The following is a special presentation. The first episode of our brand new spin-off podcast

called The Guilded Gentlemen, hosted by social and culinary historian Carl Raymond.

In his premiere episode recorded at the Salma Gondi Club, Tom and I sit down with Carl to

formally introduce him to listeners and also to discuss the ideas surrounding The Guilded Age,

a period of great wealth and great inequality during the late 19th century.

And awaiting you over at The Guilded Gentlemen's official podcast feed,

you'll find the very next episode exploring the glamorous and let's be honest,

the absurdity of the 1883 opening night of the Metropolitan Opera.

And Carl has so many great shows waiting in the wings. So after you listen to this show,

head over and subscribe to The Guilded Gentlemen. Enjoy!

Hello, I'm Carl Raymond and welcome to the premiere episode of The Guilded Gentlemen,

Stories, Secrets, Style and Seduction. From the grand and glittering Guilded Age,

but not just America's Guilded Age, we'll be spending time in the bellapoc of Paris

and the world of late Victorian and Edwardian London as well. My time frame will be roughly

1870 up to the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It was a grand and glittering world,

whether you were in New York or Paris or London, but one where all that glittered certainly

wasn't always gold. But it was a time of glamorous fashion, stunning architecture,

extravagant food, beautiful music, and one of the most intriguing casts of characters that

history has ever known. So I look forward to joining me every two weeks for a look into the

light and the dark of these truly fascinating worlds. I'll be doing some episodes alone,

telling you stories and sharing secrets of the worlds behind the velvet curtains,

but I'll be inviting expert guests as well and today to launch the podcast I am particularly

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