When most of us think of fortune cookies, we think of those little folded cookies that come with Chinese food. But did you know that fortune cookies aren’t from China? So where did they come from? And why do we think of them as Chinese? Join Joy and co-host Harlem as they find answers and trace the cookie’s journey. We’ll also hear from journalist Jennifer 8. Lee who wrote an entire book all about fortune cookies, plus a brand new First Things First!

Featured expert: Jennifer 8. Lee is a journalist, film producer, and author. She wrote an entire book about the history of fortune cookies called The Fortune Cookie Chronicles. Lee also produced a documentary about the origins of General Tso’s Chicken. To learn more, check out her website.

Resources: 
To learn more about the internment of Japanese Americans, check out the graphic novel Displacement by Kiku Hughes.

This episode was sponsored by:
Walt Disney Studios- Disney and Pixar's Inside Out 2 is coming to theaters, June 14th.

Where did the Fortune Cookie come from?

Brains On presents Forever Ago®, a history show for the whole family! Every episode looks into the surprising and fascinating history of things we think are ordinary, but they’re not -- like ice cream flavors, video games, baths and more. We make learning about the past fun while teaching listeners to think critically about history.

Kids & Family

Education for Kids

It’s easy to take toilets for granted, but these porcelain thrones are nothing short of marvelous. In this episode, Joy and co-host Caleb find out how bathrooms and sewers helped civilizations grow. Plus they take a pit stop in ancient Rome where public restrooms were very public. And they learn about a privy fit for a literal queen. Enjoy and remember to wash your hands when you’re done!

This episode was sponsored by:
Walt Disney Studios - Disney and Pixar's Inside Out 2 is coming to theaters, June 14th.

PRX - Check out new episodes of PRX's Jamming on the Job wherever you get your podcasts.


Terrific Toilets: how humans solved the potty problem

Dogs have served as human’s loyal companions for thousands of years. They’ve also been trained to do some pretty cool jobs! In today’s episode, Joy and cohost Oliver learn all about the history of guide dogs. These are canine companions that are trained to help guide people who are blind or have vision loss. They’ll also meet 16 year old Ella Shea and her guide dog Pico!  Plus, we’ll hear one of your invention mentions, and play a brand new edition of First Things First!

Resources:
To learn more about guide dog schools, visit https://www.igdf.org.uk/

This episode was sponsored by:
Walt Disney Studios- Disney and Pixar's Inside Out 2 is coming to theaters, June 14th.

How guide dogs came to lead the way

It’s a Forever Ago face-off! Joy has turned the garage at HQ into a boxing arena and has brought in Molly Bloom and Nico Gonzalez Wisler for a rock, paper, scissors showdown!  Grab your smarty pass to witness the raw power of rock, paper, scissors!

Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: Rock, Paper Scissors

Hey Forever Ago Friends!!  Ready for more Forever Ago FUN?! Well you’re in luck— Forever Ago is back with a brand new season May 15th!  Tune in to learn all about how wheelchair basketball was invented, why we eat popcorn at the movies, and what humans did with their doo before modern toilets!

Where did the Fortune Cookie come from?

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