Last week we talked all about snakes, and this week we talk about seemingly every other animal known to man as we discuss the rise and fall of the Catskill Game Farm. Jim and Rob get into how the United States' largest and oldest private zoo shuttered its doors, attracted the ire of fashion designer Marc Ecko, and became an AirBnb. It's as wild as it sounds so tap in and get started!

Watch Understanding Upstate: The Documentary ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Jim is headlining the Crooked Mouth Comedy Festival in Endicott, NY on September 21st, get your tickets here.

Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week we get into Rochester's very real folk hero, Rattlesnake Pete, and I can't stress it enough: this episode has it all. We got the Hard Cider Gang, the magnificent Erie Canal, the lovely writing of Arch Merril, dinner with snakes, snakes for dinner, and a whole lot more! ⁠⁠⁠

Watch Understanding Upstate: The Documentary ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We get into the rise and fall of one of the most widely read cartoonists, creator of the comic strip B.C. and Endicott, NY's own: Johnny Hart. The rise and fall of of Johnny's career as the unofficial cartoon laureate of Broom County is a wild one so buckle up.

⁠⁠Watch Understanding Upstate: The Documentary ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week we head upstate to examine Plattsburgh, NY's regional hot dog delicacy, the Michigan Red Hot. If you're confused why a New York dog is called a Michigan, don't worry, Rob and Jim cooked up a comprehensive hot dog historical survey to get to the bottom of this top dog!

Watch Understanding Upstate: The Documentary ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week we are diving into one of the highest profile cults to exist in modern times, a cult which also happened to be based in Upstate New York: NXIVM. It's a wild one, so grab your cup of kool-aid and settle in!

⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch Understanding Upstate: The Documentary ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Sit back and crack open a cold one as we get into one of the finest breweries to ever can an ale, Rochester's own: Genesee Brewery. They've been a beloved upstate institution for over 100 years, and we'll get to the bottom of what makes their beer such an upstate icon.

⁠⁠⁠Watch Understanding Upstate: The Documentary ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hold onto your spiedies because it's going to be a bumpy ride as we get into an Upstate subway line, the Buffalo Metro Rail. Originally heralded as the savior of Buffalo, today the subway line is just a mere fraction of what it was supposed to be. What happened to the grand plans? Jump aboard and find out!

⁠⁠⁠Watch Understanding Upstate: The Documentary ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We've hooked a big one for today's episode! We're getting into Binghamton's former AHL hockey team, the Binghamton Whalers. And don't worry, Rob finds a way to shoehorn in a couple canal references along the way.

⁠⁠⁠Watch Understanding Upstate: The Documentary ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠