• by Sara Guaglione , October 21, 2019

Mental Flossis launching its first podcast, in partnership with iHeartRadio.

The podcast, called “History Vs.” will look into the lives of historical figures that have had an impact on today’s society and culture, according to Mental Floss.

The publisher was acquired by Minute Media last September from the Felix Dennis estate. 

Each season of "History Vs." will focus on a different historical figure. The 11-episode first season looks at the life and influence of former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. 

“Teddy Roosevelt vs. Weakness,” the first episode, examines the assassination attempt on Roosevelt, his childhood and life-threatening asthma. It premiered yesterday.

“History Vs.” is hosted by Erin McCarthy, editor-in-chief of Mental Floss. McCarthy also hosts Mental Floss’ YouTube channel.

“History Vs.” is available on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts and other podcast platforms.

Separately, Crooked Media, which produces the popular podcast “Pod Save America,” among others, will soon debut its first daily news podcast, called “What A Day.”

The podcast is hosted by comedian and author Akilah Hughes and political journalist Gideon Resnick.

Every morning, “What a Day” will cover the top stories and “explain what’s going on, why it matters, and what listeners can do about it,” according to Crooked Media. 

It premieres Monday, October 28. Episodes will run for 15 to 20 minutes, occasionally supplemented with video on Crooked Media’s YouTube and social-media channels.

“In a time where our democracy is being hit from all sides, we want ‘What A Day’ to be a daily boon for knowledge, conversation and most importantly, action,” stated Sarah Geismer, Crooked's head of development and production. 

“What a Day” has the same name as Crooked’s nightly newsletter, which launched in 2017. 

Both the podcast and newsletter will share resources and stories. They are produced by Crooked’s news team.