Why I Think the History of Everyday Stuff Is Hilarious!

Let’s just get this out of the way: history is not boring. It’s only boring when it's taught by some monotone dude in a sweater vest who smells like chalk and disappointment. But real history? Especially the history of everyday crap we use without thinking? That stuff is hilarious.

I host The Stupid History Minute, the most binge-able podcast on the planet. And what I’ve learned is that the backstory behind stuff like forks, deodorant, traffic lights, and even cereal is way funnier than most stand-up comedy. Some of the things we use every day were invented by accident. Others were invented because someone got mad, bored, or drunk. Sometimes all three.

Take toilet paper, for example. You ever think about the poor soul who finally said, “You know what, leaves aren’t cutting it. We need something... softer.” And the guy who invented the spork? That’s just a person who gave up halfway through inventing two things.

But the real kicker is how serious people were when they made this stuff. Like the guy who invented the umbrella was basically mocked for years—because God forbid you try to stay dry without looking like a soggy idiot. Now look at us, proudly twirling our overpriced rain shields like we invented walking.

That’s the magic of it: the ridiculousness of human progress. We take the dumbest things and treat them like they’re world-changing breakthroughs. And sometimes… they are.

So yeah, the history of everyday items? It's not just fascinating—it’s straight-up funny. It’s people being people, trying to make life easier, more convenient, or just less gross. And half the time they end up creating something we can’t live without.

If that’s not funny, I don’t know what is.