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American History Drunk: Fun Facts From Drunk History US

Booze and history are a match made in heaven. After deciphering some slurred speech and getting past a little chunder, here are a couple of fun things we learnt from the first episode of Drunk History US

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Drunk History, GIPHY, 10 Peach, History, booze, storytelling, 2019, Drunk History US, Season 1, Episode 1, Fun Facts, Facts

Watergate

During the 1972 Presidential election, it was discovered that burglars had broken into the offices of the Democratic Party to steal secret papers and listen to phone lines at the behest of Republican President Richard Nixon. Which is bad. Like, really really bad. And when the whole thing came out, and Nixon knew he was up s**t creek without a paddle, he ultimately stepped down from his Presidency.

Drunk History, GIPHY, 10 Peach, History, booze, storytelling, 2019, Drunk History US, Season 1, Episode 1, Fun Facts, Facts

Fun Fact

When reporters Woodward and Bernstein wanted information about what was going on, they went to Mark Felt, Deputy Director of the FBI and the whistle blower now famously known as ‘Deep Throat’.

Understandably, Felt didn’t wanna reveal anything over the phone. So he very covertly organised to have a little clock drawn on page 20 of Woodward’s copy of the New York Times, indicating the best time to meet up and handover Nixon’s highly classified secrets.

That’s a lot of effort. Espionage requires a lot of effort.

Drunk History, GIPHY, 10 Peach, History, booze, storytelling, 2019, Drunk History US, Season 1, Episode 1, Fun Facts, Facts

The Booth Brothers

John Wilkes Booth had some severe daddy issues, which may explain the whole Lincoln assassination thing. Junius Brutus Booth (try saying that 6 times really fast) fathered both John and his brother Edwin, yet he favoured Edwin so much that he wouldn’t even let John pose in photographs with him. So John grew up and shot a President!

Drunk History, GIPHY, 10 Peach, History, booze, storytelling, 2019, Drunk History US, Season 1, Episode 1, Fun Facts, Facts

Fun Fact

John Wilkes, in cahoots with the Secret Confederate Society, was only meant to kidnap Lincoln, but changed his mind at the 11th hour when he realised that Lincoln would be sitting in the audience watching John’s more-loved-brother Edwin’s performance of ‘Our American Cousin’. Off a President, off a brother’s acting career, off two birds with one pistol?

Almost, while Edwin took a break from the stage for a while, he made a comeback and is still considered the greatest American actor of the 19th century.

Drunk History, GIPHY, 10 Peach, History, booze, storytelling, 2019, Drunk History US, Season 1, Episode 1, Fun Facts, Facts

Elvis And Nixon

Elvis Presley hounded President Richard Nixon to give him a Federal Licenced Narcotics Officer badge so he could go around pulling people over and arresting them whenever he pleased, even though he had absolutely no qualifications.

And Nixon did it! He gave him one! Probably because every celeb hated him and he needed one on his side. Probably also because he was a bit of a shonky guy when it came to the law. See ‘Watergate’ above.

Drunk History, GIPHY, 10 Peach, History, booze, storytelling, 2019, Drunk History US, Season 1, Episode 1, Fun Facts, Facts

Fun Fact

So Elvis puts on his blue suede shoes, waves his federal narcotics badge and stops a PLANE with a jewellery thief on it. A PLANE. After a little interrogation, he gets his jewellery back and gives the thief 200 bucks cash cause he obviously needs it. Who’s The King? ELVIS is damn The King. (Saw him just the other day…)

Want More Fun Facts? Watch Drunk History 9:00 Tuesdays on 10 Peach, or catch up on 10 play