Shows
Softcore HistoryAmerica's Coolest War CrimeWhen the United States entered World War 1 no one was quite sure what to expect. What the Germans definitely didn't expect was a bunch of Doughboys armed with Winchester Model 97 pump-action shotguns -- aka Trench Brooms -- blasting gaping holes in their soldiers. The use of these shotguns became so infamous and terrifying that the Kaiser complained, officially, that using them was a war crime. We break down the real info behind these shotguns and how they were used in the First World War.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content in...2024-12-091h 12
Softcore HistoryThe Ugly Duckling Had a Trash PersonalityNever meet your heroes? How about never try to be friends with your fans. Charles Dickens found this out the hardest way possible when he let his fanboy and fellow famous author Hans Christian Andersen (The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling) stay at his house for what was supposed to be a two-week visit. Five weeks later the Danish fairy tale author had exhausted the Dickens family with his aggressively socially awkward personality and bizarre Danish customs. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, an...2024-11-251h 27
Softcore HistoryThe Unhinged Life Of Teddy RooseveltTeddy Roosevelt was one of the most important U.S. Presidents of the 20th century and a complete lunatic who was always up for an unneccesary challenge. Matt Cooper and Joel Benner join the show to talk about his deranged life outside of politics, The Colonel willing the Rough Riders to glory at San Juan Hill, and how he shaped football into the game we know and love today.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to F...2024-11-041h 06
Softcore HistoryThe Hungarian Sex VampireBéla Kiss is one of the most prolific serial killers you’ve never heard of. He had it all — great looks, his own successful business in tin, a mother that loved him too much — but when he caught his second wife cheating on him with a younger man, it unlocked a dark beast within. Jessie Wiseman joins to talk about how this once charismatic, well-liked, swordsman in the sheets became a monster on the loose in war-torn Europe. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie wat...2024-10-311h 01
Softcore HistoryThe Mafia Ghosts That Haunted Al CaponeRoss Bolen joins the show to talk about the ghosts that still linger from The Saint Valentine's Day Massacre, the most infamous mafia killing in American history. The victims of Al Capone's henchmen still haunt the area to this day, including the most unfortunate location (and people) you can imagine. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next month.2024-10-281h 11
Softcore HistoryEmperor Frankenstein And The Philosopher's StoneFrederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Sicily from 1198 to 1250, was a curious man. Curious in that he loved doing medical experiments, no matter how totally useless and violent those experiments were. Suffice it to say the amateur surgeon learned a lot, but almost all of it was useless. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next month.2024-10-211h 02
Softcore HistoryAndrew Jackson Met The Real Blair WitchThe Bell Witch of Robertson County, Tennessee, on whom the horror film classic ‘The Blair Witch Project’ was based, tormented the Bell family farm from 1817 to 1828. In the meantime, the disembodied spirit attracted thousands of tourists, skeptics, and more. One visitor was none other than Old Hickory himself, determined to see if one of Satan’s underlings could truly frighten him.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50...2024-10-141h 37
Softcore HistoryThe Trust Fund Ghosts of St. LouisThe Lemp Mansion in St. Louis, Missouri is one of the most haunted homes in the United States. Learn the history of the fabulously wealthy family of 19th-century beer magnates who lived in the mansion, how many of them came to their tragic ends within its walls, and how their ghosts now torment the mansion's visitors -- especially any women using the bathroom.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code s...2024-10-071h 11
Softcore HistoryThe Curious Case Of The Missing Lighthouse KeepersWe start Halloween Horror Month 2024 with an infamous and unsolved mystery about three lighthouse keepers who went missing in the Flannan Isles of Scotland. Was it banshees? A ghost ship? Murder-suicide? Listen and decide for yourself. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next month.FOLLOW SOFTCORE HISTORYYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@softcorehistoryInstagram: https://w...2024-09-301h 02
Softcore HistoryCan Germans Use The N-Word?In 1751 Benjamin Franklin wrote "Observations Concerning the Increase of Mankind," a letter with a number of interesting observations and ideas, and also one head-scratcher (at least to readers from the present). In it, Franklin noted that he was tired of all the non-white immigrants coming to the New World and ruining white society in Pennsylvania. Which non-white immigrants? Germans.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off...2024-09-241h 24
Softcore HistoryThe Bearded Queen Egypt ErasedHatshepsut is the female Pharaoh you've never heard of. Why? Because the Egyptians erased her. But the queen turned queen regent turned full-on Pharaoh ruled for two decades and accomplished as much as just about anyone who ever sat on the throne, from conquering Kush to opening exotic trade routes in East Africa. There was also some brother-banging, diabetes, and statue HJs, but mostly she lived an accomplished life. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to F...2024-09-161h 05
Softcore HistoryThe Man Who Lived Every Basic Bro's Dream LifeTitanic Thompson would bet on anything, and usually win. And usually because he was cheating. It's one of the many reasons Titanic is the greatest gambler in American history. He hustled golf at country clubs with a young Ben Hogan. He hustled pool halls across the country with Minnesota Fats. He even cheated the man who fixed the 1919 World Series out of millions. All while dating starlets like Jean Harlow, having features written about him in Sports Illustrated, and competing in the first-ever World Series of Poker. Did Titanic Thompson live every bro's dream life?Subscribe to the S...2024-09-091h 36
Softcore HistoryThe Rise Of The Last LionWinston Churchill was one of the most important historical figures of the 20th century, taking power over the United Kingdom in the midst of World War II. Jack Mandaville joins us to talk about the Last Lion's unhinged upbringing, blood ties to the United States, his storied military and writing careers, and his rise to power through British parliament. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off y...2024-09-021h 21
Softcore HistoryThe Founding Father of Organized CrimeKyle Bandujo, podcaster and author of the new sports movie book "Movies With Balls", joins the show to talk about one of the most famous figures in American sports scandal history: Arnold Rothstein. Though he was most famous for allegedly fixing the 1919 World Series (a.k.a. the Black Sox Scandal), this distinction does the man's criminal history a disservice. In truth, Rothstein was so much more. Not only a founding father of American organized crime, Rothstein was also America's first Coke Lord.Buy Kyle's new book, Movies With Balls, HERESubscribe to the Softcore History P...2024-08-261h 25
Softcore HistoryThe Civil War's Cocktail HourBleeding Kansas was a series of conflicts between abolitionists and pro-slavery forces after the passing of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. Election fraud, murder, and guerilla warfare were rampant during this five year window that decided whether Kansas would enter the union a free or slave state. Many historians consider it the prequel to the American Civil War. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off your first box...2024-08-191h 03
Softcore HistoryAbe Lincoln's Favorite Hate Read19th Century Southern lawyer-turned-sociologist and noted shut-in George Fitzhugh was "too online" 140 years before the internet was even invented. He stayed inside all day reading newspapers, books, and political pamphlets, rarely leaving home. As with anyone who shapes their worldview only by consuming media, Fitzhugh started to believe some pretty wild ideas. Particularly, that pretty much everyone should be a slave. Black, white, brown -- race didn't matter (much). Most people on Earth should be slaves in Fitzhugh's mind. This take not only made him a famous author and political commentator, it inspired none other than Abraham Lincoln to get...2024-08-121h 22
Softcore HistoryThe Real Game Of ThronesThe Wars of Roses were a series of civil wars fought for the English crown from 1455 to 1487. These bloody and nasty conflicts between the Houses of Lancaster and York inspired George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series to the point that you can make direct connections between the real historical figures and characters in his books. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off.Add Fitb...2024-08-051h 06
Softcore HistoryWould You Eat Hippo? - FREE PATREON PREVIEWAn American meat shortage in 1910 caused people to get real desperate, real fast. Enter Louisiana Representative Robert F. Broussard, who proposed the American Hippo Bill, which would import hippos from Africa to be raised for food on Louisiana swamp ranches. Oh, what could have been. For this show and TWO additional ad-free episodes every week follow the link below.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content and weekly bonus episodes.2024-08-021h 12Softcore HistoryEvery Time A President Personally Killed SomeonePresidents aren't only passive victims. Helpless bystanders as gunmen attempt to kill them. This week we discuss every American president who TOOK lives, from the ones you know like Andrew Jackson and Teddy Roosevelt, to the ones you never would've guessed. And these kills aren't by order or drone strike but, rather, done with their own bare hands. Some presidents killed on the battlefield, but others got their bodies in especially unexpected ways. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.2024-07-301h 34Softcore HistoryPeople Will Watch Anything They Can Bet OnGilded Age Americans were hungry for entertainment and because of this, somehow, the simple hobby of walking captivated the country. So much so that it briefly developed into our national sport and the most gambled-on athletic competition during the Victorian era. Pedestrianism was the name of the game and its athletes were looking to get any performance edge they could -- cocaine -- to cash in on a sweepstakes of insane cash prizes and international fame.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and w...2024-07-221h 10Softcore HistoryThe Time Polygamists Took On The Holy Roman EmpireNot all Protestant movements in the 16th Century had Martin Luther's success. Enter the Münster Rebellion, in which a bunch of anti-Catholic, anti-Lutheran lunatics took over a city, enacted full-on communism (except for its leaders, of course), legalized polygamy so hard it became a sport, and ultimately inspired some of the most metal church decorations in history.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off.Add Fi...2024-07-151h 30Softcore HistoryRome Refused To QuitThe First Punic War was the first of three conflicts between the established Carthaginians and the rising, upstart Roman Empire. For 23 years these two forces slugged it out in the Mediterranean Sea, Siciliy, and North Africa and suffered immense loses on both sides before the Romans ultimately pulled off the upset and laid the foundation for their rise to becoming the dominant power in the region.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50...2024-07-081h 10Softcore HistoryCommunists Killed the WhalesIf you’ve ever wondered why whale sightings are such a big deal or why we need to “save the whales”… it’s because the Soviet Union killed them all. Find out why the communist super power had such a lust for whale blood in this week’s episode.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to GhostBed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 50% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, Pillows & More) –plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses...2024-07-011h 07Softcore HistoryDo We Owe France An Apology?For decades Americans have sneered at the French for taking a big, fat L in World War 2 -- but are we too hard on France? How many of their contributions to this country -- let alone its freedom -- have we overlooked?? Special guest Jack Mandaville helps us dive in.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to GhostBed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 50% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, Pillows & More) –plus a 101 Night Sleep Tr...2024-06-241h 18Softcore HistoryKamikaze Puppies, Monkey Bombs, and Unfortunately So Much MoreA brief overview of warfare's long, rich tradition of using animals in creative and horrifying ways, from Alexander the Great's war pigs all the way up to... pretty much modern day, actually. It's not great. Featuring special guest host Jessie Wiseman of Crime Corner.Listen to Crime Corner wherever you get podcasts! Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to GhostBed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 50% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, Pillows & More) –plus...2024-06-171h 23Softcore HistoryThe Hobo King Of AmericaJoshua Norton was a 19th century English immigrant who became financially ruined after a deal went south with a Peurivian rice company. After a long legal battle that reached the California Supreme Court, banks took all of his assets and he wandered the streets of San Francisco for the next 20 years. Not one to accept his fate in the gutter, Joshua declared himself Emporer of the United States and commanded the hearts of his fellow Bay Area residents until his death in 1880. Long live the king.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra...2024-06-101h 07Softcore HistoryIs Setting Your Kid On Fire A Dealbreaker?King Mannesah of Judah is considered one of the worst kings in the Old Testament but is that the reality of the situation or just the perspective of the authors of the Bible? It turns out he might have had some surprisingly good reasons for doing (some) of the supposedly egregious things he did.DONATE to Iris Faust's College Fund GoFundMe HereSubscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to GhostBed.com/drinkinbros and use cod...2024-06-031h 05Softcore HistoryThe Big Dumb Conspiracy IcebergIn Jake’s final episode, he takes us down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories -- and the history behind them -- that range from somewhat plausible to totally insane, and what unifies all of them.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to GhostBed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 50% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, Pillows & More) –plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in America.Go to Indochino.com today and use...2024-05-281h 21Softcore HistoryA Land Of Giants - FREE PATREON PREVIEWJust about every Native tribe has passed down legends of a race of white giants that they defeated to take the Americas. The Cherokee call them the Moon People. The Utes and Paiutes spoke of a group of ten-feet-tall beings living in caves and ironically referred to them as "savages" and "cannibals." We discuss this mysterious society of mountain sized men and women that disappeared off the continent.For this show and 2 additional episodes every week ad free follow the link below.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content...2024-05-241h 07Softcore HistoryWas Yasuke The First And Only Black Samurai?Yasuke was a 16th century African slave that found his way to the far east working for Italian missionaries and became an obsession and friend to one of the most influential warlords in Japan. Yasuke eventually took over as Oda Nobunaga's personal weapon bearer, body guard, and -- many speculate -- earned full samurai status in just 15 months. But did he actually accomplish that feat? We discuss the documented details and make a judgement for ourselves. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and w...2024-05-211h 11Softcore HistoryChina's History-Based Plan For World DominationThose who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it, but the Chinese are studying history with the explicit hope that they do, in fact, repeat it. National Security and the Rise and Fall of Great Powers is the Chinese Communist Party's examination of how nations over the last 500 years -- from Spain and Portugal to Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States -- gained and lost power. The idea being that the Chinese want to follow that blueprint for themselves. We break down their ideas about how countries rise and fall and what they get right and w...2024-05-131h 32Softcore HistoryA Brief History of Humans Eating OystersFrom cavemen to Rome to post-Civil War America and the present day, humans have been harvesting and eating oysters for hundreds of thousands of years. Jake, who just got back from working an oyster farm for a week (seriously), details how humans came to eat these little gooey delicacies, the wars we've fought over them, and the myths we've created about how horny they make you.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to GhostBed.com/drinkinbros...2024-05-061h 28Softcore HistoryDrowning In AlcoholIn celebration of reaching 1,000 reviews on Apple Podcasts, and perhaps in a bit of method podcast hosting, Dan Regester attempts to tell the story of The London Beer Flood of 1814 while flooding his own body with a mixture of Guinness and whiskey. Like the flood itself, Dan's evening ends in disaster. (Maybe come back to this one if this is your first episode.)Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to GhostBed.com/drinkinbros and use...2024-04-2959 minSoftcore HistoryNever Meet Your (Communist) HeroesMalcolm Caldwell was a professor at the University of London who loved two things: Communism, and publicly cheerleading Pol Pot's regime in Cambodia. The latter, he insisted, was a beacon of hope for humanity and definitely not killing people by the millions. In 1978, Caldwell was granted an audience with his political and humanitarian hero, but after his meeting with Pol Pot something... interesting happened.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to GhostBed.com/drinkinbros and use...2024-04-221h 37Softcore HistoryThe Man Who Made Baby Boomers InsufferableThomas Midgley Jr. revolutionized the U.S. auto industry in the early 1900s. But, he may have also been responsible for a violent mid-century American crime wave and lowered IQs across the world. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to GhostBed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 50% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, Pillows & More) –plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in America.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to...2024-04-151h 03Softcore HistoryThe Worst Man To Ever LiveHong Xiuquan was the leader of the Taiping Rebellion that killed over 30 million people, the self-proclaimed celestial brother of Jesus Christ, and an inspirational figure to future chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Mao Zedong. He (initally) had the backing of Karl Marx and was a massive thorn in the side of the Qing Dynasty for 14 years after a mental breakdown from failing his civil service exams. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to GhostBed.com/d...2024-04-081h 14Softcore HistoryModern History's First Great Sex CultThe Agapemonites were a Victorian religious cult that checked all the boxes. A leader who thought he was God and also immortal and needed multiple wives? Check, check, and check. A way to separate idiots from their money and possessions? Check. A creepy compound with high walls? Check. But even for a relatively early modern cult Henry Prince and his followers found some fun (see: horrible) ways to make their mark on the history of cults.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and...2024-04-011h 20Softcore HistoryThe Most Haunted Beach In AmericaIn 1565 both the French and Spanish were competing to establish a colonial presence on Florida's east coast. That competition came to a quick and violent head (you'll see what we did there) and now the site of their confrontation might be the most haunted beach in America.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to GhostBed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 50% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, Pillows & More) –plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Ma...2024-03-251h 16Softcore HistoryTurning Criminals Into A Hit Squad? What Could Go Wrong!Unit 684 was a secret group created by the South Korean Air Force in 1968 tasked with assasinating North Korean leader Kim Il Sung. After three brutal years training on a remote island and suffering multiple executions at the hands of their own trainers, the surviving members and former convicts threw a mutiny and hijacked a bus back to Seoul. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to GhostBed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 50% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, A...2024-03-181h 06Softcore HistoryA Brief History of Butt MedicineFrom ancient drug enemas to World War 1 era, steampunk-esque prostate vibrators, the history of doctors trying to treat what ails a man through his butt is as long as it is weird and gross and, quite often, extremely unfortunate. (Just ask a couple of our former presidents.)Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. Get 25% off your subscription or try the app F...2024-03-111h 37Softcore HistoryThe Fall Of Rome Is Why You Have A "Landlord"Hate landlords? You can thank Rome for them. (Just kidding, you'd be paying someone to live on their property either way you bastards, but you just might not call them "landlord.") Either way, the fall of the Western Roman Empire paved the way for Feudalism and traditional monarchy in the Middle Ages.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off.Go to GhostBed.com...2024-03-041h 05Softcore HistoryThe Donner Party's Descent Into CannibalismThe Donner-Reed Party was a group of American pioneers who migrated west to California in a wagon train and slowly tumbled into madness after months of mishaps, moronic moves, and murder. After a "shortcut" added weeks to their journey, the group ran out of food, supplies, transportation and turned to cannibalism to survive a brutal winter in the Sierra Nevadas. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50...2024-02-2658 minSoftcore HistoryThe Mother of MexicansThough Spanish Conquistador Hernán Cortés is credited with conquering the Aztec Empire the conquest might actually be thanks to his native female interpreter and first baby mama, La Malinche. The Indian noblewoman, who was sold into slavery as a child before being gifted to Cortés after a battle with Mayans and rising to become his interpreter and top diplomat, is thought by many historians to be the reason the Spanish conquest was successful. Needless to say, her legacy in Mexico is... complicated. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra his...2024-02-191h 15Softcore HistoryHow Humans Became Wheat PuppetsDid human beings domesticate wheat? Or did wheat domesticate humans? We dive into the long history of humanity's relationship with the plant and how we ultimately went from eating wild wheat to baking bread and conquering the planet.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off.2024-02-121h 02Softcore HistoryThe Nepo Baby Who Possibly Stole An ElectionJohn Quincy Adams was the 6th president of the United States who won his election in controversial fashion over Andrew Jackson in 1824. He spent his youth gallivating around Europe on his daddy's dime, helped author the Monroe Doctirine as Secretary of State, brought Florida into the union, was an incredibly outspoken abolitionist, and kept a pet alligator in the East Room of the White House. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes. Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50...2024-02-051h 15Softcore HistoryMaking Animals Answer For Their CrimesJustice is blind. So blind, apparently, that it doesn't mind if pigs, rats, statues, and other non-human entities are brought to trial. This is the history of the trials of animals and inanimate objects held over the centuries. The charges against them range from murder to vandalism and, as it turns out, these trials were often conducted for surprisingly existential reasons.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes. Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code...2024-01-291h 06Softcore HistoryThe History of Pirate Mardi GrasTampa Bay’s Gasparilla Pirate Festival is a huge city holiday and boasts the third-largest annual parade in the United States. It’s also a drunken, pirate-themed, rage fest based on a lie. Learn about its history as a holiday, Jake and Dan’s Gasparilla experiences, and all you ever wanted to learn about turn-of-the-century tourism.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes. Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore...2024-01-221h 12Softcore HistoryHarry Houdini's War With The AfterlifeHarry Houdini was a Hungarian-American escape artist, illusionist, actor, and aviator who beefed with spirit mediums and psychics throughout the early 20th century. He went from poor immigrant slumming it with his family in Wisconsin to an international superstar traveling the globe and mystifiying audiences with his wife Bess all throughout Europe and the States. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes. Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at...2024-01-151h 07Softcore HistoryThis Pope Hated The Second AmendmentAt the Second Council of the Lateran in 1139, Pope Innocent II banned Christians from using ranged weapons against other Christians under threat of excommunication. Was this to disarm the peasantry whose primary combat weapon was bows and arrows? Or were the reasons much... dumber and more selfish?Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes. Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!2024-01-0858 minSoftcore HistoryThe Demon Bear Who Terrorized JapanDuring a snow storm in December of 1915, an incredibly intelligent Enzo brown bear launched a series of attacks on dozens of residents in a small Japanese town. The Sankebetsu incident is regarded as the worst animal attack in Japanese history. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes. Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!1stphorm.com/softcorehistory -- Free shipping on...2024-01-031h 28Softcore HistoryWho Is The Better Father?Jake and Dan compete in a historical parenting advice quiz to determine who would be the better father. Enjoy this FREE Softcore History Patreon preview and Merry Christmas to all our Softies out there.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.2023-12-261h 07Softcore HistoryChristmas Is For Settling ScoresTakanakuy is an annual Christmas tradition where residents of Santo Tomás, Peru call out neighbors they believe have wronged them throughout the year to physical combat. With no court houses in this community tucked away high up in the Andes Mountains, this centuries old tradition is used to settle legal disputes or clean the slate on petty disagreesments in front of the whole town. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes. Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and u...2023-12-1859 minSoftcore HistoryThe Worst Botched Executions In HistoryBeing executed for your crimes is never fun but throughout history, some executions have been much, MUCH worse than others. Specifically, the executions that did NOT go as planned. From beheadings that needed way too many swings of the ax and backup executioners who had no idea what they were doing to the first-ever use of the electric chair in 1890, many an execution has gone horribly wrong. We go over some of the worst.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus...2023-12-111h 32Softcore HistoryKissinger Kept You Safe (And Put Everyone Else In Danger)Henry Kissinger was a pragmatic statesman above all else. Unfortunately, he was also German and, as such, his pragmatism took a lot of dark, destructive turns. His Cold War policy eschewed ideology (and any morsel of morality that might have previously existed) in favor of outcomes. The ends always justified the means to Kissinger when it came to the global stage. Also, this guy f*cked.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to ghostbed...2023-12-041h 28Softcore HistoryDiary Of A 16th Century ExecutionerFranz Schmidt was a seasoned civil servant killer who hung, decapitated, drowned, burned alive, and crippled criminals' spirits and bodies on the breaking wheel as the head hangman in Nuremberg for 45 years during the Renaissance. He kept a diary detailing all 361 public executions he performed. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code...2023-11-271h 04Softcore HistoryDid Osama bin Laden Have A Point? (No.)Osama bin Laden’s 2002 “Letter to the American People” recently went viral on TikTok because random Gen Z’ers thought the terrorist architect of 9/11 made some… pretty good points? The actual contents of the letter, however, range from insane to literally fake quotes about Jews attributed to Benjamin Franklin. We break down all the historical inaccuracies and crazy claims in the letter.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 w...2023-11-201h 34Softcore HistoryThe Drug-Fueled Cults Christianity Stole FromLearn about the mystery cults that dominated the religious landscape right before Christianity took off in the Greco-Roman world. From fraternity-style initiations to hallucinatory beverages that made you see gods and think you were dead, these cults sounded... pretty fun?Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Secure your appointment now with sales starting in-store and online November 6th, at indochino.com1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the...2023-11-131h 24Softcore HistoryThe Order Of AssassinsFor 200 years a radical group of stone cold killers high on opium and hash living in an eagle's nest fortress in Persia terrorized Muslim and Crusade leaders alike. Hasan-i Sabbah, the "Old Man in the Mountain" led an often outnumbered group of Nizari Ismalis to mulitple victories over massive armies and organized hundreds of political hits throughout the Middle East. This devout branch of Islam often knew missions were one way tickets to Allah and happily carried out their responsibilities no matter the risk or amount of time required to eliminate a target. This is the real history of the...2023-11-061h 02Softcore HistoryThe Real Witches Shakespeare Ripped OffThere's nothing like the thrill of the hunt, and for King James of Scotland and England, his favorite prey was witches. This is the story of the North Berwick Witch Trials in late 16th-century Scotland, which were inspired almost entirely by how awesome contemporary witch trials in Denmark and Germany seemed to King James. Hundreds of innocent people were executed but at least we got Macbeth out of it.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to...2023-10-301h 04Softcore HistoryYou Won't Believe This 10-Year-Old Girl's Body CountMary Bell was a child murderer, in that she was a literal 10-year-old child when she began murdering, and because her victims were children even younger than her. Learn about one of England's most horrifying murder cases as our hosts squirm in their seats. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30...2023-10-231h 03Softcore HistoryThe Villisca Axe MurdersA small Iowa town was shook to its core in the summer of 1912 after six members of a local affluent family and two of their guests were brutally murdered with an axe inside the comfort of their own home. A lengthy investigation resulted in several oddball suspects but ultimately zero convictions. The case remains unsolved. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes. 1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. 2023-10-161h 14Softcore HistoryGaza Has Never Belonged To Anyone Who Lives ThereWho does Gaza really belong to? Or Israel/Palestine in general? It's sort of hard to say since the people native to that area have basically NEVER been in charge of it. From the Bronze Age to the end of World War 2 the area we know today as Israel and/or Palestine has been ruled by everyone from the Egyptians and Alexander the Great to the Romans and the British. Basically every empire you've ever heard of. But pretty much never, ever Jews or Palestinians.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history...2023-10-131h 07Softcore HistoryThe Witch Who Deserved Her TrialThroughout history, women accused of witchcraft have been wrongly executed. Mary Bateman, known as the Yorkshire Witch, was not one of those women. She absolutely earned her date with the hangman.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes. Customize the perfect system for your home in just a few minutes at SIMPLISAFE.com/Softcore. Go today and claim a free indoor security camera plus 20% off your order with Interactive Monitoring.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory...2023-10-091h 13Softcore HistoryHow To Train Your DemonHalloween Horror Month kicks off with a detailed look at how the ancient ruler of Israel King Solomon learned to summon demons, the time he got sent to horny jail by God, and the corporate hierarchy of hell. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Get 25% off your subscription at Fitbod.me/SOFTCOREHead to Policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.Go...2023-10-021h 13Softcore HistoryThe Violent Life And Dejected Death Of GeronimoGeronimo was seen as both the last great defender of the Native American way of life and a stubborn, savage holdout who put Apache lives in danger in the name of revenge. His life was a rollercoast ride of peaks and valleys -- constantly at odds with both the Mexican and US Governments. From North America's most wanted fugitive terrorizing Southwestern settlers to glorified parade decoration for Teddy Roosevelt's inauguration, the slow burn of Geronimo's story was ultimately a tragic and bitter existence.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including...2023-09-2559 minSoftcore HistoryHow Hollywood Killed Your Dad’s Favorite ComedianLong before the first SAG strike, Hollywood’s working conditions and lack of fair pay weren't just questionable, they were INSANE. So bad, in fact, that it helped lead to the early death of Curly Howard of The Three Stooges, who was forced to film despite suffering multiple strokes and other severe health issues. The Stooges were also robbed of millions by their studio, Columbia Pictures, who refused to share with their biggest comedy stars how popular they really were.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, hi...2023-09-181h 17Softcore HistoryThe Emo Christians Who Thought God Was A PoserThis week, learn about the ancient belief system of Gnosticism, its insane creation myth, and the lion serpent that keeps us all entrapped in a material hell.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a...2023-09-111h 13Softcore HistoryThe Brutally Metal Deaths Of Catholic SaintsFrom having their skin flayed off with knives to arena bears and school children ripping limbs clean off their body, sainthood typically meant dying in the most horrific and torturous ways possible. You probably didn't hear about these stories in Catholic School. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Head to FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 and use code softcore50 to get 50% off. That’s code softcore50 at FACTORMEALS.com/softcore50 to get 50% off!Go to ghostbed.com/dr...2023-09-051h 03Softcore HistoryNo One Will Remember YouThe Zanj Rebellion — an African slave uprising in modern Iraq from 869 AD TO 883 AD during the reign of the Abbasid Caliphate — was a massively consequential event for arguably the world’s most powerful empire at the time and certainly for those involved in the revolt. Ever heard of it? Probably not. Nothing matters. No one will remember you.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Experience the full majesty of the cannabis plant with Chill Country's organic rosin gummie...2023-08-281h 25Softcore HistoryVenetians Loved Touching TipsArmed with nothing more than sharpened sticks, thousands of Venetian tradesman would battle each other on bridges for glory and the entertainment of their fellow citizens. Learn about this violent pastime that lasted hundreds of years, and how the sport "evolved" over time.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in the...2023-08-211h 03Softcore HistoryThe California Water WarsAs Los Angeles expanded during the late 19th century, it began outgrowing its water supply. So, city officials decided to build a pipeline north and slurp up all the precious snow melt from the Sierra Nevadas bleeding Owens Valley dry. The resident farmers in the area didn't take kindly to this threat against their livelihood and conflict soon popped off with the help of an abundance of dynamite and the backing of a local (potentially mob run) bank. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie...2023-08-141h 21Softcore HistoryToo Rich To Be GayDespite it being socially acceptable (and encouraged) for men to sleep with other men, the sexual environment in Ancient Rome was absolutely NOT liberated or healthy, especially if you were poor, or a woman, or liked oral.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Experience the full majesty of the cannabis plant with Chill Country's organic rosin gummies, and take 20% OFF your first order at chillcountry.com/softcore --AND-- go to thcprovisions.com/softcore to get the same 20...2023-08-081h 20Softcore HistoryThe Great American Bar TabAfter signing the U.S. Constitution in 1787 the Founding Fathers hit the bars and left a tab for the ages. By our count, America's founders averaged about 20 drinks per man. Plus we break down some other notable party tabs throughout history, including how many pregnant leopards one Chinese emperor was forced to kill in order to serve his favorite appetizer. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Get 20% off your subscription at Fitbod.me/SOFTCOREHead...2023-07-311h 21Softcore HistoryRome's Greatest EnemyHannibal Barca was a Carthaginian general during the Second Punic War against Rome and considered one of the greatest military minds of his time. He took an army of 90,000 soldiers and 40 war elephants and marched across the Pyrenees and Alps to bring the fight to the Romans and terrorized the legions for years before ultimately failing to reach the capital and slowly losing the conflcit. Even in defeat, Hannibal gained the respect of his enemies and his tactics are studied to this day.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including...2023-07-241h 07Softcore HistoryThe Unluckiest D-Day Paratroopers With Saving Private Ryan Star Max MartiniSaving Private Ryan star Max Martini joins the show to talk about his experience filming one of the greatest historical movies of all time and we tell the stories of the unluckiest paratroopers who dropped into France the night before D-Day.WATCH The Channel now! It's in theaters in select cities (LA, New York, Dallas, New Orleans, Atlanta) or BUY IT on iTunes!Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Experience the full majesty of the...2023-07-171h 21Softcore HistoryThe Serial Killer Who Thought He Was A CowboyJohn Wesley Hardin was a 19th-century serial killer who cosplayed as an Old West outlaw. He was a degenerate gambler with an impulsive trigger finger for anyone who disrespected him, the Republic of Texas, or the sanctity of sleep. He had plenty of run-ins with the law -- including multiple encounters with "Wild Bill" Hickok -- and had a body count the size of the Lone Star State.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Experience the full...2023-07-111h 40Softcore HistoryTwo Dumb Reasons The American Revolution HappenedA number of noble ideas and beliefs inspired the American Revolution. But history is layered. And full of morons. In this episode, we focus on two such morons: a banker/gambling addict whose financial ethics (and judiciousness) almost single-handedly precipitated a global banking crisis that led directly to the Boston Tea Party, and a very famous, well-meaning whistleblower who put WAY too much faith in the ability of political radicals to act reasonably.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.2023-07-021h 15Softcore HistoryOppenheimer Was A Real Weird DudeJ. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, smoked four packs a day, enjoyed drinking cocktails made with pure ethanol, was hazed mercilessly at summer camp, and grew up loving rocks. In short, he was kind of a huge weirdo. Learn all this and more about Oppenheimer, the man who ushered in our nuclear age.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Look for Liquid Death’s healthy beverages on Amazon or at a store near you. AN...2023-06-261h 18Softcore HistoryThe Real Indiana Jones Was Good Will Hunting Meets Jurassic ParkRoy Chapman Andrews, the real-life inspiration for Indiana Jones, led a series of expeditions to the Gobi Desert in China and famously first discovered fossilized dinosaur eggs. Andrews also died almost a dozen times while fighting off bandits, a horde of poisonous snakes, and a boat-hating whale.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.RSVP knowing you’ve got the perfect look all wedding season long from Indochino. Go to Indochino.com and use code SOFTCORE to get 10% of...2023-06-191h 05Softcore HistoryThe Time Love LostCan love really conquer all? The stunningly beautiful, 19th Century French socialite and heiress Blanche Monnier, whose mother locked her in an attic for 25 years so that she wouldn’t marry a poor man, would probably say no.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link.Customize the perfect system for your home in just a few minutes at SIMPLISAFE.com/Softcore. Go...2023-06-121h 18Softcore HistoryThe Pennsylvania Tsunami That Was Armed And On FireWhat happened when Andrew Carnegie and his robber baron friends made a few cosmetic adjustments to an important dam to upgrade the aesthetics of their fishing club? Just the Johnstown Flood, the most violent flood in American history.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including listener history questions, history movie watch-alongs, and weekly bonus episodes.Get 25% off your subscription or try the app FREE at Fitbod.me/SOFTCOREHead to Policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.2023-06-051h 18Softcore HistoryThe Other Book of MormonIs Brigham Young REALLY the heir to Joseph Smith? After Smith was killed in 1844 there was not one but TWO claimants to lead the Mormon Church. The other would-be Polygamy Pope was James Strang, a lawyer and self-described "cool philosopher" who claimed to have been named Smith's heir by the Latter Day Saints founder himself. And Strang (conveniently) had the legal documents to prove it! The split eventually led Strang and his followers to Beaver Island, Michigan, where things kept getting weirder.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content including...2023-05-301h 13Softcore HistoryThis Episode Could Get Us Excommunicated (Seriously)The Catholic Church has a long and bizarre history with holy relics, but the story of The Holy Prepuce — aka baby Jesus’s circumcised foreskin — is easily the weirdest of them all. So odd that Pope Leo XIII issued a decree in 1900 that if a Catholic talked about it (or made fun of it) they could be immediately excommunicated from the Church.Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of hours of extra history content.1stphorm.com/softcorehistory Free shipping on all orders over $75 when you use the link. Ghostbed.com/drinki2023-05-221h 27Softcore HistoryThe Troll Who Won World War 2Juan Pujol Garcia was a Spanish chicken farmer turned self-made spy. A fervent hater of fascism, he decided to volunteer as a spy for the Nazis and then feed them bogus info from himself and a network of totally fictional agents he said were working for him in London. He was so trusted, and the Nazis were so stupid, that he became their most important spy during the war. His influence was so great that may have given the Allies the intelligence advantage they needed to win World War 2. Subscribe to the Softcore History Patreon for hundreds of...2023-05-151h 17Softcore HistoryWhen A Fruit Became GodWhat happens when you eliminate religion during a cultural revolution? Sometimes people, looking to fulfill their spiritual needs, start worshipping mangos. From mango shrines to mango cigarettes, China under Mao went all in on worshiping mangos in the 1960s.SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content.RSVP knowing you’ve got the perfect look all wedding season long from Indochino. Go to Indochino.com and use code SOFTCORE to get 10% off any purchase of $399 or more.Get 25% off your subscription or try the app FREE at Fitbod.me/SOFTCORE2023-05-011h 13Softcore HistoryStop Hiking in RussiaAnother Russian mountain mass-death mystery is brought to the table and the guys have to figure out what went down. Perhaps a camping trip to Siberia might be ill-advised. Join Fitbod today and build a routine that lasts all year. Get 25% off your subscription or try the app FREE at Fitbod.me/SOFTCORE2023-01-041h 30Softcore HistoryA Short History of ShrinkageThe 1967 Koro Panic in Singapore saw hundreds of healthy men and boys rush to the hospital convinced their penises were disappearing. This and other shrinkage panics across history — such as medieval witches stealing dongs and keeping them as living, slithering, worm-like pets — highlight a male, cross-cultural fear that supernatural forces are out to steal their pieces. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Go today and claim a free indoor security camera plus 20% off with Interactive Monitoring. Go to SIMPLISAFE.com/softcore.2022-12-281h 43Softcore HistoryThe Warlord Who Bullied GodsZhang Zongchang was a Chinese general whom Time Magazine dubbed "The Basest Warlord". He was addicted to gambling and sex and relished trolling his enemies, friends, and the gods themselves. He pulled himself out of poverty and eventually became the military governor of his hometown Shandong, where he was a major player in the opium trade and one of the funnier leaders in the Fengtian Clique. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Go today and claim a free indoor security camera plus 20% off with Interactive Monitoring. Go to SIMPLISAFE.com/softcore. 2022-12-121h 01Softcore HistoryThe Grocery Store That Won The Cold WarBoris Yeltsin was the first democratically elected leader of the Russian Federation, and also quite possibly the drunkest. Learn of his escapades across the world and how a Houston grocery store led to the fall of the Soviet Union. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Go today and claim a free indoor security camera plus 20% off with Interactive Monitoring. Go to SIMPLISAFE.com/softcore. Get Honey for FREE at Join Honey.com/SOFTCORE2022-12-051h 39Softcore HistoryThe Most Sl*t-Shamed Woman In HistoryMessalina, the Empress of Rome from 41 AD to 48 AD, had rumors about her so messed up that even the meanest girl from your high school would think her enemies went too far. The weirdest part about the rumors, though? They weren’t even necessary. The actual stuff Messalina did was bad enough. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Right now, you can get Harry’s Starter Set for just $3. Plus, you’ll get a free travel-size body wash. The set includes a 5-blade razor, weighted handle, foaming shave gel, and a travel...2022-11-281h 52Softcore HistoryDolphins, Acid, And HandiesThis week we explore the NASA-funded experiments that involved giving LSD to dolphins, discuss animal consent, and the ethics of living "intimately" with a dolphin for six months. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Go today and claim a free indoor security camera plus 20% off with Interactive Monitoring. Go to SIMPLISAFE.com/softcore. Head to Policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.2022-11-141h 29Softcore HistoryThe Yelp Reviews of 18th Century London ProstitutesIf you were in search of a prostitute in 1700s London you needed to look no further than Harris’s List of Covent-Garden Ladies, a pocketbook with reviews (and addresses) of over 150 of London’s ladies of the night. We read real hooker reviews from the 1788 edition of the pocketbook. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Go today and claim a free indoor security camera plus 20% off with Interactive Monitoring. Go to SIMPLISAFE.com/softcore. Right now, you can get Harry’s Starter Set for just $3. Plus, you’ll get a fr...2022-11-081h 37Softcore HistoryThe Failed Farmer Who Blew Up An Elementary SchoolIn Bath Township, Michigan on May 18th, 1927 Andrew Kehoe killed 38 elementary schoolchildren, and six adults, and injured nearly 60 others. It was the first recorded school bombing in U.S. History and the world’s earliest known suicide car bombing. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Go today and claim a free indoor security camera plus 20% off with Interactive Monitoring. Go to SIMPLISAFE.com/softcore. Right now GhostBed is offering 40% off GhostBed Bundles where you get a Mattress & Adjustable Base -- Or 30% off everything if you use the code – DRINKINBROS AT G...2022-10-311h 09
Softcore HistoryThank You Sirhan May I Have Another?This week we talk about RFK and Sirhan Sirhan, the assassin so nice they named him twice. We dive deep into the Robert Kennedy assassination and some of its mysterious circumstances. We’re just asking questions!If you’re interested in a better way to use nicotine, visit https://www.Lucy.co, and be sure to use that promo code SOFTCORE2022-05-311h 39
Softcore HistoryDid The UNABOMBER Have A Point?No, he did not.Get Honey for FREE at JoinHoney.com/SOFTCORE.Head to policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.Get $50 off any purchase of $399 or more by using promo code SOFTCORE at Indochino.com.2022-01-181h 48Softcore HistoryCreepy Christmas Tradition OriginsFrom Santa getting his start by paying off prostitutes to Krampus’ weird foot situation and a cat in Iceland that eats kids for being too poor, Christmas traditions have some troubling origins(Carolers most of all).To start comparing quotes and simplify insurance-buying, check out Policygenius: https://policygenius.com/SOFTCORE. Thanks to Policygenius for sponsoring this video!2021-12-141h 12
Softcore HistoryThe Witch Who Was Actually Pretty Rad Other Than The Infant SacrificesNoted witch expert and ex-TSM show runner Veronica Ruckh joins Softcore History to read Dan’s fortune with Tarot cards and discuss La Voisin, a purveyor of black masses and one of the most infamous witches in history.2020-10-201h 36
The SoftcastEpisode 19: On The First Day? Amazing.America's premiere video game podcast (with the word "softcore" in the title) is back! Prepare your gullets for all of our steaming hot gaming takes! In this episode, Jeremy, Greg, Anthony, and Nick tackle topics like the rumors around the next Xbox console, the Spiderman PS4, the release of No Man's Sky Next, some of our most controversial video game opinions, and more! Listen and then head over to @Softcore_Gamers on Twitter to continue the conversation!2018-08-011h 02The SoftcastEpisode 15: SoftstruckIt's a special mega-episode! Seven of your favorite Softcore Gamers gather to play their own mutant version of #GameStruck4 as they list the five games that were most influential in shaping their tastes. Listen to hear if your favorite games made the cut, and then head over to Twitter and let us know at @Softcore_Gamers what you think.2018-06-071h 26The SoftcastEpisode 14: Detroit: Become StupidIt's a new episode of the flagship video game podcast from SoftcoreGamers.com and the Softcore Gamers. Suzy is out this week, but there are a lot of topics to cover, so we went and got both Aaron and Anthony to cover for her! Things discussed include Nick's time with Detroit: Become Human, the announcement of Battlefield V, the official announcement of Call of Duty's battle royale mode, and more! Listen and then head over to Twitter and tweet at @Softcore_Gamers to keep the conversation going!2018-06-011h 00