Episodes

  • The Russian Bride-Show of 1616
    Jun 21 2026

    It's our 20th episode! This week we are changing it up and Sydney will be telling Kyle a historical tale that is either completely true or totally made up. Join us for the most dramatic beauty pageant in history, where the tsar of Russia handed out roses... I mean handkerchiefs, and women from all over Russia came to live in a mansion to compete for the tsar's heart.

    Tsar Michael of Russia, hoping to find love and his bride, must choose between a mansion full of the most beautiful and flawless virgins in the country. However, once he's made his choice, would it be enough of dear ol' mom? Will he end up with the love of his life, or will outside forces control who he marries? Will love conquer all, or was this tale made up by Sydney and ABC? Tune in now to find out!


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    35 mins
  • John W. Whitaker, the Man Behind Willamette Valley - With Alycia from Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast
    Jun 15 2026

    We're back with a special guest! Welcome Alycia, the host of Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast. She's going to join us today, discuss her podcast, and try to figure out if this story will be a history buff or bluff!

    Let's follow the dirt trail from Independence, Missouri to the beautiful landscape of the Oregon coast, on the Oregon Trail! Guides and explorers alike mastered this trail, learning the land and understanding the people who lived there, guiding settlers and helping them manifest their destiny. John Whitaker was one of those guides, and would be recognized in Willamette Valley for everything he did, and everything he endured.

    Who is John Willamette Whitaker? How did he become the man behind the name of Willamette Valley? Was he truly the master of the Oregon Trail or did Kyle make up this story? And, will Alycia and Sydney guess it right? Join us now to find out!


    Donation Link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=GAR62TN8JV2S2


    Alycia's Website: www.civicsandcoffee.com

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    39 mins
  • Alexander Pearce: The Van Dieman Cannibal
    Jun 7 2026

    Join us on a trip down unda! We're discussing British convicts, penal colonies, escape attempts, and the horrible things someone has to do to survive in the Tasmanian wilderness. In 1822, in Macquarie Harbour in Van Dieman's Land, eight criminals made an attempt to flee into the brush. One of those men was Alexander Pearce, who would be the lone survivor.

    How did Alexander manage to survive when everyone else perished? When hunting and gathering was not an option, what did Alexander eat to stay alive? Will his great escape prove fruitful, or is there truly nowhere to go for him? Or was all of this fake? Tune in now to find out!


    Donation link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=GAR62TN8JV2S2

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    47 mins
  • The Longest War in History
    May 31 2026

    We're jumping back into war with the longest recorded war in history! With the fall of the Roman Empire, provinces were suddenly left without a ruler. Kingdoms began claiming land for themselves, and soon began looking to expand into neighboring territories. And three kingdoms started butting heads: Britannia, Spania and Francia. As the Anglo-Franco-Spanish War begun in 546, no one could tell how long the war would be drawn out, but no one would've guessed as long as it was.

    How long was the War of the Three Kingdoms? Who would be declared the winner? Was this truly the longest war in history, or did Kyle make it all up? Tune in now to find out!


    Donation link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=GAR62TN8JV2S2

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    49 mins
  • Elmer McCurdy: The Bandit Who Wouldn't Give Up
    May 17 2026

    Howdy, partner! Join us as we dive into a crazy, wild story set in the wild west! When wannabe bank and train robber Elmer McCurdy began his life of crime, he was expecting riches beyond his meager upbringing. However, life, as it always had been, would not be fair to Elmer.

    With the law on his tail and nowhere left to run, would Elmer McCurdy stand and fight, or turn and run? Was this it for him, or did this unfair life have something else in store? Or was all of this fake? Tune in now to find out!


    Donation Link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=GAR62TN8JV2S2

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    44 mins
  • Two Truths & a Lie: Mother’s Day Edition
    May 10 2026

    Happy Mother's Day! Welcome to a special holiday episode. Not only are we going to celebrate mothers of history, but we are also introducing a new type of episode! We are going to play two truths and a lie!

    Listen as we discuss three historical mothers in history. We are going to go over Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great, Wu Zetian, the only female empress in China's history, and the mother of one of our founding fathers, Jane Randolph Jefferson. Two of the stories are completely true, but one is false. Can you guess it right?

    Donation link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=GAR62TN8JV2S2

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    56 mins
  • The Maasai-Datooga Conflict of 1652
    May 3 2026

    Spanning more than 12,000 square miles, the region of the Serengeti is a sprawling, diverse area of the wild kingdom. Hundreds of species of animals and birds, and many, many native tribes. But did you know, at one point in time, there was one major tribe that dominated the Serengeti?

    The Datooga tribe inhabited the Serengeti for hundreds of years, ruling the area with their strength and knowledge of farming. The Maasai were a small, young tribe, but were determined to make the land their own. When the Swedish Africa Company landed on the East African coast and made their way inland, the Maasai found an alley. One they could use to take the land from the dangerous Datooga people.

    What started the Maasai-Datooga Conflict? Were the smaller, weaker tribe able to overcome the powerhouse that was the Datooga? Or, is any of this real? Tune in now to find out!

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    44 mins
  • The Kidnapping of John Paul Getty III
    Apr 26 2026

    As the richest man on Earth, J. Paul Getty was known all around the globe. This brought fame and fortune to the Getty family, but also trouble. When his grandson, John Paul Getty III is taken off the streets in Italy, you'd assume J. Paul and everyone else in the family would rush to get him back. Let's talk a bit about J. Paul, then you might think differently.

    Who is J. Paul Getty, and what made him the richest man in the world? Who took JPIII, and would the Getty family accept the demands of the kidnappers? Is this true or did Kyle make it up? Tune in now to find out!

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    43 mins