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

Gotta Get Down on Friday

Was Rebecca Black’s “Friday” Really So Bad?

Unicorn Poop

How did excrement get cute?

Rubber Duckie

How hot baths, cheap plastic, and Sesame Street helped make the rubber duck.

The Shop Around the Corner

The true story behind You’ve Got Mail.

Friend of Dorothy

Why do gay people love Judy Garland so much?

The Stowe-Byron Controversy

What cancel culture looked like in the 1860s.

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?