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

Who Owns the Tooth Fairy?

The Tooth Fairy’s freak flag is still flying.

Why You Can’t Find a Damn Parking Spot

Parking is a mess we’ve gotten ourselves into. We can get ourselves out of it.

The Artist Who Was Both Loved and Disdained

The painter LeRoy Neiman was adored by many Americans—but not the art critics.

The Curious Case of Columbo’s Message to Romania Part 2

Why does no one remember the T.V. detective’s Cold War missive?

The Curious Case of Columbo’s Message to Romania Part 1

Was the cigar-chomping detective also a Cold War diplomat?

The Making of This Season

Host Willa Paskin and producer Katie Shepherd discuss how this season of Decoder Ring came together.

The Mailbag Episode

From kids menus to succulents to the chicken that crossed the road, we answer your questions.

Encore: ‘You’ve Got Mail’ Got It Wrong

Who’s afraid of… Barnes & Noble? The now quaint conflict that inspired the 1998 romantic comedy.

Cellino & Barnes, Injury Attorneys, 800-888-8888

Cellino and Barnes became the literal poster-men for personal injury advertising.

How Preppy Became Streetwear

Ralph Lauren’s modern Ivy style was remixed by ’Lo-Heads.

The New Age Hit Machine

How a PBS pledge drive turned Yanni and John Tesh into rock stars.

The Butt and the Bustle

It may be old-fashioned, but the bustle still has a lot to tell us about race, sex and power.

The Truth About #TheDress

An unassuming photo of a party dress showed how seeing is believing.

McGruff Takes a Bite Out of Crime, Part 2

Did a trenchcoat-wearing dog’s catchy anti-drug anthems actually work?

McGruff Takes a Bite Out of Crime, Part 1

The unlikely origins of the trenchcoat-wearing bloodhound who tackled personal safety, guns, and drugs.

The Making of This Season

Host Willa Paskin talks about topics versus narratives, translating fabulists, and creating a soundscape for the world of Mae West.

The “Sex” Scandal That Made Mae West

Before she hit the big-screen, the sultry actress starred in a 1927 tabloid trial.

The First Alien Abductees

The alien abduction narrative started right here on Earth.

The Most Famous Poet No One Remembers

Searching for Rod McKuen.

The Mall Is Dead (Long Live the Mall)

For a supposedly dying place, the mall keeps hanging around.