Have you ever gotten into an elevator of a hotel and noticed the buttons went from 12 to 14, skipping the number 13? It’s not as if the 13th floor is actually missing, though -- the 13th floor was just named the 14th floor. Believe it or not, this more common than you may think. Or gone to a casino and saw sevens everywhere?

For the month of March, I’ll be looking at the stories behind common superstitions and symbols of luck.

I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Lucky Numbers.

Love this series? GET THE CD! The entire Luck & Superstitions series is available on CD -- the perfect gift for people who love trivia but aren't into podcasts (yet). http://kunaki.com/sales.asp?PID=PX00ZI65G5

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Got a favorite podcast? Use the hashtag #TryPod to let others know about it through the month of March.

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

Music for Makers

Sources:

http://www.beyondhogwarts.com/harry-potter/articles/an-introduction-to-arithmancy.html

http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/extrasensory-perceptions/numerology.htm

http://www.crystalinks.com/numerologypyth.html

(The Philosophy of NUmbers by Mrs. L. Dow Balliet) https://archive.org/stream/philosophyofnum00ball#page/n5/mode/2up

https://www.orbitz.com/blog/2015/02/friday-13th-truth-behind-hotels-missing-13th-floors/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201109/7-reasons-we-7-reasons

http://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/7.html

http://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/what-are-seven-deadly-sins

https://www.lolcraps.com/craps/odds/

http://mentalfloss.com/article/54852/13-sleeping-beauty-facts-are-anything-snooze

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0212_040212_friday13.html

http://mentalfloss.com/article/23266/13-reasons-people-think-number-13-unlucky

Ever wonder why rabbits and their feet are associated with luck? Or why even though fear of spiders is especially popular, many associate them with luck and prosperity? Or why cats, and especially black cats, carry so many superstitions?

For the month of March, I’ll be looking at the stories behind common superstitions and symbols of luck.

I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Lucky Animals.

The role of E.B. White was played by Jason Bryant from Mat Talk Online.

Love this series? GET THE CD! The entire Luck & Superstitions series is available on CD -- the perfect gift for people who love trivia but aren't into podcasts (yet). http://kunaki.com/sales.asp?PID=PX00ZI65G5

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

Music for Makers

Sources:

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/12/rabbits-foot-considered-lucky/

http://www.csicop.org/superstition/library/rabbits_foot

http://www.csicop.org/superstition/library/spiders

http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/easter-symbols

http://mentalfloss.com/article/67639/10-things-you-might-not-know-about-charlottes-web

http://people.com/pets/10-lucky-animals-that-can-help-you-win-the-powerball-jackpot/cats

http://goodlucksymbols.com/spider-symbolism/

http://www.luckymojo.com/spider.html

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/why-we-worry/201407/why-are-we-afraid-spiders

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/09/why-black-cats-are-considered-bad-luck/

https://archive.org/stream/discoverieofwitc00scot/discoverieofwitc00scot_djvu.txt

http://oddrandomthoughts.com/the-myths-and-legends-of-cats/#ixzz4a86T4PMt

http://kidworldcitizen.org/2013/11/10/anansi-stories-trickster-spider-west-africa-caribbean/

http://kindnessforcats.rescuegroups.org/info/display?PageID=7189

http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/must-love-cats/videos/the-legend-of-maneki-neko/

http://www.cracked.com/article_18963_6-cats-more-badass-than-you-and-most-superheroes.html

Ever wonder why actors say “Break a leg” instead of “Good luck?” Or why Macbeth is supposedly cursed? Or why you shouldn’t whistle backstage?

For the month of March, I’ll be looking at the stories behind common superstitions and symbols of luck.

I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Theater Superstitions.

Love this series? GET THE CD! The entire Luck & Superstitions series is available on CD -- the perfect gift for people who love trivia but aren't into podcasts (yet). http://kunaki.com/sales.asp?PID=PX00ZI65G5

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Got a favorite podcast? Use the hashtag #TryPod to let others know about it through the month of March.

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

Music for Makers

Sources:

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2012/11/origin-of-the-phrase-break-a-leg/

http://www.theatrecrafts.com/pages/home/glossary-of-technical-theatre-terms/more-about-break-a-leg/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/macbeth/scottish_play_curse/

http://www.history.com/news/ask-history/why-do-actors-avoid-the-word-macbeth

https://www.santacruzshakespeare.org/the-macbeth-curse-myth-or-reality/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1988/01/28/macbeth-curse-of-the-stage/b80659e4-369d-4ef4-b772-edee79d75d5a/?utm_term=.f12b6f731d40

https://www.backstage.com/news/9-serious-theatrical-superstitions/

http://www.playbill.com/article/8-rules-every-theatre-person-must-follow-do-you-know-all-of-them-com-373336

Rabbit, rabbit! New month, new theme, everyone!

Ever wonder why we believe in luck and superstitions? In the simplest terms, our brains are wired to look for patterns and it’s not just human brains. And once we determine the effects of a certain pattern, our brains make that connection between our behavior and the effect, even if they aren’t scientifically connected. And this could be for good luck or bad luck.

For the month of March, I’ll be looking at the stories behind common superstitions and symbols of luck. In this episode, we’re starting the series with a general look at how humans have believed in luck and superstitions, as well as a look at just how often we don’t notice we do things out of habit that may be considered superstitious.

I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Luck and Superstitions.

Love this series? GET THE CD! The entire Luck & Superstitions series is available on CD -- the perfect gift for people who love trivia but aren't into podcasts (yet). http://kunaki.com/sales.asp?PID=PX00ZI65G5

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

Music for Makers

Sources:

http://simonedigital.com/avoid-broken-hair-by-not-going-outside-with-wet-hair-in-the-winter/

http://icedjamb.com/humans-arent-the-only-ones-who-believe-in-superstitions/

http://www.simplypsychology.org/classical-conditioning.html

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=248041250

https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-18136,00.html

https://www.psychologistworld.com/superstition.php

http://totallyhistory.com/salem-witch-trials/

http://www.pitlanemagazine.com/cultures/belief-in-superstitions-and-their-effect-on-our-lives.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_executed_for_witchcraft#cnote_A

In 1994, a movie came along about a man of low intelligence who happens to hit a few lucky breaks, weaving himself in and out of the timeline of American history, and into the hearts of millions of movie-goers. That man was Forrest. Forrest Gump.

For the month of February, I focused episode topics on historical and pop culture references in the movie. This is the last episode of the series, in which we talk about the book that inspired the movie, the soundtrack everyone in my high school had and wore out, and the cultural impact of this modern-day classic. And, because I couldn’t just talk about this film by myself, I have a special guest with me for this episode.

I’m your host, Emily Prokop, with Nick from the Epic Film Guys, and this is The Story Behind Forrest Gump.

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

Music for Makers

Alan Silvestri - The Feather Theme from the "Forrest Gump" Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEY3o00LRHI 

Sources:

http://www.mtv.com/news/1922408/forrest-gump-trivia/

http://mentalfloss.com/node/31001&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Partner&utm_campaign=allthatisinteresting

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1995-03-27/features/1995086082_1_forrest-gump-man-forrest-book-and-movie

http://www.mtv.com/news/1922456/forrest-gump-sequel/

http://www.slashfilm.com/911-killed-the-forrest-gump-sequel/

http://www.npr.org/2016/10/03/496412606/why-it-took-forrest-gump-author-nearly-20-years-to-write-a-new-novel

https://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2013/03/10-songs-inspired-by-movie-characters.html

http://www.alansilvestri.com/movie-clips.htm

http://www.wqxr.org/#!/story/alan-silvestri-back-future-forrest-gump-and-his-hollywood-break/

http://ew.com/article/1994/07/15/gumpisms-wit-and-wisdom-forrest-gump/

http://www.laweekly.com/arts/we-need-to-talk-about-forrest-gump-5045629

http://ew.com/article/1994/07/15/gumpisms-wit-and-wisdom-forrest-gump/

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/01/movies/following-the-star-of-a-winsome-idiot.html?scp=28&sq=Forrest%20Gump&st=cse

In 1994, a movie came along about a man of low intelligence who happens to hit a few lucky breaks, weaving himself in and out of the timeline of American history, and into the hearts of millions of movie-goers. That man was Forrest. Forrest Gump.

For the month of February, I’ll be focusing episode topics on historical and pop culture references in the movie. Ones you may have missed when watching the film because of the overwhelming emotion attached to every scene, or ones you may only be familiar with on the surface.

In this episode, we’ll be talking about the advances in medicine that made Lieutenant Dan’s new legs possible, from the beginnings in ancient times, through the advances made in the field following World War 2 and through today.

I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Prosthetics.

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKFKRuWwgjg 

Music for Makers

Sources:

http://www.acpoc.org/newsletters-and-journals/1976_05_015.asp

http://www.livescience.com/4555-world-prosthetic-egyptian-mummy-fake-toe.html

https://www.historiclewes.org/news/19th-century-prosthetic-leg

http://www.wired.co.uk/article/darpa-creates-feeling-prosthetic-arm

https://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2011/11/five-musicians-with-missing-and-damaged-fingers.html

http://www.karlofgermany.com/Goetz.htm

http://foundationsoftechweeblysiteproject.weebly.com/timeline.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4128433/

http://www.islandpacket.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/david-lauderdale/article33436038.html

http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/osiris.html

https://todayinsci.com/Events/Patent/ArtificialLeg37637.htm

http://www.livescience.com/43125-man-gets-first-bionic-hand-that-feels.html

In 1994, a movie came along about a man of low intelligence who happens to hit a few lucky breaks, weaving himself in and out of the timeline of American history, and into the hearts of millions of movie-goers. That man was Forrest. Forrest Gump.

For the month of February, I'll be focusing episode topics on historical and pop culture references in the movie. Ones you may have missed when watching the film because of the overwhelming emotion attached to every scene, or ones you may only be familiar with on the surface.

In this episode, we'll talk about the $45 drawing that was meant to boost morale in a company, and how that design became so ubiquitous, it's seen all over the world, including on our phones in the form of emojis.

I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind The Smiley Face.

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOHr85z9k64

Music for Makers

Sources:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/who-really-invented-the-smiley-face-2058483/

http://www.smileycompany.com/smile/history/

http://www.smiley.com/

http://www.legacy.com/news/culture-and-trends/article/10-things-about-harvey-ball-and-his-famous-smiley-face

In 1994, a movie came along about a man of low intelligence who happens to hit a few lucky breaks, weaving himself in and out of the timeline of American history, and into the hearts of millions of movie-goers. That man was Forrest. Forrest Gump.

For the month of February, I’ll be focusing episode topics on historical and pop culture references in the movie. Ones you may have missed when watching the film because of the overwhelming emotion attached to every scene, or ones you may only be familiar with on the surface.

In this episode, we’ll be talking about the song that seemed to be inspired when Forrest Gump and John Lennon appeared on the Dick Cavett Show. It was as if you could see the gears turning in Lennon’s head as Forrest explained to him what China was like, and the beginnings of Lennon’s most successful single from his solo career.

I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Imagine.

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWD8YI1Mqhs 

Music for Makers

Sources:

http://www.biography.com/news/john-lennon-imagine-song-facts

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-20110407/john-lennon-imagine-20110516

http://www.rebeatmag.com/9-myths-about-john-lennon-and-the-far-more-interesting-truths/

http://www.biography.com/people/john-lennon-9379045#early-life

http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/attractions/strawberry-fields.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jan/03/cee-lo-green-john-lennon

http://www.chestnuthilllocal.com/2012/05/17/john-lennons-imagine-meets-the-dsm/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/12/john-lennon-closing-ceremony-imagine-olympics_n_1770882.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagine_(John_Lennon_song)#Charts_and_certifications

https://secondhandsongs.com/work/5917/versions#nav-entity

https://web.archive.org/web/20121014153533/http://www.theprovince.com/entertainment/Today+Music+History/7345666/story.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-396625/John-Lennons-Imagine-banned-school-anti-religious-lyrics.html

http://www.john-lennon.com/imaginebanned.htm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/719027/Liverpool-Airport-to-be-renamed-after-Lennon.html

In 1994, a movie came along about a man of low intelligence who happens to hit a few lucky breaks, weaving himself in and out of the timeline of American history, and into the hearts of millions of movie-goers. That man is Forrest. Forrest Gump.

For the month of February, I’ll be focusing episode topics on historical and pop culture references in the movie. Ones you may have missed when watching the film because of the overwhelming emotion attached to every scene, or ones you may only be familiar with on the surface.

In this episode, we’ll be talking about the popular victorian parlor sport and how it led to the first Americans visiting China in 20 years, breaking what was known as the bamboo curtain.

I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Ping-Pong.

The role of Premier Zhou En-lai was played by Fear from Fearcast and FYFCast.

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvJ4wh1kwR8

Music for Makers

Sources:

https://www.killerspin.com/blog/table-tennis-through-time-a-brief-history-of-ping-pong/

https://www.killerspin.com/the-history-of-table-tennis

http://www.athleticscholarships.net/history-of-table-tennis.htm

https://www.olympic.org/table-tennis-equipment-and-history

http://www.pongworld.com/more/history.shtml

http://www.businessinsider.com/dartmouth-beer-pong-guide-2013-11

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/26/drinking-games-beer-pong_n_4855917.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/china/peopleevents/pande07.html

http://www.history.com/news/ping-pong-diplomacy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUOiJOqrHlI

http://www.avclub.com/article/tom-hanks-had-some-cgi-help-his-forrest-gump-ping--235793

http://articles.latimes.com/1994-07-10/entertainment/ca-14048_1_gary-sinise

https://storify.com/kendrakahn/how-cgi-technology-allowed-forrest-gump-meet-john

In 1994, a movie came along about a man of low intelligence who happens to hit a few lucky breaks, weaving himself in and out of the timeline of American history, and into the hearts of millions of movie-goers. That man was Forrest. Forrest Gump.

For the month of February, I’ll be focusing episode topics on historical and pop culture references in the movie. Ones you may have missed when watching the film because of the overwhelming emotion attached to every scene, or ones you may only be familiar with on the surface.

In this episode, we’ll be talking about Forrest’s favorite and America’s oldest major soft drink. Beginning as a wellness tonic in a drugstore in Waco, Texas, its flavors are hard to pinpoint, exactly.

I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Dr Pepper.

Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Check out #PodernFamily on Twitter to find other great indie podcasts like this one.

If you enjoy podcasts about history, literature, archeology, and the arts, check out the hashtag #HumanitiesPodcasts on Twitter to find more podcasts like this one.

Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSEdBNslGOk

Music for Makers

Sources:

http://www.drpeppermuseum.com/about-us/history-of-dr--pepper.aspx

http://mentalfloss.com/article/67514/11-things-you-might-not-know-about-dr-pepper

http://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/1975/september/dr-pepper-takes-on-coke/

https://www.drpeppersnapplegroup.com/company/history

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/solved-mystery-of-dr-peppers-secret-recipe-1679012.html

http://inventors.about.com/od/famousinventors/fl/The-History-of-Dr-Pepper.htm

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/02/dr-pepper-is-the-oldest-major-soft-drink-in-the-united-states/

https://www.drpeppersnapplegroup.com/company/history

http://theroanoker.com/interests/history/one-year-in-roanoke%3A-1957/