Best Jeni McDonald Podcasts (2025)

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328 - King Tut 42:46

Play Pause

2d ago42:46

42:46

This week's subject is King Tut. While the discovery of his tomb and the legend of the related curse has made his name well known around the world, who was he really? Learn a bit about what we know about the man (or more accurately boy) behind the name and myth.By Jeni McDonald and Will Hageman

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327 - Pauline Bonaparte - Napoleon's Favorite Sister 27:42

10d ago27:42

27:42

While we have discussed Napoleon in the past on this podcast, today we talk about his younger sister Pauline. Famous for her beauty and scandalous affairs, she is the only sibling to visit him in exile on Elba. While she only lived to be 44 she certainly lived life to its fullest. Take a listen and learn all about Paula Maria Bonaparte Leclerc Borg…

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326 - The Yeti 36:50

16d ago36:50

36:50

This week's podcast is dedicated to the search for the Yeti, not the top end drink cooler, but the Cryptid that is rumored to roam the Himalayas eating yaks and sometimes people. The Yeti has attracted the attention of some very famous mountaineers including Sir Edmund Hillary who spent a decent chuck of the late 50's searching for the creature and…

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325 - Mary Anning 30:57

24d ago30:57

30:57

Mary Anning was a pioneer in the field of paleontology, working in the early 19th Century, she discovered many famous dinosaurs and marine reptiles such as Ichthyosaurus. Her contributions were often overlooked due to her gender and social status, which let to her being ineligible to join the Geological Society of London or often receive no credit …

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324 - The Roswell Incident 51:08

1M ago51:08

51:08

Today's podcast is about one of America's favorite conspiracy theories, The Roswell Incident. In 1947, debris was recovered from a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico that was recovered by personnel from the nearby Army Air Field. The stuff of conspiracy began when the Army announced it had picked up a "flying disc" before retracting the statement the n…

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323 - The Pack Horse Library Project 16:50

1M ago16:50

16:50

The Pack Horse Library Project was part of the WPA's attempt to relieve rural poverty in Kentucky. Since many people in Appalachian Kentucky didn't have access to books, the "book ladies" of the Pack Horse library brought books to them in remote areas via packhorses. The librarians would haul hundreds of books into the back country via horseback, s…

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322 - The History of Midwives 39:44

1M ago39:44

39:44

While there might be some debate about what is indeed the world's oldest profession, what might be the world's oldest medical profession is that of the midwife. Women have most likely been helping other women give birth since before modern humans were a thing. Take a listen this week and learn about the history of the midwife... from revered helper…

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231 - Graham Crackers 27:37

2M ago27:37

27:37

This week we discuss the invention of the graham cracker... the tasty snack that is used for making smores, pie crusts, and other fun snacks. However, its history is not what you might expect. The original graham cracker was invented by the reverend Sylvester Graham in the late 1800s. He was a proponent of avoiding lustful thought by eating the bla…

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320 - Where Calorie Counting Began 44:07

2M ago44:07

44:07

This week we look at one of the most ubiquitous things in modern dieting... calorie counting. When did we first start paying attention to the caloric content of food and worrying about how much energy we were taking in vs. burning off? The popularization of counting calories for weight loss and management was popularized by Lulu Hunt Peters, a doct…

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319 - Margaret Prior and The American Female Moral Reform Society 37:37

2M ago37:37

37:37

Hello all! This week we discuss humanitarian and urban missionary Margaret Prior and her founding of the American Female Moral Reform Society, a progressive group originally created to help the plight of poor women stuck in sex work in pre-Civil War New York City. Prior worked tirelessly to help fellow women, believe in a hand out and a hand up. Th…

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318 - The Origin of the Snake Oil Salesman 27:38

2M ago27:38

27:38

Ever wondered why a worthless item being sold as a miracle cure is referred to as Snake Oil? Like just about everything else in Modern America is dates back to the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. Clark Stanley sold snake oil to relieve aches and pains. The amazing thing is that Snake Oil really can help with these issues, unfortunately Snake Oil is s…

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317 - Grace O'Malley 31:59

3M ago31:59

31:59

This week's topic, coinciding with St. Patrick's Day, is Grace O'Malley. O'Malley controlled a large portion of County Mayo in the late 1500s and was known as a pirate queen. She famously met on equal terms with Queen Elizabeth I, and received her protection from Richard Bingham, the English lord nominally put in charge of the province of Connacht.…

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316 - The Life and Times of Horace Greeley 51:24

3M ago51:24

51:24

If you are like me, you mainly know Horace Greeley for the expression "Go West Young Man" and are generally aware that he was a newspaper editor. You might be aware that he was a congressman and crossed paths with just about every famous person of the mid 19th century. Abraham Lincoln (check), Karl Marx (check), Mark Twain (check), etc. Take a list…

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315 - Archeology in the News 35:47

3M ago35:47

35:47

This week we take a look at the top five archeology stories in the news, ranging from Greek sculpture finds in Athens, to an ancient woodhenge in Denmark, to kids tripping over ancient idols in Isreal, there's plenty up in the archeological world.By Jeni McDonald and Will Hageman

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314 - The Shroud of Turin 52:26

3M ago52:26

52:26

The Shroud of Turin is a mysterious cloth kept in the city of Turin/Torino, Italy that is purported to be the burial shroud of Jesus. The shroud contains an image of a man baring the marks of crucifixion as if he had burned an image into it while laying on one half with the other half folded over him. The whereabouts of the are first reported in th…

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313 - Exorcism of Political Commentary 33:37

4M ago33:37

33:37

In the 8th Century an exorcism was performed on a 16 year old girl. The girl began to speak in Latin, which she did not know, claiming to be a demon named Wiggo. The demon claimed to have been roaming the countryside doing terrible things because the lack of piousness and Christian behavior of the people and their leaders allowed his presence. Was …

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312 - Ruth Ellis, The UK's Tragic Last Executed Person 41:48

4M ago41:48

41:48

On the 13th of July, 1955, Ruth Ellis became the last person to be executed in the United Kingdom. Her story is a tragic one, beginning with childhood abuse and ending with the public shooting of her lover outside a London Pub possibly at the behest of another. While she felt no remorse and didn't seek to appeal her conviction, her family is still …

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311 - The Nazca Lines 38:55

4M ago38:55

38:55

The Nazca lines have become famous over the years for their mysterious origins and purpose. Residing in the high desert in Southern Peru, the lines were created by removing the top layer of desert rocks, exposing the different colored clay beneath. Some of the lines appear to be an astronomical calendar, some are drawings of birds and beasts, and s…

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310 - Feuding like the Hatfields and McCoys 30:58

4M ago30:58

30:58

If you were to think of the quintessential family feud that first thought for most Americans is the Hatfields and McCoys. Two families whose fame is solely based on hating each other. While their feud is famous, the actual details of it are not. Most of us only know that McCoys hate Hatfields and Hatfields hate McCoys, not why that might be the cas…

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309 - The Hope Diamond 49:52

5M ago49:52

49:52

Today's episode is dedicated to a gem that is probably more famous for the rumors and often false history surrounding it then its own beauty... The Hope Diamond. The Hope Diamond is now known to have been cut from a gem owned by the Royal Family of France and looted during the early days of the revolution. A lore of the cure of the Hope Diamond mad…

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308 - Love and Thunder 39:04

5M ago39:04

39:04

This week's topic is the Lore of Thor. Legends and religions involving Thor come from ancient Northern European roots and have spread around the world, most notably in recent years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ever wonder how a random god in the Norse pantheon became universally known today in the form of film and Thursdays? If so, take a listen…

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307 - Lions and Tigers and Pumas Oh My 30:20

5M ago30:20

30:20

The English countryside is often associated with many things, rivers, lakes, moors, hedgehogs, but not large predators. The largest official remaining predator in the UK is the badger. While you might not want to back one into a corner, they're not about to go on a wild killing spree. However, several locations in the UK report continued sightings …

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306 - Tickle Torture 20:20

5M ago20:20

20:20

When you think about it, the human reaction to tickling is quite odd. Why do we laugh when someone grazes your feet with a feather or digs their fingers into your unsuspecting ribs? While a little tickling can be fun, it has been used as a device of torture in different societies throughout history. Take a listen this week and find out all about ti…

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305 - Christmas Traditions and Symbols 34:12

5M ago34:12

34:12

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! This Christmas Eve we are coming to you with a podcast full of the history of several Christmas traditions. If you've ever wondered why we have Christmas Tree ornaments, why the colors of Christmas are Red and Green, or why some of the figures in the Nativity scene always seem to be wearing the same colo…

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304 - The Nutcracker 24:49

6M ago24:49

24:49

Were you aware that the Nutcracker Ballet was not much of a hit when first performed in 1892 in St. Petersburg, Russia? While the music was well received, the ballet itself was not an instant fan favorite. It didn't grow to high popularity until the 1940s when it began to take off in the United States. Over the years it has become a quintessential …

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303 - The Great Whiskey Fire of Dublin 41:57

6M ago41:57

41:57

On June 18th, 1875 a warehouse full of thousands of casks of whiskey caught fire in the Liberties area of Dublin causing a river of flaming whiskey to pour down the streets, often up to six inches deep. While the fire did a great deal of damage, it most regrettably caused the deaths of 13 people. However, none died from the effects of the fire itse…

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302 - The Rhinelander Scandal 45:18

6M ago45:18

45:18

Today's podcast is about a divorce case in New York that took place 100 years ago. Kip Rhinelander, the heir to a prominent New York Family, secretly married Alice Jones, a working class girl. While this would normally draw the ire of his family the situation became national news when rumors began to spread that the new bride was "colored" and not …

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301 - Christmas Lights: The Origin Story 29:49

6M ago29:49

29:49

This week we discuss the holiday season's most famous bright spot: Christmas Lights. Decorating trees, houses, shopping malls, and making up vast displays; Christmas lights are a staple of the holiday season. When did electric lights on objects become a thing? Take a listen and learn about the origin of the light and when they became a mainstay of …

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300 - Your Looks Are Criminal 37:05

7M ago37:05

37:05

This week's podcast in on Cesare Lombroso, an Italian anthropologist and criminologist that had the unfortunate assertation that criminality was inherited and could be directly identified through physical traits. While we now know that some congenital abnormalities can affect brain function and lead to psychological issues, most of Lombroso's asser…

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299 - The Candyman Murder 38:26

7M ago38:26

38:26

While the Candyman movies involve a mysterious paranormal murderer that can be summoned thought the bathroom mirror stalking the projects of Chicago, they are based on a true story. Today's podcast discusses the bizarre details surrounding the murder of Ruthie Mae McCoy who was killed in her apartment in the ABLA housing project of Chicago's Near-W…

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298 - The Mummified Bandit 36:23

7M ago36:23

36:23

This week's episode tells the story of Elmer McCurdy, a not too successful bandit of the old west who was eventually killed in Oklahoma in 1911. However, McCurdy's story didn't end then. After being embalmed, no one wanted to pay for his burial, and he went on display at the funeral home. Elmer's desiccated eventually toured the United States in va…

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297 - Ghosts in the Legal Machine 33:46

7M ago33:46

33:46

We're back after a one week hiatus with stories of the bizarre area where the law and ghosts overlap. We have two stories this week: the first where the testimony of a ghost is officially admitted as evidence in a trial, and the second where a house is declared legally haunted. Take a listen and see just how ghosts and our legal system have intermi…

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296 - The Pumpkin Patch 33:55

8M ago33:55

33:55

Have you ever wondered where the tradition of the pumpkin patch came from? Today, every Halloween season, we have active pumpkin patches on farms that have not just the obligatory pumpkins for sale, but giant slides, corn mazes, hay rack rides, and hundreds of other random activities to attract families to spend their time and money. On today's pod…

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295 - Bloody Mary - Demon or Drink 28:25

8M ago28:25

28:25

Today's episode is dedicated to the debate about who the childhood scare game "Blood Mary" takes its inspiration from. Is it Queen Mary of England, a legendary witch, or a Balkan Countess. Since we are talking about Bloody Marys it's only fitting we spend some time talking about the origin of the drink as well, which is also shrouded in mystery.…

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294 - Your Friendly Neighborhood Cryptid 31:47

8M ago31:47

31:47

This week we have multiple stories of cryptids from around the US. There's always a fun story of the local creepy monster or legend to make kids out camping rethink their decisions when they wake up in the middle of the night. This week we have everything from Sink Hold Sam to the Pope Lick Monster. Take a listen and learn about some of the more st…

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293 - The Ogress of Reading 36:44

8M ago36:44

36:44

My apologies for the late podcast this week... the blue screen of death reared its ugly head, but the computer issues are now fixed and the podcast is finally posted. Our topic this week is Amelia Elizabeth Hobley-Dyer, the Ogress of Reading. A woman who made money "caring" for children of unwed mothers in Victorian England. Unfortunately, this oft…

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292 - The Origins of the Scots 32:41

9M ago32:41

32:41

Where did the people of Scotland come from? The Picts were living in Scotland when the Romans arrived but where did they come from and who did they descend from? Theorys abound: from home grown stories of them descending from an Egyptian queen to more conventional crossings of the Irish Sea by Gaelic peoples. Take a listen and see what you think.…

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291 - Mystery of the Missing Faberge Eggs 28:42

9M ago28:42

28:42

The ornate eggs that Faberge made for the imperial family of Russia are famous around the world. 52 eggs were made for the imperial family, and the majority of these are still around today, on display around the world in various collections. However, some of the eggs are still missing and have from time to time been found in the strangest of places…

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290 - Daniel Dunglas Home 43:41

9M ago43:41

43:41

Daniel Dunglas Home (pronounced Hume) was a medium of the mid 19th century that gained fame in both Europe and the US for his ability to levitate and move objects during seances. He became one of the most famous mediums of the spiritualist movement and had many high profile believers and doubters including Arthur Conan Doyle as a prominent believer…

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289 - The Wendigo 36:38

9M ago36:38

36:38

The concept of a Wendigo, a malevolent spirt that can cause someone to become an insatiable cannibal is a part of Algonquin Folklore that is both part cryptid and part culture-bound syndrome. While the concept has entered the vernacular of the western world with horror movies and stories depicting it, it stems from the Algonquin culture where the t…

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288 - The Unsinkable Margaret Brown 32:50

10M ago32:50

32:50

This week's topic is the life of Margaret Brown, better known as The Unsinkable Molly Brown in mostly fictionalized accounts after her death. Margaret was born in Hannibal, Missouri about 30 years after Mark Twain. She is famed for her activism in social causes and for surviving the sinking of the titanic. Take a listen and find out more about her …

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287 - The Jackalope 36:46

10M ago36:46

36:46

Today's podcast is about one of the more light-hearted cryptids out there. The mysterious jackalope, seen mounted on many walls but not often in the wild. Take a listen and find out about this icon of the great plains.By Jeni McDonald and Will Hageman

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286 - Miraculous Stairs and Vampires in New Orleans 35:39

10M ago35:39

35:39

Today's podcast has two topics: the miraculous staircase of the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico and the vampires of New Orleans. Both of which are linked, oddly enough, by their relationship to nuns.By Jeni McDonald and Will Hageman

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285 - Andrew Cunanan and the Versace Murder 32:03

10M ago32:03

32:03

Andrew Cunanan was a serial murderer that killed five people during a crazed spree in 1997. His most famous and final victim, other than himself, was Gianni Versace, the famed clothing designer. What drove him to do what he did? Listen in and see what you think.By Jeni McDonald and Will Hageman

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284 - Jonestown 1:02:23

11M ago1:02:23

1:02:23

The conclusion of our two part episode on Jim Jones and the People's Temple. The People's Temple moves to California and problems begin in earnest. The cult eventually moves to Guyana and creates the settlement of Jonestown where is slowly decays into human rights abuses and ultimately the Jonestown Massacre. Don't drink the Flavor Aid.…

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283 - Jim Jones before Jonestown 52:47

11M ago52:47

52:47

We discuss the early life of Jim Jones, the cult leader most infamous for the mass murder/suicide of his followers at Jonestown in Guyana. From his start in life as part of a desperately poor and dysfunctional family, to his alternately being a preacher, atheist, communist, civil rights crusader, and cult leader, his life seems to be a constant con…

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282 - Pukwudgies and Magic Frogs 26:36

11M ago26:36

26:36

Today's podcast deals with a couple of the lesser known cryptids of the United States: The Pukwudgies of the Massachusetts woods and the wand wielding frog people of Ohio. Time for a little detour into the weird ;)By Jeni McDonald and Will Hageman

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281 - The Angel Makers of Nagyrev 37:20

11M ago37:20

37:20

During and after World War I, a group of women living in Nagyrev, Hungary, used arsenic to poison up to 300 men. The ringleader of the group was Zsuzanna Fazekas, a local midwife with a strangely missing husband. The poisoning was initially aimed at abusive husbands, but eventually spread to parents of the women involved and thier own children.…

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280 - The Affair of the Poisons 36:28

12M ago36:28

36:28

Our topic this week is the Marquise de Montespan, a noblewoman renowned for her beauty and with that became the mistress of King Louis XIV of France and one of the post powerful people in the country. She was accused of being part of the "Affair of the Poisons" when it was revealed that a large chunk of the court of Louis XIV had been poisoning eac…

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279 - Nero Fiddled (or Luted) while Rome Burned 41:38

12M ago41:38

41:38

Today's topic is the Roman Emperor Nero, or Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus to be more exact. Most famous today for possibly enjoying the great fire of Rome a bit too much and for persecuting Christians afterwards, we take a look at the actual history. What all did Nero get up to that has made him a villain to this day? How much is true an…