A 93-year-old man takes a DNA test, and everything changes.

Jean Grae is a writer, comedian, producer, chef, minister and more with a family history as wide-ranging as her career. But Jean doesn’t know much about her family. So we help her out - taking her through South Africa’s complicated racial history, the birth of a political movement, and the pivotal role of carnivorous plants in science. And then, we introduce her to a mystery relative.

CREDITS:

Sometimes the best way to tell a story, a really strange story, is with a song. So here's the story of an undead husband, a husband on the run and a wife named Lydia.

THE CHAIN:

Ted Allen’s family tree is a buffet of culinary amateurs, that suggest his Food Network stardom might be genetic. From baristas, to royal dinner guests, to a celebrity diet icon, Ted’s family tree shows that one of the best ways to look at history is food. We’ll tell these stories and introduce Ted to a mystery relative.

Dan Savage has helped redefine what it means to be a family in the 21st Century. And given his ancestors, it’s no surprise why. Dan’s family history traces to the 1920s Chicago mob scene, a South Asian autocracy, and to a New York City apartment filled with men trying to save a community. We’ll tell these stories and introduce Dan to a surprise relative.

A new family history podcast from Gimlet Media. They say we're one big family. This is the show that proves it. Hosted by A.J. Jacobs. Premieres December 16th.