One of my favorite compliments I get about The Story Behind book is that people love reading it in the bathroom. At first, people seem embarrassed to tell me this, but in the introductory chapter of the book, I put a PS at the end that says, “I won’t be offended if you read it in the bathroom.. So, in case you want to bring the book into the bathroom or you just want something to think about for those awkward moments you find yourself in a stall without any reading material, this episode is for you.

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 Toilet Paper.

The role of Johnny Carson was played by Chris Nesi from House of EdTech.

• 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

Sources:

• EVER WONDERED about the history of toilet paper? - Washington Post
• Toilet Paper History: How America Convinced the World to Wipe - Mental Floss
• The History of Toilet Paper, Explained - Boxed
• What Did People Use Before Toilet Paper? - Mental Floss
• Did ohnny Carson cause a toilet paper shortage in 1973 after making a joke on The Tonight Show? - Snopes
• History Of Toilet Paper - ToiletPaperHistory.net
• The History of Toilet Paper - AngelSoft.com
• History of Toilet Paper - Charmin.com

Referenced:

• How Sears Mail-Order Catalogs Undermined Jim Crow Racism - Chicago Tribune