In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the popularity of the drug Ivermectin as a treatment for the coronavirus – despite lack of evidence of its effectiveness.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Ivermectin, a drug commonly used to treat parasitic infections in livestock, is flying off the shelves as a remedy for the coronavirus. Natalia referred to this Washington Post article about medical abuses, and Niki referenced the history of “patent medicines.”

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia recommended the Amazon documentary series LulaRich.
• Neil discussed the news that Dan Quayle told Mike Pence he had no authority to overturn the 2020 election results.
• Niki commented on the tenth anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement.

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the implications of the new restrictions on abortion rights in Texas.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• The Supreme Court has failed to strike down a Texas law that drastically restricts abortion rights. Natalia referred to this Vogue article about “what six weeks pregnant looks like,” and Niki discussed this Public Seminar piece. Niki and Natalia drew on Lina Maria-Murillo’s Washington Post essay about the history of American women seeking abortions in Mexico. 

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Kate Taylor’s Business Insider article, “Brandy Melville’s CEO Doesn’t Want Black People to Wear the Brand’s Clothing.”
• Neil commented on the new FX series, “Impeachment: American Crime Story.”
• Niki recommended Shannon Melero’s article, “The Peloton Takeover Is Almost Complete.”

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the past and present of U.S. military engagement in Afghanistan.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• After nearly two decades, President Biden announced that all American troops were leaving Afghanistan, which quickly fell to the Taliban. Natalia referred to Jeremy Varon’s Washington Post piece about the antiwar movement, and to this conversation at Public Seminar between historians Claire Bond Potter and Amanda Demmer.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia recommended the Netflix series The Chair.
• Neil discussed James Poniewozik’s New York Times article, “How TV Went From David Brent to Ted Lasso.”
• Niki talked about the political significance of the gubernatorial recall election underway in California.

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the rise – and fate – of the “ethnic food aisle” at the American grocery store.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• The New York Times published an article about the debate over the ethnic food aisle, which is both undeniably ethnocentric and an important sales channel for purveyors of such products. Natalia referenced chef David Chang’s opposition to the phenomenon and this debacle over a “clean Chinese” restaurant in New York City.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed sociologist Tressie McMillan Cottom’s new gig at the New York Times.
• Neil shared about the new podcast, “No Place Like Home.”
• Niki recommended Claire Lampen’s The Cut article, “Wondering What To Do With that Cuomosexual Cashmere?”

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the pandemic.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• The Tokyo 2020 Olympics, postponed for a year, are in full swing despite the ongoing pandemic. Natalia mentioned this NPR piece about the unfair treatment of Paralympics competitor Becca Meyers, and Neil referred to the ambiguity over whether breastfeeding mothers could bring their babies into the Olympic Village. Natalia discussed this New York Times piece about past gymnasts who have been injured in competition. Neil mentioned his column for The Week on conservative media’s attack on Team USA.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed the Netflix series, “Never Have I Ever.”
• Neil commented on the HBO documentary, The Weight of Gold.
• Niki talked about Mary Robinette Kowal’s New York Times essay, “Wally Funk is Defying Gravity and 60 Years of Exclusion From Space.”

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the mass protests in Cuba.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• The streets of Cuba are filled with protestors enraged by the poor handling of the pandemic and the excesses of the police state. Natalia mentioned Cuba scholar Rebecca Bodenheimer’s Twitter account and this POLITICO piece. Niki drew on this NPR segment about the role of artists in the uprising.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Michael Kranish’s Washington Post article, “How Tucker Carlson Became the Voice of White Grievance.”
• Neil shared the podcast “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.”
• Niki commented on two new books about the last year of the Trump presidency, by Michael Wolff and Michael C. Bender.

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the tragedy of the Surfside condominium collapse and what it means for Miami.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• On June 24, a security camera captured the collapse of much of the Surfside condominium complex, killing a still untallied list of residents. Natalia cited this Slate article on the death of the Florida dream. Niki contextualized the collapse in the tradition of neoliberal deregulation, explained here.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia recommended Alec MacGillis’ book, Fulfillment: Winning and Losing in One-Click America.
• Neil comment on Christianity Today’s article, “Rick Warren Mastered the Formula for Suburban Church Growth.”
• Niki discussed her own CNN opinion piece, “The House Takes a Revealing Vote on Confederate Statues.”

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the Supreme Court decision to allow education-related payments to student-athletes.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• The Supreme Court ruled against the NCAA’s restrictions on providing “education-related perks” to college athletes. Natalia referred to historian Taylor Branch’s 2011 piece in The Atlantic, “The Shame of College Sports.” Neil referred to this CNN piece on the ruling, and the relevant data point on the high salaries of college football coaches. 

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Britney Spears’ testimony about her experience under her conservatorship. We discussed the “Free Britney” movement on Episode 268.
• Neil recommended Zachary M. Schrag’s book, The Fires of Philadelphia: Citizen-Soldiers, Nativists, and the 1844 Riots Over the Soul of a Nation.
• Niki talked about Dan Boyce’s NPR segment, “A Would-Be Trans and Queer Haven In Rural Colorado Just Wants to be Left Alone.”

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the history of the Internal Revenue Service and why the uber-wealthy pay so little in income taxes.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• ProPublica released a searing report revealing how little the richest Americans pay in taxes – and that they do so legally. Neil referred to this San Diego Union Tribune op-ed about racial discrimination at the IRS, and Niki and Natalia to this Intelligencer interview with Dorothy Brown. We all drew on this history of IRS scandals published by The Week.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed two of the hotels in Yellowstone National Park.
• Neil shared this co piece, “Skittles Commemorates Gay Pride Month with Gray Packaging, Without the Color of the Rainbow.”
• Niki recommended historian A.K. Sandoval-Strausz’ Washington Post essay, “As Immigration Politics Changed, So Did ‘In the Heights’.”

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the history of LGBTQ+ Pride.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Controversy has flared over the presence of police at this year’s New York Pride March. Neil drew on this Time retrospective on the more than 50 years of Pride protests and parades.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Pooja Salhotra’s Chalkbeat article, “New York City Schools Integrate LGBTQ Stories in Social Studies Curriculum.”
• Neil recommended Laine Nooney’s VICE piece, “How the Personal Computer Broke the Human Body.”
• Niki shared about the New York Times feature, “’We’re Going to Publish’: An Oral History of the Pentagon Papers.”

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the controversy over tennis champion Naomi Osaka’s decision not to participate in post-match press conferences.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Citing mental health concerns, tennis champion Naomi Osaka decided not to participate in post-match press conferences at the French Open. Natalia referred to this history at Forbes of how the press conference supplanted locker room interviews. Neil drew on this three-part series on the history of sports journalism.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia recommended Lyz Lenz’ Substack, “A Grown-Ass Woman."
• Neil discussed the new FX documentary series, Pride.
• Niki talked about what the “post-pandemic” period might mean.

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the emergence of the cicadas this season.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• After seventeen years underground, billions of cicadas are emerging on the east coast of the United States. Niki referred to this History article about Benjamin Banneker, who first classified the cicada in the eighteenth century. Natalia recommended historian Catherine McNeur’s book Taming Manhattan: Environmental Battles in the Antebellum City, and Niki referred to this Washington Post article on how cicadas have been used in political discourse. 

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Jazmine Hughes’ New York Times article, “Dianne Morales Tries to Calm a Sudden Crisis in Her Campaign.”
• Neil recommended historian Jill Lepore’s New Yorker article, “Burnout: Modern Affliction or Human Condition?”
• Niki shared Dartunorro Clark’s NBC News article, “Paul Ryan Urges GOP to Shake Trump Obsession, Focus on ‘Principles,’ not ‘Personality’.”

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the current controversy over critical race theory.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• A series of legislative bills seek to ban the teaching of critical race theory in K-12 public institutions. At CNN, Niki looked at how the controversy over journalist Nikole Hannah-Smith’s appointment at the University of North Carolina is part of this larger battle. Natalia referred to historian Jonathan Zimmerman’s book Whose America?

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed the new “Little Island” development in New York City, described in this Wall Street Journal interview with developers Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg.
• Neil recommended historian Julie Golia’s book, Newspaper Confessions: A History of Advice Columns in a Pre-Internet Age.
• Niki reflected on Bob Dole and Michael Huffington blaming their election losses on immigrants in the 1990s.

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the gas panic triggered by the recent cybersecurity breach at Colonial Pipeline.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• A cybersecurity breach at Colonial Pipeline caused panic, prompting motorists to line up at service stations up and down the East Coast. Natalia, Niki, and Neil all drew on historian Meg Jacobs’ work, and Natalia referred to Dan Taberski’s podcast Surviving Y2K. 

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Julie Creswell’s New York Times article, “Diet Companies See Gains as Americans Try to Drop Pandemic Pounds.”
• Neil recommended Kathryn Hymes’ Atlantic article, “Why We Speak More Weirdly At Home.”
• Niki shared her CNN column, “The Drama in Stacey Abrams’ Political Thriller is Unfolding Off the Page.”

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the recall of the latest Peloton exercise machine in historical context.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Peloton, the digital fitness company made famous by its internet-connected stationery bike, is complying with a federal voluntary recall of its Tread+, which has killed one child and injured many other children and pets. Natalia referred to historian Richard Bushman’s book The Refinement of America: Persons, Houses, Cities. Niki referenced Ralph Nader’s 1965 book, Unsafe at Any Speed, and Natalia reported on the intense response in Peloton Facebook groups.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Alison Bechdel’s book, The Secret to Superhuman Strength.
• Neil recommended historian Roberto Rey Agudo’s Washington Post op-ed, “On Cinco de Mayo, Americans speak ‘mock Spanish.’ Here’s why that’s a problem.”
• Niki shared her CNN column, “George W. Bush is a flawed messenger for Republicans.”

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the history – and future – of office life.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• New York magazine published a sprawling collection of essays about experiences of office life. Natalia referred to this Atlantic article about the persistence of deep cleaning protocols despite evidence that the coronavirus does not spread on surfaces. Niki cited historian Jeanne Boydston’s book Home and Work: Housework, Wages, and the Ideology of Labor in the Early Republic. Natalia drew on Nikil Saval’s book Cubed: A Secret History of the Workplace and Anne-Helen Petersen’s Substack newsletter, “The Future of Remote Work is the Opposite of Lonely.”

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Katie Rosman’s New York Times article, “Girl, Wash Your Timeline”.
• Neil shared The Salt Lake Tribune’s obituary of Mormon scholar Michael Quinn, and historian Benjamin Park’s thread about his work.
• Niki recommended two Slate articles about writer Blake Bailey’s alleged history of sexual assault, one by Eve Crawford Peyton, and one by his former eighth grade students.

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the cultural influence of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race has just wrapped its thirteenth season. Niki and Natalia drew on Simon Doonan’s book Drag: The Complete Story. Natalia also referred to this Vulture article on the history of drag and this New Yorker profile of “female impersonator” Joseph Touchette. She also discussed the episode of Worn Stories featuring Doonan discussing his 1980s aerobics spandex. 

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed the ill-fated Chippendales skit, “The Politician,” viewable on her Instagram account.
• Neil shared Peter Knegt’s Canadian Broadcast Corporation column, “The Fruit Machine: Why Every Canadian Should Know About This Country’s Gay Purge.”
• Niki recommended the “Pets Are People” episode of This Day Pod, featuring Anne-Helen Peterson.

In this week's episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the parallels between the 1920s and our current moment.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• As “post-pandemic life” becomes imaginable, predictions of a second “Roaring Twenties” are ubiquitous. Niki referred to her article about the promise and limits of such comparisons for CNN. Natalia drew on historian Helen Lefkowitz Horowitz’ Campus Life: Undergraduate Cultures from the End of the Eighteenth Century to the Present. 

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Rosanna Xia’s Los Angeles Times article, “DDT’s Toxic Legacy Can Harm Granddaughters of Women Exposed, Study Shows”.
• Neil recommended Chloe Angyal’s Washington Post article, “Ballet Directors Talk About ‘Fitness.’ That’s Still Code for Rail-Thin Dancers” and her forthcoming book, Turning Pointe: How a New Generation of Dancers is Saving Ballet from Itself
• Niki shared her own CNN opinion piece, “History Shows We Ignore Tucker Carlson at Our Peril.”

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the debate over school reopening.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• When – and how – public schools should reopen has become a topic of intense controversy. Neil cited this Los Angeles Times piece about the “intractable learning loss” suffered by English Language Learners this year. Natalia referred to this New York Times article about whether “learning loss” should be assessed and to this Politico article about the demand by United Teachers of Los Angeles for free childcare as a condition of their return to the classroom. She also drew on this History Channel article about the trust in public schools that existed during the 1918 influenza pandemic. Niki cited historian Daniel Rodgers’ Age of Fracture, and each of our books: Classroom Wars, We Gather Together, and Messengers of the Right.

 In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed the latest policing of Dr. Jill Biden’s self-presentation: her stockings.
• Neil discussed the HBO documentary Tina.
• Niki shared Gina Kolata’s New York Times article, “Kati Kariko Helped Shield the World From the Coronavirus.”

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the life and legacy of the late children’s author Beverly Cleary.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• At the age of 104, children’s author Beverly Cleary has died. Natalia drew on this Bulwark article about Cleary’s apolitical appeal, and Niki referred to this Atlantic essay and this Vulture piece about her grasp of children’s emotional landscape. Neil and Natalia referred to this New York Times article about her books’ appeal to boys and girls.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia recommended the podcast Stolen: the Search for Jermain.
• Neil discussed Phil Hoad’s Atavist article, “Cat and Mouse.”
• Niki shared Rebecca Onion’s Slate essay, “A Modern Feminist Classic Changed My Life. Was it Actually Garbage?”

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the recent mass shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, and Boulder, Colorado.

Listen to our new limited series, WELCOME TO YOUR FANTASY, for free only on Spotify. Click here to subscribe. 

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• As public spaces reopen, so too have mass shootings returned. Neil referred to this Slate piece about the coverage of the Atlanta shootings, and Natalia cited Melissa Jeltsen’s article in The Cut, her own essay about massage in Nursing Clio, and Nicholas Kristof’s New York Times article, “How to Reduce Shootings.”

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia recommended Joy Nicholson’s novel, The Tribes of Palos Verdes.
• Neil discussed Zoe Pickburn’s The Week article, “The Orphan Who Invented the Cupcake.”
• Niki shared David French’s Twitter thread about Sidney Powell.

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the calls for Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York to resign.

Listen to our new limited series, WELCOME TO YOUR FANTASY, for free only on Spotify. Click here to subscribe. 

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Amid charges that he covered up Covid-related deaths among nursing home residents and sexually harassed multiple women, New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo is being asked to resign. Natalia referred to Rebecca Traister’s article at The Cut and Zephyr Teachout’s essay in The Nation. Niki discussed this Washington Post article about Cuomo’s popular interviews with his brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, this past summer. 

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed the Sally Jesse Raphael Show episode about “women who love calendar men” as featured on the Welcome To Your Fantasy Instagram account.
• Neil recommended the new Netflix documentary series Murder Among the Mormons and historian Benjamin Park’s Religion Dispatches essays about the show.
• Niki shared the Twitter accounts of two historians writing about the Atlanta spa shootings: Melissa May Borja and Erika Lee.

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss Oprah Winfrey’s interview of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

Listen to our new limited series, WELCOME TO YOUR FANTASY, for free only on Spotify. Click here to subscribe.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Perhaps the official beginning of Meghan and Harry’s life in America was their interview with Oprah Winfrey. Niki referenced her CNN piece on Piers Morgan’s reaction to the interview, and Natalia mentioned Trysh Travis and Timothy Aubry’s book on therapeutic culture and this Smithsonian magazine piece about the exhibit on Oprah’s legacy.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Marisa Meltzer’s book This Is Big: How the Founder of Weight Watchers Changed the World--And Me.
• Neil shared Ruth Graham and Elizabeth Dias’ New York Times article, “Beth Moore, a Prominent Evangelical, Splits with Southern Baptists.”
• Niki recommended the 30 for 30 podcast episode, “March 11, 2020.”

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the controversy over the decision to stop publishing six Dr. Seuss books.

Listen to our new limited podcast series, WELCOME TO YOUR FANTASY, for free only on Spotify. Click here to subscribe. 

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Theodore Geisel’s estate has removed six of his Dr. Seuss books from circulation, causing ire among conservatives citing it as an example of “cancel culture.” Natalia referred to writer Michael Harriot’s Twitter thread, this 1945 Frank Sinatra short film, “The House I Live In,” and Sophie Gilbert’s Atlantic article about Seuss’ embrace by progressive activists. Niki drew on this BBC piece about Seuss’ radicalism.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Jack Harris’ Los Angeles Times article, “Jeff Grosso: The Life and Death of Skateboarding’s Soul.”
• Neil recommended Elon Green’s book, Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York.
• Niki shared Soraya Nadia McDonald’s article at The Undefeated, “Billie Holliday Deserves Better.”

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the fight to raise the federal minimum wage.

Listen to our new limited podcast series, WELCOME TO YOUR FANTASY, for free only on Spotify. Click here to subscribe. 

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• House Democrats have proposed a federally guaranteed fifteen-dollar an hour minimum wage as part of their coronavirus relief bill. Niki drew on this New York Times piece about the effective minimum wage, and Neil referenced this New Yorker article about fast food workers in Orlando. Natalia and Niki referred to the stickiness of the “Fight for 15” slogan, as described in this Atlantic article. 

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed the Leo Baeck Institute’s Shared History Project.
• Neil shared Olivia Rutigliano’s Truly Adventurous story, “The Dognapping of the Century.”
• Niki recommended Lillian Stone’s article at The Takeout, “The Spudly History of Mister Potato Head.”