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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
Aug 7, 2019
Aug 7, 2019
58 min
Hola! And welcome to an episode all about Conquistadors, the swarthy and generally deeply unpleasant Spanish settlers, treasure-seekers and soldiers who made the new world their home in the 16th century. And when we say home, we mean it's the place most of them met grizzly ends.
Tom kicks us off this week with a look at three intertwined characters, La Malinche, Gerónimo de Aguilar and Gonzalo Guerrero - who between them went from conquerors and royalty, to slaves, to leaders of the new world.
Meanwhile Sam takes a look at possibly history's least successful conquistador, Pánfilo de Narváez, and his namesake colonization and conquest mission (slash utter disaster), the Narvaez Expedition.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. 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 but lives in New Zealand), 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.
Jul 31, 2019
Jul 31, 2019
55 min
WARNING: This episode contains references to sources which use language in common use at the time, but which would be considered offensive and derogatory today.
Which isn't surprising, because today we're tackling the grim topic of slavery, which was abolished in the British Empire on August 1st 1834. Tom kicks us off with a very odd book from a chap called Josiah Priest, an American who was almost as obsessed about slavery as he was about genitalia and sexual perversions in the bible.
Meanwhile Sam goes over some of the odd pro-slavery propaganda used by the pro-slavery lobby in the lead-up to abolition, from plays about how wonderful slave owners were (there may or may not be a musical number) to speeches to parliament about what a good life the slaves led in captivity. And, of course, getting one over on the French. Which totally makes the whole thing ok, right!?
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. 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 but lives in New Zealand), 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.
Jul 24, 2019
Jul 24, 2019
1hr 1 min
STOP, in the name of love, as we take a look at some of history's host of heroic homosexuals to celebrate Pride season.
Tom kicks us off with a look at the Theban Sacred Band, the elite fighting force of ancient Greek men united by their love for one another who took on the Spartans and won.
Meanwhile Sam looks at Sergius and Bacchus, two secret Roman Christians martyred for their faith, and united by their love for one another - with the result they are now especially revered among the gay Christian community.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. 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 but lives in New Zealand), 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.
Jul 17, 2019
Jul 17, 2019
55 min
Ey up, it's Northern week on That Was Genius! This week we're discussing all things North of the Border. Sam discovers what the Ancient Greek's thought lay beyond the grumpy horse who makes the north wind blow.
Meanwhile Tom looks at the strange phenomenon known as the Sea People, who ravaged and destroyed the civilized world at the end of the Bronze Age.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. 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 but lives in New Zealand), 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.
Jul 10, 2019
Jul 10, 2019
54 min
# I'm having the time of my life, and I've never felt this way before # Yes, it's music week! And yet somehow we've managed to fall into a pit of depravity, once again. Tom explores some of the earliest known nursery rhymes, which are quite sweary and you definitely don't want to sing to your kids.
Meanwhile, Sam takes us on a whistlestop tour of some of the dirtiest lyrics in classical and folk music, from dirty trousers to dirty Mozart.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. 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 but lives in New Zealand), 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.
Jul 3, 2019
Jul 3, 2019
59 min
Right you lot, your mission? Escape from camp Genius. The plan? One hour of close calls and narrowly avoided disasters as we explore some of history's greatest escapes. Sam kicks us off with a look at the escape from Zozgad prison camp, also known as the road to end-or; a WW1 escape in which an Australian and a Welshman escaped a Turkish POW camp... using telepathy.
Meanwhile Tom looks at Edward III and his very lucky escape at the Battle of Crécy in 1346, part of the hundred years war. A disastrous turn in a military campaign became an incredible victory thanks to a cunning plan.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. 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 but lives in New Zealand), 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.
Jun 26, 2019
Jun 26, 2019
1hr 3 min
Be our guest, be our guest, be prepared to be impressed, by our knowledge about Disney, bad accents and Prince's frisky... That's right, it's Disney week! Tom and Sam have been delving into the stories behind the Disney classics in what is - even by our standards - a very NSFW episode. Lots of swearing and adult themes. You've been warned.
Tom examines Pinocchio, the murderous, tortured and executed Italian children's comic book character designed to scare the hell out of them. Meanwhile Sam discusses Sleeping Beauty, a charming story of love-rat kings, absentee parents, attempted necrophilia and cannibalism. Joy oh joy.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. 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 but lives in New Zealand), 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.
Jun 19, 2019
Jun 19, 2019
1hr 1 min
Why howdy y'all, and welcome to an episode of That Was Genius dedicated to the good 'ole US of A! This week, Tom examines the horrific case of Elmer McCurdy, the useless criminal and genuine corpse discovered hidden in an American fairground ride 70 years after his death.
Meanwhile Sam explores the *Less* than United States, with a look at a couple of the breakaway republics within the USA, including the Republic of Vermont and the State of Muskagee, a short-lived republic in Florida which took was home to an odd alliance of native Americans, British and Spanish exiles, escaped slaves and just a few pirates.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. 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 but lives in New Zealand), 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.
Jun 12, 2019
Jun 12, 2019
58 min
G'Day Bruces and Shielas, stick another shrimp on the barbie because it's Australia week! Tom takes us on another highly entertaining (and, as usual, it's deeply harrowing) story of shipwreck survival against all the elements with the wreck of the Sydney Cove.
Meanwhile, Sam's finally getting to talk about the Burke and Wills expedition - an adventurous trip across Australia which, even by Victorian standards, was an absolute shambles from start to finish and a testament to bad bosses everywhere.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. 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 but lives in New Zealand), 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.
Jun 5, 2019
Jun 5, 2019
50 min
Oh Lordy, it's religion week. Which we're approaching with as much tact as you would expect for a delicate subject like this. Sam discusses the Freedomites, Canada's nudist vegan terrorists (pacifist terrorism, of course. The best kind).
Meanwhile Tom discusses the origins of the term buggery. Which, it turns out, may just be a bit of medieval fake news.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. 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 but lives in New Zealand), 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.