Episodios
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Coca-Cola was approaching its 100th birthday on 23rd April, 1985, when it unveiled a new beverage at New York City's Lincoln Center: the âsmoother, rounder, bolderâ flavour of âNew Cokeâ.The success of Diet Coke had fragmented the market, and, in response to Pepsi's aggressive marketing campaigns targeting younger consumers, Coke had sought to introduce a sweeter formula. But, instead of offering the new formula alongside the original, they made the catastrophic decision to discontinue their classic recipe, known as Merchandise 7X. The company had conducted extensive taste tests involving 190,000 consumers, which indicated a preference for the new formula. However, these tests overlooked the deep emotional connection many had with the original Coke. Protest groups like the Society for the Preservation of the Real Thing and Old Cola Drinkers of America, founded by Gay Mullins, emerged, reflecting the public's dissatisfaction, and, just 79 days after the launch, on July 11th, 1985, Coca-Cola held a press conference to announce the return of the original formula - now branded as "Coca-Cola Classic." In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly reveal those hardcore cola fans who stockpiled soda like it was gold; uncover the psychiatristâs opinion that Cokeâs most committed customers were behaving as if theyâd experienced a bereavement; and consider the conspiracy theories that suggest Coca-Cola engineered the whole debacle deliberatelyâŚFurther Reading: ⢠âCoke, The Taste That Distressesâ (The Washington Post, 1985): https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1985/06/07/coke-the-taste-that-distresses/1f0758dd-98a2-4a9d-ae1c-c188c2228354/⢠âNew Coke Didnât Fail. It Was Murderedâ (Mother Jones, 2019): https://www.motherjones.com/food/2019/07/what-if-weve-all-been-wrong-about-what-killed-new-coke/⢠â1985: Coca-Cola launches new Cokeâ (CBS Evening News, 1985): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8j97dOLsyk#80s #Advertising #Mistakes #FoodLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Riding a Penny Farthing bicycle from the Sierra Nevada mountains to Yokohama, Japan, Thomas Stevens began his epic two-and-a-half year journey around the world on 22nd April, 1884.Along the way, he encountered mountain lions, Persian aristocracy, and thousands of supporters from bicycle clubs, who turned up to hear him speak. His journey was endlessly delayed by having to demonstrate the virtues of his bike to anyone who asked.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why the âwheel-menâ of 1884 desperately needed a role-model like Stevens; reveal how he was able to monetize his adventurism in a very modern way; and unearth the surprising second career he embarked upon back in his native England⌠Further Reading:⢠âThe Fearless Traveller: Around the World with Thomas Stevensâ (Adventure Cycling, 2010): https://www.adventurecycling.org/sites/default/assets/resources/201005_TheFearlessTraveler_Koss.pdf⢠âThomas Stevens, a Berkhamsted pioneer, crosses America by bicycleâ (Berkhamsted Local History & Museum Society): https://berkhamsted-history.org.uk/thomas-stevens-a-berkhamsted-pioneer-crosses-america-by-bicycle/⢠âEpic Explorers: Thomas Stevensâ (The EPIC Channel, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqHY1-TL12o#Explorer #Sport #UK #USA #1800sLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.This episode first aired in 2022Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Costing just 12,500 yen, Nintendo's revolutionary handheld console, the Game Boy, was released in Japan on 21st April, 1989, quickly selling out its initial stock of 300,000 units. With its compact size, cartridge-based games, and impressive battery life, the Game Boy went on to become a cultural phenomenon, setting the stage for a new era of portable entertainment.Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why the deviceâs humble monochrome display and lack of backlight were actually secrets of its success; consider Gunpei Yokoi's design philosophy of "lateral thinking with withered technology"; and reveal how Super Mario Land, not Tetris, was very nearly bundled in with the U.S. releaseâŚLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.This episode first aired in 2024Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Action Comics #1, published on April 18th, 1938, featured the first ever appearance of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shusterâs iconic superhero, Superman. The character already boasted invincibility, had a hopeless crush on Lois Lane, and an inexplicable penchant for wearing bright red underpants on the outside of his costume. But, as yet, he could not fly, did not live in Kansas, and did not work at the Daily Planet.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how Siegel and Shuster came to sell the rights to their creation for a paltry $130; reveal the Jewish subtexts of Krypton and Batman; and consider whether Supermanâs liberal politics prevented DC from fully embracing the character theyâd unleashed⌠Further Reading:⢠âAction Comics #1: Supermanâ (DC, 1938): https://archive.org/details/superman-1938-issue-1/mode/2up⢠âSuperman at 80: The Jewish origins of the Man of Steel and the 'curse' that haunts the actors who play himâ (The Independent, 2018): https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/superman-jewish-origins-film-adaptations-curse-jerry-siegel-christopher-reeve-henry-cavill-a8344461.html⢠âSupermanâ (Columbia, 1948): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7soDPQUxpOk#30s #Publishing #Jewish #ComicsLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Oil tycoon Robert P. McCulloch purchased London Bridge for $2,460,000 on 17th April, 1968. The Victorian structure, which had been sinking into the River Thames at a rate of one inch every eight years, was then dismantled stone by stone and shipped to the USA, where it now bestrides Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The wheeze was the work of advertising executive-turned-London councilor Ivan Luckin, who convinced his colleagues that it might be possible to sell the bridge to pay for the costs of building a new one, and set about a marketing blitz including a press conference in New York in which he invoked the crossingâs illustrious Roman history.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly revisit the gaudy launch ceremony; debunk the myth that McCulloch thought he was buying Tower Bridge instead; and reveal that buying the bridge wasnât even this eccentric entrepreneurâs wackiest ideaâŚFurther Reading:⢠âHow London Bridge Ended Up In Arizonaâ (HISTORY, 2016): https://www.history.com/news/how-london-bridge-ended-up-in-arizona⢠Inside Arizona's London Bridge (BBC, 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnHy4_P8SCE⢠âLondon Bridge in America - The Tall Story of a Transatlantic Crossing, By Travis Elboroughâ (Jonathan Cape, 2013): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/London_Bridge_in_America/n96uDvKN3ioC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Ivan+Luckin&pg=PA271&printsec=frontcoverLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Pharaoh Thutmose IIIâs legendary military career kicked off on 16th April, 1457 BC with the Battle of Megiddo, the first recorded battle in history.Facing a rebellion from the Canaanite city-states, who thought they could take advantage of his inexperience, Thutmose assembled a massive army and marched straight to Megiddo, a crucial strategic hub in modern-day Israel. Boldly, he led his troops through a treacherous, narrow pass, single file, at great personal risk. His generals were understandably terrified, but the gamble paid offâand they took the enemy by surprise. Yet, despite his brilliant tactics, his troops got distracted looting the battlefield, and it took a further seven months of siege before they secured the city.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how detailed records of the Pharaohâs expeditions have been passed down; wonder if scribes became weary of the warrior-kingâs repeated victories; and discover why we should all pay attention to Megiddo - itâs in the Book of RevelationâŚFurther Reading:⢠âThutmose III's Battle of Megiddo Inscriptionâ (World History Encyclopedia, 2017): https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1102/thutmose-iiis-battle-of-megiddo-inscription/⢠âBattle of Megiddoâ (National Army Musem): https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/battle-megiddo⢠âââThe Deadliest Pharaoh | Thutmose III | Ancient Egypt Documentaryâ (History Explained, 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2XS3vmVGjU#Egyptian #War #Israel #RoyalsďťżLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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A chaotic, shambolic and critically panned parody, the first on-screen incarnation of Ian Flemingâs novel âCasino Royaleâ received its London premiere on 12th April, 1967 - with final edits still being made in the projection room. Nonetheless, it went on to take an extraordinary $40 million at the box office. Hardnut hero James Bondâs adventures had become a swinging Sixties sex comedy starring Peter Sellers, thanks to Flemingâs disasterous decision to sell the movie rights to actor Gregory Ratoff for a song long before Bond was known all around the world thanks to the highly succesful film versions of his later books âDr Noâ and âFrom Russia With Loveâ.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly reveal how producer Charles K Feldman assembled such an impressive cast list for his 007 ensemble, including Orson Welles, Ronnie Corbett and Ursula Andress; explain how an on-set visit by Princess Margaret prompted an enormous clash of egos; and ponder why âthe Spice World of the Sixtiesâ became such a box office hit⌠Further Reading:⢠âCasino Royale movie review & film summaryâ (Roger Ebert, 1967): https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/casino-royale-1967⢠âThe Casino Royale calamity: how Peter Sellers turned Bond into a laughing stockâ (Daily Telegraph, 2021): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/casino-royale-calamity-peter-sellers-turned-bond-laughing-stock/⢠âCasino Royale: Official Trailerâ (MGM, 1967): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onhWav2DejMLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.This episode first aired in 2022Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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President William Howard Taft became the first Commander-in-Chief to throw the ceremonial first pitch on 14th April, 1910.
Taft's participation cemented baseball as the quintessential American sport, in a period when it was still shedding its dodgy image.
The game’s enduring popularity ensured that the tradition persisted for over a century, with each president adding their unique flair to the ritual - though it has faced challenges, including presidents being booed by crowds and political statements made during the ceremonial pitch.
In this episode, The Retrospectors reveal which presidents have passed on the opportunity to participate, which have prepared extra-hard for their big sporting moment, and which UK Prime Minister turned down the opportunity to have a go himself…
Further Reading:
‘How the first pitch became baseball's Opening Day tradition’ (National Geographic): https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/first-pitch-baseball-opening-day-tradition
‘Taft becomes first U.S. president to throw out first pitch at MLB game’ (HISTORY, 2021): https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/historic-baseball-pitches-presidents
‘Presidential First Pitches’ (Richard S. Dargan, 2016): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB7ualOQTh0
This episode first premiered in 2024, for members of đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´ - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!
We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors
The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.
Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.
Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.
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The Stone of Scone, an oblong block of red sandstone used for centuries in the coronation of British monarchs, was recovered by Police on April 11th, 1951; three and a half months after its removal from Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day.Four Scottish students from the University of Glasgow (Ian Hamilton, Gavin Vernon, Kay Matheson and Alan Stuart) stole the stone in the hope it could boost interest in Scottish nationalism. Instead, it seemed to provoke a national discussion about where the stone - which theyâd accidentally split in two before bungling it into their Ford Anglia - should now reside.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly decode the religious myths surrounding this âstone of destinyâ; explain why Charles III *will* want it to âgroanâ when he sits on it; and reveal the ingenious way the authorities tracked the stone up to Arbroath⌠Further Reading:⢠âTheft of the Stone of Sconeâ (The Guardian, 2007): https://www.theguardian.com/books/2007/dec/29/featuresreviews.guardianreview⢠âThe students who stole the Stone of Destinyâ (BBC News): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-63130942⢠âCoronation Stone of Scone discovered in Scotlandâ (Gaumont, 1951): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-ni0XrAmtALove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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The foundations of modern copyright law were laid on 10th April 1710, when the Statute of Anne came into effect. Before the Act, anyone could copy and sell books without giving a penny to the author; now, writers would be protected from being completely exploited by (British) publishers for an initial period of 14 years.Writers like Jonathan Swift and Daniel Defoe had earned respect as professionals, pushing for more control over their own work, and leading to a shift away from the Stationersâ Companyâa powerful guild that previously held a monopoly over publishing and censorship.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explore how later writers like William Wordsworth would campaign for longer copyright duration; revisit the milestones that allowed the law to be applied to other creative endeavours, such as music and film; and reveal why you wonât be hearing Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in many adverts for a few years yetâŚFurther Reading:⢠âThe Statute of Anneâ (British Parliament, 1710): https://ipmall.law.unh.edu/sites/default/files/hosted_resources/lipa/copyrights/Statute%20of%20Anne%20_1710_.pdf⢠âWhose line is it anyway?â (The Sunday Times, 2012): https://www.thetimes.com/article/7c5efe43-97d5-4d9f-b53f-5444bca12a2a⢠âIP BASICS: What is Intellectual Property?â (Intellectual Property Office UK, 2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYiXTKbdNr4#Publishing #1700s #UK #LegalLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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The only sitting U.S. president to ever be arrested was Ulysses S. Grant, who was busted THREE TIMES for the same crime: speeding. The first was 9th April, 1886, when he tore through Washington, D.C. in a horse-drawn buggy. General Grant scoffed at the idea of getting arrested and simply rode off: the 1860s version of flipping the bird.Grantâs love for fast horses wasnât just a reckless hobbyâit was part of his identity. Even at West Point, he was known more for his exceptional riding skills than his military prowess, and his ability to charge fearlessly into battle on horseback had made him an unstoppable force in the Civil War, leading the Union Army to victory. But back in peacetime D.C., his speed-demon tendencies werenât quite as heroic. The streets were packed with pedestrians, and reckless buggies had already caused serious injuries, so law enforcement was cracking down.Just three months later, he was caught speeding again. This time, he played it cool, paid the fine, and didnât cause a scene. But the real kicker came in 1872, when Grantânow a sitting U.S. presidentâwas arrested yet again. This time, the officer in question was William West, a Black Civil War veteran turned policeman. The encounter was almost poetic: a president known for fighting for African American rights being held accountable by a Black officer who had once fought for the Union.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly review the veracity of Officer Westâs account, given it wasnât published for many decades; consider why twenty women reportedly turned up to court the next day to testify against the Presidentâs mates; and reveal how the arrests were reported very differently in the SouthâŚFurther Reading:⢠âHas a U.S. President Ever Been Arrested Before? | When Ulysses S. Grant Was Arrested for Speedingâ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2023): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-president-ulysses-s-grant-was-arrested-for-speeding-in-a-horse-drawn-carriage-180981916/⢠âWas General Grant Arrested for Speeding in Washington, D.C.?â (U.S. National Park Service)https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/was-general-grant-arrested-for-speeding-in-washington-d-c.htm⢠âCivil War Hero: Ulysses S. Grant was a Horse Whisperer?! | Told By Macey Hensley | History at Homeâ (History, 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOj0qUGpksg#Funny #Black #Crime #1800sLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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The most famous armless statue of all time, âVenus de Miloâ was discovered by a farmer on the Aegean island of Milos on 8th April, 1829, sparking an international bidding war that saw her eventually donated to the Louvre by Louis XVIII.The French had a particular interest in snapping up a new ancient treasure, having been forced to return many priceless artefacts to their original nations following Napoleonâs defeat at Waterloo. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly reveal the statueâs original blingtastic paintwork; explain why Louis XVIIIâs obesity delayed its arrival in Paris; and ask what actually happened to Venusâs armsâŚImage: https://flickr.com/photos/sey_alg9/Further Reading:⢠âVenus de Milo: The Most Famous Armless Statue in the Worldâ (HowStuffWorks, 2020): https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/arts/artwork/venus-de-milo.htm⢠âHow a peasant farmer found the Venus de Miloâ (The National, 2020): https://www.thenational.scot/news/18365077.peasant-farmer-found-venus-de-milo/⢠âThe conspiracy behind this famous statueâ (VOX, 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs1VWuQEd7YLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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George Michael and Andew Ridgely, aka British duo Wham!, became the first Western group to play a gig in Communist China on 7th April, 1985.The event, staged at the People's Gymnasium in Beijing, was primarily a strategic move aimed at breaking the band in the United States; the brainchild of the bandâs managers, Gordon Jazz Summer and Simon Napier Bell, who embarked on a series of hotel lunches with Chinese officials, gradually unveiling the proposal for Wham!'s performance.The logistical challenges were immense - requiring a jumbo jet solely dedicated to transporting equipment for the concert, and securing funding for an accompanying film from CBS. In this episode, The Retrospectors consider how the atmosphere was tempered by police presence and cultural sensitivities; reveal just why it was that the audience knew all the songs, even though theyâd never heard of the band when theyâd purchased their tickets; and discover how NOT to get a clap-along going during âClub Tropicanaâ... Further Reading:⢠âWham! Play Chinaâ (MOJO Magazine, 2023): https://www.mojo4music.com/articles/stories/wham-play-china/⢠âWhen China met Wham!â (CBC Radio, 2015): https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-edition-1.3028194/when-china-met-wham-thirty-years-ago-the-band-staged-first-western-pop-concert-1.3028466⢠âWham! In China: Foreign Skiesâ (Lindsahy Anderson, 1985): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG5flQd5ETILove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Gerald Holtomâs CND symbol, known internationally as the âpeaceâ symbol, made its debut at a protest march by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament on 4th April, 1958. The march went from London to Aldermaston, where Britainâs nuclear weapons were and still are manufactured. Five hundred cardboard âlollipop sticksâ displaying the logo were produced - and itâs since scarcely been out of circulation as an anti-establishment plea for peace around the world.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly question whether Goya helped influence Holtonâs iconic design; reveal how author J.B. Priestley had fermented the protests on this day; and consider the International Shoe Corporationâs dubious claim to the patent ⌠Further Reading:⢠âThe Peace Symbol: Beginnings and Evolutionâ (ThoughtCo, 2019): https://www.thoughtco.com/the-peace-symbol-1779351#⢠âHe gave his unforgettable work for nothing. Shouldn't the designer of the peace symbol be commemorated?â (The Guardian, 2015): https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/28/shouldnt-british-designer-gerard-holtom-of-peace-symbol-be-commemorated-paris-attacks⢠âWalter Wolfgang: 'why I marched to Aldermaston in 1958' (CND, 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLqBUws7R8E#50s #UK #War #DesignLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.This episode first aired in 2023Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Before the transcontinental telegraph, sending a message coast-to-coast in the United States could take up to a month via stagecoach. Until, that is, the opening of the Pony Express, on April 3, 1860.
Its founders, William H. Russell, William Bradford Waddell and Alexander Majors, set up over 150 relay stations along a pioneer trail, recruiting wiry teenage lone riders (‘orphans preferred’) to make the precarious trek in a record-breaking ten days.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly reveal the employment clauses insisted upon by these entrepreneurs; consider how Buffalo Bill Cody enshrined the concept in the American frontier myth for generations; and explain why, if you thought a job as a mailman sounded risky, you *really* wouldn’t want to be posted at the relay stations…
Further Reading:
• ‘The Pony Express Was Short-Lived And Costly’ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2015): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pony-express-was-short-lived-and-costly-180954986/
• ‘Pony Express Debuts’ (HISTORY, 2009): https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pony-express-debuts
• ‘Trailer: The Pony Express’ (Paramount, 1953): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5va9JXedVo
#1800s #US #Animals
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Fleetwood Macâs iconic breakup album âRumoursâ hit No.1 on the U.S. album charts on April 2nd, 1977, and has never really left the public consciousness since. With banger after bangerâDreams, Go Your Own Way, The Chainâit resonated across generations, but perhaps especially with the bandâs boomer contemporaries, many experiencing troubled relationships of their own.At the time of its recording in California, Mick Fleetwood was reeling from a collapsed marriage, John and Christine McVie were divorcing, and Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were locked in an emotional war, with Nicks soon to embark upon a relationship with Fleetwood. Recording Rumours was a year-long endurance test. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly uncover the mathematical formula for Fleetwoodâs cocaine consumpion; consider how TikTok has revived interest in this seminal LP; and reveal how, despite making positive noises, contemporary critics missed just how important the album would becomeâŚFurther Reading:⢠âRumoursâ (Library of Congress, 2017): https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/Rumours.pdf ⢠âFleetwood Mac: In the Middle of the Roadâ (The Washington Post, 1977): https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1977/02/09/fleetwood-mac-in-the-middle-of-the-road/537b612c-e519-4623-a118-144efcac1a1f/⢠âFleetwood Mac - Rumours [Full Album]â (Warner Records, 1977): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uFU79MGj00#Music #70s #US #CelebrityLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Under the orders of King Charles III - who wanted marble and classical art for his palace at Portici - Spanish military engineer Roque JoaquĂn de Alcubierre excavated some Campanian ruins on 1st April, 1748 - and discovered the long-lost city of Pompeii.Buried beneath volcanic ash and debris since Mount Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79, much of the city was remarkably preserved; including breathtaking buildings that portrayed the opulent lifestyle enjoyed by the city's wealthy elite.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the site has since inspired all archaeological digs; ask why Pompeii in particular has generated such huge human interest; and reveal the truth about âWanking Manâ...Further Reading:⢠âExcavations of Pompeii in the 18th Century ¡ The Discovery of Pompeii and Herculaneumâ (from âPiranesi in Romeâ, Wellesley College): http://omeka.wellesley.edu/piranesi-rome/exhibits/show/discovery-of-pompeii-and-hercu/pompeii-excavations⢠âThe two embracing 'maidens' of Pompeii are both MENâ (MailOnline, 2017): https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4391498/The-two-embracing-maidens-Pompeii-MEN.html⢠âPompeii: New Studies Reveal Secrets From a Dead Cityâ (National Geographic, 2016): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSg_Sd94Y8kLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Tinky Winky, Dipsy, La La and Po were introduced to British viewers on 31st March, 1997 - launching an international phenomenon and changing kidâs television forever.âTeletubbiesâ was an enormous hit for the BBC, but not without controversy: from viewers concerned that the charactersâ toddlerish language might impede the linguistic development of the nationâs children, to angry Radio Times readers who claimed the BBC were committing âcultural vandalismâ by axing the long-running series Playdays.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly get lost in the weeds of Teletubbies Wiki fandom; revisit the âtoy rageâ that the show had inspired by Christmas 1997; and reveal why the first generation âtubbies never did live appearances⌠Further Reading:⢠âTeletubbies turn 20: how four blinking toddlers became a true TV phenomenonâ (The Guardian, 2017): https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/mar/31/teletubbies-turn-20-how-four-blinking-toddlers-became-a-true-tv-phenomenon⢠âThe Great Distractorâ (Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy, 2021): https://www.mediatechdemocracy.com/work/the-great-distractor⢠âTeletubbies: Nedâs Bicycleâ (BBC, 1997): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9woh2gKx1rM&list=PL8Zq4IrtuktnIh_XkWqMRfNkebVPgUIwyLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.This episode first aired in 2022Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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After a 23 year run that included introducing American audiences to The Beatles, Elvis Presley and The Rolling Stones, the last original episode of âThe Ed Sullivan Showâ aired on CBS on March 28, 1971.The variety programme, which cost $8 million per year, fell victim to âthe rural purgeâ, via which several iconic shows that appealed mainly to poorer and older demographics were axed in favour of screening old movies.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider how Sullivan was able to become a TV superstar, despite having no discernible talent for presentation; explain how the hostâs advancing senility gave an early advantage to comedian Joan Rivers; and reveal whom this famously polite father figure deigned to call âbitchââŚFurther Reading:⢠âRight Here on Our Stage Tonight! - Ed Sullivan's America, By Gerald Nachmanâ (University of California Press, 2009): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Right_Here_on_Our_Stage_Tonight/v7owDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=ed+sullivan+show+28th+march+1971&pg=PA384&printsec=frontcover⢠âEd Sullivan, Variety Show Host Influenced American Cultureâ (ThoughtCo, 2019): https://www.thoughtco.com/ed-sullivan-4589827⢠âElvis Presley performs "Hound Dog" on The Ed Sullivan Showâ (CBS, 1956): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNYWl13IWhY&list=PLQWND5qZhbj0nqnmye5U2g3Z-ai8wos4pLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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When Marlon Brando won Best Actor at the Academy Awards for his role in The Godfather on March 27, 1973, he sent Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather in his place. Dressed in traditional Apache garb, she declined the award on Brandoâs behalf, âAnd the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry."Littlefeatherâs appearance was met with a mix of boos and applause from the audience. But, before her death in 2022, the Academy honoured Littlefeather for her protest, calling it "a powerful statement on behalf of human dignity and against the marginalization of Indigenous people."In this episode, Arion, Olly and Rebecca consider the lasting impact of this stark political moment; revisit Littlefeatherâs earlier work for Playboy; and explain why, as a rumoured âPretendianâ, her ethnic identity continues to make headlinesâŚFurther Reading:⢠âA shocking moment in Oscars history, 50 years onâ (BBC Culture, 2023): https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20230302-the-most-shocking-moment-in-oscars-history-50-years-on⢠âSacheen Littlefeather was a Native icon. Her sisters say she was an ethnic fraudâ (San Francisco Chronicle, 2022): https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/Sacheen-Littlefeather-oscar-Native-pretendian-17520648.php⢠âMarlon Brando's Best Actor Oscar win for "The Godfather"â (Academy Awards, 1973): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QUacU0I4yU#Hollywood #70s #Native #RacismLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.ďťżThis episode originally aired in 2023Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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