Podcast Review: Detours
Anyone who enjoys the American version of the appraisal show Antiques Roadshow, which just finished its 27th season on GBH Boston (PBS) and shows no signs of slowing down, will love the podcast companion Detours. Started in January 2020, the podcast is now in its third season. Adam Monahan, who has served as a longtime producer of Antiques Roadshow, hosts the podcast. Frequent guest appearances include executive producer Marsha Bemko, appraisers and antiques experts, and former guests from Antiques Roadshow.
I have so many favorite episodes from this podcast that I cannot describe all of them! Some of the best include Season 3, Episode 6, “Good Grief” about a Charles Schulz comic strip collection related to a Hallmark greeting cards licensing deal; Season 2, Episode 8, “If It’s Brown, It’s Down” about the downturn of the early American furniture market; and Season 1, Episode 2 “A Soldier for Sale” about a prop from the Laurel & Hardy movie Babes in Toyland. I enjoyed “Good Grief” because of my love of Peanuts comics, “If It’s Brown” for my interest in early American furniture, and “A Soldier for Sale” for my familiarity with the music from Babes in Toyland after years of playing the violin.
Charles M. Schulz was a gifted artist and humorist. Antiques Roadshow guest, Arnold Shapiro, had known Schulz for twelve years and was influential in facilitating a licensing deal between Schultz and Hallmark, even buying cards at Hallmark stores during the initial trial run to inflate sales numbers. Schultz gifted original drawings of Peanuts characters to Shapiro throughout their business partnership and friendship. Special guests on this episode included curator Benjamin Clark of the Charles M. Schulz Museum, author and professor Dr. Blake Scott Ball who wrote Charlie Brown’s America, the Popular Politics of Peanuts based on his Ph.D. dissertation, and Arnold’s son Ken Shapiro representing his father who passed away in March 2022.
Brown, wooden, late 18th century furniture hit peak resale value in the early 2000s and has been on a steady decline since, prompting appraisers to coin the phrase “If it’s brown, it’s down.” Veteran appraisers and identical twins, Leigh and Leslie Kino, described their early business ventures as young antiques dealers and showed off their current skills as appraisers of everything from boots to the titular old brown furniture. Also on this episode was antiques consultant Allen Miller, who explained how to determine if furniture has been modified since initial construction. Although seeing the market suffer is disappointing, I do feel encouraged that I might someday be able to afford antique furniture.
Finally, the tale of the prop soldier from Babes in Toyland was a delightful Christmas special, albeit one released three months early. The movie has limited appeal to modern audiences, although its annual slot on New York City WPIX Channel 11 after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade gives it a regional boost. Additionally, chapters of Sons of the Desert, the International Laurel & Hardy Society, boast hundreds of ardent fans. Antiques Roadshow guest Roberta was unaware of the appeal of the ten wooden soldiers that she inherited from her grandfather, who worked for the stop motion animation company Hal Roach Studios where parts of the movie were filmed. Roberta ultimately sold one of the soldiers at auction to raise money for a family vacation, shockingly bringing in $12,000.
Detours is a light, quick-paced, easy to follow podcast for avid historians and casual listeners alike. Episodes are family-friendly and a great way to introduce children to a wide range of concepts like world history, alternative investing, and market factors. Monahan is a delightful host, while Bemko brings her wit and accent for a strong Boston flavor. Full transcripts to each episode are available on the GBH website, allowing Deaf and hearing impaired users to enjoy the stories.
Abby Epplett’s Rating System
Experience: 9/10
Accessibility: 10/10