PODCAST · history
Fascinators!
by Ken Atkinson and Evan Atkinson
Fascinators is a show about the wonderful, weird and sometimes puzzling things that fascinate us. Each episode, father and son duo Ken and Evan Atkinson explore the histories, concepts and stories that fascinate them. Find out why Santa Claus is buried in New York City, why every film director eventually wants to make a Pinocchio movie, why no one is really sure why there are 52 cards in a deck and so much more!
Episodes
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The Love Island Sanitarium
The boys have returned from two new rabbit-holes. Evan uses philosophy to argue that Love Island might be a war crime and Ken takes us through the winding and sordid history of Post Cereal. Put on your thinking caps for this one gang!
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The Sweet Science of Where Eels Come From
Where do tennis scores come from? What makes a bike stabilize itself without a rider? What was the fastest horse to ever live? Where do eels come from? The Atkinson boys have the answer to most of those questions, but not the ones you'd expect!
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Skywriting with Leaded Gasoline
Evan goes down the rabbit hole into the history of skywriting and some of history's most daring stunt pilots while Ken spins tires and tales of the automobile and the deadliest person to ever live.
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Werner Herzog Circles Back
This episode is jam packed with stories of history repeating itself. Ken tells the story of the time Werner Hezog tried to move a boat up a mountain while Evan digs into the cultish linguistics of corporate speak.
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Traffic Jams and Polish Clams
After an accidental summer break, Ken and Evan Atkinson are back with the answers to more burning questions that you never thought to ask. Evan sets out to understand if Google Maps is actually making your drive longer while Ken looks to the animal kingdom to improve some human technology.…
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Eat Your Veggies And Win A Tony
Did you know that if you release a musical on broadway at all, you have a 40% chance to be nominated for Best Musical at the Tonys? Did you know that turkey, the food, is named after Turkey the country? Well buckle up, because you're about to learn a whole lot more than that on this week's...
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Jocko Flocko's Prison Break
This week on Fasncinators: Evan tells us the story of the rise and fall of the fastest monkey on four wheels, Jocko Flocko. Ken, meanwhile, tries to break out of jail with an armful of nectarines and a helicopter. Take a listen and learn something new!
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How to Stop Choking and Start Cheating (At Baseball)
It's episode 50! Evan and Ken have brought you 100 fascinating stories over the past two years and this week is no different. Ken uncovers the dark story of the inventor of the Heimlich maneuver and how it relates to Tigger's voice actor while Evan takes America's pass-time to task as he examines...
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Chappell Roan's Flesh Eating Squirrels
Do you want the good news or the bad news first? The good news is you can now buy Taylor Swift's new album in 8 different colors of vinyl. The bad news? Squirrels have acquired a taste for meat. Find out what that means for you on this week's Fascinators!
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Johnny Cash is the Name and Bird Murder is my Game
Have you ever seen someone that really looked like a Tim? Or maybe a Samantha? Turns out, you might actually have a good chance at guessing right! This week on Fascinators, Ken takes us on a wild ride through music history to find out why Johnny Cash almost single handedly caused the extinction…
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Hidden Messages in Popular Mascots
What size paper could cover the Earth? What is the dark origin story behind the Los Angeles Dodgers' name? Find out the answer to these questions and so many more on Fascinators!
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Are Child Actors Really Happy?
Are you happy? We at Fascinators sure hope you are, but how does one measure how happy they truly are? Evan has some ideas. Also in this episode, Ken takes us through the history of royalties and discovers how much the cast of Friends is really making from your fifth rewatch.
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The Ig-Nobel Dinner Guest
Get ready for a real heater y'all. Evan explores the bizarre and fascinating world of the Ig Nobel prizes, answering questions you never thought to ask. Which way does hair grow in the southern hemisphere? Can plants see? Do people grow beards to protect from punches? Meanwhile Ken is digging up...
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How to Game the Oscars
The boys are back with a holiday treat, their longest episode yet! Ken walks us through the ups and downs of the board game industry while Evan pulls back the curtain on everything you need to do to win an Oscar.
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Little Cats and Cardiff Giants
The boys are back with a pair of fascinating stories! Evan takes us through the wild true story of one of the most prolific hoaxes in American history while Ken answers the age old question: why are domestic cats smaller than domestic dogs while wild cats are much larger than wild dogs? Find out…
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Faking News and Building Zoos
Breaking news alert: Over 170 cocaine hippos are running rampant in Columbia! Find out the truth behind that news bulletin and learn about the 1992 BBC program that set out to find evidence of paranormal activity and ended up creating a few ghosts of its own on this week's Fascinators!
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Snoopy Versus Count Zeppelin
Where did all of the airships go? What does the founder of Benihana have to do with the history of balloons? Why did Charlie Brown never get to kick that football? Join Evan and Ken to find out the answers to most of those questions and some more you didn't know you had!
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The War on Pinball
It's episode 40! Ken tells us the historical reason why Cinco De Mayo is really a cautionary tale about pastry theft. Evan takes us through the history of the most degenerate of gambling vices, pinball. Find out more on this week's Fascinators!
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Only Scrubs Shake Vending Machines
Have you ever thought about when the first vending machine was created? Would you have guessed it was in the first century AD? When's the last time you thought about Full House actor Dave Coulier and his surprisingly long lasting impact on pop music? Tune in to find out the stories behind these…
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A Collect Call From The CIA
Make sure to check your smart phone for bugs. This week the Atkinson boys are talking about telecommunications and CIA operations. Ken tells us all about the telephone and how the fax machine is way older than you'd think. Evan dug into the CIA's archives to find stories about acoustic kitties…
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The Ups and Downs of Treasure Hunting
The Atkinson Boys are back from a brief hiatus to bring you a handful of fascinating stories. Evan talks about why you probably shouldn't get into treasure hunting if you want to live a happy life and Ken uncovers the dark history of a company whose products are probably in your medicine cabinet...
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Godzilla (A)Tax
Calling in once more from their separate studios, Evan and Ken are here with a fresh batch of fascinating stories for us. Ken shares the second half of his two-parter on Death and Taxes, while Evan weaves a story about why Kim Jong Il is one of history's biggest Godzilla fans. You don't want to...
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Fake Names and Real Deaths
The Atkinson boys are live on camera for a very special episode! Evan kicks us off with a deep dive into the world of pseudonyms while Ken begins part one of a two parter on Death and Taxes. Who really wrote the Nancy Drew books and how did Bruce Lee truly die? Find out on this week's Fascinators!
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Boneless Gummy Worms and Headless Robots
It's a fascinating episode this week! Ken is talking about why Pizza Hut was once the largest kale purchaser in the world and why Gatorade is illegal outside the US. Evan is fresh from a visit to The Portal between NYC and Dublin and is here to report that in America, we just can't have nice...
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Rap Beef is Tough to Digest
If you've been anywhere on social media over the past month, you'll know that Drake and Kendrick Lamar aren't too happy with one another. Did you know that their feud has its roots in 5th century Norway? Evan charts the history of the rap beef while Ken takes an altogether gnarly trip through the...
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From First Street to Last Avenue
In the midst of a move, Evan explains the oddities of street names and lays down a challenge for any daring listeners. Ken shares stories of some truly bizarre firsts and lasts throughout history. The boys are back in town!
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The Birth of Jack Black and the End of a Marathon
The late 60's, what a time. Woodstock was happening, we landed on the moon, two fake rock bands toured the country and an elderly Japanese olympian finished a marathon he started 54 years earlier. Join the Atkinson boys on an exploration of some wild stories from a wild era.
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Curious Terrence and the Sacred Pentagon
The Atkinson boys are serving up two wildly different and equally bizarre stories this week. Ken discusses the globetrotting history behind the making of a beloved children's story and some of the dark theories about its secret meaning. Evan takes us through the unbelievably strange second career...
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It's Illegal to be Named Captain America in New Zealand
Back from a one week hiatus, our boys brought some fresh fascinating facts! Ken walks us through why all the puppies in France have names like Victor and Veronica and Evan takes us through the wild business blunders and bets that led to the birth of the MCU.
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Talking About the Elephant in the Moon
This week the Atkinson boys are talking about stories of hope and tragedy. Ken delivers news about the recent space race that you might have missed and Evan tells us the tragic story of Jumbo the elephant and why he might be the original Statue of Liberty. Take a listen now!
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I Sure Hope That Sauna Is Insured
The boys are laying low this week and making sure everything is in order. Evan is back from a lovely day at the spa and decided to take a trip down the rabbit hole of Finnish Sauna Culture. Meanwhile, Ken has been looking into taking out a policy for his biceps and the history of insurance.
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Starting a Sex Cult Out of Spite
Has someone ever told you you couldn't do something, so you went above and beyond to do it? Did you ever wonder what the free love movement and the worlds largest silverware company have in common? If you answered yes to either of those questions then boy do we have an episode for you.
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What Not to Wear to the North Pole
It's officially been a full year of Fascinators! Evan and Ken are celebrating with two tales of frightening fashion and a battle for the discovery of the North Pole. Put on your thinking caps and tune in to an all-timer!
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The Quesarito Bowl, Sponsored by Government Cheese
It's college bowl season and that can only mean one thing, ludicrous sponsorships! Evan and Ken are back to talk about advertising, owning a stadium, and the reason why the government is storing 1.4 billion pounds of cheese under Missouri.
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This Library is Brought to You by the Letter T
Can you imagine a library without alphabetical order? Do you know which Beatles song almost got shot into space? Who do you think owns the most land in the world (hint, in third place is a woman named Gina)? Find the answers to all of those questions and more on this episode of Fascinators!
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EPCOT: Experimental Prototype Community of Trees
Trees, HOA's, and Walt Disney; three things that are deceptively wild. Find out about some beef between neighbors in New Jersey, an indestructible plastic home, and why Disney really moved to Florida on this week's episode!
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An Encore for Bob Ross
The boys are literally back in town on this one. Evan and Ken return to the studio where it all started for another in-person recording. This time, Evan talks about some record setting concerts and the history of the encore and Ken tells us some tales of unfortunate painters in the late 1800s.…
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From Dracula to Dominoes
Boo! It's officially Spooky Season and the Atkinson boys are talking about the fascinating stories behind some classic Halloween staples. Ken talks about the true story of Dracula and why a gargoyle might not actually be a gargoyle while Evan talks about the most frightening place of all, Chuck…
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The Con Man-on-the-Street
If you like this podcast, we've got a bridge to sell you. This week we're learning about some of history's greatest grifters and a man who was quoted so many times, the AP had to issue a memo to tell their reporters to avoid him. Find out why we might need to worry about the owner of the world's...
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Cheating Death and Taxes
This week on Fascinators we're talking about endless business deals and unkillable people. Find out why the New York Mets begrudgingly celebrate Bobby Bonilla day and how the inventor of the saxophone almost died a dozen times before the age of 10. It's Fascinating Stuff!
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The Colorful World of Rascal Birds
I hope you're sitting down for this one. Evan takes us on a tour of the color wheel while Ken tells us why birds really are rascals. See if you can spot the Dick Cheney jump scare!
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The Orbs are Headed for Boston
What do the Foo Fighters, Whoopi Goldberg, a virtual dog, and a bunch of scary orbs all have in common? They're all talked about in this episode! Learn about some of the best multi-instrumentalists of all time, a bunch of silicon valley failures, and a digression about EGOT winners from Evan and...
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History is Written by Victors, and Shakespeares
That Shakespeare fella sure was creative. Find out why Paul Revere shouldn't be too revered and how you probably quote The Bard daily.
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A Five Cent Can of Psychological Manipulation
Do you like the refreshing taste of Coca-Cola? Do you like free will? At the average American grocery store, you're only going to be able to find one. Join father and son duo, Evan and Ken Atkinson as they journey through time and the depths of their minds in search of the answer.
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It's a Wonderful Life for Tom Bombadil
There's a lot of guilt in giving up on a book. Sure you can stop a movie or a show early, but there's something different about a book. On this episode, Evan tries to make himself feel better about giving up on reading Lord of the Rings and Ken talks about why the government investigated a...
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How to Eat a Murder of Crows
It fills us with such pride when people say that they've herd our podcast and this episode is ahead of the pack. Tune in to learn about all of the different odd and specific names that people have used to describe groups of animals and go on a journey to the furthest reaches of the globe and…
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That Sounds Illegal!
The Atkinson Boys are back with another episode all about iconic sounds and silly laws. Find out the origin of the loudest sound ever made and why Winnie the Poo is banned in both Poland and China. Coincidentally, this podcast might also be banned in China, listen to find out why!
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In Life, One Sometimes Makes Bad Arms Deals
You might want to throw some salt over your shoulder because today, Ken is bringing us three stories of wild coincidence and some truly terrible luck. You also might want to take a second look at your choice of glassware because Evan is uncovering some shocking connections between the world of…
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Shoe Brothers 2 Furious
In honor of national siblings day, Ken tells us about a pair of brothers who loved shoes and hated each other. In honor of watching too many film franchises, Evan dives into sequels, prequels and the many other types of "quels". Welcome to Fascinators season two!
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Six Degrees of Cleopatra
Ken takes us on a journey from Socrates to Cleopatra through through 500 years of shared connections while Evan tells the story of the Guinness world record so dangerous, they pulled it from publication. Find out what Nintendo has to do with Jack the Ripper, which Guinness World Record holder…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Fascinators is a show about the wonderful, weird and sometimes puzzling things that fascinate us. Each episode, father and son duo Ken and Evan Atkinson explore the histories, concepts and stories that fascinate them. Find out why Santa Claus is buried in New York City, why every film director eventually wants to make a Pinocchio movie, why no one is really sure why there are 52 cards in a deck and so much more!
HOSTED BY
Ken Atkinson and Evan Atkinson
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Fascinators! have?
Fascinators! currently has 56 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Fascinators! about?
Fascinators is a show about the wonderful, weird and sometimes puzzling things that fascinate us. Each episode, father and son duo Ken and Evan Atkinson explore the histories, concepts and stories that fascinate them. Find out why Santa Claus is buried in New York City, why every film director...
How often does Fascinators! release new episodes?
Fascinators! has 56 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Fascinators!?
You can listen to Fascinators! on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Fascinators!?
Fascinators! is created and hosted by Ken Atkinson and Evan Atkinson.
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