LISTEN: Happy 120th Birthday, Variety! When Vaudeville, Gramophones, Caruso and Bernhardt Ruled Entertainment

In a special episode of the "Daily Variety" podcast, the show marks its parent publication's 120th anniversary by revisiting the entertainment world of December 16, 1905. This was the date the very first issue of Variety hit the stands, a time when the industry looked vastly different from today's global media landscape.

To explore this formative era, the podcast features insights from showbiz historians David Monod and Peter Rader. They detail the nature of the entertainment marketplace at the dawn of the 20th century, a period dominated by vaudeville circuits, live theater, and silent films, long before the advent of television or streaming. Their analysis provides crucial context for understanding how Variety, founded by Sime Silverman, established itself as an essential trade paper by reporting on the business behind the spectacle.

This historical deep dive underscores how the publication's founding mission—to cover the business of show business—remains relevant even as the platforms and players have transformed over twelve decades. The episode is part of a broader celebration of Variety's legacy as a chronicler of cultural and industrial change.

Listeners can find this anniversary episode and others on a wide array of platforms, including iHeartPodcasts, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. It is also available on Variety’s own YouTube Podcast channel, as well as on Amazon Music and other major podcast distributors.