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That's History, Babe!

That's History, Babe!

By: Jared Tetreau & Abe Merker
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Julius Caesar. Joan of Arc. Liberace. These people are dead. But if they were alive, they’d be listening to this show. Hosts Jared Tetreau and Abe Merker take you deep into the bowels of the archive to explore the dank crevices and back alleys of the past, reclaiming history for the curious-minded girls, gays, and theys. This is THAT'S HISTORY, BABE!

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Episodes
  • Why Judy Garland Became the Ultimate Gay Icon (Part One)

    Why Judy Garland Became the Ultimate Gay Icon (Part One)
    Jun 25 2026

    We’re not saying they’re bigger than Jesus, but we’re not not saying that either. In our first ever two-part series, Abe and Jared examine the lives of a mother-daughter duo whose names are synonymous with “gay icon”: showbiz legends Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli. In part one, Jared pulls us on a pepped up prance down the Yellow Brick Road to explore Judy’s impact on film and music as well as her personal struggles and comebacks, all with the goal of finally understanding why the queers (especially him) love her so much. Tangents include our first group of haters, The Greatest Showman being the worst movie ever, and Abe getting anxious at the Mermaid Parade.


    SOURCES

    Judy Garland on The Dick Cavett Show | The Dick Cavett Show

    Judy Garland Beyond The Rainbow | 1997 A&E Biography Special Premiere FULL with Original Commercials Judy Garland COMPLETE 1967 Interview Judy Garland - It's All For You - The Tonight Show - Johnny Carson Slayyyter & Judy Garland - CRANK GOES THE TROLLEY The Chaos Behind The Wizard of Oz (and why it turned out ok anyway) Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall: The Greatest Night in Entertainment History Decoder Ring podcast, "Friend of Dorothy: Why do gay people love Judy Garland so much?", Slate magazine, February 10, 2020 How Does a Pop Girl Earn "Gay Icon" Status? By Derek Deng, Byrdie, May 7, 2026

    What Does It Take to Be a Gay Icon Today? by Steven Frank, September 25, 2007

    Judy Garland: By Myself, American Masters PBS, 2004.

    THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • How the Club Kids took over NYC

    How the Club Kids took over NYC
    Jun 18 2026
    Did a corrupted video file ruin an hour of footage from this episode? Yes.Would we ever let that stop us? No. In the 80s and 90s, a pack of queer party animals burst into NYC’s backrooms, bringing a haze of gritty glamour, fashion, drugs, and dance wherever they went. They were the Club Kids; RuPaul, Richie Rich, Amanda LePore, Waltpaper, just to name a few. Join us as we dive into the club kids’ scene, exploring who they were, why they were so sensational, what impacts they had on queer culture, and how their era came to a crushing, violent end. Tangents include making a baby gay cry, Mitchell Musso, pansexual king Wayne Brady, and being lifelong fans of the NBA champion New York Knicks. SOURCESParty Monster: The ShockumentaryMichael Alig & NYC Club Kids on Geraldo 1994 "Beyond the Glitz & Glamour"Michael Alig NYC Club Kids on Geraldo 1992New York Club Kids on Phil Donahue talkshow 1993 (complete TV show)Club Kids fashion show Joan RiversRuPaul Welcome Back PartyRuPaul Explains The Difficulties of Go-Go Dancing in 1988The 5 Ninth Avenue Project“Walt Cassidy Walks Us Through the Wild Glamorama of New York City’s Club Kids”, Interview magazine, Christopher Bollen, September 3, 2019Vivacious interview for Standard Hotels, January 25, 2019“Michael Musto on the Prevailing Influence of Club Kid Fashion”, The Fader, Marissa G. Muller, May 2, 2014"After Prison, No After-Hours", New York Times, Kevin Gray, May 14, 2014Michael Alig interview in Interview magazine, Christopher Bollen, April 19, 2010"Club Kids: An Aesthetic Emphasised by Outrageousness, Fabulousness, and Sex", February 15, 2022 "Club USA - Dazzling Photos From 1990s Glitziest NYC Club", Patch “What Michael Alig’s Club Kids Are Doing Now” by William Van Meter, New York magazine, May 20, 2014THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Bad Popes 2: The Borgias

    Bad Popes 2: The Borgias
    Jun 11 2026

    POV: you’re at the sickest rave of your life. Candles flickering. Incense burning. Gregorians chanting. The place: Vatican City. The year: 1492. The man behind it all: Pope Alexander VI aka Rodrigo Borgia.


    This week, we return to a place of pope as we tell the story of the most ruthless family in papal history. Hear about the depravity and delusion of the entire Borgia clan in an episode rife with sex and greed, two of Jared’s favorite things. And please PLEASE don’t ask why Abe is wearing sunglasses inside. It’s a private matter. Tangents include Kermit the Frog’s nephew Robin, the show Vikings, Pope Leo blind item, and “Lose Yourself” by Eminem.


    SOURCES:

    • The Bad Popes by E.R. Chamberlin
    • The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
    • Hillgarth, J. N. (1996). The Image of Alexander VI and Cesare Borgia in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries. Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, 59, 119–129. https://doi.org/10.2307/751400
    • “The Borgias” In Our Time podcast, BBC Radio 4 https://open.spotify.com/episode/10PVoxVIv1iTSt56TNSqpC?si=TI7DR1a-TNOaoNPMWJ6QSA
    • Najemy, J. M. (2013). Machiavelli and Cesare Borgia: A Reconsideration of Chapter 7 of “The Prince.” The Review of Politics, 75(4), 539–556. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43670906
    • Lucrezia Borgia: Poison, Power, and Papal Scandal | Full Documentary | Biography
    • Pope Alexander VI: The Infamous "Borgia Pope"

    THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 17 mins
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