Tis the season for commerce, and Gabe and Mary are standing by with answers to all the questions you didn’t know you had. Like: What was the Tickle Me Elmo of ancient Rome? Why was Black Friday almost called Big Friday? And what happened when FDR messed with Thanksgiving in order to give people more time to shop? (Chaos, that’s what happened.) Plus: Helpful suggestions for anyone struggling to find the perfect gift.

Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email higeniuses@gmail.com, DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925.

We’re on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social.

Photo of a Macy’s holiday window display via Wikimedia Commons. 

Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

Tis the season for commerce, and Gabe and Mary are standing by with answers to all the questions you didn&rsquo;t know you had. Like: What was the Tickle Me Elmo of ancient Rome? Why was Black Friday almost called Big Friday? And what happened when FDR messed with Thanksgiving in order to give people more time to shop? (Chaos, that&rsquo;s what happened.) Plus: Helpful suggestions for anyone struggling to find the perfect gift.
Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we&rsquo;ll send you one for free. Email higeniuses@gmail.com, DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925.
We&rsquo;re on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/parttimegenius/">@parttimegenius</a> and Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/parttimegenius.bsky.social">@parttimegenius.bsky.social</a>.
Photo of a Macy&rsquo;s holiday window display via Wikimedia Commons.&nbsp;
Learn more about your ad choices at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>.

Are you a knowledge junkie who loves when facts are stranger than fiction? Do you find yourself constantly tripping down Wikipedia rabbit holes (and delighting in the journey)? Have you ever been told you ask a lot of questions? If so, congrats! You’re one of us: a Part-Time Genius! Join Will, Mango, and the team as we scour the globe in search of obscure facts, offbeat locales, and hidden histories. Along the way, we’ll chat with experts, play some games, get in touch with our silly side, and celebrate the fine art of staying curious.

Are you a knowledge junkie who loves when facts are stranger than fiction? Do you find yourself constantly tripping down Wikipedia rabbit holes (and delighting in the journey)? Have you ever been told you ask a lot of questions? If so, congrats! You&rsquo;re one of us: a Part-Time Genius! Join Will, Mango, and the team as we scour the globe in search of obscure facts, offbeat locales, and hidden histories. Along the way, we&rsquo;ll chat with experts, play some games, get in touch with our silly side, and celebrate the fine art of staying curious.

Part-Time Genius

Listen to this collection of top episodes from iHeartRadio and iHeartPodcasts. 

Listen to this collection of top episodes from iHeartRadio and iHeartPodcasts.&nbsp;

Podcasts from iHeartRadio

9 Door-Busting Facts About Holiday Shopping

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/3f9a59b2-3608-4eaa-b1da-b3a6016161da/transcript

Did a 15-year-old really invent the snowmobile? What was the original use for a Kleenex? How come Eddie Bauer gets zero credit for his genius idea? And what's so special about Greenwood Champion Ear Protectors, anyway? Will and Mango spend a cold winter's day digging into some spectacular seasonal inventions.

This episode originally aired on January 24, 2019.

Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email higeniuses@gmail.com, DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925.

Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

Photo by Diana Polekhina via Unsplash. Thanks, Diana!

Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

Did a 15-year-old really invent the snowmobile? What was the original use for a Kleenex? How come Eddie Bauer gets zero credit for his genius idea? And what's so special about Greenwood Champion Ear Protectors, anyway? Will and Mango spend a cold winter's day digging into some spectacular seasonal inventions.
This episode originally aired on January 24, 2019.
Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we&rsquo;ll send you one for free. Email higeniuses@gmail.com, DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925.
Follow us on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/parttimegenius/">@parttimegenius</a> and Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/parttimegenius.bsky.social">@parttimegenius.bsky.social</a>!
Photo by Diana Polekhina via Unsplash. Thanks, Diana!
Learn more about your ad choices at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>.

Did a 15-year old really invent the snowmobile? Why was the original use for a Kleen-Ex?

9 Wonderful Wintertime Inventions

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f6146f6f-1a55-4912-9198-b3a6013405b4/transcript

Is Florida the birthplace of ostrich racing? Why do male Emperor penguins get an extra stomach flap? And why should you be extra wary of a loose cassowary? Today Mango and Gabe run through some of the world's biggest questions about the world’s biggest birds.

This episode originally aired on July 20, 2018.

Want an official, numbered, limited edition Part-Time Genius membership card? Of course you do. Get in touch and share a fun fact, your name, and your mailing address and we’ll send you one for free. Email higeniuses@gmail.com, DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. (We may share your fact on an upcoming episode, but don’t worry, your contact info is private.) 

Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

Ostrich photo by Catherine Merlin via Unsplash. Thanks, Catherine!

Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

Is Florida the birthplace of ostrich racing? Why do male Emperor penguins get an extra stomach flap? And why should you be extra wary of a loose cassowary? Today Mango and Gabe run through some of the world's biggest questions about the world&rsquo;s biggest birds.
This episode originally aired on July 20, 2018.
Want an official, numbered, limited edition Part-Time Genius membership card? Of course you do. Get in touch and share a fun fact, your name, and your mailing address and we&rsquo;ll send you one for free. Email <a href="mailto:higeniuses@gmail.com">higeniuses@gmail.com</a>, DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. (We may share your fact on an upcoming episode, but don&rsquo;t worry, your contact info is private.)&nbsp;
Follow us on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/parttimegenius/">@parttimegenius</a> and Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/parttimegenius.bsky.social">@parttimegenius.bsky.social</a>!
Ostrich photo by Catherine Merlin via Unsplash. Thanks, Catherine!
Learn more about your ad choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>.

Is Florida the birthplace of ostrich racing? Why do male Emperor penguins get an extra stomach flap? And why should you be extra wary of a loose Cassowary?

What Are the Secrets of the World’s Largest Birds?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/37405268-2b45-455a-8cb0-b37d01324ae9/transcript

Tom Freston’s resume is real, but reads like fiction: he served cocktails in the Caribbean, created a fashion brand in India, co-founded MTV, became CEO of Viacom… and after he was unceremoniously fired, he helped launch a TV network in Afghanistan and became an advocate for global health initiatives. As if that wasn’t enough, he’s written an extraordinary memoir, Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu. So today Tom sits down with Mango to talk about some of those adventures, including the time he ended up in a sauna with David Bowie and Paul McCartney, how The Real World came to be, and why he believes TV can change the world.

Buy Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu, or request it at your local bookstore or library!

Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Give us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email higeniuses@gmail.com, DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925.

We’re on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social.

Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

 

Tom Freston&rsquo;s resume is real, but reads like fiction: he served cocktails in the Caribbean, created a fashion brand in India, co-founded MTV, became CEO of Viacom&hellip; and after he was unceremoniously fired, he helped launch a TV network in Afghanistan and became an advocate for global health initiatives. As if that wasn&rsquo;t enough, he&rsquo;s written an extraordinary memoir, Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu. So today Tom sits down with Mango to talk about some of those adventures, including the time he ended up in a sauna with David Bowie and Paul McCartney, how The Real World came to be, and why he believes TV can change the world.
Buy&nbsp;<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/unplugged-adventures-from-mtv-to-timbuktu-tom-freston/77b234b8839c4f1c?ean=9781668089798&amp;next=t">Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu</a>, or request it at your local bookstore or library!
Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Give us your name, address, and one fun fact and we&rsquo;ll send you one for free. Email higeniuses@gmail.com, DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925.
We&rsquo;re on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/parttimegenius/">@parttimegenius</a> and Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/parttimegenius.bsky.social">@parttimegenius.bsky.social</a>.
Learn more about your ad choices at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>.
&nbsp;

Taking Risks and Traveling the World, with Tom Freston!

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/92704455-d132-48a0-b16e-b3a00021755a/transcript

9 Door-Busting Facts About Holiday Shopping

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