Underunderstood

Underunderstood

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There are questions the internet just can't answer. But that doesn't mean we can't find them. On each episode of Underunderstood, we find a question the internet can’t answer — maybe it’s a dead-end Wikipedia page, an abandoned Reddit thread, or an unanswered question on Twitter — and we fill in the gaps. It’s part chat show, part documentary, and almost always surprising.

Update + LIVE show!

Update + LIVE show!

It's been a while! We have a quick update about our schedule, plus details about our first-ever LIVE SHOW! Underunderstood LiveTuesday August 1, 2023, 7pmCaveat, NYC (21+)Tickets (both live and virtual!) at Caveat's website

Jun 26, 2023 • 7:23

Big Ideas Lost to Mini Rooms

Big Ideas Lost to Mini Rooms

Hollywood is stockpiling scripts for full seasons of unreleased television shows. Are they throwing them out or saving them for a rainy day? Want to support the show? Become a patron at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/underunderstood⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Have a mystery? Email hello@underunderstood.com or leave a voicemail at 212-994-4882‬. Show notes: Why Are TV Writers So Miserable? (The New Yorker) Hollywood Writers Strike (Democracy Now!)  Film and TV writers are striking (CNN) Writers strike focuses on

May 18, 2023 • 46:45

Even If It's Fake, It's Real

Even If It's Fake, It's Real

Sometimes the truth is stranger than the hoax. Want to support the show? Become a patron at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/underunderstood⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Have a mystery? Email hello@underunderstood.com or leave a voicemail at 212-994-4882‬. Show notes: even if it's fake it's real (sippey.com) Street View Birth (Andy Wyeth) turning random internet drama into songs, part 2 (Twitter) Lubalin on TikTok  Meet The Musician Turning Random Internet Drama Into TikTok Bops (Buzzfeed News)

May 10, 2023 • 32:41

The Other Masked Magician

The Other Masked Magician

John revisits a wild pitch about a mysterious television performer. Want to support the show? Become a patron at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/underunderstood⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Have a mystery? Email hello@underunderstood.com or leave a voicemail at 212-994-4882‬. Show notes: The first special (YouTube) 2002 thread on The Magic Cafe It's No Secret (Chicago Tribune, 1998) The unmasking (YouTube) The Masked Magician on Diagnosis Murder (YouTube) Virginia Magicians Sue Fox TV To Stop Revelation of Se

May 3, 2023 • 32:15

What's the Deal With Airport Food?

What's the Deal With Airport Food?

There’s a formula that dictates restaurant prices in New York City airports. Adrianne digs into what does — and doesn’t — add up. Want to support the show? Become a patron at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/underunderstood⁠⁠⁠⁠ Have a mystery? Email hello@underunderstood.com or leave a voicemail at 212-994-4882‬. Show notes: Cooper Lund's tweet Concessionaire Street Pricing Manual (PDF) The Cibo Express website Why Does a Plastic-Wrapped Turkey Sandwich Cost $15 at the Airport? (Hell Gate)

Apr 26, 2023 • 42:26

Hunting for Manhunt

Hunting for Manhunt

An obscure pro wrestling-adjacent reality show from 2001 was mired in scandal. Was it really rigged? Want to support the show? Become a patron at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/underunderstood⁠⁠⁠⁠. Have a mystery? Email hello@underunderstood.com or leave a voicemail at 212-994-4882‬. Show notes: Another Reality TV Show Is Under Fire (New York Times) Manhunt on IMDB The Stingray (Wayback Machine) Twenty-One (Wikipedia) Prohibited practices in contests of knowledge, skill, or chance (FCC) JK’s l

Apr 19, 2023 • 55:22

MTV Cribs or MTV Fibs?

MTV Cribs or MTV Fibs?

Billy shares a new (old) segment, we examine how real MTV Cribs was, and an important update about the missing broccoli game! Want to support the show? Become a patron at ⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/underunderstood⁠⁠⁠. Have a mystery? Email hello@underunderstood.com or leave a voicemail at 212-994-4882‬. Show notes: (02:56) MTV Cribs Inside Travis Barker's Surprisingly Tranquil Calabasas Abode (Architectural Digest) 'I'm Into Cadillacs' Travis Barker's Home & Car Collecti

Apr 5, 2023 • 48:00

Did Daft Punk Record ‘Pee is Stored in the Balls?’

Did Daft Punk Record ‘Pee is Stored in the Balls?’

Billy helps a listener uncover the true origins of a popular unreleased song. Want to support the show? Become a patron at ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/underunderstood⁠⁠. Have a mystery? Email hello@underunderstood.com or leave a voicemail at 212-994-4882‬. Show notes: Daft Punk – Pee Is Stored In The Balls (Full Unreleased Demo) (YouTube) Pee is Stored in the Balls (Know Your Meme) What’s the Deal With Boners? (Cosmopolitan) Daft Punk’s ‘Random Access Memories’ leaks online (The Verge) Daft

Mar 29, 2023 • 42:16

Mail Time!

Mail Time!

We take listener calls and emails about lost video games, plus a Triscuit update. Want to support the show? Become a patron at ⁠https://patreon.com/underunderstood⁠. Have a mystery? Email hello@underunderstood.com or leave a voicemail at 212-994-4882‬. Show notes: Slope Rider Slope Rider official website iOS Emulation Finally Cracked – Stop Skeletons From Fighting (YouTube) touchHLE, a high-level emulator for iPhone OS applications Timecoded link to ad in 2009 Apple event (YouTube) Mont

Mar 22, 2023 • 44:25

What happened to Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom?

What happened to Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom?

Billy helps a listener return to VMK, the online world where they remember “learning all the bad words.” Want to support the show? Become a patron at https://patreon.com/underunderstood. Have a mystery? Email hello@underunderstood.com or leave a voicemail at 212-994-4882‬. Show notes: Expedition Theme Park’s video about VMK (YouTube) Sam from Expedition Theme Park also has a new podcast called Expedition Enthused One Name, Two Games: Virtual Magic Kingdom (Pop History) Habbo Hotel promoti

Mar 15, 2023 • 51:18

Why Is It Called a Triscuit?

Why Is It Called a Triscuit?

Writer Sage Boggs thought he discovered why Triscuit is called Triscuit. But the cracker brand has a confusing and mysterious relationship with its own name. A rough version of this story originally ran on our bonus podcast, Overunderstood. This updated version contains some new information and reporting. Want to support the show? Become a patron at https://patreon.com/underunderstood. Have a mystery? Email hello@underunderstood.com or leave a voicemail at 212-994-4882‬. Show notes: Sage’s v

Mar 8, 2023 • 39:28

More Than Just A Friend

More Than Just A Friend

Billy helps a listener track down a forgotten collaboration between Mario and Biz Markie. Want to support the show? Become a patron at https://patreon.com/underunderstood. Have a mystery? Email hello@underunderstood.com or leave a voicemail at 212-994-4882‬. Show notes: Mandela Effect (Wikipedia) Mario – Just A Friend (YouTube) Biz Markie – Just A Friend (YouTube) Biz Markie performing at The Apollo (YouTube) Freddie Scott – (You) Got What I Need (YouTube) Miley Cyrus – The Climb (You

Mar 1, 2023 • 34:33

Raisin Suspicion

Raisin Suspicion

A Redditor starts receiving boxes full of 1980s memorabilia from the long-defunct California Raisins Fan Club. Who is sending this raisin mail? A different version of this story previously appeared in our bonus feed, Overunderstood. If you've already heard that episode, there's a lot of new material in this one. Want to support the show? Become a patron at https://patreon.com/underunderstood. Have a mystery? Email hello@underunderstood.com or leave a voicemail at 212-994-4882‬. Show notes: T

Feb 22, 2023 • 1:08:48

Tough Calls

Tough Calls

We hear a message from a listener about a scam call. Then, Adrianne runs after a curious message on a city bus. Want to support the show? Become a patron at https://patreon.com/underunderstood. Have a mystery? Email hello@underunderstood.com or leave a voicemail at 212-994-4882‬. Show notes: How Can I Verify If a Debt Collector Is Legitimate? (CFPB) "EMERGENCY CALL POLICE" on MTA Bus Destination (Reddit) Bus with signs reading “Emergency! Call police” and “Help! Call 911”? (Reddit) Bus Me

Feb 15, 2023 • 38:41

How Far Is Tattoo Far: Real or Fake?

How Far Is Tattoo Far: Real or Fake?

A listener question sends Billy on a deep dive into an MTV reality show. Want to support the show? Become a patron at https://patreon.com/underunderstood. Have a mystery? Email hello@underunderstood.com or leave a voicemail at 212-994-4882‬. Show notes: A Deep Dive into ‘Just Tattoo of Us’, the Greatest Show on British Television – Vice ‘Just Tattoo of Us’ Is the Best Worst Show on TV – The Wrap Just Tattoo of Us: like getting waterboarded by a Ministry of Sound compilation – The Guardian

Feb 8, 2023 • 56:01

Sleuth Songs

Sleuth Songs

Who sang the Cole Porter songs in the 1972 film "Sleuth"? This is an episode of our bonus patron-only show, Overunderstood. To support the show and hear Overunderstood every week, join our Patreon! Show notes: Sleuth (Wikipedia) Sleuth (IMDb) The Sleuth Saga Carries On (Reddit) The scene in question (YouTube) Cole Porter sings "Anything Goes" (YouTube) Thread on the Soundtrack Collector forum Massive thread on the IMDb 2.1 forum "One More Kiss, Dear" (YouTube) A page of the Sleuth cue

Apr 26, 2022 • 48:06

I Want My MTV Dial Position Sticker

I Want My MTV Dial Position Sticker

John goes on a quest to find a sticker that may or may not have existed. Support Underunderstood and get our bonus podcast by joining our Patreon! Show notes: 04:00 – Mark Goodman and the dial position sticker (YouTube) 07:12 – MTV Your Favorite Music Promo (YouTube) 07:56 – Worthpoint 14:12 – Our theme song and other music is available to stream 22:45 – Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! commercial voiced by Jan Gabriel (YouTube) 26:54 – A detailed discussion about this setup and MTV specifically

Apr 12, 2022 • 40:58

One More Thing… Deodorant

One More Thing… Deodorant

Billy investigates a theory that Apple products are packaged with a signature fragrance. Want to join us for "the world's largest trivia contest"? Visit https://underunderstood.com/trivia to sign up. Support Underunderstood and get our bonus podcast by joining our Patreon! Show notes: 02:00 – Kevin Purdy 02:10 – iFixit 02:22 – Carbon Switch 02:26 – ImportYeti 02:39 – #importyeti on TikTok 04:14 – Apple on ImportYeti 04:34 – GrandPerspective 09:50 – H.S. Code: 330720 Personal Deodorants

Mar 29, 2022 • 46:30

Mystery Sounds + Some Personal News

Mystery Sounds + Some Personal News

We were honored to be guests on Twenty Thousand Hertz’s annual Mystery Sound competition, where the four of us competed to name a variety of obscure sounds. We’re sharing that episode now. Plus, some personal news! Twenty Thousand Hertz tells the stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds. Listen in your favorite podcast app. Support Underunderstood and listen to over 60 episodes of our bonus podcast by joining our Patreon! For updates on how to join us for the world’s l

Mar 15, 2022 • 42:53

2-for-1: Pursuit and Pizza

2-for-1: Pursuit and Pizza

An end of the year two-part episode! First, where do Trivial Pursuit questions come from? And then, why is it so hard to find a Pizza Hut Classic? Show notes: Trivial Pusuit 02:53 – The Ultimate List of Every Trivial Pursuit Version Ever Created (Trivia Bliss) 04:28 – My life as a Trivial Pursuit question writer (Darryn King) 12:45 – Fred Worth's appeal after losing a copyright case against Trivial Pursuit (Justia) 16:43 – Not-so-trivial errors (BoardGameGeek) Pizza Hut Classic 24:40 – U

Dec 21, 2021 • 47:46

Lou Pearlman Tried to Send a Boy Band to Space

Lou Pearlman Tried to Send a Boy Band to Space

These pop singers thought they were going to be the first band in space. What happened? Support the show and listen to over 50 episodes of our bonus podcast by joining our Patreon! Show notes: 02:50 – NASA on mission to planet pop (New Scientist) 04:57 – Put Your Arms Around Me (Natural/YouTube) 06:32 – I Love the USA (Weezer/YouTube) 11:45 – Steve Kipner 15:35 – Claire's press release 19:48 – Journalism about Lou Pearlman from The New Yorke

Nov 23, 2021 • 47:38

California License Plate 2SAM564

California License Plate 2SAM564

Why has the same California license plate been showing up in movies and TV shows for two decades? Support the show and listen to over 50 episodes of our bonus podcast by joining our Patreon! Show notes: 01:39 – Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Villains" episode 02:16 – The Xandermobile 02:54 – A113 summary 03:43 – Screengrab of the plate in "A Star Is Born" 04:11 – Screengrab from "Matchstick Men" 04:52 – Screengrab from "Ray Donovan" 04:59 – "Furious 7" scene with 2SAM564 06:21 – Flim 26

Nov 9, 2021 • 37:31

Chief Laugh Officer

Chief Laugh Officer

Laffy Taffy created a dream joke writing job. But is it real? Support the show and listen to over 50 episodes of our bonus podcast by joining our Patreon! Show notes: 00:56 - Laffy Taffy - Wikipedia 01:50 - PDF of Laffy Taffy jokes - mrclegg.com 02:40 - Depressing Laffy Taffy joke - Reddit 03:53 - com4tablynumb1's post - Reddit 04:50 - com4tablynumb1's photo - Imgur 05:46 - Laffy Taffy Is Having a Joke Contest - Thrillist 07:50 - Nick Cannon's annoucement video - Facebook 08:27 -

Oct 26, 2021 • 39:10

Who Is John, the Psychic Santa from The Circle?

Who Is John, the Psychic Santa from The Circle?

The Circle is back for Season 2, and there's a mysterious catfish named John. Who is this "full time psychic, part time Santa"? This is an episode of Overunderstood, our Patrons-only feed. To get a new episode every week (even between Underunderstood seasons!), visit patreon.com/underunderstood. We're working on season 5 of Underunderstood! Stay tuned to our Twitter and Instagram for updates on when we'll be back. Show notes: The Circle on Netflix Season 2 Trailer (YouTube) Pimeyes Kris Kri

Jun 3, 2021 • 29:36

Announcement: Join us for the legendary 90FM trivia contest

Announcement: Join us for the legendary 90FM trivia contest

Underunderstood is recruiting a team for the legendary 90FM Stevens Point TRIVIA! contest. It’s a three-day event from April 16-18 where teams from anywhere compete to answer arcane, nearly un-Googleable trivia questions.If you’re interested in participating with Underunderstood’s team, email us at hello@underunderstood.com with the subject “Trivia,” and we’ll add you to a special Discord channel and set you up with all the details you need. The article and video that started it all (“it” being

Apr 13, 2021 • 4:34

The Most Popular Snoopy Quote in Japan

The Most Popular Snoopy Quote in Japan

Adrianne tries to understand the associations around the cartoon beagle in Japan. If you like the show, support us on Patreon and get access to our bonus show, Overunderstood. Show notes: 01:49 – Hello, Habits: A Minimalist’s Guide to a Better Life (Fumio Sasaki) 04:35 – Peanuts – October 4, 1991 10:28 – Mia Sato 11:40 – ‘PEANUTS’ Celebrates 70 Years With Limited Heinz Ketchup Bottles 11:58 – Instagram account tracking Snoopy collabs 11:58 – Snoopy Japan blog 13:30 – The Highest-Paid

Apr 6, 2021 • 34:17

Side Quests: Tampons, iCarly, and Fruit Snacks

Side Quests: Tampons, iCarly, and Fruit Snacks

A few “side quests” from our inbox: tampons in the freezer, a missing iCarly cover, and some long lost fruit snacks. If you like the show, support us on Patreon and get access to our bonus show, Overunderstood. Tampons in the freezer 01:33 – Thread on ShittyGifRecipes 07:50 – Janelle Flom 09:02 – Wig (about :49 seconds in) 09:25 – Credit cards?! (About :54 seconds in) 11:30 – TikTok divided over video of woman’s revenge on fellow plane passenger (Yahoo) The missing Miranda Cosgrove cov

Mar 23, 2021 • 38:37

The Origins of Oranges and Door Hinges

The Origins of Oranges and Door Hinges

Why is Eminem getting credit for a rhyme a Canadian puppet did first? If you like the show, support us on Patreon and get access to our bonus show, Overunderstood. Show notes: 00:51 – Adrianne’s story on featured snippets 02:07 – Screenshot of 1st search 02:10 – Screenshot of 2nd search 03:01 – Rhymetime With Eminem | YouTube 04:51 – Under the Umbrella Tree | Wikipedia 05:28 – Summer 1993 Disney Channel Commercial Breaks | YouTube 07:02 – Lena Dunham on Here’s the Thing 09:00 – What w

Mar 16, 2021 • 44:45

A Conspiracy Theory About Area Codes

A Conspiracy Theory About Area Codes

Adrianne tries to deconstruct how a big city got a seemingly low-prestige area code. If you like the show, support us on Patreon and get access to our bonus show, Overunderstood. Show notes: 02:41 – LincMad.com 04:00 - Adrianne says here that Idaho got area code 702. This is not correct!! Idaho got 208. We regret the error. 04:43 – The rotary dial demonstrated in an AT&T video from around the time area codes were added 07:41 – AT&T, or Atlantic Telephone and Telegraph, was a monop

Mar 9, 2021 • 41:40

How Cool Ranch Doritos Got Cooler

How Cool Ranch Doritos Got Cooler

John pieces together the definitive timeline of when Cool Ranch Doritos became Cooler Ranch Doritos. If you like the show, support us on Patreon and get access to our bonus show, Overunderstood. Show notes: 01:19 – Mandela Effect on Snopes 01:31 – Doritos on Wikipedia 02:51 – Doritos' Long, Slow Descent Into Madness 05:07 – John's bag 14:57 – SNAC International 16:00 – Doritos Nacho Cheesier commerical 22:30 – taquitos.net 24:58 – Jeremy's Cooler Ranch review 29:50 – Woman Recrea

Mar 2, 2021 • 44:10

Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute

Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute

The storied history of a United States Forest Service mascot, and why the government wanted him incinerated. This is an updated version of an episode of Overunderstood, our bonus podcast available exclusively to Patreon subscribers. It's $5 a month to become a member, and you get an episode of Overunderstood every week, as well as access to our community Discord server, virtual events, and other bonus perks. Show notes: Where it all began (Symbols.gov via Archive.org) Boing Boing post from 20

Feb 23, 2021 • 47:21

How Long Does Lipstick Last on a Dead Body?

How Long Does Lipstick Last on a Dead Body?

If you unearth a body after seven years, will the makeup still be there? If you like the show, support us on Patreon and get access to our bonus show, Overunderstood. Show notes: 0:46 – ‘My Year of Rest and Relaxation’ by Ottessa Moshfegh 1:00 – Ottessa Moshfegh 1:39 – Rouge Dior 999 1:59 – Can One Red Lipstick Really Look Good On Everyone? 2:50 – Thierry Mugler 3:18 – The Compounds in Red Lipstick 7:10 – Rouge Di

Feb 16, 2021 • 36:45

Why Is This Sheriff Arresting Fire TV Sellers?

Why Is This Sheriff Arresting Fire TV Sellers?

An 88-year-old is being charged with a felony after selling "jailbroke firesticks" at a Florida flea market. If you like the show, support us on Patreon and get access to our bonus show, Overunderstood. Show notes: 00:56 – Sheriff Grady Judd - Wikipedia 02:59 – Amazon Fire TV Stick - Wikipedia 03:50 – iOS Jailbreaking 04:22 – Rooting (Android) - Wikipedia 09:33 – VPN - Wikipedia 11:45 – F.S.S. 812.15 - Unauthorized reception of

Feb 9, 2021 • 45:37

Jeff Goldblum’s Secret Tattoo

Jeff Goldblum’s Secret Tattoo

A listener emails Underunderstood: "Jeff Goldblum has a tattoo in Jurrassic Park - no one noticed, no one can identify. Help!" Show notes: 01:20 – Clip of Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) with the flare in Jurassic Park 06:50 – The Reddit post 08:50 – Jeff Goldblum’s community number 10:22 – Correction: The word “tattoo” does show up in Jurassic Park, the book once. Quote: “We got another hadro dead. Juvenile.” Muldoon bent down among the flies and checked the skin on the sole of the right foo

Feb 2, 2021 • 43:32

Does Anyone Remember this Robot Vegetable Band?

Does Anyone Remember this Robot Vegetable Band?

Why does no one remember a set of singing vegetables from an Oklahoma grocery store in the 80s? We have a Patreon now! Sign up to support the show and get access to our bonus podcast, Overunderstood. Show notes: 01:27 - Homeland on Wikipedia 02:45 - Stew Leonard's on Wikipedia 05:46 - Matt's Reddit post 06:45 - Melody Farm Follies on YouTube 06:45 - Melody Farm Follies on YouTube 13:06 - An incredible promo video for Big Fresh 13:15 - Animatronics at Big Fresh 13:40 - Jungle Jim's

Dec 15, 2020 • 47:22

The Case of the Blah Blah Blahs

The Case of the Blah Blah Blahs

A famous datset of Reuters articles from the 1980s includes “Blah blah blah.” in place of some stories. Why? We have a Patreon now! Sign up to support the show and get access to our bonus podcast, Overunderstood. Show notes: 00:31 - The link Jess sent 8:31 - SGML 8:46 - This is what the blahs look like and this is what all the entries look like. 24:00 - FTP 24:34 - Linguistic Data Consortium 29:00 - RCV1 at NIST and David D. Lewis’s README 30:22 - Construe-TIS: A System for Content-

Dec 8, 2020 • 36:32

Closing the Loop on China's Mystery Seeds

Closing the Loop on China's Mystery Seeds

What ever happened with those mysterious seeds that were showing up in U.S. mailboxes? 00:33 - Michigan Department of Agriculture tweet 03:10 - USDA answers frequently asked questions about the mystery seeds, including “What should I do if I already planted the seeds?” 02:30 - Facebook post from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development 03:52 - Invasive species are no joke!!!! 04:50 - As of this writing, Snopes said there was no motive determined for the seed shipment

Nov 24, 2020 • 43:08

The One About the Masked Singer

The One About the Masked Singer

Billy digs into how The Masked Singer got a studio audience to show up during COVID. If you like the show and want access to our bonus feed, Overunderstood, join our Patreon for $5 a month: patreon.com/underunderstood Show notes: 00:35 - The Masked Singer (Wikipedia) 02:29 - King of Mask Singer (Wikipedia) 05:00 - After the Mask - May 6, 2020 (YouTube) 05:07 - The Masked Singer s04e01 (Tubi) - skip to 1m5s to see the clip we're talking about 08:43 - FOX MLB virtual fans (YouTube) 08:5

Nov 17, 2020 • 42:05

Justice for Jocko

Justice for Jocko

An unsolved mystery from our members-only podcast, Overunderstood. You can sign up and get access at patreon.com/underunderstood. 1:50 - Unfriendly Chimp Stolen From Cage In Central Park (NYT) - March 6, 1970 4:24 - Thief Says A Rare Bird Needed Love (NYT) — July 14, 1999 and Rare Bird Is Back in Hand, and So Is a Suspect (NYT) — January 28. 1999 6:31 - History of Central Park Zoos. There are no chimps today. 9:34 - Found a relevant crime, with a very different ending, while uploading these

Nov 10, 2020 • 36:11

Tom and Gerry

Tom and Gerry

Regina searches for the true story behind a sexist remark. Show notes: 00:40 - This is Geraldine Ferraro's Wikipedia page. 0:52 - And this is Walter Mondale's. 01:21 - This episode published on November 4, 2020, which is election day in the United States for the 2020 Presidential election. 01:31 - The 2020 Democratic National Convention kicked off on August 17, 2020. It was technically in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but because of the Coronavirus pandemic it was a mostly virtual event. 03:15 - E

Nov 3, 2020 • 35:17

The Guacfather

The Guacfather

The origin story of a wobbly toy with a peculiar name. We have a Patreon now! Members get access to Overunderstood, our bonus podcast. Check it out at patreon.com/underunderstood. Show Notes: 1:47 - Nickelodeon's Wild & Crazy Kids Gwok Ball on Dailymotion 4:26 - Google Books Ngram Viewer results for "guac" 4:57 - Maureen Down piece from the New York Times Magazine, May 29, 1994: The Lost Quayle Diaries 5:27 - The New York Times, January 22, 1997: Snacks to Fix in Super Bowl Timeouts 6:

Oct 27, 2020 • 31:13

May Contain Up To 60% Peanuts

May Contain Up To 60% Peanuts

The FDA gets salty. 0:01 - Underunderstood is on Patreon. THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who subscribed so far! 4:50 - TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SUBCHAPTER B--FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION PART 164 -- TREE NUT AND PEANUT PRODUCTS Subpart B--Requirements for Specific Standardized Tree Nut and Peanut Products Sec. 164.110 Mixed nuts. 7:15 - People on YouTube like counting nuts: Planters Mixed Nuts - Less Than 50% Peanut

Oct 20, 2020 • 34:35

Amazon's Next Top Model

Amazon's Next Top Model

Once a photo gets on the internet, it could end up anywhere. 0:01 - We have a Patreon now! 2:13 - Product on Amazon 4:10 - Billy's tweet 4:22 - Hellicus's tweet 4:48 - Ryan Broderick 7:00 - CCbeauty's webpage 10:00 - HDcrafter link 1 11:20 - HDcrafter link 2 12:53 - Buzzfeed article 14:33 - Medium account 15:29 - About.me page 17:18 - Mr. Sparkle 25:53 - The guy who replaced Ryan is everywhere 26:46 - iFlashDeal bib 28:26 - Buzzfeed article translated into Chinese

Oct 13, 2020 • 43:06

Is This Podcast Dead?

Is This Podcast Dead?

Underunderstood returns October 13, 2020.Show notes: A Reddit theory about our absence Music from Underunderstood - Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music A fan dances to our theme song on TikTok

Aug 26, 2020 • 3:47

The One About The Circle

The One About The Circle

Adrianne tries to figure out if there is a right way to play Netflix’s awkward social media game. 10:08 - Social Learning and Coordination in High-Stakes Games: Evidence from Friend or Foe 11:55 - Friend or Foe clip - YouTube 15:35 - Shubham Goel for Governor 2018 and video of Shubham’s campaign speech - Instagram 19:15 - Shubham's diagram 21:44 - Here's Why Richard Hatch Won't Be on Survivor's All-Winners Season - Men's Health 23:24 - The Winner of The Circle Opens Up About Life IRL -

Feb 10, 2020 • 35:51

The Pittsburgh Potty

The Pittsburgh Potty

Why do so many Pennsylvania homes have freestanding toilets in their unfinished basements? 01:21 - Pittsburgh toilet - Wikipedia 02:44 - The dual toilets at Cloister Cafe - Yelp 04:19 - Peculiar Pittsburgh: The Pittsburgh potty ... explained - YouTube 06:50 - Documenting The Pittsburgh Potty - 90.5 WESA 07:46 - The original version of this story misidentified this quote. It's from realtor Stephen Cummings. 08:11 - Slavery in Pittsburgh - Popular Pittsburgh 11:33 - Architect Offers Explan

Jan 28, 2020 • 21:13

A Tale of Two Billies

A Tale of Two Billies

Is H&M using Billie Eilish to greenwash? 01:19 - H&M Now Sells Billie Eilish Merch — & It's Sustainable - Refinery29 03:05 - Sustainable Fashion on Wikipedia 04:29 - A copy H&M's press release 05:15 - Greenwashing on Wikipedia 05:49 - H&M's Billie Eilish collection 05:53 - H&M's Conscious Collection 06:20 - Here are some of the publications that called this line sustainable: Teen Vogue, MTV.com, Mic, WWD, NME 10:56 - "Is Billie Eilish's line at H&M sust

Jan 21, 2020 • 37:07

Toilet Seat Blues

Toilet Seat Blues

Add “Smurf butt” to the list of things to expect when you’re expecting. 00:43 - Maile's original email included this article. 01:45 - When jeans bleed onto your skin, you can tell. 03:40 - According to a study done at Johns Hopkins there is a correlation between heartburn and hairiness. The heartburn is due to estrogen causing the esophageal sphincter to relax, which allows stomach acid to splash up into the esophagus. That estrogen is also responsible for hair growth in the developing baby.

Jan 14, 2020 • 25:45

Grab Bag

Grab Bag

We’ve done 12 stories so far, and since we first published them there have been some updates, and new details have emerged. Today we’re rounding those up. Where’s My Chile? 3:50 - Elitech RC-4 Temperature Data Logger Recorder with External Temperature Sensor 7:50 - Ben Chapman and Don Schaffner of the Food Safety Talk podcast Underunderwear 10:26 - Chris' custom undies 10:34 - Here's a stock graphic that breaks it all down for you. Recorded for Awesomeness 14:22 - A screenshot of Yelp'

Jan 7, 2020 • 26:09

The Incredible Shrinking Cap’n

The Incredible Shrinking Cap’n

00:22 - Cap'n Crunch was created by Pamela Low in 1963. 01:50 - Urban Dictionary defines Cap'n Crunch Mouth as "When the roof of your mouth gets all torn up after eating Cap'n Crunch or some other rough food." 02:23 - Underunderstood: The 9/11 Hoax That Wasn't 03:15 - The Try Guys: Eugene Ranks The Most Popular Cereals 07:11 - A collection of tweets claiming Cap'n Crunch has shrunk 08:21 - My Brother, My Brother and Me 16:20 - Partially hydrogenated oils (or PHOs) were deemed to be no

Dec 17, 2019 • 36:07

43 Years in Biscuitville

43 Years in Biscuitville

A small town fights for internet justice by boycotting biscuits. 2:23 - LulaRoe Defective Fail on Facebook 3:29 - Biscuitville page on Wikipedia 4:51 - Petition: BRING ABED HASSAN BACK on Change.org 13:53 - The First Pizzaville vs. The First Biscuitville 17:47 - Biscuitville announces a new president 18:56 - Jim Metevier (LinkedIn) 19:59 - Zaxby's (BONUS: Zaxby’s made it on My Brother My Brother and Me’s Munch Squad segment.) 21:48 - Mountain Mike's announces a new president

Dec 10, 2019 • 25:45

Brave Dot Com

Brave Dot Com

How a misfit polka band scored a premium spot on the World Wide Web in 1995. 0:35 - "The Verge is an ambitious multimedia effort founded in 2011 to examine how technology will change life in the future for a massive mainstream audience." (The Verge) 4:05 - More Brave Combo accolades are on their Wikipedia page 4:11 - Bob Dylan's version of Brave Combo's polka arrangement of "Must Be Santa" (YouTube) 6:53 - Domain Name Journal 8:11 - What Brave.com/bo looked like in 1998 (Wayback Machine)

Dec 3, 2019 • 28:49

What Happened To the McFlurry?

What Happened To the McFlurry?

McFlurries aren't what they used to be. Why did McDonald's stop stirring them? Show notes: 2:29 - McFlurry demo (YouTube) 6:40 - Adrianne's McFlurry 8:40 - Why Is the McFlurry Machine Down Again? (WSJ) 9:07 - Ice Check 10:10 - Are McFlurry's supposed to be mixed? (Reddit) 12:08 - On the Clock: What Low-Wage Work Did to Me and How It Drives America Insane 15:06 - Whatever Happened to Pizza at McDonald's? 19:55 - VitaMix VM0804A - McFlurry Ice Cream Mixer (Used) 23:51 - I Tried To G

Nov 26, 2019 • 30:14

Endless Thread: The Deadly Double

Endless Thread: The Deadly Double

While we’re working on new episodes of Underunderstood, we we'd share an episode of another podcast we love: Endless Thread. It’s a show that brings Reddit to life by tracking down its strangest, most compelling stories, and talking to the folks involved in those stories. This episode is about an old dice game called The Deadly Double. In order to find the origins of the game, Amory Sivertson and Ben Brock Johnson fall into a series of rabbit holes, including an enormous dice collection, a forme

Oct 22, 2019 • 37:00

What To Do With Fake Money

What To Do With Fake Money

Adrianne buys some money online in order to track down a rumor about Chinese bank tellers. 2:06 - Photos of the $100 bills: Front / Back 3:35 - Hell money 13:18 - Reporter Jon Christian 16:35 - Wayne Homren's blog post from 2011 19:00 - Money Makers (99% Invisible) 21:30 - Fascinating ways to count money! Bank teller shows quick counting skills (YouTube) 21:40 - Chinese cashier's amazing cash counting skills (YouTube) 21:50 - Chinese bank teller counts money by ear (YouTube) 25:

Aug 27, 2019 • 33:10

Where's My Chile?

Where's My Chile?

John finds out if it is safe to eat a suitcase full of chili peppers that have been missing for three days. 5:45 - Where’s My Suitcase 8:16 - #wheresmysuitcase on Twitter is a harrowing scene 10:50 - Bags, Inc. 11:11 - Bags VIP 11:50 - Bags, Inc.’s corporate video on Vimeo 14:04 - We cannot link to F-14 Baggage because they have absolutely no web presence 18:40 - The Middle Seat at the Wall Street Journal 21:00 - The weather in Albuquerque in January 2019 22:56 - The weather in

Aug 20, 2019 • 42:12

Little Theatre Goes Dark

Little Theatre Goes Dark

The surprising history behind a charming marquee in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Show notes: 00:06 - Billy shot and edited Underunderstood's trailer video in one day. 00:24 - KCRW's 7th Annual 24-Hour Radio Race 00:58 - KCRW announced the theme on Twitter 01:09 - Wiktionary defines "where the sun don't shine" as "up or in the anus." 03:27 - Little Theatre on Cinema Treasures 03:36 - This little porn movie house learned to survive for decades -- until last week - NJ.com 04:51 - Whitn

Aug 13, 2019 • 11:28

Recorded for Awesomeness

Recorded for Awesomeness

Adrianne tries to order from a local sushi restaurant, but an unfamiliar voice answers, promising "awesomeness." Awesomeness for whom? Show notes: 2:16 - “GrubHub is buying up thousands of restaurant web addresses. That means Mom and Pop can’t own their slice of the internet,” published June 28, 2019 by H. Claire Brown at The New Food Economy. 13:07 - Dark patterns 13:54 - A report about Munish Narula’s class action lawsuit from Nation’s Restaurant News 14:19 - “Restaurateurs across the cou

Aug 6, 2019 • 37:48

The 9/11 Hoax That Wasn’t

The 9/11 Hoax That Wasn’t

Billy’s sister thinks a photo that repeatedly goes viral on Reddit is suspicious. Show notes: 0:40 – All of the photos discussed in this episode are available on our website 2:02 – Snopes: “Is This a Photograph of a World Trade Center Tourist on 9/11?” 3:23 – Pinball Gallery 5:59 – The Balloon Saloon has nothing to do with this episode, but it is a place in Tribeca. 6:39 – In 2014, Austin Sansone popped up on Reddit to claim the photo. 8:05 – Former child actor Mark Lester 26:35 – r

Jul 30, 2019 • 33:10

What Happened To New Vietnam?

What Happened To New Vietnam?

A Wikipedia stub about the worst Florida theme park idea ever sends John on a search for the reason it never opened. Show notes: 0:45 - New Vietnam on Wikipedia 1:12 - Dolly Parton's Stampede (formerly Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede) 2:16 - Carl McIntire on Wikipedia 3:52 - Wild West City 5:50 - New Vietnam in Uncle John's Ahh-Inspiring Bathroom Reader 7:25 - Portable Press 8:11 - 20th Century Reformation Hour 8:44 - Some clips of the 20th Century Reformation Hour 9:37 - Christia

Jul 23, 2019 • 44:01

Underunderwear

Underunderwear

A tweetstorm about men’s role in pregnancy leads Regina to find a man who spent over a decade suppressing his sperm count with a piece of yarn. Show notes: 00:33 - Wikipedia page for heat-based contraception 00:57 - The movie 'Heat' is the first time Robert De Niro and Al Pacino starred in a movie together 01:31 - Regina would like to state for the record that said baby is now 1 year old, absolutely adorable, and spends significantly less time crying than she did at the time of the initial

Jul 16, 2019 • 34:54

Gas and Gains

Gas and Gains

After watching an episode of “Catfish: The TV Show,” Billy goes on a deep dive to find the meaning of a curious ankle tattoo, the eccentricities of the Philadelphia accent, and one man’s fixation with the word “gas.” Show notes: 00:40 - Catfish: The TV Show - Wikipedia 00:57 - Catfish - Season 7, Episode 18 - Nick and Jasmine (video) 01:35 - To Catch a Predator - Wikipedia 01:46 - Definition of Catfish by Merriam-Webster The scene (video) from Catfish (the 2010 documentary) where t

Jul 9, 2019 • 40:33

Welcome to Underunderstood

Welcome to Underunderstood

There are questions the internet just hasn't answered yet. We investigate those questions and get the answers.

Jun 28, 2019 • 1:08

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