Ep 5. Cleveland

In the fifth episode of season 3 of the popular comedy series Drunk History, we travel back in time to explore the infamous history of Cleveland, Ohio. The episode features a hilarious and talented cast of actors and comedians, including busy Philipps, Jason Sudeikis, and Terry Crews, bringing to life the wild and often unbelievable tales of the city's past.

As with each episode of Drunk History, the storytelling is fueled by plenty of alcohol, making the retellings of these historical events all the more entertaining. Host Derek Waters and a series of slightly tipsy narrators guide us through the episode's four main segments, each one offering its own unique perspective on some aspect of Cleveland's history.

The first segment takes us back to 1792 and the early days of Cleveland, when a man named Lorenzo Carter claimed he was the rightful owner of the land that would become the city. This sets off a series of events, including a run-in with a man named Moses Cleaveland, who was hired by the Connecticut Land Company to survey the area.

Next, we move on to the story of Garrett Morgan, a pioneering black inventor who made significant contributions to the fields of traffic safety and hair care. Morgan was a Cleveland native who invented the gas mask and the first automatic traffic signal, both of which helped save countless lives. However, as we learn through the hilarious narration of Ohio native busy Philipps, Morgan's dedication to hair straightening might have been his undoing.

In the third segment, we get a glimpse into the wild world of Cleveland politics, specifically the tenure of Mayor Dennis Kucinich in the late 1970s. Kucinich was a young, idealistic politician who managed to both win over the hearts of the city's residents and make some powerful enemies in the process. His efforts to save the city from financial ruin involved some highly unorthodox methods, including selling off the city's public electric company. As Terry Crews hilariously recounts, this led to some highly entertaining confrontations with organized crime figures.

Finally, we wrap up the episode with a fascinating story about Cleveland's role in the birth of rock and roll. As narrated by Jason Sudeikis, we learn about the rise of disc jockey Alan Freed in the 1950s and his efforts to introduce a new style of music to the American public. This included legendary performances by artists such as Chuck Berry and Little Richard, and culminated in the infamous Moondog Coronation Ball, considered by many to be the first-ever rock and roll concert.

Throughout the episode, the drunken narrators offer up a mixture of hilarious anecdotes, intriguing historical facts, and plenty of absurd tangents. As always, the actors portraying the historical figures do an excellent job of bringing their characters to life, often with a tongue-in-cheek approach that fits perfectly with the tone of the show.

Overall, Drunk History season 3 episode 5 is a highly entertaining look at one of America's most storied cities. From its early days as a disputed land claim to its key role in the birth of rock and roll, Cleveland has seen it all, and this episode does an excellent job of bringing some of these wild tales to life. Fans of the show will no doubt enjoy this latest installment, while newcomers will find plenty to love in the offbeat humor and irreverent storytelling that have made Drunk History such a beloved cult hit.