A History Lesson With Booze ®

The Jersey Devil

Seventy years ago this week, Orson Welles freaked out millions of American radio listeners with his radio dramatization of H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds."

By Philadelphia Newspaper (Philadelphia Papers in 1909) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The History Lesson

When Americans fired up their radios on October 30th 1938, lots of them missed the disclaimer telling folks they were listening to a play. Not an actual Martian invasion. Thousands called local cops in fear. And the village of Concrete, Washington got especially creeped out.

Right when the radio Martians began “invading” small rural towns, Concrete had a real-life blackout. Some residents fled to the hills. Newspapers printed more than 12 thousand articles about the panic – they said millions of listeners had been duped. But some historians say there’s little evidence of a mass panic. In fact, newspapers may’ve blown the whole thing out of proportion just to slander their new competitor, radio. Anyway, there’s no doubt some folks were fooled. Three years later, radio stations announced an attack on Pearl Harbor. Lots of listeners called in — to be sure they weren’t being played for suckers again.

The Booze

The Jersey Devil

the-jersey-devil-v2
Photo credit: Elana Lepkowski, stirandstrain.com

Recipe as mixed by Chris Canavari, bartender at Lahieres Bar & Restaurant in Princeton, New Jersey:
Ingredients:

Combine:
– 1 ½ ozs of vodka
– 1 ½ ozs of gin
– 1 oz of amaretto
Instructions:

Top with OJ and shake, before serving over rocks or neat.

Episode: