How to Watch Drunk History With Kids
Drunk History is a popular web series that combines historical reenactments with A-list comedy talent. It's a fun show to watch with kids, but parents need to be mindful of the show's messages.
Inebriated narrators tell interesting, offbeat stories from history, which get reenacted word-for-word by famous comic actors. Here are some of our favorite episodes to watch with your family.
1. Nellie Bly
The wacky retellings of historic stories with the drunken celebrities in Drunk History might be entertaining for the snarky crowd, but many families are hesitant to watch them with their kids. They want their teens to learn that drinking is not fun and it can be a dangerous habit.
Nellie Bly was an American journalist who pioneered investigative journalism at a time when women were still limited in their careers. She helped to raise awareness of social issues affecting women and marginalized groups, such as children in sweatshops without protection from property laws.
She gained national fame after her 72 day record-breaking trip around the world in 1889. Her writing also centered on women's rights issues and feminist principles. She is a national folk hero and is remembered today as an innovator in the field of investigative reporting.
2. The Mona Lisa
One of the most famous paintings in the world, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa has captivated people since her creation. She’s become a touchstone for art, culture, and kitsch alike.
As a result, it’s not uncommon to see this portrait in films and on video games. Some works also play up the painting’s controversies and mysteries, often in humorous ways.
The Mona Lisa disappeared from the Louvre in 1911 after being stolen by an overly nationalistic Italian patriot named Vincenzo Peruggia. He hoped to return it to his homeland, but was eventually arrested. After a series of attempts to steal it, the museum installed a bulletproof case around its glass.
3. The Disability Rights Movement
The Disability Rights Movement is a movement of people with disabilities fighting for their rights. Similar to the civil rights movement, the disability rights movement began in the 1800s and was shaped by many important events, laws, and people.
A major achievement of the Disability Rights Movement was the passage of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability in many areas of public life, including employment, education, transportation, and government services.
In order to get the ADA passed, the disability community organized and fought hard. The campaign involved a variety of tactics, from sit-ins to letters and testimonies. The effort resulted in the enactment of Section 504 regulations, which formed the basis of the ADA. This was a major milestone in the history of the disability movement and set the stage for the future of non-discrimination laws.
4. The Invention of Coca-Cola
The invention of Coca-Cola by pharmacist John Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia in 1886 has become a global symbol of American culture. It was originally a tonic drink based on cocaine from coca leaves and caffeine-rich extracts from kola nut.
In about 1903, Coca-Cola was reformulated to remove cocaine, and it became an instant success. It subsequently inspired imitators and created a whole class of soft drinks, known as colas.
The Coca-Cola Company also produces and sells other nonalcoholic beverages, including tea, coffee, juice, sports drinks, fruit nectars, and iced tea. Its products are marketed in more than 200 countries.
5. The Lonely Horn
What began as a fun segment on the humor website Funny or Die has evolved into a hit comedy series starring comedians getting loaded and reciting famous events in American history. Those drunken tales get completely re-enacted word for word, complete with hiccups and slurred speech.
Drunk History is available on a number of live TV streaming services, including Comedy Central, which is a great place to start your binge watching. However, if you’re on the lookout for a more budget-friendly option, Philo offers 59 channels that lean towards entertainment and is available for just $20 a month.
It’s not a show you want to watch with your kids, but it’s a fun one for adults to enjoy. Just be sure to counter the iffy messages about being drunk that are often included in the show’s many flashy ads.
6. Rich Fulcher
Rich Fulcher is one of the funniest Drunk History narrators on television. He’s a dead-eyed drunk who works unexpected vocal tics into his storytelling.
He’s also a fantastic soundboard for his reenactors. Even when he’s going off on a tangent, he manages to keep the plot moving with ease.
He also has a knack for telling wild stories that no one else knows the end of. His best episodes are the ones that reveal new facts about familiar figures, like Tubman’s work on the Underground Railroad or Dahl’s work as a spy.
7. Laura Dern
One of the most memorable episodes in Drunk History season 2 was Laura Dern's reenactment of Nellie Bly. It's probably her best performance yet. She's a total badass as the journalist who got herself committed to an insane asylum to write about its conditions.
She's also hilarious as she barks like a dog. It's all in good fun, and she makes it even more fun when returning narrator JD Ryznar adds a Sybil Ludington segment to the mix.
Another standout was the disability rights movement story, which included a wide array of disabled performers to bring this crucial moment in history to life. Including Tony winner Ali Stroker, YouTube star Zach Anner, and Glee's Lauren Potter, the reenactment is powerful, hilarious, and empowering all at once. It's another example of the show's desire to center marginalized people in their own stories.
8. Erin and Michael Rohr
Drunk History is a half-hour comedy that takes famous historical events and tells them in the drunken way they happened. It's based on the award-winning web series and features A-list comedians retelling historic stories as they're drunk and slurring their words.
The show's best episodes are always about the dissonance between the respectability of Important Historical Events and the casualness with which people describe them. Jen Kirkman's tale of Mary Dyer wages war with the Puritan establishment is an ideal example, as she retells the story with her trademark droll wit, balancing a glass of white wine in her hand.
Jenny Slate's tale of Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson (both portrayed by Jason Ritter) is another great one, with Long leaning hard into every giddy pew-pew. But Raphael's account of Isabella Stewart Gardner is also a strong candidate, bringing the woman's life to vivid life with her narration.
9. The Invention of the Radio
If you love watching historical reenactments by A-list talent, you'll love the hilarious Drunk History. The show follows a rotating cast of inebriated comedians as they retell important events from American history.
Often, the booze helps bring out the truth in these stories. For example, a student tunnels beneath the Berlin Wall, Edie Windsor topples the Defense of Marriage Act, and John Wojtowicz robs a bank to pay for his wife's gender reassignment surgery.
The invention of the Radio changed the way people communicated with one another. Inventors like Nikola Tesla and Guglielmo Marconi used the power of electromagnetic waves to transmit music, speech and information.
10. The Frankenstein Story
Drunk History is a television show where famous comedians are drunk and asked to recite historic stories. The stories are then reenacted word-for-word by modern actors in costumes reminiscent of their time period.
For example, a student tunnels under the Berlin Wall, Edie Windsor topples the Defense of Marriage Act and John Wojtowicz robs a bank to pay for his wife’s gender reassignment surgery.
Frankenstein is an example of how technology can be too much for humans to control. Victor wanted to push science and advance the limits of human knowledge, but in doing so he created a monster that ruined his life.
The story is an important lesson on the dangers of pursuing technological and scientific advancement. When the monster escaped, Victor lost everything he worked so hard to acquire. The story also shows how people can become obsessed with their creations, making them more dangerous than they were before.
