
Why are they called Teddy Bears?
From Forever Ago by Brains On Universe
March 18, 2026 · 25 min · Season 8 · Episode 2
About this episode
Joy and Luke explore the origins of the Teddy Bear and discuss a lesser-known stuffed possum toy.
Do you have a favorite stuffed animal? Maybe it’s a unicorn, or an axolotl, or a classic stuffed bear. Whatever it is, you can thank a former U.S. President for helping make stuffies a thing. Join Joy and co-host Luke as they learn about the origins of the Teddy Bear and find out about a stuffed possum that should’ve been the next big toy craze, but never caught on. Plus another round of First Things First.Click here to read a transcript of this episode. Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
People in this episode
Host: Joy
Topics covered
- Teddy Bears
- stuffed animals
- history of toys
Keywords
- stuffed animal
- toy craze
- U.S. President
Mentioned in this episode
Products: the Teddy Bear, Smarty Pass, Teddy Bear, stuffed possum
Books & works: First Things First
Places: U.S.
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- From Skibidi to Slay: The stories behind slang · April 22, 2026 · 32 min
- The Titanic was called unsinkable, so why did it sink? · April 15, 2026 · 30 min
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