Notorious Narratives

The Hope Diamond is a gem that has been shrouded in mystery since its discovery. Perhaps the origin of the curse lies in the gems provenance; as it is rumored to have been stolen from the head of an idol in India by Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. From the time the gem came to Europe till it reached the doors of the Smithsonian numerous deaths and accidents have been assigned to the cursed gem. In this episode, Jen tells us the story of this legendary stone and it's body count.  Get ad free and EXCLUSIVE content by becoming a Patron.

Freemasonry is shrouded in mystery and has given rise to a multitude of conspiracy theories. But in the early 19th century one man set out to break down the wall of secrecy. This man was William Morgan. While you may be thinking of him as some sort of social justice warrior, think again. William Morgan was a hustler and a vagabond and set out to make some real cash selling the secrets of the masons....that was until his mysterious disappearance. In this episode, Jen will tell you a story of secrets, blackmail, murder and politics. Get ad free and EXCLUSIVE content by becoming a Patron.

In this week's Notorious Knowledge, Robin tells us some of the strange uses for our favorite prophylactic; the condom. And this week Jen tells us the story of an archeologic find that changes the way we view the pre-Columbian culture of Peru. In Huanchaquito-Las Llamas, Peru, on a low bluff just a thousand feet from the sea, a pizza shop owner and his dog stumbled upon a massive amount of bones, old bones.....small, very small bones. The story of these bones is in fact the tragic tale of the end of a civilization known as the Chimu. In this episode, Jen will tell the story of these bones and the disastrous end of the Chimu. Get exclusive, ad free content by becoming a Patron Merchandise available on our website.

There are few things as nightmarish as working in a field of grain while starving, but that is the fate that befell the people of the Ukraine in the years of 1932-1933. The word Holodomor is derived from the Ukrainian words for hunger (holod) and extermination (mor). This is a accurate description of the situation. Death, hunger and genocide are not topics that are easily discussed in polite company, but in this episode, Robin tells us the story of Holodomor; a heartbreaking tale of famine, loss and starvation.

From Irish secret societies, labor uprisings to a major garbage crisis, Centralia, Pennsylvania is a town with a story to tell. Once a bustling hub of mining, now a town of only 9 citizens who brave the fire that burns below that constantly threatens to take the earth from beneath their feet. How does a town become a ghost town in the modern day? Well, Centralia is a ghost town, and in this episode, Jen will tell you this ghost's story. For ad free and exclusive content become a Patron at Patreon.com.

From Ancient Rome to Modern Mongolia, immurement has been used as a method of capital punishment, torture and sacrifice. Numerous cultures worldwide have used this practice for a myriad of reasons but regardless of the reason the horror remains. In this episode Robin tells us about the practice of immurement; history's most horrific death sentence.

There is only one female winner of the Medal of Honor, that is Mary Edwards Walker. Mary was a singular woman in her day, a progressive dresser, physician, field surgeon and suffragette. In this episode, Jen introduces us to a woman ahead of her time. Support us and get exclusive content and swag on Patreon.

Well it is that time of year again - Christmas. Whether you celebrate this holiday or not, one thing is certain, there are lot of weird traditions that surround the holiday. For this episode Jen has dug up a story that brings us trolls, ogres, elves and candy in a shoe. This is the story of the Icelandic Christmas Tradition that surrounds Gryla-The Christmas Witch and her bizarre family of mischief makers. Hope you like it. Merry Christmas ya filthy animals.

In this week's Notorious Knowledge, Jen will tell you the story of a publicity stunt turned deadly. Then we travel to Ireland where recent discoveries of neolithic structures are changing the way we understand the history of Ireland. In this episode, we armchair archeologist the shit out of one of Ireland's greatest mysteries: New Grange.

There are only a few words that evoke such a perfect description of an individual as the word Casanova. But what few know is that Casanova is not just an adjective, he was a real man whose exploits were so grandiose that they cemented his name forever in history. A playboy who made his living as a gambler, an astronomer and even a spy; he rubbed shoulders with all of the Enlightenment's greatest names. While the legend is sounds debonaire the reality of the man may be very different. In this episode, Robin introduces you to a man whose legend may be darker that you realize.

The Great Chicago Fire of of 1871 in infamous, but on that same October night infernos spread throughout much of the midwest killing thousands. Many factors such as weather and wooden structures led to the fire's ability to spread. But in one town, all contact with the outside world was cut off as a town burned to the ground; taking men, women, children and animals along with it. In this episode, Jen will tell you the tragic tale of the Night the Midwest Burned.  Check out our website for links to our Patreon and our Shopify store!

At the top of each hour a crowd amasses to watch a show of astronomical proportions. They are there to see one of the world's oldest astronomical clocks. The clock is located in Prague where the medieval masterpiece wisely it sits in front of the Old Town Hall Tower. Each hour it chimes, and a show begins that lasts 45 seconds full of allegorical characters, including death himself. But this hourly show is not the only thing that draws tourists. With tales of magic, murder and mystery this cursed clock's history is a bloody one. In this episode, Robin tells us about the creation of one of the world's most famous clocks. Support us on Patreon where you get access to new and exclusive content! Merchandise available at the Notorious Narratives website!

While most have heard of the Space Race competitive endeavors of the Cold War many do not know that there was also fierce competition crack the code of how to control man's greatest weapon, the mind. With "Communists" consistently vilified in media, literature and pop culture the fear that a person could be "made a communist" spread like wild fire. The concept of mind control led to a program developed by the CIA in the 1950s that consisted of a series of experiments to delve into ways in which the human mind could be controlled and altered---and MK Ultra was born. In this episode, Jen will tell you about the panic that struck the nation and the unspeakable experiments performed in the name of national security.

On a hot August night in 1922 the Los Angeles police were called to a private home after a neighbor reported gun shots and the sounds of a woman screaming. Upon entering they found the man of the house, a rich businessman named Fred Oesterreich, lying on the floor, shot dead. They also found a woman locked in a closet, she was Dolly Oesterreich, Fred's much younger wife. The distraught woman told the tale of burglary gone wrong. But the evidence just did not add up. In this episode, Robin tells us truth that was discovered that was far stranger than fiction that involved a love triangle, a sex slave and a murder most devious.

In this episode, Robin walks us through the meticulous process of Egyptian mummification. This elaborate preparation for the afterlife has been popularized by movies, books and literature, but do you know how it was accomplished? From mud to onions this episode has a lot of surprise ingredients. 

Murder is as old as humanity but detectives are a much newer concept. It was not until the 19th century that these specialized members of the police were utilized to help solve the most heinous of crimes. One of London's very first detectives was, Jack Whicher, a man whose skilled deductions led to the capture of some of England's most notorious criminals. But all men have their limits and Jack was no different. In this episode, Jen introduces you to Detective Whicher, a man who inspired the fictional Sherlock Holmes and the crime that would be his undoing.

You may know his name, you may know about his achievements in computer science and code-breaking, but do you know the man? Alan Turing was without a doubt one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century, but he was also a gay man. A gay man who was unashamed of himself at a time when homosexuality was criminalized. In this story, Jen will tell you about the man whose extraordinary brilliance was extinguished by hate.

At the height of World War II, as darkness descended on the battlefields, a nightmare would appear in German skies. The “Night Witches.” This is the name the Germans gave to the terror that came by night — 80 or so female aviators from Russia dropping bombs from rickety wooden planes that sounded like brooms sweeping the sky. In this episode, Robin tells you the tale of these courageous women who were among some of the wars bravest heroes. 

When you think of amber you probably think of the casing that held the dinosaur DNA in Jurassic Park or maybe even jewelry. But you probably do not associate amber with building material. Amber was incredibly popular in Europe, especially in Russia and as a gift to Peter the Great, the Amber Room was constructed using several tons of the gemstone. During Operation Barbarosa the room was looted by Nazis, dismantled and sent to Germany, where just before the war's end, it disappeared. The story of the Amber Room is shrouded in curses, conspiracies and rumor. In this episode, Robin introduces us to the lost 8th Wonder of the World. 

Medicine has a strange history. In the 19th century medical practices were questionable at best and often did not offer immediate relief of the patient's symptoms. This left the door open for a burgeoning industry that would provide quick fixes in brightly colored bottles that promised cures for anything from balding to cancer. These cures utilized a variety of ingredients from the useless to the deadly. In this episode, Jen tells us the story of the Patent Medicine industry.