Cool Weird Awesome With Brady Carlson

On this National Fashion Day, we have a letter from 3,800 years ago that shows some things never change, like teenagers nagging their parents for a fancier set of clothes. Plus: an artist in Japan designs a pair of jeans that look like they're hanging out unzipped... because that's something someone needs, apparently? Reading Ancient Mail (JSTOR)  Jeans designed to look like your fly is down (Boing Boing) Backing our show on Patreon is always in fashion --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1776, it's said that the Liberty Bell rang out in Philadelphia for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. More than two centuries later, a fast food giant put out fake ads claiming that it had acquired the Liberty Bell to help pay off the national debt. Plus: today in 1978, Def Leppard played its first-ever concert, in Sheffield, England, though it didn’t exactly start off with a bang. Hold the taco sauce, Liberty Bell is safe (Philadelphia Inquirer via Newspapers.com) The Hilariously Bad First Concerts of Rock's Biggest Bands (Ultimate Classic Rock) Back our show on Patreon for just one softshell taco’s worth of dollars a month --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1994, the start of a very unusual road trip: Alvin Straight drove 240 miles by lawn mower. Plus: next week in Wausau, Wisconsin, it’s the Taste ‘N Glow Balloon Fest.  Brotherly Love Powers a Lawn Mower Trek (New York Times) Taste 'n Glow Balloon Fest Ride with us as a backer on Patreon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1827, the people of Boonsboro, Maryland marked Independence Day by trying to build a stone monument to George Washington in a single day. It was a Washington Monument way before the opening of the Washington Monument in DC. Plus: today in Michigan, it's the Berrien Springs Pickle Festival. The Little-Known Story of the First Washington Monument (Smithsonian) After A More Than 16-Year Hiatus, This Small Town Now Hosts The Longest-Running Pickle Festival In Michigan (Only In Your State) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1958, the Washington Post reported on a way to transform a Ford station wagon into a full-service campsite with the push of a button. Plus: this weekend in Congham, Norfolk, England, the World Snail Racing Championships. The 1959 Ford Country Squire Camper, the Pushbutton Dream Camper That Never Was (Auto Evolution) SNAIL RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS  Click on this link and you can transform yourself into one of our backers on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Around this time of a year you may come to witness an eye-opening process in parts of Utah: it’s known as aerial fish stocking. Yes, they drop fish out of airplanes into bodies of water. Plus: in Traverse City, Michigan, there are still a few more days left of the National Cherry Festival. Utah is dropping thousands of fish from planes – again (CNN) National Cherry Festival We hope you’ll drop a few bucks in to support our show on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Longtime baseball fans know this is the day each year that former star Bobby Bonilla gets more than a million bucks from the New York Mets, as part of the strangest salary deal the sport's ever seen. Plus: today in 1997, Len Libby’s Chocolates in Maine unveiled an icon, Lenny the chocolate moose. What is Bobby Bonilla Day? Explaining why the former Met gets paid $1.19M every July 1 (ESPN) Lenny the Moose (Len Libby) Back our show on Patreon for just $1 a month, or $1.19M if you’d prefer --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1919, the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which ended the massive conflict known today as World War I and set a lot of postwar international standards, including standard musical pitch. Plus: the Vent Haven Museum in Kentucky showcases the world of ventriloquism, and this weekend it's hosting a a fun run and walk as The Dummy Run 5K. High Pitch, Low Pitch and Modern Pitch (Robb Stewart Brass Instruments)  The Vent Haven 2024 Dummy Run  Let’s make an agreement that this podcast is worth your support on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This month in 1908, Anne of Green Gables was published. L.M. Montgomery's books have a lot of fans in Japan, which is why a community in northern Japan built a park called Canadian World, complete with a recreation of Anne's hometown of Avonlea. Plus: starting this Saturday in Washington state, it’s the Buckley Log Show. Abandoned Avonlea: Anne theme park in Japan now like a ghost town (CBC) Buckley Log Show  Thanks to our brand new backers on Patreon for supporting this show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Yes, the coconut's tropical, and it didn't migrate, but a 2017 research paper found that “Medieval England was unexpectedly full of coconuts.” So King Arthur and his entourage really could've wandered around in search of the Grail banging coconuts together! Plus: starting this Friday in Oklahoma, it’s the Fort Gibson Sweet Corn Festival. Coconuts in Medieval England Weren’t as Rare as Monty Python and the Holy Grail Made You Think (The Mary Sue) Fort Gibson Sweet Corn Festival   Don’t RUN AWAY!!!, take a moment and back this show on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This month in 1878, a horse named Sallie Gardner ran past a series of cameras in Palo Alto, California. The series of photos those cameras took paved the way for motion pictures. Plus: starting tomorrow in Deridder, Louisiana, it’s the Beauregard Watermelon Festival. Eadweard Muybridge (International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum)  Beauregard Watermelon Festival   Back our show on Patreon and you’ll make a difference for our show in an instant --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1982, British Airways Flight 009 made a successful landing in Jakarta, Indonesia, after ash from a nearby volcano had shut down all of the plane’s engines. Plus: today in 2022, six new high school graduates in Port Jefferson, New York had to quickly duck out of the commencement ceremonies to go fight a fire. When volcanic ash stopped a Jumbo at 37,000ft (BBC) These high school seniors raced away from graduation to fight a fire (Washington Post) Help keep our show flying high as a backer on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This week we’re replaying a few of our sweetest episodes. In this show from January 2020, astronauts on the International Space Station bake chocolate chip cookies. But baking cookies in space is a little different than baking them on Earth. Plus: a new device called the Exolung can keep air flowing for virtually as long as a diver likes.  ⁠Space-baked cookies not chips off old block ⁠(The Columbian) ⁠The Exolung gives divers an 'unlimited' underwater air supply⁠ (Designboom)  ⁠Backing Cool Weird Awesome on Patreon is sweet  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This week we’re replaying a few of our sweetest episodes. In this show from June 2019, Wilmington, Ohio and Latrobe, Pennsylvania are split over which town was the true birthplace of the banana split. Plus: the mind-melting TV show known as the Banana Splits Adventure Hour was actually supposed to have an entirely different name! ⁠Wilmington Banana Split Festival⁠   ⁠Birthplace of the Banana Split⁠ (Ohio Magazine) ⁠The Banana Split: A Rich History⁠ (Pennsylvania Center for the Book)  ⁠10 tra la la true facts about the Banana Splits⁠ (MeTV)   ⁠Backing Cool Weird Awesome on Patreon is sweet! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This week we’re replaying a few of our sweetest episodes. In this show from November 2019, we get a look at a meringue that's just about the lightest dessert ever made. Plus: the story of a light-emitting fungus gnat in Brazil, which is maybe not as appetizing as the first story. ⁠World’s Lightest Dessert Is 96 Percent Air, Weighs Just One Gram⁠ (Oddity Central) ⁠First South American insect that emits blue light is discovered⁠ (Eurekalert!) ⁠Light up your day as a Cool Weird Awesome backer on Patreon! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This week we’re replaying a few of our sweetest episodes. In this show from December 2020, we take a closer look at the amazing and frequently disturbing history of gingerbread, including how one of the most famous royals of all time helped bring gingerbread people into the world. Plus: a lesson in patience from a musical great who made herself into a cookie-baking expert.  ⁠The History of Gingerbread⁠ (PBS) ⁠5 Facts You Probably Don't Know About Christmas Cookies⁠ (Food and Wine) ⁠Neko Case: Pet Sounds⁠ (Spin) ⁠There's nothing sweeter than our backers on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This week we’re replaying a few of our sweetest episodes. In this show from July 2021, we meet Agnes B. Marshall, who helped make ice cream the icon that it is today. Plus: ground control once played the song “Hello Darlin” by country star Conway Twitty to astronauts in Earth orbit. Only this version of the song was a little different. ⁠The 19th-century entrepreneur who pioneered modern ice cream⁠ (The Hustle) ⁠Do You Remember When Conway Twitty Sang 'Hello Darlin' in Russian?⁠ (Wide Open Country) ⁠Nobody's cooler than our backers on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in Readlyn, Iowa, it's the start of Grump Days - because Readlyn proudly bills itself as home to "857 friendly people and one old Grump!" Plus: today in 1955, Paul Bunyan died? Even though he’s a legendary person and didn’t really live? That's what a grave marker in Minnesota claims, anyway. THE TOWN WHERE IT’S FUN TO BE A GROUCH (Now I Know) Paul Bunyan's Gravesite (Atlas Obscura) Joining our backers on Patreon would make even the biggest grump cheerful --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Wedding season is definitely here, and today we’ll tell you about a wedding tradition that used to have one very clear meaning and then did a 180. Plus: Stand With Pride is a network of people who volunteer to serve as stand-in parents when families of origin refuse to attend LGBTQ+ weddings. Why Do Couples Tie Cans to Wedding Cars? (New York Times) He inspired people to be stand-in parents at gay weddings. Now it’s his turn.   Let’s celebrate our Patreon backers and their support for this show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Lou Gehrig famously ended his consecutive games streak in the spring of 1939, not long before he was diagnosed with ALS. But on this day in 1939, he played one last exhibition game in Kansas City. Plus: today in 1977, the Kansas City Royals take to the field in Milwaukee with borrowed uniforms after a thief took off with most of their road gear. Hall of Fame opened the day of Lou Gehrig’s final game (Baseball Hall of Fame) The Royals had to wear Brewers uniforms for a game 42 years ago Wednesday (Kansas City Star) Our community of backers on Patreon is a hit, join today! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support