Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries

In 1992, the UK unleashed a force so terrible, so annoying, that the world would never be the same.

Before Dreamworks released the box office hit, Shrek, they were a small studio trying to find their footing with ambitions of becoming larger than Disney. In what would soon become Dreamwork's signature move, they decided to try and capture the success of Disney's Toy Story, but make it EDGY and COOL. Who was the man for the job? Joe Dante, director of Gremlins, and a man who does not know at all how to make a children's movie. Will this become a bigger problem down the line, or does Dreamworks have a slam dunk film on their hands?

It's hard to believe that there was a time before Hannah Montana, before That's so Raven, before Even Stevens, when The Disney Channel was a much different place. You have Zoog Disney to thank for the success of all these shows. Now, what's a Zoog? Why, it's a creature that lives on the Zether, the place between the internet and TV. If that didn't make much sense to you, well buckle in. It only gets wilder from here.

Before Drake and Josh. Before Ned's Declassified. Before Pete and Pete, there was "Salute Your Shorts" a kid sitcom about the highs and lows of middle school summer camp.

Welcome to a special episode of Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries! Not only is this episode the first of the 2026 Max Fun Drive, but it's also the very first video episode. But don't worry, you can still listen to the episode too. This week, Host Brenda introduces Lunch Meat, the Furby, and talks about whether or not Furbys were ever banned from government buildings!