That's History, Babe!

Jared Tetreau & Abe Merker
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Comedy

Julius Caesar. Joan of Arc. Liberace. These people are dead. But if they were alive, they’d be listening to this show. Hosts Jared Tetreau and Abe Merker take you deep into the bowels of the archive to explore the dank crevices and back alleys of the past, reclaiming history for the curious-minded girls, gays, and theys. This is THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 11h ago

    How Gay Was Ancient Greece?

    This week, we take it back a few millennia to the time of Ancient Greece, exploring the super gay myths and legends used to explain and sanctify the sexual behaviors of the Greeks themselves. But how did Greek myths define sexuality? How different were Greek ideas of sexual identity from our own? What do we get wrong when we project our contemporary labels onto people in antiquity? And can a couple of buddies get oiled up and wrestle naked and still be just friends?? Tangents include CATS: The Jellicle Ball, why Leos are obsessed with their birthdays, and the possibility of moving Busch Gardens Williamsburg to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. SOURCES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYZCpJmHAqIClarke, W. M. (1978). Achilles and Patroclus in Love. Hermes, 106(3), 381–396. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4476069“Friday essay: the myth of the ancient Greek ‘gay utopia’” by Alastair Blanshard, The Conversation, December 14, 2017Halperin, D. M. (1986). One Hundred Years of Homosexuality [Review of Die Griechische Knabenliebe, by H. Patzer]. Diacritics, 16(2), 34–45. https://doi.org/10.2307/465069 A Problem in Greek Ethics” by John Addington SymondsLovers’ Legends: Gay Greek Myths by Andrew CalimachTHAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. Jul 23

    When an Army of Peasants Nearly Overthrew England!

    Could you and 60,000 of your closest friends beat your landlord in open warfare? If you’re an English peasant in the summer of 1381, then the answer is yes. This week, we explore one of the most seismic uprisings in the history of Medieval Europe, the Peasants’ Revolt! Learn how a ragtag group of farmers sacked London, killed a bunch of important people, and provided revolutionary inspiration for centuries to come. Tangents include the planetary status of Pluto, hot historian Dan Jones, Jared losing it all at poker, Abe’s new apartment (!!!), and Claudia’s long awaited return. SOURCES Anonimalle Chronicle “The Peasants Revolt” by Dan Jones, History Today, 2009 “Joint Action against ‘Bad’ Lordship: The Peasants’ Revolt in Essex and Norfolk” by Herbert Eiden, The Historical Association, 1998 The Chronicles of Froissart by Jean Froissart, 1373-1410 “John Gower, Squire of Kent, the Peasants’ Revolt, and the Visio Anglie” by Michael Bennett, The Chaucer Review, 2018 “Gower and the Peasants’ Revolt” by Ian Cornelius, Representations 131, 2015 THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. Jul 16

    The Treacherous Couple Who Sold Out America

    In a delayed salute to America’s 250th, we take a look this week at the couple whose certified VILLAINY nearly ended the Revolution and the nation itself: Benedict and Peggy Arnold. Learn about Benedict’s early heroics, Peggy’s sassy bratty kind-of-iconic upbringing, the espionage and wheeling and dealing that led to Benedict’s betrayal of the American cause and defection to the British, and speculate why we’re sitting on the floor instead of on the couch directly behind us. Tangents include Tim Gunn, Fergie national anthem, the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT, and an absolutely insane photo of Jared’s butt. SOURCES "From hero to traitor: Benedict Arnold’s day of infamy", National Constitution Center, September 21, 2020 A LESSER TRAGEDY OF ARNOLD'S TREASON, Florie Hutson Heyward, New York Times, March 15, 1931 "Benedict Arnold", National Parks Service Robinson, J. (2012). Benedict Arnold: American Hero, American Villain. On Point, 18(1), 36–43. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26363381"Valiant Ambition: An Interview with Nathaniel Philbrick", George Washington's Mount Vernon Letter from Benedict Arnold to the Inhabitants of America (1780) "A Philadelphia Belle’s Fateful Marriage to a Traitor", Nancy Rubin Stuart, The Saturday Evening Post, February 13, 2024 "Margaret 'Peggy' Shippen Arnold", New-York Historical Society "The Spying Lady Shippen", History Design Lab, Oberlin College, Eliza Greenbaum Treacherous beauty : Peggy Shippen, the woman behind Benedict Arnold's plot to betray America by Mark Jacob and Stephen Chase (2012) The Colonial Mean Girl Who Almost Ended America Benedict Arnold and The Battle of Quebec | The American Revolution | PBS Benedict Arnold Turns Traitor and Defects to the British | The American Revolution | PBS Benedict Arnold's Raid on Richmond Benedict Arnold, Revolutionary Hero: An American Warrior Reconsidered. Interview: James Kirby Martin Nathaniel Philbrick, "Valiant Ambition" 14. Heroes and Villains THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. Jul 9

    Is Colonial Williamsburg a tourist trap?? w/ Madison Albertson

    This week on the pod, the brilliant buxom scholaress Madison Albertson returns to teach us a thing or two about “living history”, the school of thought behind such storied American museums as Colonial Williamsburg, Plimoth Patuxet, and many others. What do these places teach us about history that books alone don’t? Where did the idea for them come from? How do they shape how we remember our past? And will they hire Jared to sit in a chair and sew? Tangents include Sheetz vs. Wawa, boob shelves, losing your Game Boy in a hospital waiting room, and the best ways to mourn a totaled 2010 Prius. SOURCES George Washington Birthplace National Monument Here, George Washington Was Born : Memory, Material Culture, and the Public History of a National Monument, University of Georgia Press, 2008Creating Colonial Williamsburg: The Restoration of Virginia's Eighteenth Century Capital by Anders Greenspan“To Live Like a Slave” by Curtia JamesTHAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  5. Jul 2

    How Liza Minnelli Made Showbiz Herstory (Part Two)

    In part two of our series on mother-daughter showbiz legends Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli, we explore how Liza overcame grief and addiction, emerged from her mother's shadow as a fully formed artist, and defended the rights of the LGBTQ community through a career that has spanned seven decades! Tangents include whether we’d have sex with a clone of ourselves, a vaccine for lesbianism, and the wonders of the Cape Cod Melody Tent. SOURCES Liza Minnelli Tells All In Exclusive PEOPLE Interview: 'If I Can Laugh, I Can Get Through Anything' - People Magazine, Liz McNeil, February 2026Be Kind Rewind - Best Actress 1973: Liza Minnelli wins for Cabaret Liza Minelli: ‘I’m Telling It All’ by Liz McNeil and Greg Gorman - People Magazine, March 2026“Place, space, and queer iconicity: Liza Minnelli in Cabaret (1972)” by Marie Josephine Bennett (2025)Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story (2024), dir. Bruce David Klein“Liza’s New York” by Elisa Lipsky-Karasz, Harper’s Bazaar, March 2011THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  6. Jun 25

    How Judy Garland Became the Ultimate Gay Icon (Part One)

    We’re not saying they’re bigger than Jesus, but we’re not not saying that either. In our first ever two-part series, Abe and Jared examine the lives of a mother-daughter duo whose names are synonymous with “gay icon”: showbiz legends Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli. In part one, Jared pulls us on a pepped up prance down the Yellow Brick Road to explore Judy’s impact on film and music as well as her personal struggles and comebacks, all with the goal of finally understanding why the queers (especially him) love her so much. Tangents include our first group of haters, The Greatest Showman being the worst movie ever, and Abe getting anxious at the Mermaid Parade. SOURCES Judy Garland on The Dick Cavett Show | The Dick Cavett ShowJudy Garland Beyond The Rainbow | 1997 A&E Biography Special Premiere FULL with Original Commercials Judy Garland COMPLETE 1967 InterviewJudy Garland - It's All For You - The Tonight Show - Johnny CarsonSlayyyter & Judy Garland - CRANK GOES THE TROLLEY The Chaos Behind The Wizard of Oz (and why it turned out ok anyway)Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall: The Greatest Night in Entertainment HistoryDecoder Ring podcast, "Friend of Dorothy: Why do gay people love Judy Garland so much?", Slate magazine, February 10, 2020 How Does a Pop Girl Earn "Gay Icon" Status? By Derek Deng, Byrdie, May 7, 2026 What Does It Take to Be a Gay Icon Today? by Steven Frank, September 25, 2007 Judy Garland: By Myself, American Masters PBS, 2004.THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  7. Jun 18

    The Club Kids: How a Group of Misfits Took Over NYC

    Did a corrupted video file ruin an hour of footage from this episode? Yes. Would we ever let that stop us? No. In the 80s and 90s, a pack of queer party animals burst into NYC’s backrooms, bringing a haze of gritty glamour, fashion, drugs, and dance wherever they went. They were the Club Kids; RuPaul, Richie Rich, Amanda LePore, Waltpaper, just to name a few. Join us as we dive into the club kids’ scene, exploring who they were, why they were so sensational, what impacts they had on queer culture, and how their era came to a crushing, violent end. Tangents include making a baby gay cry, Mitchell Musso, pansexual king Wayne Brady, and being lifelong fans of the NBA champion New York Knicks. SOURCES Party Monster: The ShockumentaryMichael Alig & NYC Club Kids on Geraldo 1994 "Beyond the Glitz & Glamour" Michael Alig NYC Club Kids on Geraldo 1992 New York Club Kids on Phil Donahue talkshow 1993 (complete TV show) Club Kids fashion show Joan Rivers RuPaul Welcome Back Party RuPaul Explains The Difficulties of Go-Go Dancing in 1988 The 5 Ninth Avenue Project“Walt Cassidy Walks Us Through the Wild Glamorama of New York City’s Club Kids”, Interview magazine, Christopher Bollen, September 3, 2019Vivacious interview for Standard Hotels, January 25, 2019“Michael Musto on the Prevailing Influence of Club Kid Fashion”, The Fader, Marissa G. Muller, May 2, 2014"After Prison, No After-Hours", New York Times, Kevin Gray, May 14, 2014Michael Alig interview in Interview magazine, Christopher Bollen, April 19, 2010"Club Kids: An Aesthetic Emphasised by Outrageousness, Fabulousness, and Sex", February 15, 2022 "Club USA - Dazzling Photos From 1990s Glitziest NYC Club", Patch “What Michael Alig’s Club Kids Are Doing Now” by William Van Meter, New York magazine, May 20, 2014 THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  8. Jun 11

    The Mafia Pope and His Terrible Children: The Story of the Borgias

    POV: you’re at the sickest rave of your life. Candles flickering. Incense burning. Gregorians chanting. The place: Vatican City. The year: 1492. The man behind it all: Pope Alexander VI aka Rodrigo Borgia. This week, we return to a place of pope as we tell the story of the most ruthless family in papal history. Hear about the depravity and delusion of the entire Borgia clan in an episode rife with sex and greed, two of Jared’s favorite things. And please PLEASE don’t ask why Abe is wearing sunglasses inside. It’s a private matter. Tangents include Kermit the Frog’s nephew Robin, the show Vikings, Pope Leo blind item, and “Lose Yourself” by Eminem. SOURCES The Bad Popes by E.R. ChamberlinThe Prince by Niccolo MachiavelliHillgarth, J. N. (1996). The Image of Alexander VI and Cesare Borgia in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries. Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, 59, 119–129. https://doi.org/10.2307/751400“The Borgias” In Our Time podcast, BBC Radio 4 https://open.spotify.com/episode/10PVoxVIv1iTSt56TNSqpC?si=TI7DR1a-TNOaoNPMWJ6QSANajemy, J. M. (2013). Machiavelli and Cesare Borgia: A Reconsideration of Chapter 7 of “The Prince.” The Review of Politics, 75(4), 539–556. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43670906Lucrezia Borgia: Poison, Power, and Papal Scandal | Full Documentary | BiographyPope Alexander VI: The Infamous "Borgia Pope"THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! is hosted by Abe Merker and Jared Tetreau. This episode was produced by Jared Tetreau, Abe Merker, and Claudia Chiossone. Research Assistance by Madison Albertson. Music by Kinneret. Series Artwork by Sid Lugo. Intro Animations by Gemma Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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About

Julius Caesar. Joan of Arc. Liberace. These people are dead. But if they were alive, they’d be listening to this show. Hosts Jared Tetreau and Abe Merker take you deep into the bowels of the archive to explore the dank crevices and back alleys of the past, reclaiming history for the curious-minded girls, gays, and theys. This is THAT'S HISTORY, BABE! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Jared Tetreau & Abe Merker
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Jared Tetreau & Abe Merker
  • Show Website
    That's History, Babe!