Dark History - 48: Blood, Butter, and BEHEADINGS?!?!?: Popcorn's Dark Past

Episode Date: August 3, 2022

Welcome to the Dark History podcast.  People used to be sacrificed for popcorn. Yep. The buttery goodness that you finish eating before the trailers are even over at the movies. Now you may be thinking “how in the heck does that make any sense?” Because, honestly, that was also my initial reaction. But let me tell you, the history of popcorn is WILD. And we’re getting into all of it on today’s episode. So buckle in babe. Episode Advertisers Include:   Apostrophe, Liquid IV, and Express VPN. Learn more during the podcast about special offers!

Hi friends, how are you? I hope you're having a wonderful day today. Welcome to season two of dark history. Hi, I'm Bailey Sarian. Did you miss me? Maybe. Okay, great. If you don't know anything about me, I'm Bailey Sarian, and I'm a curious person, you know, and I'm always going down some dark rabbit holes at 1 a.m. just trying to figure out where shit comes from. So that's what this podcast is. A chance to tell the story like it is and to share the history of stuff we would never think about.

And let me tell you, this season, we're gonna deep dive into topics like the history of marriage we would never think about. And let me tell you, this season we're gonna deep dive into topics like the history of marriage, Graham crackers, Satan, and one of my favorites, the Dildo. Yes, the Dildo. And of course, we're gonna talk about some big companies and their shady past, you know, if they have one. I'm looking at you, Coca-Cola, don't hurt me, okay?

I'll blink twice if I need help. All right, it's gonna be a good time. I'm very excited and I hope you are too. If you haven't listened to season one, I suggest you do, but, you know, you don't have to. But like, it's cool if you do, but like, you know, are you good? But you don't have, you know.

Now, I know some of you are like Bailey, you got a D-History, you know. Now, I know some of you are like Bailey, you got a D minus in history, why in God's name should we listen to you and your history stories? And Linda, listen, Linda, I get it. But I'm learning along with you because listen on this show, we got researchers, lawyers.

We reach out to leading experts on each topic to make sure, back check that we are giving accurate, unbiased information. And I'll be honest, sometimes the feedback we receive is pretty rough. They don't get my humor. The lawyers, they're so serious, you know? Anyways, once I get the feedback, though we adjust it and make it right.

So what I'm getting at is this podcast is the shit. Thank you. Pfft. Now, the experts aren't the only people on our team giving feedback. Let me introduce you to my co-host. Now if you're listening on the podcast you can't see that at home, but I'll describe. Some of you may remember last season the beautiful the wonderful the stunning Joan Crowford Joan, Joan's here. Let's welcome her back to the scene.

Hey, Joan, hey, girl, how you been? Okay, great. Also, let's give a big round of applause for this man that you may recognize for my Instagram stories. His name is Paul and Paul likes to party. He's over here. He's gonna be hanging out with us.

He's got the sunglasses on, he's got a cigarette. Don't smoke or you're gonna end up like Paul. They're my friends, okay? So I don't feel so alone in this freaking room, anyways. All of that aside, just come on this journey with us and let's talk about that hot, juicy history, goss, gossin'. So sit back, relax, and let's get into some dark history.

I've opened my dark history book to the chapter of popcorn. Let me tell you how I arrived to this topic. So the last couple of nights, I've been eating a lot of popcorn. Honestly, it's because I'm too lazy to go to the grocery store and shop. So now, every night when I watch my television programs, I put a little bag of popcorn in the microwave, beat, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, you know, magic happens. Popcorn appears. Smells

incredible. I'm sure you're aware. Mm, that smell. So you know, I pour my little popcorn into my popcorn bowl. I get on the comfy couch, I snuggle up, and I turn on my favorite television program. I'm sitting on the couch with my buttery ass fingers, and I pick the television program, trading spaces. Yeah, you remember that gem? That was a good one. Honestly, it wasn't that great.

It's actually really cheesy. I thought it was like so good back in the day, you know? That's beyond the point. The point is, I got to thinking because I wasn't paying attention to the show. Like, hey, I wonder where the hell like popcorn comes from? It's just always been there, right? I mean, think about it.

You've eaten it all throughout your life, or at least you've seen it all throughout your life. And you, my friend, haven't even thought about it twice, have you? Like, who are you, popcorn? I don't even know you. Does anyone know where it came from? I didn't. Naturally, when I'm curious and a question comes to my noggin, I get to googling where does popcorn come from? And honestly, I thought it was just gonna be a simple, you know, Mr. Popcorn invented

popcorn, you know, just something simple. But let me tell you plot twist, this shit gets dark. Who would have thought like popcorn would be connected to human sacrifice and cannibalism, which is very on brand for me. I feel like popcorn. So naturally, I wanted to know more. I mean, hello cannibalism popcorn. Let's talk about it. And that, my friends, is how I went down a rabbit hole and got to today's story.

So go ahead, grab that stale tin of holiday popcorn. Your boss gave you last Christmas. Honestly, the cheese one is always the good one, I think. And buckle up, because it the cheese one is always the good one, I think, and buckle up because it turns out popcorn is pretty hardcore. So if you are new to this planet earth, popcorn is corn, so to really get into the history behind it all, we have to start with corn. Now corn, you know her, well maybe always been there for us

when we needed it the most. Corn has been a boil- ass bitch, not even kidding. That's not my own opinion. You can even look at ancient civilizations all across the world and they thought the exact same thing. So I'm not lying. During my deep dive, I discovered that corn is old as hell.

Great, so it's very unclear like where it originally came from. The information we, I discovered that corn is old as hell. Great. So it's very unclear where it originally came from. The information we do know is that corn developed from a certain type of grass in Mexico. Now here's the big mystery that kind of keeps me up at night. Corn doesn't regrow on its own. It requires a person to actually physically replant it. And that's weird because if corn's been around for so long, like who were the people planting it and taking care of it?

Who was carrying the torch of corn? Aliens, people, animal, nature, you know, so many questions, not that many answers, to be honest. Starting back in 1200 BC, many ancient civilizations during this time were farming corn. So you know how corn is a little seed, and if you bite like into it, you break your tooth. Yeah, we don't exactly know how or why, but at some point, somebody figured out that if you heat up this kernel, it would explode into something

that you could actually use or eat. So for example, like the Mayans and the Inca, they would use corn for tortillas to mollies. I mean, they would even drink corn by grinding it with fruit and honey to make a sweet little drink. It kind of sounds good. I'll try it.

So corn was a staple to the ancient Aztecs, which are an indigenous group who they were living in Mexico in the 1300s. Now you might be familiar the ancient Aztecs, which are an indigenous group who they were living in Mexico in the 1300s. Now you might be familiar with the Aztecs from some of their famous inventions, their fresh water system, their very impressive architecture. I mean, have you ever seen that?

I, ooh, they had structures, pyramids, ball courts, plazas, temples, and homes. Basically, we could do a whole episode dedicated to just the Aztecs. I mean, they're fascinating. But in regards to corn, they, in my opinion, are the most interesting bunch because they freaking partied. Like, no disrespect to the other tribes, but the Aztecs were the most metal when it comes to corn. So the Aztecs actually viewed corn as sacred food.

Sacred? I know. I thought it was like just something you eat while you're watching a movie, but no, not an ancient Aztec land. Corn was a matter of life or death. The Aztecs considered corn to have a life cycle similar to humans. So it was their most important crop and they ate so much of it that they believed corn was literally in their blood, like running through their blood. And Aztecs believed that when they ate the corn,

they were eating the earth. And when they died and buried the earth, then ate them. And when they died and buried the earth, then ate them. The sparkle of a light. So, this is where the story gets real juicy, because according to Aztec Myth, there was a point where the future of the Aztec people were once in grave danger. Oh, yes. They were about to be extinct, like the T-Rex.

According to legend, the Aztec people were starving to death. People were really struggling. They know corn is on the other side of the mountain where they live, but they don't know how to get to it. They'd already asked their other gods for help, but these gods were unable to use their strengths to move the mountains. So they were becoming desperate and very hungry. And an Aztec priest turns to the mountains, so they were becoming desperate and very hungry. And an Aztec priest

turns to the God, Ketsu Kwadol, who I'm just going to call Q, moving forward, because Ketsu Kwadol, as you can imagine, is a little harsh for me. So this God, Q, decided to use something more powerful, and what's more powerful than strength intelligence his brain. So here's what Aztec mythology says. Now this is a quote. Ketsu Kwaddle or Q was transformed into a small black ant and made his way towards the mountain. The path presented many difficulties, but one by one he overcame them, determined to move forward by the thought

of helping the Aztec people. Now, after several days, Q arrived at the back of the mountains where he found the corn and, because he's an aunt, took a grain between his cheese and began his journey back over the mountains. Once he returned to his people, he handed over the grain of corn to be planted, end quote.

So this God turns into an ant. And while he's an ant, he goes over the mountain, get some corn and then comes back. Okay, got it? Great. It wasn't over though. The ant comes back with the corn in his mouth, right? And you can't do anything, they have to like plant this kernel and grow it into corn. If the kernel didn't sprout

and the corn didn't grow, then the journey, the ant journey, would have been for nothing, right? So the Aztec people were completely relying on this one kernel to grow, or they could be completely wiped out. Great news though, it worked. The single kernel bloomed and blossomed into beautiful heads of corn, which was now able to feed all of the people. And from that day onward, the Aztecs were devoted to honor, plant, and harvest, the very thing that saved

all of their people from starvation. So it's just very important to them, right? And in honor of Q, they're God, they built statues and palaces as a way to say thank you, because that's how you say thank you back then. You're like, here, I built this for you. Do you like that? Which if you haven't, just like on some free time,

do yourself a favor and Google their temples because they went off, all the way off. Like no one asked them to go that off, but they did it anyway. Off, they were like, let's go off, all the way off. It's wild. Okay, so back to Q. They went off on those temples and they also would hold annual ceremonies for the God.

Okay, so these ceremonies were designed to keep this God and they had many other gods happy. So they would continue to watch over the crops and keep the corn coming because they don't wanna starve again. Great. The Aztec people believed in over 200 different gods and goddesses, so they had a lot.

And they're all in control of different parts of their life. Like there's a god for weather, there's one for fertility, farming, god for war, there's one god for going to the bathroom. Yeah, could you imagine being the God in charge of shit, like literal shit? That's your job. That's shitty.

Ah! Anyways, but since we were talking about corn here, I'm just gonna be focusing on the corn side of things, right? To the Aztecs, therefore most important gods were in charge of the different stages in corn's life. So this lined up with the seasons of the year pretty much. And for each cycle, there was a ceremony that went along with it. So let's say it's spring. The flowers are blooming, the bees are buzzing. And as tech farmers have

just planted their corn seeds in the ground. It's like, yay. But to make sure that they're gonna sprout, they have to do something, right? And I know what you're thinking. Yeah, just water, you water that shit, right? There you go, that's it. But for the Aztecs, have you ever watered plants with blood? Because that's what the Aztecs did. Oh yeah, they would legit take a knife

and cut themselves and then just like bleed all over their corn. I know, it's a lot, but listen, it was actually seen as like a gift to the Aztec goddesses to make sure that the corn seeds would sprout. And to them, blood was symbolic of life. So to the Aztec people, they were giving part of their life to the food to keep the corner live. It's kind of beautiful if you think about it.

Come on. Right Paul? Great. Glad you were agree. He agrees, shut up. So if you think that's gory, just wait until fall shows up. You know our favorite season, fall? Yeah, they weren't bobbin' for apples. They were chopping kids heads off.

But first, let's pause for an ad-brain. To the story. Hi, we're back. So when the harvest time came in fall, the Aztecs wanted a good supply of corn. So in order to make sure like this happens, they would hold a big ceremony for another god of theirs. The goddess Chico Macodel, girls, young girls,

would make Garland's out of popcorn and wear them in honor of this goddess, which is fun, because like I personally love a little DIY project, you know? And then everyone would come to this ceremony, literally everyone from the whole town, like all of the people would gather and head to the statue of this goddess to celebrate her. So they, they all get together, they walk over the gather round, you know, the statue, a priest would step forward

and then ask for a young girl to step forward with him as well. Now this young girl plot twist, she was their offering. I know, good. I don't know. We don't know if the girl knew what was about to happen to her, but either way, she was about to go down, you know what I'm saying? And like, this is where things get a little, a little cray. Okay, so the priest would, he'd be next to the statue, right? And he's like holding this little cray. Okay. So the priest would, um, he'd be next to statue, right? He's like, holding this little girl, he holds

her against the statue. And then in front of everybody, he just whack a rella, chop off her head. The young girl just removed. Again, I don't really know the details. I don't know if we need to know the details, but what we know for sure was that a head was removed in the name of corn. Mm, yeah. Paul, can you look up what they did with the head? I'm dying to know.

You get it dying to know, Paul, because you're dead. Okay, great. But then it gets worse, because listen. After chopping off her head, the priest then takes her body and pours her blood all over the statue, again, to honor the goddess. It gets worse, it progresses. Let me tell you.

The priest, again, the priest, then takes the girl's body, he flays or peels the skin off and proceeds to put it on himself like a suit, a skin suit. He to put it on himself like a suit. A skin suit. He's literally edgying this shit. He's edgying before edgying, but it doesn't stop there during the same ceremony after the girl is killed. Another woman is also offered up to the gods, so it's a two-for-one deal at the bogo. But this is a little different. You see, it's already funky on its own, but now they involve this other woman.

And what they would do is they'd bring her forward. They would also kill her or whatever, but they would cut the skin off of her face, specifically her face. So the priest could wear it like a mask. Yeah, like a literal face mask. He puts it on, He's like, hey guys, it's me. Barbara, you know, the ceremony may sound a little extreme because it does sound a little extreme.

But this again, is how they honor their got by dressing up like them and saying thank you. Think of like your Uncle Joe dressing up as Santa for Christmas. You know, you're a kid and you're like, it's Uncle Joe, but you're excited because it's Santa. So think of like your Uncle Joe dressing up as Santa for Christmas. You know, you're a kid and you're like, it's Uncle Joe, but you're excited because it's Santa and he has presents. So it's like that, but with murder and stuff too.

And like, you know, same thing. Okay, so this is the kind of kind of shady part because like the second woman that was sacrificed, now it's, it's believed that she may have been offered to the priest as a sacrifice by her husband. Yikes. Imagine going to the ceremony with your husband, you're like, oh my God, babe, I heard there's gonna be a sacrifice.

I hear it's Rebecca. Uh, and then your husband looks at you and is like, that's suck, you know? So if you're shady-ass boyfriend, sacrifice to your husband, I'm excuse me, sacrifice to you, it's a surprise, you know? But again, sacrifices were just part of their religion. It was just part of the whole thing. It was a huge honor to like give yourself to the gods

for the good of your people. So it could have been a way different experience for them. Like maybe they died with honor and it wasn't like this terrible thing. Just an idea, you know, because to us, we're like, what the, chopping a girl's head off? Like, what the, but maybe they were like, yay, I get my head chopped off today.

I'm just trying to see the positive here. There's gotta be some kind of positive. Okay, so this was all just a warm-up because there was a big feast that came in the winter to close out the life of corn. Now it's time for the annual feast of the flayed man. Oh yes, thunder and lightning. Oh, we have to pause for you today's story. Hi, we're back. So the feast of the flayed man happens after the Aztecs have harvested last season's corn. Now this is to thank the gods for that

and ensure the success of the new crop they are planting. So the whole city, town, and community, again, they would come out to attend this big ceremony. I'm talking everybody came out like rulers, commoners, prisoners, anyone and everyone. This time it's to honor their god Zee Pay. He's like the winter god. Zee Pay was actually a very big deal

because according to the legend, when his people were starving, he actually like ripped off chunks of his own skin and then like fed that to the Aztec people so they went and starved to death. It's like, you know, just hear you eat this. This is what I'm imagining. But does this remind you of anything? No, Paul?

Okay, Paul says no, but look, let me give you a visual here, okay? Think of your eating corn the old school way. You have to peel the outer skin. It's known as the husks. You have to peel the outer skin. It's known as the husks. You have to peel it. It's pretty tough. And it's called shucking, if I'm not mistaken.

Yeah, we're gonna have fun with that word. Okay, so you're peeling off the husk. The green leaves around the corn. And this was important because it represented Z-Pay's own skin being ripped off to feed his starving people. Symbolic, beautiful. It's almost kind of like they're shedding sins, a rebirth, if you will.

Z-Pay, that's so sweet, you shouldn't have Z-Pay. So they peel, they prep the corn, all to celebrate Z-Pay. And now they do a little reenactment. Yeah, we love dinner in a show. Someone, usually an enslaved person or a prisoner from a different tribe, was selected to once again be a human sacrifice

for this big feast. So the priest, this poor priest, he was a lot of murder. They would kill the man that was being offered, cut and peel off his skin in large chunks. Oh yeah, and then they would get like a little artsy and they would paint on the skin and wear it. So like they would wear the skin.

So it looked like they were a living image of Z-Pay. Right? Great. I kind of wouldn't mind being there. I would want to watch and see fly on the wall. I would be. But the rest of the body, they didn't waste that shit, you know? The leftovers were cut up and passed out to the crowd to be eaten and shared.

And again, this was seen as a very beautiful, great thing. Good for them. It's time to eat. So naturally, of course, the wealthy people would get like the best body meats first, because they're rich, like they would get, you know, I want to thigh or like I want to I want some titty meat, you know, so they would get to eat more of it, because wealthy people are always seen as more important for some sick reason. And you know,

it's just like the same shit different era. Well, minus the body meat. Well, depending on who you ask, I guess. Then they would pass around whatever was left over to the rest of the people. So organs, elbows, eyeballs, fingers. Maybe if you're lucky, you got some of that juicy booty meat, you know? In return, Z-Pay would be pleased with their sacrifice and bring them an abundance of corn in the coming year. So the flaying man ceremony was all about closing out the year, shedding the skin, rebirth, and just going into the new year cleansed in new. This tradition was passed on from generation to generation and everyone really put their own spit on it and it's kind of like, again, like Christmas,

but you're just eating humans instead of ham, that's all. So a descendants of the Aztecs, the Noah Pippo, also worshiped corn, but they had their own old twist on it. They believed that corn was an actual living being and you had to treat her with respect, do not disrespect the corn. They believed that corn actually starts as a boy when it's growing and then once it's picked,

it turns into a female. This is according to the Noah legend. And this corn is picky. They also believed that seasoning or flavoring the corn in any way was extremely disrespectful. You know, if she was mistreated, she being the corn, she would seek revenge on the people. I'm talking natural disasters, famine, other bad stuff, you know, just because you put a little salt on the corn. Oh, this was serious. Corn was serious. So now let's go to the indigenous people of North America.

As we know, and we think we know, like really mastered the art of farming corn. And by the time the settlers showed up in the 1600s, it's everywhere. Corn was like Megan's way downtown, walkin' fast, faces passin', she's homebound. Do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do but okay, it's just here to provide for the people. So when the French explorers see the earquay tribe making popcorn from kernels for the very first time, they're like, okay, I see what you got going on there. Like they got some corn kernels and a big ol' heated pot. Mm, and then the earquay people, they're like swirling it around and then pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. The settlers were like, wait a second.

What the hell is that noise? It's corn and now it's like morphing into this beautiful white flower. And it's edible. Kind of witchcraft, you know? But seriously, think about how crazy that first experience must have been for them. To see popcorn pop, I don't know.

I mean, maybe I would think that would be impressed, right? So I guess the earquois, they teach the French settlers how to make this food known as popcorn. But you know, if you've been listening to dark history, we know it's less teaching and sometimes more taking and like taking a credit. So allegedly, the Eerquois taught them and they were like super thankful

for teaching them how to make popcorn. And they were like, thank you so much. That's so nice of you. And then they now carried it back to their place, their home. Anywho, the settlers are super jazzed about learning this new food and they bring it back home to the 13 colonies, you know, it's what's going to become America. Honestly, I'm just saying that because like that completely left my brain. I've completely forgot about

like the 13 colonies. Should we do an episode or not? I feel like that's kind of boring. It doesn't matter. It takes it back home. They're like, look, popcorn. And they really started to improvise in the kitchen. They were getting really creative.

They're making popcorn soup. They're having popcorn for breakfast with cream and sugar. It was their version of cereal. Kinda sounds bomb. I would have tried it. And popcorn becomes a big staple in their lives. And it's funny because, at least for me, I can't speak for you. But you always hear, like in history class, about America growing at this time, like the 13 colonies, yada yada yada. And who would have thought that popcorn was right

there alongside the people? I just think it's cute. Popcorn, come on, that's cute. This thing, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right question here is how did corn go from like this holy sacred representation of life to a stale piece of popcorn you find in your bra after watching like just binge watching a night of like love island specifically the UK version do you eat it sometimes I eat it when I find it like it's warm. Anyways, more after that. Scoring. And we're back. All right, it's 1885 and popcorn is now mainstream. Popcorn, she's hootin, she's haularin, and now she's mobile. Mobile? Oh yeah, baby.

Thanks to the invention of the steam powered popcorn maker, vendors can now take this machine and sell popcorn on the streets to everyday people. This was revolutionary, mostly because snacks back then, they had like potato chips or jello, they needed a kitchen in order to make and sell these products or food. So steam-powered popcorn machines were a huge hit at crowded places

think like the circus, huh? You know lots of people are coming and going and they want some popcorn while they watch the sad animals and stolen humans perform before their very eyes. You remember the circus? We did a whole episode on that. Yeah, it all started with the man with a small ego who liked horse tricks pretty much. That's a summary. It always does. Popcorn at the circus! Great! They did that! And we can't forget about baseball. Turns out while watching the ball game, people loved having something to snack on. And this is when we, as the people, were introduced to a new type of popcorn called Cracker Jacks. Yeah, if you forgot, Cracker Jacks are technically popcorn,

and if you don't know, a Cracker Jack is popcorn, drowned, and caramel, and salty nuts. Sightnote were a fun fact. Some historians consider Cracker Jacks the original American junk food. It also introduced American kids to sweet popcorn. And this inspired a lot of people to get creative. You know, this is America, so naturally they start saturating popcorn.

It's just sugar and fat and they just go off. We love it. Basically, when I'm getting out popcorn in all her different forms is literally popping off everywhere you go. There seem to be a steam-powered popcorn machine and like a monkey in a tiny suit, trying to sell you a snack. And everyone at this time's buying. I mean, the people who are walking by are mesmerized.

When they see that steam-powered machine on the streets, they're like, what is this, first of all? Many would stop and be like, what is this? And then of course, naturally, the delicious smell, bitch, they're gonna stop, they're gonna look, they're gonna get a little show because the popcorn seem to be like dancing, dancing, because it was like popping off like fireworks. So it's like worrying people in, they would stop, they would stare, they would sniff,

all the s's are covered. So we've got the circus,. They would stop, they would stare, they would sniff. All the S's are covered. So we've got the circus, we've got baseball, we've got the mobile steam popcorn machine. But I know when we say popcorn, every single one of us today, well, I shouldn't say that, but most of us think of the movies, right? Because that's what I thought of, of course.

But what if I told you that popcorn was actually banned from theaters for a very long time? It makes no sense, right? Cause they go hand in hand. But the joke is on theaters, because popcorn always seems to win. So back in the early 1900s, movie theaters were considered, ooh, very luxurious. It was like a place for the high brow,

the high class, the bougie people, and they were like, no peasants allowed. So when you walked in, the theater, it was very ornate, like a grand opera house. I'm talking velvet seats. Ooh, gorgeous rugs. Ugh, big old beautiful chandeliers, bitch. Movie theaters back then.

I wish I could have just seen it once because based off of photos, I've seen it just was grand lush, velvet, gold, glamor, all for a movie. The best way I can describe what it looks like is like, you remember the scene of Beauty and the Beast, where Belle and the Beast are dancing and scene she's wearing the gold dress. It's very grand. That's what the movie theaters look like.

With all that being said, it's safe to say these theaters had spent a pretty penny on carpets, very fancy expensive rugs, and they wanted to keep them in pristine condition. And you know what wasn't pristine? Popcorn, fucking popcorn. You know, it could be messy as hell. And the movie theaters, they didn't like that. So movie theaters banned popcorn because of this, there's, they didn't like that. So movie theaters banned popcorn because of this, being messy. And also because, hello, movies were still silent back then. And popcorn, she's a little loud.

Then the year 1927 comes around and for the first time movies, they get sound. That must have been really a fucking weird, actually. You know, like to see a movie for the first time was sound. You're like, what the? But we're in the future, man. But okay, sound comes to the theater, but the theaters, they're still holding out. They don't want popcorn to enter their building.

They want to appeal only to the rich, rich, gorgeous people. And apparently rich people don't eat popcorn. That's what I've gathered from this. Okay, so all that's happening, but then guess who enters the scene? Something called the Great Depression. The good old GD. Everyone was out of work. Food was hard to come by and people, they really didn't have extra money or cash for entertainment, for fun, for anything really, except for the basics. So theaters they end up taking a very big hit

because nobody wants to go see a movie. So guess who comes knocking at the door to save the day once again? Knock knock who's there? It's me, back on, you know? The theaters realize that if they want to survive, they have to lower their standards, they have to lower their prices

and they got to get off that little fancy high horse of theirs. Okay. So move theirs, they're desperate for money, and they go against their own rules. And they're like, you know what? Let the popcorn in, let it in. But if you wanted popcorn, they were going to upcharge to cover, you know, rugs and shit that you're gonna mess up. And honestly, it works. The smell alone brought patrons in and they loved having something to snack on

while they watched a movie. And because there was now sound in the movies, I mean, you can't hear the loud-ass crunching popcorn noise. It was a win-win. People were going out to the movies because it was less expensive now. They were able to spend quality time with their loved ones and they were still able to afford like a little escape from reality with popcorn right by their side.

I'm telling you popcorn has always been there for us like when we need it most. And then theaters again saw another opportunity. They knew popcorn was inexpensive to buy. Let's say, for example, like, 10 cents for a bag of kernels. So the theaters would then mark it up to like $1.50 for a small bucket of popcorn. Now math isn't my strong suit, but that sounds like they're making a lot of money, you know what I mean? And it seems like people are down to buy the popcorn despite the crazy markup. I mean, I don't think they know the difference, you know? And it's still holds true today.

You go to the movies, small popcorn, like 25 bucks and you're like, what the fuck? Why? It's just pure profit for the theaters. Can I just bring my own popcorn? It's not the same though. It's not the same. You can't.

You can't. It's not the same. If it's not the same. You can't. You can't. It's not the same. If it's $25 for some reasons better. So the years carry on, right? And then we get to the year 1941 when America joins World War II. Now this sucks obviously. Because of the war, lots of people, they stop going to the movies again due to like financial strain. And honestly, who wants to go and move these when potentially your loved one might not be coming home yeah I just they don't want to go they just stop going so because of the war lots of things were being rationed and sent out to the troops one of them being sugar what's a little shout out to the remember the zoot suit episode zoot suit riot do you

remember that episode they were like having a ration for the war. Lots of shit was happening around this time. Anyway, so if Candy was like your go-to snack, you had to pivot to something else. People are just having meltdowns. Like, no, not my Mike and I. You know? Well, guess what wasn't being rationed

and was super cheap, the pretensity. Popcorn, damn popcorn. You are here for us. And by this point, Americans are eating three times the amount of popcorn as they did before the war. So eating popcorn at this time actually becomes viewed as being like very patriotic. A way to support and show support for the troops.

Yeah, eating popcorn like I'm proud to bring on American. When I get my popcorn free. Fun, it worked. In the years after World War II, two important things happened that really impacted our fri-nd popcorn. One, sugar is back in town, baby, which is great, because I love sugar. But all the candy deprived people want their candy

and they need their sugar effects or there's just so much more you can eat with sugar. Need I say more? No. And then two, there's an economic boom and more Americans can afford to buy televisions. Oh yeah. So they're like, why go out of the movies?

I'll just stay home, sit on my couch, I love my couch, and I'm gonna watch the two channels I have. Yeah, because they had like two channels, good for them. Sounds like a good time, honestly. But you know what would make the home movie experience even better? I don't know, maybe what if we brought popcorn in a bag to people at home?

Huh, idea. Maybe perhaps popcorn in a bag, ready in two minutes with all the buttery and yummy seasonings already in there? That's right, baby. The microwave blasts into the scene. So there's this guy, his name's Percy Spencer, which totally sounds like a dog name, right, baby. The microwave blasts into the scene. So there's this guy, his name's Percy Spencer, which totally sounds like a dog name, right, Percy?

Oh, Pocahontas, wasn't the dog saying Percy? I think so, I could be wrong, but that's a dog name. So he invents the microwave. We love him. He's my best friend. Without him, I wouldn't be alive. So he actually used popcorn kernels as a lab rat to run his microwave experiments

because it gave like Percy a good estimate of cook time, microwave strength, the heat, the pressure, the air, everything. And because of the popcorn and like the kernel popping, they learned how to create the best microwave. You know, science, waves, science, the popcorn was there helping them along the way. And by the 1980s, microwaves are being mass-produced

and they end up finding their way into American homes. Now people can enjoy their favorite snack with maximum convenience. Microwaveable popcorn, it's quick, it's easy, it's delicious, just like me. But guess what? It'll kill you also, just like me. Okay, look, convenience, great, we love convenience.

But when we mess with the natural gifts from Mother Earth, it's just a matter of time before it bites us like right in the butt, right? So look, in the year 2000, a doctor reported that eight popcorn factory workers became super sick with a very rare lung disease that became known as maybe you've heard of it today. Popcorn lung. Oh yeah, popcorn lung, real thing, real thing. It's actually called broncholitis, a bloated brininneruns, but I can't say that. So we'll put it on screen.

Do you need to know how to say it? No, just look at popcorn lung, you're fine. And four of the eight workers were so sick, they had to be put on the lung transplant waiting list. Horrible. So like what was making them so sick? Turns out it was the vapor from the popcorn's artificial butter. It's like a chemical known or called dia seedle. I think I nailed that one. The factory workers who were packing

the bags of microwave popcorn were inhaling these vapors all day every day. And I mean, it must have felt like like a really great perk at first inhaling buttery popcorn smell all day. If they made that as an air freshener, I would, I would. So it must have been kind of nice, but really the vapors that they were inhaling, they were toxic, they were making them sick. These workers started coughing nonstop.

They were feeling intense shortness of breath, they were getting really sick. And this was the chemical vapor, essentially tearing apart their lungs, slowly suffocating the workers to death. And scarier enough, the American popcorn manufacturers didn't stop using this butter chemical until 2007. And it's not even like a banned chemical.

It's in lots of other things still to the state, like vapes. I was kind of like thinking about this and I got the chills because I didn't know who a god like punished people even like a banned chemical. It's in lots of other things still to the state. Like vapes. I was kind of like thinking about this and I got the chills. Cause like, didn't the know who a god like punished people for messing with their corn? Chemical butter, messing with the corn. Look at it, maybe the god was angry.

Bitch. Just, I don't know. I don't know. Just thought about it. What's the thought? Okay, so pop corn lung. There's no cure for the condition and there really still isn't. So I would say, I would maybe just suggest you stop

vaping, just put your mango nectar, jewel pod down and just walk away because it's not go for you friend. All right, so that's all the story I have for you. Great. What did we learn today, friends? Question mark. Popcorn has been around forever, and it definitely has seen some shit, right? I mean, think about it.

All throughout your life, Popcorn and Corn has been there, but you never thought twice about it. My curious ass just wanted to know know where the hell it came from. And boy, it was it a wild ride. After this episode and after researching everything, I just have to tell you that I am obsessed with corn. I was in the grocery store and I was looking at the corn

because I had the green stuff on it and I was like, oh my god, corn is life, corn is body. You know, I was getting all weird with the, because I had the green stuff on it. I was like, oh my God. Corn is life. Corn is body. You know, I was getting all weird with the corn. I haven't changed woman. Now the reason I want to tell you this story in the first place is because one, I found popcorn to be absolutely fascinating. And two, I think the takeaway here is to look around Barbara. You know, like who wouldn't know in that popcorn would have meant so much to so many people throughout time, right? I mean, for me, it's just sitting

minding my own damn business. And the next thing I know my life has flipped upside down and I'm obsessed with corn, sacrificing myself in the corner, wearing someone else's skin. It's the everyday things you don't notice or maybe even take for granted that might have the wildest story. My suggestion here or might take away for you is to stay corny,

but most of all, stay curious. And maybe next time you're chowing down on some popcorn, first of all, think of me, hi, and then say a little thank you to the children who lost their heads for your bowl of popcorn. Well, everyone, thank you so much for learning with me today. Remember, don't be afraid to ask questions or just be curious because it's fun. I'd love to hear your guys' reactions or thoughts to today's story. So make sure to use the hashtag dark history over on social media so I can see where you guys are saying, thinking, fib and with, I don't know.

Join me over on my YouTube where you can actually watch these episodes on Thursday after the podcast, airs. And while you're there, also catch murder, mystery, and makeup. I hope you have a wonderful day today. You eat lots of popcorn, make good choices, and I'll be talking to you next week. Goodbye. Dark History is an audio boom original. This podcast is executive produced by me, Bailey

Sarian. Dunia McNeely from Three Arts, Kevin Grush and Clare Turner, writers Alison Falobos, Katie Burris and Joy Scvuso. Oh, and me too, Bailey Sarian. Shot and edited by Tafazwa Nimrundwe. Research provided by Ashley Spurgeon. A big special thank you to our popcorn expert out there, Andy Smith, hey Andy, thank you. And I'm your host, Bailey Sarian.

Now go have some popcorn, Goddamn it.