• The Original Muppets
    Nov 25 2019

    Jim Henson created hundreds of Muppets. Many of them are well known, but there are a whole bunch of Muppets from the early days that most people haven't even heard of. The Smithsonian has more than 30 of those original, obscure Muppets including the original lizard-like Kermit who was made from an old green coat Henson's mother threw out.

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    36 mins
  • Bee Gees' Silver Suits
    Nov 21 2019

    The Bee Gees -- Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, were among the most successful vocal groups in rock and roll history, helping define the disco era with their falsetto harmonies and funky beats. The Australian band's silver suits at the Smithsonian are from their 1978 tour, riding on the heels of their album for the movie "Saturday Night Fever," one of the top selling soundtracks in history.

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    33 mins
  • Pelé's #10 Jersey
    Nov 14 2019

    Professional soccer player, Pelé -- did more for the sport's global appeal than anyone in history. He did so much that the International Olympic Committee named him the athlete of the century. In 1975, he came out of retirement in Brazil, put on his unassuming white mesh jersey with the number ten on it and went to play with the New York Cosmos, lifting the sport from a sleepy backwater in the U.S. to having unprecedented interest today.


    This episode is sponsored by Parcast - Mythology (www.parcast.com/MYTHOLOGY) and Bayer.

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    29 mins
  • Archie Bunker's Chair
    Nov 7 2019

    All in the Family was a groundbreaking sitcom. Its pilot episode came with a trigger warning, and every episode thereafter came with a hefty dose of retrograde political commentary from Archie Bunker. So why is the chair in the Smithsonian? How did this piece of furniture make it from a second hand store in Los Angeles to the National Museum of American History in DC? (Celeb interviews: Hector Elizondo and Norman Lear)



    This episode is sponsored by Bayer.

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    33 mins
  • Carrie Bradshaw's Laptop
    Oct 31 2019

    Carrie Bradshaw was the voice of HBO's groundbreaking comedy Sex and the City. Launching in 1998, each episode was built around Bradshaw writing her weekly column and uncensored voice and actions of four women who rode the roller coaster of modern sexual relationships. Her laptop now resides at the Smithsonian. Host Aasif Mandvi (who had a role on the show as Dmitri, a computer tech) explores the show's enduring appeal. (Celeb interview: Candace Bushnell).


    This episode is sponsored by Bayer and The Great Courses (www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/LOST).


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    31 mins
  • Muhammad Ali's Robe
    Oct 24 2019

    Muhammad Ali was a legendary boxer and much, much more. Finding the robe Ali wore during training gives Aasif a chance to get into the history of one of the biggest sporting events of all time: The Rumble in the Jungle. (Celeb interview: Reporter, Jerry Izenberg)


    This episode is sponsored by Bayer and The Great Courses (www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/LOST).


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    35 mins
  • Phyllis Diller's Gag File
    Oct 17 2019

    Phyllis Diller was a 38-year old, practically homeless mother of five when she started her standup career. She was a trailblazer, using her jokes to open doors for all the women who would come after her. In a lucky break for history, she was also a compulsive note taker and gave a filing cabinet with 50,000 jokes to the Smithsonian for safe keeping.

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    29 mins
  • Dorothy's Ruby Slippers
    Oct 10 2019

    The Ruby Slippers Judy Garland wore in The Wizard of Oz are one of the most popular items at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. So why is the pair on display mismatched? And what does the FBI have to do with it?

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    35 mins