Discovery Science

Oddities is a half-hour documentary/reality television program which follows the operation of an East Village, Manhattan shop which trades in antiques and other rarities. The show premiered on November 4, 2010, and airs on the Discovery Channel and its sister network, the Science Channel.

Oddities focuses on the day-to-day operation of Obscura Antiques & Oddities, and stars co-owners Mike Zohn and Evan Michelson and buyer Ryan Matthew, with appearances by other employees and customers. The store’s employees search flea markets, personal collections, auctions, and antique shows for unique and unusual artifacts. Odd items bought and sold by the shop or featured on the show have included a mummified cat, a Rhesus monkey skull, art made from nail clippings, and a straitjacket.

Celebrities appearing on the show have included Jonathan Davis of the band Korn, Whitey Sterling, singer for the New York band Stiffs, Inc., musician Genesis P-Orridge, actress/comedian Amy Sedaris, actor Matthew Gray Gubler, artist Ann Hirsch, actress Chloë Sevigny, video game designer and commercial space flight enthusiast Richard Garriott, director Lloyd Kaufman, nerdcore rapper Schaffer The Darklord, musician Voltaire, artist Cynthia von Buhler, actor/comedian Paul Dinello, and “High Pitch Eric” of The Howard Stern Show. Legendary New York playwright Edgar Oliver has appeared on the program multliple times and appears in the show’s title sequence admiring a straitjacket.