Best iHeartRadio & Shondaland Audio Podcasts (2024)

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Welcome to the Season Finale of Criminalia: 'THE SNAKE OIL SALESMEN' 41:44

6d ago41:44

41:44

Welcome to the final episode of our season exploring worthless and often dangerous remedies that were promoted as good for whatever may ail you – and, by extension, the patent medicine salesmen, a bunch of quacks and rip-off artists, who advertised and peddled those fraudulent goods. We went into this season assuming the worst; and … it was pretty …

1
Welcome to a New Season of Criminalia: PARTNERS IN CRIME 3:10

11h ago3:10

3:10

Welcome to a brand new season of Criminalia, where we'll be talking about criminal duos. Partners in crime. Now, your partner in crime could be platonic; others may be romantic. They're someone who has your back no matter what. This season's partners in crime wait outside in the getaway car. They plot and commit illegal acts with you.In this season…

1
Pinkham's Cure for 'Female Complaints' and Other Remedies for Women 30:53

12d ago30:53

30:53

In the Victorian era, the menstrual cycle was considered a disease. A Victorian era woman going through menopause was considered to be emotionally unstable, and a physician would likely have prescribed bloodletting to treat its symptoms. He also would have advised her against reading novels, going to parties, and dancing. If you were a 45- to 50-ye…

1
Angelo Mariani's Cocaïne Wine : Vin Tonique Mariani à la Coca de Pérou 27:26

20d ago27:26

27:26

Known as tonics, cocaine wines were a hit when introduced in the late 1800s -- Angelo Mariani, a wealthy chemist from the island of Corsica, formulated his popular version, Vin Mariani -- in 1863. Cocaine wine is exactly what you think it is – a concoction of cocaine and wine -- and, it had an incredible fan base that included – spoiler alert – TWO…

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Harry Lewis Kramer: The Ad Man Who Marketed Medicine As Candy 28:09

26d ago28:09

28:09

In the mid-1890s, Harry Kramer’s Sterling Remedy Co. introduced a product called, Cascarets Candy Cathartic. Cascarets were just laxatives, but the product blew away the competition. And a lot of that had to do with how it was marketed (a stroke of brilliance): Harry advertised the product as candy – and historians believe he may have been the firs…

1
The Shakers: America's Early Pharmacists 31:19

1M ago31:19

31:19

Talking about the United Society of True Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing – a religious group commonly known as Shakers -- doesn't mean this is an episode about religion. They were disciplined and hard-working, and they were also innovative -- a good combination of characteristics that helped them finance their communal lives in a few success…

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Who Really Made the Real ‘Daffy’s Elixir’ and What Was Really In It? 26:31

1M ago26:31

26:31

Daffy's Elixir was one of the most popular patent medicines in Britain -- and it sold for nearly 300 years, which is amazing considering these types of products were often a flash in a pan. But what makes this product different than others we’ve talked about this snake oil season, other than its longevity, is that its ingredients list wasn’t kept s…

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What Happened When – and After -- Dr. S. Andral Kilmer Founded His Laboratory and Remedy Company 26:36

2M ago26:36

26:36

According to the Vermont State Pharmacy Association in 1921, quote: "Dr. Kilmer's SWAMP-ROOT Kidney, Liver and Bladder Medicine … is a medicine of genuine merit. Thousands of letters we have received from druggists indicate that it has won the confidence of the people. We believe that the druggist who recommends it thereby helps his own reputation …

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Herbert E. Bucklen, Patent Medicine and 'Axle Grease Salesman' 28:41

2M ago28:41

28:41

Herbert Elijah Bucklen made himself one of the wealthiest businessmen in both Elkhart, Indiana, and Chicago, Illinois, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. And his patent medicine business, The H.E. Bucklen & Company, had a lot to do with that -- but he didn't rise to millionaire status with just snake oil products and lies, although that was…

1
Patent Medicine Evolution: No Beer? ‘Let Them Drink Sarsaparilla’ 27:03

2M ago27:03

27:03

Many patent medicines may have done more harm than good -- or at the very least, nothing at all -- and we’ve been talking about a good many of them so far this season. Ingredients in patent medicines were unregulated and manufacturers weren’t required to list ingredients on the label. Most didn’t help your problem, but there were several products t…

1
‘EAT! EAT! EAT!’ Fat ‘Banished’ With Tapeworm Diet 27:46

2M ago27:46

27:46

Getting yourself a parasitic buddy will help you lose weight; the idea here is that the tapeworm lives in your intestines and eats whatever you’re eating, meaning you can go for seconds or thirds without feeling guilty about any of the calories. Doesn’t sound so bad, right? Until the tapeworm part, that is. Tapeworms shouldn’t be inside your body u…

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‘A Niagara of Curls’: The Story of the Seven Sutherland Sisters 31:32

3M ago31:32

31:32

“It’s the Hair – not the Hat That Makes a Woman Attractive,” read one ad for the Seven Sutherland Sisters’ scalp cleaner. Sisters Sarah, Victoria, Isabella, Grace, Naomi, Dora, and Mary Sutherland were performers who sang and played instruments, but what the crowds came to see was their hair; primarily because there was, collectively, 37 feet of it…

1
Asthma and Smoking: When Cigarettes Were Medicine 26:19

3M ago26:19

26:19

In 1946, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company launched an ad campaign with the slogan, “More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette.” Long before Camel cigarettes became the doctor-approved cigarette of choice, at least in advertising, people living with asthma were often instructed to inhale smoke to relieve their symptoms. And that advice was for…

1
That Time Perry Davis Trademarked ‘Pain Killer’ and Then Took It Global 38:02

3M ago38:02

38:02

By the time he was in his 40s, Perry Davis was an entrepreneur who had tried, unsuccessfully, to start multiple businesses; and those failures had left him $4,500 in debt – roughly more than $160,000 today. In 1839, his bad luck continued when he then became ill with debilitating pain. Seeking even just any little bit of relief, he mixed up a conco…

1
How the Kickapoo Indian Medicine Company Had Nothing to Do With 'American Indians' or 'Medicine' 33:19

3M ago33:19

33:19

John Healy wasn’t a real doctor. Charles Bigelow was never a scout in the United States Army. And, the products they sold weren’t actually based on healing secrets of the Kickapoo people. Yet, the two men made a fortune from their Kickapoo Indian Medicine Company patent medicines – which, while named for them, not a single Kickapoo was involved wit…

1
‘Where Sick Folks Get Well’: Norman Baker Couldn’t Cure Cancer. Period. 33:20

3M ago33:20

33:20

Norman Baker was an entrepreneur, a pioneering radio personality, and a fake doctor. He was a masterful propagandist, and through his radio station and multiple tabloid publications, he manipulated American anxieties about everything from politics to alleged ills of vaccinations. But his biggest claim was that he could cure cancer, in just six week…

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Spoiler! Dr. Williams Pink Pills for Pale People … May Have Worked 26:40

4M ago26:40

26:40

Though the Pink Pills couldn't stand up to the wild advertising claims that the product was a cure-all, the pills were actually potentially medically beneficial to some people with a certain -- common -- condition; in theory. Maybe. Hey, we're not doctors. Let's talk about, how despite that, why this potentially potent patent medicine was under fir…

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Radioactive Quackery: 'Doctor' Bailey and His Jaw-Dissolving ‘Energy Drink’ 32:20

4M ago32:20

32:20

William Bailey called himself a doctor, but his career was as a shady businessman, not a medical professional. In the early 20th century, he launched a series of start-up companies, capitalizing on the new discoveries of radioactive elements, and sold patent medicine products with lethal radioactive substances with unproven promises to cure everyth…

1
How Perkins Tractors Taught Us the Placebo Effect 27:36

4M ago27:36

27:36

Today, if you’re asked to think of a tractor, most of us probably imagine farm equipment. But in the late 18th century, a physician named Elisha Perkins made and sold a different kind of tractor – a device consisting of small metal rods that could cure what ails you simply through touch. And for several years, people were mad for the Perkins Patent…

1
Madame Yale Made a Fortune as America’s 19th-century ‘Wellness Guru’ 28:46

4M ago28:46

28:46

When Maude Mayberg was 38 years old, this was back in 1890, she 'discovered' an elixir that transformed her life. It was called Fruitcura, she said, and it cured her ailments when medical doctors could not. Two years later, she was a patent medicine entrepreneur and saleswoman going by the name, Madame Yale. Let’s talk about how that’s code for, sn…

1
How ‘Rattlesnake King’ Clark Stanley Became King of Snake Oil Sales 23:49

5M ago23:49

23:49

Clark Stanley was a silver-tongued Texas cowboy who called himself the ‘Rattlesnake King’. Back in the late 19th century, he wasn’t the first charlatan going from town to town in the American West, hawking quack products -- during this time when patent medicines were gaining popularity, American consumers could buy all sorts of fraudulent snake oil…

1
Welcome to the Season Finale of Criminalia's 'BLACKMAILERS' 38:28

5M ago38:28

38:28

From illicit love letters to political bribes, everyone has a secret, and it’s the threat of exposure that’s key to this crime -- and we discovered a whole lot of surprising examples along the way -- including a man who built his own submarine, hoping to escape with his payout under Lake Michigan; it sounds made up, but we speak the truth. We have …

1
Welcome to a New Season of Criminalia: 'THE SNAKE OIL SALESMEN' 2:28

5M ago2:28

2:28

Snake oil. Today the term describes any worthless remedy that's promoted as a cure-all. And, by extension, snake oil salesmen are considered a bunch of rip-off artists who peddle fraudulent goods. We’re rolling straight from the criminal world of blackmail and extortion into a new season -- we’ll see you there, not only with some very real stories …

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When Blackmail Accidentally Uncovers Political Corruption 27:40

5M ago27:40

27:40

This is a story of a Texas oil tycoon, a congressman from Idaho, and a financial commodities broker in Oklahoma City. It’s a story of blackmail, yes. But it’s also a story of political corruption and ethics uncovered by that blackmail. There’s a lot going on here, and pretty much everyone’s guilty. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio…

1
Duke of York and Mary Anne Clarke 23:24

5M ago23:24

23:24

Mary Ann Clarke attempted to blackmail her ex-lover, the Duke of York — who led the British army — by threatening to publish his letters. Sounds similar to Wellington but it takes a turn: His political enemies took notice, and they discovered that Mary Ann was selling army commissions (meaning, men who wanted a military rank or promotion would pay …

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The Story of Walter Minx, the Sears Extortionist and His Homemade Submarine 28:45

6M ago28:45

28:45

Milwaukee Magazine once described Walter Minx as slender and fidgety, with, "the kind of sharp-featured handsomeness that the movies had taught people not to trust." He was German-born, and immigrated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with his parents, his brother, and his sister in 1925. He aspired to be a successful American businessman; he wanted to make…

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Blackmail Fail: What Happened When George Ratterman Reformed 'Sin City of the South' 26:26

6M ago26:26

26:26

When All-American footballer George Ratterman announced his candidacy for sheriff of Campbell County, Kentucky, in April of 1961, he said, “I am told that if I run for sheriff, I will be the victim of all sorts of personal slanderous attacks, but I say to our opponents, let the attacks start now, if they must.” And, well, the attacks did start – cu…

1
Inheritance Lost: The Murder of Captain Joseph White 35:11

6M ago35:11

35:11

Joseph Jenkins Knapp, Jr. was expecting to receive a sizable inheritance upon the death of his 82-year-old great uncle, wealthy retired shipmaster and trader Captain Joseph White. But with debts piling up, Knapp decided he couldn’t wait for natural causes; in April of 1830, he and his brother, John Francis Knapp, hired a hitman to murder him, faked…

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‘Acid Burns’: That Time Mae West Was Blackmailed, Know What I Mean? See? 21:59

6M ago21:59

21:59

It started just after Labor Day, with an envelope postmarked September 13, 1935, sent special delivery, addressed to Miss Mae West of 570 N. Rossmore, Ravenswood Apartments, Hollywood, California. There was nothing unusual about the envelope, but its contents were a different matter. It was the first of what would become a series of extortion lette…

1
Why Charles Augustus Howell Was Called the Worst Man in Victorian London 24:27

6M ago24:27

24:27

Described by some as a, “charming rogue,” Charles Augustus Howell was a dodgy figure in Victorian art circles, in particular London’s Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood movement. There was extortion. There was forgery. And just a whole lot of unsavory bits. Howell was an art dealer by trade who was also known to manipulate those around him so he could acqu…

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A Murder, a Letter, and the Questions Surrounding King Edward II’s Death 30:48

7M ago30:48

30:48

This is a story of controversy; actually, more than one controversy. It’s a story of medieval kings and queens, of revenge, and of a letter that challenges the circumstances historians thought they knew surrounding King Edward II’s death – including possible blackmail. Or maybe not blackmail. Stick with us while we try to sort it out. See omnystudi…

1
How Emily Posts' Philandering Husband Was the Catalyst for Her Career Success 24:18

7M ago24:18

24:18

Philandering husband Edwin Main Post found himself blackmailed by a scorned mistress who threatened to go public with their affair unless he paid her and her publisher to stay silent. This is a story about blackmail, yes, but it isn't actually a story about Edwin, not really; this is the story about how his wife, Emily Price Post, suffered the humi…

1
‘Publish and Be Damned!’; and, Harriette Wilson Did 19:00

7M ago19:00

19:00

Regency courtesan Harriette Wilson exposed in her memoirs the names of royal, aristocratic, and political men, whom she then blackmailed to keep their names out of those memoirs. Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, was, famously, one of those influential names. Arthur was a national hero and wasn’t the kind of man who was easily intimidated; and …

1
Horrific Murderer and Half-Hearted Blackmailer: Meet Dr. Cream 24:21

7M ago24:21

24:21

Thomas Neill Cream graduated with honors from Montreal's McGill medical school in 1876. His thesis had been about the effects of chloroform; and he would soon demonstrate just how devastating he could be with toxic compounds. Several people died under his 'care.' But we’re not here to talk about Dr. Cream the murderer; we’re here to talk about his …

1
How Constance Kopp Become New Jersey's First 'Plucky Girl Sheriff' 20:33

8M ago20:33

20:33

“I got a revolver to protect us, and I soon had use for it,” stated Constance Kopp when interviewed about the intruders intimidating her family under the cover of darkness at her home. Her assistance with solving the case led to her role as the first female appointed deputy sheriff of Bergen County, New Jersey. Let's talk about how Constance got th…

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Welcome to the Season Finale of Criminalia's 'FORGERS' 30:12

8M ago30:12

30:12

Welcome to the final episode of our season of forgers, where we've been exploring the stories of some of the most amazing forgeries – and those behind them -- throughout history. But it wasn't all about fakes and forgeries. There were plenty of cocktails and mocktails to go around, too. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Welcome to a New Season of Criminalia: THE BLACKMAILERS 3:53

8M ago3:53

3:53

Welcome to a brand new season of Criminalia, where we'll be talking about blackmail throughout history. We’re rolling straight from the criminal world of forgers to one of blackmailers -- we’ll see you there, not only with some very real stories about some very shady things, but also with the cocktails and mocktails made to go with them. See omnyst…

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The Mechanical 'Turk': Wouldn't You Prefer a Good Game Of Chess? 24:25

8M ago24:25

24:25

During the 18th century, early animatronics were hot. They were featured in circuses, carnivals, and other touring exhibitions, and were usually built and operated with various parts like axles, chains, cogs, gears, levers, pulleys, wheels, wind-up keys – you get the point. For Austrian Empress Maria Theresa, in 1769, Hungarian inventor Wolfgang vo…

1
The Calaveras Skull: The Practical Joke That Almost Changed Human Evolution 22:09

8M ago22:09

22:09

When a group of miners uncovered a skull deep in a mine shaft on the western slopes of Bald Mountain in Calaveras County, California, it was believed, at least initially, to be a history-changing discovery. The owner of the mine didn't know at first what it was that he'd dug up that day in 1866. And when he shared it with those who might, including…

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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the Truth Behind the 'Cottingley Fairies' 28:36

9M ago28:36

28:36

In the summer of 1917, Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths convinced a whole lot of people, including the famous Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, they'd seen fairies neat their home -- and they had photographic evidence to prove it. After decades of keeping their ruse a secret, they admitted their "joke was to last two hours, and it has lasted 70 years. Exec…

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André Leon Talley: A Tribute w/ Norma Kamali & Robin Givhan (Season Finale) 1:26:34

9M ago1:26:34

1:26:34

Larger than life fashion journalist, stylist, creative director and editor André Leon Talley passed away unexpectedly on January 18, 2022. In this episode of love, respect, admiration and reflection, Laverne and her exceptional guests remind us why the world, the fashion world in particular, will miss the late great André Leon Talley. Iconic fashio…

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Fake! The Story of Clifford Irving and the Howard Hughes Literary Hoax 32:13

9M ago32:13

32:13

In the early 1970s, McGraw-Hill Book Company landed what could have been the literary scoop of the 20th century: A writer named Clifford Irving pitched them that he'd obtained the permission of the reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes to write a tell-all memoir of the mogul. That manuscript, though, turned out to be one of the biggest literary hoaxe…

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No Notes for Broadway Star Alex Newell 49:33

9M ago49:33

49:33

**Be sure to hear ALEX NEWELL'S 2023 TONY AWARD ACCEPTANCE SPEECH (X or TikTok) Laverne has a fun catch-up sesh with her good friend Broadway supertalent Alex Newell. This year, Alex was one of the two gender nonconforming actors to ever win a Tony. They got theirs for their show-stopping performance as Lulu in the hit new musical Shucked. They wal…

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The Tiara of Saitaphernes: How Much Art in Museums Is Not What It Seems? 23:23

9M ago23:23

23:23

In April of 1896, the Louvre announced it had purchased a tiara they believed must have been from the treasure house of a great Scythian king -- and that it had the exciting potential to rewrite ancient history. But only a few days after putting it on display, there were questions about its authenticity. The tiara, they would come to learn, was a f…

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Anti-Trans Troll Legislation w/ Alejandra Caraballo 53:38

9M ago53:38

53:38

The legislative war against the LGBTQ+ community has been relentless and according to powerhouse civil rights attorney Alejandra Caraballo it may get even worse next year. Conservative republicans have introduced over 500 state bills this year alone to deny healthcare, threaten businesses and allies, and to try to force LGBTQ+ folks back into close…

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False Impressions: Frederic Spitzer and His Master Forgers 25:58

9M ago25:58

25:58

A 19th-century German goldsmith famous for his forgeries of Renaissance objects, including jewelry and vessels. His fakery was discovered after his death, during a major archive by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Executive Producers: Maria Trimarchi and Holly Frey Producer & Editor: Casby Bias See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor…

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Diary: Where Fashion Meets Art 23:04

9M ago23:04

23:04

Some fashion rises above normal clothing and becomes at some point art. Laverne shares her passion for fashion and the thrill of the chase. Her vintage designer collection is not only a resource for joy but the thrill of owning seminal pieces and seeing the development of a brilliant designer over time is just fun. Then there’s SEAM RIPPING! Please…

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To Be or Not to Be Shakespeare: The Forgeries of William-Henry Ireland 26:36

10M ago26:36

26:36

"Done to death by slanderous tongues," wrote William Shakespeare in his play, 'Much Ado About Nothing'. Shakespeare may be a renowned English playwright, poet, and actor, but, he has a bit of a credibility problem among some circles, and he has for quite a long time. It's known as the 'Shakespeare Authorship Question', and we're going to talk about…

1
The Voice of the Operatic Angel Blue 1:03:29

10M ago1:03:29

1:03:29

*Please note the opera glossary and links to audio below! Laverne has a passion for divas - from Beyonce to Leontyne Price, and closer to home, Angel Blue, the history-making operatic soprano who has become a dear friend as well. Angel shares her road to the spotlight including her early years of artistic difficulty and personal tragedy. Angel is a…

1
Eugène Boban and the Real Story of the Crystal Skulls 30:58

10M ago30:58

30:58

The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. has a fake crystal skull. And so does the British Museum in London, as does Paris's Quai Branly Museum. As of 2019, it was estimated there are more than a dozen crystal skulls known to exist. Long considered pre-Columbian relics, they've also inspired theories about the occult, aliens, and psychic abi…

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