The Backstory with Patty Steele

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<p>Love a good, juicy story that goes beyond what we already know? We're talking scandalous presidential family members, a mass murder at a world-famous architect's home, stolen inventions, nude athletes at the first Olympics, compulsive liars, the arrival of the bikini, and so much more. History fanatic Patty Steele tells you the inside backstories you didn’t know you needed to know.</p>

  • 8 minutes 15 seconds
    The Backstory: From Pig Bladders to the Super Bowl

    As we get ready to party with the Super Bowl, we take a look at the wild rise of the sport of football. We’ll explore it’s gruesome beginnings and it’s glorious evolution into America’s most watched sporting event.

    Feel free to DM me if you have a story you’d like me to cover . . on Facebook it’s Patty Steele and on Instagram Real Patty Steele.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    6 February 2026, 5:00 am
  • 8 minutes 3 seconds
    The Backstory: What Really Happened When a Jumbo Jet Vanished . . Forever

    How does a commercial jet carrying 239 people simply disappear . . forever. This is the story of Malaysia Flight 370, which vanished into thin air almost 12 years ago. It is still the greatest mystery in aviation history, but what really happened has become a whole lot clearer.

    DM me if you have a story you would like me to cover . . on Facebook it is Patty Steele and on Instagram Real Patty Steele

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    3 February 2026, 5:00 am
  • 8 minutes 16 seconds
    The Backstory: Beer: The Accidental Invention That Changed Civilization

    The Super Bowl is days away, and while you’re sipping or guzzling your favorite beer, think about where it originated and how it actually came to be. We’re starting the story with a mistake that happened 13,000 years ago.

    DM me if you have a story you’d like me to cover. On Facebook, it’s Patty Steele, and on Instagram, Real Patty Steele.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    30 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 8 minutes 41 seconds
    The Backstory: Captured! The Olympic Snowboarder Turned Drug Kingpin

    A month ago we talked about the Olympic snowboarder turned international drug lord, Ryan Wedding. After a decade in hiding he turned himself in last Friday. But why? More on his life running a Mexican cartel, as well as what motivated his surrender.

    Feel free to DM me if you have a story you’d like me to cover . . On Facebook it’s Patty Steele and on Instagram Real Patty Steele

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    27 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 7 minutes 46 seconds
    The Backstory: The Sex Worker Who Saved Seattle

    When the Great Fire of 1889 burned all of Seattle to the ground, one woman stepped in to help rebuild it bigger and better. She was one of the wealthiest people in the Northwest, but she also ran the ritziest bordello in the city. Here’s the thing: when the chips are down, even stuffy Victorians would take help where they could get it. So how did she make and spend all her money?

    Feel free to DM me if you have a story you’d like me to cover . . on Facebook it’s Patty Steele and on Instagram Real Patty Steele

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    23 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 9 minutes
    The Backstory: Dying to Be Beautiful

    It's a new year and we're all looking to step up our game. So let's revisit a look at beauty in the past. We’ll do anything to look fabulous these days . . but we have nothing on our ancestors. They used face creams made from animal and human pee. They glued animal pelts on unusual body parts. And they literally poisoned themselves in their quest for perfect skin and hair.
    Feel free to DM me if you have a story you’d like me to cover . . on Facebook it’s Patty Steele and on Instagram Real Patty Steele

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    20 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 9 minutes 5 seconds
    The Backstory: Can Competition Destroy an Olympic Athlete?

    Competition can make you or break you… and it’s not always your call. We watch the skaters at the Winter Olympics and marvel at the pristine beauty and flawless execution. But what goes on behind the scenes and in the aftermath… can be a way more compelling story.

    Feel free to DM me if you have a story you’d like me to cover. On Facebook it’s Patty Steele, and on Instagram, Real Patty Steele.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    16 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 9 minutes 43 seconds
    The Backstory: The Night Wikipedia Almost Vanished

    If you do any writing for school, work, creativity, or pleasure . . you’ve probably relied a little bit on Wikipedia as a stunt brain of sorts. Now imagine that it almost went the way of Friendster or Napster. There’s nothing else like it . . but in 2007, it almost disappeared.

    DM me if you have a story you’d like me to cover . . on Facebook it’s Patty Steele and on Instagram Real Patty Steele

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    13 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 8 minutes 13 seconds
    The Backstory: Nude Olympics

    The Winter Olympics are just weeks away. The athletes are celebrities! Now, imagine living 2 or 3,000 years ago and being an ancient Olympian. How did these guys compete, why did they compete, and how did they monetize their skill set? It was equal parts religion, eroticism, and highly valued body secretions.

    Feel free to DM me if you have a story you’d like me to cover. On Facebook it’s Patty Steele and on Instagram Real Patty Steele.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    9 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 7 minutes 54 seconds
    The Backstory: Doctor’s Orders: Booze During Prohibition

    Forget Dry January. Can you imagine being dry for 13 years? That was Prohibition from 1920 to 1933. But some folks, including one wildly famous international visitor, found some sneaky ways around the ban, claiming doctor’s orders. And most others drank really sketchy liquor.

    Feel free to DM me if you have a story you’d like me to cover . . on Facebook it’s Patty Steele and on Instagram Real Patty Steele

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    6 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 7 minutes 1 second
    The Backstory: Jurassic Park: Revisionism or Just a Great Story?

    What Did Steven Spielberg Get Right and What Did He Get Wrong About Real Life Dinosaurs in Jurassic Park? An Eminent Paleontologist Breaks It Down. We Also See How and Why the Movie Was Made the Way It Was.

    Also, Feel Free to DM Me If You Have a Story You’d Like Me to Cover . . On Facebook It’s Patty Steele and on Instagram Real Patty Steele

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    2 January 2026, 5:00 am
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