216.6K
Downloads
108
Episodes
A comedy history podcast looking at the forgotten side of the past. The jokes are silly, the accents are terrible, and the history will amaze you.
Episodes
Wednesday Apr 29, 2020
Wednesday Apr 29, 2020
Ooh er matron, it's nurses week!
Sam kicks us off with the tale of WW1 best mates, motorbike daredevils and fearless first-aiders Elsie Knocker and Mairi Chisholm, whose bravery in setting up an independent nursing station just metres from the trenches near Ypres earned them fame, medals and more.
Next, after a light-hearted start, Tom takes us on a rare serious trip to the Bangka Island massacre of 1942, and Australian nurse Vivian Bullwinkel. Vivian was one of just a few survivors of a Japanese massacre after she, several dozen other nurses and civilians, and a few soldiers were shipwrecked. She went on to spend the war helping troops in a POW camp, and lived a completely normal life after WW2, never talking about at least some of the other horrors she endured. An amazing story, but not one for the faint-hearted!
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history.
Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange.
From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world.
We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time).
Become a Member of the Order of the Bathroom and join our Patreon for access to all episodes, special songs, medals and more amazing perks! https://www.patreon.com/thatwasgenius
Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear!
Wednesday Apr 22, 2020
Wednesday Apr 22, 2020
Who's a good boy then? We are, that's who. It's pets week!
Tom kicks us off with a look at Wojtek, the Syrian brown bear and Polish army corporal with a penchant for marmalade, cigarettes, stealing underwear and lugging shells on the battlefield. He traveled with the Polish 2nd Corps through Iran, Iraq, the middle east and Italy, making friends along the way (unless you happen to be a Nazi sympathiser hiding in a shower).
Next, Sam takes a look at Boye, the bullet-catching, devil-worshipping, invisible spy-poodle, and beloved pet of Prince Rupert of the Rhine in the English civil war.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history.
Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange.
From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world.
We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time).
Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear!
Wednesday Apr 15, 2020
Wednesday Apr 15, 2020
We're going on a history hunt, we're going to find a fun source!Yes, it's traveler week. Tom kicks us off with a look at Till Eulenspiegel (which bizarrely translates as either toilet paper or owl mirror), the ridiculously rude medieval book about an idiot circus performer who farts and poops his way through Germany and the Holy Roman Empire, annoying people along the way.Next, Sam takes us to, erm, Germany again (with an honourable mention for Jimmy Carter's speech about wanting to get to know Poland carnally). This time, he's been learning about Ahnenerbe, the Nazi archaeological society who traveled the world trying to prove that Hitler was related to Buddha, and that Germans come from the lost city of Atlantis. Which is an insane as it sounds - though it did give some inspiration to the villains in Indiana Jones!Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history.
Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange.
From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world.
We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time).
Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear!
That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.
Wednesday Apr 08, 2020
Wednesday Apr 08, 2020
We tried not to. We begged not to. But the audience demanded: This week we're doing pandemics.
In a rare and possibly slightly drunken display of bravado, Sam goes first this week with a look at the bizarre phenomenon of 'Mass Psychogenic Illness'; where madness becomes momentarily contageous. Sometimes it's becoming convinced your windscreen is being smashed repeatedly, sometimes it's smelling gas that isn't there, fainting at work because of imaginary illness or, in the case of several 14th Century nuns, becoming convinced en-masse that you are cats.
Next, Tom gives us a peek into the thoroughly miserable time everyone was having during the 30 years war from 1618-1648 - when plagues ripped through the land and people were getting thrown out of windows for no obvious reason (and surviving, only to be taunted about it with silly nicknames).
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history.
Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange.
From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world.
We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time).
Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear!
That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.
Wednesday Apr 01, 2020
Wednesday Apr 01, 2020
It's not high kicks, it's not karate kicks, oh no, it's sidekick week.
A bit of a tricky one this week, if we're being honest. Tom's been looking at the odd triangle of sidekickery between the Byzantine emperor Justinian, his wife Theodora (known for her very public and quite voracious sexual appetites), general Belesarius and two-faced, bet hedging historian Precopius, whose unfortunate job it was to write about all three.
Meanwhile, Sam's been looking into duelling. Specifically women duelling, and extra specifically the bizarre (alleged) duel between Princess Pauline Matternich and Countess Anastasia Kielmannsegg, who took up swords in a disagreement over flower arrangements. They also happened to be fighting topless for... erm, medical reasons.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history.
Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange.
From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world.
We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time).
Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear!
That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.
Wednesday Mar 25, 2020
Wednesday Mar 25, 2020
This episode's all about guts, balls, and lofty ambitions to wow a crowd. Yes, it's daredevil week!
Desperate to avoid traditional daredevils if we can, Tom's been looking at the horrifically violent ancient sport of mob football - banned by most medieval towns in England for being too dangerous (it had no rules except 'don't murder' but still led to several deaths) but still being played in a few small villages centuries later - with the rivalries as old and violent as ever!
Meanwhile Sam's been looking at the hot air balloon pioneer and Neapolitan nobleman Vincenzo Lunardi, who spent the 1780s whipping through the clouds and wooing the crowds - especially the ladies - in London. It's a story involving frozen cats, vomiting dogs, a LOT of wine, and a trip and fall which led to the first entrants into the mile high club.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history.
Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange.
From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world.
We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time).
Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear!
That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.
Wednesday Mar 18, 2020
Wednesday Mar 18, 2020
In out in out shake it all about, it's movement week!
Tom starts us off this week with a whistlestop tour of the humble Waltz, a dance deemed too risque for stuffy bishops because it involved (shock horror) touching!
Next up, Sam takes us to the Wild West and Mary 'Stagecoach' fields, the first black woman stagecoach driver in the US. A ripped, gun-toting, bar-room brawling, horse hitching badass who started delivering mail across the mountains in her 60s, and was never late once.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history.
Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange.
From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world.
We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time).
Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear!
That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.
Wednesday Mar 11, 2020
Wednesday Mar 11, 2020
The name's Genius. That Was Genius.
Yes, it's spy week! Pew pew pew! Tom starts with a guide to simple sabotage by the OSS (later CIA ) in WW2. Now available to download (so you can kick start your own revolution), it's a handy, step by step guide to just really annoying people and being a bit of a p**k. Which according to the CIA, might just be enough to overthrow the Government. So get cracking.Next, Sam's got the story of Noor Inayat Khan, the reluctant, pacifist Indian Princess who became an allied spy in occupied Paris, despite some pretty scathing reviews of her ability from her superiors.
It's a great episode.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history.
Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange.
From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world.
We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time).
Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear!
That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.
Wednesday Mar 04, 2020
Wednesday Mar 04, 2020
The head bone's connected to the... Knee bone. Hmmm. It's probably best that we're historians talking about body parts, rather than actual doctors.
Tom kicks us off this week with the horrific story of William Lanne, one of the last remaining 'full-blooded' Aboriginal Tasmanians. His heritage led to the pretty appalling treatment of his corpse when he died, from people wanting to examine him... And people wanting a piece of him.
Next, and in a turn from tragedy to very, very much comedy, Sam looks at the Native American legend of 'Old Man' - the bad tempered and cunning God and prankster - and how he made our bottoms all wrinkly.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history.
Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange.
From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world.
We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time).
Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear!
That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.
Wednesday Feb 26, 2020
Wednesday Feb 26, 2020
It's time to *lift* your spirits, *stretch* the truth, and *work out* exactly what the sources are telling us in an episode all about health and fitness!
Yes, after a week's break we're back, re-united in the UK at last! Although we still live several hundred miles apart. Sam kicks us off with a look at Jean II le Meingre, better known as Boucicaut, the 14th Century French knight with a knack for kicking butts, and a workout regime to match it. A hardcore, slightly silly workout regime.
Next, Tom takes a look at the pankration, the brutal, bloody and usually oiled and naked ancient Greek art of wrestling. Which involved a lot of chocking to death, clubbing to death, and occasional eye gouging (which was the only thing against the rules).
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history.
Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange.
From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world.
We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time).
Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear!
That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.