finally attain it.

But in this episode, I wanted to know just what it is about literal shiny objects that make them so appealing to humans. And this particular shiny object is no different unless you have to clean up the mess it makes.

You’re listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Glitter.

CLICK HERE to vote!

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• 15 Shimmering Questions About Glitter, Answered - Mental Floss
• What is Glitter? - The New York Times
• What Makes Glitter Sparkle? - Wonderopolis
• The History of Glitter - Huffington Post
• Bio-Glitter
• An Evolutionary Theory For Why You Love Glossy Things - Fast Company

One of the most fascinating things about today’s episode is not just the creation of this everyday object, but the marketing tactic of presenting a problem that many people weren’t concerned with until the solution was advertised.

You’re listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Mouthwash.

CLICK HERE to vote!

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• $1 Patreon Executive Producers — Extra monthly episode and thank you on an upcoming episode of The Story Behind.
• $5 Patreon Executive Producers — Benefits of $1 Executive Producers + Access to the MUSE series as it unfolds.
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• The Crazy (and Disgusting) History of Mouthwash - NoCavityKids.com
• Listerine Halitosis Ad 8 Aug 1921 - Newspapers.com
• Cloves - The Perfect Pantry
• Classic Ad Review: Listerine And The Halitosis Hallelujah - AdAge.com
• History of LISTERINE®: From Surgery Antiseptic to Modern Mouthwash - Listerine
• 6 Practical Ways Romans Used Human Urine and Feces in Daily Life - Mental Floss
• What's in the turtle's blood? - News24
• How Mouthwash Is Made - MixerDirect.com
• Discovery Of Bacteria - Explorable
• Bad Breath Wasn’t Invented by Listerine - Smile Columbia Dentistry

Happy April Fool’s Day.

This year, I was part of a number of other podcasts that wanted to do some cross-promotion, so if you’re looking for The Story Behind April Fool’s Day, I invite you to check out the Forgotten News Podcast.

I should put a disclaimer on this episode that it may not be suitable for younger or sensitive audiences since procreation and the anatomical names for body parts are mentioned. And remember, take everything you read and hear today with a grain of salt.

Enjoy this episode of the Forgotten News Podcast, and if you like it, be sure to subscribe so you’ll never miss an episode.

And if you’re listening to this as a Forgotten News Podcast listener, thanks for coming over and checking out The Story Behind! Jim and Kit did a great job talking about The Story Behind this particular piece of Forgotten News Podcast and I invite you to subscribe while you’re over here.

Without further ado, I’m your host Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Son of a Gun.

Visit the Forgotten News Podcast website or listen over on PlayerFM or Podbay.

• Forgotten News Podcast on Twitter
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• Also check out Kit's other podcast, Whispered True Stories

• Jeremy Collins - Podcasts We Listen To and the Podcasts We Listen to Facebook Group
• Also, check out Jeremy as a guest voice on The Story Behind the Lead Pipe!

• Sex and the Civil War by Judith Giesberg
• The Story the Soldiers Wouldn’t Tell - Thomas P. Lowry, MD

• MusicForMakers.com
• Music by Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech.com – Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses / by 3.0

One of my favorite holidays just passed. February 15th. Yup, you heard me right. February 15th, not the 14th. Oh, I love Valentine’s Day, but I’m more in love with the discounted candy the day after, including a candy that apparently I’m in the minority when it comes to liking. But this year, they were harder to come by, despite being the most popular Valentine’s Day candy. The history of any modern-day candy, actually, can be attributed to these, as well.

You’re listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Conversation Hearts.

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Media:

• Music for Makers

Sources:

• The Origin of the Conversation Heart - Mental Floss
• Chalk Full of Love: The Evolution of Conversation Hearts - National Geographic
• The History of Sweetheart Candies - Smithsonian
• 10+ Years of Conversation Hearts - Reader’s Digest
• The Pharmacist Who Launched America’s Modern Candy Industry - Smithsonian
• O.R. Chase Sugar Machine - United States Patent and Trademark Office
• O.R. & S.E. Chase Lozenge Machine - United States Patent and Trademark Office
• America's favorite Valentine's Day candy is unavailable this year - CNBC
• Sweethearts Candies Won’t Be Available This Valentine’s Day - Smithsonian
• A-Twitter Over Updated Sweethearts Candy - NPR
• In with the old, out with the new - Boston.com
• Sweathearts Candies - Sprangler Candy
• 10 Things You Didn't Know About Candy Conversation Hearts - Country Living
• Spelling Love with Candy Hearts: The History of Conversation Heart Phrases - InfoPlease
• Wedding Day Lore - AVictorian.com
• Sweet Tooth: The Bittersweet History of Candy by Kate Hopkins
• 'The Mother Of The Valentine' - WBUR
• Conversation Hearts…necco Or Brach’s? - All Things Heart & Home

One of my favorite things to learn about when researching episodes is how people marketed inventions that had never been on the market before. In The Story Behind Post-its, we talked about how 3M’s style of marketing was to show what the product could do, rather than just showing the product. In The Story Behind Dr Pepper, John W. Davis made it a point to tell six people every day his version of the beverage’s origin story.

And, probably in the running for most audacious marketing of an invention covered by The Story Behind is today’s topic, when its inventors rented a kangaroo to help demonstrate the fun jumping capabilities of the product.

You’re listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind the Trampoline.

• Like the podcast? You’ll LOVE The Story Behind Book!
• Check out Emily’s other podcast, Hate to Weight!
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• This episode was brought to you by The Story Behind Executive Producers

• Click here to become an Executive Producer and support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

• Music for Makers

Sources:

• Who Made That Trampoline? - The New York Times
• George Nissen: Inventor of the trampoline - The Independent
• The up-and-down history of the trampoline - ABC News
• 21 Fascinating Facts About Trampolines – Exercise, Education, and More! - Trampoline Review Guide
• The History of Trampolines - Trampoline Gurus
• Trampoline Equipment and History - Olympic.org
• The Difference Between a Rebounder & Trampoline - Livestrong.com
• Trampolines: A History - Rebounderz.com
• The History of Trampolines: All You Need to Know - TrampolineJudge.com
• AAP Advises Against Recreational Trampoline Use - American Academy of Pediatrics
• As Trampoline Parks Jump In Popularity, So Do Injuries - NPR
• Trampoline Parks Tied to Jump in Emergency Room Visits - Scientific American

Referenced:

• The Story Behind Post-its
• The Story Behind Dr Pepper
• The Story Behind Pantyhose

Okay, campers, rise and shine and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cold out there today!

No, you’re not stuck in a loop, unless you’ve already listened to this episode before. But today’s episode is all about a seemingly silly holiday that has a fascinating history behind it and a 1993 movie that probably helped it become most likely permanently attached to Bill Murray.

You’re listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Groundhog Day.

• Find out more about The Story Behind Book!
• Check out Emily’s other podcast, Hate to Weight!
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• This episode was brought to you by The Story Behind Executive Producers

• Click here to become an Executive Producer and support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

• Music for Makers

Sources:

• First Groundhog Day - History.com
• Groundhog Day 2019: Punxsutawney Phil Predicts An Early Spring - NPR
• Why A Groundhog? Groundhog Day History & Folklore - Farmers’ Almanac
• Groundhog Day 2019 facts: The history of Punxsutawney Phil - New York Post
• Here's How Groundhog Day Got Started - Time
• Legend & Lore - Groundhog.org
• Groundhog Day: A History, And 5 Facts You Didn’t Know - Huffington Post
• 2nd February, 2019 was… Hedgehog Day - DaysoftheYear.com
• Groundhog Day: History and Facts - History.com
• The sequel to the Bill Murray movie 'Groundhog Day' is a VR game - Engadget.com
• Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son - groundhogvr.com
• ‘Groundhog Day': How Bill Murray Rom-Com Became an Accidental Classic - The Wrap
• Reliving Groundhog Day - The Atlantic
• Just How Many Days Does Bill Murray REALLY Spend Stuck Reliving Groundhog Day? - WhatCulture.com
• The Precise Number of Groundhog Days in “Groundhog Day” - IFC.com

Referenced:

• Varmints! Groundhogs episode

Even though the topic of today’s episode isn’t necessarily exercise-related, it would be safe to say it gave me a bit of a workout this past week. Imagine paying $12 for something, then you find yourself struggling to put it on, only to have it rip.

Now, because I didn’t have time to go to the store for another pair, I put some clear nail polish on the rip and hoped they would hold out for the next few hours until I could take them off and throw them away. Women, you probably know what I’m referring to. Men, don’t worry, there’s a version for you that’s available that, after a Google image search, is now painfully seared into my mind.

You’re listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Pantyhose.

(By the way, the men’s version is lovingly referred to as “mantyhose.”)

• Get your very own copy of The Story Behind Book!
• Check out Emily’s other podcast about her weight-loss journey, Hate to Weight!
• Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook to talk more about the show and submit your own trivia!
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• This episode was brought to you by The Story Behind Executive Producers

• Click here to become an Executive Producer and support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

• Music for Makers

Sources:

• 50 Years of Pantyhose - Smithsonian
• Who Invented Pantyhose? - ThoughtCo
• Before Pantyhose Were a Curse, They Were a Revelation - Racked
• The History of Pantyhose - TheInventors.org
• History of Pantyhose - Boing Boing
• Celebrity Invention: Catwoman's Booty-Accentuating Pantyhose - The Atlantic
• Pantyhose mystery on Lakeshore - Grand Haven Tribune

Referenced:

• The Story Behind the Toothbrush

Remember the Left Shark from the Super Bowl a few years ago? He was supposed to be just a guy in a shark costume dancing next to Katy Perry during the halftime show. But because he decided to do his own thing, he became the center of attention. Every so often, another Left Shark will come along in the background of an event only to steal the show.

The most recent of these was the Fiji Water girl during the Golden Globes red carpet, who has been given the title 2019’s first meme after appearing to have photobombed many shots of the celebrities on the red carpet. Her real name is Kelleth Cuthbert, a Canadian model and influencer.

That brings us to today’s topic. As you’ll find out, this everyday object is less about necessity but more about clever marketing, even before Cuthbert generated $12 million worth of brand exposure the past week.

You’re listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Bottled Water.

*Note: A previous version of this podcast episode mentioned "Sarasota Springs," instead of Saratoga Springs. Thank you to John for calling this to my attention.

• Find out more about The Story Behind Book!
• Check out Emily’s other podcast, Hate to Weight!
• Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook!
• Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Website

• This episode was brought to you by The Story Behind Executive Producers

• Click here to become an Executive Producer and support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

• Music for Makers
• Perrier Orson Welles 1979 - YouTube

Sources:

• The Fiji Water Girl's Identity Has Been Revealed And She Was An Influencer Before She Was A Meme - ELLE
• A Brief History of Bottled Water - Kitchn
• How Bottled Water Became America's Most Popular Beverage - Serious Eats
• History of Bottled Water - European Federation of Bottled Water
• John Snow's data journalism: the cholera map that changed the world - The Guardian
• Suckers for bottled water - The Guardian
• Why Americans Are Obsessed With Bottled Water - NPR
• PET bottles potential health hazard - ABC Science
• Fiji Water: Spin the Bottle - Mother Jones
• The story of FIJI Water – A green and fair product? - SinkingIslands.com