Decoder Ring

Cracking cultural mysteries.

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About the Show

In each episode, host Willa Paskin takes a cultural question, object, or habit; examines its history; and tries to figure out what it means and why it matters.

Host

Decoder Ring: Murphy’s Law

The origin of the saying “If it can go wrong, it will go wrong.”

Gender Reveal Parties

Diving into the pink and blue world of the gender reveal.

Bart Simpson Mania

Who’s afraid of Bart Simpson?

Decoder Ring: Ice-Cream Truck

 A creamy, dreamy summer treat, with a side of slashed tires.

Decoder Ring: Pillow Talk

A soft, fluffy mystery.

Decoder Ring: Chuck E. Cheese Pizza War

In the 1980s, two restaurant chains duked it out to become the preeminent robot pizza arcade.

Decoder Ring: “Videomate: Men”

Dating via VHS tape was the future, until it wasn’t.

Decoder Ring: Truck Nutz

Why would someone dangle plastic testicles from their bumper?

Decoder Ring: “Baby Shark”

Origins of an earworm.

Decoder Ring: The Grifter

Brett Johnson ripped off hundreds of people. Now, he has regrets.

Decoder Ring: Sad Jennifer Aniston

Deconstructing the tabloid saga of Jennifer Aniston.

When Us Met Jen

The history of the tabloid creation Sad Jennifer Aniston.

How Do You Start a Conspiracy Theory?

The wild and woolly tale of Ong’s Hat.

Decoder Ring: The Incunabula Papers

What lies at the heart of Ong’s Hat?

Decoder Ring: Hotel Art

Hotel art has vastly improved—but can it ever be good?

Decoder Ring: The Paper Doll Club

Who still plays with paper dolls?

Decoder Ring: The Basement Affair

Making love and performance art on a VH1 dating show.

Clown Panic

Decoder Ring investigates the history of clowns, phantom-clown panics, and the rise of the horror clown.

Decoder Ring: The Johnlock Conspiracy

The BBC insisted that John Watson and Sherlock Holmes aren’t gay lovers. Fans disagreed.

Decoder Ring: The Laff Box

What happened to the laugh track?