This Was A Thing: The Retro Podcast

Most people would probably say “Yes” immediately if someone agreed to pay them a million dollars for spending time on an island. But what if you had to undergo challenges like eating beetle larvae, and be judged by a jury of your peers in order to get the money? Oh, also, finding a place to poop is not fun. That may not sound like your ideal vacation, but to the first-season contestants on Survivor, that was their reality for the 39-day duration of the show. And to the millions of people who were glued to the screen, they witnessed a seminal moment of television that helped define a genre and has continued to this day. Ray teaches Rob about the first season of Survivor and how its creators and producers, Charlie Parsons and Mark Burnett, made their dream reality show an actual reality; why psychologists are essential to the casting of the show; Ray’s deep love for Mr. Jeff Probst, the show’s legendary host; moments of the first season that have become part of Survivor canon; the strong personalities that made up the show’s original sixteen-person cast; and how Survivor has innovated on its formula since the first season. If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia EPISODE CLIPS Sue’s Famous Rat and Snake speech Survivor Borneo Rudy Likes Rich Not in a Homosexual way Survivor Borneo in 19 Minutes! Survivor 1 Borneo Opening Credits High Quality ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS “Happy Bee" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

Have you ever tried to build a new habit? Ever find yourself reaching for your phone even when it’s not in your pocket? Ever thought about whether free will actually exists? Yeah, that last one got deep, but that’s just how we roll here at This Was A Thing. Because this week, we’re talking all about a man who devoted his life to studying whether or not humans have a say in how they behave. His conclusion? We’re all pretty much rats pressing levers. Daniel teaches Ray and Rob about B.F. Skinner, the psychologist, writer, and inventor whose ideas about free will and shaping behaviors made him famous and infamous; how Skinner bucked the trend of Pavlov and Freud to try to take a quantitative and objective approach to sudying human behavior; Skinner’s belief that pigeons could be the next big thing in missile technology; why Skinner’s book Beyond Freedom and Dignity earned him a spot on Noam Chomsky’s sh*& list; the real origin story of Splinter from TMNT; and how B.F. Skinner continues to influence everything from modern psychology to teaching technologies. If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES, BOOKS, AND ADDITIONAL LINKS Preschoolers: Box-Bred Babies - TIME BABY IN A BOX (Article by BF Skinner) The First Baby Tender “Skinner Air Crib” Article by Nick Joyce and Cathy Faye I was not a lab rat | Deborah Skinner Buzan | The Guardian B. F. Skinner | Department of Psychology A Science Odyssey: People and Discoveries: B.F. Skinner B. F. Skinner (1904–1990) | Mount Auburn Cemetery B. F. Skinner: Biography of the Influential Behaviorist Skinner’s Operant Conditioning: Rewards & Punishments B.F. Skinner | Biography, Facts, & Contributions | Britannica 100 years of B.F. Skinner B.F. Skinner: The Man Who Taught Pigeons to Play Ping-Pong and Rats to Pull Levers | Science| Smithsonian Magazine Operant Conditioning In Psychology: B.F. Skinner Theory Skinner Box: What Is an Operant Conditioning Chamber? Classics in the History of Psychology – Skinner (1948) Episode 21: Being BF Skinner’s Daughter: Deborah Buzan Dispels The Myths - Annie Grossman, Dog Trainer Watch B.F. Skinner: A Fresh Appraisal | Prime Video Project Pigeon - Wikipedia EPISODE CLIPS Jim’s Best Pranks Against Dwight - The Office US An Interview with BF Skinner, 1971 B. F. Skinner: A Fresh Appraisal With Murray Sidman, Ph.D. BF Skinner Foundation - Pigeon Ping Pong Clip ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS “This Was A Thing” Theme Songs composed by Billy Recce “Happy Bee” and “Big Rock” • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

If you’ve ever ordered at a chain restaurant, then you know the homey feeling of knowing you’re about to eat the exact same meal as you could get at any other location. And even though the Golden Arches or a pair of red braids and freckles are some of the most recognizable franchise mascots today, if we flashback to the mid-1900s, then Simple Simon and the Pieman would’ve been just as recognizable as those other icons. Why? Because if you wanted a tasty clam belly, a delicious sundae, or to snag a couple of ZZZs, then there was one only one chain that fit the bill. Rob teaches Ray about how the eponymous Mr. Johnson went from owning one small Massachusetts eatery, to running a national network of restaurants and lodges; why we can thank Eugene O’Neill for HoJo’s original boost in popularity; Jacques Pepin’s contribution to the franchise’s legacy; some unexpected controversies at HoJo’s; and how, even after the HoJo’s brand sank into obscurity, it still has a physical and cultural impact in today’s world. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia EPISODE CLIPS Howard Johnson’s Commercial 1962 Chef Jacques Pépin on working at Howard Johnson’s and his experiences on the American food scene HOWARD JOHNSON RESTURANT 1970 Howard Johnson’s Animated Commercial #2 Howard Johnson Restaurants This Is Howard Johnson Today 1988 TV Commercial HD ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS “Happy Bee” and “Happy Boy End Theme” • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

Are you looking for a story that is 100% guaranteed to blow your mind? A true crime tale that'll leave you wondering how crooks got away with it for so long in the first place? Well, hold on to your girdle, because this one's a doozy. It's got everything: insurance scams, fake passports, an undercover sting operation, Israeli really bank accounts, and huge sales on some of the best TVs and VCRs around (sales tax not included). Best of all, you can listen to this story for the low, low price of FREE! Now that price is insane! Ray teaches Rob about how a mom-and-pop consumer electronics store went from being a tri-state curiosity to a national sensation; who the real man is behind all those infamous ads; why having a CPA in the family comes in handy when you're committing tax fraud; and why building an empire on a foundation of shady financials and skimming off the top probably isn't the best business model. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia WEBSITE White Collar Fraud ARTICLES Mental Floss New York Times - 1985 New York Times - 2016 (1) New York Times - 2016 (2) New Yorker NJ.com Washington Post EPISODE CLIPS 1987 Crazy Eddie Commercial Crazy Eddie 'Insane!' Commercial (NY, 1978) Classic Crazy Eddie Commercial 'Bathroom DooWop' (1977-1979) Crazy Eddie Commercials and Bloopers 1980's 1972 Crazy Eddie Radio Commercial for Brooklyn store The Biggest Retail Fraud In American History - Masterminds - Crazy Eddie - Eddie Antar Documentary Crazy Eddie Fever commercial 1978 Crazy Eddie Antar and His CFO/CPA Cousin Sam Antar Meet for first time in 30 Years ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

We're busy behind the scenes here putting together a whole new batch episodes for the upcoming year, so while we do that, have a tasty, bite-sized treat on us - a chance to listen back to our episode all about the world's favorite mini-oven! ~~~ Happy holidays, listeners! We’ve got a delectable episode for you today, featuring a toy that has been a household staple for more than 60 years and is still going strong. In fact, it would be just the thing if you’re looking for some help with holiday baking, as long as you don’t mind your baked goods being on the miniature side…and possibly losing a finger or two in the process… Daniel teaches Ray and Rob about the Easy-Bake Oven’s origins at the renowned toy company Kenner Products; how New York pretzel vendors played an essential role in providing inspiration for the product; all the different ways the word “cookies” can be pronounced; the battle to make a version of the Easy-Bake that wasn’t explicitly marketed for girls; and how this kitchen toy has influenced everyone from amateur bakers to professional chefs and which, despite its ups and downs, remains one of the most fondly remembered toys of all time. If you like what we’re doing, please support us on Patreon, or you can subscribe to our bonus content on Apple Podcasts. And we’d love to find even more listeners, so if you have time, please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you have any other thoughts or feedback you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you - feel free to email us or send us a message on social media. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES “How Easy-Bake Ovens Work” by Nathan Chandler Easy-Bake Evolution: 50 Years of Cakes, Cookies, and Gender Politics | Collectors Weekly Light Bulb Baking: A History of the Easy-Bake Oven “Easy-Bake Oven Gourmet” by David Hoffman Easy-Bake Oven: Ronald Howes (Toy Stories) National Easy-Bake Oven Day Information about the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007) Original Easy-Bake Oven Patent Easy-Bake Oven - The Strong National Museum of Play New Easy-Bake Oven Recall Following Partial Finger Amputation; Consumers Urged to Return Toy Ovens Easy-Bake Oven enters Toy Hall of Fame McKenna Pope’s Campaign McKenna Pope’s Change.org Petition The Untold History of the Easy-Bake Oven EPISODE CLIPS Easy-Bake Oven Commercial (1963) Jim’s Red Book: Easy Bake Oven Commercial Queasy Bake Cookerator “Mud & Crud Cakes” Commercial (2002) Easy-Bake Oven Recall Retrofit Kit Easy Bake Oven for Boys: Girl, 13, Helps Transform Easy-Bake Oven Into Unisex Toy A Cameo Appearance From the Easy-Bake Oven Easy-Bake Ultimate Oven Commercial (2011) ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS “Happy Bee” and “Jingle Bells” • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro