Futility Closet: Difference between revisions

In March 2014 Futility Closet launched a thirty-minute weekly podcast hosted by Greg and Sharon Ross.<ref name="futilitycloset1">{{cite web|author=March 17, 2014September 14, 2015 |url=https://www.futilitycloset.com/2014/03/17/podcast/ |title=Podcast Episode 1: Calendar Reform, Doll Mansions, and Hitchcock's Vertigo |publisher=Futility Closet |date=2014-03-17 |accessdate=2017-08-26}}</ref> A typical episode lasts thirty minutes and consists of three segments: first the week's core topic, typically a curious story from history; second, listener mail; third, a [[lateral thinking puzzle]], posed by one of the hosts for the other to solve. Some episodes depart from this format, for instance by presenting several short items or open questions culled from research, or by presenting several puzzles in lieu of other content. Most episodes include an advertisement.

 

 

The podcast has a wide scope and is not restricted to any particular era, but most episodes concern colorful personalities and strange events from the 19th and early 20th centuries. [[Victorian era|Victorian]] oddities are a mainstay of the show, as are unexplained mysteries, [[forteana]], hoaxes and impostors, sensational murders, remarkable animals, and the adventures of mariners, aviators, and explorers. Subjects are often prompted by listener suggestions.

 

 

The podcast's opening theme is an instrumental bass composition, "Fallen Star", which was written and performed by Doug Ross,<ref>{{cite web|title=Doug Ross|url=http://dougross.net/}}</ref> brother of Greg.<ref>{{cite web|title=FC 11: A Woolf in Sheikh’s Clothing|url=https://www.futilitycloset.com/2014/05/26/podcast-episode-11/}}</ref> Doug Ross also supplies the bass riffs that punctuate the transitions between episode segments.

 

 

The Futility Closet Podcast has been praised by James Harkin of ''[[No Such Thing as a Fish]],''<ref>https://soundcloud.com/nosuchthingasafish/episode-131-no-such-thing-as-walking-the-life-jacket</ref> and by economist [[Tim Harford]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timharford.com/2016/02/the-five-best-economics-podcasts-of-2016/ |title=Tim Harford — Article — The five best economics podcasts of 2016 |publisher=Timharford.com |date= |accessdate=2017-08-26}}</ref> Joshua Gelernter of ''[[The Weekly Standard]]'' described Futility Closet as "one of the most interesting websites on the internet." Michael Förtsch of ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired.de]]'' named the Futility Closet Podcast as one of seven podcasts to make you smarter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wired.de/collection/life/diese-7-podcasts-machen-euch-schlauer|title=Diese 7 Podcasts Machen Euch Schlauer}}</ref> The podcast was praised by Colin Patrick of ''[[Mental Floss]]'', by Jennifer K. Bauer of ''Inland360.com'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://inland360.com/more-news/2017/08/staff-picks-futility-closet-podcast/|title=Staff Picks: Futility Closet}}</ref> and by Kayla Matthews of ''Makeuseof.com'', who praised Greg Ross's scrupulous research.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/true-story-podcasts-make-life-dull/|title=11 True Story Podcasts That Make Your Life Look Dull}}</ref> ''[[Gizmodo]]'''s Robbie Gonzalez praised the site's lateral thinking puzzles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://io9.gizmodo.com/sunday-puzzle-hiatus-try-some-lateral-thinking-puzzles-1706481118|title=Sunday Puzzle Hiatus: Try Some Lateral Thinking Puzzles On For Size}}</ref> Futility Closet was praised by Steve Dodson of the linguistics blog ''Languagehat'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://languagehat.com/futility-closet/|title=Futility Closet}}</ref> and was cited by the linguist [[Ben Yagoda]] at the ''Lingua Franca'' blog.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/linguafranca/2016/05/05/the-strange-saga-of-gobbledygook/|title=The Strange Saga of Gobbledygook}}</ref>

Futility Closet's segment on the Canadian candy boycott was featured on [[CBC Radio]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/listen/shows/podcast-playlist/episode/12510445|title=CBC Podcast Playlist 90}}</ref>

 

At the time of its launch, the podcast was supported chiefly by advertisements and one-time donations. By the end of 2014 a [[Patreon]] campaign had been established.<ref>{{cite web|author=December 14, 2014September 12, 2015 |url=https://www.futilitycloset.com/2014/12/14/podcast-episode-38-the-thunder-stone/ |title=Podcast Episode 38: The Thunder Stone |publisher=Futility Closet |date=2014-12-14 |accessdate=2017-08-26}}</ref>

 

{{reflist}}